A Few More Photos...

The Requiem Mass has proved to be a popular post: I've had over 600 hits today, which is twice the normal traffic. Exploration of SiteMeter revealed that most of the referrals have been from the highly-esteemed New Liturgical Movement blog.

Shawn Tribe gave a link to the post, but he also put up copies of most of the photos, so anyone hoping to see some different shots would be disappointed... as a result, I thought I'd add a few more photos. I'm almost disappointed that I didn't make a slide show (only almost - the catafalque really does get in the way!)

One of the sweetest moments happened before Mass - one of our youngest servers, trying to light the candles... a bit of a stretch when he can barely see over the altar...

The next photo shows Fr. William Young chanting the epistle...

Priest, deacon and subdeacon seated during the singing of the Gradual and Tract...

Monsignor Gordon Read proclaims the Gospel: the lack of candles and incense at this point was a surprise to me...

The incensing of the priest during the Offertory (there is a picture of the incensing of the gifts in the previous post...)

The priest kisses the altar: I forget which point this was, exactly, as he did it a few times... it's during the Preface, I think...

And, finally, the Elevation of the Chalice...

There is a good account of the Mass itself over at Patricius' blog, Singulare Ingenium, as well as a few words from His Hermeneuticalness himself...

While I'm at it, I'd just like to point out that while these two esteemed bloggers refer to Nicholas "Breakspeare" all the Catholic schools named after him seem to leave off the final "e"...

Requiem For A Pope...

We had a Requiem Mass tonight at Blackfen to commemorate the 850th anniversary of the death of Pope Adrian IV, otherwise known as Nicholas Breakspear. (I'm not 100% certain of the spelling of his name: as with Shakespeare, I've seen a few variants... )

I do like black vestments for a Requiem Mass. I also like the unbleached candles. So I took a few photos, though I didn't bother to make a video from this lot, as I was sitting too far over to one side to catch everything: the pews had been shifted across in order to make way for the catafalque, but, if I moved further back, half the sanctuary was out of the picture.

Absolutions at the catafalque were just a little too close for me to get good photos...


Monsignor Read consented to pose for a photo, as I particularly wanted a photo with the purple pom-pom on the biretta... one that hadn't been photoshopped, that is... sadly, the purple didn't show up that well in the sacristy's subdued lighting... I thought I'd be able to get a better shot of him in his cassock (complete with the purple bit around the middle... I don't know what it's called) once he went in to the hall... sadly, I didn't realise that he'd take that off too...

So, I had to content myself with this photo of Fr. William Young (left), Monsignor Gordon Read (centre) and Fr. Charles Briggs (he assisted in choir at the Mass.)

It is so important to pray for our dead relatives and friends, and also the Holy Souls who have no-one left to pray for them. I always remember reading St. Bernadette's anxiety that, once she was dead, no-one would pray for her because they were too busy saying she was a saint, and meanwhile she would be cooking in Purgatory... and if someone like St. Bernadette, given assurances of happiness in heaven by Our Lady, could consider herself a candidate for Purgatory, then the rest of us really need to ensure that we get prayed for once we die...

Sheep...

I think that some people have too much time on their hands... far, far too much time.



Mantilla-twitch to Ttony of The Muniment Room.

Blood Money...

This looks as though it ought to be made compulsory viewing for teenagers as part of the PSHE programme in schools... it won't, of course. Local health authorities have gotten in first, pushing condoms and the "Morning-After" Pill.



This film needs a distributor, and it will only get one if enough interest is shown. If you are American, consider registering your interest at the Blood Money website, if not, go to the You Tube site to watch the video trailer... and bloggers, consider embedding the video trailer.

Mantilla-twitch to the Hermeneutic of Continuity.

Not As Green As I'm Cabbage-Looking...

I just knew that blogging about my spectacularly blonde moment would have repercussions. Sure enough, while visiting friends on Saturday evening, the men present were laughing their heads off.

"Admit it, you've been filling up the screenwash bottle..." they chortled.

Mustering up what little dignity I could, I told them that even I knew where the screenwash bottle was, and the bottle I'd been filling, thinking it was the radiator, wasn't the screenwash bottle. I knew that for a fact.

Unfortunately, having admitted the blonde moment, they were absolutely unconvinced: "You are so blonde... it must have been the screenwash bottle, there's nothing else it could have been..."

So, this afternoon, after Mass, I opened up the bonnet of my car for inspection...

I pointed out the screenwash bottle. It had a windscreen symbol on it, which is how I knew that this was where the screenwash went.

The bottle I have been filling up (thinking it was for the radiator) is not the screenwash bottle. It's another one. It even has a hose going to the radiator. It has markings on the side indicating Low and Full...

... and the cap is even labelled...

Water is a coolant, right...?

No-one could quite understand what this bottle was doing there. It was (grudgingly) admitted that my mistake was, therefore, understandable. However, my feelings of vindication were short lived...

"Of course, the really blonde thing is that you haven't checked it out in the car manual..."

Hmmmphhhh.

