Kathleen and Richard Cross
Kathleen and Richard Cross
The Marquis de Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolution, had
as his motto the Latin phrase: "Cur non?" "Why not?"
In this
site you will find some provocative essays on music, religion, culture,
and efforts for justice and peace in the Middle East. I will introduce
you to some revolutionary characters who made
waves in the arts and religion their own day. How can
the religious and cultural values we have inherited be appplied
to our personal relationships and in the world at large?
If you read my personal profile you will learn what value system
I bring to this site. I welcome your response. You might even be
interested in acquiring our CD of sacred music.
Personal interests: Now that I am retired I can devote more of my efforts to
causes dear to me:
click on: Richard's
story
Richard Cross
Kathleen Stanton Cross- lyric soprano
Personal Affiliations:
- Center for Jewish-Christian-Muslim Understanding
- Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
- Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation
- Pax Christi
- The Other Israel
- Gush Shalom
- Brit Tzedek v' Shalom
- WESPAC
- United Palestinian Appeal
- Olive Tree Foundation for Peace
- Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR)
- Network
- Amnesty International
- Arab-American Anti-discriminaton Committee (ADC)
- CORPUS
- Call to Action
- The American Liszt Society
- Hospice of Westchester (volunteer)
- Sons of the American Revolution
Essays:
on
our
son's wedding to Milagros Menendez and my toast to the couple
See some photos of our son's
marriage to Milagros and read the toast I offered at the reception.
on
a Florilegium Franz Liszt
An anthology of quotations from the
over 30 books I have read on the life and times of Franz Liszt.
Wonderful drawings of some of Liszt's associates by William D.
Bramhall, jr. Also a letter of Liszt's in my posession (May 16,
1881).
on
the thoughts of the great Hanan Ashrawi
This eloquent Palestinian Christian
woman challenges America to be more balanced and involved in the
Middle East crisis.
on
Letters from the Heart
I have had over 70 letters
published in the press on various topics such
as the Middle East crisis, church reform..
on
Love and Friendship
An anthology of quotations taken
from my readings over the years on the subject of love and friendship.
Some are naughty.
on
God & Co. and the human condition
An anthology of quotations taken
from my readings over the years on the subject of God and the human
condition..
on the
War with Iraq
A position paper before the recent
Iraq War as to why it was unjustified, unnecessary, and fraught with
danger. I participated in the giant Feb. 15, 2003 demonstration
in Manhattan against the war. Georges Rouault's painting of "War which
Mothers Hate."
on
What America's Critics are Saying
An opinion as
to why the rest of the world is dubious about our foreign policy goals.
on The Party of
Lincoln Hijacked
Read about my
patriotic credentials dating back before the American
Revolution and see why I feel the Republican Party has been captured by
a neo-conservative cabal that has betrayed our republic and the spirit
of our Founding Fathers with their imperial agenda.
on
French-Bashing
The recent anti-French sentiment calls for an historical
overview together with my own observations on the "gratitude" that is
called into question. Is this the real issue at the heart of the matter
or is there not something
else that deserves our consideration? Photographic evidence bears out
my experience and opinion in this matter.
on Rachel Corrie
How did a young American college student end up killed by the Isareli
army using an American-made bulldozer in Palestine. How she was
bulldozed to death as she tried to prevent home
demolitions in Gaza. Eye-witness acounts. Photos.
on a Love
Letter
from the Grave
Among my collection of old letters there is one moving 1869 letter (see
a photo) that still has the violets that Will pinned to his letter
written at a gravesite to his beloved Alice.
Read and be moved.
on recollections
of the controversial papal encyclical "Humanae Vitae"
Read the 1958 statement that 18 priests of the
Diocese of Saginaw, including myself, signed and sent to our local
paper concerning this encyclical on birth control. It got us into
real hot water with our bishop and became an eventual milestone in my
life.
Paris Journal
A musician revisits Paris, its churches and
their pipe organs in 2003.
The Cost of War beyond
Dollars (English version and French translation)
In response to an article in The Journal News about the
effects of war on some veterans I sent in this
commentary- also translated into French
Mel Gibson's Jesus
There are some serious reasons why I do not want to view Mel Gibson's
film "The Passion."
My memorable experience as a
Hospice volunteer
With the permission of the patient's family our local
Hospice asked me to write about my ten and a half months working with
Bill. This narrative was published in the Fall 2005 Hospice Newsletter.
Ravel and Me
My early experiences exploring the life and works of Maurice Ravel.
Visits to his home and gravesite. Photos. An unsettling
experience
while attempting to purchase a portrait of the composer.
Take
me back to Guadeloupe
Visit the island of Guadeloupe, spectaular French territory with a link
to the American Revolution.
Contact author:
fliszt@cloud9.net
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Links:
for the Middle East
1. For a moderate and scholarly Christian Arab assessment of the present crisis in the Middle East as well as a chronological outline of the history of developments in this area consult the following web site:
2. For an Israeli women's Peace Movement which works with Palestinian women for justice and peace and other interesting Israeli sites consult the following:
http://www.gush-shalom.org/english/index.html
http://members.tripod.com/~other_Israel/
3. For many interesting sites about religion, theology, and culture:
Christus Rex: (excellent sites)
Virtual
Religion
Index (Rutgers University)