December 8 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the First Vatican Council. This is the final article in a series of articles on the Council, its key moments and its legacy. The first article was published here. The second article was published here.

Full in the panting heart of Rome Beneath the apostles crowning dome. From pilgrims lips that kiss the ground, Breathes in all tongues one only sound God bless our Pope, the great, the good!

In this hymn, Nicholas Patrick Wiseman, the first Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, captured the surge in devotion to the Pope that became a feature of Catholic spirituality in the 19th century and reached a crescendo during the reign of Pope Pius IX (1846-1878).

By the time the First Vatican Council opened on December 8, 1869, the papacy had survived the crisis of the French Revolution in the late 18th century and the humiliation of Napoleons invasions of Rome that led to the capture and imprisonment of Pope Pius VI and later Pope Pius VII.

Buffeted by the challenges of the Enlightenment, the unification of the Italian peninsula and virulent anti-clericalism, Pope Pius IX was devastated when the last remnant of the Papal States the city of Rome was incorporated into the new kingdom of Italy in September 1870.

Nevertheless, with the benefit of hindsight, his loss of temporal power was more than offset by the gain in spiritual authority. The political crises did, however, leave their mark.

Pius issued theSyllabus of Errorsin 1864, a document that was reactionary in tone, famously decrying among other errors the proposition that the Roman Pontiff can and should reconcile himself with progress, liberalism and recent civilisation.

The Sydney Morning Heraldpublished a letter from A Catholic (subsequently revealed to be W.A. Duncan, a former organist at the cathedral in Brisbane) that railed against two tendencies: uncritical acceptance of theSyllabuson one hand and complete denunciation of it on the other.

Duncan could see value in some of the Popes strictures, but he stressed that Catholics are not obliged to receive political fallacies even from a Pope, and even those among us who think the Pope infallible in his religious teaching may, if they please, think him a very bad authority on subjects of political government.

Duncan concluded with the hope that Pius IX would eventually develop a more positive relationship with modern civilisation. One step in that direction occurred early in his pontificate when he gave permission for railways to be constructed in the Papal States; they had been banned by his predecessor.

Pius also dramatically increased the number of papal audiences. By steam ship and steam train, countless pilgrims travelled to Rome and encountered a Pope who was, according to most reports, a warm and caring pastor of souls. He was the first Pope to be photographed and mass-produced prints were hung in Catholic homes around the world.

Australias first canonised saint, Mary MacKillop, made the long voyage from Australia in 1873, less than two years after her excommunication by Bishop Sheil in Adelaide in 1871. In a letter to her mother, Mary recounted her meeting with Pius IX: What he said and how he said it when he knew I was the Excommunicated one, are things too sacred to be spoken ofbut he let me see that the Pope has a Fathers heart.

After another meeting a few weeks later, Mary noted in her diary that the pope was so kind. The late Patrick OFarrell, in his history of the Catholic Church in Australia, asserted that to most Australian Catholics, the papacy, its politics and pronouncements seemed remote and irreverent.

Belying this judgement is the media coverage in country and city newspapers during Piuss lifetime now much more accessible than it was when OFarrell was writingThe Catholic Church and Community, as a result of the National Library of Australias digitalisation project.

Australians were well informed about the debates going on behind the scenes at the First Vatican Council.The Bendigo Advertiserobserved in February 1870 that the apple of discord has been thrown down, and we may expect what are known as stormy discussions.The Gympie TimesandMary River Mining Gazetteoffered its readers two months a translation of a letter to the Pope from a group of German-speaking bishops protesting the proposed decree.

The Protestant Standardpredictably mocked infallible nonsense, whileThe Australasianreported that the bishops had voted 400 in favour of the infallibility of the pope and 88 against, with 62 conditional votes. It was not stated, but this was a preliminary vote on the draft decree held on July 13, 1870, with 451 the real number of ayes.

The Melbourne Catholic paper,The Advocate, recognised that not all Catholics embraced the notion of infallibility, but was confident that the final decision of the Council would be accepted without demure.

