Kathryn Griffin Swegart's Blog, page 12

Book Review: The Temperament God Gave You

Ever wonder why you do what you do? Perhaps you are quick to react and like to argue, to debate, to be the boss, to always be right, to be a doer. On the other hand, you may be diplomatic, peaceful, hate conflict, are oversensitive, and enjoy being home in a quiet place. Both these descriptions describe two temperaments analyzed in the book The Temperament God Gave You, written by Art and Laraine Bennett. Art is a licensed marriage and family therapist who helps clients discover their temperament and thus become a more effective parent, a loving spouse, and a true friend.

Bennett’s book is not a trendy self-help book. Hippocrates first wrote about four main types of human traits back in 370 B.C. Bennett explains the temperament is not personality. It is like the raw material an artist uses for his masterpiece. We are born with a certain temperament. Bennet writes that personality “begins with a basic temperament, but it is clearly affected by environment, education, and free choice.” Our temperament can never be destroyed, but it can be modified.

I delved into this book to understand myself a little better and perhaps be a force for good in this weary old world. That happened. Little nooks and crannies of my inner self became obvious to me. I desperately wanted to be a sanguine, a person who had many friends, who loved parties, who was popular, self-assured, and carefree. Not gonna happen.  In my childhood days, I loved to jump on my bike and take long rides…alone.  A perfect day for me was to watch The Three Stooges on television and then go to my room to read a book…alone. In high school, I envied the cheerleaders who flitted around the hallways, always smiling, looking pretty, admired by the cute guys. Deep down I just wanted to be invisible and…alone with my thoughts.

I kept reading Bennett’s book and the picture became clear. My dominant temperament (most people have secondary temperaments) is phlegmatic. I am an introvert. I am a person who is polite, prefers routine, is patient, tolerant, not a leader, and can be indifferent or unmotivated. At the end of the book is a 232 point temperament indicator. I diligently circled appropriate traits. I still rooted that I would be Sanguine. Yet, I knew the truth about myself. Final tally: Chorelic 14 traits, Sanguine 28, Melancholic 39, Phlegmatic 55. No contest. 

Know thyself. That is a vital factor in spiritual growth. I can better know my strengths and weaknesses, thereby build where I must and have reasonable expectations about what I can’t do. Bennett emphasizes that we can change how we interact with ourselves and the world. It all starts with self-awareness.

Not to worry. I do accept my little phlegmatic self. It certainly helps in my vocation as a Secular Franciscan. You see, people of my temperament are peacemakers. It appears to me that our world is in great need of those who by nature desire peace and try to bring harmony to their little corner of the world.

Battle of the Birds

The National Weather Service says we are in the middle of a moderate drought. I don’t believe that. To the animals in fields and woods near our small farm, the land is parched. I walked in the woods and crossed the cracked bottom of a stream that normally would flow over rocks and roots. Further on, I looked for the vernal pool where frogs gather to lay eggs. Even in late summer, tadpoles squiggle along in the wide pool. Now it is empty, just another rut in the path. Off in the woods, a deer crashed through the tangled brush. He must get moisture from leaves or perhaps by smashing pumpkins from a backyard garden.

Where do the animals get water in a severe drought?

I got an answer one day when I drove in the driveway and scared off a flock of robins perched on our grape arbor, ready for a feast. We had waited five years to see clusters of purple grapes hanging from the arbor. Now birds were trying to beat us to it. That afternoon my husband did an “emergency” harvest, gathering eight pounds of succulent fruit. He figured they ate ten percent of the crop. In other words, we involuntarily tithed our grapes.

A short time later, I heard loud squawking coming from the grape arbor. A large Pileated Woodpecker (think Woody Woodpecker) hopped among the grape leaves, looking for fruit. Apparently, we had spoiled his meal plans and he was in quite a dither. His red crest was standing on end, like an angry dog with hackles raised. 

