Hey, look! You survived the first round of the Elate Eight and have returned for more Saintly Kitsch. Kudos to you! Yesterday, in a hotly contested battle, Benedict the Moor narrowly defeated Camillus de Lellis 52%to 48% to nail down the first spot in the Faithful Four.
Today Absalom Jones faces Catherine Booth. To get here, Absalom defeated Henriette Delille and Marianne Cope, while Catherine took down Joan of Arc and Constantine. The kitsch keeps coming!
Absalom Jones
When it comes to kitsch on Absalom Jones, keep an open mind and a loving heart for all the renditions of brother Absalom.
You’re likely very familiar with this portrait by Raphaelle Peale, who was the son of Charles Willson Peale, an American painter. W. R. Jones & John Boyd made an engraving this rendition based on Peale’s painting.
You can find Absalom Jones stained glass windows in St. George’s Church in Dayton, Ohio. They explain the symbolism in the window as a reflection of Jones’s rejection of slavery as an American man who achieved many vital firsts in the church and the community. Willet Stained Glass created the window. Forward Movement featured another window from St. George’s on our August, September, October 2020 covers of Forward Day by Day and Adelante Dia a Dia.
This pitcher, created in 1808, includes a silhouette of Jones with Masonic symbols and is believed to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the first African American Masonic order. Co-founded in 1798 by Absalom Jones, he was named First Worshipful Master, and in 1815 he was elected the First Grand Master of the First African Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
A blog appropriately named Unrecognized Revolutionaries included a post by then-fifth grader Laila H. with her drawing of Jones. Shout out to that teacher for what looks like an excellent project for those students. When we see images like these and many others I’ve seen, we can celebrate the spirit of the artists’ intention in their portrayals of Jones’ image.
Closest to my heart is this peg doll of Absalom Jones painted by Christopher H. at The Cathedral of Saint James in South Bend, Indiana, as part of their beautiful collection of all of the Lent Madness saints for this year. I’m blown away by this level of commitment and inclusion! Visit their Facebook page to see all the saints and get a glimpse of the diversity represented in God’s holy people.
You can find Absalom Jones t-shirts, icons, and acrylic blocks, but you have Google for that.
Catherine Booth
Well, hello! Come in, my friend, come in, sit down, make yourself comfortable. I’m sure you’re oh, so tired after your long journey to my door. Settle down, relax, I’ll just hang your coat right here…
Wait, what’s that? I’m curious about your t-shirt. It has a wonderful quotation from Catherine Booth on it, and you might not know this, but I’m quite the fan. “If we are to better the future, we must disturb the present” is indeed one of her better known sayings. But, I have to ask, what will it take for you to disturb the present typeface on that shirt? I’m not saying Comic Sans would be more tasteful, but, you know… well… ok, fine, I am saying it. Perhaps if you want to better the future, you should disturb the typeface, especially before you spend $18.45 on Zazzle.
Here, I’m sure you’d love something to eat, it’s been a long day after all. Catherine Booth, together with her husband, fed the hungry working masses in London – a tradition that continues in the Salvation Army to this day. In her honor, I’ve made you some crumpets and tea, and I’ll serve them on this exquisite Wedgewood Sweet Dish set featuring her visage. I suspect you might find more of them for $26.99 on eBay. They’re an exquisite pale blue jasper, with “hand applied white bas-relief figures” of both General William Booth and Army Mother Catherine Booth, and I think there’s no better way for us to show admiration for their lives of discipleship then by eating crumpets from a plate with their faces on it.
Wait, what’s that? You say my crumpets are upsetting your stomach? Well, that’s nothing compared to the opposition that Catherine Booth received to her place as a trailblazing woman preaching the gospel, or the general opposition the work of the Salvation Army received. Have I shown you this delicate piece I inherited from my family. It’s a silver-plated locket with… an illustration of an uprising against the work of the Salvation Army? What kind of sick people are my relatives to frame this business? Catherine said the gospel would spur opposition, but I… don’t think she sought it out. I can hardly believe they bought this for $31.65 on Zazzle, taking up to 15% off with discount code ZWEDDINGPLAN.
Wait, you’re heading for the door? You have to leave now? To vote for Catherine in Lent Madness? Very well, then, very well.
Before you go, here, let me give you some reading material as you go. It’s one of my favorite works of fiction, Kindnapped by River Rats: William and Catherine Booth. Jack and Amy come to London searching for their uncle without anything – and “attempting to live on the streets is frightening, dangerous, and an opportunity for the worst elements of the city to take advantage of them” Where can they find safety? Can the General and Catherine Booth be trusted to care for them? I won’t spoil the ending, my friend. But let’s just say that, you won’t be surprised.
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98 comments on “Absalom Jones vs. Catherine Booth”
Confidently expecting Absalom to be storming ahead I was swayed by the kitsch and the excellent write up to vote for Catherine. I will be equally happy to see either progress, but ... Wedgewood plates... I now want crumpets.
I'll vote for Catherine for what was a simple answer to the needs of her times.
I'm voting for Absalom Jones to take it all, but David Sibley that was a fantastic piece of writing!
Agree!
Absalom for the Golden Halo.
If there were a halo for best LM blogger, no one would be more deserving than David Sibley! Thank you for your most engaging entry today. If only you did not have to go up against what appears to be this year’s favorite. My vote went to Catherine today.
