Londoners, do you know about St. Joseph's Garden?

A visit today may be appropriate... and I have given you directions from a great map of gardens in London, so you can see several in one go...I recommend Charterhouse, which is only about a ten minute walk from St. Joseph's Garden

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?l=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&z=15&msid=113271041218052077076.00045cec620a8940f8ef2&ll=51.5224

06,-0.09087&spn=0,0

On the Diocese of Ely

This is all from the Catholic Encyclopedia online and just for fun.

As you know, St. Etheldreda is the patroness of this blog.

ANCIENT DIOCESE OF ELY (ELIENSIS; ELIA OR ELYS).

Ancient diocese in England. The earliest historical notice of Ely is given by Venerable Bede who writes (Hist. Eccl., IV, xix): "Ely is in the province of the East Angles, a country of about six hundred families, in the nature of an island, enclosed either with marshes or waters, and therefore it has its name from the great abundance of eels which are taken in those marshes." This district was assigned in 649 to Etheldreda, or Audrey, daughter of Anna, King of the East Angles, as a dowry in her marriage with Tonbert of the South Girvii. After her second marriage to Egfrid, King of Northumbria, she became a nun, and in 673 returned toEly and founded a monastery on the site of the present cathedral. As endowment she gave it her entire principality of the isle, from which subsequent Bishops of Ely derived their temporal power. St. Etheldreda died in 679, and her shrine became a place of pilgrimage. In 870 the monastery was destroyed by the Danes, having already given to the Church four sainted abbesses, Sts. Etheldreda, Sexburga, Ermenilda, and Werburga. Probably under their rule there was a community of monks as well as a convent of nuns, but when in 970 the monastery was restored by King Edgar and Bishop Ethelwold it was a foundation for monks only. For more than a century the monastery flourished, till about the year 1105 Abbot Richard suggested the creation of the See of Ely, to relieve the enormous Diocese of Lincoln. The pope's brief erecting the new bishopric was issued 21 Nov., 1108, and in Oct., 1109, the king granted his charter, the first bishop being Harvey, former Bishop of Bangor. The monastery church thus became one of the "conventual" cathedrals. Of this building the transepts and two bays of the nave already existed, and in 1170 the nave as it stands today (a complete and perfect specimen of late Norman work) was finished. As the bishops succeeded to the principality of St. Etheldreda they enjoyed palatine power and great resources. Much of their wealth they spent on their cathedral, with the result that Ely can show beautiful examples of gothic architecture of every period, including two unique features, the unrivaled Galilee porch (1198-1215) and the central octagon (1322-1328) which rises from the whole breadth of the building and towers up until its roof forms the only Gothic dome in existence. The western tower (215 feet) was built between 1174 and 1197, and the octagon was added to it in 1400. Of the cathedral as a whole it is true that "a more vast, magnificent and beautiful display of ecclesiastical architecture and especially of the different periods of the pointed style can scarcely be conceived" (Winkles, English Cathedrals, II, 46). It is fortunate in having perfect specimens of each of the successive styles of Gothic architecture: the Early English Galilee porch, the Decorated lady-chapel (1321-1349), and the Perpendicular chantry of Bishop Alcock (c. 1500)

The original Catholic diocese was much smaller than the present Anglican see and consisted of Cambridgeshire alone, while even of this county a small part belonged to Norwich diocese. The bishops of Ely usually held high office in the State and the roll includes many names of famous statesmen, including eight lord chancellors and six lord treasurers. Two bishops — John de Fontibus and Hugh Belsham — were reputed as saints, but never received formal cultus; the former was commemorated on 19 June. The following is the list of bishops:--

• Harvey, 1109
• Nigel, 1133 (lord treasurer)
• William Longchamp 1189 (lord chancellor)
• Eustace, 1198 (lord chancellor)
• John de Fontibus, 1220 (lord treasurer)
• Geofrrey de Burgh, 1225
• Hugh Norwold, 1229
• William de Kilkenny, 1255 (lord chancellor)
• Hugh Belsham, 1257
• John Kirkby, 1286 (lord treasurer)
• William de Louth, 1290
• Ralph Walpole, 1299
• Robert Orford, 1302

