Status Update...

No, I haven't given up blogging...

I've had a very busy week, and I've been feeling under the weather and out of sorts all week, culminating in a very unpleasant day today.

Just how under the weather and out of sorts can be calculated (if you know me well) by the fact that I had a lovely chocolate bar with which to celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph, and I was unable and unwilling to do anything more than stare at it.

Another indicator of my physical state (but only for those who know me really well) is that I actually drove home on Friday night with my car windows open because I felt too hot. Those who don't know me well might understand that last statement a little when I explain that I wore rollneck jumpers all through the summer last year, with a jacket on top, and my one concession on really warm days (there were not many) was not to wear a t-shirt under the jumper as well.

What made today so very unpleasant is not suitable blogging material, so I shall draw a discreet veil over it...

Quote Of The Day...

... to brighten up my evening, after a very trying day: BBC Radio 4 presenter interviewing the bomb disposal expert who was awarded the George Cross.

Interviewer: (voice edgy with concern, keen to draw out the horrors of war) Your job... What's it like...? (or words to that effect)

Bomb disposal expert: It's a bit of a giggle, actually...

Those Rose Vestments Get Another Outing...

Those infamous rose vestments (courtesy of The Tablet) made another appearance today. They really are rather splendid! Many, many thanks to Fr. Z and Damian Thompson for their campaigns to raise the funds!!

Anyhow, I decided that I wanted some more photos, especially as we were once again privileged to have a Solemn High Mass...

Truly sublime...

Those Pesky Questions About Rubrics...

We are extremely fortunate, at Blackfen, to have a senior MC who is very hot on the rubrics of Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and sundry other liturgical events. He isn't infallible, but I would tend to assume he was right until someone could prove otherwise.

In my post about Fr. Koch's Requiem Mass, Dominic Mary (of Libera Me fame) questioned the arrangement of the biretta and stole on the catafalque, pointing out that the "head" end should have been nearest the altar, as is usual for a priest's coffin.

Well, the MC has spoken: a priest's coffin is placed with the head nearest the altar, but not when the body of the priest is absent (as for the Mass at Blackfen) ... and what's more, Jonathan was able to substantiate his claim with chapter and verse from O'Connell... (The Celebration of Mass
Volume III, Chapter XVII, High Mass For The Dead: Appendix, The Absolution For The Dead, p178...)

I have to say that I am a little puzzled by what is meant by a body being "morally present"...

Why Is The Suppository Still Supported By The Hierarchy?

I was in Westminster Cathedral this week, and what do you think was on sale?

Now, one might reasonably expect any magazine openly on sale within the confines of the Cathedral to be endorsed by the Cathedral authorities, no?

The presence in the Cathedral of this magazine, which is infamous for its attacks on the Holy Father and for its dissent from the Magisterium, is an utter disgrace.

Truth In Advertising...?

When I first saw this, I had to do a double-take. Someone needs to sack the graphic designer...

...unless, of course, you want to buy milk which is "less than fresh" !

One Of Those Days...

Today has been one of those days.

I am used to my students not realising where food comes from. I have, over the years, done my utmost best to convince various children that all food is either of plant or animal origin. I even had one bright spark challenge me to explain what tomato ketchup was... and I still chortle to myself remembering the same individual's consternation when I replied that it was called tomato ketchup for a very good reason...

Today we were breaking down protein to produce ammonia. As I was handing out the protein samples, I said to the class, "The protein we're using is egg albumin... basically it's egg whites."

"So, Miss... is that from the yellow bit of the egg?" was the question which made me want to bang my head against a brick wall...

Lenten Appeal...

One of the duties to which the Church encourages us to pay more attention during the season of Lent is that of almsgiving.

Finding suitable charities to support (ones that don't fund research into embryo experimentation, contraception or abortion, for example) can be difficult. The SPUC charities page is an invaluable resource.

However, closer to home, there is a totally pro-life charity which is in need of a bit more support. The wonderful Sisters of the Gospel of Life are appealing for help with buggies, cots, moses baskets and baby baths, which they then give to mothers who, without such practical support, might have ended up aborting their babies, simply because they couldn't see any way to manage.

