No man is an island,

Entire of itself.

Each is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,

Europe is the less.

As well as if a promontory were.

As well as if a manor of thine own

Or of thine friend’s were.

Each man’s death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.

Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bell tolls,

It tolls for thee.
“For Whom the Bell Tolls” – John Donne – 1624

Even if Notre Dame is not a person, it is still a place that gave joy to millions of people for centuries. We all lose when part of human culture disappears. I’m in tears today…


~ Nina Heyn

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16 Comments

  2. Our Lady has sent a clear message to pope and bishops to repent this holy week. Perhaps Notre Dame Cathedral is a Refiner’s Fire moment. The faithful need an inquisition of the clergy to combat heresy and corruption.

  3. God was clearly watching. Although the 850 year old lead covered roof was lost, much of the interior, including pews and other wooded pieces, were saved by the stone structure acting like a firewall. It is not gone and much of the artwork had been removed for the renovation.

  4. Just saw this news, so horrified and shocked and sad. How could this happen? I couldn’t watch more than 90 seconds of the broadcast. first thoughts: an accident or some kind of act of war? A sacrifice? Too horrible to be true—how can it be that the photos of myself there could suddenly become so valuable to me?

    Came to Solari for coherence and comfort. Thank you for being here.

    1. So blessed to have Nina Heyn as part of our team. I called her yesterday and she was in tears. She understand the meaning of what it to try to destroy fields and beautiful as powerful as this. Notre Dame is the lead story this week on Money & Markets.

    1. More than just the physical structure of Notre Dame must be restored: it’s high time to rediscover and revive the spiritual intelligence and devotion to the sacred human that erected such inspiring architecture in the first place. Places such as Chartres, La Notre Dame, the Duomo, and even (though a dark cloud lately hangs over it , St. Peter’s Basilica) were born of a mission to “edify” human beings… hence:”edifice.” In a way, the spectacle of La Notre Dame in flames, the very heart of European and Western culture, is a brutal wake up call to the fact that we have allowed such places to become museums and venues for touristic photo-ops… Where are we going as a species? We have such an abndance… one might say surfeit… of knowledge (“data”) but where is the spiritual wisdom to accompany it? It is as if our souls have not caught up. (And: Long live France and the amazing culture that gave birth to Notre dame and so many other spiritual , artistic and cultural marvels!)

      1. I found lots of spiritual intelligence in France last summer when I visited Chartres and Mt St Michele. This is a brutal wake up call that if we allow demonic forces grow, they will threaten everything. As the French official said yesterday, “not even the Nazis harmed Notre Dame”

      2. You are so right, Brian! The reason so many of us around the world were upset is that Notre-Dame belongs to all of us ever visited or who value beauty, cultural significance and the spiritual and emotional power of places created by generations long gone. And yes, I agree about France – a country that is one of the very sources of European civilization (Lascaux!) and which has been giving us all culture, food, art and refinement ever since. Vive La France!
        Thank you to all the kind voices here…

    1. As a long time resident of France, Francophile, and French citizen, I find it incredibly sad to see what has happened here to Notre Dame. I’m shocked and yes angered at the human incompetence behind such a tragedy. President (“France has no culture”) Macron’s vacuous speech last night linked to this event has does nothing for me but to want to get down on my knees and ask the Lord for collective forgiveness – “forgive them they know not what they do” and “May Thy Kingdom Come.

      1. Robert:

        I will talk about Notre Dame in Money & Markets. I doubt the problem was incompetence. Check out the architect on my twitter feed.

        Catherine

        1. Sadly my best hope was this was all down to absolute and total incompetence…but for sure appears to unfortunately not be the case! Interestingly the ND cathedral roof woodwork was “treated” in February 2018 by a French company called Aubriat (owner talks also about security measures up there which seemed very strict incl for fire alarms –> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIvtZx4IyI8 )…

          Makes this Holy Week and Good Friday all the more meaningful

          Sleepers Awake as said Bach!

          1. ABSOLUTELY – I have been celebrating all day – we have the victory. Christ stands in the way of the “nothing.”

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