Two days later, Woody disappeared, migrating to warmer climates and perhaps to a place where streams flowed more abundantly. 

I thought of him as I made grape jelly, canned it, and smoothed the dark purple confection on sourdough toast. This moment was years in the making, but still I thought of those thirsty birds.

The whole episode made us more aware of the plight of animals in this drought. That is why we bought a bird bath and now watch chickadees frolic happily in the cool water.

Fatima: Movie Review

Warning. Spoiler alert! Well, sort of a spoiler alert. You see, I will tell you of a scene in the movie, Fatima (released on August 28th), that does not appear. For those who know the story of three shepherd children who had six visions of the Blessed Mother in the year 1917, this omission will surprise you. Now for my impressions of Fatima.

It felt real. It was not a fairy tale version of the visions. From the stunning drone shots of the rugged countryside of Portugal, to the compelling performances of the three young actors, we get the urgent messages of Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco. It really happened! These endearing visionaries really did see the Blessed Virgin Mary and she had profound messages to convey. The performances of the three actors totally portrayed the personalities of the famous children. 

Lucia, played by Stephanie Gil, captured the essence of a child torn by supernatural phenomena that change her life forever. Gone are the peaceful days spent on pastures guarding a flock of sheep. Gone are the harmonious days of a poor family who labor and pray together. Our Lady touches down in Fatima and turmoil ensues. Lucia’s beloved and pious mother does not believe her daughter. Why would Our Lady appear to Lucia? Mother turns against daughter and accuses her of lying. Lucia’s memoirs reveal that of all the persecutions she endured, this was the most gut-wrenching cross she had to bear. The Portuguese actress who portrays Lucia’s mother, Lucia Moniz, accurately presents the inner torture she undergoes.

The director, Marco Pontecorvo, chose to build the conflict between Lucia and her mother, describing it as a triangle between the visionary, Maria Rosa, and the Blessed Mother. It was a unique approach not taken in other films about Fatima. Drama requires conflict. Pontecorvo builds tension between Lucia, her family, and people of the village. Stephanie Gil delivers a convincing performance. We feel what Lucia feels. Isn’t that what fine acting should do?

Jorge Lamelas plays the part of Francisco. His role did not require depth of emotion…more of a playful little boy, at times confused (he could see but not hear the Lady), but ultimately steadfast in his belief that the Lady really appeared. He is a dead ringer for the real Francisco.

Alejandra Howard portrayed Jacinta, capturing her sweetness and unwavering love for the Lady. I do question scenes where she is immersed in the vision and abruptly turns to thousands of pilgrims and relays a mystical message in a natural manner, discounting the powerful rapture of these supernatural events. 

Now for the spoiler. Are you ready? The director chooses not to show scenes in which the mayor threatens to boil the children in oil if they do not recant their stories. If you recall, the mayor kidnaps the children and interrogates them. One by one, he demands that they take back their lies or they will be killed in horrific fashion. Francisco refuses and is removed from the room, presumably going to his death. Next, Jacinta refuses to recant. She is taken out of the room believing that she will also have a gruesome death. Each time, Lucia truly believed that her beloved cousins had died for Our Lady. Lucia was also prepared to be a martyr. As the true story goes, the mayor only intended to frighten the children and did not follow through with his threat.

Instead of including this dramatic scene, Pontecorvo substitutes the appearance of a psychiatrist interviewing them. In my opinion, this weakens the plot. I also believe that it was an important fact that the children were willing to die for their belief that the Virgin Mary had appeared to them. 

Despite these flaws, the director integrates luminous cinematography of the hillsides that draw us into the story. It is filmed in a Portuguese medieval village, helping to transport us to this place and time. Outstanding performances from the cast make us feel we are walking with Lucia through extraordinary events that shook a little girl, a family, a village, a country, and ultimately the world. Pontecorvo does not diminish the message of Fatima and the desperate need for prayer and sacrifice in a fallen world.

