Republicans’ Redistricting Push Is at Risk of Backfiring

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/upshot/republicans-redistricting-gerrymanders-update.html

Quote of the day, 6 October: St. Edith Stein

While the spiritual gardens of Mother Teresa were spreading their lovely fragrance over all of Spain, the Monastery of the Incarnation, her former home, was in a sad state. Income had not increased in proportion to the number of nuns, and since they were used to living comfortably and not (as in the reformed Carmel) to finding their greatest joy in holy poverty, discontent and slackening of spirit spread.

In the year 1570, Fr. Fernández of the Order of St. Dominic came to this house. He was the apostolic visitator entrusted by Pope Pius V with examining the disciplinary state of monasteries in Castile. Since he had already become thoroughly acquainted with some monasteries of the reform, the contrast must have shocked him.

He thought of a radical remedy. By the authority of his position, he named Mother Teresa as prioress of the Monastery of the Incarnation and ordered her to return to Avila at once to assume her position. In the midst of her work for the reform, she now had to undertake a task that for all intents and purposes appeared impossible.

Oh, daughter, daughter! These Sisters in the Incarnation are My Sisters, and you delay? Well, take courage; behold I want it, and it isn’t as difficult as it seems to you. And whereas you think some harm will come to your houses, both they and the Incarnation will benefit. Do not resist, for My power is great.
Our Lord to St. Teresa, 10 July 1571
Spiritual Testimonies, 16

Exhorted by the Lord himself, she declared her readiness. However, with the agreement of Fr. Fernández, she gave a written statement that she personally would continue to follow the primitive Rule. One can imagine the vehement indignation of the nuns who were to have a prioress sent to them — one not elected by them — a sister of theirs who had left them eight years earlier and whom they considered an adventuress, a mischief-maker.

The storm broke as the provincial led her into the house. The provincial, Fr. Angel de Salazar, could not make himself heard in the noisy gathering. The “Te Deum” that he intoned was drowned out by the sounds of indignation. Teresa’s goodness and humility finally brought about enough quiet for the sisters to go to their cells and to tolerate her presence in the house.

They were saving the decisive declarations for the first chapter meeting. But how amazed they were when they entered the chapter room at the sound of the bell to see in the prioress’ seat the statue of our dear Lady, the Queen of Carmel, with the keys to the monastery in her hands and the new prioress at her feet. Their hearts were conquered even before Teresa began to speak and in her indisputable loving manner presented to them how she conceived and intended to conduct her office.

In a short time, under her wise and temperate direction, above all by the influence of her character and conduct, the spirit of the house was renewed. Her greatest support in this was Fr. John of the Cross, whom she called to Avila as confessor for the monastery.

Saint Edith Stein

Love for Love: The Life and Works of St. Teresa of Jesus
14. Prioress at the Monastery of the Incarnation

Note: Saint Teresa took up her office as Prioress at the Monastery of the Incarnation on 6 October 1571

Stein, E. 2014, The Hidden Life: hagiographic essays, meditations, spiritual texts, translated from the German by Stein, W, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Teresa of Avila, St. 1985, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, translated from the Spanish by Kavanaugh, K; Rodriguez, O, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: This detail of a photographic artwork created by Elías Rodríguez Picón comes to us thanks to the Discalced Carmelite nuns of Alba de Tormes. The artist’s sister is the model for this scene, which is intended to show the beginning moment of the Transverberation. You can see and read more about his photographic technique in this article from La Hornacina (in Spanish). Image credit: Discalced Carmelites (By permission).

#Constitutions #MonasteryOfTheIncarnation #prioress #StEdithStein #StTeresaOfAvila

#Constitutions are founding texts, forged through debate & discussion, outlining best practices for a nation. @tarunkhaitan (LSE Law School) discusses #India's Constitution, & arguments for change.

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2025/08/11/civilising-the-hindu-rashtra-decolonialitys-tryst-with-nativist-palingenesis/

I learned a lot contributing in a small way to this fantastic exhibition at SOAS: "After the Assembly: Constituting India". Our section with the LSE South Asia Centre looks at LSE alumni such as Renuka Ray and Ambedkar and the authorship of the Indian Constitution.

Definitely recommend checking it out if you're in the area - it's a beautiful space: https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/event/after-assembly-constituting-india

#India #Constitution #Constitutions #Ambedkar #GLAM #archives #SouthAsia

Quote of the day, 30 June: Secular Carmelites

In the interior dynamism of following Jesus, Carmel contemplates Mary as Mother and Sister, as the perfect model of the disciple of the Lord (Cf. St. Teresa of Jesus, Life, 6,6–8; 33,12. Cf. John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos, 25. 27.) and, as such, a model for the life of the members of the Order.

The Virgin of the Magnificat proclaims the break with the old order and announces the beginning of a new order in which God casts the mighty down from their thrones and exalts the poor. Mary places herself on the side of the poor and proclaims how God acts in history.

For Secular Carmelites, Mary is a model of total commitment to God’s Kingdom. She teaches us to listen to God’s Word in Scripture and in life, to believe in it in every circumstance in order to live its demands. All this she did, without understanding many things; pondering all in her heart (Lk 2:19, 50–51) until light dawned through contemplative prayer.

Mary is also an ideal and inspiration for the Secular Carmelite. She lived close to people and their needs, being concerned about them (Lk 1:39–45; Jn 2:1–12; Ac 1:14).

She, the most perfect image of freedom and of the liberation of humanity and of the universe (Francis, Homily for the Inauguration of his Pontificate, 19 March 2013), helps us understand the meaning of mission.

She, Mother and Sister, who goes before us in a pilgrimage of faith and in following the Lord Jesus, keeps us company so that we may imitate her life hidden in Christ and committed to the service of others.

Discalced Carmelite Secular Order

Constitutions, Nos. 29–30 (2003)

Discalced Carmelite Secular Order 2003, Constitutions of Discalced Carmelite Secular Order, approved by the Holy See 16 June 2003, amended 7 January 2014, viewed 28 June 2025, https://www.ocdswashprov.org/legislation.

Featured image: OCDS Brasil members with Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Photo collage created by Carmelite Quotes from OCDS Brasil snapshots.

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
Mary “places herself on the side of the poor and proclaims how God acts in history.” How do you see Mary’s social justice commitment reflected in your own faith life?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#Constitutions #DiscalcedCarmeliteSecularOrder #model #poor #VirginMary

Guys, try to guess the 10 constitutions that I often use as inspiration to write my draft constitution. One of them is a historical constitution from a socialist state that no longer exist today. Come on guys, this is fun!

#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #constitution #constitutions #draftconstitution #constitutiondraft #politics #government #law #laws #thisisfun #trytoguess #myprojects #myproject #constitutionalproject #project #projects #personalproject #personalprojects #comeonguys #justtryit #tryit