Meditations for the Pauline year

In case any of you didn't know, the Godzdogz are kindly writing reflections on St Paul. An ideal way to benefit from the year of St Paul.

Seen this?

Right now I'm fairly sure that the blogosphere has been buzzing with people looking at reports of yesterday's Pontifical High Mass at Westminster Cathedral, so I thought something a little different might be in order.

At the risk of displaying preferential treatment, Oliver has put up a little piece on allegiance to the Queen. If your latin is as bad as mine, then you may find it a tad difficult, but you shouldn't find the point too hard to understand.

In what I believe may be a first (possibly even a historic moments) Bishop Williamson has given an interview which is unusually free from outrageous and hilarious statements. Fr Z has given his customary reply with points. I can't help but feel that a radio or TV discussion between these two would be very interesting.

Finally, the Ceremoniere has a post many of us may identify with.

More spring cleaning

Happy Easter!



My decision to restrict reading matter has proved very helpful recently. I also decided (somewhat spontaneously) to spend a minimal amount of time on facebook. The immediate consequence was that I had considerably more time than usual, and it was rather liberating. I've now decided to restrict my time on it as much as possible.

As hinted by the title, I intend to do some more tweaking of this blog in order to make it a little tidier and more attractive. Rest assured that I am unlikely to delete most of the links.

I dare say that my blogroll looks worryingly long. To be honest, I rarely look at more than a few each day-and likewise intend to avoid spending a long time doing so. I am not one of those who considers the internet a satanic invention (although I don't doubt that the devil makes profitable use of it) and am very much of the opinion that it has a lot to offer, especially in matters of our Faith. On the other hand, I was rather disgusted by the report that most young people spend two hours online each day-and I am almost certainly one of them. Not a good thing.

Anyway, I've also come across a characteristically sensible and edifying quote from St Teresa of Avila which has helped knock some sense into me:

I understood how great a blessing it is to make no account of anything which does not lead us any nearer to God.

God bless.

Turning up the heat

Our Lenten observances and resolutions should intensify during Holy Week, and if we haven't done much already, then this provides an opportunity to start now.

Bear in mind that as well as 'mortification of the flesh'-which can mean anything from using a good old-fashioned discipline to flog oneself with (as used by Silas in that highly accurate book, The Da Vinci Code) to fasting. Another highly profitable idea which has just sprung up in my mind is to stop reading and nattering on-as I do-about liturgical reform and about other usual 'churchy' issues, in order to concentrate on Holy Week. Hopefully this will provide more time for important things such as prayer and introduce a little more balance into my life.

Of course this means I will have to stop visiting Holy Smoke for a few days (sigh), but I will not be removing it from the links list-that way if any of you would like to use my idea, then you will have the opportunity to resist the temptation and hopefully grow in grace.

God bless.

For the record: I would like to emphasise that what I do not intend to discuss is liturgical reform. I am almost inevitably going to discuss the liturgical practice in the ordinary and/or extraordinary form, but will not be ranting or avoiding it altogether. Otherwise, I wouldn't be sharing these delightful pictures! Thanks Carolina!

Spring cleaning

As I am sure you know, the word 'Lent' was used to refer to the arrival of Spring which often coincides with the arrival of the Penitential Season now upon us. "Spring cleaning in February?", you might ask-well, an awful lot of people do what they refer to as 'spring cleaning' in January (quite possibly to take their minds off what many might agree can be one of the most stressful times of year), and a few would argue that the lovely weather in Britain has heralded the early arrival of Spring, but I digress-as you may have noticed I am trying to tidy up this blog in the hope that I may motivate myself to devote myself a little more consistently to it. With the word 'little', in mind (but not at all insignificant), as a footnote to my suggestion the other day, I would like to second John's suggestion to look at Recta Ratio for some good Lenten reading.

In need of Lenten reading material?

Don Marco's posts from last Lent should help you out.

Things are looking up

Deo Gratias! Yesterday I was leaving my house when I remembered a picture I saw at Christmas of a Franciscan with a traditional tonsure, then I looked up. The sun was shining, and the sky was beautifully clear. "Hmm" I thought, "this can't last for long. Happiness rarely does last for long this side of Heaven". As it happened, yesterday wasn't a 'perfect day'-although as I get older I often realise there is no such thing, but a number of things on the blogosphere and internet which have taken place over the last week have cheered me up immensely. As I don't intend to be selfish, I will now share them with you in no particular order:

1. I found out from Zenit this morning that Bishop Girotti has re-iterated the Church's condemnation of freemasonry (My goodness, how old-fashioned of him-Hurray!), and has warned priests who affiliate themselves with the movement that they will have consequences to face (Ooh! Discipline!).
2. Bishop Vada has reminded "a prominent Catholic public person" (also known as Nancy Pelosi-although a number of people might question His Lordship's use of the word 'Catholic') that abortion is "diametrically opposed to the clear and consistent teaching of the Catholic Church as well as to the clear and consistent teaching of God Himself in the Ten Commandments." About time one of the Bishops reminded Ms. Pelosi.
3. Carolina Cannonball has written a hilarious post about her line of work and co-habiting couples.
4. Our beloved friend Monsignor Schmitz has some wonderful things to say (more so than usual)-I won't spoil them for you!
5. Cardinal Biffi has said some simply marvellous things to the Holy Father about the guises of the Antichrist.
6. I have just found some exquisite pictures of Carthusian houses around the world (follow the link at the top).
7. In case anyone has missed it, Fr Ray wrote a highly intelligent post about the purpose of fasting (Cafod take note).

