'Catholic Sacramentals' has arrived

It is published by Our Sunday Visitor and has the Nihil obstat and an Imprimatur of the Bishop of Galveston-Houston..
At first sight it seems beyond reproach. The author is a convert and brought up in Texas. This could explain Paul's point about the Holy Spirit. There is little or no information about her educational background. It is however not a flimsy book. At first sight it seems well researched
It it is well indexed and includes bibliography and sources of information. I will have to read it thoroughly before commenting further. However my first check reveals that she gives no sources for her statements regarding the history of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'.

She has written other books on Catholic Devotions.

The Twelve Days of Christmas: a secret Catechesis?

The other dayI had a fascinating Facebook message from a dear friend in the US. Katharine is Irish and now lives in Idaho, I think. She used to live 'just up the road' from here in an even smaller village than Saint Romain.. Her message focused on Ann Ball's book 'A Handbook of Catholic Sacramentals' of which I was woefully ignorant. In the book the author claims that our well known Christmas song acually dates back to penal times when Catholics had to hide their faith. You may all know this and because of my interest in this kind of history I was surprised that I did not. The book was thankfully available from Amazon at $4.95  and so I ordered, it mainly to find out the background and scholastic reputation of its author. However it may or may not be well founded in fact, her theory about the song is quite plausible, and indeed it does make a good catechetical reminder. I look forward to reading it in the New Year.

Firstly the repeated 'True Love' after each section is Jesus Christ Himself, who is the real True Love who was made man on Christmas Day. Each time and with each gift, He also sends a partridge in a pear tree. This is a hidden reference to Christ's giving of Himself on the cross to save us all . It is appropriate because folklore had it that the Partridge was willing to give up its life for its offspring.

And gifts two to 12 are explained as follows.

Two Turtle Doves - The Old and New Testaments
Three French Hens - Faith, Hope and Charity
Four Calling Birds - The four evangelists and their Gospels
Five Gold Rings - The first five books of the Old Testament
Six Geese a-laying - The six days of Creation
Seven Swans a-swimming - The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Eight Maids a-milking - The eight Beatitudes
Nine Ladies dancing - the fruits of the Holy Spitit
Ten Lords a-leaping - the ten Commandments
Eleven Pipers piping - the eleven faithful apostles
Twelve Drummers drumming - the twelve points of belief as in the Apostles Creed


Thank you and a very happy Christmas to Katharine and to Ann Ball

Alfonso Maria de' Liguori - Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle

I Fagiolini Striggio: Mass in 40 parts

This year I sent this as a Christmas present to someone very special in Rome. I am convinced he will love it. And no, the recipient is not the Holy Father!

Rorate Caeli - Francisco Guerrero

And a favourite setting. The only version I could find. Not easy, but well worth the effort.

News from Father Mark

The 'Gatehouse' at Siverstream Priory is open. More pictorial news as soon as possible.

In the meantime still finding my feet, or should I say, my eyes. and in any case Rorate Sunday is almost upon us, with one of my favourite introits.

Final thought before closing down

The Holy Father has drawn an important distinction between respect for human rights and respect for human nature..

I regret the closure of the Oasis until next Friday.

Explanation, by mistake, at the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma. With my apologies.

Apostolic Palace Security update

This cannot be anything other than a report from personal experience, but I must comfess I was probably wrong that there may be  restrictions in play by now, other than the recently publiicised ones. It seems that postal traffic in and out of the Apostolic Palace maintains its former  smoothness and there is no interruption of the Christmas post. . Deo gratisas.

Father Mark is 'on the mend'! Thank you for your prayers

I was vastly relieved last night to hear that Father is getting better under the care of two excellent Irish specialists and has actually managed to say Mass and his Office and spend time before the Blessed Sacrament. Dom Benedict, the recently professed novice at Silversream, now has flu and is also confined to bed. Hilda, the Monastery dog, pays regular visits to each sick room.

I know you will thank God for Father's recovery and pray now for Dom Benedict, and others who are helping the small community to cope during this difficult time.

 

Increased security in the Apostolic Palace. Raymond Arroyo clears confusion (updated Monday evening)

Early last week Sandro Magister had a post on this subject and I alerted a friend to it. She could not find it. When I checked I found that he had taken it down with no explanation as to why. It had said that all officials working in the AP had been issued with an electronically chipped swipe card which from now on they must use to gain access to their offices. This means that the whereabouts of all officials can be checked at any time  and known to the Vatican 'authorities'. Also the log of any photocopying done by the workforce will be more strictly kept and nobody apart from Archbishop elect Ganswein will have free access to the Pope's study. Raymond Arroyo confirmed this on his EWTN progamme last night. (Thanks to my regular commenter Mary, for letting me know.)

