Bl.Pope John Paul II points Albanians towards their own daughter and sister- ...watch the video!

Bl.Pope John Paul II addresses the Albanian Nation and points them to their own daughter, the wonderful and only Mother Teresa.(now blessed also :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmgVsMy2zJk

Take up the Cross! Do not be afraid!

1 March 2013

At this time, as the month of March begins and the Spring is about to come, the History is being made. The Catholic Church is without a Pope, an Interregnum time is on, the world is watching the Catholic Church and many , who are not catholics do get engaged in conversations and do give opinions according to their formation and according to their understanding of our Faith. Many may be simply sympathetic, some may be sceptic, but a lot of people could even be insulting and humiliating towards our Church, our Faith and the Clergy. Just read the press or watch the secular media and you get the gist of it. But, please dear friends, rejoice and do not despair. The fact that they are engaged into the Conversation, even with bitter words, is a sign that their souls thirst to know the Truth, according to the Natural Law, they are designed to know the Truth but separated from it from the Fall and the consequences of Concupiscence. Remember, friends, what the Sacramental and Actual Grace has done in the souls of the Faithful(read the yield of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit) , that is lacking in many thirsting souls because of willful rejection. So as Lent is continuing, please keep in your prayers all the people and be CHARITABLE. Engage and lovingly explain our Faith. You never know what a smile or a kind word could bring about. Pray to give up Pride, Donate to give up unnecessary Possessions and Sacrifice to give up some Pleasures so we can better serve the Lord and his World. Take up the Cross!!! Do not be afraid! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Free Will and Grace-reflections after a talk

Last night, February 7th 2013,  we attended Dr.William Marshner's talk on "Grace and Free Will " at the Institute of Catholic Culture. He explained the very logical and philosophical presentation on the basis of St.Augustine's writings /teachings and analyzed (among other things) John Calvin's Predestination Theories...It was mind blowing. I had thought Islam only , excludes Free Will to the extend that everything is " known or written" by God and nothing can change it .... no effort on human side can change the "God written" destiny.......In fact Calvin had some similar ideas...very interesting I thought... John Calvin’s interpretation of predestination states that not only does God govern all events, but he also has already determined who will be saved, and who will be damned. Dr, Marshner, using St.Augustine's writings explained the difference and argued how Free Will makes the destiny happen. God KNOWS (there is no time in God) what will happen to all, but he always makes Grace and other means available to people , so whoever engages his action and receives the Grace available and furthermore let Grace work in them, in few words let God be the center and in charge of their lives, they are then the governed and the saved by God... . So while God knows our destiny, we DON't. So, why then assume the worst while we can WILL and Act upon it (wanting to happen and will it) and make room for Grace to dwell in us... ? See the difference ....? OUR OWN CHOOSING makes a difference ...... To those who reject God's Available Grace and fall into despair, by not engaging the Free Will to accept Grace well.....God may then say: "be my guest...."
There is Mercy but it also that goes hand in hand with Justice...

Take care friends, and dont waste time worrying, Let God lead you....

What does it really mean when people say: "This is the teaching of the Catholic Church?

Sometimes one might notice that someone is not too comfortable with what we discuss and the points we raise on certain issues, which could include social, political or morals. Furthermore they get upset and do not like the idea that these things are said to be taught by the Catholic Church and reject them simply by saying that they are not Catholics and thus have no obligation to do what the Catholic Church teaches. May I please clarify what is meant by declaring the teaching of the Church: The Catholic Church proclaims the Truth as it was given to her by Jesus Christ. The Church has a duty to proclaim and propose to the world what Christ gave her so she can help the children of God(all people) to be saved for Eternity. Hence thee Church doesn't IMPOSE its teachings, the CHURCH only PROPOSES what she has been given to use for the sake of God's Love for his people. The people then, catholic or not, are to make the individual judgments and act and live their lives as they deem right.(We see a lot of actions out there...whether is in line with the teaching or in opposition to it)...When one says the consequences of the opposition of these teachings are of spiritual and eternal nature and value, it is then when the hearts are restless and tricked.... hence the tensions flare ..... No one wants flares, but the flares are ignited from withing the soul itself, the soul whose faculties are not in proper order with the Natural Law's design( the order of their original creation). The good news is that when we see anger, zest and resentment which shows up as a disagreement, it is then the time to LOVE more, to PRAY more and SACRIFICE more for those beautiful searching and wondering souls. Love you all, Merita B.McC

"Urim" and "Thummim"--Perhaps the Albanian language has the answer to the meaning of these words?

By Merita B.McCormack
Washington DC 
January 31-st 2013

On "Urim" and "Thummim" I am going to have a pure speculation but read me carefully and those who are familiar with Scripture correct me if I am wrong or perhaps have a better  explanation.

Reading the book of Leviticus 8:1-10. It is about the ordination of Aaron and his sons. As we all know  of the Old Testament conceals the New Testament , which on the other side  reveals the Old (Testament)..

Okay, now.....when you read  the words "Urim and Thummim " in Albanian language immediately you know what these words mean. They have some great  meaning. "Urim" in Albanian  means a "Blessing" and "Thummim" (Thumbim)" means a "Piercing"(by a thorn especially).. 

Now for those Albanians who are familiar with the Scripture and the subject,please don't tell me that these words don't strike right home...My God, they do, and furthermore , in both Leviticus 8 and Exodus 28 (where these words are used) , in the notes it says that the meaning of these (Hebrew) words and the exact  nature of the objects so designated are uncertain. tehy were apparently lots of some kind which were drawn or cast by the priest to ascertain God's decision in doubtful matters. hence the burse in which they are kept was called the "breastpiece  of decision" .

 "in this breastpiece of decision you shall put the urim and Thummim that they may be over Aaron 's heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord" (Ex 28 :30)..

and this was to be done for every ordained priest.....these lots are put over the breatpiece over the heart of the priest....I am jumping up and down...I didn't make any new discovery I am sure..... but I may have some sort of an  answer for the scholars.....well at least so I desire :-) ...

regardless of what the relation could be,  it is so very true the Albanian language has the meaning of these words   as "Blessing" and "Piercing" ...and the object to be covered with these lots  in this case is the Heart...Perhaps is a concealed reference to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?

Albanian Linguists , scholars, Doctors of Divinity where are you?!
Perhaps if we could properly read the bible  we could learn something and nourish our souls....but one never knows what treaures could be hidden there :-) 
 Oh well,  my friend, James Wm. Pandeli knows what I mean in this case !!

Mother Teresa, pray for us!

I had an interesting occurrence, which I would like to share with you. Few weeks  ago, somewhere in  cyberspace, an Albanian (of West) friend of mine, whose academic work I greatly respect and for whose soul I greatly care,  purported some  of Blessed Mother Teresa's words. She did so by providing an out of context sentence in Albanian, without citing the author on  a social issue, hence providing  a confusing  e-feed for many, stipulating that Mother Teresa was a sadist.

The majority of  my friend’s readers, as I have come to know, are not familiar at all with the Catechism or the  teachings of the Catholic  Church on certain issues, especially on human suffering and its meaning. These are important elements of knowledge, as many know, for one to grasp and comprehend that, when some one states something like: "be happy and  accept the state of life you are in,  as that is for your good and for the world’s greater good"-  is a good thing, that person (in this case Mother Teresa)  has some sound reason behind it.  She knows something we don’t know. In such cases we  should research and find out where it springs from, and not just jump into conclusions.

As I entered the e-conversation, I left soon, when I noticed that a couple of people, including the post's author,  which I believe  to be very well educated in certain fields of Liberal Arts/Science, all publicly declared Atheists, were belittling and mocking me  personally. So, figuring that the conversation was really about a stipulation and gossip, not real substance, I  stayed away from that particular conversation, seeing no point  in continuing or arguing, as the conversation about the mountain(mother Teresa), was becoming a conversation about a grain of sand(personal egos ).

But when I noticed that they were making sure  to twist  Mother Teresa’s statements on poverty and discredit her, mock her and insult her , that was hurting me to the core as it was based on false premises. 

