Requiescat In Pace...

Aine Cooper, the wife of "Sir Dan of the Nesbitry", passed away earlier this week, fortified by the rites of Holy Mother Church.

Her funeral is on Thursday, 15th April, 2010, at the John Fisher School Chapel, Purley, at 12:15pm. Dan requested no flowers, but indicated that donations in memoriam can be sent to the Sisters of the Gospel of Life at 106 Dixon Avenue, Glasgow, G42 8EL or via their PayPal account.

Aine was a wonderful person, with a great sense of humour, a caring and conscientious nurse, and a staunch upholder of the pro-life cause. She will be sorely missed by all who had the privilege to know her.

Pray for the repose of her soul, and for her husband, Dan.

A Call For Caution...

Ok, having endured the intense coverage of the Healthcare stuff from all the US bloggers on my blogroll, now it's time for me and all the other UK blogs to start banging on about the upcoming British election.

*Ahem*

Actually, I find the whole topic intensely tedious, and won't be posting a blow-by-blow analysis of voting trends, marginal whatsits, safe swings (sorry, seats!) yada yada...

I will, however, vote. As yet, I don't know for whom. I need to ask questions.

I have heard people criticise "single issue" voters. Government is too important, they claim, to vote on a single issue.

I beg to differ.

As far as I am concerned, there is only one issue. Is the candidate pro-life or pro-death?

Because, you see, that pretty much covers everything. I just want to know: will the vulnerable be protected? That includes the unborn, the disabled, the mentally incapacitated, the terminally ill, the elderly... and, ultimately, me. Because one day, I'm likely to be taking up that "valuable hospital bed" or will be unable to say that I don't want to be starved to death... or might be so depressed that I agree I shouldn't be a burden on society, and would be better off dead...

I also don't think Britain has anything to be proud of when politicians claim that our laws mean we are at the forefront of research into human-animal hybrids and embryonic stem cells. Killing babies is nothing to be proud of.

So, as I said, only one issue matters.

Some politicians have realised this, and are being very careful in how they present anti-life policies to prospective voters.

John Smeaton's blog gives some cautionary advice on the Conservative Party's latest pronouncements... as well as telling a few home truths about the other parties' positions. Check it out.

St. George & The... Ummm... Bee !

Our Sacristan is on a well-deserved holiday for two weeks, and, as her assistant, I have stepped into the breach.

At the end of Mass, I started clearing a few things away in the Sacristy. Suddenly, I became aware of a loud buzzing noise coming from the little room where the torches, candle snuffers and thuribles are kept. I glanced in... and saw the most enormous bee - about three and a half inches in length.

I have never seen a bee that size. It sounded rather annoyed.

Now, many years ago, I had a really bad bee and wasp phobia. Just how bad can be judged by the fact that, at its height, I used to walk in the road so as not to go near any gardens where a bee might be lurking... A course of systematic desensitisation has sorted the phobic behaviour, but I still don't like bees and wasps. They're fine outside. I am just much happier for them to remain outside.

Anyway, this was one very large bee. I decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and shut the thurible room door. I could still hear loud buzzing...

At this point, His Hermeneuticalness returned to the Sacristy. Rather sheepishly, I explained that there was a very large and angry bee behind the door.

"That's ok," he said, reassuringly, "Leave the door shut."

"But I can't!" I wailed... "I need the candle snuffer... and I have to get the torches for the Mass at Chislehurst..."

He smiled indulgently (ok, ok... he laughed at me for being such a wuss) and he opened the door to have a look.

He then promptly shut the door again.

It was a very, very large bee...

Off he strode, in search of some sort of implement. On his return, he was brandishing a large broom. He opened the back door of the Sacristy, and then opened the door to the thurible room... I think he squished the bee on the bristles... I wasn't able to see, as I was preparing to flee the Sacristy if it all went horribly wrong. Fr. Tim then disposed of the body via the back door...

Of such valorous deeds are legends made...

Oldie But Goodie...

There is going to be a High Mass at Chislehurst tonight. Jonathan, our MC, mentioned that we might need a few things brought over from Blackfen.

This morning, I sent a text to Jonathan before going to Mass, to see what I needed to collect.

Back came the response:

"Fork handles"

Sadly, I am old enough to remember the reference... despite it being the other way around in the sketch...

Four torches (with candles) will be delivered later...

Government Backs Down (For Now...)

The British Government will omit their PSHE clauses from the CSF Bill when it is placed before the House of Lords tomorrow evening.

Some bargaining has taken place in order to get the CSF Bill through in the pre-election "wash up" - effectively, the offensive clauses regarding sex education in PSHE will be omitted.

John Smeaton has more details. SPUC has played a vital part in the campaign against the PSHE provisions in the CSF Bill, and John Smeaton's blog in particular has been an invaluable resource for everyone concerned about the moral education of children.

There have been some excellent blog summaries of the situation: special mention must go to James Preece, Laurence England (Bones), EF Pastor Emeritus, Innocent Smith, Fr. Ray Blake and Fr. Timothy Finigan. There have been many more, all of which must have helped.

It is a real shame that the Catholic Education Service failed to live up to its name...

Support The Pope Petition

There is a new website which is dedicated to supporting the Holy Father amidst the media feeding frenzy.

Quite simply it says:

Dear Holy Father,

We, the undersigned, want you to know that you are not alone in your pledge to fight injustice and the ailments in the Church. We want you to know that we trust you in your role as the leader of the Church. We want you to know that we forgive the sins of other members of the Church as we are forgiven. We are praying for you; for your courage, conviction, perseverance, and resolve.

We love you Papa Benedicto XVI!

You can go and sign to show your support by clicking on this link.

Twitch of the mantilla to the incomparable Bones...