Magister had said on his original post, that the new restrictions were part of the Vatican's reaction to the recent 'Vatileaks' scandal. One is left wondering why he took the post down and whether he was asked or told to do so by the Vatican itself. And one spent the week wondering whether it was true or not. At least, thanks to Arroyo, we now know that it was. But the secrecy at that point remains a mystery and unnecessarily so, as far as I can see. The Vatican has every right and duty to put measures in place that defend and increase the Holy Father's security, even at the expense of the private freedoms of those who work close to him. These measures, particularly the one concerning photocopying, will mean that everything will take longer and so communications will be unavoidably be affected. As for the 'officials' themselves and their private correspondents, I am sure they willingly accept these developments as the inevitable price they have to pay for the 'lunacy' of Gabriele's depredations, even though in some cases they do so with deep sadness. I did not see the Arroyo programme and so do not know whether he revealed other new restrictions. I have the feeling that these may exist, and will have the result of upsetting a finely balanced apple cart. Correspondence that used to go direct, and unimpeded to any given official could now be intercepted by the Secretariat of State, or by Archbishop elect Ganswein,  thus putting an end to the privacy, or even to the very existence of valuable spiritual exchange.

Anyone who has queued for  reserved Audience tickets, knows that the relevant area approaching the Apostolic Palace, beyond the staircase after the Bronze door,  is already  ultra secure. What it will be like in future, goodness alone  knows. .Perhaps a new distribution point will be introduced. When I was there in 2011, the Guard did not allow the Seminarian who was escorting me to assist me up and down those steep stone steps. I was walking with difficulty and with a stick and almost had to crawl up them. At the time I was aware of being in the hands of the Guard, on whose charity and mood I was totally dependent. It was an unpleasant experience, and it need not have been.

The security of our beloved Holy Father would have in no way been adversely affected by allowing me the assistance of that Seminarian.

As I say above, what is going to happen now?  .


 .

Spiritual Mothers of Priests CR news 25: Mary Kaufmann has sent details of an online retreat for Spiritual Mothers

For details please see Mary's comment on my post about Spiritual Motherhood in Birmingham, England.
Thank you Mary, for your act of solidarity in letting me know about this.

Is western society committing suicide? It would seem so

Artificial contraception
Abortion on demand    =  preventing the next generations and the birth of females
Gendercide

And now a French study, reported in yesterday's Daily Mail, tells us that male sperm count has been reduced by a third between the late 1980s and 2005. 26,000 men took part in the study.

More on this tomorrow.

POPULUS SION

 Introit for the Second Sunday in Advent

ALMA REDEMPTORIS MATER, G. P. Palestrina, Cappella Musicale Basilica di ...

Have a happy and holy Feast day everyone.

Prayer Request: For Father Mark Daniel Kirby O.S. B.

Please pray for Fr Mark who is in bed with a bronchially related infection and fever. As a result, he has had to cancel a retreat he was due to preach.

Dear Jesus, please heal your beloved priest and restore him to full health so that he may continue to do the work you ask of him among all your priests. Amen

Somehow, manage to keep going.

My apologies for weak blogging over recent weeks. I've been unwell. The cause is not life-threatening, just the discomfort and inconvenience of ageing. However, I think I'm turning a corner in this particular phase and hope to be back to strength, in the next couple of days. Thank you for the much valued and essential sustenance of your prayers.

Benedict XVI celebrates 650th anniversary of the Venerable English College

Benedict XVI celebrates 650th anniversary of the Venerable English College

Avvento, Gregoriano, AD TE LEVAVI, Giovanni Vianini, Milano, It.

Anyone who was fortunate enough to have caught Fr Mark on EWTN this morning at 11.30 will understamd why I have posted this, the Introit from today's Mass. Father drew special attention to its words in the first of  'Advent Reflections', and will have determined to pray Psalm 24 every day during the coming season of hope, of light shining in the darkness.

A tweeting Pope Benedict at the expense of what?

Over recent weeks the standard of EWTN and Kto broadcasts has suffered.  How and why is this? I'm not sure what has caused it , but it is not at all satisfacrory. It seems to me that this has  nothing to do with EWTN or Kto, but everything to do with the standard of what is continually being put out to them by Vatican TV, whose synchronisation of sound is clearly up the creek. The result is that Kto sound runs so slowly that the only way they can cope is by cutting whole chunks of tape in order to catch up. The same is true of EWTN But being more sophisticated. they can do it more frequently during the length of a broadcast and not make the problem so glaringly obvious. EWTN pays through the nose for the Vatican programmes (per minute). I am certain that they will have complained about this situation. . I beg the Vatican to correct this problem and stop making the tweeting of Benedict a priority,. that is before  the Christmas Liturgies. I am on the point of writing to Fr Lombardi, having had tonight's Vespers ruined by the problem described above. My interpretation may be wrong, in which case my abject apologies.