Since then, I have been praying what to do about it. I prayed for the conversion of hearts, such as those of the respected human persons  involved in the mockery.  I also  prayed about peace in my heart and to be able to forgive. I wanted to have and keep my  peace but also to keep my "ducks in a row ", when one part of me felt insulted by the men of quite an age and I felt tempted to be angry. I asked for God 's Mercy and Grace.  Then, Padre Pio reminded me when a soul is in temptation (and resists it) , it  is pleasing to the Lord....and hence I received the necessary Sacraments, thank God!

I have also been asking Mother Teresa's intercession to pray for these men and women who insult her words and deeds often,  and as it appears, she is smiling down from Heaven. Low and behold, four times today, within  a ten minutes of time frame, I either received a message, or heard on the national radio  marvelous quotes from Mother Teresa or someone describing  her miraculous deeds and how the nations sang her praises!  Our  Blessed Mother Teresa keeps smiling when people mock her  up there(in heaven) from down here (earth). The praising of Mother Teresa (in my 10 minutes of this story ) came from NON-ALBANIANS. Many  of the people who spoke highly of her, are  lay people, only one is a religious leader of a certain Apostolate/Ministry, all spreading the Gospel and helping people throughout the world, making a real good change, following in Mother Teresa’s  foot-steps. What  do (some )Albanians do? They mock her! I’m sure many have the answer and know why. So, friends, I kindly  ask to please pray for my Atheists friends’ soul, especially for  my Albanian Atheists friends living now in the West,  as not only a nation's unity (Albanian nation) is at stake, but some souls' eternity is also in jeopardy. Many of us (Albanians) are not only a victim of  Communism at home, but sadly  also have been taken advantage of by the Secularism and Moral Relativism in the West. The cracks are wider for such  souls to fall in these circumstances ... There is a double favorable environment for the vice to thrive and there is a double risk of loosing for eternity such vulnerable souls... God bless you and thank you! 

"Les Miserables"-Reflection on the musical movie of 2012

By Merita B.McCormackWashington DC

It had been a while since I went to the movie theatre. I have been discouraged by many Hollywood movies that include violence, promiscuity, expensive ticket and snack prices, and the majority of them not really delivering a naturally ordered message. So I had given up on watching pop-culture movies.

But last night my outlook, at least for now, changed. As I recalled the story of Jean Valjean, which I had read and seen as a movie a few decades ago, I agreed to watch the new creation of “Les Miserables”, directed by Tom Hooper. I am not going to discuss movie-making techniques, such as set design. Instead, I will delve into the deeper messages embedded within the spiritual journey of Jean Valjean.

So thanks to Alicia Sutherland, my good friend and neighbor we went to the local theater to watch “Les Miserables”.  I rarely review movies, as I am not qualified, but I felt compelled to write something about the message “Les Miserables” uses as its theme.

I found it great that the movie was released on Christmas Day since the movie is about grace and redemption. Grace permeates our souls when we are open to receiving it. Redemption is granted to all who seek the grace and pray for it.  The characters are very much like each one of us, struggling with the issues of this world and the spiritual world. Jean Valjean’s past, no matter what circumstances, are conditioning his status in life. Labeled as a perpetual thief, many times he broke parole. The state and society’s punishment was that of captivity. Little did he know that the physical captivity was nothing compared to the slavery of his soul. This is slavery to sin and death until he meets the amazing Grace of God and is truly free.

The Bishop Myriel of Digne from whom Valjean stole valuable silverware, tells the police that he has given the treasure to Valjean. The Bishop’s appearance is that of  “In persona Christi”.

Christ comes to us and dwells in us through the Sacraments and Prayer.  The forgiveness and the Grace of God are readily available to anyone who seeks them and the clergy is there just to deliver that grace. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the fastest way to remove those walls we build and to soften our hardened hearts once we are truly sorry and fearing the Lord.

Having offended God in the past, after being forgiven, Valjean’s conversion of heart begins, but is truly a struggle. His kneeling and pacing up and down the Chapel, in front of the Crucifix, is an evidence of an interior struggle. His crying and agony is a reminder of our own struggles, yet Valjean triumphs once he offers the struggle and trouble up to the Lord. He unites his pain with that of Christ on the Cross. It is not easy, yet is not impossible. Valjean knows that he can now have a personal relationship with God who is a just, forgiving, loving and caring Father. The strong presence of the Christian symbols in every part of Valjean’s life from this point on, is very telling on how long and tough the battle is and how important it is to hold on to the Sacramental life and Prayer. Once Valjean recognizes who is his Lord, everything works out for him, whether it is personal prosperity or taking care of Cosette .

Cossete is the young abused girl, who was an illegitimate child of Fantine, the beautiful hardworking woman turned prostitute turned martyr.  Cosette represents the innocent life, whose life and fate was left in Valjean’s hands. With God’s grace Valjean secures for her a good education at the Convent and as a child of God she gives back love and care for her “papa” who raised and loved her all these years. Cosette meets the love of her life, Marius, the young, devout and energetic revolutionary whose life again, was miraculously saved by Valjean, whose Christ like figure permeates the whole movie.

The Thernardiers, the couple who abuse Cossette and own a town “Inn”, have an opposite life to that of Cossete and Valjean. Their own children, though better characters then those of their parents, are one a run away boy and the other a girl wrapped in misguided feelings of jealousy and envy, which she considers love. They were both “educated” on the streets and killed in the barricades during the revolution. The couple claim to be Christians, yet their life is anything but Christ centered. They are thieves, envious, immoral and greed is their God.

The antagonist character, Javert, the representative of the law and state, (how fitting I thought!)  played by Russell Crowe, is well presented and convincing. Javert, a Deist, believing in predestined paths, is a person who thinks he is doing everything right in the name of the Lord, is also a self – absorbed, self centered man. He “prays” outside of God’s house, is wrapped in envy and jealousy, he is vindictive and doesn’t believe in Grace and redemption though many times the opportunity is presented. The queen of intercessors, Our Lady, through the rosary beads is also made available to him, yet he rejects it all and thus commits the sin against the Holy Spirit by believing that he will never be forgiven for what he has done.  He walks the fine line and eventually ends up committing suicide.  The symbols are very well presented and while Jean Valjean is inside the Church, humbly kneeling in God’s presence, Javert, dressed in black, is outside and convinced that there is nothing new to be created.

Hugh Jackman does a superb job at acting and singing and although in this material world’s Globe and Oscar awards are important to many, if a true conversion like that of Valjean happened to him personally, I think he should care less if he wins Globe or Oscar. His character, I bet  has converted many hearts.

Many have sung praises to Anne Hathaway’s   performance of  “I dreamt a dream”.

She seems to be a fine young lady and a good actress.  All I can say about it is that the burden to play Fantine, and singing a well-known classic such as  “I dreamt a dream”, I thought was too much for her.  Her character, though shortly presented in the movie, along with the holy innocents and other martyrs, represent the communion of Saints and the prayer of Valjean in the end to Fantine is very much a testimony as to how important the prayer to those gone before us, is for our salvation.

Well done Tom Hooper and team and hope everyone sees this very good movie.

A book review by Merita B.McCormack

A book review

"Albania and the European Union: A tumultuous Journey towards Integration and Accession", written by Mirela Bogdani and John Loughlin, and published by I. B. Tauris (London - New York).
By Merita B. McCormack
Published at Illyria Newspaper, New York, 31 August 2007
Is it going to be 2010? 2020? Or maybe earlier then that, maybe 2014?

These are the years of the future when Albania may be able to see itself as an EU member. Is it really going to happen? Probably. Why is it not happening earlier?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Albania joining the EU, what are the obstacles for integration and accession? What favors the process?

These and many more questions are analyzed and clearly answered in
"Albania and the European Union: A tumultuous Journey towards Integration and Accession", written by Mirela Bogdani and John Loughlin, and published by I.B.Tauris (London - New York).

