Question Time...

Ok, as a relative newbie to the Extraordinary Form (I've attended Mass for a while, but have only been following the EF Ordo since last Easter, or thereabouts) I've got a quick question.

I get the impression that Septuagesima is penitential, (heheheh) but in what way, exactly, is it different from Lent? I mean, Lent still starts on Ash Wednesday in the EF calendar, so presumably Lenten fasting etc. starts then too... so what are the penitential "practices" (if any) which happen at Septuagesima?

Just wondering...

Warped Mentality...

According to Baroness Warnock, doctors who refuse to help terminally ill patients kill themselves are "genuinely wicked."

This is the same woman who said that dementia patients have a duty to die, so as not to be a burden on their families or the State.

As John Smeaton points out, her views on human fertilisation, embryology and stem cell research have already been incorporated into British Law.

How long before her views on euthanasia are similarly made law?

Feast Of The Epiphany

No, it wasn't a Holyday of Obligation, but quite a few people like to celebrate it on the traditional date of January 6th... and, if you celebrate the Extraordinary Form of Mass, you still can.

We had a very good attendance at the Solemn High Mass; Fr. Charles Briggs and Deacon John Harrison had come along from Chislehurst to act as Deacon and Sub-Deacon respectively. There were 10 servers on the Sanctuary, and two other boys had asked Fr. Tim if they could serve for the Epiphany... but, as they haven't yet made their First Communion, they had to settle for being allowed to put out some of the candles after Mass.

One of the servers, aged 10 years, came back into the sacristy afterwards to show Fr. Tim his "new" St. Andrew's Missal... "Look, Father," he exclaimed, "I've got the prayers before Mass marked with a white tab (ribbon), and the Mass next Sunday, it's the Holy Family, isn't it? That's marked with a green tab... and I've got another tab for the prayers for Benediction..." This lad has already, at age 10, acted as MC for Sunday Mass, and yesterday managed to say the servers' responses off by heart.

Not a low-energy lightbulb, clown or fairtrade chocolate in sight.

As Fr. Tim said, "I really must introduce you to Bishop Conry."

Sad Demise of Orthfully Catholic

...The death of the blog, I hasten to point out, not the authors.

It seems that, after two years, the seminarians are hanging up their computer keyboards. I am very sorry to see the end of their blogging careers, though I am pleased to note that they have just stopped posting (with a comment in the most recent com-box to confirm their decision) rather than actually deleting their whole blog, and leaving the rest of us with dead links.

Be assured, chaps, that I'll be praying for you as you continue in your preparation for the priesthood... Don't stop visiting, and leave the odd comment just to let me know how you're getting on.

And I look forward to the invitation to your Ordinations... (hint, hint)

Married Clergy As The Solution?

The BBC, when not actually bashing Catholics, likes to take little side-swipes at the Church; little comments which suggest that the Church would be absolutely fine and dandy (and perfectly acceptable to the intelligentia) if she didn't adopt such backward-looking "policies." And the BBC is very adept at trotting out "leading Catholics" (such as Cristina Odone, and Sister Lavinia Byrne - though the latter appears to have fallen out of favour since she dropped the "Sister" bit) who are happy to confirm these opinions.

The most popular little dig consists of the suggestion that clerical celibacy is the reason behind all the woes of the Church. You name it, it's because the Catholic Church insists on celibacy. Falling attendance at Mass, lack of vocations, child abuse and homosexual clergy would all stop, immediately, if the Pope would only be realistic and allow married clergy.

At this point, an "ex-priest" is often cited as being so unfairly treated (if not actually trotted out in person) compared to his ex-Anglican married brethren who have been welcomed into the Catholic Church with open arms. The little inconvenient fact that the former has broken his vow of priestly celibacy, while the latter have not, is ignored.

Fr. Longenecker is a former Anglican priest who crossed the Tiber a while back. He's also married. As he points out, the Anglican Church has got married clergy, and that hasn't stopped the problems, demonstrated by this piece in the Telegraph. As an aside, it looks as though allowing women priests has problems too...

First Blonde Joke Of The Year...

In my New Year's Resolutions, I said that I would limit my blonde jokes to one a month. So, this one is January's offering...

A blonde woman was seen standing by a coke machine. She put in a pound coin, pressed a button, and out came a bottle of coke. The blonde clapped her hands, jumped up and down, and then put in another pound. Once again, she pressed a button, and a bottle of coke was dispensed. She put in another pound, and repeated the process. Another bottle arrived.