• John Keeton, 1310
• John Hotham, 1316 (lord chancellor and lord treasurer)
• Simon Montacute, 1337
• Thomas de Lisle, 1345
• Simon Langham*, 1362 (lord chancellor)
• John Barnet, 1366 (lord treasurer)
• Thomas Fitz-Alan (or Arundel), 1374 (lord chancellor)
• John Fordham, 1388
• Philip Morgan, 1426
• Vacancy (Cardinal Louis of Luxemburg, administrator), 1435
• Thomas Bourchier*, 1444
• William Gray, 1454 (lord treasurer)
• John Morton, 1479 (lord chancellor)
• John Alcock, founder of Jesus College, Cambridge, 1486
• Richard Redman, 1501
• James Stanley, 1506
• Nicholas West, 1515
• Thomas Goodrich, 1533 (lord chancellor)
• Thomas Thirlby, 1554-1559

Bishop Goodrich showed reforming tendencies and during his pontificate the monastery with all its dependencies was suppressed. The last Catholic bishop was Thomas Thirlby, who was one of the eleven confessor-bishops imprisoned by Elizabeth and who died at Lambeth in 1570. In the diocese there were one archdeaconry and 141 parishes. The arms of the see were: gules, three ducal crowns, or.

Gules three Ducal Coronets two and one Or. from this site...

Bishop William de Luda is found using these arms as early as 1290. They are those assigned to S. Etheldreda, Queen of Northumbria and founder of the Abbey of Ely, in whose honour the cathedral church is dedicated. The reverse, Or three Ducal Coronets two and one Gules, are the arms of St. Osyth, Queen of the East Saxons and founder of a nunnery at Chick in Essex, who was murdered by the Danes about the year 676.

Only in London....

Charterhouse in London

Today and tomorrow, I am highlighting the Carthusians in England. Nothing happens by accident.

St. John Houghton, thanks to Wiki

Yesterday, I had a delightful tour of the London Charterhouse given by The Reverend Canon Hugh Williams, Preacher of Charterhouse. Mother General of the Tyrburn Nuns had suggested I visit and a seminarian friend and I had a fantastic private tour.

The Charterhouse was established in 1371 and brutally ruined by Henry VIII in 1538. Henry was particularly angry with St. John Houghton and especially St. Sebastian Newdigate, a court favourite who became a monk of the Carthusians. Henry thought he would woe the order into accepting him as Head of the Church. Remember, the first martyrs under Henry were Dom John Houghton, Prior, Dome Robert Lawrence, Prior of Beauvale, Dom Augustine Webster, Prior of Axholme, Rather Richard Reynolds, a Brigittine Monk of Syon and Father John Hale, Rector of Isleworth.

They were hung, drawn and quartered on May 4th, 1535 at Tyburn. Now, also remember, that St. Thomas More saw them being dragged from prison on the hurdles, and he describe them as "bridegrooms" going off to meet their brides.

In the end, from that date, and on June 19, 1535 at Tyburn,  and on May15, 1537 at York, more were killed. Imprisoned at Newgate, nine Carthusians, including lay brothers died in 1537. The last one, Brother William Horne, Converse, or lay brother, was martyred on Aguest 4, 1540.

The priory was brutally ruined, and WWII bombing almost finished the building off completely.

However, as Canon Williams told us, a strange lay person, who was the richest man in England not in the aristocracy, Mr. Thomas Sutton, eventually bought the property, which, for a short time, was owned by the Howards.

Mr. Sutton was an interesting man, as he garnered wealth in some interesting ways. Enough said.

I cannot go into all the rich history, but one must visit the Charterhouse.

For me, the most numinous place was the ruins of the Priory Church tucked in behind the newer buildings. To see the original site of  the altar and the tomb of the founder, Sir Walter de Mauny was so awesome, in the real sense of the word. One could sense the holiness of the place.

Please go and have a tour. Public tours are on Wednesday afternoons. Also, if you can, help the poor who live there. The Charterhouse takes care of up to 46 laymen who need care.

What to do on a lazy afternoon, three--sing

I was taking foreigners through the City and mentioned the song, "Oranges and Lemons", which I taught my son. The Canadians had never heard it before. I explained that the song is about the sound of the bells of the main churches in and around the City of London. It first appeared in the 18th century, but is probably older.

