Thoughts from a Catholic Oasis

"Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?" (Henry Hall, 1933)

2012-02-14T22:19:00.000+01:00

Sheep or pig, cheer up, and God bless you!

The Big Bad Wolf?.

2012-02-14T22:03:00.004+01:00

Who is it? Is it Cardinal Bertone or Cardinal Sodano, or someone quite other? Whatever the case, our Holy Father Benedict XVI is still our supreme earthly Shepherd and he has not fled yet. Cling to him, and above all pray for him.

May God protect and defend him, and all of us, his sheep.

J

little man you've had a busy day - Henry Hall

2012-02-13T00:46:00.000+01:00

Goodnight, God bless and sleep well everyone!

Mac's Meme

2012-02-12T23:22:00.003+01:00

If you're tagged for a Meme ( as I have been by Mac, here are the rules:
1. You post these rules on your blog.
2. You link back to the person who tagged you, in my case Mulier Fortis, and me for anyone tagged on this post
3. You tag five people and tell them they've been tagged on their own blog
4. The subject of this meme is Mac's wants to have your choice of three essential books to have on her new Kindle. So you post the names of three books. (She has said that they have to be reading books, no reference books or prayer books)

Here are my five 'tagees'
Fr Bede Rowe at a Chaplain Abroad
Fr John Hogan at St Genesius blog
Dylan Parry at 'A Reluctant Sinne
Fr Michael Gollup at 'Let Nothing You Dismay
and Sandy at 'A Catholic Comes Home' Sorry I can't give a direct link because her URL won't work on my system for some reason, ie. http://acatholiccomeshom49.blogspot.com

My three recommended books are (sorry have no time to check whether they are available on Kidle but I recommend them anyway

1. 'One Lord, One Faith' by Mgr Vernon Johnson , originally published in the 1930s I think. (too dark and cold upstairs in the library to go searching for my copy!) Still in print as a classic of Apologetics and of a Conversion story. Ignatius Press has it I think. Essential reading for anyone still teeteering on the brink of swimming the Tiber, and salutary reading for Catholics who have forgotten why the authority of Peter is essential and insurmountable, in this volume scripturally argued and proved. Essential reading too, for all those who have come into the Church over recent decades with faulty of insufficient catechesis.

2. 'In this House of Brede'. This novel is Rumer Godden's masterpiece in my opinion. A critique tomorrow if I have time. First published in 1969, it's about an English monastery of Benedictine nuns circa 50s-70s and based on Stanbrook Abbey. I still read it once a year!

3.'Liturgical Reflections of a Papal Master of Ceremonies' by Msgr Guido Marini (published in English by Newman House Press) . Indispensable round-up of where we are now liturgically, and how far we have come during the present pontificate, Deo gratias..

Hope I've done everything properly Mac! Sorry about any typos. Tired and can hardly see the screen. Am now up to just over 8,000 words of my contracted assignment. - 6,000 to go!

God bless all here,
J

Update on Writing Project and what I've found most helpful on the Blogosphere during the last week: Vultus Christi and the Muniment Room

2012-02-09T23:43:00.006+01:00

Since the beginning of the current month I've written over 6,000 words. The target is 14,000 words to be completed by the deadline date of March 9th, so as long as I write at least 600 a day I should make it with no insurmountable problem. The results will be published in May and you should be able to purchase them for less than £2. (If that's not a hint, at least to UK readers, then I don't know what would be.) I'll publish further details once my text is accepted by the publisher.

During the evenings, I've been catching up on the orthodox Catholic internet and aside from absorbing all the brouhaha resulting from President Obama's recent Healthcare Mandate have found two series to be most valuable. On 'Vultus Christi', (link in sidebar) Father Mark Kirby OSB, has been writing a series of letters to incipient Benedictine Oblates.. I cannot recommend them highly enough. More about this at a later date.
..
And then 'The Muniment Room' (a UK blog, also linked in sidebar) has been explaining the history of the Church in the UK over the last half century with particular quoted references to the National Pastoral Congress, and to the largely hidden activities, and the now more apparent agenda, of Cardinal Hume and Archbishop Warlock. I think the author, tTony, and I must be about the same age, because during this series he has described things that I remember living through, and which I could not understand at the time. The difference is that even though I was working for the Tablet during the 1980s, I was too busy earning my daily crust bumping up the subscription figures and did not pay proper attention to the documentation to which tTony had access.

I left the Tablet in 1985 but continued to index it and its sister journal , the Clergy Review (later Priests and People) until 1993 . For many years now, whilst it still has the occasional excellent article, I have deplored the stance of its editorial. Reading tTony's series has explained so much, and I am most grateful to him. This series too, I recommend that you read.

Now to bed so as to be ready and fit to produce tomorrow's word allocation!
Please, of your charity, spare a Hail Mary for me.

All of you remain always in my prayers.
J.. . .

John Cooney: Enda acting like Scrooge as embassy row becomes a holy show - Analysis, Opinion - Independent.ie

2012-02-07T22:21:00.000+01:00

John Cooney: Enda acting like Scrooge as embassy row becomes a holy show - Analysis, Opinion - Independent.ie Another one for the record. this time a help to understanding modern Ireland and what's going on there. h/t Fr. Gabriel Burke

BishopSlattery_HHS_Statement.mov

2012-02-03T21:20:00.003+01:00

A bishop feeding his sheep.
God bless you Bishop Slattery
(h/t to Father Z).

Nunc Dimittis - Sheppard (1515 - 1559)

2012-02-02T17:14:00.000+01:00

A holy and peaceful feast of Candlemas everybody.

Twelve Lights of Candlemas

2012-02-02T17:06:00.000+01:00

1.The light of the candle which you will carry before Mass if you are fortunate enough to have a procession tonight according to the 1962 Missal. (If not, please consider lighting a candle before Mass at Our Lady's altar and if you are unable to attend Mass you can always light one at home. Symbolically we each carry Christ in the candle we hold.)

2. The light of example in the submission of Mary and Joseph to the ritual of Purification, even though it was entirely inappropriate to Mary and her Child

3. The light of our realisation that Christ Himself willed that it should be so. He submitted to the Law in order to purify it. He willed to become like us He entered the Temple in demonstration that He had come to rebuild it.

4. The light of His glorious kingship over Israel and over all the kingdoms of the earth.

5. The light of His sacred priesthood over all priests.

6 The light of the Spirit that brought Simeon into the Temple to receive the Child that day.

7 The light that spoke through Simeon of suffering, not only for Mary but for all Israel in the near and far distant future, and for all of us who would either accept or reject that light.

8 The light that enabled Simeon to recognize the Child as the glory of his people, and enabled Anna to acclaim that Child as Messiah and Redeemer.

9. The light that completed the cycle of prophecy immediately surrounding the birth of the Saviour.

10. The light of personal fulfilment and peace brought to Simeon and Anna by His presence.

11. The light of life He is to us.

12. The Light of Christ Himself.

A reminder for the feast of St John Bosco: Pope Benedict XVI at the Helm

2012-01-31T17:18:00.000+01:00

Pope Benedict XVI at the Helm: The Prophetic Vision of St Don Bosco - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online

Also, Many Happy returns to Mons. Guido Marini whose birthday is today

Spiritual Mothers CR News:8 - Pope Tells What's Most Important on Path to Priesthood

2012-01-31T12:14:00.000+01:00

ZENIT - Pope Tells What's Most Important on Path to Priesthood

How wonderful to hear our Holy Father laugh! Angelus 29/01/2012.

2012-01-29T21:42:00.004+01:00

This is the third year running that I have seen the doves reluctance to leave the presence of the Pope. However this year he commented in benign amusement, 'They want to stay in the house of il Papa!'
Metaphorically, don't we all!