A young man approached, and asked her if she would be finished with the machine any time soon.

"Not a chance!" replied the blonde, "I'm not leaving here until I stop winning!"

Weather

Everything sounded strangely muffled this morning, and so I looked through my bedroom window to see what was going on. Aha. All becomes clear - snow!

Traddy Eye-Candy...

We had our monthly Missa Cantata on Saturday. I just couldn't resist taking a few photos... the Extraordinary Form of Mass is just sooooo much more photogenic than the Ordinary Form...




Nothing out of the ordinary, just our usual parish Mass, but, ohhhhhhh! What an experience!

And then, we finished with a short service of Benediction...

Battling Manfully On...

Right now, I am feeling like death, dug up and warmed over... and then reburied. I know when it is time to take another dose of my medicine, because I start to get woozy, short of breath and recommence trying to cough up the lining of my lungs. Coughing that hard has unfortunate side effects... When I take the medication, I feel better for a bit, and then start doing too much, and end up feeling exhausted. Night-time is the worst, because lying flat makes coughing harder. As a result, sleeping isn't something I'm doing much of... it's more of a fitful doze, and so I'm "oversleeping" more than is my usual wont.

Yes, I am feeling very sorry for myself. I also feel guilty, because I have the sneaky suspicion that I probably should be swathed in layer upon layer of protective clothing, and, if I must venture out, I should ring a little bell and call out "Unclean, unclean!" as a warning to others. The doctor did say that I should rest, but didn't seem to think I was infectious... 

Hmmmmmn...

The Forbidden Cave...

I have been to Lourdes about nine or ten times now, and it is still my favourite "holiday" location. I have, in the past, been down the side of the hill to the grotto (the tortuous, zig-zag path is the only way in and out of the Domaine once the main gates are shut) and I've been to the High Stations on the Espelugues Hill, but not for many years; my knee and ankle problems have stopped me from being adventurous...

I didn't realise that there was actually a cave at the end of the High Stations where people used to celebrate Mass, nor that it was "forbidden" to large groups since an earthquake (though this is debated amongst the chaplains). In actual fact, I had no idea that there had been any earthquake in the area since the Apparitions 150 years ago.

The cave is secured by iron railings. Fr. George, a chaplain at Lourdes, has managed to explore the cave a little, and has made the following video... I notice that he doesn't mention exactly how he managed to get in, but I presume that, as a chaplain, he was able to get the key rather than scrambling over the railings...

As well as the video (which is about 15 minutes long) there is also the blog, Immaculataconceptio, which allows you to make a daily virtual pilgrimage to the shrine. The official Lourdes website can be found HERE.

Vocations Retreat...

Knowing lots of priests and seminarians, especially on the blogosphere, I often read about vocations retreats for men discerning the call to the priesthood. This is excellent, and very necessary, and believe me, I'm not complaining on "equal-opportunities" grounds (apart from the odd remnant of a hankering to be a traddy womynpriest.)

I was, however, delighted to come across the following post about a vocations retreat for women, led by Fr. Stephen Langridge (the Vocations Director for Southwark) at the Dominican Convent in the New Forest from the evening of Friday 13th until after lunch on Sunday 15th February.
The Retreat is for young women aged 16-30. It will cost £30.00.

For more information or to book a place (there are only 9 places available) send an email to Fr. Stephen.

One For Fr. Z...

Fr. Zuhlsdorf hasn't actually had any bird-watching posts up for a while, but this caption made me think of him...

The Action Plan...

After another really lousy night, I decided to go to the doctor. Several people (including my mother) told me that I should have gone much sooner... I didn't bother to explain that I wouldn't have been able to go any sooner, given that I wasn't actually at death's door (and so didn't need to get the emergency services out) and the fact that my GP's surgery was closed for New Year.

I got there just before 8am, to find that a sizable queue was waiting for the doors to open. My heart sank, as I didn't feel like exchanging whatever I had for the collection of viruses being incubated by the others. Fortunately, the majority of the other patients appeared to want to collect prescriptions and sick notes, and there were one or two appointments for the nurse. I was informed that there was only one GP in this morning, and that it was a case of sit and wait rather than the usual appointment system... and so I went and sat.