After Piuss death on February 7, 1878,The Sydney Morning Heraldcommented: No one who has lived during the last half century has done more, and few have done so much, to attract or to repel mankind.

In a time of heightened sectarian tension, exacerbated by the withdrawal of government aid from Catholic schools, there would have been some Catholics embarrassed by the proclamation of the decree on papal infallibility, even in its final, nuanced form, while others clearly embraced it. For all, it was a reminder of the distinctive nature of the central government of the Roman Catholic Church.

Pride in a profound link with the Bishop of Rome went beyond doctrine and found exuberant expression in Catholic piety. An example of this from the early 20th century can be found in the diary of a young Melbourne seminarian training for the priesthood in Rome.

After attending a Eucharist celebrated by Pope Benedict XV in 1919, Matthew Beovich, the future Archbishop of Adelaide, exulted: There in the stillness we, eighty favoured ones, assisted at the Mass of the Father of Christendom, the ruler of 300 million loving hearts . . . before our eyes God and His Vicar were speaking, even as He and Moses spoke on Mount Sinai.

Back in the immediate aftermath of the First Vatican Council, a report inThe Advocatein 1871 noted the increasing popularity of Cardinal Wisemans exquisite hymn,Full in the Panting Heart of Rome. At school and in his local parish, Beovich doubtless sang it many times.

Dr Josephine Laffin is a senior lecturer in Church history at the Australian Catholic University in Adelaide.

With thanks to theACBC.

Read more here:
The Church and the Media: Vatican I and Pope Pius IX - Catholic Outlook

The last time I visited The Mandrake was back in June;I was attending the launch of their Jurema terrace and vividly recall having taken my aunt out for a day in town. Shed been going through what could only be termed a mid-life crisis, recently returned from hiking in Japan, newly divorced and wearing a miniskirt. On that summers daythe celebrated terrace had been full of West London hippie-types, swaying along to a Hawaiian drummer in a grass skirt. I lost my aunt during a cult-like ceremony involving Szechuan buttons and when I found her again she was surrounded by a table of shamans, each offering to take her on spiritual voyages to their respective retreats in Bali, Indonesia and Canning Town. So that was The Mandrake.

Anyway, after the fun of the terrace launch, Id been waiting for the right opportunity to return to this architectural gem. So I decided to take the plunge and revel in the avant-garde sexiness that is Waeska, one of the hotels two bars. To enter, you strut down a darkened passage into a foliage-filled wonderland, and the first thing I beheld was a taxidermied gazelle, dressed as a peacock wearing full-on S&M headgear, The Mandrake was straight back on form.

A fifteen drink menu is based on ethnobotany. Inventive and researched, it might well have been the product of an eccentric professor, lurking behind one of the bars tropical-print armchair.Take, for example, the Nutmeg. King of Soho gin paired with sweet potato puree and dressed with a chorizo crisp. The bar team works closely with the chef, I was told. Its bizarre, but it totally works albeit weirdly. Jalapenos (in season and fiery hot) were a warming highlight of an eponymous cocktail, paired with a carnival-esque mix of grapefruit, tequila and chipotle.

The Mandrakes ethereal vibe was reflected in each drink. A particularly memorable example is simply called Barley. Like the mandrake plant, barley was famed amongst Ancient Greeks for its hallucinogenic properties. When partnered with a healthy splash of Chivas 18 year old whiskey, a saccharine dollop of maple and an apple kick, youd be forgiven for feeling pleasantly woozy. Out of body experiences seemed to be a running theme at The Mandrake. Even the name of the bar, Waeska, alludes to the Amazonian vine ayahuasca, said to result in spiritual enlightenment (a known synonym for a sore head and the odd regret the next morning).

The team excelled. I was surprised with bar snacks and revelled in them. Octopus empanadas were rich and fishy, the pastry buttery and flaky. They arrived alongside parma ham croquettes, hearty and comforting. Parmesan and tapioca squares popped with little bursts of joy. Id return just for the food Ive never had bar food quite like it.