The book opens with theoretical and contextual issues by stating the
meaning of nation-state and the definition of the European Union, and by going into details describing the most influential theories of the
European Integration.

A detailed and well written history of Albania in 1990-s follows in
chapter two. This explains the crossroads between Communism and Democracy and analyzes in great detail and very objectively Albania at the eve of democracy. Elez Biberaj is quoted at the opening of this chapter: "The Albanian road to democracy is strewn with land mines in the form of cumulative political, economic and social legacies of Hoxha Communist dictatorship, which made genuine democratization seem almost impossible".

A statement that says it all! The authors elaborate on political,
historical, economic and cultural legacies of the past, beginning with the Ottoman empire and ending with the communist period.

Meeting the Copenhagen Criteria is a separate chapter that "grills" the
transition period as one of most important steps of Albania toward
integration into the EU. The domestic political and socio-economic current situation is analysed in depth, focusing on the elections, public administration, rule of law and judicial system. In the economic area the authors point out that they are two sides of the Albanian economy: a miracle macro-economy and a poor real micro-economy. Authors emphasise that many changes have happened in these areas, but the reforms still proceed very slowly and changes are mainly cosmetic. The incorporation of acquis communitaire and its 35 negotiation chapters are analyzed further.

Ensuring approximation of EU legislation and applying it are the two
emphasized challenges that Albania faces in this area. The authors
conclude that Albania is still far from fulfilling the Copenhagen Criteria
and a lot of work needs to be done.

A specific and important place in this long and enriching chapter takes
the Albanian religious issue. The concept of EU as a "Christian Club" has raised many eyebrows for EU membership for Turkey and other Muslim countries. Authors, one of them a native Albanian, have given a true picture of what is really going on religious way in Albania and what is the real religion in Albania. What faith dominates and why? What are the real statistics and what are the trends of embracing Christian Faith? And most importantly, does religion represent an obstacle for Albania's chances of accession, as in the case of Turkey? This is a very hot topic today in both European informal and official debates and a "thorny issue" of the EU Enlargement Policy.

Western Balkans and the SAP regional framework are analyzed later in the book, pointing out that each of the 6 WB countries are at different stages of the accession journey, but they are all "passengers of the same train", they have a clear destination, the EU membership, which will be achieved on merit-basis only when they fulfil all the Copenhagen Criteria. The other important goal, the NATO membership, is also analysed briefly. The statement"Future of Albania lies with the EU" closes that chapter.

Political system of post communism takes place ? in a separate chapter as to bring into light the successes and failures of the Albanian political class. Parties, coalitions, and other issues, such as internal party democracy, parties' funding, etc, are also analysed in this chapter.

Corruption, one of the main obstacles for Albania's EU integration, and
other phenomenons like clientelism, nepotism and most importantly the organised crime, are subjected to an objective and open critique. They point out that corruption and bribery have affected every cell of life, but especially in public administration, judicial system and customs. The organised crime is very difficult to combat as the criminal individuals are in many cases connected with the politics and protected by politicians. The authors list facts, refer to certain events and previous works and have themselves very well observed the situation, closely monitoring Albanian society development as a whole and subsequently drawing well sounded conclusions on the issues.

The role of the elite and domestic actors is developed and analyzed in
chapter eight. This is the largest by detail and one of the most important chapters of the book, as it gives a proper insight of why and how Albania is this country on the world map today. Authors should be prepared to receive pats on their backs just for this particular well written chapter.

Government, Parliament, President and other structures of governing bodies in Albania are analyzed in detail. Dr. Bogdani's previous involvement in the Albanian party politics and her experience in the Albanian Public Administration have tremendously helped to gain such a sound knowledge and to further evaluate in a very realistic and impartial way the situation in Albania in these areas. The "brain drain" is brought to the attention of the reader as an unfortunate phenomenon that has happened to Albania during the years of transition and the causes of these phenomena are analysed. The country's elite both during communism and in transition period is analysed. Unfortunately, the handful of rich and intellectual people that emerged at the end of the War World II were crushed and
jailed, properties confiscated, leaving thus a huge gap between the
dictator's clique and the broad masses. The authors emphasize that if any intelligentsia survived, that was mainly concentrated in Tirana, country's Capital. A well-known exiled Albanian political analyst, Shinasi Rama, is quoted when today's "elite" is defined. It is with sadness a true fact that the today's Albanian elite is not even close to any nobility feature, as Mr.Rama states.

The country's local government bodies are shown in its history, since
communism, followed by the current days' role and future challenges that the local government structure face.

In the book is emphasised the great role that the EU is playing for
Albania in three directions: firstly through the prospect of EU
membership, which provides an incentive for carrying out domestic reforms, secondly the concrete processes of SAP and SAA and thirdly the financial assistance and programs (past, present and future ones). This and other external factors, such as the Globalisation, the influence of other CEE countries, the USA, Albanian Diaspora are called to attention in the last chapter.

The concept, the reality and the prospect of the "Greater Albania" (or
"Ethnic Albania", "Pan-Albanism"), as well as the "Future of Kosovo
issue", are objectively and extensively reviewed and analyzed in the book. Authors conclude that the question of "Greater Albania" should be seen under the full light of prospective future accession of Albania, Kosova, other Albanian territories in neighbouring countries, and all Balkan countries into the EU.

As a conclusion, authors point out that many obstacles and challenges remain, but the factor they blame the most is the Albanian political class, who with its incompetence, irresponsibility and selfishness, is the main obstacle for Albania's journey towards the EU. They argue that what will make this journey shorter and less bumpy and what Albania really needs is a new political class, a new generation of leaders, equipped with real democratic principles and values of integrity, decency and honesty, committed and willing to sacrifice and make a difference for their country and its citizens, for a country and a nation which deserves more and has lost a lot of time.

A well written book. Well researched and very interesting, that has been needed long time ago. It could be of interest for a quite a wide range of audience and I think this book should be in the shelves of every foreign scholar, professional or official that is involved in Albanian issues.

Every foreign government body that has engaged itself in projects with Albania should use this book as a very good source of valuable information regarding Albania and the Balkans. The greatest importance of this book is that it is (along with its previous version) the first book which analyses the relationship between the EU and Albania and its accession and integration process.

Congratulations to the authors. The book is available at www.amazon.com

Merita Bajraktari McCormack, BSc, MBA
Long Island, New York, USA

A thought before the Midnight of the Night Before Christmas :-)

When we are away from God we are always making something else to be "our god" in Communist Albania the dictator wanted the people to venerate and worship him, in other countries, other aspects of life became "gods" . In  the developed world sexuality(all forms of sexual relationships outside marriage), consumerism(money.money, money...), pride (I can do anything, I am good and strong and superperson....) materialsm (I must have everything that the Joners have...)  etc ., have become "gods" of the daily lives....The human heart is designed to reach its Creator and during the way, we, the people, make many detours and some of those detours can be fatal for our souls. Our soul does recognize these detours and our behaviors, our restlessness, our sadness, desperations, un-satisfactions, addictions, escapism etc etc,.....are symptoms of these detours... .. Our hearts yearn to rest in our Creator, the God of Abraham, Moses and David, who loved us so much that he stooped down from Heaven and became man....JESUS is his name! .This Christmas, let us recognize our true God and embrace him as he is waiting for our love in return...He gave us Free will so let us will that love, to love Him back so we can find the way to our Eternal Happiness.....We are all called to holiness and eternal Joy! ...Let Him come and dwell in us......Let us start this Christmas! If you don't know any prayer, pray from your heart...pray a simple but meaningful prayer like this:" Dear God, please come and dwell in me. I dont know you but I want to meet you and be a better person in every aspect of my life. Please help me and shed light on my path. My heart will be restless o Lord until it rest in you. Please help me! Amen!" :-) see what happens....xoxo (M.M)

Five stages of persecution (of any group)

The five stages leading to persecution(of any group)

1. Stigmatize the chosen group(any group) to make it feel unworthy and an imposition on the society.
2.Marginalize the group from the main stream society so people don't interact with them and easy believe lies about the group.
3.Vilify the group.Make it the enemy of progress and name it as is the cause of all of the society's problems.
4.Criminalize the group. Place legal restrictions on its activities and its existence

5. Outright persecution.

Many experts and scholars believe that the Catholic Church in the US is at the end of stage 3 and entering stage 4 of the persecution.

