And I'm Back Home...

The Symposium was really great, and I'm extremely glad I went. Now, however, reality is setting in: I ache all over from the rather steep slopes (well, steep for someone with a dodgy ankle and two wrecked knees!) as well as suffering from the cold, damp weather. When the abbey wasn't shrouded in mist and fog, it was obscured by sheet rain. To add insult to injury, glorious sunshine made an appearance just as we were all preparing to leave...

I did succeed in obtaining photographic evidence that the sun does actually shine in Yorkshire...

The return of the abbey to its term-time routine meant that many of the activities were relocated or rescheduled - though, as I haven't managed to get to the symposium regularly, I wasn't affected by the change in arrangements. We had a holy hour in the evenings in the chapel in Alban Roe House as a result of these changes, and I got to see an altar by Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson - his work is, apparently, famous... or maybe famouse might be a better description...

I gather that all his work had a little mouse incorporated into the design somewhere... I should have been focussing on Our Lord, but I'm afraid that the little mouse caught my eye... Photoshop has allowed me to get a close-up, but it isn't a very good one...

I didn't manage to get many photos. There is a limit to the number of photos one can take of people attending a lecture. I'd have loved to walk round and take more photos of the abbey, but there just wasn't time - the afternoon break (which would have been the best time for me to go looking for photo opportunities) was spent updating my blog and checking my emails.

 I did manage to get a few photos of the speakers. Fr. Stephen Boyle gave an excellent overview of John Paul II's Theology of the Body - I mentioned in a previous post that he's Fr. John Boyle's brother... Fr. John's presence at the symposium was sorely missed. Fr. Stephen was responsible for introducing me to the Faith Movement when I was a parishioner in Camberwell, and he was the Assistant Priest. It was a bit of a shock to realise that this was more than 16 years ago! Tempus fugit and all that...

Fr. David Barrett gave two talks, on different aspects of the writings of St. Hilary - I understand that this is the subject of Fr. David's doctoral thesis, which should be finished some time in the summer.

Fr. David Standen (standing in the centre of the photo) was responsible for the organisation of the symposium, which ran like clockwork... Having organised quite a few retreats in the past, I recognise that such smooth running is due to a great deal of hard work behind the scenes, and he managed it all with patience and good humour... In this photo he's introducing Fr. Dylan James (to the right), who spoke on the meaning of sex and the difference between contraception and natural family planning.

Fr. Hugh MacKenzie (seen in the foreground on the right of the photo) and Fr. Stephen Dingley both eluded my photographic endeavours - Fr. Hugh because his was the first talk, and it hadn't occurred to me that getting photos of all the speakers might be a good idea, and Fr. Stephen because his was the last talk, and I'd packed my camera away, thinking I already had a photo of him...

Oh well. I shall try to put that right in the summer...

The Symposium Continues...

Last night, we had a talk from Fr. David Barrett on St. Hilary of Poitiers - 'The Fore-Ordination of Man in Christ. Very, very good - I knew almost nothing of St. Hilary. I was very interested to discover that he was responsible for writing hymns in Latin for the Divine Office, that he was the first Latin Church Father to write a commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew, and that he was nicknamed the 'Hammer of the Arians' and the 'Athanasius of the West'.

This morning's session covered Contraception and the Meaning of Sex. Fr. Dylan James gave the talk, which was as excellent as all the preceeding ones had been. The discussions afterwards are almost more interesting than the initial talks - no reflection on the speakers, but there is a real excitement in being present when some pretty hard theology is being bashed out, almost through people ruminating out loud!

I'm pretty sure that Fr. Tim will have a more in-depth coverage of the talks than anything I can manage - he appeared to be typing away furiously during this morning's session - so I shall refer you to his blog if you want more details and analysis.

This afternoon we are in for another dose of St. Hilary... this time considering 'Christ's Risen Body - the Future of Man. Tomorrow morning's session will be given by Fr. Stephen Dingley: Hawking, Relativism and Self-Creating Universes: A Critique of 'The Grand Design'. I'm really looking forward to that one, especially as Fr. Stephen entertained us by explaining some of the stuff concerning the relativity of time and space in the bar on Monday night...

Faith Theological Symposium...