Many thanks to: The Cornell Society, Mac McLernon, Carolina Cannonball, and Fr Ray Blake. Have a good weekend, and enjoy the above links!

The benefits of the internet

Who wold have thought ten years ago that the internet would be so useful for Catholics? Recently, I joined Facebook, and was delighted to find The Imitation of Christ online. This spiritual classic is divided into many short chapters, and thus would be ideal to a read a meditation a day during Lent.

A little light humour

This morning, a random thought came to mind, inspired by Martin Mosebach's The Heresy of formlessness. When Monsignor Annibale Bugnini (for those of you who don't know, he is responsible for the liturgical 'reforms' of Vatican II and trying to extinguish the old rite) dies, he is met by his guardian angel to take him before the Most Just Judge. En route, the angel says to Bugnini "You certainly know how to amuse us", to which he replies "How do you mean?". "Well", says the angel, "we have been celebrating the divine liturgy for a while now. Did you really think you could make your own up?".

Newman on friendship

This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.

John 15:12

Thanks to Don Marco for posting a sermon by the Venerable John Henry Newman on friendship. Earlier on this week for a laugh, I had a look at 'advice for single people on surviving Valentine's day' (or something to that effect), which suggested telling our friends and family that we love them-decidedly one of the better suggestions. It reminded me that we need to thank God each day for the gift of good friends. Decidedly, I am somewhat biased in this matter, as I am always especially delighted to make friends with other Catholics, since our faith unites us in a way which non-Catholics rarely understand. This doesn't mean I value my non-Catholic friends less than my Catholic friends, it simply means that I am favourably inclined towards making friends with my brethren, this is one of the meanings of the phrase: 'charity begins at home'. We need to love one another above all because Our Blessed Lord has told us to. A priest once remarked to me 'Love isn't really talked about these days. And the world's take on the word love is divorced from its true meaning'. And on that note, I think it's time I re-read Deus Caritas Est.

Vigil of the Purification

For the feast of the Purification of Our Lady tomorrow, there will be a sung Mass and blessing of candles at Corpus Christi Church, Maiden Lane in London at 6.30 PM. On another subject, I recently finished reading The idea of the Oratory by Father Raleigh Addington, and thought this might interest you. In 1848 on this day at Solemn Vespers (First Vespers of the Purification), Father John Henry Newman admitted nine men to the Oratorian habit, and the English Oratory was officially founded the next day - Deo Gratias.

Warning: Don't marry a Catholic!

I have just found a rather interesting and readable article entitled Don't marry a Catholic. This gem (written in 1952) points out the potential flaws of marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics, and is extremely relevant for people today.

The saintly student

Reading Antonio Gallonio's Life of St Philip Neri this morning, I came across this wonderful description of our Holy Father's life as a student, and thought I would share it with you:

"While Philip was occupied in his secular education, he did associate with his fellow students from time to time, and had long discussions and arguments with them about obscure points of natural science, but he was at the same time extraordinarily fond of being alone, and spent long periods in nightly vigil. As Saint Paul recommends, he discerned the invisible things of God through the means of visible things, and scrutinised His eternal power and divinity to the furthest extent possible for a mortal man doomed to die.
He often did the round of the Seven Churches of Rome, with no one to keep him company: these churches were the ones most distinguished for their liturgyand the indulgences granted by the Popes...Whenever an opportunity occurred to curb the irrational desires and longings of his mind, he seized upon it eagerly, striving always to gain mastery over himself. That is why he was always advising his sons to try to conquer themsleves even in the most trivial matters , if they wanted to be able to overcome in the greater struggles."

This is thought to be the earliest known life of St Philip, and is a fairly recent translation by Fr Jerome Bertram of the Oxford Oratory (it is also the first English translation). The Life of St Philip Neri is published by Family Publications, Oxford. Warmly recommended!

St Robert Bellarmine

I recently enjoyed a delightful CTS pamphlet about St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), which I found in a second-hand bookshop. This little gem by Robert Gallagher S J may unfortunately be out of print now. Saint Robert is probably most known nowadays for his links to the policy of sedevacantism, which the Rev. Gallagher's book does not discuss. Instead, we learn of the saint's love for theology, his ardent defence of the Holy Catholic Church in a time of crisis, his reluctance to be made a Cardinal, his uncompromising search for truth in matters of Faith, and his remarkable sanctity. Over the last forty years or so, a number of Catholics seem unjustly embarrassed about the history of the Church, particularly during the so-called 'Counter-Reformation', which has unfortunately resulted in a lack of knowledge of Church history, and even worse, of many of the saints whom the Lord gave us at this critical time. St Robert Bellarminem, pray for us.

We Believe

At the moment, I am re-reading We Believe by the late Monsignor Alfred Newman Gilbey (RIP). This excellent and highly readable book is based on courses of instruction which Monsignor Gilbey gave to his converts to Catholicism. We Believe is published by the Saint Austin Press, London, and is available in Catholic Truth Society (CTS) bookshops. I highly recommend you invest in a copy as soon as possible!