The question I have is this:

Shall we(especially we who went through a lot back in Albania) let the process happen and this part of mystical body of Christ here in the USA end up like that in Communist Albania?! 

What do you all think?

LEPANTO by G.K.Chesterton

LEPANTO

BY G. K. CHESTERTON

White founts falling in the courts of the sun,
And the Soldan of Byzantium is smiling as they run;
There is laughter like the fountains in that face of all men feared,
It stirs the forest darkness, the darkness of his beard,
It curls the blood-red crescent, the crescent of his lips,
For the inmost sea of all the earth is shaken with his ships.

They have dared the white republics up the capes of Italy,
They have dashed the Adriatic round the Lion of the Sea,
And the Pope has cast his arms abroad for agony and loss,
And called the kings of Christendom for swords about the Cross,
The cold queen of England is looking in the glass;
The shadow of the Valois is yawning at the Mass;
From evening isles fantastical rings faint the Spanish gun,
And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sun.

Dim drums throbbing, in the hills half heard,
Where only on a nameless throne a crownless prince has stirred,
Where, risen from a doubtful seat and half attainted stall,
The last knight of Europe takes weapons from the wall,
The last and lingering troubadour to whom the bird has sung,
That once went singing southward when all the world was young,
In that enormous silence, tiny and unafraid,
Comes up along a winding road the noise of the Crusade.
Strong gongs groaning as the guns boom far,
Don John of Austria is going to the war,
Stiff flags straining in the night-blasts cold
In the gloom black-purple, in the glint old-gold,
Torchlight crimson on the copper kettle-drums,
Then the tuckets, then the trumpets, then the cannon, and he comes.
Don John laughing in the brave beard curled,
Spurning of his stirrups like the thrones of all the world,
Holding his head up for a flag of all the free.
Love-light of Spain—hurrah!
Death-light of Africa!
Don John of Austria
Is riding to the sea.

Mahound is in his paradise above the evening star,
(Don John of Austria is going to the war.)
He moves a mighty turban on the timeless houri’s knees,
His turban that is woven of the sunset and the seas.
He shakes the peacock gardens as he rises from his ease,
And he strides among the tree-tops and is taller than the trees,
And his voice through all the garden is a thunder sent to bring
Black Azrael and Ariel and Ammon on the wing.
Giants and the Genii,
Multiplex of wing and eye,
Whose strong obedience broke the sky
When Solomon was king.

They rush in red and purple from the red clouds of the morn,
From temples where the yellow gods shut up their eyes in scorn;
They rise in green robes roaring from the green hells of the sea
Where fallen skies and evil hues and eyeless creatures be;
On them the sea-valves cluster and the grey sea-forests curl,
Splashed with a splendid sickness, the sickness of the pearl;
They swell in sapphire smoke out of the blue cracks of the ground,—
They gather and they wonder and give worship to Mahound.
And he saith, “Break up the mountains where the hermit-folk can hide,
And sift the red and silver sands lest bone of saint abide,
And chase the Giaours flying night and day, not giving rest,
For that which was our trouble comes again out of the west.
We have set the seal of Solomon on all things under sun,
Of knowledge and of sorrow and endurance of things done,
But a noise is in the mountains, in the mountains, and I know
The voice that shook our palaces—four hundred years ago:
It is he that saith not ‘Kismet’; it is he that knows not Fate ;
It is Richard, it is Raymond, it is Godfrey in the gate!
It is he whose loss is laughter when he counts the wager worth,
Put down your feet upon him, that our peace be on the earth.”
For he heard drums groaning and he heard guns jar,
(Don John of Austria is going to the war.)
Sudden and still—hurrah!
Bolt from Iberia!
Don John of Austria
Is gone by Alcalar.

St. Michael’s on his mountain in the sea-roads of the north
(Don John of Austria is girt and going forth.)
Where the grey seas glitter and the sharp tides shift
And the sea folk labour and the red sails lift.
He shakes his lance of iron and he claps his wings of stone;
The noise is gone through Normandy; the noise is gone alone;
The North is full of tangled things and texts and aching eyes
And dead is all the innocence of anger and surprise,
And Christian killeth Christian in a narrow dusty room,
And Christian dreadeth Christ that hath a newer face of doom,
And Christian hateth Mary that God kissed in Galilee,
But Don John of Austria is riding to the sea.
Don John calling through the blast and the eclipse
Crying with the trumpet, with the trumpet of his lips,
Trumpet that sayeth ha!
Domino gloria!
Don John of Austria
Is shouting to the ships.

King Philip’s in his closet with the Fleece about his neck
(Don John of Austria is armed upon the deck.)
The walls are hung with velvet that, is black and soft as sin,
And little dwarfs creep out of it and little dwarfs creep in.
He holds a crystal phial that has colours like the moon,
He touches, and it tingles, and he trembles very soon,
And his face is as a fungus of a leprous white and grey
Like plants in the high houses that are shuttered from the day,
And death is in the phial, and the end of noble work,
But Don John of Austria has fired upon the Turk.
Don John’s hunting, and his hounds have bayed—
Booms away past Italy the rumour of his raid
Gun upon gun, ha! ha!
Gun upon gun, hurrah!
Don John of Austria
Has loosed the cannonade.

The Pope was in his chapel before day or battle broke,
(Don John of Austria is hidden in the smoke.)
The hidden room in man’s house where God sits all the year,
The secret window whence the world looks small and very dear.
He sees as in a mirror on the monstrous twilight sea
The crescent of his cruel ships whose name is mystery;
They fling great shadows foe-wards, making Cross and Castle dark,
They veil the plumèd lions on the galleys of St. Mark;
And above the ships are palaces of brown, black-bearded chiefs,
And below the ships are prisons, where with multitudinous griefs,
Christian captives sick and sunless, all a labouring race repines
Like a race in sunken cities, like a nation in the mines.
They are lost like slaves that swat, and in the skies of morning hung
The stair-ways of the tallest gods when tyranny was young.
They are countless, voiceless, hopeless as those fallen or fleeing on
Before the high Kings’ horses in the granite of Babylon.
And many a one grows witless in his quiet room in hell
Where a yellow face looks inward through the lattice of his cell,
And he finds his God forgotten, and he seeks no more a sign—
(But Don John of Austria has burst the battle-line!)
Don John pounding from the slaughter-painted poop,
Purpling all the ocean like a bloody pirate’s sloop,
Scarlet running over on the silvers and the golds,
Breaking of the hatches up and bursting of the holds,
Thronging of the thousands up that labour under sea
White for bliss and blind for sun and stunned for liberty.
Vivat Hispania!
Domino Gloria!
Don John of Austria
Has set his people free!

Cervantes on his galley sets the sword back in the sheath
(Don John of Austria rides homeward with a wreath.)
And he sees across a weary land a straggling road in Spain,
Up which a lean and foolish knight forever rides in vain,
And he smiles, but not as Sultans smile, and settles back the blade....
(But Don John of Austria rides home from the Crusade.)

Source: The Collected Poems of G. K. Chesterton (1927)

Humane Vitae— a random talk which prompted an important talk...