Neocatechumenal Way welcomes Vatican approval for prayers :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

2012-01-24T20:33:00.000+01:00

Neocatechumenal Way welcomes Vatican approval for prayers :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Just posting this so I have it on record.

Saint Francis de Sales (updated eveningTues. Jan 24th

2012-01-24T17:04:00.003+01:00

In the summer of 2002 I began to make a moist pot-pourri with the long term plan that it would come to maturity in time for the feast of St. Francis de Sales the following January. Its plant ingredients were: Roses (hybrid tea 'Crimson Glory') pinks, summer jasmine, mock orange, rosemary, thyme, and dried orange peel. Later I wrote in 'Gardening with God' about the several reasons for my going to such trouble in his honour....................

"As the mentor of my patron, Jane Frances de Chantal, he has had considerable influence on me. His idea for a daily place of spiritual retreat is probably the best way I know of staying in god's presence, whatever the distractions of life and work, and I cannot recommend it too highly. Through his writings he has led countless laywomen along the narrow path, with kindness, understanding and love but above all with sanity. He wrote for specific individuals, and this is probably why the reader feels he is addressing her personally. He is patron of writers and journalists, and, I believe, has watched over all I have done for many years. During those years I have been drawn ever more deeply into the mystery of the Visitation, after which Saint Francis named the Order that he founded with Saint Jane. All the saints command admiration, gratitude and respect, but there are a few whom one can dare to love as well. For me, St Francis is such a one.

St Francis is also dear to me because of his frequent use of plant imagery to underline points about the spiritual life. He once said that meditation is like sniffing separately all the flowers and herbs in my planned pot-pourri (ideed the fact that he listed them was my reason for their choice); contemplation is being able to appreciate them all at the same time. This may seem whimsical, but it is supported by the mechanics of making a successful moist pot-pourri and by its eventual attributes. If it is stoppered while you are not there to appreciate it, it will keep its perfume for years. It takes longer to prepare than a dry pot-pourri and is not visually so attractive, but the perfume is deeper and more mellow. Similarly we retain the insights and privileges given us during patient, concentrated prayer and meditation. Their beauty and value cannot be seen or touched but remain hidden in the soul for future reflection and enrichment. The analogy continues with the packing-down of layers of petals and spices; with the subsequent fermentation; with the fact that at this stage the scent is not striking; and with the eventual breaking up of the 'wodge' that has formed. Later, for beginners, an essential oil of only one of the ingredient flowers must be added. Blending is for the more experienced and unless you have a particularly keen sense of smell the result will be a blur of fragrance. Lastly a 'fixing' agent is added to hold the perfume. When St Francis' pot-pourri is finished it will be stored in sealed jars and not opened until his feast day."
Copyright 2005 'Gardening with God: Light in Darkness' jane Mossendew Burns & Oates/Continuum Imprint

To be completed later this evening

Update evening Tues Jan 24th:

The Contribution of St Francis to the Counter Reformation
Francis de Sales was ordained in 1593, and before being mad Bishop of Geneva in 1602 he brought back to the Faith over 70,000 Haute-Savoie Catholics who had gone over to Calvinism. He survived this dangerous enterprise and achieved his goal through preaching characterised by patience, gentleness, discretion and love. These were to mark all his writings, but let noone be deceived: the glove may have been velvet, but the hand within it was one of firm orthodoxy and discipline. St Francis was canonised only 43 years after his death and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1877.

The Church honours St Francis as one of her greatest spiritual directors and concentrates on him as a champion of the devout life for lay people. T'he second Office reading today is from Part I, Chapter 3 of his
'Introduction to the Devout Life'. Here he explains that true devotion can be practised in any state of life. Using the analogy of a bee sucking nectar leaving the flower undamaged, he explains that if our devotion is true it will not conflict with the duties of our state. Rather, it will improve our performance of them and enhance our lives and those of people around us. I have found this an invaluable yardstick against which to measure every aspect of my own life, and I apply it at least annually on St Francis' day. It is a salutary fail-safe and I don't mind admitting that it sometimes brings me up with a round turn! The office extract concludes with his firm conviction that although a purely contemplative life cannot be achieved in the world, there are other ways in which lay people can pursue perfection. Depending on one's spiritual state and need at any given time, it is easy to select passages from St Francis for meditation because he presents his material under clear headings within his chapters.

Place of Spiritual Retreat for today (as indicated in 'Gardening with God', quoted above).
"Resting with Christ in His words from Matthew 5:14-16 'You are the light of the world'
and Matthew 11:29 'Take my yoke and learn from me. I am humble and gentle of heart.'

BEFORE SIGNING OFF UNTIL NEXT WEEK, A HEARTFELT THANKYOU TO MARY AND OTSOTA FOR THEIR KIND AND ENCOURAGING COMMENTS ON MY LAST POST. AND PERFECTLY TIMED THEY WERE.TOO. IT'S BEEN A TOUGH WEEK FOR ALL SORTS OF REASONS!
God bless all here.
St Francis de Sales and St Jane Frances de Chantal, pray for us.

Immediate future of the 'Oasis'

2012-01-17T22:11:00.000+01:00

Within two or three days I will sign a contract with a publisher that will commit me to have a text ready for them within the next 6 weeks. This means that from now until mid-Lent blogging must definitely take a back seat. The projected text must take priority. That said, I do not know at this stage whether the writing will be difficult, or easy, or somewhere in between. But I do know from past experience that when I'm writing, I find it difficult to concentrate on anything else. Be assured though that I'll keep you posted on my progress. I have no intention of closing 'The Oasis' but at this stage must say that I can't promise more than one post a week between now and early March.. I will of course let you know details of the publication and where you can buy it later on. It should be available in May. (Next post here will probably be in about a week.)

God bless you , and please pray for me, as I do for all of you.

In Christo pro Papa

J.

ZENIT - Putting Words in the Pope's Mouth

2012-01-13T13:40:00.003+01:00

ZENIT - Putting Words in the Pope's Mouth

Reuters at it again? This Zenit piece is a thorough comment on something I had noticed with irritation, as I'm sure my readers had as well.

Comment on John Allen's 5 Considerations: Pt 2

2012-01-09T21:54:00.006+01:00

John Allen is a highly responsible master of his journalistic craft and a 'vaticanista' of long experience and deservedly high repute. I may not always agree with the angles he takes but I have great respect for him and thought I'd bettter say so before going on with this post. Allen's book 'The Rise of Benedict XVI' was published very soon after the conclave that elected our present Holy Father. I was impressed by it on first reading and decided to revisit it today, particularly its last four chapters in which the author answers the self-imposed challenge of predicting the nature and possible events of the new pontificate. Unfortunately for my blogging schedule I became re-engrossed in this second reading, and so apologise that the present post comes later in the day than intended.

In relation to my yesterday's statement regarding Mr Allen's puzzlement that ++ Fisichella had been omitted from the list of new Cardinals, I was interested to find THIS in the section of Allen's book that offers predictions as to how Benedict might go about the matter of curial reform: (from Ch 7)
"..he (Pope Benedict) will expect those (curial) aides to be prudent in choosing the time and place for those expressions (of private views), and to avoid provocative comments that will create confusion about what the Holy See is trying to express, especially on matters of faith and morals. The expectation, in other words, is that there will be greater discipline within the Roman Curia, with fewer impressions of disarray or working at cross-purposes."

Well John, I think your own prediction might answer your perplexity about ++Fisichella.