Fatima: The Movie

     

In the spring of 2019, I began writing Lucia of Fatima. I believed it to be an important book for young readers on this famous apparition. The last biography on the Fatima visionaries dates back to 1957. Let’s just say that some of these books tell the basic story but are a tad bit rusty. I wanted to write a compelling book from the perspective of Lucia. Here is a ten-year old peasant girl who comes face to face with supernatural events, profound and controversial in nature. It’s like Lucy in the Narnia series stepping into an alternative universe filled with evil witches and strange creatures. Lucy comes back through the wardrobe and no one believes her. And so it is with Lucia of Fatima.

That was my original idea. I thought it a worthwhile project to tackle. I guess it was. Several months ago, I learned that a new Fatima movie is coming out, told from the perspective of Lucia.

I read an interview with the director, Marco Pontecorvo. Much to my surprise, he focuses on the triangle formed between Lucia, her mother, and the mystical Lady. I also devoted many pages to the struggles Lucia had with her pious mother, Maria Rosa. The director felt Maria Rosa could not believe that a heavenly visitor would choose her daughter, one of the lowly ones. 

Based on Lucia’s memoirs, I chose a different angle. Maria Rosa was resistant to the apparitions out of fear for her daughter’s life. She believed that if the visions were false, people might kill her daughter and the other two visionaries, her younger cousins Jacinta and Francisco.

Film critic Steve Greydanus did a Zoom interview with Pontecorvo. Every time they began to talk about the vision of hell, the signal broke up. Both men noted it. Pontecovo labeled the break-up as an “incredible coincidence”. I had a similar experience, losing a third draft on a flash-drive, never to be found again. Fortunately, I had a hard copy. Several people thought some otherworldly shenanigans were afoot. I am not sure about that, but I continue to push forward. It looks like Lucia of Fatima will be ready by the fall.

Pontecorvo will be using special effects to dramatize the vision of hell and the third secret in which a bishop dressed in white is killed. That should be spectacular.

Fatima is scheduled for theatrical release on August 28th.

Into the Abyss

As a writer, I will not complain about my computer, especially contemplating life as a writer back in the 1800’s. Consider Herman Melville. He wrote his thousand-page novel, Moby Dick, completely by hand. His fingers must have been numb by the end of the day. Consider Pulitzer Prize winning author David McCullough. He had a little shed behind his house on Martha’s Vineyard.  In this cramped space he worked on a manual typewriter (circa 1940), producing gems like The Wright Brothers and John Adams.

Out of respect for Melville and McCullough, I will try not to complain. That said, here is my little story about how a computer can turn around and bite an unsuspecting writer.

On June 15th in the early morning hour, I went upstairs to work on my 60,000- word manuscript entitled Lucia of Fatima. It was a third draft, requiring spit and polish. After an hour, I saved the document on a flash-drive and went downstairs for breakfast. I ate my oatmeal and returned to the computer. I clicked on the document only to discover that Lucia had vanished. I searched in Downloads. I searched in Documents. I searched in iCloud. Lucia had evaporated into the stratosphere.  Microsoft support tried to find it. Apple support tried to find it. A kind friend with computer savvy searched. Another expert in computers used software to scan the flash-drive. Empty-handed, everyone.

All appeared to be lost. Now here is where Gandalf rides to the rescue on his white horse. Gandalf, in the person of my husband, quietly pulled out a paper folder marked Lucia. “Is this a recent draft?” he asked. He had served as a friendly reader in the rewriting process. Sure enough, it was!

Thanks to technology, I can use voice to text and dictate the story into Microsoft Word, avoiding the arduous task of starting all over again. 

Now for my point. Computers can be your worst enemy or your best friend. Not so my husband. Nearly forty years of married life proves to me that he has been my hero through thick and thin, through technological glitches and even vanishing manuscripts.

