10 March 2006
Libellus II
As a small child, the instruction I received on how to go to confession was pretty minimal. It covered what you were supposed to say in the confessional, and what the priest would say to you, and what would happen as a result of saying these things. I made my first confession before my first Eucharist, and was not thereafter encouraged to go frequently until I was in junior high--by which time I had to basically re-learn everything from the preveious inadequate instruction, plus gain some understanding about what it was really about, and why frequent confession is important.
But I have always felt a lack of knowledge about how to go to confession. I make my examination of conscience, am contrite, go in and tell the priest my sins, come out and do my penance. Sometimes, the priest gave me really helpful advice and a penance designed to help me keep from sinning again. Other times, I got a very general sort of admonition and exhortation, and 10 Hail Mary's. I very much disliked having the latter experience (which happened far more often than the former), and assumed that the priests I went to just weren't very good confessors, and that I should strive always to find priests from whom I'd get good advice and a really "useful" penance. This little book has, I think, provided me with much useful advice on that subject, as well as some others (preview of things to come: the general exhortation/"boring" penance phenomenon may sometimes be because of me, not the priest). Again, the booklet is Frequent Confession by H.C. Chery, O.P. The following is from the section, "To whom should I confess?"
In the first place, to a priest
"I have purposely used this general term to emphasize the importance, the primary importance, in the use of the sacrament of penance that should be given not to the qualitites of the man who hears the confession, but to his capacity as Christ's minister. Because we lack faith, we are apt to pay exaggerated attention to the human value of the confessor--real or objective value or one that our instinctive liking or trust attributes to him. Obviously it has to be taken into consideration, but from a point of view that, so to say, is marginal to the sacrament. It functions in connextion with the advice which follows the accusation of sins and precedes the absolution. But the sacrament is not made up of this advice; it can even do without it entirely. What is important is to be in touch with Christ who holds our pardon in his hand, with Christ living and acting in his Church. Every priest who has received from the Church the power of absolving you validly acts in persona Christi, in the name of Christ. For your soul he opens the living springs of pardon, the Blood of Christ our Redeemer, and washes it in this Blood.
To a priest who represents the Church
Consequently, it is an erroneous attitude, due to lack of faith, which causes some penitents to postpone freeing themselves from a serious sin or to put off indefinitely a confession which would deliver them from a growing spiritual sickness (by purifying the gradually spreading centres of infection) because 'their confessor' is absent. If they understood what the sacrament is, and how it is superlatively efficacious in its work of purification, independently of the priest who administers it, if they understood that the confessor is primarily the minister of Christ, that is, the ear of Christ to hear the accusation, the wisdom of Christ to judge, the mouth of Christ to pronounce the absolution, they would cling less to human appearances and not postpone their confession."
The next part goes on to say why it is important to confess sins to a priest instead of merely acknowledging them directly to God. I will post that tomorrow, if I have time.
As a small child, the instruction I received on how to go to confession was pretty minimal. It covered what you were supposed to say in the confessional, and what the priest would say to you, and what would happen as a result of saying these things. I made my first confession before my first Eucharist, and was not thereafter encouraged to go frequently until I was in junior high--by which time I had to basically re-learn everything from the preveious inadequate instruction, plus gain some understanding about what it was really about, and why frequent confession is important.
But I have always felt a lack of knowledge about how to go to confession. I make my examination of conscience, am contrite, go in and tell the priest my sins, come out and do my penance. Sometimes, the priest gave me really helpful advice and a penance designed to help me keep from sinning again. Other times, I got a very general sort of admonition and exhortation, and 10 Hail Mary's. I very much disliked having the latter experience (which happened far more often than the former), and assumed that the priests I went to just weren't very good confessors, and that I should strive always to find priests from whom I'd get good advice and a really "useful" penance. This little book has, I think, provided me with much useful advice on that subject, as well as some others (preview of things to come: the general exhortation/"boring" penance phenomenon may sometimes be because of me, not the priest). Again, the booklet is Frequent Confession by H.C. Chery, O.P. The following is from the section, "To whom should I confess?"