The snub to Africa?
I contest, not.
Yet again, Pope Benedict knows as well as John Allen about the inexorable demographic shift of Catholicism from the northern to southern hemisphere. But for NOW, and that is what matters, the Pope must prioritise, given that this holy man has to judge every consistory as maybe his last. It is possible that within two years we will have another Pope who could elevate as many African Cardinals as he likes. It is even possible that if our dear Holy Father survives to another Consistory, that he too will elevate at least one African prelate. Africa surely knows how much Benedict loves it and concerns himself about it., but that the Pope is fighting for the Catholic soul of Europe. He will not give up that fight as long as he has breath in his body. (I don't think John Allen, as an American, understands in his heart and blood what is at work here.) In any case of the two African bishops mentioned by Allen as having been passed over, one is of Lusaka in Zambia. - a place of a dreadfully unsettled history from the catholic episcopal point of view, what with Milingo having been in charge there for so long., it has not been exactly stable. Pope Benedict may well have judged that it was better to leave that diocese with a fairly secure pastor and not to upset the apple cart by any suggestion that Archbishop Mpundu might be moved to Rome.

Dolan and Nichols
I don't think one would win any prizes for itemising the vast difference between these two men. Let me just say that while it is easy to agree with Allen about the rise of the former and the obvious favour he has deservedly found in the eyes of the Pope, I suggest that the biggest weakness in John Allen's article is that he seems satisfied to fall back on acceptance of the fact that the only reason for the non-elevation of the latter this time, is the custom of not giving the red hat to Archbishops of Sees where an emeritus Cardinal survives.. I find it difficult to believe that a man, normally as well informed as Allen, is ignorant of other and glaringly obvious reasons.

I am bound to think of other points after I sign off, but sufficient unto the day and all that.................

Complexion and Size of any new conclave: Comment on John Allen's 5 'considerations' : 1

2012-01-08T16:23:00.006+01:00

One of the problems with Mr Allen's analysis is that it is based on today's situation, that is one which is fluid and will start changing before this month is out. During 2012, 12 cardinals will turn 80 and the number of eligible electors will reduce to 114. So given uncertainty as to how long our present Holy Father will live, he can hardly be accused of extravagance in appointing 18 new electors, as opposed to the 15 suggested by Rome Reports. China will lose a Cardinal during this very month so Pope Benedict has made sure that she will have a Cardinal elector should he himself die any time soon. Cardinal Egan reaches 80 in April and that may explain/support the elevation of Archbishop Dolan. During 2013 a further 9 will become non-eligible to vote in conclave and the number will become less than that which elected Pope Benedict. That being the case, the longer he survives the more likely we are to see another consistory in a couple of years. I can't help feeling that this aspect was in his mind when drawing up the list he announced on Friday. Even a fully 'Benedictine' Pope, of a much younger age would probably have presented a different list.

All but the most intransigent opponents of Pope Benedict must surely acknowledge the deep thought and prayer he devotes to this type of decision and it is based on long personal experience and knowledge of many of the key personnel with whom he must deal. He has done the best he can. Quite clearly he is just as aware as Mr Allen, as to how the list of new cardinals would affect the complexion of a new conclave, should one have to be held soon.. Basically there is a 3% increase in Italian Cardinals and a 4% increase in curial ones. In his first point about the 'Italianising' of the College, Mr Allen suggests that this reflects the Pope's 'comfort level', as if it were simply self-indulgence' on his part, (croneyism in other words) rather than that seven of the 18 new cardinals happen to be Italian and have proved their worth. In his second point he refers to 10 out of 18 new cardinals as making it 'top-heavy' with men of curial background. It seems to me that one will only be disturbed by these percentage increases if one tends to a paranoid fear of Vatican centralisation, or even of a restoration of Papal authority, (in my view the latter having been badly damaged over past decades, and in definite need of tlc)!. Such a fear could of course explain why this present piece may appeal to the NCR readership.

Mr Allen also remarks on the exclusion of ++Fisichella as being odd because he leads the relatively new dicastery for New Evangelisation which is famously dear to the Pope's heart and it is customary to have a Cardinal in charge of matters of particular papal concern. Well, Fisichella is both Italian and Curial, but he didn't make the list. Mr Allen is I fear being slightly disingenuous in not giving any clue as the possible reason for his exclusion. After this prelate had spoken out against the excommunication of someone involved in abortion, I think many were surprised when he was given the task of organising the New Evengelisation. It was a difficult case and I must admit to having thought that he would have been better off keeping his mouth shut. I regarded the move as a sideways one, which had the intention of keeping him quiet and giving him a great deal more to do and to think about. He seems to have performed quite well since then, but imho his lack of prudence (at least) about when to speak out on this or that issue, was noted and did not inspire confidence.

Snub to Africa? Dolan and Nichols in Part 2 tomorrow.

Calm returns to the Oasis after excitement over yesterday's Consistory announcement.

2012-01-07T20:27:00.003+01:00

So much so that in the evening I was able to go in search of comment on the Internet. Sure enough John Allen had been quick off the mark with his piece for the NCR. See here I have been kept busy today in trying to answer the questions raised by Allen's observations. Hope to post results of reflection tomorrow afternoon, that is after the Holy Father's morning Mass in the Sistine Chapel..

Congratulations and Felicitations to Cardinal elect............

2012-01-06T12:43:00.003+01:00

Dolan!

More later.

Consistory announcement predicted for tomorrow

2012-01-05T22:57:00.003+01:00

Rorate Caeli, quoting Andrea Tornielli, gives more details and makes no secret of its feeling that the elevation of Archbishop Fisichella is not something that should be welcomed. I have my own opinions about the way he was moved to 'New Evangelisation', but suffice it to say here and now, that if it is indeed to be a February Consistory my major feeling is one of relief. Anyone who has been following me on this matter will not need the mind of a Hercule Poirot to understand why I am glad we will not have to wait until after August!

Spiritual Mothers of Priests CR News 6: Priests resolve to love the laity

2012-01-05T12:51:00.000+01:00

h/t to Catholicism Pure and Simple for drawing attention to this important article in Crisis Magazine.

Pope could name 15 new Cardinals on February 18th

2012-01-04T21:14:00.000+01:00

Consistory again: Rome Reports makes some suggestions

2012-01-04T21:11:00.003+01:00

Obviously the word in Rome is that Archbishop Dolan is in with a strong chance.

Why I think it is still a possibility that the Holy Father will visit Ireland next June and why I am praying that it will happen

2012-01-03T21:31:00.003+01:00

There is no doubt that last year, with his hot-headed and ill-considered s(cr)peech in response to the Cloyne Report, that Enda Kenny did himself and his country no favours. Even after it was shown that the letter he quoted as being written by Pope Benedict was not in fact applicable to the case he was raging about, he has not had the grace to apologise. Whilst the fat was still in the fire the Irish Government closed its embassy to the Holy See in Rome for reasons that were difficult to take seriously. Next, Gilmore announced that an invitation to Pope Benedict to visit Ireland for the the forthcoming Eucharistic Congress in June was definitely not under consideration. Even the mainstream media, and that is saying something made little attempt to justify the Irish governmentt's behaviour.

But then, over the past week or so the tune has been changing. Last week Gilmore did a u-turn and reversed his statement saying that the Pope would be welcome, without of course any reference to the original announcement. Today the Mayo news reports that Kenny has welcomed the Holy Father's message for the 45th World day of Peace, with its main theme of the importance of training the young in Justice and Peace. I'm sorry, but this looks very much like a desperate attempt at damage limitation. Someone must have drawn their attention to all those Euros that accrued to the Madrid coffers in the wake of last year's WYD. There is the feeling that they are kicking themselves at having almost missed a golden opportunity. Hence they are secretly desperate to get the Pope to the Dublin Congress, whatever happens. It would serve them right of course if Pope Benedict refused to have any truck with the idea. But is that how our dear and truly holy Pope will see things? I think not.