Now, the Sisters are actually asking for any second-hand items which are going spare. But this is only really practical if you happen to live in the Glasgow area.

However, if you were able to consider buying any such item from Amazon UK or Amazon, well, they deliver to Glasgow. All you need to do is put the delivery address as

Sisters of the Gospel of Life
104 Albert Road
Glasgow
G42 8DR

And that's the almsgiving part of your Lenten duties sorted, all from the comfort of your own home... or office... and you get all the fun of picking out something nice for a needy family...

Alternatively, the Sisters have a PayPal donation button on their sidebar.

Price Comparison Website With A Twist...

There are lots of price comparison websites out there: they work by getting commission on each product sold through their sites.

A new website has just started up. Catholic Values promises to donate at least 90% of the commission to UK charities which support the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. The venture works with Beatthatquote.com to generate the commission, and is a non-profitmaking organisation.

So, simply by using Catholic Values to find the cheapest quotes for car insurance, home insurance, loans, mortgages, credit cards and so on, charities which value human life will get the commission, and at no extra cost to you, the buyer.

I think this is an excellent venture, and wish it every success. Pop over to the website and see what they have to offer.

From their press release, 8th March 2010:

Saturday 6th March marked the launch of www.catholicvalues.co.uk – a price comparison website with a difference. The difference being that all profits net of running costs made through the website are to be donated to UK charities who support the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.

The general public have become accustomed to using price comparison websites. As consumers have sought to attain greater discounts on motor insurance, other forms of financial services and their utility bills, commission levels generated by the websites having grown to an annual figure of over £450 million.

Catholic Values Ltd, the company behind the national initiative hope to take a share of this considerable sum by persuading the UK’s Catholic population and other likeminded individuals to use their financial power to help causes that value the dignity of life. Because the organisation is non-profit making, at least 90% of the commission generated will be passed on to these causes.

The company plans to distribute funds on a quarterly basis and has already had meetings with the church hierarchy and contacted leading pro-life organisations to inform them of their plans.

Founder and Director of Catholic Values Ltd, Agostino Di Falco comments, “We think the public will welcome the sheer simplicity of our offering. The ability to save money on essential services combined with the opportunity to pass commission in their transaction onto charities they feel so passionate about.”

Martin Foley, former CEO of Life and Luke Parsons, long-time pro-life campaigner and barrister, will sit with Di Falco as Directors of the venture.

Catholic Values’ partner in this venture is beathatquote.com, an established company in the price comparison field.

For more information please contact Agostino Di Falco by email or on 07771847601

Requiem Mass...

As this Saturday was the first in the month, we had our usual visiting schola along to sing the Missa Cantata at Our Lady of the Rosary. As it was also the anniversary of Fr. Adolph Koch, first Parish Priest of Blackfen, it was decided to celebrate a Requiem Mass for him, with Absolutions at the catafalque.

The Mass was very moving: I definitely want my funeral Mass to be in the Extraordinary Form, unbleached candles and all.

I took loads of photos with my snazzy digital camera - I didn't even try to use my mobile phone camera, as the quality of camera on the iPhone is really pants! I then arranged them all into a slide show which I set to music - Mass XVIII from Nick Gale's educational CD, as it so happens... he told me I could use bits of it for my videos, and you can order the CD from this website.

Gregorian Chant CD...

Chants of the Ordinary (Cantus Angeli) Volume 1 is the first of three educational CDs of Gregorian Chant designed for use in parishes. The Chant is performed by a small group of singers from the Choir of St George's Cathedral, London, under the direction of Nick Gale. Nick is a UK-based teacher of Gregorian Chant and the Director of Music at St George's Cathedral. Volume One features complete performances of seven Gregorian Masses, the Ambrosian Gloria, the Asperges and Vidi Aquam, three Credos and a selection of alleluias with verses.

The chanting is clear, as befits its educational purpose, and has a haunting quality, which its rival, Plainsong for Parishes, lacks. I am keen to find out when Volumes 2 (Advent - Candlemas) and 3 (Lent - Trinity) are due to be published.

