.
The idea arises from a comment by Fr Brown, here, but its development is entirely my own.
Imagine publicising a Mass using one of the Childrens' Eucharistic Prayers from the Roman Missal, and then doing it in its Latin original! The whole Mass done "soberly": biretta, maniple, ad orientem, chant.
Have a large group of properly prepared and catechised children, able to provide servers and to sing the ordinary prayers.
And then invite the Tablet.
04 October 2008
03 October 2008
Not Just Westminster
.
According to the list of Cardinal Electors here, there are 45 Cardinals aged between 75 and 80, sixteen of whom are listed as "Emeritus", and can therefore be presumed to have retired. Of the remaining 29, nine have curial appointments.
That means that there are 20 major Sees whose Bishops will have presented their resignation to the Pope.
There are nine 74 year olds: four in Rome, five in Metropolitan Sees.
Two reflections: we shouldn't worry too much about the delay in naming the successor to Westminster: he's well down the queue. And we might think that Pope Benedict has the opportunity to shape the Church for the next 10 or 20 years if he gets this right.
According to the list of Cardinal Electors here, there are 45 Cardinals aged between 75 and 80, sixteen of whom are listed as "Emeritus", and can therefore be presumed to have retired. Of the remaining 29, nine have curial appointments.
That means that there are 20 major Sees whose Bishops will have presented their resignation to the Pope.
There are nine 74 year olds: four in Rome, five in Metropolitan Sees.
Two reflections: we shouldn't worry too much about the delay in naming the successor to Westminster: he's well down the queue. And we might think that Pope Benedict has the opportunity to shape the Church for the next 10 or 20 years if he gets this right.
28 September 2008
Fruits Of Ecumania
Damian Thompson continues his series on Futurechurch with an article about ecumenism, which quotes a fascinating and learned article by the philosopher Thomas Pink. The article is worth a serious read, but I was taken by a comment by (I think) Tom Pink himself:
.
"The real problem is simple. The reforms of Vatican II have become associated in the minds of many committed young Catholics in the UK and the US with, what can we say? - disaster, meltdown, destruction, annihilation, utter balls-up, that sort of thing. The legacy of the Council (rightly or wrongly) is increasingly discredited. Simple as that. These neo-traddies really do not want to know, except that it would be nice if such a horrible thing never happened again.
.
And in many cases, they are indeed very, very angry. Fergus Kerr, I suspect, does not begin to understand this fact. But, as Francesca has sensed, the anger is deeply there, mixed in England with contempt for a local Church management that they now sense is actually beginning to be very frightened of them; and this anger will be a major shaping influence on the Church in the future, for good or ill."
.
"The real problem is simple. The reforms of Vatican II have become associated in the minds of many committed young Catholics in the UK and the US with, what can we say? - disaster, meltdown, destruction, annihilation, utter balls-up, that sort of thing. The legacy of the Council (rightly or wrongly) is increasingly discredited. Simple as that. These neo-traddies really do not want to know, except that it would be nice if such a horrible thing never happened again.
.
And in many cases, they are indeed very, very angry. Fergus Kerr, I suspect, does not begin to understand this fact. But, as Francesca has sensed, the anger is deeply there, mixed in England with contempt for a local Church management that they now sense is actually beginning to be very frightened of them; and this anger will be a major shaping influence on the Church in the future, for good or ill."
27 September 2008
Moonlighting
Since when has Archbishop Nichols been moonlighting as a rock musician? He must be good too - this photo shows him moments after receiving the Polar Prize from the King of Sweden.
Update: a correspondent points out that His Grace has never been seen at a Pink Floyd concert. Conclusive or what?
23 September 2008
The Westminster Stakes - More Worries
.
I had thought that Damian's Week of Protest was aimed at heralding the announcement of the next Archbishop, and thought that if he was on to something, then so would Paddy Power be. If something is in the air, it smells bad.
Timothy Radcliffe (in whose canditature I refuse to believe, though I increasingly wonder if I'm like a child with eyes tight shut and fingers in ears) shortens to 7-2, odds at which Archbishop Nichols is threatened (or would be, if Paddy was on the inside track).
Abbot Hugh Gilbert slips slightly, while Abbot Christopher Jamison positively leaps into contention.
A bit more money raises Mgr Curry from 40/1 to 18/1, while Bishop Declan Lang (a South Coast Bishop!!!) enters at 33-1, alongside Fr Edmund Power (whom I know nothing of) and Fr Tom Quinn at 100-1 (quite possibly some sort of joke which I haven't got).
The key points here are Radcliffe shortening, Jamison shortening, and Lang entering the lists. People - please God! not people in the know - have swung towards the liberal end of the spectrum: the dark side of the magic circle.
This is quite worrying.
Rt Rev Vincent Nichols 13-8 (5-4) (2-1) (7-4) (2-1) (7-2)
Fr Timothy Radcliffe 7-2 (6-1) (10-1) (6-1)
Rt Rev Kevin McDonald 8-1 (6-1) (5-1) (7-2)
Dom Hugh Gilbert 9-1 (8-1) (6-1) (4-1)
Bishop William Kenney 10-1 (9-1) (8-1) (15-2) (6-1)
Rt Rev Malcolm McMahon 10-1 (8-1)
Very Rev. Fr. Ignatius Harrison 10-1
Fr Christopher Jamison 11-1 (25-1) (20-1)
Rt Rev Alan Hopes 12-1 (10-1) (8-1) (6-1) (11-2)
Rt Rev Arthur Roche 12-1 (10-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Fr T Finigan 16-1 (10-1)
Cardinal Pell 16-1 (12-1) (10-1)
Rt Rev Peter Smith 16-1 (12-1)
Mgr Curry 18-1 (40-1)
Fr Aidan Nichols 20-1 (14-1) (12-1) (11-1) (5-1) (6-1)
Bishop George Stack 20-1 (16-1)
Rt Rev Michael Evans 22-1 (20-1) (16-1)
Rt Rev Patrick Kelly 25-1 (16-1) (14-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Bishop John Rawsthorne 25-1 (20-1)
Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald 25-1 (16-1) (14-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue 33-1 (20-1) (16-1)
Rt Rev Bernard Longley 33-1 (20-1) (16-1) (14-1) (12-1)
Rt Rev Declan Lang 33-1
Fr Edmund Power 33-1
Fr Tom Quinn 100-1
Bishop John Patrick Crowley Non-runner (33-1)
I had thought that Damian's Week of Protest was aimed at heralding the announcement of the next Archbishop, and thought that if he was on to something, then so would Paddy Power be. If something is in the air, it smells bad.
Timothy Radcliffe (in whose canditature I refuse to believe, though I increasingly wonder if I'm like a child with eyes tight shut and fingers in ears) shortens to 7-2, odds at which Archbishop Nichols is threatened (or would be, if Paddy was on the inside track).
Abbot Hugh Gilbert slips slightly, while Abbot Christopher Jamison positively leaps into contention.
A bit more money raises Mgr Curry from 40/1 to 18/1, while Bishop Declan Lang (a South Coast Bishop!!!) enters at 33-1, alongside Fr Edmund Power (whom I know nothing of) and Fr Tom Quinn at 100-1 (quite possibly some sort of joke which I haven't got).
The key points here are Radcliffe shortening, Jamison shortening, and Lang entering the lists. People - please God! not people in the know - have swung towards the liberal end of the spectrum: the dark side of the magic circle.
This is quite worrying.
Rt Rev Vincent Nichols 13-8 (5-4) (2-1) (7-4) (2-1) (7-2)
Fr Timothy Radcliffe 7-2 (6-1) (10-1) (6-1)
Rt Rev Kevin McDonald 8-1 (6-1) (5-1) (7-2)
Dom Hugh Gilbert 9-1 (8-1) (6-1) (4-1)
Bishop William Kenney 10-1 (9-1) (8-1) (15-2) (6-1)
Rt Rev Malcolm McMahon 10-1 (8-1)
Very Rev. Fr. Ignatius Harrison 10-1
Fr Christopher Jamison 11-1 (25-1) (20-1)
Rt Rev Alan Hopes 12-1 (10-1) (8-1) (6-1) (11-2)
Rt Rev Arthur Roche 12-1 (10-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Fr T Finigan 16-1 (10-1)
Cardinal Pell 16-1 (12-1) (10-1)
Rt Rev Peter Smith 16-1 (12-1)
Mgr Curry 18-1 (40-1)
Fr Aidan Nichols 20-1 (14-1) (12-1) (11-1) (5-1) (6-1)
Bishop George Stack 20-1 (16-1)
Rt Rev Michael Evans 22-1 (20-1) (16-1)
Rt Rev Patrick Kelly 25-1 (16-1) (14-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Bishop John Rawsthorne 25-1 (20-1)
Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald 25-1 (16-1) (14-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue 33-1 (20-1) (16-1)
Rt Rev Bernard Longley 33-1 (20-1) (16-1) (14-1) (12-1)
Rt Rev Declan Lang 33-1
Fr Edmund Power 33-1
Fr Tom Quinn 100-1
Bishop John Patrick Crowley Non-runner (33-1)
21 September 2008
Are They Coming Into The Open?
.I was alerted by an interesting Portuguese site to the existence of a proudly "antitraditionalist" site; it is in fact called "Antetridentino" and is subtitled: "Against Traditionalism". The rather offensive photo I've attached is up there on the website banner. If your Portuguese is up to it, take a deep breath, say a prayer to St Michael the Archangel, and dive in.
.
"In Portugal, happily, there are few outlets for traditionalism", the author of the site congratulates himself and his fellows at one point.
.
This isn't "against" traditionalism in the sense of being sort of the other way inclined, or preferring English to Latin: this is "against" in a really contrary sort of way.
.
"The Institute of the Good Shepherd is a very recent foundation with few members at present, but, unfortunately, people from all over the world wish to join it. The process of creating the IGS was a shameful act by the Ecclesia Dei Commission."
.
You are beginning to get the point.
.
What interests me is that this is the first time I have been aware of somethng that attacks Tradition directly: head on; and does so from a point of view defined as Catholic. Fr Z (whom God preserve!) has found something similar in this weekend's Catholic Times. Might we be approaching the tipping point?