The Holy House of Mary

                         

Accademia – Trasporto della Santa Casa di Loreto by Giambattista Tiepolo

In the year 1291 a strange thing happened in the little town of Nazareth. On the morning of May 10th, people of the village walked by and were astonished to see that a small house had disappeared. Now this was not your run-of-the-mill dwelling. Pilgrims considered it a holy house for it was the Virgin Mary’s house. Whoosh! Overnight the house was gone. All that remained was its foundation.

Who moved it? What happened? Good questions, dear reader. My sentiments exactly. The miraculous “translation” (movement) of Mary’s house was one of those nuggets I discovered in my research on Miraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids. At first, I was skeptical, but kept reading. The more I researched…the more I came to believe that it was not a fairy tale.

Here is the basic story. In the 1200’s, Saracen forces were attacking Christian churches and holy sites. It appeared their warriors were closing in on this sacred site. How sacred? Here was the house of the Immaculate Conception, of the Annunciation, of the hidden life of the Holy Family. Wow! Try to top that!  One night, unseen forces moved the little house from Nazareth to Croatia. It stayed there for three years. Next, it was carried over the Adriatic Sea to Italy. After two more moves, it was mysteriously relocated to its current location in Loreto, Italy.

You might ask a reasonable question. Why would a sensible person believe such a fantastic story? Let’s take a closer look. Scientific studies of construction materials show that the foundation (located in Nazareth) and the house match perfectly. Stone from the Holy House in Loreto is made of limestone, not red volcanic rock found in Italy. Dimensions of the foundation and dwelling are a perfect fit.

It is believed that angels moved Mary’s house. Now that’s hard to swallow. What crazy person would buy that line? I delved more deeply into the story. Popes over the centuries have encouraged veneration of the Holy House. Many saints have visited the pilgrimage sit in Italy.  Among those saints are Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Charles Borromeo, and St. Theresa of Lisieux. In 1848, St. John Henry Cardinal  Newman made pilgrimage to Loreto and left with no doubt of the miraculous nature of the house. “If you ask me why I believe, it is because everyone in Rome believes.

By the year 1917, forty-four popes had visited and expressed belief in the miraculous origins. Among those popes were Leo XIII, Pius X, and Pius XII. In 1950, Pope Pius XII elevated the House of Loreto to the status of holy place. In 1993, Pope Saint John Paul II called it “the foremost shrine of international import dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.”

If any readers have been to this holy site, I would love to hear your story. Please post a comment on my website.

An Interview with artist John Folley

Over the years, John and I have collaborated on children’s books with Catholic themes. We both have devoted our time and talent to bringing inspiring books to young readers. It has truly been a blessingtoo have him share his talent for these projects. What did you like to draw as a kid?

I loved drawing knights and soldiers probably most of all. The more weapons, guns, spears, knives, bullets, and grenades I could pack onto them, the better I liked the pictures. I would also draw castles and battles and many other things to go along with these soldiers. When I painted a lot of times it was a response to art classes in school. I remember distinctly in preschool and kindergarten they were just set out the watercolor paints. Long after the other students were bored and left the tables I would be painting for hours. I also did a few “paint by numbers” projects that I greatly enjoyed. Some of my favorite early drawings were actually for a story that my teacher had us write in class. I Illustrated the mayhem and destruction that I imagined our two cats at the time wreaking upon the household if they were left alone. “Ollie and Poindexter’s Crazy Day” might be the first work that I ever Illustrated.

What is your creative process like?

I will start with a small Spencer pencil sketch in my notebook. Often this will be a 4 inch by 2 inch or a 3 inch sketch. I will try to get the main figures and composition worked out. After this I will often look for resources to help bring more liveliness and detail to these initial sketches. This will involve a second round of sketches. Finally, I go to the canvas and transfer what is essentially a vinyl composition to the canvas or watercolor paper and then execute my vision in final media – oil paint pen and ink and watercolor or some type of computer finish.

What artist most influenced my work?

