Abbey-Roads2

 Editing note:  I meant to post this at the ‘other’ Abbey, and mistakenly posted it here.

I just watched the film again.  I like the movie because Miranda Priestly reminds me so much of my former Senior Vice-President, Andrew Markopoulos, whom I worked for at Dayton-Hudson, which turned into Marshall Fields, and now finally turned into Macy’s - Oh! thank God Andy died before that happened!  (I posted about this film before, after I first viewed it, that post was a more thoughtful look at fashion from a Catholic perspective.)

However, I just want to post a bit of dialog from the film that perfectly sums up the influence and reason for haute couture…

After she laughs at a discussion over a belt, Miranda asks Andy what she is laughing about…you could imagine that Andy’s laugh might cause those present in the room to consider how superficial and frivolous the fashion world is: 

Andrea Sachs: “No, no, nothing. Y’know, it’s just that both those belts look exactly the same to me. Y’know, I’m still learning about all this stuff.” 

Miranda Priestly:  “This… ’stuff’? Oh… ok. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select out, oh I don’t know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean. You’re also blindly unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar De La Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves St Laurent, wasn’t it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of 8 different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic casual corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of stuff.” 

That is what the business is really all about.  What did they tell Bush Sr. years ago?  “It’s the economy, stupid.”

(I just liked the dialog and thought posting it would be a nice tribute to Andrew Markopoulos, whose birthday was around this time - he was just as tough and demanding as Miranda Priestly, and he taught me a lot.  May he rest in peace.) 

Today is the feast of Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagghedu della Unita, a Cistercian nun who offered her life for the unity of Christians, dying at the age of 25 at the Italian monastery of Grottaferrata in 1939.

Don Marco has two excellent posts concerning her life and mission, while the Cistercians have a concise biography of the Beata.

In my former work as a Catholic bookstore manager, I ordered a recent book on her life to be sold in the store, with the hopes of having it included in the catalog.  The book didn’t do well.  In the store I worked, many customers tend to be more traditional, therefore, apparently suspicious of anything to do with ecumenism.

Since the Council, the word ecumenism has taken on a somewhat negative connotation with the blurring of the lines, as it were, between  various Christian and non-Christian groups.  Hindus conducting services at the altar in Fatima, Tibetan monks conducting ritual in Catholic sanctuaries, the Assisi debacle, joint “Masses’” with women and men of other non-Catholic denominations, and other abuses.  Hence, the bad rap for ecumenical movements.  It can sometimes be rather confusing for the devout Roman Catholic faithful to discern authentic ecumenism from the more occult tendecy towards a generic ”World-wide Religion”.

Having stated that, Blessed Maria Gabriella’s beatification propelled a faithful soul’s ardent longing for authentic Christian unity, to the center of the ecumenical movement.  It would be good for those concerned for Christian unity to read about her and develop a devotion to her, whose mission in heaven would be consistent with her vocation on earth.

Blessed Maria Gabriella in her own words:

I offered myself entirely and I do not withdraw the given word.

God’s will whatever it may be, this is my joy, my happiness, my peace.

I will never be able to thank enough.

I cannot say but these words:” My God, your Glory.”   - Vultus Christi 

(At the end of the Cistercian biography is a bibliography of recent books concerning Blessed Maria Gabriella - and always check Amazon for the best prices- free shipping on purchases over $25!)