I received a call from a blocked number tonight. I answered and listen to the guy who identified himself as a representative of Planned Parenthood Vote. He said: Ma'am, Romney is taking away women’s reproductive health rights so who are you 

voting for? He then added: "You don’t want that reproductive health right go away and those breast cancer screening to"  so he was clearly mixing breast cancer with contraception and abortion , both services provided by Planned Parenthood. I heard him and then gently asked him how was he enjoying talking to me tonight? He said I was a good listener and he could not wait to hear who was I voting for. I said I wouldn’t share that private opinion, but would share the lovely thought about his mom for keeping him, not aborting him so he could enjoy life, even this conversation tonight. He then said yes,correct Ma’am and we went on and discussed what is the definition of reproductive health and what is abortion . He listened, we talked and he was happy to hear that such a document as this below exists and he would read  it. That’s what he said and he also appreciated the prayer we would say tonight for him and other people , so may all minds  may be enlightened and all wills may  be strengthened. In the end making or not making it to HEAVEN DOES MATTER, so friends, here it is for all to read and act, and act according to the just and right Will of our Creator. Hope you can read it and may your hearts leap with joy for knowing the Truth.  And vote Pro-Life. God bless  You!

http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Paul06/p6humana.htm

September 23 St "Padre" Pio's Feast---Festa e Shenjtorit Padre Pio--23 Shtator

Happy Feast of St.Padre Pio-----Padre Pio Pray for us!
This is the URL to the text below

http://click.bsftransmit1.com/SocialMedia.aspx?pubids=8688%7c7344%7c6&digest=g%2bqHqmlWuec3sbchFXJDAw&sysid=1&1=1PUI&2=1N1n
If that doesn't work--you have the text below...

Sunday, September 23, 2012 St. Padre Pio da Pietrelcina (1887-1968)

In one of the largest such ceremonies in history, Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio of Pietrelcina on June 16, 2002. It was the 45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul's pontificate. More than 300,000 people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter's Square and nearby streets. They heard the Holy Father praise the new saint for his prayer and charity. "This is the most concrete synthesis of Padre Pio's teaching," said the pope. He also stressed Padre Pio's witness to the power of suffering. If accepted with love, the Holy Father stressed, such suffering can lead to "a privileged path of sanctity."Many people have turned to the Italian Capuchin Franciscan to intercede with God on their behalf; among them was the future Pope John Paul II. In 1962, when he was still an archbishop in Poland, he wrote to Padre Pio and asked him to pray for a Polish woman with throat cancer. Within two weeks, she had been cured of her life-threatening disease. Born Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy. Twice (1898-1903 and 1910-17) his father worked in Jamaica, New York, to provide the family income. At the age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the name of Pio. He was ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After he was discovered to have tuberculosis, he was discharged. In 1917 he was assigned to the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo, 75 miles from the city of Bari on the Adriatic. On September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the stigmata in his hands, feet and side. Life became more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church authorities and curiosity seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924 and again in 1931, the authenticity of the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain of these decisions, which were soon reversed. However, he wrote no letters after 1924. His only other writing, a pamphlet on the agony of Jesus, was done before 1924. Padre Pio rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata, but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5 a.m. Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid-morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned. Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. At his urging, a fine hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano. The idea arose in 1940; a committee began to collect money. Ground was broken in 1946. Building the hospital was a technical wonder because of the difficulty of getting water there and of hauling up the building supplies. This "House for the Alleviation of Suffering" has 350 beds. A number of people have reported cures they believe were received through the intercession of Padre Pio. Those who assisted at his Masses came away edified; several curiosity seekers were deeply moved. Like St. Francis, Padre Pio sometimes had his habit torn or cut by souvenir hunters. One of Padre Pio’s sufferings was that unscrupulous people several times circulated prophecies that they claimed originated from him. He never made prophecies about world events and never gave an opinion on matters that he felt belonged to Church authorities to decide. He died on September 23, 1968, and was beatified in 1999. COMMENT: At Padre Pio's canonization Mass in 2002, Pope John Paul II referred to that day's Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) and said: “The Gospel image of 'yoke' evokes the many trials that the humble Capuchin of San Giovanni Rotondo endured. Today we contemplate in him how sweet is the 'yoke' of Christ and indeed how light the burden are whenever someone carries these with faithful love. The life and mission of Padre Pio testify that difficulties and sorrows, if accepted with love, transform themselves into a privileged journey of holiness, which opens the person toward a greater good, known only to the Lord.” QUOTE: "The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain" (saying of Padre Pio).

Also another great webpage dedicated to this great Saint is listed below..:

http://www.padrepiodevotions.org/chronology.asp

St.Augustine Feast today--- In English and in Albanian-Shen Agustini

"There can be no hope for me except in your great mercy. Give me the grace to do as you command, and command me to do whatever you will. You command us to control our bodily desires. Truly it is by continence that we are made as one, and re

gain that unity of self which we lost by falling apart in the search for a variety of pleasures. For a man loves you so much the less if, besides you, he loves something else which he does not love for your sake. O Love, ever burning, never quenched! O Charity, my God, set me on fire with your love! You command me to be continent. Give me the grace to do as you command, and command me to do whatever you will." (Augustine, Confessions X, 29)

Sot eshte festa e Shen Agustinit, nje nga personalitetet me te shquara te historise njerezore dhe natyrisht nder me te mirenjohurit ne historine e krishtere…Ai jetoi ne shekullin e 4 dhe ka nje histori speciale e rreqethese ne rrugen drejt Zotit…Konvertimi it ij nga nje don zhuan ne nje filozof dhe teolog te paperseritshem shpjegohet vetem me miresine e hirin e Zotit….Po sjell ne ne shqip nje nga

 lutjet e tij famoze dhe uroj festen e emrit te gjithe Agustineve :-) ne fakt tek t egjtihe ne jeton nje (Shen) Agustin ….. ! 

Ja dhe lutja me fame :
"Nuk mund të ketë shpresë për mua, përveç në mëshirën tënde të madhe o Zot!. Më jep hirin tënd për të bërë atë që Ti urdhëron, dhe më urdhëro të bëj çdo gjë që Ti dëshiron . Ti na urdhëron të kontrollojmë dëshirat tona fizike ( trupore) . Vërtet, falë vetëpërmbajtjes, ne mundim të rimarrim atë unitetin e vetvetes, të cilin e kemi humbur duke u sfilitur e ciopëtuar në kërkim të një shumëllojshmërije kënaqëssh fizike e trupore. Kur njeriu kur nuk e do dicka apo dike për hatrin tënd, o Zot , ai nuk të do ty aspak! O Dashuri, flakëronjëse që nuk shuhesh kurrë! O Dashuri mirëbërëse , O Zoti im, më ndiz në zemrën time zjarrin e dashurisë Tënde! Më bëj që të jem i/e vetëpërmbajtur! Më jep hirin tend për të bërë si më urdhëron Ti dhe më urdhëro cfarë të deshirosh Ti! “
( Rrëfimet e Shën Augustinit, X, 29) Perktheu ne shqip Merita B-McC

28 Gusht 2012

Charity...few thoughts to ponder...

I was thinking last night about the virtue of Charity.....As I lied down in bed I recalled an expression that "putting on make up is  Charity :-)", I believe it is said  by a wonderful woma, a EWTN host ,woman of Grace, her name in Johnette Bencovich.. So as I admired that expression , few thoughts came to my mind and like to share them with my friends and readers here.