Final Destination...

The friend who witnessed my very blonde moment yesterday had originally come around in order to discuss schemes of work. Afterwards, we decided to see if there was anything on at the cinema. There wasn't, but Angela really wanted to see Final Destination, so I agreed to go along.

We decided to see the 3-D version: I was slightly dubious, as the 3-D films I've watched in the past (complete with cardboard specs with their red-and-green acetate filter lenses) totally failed to work for me, probably because I have a "lazy" eye from an untreated squint.

The 3-D specs have been updated to black plastic, and the lenses are no longer red for one eye and green for the other. But, at first, I couldn't actually perceive the 3-D effect. "Can't you see the spike sticking out of the screen?" Angela asked me. I couldn't. I saw the spike, it just stayed firmly on the cinema screen.

I took the glasses off, and realised that this was not a good idea - the image was slightly out of focus, and every line seemed to be shadowed in a sort of double-vision effect. Watching this for a few minutes made me go cross-eyed and headachy, so I put the glasses back on.

There were several "ooh" and "ahhh" noises from the audience, and people could obviously see something coming at them out of the screen. It became quite irritating, because I just wasn't getting it. And then, gradually, I began to see the occasional item moving out towards me: not as many as my friend, but something. It was most noticeable when small bits of glowing ash floated out from the screen: that looked extremely convincing.

It's just as well that I began to see some of the special effects work, because otherwise I would have been bored witless.

The basic plot ran something like this: the hero and his friends are at a stock-car race track. The whole place is a disaster waiting to happen, with rotten beams and no health and safety requirements, so you just know that there is trouble ahead.

The hero is a nervous sort of chap, looking at all the "unsafe" stuff in a significant way... and then he has a premonition that a disaster will happen (only you don't know this is a premonition at first) and he persuades his friends to leave. Some other people leave too, ostensibly to argue with the hero. Most unconvincing: I mean, if you were at an event and some stranger started creating a fuss, and then left, you'd probably just thank your lucky stars that the idiot had gone, leaving you to watch the event in peace...

Anyway, the disaster happens. Suddenly, with little explanation, the hero and his girlfriend decide that people are dying in the order in which they would have died had they not escaped the original disaster. This really relied on people having watched the previous Final Destination films - I suddenly realised that I had actually seen the first one at this point: I'd forgotten about it. The hero and his girlfriend then decide that they can avoid dying if they succeed in breaking "the chain" and start going around trying to save everyone... and arriving just too late... but getting to view the increasingly gory deaths.

The deaths became more and more improbable, and seemed to be nothing more than a vehicle for chucking special 3-D effects in. When you have about ten or so people being bumped off one by one, it's pretty tedious.

I was extremely annoyed to find that there was one very unnecessary sex scene in the film: not only was it completely irrelevant to the plot, but it was extremely graphic, (actually pornographic) despite the film having a 15 rating. Given the amount of gore and violence, and the explicit sex scene, I'd have thought the film should have been rated 18. The Passion of the Christ had less gore and violence... and it didn't have the sex and nudity... obviously the Film Classification Board considers religion to be something from which young people need to be protected!

There were some funny moments: the main one being when the security guard, figuring that he's next in the chain, tries to kill himself in order to break that chain. He's found, trying to hang himself, by the hero: "I've been trying to kill myself all day!" he exclaims. "I swallowed pills, and I chucked them up. Then I tried to attach a hosepipe to the car exhaust, and got in the car. It kept stalling..."

That isn't enough to make the film worth seeing. Do yourself a favour: go and watch paint dry, or something...

An Exceptionally Blonde Moment...

I am ashamed to admit that I really maxed out on the blonde scale. Think of all the dumb blonde jokes you've ever heard, and then some, and you won't even be close to how blonde I was yesterday.

Most of my blonde moments have been car-related: I love driving, but am not, in any way, shape or form, what you might describe as mechanically minded. A flavour of some of my more impressively blonde moments:

For example, my very first car, an Austin Metro, refused to start on the first morning I tried to drive it on my own. I called out the AA, and they sent a man round. He looked at the car, looked at me, and, with manifold pity in his expression, uttered the words, "I guess you've not seen a manual choke before, then?"

A week later, in the same car, I ground to a halt at some traffic lights. Again, the AA came to the rescue. This time, the man in question was grinning: "You're meant to push the choke back in... you've flooded the engine..."

And, until yesterday, I think my most spectacularly blonde moment occurred after a brief foray into my local supermarket. On returning to the car (a relatively new Nissan Micra), I found it wouldn't start. I had arrived at the car park without mishap, but now not a peep could be heard from the engine. I phoned the RAC. Just as the man parked the breakdown vehicle next to mine, I happened to glance down at the gear stick. Yes, I had left my automatic transmission car in "drive." I moved it into "park" and turned the key... and the engine started immediately.

I have had all sorts of similar experiences. Yesterday, though, trumped the lot.