Music to Live Advent With Our Lady (Part 1)

ZENIT - Music to Live Advent With Our Lady (Part 1)

Music to Live Advent With Our Lady (Part 2)

ZENIT - Music to Live Advent With Our Lady (Part 2)

SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD IN THE ENGLISH ARCHDIOCESE OF BIRMINGHAM (CR news 24)

I recently received this report from my dear friend Mrs Pat Greene, a member of St John Fisher parish in Birmingham, England.

"Spiritual Mothers

During the 'Year of the Priest', a small group of mothers in Birmingham, formed themselves into a group of 'Spiritual Mothers of Priests'. Since then, inspired by that legacy, they continued to pray for Priests . On Saturday mornings they attend Holy Mass and pray the Rosary during Eucharistic Adoration. They focus on one Priest each week taking his name from the Diocesan Directory of Priests.

In a recent development the Spiritual Mothers have extended this initiative to include the children of the local primary school. The move was a cautious one, but the children have responded extremely receptively to the idea of becoming a 'Spiritual Friend' to a Priest of their choice. To support them, the children have been given a small  card bearing the words

I AM A SPIRITUAL FRIEND OF
FATHER (appropriate name filled in)
AND I PRAY FOR HIM EVERY DAY

Each Monday tow of the Spiritual Mothers visit the school fifteen minutes before the end of the children's lunch break. The children are invited to waive the their remaining break time in order to pray a decade of the Rosary for Priests.One Mystery of the Rosary is used each week as a focus for thinking about the role of the  Priest.

The response has been so  overwhelming that because of limited accommodation, it has become necessary to alternate Infants and Juniors each week. The enthusiasm of the children is mostly attributable to the excellent guidance and encouragement of the school's RE coordinator who makes all the internal arrangements and herself joins in the group

The Spiritual Mothers are quietly optimistic that the children will continue their enthusiasm and will perhaps encourage members of their families to become a 'spiritual friend of a Priest'.

The prayers of little children are heard loud and clear - they have a direct line to heaven.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for all children
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for all priests.

P. Greene"

Oasis comment.

Thanks and congratulations to Pat and her group of Spiritual Mothers for the instigation of these initiatives.
It's a wonderful idea, not least because these 'Spiritual Mothers' are carrying out their motherhood in several ways, not the least because they are doing a naturally motherly thing, in helping children to care for their priests. In a parish one can see all sorts of advantages coming as a result of the children's involvement. I hope more schools will adopt the idea. God bless the children and  the adults involved in their support.

Tommaso D'Aquino, Inno ADORO TE DEVOTE, Schola Gregoriana Mediolanensis,...

Here is a Milanese version, the choir not overpowered by the acoustic.
The chant is a current favourite during Papal Masses and I believe was sung last Sunday.
The tune is simple with the occasional pitfalls in emphasis and timing. Learn it and.the meaning of its Latin words. It will reward your effort. If you don't have the appropriate liturgical book, the words can easily be found on the internet.

Another Favourite Chant to know and love 4 Adoro Te Devote - Catholic Hymns, Gregorian Chant

Too much echo on this version. Will find another after supper

Sebastián de Vivanco "O Rex Gloriae"

For the Feast of Christ the King.

Tu Rex Gloriae.wmv

According to Sandro Magister, it's the entrenchment of Msgr Ganswein and partial downfall of Ingrid Stampa

For details see Magister's post today at 'Notzie Analisi. Link to his post at bottom of sidebar here.
Follow appropriate links for English version of the post, 'Fr Georg Secretary. Confirmed.'
Apart from the fact that Dr. Stampa has been denied access to the Papal apartment since the Gabriele scandal, it emerges that there is at least one serious error of translation in the Italian version of the Holy Father's latest book, over which she apparently had oversight. As always though, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. The mistake is such that it is hardly credible as having been comitted by a person of her academic reputation and publishing experience. It almost looks like a deliberate 'plant'..

Two Hundred Million Christians Under Threat

ZENIT - Two Hundred Million Christians Under Threat

Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain Visits Youth Offenders Institution in London

ZENIT - Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain Visits Youth Offenders Institution in London

Pope Calls Book on Christ's Birth an 'Antechamber' to Vols. I and II

ZENIT - Pope Calls Book on Christ's Birth an 'Antechamber' to Vols. I and II

Händel Ode for St Cecilia's Day Arts Florissants, P Agnew

Construction of Nativity Scene begins in St. Peter's Square

Construction of Nativity Scene begins in St. Peter's Square

Monsignor Marini: Taking street evangelization to Rome

Monsignor Guido Marini, who I believe regularly works with Youth from the Saint Lawrence Centre in Rome, is seen on this video saying Holy Mass for them, and preaching on the Holy Souls. In an interview afterwards he remembers with thanksgiving to God, his favourite moment of World Youth Day in Madrid..  And is obviously doing his bit to promote the next WYD in Rio.  The sound on the video is not good but its message comes across loud and clear in this example of an aspect of his priestly ministry, other than the one for which he is more famously known.  The prayers of the Oasis are with him. May God bless him and all his work.

