Interesting...

I have finally met the Ecumenical Diablogger... he was visiting Blackfen, and, having been warned that I would take umbrage if he failed to make himself known, (I believe my usual phrase is "I will hunt you down!" sometimes with the additional warning of "I know where you live!") Stuart hastily introduced himself after Benediction.

It was a delight to meet him at long last! Do go on over and have a look at his blog...

John Paul II To Be Beatified...

After the death of Pope John Paul II, there were many calls for him to be canonised immediately. Although Pope Benedict waived the five-year rule, things seemed to have gone very quiet. And now it has been announced that the miracle needed for Pope John Paul II's beatification has been approved, and the ceremony will take place on May 1, 2011, which happens to be Divine Mercy Sunday.

Fr. Ray Blake speculated that John Paul II's body would be transferred to the Chapel of St. Sebastian in St. Peter's, and, according to Rome Reports, this has been confirmed. Fr. Z has an excellent post about the speed of the beatification process, and why some people seem to get fast-tracked to sainthood. And the Catholic Herald (the only British Catholic newspaper worth reading, in my humble opinion - and I thought that even before they asked me to write an article for their Christmas supplement!) has a feature on the French nun whose healing from Parkinson's disease at the intercession of Pope John Paul II provided the miracle needed for the process of beatification to continue.

Shouldn't We Be Preparing For That Translation...?

I was under the impression that the reason we hadn't been given the go-ahead for the new ICEL translation of the Mass was that we needed time to be "instructed," so it wouldn't come as a shock to us.

Given that I was able to read English well before I went to school, and I passed my GCE 'O' Levels in both English Literature and English Language, I am at a loss to understand what further preparation might be required. Admittedly, I will have to keep a close eye on the new responses for the first year or two, but it strikes me as a small price to pay for the change from the banal "And also with you!" to the more accurate (and meaningful) "And with your Spirit!"

It is rather reminiscent of this classic YouTube video...



Being of a rather cynical frame of mind, I did wonder whether the delay was due to the Bishops of England & Wales hoping that, with the delay, people might lose interest, the impetus would be lost, and the whole thing could be brushed firmly under the carpet... rather like the outcry over the loss of our Holy Days of Obligation. And, indeed, calls for the new translation do appear to have died down...

...of course, what their Lordships have failed to realise is that the majority of people who were interested in a more accurate (and, hence, more faithful) translation of the Mass are of a more traditional bent. The reason that the outcry over the Holy Days has died down is that the people who are really bothered by their loss have realised that they can celebrate them in the Extraordinary Form - unhampered by the need to put on extra parish Masses for the Holy Day, there are more and more Extraordinary Form Masses being made available on these days. In the same way, if their Lordships don't get a move on getting the new translation sorted, more and more people might decide that the Extraordinary Form of Mass is the way forward...

Update On Kitten Antics...

Monsignor Miaowrini just fell in the bath, which was half full of water. I now have one very shocked, wet and disgruntled kitten... I think I have to crack open a packet of kitten treats...

This isn't Miaowrini, in case you were wondering... I didn't have the heart to take a photo of my darling... well, ok, I couldn't get to my camera in time...

Kitten Tales...

I was asked how the kittens were getting on, and, since I haven't posted anything about them at all this year, I thought I'd put up a quick update...

The two of them have settled down pretty well after their operations. Monsignor Furretti's bald patch is much less noticeable than Monsignor Miaowrini's. Both of them are eating me out of house and home - and it is fascinating to note that they are each concerned that the other has nicer food... both take sneaky mouthfuls out of the other's bowl when they think no-one's looking (despite me taking great care to ensure they have exactly the same variety!)

Monsignor Furretti appears to be "top" cat. One day I was amused to see Miaowrini asleep on top of the laundry basket - then, Furretti decided she wanted to sleep there, so she jumped up, and sat on top of Miaowrini. She then shuffled her bottom until Miaowrini moved over, and then she lay down and made herself comfortable.

Miaowrini is still scared of heights, but she's getting better at keeping her balance as she walks along the edge of the bath. She is still much more nervous than Furretti, I really wonder if she was mistreated before she got taken to the animal shelter... still, she's less nervous than when she first arrived, and really loves having her tummy rubbed...

The other day I managed to photograph them during one of their playfights (I only had the mobile phone to hand, sadly.) Miaowrini was lying on my bed, purring away and minding her own business. Furretti decided that she wanted that spot... Up she jumped...

A bit of rough-and-tumble followed...

Until Miaowrini conceded defeat, leaving Furretti victorious...

Miaowrini jumped up for Round 2...

And the kittens were at it again...

...until they both fell off the edge of the bed. I was laughing too much to get that photo...