I say hooray for you, Ed. None of what happens in Rome is as important as your marriage and being a parent. Rome and its actors will go along its merry way, and not so merry way, regardless of where you are. You have chosen wisely. No one is more important that the person who is right in front of you, given to you by God. You have chosen the Better Part.
--> Firstly, that's the best description of sumo I've ever read. (Admittedly, I haven't read much about it. But, this is certainly the finest.)
--> "But I could easily confuse doing my job with cultivating my faith. They are not the same thing." .... This a problem that I also struggle with. I am a CCD teacher and in charge of Adult Formation for my parish. I spend a lot of time preparing lessons and presentations about the Faith. So, when I'm reading a commentary or listening to the Pillar Sunday School on the Gospel of Mark (for example), I tend to think that's sufficient for my own formation. It may be fine for my intellectual formation, but it won't do for my spiritual formation. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with this.
"And that’s why I’m on retreat today, not in Rome." My respect to both you and your wife for your decision.
As for sumo, I'm a fan, too. I lived in Japan for a few years with my family and learned to appreciate it, and my wife and I watch the NHK daily recap of bouts during each tournament. Unfortunately, the NHK broadcast edits out the courtly preamble to each match, but at least we can still enjoy the true essence of the cultural spectacle of sumo: athletic fat guys beating the crap out of each other.
This piece is also a great illustration of why I'm a subscriber: Your words that "A society millennia old has, in the space of a few decades, found it is now too demographically reduced to animate its own defining traditions" is the most concise and poignantly powerful prose I've read in a very long time, and absolutely true.
Okay, I'm a big sumo fan myself, and I am on the side of the little guys -- Enho, Midorifuji, Ura -- relatively speaking, obviously. These height/weight requirements to enter are just at the very lowest level, and the runts have a tough time making it up to Makuuchi, as you know. Enho was not able to stay up there, but Ura has been bulking up, and Midorifuji seems a one-trick pony (katasukashi) but man, he can wield it.
The guys start at age 15/16 - most haven't stopped growing in height yet. They had the absurd story of the guy with the scalp implant back in the 1990s which made them lower the height requirement the first time, and I think it's just fine to get rid of the requirement entirely. The stables aren't necessarily going to pick up just anybody.
In any case, this is all a preamble to say I make a height/weight scatterplot each basho to watch the guys' weights (and ranks) wander around. And I enjoy the disparity between Midorifuji & Hokuseiho.
separately, anybody curious about sumo should check out the SUMO PRIME TIME youtube channel, with Hiro Morita. Hiro is a longtime sumo announcer and representing the Japan Sumo Association -- and fluent in English. He put these videos together to introduce sumo to a non-Japanese audience. It's a mix of explaining the sport, the culture, etc. (I'm watching the most recent episode on sumo techniques right now)
I took your advice and added Sumo Prime Time to my YouTube list. Thank you so much! I love it. I know nothing of Sumo and never gave it a thought. Now I'm a fan.
(and I've decided to start my own sumo substack, but there's nothing there right now: https://sumostats.substack.com/ -- I'll have something up this week)
As a parish employee, it’s so easy to sometimes think that doing my job and praying are the same thing: and they are absolutely not. Glad you’re taking the time for what’s important, Ed!
You're doing the right thing. Multiple Catholic writers have left the Church or even the life of faith entirely after reporting on the scandals and other worldly aspects of the Church. It's obviously an occupational hazard.
Because it's not enough to agree with the orthodox teaching of the Church. Faith is living in a certain way and intellectual assent if of course necessary but actually secondary in a way, because it is easier to agree with good things while doing bad things than it is to do good things while believing bad things, if that makes any sense.
That's a great point about "professional" Catholics leaving the Church because the reporting on scandals has jaded them. Just reading the published, verified news makes me both angry and disheartened sometimes. I can only imagine what the gossip and rumors lurking behind the published material does to a person investigating the stories.
Hope the retreat is fruitful! I think your choice is a wise one. I’m sure a deep breath that helps you keep your eye in the Ball, so to speak, will do nothing but strengthen and refresh you in all your endeavors and states of life.
