'Pastor in Valle' speaks out for the 'Lionheart'

And very movingly too, at 'Valle Adurni' tonight. Somehow just as effective, if not more so, than Father Z's explanataion which put forward the situation as one would have expected..(Liberals screaming with delight that their opponent has already shot himelf in the foot.)  Possibly this effectiveness is because Pastor in Valle (Fr Sean) is based in England. I don't know, but I do know that I found his post VERY encouraging for an assessment of the 'Lionheart's possible future in San Fran.. Thank you Father for defending your brother priest.As we say here, 'On va voir'.

Mons. Guido Marini - The Master of the Liturgy

This makes me feel positive and strong I think we all need those things at the moment.
Thank you, dear Monsignor Guido!

Optional Memoria (in France today) St. FIACRE

The song has nothing to do with Fiacre the patron saint of gardeners, except that. the parisian horse-drawn cab was named 'un fiacre' because the cab rank was close to the Hotel Saint Fiacre where these vehicles were first hired out.. I doubt Saint Fiacre would have approved of the words of the song. apart from anything else, from all accounts he was extremely wary of women..Tant pis! A happy feast day to all gardeners.

Increase in 'Bethany' cat population!

Last week I heard suspicious mewings from the mezzanine above one of our outhouses.Two days later, 'Bright Eyes' (the mother) emerged from the other outhouse with a little black kitten;  the next day a grey one emerged with its dutiful parent and sibling. And today a third was in evidence, black and white,like its mother.I hope that's the total.But Bright Eyes isn't telling! Needless to say the grey kitten is already addressed as 'Eminence'. News as it develops, and photos when I can get round to it (with Mac's help!). Whose else of course?
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Bravo to 'Yorkshire Shepherd' for recent post 'Real Catholics believe in the Real Presence'.

The post is at 'Stella Maris'.  Link in sidebar here. Thank you Fr Abberton.

45% of American Catholics do not believe in Transubstantiation.

See 'Standing on my Head', top of sidebar. Does anyone know what the UK figures are? How long is it since the bishops dared ask? Judging from their behaviour I'm worried about the French too. What has happened to our Faith? More importantly, how has it happened? Unchallenged Protestantism is the answe as far as I can see. We'd better wake up and do something pdq. Pray God we are not too late.

Missa L'hora passa - Lodovico da Viadana.wmv

Since I have been 'thinking' Viadana for the last couple of days I thought I'd better share this with you or be driven mad by the memory. There's quite a long silence between the Gloria and Sanctus so don't turn off. The Agnus Dei for another day.
God bless all here.

Exultate justi in Domino

This motet by Viadana was sung at the end of Mass at Castel Gandolfo on the feast of the Assumption this year. It went on whilst the recessional party was waiting for the Holy Father to be ready to join them. I recognised it with some surprise. I never found it easy to sing although the Castel Gandolfo choir performed it without mishap.Ir's a dense little piece with several multi-syllabic Latin words which have to be sung at a speed in excess of comfort, at least to one of English background..Not only that but there are some tricky movements and patterns in the music itself. There are several versions on You Tube but I think this is perhaps one of the better ones. It it is crisply precise and there are no 'holes in the polyphonic tapestry'. I am grateful that increasingly one recognizes motets such as this in papal liturgies and I wonder how much that is due to the suggestion, persuasion or encouragement of Monsignor Marini.

'Laughter and the Love of friends'

Post title is from one of my favourite pieces of Belloc. As he has it, there is nothing else 'worth the wear of winning' in this earthly life but these two things that is 'laughter and the love of friends.' I have just spent three days realising the truth of it yet again. Three days free of the stress and worry of economic difficulty and its pressing problems. We were students together and so our memories go back more than fifty years. What a precious gift this is. And how it helps us both now with today's struggles and incomprehensions. My friend is apparently and unchangeably Protestant, which is a terrible shame. I'm sure she would be happier if she could swim the Tiber. I've never really tried to persuade her do that. Maybe I will try next time she comes, next summen I hope.

But even in 'The Year of Faith' I can intend nothing that will upset our trust in each other, nor the sound basis of our long friendship which is Christian charity. I shall have to be very careful indeed. In St.Romain Church on Friday afternoon I tried to explain to her why I despair of the Church in France, not t mention in England and Wales. I explained why it was so wrong that it has been made impossible to kneel during Mass, or to receive Communion in that way, and how how the 'versus populum' habit has meant that the community is always concentrating on itself rather than on God..She seemed to agree with me so perhaps I will have a chance to further the argument next time.