Pope to Welcome Venerable English College Students, Staff in Audience

For more information see here
ZENIT - Pope to Welcome Venerable English College Students, Staff in Audience

Pope to Welcome Venerable English College Students, Staff in Audience

ZENIT - Pope to Welcome Venerable English College Students, Staff in Audience

Important Celebrationfor the VEC coming up on Dec/ 3

Placido Domingo-The gold and silver waltz.mp4

Dancing with my Grandfather:

I need to cheer myself up today and so I share this happy memory, in my case much more memorable than Luther Vandross', 'Dancing with my Father'. The gold and Silver Waltz.....................

It takes me back to a Sunday morning in my early adolescence. My Grandfather lived with us at the time. My parents had gone out for a drink at the club. My mother would return first, to finish cooking Sunday lunch. and my father would stay on for a while to enjoy a game or two of snooker. Grandpa and I  were  left alone together. The unspoken assumption was that we would look after each other and keep each other occupied. The law against leaving minors unattended was thus observed. I don't know whose idea it was to put 'the Gold and Silver Waltz' on the record player. I think it was mine, but it was he who suggested we should dance,. with all the courtly gravity and grace of his generation. The record was a single made by the Halle Orchestra conducted by Sir John Barbirolli. I still have it and I only have to see it to be reminded of this incident with my 'Grandpa' whom I loved dearly..

Our sitting room was large, and there was plenty of room to dance. So there we were happily waltzing together and leaving unsaid any complaint about being left at home with each other. They were moments of  uncomplicated happiness, such that I have rarely known since.That music is so poignant to me. It was then, and is even more so now. If I close my eyes I am dancing with him still. When I open them, it is always to thank God for this happy memory, for the security of my childhood and to pray for the soul of my grandfather.  

Requiem Thomas Luis de Victoria

Sorry, have not yet been able to find the whole of the Tallis Scholarcs recording.

Gimell Records - Victoria - Requiem

Gimell Records - Victoria - Requiem

02 Introitus: Requiem aeternam

Durung the rest of November I hope to post the whole of this, my favourite Requiem Mass.

Pope is surprised by Polyphonic Choir at the Vatican

Pope is surprised by Polyphonic Choir at the Vatican

So beautiful and so comforting.

Husband falls again but unhurt

It was not a fainting fit as last time, but I had to get our English neighbour to lift him up again. No injuries save shock and fright. Please pray for us.

God bless all here.

The Last Post

For Remembrance Sunday 2012t

Gathering Follows Vatican's 2011 Blogger Conference

ZENIT - Gathering Follows Vatican's 2011 Blogger Conference

Worrying about Westminster

I usually agree with Dr Oddie in the Catholic Herald and respect his views even if I don't ALWAYS agree with them. This time, on the subject of what the CDF will do about ++Nichols and the Soho Masses, he seems to think that Prefect Muller is going to get tough on this issue and as a result, will let ++ Nichols 'off the hook'. If the CDF Prefect DOES  react like that, surely he will call down on himself and his dicastery,  the wrath of the 'gay lobby'. He will be the new 'rottweiler'. And then our Vin will be able to say, 'Well you see these Roman types. It is no fault of mine.' Why should Muller dig Archbishop Nichols out of this. For no good reason that I can see. It Nichols' problem and he must face it fair and square, and not hope to be let off the hook by anyone in Rome.. Many say that Nichols is a careerist.  That is corroborated by the fact that some of the bishops of England and Wales wrote to Rome to complain about his ambition just before he was chosen for our premier see. In any case we see now that careerism is not a holy characteristic and does not lead to, dare I say it, the 'common good'.

Of course I have to admit finally that Archbishop Nichols seems to me to be one of those who is 'sitting out the pontificate' , praying for the time when there will be another more 'liberal' Pope'. and then he will have his red hat.. Personally, I cannot believe that is the catholic thing to do and my heart bleeds at the thought of it..

Dr Oddie end his article by saying that he hopes ++Nichols will be elevated to the cardinalate within a couple of years. To that I say, Lord, give us all courage and strength..

Prayers for all concerned.

Five popes, past and future, crossed paths at Vatican 11

For what it's worth.

Compare and contrast.

Pope Benedict's eyes:. PLEASE OF YOUR CHARITY, PRAY THAT HIS EYESIGHT BE PRESERVED..

Some of us have been aware for a long time that the Pope's sight in his left eye has deteriorated consideraby. Today he suddenly confessed to the Angelus crowd that he couldn't see the papers he was reading to them. I don't think it was merely that he had 'lost his place' in the text.  In an interview some time ago Monsignor  Marini referred to the problem in typically quiet and undramatic manner.  Now is the time for our fervent prayers for our beloved Holy Father. Media tricks and deliberate mischief are one thing, but loss of sight is quite another.

