Well, I'll just try one more!

Yesterday's bomb scare in Lourdes; further posts here a rarity until next Monday evening

Our local paper the 'Charente Libre' reports a bomb scare in Lourdes yesterday on the afternoon of the Assumption and in the middle of the French annual national pilgrimgage. Authorities received a warning via a call-box that bombs would go off in the Sanctuaires at 3pm. 30,000 people were evacuated, whilst a search was conducted. Nothing was found, no bombs went off and no-one was hurt, Deo gratias.

Many of you will know that Philip Johnson has been in Lourdes for the last three weeks and may already have left when the scare took place. I know that my regular commenter Pelerin is in Lourdes at the moment and have no doubt she will tell me more about it on her return.

Blogging and emailing are becoming very difficult because of problems with my computer. It will not be dealt with until next Monday. Until then, posting here will be a rarity.

God bless all here.
In Christo pro Papa

Solemnity of the Assumption: Roses for Our Lady

The last couple of days have wonderully concentrated the mind and spirit. Yesterday in the early afternoon I was able to gather from the garden, a whole basket of repeat-flowering roses for our Blessed Mother, and make two displays from them. In our church across the road, these are now on either side at the foot of the altar in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin, where, as some of you already know, Our Lord is present in the tabernacle.

I'm sorry not to be able to post photographs, but the colours of the roses with their names are as follows:
The Pilgrim - Pale yellow
Compassion - Coral- to pink when fully open
Metanoia - A deep and vibrant coral
New Dawn - Palest pink blush, almost white
Iceberg - White

From this list you will not be surprised to learn that I never plant anything, rose or not, without a spiritual significance. Even Iceberg was planted for the remembrance of the victims of the Titanic disaster.

Sadly there was no lift to Mass this morning but when I went across the road for the Divine Office, on approaching the altar I was enveloped in the 'incense' of these roses, symbolic of prayer rising to heaven in the sheer joy of this great Solemnity. For me it is always an occasion of intense joy and thanksgiving, beause it was on the feast of the Assumption that I first heard Mass, (fifty one years ago today). The Mass took place in the large chapel of a convent of the Daughters of Charity. Indelible in my memory ever since then, have been its tabernacle and the huge and beautiful mural of the Assumption on the wall behind it...

"Great Mother of God, so wondrously united with Jesus Christ, from all eternity, by the same decree of providence: in her conception immaculate, in her divine motherhood a virgin most pure, the noble associate of our Redeemer in his victory over sin and its conseqences - what reward awaited her at last? For the crown of all her graces, she was exempted from the sentence of decay; shared her Son's victory over death, and was carried up to heaven, soul and body, there to reign as queen at his right hand, who is the King of Ages, the immortal."

(Closing words of today's second Office reading taken from the Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

I pray that you are all enjoying a happy and blessed Feast day.

Splintered Sunrise and the Apostolate of the Laity; plus an unacceptable comment yesterday

I don't want to spend long on this but feel it's necessary to report results of my investigation since yesterday. Those of you who are following this subject will know that my own experience of the two sites led me to feel uncomfortable about both of them, but for very different reasons. I had left Splintered Sunrise on my bloglist because Aposolate of the Laity's comment on the latter had been removed from Fr Blake's combox. Thanks to epsilon, I was encouraged to look again at the matter. A. of the L. had posted a link on Fr Blake's blog and epsilon transferred it to my com box. This link leads to other posts by SS which are definitely pornographic. According to another private correspondent these SS posts are now nowhere to be found at SS, and she thinks he has removed them. So far today, SS has not posted. Nevertheless I removed SS from my list last night. Pornography aside, it has always worried me that SS speaks with great confidence as an informed 'insider' but never, if memory serves correctly, does he give any links, sources or other proof of his statements.

