Any Plans For Tomorrow...?

In case you hadn't noticed, tomorrow is when we start the End of the World... otherwise known as the Rapture. The Rapture is, apparently, when the chosen few who have been saved are whisked off into the sky to meet Jesus, while those less fortunate are left behind to face earthquake, fire, brimstone, plague pestilence, war and other such unpleasant stuff. Probably giant cockroaches too. I really hate cockroaches.

Since the basic Catholic response to the question "Have you been saved?" is something along the lines of "Ummm, I sincerely hope to get to heaven after a hefty stint in Purgatory!" I guess that we RCs don't actually qualify for the Rapture: I was once told that those people who have been saved know that they've been saved... if they're in any sort of doubt, it means that they're not. When I asked how people know they've been saved, I was given pitying looks. Apparently you just know...

The Crescat has suggested that Sunday be declared International Day of Looting - well there will be all this stuff which the Raptured leave behind. They won't need it, right?

If you want a little more guidance on who gets taken and who gets left, check out this handy flow chart.

My friend Cazienza actually posted it in Facebook, but as she has a blog, I'll link to that instead by way of a mantilla-twitch...

Theology Of The Body Symposium...

The Catholic With Attitude has been co-organising the third Symposium on the Theology of the Body at Twickenham, and asked me to give it a plug - something I'm happy to do. It's happening from 3rd June - 5th June, at St. Mary's University College, and more details can be found on the Catholic With Attitude's blog, so do go on over and check it out!

Wildlife Update...

On Sunday it was a bird. Today saw the next chapter in my kittens' careers as wildlife enthusiasts. Furretti was stretching out on the carpet this evening in a very kittenish and playful manner. I then saw what she was stretching over towards - a big stag beetle. She patted it a few times, and I assume she got her paw nipped, because she started dancing around it.

I'm afraid that I didn't stop to take a photo. Beetles are rather too good at escaping into little corners. I disposed of it. And yes, I know that stag beetles are a protected species... but only their habitats (if larvae are found on a development site, for example) and it's illegal to trade in them.

Anyway, the adults don't live long, and often die shortly after mating. Cats are, it seems, a common predator of stag beetles. The beetles also get squashed by cars. Oh well...

The Guild Gets Going...

The Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma has gotten itself a blog!

The aims of the Guild are clear - to raise the profile of the Catholic Faith, and to inform and inspire an educated laity and to evangelise the United Kingdom. Contributors to the Guild Blog will write on a range of subjects including theology, liturgy, canon law and apologetics, and members of the Guild are men and women loyal to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and to Pope Benedict XVI and his liturgical reforms.

Oh, and we'll have the occasional Mass (in whatever Form happens to be convenient, just like the Holy Father wants) and the more-than-occasional blognic.

Murdering Monsignori...

I arrived home this afternoon to find two kittens waiting to greet me at the door, with expressions of angelic sweetness and innocence on their furry faces. I instinctively distrust such sweet expressions, but couldn't identify anything obviously wrong.

I then started work on the computer, and phoned my mother. Mid-call, I heard a squeaky cry. It wasn't a cat, and I was pretty sure it wasn't one of their squeaky toys. I turned round and found Monsignor Furretti looking rather intently at the sofa, while Monsignor Miaowrini was nowhere to be seen. Another cry came from behind the sofa...

I pulled the sofa out a bit and glanced behind it. There was Miaowrini, patting what looked like a half-dead baby bird. The bird cried, fluttered its wings and tried to escape. Miaowrini held it down with one paw, and the bird went still. Miaowrini then appeared to lose interest, until the bird made the mistake of moving again. It escaped from behind the sofa, with Miaowrini and Furretti in eager pursuit.

Meanwhile, I had grabbed a towel. I dropped it over the fluttering bird, which then went still. I gathered the bird up in the towel, much to the kittens' disgust, and carefully checked to see if it was injured. It didn't appear to have any teeth-marks puncturing anything, though it looked somewhat ruffled and more than a little disgruntled. I couldn't resist taking a photo (the camera was out because I'd been downloading the photos I'd taken earlier) but it's incredibly difficult to take a photo with one hand and so the picture's a bit blurred...

I then walked outside and held the towel open. The bird promptly flew off, albeit a little unsteadily. I think it reached some nearby trees.

The kittens then did their best to look nonchalant... I'm still not entirely sure which one of them caught the bird and brought it home to play... I had thought it was Miaowrini (since she's the more adventurous one) but Furretti is the one who sits on the windowsill chattering longingly when she sees the birds flying past... Of course, it could have been a joint venture...

I expect more wildlife will arrive in due course. Now, if I could just train them to bring me a steak...

Crowning Our Lady For The Month Of May...

Fr. Tim decided that we would have an outdoor procession and crowning of the statue of Our Lady between the two Sunday morning Masses today. I made sure that I had my camera with me... just as well, because I forgot my newly-restored iPhone... though at least I didn't lock myself out of the car this time.

We sang "O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today" and recited the Litany of Loreto (the children joining in with gusto), and, in a manner reminiscent of Leutgeb's experiences, one of the little girls was placed on the ladder so she could crown Our Lady's statue. No long blue train held by attendants. Maybe we can get that sorted for next year...

Then several children brought flowers to place in front of the statue...