I've had my car for three and a half years, or thereabouts. It's a little Hyundai Atoz. I am very fond of this model of car, having "crash-tested" it, and survived to tell the tale. Lately, I have noticed a tendency for the car engine to get a little warm: nowhere near red on the indicator, just warmer than usual. Having learned (through bitter experience) about cars needing engine oil and water as well as petrol, I have been checking the levels of oil and water regularly.

Yesterday morning, on my way to Mass, the car engine heated up quite a bit more than usual. I opened the windows, put the heater on full, and watched the temperature fall again. After Mass, I checked the oil: absolutely fine. The water was, however, on the low side, so I topped it up. I then drove to the station to collect a friend... and was surprised to see the temperature again edging upwards rapidly.

So, I drove to a local garage, and explained that the car engine was getting rather warm. The mechanic listened, and then started talking about blown gaskets and broken fans. I stood there, looking blonde. He said he'd have a look, but that it didn't sound promising...

He checked the oil, which was fine. He then said that the water was extremely low, but, as I'd told him I had only just topped it up, he thought that there might be a major problem. He went in to get a large watering can. Next, he started unscrewing something...

"What's that?" I asked him. He looked at me with a puzzled expression. "It's the radiator cap," he said, and started pouring water in... rather a lot of it... "I thought you said you'd topped up the water...?" he added.

I pointed at the white plastic box with a plastic cap, which had a tube coming out of it. "Ummmm... I've been putting it in there," I told him.

Oh dear.

Apparently I have been carefully adding water to the overflow compartment for the past three years...

Seven Things I'd Like To See Happen...

Patricius of Singulare Ingenium started a new meme: (well, he got the idea from another blog, but that wasn't a meme...)

"What are the seven things that we, as Catholics, want or would like to see happen?"

He then proceeded to give rather more than seven things, but, as it was his meme, I guess I'll let him get away with it...

The "as Catholics" bit is the crunch: there are rather a lot of things I'd like to see happen with regard to, say, the English education system, but that isn't something specifically Catholic.

1. I agree with His Hermeneuticalness on the UN declaring abortion and euthanasia to be crimes against humanity.

2. Catholic schools in England to ditch the National Curriculum, as well as ensuring that all Catholic teachers in Catholic schools take an oath of loyalty to the Holy Father and the Magisterium of the Church.

3. And, in fact, any organisation calling itself Catholic having to take an oath of loyalty to the Holy Father and the Magisterium of the Church.

4. Every parish to offer at least one Sunday Mass a week in the Extraordinary Form... obviously I would prefer more, but it's not everyone's cup of tea, so it'll do to be getting on with.

5. All hymn lyrics to be subject to the nihil obstat and imprimatur before they can be sung at Mass. I personally would like to get rid of pretty much anything written in the 1970s and 1980s, but again, I'll settle for weeding out the heretical ones.

6. Euphemistic Monsters to be forbidden at Mass: if there is only one priest, then Communion will just take a little longer, which merely increases the time available for prayers of preparation and/or prayers of thanksgiving.

7. A complete ban on priests saying anything to the congregation during Mass other than what is actually written in the Missal, except during the sermon.

I think that just about covers it...

Now, I will tag a few bodies. There were no instructions as to how many people to tag, but it's a seven things meme, so it feels as if seven is a good number.

Paulinus of In Hoc Signo Vinces - I figure his choices will be worth reading, and probably amusing as well.

Karen, the Oceanic Gem - we don't always see eye to eye on matters liturgical, so she should come up with some goodies.

Miss Ellen, who is musing on various miscellanea, because she, like me, is into cricket.

Ches, that sensible 007 chap, to make up for calling him a cad, and because he writes such great song lyrics.

Ttony in the Muniment Room, because he's been feeling under the weather, or so he intimated at the beginning of that post.

Jane, who is thinking at the Oasis, because she is doing great work on the Spiritual Motherhood of Priests initiative (more on that soon.)

Deo Volente, compiling lists of Traditional Latin Masses in Maryland, just in case he wants to have a go in between cutting and pasting Mass propers... though he probably won't.

Time For A Blonde Joke...

Ok, what with the cricket and Mass slideshows, I have neglected to post any blonde jokes for a while, as Caroline reminded me the other day.

Why are blonde jokes so short?

So that brunettes can remember them...

Petition Against Abortion Ads On TV...

This petition is a bit of a shock for those of us who are used to doing this sort of thing with the click of a mouse (more or less.) It is one of those petitions that you actually have to sign and then send back...

However, it is also one of the most important petitions you will ever be asked to sign. So, it is worth hunting for an envelope and a stamp, printing the page off, filling it in and then posting the whole shemozzle in the nearest snail mail recepticle. That last bit is where I often come unstuck: I so rarely post anything!

The petition is addressed to the Prime Minister, and is against the proposal to allow abortion agencies to advertise on television and radio.

The reasons behind the petition are clearly explained on John Smeaton's blog. The dangers of the abortion industry being allowed to tout their "services" are demonstrated by the duplicitous approach employed by the woman from Marie Stopes International, who spoke in a debate on Premier Christian Radio, as reported by Fiorella. If they can lie about why they want to advertise, then they can lie about everything else, including the effects that abortion has on the women concerned.

