Exaltation Of The Holy Cross...

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was marked in fitting style at Blackfen. The Sodality of the Five Holy Wounds had arranged to have a Missa Cantata, and there was a bit of a social event afterwards...

It's hard to believe that five years have passed since Summorum Pontificum. In one respect, it feels as if no time at all has elapsed. As the incomparable Fr. Z keeps reminding us, there is much still to do, particularly with regard to the training of priests and seminarians in the Extraordinary Form. But, brick by brick, progress is being made.

In another way, the five years seems so long - it is hard to remember what it was like before Summorum Pontificum... though, on reflection, that might not be the case for anyone battling to get the Extraordinary Form introduced into their parish. But don't stop battling... it really is worth it.

Anyway, to celebrate the anniversary in the approved manner, we had a little champagne...

A few of us couldn't resist teasing Tom, whose youngest baby is being baptised tomorrow. Fr. Tim asked if he'd sorted out who would do the first reading, and whether someone had written the bidding prayers...

...Tom was rendered totally speechless at the thought, and I had to take a photo! (The baptism will be in the Extraordinary Form, and so there aren't any readings or bidding prayers!)