Two Towers

I do mention our business and give soft plugs often enough on this blog. But I generally don't use the blog as an ongoing advertisement. Occasionally I have been tempted to rotate bookcovers on the sidebar, etc, but that is not the purpose of Bethune Catholic.

However, I am going to make an exception over the next several weeks. I am going to blog at least a few times about a book we are releasing at the end of May. Its cover does not yet appear on our website, but will in a few days. (maybe today)

The book is entitled: "Two Towers - the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal". The subject matter is sometimes controversial, but smacks of the truth, and is close to my heart. Today I will not write about the book, but something about its author.

John Meehan is the retired (2000) President of Magdalen College - which he co-founded in the early 70's. Magdalen College is consistently mentioned with the handful of truly Catholic colleges in America today. Although I don't know the details, I am sure it was at great personal sacrifice and risk when he founded the college as he had a growing family.

I have connections to Magdalen College as my olderst sister gradutated in one of the first classes and a second sister graduated several years later. As a youth we would go to Parents' Day weekend festivities to see my sister. I really felt at home there. My Dad had discussions with Mr. Meehan. He liked and trusted him. Further there was an unabashed love for the true Catholic Faith at Magdalen, which you would hard-pressed to find in many places in those dark years.

I almost attended Magdalen College myself. It was in fact the only college I visited. I can still remember this visit so many years later. I was impressed and yearned for the Catholic culture being lived on campus. This culture is present in so few places today (Christendom College is another such place.). My decision to attend college elsewhere (The Citadel in SC) was born of my own ignorance and materialism. I could not at the time fathom going to college and majoring only in "liberal arts". I thought the purpose of college was to get a good (well-paying) job. I couldn't be convinced otherwise.

I don't regret the path I took, as God has blessed me in many ways - yet I am wistful in knowing how much I have had to struggle through Augustine, Aquinas, Plato, Aristotle etc. on my own these past years instead of having done it at 18 under the guidance of those Magdalen College tutors when my mind was more agile.

From the small holding in Bethune...

Oremus pro invicem!