I've got me a Cardinal

Oh yes I have.

He was found for me on Adopt a Cardinal, a link I followed from A Reluctant Sinner on the sidebar.

My Cardinal is Odilo Pedro Scherer from Sao Paolo Brazil :

I think this is a great idea, everyone should adopt a Cardinal, and pray for them to be inspired by the Holy Spirit  at the Conclave.

Mass at Westminster Cathedral

There will be a votive High Mass (Votive Mass for the election of a Sovereign Pontiff) offered by Monsignor Gordon Read, at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 2^nd March at 2.00pm.

If you can make it, it would be great!

Question :

Why is The Tablet still allowed to call itself  'Catholic'? Anyone else would surely be done under the Trades Descriptions Act.

It might have been utterly predictable...

...but it's no less galling for that.


Yes, the media and Pope Benedict. Where would we be without the intelligent, factual, balanced, reporting of the last eighteen or so hours?

 

The wilful ignorance displayed (I'm assuming the ignorance is wilful, reporters are supposed to be fairly intelligent, aren't they?), the choicest anti-catholic catholics cherry picked for interview, it's all too predictable. Disgruntled ex nuns, someone called Odone, Kung the Destroyer, they're lined up, yawn.

I watched one interview where, as usual, the interviewer asked questions, ignored the answers following the usual agenda, and bashed on regardless. It's pathetic. All we need now are the prophecies of St Malachy to be given a good Dan Brown-ing on prime time news and we're sorted.

So, I'm giving up all secular telly news for Lent (the Biased Broadcasting Corporation was jettisoned some time ago). I don't yell at the internet news in quite the same way as I do at the TV, so I think I'm on safer ground there.

Here is an interesting Vortex report on the media and His Holiness:

On a much happier note, I am very much looking forward to the pancake feast this evening, and I've said it before, Lent. I love Lent.

Prayers for His Holiness

For the text of His Holiness's address, please click here. God bless Pope Benedict.

Our Lady of Lourdes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have just read a beautiful reflection on Our Lady over at the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary website. Go over and have a read!

Mass at OLOC, West Grinstead...

...is most definitely 12.30 pm, and NOT 3.00 pm. Please ignore the listings, and write it in your diary!

A Mass in Basingstoke

A little out of our patch I know, but please, if you know someone who might know someone in the area, who might be desperate for a Latin Mass or is curious to see what they are like, then please encourage them to support this Mass at St Joseph's, Basingstoke. Click HERE for a map.


From Adam Pettigrew:

 

 

Traditional Latin Mass

For the Second Sunday of Lent

 

We are pleased to welcome Fr Phillip Harris who

will celebrate the "Mass of Ages."

 

6pm on Sunday 24^th February at

St Joseph’s church

St Michael's Road

Basingstoke

RG22 6TY

 

Ample Parking Available

 

 

 

 

When we were married...

...the registrar skulked in the sacristy where she could hear and peep round the door, because I was adamant we weren't going to have a stranger with her officious little fold up table alongside the front pew at our Nuptial Mass.

We would have enjoyed pitching up at the Registry office for the legal bit with a witness or two, while keeping the real ceremony wholly religious.






Separating the religious from the secular would be absolutely fine by me.

All shall be well

I've been despondent about the potential loss of marriage as we know it in this country for a while now. Our Lady and St Michael have been appealed to rather more frequently than usual over the last weeks, and I was glad to see that E F Pastoremeritus posted the St Michael prayer. I can't recommend the St Michael prayer highly enough, it's one of my go-to prayers for most things.

Yesterday and this morning, though, I've been having a bit of a Julian of Norwich moment. All shall be well. We know what true marriage is, and we'll carry on regardless of what faddy popularity grabbing politicians tell us.

Thank you, Our Lady and St Michael.

'Tis he, then.

Richard of York may have given battle in vain, but there's no reason why he can't have a decent Catholic reburial.

There's a petition online, so fight the good fight, sign up and may he rest in peace. Thanks to Eve for the link.

Gotcha

From the Coalition for Marriage (C4M) archive, a nice little reminder of why it's wise not to put your faith in the powers of this world, especially when they're called Dave.

Pants on fire, as they say in the playground.

Please

Keep praying for marriage!

Something in the air.

 

No, not that awful pong we were greeted with from France the other morning.

 

I'm talking about a few of the news articles I've been reading only today. For example, this one , in which Joanna Lumley states the obvious, that women should stop aping the 'lads' by imbibing so much they throw up in the gutter, and that wearing 'a silly dress' is not sensible and might even cause the odd problem or two, especially if you're very drunk.

 

One journalist has even found her inner Mary Whitehouse suggesting our daughters are being abused by the pornification of society. After which in the news feed was an appallingly awful story about the rape of a six year old by an eleven year old.

 

Take sex out of marriage so it's nothing more than a hobby, give 6 year olds sex education, provide contraceptives and abortions for children as soon as they ask for them (and if they don't) in secondary school, and peddle the lie that nothing has any consequences while you watch everything unravel.

 

Is it so hard to join the dots?

A great new link!

 

I have updated the links on the sidebar, and hope you will have a look at this one in particular, it's the new and wonderful web site for the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who recently took a big step into the unknown. You can read about them on their site here, and in the Catholic Herald.