.
As another, much greater, writer put it:
.
"But now, splendidly, everything had become clear. The enemy at last was plain in view, huge and hateful, all disguise cast off. It was the Modern Age in arms. Whatever the outcome there was a place for him in that battle."
17 September 2008
Bishop Of Neuquén; Bishop Of Leeds
.
I wasn't excessively pleased with myself, once I saw the number of hits on Sitemeter and where they were from. I was worried that I had possibly traduced a Bishop by not looking up his side of the story, and by publishing one that put him in a bad light. My worry was excessive.
.
According to the local newspaper, which prints the dialogue between the Bishop and the young people who defended his Cathedral, the Bishop himself tried subsequently to pour oil on troubled waters.
.
Whenever there is a large group of people gathered together, he says, there is always the risk that a tiny minority might try to make something of it. The press gathers at a particular place and if anything is going to happen, it will be magnified out of all proportion. Nobody, the Bishop feels, should place too much importance on what had happened (ie on what we see in the video) because what we should be looking for in everybody is the way in which we can grow in mutual acceptance and tolerance, even when we have ideological differences.
.
Now: this is sad, and it is wrong on so many counts. But it was interesting to note that somebody had linked this film to what is happening with the Diocese of Leeds and the closure of parishes there.
.
I wonder, tentatively, if there is a problem with the ecclesiology of some of our Bishops: that Bishop Roche, just like Bishop Melani, and goodness knows how many others don't know what Bishops are actually for. They portray a vision of Bishop that is somehow superior to that of the priest as social worker, and make the episcopal office that of a regional manager with responsibility for the definition of social attitude in his region on behalf of the Board, with a few additional functions on the side like responsibility for Confirmation when there is no Vicar General available, Ordination when it can be a concelebratory function, and Prophetic Leadership of a Local Church in Communion with Christ and his Vicar beyond time. The additional functions are a bit problematic.
.
This is why Episcopal Conferences as constituted are such an abysmally awful idea: all they can do is weaken the individual who carries the personal responsibility for his Church and dilute the layman's perception of what that responsibility is and should be. It's hard to imagine the selection of a Bishop who will break out of this magic circle: but let's pray that MO'C's successor will be the one. Let's have Bishops who are Bishops again!
I wasn't excessively pleased with myself, once I saw the number of hits on Sitemeter and where they were from. I was worried that I had possibly traduced a Bishop by not looking up his side of the story, and by publishing one that put him in a bad light. My worry was excessive.
.
According to the local newspaper, which prints the dialogue between the Bishop and the young people who defended his Cathedral, the Bishop himself tried subsequently to pour oil on troubled waters.
.
Whenever there is a large group of people gathered together, he says, there is always the risk that a tiny minority might try to make something of it. The press gathers at a particular place and if anything is going to happen, it will be magnified out of all proportion. Nobody, the Bishop feels, should place too much importance on what had happened (ie on what we see in the video) because what we should be looking for in everybody is the way in which we can grow in mutual acceptance and tolerance, even when we have ideological differences.
.
Now: this is sad, and it is wrong on so many counts. But it was interesting to note that somebody had linked this film to what is happening with the Diocese of Leeds and the closure of parishes there.
.
I wonder, tentatively, if there is a problem with the ecclesiology of some of our Bishops: that Bishop Roche, just like Bishop Melani, and goodness knows how many others don't know what Bishops are actually for. They portray a vision of Bishop that is somehow superior to that of the priest as social worker, and make the episcopal office that of a regional manager with responsibility for the definition of social attitude in his region on behalf of the Board, with a few additional functions on the side like responsibility for Confirmation when there is no Vicar General available, Ordination when it can be a concelebratory function, and Prophetic Leadership of a Local Church in Communion with Christ and his Vicar beyond time. The additional functions are a bit problematic.
.
This is why Episcopal Conferences as constituted are such an abysmally awful idea: all they can do is weaken the individual who carries the personal responsibility for his Church and dilute the layman's perception of what that responsibility is and should be. It's hard to imagine the selection of a Bishop who will break out of this magic circle: but let's pray that MO'C's successor will be the one. Let's have Bishops who are Bishops again!
15 September 2008
News From Neuquén: How To Behave Heroically
Some young men gather in front of the Cathedral in Neuquén in Argentina to protect it from the approaching demonstration. The Bishop, a 70 year old Salesian called Marcelo Melani comes out to remonstrate with them: he shouts and yells at them to go away or at least, if they feel they need to pray, to go inside the Church. They ignore him by beginning their Rosary, and he dashes away to lock himself inside. That is the point at which this film starts.
They were insulted, spat on, manhandled, and they didn't resist: they prayed; they prayed "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death". They prayed with heroic serenity, for it might have seemed to one or two of them that the hour of their death might be near. They copied Jesus.
H/t to Francisco José Fernández de la Cigoña whose lack of respect for the Bishop is made manifest in expressive detal to those who can read Spanish.
A Year Of Summorum Pontificum
.
This did the trick for me last year - it still does.
.
Minotaur
In the myth,
in the deep-down maze of the cave,
he went to find the Minotaur.
And before he went
he took a reel of twine:
a trick to traipse the return trip
back to the world of sense and sunshine.
It was sound thinking:
be enticed by new chance and challenge,
but keep in touch
with your place of origin.
Don't let your past be lost,
or it'll cost
your future.
.
John Hegley - from Uncut Confetti
This did the trick for me last year - it still does.
.
Minotaur
In the myth,
in the deep-down maze of the cave,
he went to find the Minotaur.
And before he went
he took a reel of twine:
a trick to traipse the return trip
back to the world of sense and sunshine.
It was sound thinking:
be enticed by new chance and challenge,
but keep in touch
with your place of origin.
Don't let your past be lost,
or it'll cost
your future.
.
John Hegley - from Uncut Confetti
14 September 2008
Food On Board
Somebody asked me what the food was like. This was lunch: a salmon salad for starters, followed by a steak and mushroom pie, with champ and cabbage, and then a chocolate pudding. I stuck to the white wine, resisting the temptations of the bar.
I have the idea that a bar on board an aircraft is the sort of thing that belongs to big aircraft of the early 1950s - I certainly hadn't originally expected to find one on board a plane in the 21st Century.
And I didn't resist temptation for the entire eight hours of the flight.
13 September 2008
Flying On September 11 ...
.
... was exactly like flying on any other day. Even flying into Washington was no different to what it's normally like. That's the way to show terrorists that they haven't won!
.
.
Flying back on September 12, and arriving at Heathrow on September 13 made for a tired blogger: I haven't done North America as (effectively) a day trip before: I don't recommend it. Though if you do, Virgin's Upper Class is a nice way to let Mr Beard take the strain.
.Anyway, a completely unfair contrast between our two countries: one of these is two minutes out of Heathrow; one of these is two minutes away from Dulles; which is which?
.
09 September 2008
Cardinal Pell: News
.
According to La cigüeña de la torre, Cardinal Pell has been named President of the Synod of Bishops, in the place of Cardinal Gracias who is "unable to attend". (Is he ill? Does the persecution of Indian Catholics make his absence impossible?) The Pope obviously enjoyed his trip to Australia: is he softening the Cardinal up for something nearer Rome?
According to La cigüeña de la torre, Cardinal Pell has been named President of the Synod of Bishops, in the place of Cardinal Gracias who is "unable to attend". (Is he ill? Does the persecution of Indian Catholics make his absence impossible?) The Pope obviously enjoyed his trip to Australia: is he softening the Cardinal up for something nearer Rome?
08 September 2008
The Westminster Stakes: Something Slightly Worrying
.
I won't reprint the entire list: it is the same as it was here with two differences. Fr Edmund Power, the Abbot of St Paul Outside The Walls has entered the lists, but after the publicity in the Catholic press for the Pope's visit to his monastery for the Pauline year, and the fact of his nationality (and the puff from Fr Blake), I expect that his 33/1 is speculative.
Much more worrying is that the money continues to go towrds Fr Timothy Radcliffe: his odds have shortened to 7/2. Why am I worried?
My guess is that this book is being managed by Paddy Power in two ways. First, by paying a modest retainer to a priest of the Westminster Diocese who is known to Paddy (either he likes a flutter himself, or he knows or is related to somebody who works for Paddy at HQ in Ireland), Paddy gets close (how close depends on who the priest is) to what Damian calls the Magic Circle and who they think the Pope will choose. There are three factors here: how good is Paddy's expert's contact list; how accurate is the guesswork of the people he knows; and how well does the contact understand the various dimensions of nuance that are in play?
The second piece of management is more blatant and less subtle: where is the money going? The more money put on any candidate, the more Paddy will have to pay out if that candidate wins; so a fall in a candidate's odds means that money is being placed in sufficient quantities to make Paddy want to cut his potential losses.
Why on earth would anybody be putting money on Fr Timothy Radcliffe? Why on earth would his odds be shortening? Why isn't Paddy offering 100/1 against the certainty that Fr Radcliffe will get nowhere near the Westminster cathedra?
I'd like to pretend that I think that this is Paddy's way of attracting money: but I think that there is a stable group out there who think that Fr R is in with a serious shout.
I won't reprint the entire list: it is the same as it was here with two differences. Fr Edmund Power, the Abbot of St Paul Outside The Walls has entered the lists, but after the publicity in the Catholic press for the Pope's visit to his monastery for the Pauline year, and the fact of his nationality (and the puff from Fr Blake), I expect that his 33/1 is speculative.
Much more worrying is that the money continues to go towrds Fr Timothy Radcliffe: his odds have shortened to 7/2. Why am I worried?
My guess is that this book is being managed by Paddy Power in two ways. First, by paying a modest retainer to a priest of the Westminster Diocese who is known to Paddy (either he likes a flutter himself, or he knows or is related to somebody who works for Paddy at HQ in Ireland), Paddy gets close (how close depends on who the priest is) to what Damian calls the Magic Circle and who they think the Pope will choose. There are three factors here: how good is Paddy's expert's contact list; how accurate is the guesswork of the people he knows; and how well does the contact understand the various dimensions of nuance that are in play?
