Feast Of The Assumption

I love this Feast. Along with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, I think it shows the most amazing love of Jesus for his Mother.

To paraphrase Scott Hahn, if you could choose your own mother, wouldn't you make her the most perfect human being on earth, and want to preserve her from any stain of Original Sin? Likewise, at the end of her life, wouldn't you want to prevent your mother from experiencing the pain of death (caused by the separation of soul and body)?


Well, Jesus could... and did! Wow, he has style!!

Yes, We Have Some Standards...

As Ttony of the Muniment Room points out, it starts here. At least this Catholic Adoption Agency has decided to stick to its principles, and will refuse to place children with homosexual couples. However, under the current UK legislation, this means that the Agency has to stop placing children with anyone... how very, very sad!

The Point Of Catholic Education?

When I first decided that teaching was my vocation, I was convinced that Catholic schools were a great thing. Good discipline, good results, and good moral standards. And while there were plenty of state schools which could provide good discipline and good results, the Catholic schools won hands down on the moral teaching. After all, they were promoting the teachings of the Church, handed down by Christ to his Apostles...

I wasn't totally naive: I knew that many teachers failed to live up to the teachings of the Church in their everyday lives: but, well, we're all sinners... and at least the party line was that there was an ideal which should be striven for.

I soon realised that this was far from true. In my experience, in most secondary schools, the teaching of the Church was presented, at best, with a rather apologetic air, a sort of "this-is-what-we're-supposed-to-say-but-we-don't-really-believe-it" attitude. At worst, the teaching was derided as "unrealistic and medieval."

Having experienced this first-hand (I was threatened with disciplinary action for bringing the school into disrepute after I protested publicly about the promotion of condoms and the morning-after pill in sex education lessons) I began to have my doubts about the rationale behind our Catholic schools. However, most people assured me that the primary schools were still worth keeping.

The discovery that Channel 4's highly sexually-explicit and quite revolting programme was being used in at least one primary school in Southwark made me question this assumption. And now we have further proof that the raison d'être for our Catholic education system, namely the passing on of the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, has been dealt a body blow.

The Archdiocese of Liverpool has been unable to take action against Charles Coyne, the Head of St Cecilia's primary school, who has registered a partnership with Richard Jones, who is believed to work at a nearby school. Lawyers have told the Church that the Head cannot be sacked. You can read more about it over at the Telegraph.

I was under the impression that, at one time, being in an irregular relationship was a sackable offence for the Head or Deputy Head of a Catholic school (or a Head of RE for that matter.) A civil partnership is, according to the teachings of the Church, a very irregular relationship, and a homosexual civil partnership is even more so.

So, if we can't insist on being allowed to deliver the teachings of the Church to our pupils (as the SORs say this is homophobic and discriminatory... and therefore illegal) and we can't insist on moral standards being passed on by example, then what is the point of Catholic schools?

Ditch them, and use the money for something more worthwhile.

Lump In Throat, Tear In Eye...

Over at the Crescat, Carolina Cannonball and Steve have prepared posts on the martyrdom of St. Maximilian Kolbe and the reactions of Franciszek Gajowniczek (the man saved by the action of Fr. Kolbe) as today is St. Maximilian's feast day. It is very difficult to read either post without getting very, very emotional. Fabulous job guys...

Wow. The Church has such great saints... It makes me proud to be Catholic.

The Wisdom Of Solomon (Or Lack Of It)

I've had quite a few comments indicating disgust, anger, annoyance, disappointment and hurt at the lack of sensitivity demonstrated by the Westminster Cathedral authorities in allowing a film which is so biased against the Catholic Church to be shot in the Cathedral itself, let alone actually saying it is a "must-see" ! I sent a comment to Monsignor Langham, and several others indicated that they had done the same... it would appear that none of these (negative) comments are going to be published...

Now, I wonder: what should one make of a priest who warmly recommends going to see a heretical film?

UPDATE: Not only is the good Monsignor deleting unfavourable comments (I've done that in the past to the occasional rude or completely off-topic comment) but it appears that he's also deleting links - so no-one reading his blog will realise that there is a whole tranch of opposition. How very interesting. Please do go and leave your opinions...

NEW UPDATE: Heheheheh... the links have been re-established. Probably because people are clicking on them from this end (and from Carpe Canum and Gem of the Ocean) - anyone care to lay bets on how long before they get deleted again??