There are little hand motions to do when singing this to baby or toddler. In case you do not know the words:

Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's.

You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.

When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!

If you are into bell changing, here is a great site for St. Leonard's. http://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?searchString=Shoreditch&Submit=++Go++&DoveID=SHOREDITCH 

Apparently, oranges and lemons was a folk dance, but the sound of the phrases are to replicate the sound of the bells. Here are the supposed churches. One has a choice as to the actual churches. Here are mine--

St. Clement Danes

St. Martin's Lane, in the theatre district

St. Sepulchres outside Newgate is the third.  The fourth is St. Leonard's Shoreditch.

The fifth is St. Dunstan's. 

The sixth is St. Mary Le Bow, one of Wren's City Churches, built after the Great Fire.

And, of course, the best part, at least for the toddlers, is the last line--when one is caught in the game. Thanks to Wiki for most of the photos (one, two, three, five, six and seven).

What to do on a lazy Friday afternoon....

60 Threadneedle Street, London...go and find it.

The Three Lady Martyrs

Today in England is the feast day of the three female martyrs, SS. Margaret Ward, Anne Line, and Margaret Clitherow.

Margaret Ward was a convert according to some sources. Here is her story from the Catholic Encyclopaedia online.

Martyr, born at Congleton, Cheshire; executed at Tyburn, London, 30 Aug., 1588. Nothing is known of her early life except that she was of good family and for a time dwelt in the house of a lady of distinction named Whitall then residing in London. Knowing that William Watson, the priest who wrote the work known as the "Quodlibets", was imprisoned, she obtained permission to visit him. After several visits she disarmed the vigilance of the gaoler and furnished him with a cord whereby he could make his escape. At the appointed time the boatman whom she had engaged to convey the priest down the river refused to carry out his bargain, and in her distress she confided her difficulty to a young man, St. John Roche (or Neele), who undertook to assist her. He provided a boat and exchanged clothes with Watson, who made good his escape. But the clothes betrayed John Roche, and the rope convinced the gaoler that Margaret Ward had been instrumental in the flight of the prisoner. They were both arrested and loaded with irons. St. Robert Southwell wrote to Father Acquaviva, S.J.:

She was flogged and hung up by the wrists, the tips of her toes only touching the ground, for so long atime that she was crippled and paralyzed, but these sufferings greatly strengthened the glorious martyr for her last struggle.

                St. Margaret Ward Window at Tyburn Convent in the Martyrs' Chapel is here above. It is part of a larger window.

She was tried and condemned at Newgate, her liberty being offered her if she would attend Protestant worship.

Margaret Clitherow's story is well-known. Again, I take the information from the CE and it is now thought that she was pregnant at the time of her martyrdom, which would have made the crime even more heinous:

Martyr, called the "Pearl of York", born about 1556; died 25 March 1586. She was a daughter of Thomas Middleton, Sheriff ofYork (1564-5), a wax-chandler; married John Clitherow, a wealthy butcher and a chamberlain of the city, in St. Martin's church,Coney St., 8 July, 1571, and lived in the Shambles, a street still unaltered. Converted to the Faith about three years later, she became most fervent, continually risking her life by harbouring and maintaining priests, was frequently imprisoned, sometimes for two years at a time, yet never daunted, and was a model of all virtues. Though her husband belonged to the Established Church, he had a brother a priest, and Margaret provided two chambers, one adjoining her house and a second in another part of the city, where she kept priests hidden and had Mass continually celebrated through the thick of the persecution. Some of herpriests were martyred, and Margaret who desired the same grace above all things, used to make secret pilgrimages by night toYork Tyburn to pray beneath the gibbet for this intention. Finally arrested on 10 March, 1586, she was committed to the castle. On 14 March, she was arraigned before Judges Clinch and Rhodes and several members of the Council of the North at the Yorkassizes. Her indictment was that she had harboured priests, heard Mass, and the like; but she refused to plead, since the onlywitnesses against her would be her own little children and servants, whom she could not bear to involve in the guilt of her death. She was therefore condemned to the peine forte et dure, i.e. to be pressed to death. "God be thanked, I am not worthy of sogood a death as this", she said. Although she was probably with child, this horrible sentence was carried out on Lady Day, 1586 (Good Friday according to New Style). She had endured an agony of fear the previous night, but was now calm, joyous, and smiling. She walked barefooted to the tollbooth on Ousebridge, for she had sent her hose and shoes to her daughter Anne, in token that she should follow in her steps. She had been tormented by the ministers and even now was urged to confess her crimes. "No, no, Mr. Sheriff, I die for the love of my Lord Jesu", she answered. She was laid on the ground, a sharp stonebeneath her back, her hands stretched out in the form of a cross and bound to two posts. Then a door was placed upon her, which was weighted down till she was crushed to death. Her last words during an agony of fifteen minutes, were "Jesu! Jesu!Jesu! have mercy on me!" Her right hand is preserved at St. Mary's Convent, York, but the resting-place of her sacred body is not known. Her sons Henry and William became priests, and her daughter Anne a nun at St. Ursula's, Louvain.