The second piece of management is more blatant and less subtle: where is the money going? The more money put on any candidate, the more Paddy will have to pay out if that candidate wins; so a fall in a candidate's odds means that money is being placed in sufficient quantities to make Paddy want to cut his potential losses.
Why on earth would anybody be putting money on Fr Timothy Radcliffe? Why on earth would his odds be shortening? Why isn't Paddy offering 100/1 against the certainty that Fr Radcliffe will get nowhere near the Westminster cathedra?
I'd like to pretend that I think that this is Paddy's way of attracting money: but I think that there is a stable group out there who think that Fr R is in with a serious shout.
06 September 2008
Guilty Apologies
.Philip sent me an award which I knew not with what to do.
.
So I did nothing.
.
This scarcely expresses gratitude.
.
And the civility quotient was somewhere around zero.
>
So my apologies to Phil, especially as he is probably not at a point in his life when "taking it on the chin" is just the sort of thing he is looking for.
.
So the bad joke is for him:
.
Q: What do you call a vegetable a dinosaur has jumped on?
A: Squash.
A First Fruit ...
.
...of the reconciliation of the Redemptorists of Papa Stronsay seems to be the reconciliation of Confiteor, a former follower of the SSPX who, led by the example of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, has also returned to a position of full loyalty to the Pope and to Rome. And how!
He explains his background here, and proposes a "Pro Papa League" here: the League's function is to use the Internet to organise prayer for the Pope.
These are well worth a look.
...of the reconciliation of the Redemptorists of Papa Stronsay seems to be the reconciliation of Confiteor, a former follower of the SSPX who, led by the example of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, has also returned to a position of full loyalty to the Pope and to Rome. And how!
He explains his background here, and proposes a "Pro Papa League" here: the League's function is to use the Internet to organise prayer for the Pope.
These are well worth a look.
31 August 2008
A Fruit Of Merton
.
This, with permission, from an e-mail.
"A fruit of Merton: not one of the stranger Dons, but the effusion of grace into a town where there is now a regular EF Mass. The Mass doesn't replace anything: it is an extra, and at a time when there has never been a Mass, so the town gets an extra Mass.
And even though this extra Mass doesn't get mentioned in bulletins and such like, it quietly attracts a hundred people, most of whom would not attend Mass other than on Sunday.
And somebody took it upon himself or herself to buy a large number of copies of a booklet Missal:
"This 68-page 5½" x 8" booklet missal provides a compact source for praying the old Mass in Latin, as well as other traditional prayers and meditations. Large clear print, classic illustrations and concise explanations make this edition easy to follow for those already familiar with the Traditional Rite, as well as helpful for younger Catholics and anyone unfamiliar with the rituals of the Tridentine Mass and other time-honoured prayers of the Catholic Faith."
without asking or being asked, so that nobody should feel other than at home.
And an SSPX supporting and attending family came and made peace with the priest and gave him the best boost to his confidence possible: "Do your very best, but don't worry about making mistakes"; and then telling him afterwards how grateful to him they were.
And odd little requests for permission to help and support, and to ask if those attending might constitute themselves as a stable group.
And a discovery that various items of church plate and vestments had been, well, um, hidden, from an earlier "enthusiastic for new ways" PP, and were therefore available again.
And a bunch of willing, ready and able people of all ages who just wanted to help.
With a result that the priest and his server rang the bell and came out of the sacristy into a wall of love and support that provided edification for all present, and confidence and a sense of authority to the priest."
This is being played out all over England and Wales this summer. There are 50 more churches where, whenever the priest feels able, Mass is no longer Ordinary, but Extraordinary.
How can we thank not just the LMS for sponsoring the course at Merton, not just the priests who gave so freely of their time to train the priests who were there to learn, but also the priests who have heard the call from those who waited and longed for so many years?
This, with permission, from an e-mail.
"A fruit of Merton: not one of the stranger Dons, but the effusion of grace into a town where there is now a regular EF Mass. The Mass doesn't replace anything: it is an extra, and at a time when there has never been a Mass, so the town gets an extra Mass.
And even though this extra Mass doesn't get mentioned in bulletins and such like, it quietly attracts a hundred people, most of whom would not attend Mass other than on Sunday.
And somebody took it upon himself or herself to buy a large number of copies of a booklet Missal:
"This 68-page 5½" x 8" booklet missal provides a compact source for praying the old Mass in Latin, as well as other traditional prayers and meditations. Large clear print, classic illustrations and concise explanations make this edition easy to follow for those already familiar with the Traditional Rite, as well as helpful for younger Catholics and anyone unfamiliar with the rituals of the Tridentine Mass and other time-honoured prayers of the Catholic Faith."
without asking or being asked, so that nobody should feel other than at home.
And an SSPX supporting and attending family came and made peace with the priest and gave him the best boost to his confidence possible: "Do your very best, but don't worry about making mistakes"; and then telling him afterwards how grateful to him they were.
And odd little requests for permission to help and support, and to ask if those attending might constitute themselves as a stable group.
And a discovery that various items of church plate and vestments had been, well, um, hidden, from an earlier "enthusiastic for new ways" PP, and were therefore available again.
And a bunch of willing, ready and able people of all ages who just wanted to help.
With a result that the priest and his server rang the bell and came out of the sacristy into a wall of love and support that provided edification for all present, and confidence and a sense of authority to the priest."
This is being played out all over England and Wales this summer. There are 50 more churches where, whenever the priest feels able, Mass is no longer Ordinary, but Extraordinary.
How can we thank not just the LMS for sponsoring the course at Merton, not just the priests who gave so freely of their time to train the priests who were there to learn, but also the priests who have heard the call from those who waited and longed for so many years?
27 August 2008
Dominicans
One of the pleasures of following the blog of the Oxford Dominicans is the sheer intellectual quality of the stuff they post. "These lads will preach Heaven on a feria, and St Dominic every day." Their recent postings have followed their pilgrimage to Lourdes and have been as weighty as ever, but the veil parted for a split second at the Godzdogz blog, and we saw a vision of the iron behind the velvet.
Sister is on her second pint, while the lady trying to discuss her family tree is only half way down her second coke. The enigmatic smile reveals an understanding of the difference between cousins once- and cousins twice-removed which will shortly debunk the theory that Eric Gill actually left all of his property to the Jesuits. The mobile phone will soon be revealed as the Dominican equivalent of the sonic screwdriver.
"She is a Dominican nun, and, if it's OK with everybody else, I think we should surrender now."
26 August 2008
The Westminster Stakes - The End Is Nigh
.
A flurry of reports in the press told us that somebody had tried to put £40K on a priest of the Westminster Diocese, Mgr Curry, to succeed Cardinal MO'C. Paddy Power explained how he didn't take bets of that size on novelty books and said, to anyone who had eyes to see, that they would lose too much money if the bet came off! They added him at 40-1, but there are no other changes.
There was a whiff of a desperate bid to garner a last bit of momentum: everybody knows that the announcement will come soon; Paddy had his last chance of milking a few more pounds (and euros?) off a few latecomers, and the reports in the papers will have brought a few more bob in.
The list below is a hard-nosed bookmaker's guess at what might happen, and is informed by insiders, who are alongside, or at least near to, what Damian Thompson calls "The Magic Circle", and so reflects what they expect and what they hope. But there is also a dash of speculation, informed or otherwise: Abbot Gilbert and Cardinal Pell should not be on this list; and there is a mixture of deep affection, support from the blogosphere (and, to be truthful, wishful thinking) in Fr Finigan's appearance. This list isn't the Nuncio's: it's a qualified version of the Nuncio's; qualified by a punting faithful prepared to put its money where its heart is, but also by Paddy's understanding - presentiment? - that things might, just might, be about to change utterly.
Those preparing for the forthcoming ad limina visit of the Hierarchy of England and Wales in Rome will not be totally unaware of some of this, in spite of the fact that the Nuncio's report, accompanying the terna, will have had a very different take on where Catholics in E&W are in 2008, and what they want. The great unknown, the key unknown, is how far HH the Pope actually cares about us here: is it as much as he cares for everybody (and for which we give great thanks); or is it, as we dare hope, a care, indeed a love, that runs deeper? Time will tell, and soon.
Rt Rev Vincent Nichols 13-8 (5-4) (2-1) (7-4) (2-1) (7-2)
Fr Timothy Radcliffe 6-1 (10-1) (6-1)
Dom Hugh Gilbert 8-1 (6-1) (4-1)
Rt Rev Kevin McDonald 8-1 (6-1) (5-1) (7-2)
Bishop William Kenney 10-1 (9-1) (8-1) (15-2) (6-1)
Rt Rev Malcolm McMahon 10-1 (8-1)
Very Rev. Fr. Ignatius Harrison 10-1
Rt Rev Alan Hopes 12-1 (10-1) (8-1) (6-1) (11-2)
Rt Rev Arthur Roche 12-1 (10-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Fr T Finigan 16-1 (10-1)
Cardinal Pell 16-1 (12-1) (10-1)
Rt Rev Peter Smith 16-1 (12-1)
Fr Aidan Nichols 20-1 (14-1) (12-1) (11-1) (5-1) (6-1)
Bishop George Stack 20-1 (16-1)
Rt Rev Michael Evans 22-1 (20-1) (16-1)
Rt Rev Patrick Kelly 25-1 (16-1) (14-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Fr Christopher Jamison 25-1 (20-1)
Bishop John Rawsthorne 25-1 (20-1)
Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald 25-1 (16-1) (14-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue 33-1 (20-1) (16-1)
Rt Rev Bernard Longley 33-1 (20-1) (16-1) (14-1) (12-1)
Bishop John Patrick Crowley Non-runner (33-1)
Mgr Curry 40-1
A flurry of reports in the press told us that somebody had tried to put £40K on a priest of the Westminster Diocese, Mgr Curry, to succeed Cardinal MO'C. Paddy Power explained how he didn't take bets of that size on novelty books and said, to anyone who had eyes to see, that they would lose too much money if the bet came off! They added him at 40-1, but there are no other changes.
There was a whiff of a desperate bid to garner a last bit of momentum: everybody knows that the announcement will come soon; Paddy had his last chance of milking a few more pounds (and euros?) off a few latecomers, and the reports in the papers will have brought a few more bob in.