Further investigation of A. of L today, shows a series of posts about St. Maximilian Kolbe. Checking back it is quite clear that the author follows the Catholic calender and posts accordingly. However on checking the profile one finds that he has placed the site under the patronage of Our Lady Co-redemptrix. I hope someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but strictly speaking do we not need a fifth Marian Dogma to be proclaimed before using the title?
I have been unable to find the identity of A. of L. All it says on his profile is that he is male and is based in London. I fully realise there may be very good reasons for his not revealing who he is, and will read him occasionally. At the moment I don't plan to add him to my bloglist.

Yesterday I received an unpleasant comment which I have not published because its language is vulgar. This person tells me that the Holy Father's visit is nothing to do with me because I live in France. I should therefore find something else to worry about, like girl alatar servers and lack of lace cottas. Obviously this person has me down as some kind of rabid ultramontanist. Clearly
(s)he hasn't been paying enough attention before making such a judgment. On the subject of my right to be concerned and to comment about the Pope's visit and English Catholicism:

Firstly the Church is universal. I have the joy, albeit the unmerited privilege and grace, of being in full communion with her. Where I live has no relevance whatsover.
Secondly, I am English and spent a career of 44 years teaching in England. I live in France because I have to, not that I don't love France. Of course I do, but for all its faults and troubles I love England more.
Thirdly, I pay British taxes and have the vote.

I will not be silenced or disenfranchised from blogging by the unpleasantness of that commenter, who incidentally also concealed his/her identity.

Now, let's get back to praying for the Holy Father and the British flock who want to give him a wholehearted and loving welcome.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.
Our Lady help of Christians, pray for us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

In Christo pro Papa

Being loyally Catholic, reasonable and realistic....

In my view anyone who claims these three things should follow the Protect the Pope site (see sidebar here) authored by Nick Donnelly, who is a permanent Deacon of the Lancaster Diocese. Often Rev. Donnelly's reports do not make comfortable reading, but they are indeed loyally Catholic, reasonalble and realistic. There is a total absence of sensationalism. Facts are reported and the Protect the Pope comments are eminently sensible. The site is an excellent way of keeping up with the activities and statements of the opponents of the Pope's visit. It is surely our duty to be informed of what these are. Doing so is not to retreat into the ghetto. Quite the reverse, it is to be aware of elements in our society who would like to see Roman Catholicism, silenced and forced back into a ghetto, with the eventual intention of exterminating it altogether. These elements may not represent great numbers of the British population, but they are extremely vocal and widely reported by media also largely hostile to Catholics and their Pope. One might say that together they have embarked on a propaganda war. There is a much reduced chance of their victory if Catholics keep themselves informed of enemy tactics. And there is much greater chance of security for us and for the Pope if we know what we are up against and are properly and quietly on our guard.

Thank you to Deacon Donnelly for his valuable contribution at this time.

We love you

In her comment on my last post Mary referred to a formu which has been 'debating' whether or not the Pope should be touched. She clearly disapproves of the tone of that 'debate' and sent me a link asking for my comments. Ii have to say I agree with Mary, but was also exasperated by those who criticise Monsignors Ganswein and Marini for 'unnecessary' fussing over the Holy Father. The clip in this post proves that it can never be known in advance when their ministrations may be necessary! And I think it shows what a perfect team they make. In any case I'm sure the two Monsignors do nothing which the Pope himself regards as unnecessary. They wouldn't do it if he did. He is 83 and would love to bound about like a man of 43. Since nearly falling over a plant pot at L'Aquila last year I think he's decided to accept with grace and gratitude the security of Msgr Marini's supporting hand under his elbow.

In any case my own attitude to whether the Pope should be touched is demonstrated in the last post. It entirely depends on the occasion and the disposition of those involved.

In times past we used to hug our church buildings. Most of us will not get within 'hugging' distance of our Holy Father, but God knows we 'hug' him in and by our prayer. And the stronger that prayer is, the more Pope Benedict feels it too.