In the first place, to a priest
"I have purposely used this general term to emphasize the importance, the primary importance, in the use of the sacrament of penance that should be given not to the qualitites of the man who hears the confession, but to his capacity as Christ's minister. Because we lack faith, we are apt to pay exaggerated attention to the human value of the confessor--real or objective value or one that our instinctive liking or trust attributes to him. Obviously it has to be taken into consideration, but from a point of view that, so to say, is marginal to the sacrament. It functions in connextion with the advice which follows the accusation of sins and precedes the absolution. But the sacrament is not made up of this advice; it can even do without it entirely. What is important is to be in touch with Christ who holds our pardon in his hand, with Christ living and acting in his Church. Every priest who has received from the Church the power of absolving you validly acts in persona Christi, in the name of Christ. For your soul he opens the living springs of pardon, the Blood of Christ our Redeemer, and washes it in this Blood.
To a priest who represents the Church
Consequently, it is an erroneous attitude, due to lack of faith, which causes some penitents to postpone freeing themselves from a serious sin or to put off indefinitely a confession which would deliver them from a growing spiritual sickness (by purifying the gradually spreading centres of infection) because 'their confessor' is absent. If they understood what the sacrament is, and how it is superlatively efficacious in its work of purification, independently of the priest who administers it, if they understood that the confessor is primarily the minister of Christ, that is, the ear of Christ to hear the accusation, the wisdom of Christ to judge, the mouth of Christ to pronounce the absolution, they would cling less to human appearances and not postpone their confession."
The next part goes on to say why it is important to confess sins to a priest instead of merely acknowledging them directly to God. I will post that tomorrow, if I have time.
09 March 2006
Top U.S. bishop accused of sex abuse
SPOKANE, Washington (AP) -- A woman has filed a claim that she was sexually abused more than 40 years ago by Bishop William Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and leader of the Spokane Diocese.
This claim seems fishy to me, especially considering everything the bishop has done to prove that we are taking the scandal seriously. It also seems suspicious to me that her claim was only just filed, with Friday being the deadline for claims.
Either way, Bishop Skylstad, the diocese of Spokane and the woman who filed this claim are all in need of your prayers!
SPOKANE, Washington (AP) -- A woman has filed a claim that she was sexually abused more than 40 years ago by Bishop William Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and leader of the Spokane Diocese.
This claim seems fishy to me, especially considering everything the bishop has done to prove that we are taking the scandal seriously. It also seems suspicious to me that her claim was only just filed, with Friday being the deadline for claims.
Either way, Bishop Skylstad, the diocese of Spokane and the woman who filed this claim are all in need of your prayers!
08 March 2006
Libellus
That's "little book" for you non-Latin scholars.
Since it is particularly appropriate to this penitential season, I'm going to post some things from a little book--hardly a book, but more than a pamphlet--I found in our school library. I won't post the whole book, but the parts I found most useful (about half the book). It's called Frequent Confession: A Guide for those who confess weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. The French version, L'Art de Confesser, was written by Henri Charles Chery, O.P. The translation, published in 1954, is by Lancelot Sheppard (isn't that a great name?).
The little blurb on the inside flap of the cover (one of those rare cover-flaps on a softcover book) reads as follows:
"Frequent and regular confession can be a great means to holiness. Unfortunately, many penitents who go often to the confessional are distressed by the common-place nature of their confessions, and the small benefit they derive from them. They will find this book, written by a distinguished French Dominican, author of What is the Mass?, most helpful. Writing especially with young people--Catholic Actionists, for example, or young married couples--in mind, he tries to show how the merely formal and routine confession can be replaced by one which will be a genuine aid in the development of their spiritual life."
