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.