It was tough, but I went with Absalom Jones because I loved Laila H.’s drawing.
A piece of performance Art: February 7, 2016, SuperBowl Sunday afternoon!! Washington National Cathedral hosted a jazz mass in honor of Absalom Jones to a full house!! You can find all 2-1/2 hours of it on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel.
Catherine be gone. I haven’t voted for her yet she survives. The Salvation Army bells are obnoxious and they won’t allow other charities a chance to collect funds in their prime spots, not a goodwill attitude.
Absalom Jones, an Episcopalian, is my vote today, a saint for our times for the Golden Halo. Today’s kitsch should’ve mentioned The Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta. Please check out their website: centerforracialhealing.org for informative, thought provoking , timely workshops.
"I haven't voted for [ ], and yet [ ] survives." It's the Cruz we all bear. I feel your pain.
I see what you did there St. Celia. 😉
Though I enjoyed the light-hearted, and hilarious, write up on Catherine, my heart still belongs to Absalom.
Much as I admire Catherine, and disagree with JoJo (Catherine is no more to blame for jingling Santas than Jesus is for Fred Phelps!), I'm going with Absalom today, in honour of my son who is a Mason and in honour of the Brotherhood that does such good work in the world.
I voted for Absalom, as I did in the previous two rounds, remembering that I first learned about him in a previous Lent Madness.
But I admire Catherine and would certainly vote for her in a future Lent Madness.
Both of them are Golden-Halo-worthy.
I subscribe to this to learn more about saints. But I don't like pitting one against another and I really hate the kichy stuff you are into in the final days. It's not funny just annoying.
I look forward to the kitsch round every year. I also enjoy considering what I find inspirational about the particular saints, and reading about what others think, and "pitting one against another" seems to be an effective way of generating discussion. You might want to skip reading the kitsch write-ups, and obviously you don't need to vote. Just take from Lent Madness what is interesting to you. To each his own. 🙂
Hot Diggety! Day two without anyone doing the "Debby Downer" on the inappropriateness of kitsch to the solemnity of Saintliness! After all, Voltaire is purported to have opined "God is a comedian, preaching to an audience that is afraid to laugh!" That said, my vote is for Absalom Jones, and I will now go ask my husband, who is a Mason, why he never told me about that connection!
But I did order Kidnapped by the River Rats for my kindle!
Despite Miriam McKinney's SEC-trolling by putting a 2020 FDBD volume amongst the kitsch, David Sibley's pose won me over.
Absalom Jones is my pick for this year’s Golden Halo! Go Absalom!
I came to Lent Madness some ten years ago, or so, in response to a friend asking for votes for Absalom Jones. I'm still here and have enjoyed the Lents since, but I'm still waiting for Absalom to get his golden halo. He deserves it.
I was kind of dreading this match-up because I voted for both of them, but I am Catherine all the way for the Golden Halo!
Such worthy Saints!
My father was an avid Mason , but I attended Salvation Army services for a month or two as a child. What to do, what to do???
Going with Absalom Jones for the Golden Halo
The Kitsch is wonderful. It gives us a fuller picture of what these Saints have inspired along the years. Fascinating items are shown, such as Kidnapped by River Rats. Plus, I have learned of The Center for Racial Healing, the wonderful stained glass windows in St. Cyprian's, and have a recipe for crumpets. During this somewhat gloomy time, we can all use some lightness and humor. Hurray for the kitsch!
It seems that some people decided in the last round that Absalom was going to win the golden halo. That put me off. How much that influenced today's vote is something we'll never know. I voted for him in the last round. He had a great deal of influence in the "colonies, but Catherine and the Salvation Army have a world-wide impact even today. My vote goes to Catherine
Oh wow...both are saintly heroes in my book!! However, in solidarity with John Lewis's (he definitely is on the road to sainthood if he hasn't already arrived!) "Get into trouble...good trouble", I'll go with Catherine's "shake up the present" words of wisdom.
The kitsch round always gets me voting for the quality of the kitsch (and the write ups) rather than the saints themselves. Oh well!
My sentiments exactly!
I too am voting more for the kitsch and David Sibley's write-up than for the saints. My bracket busted in the first round, and Absalom is going to take this round no matter my vote - so go with the write-up I will!
Completely agree with your comments.
I'm still bummed that both Catherine and Absalom ended up facing each other. They were my top two choices for the Golden Halo. I voted for Absalom but would be happy if Catherine pulled through to the top.
I AGREE!!
I VOTE FOR CATHERINE BOOTH, BUT ABSALOM JONES ISN'T FAR BEHIND.
Have to vote for Catherine in honor of the women of my family who were religious leaders in their time. But am betting on Absalom for the big win. Just a suggestion - I think the Tim and Scott peg dolls might get a lot of takers in the Lentorium
Still simmering from "Catherine doused Joan of Arc." If Catherine has surpassed my great hero Joan of Arc in Lent Madness greatness, than Catherine better get her mug on that mug! For Joan....
Does anyone have a way to get word to Play Lent Madness? They are showing today’s matchup in retrograde, as Absalom Jones v Marianne Cope.
Catherine Booth has better stuff! But in reality, I might have voted for Absalom Jones before I saw the masonic connection. I can't vote for that.