My one gripe is that the Kyrie is the double form (for the Novus Ordo), not the triple, which might catch a few people out... however, it's not impossible to work out what to chant for the Extraordinary Form, and I suppose that it would have been harder to do the other way around...

The website advertises Gregorian chant tuition sessions, both one-day and residential, which Nick Gale leads. The testimonials page indicates that he has taken the workshops far and wide, and they have been very successful in giving confidence to parish choirs of all abilities.

I tried to upload a couple of the tracks to the blog without success, but you can listen to the Asperges by clicking on the Recordings page of the website.

Petition Against Government-Led Sex Ed In Catholic Schools...

A petition to be sent to the Bishops of England & Wales:

We, the undersigned, call upon the Bishops of England and Wales and the Catholic Education Service to fulfil their duty as guardians of our Catholic Faith and unequivocally reject recent Government measures forcing Catholic schools to teach what is explicitly condemned by the Church, viz: presenting active homosexuality as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, and providing information on the nature - and provision - of contraception and abortion services. Compliance on the part of the Bishops and the CES in such measures would effectively render our schools no longer Catholic in any meaningful sense, and would place the faith and moral life of our children in jeopardy. As Catholic parents, teachers and pastors, we earnestly beg of you, our Shepherds in Christ, that you do not allow this to happen.

You can sign the petition HERE. Twitch of the mantilla to Fr. John Boyle.

Sod's Law In Operation...

My colour laser printer had been acting up for a while, with plain black text coming out unevenly, some bits being very dark and slightly smudgy-looking, and other parts (on the same line) being much paler. I assumed it was the toner running low, and replaced the cartridges.

That didn't do much... and then, after having replaced all four toner cartridges, the paper feed went wrong. The paper wouldn't load. I explored the machine a bit (being blonde and not very technically-minded meant that it was a fairly superficial exploration) and concluded that the paper tray was supposed to make something click into place so that the end was raised, and the paper could be picked up by the roller... only it wasn't happening.

I couldn't fix it, and the machine was out of warranty, and I decided it might be easier to buy a new printer, especially in view of the uneven printing.

So, today I went to get a new printer. However, when I got home, I thought I'd have another little look at the paper tray of the old printer.

*sigh*

Three guesses what happened next. If you paid any attention to the title of the blog post, you'll only need one of them...

Yes, that's right... The wretched machine started to work.

However, the problem with uneven print was still in evidence.

And, since I'm not entirely sure how I fixed the paper feed problem, I decided to keep the new printer. I just have to figure out what to do with the old one...

Have They Actually Read The Catechism??

This is just so jaw-droppingly unbelievable.

Maybe, after all the criticism over the CSF Bill, the Bishops came to the conclusion that they might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb, and have chucked another few lamb chops under the grill.

It seems that the bishop who speaks on pro-life matters for the Bishops' Conference has opened his mouth only to change feet.

This from John Smeaton's blog...

Archbishop Smith has said today that he "welcome[s]" new guidelines on assisted suicide published today by Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions (DPP). Archbishop Smith highlighted positive changes in the guidelines and made no mention of any negative aspects.

Paul Tully of SPUC Pro-Life, which was officially represented before the courts in the Debbie Purdy case, told the media this evening:

"...today's guidelines still represent a significant shift towards judging the suspect's motive ("compassion") in committing the crime, rather than his/her intention (to help cause death). This shift clearly undermines the protection that the law affords to those who might commit suicide, and leaves prosecutors with a very difficult task, when faced with relatives who claim to be grief-stricken by the death of someone they loved, but helped to commit suicide."

Read the rest HERE. Try not to punch anything.

Crossing The Rubicon...

We have reached the point of no return.

The Children, Schools & Families Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons, without a single word of protest from the Bishops of England & Wales.

The Bishops have got to decide whether they wish to follow God or Caesar. To be silent any longer is to cooperate in grave evil. Sins of omission and all that...

St. John Fisher & St. Thomas More, pray for them...

Shameful...

The fact that, on the morning that the Children, Schools and Families Bill is debated and given a third reading, not a single member of the Catholic hierarchy of England & Wales was available to make a comment, and, more importantly, no-one from the Catholic Education Service was in evidence, is totally shameful.