For tomorrow: a chant sadly out of fashion one that should be revisited and understood Dies Irae (Mass for the Dead, Sequence, Male Voices)

Crime in the Charente: A recent example

And it's spreading inexorably, especially into the countryside from larger conurbations like Angouleme. Early last week in the mid afternoon our Mayor's secretary had her car broken into and her handbag stolen. It has astonished everyone that Colin didn't see or hear anything. He has the reputation of being the 'eyes and ears' of Saint Romain. If anyone suspicious appears in the street outside, particularly if they are newcomers to the village shop opposite, he makes a note of details and times and if a vehicle is involved, records the registration. On the afternoon of the said theft he witnessed nothing.

The Police visited us  yesterday afternoon. It seems that Colin's reputation had spread to the Gendarmerie. They were mightily interested in his record of  registration numbers. Could be extremely useful to them in many ways. During the conversation the two young Police officers explained that it was believed the crime had its base in the need for drugs. (We know this has been a problem below the surface here, for a long time.)

Anyway to cut a long story short, two men were arrested this morning in connection with  thefts from cars parked outside cemeteries, whilst their owners were seasonally occupied on hallowed ground, laying wreaths on the graves of deceased relatives, which is a time honoured custom throughout France. The men were using another ruse, that of being Jehovah's Witnesses, to con their victims in their own houses.. Whilst they were in detention, Police searched THEIR domicile and found it to be full of stolen goods. This cache was transferred to the Police Station and victims of recent theft, have been invited to visit there to see if they can identify their stolen property.

The arrested men turned out to have been released from prison in recent weeks having served sentences for similar crimes.

Our Mayor's secretray's hand bag has been found but emptied of its contents.

If anyone still believes that France is idyllic, think again. Parts of Angouleme are are quite as horrid as certain infamous cities in England.

Pater Noster - Our Father in Latin

 Another difficult day., Sorry not to have posted after all, but here is the third of simple chants we should all know and love. - to be going on with, as they say. You should hear it sung at tomorrow's Vespers  in the Sistine Chapel.(6pm Rome time, the Holy Father presiding and in celebration of the 500th anniversay of the completion of the Chapel's ceiling)

I think it may be solved.

It was a question of a certain site on my sidebar  that was causing the problem and infecting my blogsite with malware. Perhaps I should say that it is the CTS site so that people know there is a problem with it .I have managed to delete that site from my bloglist.  So we will see tomorrow if that removal does the trick. I have to see irony in this. After all CTS are my most recent publishers..The other agonising spiritual problem is easing too, and I think that the crisis is past, eternal thanks be to our Blessed Mother. The printer problem can only be solved by installing Canon cartridges. I pray for the Oasis to be completely fit for mission by the weekend..The really good news is that my dear computer, 'Yves.' does not have a virus.

Thank you for your prayers, particularly those of Sandy, Dorothy B and Genty

Hope to be back tomorrow, but at what hour of the day I cannot predict..

God bless all here.

J

Catholics & the Liverpool Care Pathway

Thanks to Paul Priest for sending me a link to this video. I saw that Archbishop Peter SMITH had drawn a blank from the Government when he recently appealed to them for an investigation into the LCP.
WHAT NOW PAUL? WHAT NEXT?  YOUR ADVICE PLEASE.

Serious problems with printer and computer

As a result I am going to have to shut down until the problems are solved. Added to all this I have been struggling with a deep and particularly personal torment. I beg your patience and your prayers for things to be better. The personal problem is in no way related to my usual blogging preoccupations and has nothing to do with the subjects of recent posts. The techno problems are considerably galling because the blog has been doing so well of late. Thank you for your readership I will do my best to return the Oasis to you, as fit for mission as it has been in the past.

God bless all here and please pray for the Oasis and its steward.

J

Spiritual Mothers CR News 24: Update on last post on this subject

ZENIT - Three Assumptionist Priests Kidnapped in Congo

No fandango for the fanon

At least not at Father Blake's blog. Basically Father opines that excitement over Sunday's reappearance of that papal vestment, among supporters of Pope Benedict' 'reform of the reform' , is quite unjustified and irrelevant, . and he backs this with sound evidence with which it is difficult to argue. Mostly he refers to the shilly shallying of  many priests, laity and bishops,  when it comes to application of  'Sunmmorum Pontificum'.  It has to be acknowledged that although it has had an effect, it is not really going to make sufficient difference to the Church at large, unless the Holy Father stops trying to teach by example and begins to make a real difference by exercising papal legislation as regards his own document. Father's post shows up the fault line in the 'Reform of the Reform camp. On the other hand Fr Z stands by his beloved 'marshall plan' and congratulates the Pope for his series of propositional gestures of varying strength and importance over the years of his papacy. Fr Blake is more impatient and says honesty that Pope Benedict probably doesn't have time left to him for the luxury of teaching by example. He predicts that if Benedict doesn't get tough very soon, with his death the 'reform of the reform' will fade quickly into the legend of the early third millennium and with it the Pontificate of a  rather quaint, if holy old pope. If he wants to leave a lasing impression on the Church, he must LEGISLATE NOW.