The Mandrake is made up of two buildings. One side is dark and the other light this is an architectural trick, designed to mirror the daily rise and fall of the sun and the concept applies throughout. While the decor may be moody, brooding and mysterious, Waeska is an enlightened dreamworld. Though it navigates a careful path between pretension and indulgence ethnobotany is, after all, the study of a people and their plants I wouldnt be surprised if it one day formed a basis for an anthropological thesis. For me, The Mandrake is the citys most hedonistic hideaway.

http://www.themandrake.com

More:
A Gazelle In A Gimp Mask? Just One Reason To Visit Waeksa - The Handbook

Wondering what to get your creative friends when the big day rolls around later this month?

From membership to the Royal Academy or Lambeth Palace's Garden Museum, to a custom-made board game or ceramics that tell a story, here are the best gifts you can give your artistic friends this Christmas.

Light of the Soul: one of Olga Frbe-Kapteyns striking prints

Look for a red-and-white barber shop sign to find brilliantly named The Gallery of Everything in Chiltern Street, Marylebone.

With prices from 500 to 35,000 and an ever-changing roster of exhibitions beyond the cultural mainstream, it has prints, drawings and sculptures for every taste and budget.

Olga Frbe-Kapteyns striking prints, such as Light of the Soul,produced between 1927 and 1934, were based on the artists search for sacred and spiritual imagery, and will intrigue anyone looking for more meaning in their art.

If you enjoy this column you might like the online videos at London Art Studies, of which I am founder.

Were delighted to announce that weve just won the Peoples Choice for Art in the Lovie Awards, which honour the best of the European internet.

London Art Studies, like Netflix for art lovers, is also for those who want to understand a bit more about art.

Membership is 8.99 a month or 88 a year.

Eames Fine Art in Bermondsey is currently holding its Christmas silent, secret auction.

Bid online for prints and lithographs, including by Chagall, Matisse and Moore, or in person at the drinks party tonight, from 6pm.

Any works in the sale that dont sell by the end of tonight stay on show at the reserve price, giving a second opportunity to bag a bargain piece of art.

One year, someone bid for and won a Matisse lithograph for 30. Hurry over now, or visit online.

The Royal Academy is set for a banner year, with Picasso prints, performance artist Marina Abramovic and Gauguin and the Impressionists.

Why not gift the art lover in your life RA membership, which includes access to the garden and bar in The Keepers House? Become a Friend for 128.

The gift shop has legendary Academician Norman Fosters stainless-steel tableware, such as this carafe, 95, and, for four to seven year-olds, the book Yves Klein Painted Everything Blue and Wasnt Sorry.

Fausto Gilbertos illustrations bring it to life.

Christmas wouldnt be Christmas without a board game or two and these are rather special.

One of British designer Alexandra Llewellyns luxurious custom-made backgammon sets, will make the perfect present if you are staying with art-loving friends and are unsure what to bring along.

Llewellyn also accepts commissions to personalise her board games and tables.

From 1,400 for a travel set.

TV's Alan Titchmarsh calls the Garden Museum at Lambeth Palace on the south bank the spiritual home of gardening.

It opened in 1977 in the grounds of deconsecrated St Mary-at-Lambeth Church, which housed the tomb of John Tradescant the Elder (1570- 1638), Britains first great gardener and plant hunter.

A fantastic season of talks and masterclasses is coming up, focusing on sustainability and the healing power of plants.

The Garden Museum is, according to Alan Titchmarsh, the "spiritual home of gardening"

Dont miss Tiny Garden Design, or Italian cookery writer Ursula Ferrignos class on cooking with oranges and lemons, also available as a one-off gift.

Membership from 36.

I'm buying this terracotta dish, made by 1690 Ceramics.

Artist Sophie Wilson says she wants to produce works that tell a story, and was inspired by English delftwares poetry and prose.

The words on this plate come from an 18th-century childs creamware mug.

Wilsons dish, 180, includes a fig, symbol of peace, abundance and enlightenment.

Pieces by 1690 Ceramics are available at cutterbrooks.com.