I'll believe that Marie Stopes International wants to advertise on TV and radio purely in order to stimulate discussion and debate between parents and children when Professor Richard Dawkins goes down on bended knee in sackcloth and ashes at the Holy Father's feet in St. Peter's Square, admitting that he was wrong and begging to be baptised Catholic. Or, when hell freezes over. Whichever happens first.

Another Mass For You...

During the school holidays, I have the opportunity to attend weekday Mass in the parish. Because of the smaller numbers attending these Masses, I have been a little wary of taking photos - I don't want to disturb anyone. However, Sunday's experiments with the monopod demonstrated that I can leave the camera relatively low down, and in front of me, so it's not in the way...

So, this morning I settled down to capture a typical example of weekday Mass at Blackfen. Although it is as reverent as it can possibly be, because the Mass is being celebrated versus populum, it doesn't draw the eye in in quite the same way, which means that it is simply less photogenic. If you watch carefully, you'll see that Fr. Tim practically disappears behind the altar when he genuflects, and the Deacon is "missing" for the whole of the Consecration...

It's also noticeable that one can't help looking at the face of the priest during the Elevation when he celebrates versus populum: human beings are "hard-wired," biologically speaking, to focus on movement and faces, and especially on eyes. (Just watch a baby being held by its mother, and see it seek to make eye contact...)

UPDATE: I originally set the slide show to a track from Enya, but, on listening to it again, I decided that maybe it didn't work as well as I'd first thought. So, new music (I want people to watch the video, after all) and this time I picked Minuit, Chrétiens! by Adam, sung by Roberto Alagna, from the album Sanctus...

Calling Any Poppins Wannabees...

...But, sadly, only if you're in the Glasgow area!

The Sisters of the Gospel of Life are helping one young family in their search for a full-time (well, on weekdays anyway!) Nanny.

They also asked for other bloggers to advertise, and I'm always happy to help the Sisters, they do such stirling work.

Mass In The Ordinary Form...

I love Mass celebrated according to the Usus Antiquior, whether Low Mass, Missa Cantata or Solemn High Mass.

But I also love the Mass itself, because of what is happening. In Blackfen, we are fortunate to have a variety of Mass "styles" and I often attend the Sunday evening Mass, which is in the Ordinary Form; it is celebrated ad orientem, as recommended by our Holy Father in his book, The Spirit of the Liturgy.

There is a lot of stuff going around the blogs about the Reform of the Reform, and ICEL have been told what's what in no uncertain terms, so we have a better translation of the texts coming along shortly. I thought I would take some photos from Sunday evening Mass, and make it into a slide show video, the way I have for the Extraordinary Form Masses I've attended.

The music is by a group called Adiemus, from their album, Songs of Sanctuary. The track is also called Adiemus.

I shall try to get some photos from Mass celebrated versus populum shortly - it's more tricky, as I don't usually go to either the Saturday 6pm or Sunday 9am Masses, but I might be able to take photos at one of the weekday Masses this week...

Hands Off!

I really hate the Sign of Peace at Mass. It's not that I'm being unfriendly or snobbish, it's simply that, at the time of the Mass when the Sign of Peace is offered, I'm trying to recollect my thoughts before receiving the Sacred Body and Blood of my Lord and God... I'm easily distracted at the best of times, and the general hubbub which ensues after the deacon's (or priest's) instruction to offer the sign of peace means that this is not the best of times!

Even when people try to be reverent, and only shake hands with those closest to them, it results in a lot of movement and noise. But, in reality, people seem to try to greet as many others as possible; there is the desire not to "leave anyone out" because you might appear to be unfriendly... And often, especially at weekday Masses, people aren't sitting close to each other, so you get some people all on their own, so others walk across the church in order to make sure they don't feel excluded. People mean well... they want to be kind.

I've learned to keep my head down and my eyes firmly closed... I used to look around and smile at those nearest to me, but that would often encourage someone to "be neighbourly" because I was standing all on my own, and they would walk up to me, hand outstretched. On the odd occasion, I've opened my eyes to find a hand still being proffered, and then it would be rude to refuse to shake hands, but this is rare in my own parish, since I normally sit near the front and don't turn around.

Such behaviour is often misconstrued, so this song made me laugh out loud... apart from the "C of E" bit, I can see me there in a couple of decades (assuming that all the "trendy" priests haven't died out by then!)

Twitch of the mantilla to Catholic With Attitude.

Computer Tech Support...

I mentioned previously that Googling something on the computer for my parents often consists of them phoning me up... I also often get asked about how to do stuff in Publisher or Word (and other programs) so this picture (from XKCD webcomic) made me chuckle...

Twitch of the mantilla to Puella Paschalis (who has password-protected her blog, so no link right now...)

Low Mass...