I'm Not A Feminist, But...

...I seriously hope I never meet this chap, or he's going to have to eat his words, teeth, and a knuckle sandwich...

Mantilla twitched in the direction of my favourite Neanderthal, whose attitude to women is actually far less cavemanlike than that of many more liberal types I've encountered... unless those women happen to be the brainless feminazi liberal trendies playing at being stealth-priestesses...!

Animal Or Vegetable...?

Reading Joanna Bogle's post on Bramble Cheese, where she explains the importance of making it clear to children where our food actually comes from, reminded me of a lesson I taught a few years ago.

I was teaching a Year 11 class a unit on something vaguely biological (it was a few years ago, so the exact context escapes me) and I realised that their earlier education had gone seriously astray when I was challenged on the statement that "all food is either plant or animal in origin."

Now Year 11 is the final year of GCSEs, (that's a class of 15-16 year-olds for anyone unfamiliar with the UK educational set-up, or Fifth Year to anyone in Britain who was born before1980!) and since most of this class were planning to leave schooling for ever at the end of the year, I realised that I needed to address the issue before they were let loose on an unsuspecting public...

I ditched the lesson plan and opened a discussion. They weren't having any of it. Food couldn't possibly be from just plants and animals... So, I got them to name some foods, and proceeded to demonstrate that they couldn't find a food which wasn't of plant or animal origin. Pizza was a fairly predictable item. Cornflakes was slightly more worrying. And then one student came up with a blinder: "Hah, tomato ketchup! That's not from animals or plants..." My simple rejoinder, "...And tomato ketchup is made of, well..?" was acknowledged with a triumphant "Tomatoes... Oh, yeah... oops" and a sheepish grin.

I had to restrain myself though. One student wanted to know where spaghetti came from, and I was sorely tempted to say that it grew on spaghetti trees... but they might have believed me!

Solomon's Foot-In-Mouth Saga

Oh boy. The Westminster Cathedral crowd really do seem to have a knack for dropping enough bricks to build... well... a cathedral!

To add to their use of napkins (see my post for a definition) at high-profile events like Corpus Christi processions, the débacle of hosting the launch for Jeffrey Archer's so-called Gospel of Judas, and then the kerfuffle over Taverner's 99 Beautiful Names, they now add another faux pas.

The sequel to the awful film Elizabeth is due out later this year. It will be screened in Canada in September, and over here some time after that. Elizabeth was bad enough: the myths about "good" Queen Bess were perpetuated and a whole bunch of lies about the Catholic Church (including the presentation of a Jesuit priest as a murderous assassin) were presented as absolute fact. The sequel, called The Golden Age, promises to be even worse: it continues with the idea that the Catholic martyrs of the Reformation period were all bloodthirsty murderers, and asserts that the Armada was bringing the Spanish Inquisition along with it (with the implication that this would be a bad thing...)

And now for the rub: they couldn't use the Escorial (not entirely sure why... perhaps the Spanish felt rather more strongly about the lies being perpetuated by the film) so they needed to find a suitable "stand-in." And yes, they picked Westminster Cathedral...

Monsignor Langham actually seems to be pleased about this. And he can't plead ignorance of what was going to be portrayed in the film. The post on his own blog, Solomon, I Have Surpassed Thee, makes this quite clear...

"The trailer is now available; from it one gleans a thrilling, if distorted, version of historical events, and it does appear to perpetuate the myth of 'killer priests'. However, it does look spectacular and evocative, and is a 'must see' for the autumn!"

Oh, right... it distorts the truth and brings the Catholic priesthood into further disrepute among ordinary non-Catholics who don't actually know any history and believe everything they hear on the BBC and read in the papers... but if it's a good film, then it doesn't matter... oh, well, that's okay then...!

Twitch of the mantilla to Carpe Canum.

Brilliant Website Alert

Following my post on the Draft Human Tissues & Embryos Bill, Mark pointed out on his blog that there is a website which allows you to contact your MP directly.

It's a fantastic resource - you type in your postcode, and not only does it tell you who your MP is, it also tells you who your local councillors, London Assembly members (if relevant, obviously), and MEPs are. You can click on the relevant names to send an email. There is also a link to the House of Lords.

The page is called WriteToThem.com, and you can access it HERE, or from the sidebar link.