Eucharistic Adoration is key to his pontificate. The Vigils in Hyde Park and at WYD were the high points of his visits to both UK and Spain and he mentioned both during recent seasonal homilies. I think his deep desire to encourage the Irish faithful will weigh most favourably in his decision whether to come or not. His shepherd's heart will put the welfare of his beleaguered sheep before any offence that was given him by their politicians. It is not a long journey and he knows that Ireland is in desperate need of a considerable financial injection. If he is at all able I think he will do it. I shall be praying for it in any case.

Our Lady of Knock, pray for Ireland and for Pope Benedict.

Angelus

2011-12-31T15:19:00.000+01:00

The Angelus rings again in Saint Romain

2011-12-31T15:16:00.000+01:00

This was my best intangible and lasting Christmas present of 2011. The bell had been silent for more years than I care to remember. For some reason the commune chose this year to authorise the repair of the automatic mechanism and so since Christmas Eve the Angelus has been ringing out, as it always used to, three times a day -at 7am, noon and 7pm. I cannot think of a bettter way to be woken up each morning! Deo gratias.

Happy New Year everyone!

A Consistory in February? Sandro Magister seems fairly sure.......... ( updated Friday 30th Dec)

2011-12-29T00:03:00.012+01:00

He goes through the usual stuff about not giving the red hat to Archbishops who have an emeritus Cardinal in their Dioceses. He hints that an exception could be made for Archbishop Timothy Dolan, but consigns Westminster to having to wait until next time, as if that is already a fait accompli. One would love to know what is behind his apparent certainties. However, on va voir.

LINK TO MAGISRER'S SITE HERE

Update: A February Consistory is looking ever more likely. Vatican Insider reports that Goldsmiths, Savi Brothers have received an order from the Vatican of rings for new cardinals.

♫ The Coventry Carol (Collegium Vocale Gent) ♪

2011-12-28T21:51:00.000+01:00

Saint Silcaire de Brantome pray for us.

Holy Innocents day...

2011-12-28T21:18:00.000+01:00

....or Childermas as it was once called. It also used to be the practice to remember the slaughter of the Innocents every week during the twelve months that precede December 28th on the day of the week in which the feast will fall in any given year. I will try to remember that each Friday during the coming year by making some special act of reparation..
"My eyes are spent with weeping; my soul is in tumult; my heart is poured out in grief...because infants and babes faint in the streets of the city." (Lam.2:11) And now they are being massacred in their millions even before birth.One is rendered dumb by the heinous wilful enormity of it.

As promised a lullaby for Jesus: The Virgin's Cradle Hymn - Edmund Rubbra

2011-12-25T00:30:00.000+01:00

'Dormi Jesu'

A Holy and Happy Christmas to all my readers - Dominus dixit ad me

2011-12-24T21:49:00.003+01:00

Sixth century Old Roman chant for tonight's Introit. Now that's tradition for you!
The Vatican begins broadcasting in 15 minutes. When the Mass is over, and before bed, I'll post a lullaby for the new born King.

To be considered in the New Year.

2011-12-22T22:58:00.000+01:00

The futile wrong-headedness of comparing this pontificate with the previous one.

Pope lists five lessons from World Youth Day 2011 for the New Evangeliza...

2011-12-22T22:33:00.000+01:00

Benedict XVI: A 'Part-time Pope' of feeble governance.

2011-12-22T22:26:00.003+01:00

So Marco Politi ('veteran vaticanista') judges our present Holy Father. What arrant nonsense. Clearly the man is living on another planet. Unfortunately that planet is possibly a satellite of the Vatican. Ay, there's the rub.

Rome Reports has an interesting snapshot of today's papal address to the Curia. see next post.

Fourth Sunday in Advent: Rorate Caeli - Francisco Guerrero

2011-12-17T23:11:00.000+01:00

Woodland Sketches - To a Wild Rose (Edward McDowell 1860-1908)

2011-12-14T21:51:00.010+01:00

Saint John of the Cross, pray for us.

For Saint John of the Cross: the Apple Tree and the Eglantine

2011-12-13T22:24:00.000+01:00

In the Advent section of my garden the Apple Tree and the Eglantine grow side by side. I planted the Apple Tree nine years ago, and very deliberately, for St. John of the Cross. The Eglantine appeared from nowhere around about the same time. All I can think is that a passing bird had dropped a rose hip some years previously.. At the time I had already written the entry for Saint John in my first book and it was about to be published.

I shalll visit the garden tomorrow, even if it is raining, because today I was reminded by something that I myself had written in 2001, that there is a connection between the Apple Tree and the Eglantine:
"In his commentary on his poem 'The Spirtitual Canticle', St John explains that the apple tree represents the Cross, and the rose tree, the understanding, memory and will of the soul'"

Both are mature plants now, the apple about seven feet in height, and the eglantine, more spready, shrubby, and very thorny, about four, and huddled against the trunk of the former as if for guidance and protection.

The recording in the video above is beautiful to my ear and only marred by the singer's failing to separate 'the' and 'apple' from one another , so we get 'Jesus Christ the-yapple tree'. Nevertheless the rest of it is so beautiful that I gladly forgive his infelicitous lapse in enunciation!

Nothing to represent the rose tonight. Maybe tomorrow..

God bless.

The Oasis response to John Smeaton's request to sing for the Unborn this December

2011-12-11T22:45:00.006+01:00

Some of the other versions are just as good, if not better in some respects. Check them out when this one finishes..
As you all know 'The Oasis' is in France so I can't come and sing at Piccadilly, Green Park or Waterloo Tube stations but I'll be singing here! For details of the London gatherings leading to Christmas, see John Smeaton in sidebar here.

Third Sunday of Advent: Introitus - Gaudete in Domino

2011-12-10T18:59:00.000+01:00

Guido Marini talks about how the pope dealt with rain showers of WYD 2011

2011-12-10T12:58:00.000+01:00

Quote of the day: h/t to Fr George Byers (Holy Souls Hermitage)

2011-12-08T23:43:00.000+01:00

At Lourdes Our Lady said to Bernadette Soubirous, 'I am the Immaculate Conception'. not 'I am the Immaculate implantation'.

Spiritual Mothers CR News 5: Fr Mark Kirby preaches to Spiritual Mothers in Tulsa

2011-12-08T21:28:00.000+01:00

For text see here at Father's blog 'Vultus Christi'

Tota pulchra es Maria, by anonymous composer

2011-12-07T22:45:00.010+01:00

For the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

It's Bolivian. I can't find out anything else.

Angouleme Cathedral yields up some astonishing secrets

2011-12-07T17:30:00.000+01:00

On November 3 a lead casket was dug up from beneath a slab in the transept of the cathedral. According to archeological and historical experts (as reported in the 'Charente Libre' December 5 2011) the three skeletons that the casket contained are without any doubt, those of the grandparents and father of Francis I of France (born 1494 at Cognac). It seems that the bodies of the three were hacked up by the Huguenots. After things 'calmed down' the faithful collected all the pieces and reassembled them for burial in a secret location. And there they stayed for almost six centuries until a few weeks ago. It makes me wonder what is underneath St Romain church. There is known to have been a church on the site since the time of Charlemagne.

More details when I've found time to study the newspaper report in detail, not easy at this time of year!............

Give me Contemplative Participation. It is so profoundly 'active'.