Anyone know what Catholic Actionists are? I've never heard of them. Continuing on, here is a section from the introduction which is helpful to understand before we get to the content of the book:
"Contrition and absolution more important than confession
In the first place, since we are about to consider confession, and nothing but confession, it should be carefully noted that it does not form the whole of the sacrament of penance, and is not even its principal part. The sacrament comprises sorrow, confession, absolution, and satisfaction. Essentially the sacrament is constituted by the absolution blotting out sin from a repentant heart. Should a penitent--on his deathbed, for example--be unable to confess, the sacrament can dispense with this confession, but it cannot dispense with sorrow. God, for his part, can dispense with the sacrament (in the absence of a priest qualified to impart it); he cannot save a soul in spite of itself and forgive a sin for which it obstinately refuses to be sorry.
Those persons for whom the essential seems to be the confession of their sins would do well to remember this. As the priest exhorts them to sorrow and speaks of the steps to be taken to avoid such sins in future they appear not to follow what he is saying because their attention is elsewhere and once they have accused themselves they are worried about mentioning this or that sin which did not occur to them at once. If a serious sin is in question it is normal to desire to mention it before leaving the confessional, but usually it is a matter of venial sins. There is great anxiety to be complete at all costs; there should be great anxiety to be contrite at all costs.
From the foregoing it should be clear that during the few minutes usually given to the immediate preparation for confession it would be well not to devote them all to examination of conscience, but better still to ask God's grace to obtain sincere sorrow for sin and to give expression in advance to contrition and a firm purpose of not falling again."
More--advice on who to confess to, what to confess, the manner in which to confess, and firm purpose of amendment--will follow in the next few days.
That's "little book" for you non-Latin scholars.
Since it is particularly appropriate to this penitential season, I'm going to post some things from a little book--hardly a book, but more than a pamphlet--I found in our school library. I won't post the whole book, but the parts I found most useful (about half the book). It's called Frequent Confession: A Guide for those who confess weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. The French version, L'Art de Confesser, was written by Henri Charles Chery, O.P. The translation, published in 1954, is by Lancelot Sheppard (isn't that a great name?).
The little blurb on the inside flap of the cover (one of those rare cover-flaps on a softcover book) reads as follows:
"Frequent and regular confession can be a great means to holiness. Unfortunately, many penitents who go often to the confessional are distressed by the common-place nature of their confessions, and the small benefit they derive from them. They will find this book, written by a distinguished French Dominican, author of What is the Mass?, most helpful. Writing especially with young people--Catholic Actionists, for example, or young married couples--in mind, he tries to show how the merely formal and routine confession can be replaced by one which will be a genuine aid in the development of their spiritual life."
Anyone know what Catholic Actionists are? I've never heard of them. Continuing on, here is a section from the introduction which is helpful to understand before we get to the content of the book:
"Contrition and absolution more important than confession
In the first place, since we are about to consider confession, and nothing but confession, it should be carefully noted that it does not form the whole of the sacrament of penance, and is not even its principal part. The sacrament comprises sorrow, confession, absolution, and satisfaction. Essentially the sacrament is constituted by the absolution blotting out sin from a repentant heart. Should a penitent--on his deathbed, for example--be unable to confess, the sacrament can dispense with this confession, but it cannot dispense with sorrow. God, for his part, can dispense with the sacrament (in the absence of a priest qualified to impart it); he cannot save a soul in spite of itself and forgive a sin for which it obstinately refuses to be sorry.
Those persons for whom the essential seems to be the confession of their sins would do well to remember this. As the priest exhorts them to sorrow and speaks of the steps to be taken to avoid such sins in future they appear not to follow what he is saying because their attention is elsewhere and once they have accused themselves they are worried about mentioning this or that sin which did not occur to them at once. If a serious sin is in question it is normal to desire to mention it before leaving the confessional, but usually it is a matter of venial sins. There is great anxiety to be complete at all costs; there should be great anxiety to be contrite at all costs.