What intrigues me is WHY Pope Benedict appears to be so timid. He is known to be determined, even stubborn, if the bee in his bonnet is buzzing loudly enough. Is it fear of liberal curial cardinals? Or is it that he'd had enough of the rottweiler, panzer cardinal caricatures which he has just about beaten. But even now, every time he can be seen to have acted with any kind of force, the media throws them in his face again Is it because he is tired and has simply had enough and prays each night for God to take him home. Is it that he is really a liberal after all and only promulgated SP for the sake of the SSPX. He simply won't upset the apple cart, and has decided to leave the whole thing for his successor to solve. Someone who,. as Fr Blake warns, might lock the sacristy and get rid of Mons. Guido Marini replacing him with a reinstated Piero or worse. Does he just like the Liturgy and the way he has it because of a selfish need to satisfy his own aestheticism. Or is it just that by nature and experience, he is a gifted teacher by example rather than by precept as well. And his methodology has always served him well in the past BEFORE HE WAS POPE. Has he really faced the fact that he is the Pope NOW?

There are several possible answers to the conundrum of Pope Benedict's behaviour and complex personality. . I have to ask the questions but none of the answers seems to solve the matter. They are all intolerable and abhorrent to me

I would like Fr Z to be right, but I'm afraid that Fr Blake's hard realism is probably a very timely warning both for our dear Holy Father and for all of us.

Now more than ever we must pray for our Holy Father. May God give him TIME and the courage of his convictions.. I do believe with Fr Z that their  complexion is genuinely for the restoration of the sacred Liturgy and solid catechesis, this last having been widely admitted even by its perpetrators as woefully inadequate. Every Audience and Homily shows that Pope Benedict knows what the problems are and why they are so entrenched and damaging. Dear Holy Father we know and we DO understand. Please do what you can to correct these matters, using your Papal infallibility if necessary. No Head teacher could run a successful school with the level of disobedience and dissent that you have suffered and tolerated among  your 'Staff' (clerics/theologians)) and 'students'.(laity). The school would fall victim to anarchy. We have continued to bear this situation for half a century and looking round me, I think that Anarchy is  what we have in the Church today. Wasn't that one of the reasons why you left one German University for another after the troubles of 1968.

.

Next Consistory 24th November

6 New Cardinals to be made including Archbishop Harvey. the others being from Lebanon, India Nigeria, Colombia and Philippines. Still no joy for Westminster, not that I think anyone will be surprised.

Spiritual Mothers CR News : 23 URGENT

Mothers, please pray for the three priests kidnapped in the Congo.. Neither they nor their kidnappers have  been identified. Mary, mother of all priests of your Son, pray for them.

For the Year of Faith: Chants we should know and love: 3 :Ubi Caritas (Sung today at the Canonisation Mass)Holy Thursday, Antiphon)

Stormy Weather

The immediate short term forecast indicates a slight improvement, but more heavy rain is predicted for Lourdes next week..

Amazing day. No time for promised 'Don Guido' post

What with the Lourdes flood and the astonishing character of the Canonisation rite, the day has simply run away with me. But Don Guido seems increasingly to be the' left hand man' of the moment. Back tomorrrow.

In the meantime, God bless all here.

J.

This morning's Canonisations

Pope Benedict wore the 'Fanon', last used by Blessed John Paul II in 1980

The post before this one gives photos and a little explanation of the history. Look no further than today's post at NLM link in sidebar here. I might have guessed that Mons. Maini was somehow involved in this resoration, and why..

Thanks to my friend 'Gertrude'  for alerting me..

The Papal Fanon

Lourdes seriously flooded

Thanks to my dear friend Pelerin for alerting me to the fact that the Grotto is closed and under a metre of water. Nothing in our local paper, except about flooding in northern Spain. We expect something in the Sunday paper tomorrow. Will update you if so.

Our weather has been awful. It has rained incessantly for 36 hours and the roof is leaking!.

Next post in preparation for Sunday: Why I posted the 'Don Guido' video'

It is taking time because I have to be careful not to upset anyone. There are however several important reasons that I would like to explain.

In the meantime, congratulations to Paula Luckhurst, the creator of this excellent montage of Don Guido at the work he so obviously loves to the exclusion of all else. Primarily it is not really about Don Guido himself, but about the source and summit of our faith, the Holy Mass. This  is the secret of its beauty, and the beauty of its secret..