All this does not stop me from being grateful to God for giving me such a precious friend. May He give me the strength and the right words next year.

God bless all here
In Christo pro Papa
J

ZENIT - The Truth About Pope Pius XII

The Truth About Pope Pius XII

More evidence that will clear the name of our former Holy Father.

Palestrina: Assumpta est Maria, motet for 6 voices

For the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 2012

Have a happy and holy feast everyone.

ZENIT - Former Papal Assistant Charged With Aggravated Theft

ZENIT - Former Papal Assistant Charged With Aggravated Theft

'Les boucs emissaires'. Now there seem to be two according to my Google alerts

The second fellow, one Claudio Sciarpellecetti, a lay computer expert in the Secretariat of State has been indicted to stand trial with the Pope's butler over the recent Vatileaks scandal. According to Fr Lombardi (see Rome Reports) this man is an aquaintance of the butler, but his involvenent does not seem to hold criminal water .Basically the Vatican continues to expect us to believe that Gabriele is the sole culprit.

Sorry, Je ne crois pas'.

I seriously thought that the last post would be my valedictory

Well perhaps it may not be far off.  But I now  see , irreligious feminism as an utterly destructive force. Its deadly influence is all the more dangerous because it claims to follow the Gospel and to be religious., and so fools countless women. What idiots they are.

Yes, I've been following the LCWR meeting and it fills me with horror and disgust.
Horror, because at no point did any of the women 'sisters' mention Jesus or His mother.
Disgust because they sought to justify their actions in terms of power in the Church, as being unjustifiably divided between men and women..

Well, at the moment I'd give the argument to the men. Their theology and ecclesiology is streets ahead. of those of these frankly silly American women.You could of course say that women have been prevented from learning, but that does not stop women from responding sensibly when they are given the chance.

I'm afraid that sense is not a commodity that makes itself apparent in the attitude of the LCWR..Except that they know that the liberal media is on their side and they are playing that for all it is worth, Big bad Vatican; poor dear nuns.

God bless the CDF

Pink Floyd - The Post War Dream

Grim stuff. And it's getting worse. God please help us/

Tallis Bone Pastor THE WARSAW SINGERS

And now the Latin version as I originally learned it. I cannot tell you how much I love it. Quite aside from the fact that the altos go higher than the sops on the last page!

God bless Thomas Tallis. He makes me proud to be English, and an alto!

If ye love Me, keep My commandments (Tallis)

I just needed a renewal of His peace and confidence and I'm glad to share them with you all.
(Recorded in Warsaw)

Urgent Correction to post about petition

It seems that the petition has nothing to do with Una Voce or with the organisation of pilgrimage to Rome in November. My apologies for the mistaken impression given in my last post..

(Corrected Post) Have you signed that petition yet?

What petition? See the 'heads-up' and link at 'Linen on the Hedgerow'. Many thanks Richard. This is definitely a chance we should go for. If we don't let the Holy Father know how much we want and need him to celebrate Mass according to the 1962 Missal, we won't have a leg to stand on. Truly we must move mountains to see that such a papal Mass takes place as part of the Year of Faith.Over to you folks! Please be aware that the petition is totally independent of Una Voce and the SP pilgriamage to Rome November. Neither party has anything to do with the petition. You can find out who started it at the petition site (link at Richard's post as mentioned above.)

One fact; one rumour

The Vatican announced today that the Holy Father has completed ht third part of his trilogy 'Jesus of Nazareth'. Well that answers a few Christmas present question marks.

And the rumour? Christopher Gillibrand reports at 'Catholic Church Conservation' that it is thought by many in Rome that at the end of the summer His Holiness will appoint his secretary Mons. Georg Ganswein as the Bishop of Regensburg to replace Bishop Muller.

The Land of the Living

Well, I'm back! What a truly dreadful time. Ten days unavoidably off line

Not going to bore you with details, but I now have a new  ''live box' and everything seems all right  Will try to post again tomorrow.

God bless all here and thanks to Him for the wonders of modern science, so long as we do not become too dependent on them ..................