As far as sumo goes, I want to second the recommendation of NHK’s daily digests from the bashōs. While short on the pagentry, they give you a good amount of lively, informed commentary not only about the sport but the rikishi themselves. It’s available on their free app, if your TV provider doesn’t carry NHK.
Blessings and prayers for you and the Mrs. as you take time for your retreat and formation. Excellent choice.
I pray this time will nourish your marriage and I pray also immunize you against a jaundiced view that can come easily when working for and in the Church.
I am not a sumo wrestler, nor am I Japanese, but I do practice one of the various budo arts. We don't have issues with numbers so far as I'm aware (which may identify which one I do), but while I've been aware of Japan's major population problem, I've never thought about learning and carrying on an art of a culture whose people are starting to struggle to support. While some aspects have been secularized, Japanese culture is inseparable from budo, you can't learn budo without being exposed to Japanese culture and especially mannerisms. I wonder what things will look like decades from now and how we will help keep budo alive.
Keep up the good work. I am a happy subscriber and grateful for the junction of Catholicity and journalism (speaking as a former county government beat journalist who left to become a Catholic school teacher).
My assessment is Ed unquestionably made the right choice. The interplay as Ed described it between him and his wife is something many of us long - married folks can relate to. She believed they needed a time out to pray and reflect. My prayer for them is that they live their daily life in such harmony and balance that there are no tipping points necessitating a time out. It is only when our daily lives throw us out of marital rhythm we need a time to individually and mutually rebalance.
I say hooray for you, Ed. None of what happens in Rome is as important as your marriage and being a parent. Rome and its actors will go along its merry way, and not so merry way, regardless of where you are. You have chosen wisely. No one is more important that the person who is right in front of you, given to you by God. You have chosen the Better Part.
"You have chosen the Better Part."
Amen
--> Firstly, that's the best description of sumo I've ever read. (Admittedly, I haven't read much about it. But, this is certainly the finest.)
--> "But I could easily confuse doing my job with cultivating my faith. They are not the same thing." .... This a problem that I also struggle with. I am a CCD teacher and in charge of Adult Formation for my parish. I spend a lot of time preparing lessons and presentations about the Faith. So, when I'm reading a commentary or listening to the Pillar Sunday School on the Gospel of Mark (for example), I tend to think that's sufficient for my own formation. It may be fine for my intellectual formation, but it won't do for my spiritual formation. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with this.
"And that’s why I’m on retreat today, not in Rome." My respect to both you and your wife for your decision.
As for sumo, I'm a fan, too. I lived in Japan for a few years with my family and learned to appreciate it, and my wife and I watch the NHK daily recap of bouts during each tournament. Unfortunately, the NHK broadcast edits out the courtly preamble to each match, but at least we can still enjoy the true essence of the cultural spectacle of sumo: athletic fat guys beating the crap out of each other.
This piece is also a great illustration of why I'm a subscriber: Your words that "A society millennia old has, in the space of a few decades, found it is now too demographically reduced to animate its own defining traditions" is the most concise and poignantly powerful prose I've read in a very long time, and absolutely true.
Well done and keep it up!
Okay, I'm a big sumo fan myself, and I am on the side of the little guys -- Enho, Midorifuji, Ura -- relatively speaking, obviously. These height/weight requirements to enter are just at the very lowest level, and the runts have a tough time making it up to Makuuchi, as you know. Enho was not able to stay up there, but Ura has been bulking up, and Midorifuji seems a one-trick pony (katasukashi) but man, he can wield it.
The guys start at age 15/16 - most haven't stopped growing in height yet. They had the absurd story of the guy with the scalp implant back in the 1990s which made them lower the height requirement the first time, and I think it's just fine to get rid of the requirement entirely. The stables aren't necessarily going to pick up just anybody.