The list below is a hard-nosed bookmaker's guess at what might happen, and is informed by insiders, who are alongside, or at least near to, what Damian Thompson calls "The Magic Circle", and so reflects what they expect and what they hope. But there is also a dash of speculation, informed or otherwise: Abbot Gilbert and Cardinal Pell should not be on this list; and there is a mixture of deep affection, support from the blogosphere (and, to be truthful, wishful thinking) in Fr Finigan's appearance. This list isn't the Nuncio's: it's a qualified version of the Nuncio's; qualified by a punting faithful prepared to put its money where its heart is, but also by Paddy's understanding - presentiment? - that things might, just might, be about to change utterly.
Those preparing for the forthcoming ad limina visit of the Hierarchy of England and Wales in Rome will not be totally unaware of some of this, in spite of the fact that the Nuncio's report, accompanying the terna, will have had a very different take on where Catholics in E&W are in 2008, and what they want. The great unknown, the key unknown, is how far HH the Pope actually cares about us here: is it as much as he cares for everybody (and for which we give great thanks); or is it, as we dare hope, a care, indeed a love, that runs deeper? Time will tell, and soon.
Rt Rev Vincent Nichols 13-8 (5-4) (2-1) (7-4) (2-1) (7-2)
Fr Timothy Radcliffe 6-1 (10-1) (6-1)
Dom Hugh Gilbert 8-1 (6-1) (4-1)
Rt Rev Kevin McDonald 8-1 (6-1) (5-1) (7-2)
Bishop William Kenney 10-1 (9-1) (8-1) (15-2) (6-1)
Rt Rev Malcolm McMahon 10-1 (8-1)
Very Rev. Fr. Ignatius Harrison 10-1
Rt Rev Alan Hopes 12-1 (10-1) (8-1) (6-1) (11-2)
Rt Rev Arthur Roche 12-1 (10-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Fr T Finigan 16-1 (10-1)
Cardinal Pell 16-1 (12-1) (10-1)
Rt Rev Peter Smith 16-1 (12-1)
Fr Aidan Nichols 20-1 (14-1) (12-1) (11-1) (5-1) (6-1)
Bishop George Stack 20-1 (16-1)
Rt Rev Michael Evans 22-1 (20-1) (16-1)
Rt Rev Patrick Kelly 25-1 (16-1) (14-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Fr Christopher Jamison 25-1 (20-1)
Bishop John Rawsthorne 25-1 (20-1)
Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald 25-1 (16-1) (14-1) (12-1) (10-1) (12-1)
Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue 33-1 (20-1) (16-1)
Rt Rev Bernard Longley 33-1 (20-1) (16-1) (14-1) (12-1)
Bishop John Patrick Crowley Non-runner (33-1)
Mgr Curry 40-1
24 August 2008
A Pretty Haul
I've done rather well for my birthday: a Baronius 1962 missal and a cut down 1962 Breviary for lay people; the complete Only Fools And Horses; Elgar's Coronation Ode; and the Hilliard Ensemble; the first series of Count Arthur Strong's radio show (in my mind, the Harry Worth de nos jours); Tommy Lascelles' Diaries (he was PS to George VI), Simon Winchester on Outposts of Empire, David Crystal on Language, and a selection of Boris Johnson's journalism; and Nixonland by Rick Perlstein; and Göran Söllscher's amazing take on Lennon and McCartney.
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I may not be around so much for the next few days ...
23 August 2008
A Meme From Mac
"If you should pass from our presence, what picture of you shall we use for your saint's card, should you be so elevated, and of what do you want to be patron?"
No pictures of me, please: an injunction to pray will be fine. In the old days, when someone died, you had a card made up; all black and white, obviously, it would have a picture of (say) the Crucifixion on one side with a caption (say) "My Jesus, Mercy" and on the other something like: "Pray for the happy repose of the soul of John Smith who died in Manchester on 1 January 1975. Grant him, Lord, refreshment, light and peace." (Apart from the name and date, that's copied straight from a card in my Missal.)
Both of my parents are bookmarks (I blame my sister), with a photo, a long prayer, quotations from the Saints, and (this is one problem) a four week wait after the funeral for them and a cost which limits the number to hand out. Another problem is that people don't have missals nowadays.
Anyway: no photo for me; a card just as described above, and if anyone wants to ask me conditionally (if thou shalt have been saved) for help, then I will support anybody who needs the grace of longanimity when faced by people who do not believe in punctuality. You'll have to pray conditionally, because I won't be up there myself unless I choose to accept this gift. But that's another chapter ...
No pictures of me, please: an injunction to pray will be fine. In the old days, when someone died, you had a card made up; all black and white, obviously, it would have a picture of (say) the Crucifixion on one side with a caption (say) "My Jesus, Mercy" and on the other something like: "Pray for the happy repose of the soul of John Smith who died in Manchester on 1 January 1975. Grant him, Lord, refreshment, light and peace." (Apart from the name and date, that's copied straight from a card in my Missal.)
Both of my parents are bookmarks (I blame my sister), with a photo, a long prayer, quotations from the Saints, and (this is one problem) a four week wait after the funeral for them and a cost which limits the number to hand out. Another problem is that people don't have missals nowadays.
Anyway: no photo for me; a card just as described above, and if anyone wants to ask me conditionally (if thou shalt have been saved) for help, then I will support anybody who needs the grace of longanimity when faced by people who do not believe in punctuality. You'll have to pray conditionally, because I won't be up there myself unless I choose to accept this gift. But that's another chapter ...
20 August 2008
Jumping On Eggs Without Breaking Them
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When thinking about sports we might win at the 2012 Olympic Games, my mind naturally turned to the old Lancashire favourites, like Soot Throwing, Mud Juggling, Gravy Racing and Horse Blowing. I had recently averred to a fellow blogger that the day that we could reintroduce Women's Buttock Clenching would see a clean sweep of medals, when a team of three sixty-five year old women from Ramsbottom would be invited to watch a five minute video of Graham Norton in silence.
I had forgotten, until reminded by Catholic and Loving It of Jumping On Eggs Without Breaking Them. Here is a piece of historic video evidence of a sport at which Lancastrians excel. What Manchester does today, the world does tomorrow! But not before we have won the gold medal.
Anybody pining for the young Sue Lawley - Sue with Hair - will enjoy this all the more. And for aficionados of TV theme tunes: when was the last time that the theme of Nationwide sounded out in your house?
When thinking about sports we might win at the 2012 Olympic Games, my mind naturally turned to the old Lancashire favourites, like Soot Throwing, Mud Juggling, Gravy Racing and Horse Blowing. I had recently averred to a fellow blogger that the day that we could reintroduce Women's Buttock Clenching would see a clean sweep of medals, when a team of three sixty-five year old women from Ramsbottom would be invited to watch a five minute video of Graham Norton in silence.
I had forgotten, until reminded by Catholic and Loving It of Jumping On Eggs Without Breaking Them. Here is a piece of historic video evidence of a sport at which Lancastrians excel. What Manchester does today, the world does tomorrow! But not before we have won the gold medal.
Anybody pining for the young Sue Lawley - Sue with Hair - will enjoy this all the more. And for aficionados of TV theme tunes: when was the last time that the theme of Nationwide sounded out in your house?
19 August 2008
A Time To Stand, A Time To Kneel ...
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I found this at Rubrics and Ritual. It is from an 1852 edition of The Rambler. The last paragraph is pretty important.
It is of no use, we say, to urge these outward changes against us, as though our faith concerning the Sacrament itself had undergone any corresponding modification. Far from it. Outward acts of this kind take their meaning from the intention of those who use them; and daily experience shews us how frequently the same inward feeling may develop itself in apparently opposite outward manifestations.
In most Catholic countries the name of Mary is given to well-nigh every child that is born, out of love and reverence to the spotless Virgin, Mother of God; yet there have been some places where the people have abstained from giving the name to any child whatever for the very same reason.
Ordinarily the Church forbids the use of any but the most costly vessels of gold and silver about the holy Eucharist; yet, as we have seen, St. Exuperius is commended for using only a wicker-basket, having sold the gold and silver to give to the poor.
At one time the Church does not allow the laity to touch the sacred Host, nor even any of the vessels which belong to it, that so they may entertain the deepest reverence for it; at another she allows them to take it into their hands, to touch all their organs of sense with it, even to preserve it in their own houses, that they may thankfully avail themselves to the utmost of so precious a gift of God.
In one place she administers the life-giving Sacrament only under one kind, in order to avoid accidental irreverences which the use of the chalice entails; in another she administers it under both kinds, in order to set before our minds in a more lively manner the passion and death of Christ, and his own most sacred institution.
It is right that we should receive this holy Sacrament upon our knees, to express the humility and self-abasement with which we should always appear before the majesty of the Son of God; yet there have been times when it was deemed right that men should receive it standing, to shew forth the resurrection of Christ, and their own resurrection in and by Him.
Even so, in the very same way, it is fitting that this Sacrament should be withdrawn as far as possible from human gaze, that men should learn to appreciate its surpassing dignity, and to think and speak of it with becoming reverence; but it is no less fitting that it should be set up on high and exhibited in solemn procession, that it may be proposed to the people as the object of their adoration and worship.
It is right that the sight of it should be forbidden to unfaithful Christians and notorious sinners, to render them more fully aware of their unworthiness; and yet, again, the sight of it may well be permitted to them, in order to enkindle in them feelings of love and affection for so good and gracious a Redeemer.
Only it belongs to the rulers of the Church, and not to private individuals, to determine the time and place, and all the other circumstances, which require one of these manifestations rather than the other; it is these who are appointed over the Lord's family to give them meat in season
I found this at Rubrics and Ritual. It is from an 1852 edition of The Rambler. The last paragraph is pretty important.
It is of no use, we say, to urge these outward changes against us, as though our faith concerning the Sacrament itself had undergone any corresponding modification. Far from it. Outward acts of this kind take their meaning from the intention of those who use them; and daily experience shews us how frequently the same inward feeling may develop itself in apparently opposite outward manifestations.