I told the doctor that I'd been ill already for about a week (thus establishing my credentials... GPs usually send you home with a flea in your ear if you dare to see them too quickly after the onset of whatever it is) and that I was coughing up some rather nasty gunk (yellowish-brown and sort-of solid-looking.) The stethoscope was duly whipped out and my lungs listened to. Apparently I was crackly and wheezy enough for a quick diagnosis: "Yes, there's more of it about than people realise, despite all the news reports," he opined. "I've had it already. The other doctor due on this morning has also got it... that's why he's not in. It's spreading. We're in for a bad bout of it."

Feeling slightly guilty, I asked if I should be staying away from other people, especially as I'm a teacher. "No, you should be fine on the antibiotics and the steroid inhaler... and anyway, if there is a flu epidemic, the schools will all be closed... that's the emergency action plan..."

So, there you have it. Parents, if your pride and joy tells you that he (or she) is feeling ill, don't ignore it and send him to school anyway, not unless you want lots of little horrors to catch the bug and all get sent home for a fortnight. Just remember: Christmas Holidays, round 2, without the distraction of presents.

Of course, speaking as a teacher, the idea of a two-week break in the interests of Public Health sounds quite appealing...

We've Got A Little List...

This made me laugh out loud, so much so that it induced a violent coughing-fit, and scared the cat. I saw it on Fiorella's blog, The Monstrous Regiment of Women, but rather than just linking to it, I wanted to make sure I had the actual text. Fiorella didn't say where she got it, though she did have the necessary permissions, and, of course, once it's "out there"...

As someday it may happen that Pope Benedict comes round,
I've got a little list, I've got a little list,
Of ecclesial offenders who'd be better underground
And who never would be missed, who never would be missed.
The diocesan bureaucracy for every single See
That garners all their pennies from the likes of you and me;
The crass renewal programmes which cost parishes the earth
And the Catholic "Intellectuals" who doubt the Virgin Birth
And the sanctuary re-orderers who hide the Eucharist.
They'd none of 'em be missed! They'd none of 'em be missed!

(Refrain: You may put 'em on the list...)

The composers and librettists of a thousand awful hymns -
We've got 'em on the list, we've got 'em on the list -
The episcopal ordinary indulging all his whims -
He never would be missed; he never would be missed.
The highly paid youth worker who knows nothing about youth,
Who sits on four committees and is too long in the tooth,
The well-connected journalist who spouts 'progressive' views
And the feminist dissenter who is always in the news.
And that universal irritant, the layman liturgist
We've got 'em on the list, we've got 'em on the list

(Refrain: We've got 'em on the list, we've got 'em on the list...)

The welcoming committee who shove hymn books in your face -
We've got 'em on the list, we've got 'em on the list -
Fr Ad Lib, Fr Make-it-up and others of his race
They never would be missed; they never would be missed.
The self-important music group who lead you from the front
The ugly new cathedral where you fall into the font
The kind of clergy jollies costing 20,000 quid
Which produce a "Vision Statement" in an hotel near Madrid
And Sister Mary Trousersuit, the trendy catechist
I'm sure she'll not be missed - I'm sure she'll not be missed!

(Refrain: You may put 'em on the list...)

New Year's Resolutions...

As Fr. Ray Blake has already pointed out, the New Year for Catholics started with the first Sunday of Advent. I have given up making New Year's resolutions, because most of them were chocolate-related (or lack-of-chocolate-related) and, with the Christmas surfeit of chocolate, they rarely lasted beyond January 2nd.

This year, however, I thought that a few blog-related resolutions might be in order.

1. I will endeavour to post at least once per day.

2. I will not post more than one blonde joke each month.

3. I will not post more than one cat post each fortnight.

4. I will restrict the use of the exclamation mark to genuine exclamations.

Any further suggestions for improvements of my blog gratefully received (via the com-box.)

Happy New Year...

There is something really beautiful about the Church's care for us: you can get one Plenary Indulgence on the last day of the year by singing the Te Deum in thanksgiving for the year past, and another on the first day of the year by singing the Veni, Creator Spiritus, imploring the help of God for the year to come. This is a very comforting thought. It's a bit like the Hail Mary, where we ask for Our Lady's prayers "now" and "at the hour of our death," the only two times which really matter...

Sadly, I didn't make it to church this morning; the dreaded lurgy has moved to my chest, and, after a night spent coughing my lungs up, I woke up too late...