Well, I have managed to find a computer with internet access for use by guests at the Abbey... and we're having a spot of free time, so I availed myself of the opportunity to indulge my internet addiction. Sadly, I haven't got a phone signal (thanks for nothing, O2!) so can't get my fix at regular intervals. I'm sure that a bit of time spent away from the computer will be good for me... at least, that's what I keep trying to tell myself!

The Symposium has been brilliant so far... I'm really glad that I made the effort to come along (on Sunday I was regretting my decision to spend Half Term doing anything other than sleep) and I am enjoying excellent company and wonderful discussions - the latter, I hasten to add, are happening around me, while I'm doing my best to keep my mouth shut and look intelligent... I think I have failed on both those counts...

The two talks we've had so far have been quite challenging for me - I'm not of a philosophical bent, and Fr. Hugh MacKenzie's talk last night on The Static Form: A virus that has become virulent rather lost me... fortunately, there were plenty of people around to help clarify things (a bit) and the use of the analogy of Michaelangelo's David to explain material, formal, efficient and final causality gave me plenty to think about.

Fr. Hugh later said that most of the stuff he'd covered in his talk could be found in the most recent issue of Faith Magazine...

I found this morning's talk was much more accessible (or maybe I was more awake!) - Fr. Stephen Boyle (brother to Fr. John) spoke about The Theology of the Body. I hadn't really paid any attention to any of the discussions on the blogosphere about Pope John Paul's work in this area, and it was, therefore, very interesting to hear Fr. Stephen's overview.

The talks are certainly more of an intellectual challenge for me than the ones we get at the Faith Summer Session (which is as it should be - after all, those talks are targetted at a very different audience) so I'm having to work quite hard to keep up. This is definitely good for me - it keeps the grey cells ticking away - and it stops me getting complacent and thinking that I understand the Faith!

I shall end there - I need to go and say some prayers before the next talk begins. I shall try to add some more tomorrow...

Time For A Short Break...

I'm off to the Faith Theological Symposium for a few days. I won't have access to a computer (at least I don't think so) and I am not sure what the phone reception will be like, so the blog might be hors de combat for the week.

I'm rather nervous about leaving the kittens in charge of the flat. I might not have any books or statues left when I return...

UCM Winter Warmer...

The weather today has been atrocious. Fortunately, the ladies of the parish UCM had arranged to hold a Winter Warmer lunch event this afternoon, which provided a bright spot in an otherwise wet and windy Saturday.

I don't like vegetables, so the potato and leek soup was not something I wished to eat, but I was fascinated by the use of an electronic whisk-blender thingy...

I'm afraid that I couldn't resist smirking when the blender attachment doobrey-whatsit fell in the soup and had to be fished out...

The sandwiches, homemade sausage rolls and homemade cakes were delicious... I was persuaded to buy a cake and take it home for the kittens to play with... unfortunately for the kittens, I am rather partial to chocolate sponge with fresh cream and jam filling, so it shall be mine, all mine.

Good food and good company - a very agreeable Saturday lunchtime.

Miss-ing The Point...

Miss Ellen E has been blogging over at Miscellany of Musings for three years now. She has given in to the latest makeover craze and has decided to use her Twitter nom-de-plume as her nom-de-blog: so, Miss Ellen E is now the Idle Rambler.

I have to admit, rather shamefacedly, that the play on words completely passed me by. "Miss Ellen E" = "Miscellany!" I suspect that this was because, in my mental processes, I shortened it to Miss Ellie, and just thought of Dallas. There. That's aged me.

Consecration Through Mary To Jesus...

About four years ago, I renewed my Consecration to Mary according to the method given by St. Louis de Montfort.

Not to be undertaken lightly, there are 12 days of preparation before the actual preparation begins, followed by a further three weeks. It was supposed to be an annual thing for me, but, while the spirit is willing, the flesh basically suffers from a combination of inertia and amnesia.

The Good Counsel Network is doing its best to encourage more people to make the Consecration this year. If we start tomorrow (20th February) then the day of Consecration is March 25th, which is, of course, the Feast of the Annunciation. There's nothing like doing things together as a group to help with motivation and perseverance...

Twitch of the mantilla to the Ecumenical Diablogger for highlighting the campaign!

I Never Thought I'd Say This...

...on two counts, actually!

Firstly, I never thought I'd agree with anything Cristina Odone had to say.