Early on I fell in love with traditional art. I remember looking through the coffee table book that my mom had in our house of Sister Wendy’s 1000 Greatest Masterpieces and absolutely loving the work of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and many other great Renaissance and Baroque painters. Perhaps the single artist who most captured my imagination at this early phase though was Caravaggio. His realism and the immediacy of his paintings that often depict the supernatural realities of the Catholic faith still really resonate and speak to me. The way that Caravaggio presents supernatural realities with care and attention to the physical truths of light form and color are a particularly powerful combination and I think a particular embodiment of the Ignatian spirituality at its best. Of course, to my own teacher the very accomplished painter Paul Ingbretson I owe a huge debt a gratitude. His painting and teaching has greatly for me as an artist. Many other artists and illustrators that I have encountered later in life including N.C. Wyeth and Alphonse Mucha certainly play a large role and a particular influence in my illustrated work.

How do I gather ideas for my work?

I often try to do sketching from real life if that’s possible. However, often I will also look at photographs and past painters and illustrators whose work I admire. I often copy excellent works and that certainly has a very good effect on my own. Most of it comes from imagination and memory.

What is my favorite medium?

I tend to love working in oil painting for many things especially when I’m working from life with still life, landscape, or portrait. For illustration, my favorite medium is pen and ink with watercolor.

Of all your own art…which is your favorite?

 My favorite type of artwork is that which combines Catholic themes with high and beautiful art. I also firmly believe that art should be well integrated into the life of families and communities. I am very much opposed to the idea of art for art’s sake among other reasons that it quickly becomes isolated and egotistical. When art can serve God and others it is raised up and ennobled. One of my one of my favorites of all time is a small painting of Our Lady that I was privileged to do for a patron from Texas quite recently.

Another work that I am extremely excited about is the “Children’s Christmas ABC Book” that is coming out this September from TAN Publishing. I was able to employ a beautiful and intricate Art Nouveau style to meditate and illustrate the mysteries of Christmas as Paul Thigpen lovingly presented them in verse. I think this will also be a treasure for families to enjoy for years!

Learn more about John’s work at johnfolley.com

Miraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids

I was thrilled to awake this glorious summer morning to discover that Miraculous: Catholic Mysteries for Kids is available for purchase! It is always exciting for an author to conceive an idea, write, rewrite, polish and see the finished product.

Last November, I compiled ideas for ten short stories that would illuminate events of supernatural origin recorded in Church history. First to make the list was the Miracle of the Sun-a solar phenomenon in which 70,000 witnessed the sun “dance” (as described by witnesses). The date was October 13, 2017 on a hillside in Fatima, Portugal.

 As I wrote, my goal was to make each story come alive with heroic characters who come face to face with the supernatural. I really wanted to introduce young readers to the miraculous origins of our Faith. What better way than through stories? Included are three major apparitions, the man who first photographed the Shroud of Turin, Padre Pio’s flying escapades and more. 

I was blessed to have John Folley create the cover and illustrations. He masterfully rendered a cover filled with vibrant color. His illustrations capture the heart of each story.

For those who purchased Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids, you will enjoy this companion book. I included a section in the back entitled What Science and History Tell Us… It describes scientific studies on the Shroud, Saint Juan Diego’s tilma, and the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano. One of the more unusual stories is The House of the Virgin Mary, said to have been moved four times from Nazareth to Italy, each move accomplished by angels. Sound impossible? Just read the studies of this ancient house and how many famous saints and popes made pilgrimages to this holy place.

Miraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids can be purchased at Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B7KVNDQ.

I hope that you enjoy Miraculous! and are inspired by the wonders of our Catholic faith. Oh, and please share this post and write a review on Amazon. It really helps get out the word!

Seeds of Peace

                                 

Zoom in now on the photograph. Picture this man in jail. It is a narrow cell with dim light. You might imagine that he would stare at a dirty wall and do nothing. That is not the case. In fact, he sits on the bed and begins to write. First, he writes on the narrow margins of a newspaper and runs out of space. The man forages for more paper and finds scraps of writing paper. He keeps writing…and writing…and writing. 