In most Catholic countries the name of Mary is given to well-nigh every child that is born, out of love and reverence to the spotless Virgin, Mother of God; yet there have been some places where the people have abstained from giving the name to any child whatever for the very same reason.
Ordinarily the Church forbids the use of any but the most costly vessels of gold and silver about the holy Eucharist; yet, as we have seen, St. Exuperius is commended for using only a wicker-basket, having sold the gold and silver to give to the poor.
At one time the Church does not allow the laity to touch the sacred Host, nor even any of the vessels which belong to it, that so they may entertain the deepest reverence for it; at another she allows them to take it into their hands, to touch all their organs of sense with it, even to preserve it in their own houses, that they may thankfully avail themselves to the utmost of so precious a gift of God.
In one place she administers the life-giving Sacrament only under one kind, in order to avoid accidental irreverences which the use of the chalice entails; in another she administers it under both kinds, in order to set before our minds in a more lively manner the passion and death of Christ, and his own most sacred institution.
It is right that we should receive this holy Sacrament upon our knees, to express the humility and self-abasement with which we should always appear before the majesty of the Son of God; yet there have been times when it was deemed right that men should receive it standing, to shew forth the resurrection of Christ, and their own resurrection in and by Him.
Even so, in the very same way, it is fitting that this Sacrament should be withdrawn as far as possible from human gaze, that men should learn to appreciate its surpassing dignity, and to think and speak of it with becoming reverence; but it is no less fitting that it should be set up on high and exhibited in solemn procession, that it may be proposed to the people as the object of their adoration and worship.
It is right that the sight of it should be forbidden to unfaithful Christians and notorious sinners, to render them more fully aware of their unworthiness; and yet, again, the sight of it may well be permitted to them, in order to enkindle in them feelings of love and affection for so good and gracious a Redeemer.
Only it belongs to the rulers of the Church, and not to private individuals, to determine the time and place, and all the other circumstances, which require one of these manifestations rather than the other; it is these who are appointed over the Lord's family to give them meat in season
17 August 2008
The Roving Mediaevalist Uncovered
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Jeffrey revealed rather more of himself than he meant to when he was interviewed for the Toledo Free Press here. (For anybody who doesn't know Jeffrey, that's the Toledo in the USA, not the one in Spain .)
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Jeffrey is an incurable anglophile, an incurable romantic, and an inextinguishable Catholic. He can do curmudgeonly like nobody else in the Catholic blogosphere, but this article shows the pussy cat within.
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This is the man who runs more blogs than anyone else I know, and their variety shows the variety of interests of the man himself: the mediaeval comes first, but also the Baroque, and anything modern that is worthwhile; anything British that illuminates what the UK has done for the world; royal portraits, as an insight into the soul of some of those who have led us; half-timbered buildings; cemeteries; here is a man who can find an interest in anything and communicate it to the rest of us.
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Ad Multos Annos.
13 August 2008
Georgia
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I wondered earlier, when I saw a report in the Telegraph that Russia has annexed 20% of Georgia, and while they don't aim to overthrow the Georgian government, they wouldn't mind at all if it was replaced, if this is what the invasion of the Sudentenland and the Munich Agreement felt like in 1938.
Georgia is a "small far-away country of which we know nothing", as the British Prime Minister described Czechoslovakia at the time. There are all sort of historical reasons and pretexts for the Russians to occupy South Ossetia.
But it feels to me (myself, personally, on my own, not speaking for anybody else) deeply, deeply, shameful, that the UK has done nothing at all while Russia behaves like the world's bully and gets away with it.
I wondered earlier, when I saw a report in the Telegraph that Russia has annexed 20% of Georgia, and while they don't aim to overthrow the Georgian government, they wouldn't mind at all if it was replaced, if this is what the invasion of the Sudentenland and the Munich Agreement felt like in 1938.
Georgia is a "small far-away country of which we know nothing", as the British Prime Minister described Czechoslovakia at the time. There are all sort of historical reasons and pretexts for the Russians to occupy South Ossetia.
But it feels to me (myself, personally, on my own, not speaking for anybody else) deeply, deeply, shameful, that the UK has done nothing at all while Russia behaves like the world's bully and gets away with it.
12 August 2008
Ancient Fm
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For those of us who have Internet radios, there is a piece of good news.
A new radio station, which announces itself as "Ancient FM - Online Streaming Renaissance and Mediaeval Music" is playing music which (to my ears) sounds like after 1000 and before 1600. There are no announcements, no adverts, no news breaks, no weather reports. Just continuous mediaeval and renaissance music.
My guess is that the station is in the process of being set up and that what I am getting is a test transmission: remember, 24 hours a day of rennaissance and mediaeval music with no announcemenets, no adverts, no news breaks and no weather reports.
They have a website, but no way of linking to the audio from it. But this feels like something worth bookmarking for the future. I wish I had shares in it!
For those of us who have Internet radios, there is a piece of good news.
A new radio station, which announces itself as "Ancient FM - Online Streaming Renaissance and Mediaeval Music" is playing music which (to my ears) sounds like after 1000 and before 1600. There are no announcements, no adverts, no news breaks, no weather reports. Just continuous mediaeval and renaissance music.
My guess is that the station is in the process of being set up and that what I am getting is a test transmission: remember, 24 hours a day of rennaissance and mediaeval music with no announcemenets, no adverts, no news breaks and no weather reports.
They have a website, but no way of linking to the audio from it. But this feels like something worth bookmarking for the future. I wish I had shares in it!
11 August 2008
10 August 2008
Is It Me?
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If you look here, you will find that the Salesian Order has donated a hostel for novices at a Buddhist Monastery in Sri Lanka.
"A brilliant example of Christian Charity came live with the donation of a 'Sangawasaya' - hostel by the Salesian Fathers of Don Bosco for the use of Novice Monks of the 'Buddha Sasana' studying at 'Sri Gnanissara Pirivena' at the 'Sri Priyadharshanaramaya' Temple, at 'Palugollagama, Megodawewa', a remote village in the Anuradhapura district in the North Central Province at a cost of Rs. 1.4 million.
Very Rev. Fr. Anthony H. Pinto, Provincial of the Salesian community in Sri Lanka said that it was a donation from his Congregation. This offering t the pinkama is not something purely personal but a donation from my Congregation. We are celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the presence of Our Congregation in Sri Lanka. This is one way of extending our fraternal love towards the other religions. Converting the Buddhists does not motivate us but we are keen to see that they live a better life as Buddhists, he said."
Now, is it just cynicsm that makes me wonder where the 1.4 million rupees came from, and what the donors thought it was destined for?
If you look here, you will find that the Salesian Order has donated a hostel for novices at a Buddhist Monastery in Sri Lanka.
"A brilliant example of Christian Charity came live with the donation of a 'Sangawasaya' - hostel by the Salesian Fathers of Don Bosco for the use of Novice Monks of the 'Buddha Sasana' studying at 'Sri Gnanissara Pirivena' at the 'Sri Priyadharshanaramaya' Temple, at 'Palugollagama, Megodawewa', a remote village in the Anuradhapura district in the North Central Province at a cost of Rs. 1.4 million.
Very Rev. Fr. Anthony H. Pinto, Provincial of the Salesian community in Sri Lanka said that it was a donation from his Congregation. This offering t the pinkama is not something purely personal but a donation from my Congregation. We are celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the presence of Our Congregation in Sri Lanka. This is one way of extending our fraternal love towards the other religions. Converting the Buddhists does not motivate us but we are keen to see that they live a better life as Buddhists, he said."
Now, is it just cynicsm that makes me wonder where the 1.4 million rupees came from, and what the donors thought it was destined for?
07 August 2008
Love Of Music: A Fruit Of Mancunian Municipal Socialism
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Tonight's Prom's main work has just started: Dvorak's 8th. I am remembering how and when I heard it first.
In 1973 the unifying forces of local government reorganisation produced, prior to the dismemberment of the county system, a unified bus system for what was still not the County of Greater Manchester. It was called Selnec (South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire), as that is what the County was originally intended to be called, though somebody without cloth ears realised eventually what was going on. (There is a "compare and contrast" lesson with the Bugnini reforms to be made here, but I have neither the time nor the inclination.)
We had socialist bus fares: under 16s paid 2p for any journey. That meant 4p return.
The Halle Orchestra held its Proms over what I remember as a three week season in May or June. Its promenading tickets (standing at the back of the stalls of the Free Trade Hall) cost 10p each. I had a Saturday job at Lewis's: it paid £2.08. That meant I could go to every concert during the season, and that year, I did.
It changed my musical tastes completely; it changed me completely. (Though unlike the Prommers tonight, I didn't applaud after the First Movement.)
(The percipient will wonder how the remaining £1.20 was spent: a lot of pubs were happy to serve people under age, or you could get a blob at Yates' for 10p; a couple of nights of abstinence meant a couple of blobs at Yates'!)
And Dvorak remains (however sentimentally) a favourite.
Tonight's Prom's main work has just started: Dvorak's 8th. I am remembering how and when I heard it first.
In 1973 the unifying forces of local government reorganisation produced, prior to the dismemberment of the county system, a unified bus system for what was still not the County of Greater Manchester. It was called Selnec (South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire), as that is what the County was originally intended to be called, though somebody without cloth ears realised eventually what was going on. (There is a "compare and contrast" lesson with the Bugnini reforms to be made here, but I have neither the time nor the inclination.)
We had socialist bus fares: under 16s paid 2p for any journey. That meant 4p return.
The Halle Orchestra held its Proms over what I remember as a three week season in May or June. Its promenading tickets (standing at the back of the stalls of the Free Trade Hall) cost 10p each. I had a Saturday job at Lewis's: it paid £2.08. That meant I could go to every concert during the season, and that year, I did.
It changed my musical tastes completely; it changed me completely. (Though unlike the Prommers tonight, I didn't applaud after the First Movement.)
(The percipient will wonder how the remaining £1.20 was spent: a lot of pubs were happy to serve people under age, or you could get a blob at Yates' for 10p; a couple of nights of abstinence meant a couple of blobs at Yates'!)
And Dvorak remains (however sentimentally) a favourite.
05 August 2008
New ICEL Translations
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This might just be me.
