Out and About: Animal War Memorial-Reagan Memorial-Tyburn Convent

This past July 4th, I was out and about.  I had decided to go see the Reagan memorial, as well as the Tyburn Convent.  Between those two points in the fairly wide median strip in Park Lane (the road that runs along the right hand side of Hyde Park) there is a wonderful and touching Animal War Memorial.  Most visitors to London know of the Cenotaph, where a wreath to honor the fallen is laid by the Queen or her representative each November 11th.    But many visitors are unaware of the Animal War Memorial - it's a nice tribute to various animals that have also served, dogs, donkeys etc. Apparently in WWI alone some 8 MILLION horses, donkeys, mules had died in service, along with some 100,000 carrier pigeons.   Endearingly, poppy wreaths are also laid there.     This memorial is just south of the Marble Arch, and the Speaker's Corner on Brook Gate, the most northern place to cross on the Park Lane median.

Somewhat irritatingly, it's only marked on my small A-Z Visitors' Atlas & Guide.   Quite easy to miss if you just have a regular sized A-Z, because it's not showing on either the standard A-Z or the wire bound more detailed mini-pocket A-Z that most London residents have.

The memorial runs for the width of the median.

Not far from the War Memorial is the US embassy on the west side of Grosvenor Square.    On the SW corner of the square stands the relatively new Reagan Memorial.

Sadly, some pinhead spray painted some green crap at the base of the statue.  There is also a nice bronze plaque and encased bit of the Berlin wall nearby. The plaque has a lot of nice quotes from people regards the freedom garnered by Reagan's bold moves of not accepting the status quo.  Thatcher, John Paul II, Lech Walesa are quoted praising Reagan for his championing and actively working for the freedom of Eastern Europe.  This is just a small portion of that plaque.    You can see a bit of the concrete wall.

For anyone clueless about Reagan's contribution to freeing millions from the yoke of Communist oppression in Eastern Europe, read this excellent Time Magazine article how Reagan, with the collaboration of the Vatican, achieved this goal.

About 150-200 yards west of Marble Arch, along Bayswater Road,  is the Tyburn Convent.  The nuns there are dedicated to Eucharistic Adoration.  Very near the spot was the Tyburn Gallows.  Some 105 Catholic Martyrs were executed there for their defense of the faith.   You may see an exhibit of the relics on the 1st Sunday of each month in the afternoon, and get a lecture on the history of the covent and also of the martyrs .  A sister is available for guided tours of the shrine daily at 10:30, 3:30 and 5:30.

If you're in the area, these places are worth a look, and all within easy walking distance of each other.

Whither Jerusalem?

There is in England a well known tune called Jerusalem, most often sung in Anglican churches.  The melody isn't nearly as well known in America, but it should be, as it is hauntingly beautiful.  The problem for English Catholics is the words aren't particularly good for Mass -- i.e. the lyrics used are from William Blake's poem, which refers to England's "Dark Satanic mills."  So most times when it's requested for a Catholic Mass, it gets turned down.  HOWEVER, I think there is a remedy to this.

At Ronald Reagan's funeral, the tune of Jerusalem was used, but the words used were not Blake's but the newer words to "Oh, Love of God, How Strong and True" which uses the same melody as Jerusalem.  This song would be quite appropriate for a Catholic Mass.    I wish this song were better known in US Catholic Circles.  The video is of the National Cathedral Choir singing "Oh Love of God, so Strong and True" -- US Catholic churches incorporating this song into their Easter cycle would benefit, and also English Catholic could enjoy their beloved melody without singing about "dark Satanic mills."

"O love of God, how strong and true!
Eternal, and yet ever new;
Uncomprehended and unbought,
Beyond all knowledge and all thought.

O love of God, how deep and great!
Far deeper than man’s deepest hate;
Self fed, self kindled, like the light,
Changeless, eternal, infinite.

O heavenly love, how precious still,
In days of weariness and ill,
In nights of pain and helplessness,
To heal, to comfort, and to bless!

O wide embracing, wondrous love!
We read thee in the sky above,
We read thee in the earth below,
In seas that swell, and streams that flow.

We read thee best in Him who came
To bear for us the cross of shame;
Sent by the Father from on high,
Our life to live, our death to die.

We read thy power to bless and save,
E’en in the darkness of the grave;
Still more in resurrection light,
We read the fullness of thy might.

O love of God, our shield and stay
Through all the perils of our way!
Eternal love, in thee we rest
Forever safe, forever blest.

Ronnie, we hardlly knew ye

A great patriot, and a great American. Ronaldus Magnus. 1911-2004. RIP, Ronnie.

Happy 98th, Ronnie

Got this in just under the wire. I will always consider Jan 20, 1981-Jan 20, 1989 some of the best years of my life - in all likelihood I will never see a president again as good as Reagan in my lifetime. He had a bold vision that Eastern Europe should be free of the shackles of Godless communism, and he lived to see it. It was both a personal privilege and an honor for me to have gotten to play a small part in that effort during those years. Some of his children were surprised by the outpouring of affection shown for him at the time of his death, including by many who weren't even born yet, or small children at the time he was in office. I wasn't the least surprised.

What a Real President Elect Looks Like

...from among my souveniers.  My "I was there" evening.    It was the last campaign stop for Ronaldus Magnus in 1980,  San Diego being a lucky city for him.  I remember how excited my mom and I were to go to the rally - such a thing we'd never been to before.  The site was slightly to the east of where the trolley station in the Fashion Valley parking lot now sits. I remember the heady rush of anticipation as we waited.  The (relatively minimal to now) security checks by the secret service.   He was hours behind.  My mom had scrawled on the back of this flyer "Ed, we went to the rally, we should be home around 6:30."  I don't think we made it home until at least 10.  

He was nearing 70, but he had fire in his belly, as he had all through the campaign.   Basically his message was that Jimmy Carter could put his "Malaise" elsewhere.  

It was also the memorable night, he'd finally had it with the handful of hecklers that had traipsed around tagging onto every campaign appearance.  He told them to "shut up."   I found the clip below, finally.  Locally, they played that clip over and over on every radio and TV station.  The crowd roared with delight.  A candidate with moxie.   He'd said he'd been wanting to say that for a while, and figured his telling them to "shut up" wouldn't make a difference at that point.  Media didn't have time to spin it.

And the best part of it was I *KNEW* in my heart he would be victorious,

Bring out your DEAD!!!!

....Drudgereport as of 8:04 Pacific Standard Time has it:

TEXAS
CLINTON 773,431 50%
OBAMA 754,381 49%

Team Clinnochio must have been working the graveyards overtime for that one. Whenever I look back on how many times I wanted to stab myself in the eyes over the despair in my own republican party's nomination process this year, I have only to gaze over at the jackass party and get some relief of a smile. The Hildabeast against "Hussein." Even yellow-dog democrats down in the Lone Star State have to be looking for the nearest rope.

There's a lot of folks that needs hangin'.

Virtual box of Cracker Jacks for anyone who knows what movie this still photo of
Ronaldus Magnus is from.
.

Ronaldus Magnus

Happy 97th.


It will be a long time before we see his like again.