The Explorers' Club, № MCLI

Cheong Wa Dae (literally, the "Cyan-tile Pavilion," A.K.A. the Blue House), the residence & office of the president of the Republic of Korea (South Korea); a royal villa was constructed on the site as early as 1104; the current Main Building was built in 1991; former President Yoon turned the Blue House into a public park (2022-2025), but since late 2025 it has been restored as the presidential residence.

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № CMLXXVI

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars
1-16 September 1923: The Kantō Massacre—In the aftermath of the Great Kantō Earthquake, police in Tokyo & other cities spread false rumors that Korean laborers had poisoned wells & planned other attacks; civilian mobs murdered innocent Koreans & Chinese in the streets while police & the Army targeted Japanese leftists; 6,000 persons were murdered, 735 Japanese were punished only lightly.

Commentary: To this day, a century later, Japanese nationalists continue to deny &/or minimize the Kantō Massacre, & that means not marginal figures but mainstream politicians such as Governors of Tokyo, members of the National Diet, & cabinet ministers.

Lest we forget.

Bonus! Song o' the Korean Martyrs

Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest, & Paul Chong Ha-sang, & Companions, Martyrs
Mike Park, "Korea Is So Far Away" from the Mailorder Is Still Fun!! compilation (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: From Lauds (Morning Prayer):

O God,
You have created all nations
and You are their salvation.
In the land of Korea
Your call to Catholic faith
formed a people of adoption,
whose growth You nurtured
by the blood of Andrew, Paul, and their companions.
Through their martyrdom and their intercession
grant us strength
that we too may remain faithful to Your commandments even until death.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Chjrist,Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Memorial of Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, & Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, & Companions, Martyrs.

'Tis the Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Saints + Scripture: Feast of the Visitation — Stand By

The Popish Plot
"The History of the Catholic Church in Korea"

'Tis the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saint Matthew

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Popish Plot
"Christian Click Bait"

'Tis the Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist (floruit first century, A.K.A. Levi), author of the Gospel according to Matthew: Apostle-link ūnus, Apostle-link duo, Apostle-link trēs, Apostle-link Array of Hope, & Wikipedia-link; Apostles-link & Wikipedia-link Apostles; & Wikipedia-link Evanglists & Wikipedia-link Gospel.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of St. Matthew
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven, eleven, twelve, & thirteen;
Psalm Nineteen (R/. five), verses two & three, four & five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses nine thru thirteen.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel celebrates the call of Matthew. Jesus tells the tax collector, “Follow me.”

The call of Jesus addresses the mind, but it moves through the mind into the body, and through the body into the whole of one’s life, into the most practical decisions. “Follow me” has the sense of “apprentice to me” or “walk as I walk; think as I think; choose as I choose; see as I see.” Discipleship entails an entire reworking of the self according to the pattern and manner of Jesus.

Upon hearing the address of the Lord, Matthew “got up and followed him.” The Greek word behind “got up” is anastas, the same word used to describe the Resurrection (anastasis) of Jesus from the dead. Following Jesus is indeed a kind of resurrection from the dead, since it involves the transition from a lower form of life to a higher.

Those who have undergone a profound conversion tend to speak of their former life as a kind of illusion, something not entirely real. The father of the prodigal son can say, “This son of mine was dead, and has come to life again.” So conversion is an anastasis, a rising from death.

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 1
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verse one.

Commentary: All Is Vanity (Ecclesiastes, 1:1).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Iphigenia of Ethiopia, Virgin (floruit first century, A.K.A. of Abyssinia; also spelt Ephigenia): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gerulfus, Martyr (circa 740-748, also spelt Gerulph), martyred by a kinsman, whom he pardoned with his dying breath: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint François Jaccard, Priest & Martyr, M.E.P. (1799-1838), martyred in the reign of the Vietnamese emperor Minh Mạng (Nguyễn dynasty), one of the Martyrs of Vietnam: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List); Martyrs-link Vietnam & Wikipedia-link Vietnam.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert, Bishop & Martyr, M.E.P. (1796-1839; A.K.A. Laurant-Maria-Joseph Imbert, Imbert Bum, Bum Se-hyeong), martyred in the reign of the Korean king Heonjong (Joseon dynasty), one of the Martyrs of Korea: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Korea & Wikipedia-link Korea.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Manuel Torró García, Martyr (1902-1936), martyred by Communist Spanish "Republicans" (Rojos), one of the two hundred thirty-thres Martyrs of València: Martyr-link ūnus & Martyr-link duo; Martyr-link València & Wikipedia-link València.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The Incarnate Word of God continues to speak to the Church through the sacred books. In reading & studying the Scriptures, Christians seek to know God & to understand God's plan for the human family."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"In the West you have another kind of poverty, spiritual poverty. This is far worse. People do not believe in God, do not pray. People do not care for each other. You have the poverty of people who are dissatisfied with what they have, who do not know how to suffer, who give in to despair. This poverty of heart is often more difficult to relieve & to defeat."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"'Mary kept all these things in her heart.' Discipline does not seem at all heavy when it goes together with a clean & sincere love. Even if it costs you a lot, it unites you to the Loved One."
—St. Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975, feast:26 June)