A Quick Chuckle...

Draft Human Tissues & Embryos Bill

I've already posted my views on the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority's so-called consultation about the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos. Now SPUC have produced briefing papers on the Draft Human Tissues & Embryos Bill. I consider it to be diabolical that, in the year of the 40th Anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act (an Act which allows the killing of 500-600 babies each day), the Government have introduced this new threat against the dignity of the human person.

The briefing papers make it clear why we should fight tooth-and-nail against this bill. The draft bill proposes to:
1. merge the two current authorities (The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Tissue Authority);
2. extend the general scope of in vitro fertilisation;
3. extend the definition of “embryo” to include those created by cloning and other processes;
4. widen grounds for testing of human embryos to decide whether to transfer them to the womb;
5. widen grounds for research on human embryos that are not going to be transferred to the womb;
6. permit the creation of interspecies embryos for experiments;
7. permit gametes (sperm or eggs) to be taken from patients without consent.

In addition, some politicians have indicated that they will try to introduce amendments to this bill aimed at removing current legal restrictions on abortion. Others wish to tighten certain criteria, in particular, the 24 week limit for ‘social’ abortions.

Attempts to link abortion to this bill must be vigorously opposed because:
1. the abortion law could be made even worse than it is at present;
2. the law does contain restrictions and safeguards, which are not, but should be, enforced;
3. there is a large majority of MPs in parliament in favour of extending the availability of abortion even more widely than it is at present;
4. the current Labour government is likely to be sympathetic to attempts to loosen abortion restrictions;
5. attempts to improve abortion law by amendments introduced via a government bill have been tried in the past and have proved disastrous.

Some people might say that it's worth trying for a reduction in the number of abortions. However, I would just like to point out that SPUC's concerns about the Mental Capacity Bill were totally justified by subsequent events: attempts to "agree" to limit legislation of this sort are seen as weakness, and the Government just walk all over any such attempts.

SPUC is asking everyone to write to their MP opposing this legislation. The Briefing Paper which SPUC has prepared can be obtained HERE as a pdf file, and the details of the campaign, and the Annual Conference being held in September can be found HERE.

I'm Just Not In The Mood...

...so I guess blogging will be temporarily suspended until I've caught up on my beauty sleep!

The Extraordinary Form Of The Photo Fest...

Words are about as necessary for these photos as they are from the laity at a Low Mass, so I shall just put up a small selection for your delight and delectation, and then I will shut up...

Now That's What I Call A Mantilla...

There was a Mass in the extraordinary form at Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane this evening. Nearly every woman and girl present was wearing a mantilla. I managed to take lots of photos (though not of the congregation - you'll have to trust me on the mantilla front!) I haven't got time to upload them all tonight, but here's one to be getting on with...

In the meantime, Fr. Ray Blake sent me a rather snazzy photo the other day, and mischievously titled it "Solemn High Mulier Fortis and Accomplice." I have to say that I heartily approve of the style (though I personally aways wear black.) The altar is also pretty stunning...

More From Woldingham

In what is rapidly becoming part of the Faith Conference Experience, at the end of the Session we were treated to a video "snapshot" of the proceedings, courtesy of "Fr. Gadget" of the Hermeneutic of Continuity...


There have been a few reports from fellow bloggers (there were quite a few of us there, which means that, for the sake of fraternal charity, it was probably Divine Providence which prevented us accessing Blogger while at the school!) and I thought it might be an idea to link to the posts I've spotted... if I've missed anyone out, just drop me a line in the com-box and I shall update the post pronto!

So far we have The Hermeneutic of Continuity, South Ashford Priest, Auntie Joanna Writes, Bashing Secularism, Sisters of the Gospel of Life and Orthfully Catholic (who hasn't actually posted anything yet, but has promised to do so soon...)

This Year's Faith Summer Session

Each year I return from the Summer Session feeling uplifted and invigorated. In his inaugural Mass the Holy Father said, "The Church is alive, the Church is young..." and certainly, looking round the auditorium for the conference talks, the truth of that statement really hits home.

This year, the theme of the talks was "Jesus Christ, the Hope of the World: The Only Answer to Sin and Death" and I think it really was one of the most coherent themes. Each talk seemed to blend in pretty smoothly with the previous one without being too repetitive.