Window at Bridlington of St. Margaret Clitherow

Her life, written by her confessor, John Mush, exists in two versions. The earlier has been edited by Father John Morris, S.J., in his "Troubles of our Catholic Forefathers", third series (London, 1877). The later manuscript, now at York Convent, was published by W. Nicholson, of Thelwall Hall, Cheshire (London, Derby, 1849), with portrait: "Life and Death of Margaret Clitherow the martyr of York". It also contains the "History of Mr. Margaret Ward and Mrs. Anne Line, Martyrs".

Anne Line is the last one considered here.  She was a convert. Again, let us look at the CE online for her story:


English martyr, d. 27 Feb., 1601. She was the daughter of William Heigham of Dunmow, Essex, a gentleman of means and an ardent Calvinist, and when she and her brother announced their intention of becoming Catholics both were disowned and disinherited. Anne married Roger Line, a convert like herself, and shortly after their marriage he was apprehended for attending Mass. After a brief confinement he was released and permitted to go into exile in Flanders, where he died in 1594. When Father John Gerard established a house of refuge for priests in London, Mrs. Line was placed in charge. After Father Gerard's escape from the Tower in 1597, as the authorities were beginning to suspect her assistance, she removed to another house, which she made a rallying point for neighbouring Catholics. On Candlemas Day, 1601, Father Francis Page, S.J. was about to celebrateMass in her apartments, when priest-catchers broke into the rooms. Father Page quickly unvested, and mingled with the others, but the altar prepared for the ceremony was all the evidence needed for the arrest of Mrs. Line. She was tried at the Old Bailey 26 Feb., 1601, and indicted under the Act of 27 Eliz. for harbouring a priest, though this could not be proved. The next day she was led to the gallows, and bravely proclaiming her faith, achieved the martyrdom for which she had prayed. Her fate was shared by two priests, St. Mark Barkworth, O.S.B., and  St. Roger Filcock, S.J., who were executed at the same time.

Statue of St. Anne Line in St. Etheldreda's, Ely Place

Roger Filcock had long been Mrs. Line's friend and frequently her confessor. Entering the English College at Reims in 1588, he was sent with the others in 1590 to colonize the seminary of St. Albans at Valladolid, and, after completing his course there, was ordained and sent on the English mission. Father Garnett kept him on probation for two years to try his mettle before admitting him to the Society of Jesus, and finding him zealous and brave, finally allowed him to enter. He was just about to cross to the Continent for his novitiate when he was arrested on suspicion of being a priest and executed after a travesty of a trial.

Catholic London

I have found a book, Catholic London, which is a delight. The author is John Wittich, a Londoner, who obviously loves London and Catholicism. Because I was at Tyburn, I wanted more information on the area and found it in this small but packed book. I especially like the maps.

Of course, as Ely Place is one of my favourites in London, I read about St. Etheldreda's, which I visited about two months ago. But, what struck me this time in looking at the maps and the places mentioned by Wittich, is the overwhelming presence of the martyrs. Not only the place of their martyrdom is sacred, but the entire route of their humiliation, the streets through which they were dragged on hurdles to the place of execution.

