Dreaming the World

A brilliantly sunny, cold, frosty morning.

A few days ago we drove to Boston. It was equally cold but more frosty and the trees sparkled, backlit by the early morning sun. Sorry to say there are no photos.

Sunday we joined one of Jennie’s twins, Daniel, and his wife, Katie, for pre-Chanukah latkes, a brief walk, and a few hours of looking at art in the arts centre where Katie has her studio. It was open studio weekend and we came home with wonderful finds and notably reduced funds. My favourite acquisition was a ceramic windchime, composed of progressively smaller bell shaped pieces. It is lovely and has a delightful sound.

For the past two weeks I have been trying to get my new eurorack module to work. May hours of struggle yielded a decision that the module was faulty and the seller refunded my purchase and did not want the module back. Many more hours of experimentation and befuddlement later, and the module seems to be working flawlessly. If that continues for another day or so I will contact the seller and purchase it again. Such is life with electronic sound creation.

Sunday was also the second Sunday in Advent. Right on cue the Archdiocese of Boston ordered a suburban parish to remove a sign in its Nativity that was deemed too political and divisive. According to the National Catholic Reporter the sign read:

“The Holy Family is safe in The Sanctuary of our Church,” the sign adds. “If you see ICE, please call LUCE,” referring to an immigrant assistance network in Massachusetts.

I was a mental health consultant for the legal team that represented the first one hundred adults who sued the Archdiocese of Vermont for terrible abuse, including sex trafficking, they experienced while at the Catholic orphanage.

My colleague and I, both experienced severe trauma specialists, would go home after meeting with the survivors (many Native) and a have intense nightmares for weeks. It took over two years for the Archdiocese to admit the abuse and take minimal responsibility for it. Sadly, the statute of limitations had run out and the survivors received minimal compensation.

The irony of the Boston Archdiocese bemoaning the political signage in a Nativity scene posted by a congregation supporting immigrants and migrants at a time of Herodic despotism is just over the top. But then again, not unexpected. Of course, a lack of backbone when faced with tyranny and abuse is hardly confined to the Catholic church.