Damian Thompson gives a clear description of the line of questioning on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Fortunately for my blood pressure, I was already at school by the time of the interview, and so didn't get to hear it myself. I was appalled to realise that no-one was there to put the Catholic point of view across.

I feel a deep sense of betrayal - the shepherds have left the sheep to fend for themselves in the face of the wolves descending on the fold. In fact, given the attitude of the CES, I suspect that some of the shepherds have been too busy grilling lamb chops...

I missed this post from the Pastor Emeritus, who suggests that Bishop McMahon and Oona Stannard ought to be called to account.

Laurence England goes even further, pointing out that Bishop McMahon's predecessor is Archbishop Nichols, and the CES rot is at least partly the result of his stewardship; he also provides the text of a letter he sent to the Archbishop calling for decisive action.

Fr. Ray Blake has a very good suggestion: why don't we just jack the whole thing in, and put more effort (and money) into solid catechesis.

Urgent - Amendment To CSF Bill...

This information has been sent round by SPUC - it's a last-ditch attempt to stop the corruption of our children, and defend the rights of parents to choose how and when to tell their children the facts of life.

Tomorrow (Tue 23 February 2010) is the the final main day (report stage and third reading) in the House of Commons on the government's sex education bill. (The bill has yet to be debated in the House of Lords.) The Conservative opposition has tabled a new amendment (no.60) which seeks to exclude sex and relationships education (SRE) from primary schools.

Please email or telephone your MP immmediately to urge him/her to

(a) sign and support amendments 2 and 60, tabled the Conservative opposition for report-stage (see below for more info) and

(b) vote against the bill as a whole at third reading. (A widely-reported government amendment on sex education in faith schools is mere window-dressing - see SPUC's 19 February 2010 media release)

What you need to know:

* The government's Children, Schools and Families bill would force all state schools to provide sex and relationships education (SRE) for all primary and secondary school pupils.

* The government want SRE to include signposting and links to abortion and other anti-life/anti-family services in schools, including faith schools.

* The bill would force schools to teach SRE according to principles of "equality", "diversity" and "rights."

* The government's draft SRE guidance interprets those principles to include abortion, birth control, homosexuality and "a wide range of [sexual] practices."

* Schools, if challenged, may well have to prove their SRE programmes accord with the bill's principles and that they had "regard" to the government's anti-life guidance.

* Faith schools may argue that they are entitled to protect their ethos, but the government has demanded that schools accept its sexual health agenda. The government says schools may adapt "the way things are taught", but it insists that all aspects of SRE will have to be delivered in all schools.

* Conservative opposition amendment no. 2 would delete the bill's proposed SRE principles of "equality", "diversity" and "rights". Amendment no. 60 seeks to exclude SRE from primary schools. Whilst these amendments are neither perfect nor comprehensive, they seek to lessen the damage of the sex education proposals.

Please ask your MP to show his concern by signing these amendments (which will increase the chance of their being selected for debate) as well as opposing the Bill as a whole.

You can contact your MP by:

* email via the SPUC MPs web page
* telephone via the parliamentary switchboard on (020) 7219 3000.

Please forward any replies you receive to SPUC by:

* email, or post to Paul Tully at SPUC HQ

More information can be found in:

* SPUC's leaflet "Government sex education: priming children for teenage sex and abortion?"

* SPUC's briefing on the government's draft SRE guidance

* SPUC's critique "Sexual health in schools"

The Suppository's Supporting Role In "Stand Up" Comedy...

The Suppository, (aka "The Bitter Pill,") claims to be a Catholic weekly newspaper. In reality, it's as Catholic as the CES, which is to say, it isn't Catholic at all.

It constantly dissents from Church teaching, particularly on matters of sexuality, women's ordination and priestly celibacy. There is frequent criticism of the Holy Father. That, in my mind, means that it has no right to call itself "Catholic." Catholics, according to Vatican II,

"... should, as all Christians, promptly accept in Christian obedience decisions of their spiritual shepherds..." (Lumen Gentium n. 37)

and also:

"...This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra." (LG n. 25)

So, The Suppository should not be sold in our churches... well, not unless we're going to start selling other non-Catholic periodicals (equal opportunities and all that!)