Normally, the 10:30am Sunday Mass in Blackfen is a Missa Cantata. However, during August, the choir takes a well-earned break, and we have Low Mass in the Usus Antiquior instead.

I took some photos yesterday, experimenting with the monopod to see if I could work out the best position for the camera which would allow me to focus on the Mass, rather than constantly checking to see if the camera angle was ok.

Of course, I then had a whole batch of photos waiting to be used... I did wonder if I should make yet another slide show video for the blog, but I was assured that it was worth the effort...

I meant to add that the music is the title track from the Vision album I used before: O Euchari in Leta Via.

Finally...

I have found the whole Series surprisingly entertaining: if you'd told me, six weeks ago, that I would be avidly following cricket matches, I'd have thought you were one stop short of East Ham.*

I was more than a little worried when, after Mass this morning, one of the servers gleefully chortled that Australia didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of retaining the Ashes (that wasn't his exact phrase, but you get the picture!) I mean, last night Australia had finished 80 without loss... however, the server in question had heard the latest score, and the Aussies were already two wickets down.

Straight into the Parish Club to watch the big screen. It was certainly fun to try and match up the howls of triumph with a complete lack of reaction from the umpire: on Test Match Special, I would hear these screams of triumph and then wonder why no-one seemed to be out, and no runs were awarded. On the big screen, I was able to see that the bowler was assuming he'd gotten the batsman lbw, but the umpire was having none of it... and the computer-generated diagrams invariably supported the umpire.

I left once the lunch break commenced, went shopping (I had to find some correctly-sized staples for my staple gun, and it was harder than I thought possible! Eventually I gave up, and bought a new staple gun!!) and then I continued to listen at home. I tuned back in just as Ponting was run out, and then Clarke... and a while later, another wicket went down.

At this point, I had to leave to go to open the church for evening Mass. I wasn't sure if Australia would be able to hang on for another day, but they were 278 for 5, and I didn't see why, with another five wickets to go, they couldn't clock up another 268...

As I was clearing up after Mass, the deacon mentioned that England had taken another two wickets before he'd left for Mass... and then Trefor told us that it was indeed all over, and England had regained the Ashes.

Yippee. Now, four years before the next Ashes Test Series, by which time I might have learned to tell my silly mid on from my short backward square leg... to say nothing of my cow corner (thanks David!)

I'm still not quite sure why we were playing for the burnt remains of a cricket stump...

*On the District Line (Green) of the London Tube network... the stop before East Ham (starting from Upminster that is!) is Barking...

Further Lessons...

The Sensible Bond has been casting aspersions: he had the temerity to suggest that I was missing the Scotney Blognic in order to stay home and follow the cricket... the cad!

After Benediction, a couple of the servers decided to further my cricketing education. One of them started humming what he claimed was the theme to The Third Man... a reference which was totally lost on me, because I don't have a clue who "Harry Lime" is.

I was then taken through first, second and third slips... the position of the third man, and the fact that Australia tend to put a man in mid slips (I think that was what David said...) I was also pleased to find that I remembered Trott was the chap who'd been "run out."

I'm now just waiting for play to resume after lunch...

Oh, and Joe... one of the first things I was told was that, if the umpire says you're out, then you're out... added to which, not having TV coverage, I haven't a clue about controversial dismissals!

UPDATE: It wasn't "mid" slips, but "fly" slips. And I've been sent a diagram showing all the fielding positions... Tomorrow should prove interesting, but I'm completely at a loss as to why England declared before the end of the day's play... I mean, surely two days are sufficient to bowl Australia out? As it is, they now have 80 without loss...

This Made Me Smile...

The mental picture, conjured up by Steve Skojec, of two would-be feministas totally wrong-footed by a trad Mass made me smile - and it emphasises the fact that the Mass is being offered on our behalf, and it doesn't matter what we do to participate, as participation is more internal than external (as Bishop Hopes reminded us.)

Mantilla-twitch to Fr. Gonzales.

The "New" Mass...

...It is no such thing, of course. The Latin is still totally the same as the current Roman Missal (Second Edition) - the only thing to have changed is the translation.

This will require hard work - the responses are, after all, pretty automatic after all these years. However, the improved accuracy will make it worth the effort...

I'm delighted to see that "brethren" (rather than the clumsy "brothers and sisters," or the even more cringe-making "sisters and brothers") is back in favour. This will probably have the Tabletistas up in arms about "going backwards."

Anyway, the USCCB have the translation changes up on this website...

Yet Another Cricket Post...

Yes, another one. Still, the Ashes Series will be over by Monday at the latest... and, the way things have gone so far today, it might be over well before then.

England were all out after half an hour's play - I missed this because of some stuff I had to do after Mass... yes, I realise that means I'm not a real cricket buff... a real one would have moved heaven and earth to ensure being present at the start of play. I arrived home at 1pm to find that the Great British Summer had intervened, and everyone had stopped for an early lunch, with Australia at 61 runs without any losses - I don't know what the correct term for that is.