I think that my favourites this year were "The Resurrection - The Evidence and the Meaning" by Fr. Paul Brooks, and Sr. Roseann Reddy's talk on the tenth anniversary of the Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative. Sr. Roseann is in the picture on the right, alongside Fr. David Barratt... he's only in the picture because he walked right in front of me when I was trying to take the photo, and when Sister Roseann said "Mac wants to take a picture for the blog," he replied, "Oh, of course you can" and moved round... (He did cotton on when she retorted "Of me, you great ninny!")

I particularly liked Fr. Paul's talk because the truth of the Resurrection is one of the sticking points for many of the students I have taught in the past. They have been so conditioned by GCSE exam questions to think that everything is just another point of view that they don't actually understand that there is such a thing as Truth. Fr. Paul's talk was very much the "Devil's Advocate" approach: he basically outlined the possibilities that the Resurrection was either a hoax or a mistake (and variations thereof) and pointed out why they don't stand up to examination.

Sr. Roseann held the whole auditorium totally spellbound as she spoke about the start of her own involvement with the pro-life movement and Faith, and then went on to speak about the work of the Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative. At several points I came close to tears. Not all the women who are helped by the Initiative are actually persuaded not to have abortions (many admit that they considered an abortion, but couldn't go through with it, but the Sisters help any woman who is experiencing a crisis pregnancy) but Sister Roseann estimated that there were about 80 babies alive today who would have been aborted if it were not for the work of the Pro-Life Initiative. You can check out more over at the website for the Sisters of the Gospel of Life.

Another of the highlights this year had to be the Seminar - this is the opportunity for three young people to witness to the way Christ has affected their lives. The three speakers were really excellent, all of them in their early twenties, and all of them totally faithful to the teachings of the Church. One in the eye for the aging, sock-and-sandle-wearing, muesli-munching hippies who maintain that the Church has to change her teaching, because the standards are impossible to live up to in this day and age, and young people won't go along with it. Reality-check, people... if you present young people with the full beauty and majesty of the Truth instead of insulting their intelligence and integrity by watering down the Faith, then they will respond with generosity and enthusiasm !!

It was the largest conference ever: 238 people attended, and I don't think we can get much bigger while remaining at the same venue: the chapel was completely packed out for Mass, and at Morning and Night Prayer, when the 27 priests weren't seated on the sanctuary, it was standing room only!

The Summer Session wouldn't be the same without the opportunity to relax, chat with friends and make a complete fool of oneself intellectually (the Quiz night) and physically (the ceilidh... I can legitimately avoid the perils of this one by virtue of having a dodgy knee on one leg and a crook ankle on the other... my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!) Here you can see a few of my Quiz team (we really bombed, but at least we weren't right at the bottom!)

I also encountered two of my ex-students (I taught them RE two years ago, and they didn't run and hide... hmmmn, I'm not being scary enough!)

This year's Winter Conference is being held (slightly confusingly) next year - January 2nd - 4th at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire. I can't recommend it highly enough...

Graveyard Humour

Along with the ghastly choice of "Colours of Day" as a nice hymn for a Cremation Service, this struck me as one of the funniest shop signs ever...

Mantilla twitched in the direction of Gem of the Ocean - a new blog from Karen H, who (I believe) commented frequently as "Karen H - San Diego" so pop on over and have a little look!

(And just in case you don't know Colours of Day, I will just point out that the chorus starts: "So light up the fire, and let the flame burn" and a priest I knew told me that he was the one doing the cremation service, so it isn't just an urban myth...)

Me And Cars...

...ummm... I don't seem to be the best person to be allowed to own a car. I think I'm too blonde. I keep forgetting that a car needs looking after. For some reason, they won't work if you forget to put the petrol in, so I've pretty much cracked remembering that one. And checking the oil, though not top of my priorities, is something I do every now and then... but then, of course, I forgot about the water for the radiator...

I didn't actually overheat the engine. Close. Luckily a friend had told me that if the engine gets hot, you can cool it down (a bit) by wacking on the heating full blast...

I can confirm that this works.

A Spot Of Blogger...

I do enjoy blogging. It's a whole new way to get to exchange information and ideas. This was really brought home to me at the Summer Session when I was introduced to several people by mutual friends as "Mulier Fortis"... and it turned out that they read my blog, although many don't comment, or blog themselves. I was delighted to meet up with Orthfully Catholic, but, since I only twigged who he was on the last day, I didn't get to buy him a pint. Anonymity has its drawbacks!