 We often  think and act or "measure" Charity by the way how Charity manifests itself in the  good deeds of ours towards others. That is very true. That is charitable. But we also act in certain ways towards others while we do those good deeds and those ways reflects our own inner self and intentions. Many times we do things to please others so we can get credit for those deeds. Other times we do it because the others are our own family and as spouse, parent or sibling and  we do wish to help them. We also feel an obligation by tradition to do certain things. For our friends we also do good deeds with  some multi purposeful intentions. All those (not so good) intentions are rooted in our fallen human nature. Again, there is nothing wrong with being charitable to others and the more acts of charity the better. But is all that looks and sound like Charity a  true Charity ?
For a moment I want to call to our attention the Charity towards ourselves. How charitable are we towards ourself ?  I know, for a fact, that we, women, want to look at our best, especially when we are in the company of others. Many just get up and first thing in the morning, make themselves up, so when we look in the mirror we enjoy what we see, and we are happy and content with the way we look with the make up on or some fitting clothes that make us look ...well...some say nice.... But why do we want to look pretty or slim or in a nice dress, what is the purpose of that desire? Why is that? There could be a gazillion answers....I am not going to explain that here, but I wanted to bring it up so we can think about making ourselves pretty in other ways so we can be charitable towards ourselves and then others for a higher purpose and with a better intention....so as to change the direction of intentions and actions, making it in line with the true nature that we are designed with and should manifest.
I know some atheists or agnostics won't agree with my last sentence, but whether we like it or not, our nature is designed and has a purpose.Everything has "to be something" before it has "to do something"...so since we are humans we are set to do certain human things...In that light I think tending our bodies to make us look good (for what?) should equally be done in order to make it the perfect dwelling place of God(hence serving that higher Purpose). The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, lives in us(if we allow Him to live and thrive). He always does search for us, but we often close the door. He always descends so we can ascend , but  we ignore Him.  But if we do open our minds and hearts we can certainly make our body a temple of the Holy Spirit, a place where God can live and make His graces flow in us. One can not have the graces flow, unless is in the State of Grace, and State of Grace means a person is without sin (hard to find someone might say)...The sins go away when the Absolution is given and received after  true sorrow has captured your heart and the true contrition has occurred. That happens during a sincere confession during the sacrament of Reconciliation...and to take that step requires courage, humility and a lot of prayer...We often lack courage and humility but we can certainly can pray or try to be open to prayer...that requires an act of Will and that Will to be engaged requires Intellect and for that Intellect to be enlightened, it  requires truthful information and that truthful information is the Truth itself. If anyone doesn't know about it, please ask a question and you will receive an answer.... Hence tending to our body must  not  be done just to  look and feel physically good but to be really good, to be a place where God lives and acts through,  so we can love ourselves for allowing the Truth and Light to live and dwell in us.In that manner the act of Charity truly becomes active and then one might truly be charitable towards others and not the other way around...And that is just my opinion :-) if you like it , share it....

9 August 2012

Letter of Jesuit priest Fr.Peter Meshkalla sent to the Albanian PM of the time(1967)

Letter of Father Peter Mëshkalla S.J.

To: Chairman of the Council of Ministers

Mehmet Shehu

Tirana, (Albania)

Excellency,

Yesterday, on  April 3rd, 1967, at 7 pm, the majority of the Catholic clergy of Shkodra(diocese), was called in the Red Hall Corner of the Executive Committee. It was communicated to us, that we should give up/turn in everything we have /own except the essential personal clothing and sleeping clothes, because it all belong to the people(of Albania) and ought to be returned to the people, and that we shall not exercise any religious service, even privately: This, we were told, was decided by the people(of Albania).
I thought to write to you, your Excellency as a man to another man(human to human)
As for my books, and religious objects, let them come and take them whenever they like. It is not the first time I stand out there in the streets.
But I want to share some thoughts in general: Manuscripts are sacred property of the author, unless he surrenders them himself or they are against the State (national) Security. As for other property or generosity of the people, it is basic and the natural law does not recognize that the donor or others can take a donation away, unless one who receives gives it up.
If it happens, these are speculation and abuses, which need to be addressed..
And, the truth is that people in each country have followed its own priest (good o weak) , as the representative of their own religion.
A black shadow fell on the people when the churches(in Albania) were shut down , when the church bells were crushed and brought down and religious objects, clergy and laity were mocked and insulted, thus hurting deeply their Sacred Faith.
The same effect has had the frantic and antireligious campaigns conducted with all means of propaganda. In response, people have filled the churches until the time of closing. What little value then does have a small percentage of some scared and non-conscientious people under so much pressure…?
Especially the scared people who are threatened and pressurized, promised and threatened of layoffs, undergoing the greatest torture because of the economic dependency needing the daily bread, and then verbally deny what they believe, and hence this campaign aims to set up a generation (of Albanians)without civil courage, without bravery, an opportunist generation, spineless people, destroying thus the character of Albanian people at the whole country’s expense. People are afraid to meet, to welcome friends that are labeled as “"touched"(gulags, anticommunist, reactionaries etc)! -There is much talk today about the Inquisition of 500 years ago, and not very objectively. But how about of this one, this one in the this 20 th century?
Now we come to me. I cannot and will not change the line of my life but will continue so until my last breath. Outer barriers of force majeure will do to me exactly what effect the stone and dirt have on the flow of rushing water: People know me well and how I have dedicated my life to them.
I am saying that with these wars against religion and us, you are (the government is)  discrediting ourselves (country) in the eyes of the world, to which we ( our country) have given solemn promises for the human rights and freedom. When you and I met in Tirana on March 8, 1945, I mentioned to you that the Communists were shouting out words like "this Church shall turn into a cinema" . Then you answered me: "This is hostile and enemy’s propaganda."
Indeed, no worse enemy of the state(country) would had done any greater damage then this you have done to yourselves (state/country)
I wrote to you Excellency, nor pushed by hatred, nor ambitions, nor interest, but only by my conscience, truth and goodness.

Respectfully
Peter Meshkalla
Catholic priest –Society of Jesus.

5 April 1967
(translated from Albanian by Merita B.McCormack- words in paranthesis are notes of the translator)
Merita B.McCormack

It is CHRISTMAS not just a Holiday….

I am wondering and pondering…Someone i know has shared very enthusiastically with myself and few other ladies her friend’s invitation so we can all go to her “Holiday “goodie" exchange” event next week since she has apparently a big house and her “Holiday” decorations are fab….. We must wear a Santa hat she added and dress according to the holiday season……sounds kind of fun ...huh…well …hmmm I am going to vent…sorry ..but… as much as I know, these events are usually called ”Christmas cookie exchange”, and those decorations are for CHRISTMAS-celebrating the birth of Jesus, the only begotten Son of God (not to offend any unbeliever here expressing JMO). If one is an Agnostic or Atheist I bet won’t host one of these “goodie exchanges" as they believe in: "live and have fun today and forget about tomorrow”- as they believe that there is nothing waiting for you after death so eat drink and be merry-well enough…their business no problems for me there ….But if you say you are a christian-like this Jane Doe with the huge mansion, a mercedes, sauna and room for a pony, then why be a hypocrite and shy away from the word Christmas, St.Nicholas, Christmas cookies, Christmas tree, etc..…...In the end if you like the “goodies”, can put up a fancy tree and outdoor lights, have those huge holy tree wreaths on the door, put up hundreds of lights, send cards (for what?) ,then isn’t that all about Christmas? We can certainly invent all sorts of feasts for ourselves…we are many tribes and clans….. (2000+ tribal languages are known in one continent alone) …we can invent so we can pretend that Christmas doesn’t exist any more….. but the truth of the matter is that this time of the year the Holy Mother Church’s tradition is set that we celebrate Christmas, the Coming of the Savior, the joyful mystery of the " Word Became Flesh and Dwelled among us".. Either embrace and celebrate it properly or do not stain it….sorry I had to say it…we have to stand up and face it before our faces are totally gone and we have no more real face to face the real truth when needed. Happy Feast Day-Mary, Immaculate Mother pray for us all..

Albania’s long wait in the delivery room

Debating with teens and twenty something-s about Albanian History’s missing links.

By Merita B.McCormack
Washington DC

I have been wondering for sometime now, as to what motivates some very smart, extremely patriotic, energetic Albanian youngsters, who live both in Albania and overseas, to have such a zest and fervor to fight at every instance the argument that the current Albanian Socialists are  to be identified with the Communists of 1941 and beyond.

This I have noticed while I have been expressing my thoughts and have received comments. Nothing unusual for any one who wants to say what he/she thinks, and I have been met with some brilliant minds, but to oppose basically everything I write pertaining to Communism and some even trying to convince me, with what they believe, is somehow puzzling as to why.This has  subsequently has motivated me to research further as to what is behind all the fervor and zest that seem to have engulfed some young people to have such a determination for the matter and here it is what I have concluded:

These beautiful people were born in the early 90s or mid to late 80's...that in itself explains a lot.... these people were being raised in transitional times, when the transition from Communism to the supposedly Democratic system in Albania has brought much suffering and much pain to the nation. They were born and raised in very difficult times. They were born with the supposed fall of Communism and as many other youngsters, they are experiencing the labor pain. Something is being delivered. And that is the Dawn of the New Era, which will finally mark the death of Communism.

