Catholicism – Chicago Boyz

Pope Francis has died. Two things lept to mind.

First, JD Vance was one of the last people to see him alive.

Second, while the rule is to wait a decent interval before speaking ill of the dead, his leaving of this world had been expected for a long time, and it seems many observers already had obituaries in the can regarding his legacy. So I will add my thoughts.

I’ll start off by stating up front that I am not a Catholic. I have a number of Catholics in my immediate family and circle, so the Church is not alien to me and I have a great deal of both familiarity and sympathy for it.

The next thought is that institutions work best when they remain “tethered” to their founding principles. A balloon that is connected by a tether to the ground may rise or fall, but it isn’t going to go floating off into the wild blue yonder.

One of the problems we have in this country is that our political institutions and culture, while superficially remaining the same, have become untethered from the founding principles of natural rights and social contract.

The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming Gothic are embarked on a major stone carving project–using CNC stone carving machines.

CNC machines and robots have unlocked the ability to relatively quickly carve the intense details of a Gothic church. Ornate pieces that used to take months for a skilled carver, now can be accomplished in a matter of days. Instead of cutting out the beauty, using the excuse that it takes too long, thus doesn’t fit into the budget, modern technology can be used to make true Gothic in all its beauty a reality again today.

The use of modern technologies in stone carving unlock the potential of modern youth. Though they may be untrained in the use of a hammer and chisel, young men and women have grown up in a world of computers. The skills they possess can now be channeled towards a higher end, the building of a church for the glory of God.

Nice description of the machine and the process for using it at their site.

At least some of the medieval monks would have heartily approved, I think–some of the orders were at the forefront of technological change in their time, especially in the use of waterpower.