I was also told about many other good blogs people read - most of them were already known to me, but there were a few that I hadn't heard of. I shall explore further in due course. But two which came up in conversation a few times were both blogs by seminarians: Northampton Seminarian and East Anglia Seminarians. These chaps are the priests of tomorrow: they need our prayers and support, so pop over and say hi.

I also noticed a new blog in the com-box while I've been away: Philip Andrews writes a blog called "Carpe Canum"... my Latin is almost non-existent, and I somehow doubt that it means "grab the dog" so if anyone could enlighten me, I'd be very grateful!!

Return Of The Mac...

I am safely back at the keyboard, and have recovered from the acute withdrawal syndrome I had been experiencing while at Woldingham School for the Faith Summer Session.

The school is in a sort of dip in the valley. This means that mobile phones don't work (bye bye, Facebook) and there are no Wi-fi hotspots (even if I had a laptop with the relevant capability, so adios Blogger!) I did manage to locate a computer which was set up for the internet, and after much wheedling was allowed to use it - but the school network blocked any site with "blog" as part of the URL... which put the kybosh on accessing any blogspot sites. I was intrigued to note that "wordpress" blogs didn't get blocked... I may need to give my blog location a little thought!

At the start of the Session, I asked Fr. Tim if he would let me know if he found a computer available for use. He told me that it was every blogger for himself...

The Session itself was really good. I bought copies of the talks on CD (you'll be able to order them through the Faith website shortly) so that I can listen to them again and digest all the information. The best part of the Session is, however, making new friends and meeting old ones. I'll post some more about the Conference later, along with a few photos. Here's a photo of the whole group (minus a few people who had to leave early... oh, and me, because I hate photos, and usually hide in the chapel at this point!)

Off Air...

I'm off to the Faith Summer Session this week. Phone reception is almost non-existent (I doubt I shall get to the top of the donkey field in an effort to check my mobile) and I don't think that there are any computers available for visitors to use. If I find a computer, I shall try and blog, but, to all intents and purposes, I suspect that I shall be incommunicado until Friday afternoon.

New Blog Found...

I'm a sucker for a sob-story! Paul left a message in my com-box saying he felt a little lonely. He started his own blog in July, and needs to get better known (so far the only comment he's had is a spam one, I think!)

Don't get put off by the rather odd images accompanying the sidebar and the title banner (they are pretty gruesome), or the lack of paragraphing on some of the longer posts... his blog, On the Side of the Angels, is dedicated to the Sacred Heart, and seems to have a variety of different posts (humour, personal, news and saints stuff) - and I dare say that, with practice, Paul will make the blog easier on the eyes...

Pop over and say hello sometime!

And While We're On The Subject Of Saints...

Twitch of the mantilla to Cate for discovering this one:

Which Saint Are You?

You are Athanasius! You are willing to fight a losing battle, just to make sure that the truth is told. But don't get discouraged; sometimes it takes more than one lifetime for truth to triumph.
Take this quiz!








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Menu For My Favourite Saints...

Mark over at Rise and Pray has tagged me for a fiendishly difficult meme:

If you could invite your five favourite saints to dinner, what would you serve them to eat, and why?

Naturally he has already snaffled the omelette option... although I notice that he squirmed out of giving a proper reason as to why he felt that scrambled eggs would be particularly suitable for his un-named dinner guests...

I'm going to cheat a little: these are not necessarily my favourite saints (I have soooooo many) but they are the ones who seemed to suggest their own menus...

St. Bernadette would get lamb chops - she was a shepherdess when in Bartres, geddit? St. Jude would be offered a club sandwich (I believe he was beaten to death with his wooden staff.) St. Laurence gets his choice of the mixed grill, while St. Edmund Campion might enjoy a dish of tripe.

St. Peter would, naturally, be offered the Dover sole....

Ok, those choices were so ghastly that I hardly dare to tag anyone...
...but I would really like to hear what the Cavemen would make of it, not to mention the Curt Jester...

UPDATE: Oooooh, these guys are quick off the mark. Must be a quiet news day! You can read the Caveman's menu here, and the Curt Jester's one there! Thanks, chaps!