However, The Suppository is also guilty of extremely sloppy journalism. How is it possible to report the recent Stand Up for Vatican II meeting, (bottom of Pg 35, Campaign launched to help save Vatican II reforms from stagnation) naming the speakers, but failing to mention that these speakers are openly dissenting from Catholic teaching?

I am not a journalist, but I was able, with the help of Google Search, to ascertain that Sr. Myra Poole (referred to as "theologian" by Christopher Lamb) is a campaigner for women's ordination, and heads the Catholic Women's Ordination group. The reporter either hadn't done his homework, or he had deliberately omitted to mention this little item of information, in case it put the wrong slant on his report. After all, "Group of concerned Catholics meets to generate support for Vatican II" does have rather a different feel to it than "Group of dissenters from Church doctrine complain that their ideas about Vatican II haven't happened."

Mr Lamb similarly failed to mention that Dr. Michael Winter, another one of the speakers, is a former priest. Is it because he was unaware of this, or did he just not think it important?

I also noticed that Bernard Wynne was described in the report as the founder of Stand Up for Vatican II, and while there was a reference to his role in the Young Christian Workers during the time of the Council, there was no mention of the fact that he is currently the Chairman of Catholics for a Changing Church, another group which is in open dissent from the Magisterium...

Oh dear, oh dear... more sloppy journalism? Or more selective journalism?

Given the editorial policies of The Suppository, I suspect the latter: after all, if I can find out this stuff, anyone can, and I don't really believe that all their journalists are incompetent...

The editorial policies are demonstrated by their refusal to publish a letter giving another (less than complimentary) view of the Stand Up for Vatican II meeting from someone who was actually there. Since they wouldn't publish it, I said that I would...

Dear editor,

In his letter (Lack of nurtured Catholics, 6th February 2010) Frank Regan makes a number of claims about the Stand up for Vatican II meeting which don't tally with my memory, or the detailed notes I took of the event.

First, if Frank Regan thinks the meeting he chaired was a "significant experience of an inclusive church", he needs to get out more. In contrast to the multi-ethnic, socially-diverse reality which is the Catholic Church in the Britain, the meeting's attendees were all white, mostly aged over 70 and in the main middle class.

Secondly, when he claims that those present spoke "without rancour, with love for their Church" he is being economical with actualité. One of the speakers, Sister Myra Poole, recently publicly compared Pope Benedict XVI to BNP leader Nick Griffin. As an active anti-fascist whose great-grandfather was murdered by Nazis in Dachau, I find that comparison contemptible. At the meeting she gave a vainglorious speech, much of which involved her praising herself. When she wasn't doing that she was delivering a paranoid Dan Brownesque rant about the supposed influence Opus Dei has at the Vatican, complaining that the Vatican caused a lot of trouble at the World Council of Churches, insisting that "misogyny is so deep in this Church" and saying that she should tell her congregation that if they get anything from the Vatican "they should bin it".

That's not my definition of speaking without rancour, with love for the Church.

It's true that the laity were spoken of in disparaging terms as "knowing nothing" at the meeting but such sentiments are a function of the fact that groups like Catholics for a Changing Church which organised the meeting have little, if any, grassroots support in British parishes.

Further Thoughts On The CES...

The complete disaster area which is the Catholic Education Service has got to be sorted out by the Bishops of England & Wales. With the debacle of the Children, Schools & Families Bill, it really has reached crunch time.

Since I wrote yesterday's piece, a few more blog posts have come to my attention:

The Hermeneutic of Continuity - Catholic schools: have we reached the endgame?

St. Mary Magdalen - Children, Schools and Families Bill

The Sunday Morning Soapbox - While the Family burns...

And, a late addition: Catholic and Loving It - Catholic Education Services.

Victoria left a comment on my last CES post suggesting that we write, first to the Bishops, then to the Nuncio, and finally to the Curial department. Laurence England had much the same idea a while back, and he identified the person in Rome to write to as being Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, at the Congregation for Catholic Education.

Time For A Little Humour...

I spotted this a while back, and thought it rather amusing... then forgot about it. Luckily I discovered it again...