Secondly, I  dislike hype. Screaming fans are, for me, a turn off. Added to which I'm not really into pop music. My students, fascinated by the fact that I will burst into song at the drop of a hat, are flummoxed when they discover that I have no idea who the latest music sensation actually is.

However, it seems that teenage heart-throb, Justin Bieber, has spoken out against abortion, declaring, "It's like killing a baby!"

I still can't quite bring myself to listen to any of his music. But I shall be rather less scathing when the girls at school confess to being "Beliebers" !

A twitch of the mantilla to Bones.

It Has Been Two Weeks...

...I haven't posted anything about the kittens for two weeks, and I know that my two kittens have a great fan base out in the blogosphere! It has been wonderful to watch them develop.

Miaowrini (the younger of the two) is still rather skittish and clumsy, though less so than before. She hasn't fallen in either the bath or the toilet again. Furretti is far better co-ordinated, and is much more poised and elegant compared to Miaowrini.

I recently bought a replacement microwave, and, instead of getting rid of the box immediately, I thought I'd let the kittens play...

Furretti also loves playing with my pens... especially if I'm trying to use them...

...and Miaowrini is getting better at jumping on shelves...

Both kittens have discovered the kitchen surfaces - up until now these have (surprisingly) been kitten-free zones. I have had to put a large, heavy box in front of the catflap to discourage accidents - this is in the kitchen window, and they hadn't spotted it before. They are taking more of an interest in what is going on outside - sitting on the window ledge and looking out - and much excitement ensued when a neighbouring cat strolled past the window.

I shall be letting them out before too long...

Common Sense Has Prevailed For Once...

Pro-life groups appear to be delighted with today's High Court judgement on the proposal to allow women to take misoprostol, used in conjunction with the chemical abortion drug RU486, at home rather than in hospital.

Quite apart from the need to fight any attempts to make abortion seem as routine and unworthy of notice as taking a course of antibiotics,* I think that this is a victory for common sense. The horrendous consequences of taking this drug have been drastically downplayed by the media and the abortion providers.

Consider the following:

Firstly, the nature of the drug means that the woman must undergo her abortion over the course of a number of days. Even the president of the original makers of RU486 said “The woman must live with this for a full week. This is an appalling psychological ordeal” (Edouard Sakiz, chairman, Roussel-Uclaf, August 1990.)

Secondly, the woman would be likely to abort at home and suffer the distress of seeing the expelled embryo/foetus, which she would be required to keep and return to the hospital or clinic to help determine if the abortion is complete.

Furthermore, the side effects of misoprostol/RU486 include haemorrhages possibly requiring a blood transfusion, severe pain requiring strong pain killers, incomplete abortion, rupture of the uterus, vaginal bleeding, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, muscle weakness, dizziness, flushing, chills, backache, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, palpitations, rise in temperature and fall in blood pressure.

This is hardly the impression that was being conveyed to the public when the proposal was being put before the High Court. The convenience and privacy of taking the drug at home was all that was mentioned.

So, as I said, a real victory for common sense. It is also a victory for women, who shouldn't be tricked into thinking that abortion is a simple solution to contraceptive failure. Congratulations must go to SPUC who did so much to highlight the dangers inherent in the use of this drug.

*Actually, I suspect that the abortion pill would have been given out much more freely than a course of antibiotics. Bacteria can fight back against the drugs used to kill them. Babies can't!

Catholic Herald Up For Award...

The Catholic Herald is up for "Best Catholic Newspaper" - none of the other British Catholic papers are in the running - hardly a surprise! The Herald is far and away the best paper in the UK, especially with Luke Coppen as editor and Anna Arco as their chief feature writer.

In any event, if you want to vote, you can do so HERE.

Twitch of the mantilla to Fr. Tim.

Happy St. Valentine's Day...? Perhaps Not...

Girls, be warned! Fr. Z has given advertising space to the schmucks at the Bronx Zoo who think that naming a Madagascan hissing cockroach after one's beloved is a cool St. Valentine's Day gift.

To be fair, Fr. Z did warn that the hissing sound might be the vase flying towards the giver's head...

Reading his post, I can say with all honesty that I am profoundly grateful I'm not likely to get any St. Valentine's Day presents... 

Back Again...!