From the foregoing it should be clear that during the few minutes usually given to the immediate preparation for confession it would be well not to devote them all to examination of conscience, but better still to ask God's grace to obtain sincere sorrow for sin and to give expression in advance to contrition and a firm purpose of not falling again."
More--advice on who to confess to, what to confess, the manner in which to confess, and firm purpose of amendment--will follow in the next few days.
06 March 2006
Lack of the A-word
Alleluia, that is. I was just reading a post over at Summa Contra Mundum in which Athanasius wondered why us Roman-types don't sing Alleluia's during Lent, in contrast to our Eastern brethren, who wouldn't dream of not singing Alleluia, since God is always good, and even a time of fasting and repentance is a joyful time.
I took this opportunity to show off what I know about the history of the chant before the Gospel (which is the Alleluia in all times but Lent). The following is what I posted in the comments there:
In terms of the chant we sing before the Gospel (the most prominent appearance of "Alleluia" in the Roman liturgy), it isn't a matter of the Alleluia being omitted during Lent, though many people think of it that way. Historically (as in, 7th Century) there was a Tract (long, melismatic, multi-verse chant with mostly psalm verses as the text) before the Gospel. Eventually, the Tract was replaced by the Alleluia on Easter Sunday, then for the whole Easter season, and then all the time...except for Lent, which retained the Tract. The Tracts we sing in Lent are some of the oldest chants in the Gregorian repertoire, along with the chants for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.
I don't know why the Alleluia never made it into Lent. Perhaps the reason generally given, that Lent is a time of solemnity and penitence, is the reason. At any rate, not singing the Alleluia during Lent is one of our oldest remaining liturgical practices, so please don't knock it: we Romans need to cling hard and fast to the few ancient traditions we have left!
We'll be happy to join you in many choruses of "Alleluia" on Easter, since from Easter until Pentecost, all 5 of the Proper chants for every Sunday contain the word "Alleluia" (decidedly not the norm for the rest of the year).
If anyone has any more information on the subject, I'd welcome it.
Alleluia, that is. I was just reading a post over at Summa Contra Mundum in which Athanasius wondered why us Roman-types don't sing Alleluia's during Lent, in contrast to our Eastern brethren, who wouldn't dream of not singing Alleluia, since God is always good, and even a time of fasting and repentance is a joyful time.
I took this opportunity to show off what I know about the history of the chant before the Gospel (which is the Alleluia in all times but Lent). The following is what I posted in the comments there:
In terms of the chant we sing before the Gospel (the most prominent appearance of "Alleluia" in the Roman liturgy), it isn't a matter of the Alleluia being omitted during Lent, though many people think of it that way. Historically (as in, 7th Century) there was a Tract (long, melismatic, multi-verse chant with mostly psalm verses as the text) before the Gospel. Eventually, the Tract was replaced by the Alleluia on Easter Sunday, then for the whole Easter season, and then all the time...except for Lent, which retained the Tract. The Tracts we sing in Lent are some of the oldest chants in the Gregorian repertoire, along with the chants for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.
I don't know why the Alleluia never made it into Lent. Perhaps the reason generally given, that Lent is a time of solemnity and penitence, is the reason. At any rate, not singing the Alleluia during Lent is one of our oldest remaining liturgical practices, so please don't knock it: we Romans need to cling hard and fast to the few ancient traditions we have left!
We'll be happy to join you in many choruses of "Alleluia" on Easter, since from Easter until Pentecost, all 5 of the Proper chants for every Sunday contain the word "Alleluia" (decidedly not the norm for the rest of the year).
If anyone has any more information on the subject, I'd welcome it.