2011-12-03T22:03:00.000+01:00

Anyway, this is what I will be pursuing between now and Christmas, as I try in any case to do all the year round..
I will occasionally post music between now and the 'Urbi et Orbi' on Christmas Day, but that will be all, unless in the interim something terrible happens.

In Christo pro Papa Benedetto.

Confirmation in south-east Charente: final part

2011-12-02T18:31:00.003+01:00

Confirmation Names:
The baptismal names of the Confirmands were in small print at the top right hand corner of the service sheet. Bishop Dagens read them out at the end of his homily. There was no mention of Confirmation names, either at that point or during the Confirmation itself. Pehaps the French don't keep this custom as we do in the Anglophone world - at least I hope we still do.

Creed or Renewal of Baptismal vows?
Although the Service sheet indicated a 'Profession de Foi des Jeunes' followed by the Profession of Faith 'de l'assemblee' with the Apostles Creed being printed out for the purpose, in fact the Confirmands were taken through the renewals of Baptismal vows, as at the Easter Vigil. Many of the Congregation did not know whether to join in the responses or not. And in any case they were not printed in the provided sheet.

The Confirmation began with the singing of 'Veni Sancte Spiritus' in French with the Latin response 'Veni Sancte Spiritus' repeated at the end of each of the ten verses. It was a dreary and not at all memorable tune and I couldn't help longing for the Chant not merely to satisfy my own taste but to hand on to the young, an important part of tradition, particularly at a rare opportunity provided by events such as the Montmoreau Confirmation...

Then according to the sheet we should have witnessed the laying on of hands. We did not. The bishop stood behind the altar, versus populum, flanked by his two assistant priests and all in a straight row and the three of them raised their hands to just above shoulder level with palms toward the line of candidates assembled outside the sanctuary. . Later I realised that they had reminded me of a trio of Indian chiefs. .I'm glad not to have thought of it at the time or I should have been dangerously close to laughter. I don't know what justification there was for each confirmand not receiving the laying on of hands individually. When I was confirmed there were at least twenty of us and we all went up separately and knelt before the Archbishop's chair to receive that part of the rite . Our sponsors handed him a card with our chosen Confirmation name written on it so he was able to address each one of us and announce the new name for all to hear.

Although I gather that the annointing with Chrism is regarded as the central act of the Rite these days, and indeed it was carried out with proper dignity 'according to the book', I was somewhat discomfited by the way the 'laying on of hands' was, or should I say was not conducted on Sunday.

Two further incidents caused me quite a shock. At the Consecration during the Mass Bishop Dagens did something I've never seen before. He elevated the Host BEFORE consecrating it. And after the words of Consecration, lifted It even higher so that It was above his head. Has anyone seen this done before?

Another thing happened later on at the sign of peace. I've read in several places that it is counted as a minor abuse if the priest leaves the altar and comes down among the congregation to exchange the sign with all and sundry. Bishop Dagens walked the length of the church giving the sign to the persons at the nave end of each row. Is there a different rule for bishops? Much as I was honoured to exchange the sign of Peace with my bishop, I really would have preferred it, had he earlier taken the time to 'lay hands' properly and not symbolically, on the those being confirmed.

I've already tried to make it clear that I went to this Mass with absolutely no intention of 'nit-picking', but the things I have mentioned took me by surprise and unsettled me..

Perhaps people will share their experiences of Confirmation both now and in the past.

btw Since Pere Marchand's arrival there has been almost a complete disappearence of EMHCs at our local Masses. I'm glad to say there was no sign of them at all at Montmoreau. .

.
.

006 Advent II - Introit - Populus Sion

2011-11-30T23:53:00.010+01:00

I think 'beefy baritone' of Montmoreau would like to have done this.! Anyway, prayers for a blessed second Sunday in Advent, 2011.

South-east Charente Confirmation: Part Two

2011-11-30T22:35:00.000+01:00

There were seven confirmands, six youngsters and one adult. I don't know whether they had anything with which to compare the rite which took them forward from Baptism. I do know this though, that they would have felt the warmth of welcoming approval that reached out to embrace them from the assembled community. I know that, and it was the best part of Sunday morning's celebration. I think the power of our singing surprised Bishop Dagens. He commented on it anyway. Those seven were well and truly confirmed. And yet there were things about the liturgy which unsettled me, and I'll post about them next time.

Confirmation in the south-east Charente Part One

2011-11-29T22:53:00.000+01:00

The Church:
Montmoreau St Denys, externally a solid 12th century edifice of stern but imposing Romanesque beauty . Inside it was clearly inhabited by a caring parish who could afford to heat the building well. We were early and having entered by a side door into the north transept, easily found seats close to the sanctuary.

First impressions before Mass
As usual in the churches of our deanery , I was depressed by the bare altar. Instead of the Benedictine candlesticks, behind the altar in a broad semi-circle were six stands with an elecrtically operated 'flame' atop each. I couldn't work our where the Blessed Sacrament was hidden. (Sadly, I am used to that terrible feeling of confusion and loss.)

Music for the Mass was still being rehearsed right up to the moment when the entrance procession began. There was no choir and even though I established later that there was a harmonium in the church, it appeared that the music would be led by a lady lutenist who also played the clarinet, a violinist, and one man with a very loud and powerful baritone voice. I have to admit that the rehearsal was preferable to the seemingly endless procession of busy-bodying women in and out of the sacristy which I witness on most Sundays during the half hour before Mass begins. None of that here. What a relief! There appeared to be three of four young male altar servers assembling for duty, attired not in cassock and cotta but in those drab alb-like garments that somehow always look ill-fitting and grubby.

Beefy baritone took us through some of the responses but his mike was head-burstingly loud. By that time the church was almost full and the congregation gave him as good as he was giving. At least these sheep are not going to feebly bleat I thought, and even began to relax..

Please understand me. I did not attend this liturgy with the intention of being critical and sour. I wanted it to be wonderful for the sake of the confirmands . I desperately wanted not to be distracted by dubious liturgical practice. But over the years I have witnessed some terrible things. Matters have improved over recent years but nevertheless those deeply ingrained memories still make me nervous.

As the procession came out of the sacristy and headed to the west door, I noticed that Bishop Dagens was clutching his mitre in his left hand. Well, I thought, at least it's going to be an improvement on Bishop Crowley's 1986 Confirmation, in Chelsea, when he caused reactions ranging from uneasy disappointment to affronted outrage, by conducting the rite totally without time-honoured episcopal headgear.

More tomorrow
:

Belated thanks to 'Linen on the Hedgerow'

2011-11-29T14:08:00.003+01:00

Thank you Richard for choosing me as the blogger with whom you would most like to share a bottle of wine.
I'm glad you chose that form of beverage because it would take (slightly!) longer to drink than a cup of tea or coffee, thus giving us more time to chat. I warmly reciprocate your wish and expect the odds on our meeting are in favour of its being at a London pub blogfest somewhere near Westminster Cathedral. Maybe next year?

I prefer a 13% Bordeaux or Chilean red. How about you? If we can't agree, we can always fall back on a pint or two of real ale. Shepherd Neame's 'Bishop's Finger' is my favourite! Seriously it's one of the few things I miss about England - notice I said things, not people.

God bless and thanks again,

Jane.

Confirmation at Mass tomorrow morning.

2011-11-26T22:15:00.003+01:00

The Mass will be the only one in our entire Deanery tomorrow. Thanks to my auto-mobile friend Christiane, I am able to travel the 18km to Montmoreau where the Confirmation will be 'conferred' by our Bishop Dagens during that Mass.