Hence I understand this generation's frustration and pain, the disappointment and the ideals and I hope we have many youngsters like that, who voice their concerns and hope for the best, expecting the best.

Yet I, as the rest of my generation, for the sake of the coming generations, have to testify to the history that is not being written yet and these young people don't know much about. We can't build upon broken structures, we can't raise walls without proper foundations and we must do a deep and thorough clean up. We must remove the pus from the deep wounds, and that will continue to be still a very painful process.

When I was a teen and witnessed history being made, and saw what no eye should see, heard  what no ear should hear and felt what no body should feel, the Albania we all know today was a different world some twenty five  or more years ago.

Unfortunately, friends, we did see Devil being pleased in Albania. God was not sought , invited or embraced. For fifty years Albania agonized as an atheist state.

Having said that, there are so many who can testify to this, but unfortunately not many are writing and speaking about it.

A partial history is being told through the mouths and through very few daring souls like Fr. Zef Pllumi with the book "Live to Tell" or Leka Tasi with "Grabjani Rreze Kodrave" (Grabjan –The village on the Hills Side)”

There is not yet, as far as I know, an institutionalized effort on behalf of Albania as a nation, to write the Communist history of my nation and tell it as it was, a history from which we all can learn from or can testify to.

Arguing with some young men and women born in the 90s , is like talking with my American born teens who have no idea as to what really happened in the sixties and seventies in Albania when we grew up godless and almost died of starvation many times, when my mother lived for a full year (1948) on boiled potatoes while going through puberty. To the nation, religion was banned. To my mom’s family many other horrible things were done. Her family was wealthy before Communism hence they were given the infamous title “Kulak” –banning them from Society's life  in general. After many of the close family's men defected Albania, the roller coaster of a very difficult life on Earth, due to human persecution, which had already began in 1945, took a very difficult course and we all, the respective generations, can testify with our own witnessing. The beautiful houses and material possessions were taken away by the government and my mom's family was left with nothing, barely some personal belongings, when her cousin-who couldn't defect as he was only fifteen years old and away from home on forced labor camp, on that September night, was jailed several times for agitation and propaganda,-which he had no idea what that was about,- when my great uncle was insulted and called names in front of the whole village as a kulak and a reactionary as he used to own a lot of land and a lot of livestock, when my mom's home was turn into the socialist state owned cooperative's depot and her living room turned into the village's soviet type cooperative ‘s blacksmith's place; when the head of village council looked lustfully upon the young girls of the family and told them to pull the transportations carts, just like an ox and horse does- he had joked- to bring their personal belongings to a mountain mad hut where my mom and her young siblings  spent several years with nine other people-kulaks as well- in a single room, when the communist comrade got his burning cigarette out of his mouth and put it over the face of my great aunt and asked her to tell where her husband and sons were,(they defected Albania)- otherwise her eyesight would be gone by being burnt with the hot ash of that cigarette- when my grandfather died, and as the casket was transported to be put in the final resting place, the head of the village council ordered the cultural centre clerk of the socialist cooperative the following: " Play Loud Revolutionary Music and make sure is being heard. The reactionaries are dead, hurray"!

I will never forget the wedding of a loved one and other loved ones couldn't come. My family could not be together as some people were not happy to mix with kulaks. I will never forget the tears of my mother, covering the Devoll region's land everyday when her children, myself and my two brothers, could not get permission to go to the local high school as we had the "bad anti -communist biography", or when my brother was kicked out of school after three days of starting as apparently he was the “wrong” person to be sent there for an education apparently not being from a communist family , or when, my older brother was sent to serve in the army for three years in a terrible place and conditions, and as he was never permitted to get an education....

I will never forget what my grandmother witnessed when the wives of communists, on a mission to psychologically insult the non and anti-communists, were yelling and calling in the streets of the village, at our house's door, to go and see the dead man who was hanged... (he was my father's cousin who tried to escape Albania, was caught at the border, was hanged and his dead body was dragged in the streets...)

This is very little of what my experience of many years in Communism have to tell, or nothing to what other people have gone through, but is just an illustration of what is “the missing link” and is not for the purpose of complaint, neither to seek revenge, but once these are written, are acknowledged, are taught as true and real happenings, and most importantly those who committed the crimes truly apologize and repent, Albania will continue to be in the delivery room for a long time and we will continue to hear more and more crying babies...as the mother will be too sick to nurture and the doctors will be coming and going without much result of aid from the delivery room or other "hospitals"

The past needs to be examined and  seriously considered as  both the source of  that suffering and also the source and means of a national healing. Unless Albania sees the past and heals it, nothing much will change even with the new elections at the door. Albania needs to be its own doctor and also seek real and effective help from friends;  Every Albanian has his/her own part to do to speed the delivery and healing. Healing begins with acknowledging the wrong, feeling and showing true sorrow for it and resolve to stay away from the evil ways.  Let's hope every Albanian and the whole society does so!

September 2010 (revised June 20 2013)

The author Merita B.McCormack serves as Washington DC VATRA Chapter President.

The Lilac Flowers-based on true stories from Communist Albania

Mira’s Lilac

For all my friends and cousins in Albania, whom I spent my unforgettable childhood years with.