Hope you enjoy this clip. If you don't understand French or Spanish, just watch and listen to the crowd and pray that the English can respond to our Holy Father so spontaneously in a few week's time. He is not concerned about himself. His happiness is shown when people show their commitment to Christ.

Les amies clarisses de Benoît

On the feast of St. Clare, fifty secondsworth of mutual spiritual love being demonstrated. A happy and holy St. Clare's day everyone.

Saint Clare intercede for us, and especially for all your Franciscan daughters and for Pope Benedict.

Papal Visit to UK: B-Day -37

After last evening's good news about the Telegraph Group, I went to bed and had a reasonably peaceful night. But at the back of my mind there remained a sense of affront about the way attendance at the Papal events has been 'organised'. Ever since we were told that ordinary Catholics would be charged to exercise their right to be with the Holy Father, but that so-called VIPs would not, I have been battling to control my feelings. Nevertheless I thought I would be able to continue today with my series of positive posts in the lead-up to Pope Benedict's arrival. Well, what actually happened?

At the Office of Readings in church this moning, I found myself struggling NOT to give a current interpretation to the first reading from Micah 3: 1-12, The second reading from Theodore of Cyr was equally challenging but I will not labour its point here. After the Office I came home to find James Preece's post about the further shrinkage of numbers at the Beaticication Mass. from 80.000 to 65,ooo. On the whole James' commenters seem unable to decide whether the Catholic Church authorities in England and Wales have deliberately set out to make it seem that British Catholics are insufficiently interested to make the Papal visit a resounding success. So now they preside over a situation in which, whilst publicising the reduced number, tickets are now being handed out more freely. The other obvious interpretation is that they couldn't run a drinks party in a place where real ale is brewed.

I think there is probably an elemtnt of truth in both readings, but I still maintain that the security issue has played into the hands of people who do not much like our Holy Father and what he continually attempts to teach the flock. Whatever the truth, I pray it will be made manifest to him.

It is the idea of hypocrisy that really sickens me. That people who are against him will be presented to him, have smiling photographs taken with him, will receive Holy Communion from him, kneeling and on the tongue, without having seen the inside of a confessional for longer than dare be mentioned. In the meantime orthodox catholics will largely be kept from these privileges.

But in spite of all the above, and in spite of Dawkins' C4 rant against Faith schools, the following news managed to pierce the gloom: the Kentucky law suit against the Vatican has been dismissed as unsound; and at home Mulier Fortis informs us about the new blog of the Southwark Papal Visit team.

We live to fight another day. Prayer IS the only answer. As Pope Benedict himself recently said, the proper reaction to attacks on the Church is to draw closer to Christ. And let it be said, that is the exact effect of this situation, and of Benedict's Petrine ministry.

(News permitting will return to Positive Post series tomorrow.)

On the whole, I'd say: Benedict 16 - Media channel 4

In Christo pro Papa.

At last! The Telegraph seems to have come out on the side of truth and fair play

Huge hat-tip to Protect the Pope.

Pontifical March - The anthem of the Holy See

The Pontifical March was composed by Charles Gounod in 1869. In 1949 it became the official anthem of the Holy See, replacing the Marcia Trionfale of Austrian composer/bandmaster Viktorin Hallmayer. I've been unable to find a video of the old anthem, but from all accounts the Gounod is a great improvement. What I like about it, is that depending on interpretation, tempo, instrumentation etc. it is adaptable to the mood and atmosphere required at different occasions, be they solemn or joyous. Even so, it can sound banal and clunky if played without any flare or imagination. It will be interesting to see which band is chosen to play it when the Holy Father arrives in Scotland. (I preseume it WILL be played.and I also wonder whether it will be followed by the Scots' National Anthem, or that of the United Kingdom.)

More details of the history of the Pontifical marches/antems are to be found here, together with words in Latin, Italian and English translations thereof.

On Feast of Transfiguaration: Pope's private visit to Abruzzo

See Vatican Radio report here

Pope Benedict on the UK visit: " I shall be able to see for myself."