03 March 2006
23 February 2006
A Big Deal
Though I am not formally a member of the Diocese of Spokane, I have been residing in it for nearly four years, and will probably always have some attachment to what goes on here. So, for me, as for all the diocese, this is a big deal: the Missionaries of Charity have arrived in Spokane. Four sisters will take up residence in St. Patrick's parish. The welcome Mass, Eucharistic procession, and dinner will be tonight. Unfortunately, I'm unable to attend (fie on choir rehearsal!). Still, it should be something. The young pastor of St. Patrick's (an alumnus of Gonzaga and the NAC [2000]) has been working hard to bring the good sisters to the Northwest, and he's finally accomplished his goal. Apparently, there are no other Missionaries of Charity in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho.
Bishop Skylstad may not be the best bishop in the world (*grumbles* doesntallowindultMasses), but some good things are happening in Spokane.
Though I am not formally a member of the Diocese of Spokane, I have been residing in it for nearly four years, and will probably always have some attachment to what goes on here. So, for me, as for all the diocese, this is a big deal: the Missionaries of Charity have arrived in Spokane. Four sisters will take up residence in St. Patrick's parish. The welcome Mass, Eucharistic procession, and dinner will be tonight. Unfortunately, I'm unable to attend (fie on choir rehearsal!). Still, it should be something. The young pastor of St. Patrick's (an alumnus of Gonzaga and the NAC [2000]) has been working hard to bring the good sisters to the Northwest, and he's finally accomplished his goal. Apparently, there are no other Missionaries of Charity in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho.
Bishop Skylstad may not be the best bishop in the world (*grumbles* doesntallowindultMasses), but some good things are happening in Spokane.
Warning: blatant advertising
Do You Know Any Musically-Inclined High Schoolers?
If you do, and if they can muster up $450 and a way to get to Spokane this June, please tell them about Gonzaga Choir Camp 2006: the place where faith and music meet!
Those who attend the camp will:
Have the opportunity to learn and perform music from the Jesuit Missions in South America which is not often heard.
Sing concerts and Masses at Jesuit Missions in the Northwest: Cataldo Mission in Idaho, and St. Ignatius in Montana.
Sing at a Mass for the International SERRA Convention.
Meet and engage in fun activities with other students who share their interest in faith and music.
The camp will be on the campus of Gonzaga University, home of one of the best choral programs in the western US! It will be directed by Gonzaga's choir director, Dr. Edward Schaefer, who holds a DMA in Sacred Music from Catholic University of America, is a recognized authority on Gregorian Chant, and a Deacon of the Roman Catholic Church. The camp counselors will be drawn from Gonzaga's choral students (like Lizzy and me).
Come sing, pray, and have fun with us!
P.S. I promise that the weather at the end of June will be much better than the current 15-feels-like-negative-1 degrees.
(Blogger lost this post from last week, so I am re-posting it.)
Do You Know Any Musically-Inclined High Schoolers?
If you do, and if they can muster up $450 and a way to get to Spokane this June, please tell them about Gonzaga Choir Camp 2006: the place where faith and music meet!
Those who attend the camp will:
Have the opportunity to learn and perform music from the Jesuit Missions in South America which is not often heard.
Sing concerts and Masses at Jesuit Missions in the Northwest: Cataldo Mission in Idaho, and St. Ignatius in Montana.
Sing at a Mass for the International SERRA Convention.
Meet and engage in fun activities with other students who share their interest in faith and music.
The camp will be on the campus of Gonzaga University, home of one of the best choral programs in the western US! It will be directed by Gonzaga's choir director, Dr. Edward Schaefer, who holds a DMA in Sacred Music from Catholic University of America, is a recognized authority on Gregorian Chant, and a Deacon of the Roman Catholic Church. The camp counselors will be drawn from Gonzaga's choral students (like Lizzy and me).
Come sing, pray, and have fun with us!
P.S. I promise that the weather at the end of June will be much better than the current 15-feels-like-negative-1 degrees.
(Blogger lost this post from last week, so I am re-posting it.)
