An Intermission of Fragments (After Which These Confessions Will Resume …)

Dear Friends, Known and Unknown,

It has not been my habit to use this space to report on personal events in my life, at least not those which are unrelated to the themes of this weblog.

Today, I make an exception. Today the weblog must pause awhile, while the computer is packed away and I leave beloved Ireland behind - not without real grief - to go to Spain.

But for reasons far beyond the scope of this site - this relocation, difficult though it is, seems right at levels, which appear profound to both myself and to Kim, wise and cherished wife, friend and compass.

Where we are headed, internet connection will not be easy to have – at least not at first. The future of this weblog would thus seem uncertain.

Nonetheless, I feel that I must find a way to continue. Thus sooner or later, these Confessions will resume.

In the meantime, some other small pieces should appear first. I have a few fragmentary pieces already written, as well as some book reviews that never quite made it to Amazon. These will be stored with my Blogger account. And although the weeks ahead will be defined by upheaval, I may well here and there have access to the internet and upload one of these previously written pieces.

Thus this space should not go completely dead – and perhaps even a post a week might be managed. Though I make no commitments to such a schedule.

The quality and consistency of these fragmentary pieces however, may be quite different from the usual pattern here. However, I hope these fragments may still be of interest to some, and thus worth posting.

After an ‘Intermission’ of such fragments, I plan to continue and conclude my series of ‘Confessions’.

I should also note that while ‘on the move’, I will likely not have opportunity to interact as I have done in the comments section. Nonetheless I greatly appreciate any comments that are left – and in time will respond.

Here is the point perhaps to underscore my appreciation of these comments.

For the truth is, not only do I seek to continue this weblog, but in time, I am considering other related activities on the web.

These might include a more informal forum or group, where perhaps people interested in these themes might interact more easily, than in simply responding to the entries I put up.

I am also considering a website for a number of my longer writings, plus those of others.

But it is hard to gauge interest for these ideas. Another thing I have failed to do is to promote this weblog in any significant way.

Yet when I can gain a good internet connection, I may be pursuing all of these goals.

In the meantime, I would appreciate any feedback at all – either in response to this weblog, or to what I have just intimated, if not proposed. I also appreciate any attempt made by anyone, to make this weblog more known or accessible.

For it seems to me – obviously – that there is some kind of call for what I am attempting here, however inadequately. An attempt which includes at least an aspiration to a Christian Hermetic understanding of world currents – which is not divorced from the Traditional Church, but which instead seeks to cherish her and guard her.

Cherish and guard her, as she works so unceasingly to cherish and guard the World in this time of real danger ...

Yes, I regret that so many of a Christian Hermetic persuasion fail to cherish and guard the Church … And I return to the ideal of the anonymous genius, who has given us Meditations on the Tarot:

“John who submitted himself voluntarily to Peter as leader or prince of the apostles did not become his successor after his death, although he outlived Peter by many years. John [is] not called upon to succeed Peter…

Hermeticism, the living Hermetic tradition guards … the life and communal soul of religion, science and art. [Hermeticists] do not have any privilege in any of these domains; saints, true scientists and artists of genius are their superiors.

But they live for the mystery of the communal heart, which beats within all religions, all philosophies, all arts and sciences – past, present and future. And inspired by the example of John the beloved disciple, they do not pretend, and never will pretend, to play a directing role in religion, science, art, in social or political life, but they are constantly attentive so as not to miss any occasion to **serve** religion, philosophy, science, art, the social and political life of humanity ….’

To GUARD and to SERVE, and thus – as I said once before at this weblog – ‘not to succumb to the currents of destruction of tradition manifest in the New Age culture, secularism, ‘political correctness’ and so on …’

And to make effort to not let the world be overwhelmed by the voracious capitalist globalism, that is predicated on the lack of values which result from the destruction of tradition.

Yes, yes … I know that there are Christian Hermeticists, who feel the age of being carried by tradition has past. But given the failure of efforts as Anthroposophy and its like; given the tendency to become ensconced in alternative tradition (eg. ‘Steiner says …’) without further reflection; given the massive DEFLECTION of Western spirituality into channels where the Mystery of Golgotha is entirely obscured, I feel we must turn to she would guards the Mystery of Christ, not as slaves or robots, but as ones affirming tradition, and seeking collectively to aid the work of deepening it.

Yes … as I stare at the horror of the world, as I feel the Sacraments deepening my communion with the Mystery that is Christ, I know that the Church is needed, now as before. To say the very least.

And if my activities in cyberspace, can play but the tiniest part, however miniscule, in guarding and serving … perhaps they need to be not only maintained – but expanded.

In this, I would welcome any response at all.

Finally for those of you who may not have noticed, and might wish further clarification of this weblog, there is a very, very long piece I have written which might be of interest while this weblog goes more quiet.

The piece is called Hermetic Catholicism: A Letter to My Friends and was originally written mainly to a number of known friends. Many of them from my past in the New Age subculture in the UK - for whom the idea that Catholicism had anything meaningful to offer the world, could often seem sublimely ridiculous.

Yes, the walls of mistrust, ignorance, prejudice are high indeed … as they once utterly obscured my own view. And a loving effort to overcome these walls seems necessary to me.

Be that as it may, this lengthy piece is now available in two places.

Either to be read off the screen in a very basic 'bare bones' format:

http://www.graphicmath.com/roger/Hermetic_Catholicism.html

Or as a pdf file in an easier to read, more attractive format, if you wish to download and print:

http://www.graphicmath.com/roger/Hermetic_Catholicism.pdf

I should also say this piece is very personal and autobiographical in parts.

Dear Friends, it will likely be more than a week before anything further appears here. But not long after, I hope irregular fragments will appear during this Intermission from my Confessions.

With heartfelt streaming of gratitude and warmth to you all.

God be with you,

Roger