Well, at the risk of inviting further disaster, I am delighted to say that my malfunctioning computer has been sorted out. Somehow or other, the registry had been completely corrupted. This necessitated wiping the whole shebang off and reinstalling Windows.

It took me a surprising amount of time to sort out the spaghetti at the back of the computer - what with keyboard, mouse, printer, monitor, speakers, webcam, external hard drive, internet connection and, last but not least, various power cables (yes, they are important... I actually spent three minutes wondering why my computer wouldn't work after I'd connected everything, only to realise that I'd hooked the power cable up out of the way and forgotten to reconnect it! I felt particularly blonde at that point...) I suspect it wouldn't have taken quite so long if the spaghetti hadn't been in such a tangle in the first place!

All fine and dandy, only I now have to reinstall all the programs I had on the computer. The data was saved, as far as I can see, but not the actual programs.

Looking at the blank slate of a computer filled me with a mixture of excitement (oooooh... it's like having a new computer... and I can load the programs I use most, and ditch the old, obsolete ones!) and dread (oh Lord... I have to find the CDs and activation codes, and actually spend time uploading the whole lot... it'll take forever!)

I've made a start... Chrome was the one thing the computer weenies put up for me (they were of the opinion that it's streets ahead of anything else!) and I have been trying to trace favourite links. It will take me quite some time, but blogging will be back on track shortly...

Apologies...

Having just gotten my blogging inspiration back, I was all fired up and raring to go. Unfortunately, my computer decided that it had had enough, and promptly conked out. Posting from a mobile phone is much more fiddly and much less fun, unless one has sorted the posts out beforehand! Hopefully my computer will be fixed soon...

Oh You Really Think So...?

The Catholic Herald reported that more than 140 Catholic theologians from universities in Austria, Switzerland and Germany have called for the Church to ordain women, end priestly celibacy and let lay people help select bishops, along with a few other changes, like allowing remarried divorcees to receive the Sacraments.

They said that enacting the reforms would attract people back to the Church.

Yeah, right. Because that really worked in the Church of England, didn't it?

Just To Make Deo Volente Happy...

It seems that Deo volente's hankering for a bit of the St. Ninian tartan to be shown, as well as a smidgeon of aubergine...

I aim to please...

Mass For The Feast Of St. Agatha...

Fr. Tim gave an excellent sermon at this month's Saturday Missa Cantata - which just happened to be the feast of St. Agatha. I was in the mood for a photo or two, and I don't often get the chance to snap the red vestments...

Maybe His Hermeneuticalness was reflecting on St. Agatha's role as patron of bellringers, but he swung the thurible rather enthusiastically during the Offertory, and the MC apparently failed to move the altar out of the way (it being a time-honoured tradition that all errors are the fault of the MC) so the bottom of the thurible came off with an appropriately ringing clang!

I managed to persuade the schola to pose for a photograph afterwards, along with our Organist Emeritus...

Yes, I Have Hopped On The Bandwagon...

*sigh*

Yes, ok, I shall admit it... I have been persuaded to give my blog a bit of a facelift. In this I am following the good example set by Fathers Finigan, Boyle and Blake (though, to be fair, I think Fr. Ray changed his blog a while back!) I haven't changed the blog since its creation in 2006, so it really was time for an overhaul, if only to improve loading speeds on mobile phones and whatnots...

Looking at what the good Fathers have done, I suspect that I have chosen the better part (well, the better template anyway!) - I hate having to read light text on a dark screen. My background photo, for anyone who is interested, is shown above, and is one I took at the Marian Procession at Lourdes last year. I think that the blue sky maintains some continuity with my previous colour scheme as well, so the changes won't be quite so much of a shock...

Consider yourselves lucky... Deo volente (who has also had a blog makeover) was trying to provoke me into aubergine or Papal Tartan!

UPDATE: Fr. Brown has done it too... That's the problem with reading blogs via Google Reader - you miss this sort of thing...

Mass at St. George's Cathedral...

In the absence of proper blogging, I thought I'd bring this important event to your attention - the Latin Mass Society is having a Mass for the Feast of the Apparitions of Our Lady at Lourdes, on Friday, 11 February 2011, at 6pm at St. George's Cathedral, Southwark.

Do make the effort to attend if you can. Further details can be found on the Southwark North blog.

Catholic Medical Association Conference...

I've been asked to advertise the following conference from the Kent Branch of the Catholic Medical Association...