When Mira and her husband decided to settle in the area where they live now, the first thing she admired in the front yard were the lilac trees surrounding the house. They face the sun all day long and they bloom at the end of April and beginning of May. The trees were spread out nicely and some of them were pretty high. Mira had always fancied the lilac trees. Perhaps it was the color, perhaps the aroma, perhaps the height of the trees, frankly she did not know what triggered her attraction to the lilac, but it had always been one of her favorite flowers.She often remembered her home in Albania, she recalls the back yard, which saw the sun all day long. There was a big lilac tree planted against the wall in the back of the house.. It was the tallest lilac tree in the village and the first one to bloom. Mira was her parent’s only daughter and she had the enjoyment of cutting the first bunch of flowers and making a big bouquet to put in the house’s entrance hall. The aroma was so nice, so delightful. Every one entering that hall would comment on the welcoming lilac aroma. Many neighbors and cousins envied Mira’s lilac bouquet and Mira surely felt very proud.Although she was but a little girl, still at elementary school, she now remembers some of her bitter childhood moments related to the first lilac flower bloom in her home in Albania.* * *Mira’s lilac bloomed the last week of April every year. Mira’s teachers knew about it and they always sent her home to get a bouquet for the classroom, and on May fifth they repeatedly asked Mira to ask her mother or grandmother to send a big bouquet of lilac flowers to school, to put them on wreaths which were to be placed by the monument in the village center, a lapidary put up in memory of three partisans, members of Communist party of Albania or its sympathizers, from the village killed during the War.May fifth was Communist Martyrs’ Day in Albania, and during the ceremony 8 year old children who were called “fatosa”, were to be accepted in the ranks of “pioneers” a higher organization, one other division of hierarchy which separated the masses of Albanian people.The teachers sent Mira home to collect the lilac flowers, and at that precise moment feelings and emotions started to stir up inside her soul The first one was Mira’s pride, having the first lilac flower tree bloom and having these flowers decorate the wreaths, being seen by so many people and honoring the Martyrs, the other feeling was bitterness, the feeling of exclusion. Bitterness was because of the fact that although Mira was the best student in the class she was never allowed to be a “roje nderi” (a honor guard) at the monument. A few selected pupils had that honor. Mira was engulfed with these feelings, traveling to and from home carrying the flowers.She never understood until she grew up, why she was never allowed to participate in these observances , why she was not allowed to honor the martyrs or to read the oath to the young children entering the higher ranks. Her father used to say, unfairly Mira thought, “It’s not your turn, to carry those duties”. Mira was always confused and astonished to see students who barely passed the class to have the chance of standing guard at the monument during the ceremonies. That wasn’t fair, she always thought, but never found the right answer as to why she or her brothers were not allowed to perform that honor.Mira always thought and expected some kind of reward for doing so well at school but nothing like that had happened to her so far. She never quite understood her father’s statement “Mira it is not your turn dear”.Confused and convinced that she would never be able to be included Mira provided the flowers with hope, but every May fifth found her heart broken. She felt unable to honor the partisans on that day especially since her cousins from her mom’s village visited too. Their village had been anticommunist and had only “ballists” during the war. Ballists were never remembered as fallen martyrs, on the contrary they were forgotten, hence no monuments to fallen martyrs there. So every May fifth school children would come and pay tribute and respect to the three partisans in Mira’s village.Mira’s father was aware of her distress and tried to help her by saying “You are included, honey, you see, your flowers are there!”“Look” the mother would add “everything is green and the beautiful lilac is yours! Be happy for that!”This somehow helped Mira feel better, but she always wanted to go to the bottom of the problem: why she was excluded…Mira was not the only one excluded, so many more children from the school were not integrated in the honor ceremonies. Only those whose families related by blood to the partisans were allowed. Those with ballists in the family were brutally barred and stereotyped. Children belonging to the latter class did not discuss among them any such things. Mira was always told by her parents not to talk about it. “It is not a big deal” they had told her and her brother, but Mira wanted to know more.Mariana was Mira’s best friend and coincidentally she missed the ceremonies every may fifth pretending she was sick. Her parents did not let her attend any events on that day. Mariana’s grandfather had been a political prisoner and had died in jail because he had fostered diversants.That was May Fifth for Mira and some of her friends…The evening of the very same day was quite different! Every year Mira made a big bouquet of Lilac flowers and brought it to the only Uncle she had. It was his birthday and Mira loved family celebrations. It was fun, she always got something special in those celebrations and could wait no longer until the day went by and evening with the special “tri-eggs cake” came. Grandmother always cooked the same cake for Mira’s Uncle and all was warm and nice in the house. They closed the doors, listened to folk music and always stayed up late celebrating.The colors were not any more political in the house.There in the household everyone was treated fairly and everyone was happy. This had always made Mira’s mood change and forget about the rest of the day. Every year May Fifth repeated itself in the same way.Lilac flowers were needed again the next day. May sixth was Saint George’s feast. Then, the only unofficial religious day, which the authorities overlooked. All women visited the graveyard. All tombs were decorated with flowers, the dead were all the same. No distinction there, no matter whose family they came from, the dead were buried in rows… they were not discriminated anymore. Crowds of the living were different. They visited according to clans and very much separated from each other. Mira always visited the village graveyard with her Grandmother, Mother and Aunties. She recalled when old ladies used to sit down and murmured prayers in secret as they were not supposed to pray for the dead. “The dead are gone and there is no God”. God was the forbidden word. Albania was supposed to be an atheist country and practicing religion was a crime. A crime to pray at the tomb of the dead! A crime to say a prayer for peace! A crime to mention God’s name, and astonishingly a day before, there was said: “Eternal be the memory of the fallen”.What a contradiction Mira thought…if the dead are gone forever as the government people and teachers proclaimed, then what is to remain on this earth for them or in their memory. A lot of confusion reigned in the young girl’s mind but she had to go with the crowd. That was what her father had said “Walk with the crowd and don’t separate, otherwise your wings will be cut off…”What wings Mira wondered??? She never understood her father then!While prayer was forbidden, loud wailing and crying was allowed. It was like “a choir of crows there”, Mira’s dad had said. Women used to scream while weeping for the dead, as they let it all out, with swollen eyes and runny noises. After a good cry, they returned to their homes.Mira always got scared from this part of St. George’s feast. The whole village was crying out loud for the dead, every year on the very same day. If you ever visited a place on that day, you could easily tell where the graveyard was, without seeing it. The crying came as a scaring noise and the mixing of voices reminded Mira of the scariest movies she had ever seen. She did not like that day. It was so sad; it reminded her of the death, of the end of life. She did not know about God. He did not exist there, in the Albanian Land God was No One. Mira was told at school you die and you’re done with the world.That was scary and Mira did not want to accept it. She felt she had a purpose to be here on earth but she could not figure it out by herself. Grandmother often mentioned there is God but Mira’s teacher had ruled out God’s existence. There was no soul. There was only the body. The world is material. This was explained so scientifically at school that Mira had begun to think “Grandmother is wrong”.God was a thing that was part of old thinking. God is nothing. Life is on earth and when it ends, it really does end. And this was terrifying but that was what they were told at school and that was supposed to be true.Mira was torn between what grandmother had said and what was written in her books. She had learnt a few prayers, but was told to say them only in secret and in silence.In the end she was happy to do her job, prepare the flowers and after school visit the graveyard. On the way back Mira and her friends would taste all the cookies prepared for that day. They used to have dozens of them as each family prepared them and gave them as a gesture of charity, but Mira never analyzed deeply the true meaning of that tradition. She was lost at the end of the day in the beauty of the surrounding flowers in that first week of May. Although the trauma was repeating itself each year, at the moment of time she paid attention to the beauty of flowers without paying attention to the messages her sub conscience was receiving….When communism fell, after the wire removal, she met God and understood her purpose in life. Mira understood her father’s efforts to keep a balance between what the government was teaching through moral-politic education and the true morale, God and everything else.That must had been very hard for faithful and religious people whose right to practice religion was brutally taken away from them and was considered a political crime.What a difficult task Mira thought as she remembered her parents, what an emotional and psychological stress they carried along with the heavy load of bringing up their children in the poorest country of the continent. She tried to understand the burden they carried over their shoulders but all she could do now was help them understand how appreciative their children were and express gratitude to them, she hoped to help heal the hearts of a lost generation, as she named it that of her parents…They had had an optimistic childhood, hoping that after the war things would turn out for the best, but their life turned upside down, fed with the worst ideology ever seen in the world, suppressed and tyrannized, killed and thrown away, their generation was forbidden freedom of thought and speech, was punished for believing in God, was totally thrown at the doors of starvation, it was the generation that needed another lifetime to heal.* * *These thoughts were going through Mira’s head in her new country, in her own home, among her own lilac flowers. She had so many flowers now and so did the neighbors around her. None envied her lilac and Mira did not mind it anymore. There was no body to take her lilacs away and use them for any political purposes. There was no oath to be taken to enter a higher political organization rank. Everything was free and felt free. She appreciated that freedom more than anyone else around. There was not a party secretary to ignore here or look angry at her, clearly excluding from the rest. They were daughters and sons of the communists, who verbally insulted her daily reminding her she did not belong to their class. That had come to an end now.Mira a mother herself, was far away from that time, and knew that the memories were only memories. They were not there to haunt her, but just a reminder to appreciate the equality and the freedom, to enjoy the present and to respect others. She enjoyed every flower and she observed her daughter Sarah, in the garden. Sarah liked the lilacs just like Mira as a little girl. She looked at them, smelled them and gently cut a few of them and smiling approached Mira who was sitting in the sun.“Mommy, here you are, a few lilac flowers for you”
“Are these the same as those in Albania Mom” she asked?“Oh sweet heart, thank you”, Mira said as she hugged her daughter and received the flowers, “Yes dear, yes, they are, exactly the same flower… Flowers are the same everywhere in the world, but only here we have plenty, plenty of them and everything else”
“Mom I made a big bouquet” Sarah continued, “Can I put them in the front porch to have the house smell lilac all over…”“Oh yeah honey” Mira said, “Please do it…”As Sarah went to take care of the flowers Mira started to think: “May be one day I will tell her about my lilac.” She hoped not to mention too much of May fifth and sixth to her…It was enough, to have her heart broken as a child. She wanted her children to grow without the fear and the exclusion Mira went through and she hurried to join her daughter in fixing the flowers together, and to enjoy the spring in the yard, in the home and in the hearts of everyone. It was about time…