It will only be the fourth occasion in my life that I have attended a Confirmation: the first in 1962 when I was myself confirmed by Archbishop King of Portsmouth (of blessed memory) at St. Laurence's church in Petersfield; the second at St. Mary's Cadogan Street, Chelsea (1986?) where I was a chorister when Bishop Crowley, then auxiliary in Westminster, came to 'do' the Confirmation; and the third at Arundel Cathedral in 1998 where then Bishop Murphy-O'Connor was celebrant during a Mass in which I played a minor role as sponsor to one of the girls at Elmhurst Ballet School in Camberley. It will be impossible to get through tomorrow morning without reflecting on these three events, but I will reserve prayers at the Mass for the young French Catholics who will, in that holy hour, be receiving this Sacrament.

I hope to report on Monday.

Novena for Seminarian Philip Johnson

2011-11-25T20:42:00.004+01:00

The Novena begins this coming Wednesday and culminates on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. See Fr Z for more details.

Whatever happened to the promised consideration of restoration of Holy Days?

2011-11-25T19:43:00.000+01:00

Perhaps I dreamed it, in wishful thinking mode, but I thought that after the BCEW plenary meeting in the Spring of this year, Archbishop Nichols stated publicly that the bishops had all gone back to their dioceses to consider the 'pastoral needs' of the matter and that we would hear something about it after the next meeting in November. Well, that has just happened, and as far as I can see, nothing has been said at all. I hope for correction if I've overlooked something.

Archbishop Nichols publishes book on St. John Fisher

2011-11-24T21:43:00.009+01:00

'Pastor in Valle' was at the book's recent launch and writes about it here He has not yet finished it, but so far seems impressed.That is encouraging since I greatly value his opinion

Saint John Fisher is one of my favourite martyr saints and I will therefore buy the book.
I have known for some time (courtesy of Wikipedia) that the then Fr Nichols specialised in the 'theology of St. John Fisher' during a year's study for an MA in Theology at Manchester University, that degree being awarded to him forty years ago in 1971..I do trust that the present volume is the result of further reflection and research over the intervening years, and is not merely an edited version of the original thesis, trotted out now merely because the author is the current Archbishop of Westminster.

XIII. Haydn St. Cecilia Mass, Hob. 22 5 Marc Minkowski.

2011-11-22T16:04:00.025+01:00

I think Haydn must have been familiar with today's Office reading from Saint Augustine, in which he answers the question 'What is singing with jubilation? It means' he says, 'to realise that words are not enough to express what we are singing in our hearts'.

Happy Saint Cecilia's day!

2011-11-22T15:58:00.000+01:00

"I will rejoice in you and be glad, and sing psalms to yourname, O Most High. When I sing to you my lips shall rejoice."
(Responsory at the Office of Readings for the Memoria of St. Cecilia.)

Bones does even better with 'Universae Ecclesiae'

2011-11-20T22:05:00.000+01:00

Link to his blog 'That the bones you have crushed may thrill'; in the sidebar here

'The Ballad of Summorum Pontificum" by 'Bones' of England

2011-11-19T22:08:00.006+01:00

http://thatthebonesyouhavecrushedmaythrill.blogspot.com/2011/11/ballad-of-summorum-pontificum.html

Right, times is desperate! Get learning the refrain and next time you're in St. Peter's Square for a papal Audience, team up with some like minded English Catholics, PREFERABLY YOUNG, and give it some welly so the Holy Father can hear it as he passes in the popemobile. Make sure you have lots of Union flags so that he can identify where the noise is coming from. Display the refrain on banners in print large enough to be read:
"GIMME SOME MORE, SOME MORE
GIMME SOME MORE
SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM...."

Terrible for an old lady to be inciting this sort of action, but I've just about reached the end of my tether, one which has been stretched, pulled and frayed almost beyond endurance for half a century.. I realise going to Rome is expensive and beyond most of our pockets. Maybe it would be possible to organise peaceful performances on the home turf.

God bless and well done Laurence!

For the Feast of Christ the King: Regensburger Domspatzen: Christus vincit

2011-11-19T19:30:00.000+01:00

Speculation on next Consistory: February 2012?

2011-11-17T17:23:00.014+01:00

On November 14 Sandro Magister claimed that 'word is going round the Vatican' that the next Consistory will be in February next year. He speculates that if Benedict XVI adheres to previously established practice, Florence will possibly/probably yet again not make 'the purple' because it has a surviving emeritus Archbishop, who is not yet 80 - Cardinal Enrico Antonelli (75) . From an English point of view it would yet again rule Archbishop Nichols of Westminster from the running. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connnor is not 80 until August. If on the other hand the Consistory is delayed until later in the year............
Whether or not Pope Benedict really intends to retire on his own 85th birthday, he may decide on a February Consistory as possibly his last chance to affect the composition of the College at the next conclave.

Perish the thought.
I mean of course, perish the thought that he may be considering retirement.

Spiritual Mothers CR news 4 Cardinal Ravasi on preaching

2011-11-15T13:56:00.000+01:00

Vatican cardinal urges priests to spice up ‘dull, irrelevant’ sermons | CatholicHerald.co.uk

News-Christmas Outreach to non-Churchgoing Catholics / Features / Home - The Catholic Church for England and Wales

2011-11-15T13:38:00.000+01:00

News-Christmas Outreach to non-Churchgoing Catholics / Features / Home - The Catholic Church for England and Wales

Some background to forthcoming Papal visit to Benin.

2011-11-11T20:16:00.006+01:00

Some facts and some opinion for your consideration:
Benin presents chance for papal 'do-over' in Africa National Catholic Reporter

More from Maestro Monsignor Guido Marini

2011-11-10T20:20:00.000+01:00

Vatican official notes Pope's attention to detail in liturgy :: Catholic News Agency (CNA) and shares his personal thoughts whilst standing at Pope Benedict's left hand during Mass. 'At those moments I think to myself, " I am at the side of the Vicar of Christ," and I renew my faith.' I think this is my favourite quote, particularly on St. Leo the Great's day: But perhaps this one is even better: 'I pay attention to everything that goes into the rite in order to really help those participtating to experience God and to help those who are in a spirit of adoration.'

Thank you, dear Monsignor. May Our Lord and His blessed Mother watch over you and grant you a safe and successful trip to Benin and bring you safely home to Rome.

Pope Benedict and the personal significance of the South Tyrol

2011-11-10T12:18:00.000+01:00

ZENIT - Pope Remembers His Mother's Stories

Will Benin be the Pope's last long voyage? Sounds as if it should be if we want to keep him with us.

2011-11-09T20:28:00.003+01:00

Pope reported to have Arthrosis

Personally, I think that Arthrosis is only one aspect of the problem and in any case it can't have been helped by that crazy woman who knocked him down a couple of Christmases ago. Aside from that, itt's quite clear to anyone who observes him closely that he has difficulties of balance. He has a tendency to fall over. This cannot be helped by the failing sight in his left eye, which is the case according to some reports, but which has been unmentioned/overlooked/ignored, by nearly all commenters.

May God help our dear Pope Benedict.

Msgr. Adoukonou explains importance of pope's visit to Benin

2011-11-08T20:41:00.000+01:00

In spite of everything, and it's a big everything, we must move on............

2011-11-08T20:34:00.000+01:00

to Benin.

Bad news from Ireland -updated

2011-11-03T21:34:00.012+01:00

According to the French blog 'Salon Beige', the Irish government has announced that it will close its Embassy to the Holy See, giving the Euro crisis as the reason. I hope that Fr Gabriel Burke and perhaps Fr Hogan will comment tomorrow.

A sad day indeed.