Blogging Tonight !

I'm just back from a very enjoyable evening spent in the company of Joanna Bogle. She had asked me to take a photo or two, as she needed something to use as publicity for her sponsored cycle ride. I don't have a digital camera, but my mobile phone is pretty snazzy, and so, with the promise of dinner ringing in my ears, I hopped into the car and drove over. We had a short photo-shoot in the garden (luckily this was before it started to pour down with rain) and discussed the relative merits of standing in front of flowers versus a garden shed (the flowers, in my opinion, won hands down!)

After dinner, we got to discuss all things blogospherical, and I tried to find out why she had been unable to use the titles for her posts, (Joanna has the same template as me, albeit in a different colour) as detailed instructions from blogging supremo Fr. Finigan had failed to resolve the problem. Like most blogging issues, it was startlingly easy once you knew where to look: the title field had been switched off in the template.

While I was there, Joanna also updated her template, and changed the colour from girly pink to green (her childhood favourite colour.) She also got to grips with photos. Pop on over to check out the new-look Auntie Joanna Writes.

Hey... Quiz Time Again

Ok, because it's Saturday, and I'm about to go out to visit Auntie Joanna for real rather than just on the Blogosphere, here's a little quiz. Sorry, I didn't see if there was one for the chaps... (Now, which story was Elinor Dashwood in? I can't seem to recall her!) Twitch of the mantilla to Cate who's having a silly Saturday all of her own... I particularly liked her recipe for apple pie!

You scored as Elizabeth Bennet, As one of Austen's most beloved characters, Elizabeth Bennet represents what most women would like to become: strong, independent, and loyal. Of course, she has her faults including a stubborn will of iron and a clinging to first impressions. Overall, Lizzie is bright and lovable...something to admire and aspire to. Elizabeth Bennet 69% Elinor Dashwood 66% Emma Woodhouse 50% Jane Bennet 38% Marianne Dashwood 22% Lady Catherine 22% Charlotte Lucas 19% Which Jane Austen Character are You? (For Females) Long Quiz!!! created with QuizFarm.com

Another Blog Or Two To Investigate

When I stopped using Bloglines, I really pruned down the blogs I checked every single day. However, the twitching mouse-clicking finger has been at it again, and I've discovered a couple of genuinely new blogs.

First up: The Devouring Fire. The author, Michael, is discerning his vocation - he wants an Order involving Eucharistic Adoration as part of its charism. Wow... tough call. Any suggestions, pop on over and let him know...

Secondly, the engagingly named Dead Sea Squirrel. The author here is Linda Robinson. Unfortunately I couldn't find a profile, so no more information forthcoming unless Linda decides to put something in the com-box...

Evolution Versus God

I trained as a scientist. Science did not provide me with the answers I was looking for: happiness only came once I returned to the Church I had rejected for so long. Only in the truths she teaches have I found the answers to life's questions.

However, when I came back to the Church, I didn't put my brain into cold storage. Sometimes, when the exact explanations for the teachings of the Church are unclear to me, I have to trust that the Bride of Christ has been entrusted with the fullness of the Truth, and that the Holy Spirit guarantees she is free from error. That trust is founded on the Word of God himself, and what he promised: it isn't a blind faith. And the truths that I accept through faith are not (and could not be) in conflict with reason.

Lots of people still make the mistake of believing that it has to be either Science or Faith. Several of my students found the fact that I taught both RE and Science confusing, and they demanded to know which one I really believed. But slightly more worrying was the number of my colleagues who were surprised to discover that I could be a scientist and believe in God... and not just any old wishy-washy, vague pantheistic notion of God-in-Nature, but the God-made-Man who made specific demands of his followers.

The Faith Movement, with its specific emphasis on the synthesis of Science and Religion, helped me to feel less of an oddity - lots of people with scientific credentials who actually confessed to a belief in God (meeting priests with doctorates in astrophysics puts paid to the notion that religion is incompatible with "proper" Science!)

And now, the Holy Father has spoken out clearly about how faith in God is not incompatible with acceptance of evolution.

The Pontiff, during a question-and-answer session with 400 priests of the dioceses of Belluno-Feltre and Treviso, said that today in Germany, and also in the United States, there is a "fervent debate between so-called creationism and evolutionism, presented as if one of these alternatives excluded the other: Whoever believes in the Creator cannot think about evolution and whoever affirms evolution must exclude God."