Luckily, the rain didn't last, and play resumed at 2:30pm. The first wicket fell within ten minutes (woo-hoo) followed by seven more in pretty quick succession. By teatime Australia had just averted the follow-on...

...but the remaining two wickets went down pretty quickly after play had resumed, leaving England in the lead by 172 runs...

...unfortunately, England's first wicket has just gone down. The pitch is deteriorating (Lord only knows what that means!) Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some cricket to listen to...

Day One Of The Last Test...

OK, I'll warn you up front... Just in case you haven't noticed a few of my previous posts, (first one here, then here, and here... as well as a couple of comments on the weather) I have become interested in Cricket. I know very little, but make up for this in enthusiasm. If you are not a cricket enthusiast, or find amateur wittering tedious, feel free to look away now...

I arrived home later than intended after Mass, as I was persuaded to stop for a cup of tea with some of the ladies of the UCM (they clean the church on Thursday mornings.) As soon as I arrived home, I turned on the computer and logged on to the BBC's Test Match Special coverage.

I listened for about fifteen minutes, heard Strauss get his half-century, just about managed to figure out that England seemed to be doing ok, and then everything stopped for lunch, with England at 108 for 1. Delighted that I appeared to understand some of the gobbledegook emanating from my computer, I went and made some lunch, and settled down to listen to the afternoon session...

Unfortunately, my interest coincided with a downturn in England's performance... a few minutes after play resumed, Strauss was out. Then I curled up on the sofa, still listening to the coverage, until I drifted off. I still find myself having to stop for a brief nap in the afternoon, though it's getting shorter as my haemoglobin levels increase.

I resurfaced about the time that Bell was bowled out, and continued listening for the rest of the afternoon, though quite a lot of the commentary went straight over my head; I haven't yet figured out what all the fielding positions are, and I assume that half of the terms used give an idea as to where the ball was headed after it was whacked (or not) by the batsman.

Hearing that Trott was run out by Katich made me sit up and listen: I was able to relate some of my tuition on batsmen starting to run and then having to get back behind the crease before being stumped... I think I got those terms right...

The day ended just after 6:30pm - this included an extra thirty minutes' play, but I'm not sure what the rules (oops, sorry, laws) are on extra time... four and a half overs short of the 90 I was expecting (I thought there had to be a minimum of 90 in the day... Jonathan will probably be able to explain when he gets back from his sailing holiday.) England were 307 for 8. Only two more wickets to go.

Anyway, the general opinion from the commentators was that this was not looking that good. They had started off by saying that a score of 400 or so would be an acceptable one, and then part of the way through the afternoon, changed it down to 350...

I was then keen to stop off at the Parish club after Rosary and Benediction, as I was pretty sure that Sky Sports would be showing the Test match highlights. I wasn't disappointed, and got to see Trott do a desperate U-turn as he vainly tried to get his bat down behind the crease...

Maybe if I start to support Australia, England's chances will improve...

Stop The Abortion Mandate...

An excellent campaign video - the final shot brought quite a lump to my throat.

I wish that there was some way of controlling what our taxes are spent on over here in the UK. You can find out more HERE. Mantilla-twitch to American Papist.

Big Brother Is Watching You... (And Checking Your Pizza Preferences...)

Here in the UK, we've got the highest number of CCTV cameras watching our every move, and the Government has been doing its level best to bring in ID cards and detention for 48 days without charges under anti-terrorism legislation.

The USA seems to be going the same way... at least, that is the opinion of the American Civil Liberties Union, who want to repeal the 2005 Real ID Act, and are asking people to sign their petition. I have no idea how recent the petition is, as there doesn't seem to be a date mentioned anywhere.

The UCLU have an Orwellian view of where things are headed. Click on THIS to see what they believe the future might hold. It's very amusing... in a spine-chilling sort of way...

Twitch of the mantilla to the very talented Anna Arco, who put the link up on Facebook.

Do You Think The Message Will Sink In...?

Pax Christi 3 from Temple Cleansers has drawn attention to the following report in California Catholic Daily: it seems that embryonic stem cells are not producing the treatment breakthroughs expected from them.

As the article in California Catholic Daily states:

Those who opposed the destruction of human embryos for research, including the Catholic Church, were derided as being “anti-science.” But as advances in the treatment of diseases and medical conditions using adult stem cells multiply daily and the technical limitations of embryonic stem cells remain, it appears that the Church’s morally correct position was scientifically correct. These advances, well known to scientists, have not been given the attention in the mainstream media, although they are having to sit up and take notice.

Furthermore, an article in the San Francisco Weekly raised serious concerns about the side effects resulting from the use of embryonic stem cells, citing the case of

...a teenage boy who had traveled from Israel to Russia... for an implant of neural stem cells to treat a rare degenerative disease. Four years after the procedure, according to the study, the therapy hadn't worked, and the transplanted stem cells had morphed into a brain tumor.

The article continued:

As Kriegstein shuffled through his papers, looking for the report, he explained his fear that current efforts in California to create stem-cell–based cures, which he views as premature, could have similar results.