The "Martyrs' Way" is from Newgate, through Smithfield, to Tyburn. In an old copy of The Catholic Herald from 1936, a group was reported as walking annually on this route. The Guild of Our Lady of Ransom organized the walk. I do not know if anyone does it today, but this pilgrimage sounds timely. A group for young Catholics, Juventutem London, have a monthly rosary at Tyburn. Here is the website for more information on the group. http://www.juventutemlondon.blogspot.co.uk/

Star Watch

I have been trying to star gaze in London, which is a challenge. However, yesterday morning at 4 am, Venus was the brightest I have ever seen in any place I have been. The planet rises about that time here, and stays brilliant for hours.

Please try and get up to look at this glorious creation of God.

I cannot see the Summer Triangle, as there has been too much "haze". However, I did see Spica and Sirius.

The crescent moon was surrounded by a corona. Hmm, rain coming?

Second Poem for the Dog Days

The Romans most likely left this town in summer,
the heat being oppressive without the view of
Rome or Capri, but I am here, looking at the
pink and blue clouds coming off the Estuary.

At least, now, there are fish in the Thames again,
and there are children, but not those of  the Cantiaci,
rather of the Commonwealth. Heat and a modern
version of the fog keep me awake at night.

I cannot sleep as I hear those Londoners walking
home from the pub, or wherever, like characters
from Dickens, yelling their names under the lamplight,
telling their stories after midnight, as if no one could hear.

Eppillus would be amused at the various lovers' tiffs
surrounding his lands and punctuating the steam of the night.
But, I would rather listen to the silence, and miss the sea;
too far from the Thames are the waves off Dubris.

Sleep evades us all in London in August, and the ancients,
as well as the descendants of Austen, left for cooler climes.
Did they go to Aquae Sulis with their new loves, or Vectis with
the children and matrona, playing in the sand, dreaming

Of  Stabiae, and the Bay of Naples, with clearer springs
than those of Aquae Sulis and did the materfamilias complain
of the lack of shops and popinae as well as the humidity?
Will we ever see villa and canis again, and where is a decent

Wine to celebrate Vinalia rustica? But, no, not on these shores
under the sign of Canis major, whose star hides under the
clouds and fog from the Tames, who gives potters a name.
No Opiconsivia here on the embankment.

So, I think of other things, listening as the small birds
which linger in the late summer wake and sing slow songs
without passion, but out of habit, or wanting to praise God,
which is what I do in the early dawn, of blue and pink

A mirror image of the dusk seen so many hours ago.

In Thanksgiving for the English Robin: A Little Note on a Little Bird

Many years ago, the English Robin was considered a "winter bird", as it went somewhere else in the heat.

Now, these little birds are everywhere, even in London. One sang and is still singing from early this morning outside my window. They like shrubberies and hedgerows. .

These little creatures are "cheeky" and one of my favorite birds. Here are some photos from other nature blogs of this bird.



 Contrary to some comments online, these birds are very visible during the day and sing from early morning to night. I have seen them since January, in Ireland, and these little yet loud birds have been obvious in London, Kent, Sussex, Dorset, Somerset, Surrey and Norfolk this year. Thank God for the English Robin, also known as the European Robin,  and one must be fair!

Fathers Emmanuel and James Bradley will give talks on Saturday

I can recommend two talks on Saturday sponsored by Youth 2000 which will be part of an all-day prayer and worship day. Father Rev. Emmanuel Sullivan from the Friars of the Atonement will give a talk on Who is Jesus at 11:50 and the youngest priest of the Ordinariate, Father James Bradley will give a talk on Reconciliation at 2:20. These and other activities will take place at St. Margaret's Church, 79 Barking Road, London, E16. I have met and know these two priests to be good priests. These activities are for youth over the age of 18 and the talks are part of the "new evangelization." 

Father James Bradley

The John Paul II Foundation for Sport in England

I grew up surrounded by sport. As kids, we went to a local gym and did all kinds of interesting and fun things. I remember that I loved climbing up this huge rope to the top of the ceiling of the gym. Hard work.

We had sport in school as well as PE, Physical Education classes. My brothers were in baseball, and I played tennis. We all had to go to swimming lessons. Two of us ran, one was in wrestling. We learned from our dad to fish, to shoot, and do archery. I was fortunate growing up in the Midwest and having fun.

Many children today do not have access to sport. I know this is hard to believe, but in London, the Catholic Church saw this need and decided to organize a sport's charity. This is an excellent idea and I support it 100%. Msgr. Vladimir Felzmann is the Chaplain for Sport. He told me that the ideals of this charity are to support sport in Catholic schools, in parishes, after school and with clubs.