180: this terracotta dish which includes a fig, a symbol of peace, abundance and enlightenment

Read more from the original source:
Gifts for culture lovers:the best ideas and shops to buy from for art enthusiasts this Christmas - Homes and Property

Download copy from here Ram Dass - Overcoming Pain And Addiction

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SQtYC8Gw2Q

Download copy from here Leo Gura - One Rule For Acing Life

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8sD-oIY8P8

Download copy from here Nikolas Schreck Examines Tantric Buddhism

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSfzJWBcmeU

Download copy from here How Do We Cultivate Mindfulness As A Society

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3k821joJ1Q

Its people that are creative, not organisations.

Creativity is something that is in high demand, falling under the set of soft skills that are now a huge advantage in business.

However, creativity exists outside of learned expertise, its more about the way an individual perceives reality. With this in mind, its important to note that its people that are creative and not organisations.

The most obvious characteristics that come to mind are artistic; such as painting, sculpture and music. These are indeed creative, but these are skills that have been honed over many years, practised, fine-tuned. They are a form of learned expertise, just like accountancy and medicine.

The less obvious forms of creativity are when we talk about thinking creatively. This is far more interesting, and far more accessible for everyone to do: It is just thinking.

Most ancient cultures lacked the concept of creativity, seeing it as a form of discovery and not creation. They assumed that all around them was divine, furnished by the Gods, and not humans. Humans didnt have the divine right to imagine something into reality. That was reserved for Gods.

Humanism allowed us to move past this view though, and a combination of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment accelerated it. It removed the authority of thought, a single, all-encompassing view.

This lead to a questioning of conventional ways of doing things, and allowed inventive thinking to flourish, new ideas, new concepts and completely new ways of viewing the world arose. But when conventions are questioned by someone, they arent viewed as creative thinkers, they are viewed as troublemakers.

We dont like change so we shun the unconventional thinkers, and this is the key point. Creativity can be challenging. Its about questioning assumptions, proposing the preposterous and not being bound by the perceived right or wrong outcome.

Harnessing creativity

Many people consider business creativity to be the domain of only certain departments or people. This is a drawback, as it thrives on diversity and cross-departmental input.

Its about ideas, observations and innocent questions that can spark new and valuable ways of doing things. To foster this though, a structure needs to be in place to allow people to contribute in a meaningful manner.

In 1951 Toyota launched its creative idea suggestion system. Its slogan Good Thinking, Good Products is in Toyota factories around the globe to encourage all employees to suggest improvements or ideas. This differed from the normal suggestion box approach in that it had very clear guidelines and a clear path to resolution.

It meant ideas were evaluated on their merit, and not on who was proposing them. It also explicitly stated that permission for suggesting improvements was not required, thus removing the hierarchal barriers that can impede creativity.

Intermingle expertise

One of the reasons that scrappy start-ups become successful is that they are working on a limited budget, which means that they cant afford a specialist for every role. This can seem like a handicap, but it is one of the reasons they succeed.

An organisation stocked with experts tends to have a conventional way of doing things, as informed by each of their specialisms. When that expertise isnt available though, a different way to do whats needed will be found.

This new, non-traditional approach can be the reason that the start-up finds success. It brings a different perspective to proceedings, one unencumbered by traditional patterns of thinking around the discipline.

One way around this limitation in larger organisations is to create a system that allows departments to seek fresh viewpoints from other internal teams or departments. This isnt a form of offloading problems, rather it allows for different points-of-view to be applied to it, and sometimes a novice in the field might propose something that everyone else has missed.

Create areas to focus on, not goals

Conceptually it can be hard to view goals as a negative thing, we are primed to achieve them from an early age.For creative outcomes, it is important that they are removed.

By setting fixed goals the results that are defined are already set. This is the opposite of what is required when seeking new ideas and outcomes. When you ask for the expected, thats what you will always get.

Instead, create areas of focus to concentrate on. These can be centred on optimising or innovating, customer-facing or inward-facing, departmental or company-wide. Its not important which, what is important is that there isnt a fixed goal in mind for what you want the creative thinking to apply to. This allows for a range of results to indicate success. It can also present results that can surprise because when the narrow success goals are removed, creativity flourishes.