Update: Father Hogan has posted on his blog 'Ex Umbris et Imaginibus' - and again here. The second linked post contains text of Cardinal Brady's reaction and also a link to comment by David Quinn.
Thank you Father

Pope Benedict: Three days that changed the world

2011-11-03T16:13:00.000+01:00

Go here to read Vatican Radio's draft translation of the Holy Father's homily at this morning's Mass.

Church Triumphant, Militant and Suffering

2011-11-02T22:05:00.006+01:00

As long as we live, we are members of the Church Militant. As such, yesterday we turned our souls to give thanks to God for the Church Triumphant; today, and traditionally for the rest of November, we pray for the Church Suffering (in Purgatory). The reason I love this time of year is that the Church draws our attention to her essential composition, makes us realise to which part of her we as yet belong. And tries to make us each year more fully aware of how we should behave in reaction and relation to the other two vast and innumerable hosts that exist beyond/outside earthly existence.

I had another fall on the eve of All Saints, this time over a lurking vacuum cleaner outside the dining room door. At first I thought I may have broken a bone in my hand, but although it is horribly blue and swollen and looks as though it has done at least one round with Mike Tyson, I think it will be all right. I could make it the excuse for the brevity of this post. That would not be honest. Truth is that I can't find words to express the vastness of the Divine economy of the Church of Christ. Several beloved composers have tried to do it in music - first those monks who wrote the Plainchant Requiem, then Victoria, Mozart, Dvorak, Berlioz - and I list Verdi and Faure, even though they were not believers.

I think Victoria is my man, but then that is for another day.

God bless all here,
J

O Quam Gloriosum est Regnum - Victoria

2011-11-01T13:34:00.000+01:00

"Oh! how glorious is the kingdom wherein all the saints rejoice with Christ; they are clothed in white robes; they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Feast of All Saints - Magnificat Antiphon at Second Vespers.

November 1, the Feast of All Saints

2011-11-01T12:31:00.000+01:00

"Almighty and everlasting God, it has been granted to us to celebrate on this one feast, the merits of all Your saints; we pray that through this great host of our intercessors, You would pour out on us the longed for abundance of Your mercy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who being God, lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen"
(Collect at Mass - translation from Saint Andrew Daily Missal, 1962)

Spiritual Motherhood

2011-10-31T14:24:00.003+01:00

Please note that at the top of the right hand sidebar here, I have begun to transfer links to blogs and sites of specific interest to Spiritual Mothers and their friends. The above image comes from the original booklet published by the Congregation for Clergy at whose site the full text can be found.

That blasphemous Paris play: Cardinal Vingt-trois ignores Christian revulsion and condemns violent protests of 'integriste-lefebvrists'

2011-10-30T23:12:00.006+01:00

The Cardinal, in an interview with Radio Maria, said he had not seen the play. Oh, come on your Eminence, do you really expect us to believe that you don't know that this play involves desecrating the face of Christ with human excrement? We are not interested in your partisan battles with the 'Integristes'. By all means, if you must, then take this opportunity to have a crack at them, but what we really wanted to hear from you was an absolute condemnation of the play itself. As Catholics we expected you to defend and build up the body of Christ in a Europe that is falling to pieces.

To say the least, not impressed; to say the most, devastated.

Meanwhile on the other side of 'La Manche', we have the good bishop of Shrewsbury, giving heart to our priests. Thanks be to God. An episcopal bench is only as loyal to Peter as is the nuncio of the country in question. Prayers always for Archbishop Mennini and for his French.equivalent.

'If I only had time'? Well, you'll get an extra hour tonight as long as you don't forget to put your clocks back.

2011-10-29T18:36:00.009+02:00

Noel Coward once famously mused on 'the potency of cheap music'. I think this is a fair example of the phenomenon. Saint Ephraem knew a thing or two about it. He would have changed the words only minimally and turned it into a hymn of love for the Holy Trinity.

Back to plainchant on Tuesday!

Anyway God bless, and don't stay up too late.

Spiritual Mothers Community Room News 3: Cardinal Piacenza urges priests to keep their eyes fixed on Peter

2011-10-28T14:41:00.000+02:00

ZENIT - Vatican Official: Priests Are 'Foreigners' in a World Far From God

'High Master' Pope Benedict takes the boys on a 'school journey' to Assisi

2011-10-27T22:28:00.000+02:00

First instruction for the journey, 'No fighting at the back!'

Later instruction at Assisi, 'No fighting whatsoever, ever.'

Palestrina - Missa Brevis - Kyrie

2011-10-27T19:35:00.000+02:00

The Eve of 'Assisi 2011'

2011-10-26T21:17:00.007+02:00

Trust our Holy Father:

'I will do everything I can to make a syncretistic or relativistic interpretation of the event impossible.'
Pope Benedict to his friend Lutheran pastor Peter Beyenhaus in a letter dated March 4, 2011.

The letter also makes it clear that the Holy Father knew that the only way he could control the event, which would have been celebrated in any case, was by going to it himself.

See here and here

Also I think he wants us to understand the train journey as a better witness of pilgrimage, than a plane or helicopter flight. He is due to arrive in Assisi at 9.45am after a journey of an hour and a half. So, be with him in prayer from about 8am tomorrow morning,(7am UK time) and in the meantime God bless you, and sleep well..

The deep and urgent need to pray for ALL our priests and bishops ......

2011-10-25T11:12:00.003+02:00

......................because we know that they are not united....................

ZENIT - Leader of Canada's Bishops: Church Will Be as United as Its Pastors

Important footnote to last night's post

2011-10-23T09:07:00.000+02:00

The events described last night took place several years before I met my husband. He knows all about them, and of their importance to me. They have not affected or diminished the happiness of the 23 years of marriage with which God has blessed us, and for which we continually give thanks.

'Love hurts', recorded by the group 'Nazareth' in 1976

2011-10-22T22:07:00.003+02:00

The song is raw, and disturbing in its raging and impotent agony.. It certainly expresses how I felt in 1976 when I gave up 'the love of my life', and then my father died. It took me thirty years to get over those losses, but then in 2006, I began to learn what Christ's Love is really about. No words can begin to convey my gratitude for the beginning and continuing of that healing knowledge..

I think my credentials as a Gregorian, Polyphonic, Latinist are well known here

2011-10-22T21:29:00.009+02:00

So I do hope the next post doesn't shock too much!

Spititual Mothers Community Room News 2 Three of the recent best to warm your hearts.

2011-10-22T15:14:00.000+02:00

1.Cardinal Piacenza on 21st century priests
http://www.zenit.org/article-33592?l=english

2. Study finds Priests leading happy healthy lives
. http://www.osv.com/tabid/7621/itemid/8557/Study-finds-priests-leading-happy-healthy-lives.aspx

3. Dr. Jeff Mirus takes the long view on dissenting priests, and a very hopeful and positive view it is
http://catholicculture.org/commentary/otc.cfm?id=878

Holy Father at work with cat

2011-10-20T15:26:00.000+02:00

h/t to Catholicism Pure and Simple.

Unfortunately I don't think this was taken at the Vatican, although it could just be at Castel Gandolfo. It's probably at one of those places on his travels, where a cat was supplied to keep him company.

Spiritual Mothers Community room News 1: Irish Vocations

2011-10-19T09:12:00.003+02:00

ZENIT - Got a Vocation? An App to Help You Find Out

Since I posted this, Fr Gabriel Burke has put up more details on his blog.
See here

Thank you Father. It's so heartening to see these initiatives being reported, particularly after all the recent negative news.

With the assurance of prayer for you and for the Church in Ireland,
J

Susan, er, what did you say her name was?...................

2011-10-18T22:31:00.000+02:00

Of course I know it, but am not going to print it here.