However, Benedict XVI called this apparent conflict an absurdity.

"Because on one hand," he explained, "there is a great deal of scientific proof in favor of evolution, which appears as a reality that we must see and that enriches our knowledge of life and of being as such. But the doctrine of evolution does not answer everything and does not answer the great philosophical question: Where does everything come from? And how does everything take a path that ultimately leads to the person?

"It seems to me that it is very important that reason opens up even more, that it sees this information, but that it also sees that this information is not enough to explain all of reality. It is not enough."

The Pope urged a broader understanding of reason and the recognition of its vastness: "Our reason is not something irrational at heart, a product of irrationality. And reason precedes everything, creative reason, and we are truly the reflection of this reason.

"We are planned and wanted and, therefore, there is an idea that precedes me, a meaning that precedes me, which I must discover, follow and which, in the end, gives meaning to my life."

The more I read and hear about the Holy Father, the more I love him. Viva il Papa ! You can read more about his question-and-answer session over at ZENIT.

Friday Night At The Movies

Another Friday night, and another friend suggested that we go to see the new Simpsons' film. We arrived a little late (my fault... ) but only appeared to miss the adverts, trailers and the very beginning of the film (though I suspect I won't know for certain until the DVD comes out!)

If you enjoy the TV series, you'll enjoy the film. I was a little surprised that it was so focussed on the Simpsons themselves - I'd expected more to be made of Krusty, Mr Burns, Moe and some of the other characters.

The scene where Bart skateboards naked down the street for a dare was made much of in various reviews, but was very much a kiddy-giggle moment. More disturbing was the quick scene of two policemen kissing - it was totally unnecessary to the plot... and strangely, although there had been much publicity surrounding the nude scene (with comments as to how, if the American censors threatened to raise the certificate because of it, the scene would be cut) I hadn't heard anything about the homosexuality bit. Another example of how homosexuality is being presented as just another "lifestyle option"? It soured the film for me - and I'm not likely to keep the DVD as a treat to show my students at the end of the year. It's a real shame, as the film as a whole is a very entertaining bit of nonsense.

It's Been One Of Those Days...

For some reason I seem to be taking a lot of trips down amnesia lane. I couldn't find video footage of Allan Sherman's original (which, I hasten to add, I do not remember... I saw it on a comedy compilation much (much) later. Honest!), but this is one of the best mimes to the soundtrack. Enjoy!

More Motu Celebrations...

It would seem that the glee continues unabated: I'm a few days late picking up on this one, but I think it's worth "sharing" (heheheh... sorry, slipped into Vatican-II-speak there!)

Sanctus bell rings, are you listening?
On the vestments gold is glistening.
A beautiful sight,
The old Roman rite
Walking in a Ratzinger wonderland.

Gone away is the guitar.
Here to stay is the simar.*
We`ll sing an old song as we go along.
Walking in a Ratzinger wonderland

We can build an altar ad orientem.
Then go to see Father Brown.
He'll say “Are you stable?”
We'll say "Yes, man!
Will you say the Mass while we're in town?"

Later on we'll conspire
As we sit around the fire,
To face unafraid
The plans that we've made.
Walking in a Ratzinger wonderland.

* Cassock with cape and double sleeves.

Twitch of the mantilla in Fr. Brown's direction.

Reasons I don't Go To Church...

...inspired by a post title by Fr. Paul of the Lune Valley, I remembered this set of reasons not to wash (which are the hygiene equivalent of the usual reasons given for not going to church!)

1. I was forced to wash as a child.
2. People who wash are hypocrites. They think they are cleaner than everyone else.
3. There are so many different kinds of soap, I could never decide which one was right.
4. I used to wash, but it got boring so I stopped.
5. I wash only on special occasions, like Easter and Christmas.
6. None of my friends wash.
7. I'm still young. When I'm older and have gotten a bit dirtier, I might start washing.
8. I really don't have time to wash.
9. The bathroom is never warm enough in the winter or cool enough in the summer.
10. People who make soap are only after your money.
11. I get along very well without washing.
12. I work hard all week and am too tired to take a bath on the weekend.
13. The first bar of soap I ever used gave me a rash, so I haven't gone near soap since!

This Post Reduced Me To Tears...