It really is well worth a look, so go over, say a prayer for them, and prepare to be edified!

 

Also, have a read of LMS Chairman, and please consider making the Novena to Our Lady of Good Success starting on 24th January for the sacrament of marriage:

 

 

 

Novena to Our Lady of Good Success

 

Hail Mary, Most Holy, Beloved Daughter of God the Father,

through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres,

grant Thy good success to this request (name your request)

 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

St Michael, pray for us

Hail Mary, Most Holy, Admirable Mother of God the Son,

through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres,

grant Thy good success to this request (name your request)

 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

St Gabriel, pray for us

Hail Mary, Most Holy, Most Faithful Spouse of God the Holy Ghost,

through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres,

grant Thy good success to this request (name your request)

 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

St Raphael, pray for us

Hail Mary, Most Holy Temple

and Sacrarium of the Most Holy Trinity,

St Michael, St Gabriel, St Raphael, pray for us

Our Lady of Good Success, Thou who art the all-powerful intercessor before the Most Holy Trinity, deign to hear and answer my request,

so long as it contributes to the salvation of my soul, and the glory and exaltation of our Holy Mother, the Church.

Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen)

Absolutely beautiful

From John of Hayling

'All welcome to cross the border into Portsmouth on the third Saturday of each month. Venue is St Agatha's Church at 11.00 - first EF is on Jan 19th.
St Agatha's is a part of the Ordinariate of OLW and normally uses the Book of Divine Worship. It has definitely not been vandalised, uses old style vestments and has rescued artefacts from across the nation.'

This is great news! 

As I mentioned before...

... and as advertised on the sidebar, the Latin Mass time at Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead, has been changed to 12.30 pm. So not 3.00pm, but is now 12.30pm.

Sodality of St Augustine of Hippo

 

 

Please follow this LINK to find details of the new Sodality for lapsed family and friends. We all have loved ones for whom we pray, and it is so good to pray with, and for, others in the same situation. I'm sure we will see many miracles!

The Sodality prayer, Pro devotis amicis, can be found on the sidebar in Latin and in English.

UPDATE: I even beat the press release to it, here it is:




PRESS RELEASE

LMS Launches Sodality of St Augustine of Hippo for the Conversion of Lapsed Catholics and Others

Introduction to the LMS Sodality of St Augustine of Hippo.

The purpose of the Sodality is to unite the prayers of members for the conversion of those dear to them. There can be few Catholics today who do not have family members or close friends who have either lapsed from the practice of the Faith, or never had it; it is a particular source of grief when parents see children and grandchildren living without the support of the Sacraments. We take heart from the example of St Augustine, converted at last by the prayers and tears of his mother St Monica, and wish to demonstrate our fellowship with others in the same position, by praying not only for our own dear ones, but for those of others who will do the same for ours.

Sodality members undertake to say every day the prayer Pro devotis amicis, taken from the Roman Missal, for the Sodality’s intention; members who are priests undertake to say one Mass a month for this intention. The intention is the conversion or return to the Faith of family and friends of Sodality members. The intended beneficiaries of our prayers are not listed, except in the hearts of Sodality members. The Latin Mass Society, to which the Sodality is affiliated, will arrange and announce in advance at least one public, Traditional Sung (or Solemn) Mass for the Sodality’s intentions a year.

Sodality members, both lay and clerical, may add other Masses, prayers, and devotions, for the Sodality’s intention, and are encouraged to do so. In particular, members will be asked annually if they wish to make a contribution to the costs of the Sodality’s public Mass or Masses, and whether they would like to make a Mass offering for an additional Mass or Masses to be said for the Sodality’s intention, which the Latin Mass Society will arrange, to be celebrated according to the Extraordinary Form. (The customary Mass Offering is £10.)

Membership of the Sodality is free and open to all; members sign up by email (info@lms.org.uk).

The Sodality Prayer:
 

Pro devotis amicis (which may be said in Latin or any other language):

Deus, qui caritátis dona per grátiam Sancti Spíritus tuórum fidélium córdibus infudísti : da fámulis et famulábus tuis, pro quibus tuam deprecámur cleméntiam, salútem mentis et córporis ; ut te tota virtúte díligent, et quæ tibi plácita sunt, tota dilectióne perfíciant. Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte eiúsdem Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia saecula sæculórum. Amen.

O God, who, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, hast poured the gifts of charity in the hearts of thy faithful, grant to thy servants and handmaids, for whom we entreat thy mercy, health of mind and body; that they may love thee with all their strength and, by perfect love, may do what is pleasing to thee. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Masses for the intention of the Sodality should include, when possible, the Commemoration ‘Pro Devotis Amicis’ (Collect, Secret and Postcommunion) found in the Roman Missal. Adding such a Commemoration is possible in the 1962 Missal on Fourth Class Feasts at Low Mass, where no more than one Commemoration is demanded by the Ordo.

Why this should surprise me...

...I don't know, perhaps because I'm a closet optimist, but have a read of Damian Thompson. It makes you shake your head and sigh deeply while wringing your hands and wondering what some people's problem actually is, apart from being deliberately contrary.

 

I can't help but wonder what is so frightening about the Latin Mass. The beauty?  The reverence? The silence? The Sacrifice - being really and truly up close and personal with Our Lord at Calvary?