Don Guido

Reuter's recent article 'The Struggle for Poland's Soul'

I accessed the article via my regular email, usually every day, which lists 'Catholic World News headlines and links to further details of each one. This one from Reuter's News Agency reports that even in Poland, the Church is losing her influence. Since 2005 weekly Mass attendance has dropped from 58% to 52%. The reasons given are mounting secularism, political debate over homosexuality, in vitro fertilisation and tax-payer financed healthcare and pensions for priests. Among many others, I have often wondered why Mons Konrad Krajewski frequently looks so unhappy. Most of us do not know many other Polish priests apart from this one, who does sterling and devoted work for the Holy Father and his Liturgy, as probably the most frequently serving member of Mons. Marini's team of Liturgical Masters of Ceremony. He seems to be the 'Head boy', second only to the Maestro. He goes home to Poland whenever he can and frequently joins pilgrimages there. I wonder if the increasingly secular and threatening atmosphere in Poland is a constant worry for him, and preoccupies his heart and soul, without of course, in any way adversely affecting his efficiency and devotion at the Papal altar.

There is an appreciation page for Mons Konrad on Facebook.

Please pray for him and for Poland, its Clergy and Laity. For that dear and faithful country to be sliding from its conquest of Communism into the clutches of poisonous secularism within a generation, is simply tragic.

Pope Benedict XVI Gives Exclusive Interview for Documentary

ZENIT - Pope Benedict XVI Gives Exclusive Interview for Documentary

Lord Carey on redefining marriage

Slight earthquake 15 km from Lourdes yesterday morning

The quake registered 3.9 on the Richter scale and affected two local settlements near Lourdes, - Arge-les-Gazost and Arthez d'Asson. No serious damage was done and there were no casualties. A Resident was quoted as saying that such mild quakes are quite frequent in the area. One woman said she had been woken by her house trembling and her bed moving. (From this morning's Sud Ouest newspaper.)

For the Year of Faith: Chants we should know and love:2

The 'Eldest Daughter' to rise on Sunday January 20TH WITH A GREAT MARCH FOR LIFE AND FOR THE FAMILY

First notice of this French initiative has just come through the 'Salon Beige' site and I am heartily glad of it. I will keep details posted as they develop.

Spiritual Mothers of Priests CR NEWS 22 - Gabriele's Confessor Says He Stands By "Family of Friends"

ZENIT - Gabriele's Confessor Says He Stands By "Family of Friends"

An unhelpful, and I hope a wongly founded rumour concerning the Liturgical Office of Papal Liturgy

This rumour began this morning when VIS sent out an email stating that the Holy Father had appointed a new Master of Ceremonies. Note that little word 'a'. There are usually 12 MCs. One more is only one more. I think that VIS should have made plain and beyond confusion, that the office of Maestro, which is held by Mons. Marini, is quite a separate and very special thing. Anyway  I thought they had given up these emails. If they cannot be expressed beyond confusion, I think it better that they stop. Of course they cannot be blamed for people's ignorance, but the thing could have been spelled out more carefully.Same old Vatican problem I hear you say.

God bless Monsignor Guido Marini and long may he remain in post, looking after our Holy Father with such loving concern..

An Arabic speaking representative at the Papal GA tomorrow

This is publicised in today's VIS news and will be a permanent feature of General Audiences from now on. It is a sign that our Holy Father wishes to mark his visit to Lebanon in earnest, and in a practical way.to show his concern for the Christian minority in the Middle East.  It is bound to increase our prayers for this intention. Deo Gratias.

Profound thanks to our Holy Father Pope Benedict, for making possible the celebratory spirit of the last two posts, on the occasion of his pronouncing St.Hildegarde a Doctor of the Church

HILDEGARD von BINGEN - JAINKOARI KANTARI - GOTHIC VOICES&KIRKBY.wmv

Hildegard of Bingen, Spiritus Sanctus

A Huge and Heartfelt thank you to the commenters on my Guardian Angel post of last night

The post was unlike me in that it was very personal, a cry from the heart. I hardly knew what I wrote, except that I desperately needed my Guardian Angel to hear it. I am now convinced that he did. Thank you for the four comments, three from known and valued very dear friends, and the fourth from someone who has just discovered the Oasis, and is now its 62nd Follower. Welcome Sarah and thank you so much for your prayers. Brian, Dorothy and Sandy, there is nothing on this earth so valuable as friendship like yours. The words 'thank you' are a poor recompense in all four cases, but I offer them still, with the assurance of my reciprocal Prayers for your own intentions..

God bless you, and as I often say, God bless all here. And now, onward, upward and forward to the Year of Faith..

Sacra Liturgia 2013

Something to look forward to at the end of June next year and an exciting new addition to the sidebar at sacraliturgia2013.com The list of speakers is amazing and the conference will take four days (June 25-28) The programme will include Masses according to both the EF and the NO.