The Pope made this remark during the Ad limina visit of the English and Welsh bishops' to Rome early this year. Whatever happens, he will indeed see for himself.

Vatican Radio, as a preliminary to a series of interviews with several of our Bishops , has posted extracts from his Ad limina address to them. In the light of present circumstances they are worth reading again. See here.

As the next 40 days unfold, I expect it will be impossible to avoid occasioanal mention of actual events, but as already indicated ,this 'Oasis' will feature a series of positive posts in the run-up to the papal visit. Tomorrow DV, I hope to consider the relative merits of two well known hyms in honour of the Successor of Peter.

In the meantime, God bless all here.

In Christo pro Papa

Papal Visit Promotional

A librarian eh?

But man (and cardinal) proposes; God disposes. Thanks be to Him that it was 'Habemus Papam' instead.

And...sorry for the repeat video. Just couldn't resist it.

Further appropriate and positive videos and music to follow regularly over the next 44 days.

God bless, preserve, comfort, guide and strengthen our Holy Father Pope Benedict, and grant him many more years as our chief shepherd.

In Christo pro Papa

Benedict XVI wanted to be a librarian

Pope Benedict wanted to be a librarian? Well not just any old librarian....

Rome Repots video following.

Papal tickets

A few days ago in a Holy Smoke post, Damian Thompson raised the issue of what would happen to the tickets for the Beatification Mass which have already been allocated, but which people, for resaons of frailty and/or age, have begun to turn in. These are loyal Catholics who want to support the H0ly Father and be with him as he celebrates the Mass. These people are beginning to turn in their tickets out of fear they will not be able to manage; they are unclear about how far they will have to walk from the coach dropping off point and what facilities will be in place at the site if they eventually reach if. And that after a journey during the night by arguably the most uncomfortable method of modern travel. So far no individual seems to be complaining about the £25-£30 charge to travel on diocesan/regional coaches, although the imposition of this levy is questionable at the very least. But what is confusing people and putting them off, is the difficulty of getting clear information from anywhere. Damian's concern was that as a result of this there will be many empty places at the eventual Mass. He challenged Chris Patten to sort it out. Personally I don't think it's part of Patten's responsibility to sort it out. The responsibility lies firmly in each Diocesan office. And judging from the Anonymous commenter's report in the combox of an earlier post here, there is at least one diocese that is content to sit back and do nothing. THEY WILL ONLY DO SOMETHING IF INDIVIDUALS PRESS THE ISSUE for themselves.

I am still waiting for news that giant screens will be put up for those who are unable to gain admittance.

Readers will know from my previous posts that I've long hoped for the red hat for Archbishop Nichols. Unfortunately we seem to have two Archbishops of Westminster, the one emeritus and the other actual. Until there is only one, the actual Archbishop cannot be his own man, let alone the Pope's man, whatever he said months ago in his first interview after appointment, about his determination to follow the Holy Father, rather than the British political establishment.. Over recent months he has said and done nothing to convince me of the position he avowed on that occasion. It is perhaps still not too late for the Pope to raise him to the College of Cardinals at the next consistory. But the days grow short as we approach September.

I have always believed that the Pope knows what is going on and cares about it. If a cerain Msgr, as is rumoured, will be made a bishop after this fiasco of the 'organisation' of the Papal visit to UK , even I will think, at the very least, that the Holy Father has been manipulated. Nevertheless I trust him as I trust no other living earthly creature. God help him and God help us all.

In Christo pro Papa

Saint Mary Major

Sorry to be late. Hope you are all having a happy and holy Feast day.
Intend to have another post (or two) up before bedtime.

In Christo pro Papa

We had a little supper party tonight.........

It went on for longer than I expected. Hence no post until tomorrow. My apologies.

In Christo pro Papa

Thanks to Leutgeb of the 'Bara Brith' blog

Profound thanks to Leutgeb at Bara Brith for linking to the video in the previous post.

Papal Visit Promotional