St. Augustine vibes
I spent today in my favorite town in America. It's where I spend most Sundays as my wife is a devout Catholic and we're raising our children under the faith. This is the oldest Catholic parish in America. Where Catholicism first set down on our soil. St. Augustine is walking, breathing history. It never lost its sense of it. Like it froze in time as time moved on around it.
Our preist this morning gave a righteous homily! I was almost surprised at the level of fire. It was really a call to duty; a plea to Christians to rise up in this moment. Interestingly, he grounded it at the end on the strength of the family unit. How important it is to fortify there and that the greater good springs out from that. Talk about words resonating. Hear hear, Father! This is why I enjoy sitting in mass on Sundays. It's peaceful and meditative; the environment is good for my kids; and I'm often left in deep thought. It's a truly magnificent church to sit inside. You feel its roots and history. Powerful!
I took this picture today…
I find the art on the walls fascinating…
This is also why I love St. Augustine. A short walk up the road from the cathedral is Mision Nombre de Dios, the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche.
These are the actual grounds where the Spaniards first set foot here, where this faith first set foot here.
This magnificent little shrine is where both of my kids were baptized. It's a powerful room to stand in, even if you're not one devoted to the scripture.
I drive by this ginormous cross most mornings after I drop my little guy off at school. Sometimes I'll walk these grounds with my coffee to chew on some things before I start my day. It's always so serene and beautiful, even if the weather is not.
I describe St. Augustine as my favorite town in America and I mean it sincerely. It makes me feel like I'm on vacation, even though I'm there all the time. It makes me feel at peace.
It was interesting to hear the priest speak those words today. It's extremely revealing how rhetoric is becoming so common across uncommon camps. How bridges are building, values are becoming the highest priority again. It is time for good people to rise up. It is critical to fortify the home. He's right on both counts. There is a reason St. Augustine is so magic and so peaceful and so happy. It's not just the history.
Beautiful, thank you for sharing. I just recently started following you, I knew you had something special and important to tell us. Keep up the good work.
Although the Spanish did not really want Florida -- for there was no great source of wealth to be found there -- the easterly Atlantic trade winds are found at higher latitudes than the Caribbean. Getting back to Europe required coming north first and then tacking west off the North American coast. Spain needed a base at St. Augustine to support this navigation. The hard, practical realities of maritime empire made it necessary.