The Foundation's goals are to create an awareness that all children, (and may I add, especially boys) need a communal connection to the Church through sport. This may keep them out of gangs; creating groups which provide communal security, by giving youth a place to recreate and form friendships in the Faith.

The goals are thus: to get access to facilities, especially during the summer break, on weekends and in evenings to allow sports activities.


Two, to make all realize that each parish community could have sport's clubs to develop virtues and skills, as well as friendships.


Three, to improve standards of sport (see the website link for more on this)


Four, to emphasize the spiritual values of sport.


Five, the provide summer sports camps, which Americans take for granted, helping boarding schools run camps for other children.


Six, "to enable people to thrive physically, morally and spiritual through sport" and to encourage them by awards. Some of these awards are:

David Sheppard Award for Anti-Racism through Sport

Basil Hume Award for Rugby

Sister Julie Billiart Award for Girls’ Disability Sport

Amy Williams Award for Winter Sports

Muhammad Ali Award for Health & Well-Being through Sport

Jerzy Kluger Award for Jewish-Christian Relations through Sport

Joe Calzhage Award for Outstanding Club Service

Jimmy Mizen Award for Special Initiatives Bringing Communities and People Together

Here is a great photo of Msgr. showing what he can do!

This is an exciting venture. Please support this. Here are the crucial links for more information and how to donate. http://www.johnpaul2foundation4sport.org/

Olympic Pastors and St. Sebastian

Recently, the Monsignor who is the Chief Executor of the John Paul II Foundation for Sport, a registered charity, and who is also the Chaplain for Sport in the Archdiocese of Westminster, gave me some information on both the Olympics and the sports charity.

Msgr. Vladimir Felzmann, a fascinating priest with an interesting history, told me that he is one of the "roving" chaplains for the Olympics. Roving chaplains are not new, as I was involved in peripatetic ministry and outreach to students in the 1980s in London. The Anglicans came up with idea first, realizing that if the people were not coming to church, the ministers had to reach out to the people and be where they are.

There are 190 chaplains of several denominations involved in the Olympics, and Msgr. Felzmann will be working in Central London, with some Anglican ministers. Walking around the parks, streets and being present in the many activities which surround the Olympics, these missionaries will be "there" for the millions of visitors. There is, of course, an inter-denominational team of pastors involved in the Olympic Village, but the outreach may be much more effective.

Please pray for Msgr Felzmann and his confreres. Christ did send his disciples out into the world, and as the world in coming to London this week, Christ is sending disciples out again.

I shall have a separate post on the John Paul II Foundation for Sport, a very worthy cause.

By the way, St. Sebastian is the patron saint of sport, because, as a Roman Centurion, he must have been in top physical condition. May he intercede for all the priests involved in the Olympic ministries.

Olympic disgust five--are the games supposed to unite nations?

Sad days for London

By JOSHUA DAVIDOVICH and AP

Olympic organizing head Jacques Rogge insisted again Saturday that there would be no minute of silence for the Israeli victims of the 1972 Munich massacre, but said he would lead an official delegation to the German city to mark the tragedy.

Pressure on Rogge to include a moment of remembrance has ramped up in recent months as the opening of the London Olympics nears.

Last week US President Barack Obama joined a battery of other world leaders saying they supported a moment of silence for the 11 slain Israeli athletes at the upcoming London Games, which will mark the 40th anniversary of the attack by Palestinian terrorists.

Rogge, who heads the International Olympic Committee, continued to rebuff the calls, but said a September 5 memorial on a Munich airfield would pay a “very strong homage and remembrance” to the victims.

Munich’s Furstenfeldbruck airbase was the site of a botched raid by German commandos during the 1972 games that ended with nine Israeli athletes being killed by their kidnappers. Two other members of the team had been killed earlier.

Rogge said again that he did not believe the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, slated for Friday, was the right venue for a moment of silence.

“The opening ceremony is an atmosphere that isn’t fit to remember such tragic events,” he told a news conference.

Rogge was asked whether he was swayed by Obama’s view.