...I was also laughing so much that I couldn't draw breath for at least two and a half minutes... we are talking serious oxygen deprivation which you can enjoy HERE...

I particularly liked the fact that "Sixtiesdote," the antidote to the sixties, is best taken in conjunction with Humanae Vitaemins, and only under supervision of a Doctor of the Church...!

The contraindications are pretty amusing too:

Warnings and Cautions

Do not take Sixtiesdote if you are still enamored of theologians like Hans Küng and theological fads such as liberation theology. Severe theological reactions can occur.

The makers of Sixtiesdote are not responsible if lose your job as a DRE, liturgist, etc. for suddenly having orthodox opinions or that you stop finding that Franco Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon is the best movie on St. Francis ever.

The makers of Sixtiesdote are not responsible for book bills from Ignatius Press and other reliable publishing companies due to a sudden interest in the spiritual treasures of the Church.

Sixtiesdote can be used with a 12 step program as long as those 12 steps are not liturgical dance steps.

Do not try dropping Sixtiesdote in your parish liturgist's coffee. Sixtiesdote only works with an act of the will and will not violate conscience, even a badly formed one.

For ex-members of Call To Action and FutureChurch this product will not remove the gray from your hair.

Twitch of the mantilla to the Curt Jester.

New Kid On The Blog...

Fr. Michael Clifton, who describes himself in his profile as "a retired Catholic priest of a traditional mould" has started a blog called Fr. Mildew. At 72, he must be one of the most mature bloggers on the blogosphere...

Strange But True...

Facebook is definitely spooky. I always knew that the spelling of my surname was rather odd - I usually need to spell it out carefully to avoid being called "McLennon" or even "McLemon" and I've been called MacLeary on occasion. Imagine my surprise when I found out that there is actually a group on Facebook called "Our Last Name is McLernon"... and I didn't start it !! There are fifteen of us at the moment, mostly over the Pond.

We are not alone... Heheheheh!

Lean, Mean, Praying Machine...

...the Papal Synchronised Rosary Recitation Team in action...

Mantilla-twitch to the Curt Jester.

Harry Potter

I have a good friend who is a complete Harry Potter nut. Anyway, on Friday night, she confessed that she was going to go and queue outside her local Tesco's and get the new Harry Potter book, which was due to go on sale at midnight.

This sounded completely crazy to me. So, naturally, I came up with a better suggestion: why don't we go see a late film at Bluewater and then go and buy the book from Waterstones...

As Bluewater is a rather more salubrious place than Thornton Heath, my friend accepted my suggestion with alacrity. It made sense to go the whole Hogwarts, so we managed to get tickets for the new Harry Potter film: The Order of the Phoenix.

Even for a Friday night, Bluewater had a very strange air about it. For a start, there were far more parents and children around than usual for 10 o'clock at night. The feeling of weirdness was heightened by the fact that I met several former students. One was on the ticket desk for the cinema, a group of lads bumped into me by the Krispy Kreme Doughnut Shop, and another student greeted me from the queue for the bookshop...

It was about 1am when the film was over. I wasn't sure if Waterstone's would still be open, but the queue was still up and running. We got chatting to a very tired sales assistant who was carrying her shoes - she had been on duty only since 10pm, but informed us that her floor manager had been on since 12noon on the Friday afternoon. The queue, she told us, had been something to behold: people had been lined up all the way round the main hall. My friend and I were lucky: arriving after 1am, we were pretty much the last customers, and we only waited about 15 minutes. As I paid for my book, another very exhausted sales girl asked if we were the last. I was able to assure her that there were only about two people or so left.

I drove my friend back to her house, and then drove back to my flat.

I didn't get to read the book until after lunchtime on Saturday. Don't worry - I don't believe in putting up spoilers. I found the book a little disappointing: it was very slow to get started, and the ending left me feeling a little flat. However, I do think it's a good series of books. I know that some people object to the witches, wizards and spells, but The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Narnia books also had magical elements. And while a lot of critics (especially on Radio 4) bang on about how J.K. Rowling's work isn't great literature, I just remember that, when teaching in an inner-city Comprehensive School, I saw young boys of 12 and 13, who had problems remembering to bring their exercise books to school, lugging around hardback volumes of the latest Harry Potter. This is something the more "realistic" and "relevant" (ie. more miserable) books written for teenagers never managed.