09 February 2006
Conversation
Inspired by Romy's "conversations," I offer you the following, from my religion class yesterday:
A sound like "reeeeeeeeahhhhhhooooo," very high-pitched, echoes down the hallway.
Students 1 and 2 exchange a puzzled look.
Student 1: The dolphins are loose again.
Student 2: It happens sometimes.
1: They just never stay where they're put, you know?
2: Well, it's all right as long as they don't start singing "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish." Because if they do, we're in trouble.
1: I haven't seen that movie in so long! (pause) Oh cr*p. Now I've got that song stuck in my head.
2: I could provide you with a more annoying one if you like.
1: Um, no thanks.
2: Cheers! (Raises a cup of tea in salute.)
Inspired by Romy's "conversations," I offer you the following, from my religion class yesterday:
A sound like "reeeeeeeeahhhhhhooooo," very high-pitched, echoes down the hallway.
Students 1 and 2 exchange a puzzled look.
Student 1: The dolphins are loose again.
Student 2: It happens sometimes.
1: They just never stay where they're put, you know?
2: Well, it's all right as long as they don't start singing "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish." Because if they do, we're in trouble.
1: I haven't seen that movie in so long! (pause) Oh cr*p. Now I've got that song stuck in my head.
2: I could provide you with a more annoying one if you like.
1: Um, no thanks.
2: Cheers! (Raises a cup of tea in salute.)
27 January 2006
Wherever the Catholic Sun Doth Shine
or, Saints, Commercial Art, and California History
As Lizzy suggested, celebrate Mozart's birthday with a cupcake! Tomorrow, however, is the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, and I would heartily suggest celebrating with wine. Somehow, I think St. Thomas would approve. I know for sure that Hilaire Belloc would approve, and who am I to disagree with him? Even Jesus knew good wine when he miracled it into existence.
I've long been interested in wine. Being from Napa, it's the kind of cultural thing that you can't escape. Now that I'm actually of age (by the way, I think the drinking age thing is a really stupid law--I followed it anyway, but I think it's stupid), I can buy it for myself, but before I could buy it and drink it, I used to follow my dad around in the liquor and grocery stores to look at the pretty labels and laugh at the interesting names people give to their wineries.
Some of the wines whose labels and names I've been eyeing are ones I have yet to try. But the reason tomorrow's feast put this subject into my mind is that I was eyeing a bottle at Safeway from Aquinas in Napa (because of the frame, you have to click around a bit). I'll let you know how it works out. A friend of my mom's taught August Sebastiani, who's a partner in Aquinas, at the local Catholic high school, and said he was quite bright, but excessively dramatic. Another winery with a fun name (whose product I haven't spotted outside California yet) is Madrigal Vineyards. They have a nice label, with the word "Madrigal" superimposed on a five-line music staff. I solemnly swear that I will someday purchase their wine, if only because the label appeals to the renaissance musician in me. [Yellow Tail], a popular Australian winery, makes decent wine and is actually affordable for college students (as the testimonial from the students at Boston College, er, testifies). They have a really fun label with a kangaroo on it.
One of my favorite wine labels of all time is from Gundlach Bundschu winery in Sonoma, CA (I blogged about a picnic I had there last summer). It's on their special blended wine, called "Bearitage" ("meritage" is the usual name for a blended wine), and depicts a golden bear with a huge chalice in one paw and a bunch of grapes in the other, which he holds over his mouth. This is particularly appropriate to the area, since it was in Sonoma that the Bear Flag Revolt--in which Californians threw off Mexican rule--happened. So, the symbol of California is shown enjoying a good vintage. Yay! (By the way, GB does make some really good wines--they're one of my dad's favorites, and he's pretty picky.)
Here's another cool label for a meritage: St. Supery winery's Elu blend. Incidentally, if you ever visit Napa, make a stop at St. Supery. They have a lovely exhibit about wine and the history of wine in Napa, which can be viewed free of charge, in addition to their nice wines. Celebrate St. Thomas (heck, just celebrate--Lent will be here before you know it!), drink wine (with temperance), and have a good time, because, hey, we're Catholic! As my patroness, St. Teresa of Avila, put it, "Good Lord deliver us...from sour-faced saints."