The Offertory, and Eucharistic Prayers II and III are very similar to what we have now (allowing for the fact that the "translators" of what we use currently believed in a totally discredited theory of translation called "dynamic equivalence"). Eucharistic Prayer I, which had been dreadfully mangled by dynamic equivalence, looks far more like a version of what would have been in a 1962 bilingual Missal.
Eucharistic Prayer IV, however, looks weedy (weedier), impoverished (even more impoverished), and, dare I say it, (even more) unusable.
Whichever of the clergy and laity needs catechesis and whichever needs preparation, the choice of Eucharistic Prayer, which in the rubrics of the Ordinary Form is wishy-washy, needs to be sorted out.
This might just be me.
The Offertory, and Eucharistic Prayers II and III are very similar to what we have now (allowing for the fact that the "translators" of what we use currently believed in a totally discredited theory of translation called "dynamic equivalence"). Eucharistic Prayer I, which had been dreadfully mangled by dynamic equivalence, looks far more like a version of what would have been in a 1962 bilingual Missal.
Eucharistic Prayer IV, however, looks weedy (weedier), impoverished (even more impoverished), and, dare I say it, (even more) unusable.
Whichever of the clergy and laity needs catechesis and whichever needs preparation, the choice of Eucharistic Prayer, which in the rubrics of the Ordinary Form is wishy-washy, needs to be sorted out.
You Know You're Old When ...
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At the dinner table, I mentioned having read in the paper that ABBA were at the top of the Hit Parade. Blank looks from my 17 and 14 year olds. "It's in the paper: they're at Number One."
Son starts laughing uncontrollably: "You mean top of the charts - number one in the charts. I thought you were talking about one of those parades of wanted people."
And daughter added: "What does 'Hit Parade' mean?" As soon as they got down from the table, they, still laughing, began to text the story of the latest thing their fossil father had come out with.
I then mimed "grumpy old man" for a couple of hours.
At the dinner table, I mentioned having read in the paper that ABBA were at the top of the Hit Parade. Blank looks from my 17 and 14 year olds. "It's in the paper: they're at Number One."
Son starts laughing uncontrollably: "You mean top of the charts - number one in the charts. I thought you were talking about one of those parades of wanted people."
And daughter added: "What does 'Hit Parade' mean?" As soon as they got down from the table, they, still laughing, began to text the story of the latest thing their fossil father had come out with.
I then mimed "grumpy old man" for a couple of hours.
03 August 2008
The Twelve Baskets Of Leftovers
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The twelve baskets of leftovers after the feeding of the five thousand can be thought of as illustrating the abundance of good things that God freely offers to us, not least the Liturgy. And the Liturgy isn't just the Mass: it is the other six sacraments and the Divine Office as well. And the Mass isn't just the New Mass we've have known since 1973, but is also the 1962 Missal of Bl John XXIII. Thus the start of a sermon this morning by a priest who has spent the last week in Merton and is on fire with what he has discovered.
Whatever the fruits that the Church in England and Wales will enjoy, and which arise from the training sessions organised by the LMS at Merton College this year and last, we owe a tremendous debt is to those few heroes who understood what the Pope intended and worked out how to implement it. As Moretben wrote in my combox:
"It's mainstream, even establishment people like Fr Finigan who are the real radicals - who are prepared to go fearlessly to the roots of the crisis, unconstrained by a monocular, dualistic obsession with Modernism."
So as I heard the announcement of the return of the Extraordinary Form to a parish, to complement and enrich normal parish worship, I gave thanks for all those who have laboured to make it so, and who are seeing the fruits of their labour being gathered without great rancour, without great argument, without great fuss.
And I'll repeat them here.
Thank you.
The twelve baskets of leftovers after the feeding of the five thousand can be thought of as illustrating the abundance of good things that God freely offers to us, not least the Liturgy. And the Liturgy isn't just the Mass: it is the other six sacraments and the Divine Office as well. And the Mass isn't just the New Mass we've have known since 1973, but is also the 1962 Missal of Bl John XXIII. Thus the start of a sermon this morning by a priest who has spent the last week in Merton and is on fire with what he has discovered.
Whatever the fruits that the Church in England and Wales will enjoy, and which arise from the training sessions organised by the LMS at Merton College this year and last, we owe a tremendous debt is to those few heroes who understood what the Pope intended and worked out how to implement it. As Moretben wrote in my combox:
"It's mainstream, even establishment people like Fr Finigan who are the real radicals - who are prepared to go fearlessly to the roots of the crisis, unconstrained by a monocular, dualistic obsession with Modernism."
So as I heard the announcement of the return of the Extraordinary Form to a parish, to complement and enrich normal parish worship, I gave thanks for all those who have laboured to make it so, and who are seeing the fruits of their labour being gathered without great rancour, without great argument, without great fuss.
And I'll repeat them here.
Thank you.
01 August 2008
More From Gloria.Tv
.
On the site itself, each proposition of the Catechism is presented in a manner similar to this:
One match looks like the other But when it comes to Christ compared to those who came before him, than the situation is different.
On the site itself, each proposition of the Catechism is presented in a manner similar to this:
One match looks like the other But when it comes to Christ compared to those who came before him, than the situation is different.
A Guilty Secret ...
.
This summer I am rereading one by one all of the Dick Francis books I have. I think there are eighteen out on shelves, and a similar number in boxes in the garage.
.
The guilty secret is that I think he is a much, much, better writer of crime fiction than Agatha Christie. After the Doctor Who episode about her, I took down "Death in the Clouds" to reread it and found it to be not just dated, not just as poorly written as a Jeffrey Archer, but badly plotted as well.
.
Dick Francis has created a world in which he can be absolutely confident as he writes and in which I can happily suspend my disbelief. Sheer brilliance!
31 July 2008
Miliband: Not One Of Us
.
From the Telegraph, here.
"Miliband was brought up in an intensely political household as his father Ralph was the Marxist intellectual. The house, in Primrose Hill in north London where Miliband now lives, was a meeting place of the left-wing intellectuals.
...
Miliband, a devout atheist, had forged his reputation as a policy wonk at the Left-leaning Institute for Public Policy Research and was headhunted to became Tony Blair's head of policy at Downing Street. "
From the Telegraph, here.
"Miliband was brought up in an intensely political household as his father Ralph was the Marxist intellectual. The house, in Primrose Hill in north London where Miliband now lives, was a meeting place of the left-wing intellectuals.
...
Miliband, a devout atheist, had forged his reputation as a policy wonk at the Left-leaning Institute for Public Policy Research and was headhunted to became Tony Blair's head of policy at Downing Street. "
Apostolicae Curae 2008
.
"It also seems to us that the Anglican commitment to being ‘episcopally led and synodically governed’ has not always functioned in such a way as to maintain the apostolicity of the faith, and that synodical government misunderstood as a kind of parliamentary process has at times blocked the sort of episcopal leadership envisaged by Cyprian and articulated in ARCIC."
Cardinal Kasper. Lambeth. July 2008
"It also seems to us that the Anglican commitment to being ‘episcopally led and synodically governed’ has not always functioned in such a way as to maintain the apostolicity of the faith, and that synodical government misunderstood as a kind of parliamentary process has at times blocked the sort of episcopal leadership envisaged by Cyprian and articulated in ARCIC."
Cardinal Kasper. Lambeth. July 2008
Something Else
.
I am becoming addicted to www.gloria.tv which isn't from Tuvalu, but is a sort of Catholic YouTube. This is one episode from the Catechism.
I am becoming addicted to www.gloria.tv which isn't from Tuvalu, but is a sort of Catholic YouTube. This is one episode from the Catechism.
30 July 2008
From Ecône To Rome
.
Blogging is sometimes a way for great truths to be expounded. Here a Mancunian (even if his vocation is universal, you can't take Manchester out of the boy) blogger tells a great truth to the world about the SSPX and the Church.
There is no rancour: indeed, no need for rancour. This is a humbling story which disproves (without ever setting out to disprove) the canard we sometimes still face of Catholics having to give up our intelligence to belong to our Church.
There is room for a UK branch of the Good Shepherd Institute: I'd love to see a Bishop who might invite the Institute to set one up.
Blogging is sometimes a way for great truths to be expounded. Here a Mancunian (even if his vocation is universal, you can't take Manchester out of the boy) blogger tells a great truth to the world about the SSPX and the Church.
There is no rancour: indeed, no need for rancour. This is a humbling story which disproves (without ever setting out to disprove) the canard we sometimes still face of Catholics having to give up our intelligence to belong to our Church.
There is room for a UK branch of the Good Shepherd Institute: I'd love to see a Bishop who might invite the Institute to set one up.
29 July 2008
Baker, Oregon
.
That's in America. It has a Catholic Diocese, which has a Catholic Bishop. It sent its Bishop to the World Youth Day in Australia, and he catechised. His catechetical gifts impressed catechists: see here!
What impressed me most was that Bishop Vasa (Thanks for the ciorrection, Athanasius) has put in place pastoral guidelines for his Diocese calling on anybody whose role within the Church entails a presumption of orthodoxy has to make an affirmation of orthodoxy. I wonder if we could have anything similar here.
AFFIRMATION OF PERSONAL FAITH
The Church requires the making of a Profession of Faith by various persons when they undertake specific duties related to Church administration and teaching. (cf. Canon 833)
In the Diocese of Baker this has been expanded to include those who take on the ecclesial duties of Catechist, Liturgical Reader, Cantor, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and other Church positions which entail a presumption of orthodoxy.
“I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church teaches, believes and proclaims to be revealed by God.” In particular:
I affirm and believe the Church’s teaching about the inviolability of human life. In accord with that teaching I affirm that human life is sacred and must be protected and respected from the moment of conception until natural death. I affirm that I reject direct, intentional abortion and I do not recognize the legitimacy of anyone’s claim to a moral right to form their own conscience in this matter. I am not pro-choice. I further attest that I am not affiliated with, nor supportive of, any organization which supports, encourages, provides or otherwise endorses abortion or euthanasia. (cf. CCC 2270-2283)
I affirm and believe the Church’s teaching about the sinfulness of contraception. I affirm, in accord with the teachings of the Church that “every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible” is intrinsically evil. (CCC 2370)
I affirm and believe that every person is called to chastity in accord with their present state of life and that it is only in marriage between man and woman that the intimacy of spouses becomes a sign and pledge of spiritual communion. (CCC 2337—2365)
I accept the Church’s teaching that any extra-marital sexual relationships are gravely evil and that these include pre-marital relations, masturbation, fornication, the viewing of pornography and homosexual relations.