The man is Martin Luther King, Jr. and the date is April 12,1963. His “Letter Written in a Birmingham Jail” became an historic part of the American Civil Rights movement.

Last week, my son gently challenged our family to reflect on how we have helped to build a more just society for all people. I named a few examples. I decided to dig more deeply and discovered Dr.King’s eloquent letter. I clicked on a link archived by Stanford University and listened to Reverend King read his letter. I was enthralled.

By way of background, Reverend King led a series of marches and sit-ins protesting segregation laws, racism, and violence against black citizens. He also protested in Birmingham, Alabama, at that time considered the most segregated city in the country. He was arrested and put in jail.

His letter reflects a deep a commitment to nonviolent direct action. Time after time, he quotes philosophers back to Socrates, the Bible, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas, giving a clinic on the subject of justice. Laws fall into two categories—just and unjust. It is our moral responsibility to obey just laws. He then quotes St. Augustine that “an unjust law is no law at all.”

How are we to recognize a just law? He turns to Thomas Aquinas who wrote that laws must be rooted in both eternal and natural law. Just laws “uplift the personality”. Segregation fails to see the spark of divinity in every human being.

Dr. King continues:

“I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.”

He also warned that to reject nonviolent protests will lead to black nationalist ideologies that promote violence. We would then be living in “a national nightmare.” Sound familiar?

I sorely wish that we had leaders like Dr. King who took peaceful action against unjust laws. He certainly would not have approved of “taking a knee” in disrespect for this noble American experiment, this democratic republic envisioned by our forefathers, in which “all men are created equal”. Political correctness did not exist in his mind. The phrase had not been invented. He did not jump on ideological bandwagons. He had to think for himself. He had to read lengthy books and spend time in prayer. He had to risk being sprayed by firehoses, kicked, and beaten. Ultimately, he gave his life, struck down by an assassin’s bullet in 1968.

I listened to the voice of Dr. King and heard a voice of humility. I smiled at the conclusion of his famous letter. He apologized for the length, but mused, “what else can you do when you are alone for days in the dull monotony of a narrow jail?”

I end this blog post in solidarity with Dr. King who ended his letter “Yours for the Cause of Peace and Brotherhood.”

Miraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids

We are all in “quiet time” here is rural Maine, a period with few scheduled events and plenty of time at home. That is a perfect setting for writers to make headway on projects. Currently, I am working on two projects. I have mentioned Lucia of Fatima several times in this blog. I still have several more months of polishing on that. Now let us turn to Miraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids.

For years I have been fascinated by supernatural events recorded over centuries of Church history. Many have been studied by scientists who often come up with the same conclusion. That is, there is no scientific reason for extraordinary events documented by the Church. 

Three major phenomena are the Shroud of Turin, believed by millions to be the burial cloth of Jesus. It has undergone two significant scientific studies in recent years and left scientists mystified by the results. The Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano also has undergone scrutiny, with conclusions that put this 1200-year-old relic beyond the reach of science. Bread and wine consecrated centuries ago miraculously turned into real flesh and real blood at a Mass in the 800’s. Every study, including one conducted by the World Health Organization, revealed the species to be heart muscle from a living human being, type A-B blood, with no signs of preservatives.  Scientists have also studied the cloak of St. Juan Diego. In 1531, a peasant witnessed apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known to us as Our Lady of Guadalupe. A miraculous image was left on his cloak, an image with no signs of brush strokes or pigments. The rough cloak should have fallen apart centuries ago yet is still intact.

I have taken ten such miraculous events and written short stories to share with children ages eight and older.

John Folley, a gifted artist, has created 10 superb pen and ink illustrations and a stunning cover for the book. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek at John’s artwork and the stories I will share with young readers. 

Stay tuned for more news about these two exciting projects.