Update: Lizzy and I enjoyed a merlot from Camelot yesterday. I adore the label! The little reduction of the story of Camelot (something trite about Lancelot, Guinivere, Arthur, and a round table) is quite silly, but the illuminated "C" (which also appears on the cork) is pretty, and I like the bright, simple colors. Incidentally, the website says their 2003 merlot was listed as a Best Value in both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. I liked it--it was a little sweet, and didn't overshadow the brownies we had for dessert.
or, Saints, Commercial Art, and California History
As Lizzy suggested, celebrate Mozart's birthday with a cupcake! Tomorrow, however, is the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, and I would heartily suggest celebrating with wine. Somehow, I think St. Thomas would approve. I know for sure that Hilaire Belloc would approve, and who am I to disagree with him? Even Jesus knew good wine when he miracled it into existence.
I've long been interested in wine. Being from Napa, it's the kind of cultural thing that you can't escape. Now that I'm actually of age (by the way, I think the drinking age thing is a really stupid law--I followed it anyway, but I think it's stupid), I can buy it for myself, but before I could buy it and drink it, I used to follow my dad around in the liquor and grocery stores to look at the pretty labels and laugh at the interesting names people give to their wineries.
Some of the wines whose labels and names I've been eyeing are ones I have yet to try. But the reason tomorrow's feast put this subject into my mind is that I was eyeing a bottle at Safeway from Aquinas in Napa (because of the frame, you have to click around a bit). I'll let you know how it works out. A friend of my mom's taught August Sebastiani, who's a partner in Aquinas, at the local Catholic high school, and said he was quite bright, but excessively dramatic. Another winery with a fun name (whose product I haven't spotted outside California yet) is Madrigal Vineyards. They have a nice label, with the word "Madrigal" superimposed on a five-line music staff. I solemnly swear that I will someday purchase their wine, if only because the label appeals to the renaissance musician in me. [Yellow Tail], a popular Australian winery, makes decent wine and is actually affordable for college students (as the testimonial from the students at Boston College, er, testifies). They have a really fun label with a kangaroo on it.
One of my favorite wine labels of all time is from Gundlach Bundschu winery in Sonoma, CA (I blogged about a picnic I had there last summer). It's on their special blended wine, called "Bearitage" ("meritage" is the usual name for a blended wine), and depicts a golden bear with a huge chalice in one paw and a bunch of grapes in the other, which he holds over his mouth. This is particularly appropriate to the area, since it was in Sonoma that the Bear Flag Revolt--in which Californians threw off Mexican rule--happened. So, the symbol of California is shown enjoying a good vintage. Yay! (By the way, GB does make some really good wines--they're one of my dad's favorites, and he's pretty picky.)
Here's another cool label for a meritage: St. Supery winery's Elu blend. Incidentally, if you ever visit Napa, make a stop at St. Supery. They have a lovely exhibit about wine and the history of wine in Napa, which can be viewed free of charge, in addition to their nice wines. Celebrate St. Thomas (heck, just celebrate--Lent will be here before you know it!), drink wine (with temperance), and have a good time, because, hey, we're Catholic! As my patroness, St. Teresa of Avila, put it, "Good Lord deliver us...from sour-faced saints."
Update: Lizzy and I enjoyed a merlot from Camelot yesterday. I adore the label! The little reduction of the story of Camelot (something trite about Lancelot, Guinivere, Arthur, and a round table) is quite silly, but the illuminated "C" (which also appears on the cork) is pretty, and I like the bright, simple colors. Incidentally, the website says their 2003 merlot was listed as a Best Value in both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. I liked it--it was a little sweet, and didn't overshadow the brownies we had for dessert.
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