"The likelihood of something going wrong is pretty high," he said. "Something like tumors are probably going to happen. This is an area where the risks are great. The public has to be prepared."

Arnold Kriegstein is in charge of the Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at the University of California, San Francisco. Kriegstein's research facility is one of the biggest of its kind in the world.

Other scientists report that their understanding of stem cells has failed to yield the benefits promised for severe degenerative diseases. Although this is widely ignored by the mainstream media, human embryonic stem cells have been described as a substance akin to poison when they are not tightly controlled. Their potential for developing into any tissue type is also their greatest potential danger. Embryonic stem cells, implanted in mice, have often been seen to create teratomas (potentially cancerous tumors that can sprout hair and teeth), as the cells mutate and multiply into the various organs they can create.

So, given this lack of progress, why are there so many calls for more money to be spent on embryonic stem cell research, along with the ever-increasing drive to use so-called "spare" embryos from IVF treatments?

The California Catholic Daily has a chilling answer:

In a November 20, 2007 article in First Things, Joseph Bottum opined: "I have long suspected that science, in the context of the editorial page of the New York Times, was simply a stalking-horse for something else. In fact, for two something-elses: a chance to discredit America’s religious believers and an opportunity to put yet another hedge around the legalization of abortion. After all, if our very health depends on the death of embryos, and we live in a culture that routinely destroys early human life in the laboratory, no grounds could exist for objecting to abortion."

Anyone care to lay bets on how long it will be before the mainstream media and our politicians catch on?

Time For A Cat Post...

I've mentioned before that Sylvester has my next-door neighbour wrapped around his paw. She usually feeds him in the morning and the evening if I'm away, staying with him while he eats, and making a general fuss of him, in case he's lonely.

It seems that, while I was away the other week, Sylvester not only slept under my duvet (I already knew he did that), but my neighbour actually had to go in to the bedroom in the morning and wake the cat up for his breakfast!

Even more disturbingly, on one morning, he yawned, looked at my neighbour, rolled over and went back to sleep!

He's obviously picking up my bad habits...

Missa Cantata In Honour Of Our Lady...

I decided to use my snazzy camera during this morning's Missa Cantata for the Feast of the Assumption: well, it's a special day. And, naturally, I wanted to show off my snazzy photos... but thought that another picture post might be a bit much... so I made a slide show video from them.

It took me a while to find some music to go with the photos: I finally decided on a track from an old CD by Vision, a group using the music of Hildegard von Bingen. I'm not sure if it really works, as it sounds a bit new-agey (I haven't listened to the CD in years) but I had fun trying to match up the main photo transitions with the soundtrack.

By the way, the Thurifer is only 7 years old... while the MC has reached the grand old age of eleven!

Happy Feast Of The Assumption !

Photos In The News...

I have to admit, when I first saw this photo, I wondered whether Vincenzo had been busy. Apparently not, but it gave him ideas for another holiday snap...

Showing Off...

My mother is not into technology. She can use it, when provoked, but it's always under protest. Google searches in my parents' house consist of my mother saying what she wants to know, and my stepfather going off and looking it up on the internet... or, occasionally, phoning me up to ask if I can look it up...

This made showing off my snazzy new camera on my visit less rewarding than it would have been with anyone who likes and understands technological gizmos... after all, the image on the camera viewing screen isn't that impressive, especially if one needs to don glasses in order to see it. My mother also likes to have "proper" photos rather than digital photo frames... and inkjet printer images just don't quite look right.

In an attempt to impress, I took some photos in the garden (focussing on the plums, beetroots and pears especially for Leutgeb) ...

No dice. The pictures were ok, but nothing very spectacular. Then, I had a brainwave. Standing at the bottom of the garden, I took a photo of the top...

And then I used the 3x optical zoom...

Finally, I used the 12x digital zoom...

Being able to pick out a scrappy Yorkshire terrier at the top of the garden while standing at the bottom of the garden did the trick.

Visit To The Seaside...

Going to visit my parents is never really "going home" for me, as my parents moved to Eastbourne several years after I'd flown the familial coop. However, I often refer to Eastbourne as "home" simply because my parents live there... and then I'm surprised when people assume I grew up there.

I do like Eastbourne. The seafront is quite pretty, and the Council have done their best to make sure properties there are kept in reasonably good order. I also like the huge contrasts between Beachy Head, the seafront and pier, and various forest areas, all to be found within twenty minutes' drive.

On my latest visit, I took my snazzy camera. The weather was somewhat changeable, which made the photos of Seven Sisters and Beachy Head look gloriously moody and atmospheric...

Just how changeable the weather was is demonstrated by the fact that I took all the photos in this post between 3:06pm and 3:25pm on Wednesday afternoon, and the only editing I have done is to reduce them in size for the web!

Tagged For A Meme...

I didn't realise I'd been tagged until today, because Ches didn't actually let me know I'd been tagged, but just sat back and waited for me to find out.

