Welcome, Grace!
May 4, 2011, 3:27 pm
Posted by Matthew Boudway
Commonweal has long been a go-to place for intelligent criticism of books, movies, and plays. But what about cultural phenomena that don’t fit neatly into any of those categories? What about publicity stunts, celebrity exhibitionism, and sham ceremony? With the addition of our new cultural critic Grace van Cutsem, we’ll have that stuff covered too. Grace will be writing for us about the press conferences of Steve Jobs, Lebron James, and Donald Trump; Justin Bieber concerts; and, of course, royal weddings.
Do you mean Cutesem?
It is a good idea if it includes canonizations.
“[S]ham ceremony.”
As in JPII’s beatification???
Wrong photo but for the young Grace fed up with (what?) as much as many of us are fed up with Joseph Ratzinger ad nauseum.
“As in JPII beatification???”
No. And, by the way, Bill and Joseph, you’re free to tune out Vatican events if they bother you so much. Unlike Grace, you’re not trapped. Or is EWTN the only station you get?
The van Cutsems are Catholic. (Norfolk recusants.)
Another van Cutsem wedding:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article503969.ece
“The service, conducted by five senior clerics, was an Anglican rite chosen by the Grosvenors. However, the van Cutsems, one of the country’s most prominent Catholic families, secured recognition of the ceremony from the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. Children of the marriage will be brought up as Catholics.”
As Gerelyn’s link suggests there are intrinsic connections between the sacred and profane.
Yes, five senior clerics presided, but in addition:
“The bride arrived with her father in a vintage Rolls-Royce at 11.30am and was helped from the car by Bruce Oldfield, the designer of her dress. It was made of ivory silk georgette embroidered with rows of tiny antique velvet rosebuds. Her Fabergé tiara, in the style of a laurel wreath, was set with cushion-shaped diamonds. Her shoes were by Jimmy Choo.”
So…at the beatification….
“No. And, by the way, Bill and Joseph, you’re free to tune out Vatican events if they bother you so much. Unlike Grace, you’re not trapped. Or is EWTN the only station you get?”
Don’t you know, Matthew? “Progressive” Catholicism is only open for those who agree with them! If you don’t, well…I suppose you fall into the “profane” half of the equation!
Probably better to have her work at home. I suspect she may not be all that easy to get along with as an office colleague.
Ahhh, come on Jeff, …now I’m just going to put my hands over my ears and pout a little;… jeez Mathew was just having a little fun …lets not take life so seriously.
Have all the fun you want. But. Lay. Off. The. Beeb.
I’m in.
She’s a very cute little girl. And the noise of the jets overhead rattled her, understandably.
I predict this will become an iconic picture, like other pictures in which children express feelings the rest of us have but can’t express. I am thinking of the famous shot of the little boy from Home Alone. Except her expression is natural, not staged by a director.
She looks like some of the Borromini angels at St. John Lateran.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lessing-photo.com/p2/400811/40081146.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lessing-photo.com/search.asp%3Fa%3D1%26kc%3D202020207036%26kw%3DCHURCH%2BS.GIOVANNI%2BLATERAN%26p%3D1%26ipp%3D&usg=__OJnhDTG0kc7yg5AyI_HowfH9rO4=&h=255&w=330&sz=61&hl=en&start=2&zoom=1&itbs=1&tbnid=lb7HQcoktiIv-M:&tbnh=92&tbnw=119&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dborromini%2Bangels%2Blaterano%26tbnid%3Di4HP–gEBiurVM:%26tbnh%3D0%26tbnw%3D0%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26imgtype%3Di_similar%26tbm%3Disch&ei=OQLDTfbOLojrgQeyiunLAQ
Here’s a charming clip of the pleased reaction of the Cathedral verger after everything went so well. There is nothing like a proper Englishman :-)
http://www.praytellblog.com/index.php/2011/04/30/priest-does-cartwheels-down-aisle-after-royal-wedding/