In any case, this is all a preamble to say I make a height/weight scatterplot each basho to watch the guys' weights (and ranks) wander around. And I enjoy the disparity between Midorifuji & Hokuseiho.
https://marypatcampbell.substack.com/p/sunday-sumo-actuarial-standards-and
separately, anybody curious about sumo should check out the SUMO PRIME TIME youtube channel, with Hiro Morita. Hiro is a longtime sumo announcer and representing the Japan Sumo Association -- and fluent in English. He put these videos together to introduce sumo to a non-Japanese audience. It's a mix of explaining the sport, the culture, etc. (I'm watching the most recent episode on sumo techniques right now)
Hiro is very hands-on.
I took your advice and added Sumo Prime Time to my YouTube list. Thank you so much! I love it. I know nothing of Sumo and never gave it a thought. Now I'm a fan.
Awesome! Hiro is a delight.
(and I've decided to start my own sumo substack, but there's nothing there right now: https://sumostats.substack.com/ -- I'll have something up this week)
As a parish employee, it’s so easy to sometimes think that doing my job and praying are the same thing: and they are absolutely not. Glad you’re taking the time for what’s important, Ed!
You're doing the right thing. Multiple Catholic writers have left the Church or even the life of faith entirely after reporting on the scandals and other worldly aspects of the Church. It's obviously an occupational hazard.
Because it's not enough to agree with the orthodox teaching of the Church. Faith is living in a certain way and intellectual assent if of course necessary but actually secondary in a way, because it is easier to agree with good things while doing bad things than it is to do good things while believing bad things, if that makes any sense.
That's a great point about "professional" Catholics leaving the Church because the reporting on scandals has jaded them. Just reading the published, verified news makes me both angry and disheartened sometimes. I can only imagine what the gossip and rumors lurking behind the published material does to a person investigating the stories.
Let's all pray for Ed & Mrs Condon on this providentially timed retreat.
Dear Mr. C.,
Hope the retreat is fruitful! I think your choice is a wise one. I’m sure a deep breath that helps you keep your eye in the Ball, so to speak, will do nothing but strengthen and refresh you in all your endeavors and states of life.
As far as sumo goes, I want to second the recommendation of NHK’s daily digests from the bashōs. While short on the pagentry, they give you a good amount of lively, informed commentary not only about the sport but the rikishi themselves. It’s available on their free app, if your TV provider doesn’t carry NHK.
So, as we say at retreats, hakkeyoi!
Blessings and prayers for you and the Mrs. as you take time for your retreat and formation. Excellent choice.
I pray this time will nourish your marriage and I pray also immunize you against a jaundiced view that can come easily when working for and in the Church.
I am not a sumo wrestler, nor am I Japanese, but I do practice one of the various budo arts. We don't have issues with numbers so far as I'm aware (which may identify which one I do), but while I've been aware of Japan's major population problem, I've never thought about learning and carrying on an art of a culture whose people are starting to struggle to support. While some aspects have been secularized, Japanese culture is inseparable from budo, you can't learn budo without being exposed to Japanese culture and especially mannerisms. I wonder what things will look like decades from now and how we will help keep budo alive.
Where is the delete or edit button? It disappeared!
I still have it. For me, it appears as three dots at the bottom right corner of my comment area (thank goodness!).
Good call Mr. Condon. We all get it.
Great description of Sumo. I have watched some over the years and am fascinated by the story of the Czech wrestler Takanoyama: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takanoyama_Shuntar%C5%8D
Keep up the good work. I am a happy subscriber and grateful for the junction of Catholicity and journalism (speaking as a former county government beat journalist who left to become a Catholic school teacher).
My assessment is Ed unquestionably made the right choice. The interplay as Ed described it between him and his wife is something many of us long - married folks can relate to. She believed they needed a time out to pray and reflect. My prayer for them is that they live their daily life in such harmony and balance that there are no tipping points necessitating a time out. It is only when our daily lives throw us out of marital rhythm we need a time to individually and mutually rebalance.
Good for you Ed. God first, including His vocation for you. Everything else is dung.
Right call on the retreat, and genuinely happy you're in the position to be supported in it both at home & at work. More like this, people! :-)
Also, having Eurosport as one of the few options on TV in Maastricht was my intro to sumo, as well--and I share the fascination.