“We also pay big attention to recommendations coming either from the political world, or cultural world, or world of enterprise,” Rogge said. “And we take then a decision taking into consideration (those recommendations). I will not say that we are necessarily following the advice, but we take it into consideration, yes.”

On Sunday morning, a memorial event will be held in east London attended by London Mayor Boris Johnson and Efraim Zinger, head of Israel’s Olympic committee.

Also last week, American broadcaster Bob Costas said he would “call out” the IOC for refusing the request while announcing the Israeli team’s arrival.

Israeli leaders have been joined by politicians in the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Australia and elsewhere calling for a moment of silence.

On another issue related to Israel, Rogge said the IOC would investigate any athletes who pull out of competing against Israelis in London claiming they were injured. In the past, athletes from Iran have withdrawn from Olympic events that included Israelis without facing sanctions.

“If an athlete is genuinely injured or ill, then of course it is understandable,” Rogge said. “But we will examine every case very thoroughly and we will examine every case with an independent medical team. If the medical team does not ratify the decision of the first doctor, then the athlete will be punished.”

Rogge said the IOC has reminded all national Olympic committees, not just Arab bodies, that refusing to compete against another competitor is “totally forbidden by the Olympic Charter.”

Olympic disgust three

If you never have lived in a city where there has been an Olympics. count yourself lucky. Londoners are not happy. It is as if one was having a party for mature friends, and then discovered your teen-aged daughter and son invited all their friends to your nice, organized soiree. All of a sudden, there are 300 kids on the patio asking where the pop and computer games are...Also, the rules are getting more and more odd.


Really, can you imagine these early set of games? Here is my take--τὰ Ὀλύμπια 


(Panning out from the Acropolis, an aerial view -heck, this is pretend, right-of a bunch of guys in loin-clothes or nothing on )


(A media girl from the local news center at the well is interviewing the athletes)


(This journalist is named Athena.)


Athena: Here we are in the center of the training grounds for this Olympiad. Let's find out where this young man is from and what his sport is...Hi, what is your name, sir?


Young man: Pericles, but I am not related, you know...


Athena: Sure, what will you be doing here this week?


Pericles: I am not an athlete. You can talk to those guys there, Plato and Ephorus, they will run in the foot race.


Athena: Well, I can't interview them because well, I have an artist here drawing pictures, and you are dressed...you know.


Pericles: Actually, I am a caterer. I set up stalls and sell olives, figs, dried fish, honey cakes, wine, flat breads, cheese, and other things. I even have fresh water in little clay jars with little clay lids-look-for taking into the stadium. They are recyclable. When the water is gone, you just throw them on the ground and stamp on them. 


Athena: But, Pericles, this year no one can take water into the stadium. Security rules. We are expecting troubles from the Goths, I think. 


Pericles: No water jars? Oh, no and I invested so much in these. Well, I still have giant leaves with ice and snow from the mountains here in this special hide carrier so that people can stay cool.


Athena: Pericles, no one can take ice or snow into the arena either. 


Pericles: What about the aulos and specialty Egyptian sistrum types of instruments for making noise to encourage your athletes? I have bags of them made for the tourists to cheer on the home teams. I even went to Egypt and picked some up, but they each have a strange word I can't read on the side.


Athena: I think these characters say "China". No, all those musical instruments will not be allowed, either. Oh dear, you must have missed the announcements posted up on the pillars of the Parthenon.


Pericles: I haven't had time...shucks, I might as well pack all this up and go home.


Athena: I am sorry. Where is home? 


Pericles: Well, I guess I might as well tell you the truth. My real name is Varazdat and I am a boxer. I was intending to make some money on the side before the games started.


Athena: You mean you are the future King of Armenia? Wow! What a scoop for me.


Varazdat: Well, sure. Go ahead and tell people. I am just a little concerned as I hear there may be more wars involving the Romans and the Goths-- and some of my cousins have been banished to a place called Britannia already by the Emperor.  I really do not want to go there.


Athena: Why?


Varazdat: I hear it is called the Nanny State of the North and it rains all the time.


Athens: Well, that is all now from Athens. Maybe I'll just go speak with that guy over there. By the way, good luck with your fisticuffs. 


Varazdat: Ah, thanks. I have a good feel about this competition. I am in great shape and I am the greatest...

Athena: Sure, right, bye.