Thanks to 'Reluctant Sinner' and 'Protect the Pope' for keeping us informed this day about the ignorance, at best, of this poor female, and what has happened as the result of her deeply inflammatory, defamatory and totally inaccurate remark about our dear Pope.

Surely, those who are against him in the Church, will realise that this kind of ill-informed idiocy will not help their cause.And I think that those outside the Church who are determined to denigrate him, have begun to 'shoot their bolt'. Well actually, I think that began in the build up to his visit to the UK last year. There was media 'over kill' beforehand, and then people saw for themselves that a great lie had been told to them. People have to buy newspapers, or at least I think they still do, but I suspect that the British mainstream media knows that in 2010 if forfeited the trust of its captive readership.

Ms SS is way off the mark.

More on this as the moment dictates. God bless all here.

In Christo pro Papa
J

Loving Pope Benedict to bits - literally!

2011-10-18T12:34:00.000+02:00

Official title of this clip - 'Benedict XVI embraces Mother Veronica Berzoza, founder of Iesu Communio. Rather I'd say, she embraces him in the emotion of the moment. It didn't surprise me as she had already spoken of her love for him during her earlier Testimony at the meeting of New Evangelisers. His response is typically warm and gracious and it is clear from Mgr Ganswein's expression that she has not overstepped the bounds of propriety. All the same, being English, it shocked me a bit at first!

Three cheers and many prayers for Bishop Michael Smith and his Diocese of Meath, Ireland

2011-10-18T12:01:00.000+02:00

ZENIT - Irish Diocese Gets Taste of 2012 Eucharistic Congress

Eve of Saint Luke: Barbara Bonney "Laudate Dominum" Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

2011-10-17T22:10:00.000+02:00

Saint Luke, pray for us.

Spiritual Mothers of Priests:The Oasis welcomes a new feature

2011-10-17T15:59:00.000+02:00

Some Oasis readers may know that I have another blog that is supposed to concentrate on news which is of specific interest to Spiritual Mothers of priests and their friends.(link in right hand sidebar here) When it started, the Oasis was not half as busy as it is now, and over recent months I have been constantly worried by not having the time to maintain the other blog. I've therefore decided to bring the Spiritual Mothers into the Oasis. From now on any news which is relevant to them will appear here and not on the original Spiritual Mothers blog. I'm not going to delete the site. It has many relevant links in its sidebar, and even though I may eventually find time to duplicate them in the right hand sidebar here., I'll probably leave things as they are over there.

The last week has gone by very quickly and really I could have done with more time off to catch up spiritually and practically, but then as a retired teacher, I am used to that sensation! As it is, My intention was to post about this weekends events connected with the New Evangelisation, but the Vatican site has already published the Holy Father's promised Motu Proprio on the subject of the 'Year of Faith'. Studying that has taken up the rest of my spare time today. My only fear is that certain types of priests and bishops will give as little attention to it as they have done to some of his other initiatives. I pray that this fear proves to be unfounded.

God bless and preserve our dear Pope Benedict.

A Week's retreat from Blogging but DV when I get back, probably 'There'll be some changes made'....

2011-10-10T21:48:00.009+02:00

I hope to be back next Monday, and no, I'm not sneaking off to Father Z's blogfest at the Coal Hole in the Strand, more's the pity. Oh and I'm not, as the song says, gong to 'change the way I strut my stuff'. That might prove a tad undignified! Just a few adjustments but definitely not in style or content. In any case there's a lot on my plate at the moment and I need the space. If you can spare a Hail Mary for us, Colin and I will be most grateful.

God bless all here.
J

Living through 'Lepanto II', 2011. Yes, now in the third millennium!

2011-10-08T22:25:00.003+02:00

As you can see, the painting below is not of the Battle of Lepanto but of St. John Bosco's dream of the 'Barque of Peter' and the two pillars towards which the Holy Father is trying to guide her. (They are seen there on the horizon, the one pillar surmounted by Mary our Blessed Mother and the other by the Blessed Sacrament. I for one believe the saint's dream to have been prophetic. I should be surprised if any readers here are unfamiliar with it. (For brief background, read here. ) The link leads you to an enlarged version of the painting and you can clearly see which part of the dream it depicts. The dead Pope lies on the deck. His successor has taken over. I am not going to invite opinion about when 'Lepanto II' began, but sure as eggs, we are up to our necks in it now.

If the Battle of Lepanto took place as the response of Christendom to the gravest peril in her history at that time, what now? It was a single naval battle that took place in a specific geographical area on a particular date. Now it is very different and it is worse. Christendom is attacked not only by the Ottomans, but by the secularism, atheism and hedonism of the West, and from within her own fortress. And any day we can read over our morning coffee what the dissidents have said a few hours earlier. It is a cancerous and sprawling horror. That is what we are called to fight in 'Lepanto II'..

440 years after Lepanto we are facing an even more grave peril. Pius V, who called the Church to prayer at a time when news of his exhortation must have taken some time to get through, apparently 'knew 'of the Lepanto victory before the confirming news got through to him a fortnight after the battle. He reigned only six years. Our dear Holy Father Benedict has already reigned longer. But his task is incomparably more complex.

Saint Pope Pius V, Our Lady of Victories, Our Lady of the Rosary pray for our Holy Father Benedict and for us, his flock.We are in that churning sea. We must fight. And we will do it with the help of your Rosary.

Tomas Luis de Victoria - Ave Maria

2011-10-06T21:57:00.000+02:00

The eve of Our Lady of the Rosary 2011: The 1,000th post on the Oasis.

2011-10-06T21:35:00.000+02:00

This blog was three years old on September 20th. Thank you dearest Mother for helping me to keep going during those years. Every time I ask, you still keep saying, 'Do as He tells you'. Every day at Adoration, I give my 'Yes'. The blog will continue unless that 'Yes' demands that it be silenced.

I beg your prayers and now go to find some special music and an image to mark this day.

God bless all my readers and also the SPPX leaderhip as they enter into deliberation this weekend. I have never been, and do not intend to be, affiliated to the Society in any way, but it is clear to me that our Holy Father longs for their reconciliation. I can never forget that as Cardinal Ratzinger, he wept on the day that
Archbishop Lefebvre changed his mind.

'All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.'

Prefect of Congregation for Clergy in LA, and on St Bruno's day, hats off to the King of Liqueurs

2011-10-06T11:40:00.001+02:00

Cardinal Piacenza in LA takes fearless swipe at the 'We are Church' brigade.
ZENIT - Profile of a Priest

Rorate Caeli has a pointedly good extract too..

Have a holy and happy feast of Saint Bruno - a day which we traditionally celebrate with a post-prandial glass of Green Chartreuse, the king of liqueurs and the most effective digestif ever invented. Thanks be to God and to the monks of the Grande Chartreuse.
Aside from the usual bottle and its famously strong contents, there is another even more powerful version. I don't know whether it is still available but it used only to be supplied on special order from the monastery. I can't remember what alcoholic proof it was but the monks recommend it be treated with great respect and taken on a lump of sugar like a vaccine!

Saint Bruno, pray for us.

Fr. Barron comments on Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Germany

2011-10-04T20:31:00.003+02:00

This is very, very good. Father concentrates on Pope Benedict's addresses to the Bundestag, and to the Ecumenical Council. Also, if you haven't already found them, Fr Lombardi's comments on the address to Seminarians are highly recommended. See here

'Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam' -Gregorian Chant

2011-10-04T12:41:00.000+02:00

Gradual from today's Mass, 1962 Missal
The mouth of the just shall mediate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment.
v. The law of his God is in his heart and his steps shall not be supplanted.

Have a holy and happy St. Francis' day.