Thanks to Rorate Caeli for yesterday's headsup.

Prayer to my Guardian Angel: Please take me home to Portsmouth

Thanks to a link on Fr Ray Blake's blog I  have just listened to Bishop Egan's interview on Vatican Radio. I spent my student years in the Diocese of Portsmouth, and the last crushing years in the Diocese of Angouleme. I love my fellow French Catholics, and France 'I love thee still with all thy faults' , but oh I long for home. I beg my Guardian Angel tonight to smooth out all the obstacles and enable me to go there, to the Water Meadows at Winchester and other beloved places in Hampshire. Whatever remains in my strength to do, I want to offer to help this new bishop of that particular English Diocese.. There isn't a great deal I am likely to be able to do here.  I don't want to spend my last years being of no use. But the longer I stay, the more likely it is that this will happen . My dear Guardian Angel knows what must be done. I am only touching 70. Surely God has work for me to do in the imminent Year of Faith. Please, my Angel dear...................

Saint Therese of Lisieux

A very holy and happy feast day to all my readers.
Sainte Therese priez pour nous.

OK. So it was a concluding address and not a homily.

 But it seems to have made a greater impression than ++ Nichols' preaching on 'Unity' in the actual homily. No surprise there, I don't suppose. Bishop Egan has made a good start at being the 'courageous and orthodox' shepherd he prays and plans to be.  No surprise there either, God bless and strengthen him.

Bishop Egan of Portsmouth: 'There is a way. and it's the truth

There is an analysis and full text of the new Bishop's first sermon at 'Whispers in the Loggia' Link at Luke Coppen's Catholic Herald 'Must reads' in sidebar. Sorry for the unavoidably long stand off from the Oasis. Great to come back for this cracker of a homily. Things are looking up! Thanks be to God. Thanks and praise also for the Pope's successful Lebanon trip and his safe return therefrom..

Seven Dolors of Our Lady

Pray the Rosary everyday................ particularly on this Memoria of the Seven sorrows

The Seven Sorrows Rosary

Benedict XVI Unflinching as He Faces Tricky Lebanon Trip

ZENIT - Benedict XVI Unflinching as He Faces Tricky Lebanon Trip

João IV de Portugal - Crux fidelis

 The King's Singers

Please stop now and offer a fervent prayer for our Holy Father Pope Benedict

on the eve of his departure for Lebanon, and for all those courageous and determined Monsignori who will be accompanying him.. Saint Michael Archangel, defend them in the day of battle.............

Nothing else here until Sunday night. Well maybe 'Crux Fidelis' for tomorrow, 'The Exaltation of the Holy Cross'.

Spiritual Mothers of Priests CR News 21: Clergy Congregation Prefect on the Year of Faith

ZENIT - Cardinal Piacenza on the Year of Faith

Actually, it's more about past interpretation of the Council, than what should be done about it during the Year of Faith. Prepare to swallow the Cardinal's prescribed dose of humility, as yet again, you take up the Conciliar documents.

Ten cultural events, ten cities, ten Commandments

Ten cultural events, ten cities, ten Commandments

Do I spot the Mayor of Rome herein?

I wouldn't trust his judgment after that dreadful 'statue' of Bl. John Paul 11.

Sub Tuum Praesidium (Feasts of BVM, Antiphon)

In celebration of Our Lady's Birthday

Introducing an occasional series of Chants we should all know and love to sing:
1. Sub tuum praesidium: the oldest extant hymn to Our Blessed Mother.

Oh my goodness! What a mistake: Pirates of the Citta del Vaticano!

Reference recent post featuring Msgr Marini: I knew the music on the video was strikingly familiar, but couldn't place it. Imagine my horror when I checked and found it was from 'Pirates of the Caribbean'.

There is driving and insistent determination  about it, which is particularly apt when the Holy Father is anointing that altar under the close observance of his Master of Ceremonies. This is somehow not entirely inapproriate, but I wouldn't want anyone to think that I see Monsignor Marini dressed up as Captain Jack Sparrow or Monsignor Krajewski as Will Turner, brandishing his cutlass. Of course the two Monsignori are beyond doubt eminently effective and brave in the banishment of ugly, irreverent Liturgy. But that's no excuse. Please forgive my carelessness.

Tomorrow's priests

Spiritual Mothers of Priests: CR News 20..

Wonderful men. Please God, protect and nurture their vocations. What about the English College? Please someone, make a video about the new intake there.

W. A. Mozart - Jubilate Deo

A bit too much vibrato for my taste, but the best to be found at such short notice!

A new 'Motu Proprio'

h/t to 'Rorate Caeli'

The new Motu Proprio will create a Pontifical Academy of the Latin Language. Brilliant news. 'Jubilate Deo omnis terra!'