I suppose it is easier than going round to everyone and leaving "tag" comments... but I'm sure it's cheating, really, as is wimping out and saying "you're tagged if you feel like it," as the meme thingy is a way to give people links to other blogs, especially little-known blogs. However, as I've done both in my time, I'm not criticising... honest!

Ok, this meme is seven things I love.

1. The Catholic Church

2. The Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite

3. Blogging

4. Reading (ideally by a roaring fire, with a cup of Green & Black's hot chocolate - none of your instant muck - with the wind howling outside and rain lashing against the windows... but central heating is an acceptable substitute for the roaring fire...)

5. Going out for lunch or dinner with friends

6. Caffeine (in any form - coffee, coca cola, hot chocolate, chocolate...)

7. Baileys on ice

Which leaves me with seven people to tag. Not easy, given that this meme has been doing the rounds for a while now...

Ok, I think I'll tag Richard, Fiorella, Laurence (aka Bones), Mike, Jane, Oliver and Adoro. Happy blogging!

Appeal...

I've been a little preoccupied of late, so this slipped under the radar. However, I'm back to blogging, so I thought I'd draw it to your attention, as you responded so generously before.

The wonderful Sisters of the Gospel of Life are in need of baby stuff, as they're running very low on supplies. They don't need baby wipes, but they are asking for other baby toiletries, buggies, cots, baths and high-chairs. The Sisters run the Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative, and have saved countless babies from being aborted by offering care, counselling and practical support to young mothers who feel they have no other option but to abort. This practical support extends to helping to find accommodation for young mothers, providing cots, prams, baby clothes and so on.

On their blog, they asked for stuff from anyone in the Glasgow area, but we know from previous experience that Amazon (UK) and Amazon are able to deliver these items, however small the order. The delivery address, if you use this option is

Sisters of the Gospel of Life
106 Dixon Ave
Glasgow
G42 8EL

It is also possible to make a donation via PayPal. The button is on the Sisters' sidebar.

Finally, the Sisters are aware that times are hard, and so they ask for those who cannot afford to send anything to keep them in their prayers. So pop over and tell them that you are praying for them and the work that they do.

Exciting Times...

I received a rather exciting item in the post this morning: a proof copy of a chapter I wrote about St. Anne Line for a book on various heroic women. I'm not entirely sure whether I'm supposed to do anything with it, it just came with a compliment slip from the publisher, the contents pages and the biographies of all the contributors as they will appear in the book.

The book is called English Catholic Heroines, and it is edited by Joanna Bogle (of Auntie Joanna Writes fame) and published by Gracewing. Glancing at the other chapter titles, I was delighted to see that Fiorella Nash and Sr. Andrea Fraile have also contributed chapters.

In addition to the "usual suspects" such as St. Margaret Clitherow and St. Margaret Ward, there are a lot of women I'd never heard of, so it will be quite a fascinating read... though I shall avoid reading my own chapter: I hate reading stuff I've written.

I have to say that I hadn't realised that it was going to be quite such a large book - 23 heroines in 22 chapters - but I suspect all the chapters are pretty short. I have no idea about its price, or whether it will be available in hardback first (or at all!) but, looking at Gracewing's website, there is a similar (presumably paperback) volume called English Catholic Heroes, edited by John Joliffe, and priced at £9.99.

I think the book launch is some time in October, probably in central London - watch this space!

Faith Magazine Publications...

Sir Dan of the Nesbitry and Fr. Hugh MacKenzie were very keen for me to use my blogging skills to advertise various things published by the Faith Movement. The were so keen, in fact, that they bribed me with free copies of the last two issues of Faith Magazine.

Unwisely, I admitted that I did prefer reading hard copies, and that I had had a subscription, but that it had lapsed. This was like a red rag to a bull, and I soon found myself with Sir Dan twisting one arm behind my back, and Fr. Hugh placing a pen in the other... I took the path of least resistance, and filled in a subscriptions card.

To be fair, the Faith Magazine is particularly good value compared to other theological works: it is £25 per year (6 issues) in the UK, €37 in Europe and US $66 if you want it sent via airmail. The student rate is a derisory £17 (€22 or US $34) for a year's subscription. As well as interesting, informative and intellectually challenging articles, there are regular columns such as Cutting Edge and Notes from across the Atlantic and the Letters section.

The Reasons for Believing series of pamphlets is very popular: there are currently six titles covering the fundamentals of the Catholic faith, including Can we be sure God exists? and The Disaster of Sin. The latest pamphlet is The Church: Christ's Voice to the World, which will help anyone seeking to answer that hoary old chestnut - "Well, I do believe in Jesus, but I don't believe in all that Church nonsense, it's just not necessary..."

The latest resource, hot off the press is the third DVD produced by Faith: The Bible: The Word of God. Dan was determined that I should get a photo for the blog of the DVD and the pamphlet which accompanies it...

All of the publications and DVDs mentioned, and many more, are available from the website... unfortunately the site is down for tweaking at the moment, but the plan is that it will be up and running again after the weekend.

UPDATE: Yes, the site is back up and running...