I affirm and believe the teaching of the Church about the evil of homosexual acts. I accept the formulation in the Catechism which states: “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.” (CCC 2357)
I affirm and believe all that the Church teaches about the Reality and Presence of Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist. Specifically I believe that Jesus is present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity under each of the forms of bread and wine and that receiving either one is Communion with the whole Christ. I recognize that worship and adoration are appropriate, not only during Mass but also outside of Mass and that the Most Holy Eucharist must always be handled with the utmost care and devotion. (CCC 1373-1381)
I affirm and believe the teachings of the Church regarding Mary, Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church. I accept with the Church that it is fitting and proper to honor the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. (CCC 963-975)
I affirm and believe that it is possible for a person to choose to remain separated from God for all eternity and that “This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called “hell.”” (CCC 1033)
I affirm and believe that those who die in God’s grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified undergo additional purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joys of heaven. I affirm that the Church’s name for this final purification is Purgatory. (CCC 1030-1032)
I affirm and believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and embrace the teachings about that Church as enunciated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (cf. CCC 748-962)
I affirm and believe that the Church teaches with God-given authority and that the promise of Christ to remain with His Church always, until the end of time is a reality. I further acknowledge that those teachings pronounced in a definitive manner, even though not as an infallible definition, are binding on the consciencesof the faithful and are to be adhered to with religious assent. (CCC 892)
To these and to all the teaching of the Catholic Church I give my assent. I attest that I believe these things and, while I am aware of my own sinfulness and shortcomings, I strive in my beliefs and life style to conform to this Affirmation of Personal of Faith.
That's in America. It has a Catholic Diocese, which has a Catholic Bishop. It sent its Bishop to the World Youth Day in Australia, and he catechised. His catechetical gifts impressed catechists: see here!
What impressed me most was that Bishop Vasa (Thanks for the ciorrection, Athanasius) has put in place pastoral guidelines for his Diocese calling on anybody whose role within the Church entails a presumption of orthodoxy has to make an affirmation of orthodoxy. I wonder if we could have anything similar here.
AFFIRMATION OF PERSONAL FAITH
The Church requires the making of a Profession of Faith by various persons when they undertake specific duties related to Church administration and teaching. (cf. Canon 833)
In the Diocese of Baker this has been expanded to include those who take on the ecclesial duties of Catechist, Liturgical Reader, Cantor, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and other Church positions which entail a presumption of orthodoxy.
“I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church teaches, believes and proclaims to be revealed by God.” In particular:
I affirm and believe the Church’s teaching about the inviolability of human life. In accord with that teaching I affirm that human life is sacred and must be protected and respected from the moment of conception until natural death. I affirm that I reject direct, intentional abortion and I do not recognize the legitimacy of anyone’s claim to a moral right to form their own conscience in this matter. I am not pro-choice. I further attest that I am not affiliated with, nor supportive of, any organization which supports, encourages, provides or otherwise endorses abortion or euthanasia. (cf. CCC 2270-2283)
I affirm and believe the Church’s teaching about the sinfulness of contraception. I affirm, in accord with the teachings of the Church that “every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible” is intrinsically evil. (CCC 2370)
I affirm and believe that every person is called to chastity in accord with their present state of life and that it is only in marriage between man and woman that the intimacy of spouses becomes a sign and pledge of spiritual communion. (CCC 2337—2365)
I accept the Church’s teaching that any extra-marital sexual relationships are gravely evil and that these include pre-marital relations, masturbation, fornication, the viewing of pornography and homosexual relations.
I affirm and believe the teaching of the Church about the evil of homosexual acts. I accept the formulation in the Catechism which states: “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.” (CCC 2357)
I affirm and believe all that the Church teaches about the Reality and Presence of Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist. Specifically I believe that Jesus is present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity under each of the forms of bread and wine and that receiving either one is Communion with the whole Christ. I recognize that worship and adoration are appropriate, not only during Mass but also outside of Mass and that the Most Holy Eucharist must always be handled with the utmost care and devotion. (CCC 1373-1381)
I affirm and believe the teachings of the Church regarding Mary, Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church. I accept with the Church that it is fitting and proper to honor the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. (CCC 963-975)
I affirm and believe that it is possible for a person to choose to remain separated from God for all eternity and that “This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called “hell.”” (CCC 1033)
I affirm and believe that those who die in God’s grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified undergo additional purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joys of heaven. I affirm that the Church’s name for this final purification is Purgatory. (CCC 1030-1032)
I affirm and believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and embrace the teachings about that Church as enunciated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (cf. CCC 748-962)
I affirm and believe that the Church teaches with God-given authority and that the promise of Christ to remain with His Church always, until the end of time is a reality. I further acknowledge that those teachings pronounced in a definitive manner, even though not as an infallible definition, are binding on the consciencesof the faithful and are to be adhered to with religious assent. (CCC 892)
To these and to all the teaching of the Catholic Church I give my assent. I attest that I believe these things and, while I am aware of my own sinfulness and shortcomings, I strive in my beliefs and life style to conform to this Affirmation of Personal of Faith.
28 July 2008
New Film About St Philip Howard
.
Available here, and for only £12.99 + £1.25 p&p:
"A new and inspiring film telling the fascinating story of Saint Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, martyred in the Tower of London for his Catholic faith. This short film is told in Saint Philip's own words and is a moving and interesting journey set in 16th Century England. With historical images, original footage and a beautiful original soundtrack 'Philip of Arundel' seeks to renew interest and devotion in an inspiring Catholic Englishman so important for today."
I thought it was a film, but both the site and the trailer are coy about whether there is any drama, or whether this is a DVD of spoken word with a few pictures.
The subject is promising.
Available here, and for only £12.99 + £1.25 p&p:
"A new and inspiring film telling the fascinating story of Saint Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, martyred in the Tower of London for his Catholic faith. This short film is told in Saint Philip's own words and is a moving and interesting journey set in 16th Century England. With historical images, original footage and a beautiful original soundtrack 'Philip of Arundel' seeks to renew interest and devotion in an inspiring Catholic Englishman so important for today."
I thought it was a film, but both the site and the trailer are coy about whether there is any drama, or whether this is a DVD of spoken word with a few pictures.
The subject is promising.
Everything Wrong With Modern Catholic Music In One Video
.
Well, nearly.
"How not to sing the Salve Regina", according to Chris Gillibrand here.
But also, why should the priest rearrange the altar to suit the guitarist? Is the guitar a suitable liturgical instrument? Why translate, especially when the Latin version of the Salve Regina is intelligible to most Italians? Should those leading liturgical singing be able to sing?
Well, nearly.
"How not to sing the Salve Regina", according to Chris Gillibrand here.
But also, why should the priest rearrange the altar to suit the guitarist? Is the guitar a suitable liturgical instrument? Why translate, especially when the Latin version of the Salve Regina is intelligible to most Italians? Should those leading liturgical singing be able to sing?
26 July 2008
Sounds Unfamiliar
.
School holidays mean changed patterns of life for parents. This week I found myself using the bus to get to and from work most days. I noticed that Fr Z (whom God preserve!) had a podcast interview with Fr Tim Finigan so I decided to download it for the journey.
A minor point is to download Fr Z's podcasts to an mp3 player which has a fast forward facility (mine doesn't), otherwise having heard his introduction to a piece by the Seraphic Doctor and then the reading itself in English, you then have to listen in Latin as well; if you press "next track" you skip the rest of the piece completely and then have to start again from the beginning.
However, the greatest shock was that neither Fr Z nor Fr Finigan sounded like themselves. I've never heard the voice of either of them, of course, but "knew" what they sound like from having seen their pictures and having read what they've written. And they sound completely wrong.
This must have been a lot more common in the days before radio and TV - that you build a 3D image of somebody from their words, or maybe their words and a picture - and I find it's rather nice that the Internet takes us back, rather than forwards.
I suppose it would make a good meme: describe five well known bloggers (or their voices and accents) whom you've never met based purely on what you've seen in their blogs; but the possibility of offending people (however unwittingly) would never be far away.
School holidays mean changed patterns of life for parents. This week I found myself using the bus to get to and from work most days. I noticed that Fr Z (whom God preserve!) had a podcast interview with Fr Tim Finigan so I decided to download it for the journey.
A minor point is to download Fr Z's podcasts to an mp3 player which has a fast forward facility (mine doesn't), otherwise having heard his introduction to a piece by the Seraphic Doctor and then the reading itself in English, you then have to listen in Latin as well; if you press "next track" you skip the rest of the piece completely and then have to start again from the beginning.
However, the greatest shock was that neither Fr Z nor Fr Finigan sounded like themselves. I've never heard the voice of either of them, of course, but "knew" what they sound like from having seen their pictures and having read what they've written. And they sound completely wrong.
This must have been a lot more common in the days before radio and TV - that you build a 3D image of somebody from their words, or maybe their words and a picture - and I find it's rather nice that the Internet takes us back, rather than forwards.
I suppose it would make a good meme: describe five well known bloggers (or their voices and accents) whom you've never met based purely on what you've seen in their blogs; but the possibility of offending people (however unwittingly) would never be far away.
21 July 2008
More From The Suppository
.
Fr Mildew is as close as I come to reading The Suppository. He includes a wonderful paragraph:
"'Taking a stand' is the title of a provocative article by Fr Shaun Middleton who is amongst those who object to what the Holy Father is doing in the way of his vestments, the prospect of a new and better translation of the Missal, and of course, the return of the Old Rite. You may be surprised to learn he is thinking about having a new society 'The Society of Pope Paul VI' for those who have a particular affection for the 1964 missal and the present ICEL translation. They wish to encourage rubrical flexibility which will reallow priests to leave the sanctuary for the sign of peace, that communion in the hand is reverent and altar rails are an anachonism. He says that the conscience of many Catholic priests is being tested by the subtle reform of the reform that seems to be going on at the moment."