Most organisations are brimming with creativity, but they need to seek it out to get the best results.

Designing environments and structures to enable this is crucial, and finding the people that are willing to ask the questions, explore the unknown and to challenge everyday assumptions. They can be young or old, just in the door or part of the furniture. They may be known internally as lacking experience, difficult or trouble makers. Find these people and creativity will thrive.

Keith Kent is the founder ofEpigram,which works with organisations to improve their business through innovation.

Get our Daily Briefing with the mornings most important headlines for innovative Irish businesses.

Read more here:
Finding creativity in plain sight: How to question convention and allow inventive thinking to flourish - Fora.ie

Book events

Barnes & Noble: 313 Corte Madera Ave., Corte Madera; 415-927-9016; barnesandnoble.com. Dec. 10: Fetch-22 release party. 6:30 p.m.; Dec. 12: YA Book Club discusses Scythe by Neal Shusterman. 7 p.m.; Dec. 13: Lindy West discusses The Witches Are Coming. 6 p.m.

Bay Model Visitor Center: 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito; 415-332-3871. Dec. 14: Marin City photographers Nita Winter and Rob Badger sign their book, Beauty and The Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change. 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Book Passage: 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera; 415-927-0960; bookpassage.com. Dec. 8: Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts discusses Fight Like a Mother. 1 p.m.; Dec. 8: Paula Arai discusses Painting Enlightenment. 4 p.m.; Dec. 9: Booker T. Jones discusses Time is Tight. 7 p.m.; Dec. 10: Rabbi Tirzah Firestone discusses Wounds Into Wisdom. 7 p.m.; Dec. 11: John J. Prendergast discusses The Deep Heart. 7 p.m.; Dec. 14: Sasha Paulsen discusses Dancing on the Spiders Web with Georgeanne Brennan. 1 p.m.; Dec. 14: RC Marlen discusses Pocket in the Waistcoat. 7 p.m.; Dec. 15: Toni Bird Jones discusses The Measure of Ella. 1 p.m.; Dec. 15: San Anselmo resident Jamie Kurtzig discusses Onederland: My Childhood with Type 1 Diabetes. 4 p.m.

Point Reyes Presbyterian Church: 11445 Highway 1, Point Reyes Station; 415-663-1542; ptreyesbooks.com. Dec. 14: Poets Ada Limn and Matthew Zapruder read from their recent work. 3 p.m.

San Rafael Public Library: 1100 E St., San Rafael; 415-485-3321. Dec. 9: Monday Night Reading Group discusses Excellent Women by Barbara Pym. 6:30 p.m.

Anne T. Kent California Room Map & Special Collections Annex: 1600 Los Gamos, suite 182, San Rafael; 415-473-7419. Dec. 9: Historian and It Happened in Marin author Jim Holden discusses Geography & Action in Marin: Featuring Rare Marin County Maps. 6:30 p.m.

Firehouse Coffee & Tea: 317 Johnson St., Sausalito. Dec. 8: Pen Men of Marins poetry reading. 3 p.m.

Marin Centers Showcase Theater: 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael; tickets.marincenter.org. Dec. 10: Chris Taylor and Bryan Young discuss Star Wars: The Skywalker Journey Returns Home. 7 p.m. $8 to $25.

San Anselmo Council Chambers: 525 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo; townofsananselmo.org. Dec. 10: Asian Art Museum docent Yoshi Fukamiya discusses Demons, Creatures and Monsters in Asian Art. Noon.

Studio 333: 333 Caledonia St., Sausalito; wtawpress.org. Dec. 12: Novato poet Francesca Bell, Yu-Han Chao, Cai Emmons, Judy Grahn, Brittany Ackerman and Florencia Ramirez read their works at Why There Are Words. 7:15 p.m. $10.

Compiled by Colleen Bidwill The Literary Calendar appears Sundays. Email calendar@marinij.com or mail to Literary Calendar, Marin Independent Journal, 4000 Civic Center Drive, Suite 301, San Rafael 94903. Items should be sent two weeks in advance.