(Click to enlarge)

Anyone interested in attending should email Wendy Kane or telephone her on 07992 359 239. It looks as if it will be a valuable meeting for any healthcare workers.

Difficulties Blogging...

I'm finding it a little difficult to blog at the moment.

Life is pretty hectic, but not with anything that I can blog about. Work is taking up a lot of my time - parents' evenings, reports and marking feature heavily at the moment. The kittens are also keeping me fully occupied... but, aware that I have been wittering on about kittens far too frequently, I want to refrain from posting even more stuff about them... even if, not content with stealing my aniseed balls, they have been mugging me for my crispy duck pancakes with hoi sin sauce...

I shall try and get back to regular blogging shortly...

Smiles On Sunday...

It is rare to find a "clean" comedian these days. Milton Jones seems to specialise in one-liners, and he proves that you don't have to be rude to be funny.

I first heard him on the radio, so I had no idea how very mad he looked!

Anyway, just to make you smile this Sunday morning, I thought I'd share...

I particularly enjoyed the one about the Science teacher's funeral...

Underestimating Kittens...

Foolish, foolish woman that I am...

This evening, I happened to spot a shop in Bluewater which sells traditional sweets, such as aniseed balls, cough candy, barley sugars and licorice bootlaces. The sweets were even weighed out on old-fashioned scales and wrapped in paper bags! I treated myself to some aniseed balls and apple bonbons (a little trip down memory lane before I get to amnesia alley) and, on my return home, mightily pleased with my purchase, I put them down on my bedside table while I went to read my emails.

On returning to the bedroom, I discovered one kitten playing with aniseed balls, while the other was sitting in the middle of the other paper bag (which had kitten toothmarks in the bottom, along with a large hole) entranced by the bonbons...

Needless to say, the expensive catnip-filled balls and mice I have purchased previously for the amusement of my feline friends are lying around the flat, abandoned and neglected...

To Veil Or Not To Veil...

Vincenzo has posted an excellent article by Mgr. Charles Pope about Colombo Cathedral's mandate that women should be veiled in church. It seems, from the original piece, that concerns were being expressed about standards of dress, and so the Cathedral authorities decided to get everyone's attention with the head covering rule. Personally, although I would like the practice to be reintroduced, I think Colombo Cathedral's approach is a little heavy-handed...

This might surprise a few of you. But it all boils down to the reason for wearing a head covering. Mgr. Pope gives the main ones, and promptly demolishes them...

Canon Law no longer insists on women covering their heads in church. If that is the case, then I find it hard to understand why the cathedral in Colombo is insisting that women must be veiled. If, as they say, there are problems with dress standards, then I believe that those are what need to be dealt with. Sticking a veil on top of a woman's head will not make up for the fact that she is wearing an all-too-revealing crop top.

I choose to wear a mantilla - for a few reasons.

Firstly, I like the traditional idea that a woman's hair is her crowning glory, and as such it is veiled in God's presence as a sign of humility. I also like the fact that I have to stop on my way in to the church to put my mantilla on - this helps me to avoid treating the place as just another building - I put the mantilla on and in doing so I get the chance to recollect where I am and with Whom I am about to converse. This is the strongest argument (for me) about not exchanging the mantilla or veil for a hat. Hats are generally worn outside as well, and so there is no special indication that one is entering the house of God. Finally, the mantilla helps me to avoid distractions - it shields my face from those around me, and, rather like the nun's veil, encourages me to ignore whatever is happening at either side, encouraging me to turn my gaze towards the altar.

Many women feel self-conscious about wearing a mantilla or chapel veil. I would encourage them to give it a go - it feels strange at first, but you soon get used to it. I now would feel very odd indeed if I were to enter the church without my head covered.

A Lost Luggage Saga...

Following on from my post with Fascinating Aida's take on cheap flights, I thought I'd add Rhod Gilbert's experiences with another budget airline and lost luggage...



Hopefully it'll make you smile this Sunday morning...

A Little Light Entertainment...

Ches posted this to mark the end of the school week... Milton Jones always looks as if he's in shock...!



Twitch of the mantilla to The Sensible Bond.

Are They Reading My Blog...?

...Probably not, but it did amuse me to note that, just one week after my blog post bemoaning the lack of progress on introducing the new translation of the Mass, the Bishops have made an announcement.