I wish sometimes that priests like this would have the same courage of their convictions - stand up, tell the Pope he's wrong, get kicked out - that the SSPX, the Lefebvrists, had. That way we can get shut of all of them until they come to their senses and realise that their opinion and God's Holy and Revealed Magisterium don't have equal value.
Incidentally, I tried from the website to find out who owns The Tablet. The only thing for sure is that it is owned by the same people as own The Pastoral Review (another sink of 1970s Stalino-Catholic mire). We're not payingfor it from the collection, surely!
Fr Mildew is as close as I come to reading The Suppository. He includes a wonderful paragraph:
"'Taking a stand' is the title of a provocative article by Fr Shaun Middleton who is amongst those who object to what the Holy Father is doing in the way of his vestments, the prospect of a new and better translation of the Missal, and of course, the return of the Old Rite. You may be surprised to learn he is thinking about having a new society 'The Society of Pope Paul VI' for those who have a particular affection for the 1964 missal and the present ICEL translation. They wish to encourage rubrical flexibility which will reallow priests to leave the sanctuary for the sign of peace, that communion in the hand is reverent and altar rails are an anachonism. He says that the conscience of many Catholic priests is being tested by the subtle reform of the reform that seems to be going on at the moment."
I wish sometimes that priests like this would have the same courage of their convictions - stand up, tell the Pope he's wrong, get kicked out - that the SSPX, the Lefebvrists, had. That way we can get shut of all of them until they come to their senses and realise that their opinion and God's Holy and Revealed Magisterium don't have equal value.
Incidentally, I tried from the website to find out who owns The Tablet. The only thing for sure is that it is owned by the same people as own The Pastoral Review (another sink of 1970s Stalino-Catholic mire). We're not payingfor it from the collection, surely!
Problems With Blogger At The Weekend
.
Did anybody else who uses Orange as their ISP have problems accessing Blogger at the weekend? I couldn't get on at all except via a proxy, even with disabling the software and hardware firewalls, and I wasn't going to trust my username and password to a proxy.
Orange is a wonderful ISP, right up to the very rare instance when there is a problem. At that point it gets dire: one day last year I rang up to ask for confirmation that there was a problem at the exchange and was told to reinstal my operating system! When I contacted them yesterday to ask if there was a problem, they sent me instructions on how to disable a firewall ...
Still, when I complained last year that after years with Freeserve, then Wanadoo, then Orange, that I had had two problems in a couple of weeks and had received dismal customer support, they offered me an exceptionally good package to stay with them.
Did anybody else who uses Orange as their ISP have problems accessing Blogger at the weekend? I couldn't get on at all except via a proxy, even with disabling the software and hardware firewalls, and I wasn't going to trust my username and password to a proxy.
Orange is a wonderful ISP, right up to the very rare instance when there is a problem. At that point it gets dire: one day last year I rang up to ask for confirmation that there was a problem at the exchange and was told to reinstal my operating system! When I contacted them yesterday to ask if there was a problem, they sent me instructions on how to disable a firewall ...
Still, when I complained last year that after years with Freeserve, then Wanadoo, then Orange, that I had had two problems in a couple of weeks and had received dismal customer support, they offered me an exceptionally good package to stay with them.
19 July 2008
A New Blogroll
.
I'm trying out Blogger's new blogroll facility. The only choice is "most recently updated" or "alphabetical order". I don't like either!
I've done some addition and subtraction as well.
I'm trying out Blogger's new blogroll facility. The only choice is "most recently updated" or "alphabetical order". I don't like either!
I've done some addition and subtraction as well.
14 July 2008
Why I Like Living Here
.
Did anybody watch the last episode of the current series of Dr Who? If so you might have seen this picture.
.
Now, you probably didn't try ringing the number, but if you had, what would you have found?
.
That it is a sort of real number. Ofcom has reserved a large series of numbers for dramatic purposes and has published them on the Internet, here.
.
So, if you ever see a programme which has an advert asking you to ring an 01632 number, or an 0161 496 xxxx number, you know that it's officially fake, and not pretend fake.
.
I like living somewhere where people care enough to make sure about this sort of thing.
13 July 2008
The Fight Not Yet Begun
I spent much of the last week or so amidst the arguments of the Universe's forum, and was left with little energy to blog. But the anniversary of the Motu Proprio, and some of the comments on the forum led me to reflect on where we are, and just how far we have to go.
.
The Pope's concession is a lifeline to traditional Catholicsm, but, by itself, little else. There are two reasons why.
.
First, it isn't 1962 in the world. The world has moved on significantly since 1962, and the kind of parish life, indeed, the kind of parishioner, who was around in 1962 has gone for ever. People are richer and are less used to doing what everybody else is doing, whether that means watching Sunday Night at the London Palladium or going to Church. The idea that the PP in most parishes could get fifty men to Church each Wednesday evening for a Men's Confraternity meeting followed by Benediction and a trip to the Catholic Club is an idea about the faraway past or the distant future.
.
It isn't 1962 in the Church either. The ecclesiology of the Catholic Church in 2008 will cope with the odd celebration of the 1962 Liturgy but it cannot allow large communities to live the 1962 Liturgy: that would be an open challenge to those whose world view is expressed in "the spirit of Vatican II". An ecclesiology which admits lay people to the Altar during the Mass to do things proper to the priest in 1962 is so different as to be antithetic.
.
This is one way the SSPX have got things so badly wrong: they have tried to organise themselves as though it were still 1962: well, it isn't.
.
The second reason is 1962: why the 1962 Liturgy? That 1962 represents the last point at which the Liturgy, however hacked about and mutilated, was still the hacked about and mutilated but recognizably the 1600 year old Gregorian Liturgy is no reason to hold that version as some sort of high point in the History of the Church in the West. When will the competent authorities look at the reforms of Pius XII and wonder whether, after 50 years of experiment, they were perhaps not such a good idea after all.
.
At which point, we would be, effectively, back to the time of Pope St Pius X, and the 1911 reform of the Breviary. This reform was the first significant liturgical fruit of the active ultramontanism enshrined in Vatican I, and included the abandonment of the recitation of the Laudate psalms at Lauds, a practice believed to be inherited from the synagogue itself, because le Pape le veult.
.
This is only a point of view. But it looks to me that the fight ahead is one of mindset, and we need to realise that the Pope, by reauthorising the general use of the 1962 liturgical books, is buying time rather than answering any of the very big questions that are raised if there is anything at all in my point of view.
.
The Pope's concession is a lifeline to traditional Catholicsm, but, by itself, little else. There are two reasons why.
.
First, it isn't 1962 in the world. The world has moved on significantly since 1962, and the kind of parish life, indeed, the kind of parishioner, who was around in 1962 has gone for ever. People are richer and are less used to doing what everybody else is doing, whether that means watching Sunday Night at the London Palladium or going to Church. The idea that the PP in most parishes could get fifty men to Church each Wednesday evening for a Men's Confraternity meeting followed by Benediction and a trip to the Catholic Club is an idea about the faraway past or the distant future.
.
It isn't 1962 in the Church either. The ecclesiology of the Catholic Church in 2008 will cope with the odd celebration of the 1962 Liturgy but it cannot allow large communities to live the 1962 Liturgy: that would be an open challenge to those whose world view is expressed in "the spirit of Vatican II". An ecclesiology which admits lay people to the Altar during the Mass to do things proper to the priest in 1962 is so different as to be antithetic.
.
This is one way the SSPX have got things so badly wrong: they have tried to organise themselves as though it were still 1962: well, it isn't.
.
The second reason is 1962: why the 1962 Liturgy? That 1962 represents the last point at which the Liturgy, however hacked about and mutilated, was still the hacked about and mutilated but recognizably the 1600 year old Gregorian Liturgy is no reason to hold that version as some sort of high point in the History of the Church in the West. When will the competent authorities look at the reforms of Pius XII and wonder whether, after 50 years of experiment, they were perhaps not such a good idea after all.
.
At which point, we would be, effectively, back to the time of Pope St Pius X, and the 1911 reform of the Breviary. This reform was the first significant liturgical fruit of the active ultramontanism enshrined in Vatican I, and included the abandonment of the recitation of the Laudate psalms at Lauds, a practice believed to be inherited from the synagogue itself, because le Pape le veult.
.
This is only a point of view. But it looks to me that the fight ahead is one of mindset, and we need to realise that the Pope, by reauthorising the general use of the 1962 liturgical books, is buying time rather than answering any of the very big questions that are raised if there is anything at all in my point of view.
12 July 2008
Wuthering Heights
.
Courtesy of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (one of our underpraised, underappreciated national treasures).
Courtesy of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (one of our underpraised, underappreciated national treasures).
10 July 2008
Prime Minister Heathcliff
.
So, Gordon Brown compares himself to Heathcliff. According to the Telegraph, the owner of the Bronte Paronsage Museum in Yorkshire says:
"Heathcliff is a man prone to domestic violence, kidnapping, possibly murder, and digging up his dead lover. He is moody and unkind to animals."
Two more years ...
So, Gordon Brown compares himself to Heathcliff. According to the Telegraph, the owner of the Bronte Paronsage Museum in Yorkshire says:
"Heathcliff is a man prone to domestic violence, kidnapping, possibly murder, and digging up his dead lover. He is moody and unkind to animals."
Two more years ...
07 July 2008
O Felix Culpa!
.
Adam lay y-bounden,
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter
Thought he not too long;
And all was for an apple,
An apple that he took,
As clerkes finden written
In their book.
Ne had the apple taken been,
The apple taken been,
Ne had never Our Lady
A-been heaven's queen.
Blessed be the time
That apple taken was!
Therefor may we singen
Deo Gracias!
Adam lay y-bounden,
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter
Thought he not too long;
And all was for an apple,
An apple that he took,
As clerkes finden written
In their book.
Ne had the apple taken been,
The apple taken been,
Ne had never Our Lady
A-been heaven's queen.
Blessed be the time
That apple taken was!
Therefor may we singen
Deo Gracias!
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