Link:
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Booker T. Jones discusses his book among this weeks author talks - Marin Independent Journal

Hi Neighbor,

Today were talking about women. If youre a guy, read on anyway because theres a good chance you know a woman wholl be interested.

The Advance/SILive will host a unique event in February for any Staten Island woman who wants business advice, or educational advice, or volunteering advice lets just say any advice whatsoever.

And we have the women to give it. Fifty-five of them.

On Feb. 24, a Monday morning, at 8:30 theyll be in the Vanderbilt on the boardwalk in South Beach waiting to talk to you. One-on-one.

We call it Mentoring Monday. Its all about women and all about helping their careers.

You might be a high school student wondering what to do after graduation. Everyone tells you, Go to college. But whats your goal?

You might be a college student. Grad school? Law school? An MBA program? Or should you get out there in the world and start working?

You might be a 30-or-40-something woman in a workplace looking to move up. Or a mom whose kids are grown and out of the house. You want to get back in the workforce. But how? Whats your first step?

Fifty-five businesswomen whove Been There, Done That want to talk with you.

The Advance/SILive is bringing those successful women together Feb. 24 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. to give you that opportunity. Therell be lawyers, doctors, educators, health-care administrators, cultural leaders, non-profit leaders, bankers, public relations experts, marketing and real estate professionals and more.

Their experience is vast, ranging from the director of business strategy and engagement for data analytics for Bloomberg LP, to the executive directors of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden and the St. George Theatre, to a VP of Con Ed, to a Ph.D whos a cancer researcher, to a variety of fund-raisers of a host of non-profits, to an online book publisher, to the president of the Chamber of Commerce, to the women behind one of the most successful florist businesses on Staten Island. And thats just a sampling.

All you need do is sign up at https://events.silive.com/e/mentoring-monday. There is a $20 fee to register ($25 beginning January 1) to help cover some of the cost.

The day shapes up like this:

Get there early. The day really begins at 8 a.m. with registration, a continental breakfast and a chance to mingle. Youll get a booklet emailed to you after you register, and a copy that morning, that will detail each mentors expertise so you can scope out who you want to meet.

In fact, right now on that events page I just mentioned, theres a list of mentors and their businesses.

The mentees thats you -- will be divided into two groups. For the first 45 minutes of the morning, half the group will do speed mentoring. Thats spending 5 to 7 minutes with a mentor of your choice, before moving to the next.

Meanwhile, the second group will join round table discussions led by a mentor.

For the second 45 minutes, the groups will switch and the round table participants will speed mentor, while the speed mentees will do the round tables.

It might sound like organized chaos but it has been done for years across the country. In fact, we are using the model American City Business Journals has used for years. The newsweeklies are part of the Advance family, with 43 business journals across the country. The Staten Island Advance/SILive and all our sister sites across the country are joining the business journals this year to do Mentoring Monday on the same day Feb. 24.

Sign up and youll be part of the 10,000 women across America participating in the program at the same time.

How to sign up? Go to https://events.silive.com/e/mentoring-monday.

Well take it from there and be in touch.

And before you guys ask, Why just women? let me tell you. Even in this age of alleged enlightenment, when women supposedly have the same opportunity in the business world as men, they just dont.

The Pew Research Center found that although the gender gap in pay has narrowed since 1980, an analysis of median hourly earnings of both full- and part-time workers in the United States shows that in 2018 women earned 85% of what men earned.

Based on this estimate, it would take an extra 39 days of work for women to earn what men did in 2018, the researchers reported.

Another study shows that women are less likely to be hired into entry-level jobs than men, even though they currently earn more bachelor's degrees. As employees move up the corporate ladder, the disparity increases. Only 79 women are promoted to manager, compared to every 100 men, the report states.

So thats why we are urging 55 women who have moved up the ladder to tell those behind them how they did it.

Hope to see you Feb. 24 bright and early! Ill be serving the coffee.

Brian

Link:
From the editor: Mentoring Monday -- a day for women and about women - SILive.com