Yes, the new translation is due to make its official debut in England and Wales in September. That gives us plenty of time to check out the new website and watch the introductory DVD - all six hours' worth of experts talking us through what it all means - before the new Missal is published in Advent.

Like I said before, I feel prepared already because I passed my English Language and English Literature 'O' Levels many, many years ago (with flying colours, I might add...) Having said that, some people like listening to DVDs from the Bishops' Conference.

Twitch of the mantilla to Mark Greaves of the Catholic Herald.

Ordinations For The Ordinariate...

Lots of other bloggers have posted on this already, and far more eloquently than I ever could, as well as with more authority. So, His Hermeneuticalness has been rejoicing over Saturday's "day of white marked with a stone" (whatever that means... though it sounds pretty good to me... presumably it's the Latin equivalent of a red letter day!), while Fr. Ray Blake also seems pretty chuffed. Damian Thompson was positively jubilant (his post makes it sound as if he is pinching himself to check he's not dreaming!), and the excellent Anna Arco from the Catholic Herald has a fantastic overview of the ceremony and some of the reactions.

Leutgeb of Bara Brith fame has, in her understated way, put up a link for anyone who wishes to become a friend of the Friends of the Ordinariate, while speculating on the bun-fight which might have followed...

I would also like to offer my congratulations to all those concerned.

I was slightly amused to see this photo on Facebook. The hordes of supporters calling for the Holy Father to ordain women...

...almost outnumbered by the cameraman and the interviewer...

What, exactly, has to happen before these sad individuals realise that they are flogging a dead horse? It is just never going to happen...

Thanks to Peter Williams for the photo!

UPDATE: The Reluctant Sinner was actually present at the ordinations, so do go over and read his account...

Interesting...

I have finally met the Ecumenical Diablogger... he was visiting Blackfen, and, having been warned that I would take umbrage if he failed to make himself known, (I believe my usual phrase is "I will hunt you down!" sometimes with the additional warning of "I know where you live!") Stuart hastily introduced himself after Benediction.

It was a delight to meet him at long last! Do go on over and have a look at his blog...

John Paul II To Be Beatified...

After the death of Pope John Paul II, there were many calls for him to be canonised immediately. Although Pope Benedict waived the five-year rule, things seemed to have gone very quiet. And now it has been announced that the miracle needed for Pope John Paul II's beatification has been approved, and the ceremony will take place on May 1, 2011, which happens to be Divine Mercy Sunday.

Fr. Ray Blake speculated that John Paul II's body would be transferred to the Chapel of St. Sebastian in St. Peter's, and, according to Rome Reports, this has been confirmed. Fr. Z has an excellent post about the speed of the beatification process, and why some people seem to get fast-tracked to sainthood. And the Catholic Herald (the only British Catholic newspaper worth reading, in my humble opinion - and I thought that even before they asked me to write an article for their Christmas supplement!) has a feature on the French nun whose healing from Parkinson's disease at the intercession of Pope John Paul II provided the miracle needed for the process of beatification to continue.

Shouldn't We Be Preparing For That Translation...?

I was under the impression that the reason we hadn't been given the go-ahead for the new ICEL translation of the Mass was that we needed time to be "instructed," so it wouldn't come as a shock to us.

Given that I was able to read English well before I went to school, and I passed my GCE 'O' Levels in both English Literature and English Language, I am at a loss to understand what further preparation might be required. Admittedly, I will have to keep a close eye on the new responses for the first year or two, but it strikes me as a small price to pay for the change from the banal "And also with you!" to the more accurate (and meaningful) "And with your Spirit!"

It is rather reminiscent of this classic YouTube video...



Being of a rather cynical frame of mind, I did wonder whether the delay was due to the Bishops of England & Wales hoping that, with the delay, people might lose interest, the impetus would be lost, and the whole thing could be brushed firmly under the carpet... rather like the outcry over the loss of our Holy Days of Obligation. And, indeed, calls for the new translation do appear to have died down...

...of course, what their Lordships have failed to realise is that the majority of people who were interested in a more accurate (and, hence, more faithful) translation of the Mass are of a more traditional bent. The reason that the outcry over the Holy Days has died down is that the people who are really bothered by their loss have realised that they can celebrate them in the Extraordinary Form - unhampered by the need to put on extra parish Masses for the Holy Day, there are more and more Extraordinary Form Masses being made available on these days. In the same way, if their Lordships don't get a move on getting the new translation sorted, more and more people might decide that the Extraordinary Form of Mass is the way forward...

Update On Kitten Antics...

Monsignor Miaowrini just fell in the bath, which was half full of water. I now have one very shocked, wet and disgruntled kitten... I think I have to crack open a packet of kitten treats...

This isn't Miaowrini, in case you were wondering... I didn't have the heart to take a photo of my darling... well, ok, I couldn't get to my camera in time...

Kitten Tales...

I was asked how the kittens were getting on, and, since I haven't posted anything about them at all this year, I thought I'd put up a quick update...

The two of them have settled down pretty well after their operations. Monsignor Furretti's bald patch is much less noticeable than Monsignor Miaowrini's. Both of them are eating me out of house and home - and it is fascinating to note that they are each concerned that the other has nicer food... both take sneaky mouthfuls out of the other's bowl when they think no-one's looking (despite me taking great care to ensure they have exactly the same variety!)

Monsignor Furretti appears to be "top" cat. One day I was amused to see Miaowrini asleep on top of the laundry basket - then, Furretti decided she wanted to sleep there, so she jumped up, and sat on top of Miaowrini. She then shuffled her bottom until Miaowrini moved over, and then she lay down and made herself comfortable.

Miaowrini is still scared of heights, but she's getting better at keeping her balance as she walks along the edge of the bath. She is still much more nervous than Furretti, I really wonder if she was mistreated before she got taken to the animal shelter... still, she's less nervous than when she first arrived, and really loves having her tummy rubbed...

The other day I managed to photograph them during one of their playfights (I only had the mobile phone to hand, sadly.) Miaowrini was lying on my bed, purring away and minding her own business. Furretti decided that she wanted that spot... Up she jumped...

A bit of rough-and-tumble followed...

Until Miaowrini conceded defeat, leaving Furretti victorious...

Miaowrini jumped up for Round 2...

And the kittens were at it again...

...until they both fell off the edge of the bed. I was laughing too much to get that photo...

Pics From The Epiphany...

The start of term is always a hectic time, so blogging has been even lighter than usual. I have been so rushed off my feet that I even forgot my trusty camera on Thursday, despite knowing that we were having a Missa Cantata for the Epiphany. All, however, is not lost... I did have my iPhone with me, and, although the pictures are not quite up to my usual standard, it didn't seem quite right to let such a momentous occasion pass without some sort of memento...

Urgent Prayer Request...

The wonderfully entertaining Dominic Mary (of Libera Me fame) has been a little quiet of late. I've just heard from a mutual friend that he's been having some health problems, and they have rather put a crimp in his blogging (and facebooking) activities. He's due to undergo some sort of biopsy tomorrow - details are sketchy at the moment, but it is quite a serious procedure, and your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

I'll let you know more as soon as I am able...

Now There's A Problem With Blackberries...

Seems that Apple doesn't have a monopoly on glitches...



Mantilla-twitch in the direction of Matthew Warner (who actually tweeted it rather than blogged it, but even so...)

Start As You Mean To Go On...

After showing photos of what I considered to be the best possible way to see out the old year, I thought I'd post a couple of photos showing the best way to usher in the new one...

Before Mass, Fr. Tim led us in singing the Veni, Creator Spiritus...

And then we had Mass...

And then we had Exposition (followed by Benediction at the end of the Holy Hour.)

Beautiful!

Just To Make You Smile...

I have no idea what this is about, or what they are supposed to be singing, but for sheer joy and exuberance, this takes some beating...



Twitch of the mantilla to Ches.

Not The Best Of Starts...

One of my (many) New Year's Resolutions was to make much more of an effort to get up early, and especially to ensure that I spend half an hour in the church before Mass (I've been slacking of late!)

I was therefore not amused to discover that I'd slept through my alarms this morning. Fortunately, the kittens were hungry and amused themselves by reaching under the duvet to see if they could touch my toes. They could. But only if they extended their claws...

I have since discovered that this affected any iPhone users who had single alarms set. Fr. Z was almost caught out by it too, so I'm in good company.

I am getting ever so slightly hacked off with iPhone glitches... Oh well, only one more year of my contract to go...