Catholic Photography

I just came across an excellent photographer's blog, which has beautiful pictures of the TLM, the March for Life and much more! Your day is not complete until you have alooksee
http://momentumveritatis.blogspot.ca/

Chartres

As we are now past the great feast of Pentecost, the pilgrimage to Chartres is now taking place. One year, please God, I hope to go!

Do you know French? That documentary is in French.

Please, head over to New Liturgical Movement for some gorgeous pictures, as well as the Papa Stronsay blog by the Transalpine Redemptorists!

Simple English Propers: A Review

I'm not at my main computer right now and I haven't the pictures I want to upload, so pctures are soon to come.

 

I wasn't hesitant to request this item for a review, as I had read some very great things regarding the Simple English Propers, such as their faithfulness to true plainchant and clear layouts. Apparently, the propers are an effort the bring true sacred music back to the vernacular Mass. Well, if every Parish had this book, we wouldn't have a problem with bad hymns. The Simple English Propers are published by the same people who publish the "Vatican II Hymnal", which I haven't looked at but also have heard good things about it. When I opened the box which held the book, I was surprised to see that the cover was tastefully designed with a picture of an old breviary: and it was HARDCOVER too! The book opens nicely, and it stays open. The paper is higher-quality novel paper, and not too heavy.

 

The pages are designed very nicely. The text is very clear, easy to read, and a nice font. The music, staffed in Gregorian notation is easy to follow and the words are positioned beneath the bars in such a manner that congregational singing would be more than possible.

 

Settings for the Funeral and Nuptial Masses are included, and that for me is an extra selling-point.

 

What I loved, and was my favourite feature of these propers is that the tunes the Psalms are set to are splendidly reverent, and serve two main purposes. 1, the main purpose, is to Praise God. The second, is ease of use.

 

More than just propers are included, there are a view other chants as well, but nothing too extensive. There aren't many cons that I can blame this book for, except maybe they could publish an edition that is one solid colour with maybe a white/thinner bible-like paper common in hymnbooks, just as an extra edition. But that's only minor, and a non-issue in regards to the content. In my opinion, every parish that offers the Ordinary Form should have, and use the Simple English propers alongside Gregorian chant. The Propers are an excellent key in restoring the traditions of sacred music BACK to the Church! I would graciously like to thank Tiber River for sending me a copy of this book!

I wrote this review of Simple English Propers for the free Catholic book review program, created by Aquinas and More Catholic Goods, your source for Baptism Gifts and First Communion Gifts.
Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.
I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

The Robin has been guarding her fortress night and day. She left once: I caught a glimpse of one egg. Still, there's only one egg.

Queen of the May!

In May, traditionally the statues of the Blessed Mother is crowned with a crown of flowers and beauty. We always did it on the first or second Sunday in May. Ave Regina Caelorum!

St Marguerite, Ora Pro Nobis!

The CofE is broke

All we need are these words...from this article.

In a meeting behind closed doors in York, the Church’s House of Bishops gave its approval to legislation to admit women to the episcopacy and rejected a series of attempts to significantly water down the powers of future female bishops.

Did you see the pretty picture?  *ahem*

Yes, there are provisions. I doubt the efficiency.

Have a jolly good, happy Victoria Day!

Believe it or not, we celebrate May 24th for Queen Victoria and her Birthday, not to drink lager and scotch and get drunk as a dog who has just broken his master's flask.

Sure, pour yourself a hardy glass of whisky/whiskey (or alternative) halfed with fizzy ginger ale, and toast to the Queen but don't overdo it.

Yes, Irishmen did drink to the Queen.

 

On funerals and the Robin

Mother robin is in her nest this morning, and I presume she'll be there all day long, so I can't snap a picture.

I noticed today that I have a few more followers! Thank you so much!

So Fr Hans Kung wants a funeral  for the Vatican II. I'd imagine it would look like this, only with black?

Further ado

It's nights like this, nights when I can't sleep...that I can really think. No noise, just silence. The gentle warmth coming from my heater, the wind blowing outside, the silent clink of my Rosary beads when I pray.

Well! Then why am I blogging if I'm in such a peaceful condition? Well I cannot sleep of course! That bird who has rented my door wreath, is mothering her egg (or eggs, I haven't checked today), and won't leave. That's not the problem either. I'm happy about the poor bird and her nest. Ecstatic, actually.

I just had the equivalent of two cuppa teas. Too much caffeine before bedtime, I suppose. I am going to pray for a good night's rest, ask my Guardian Angel to watch over me, the Blessed Virgin to guide me to Our Lord who I am asking to have mercy on me. Dear readers? You have my prayers! Any intentions that you have, I am praying for them! So, without further ado...God Bless, and Good Night! If you can't sleep either, just flip through my archives and you'll be sure to doze off.

:p

Feast of the Ascension

This is one of my favourite feast days. The Ascension of Our Lord and Saviour!

Pray: Pray Hard

Please, in everything you do, remember to pray for the regularisation of the Society of St Pius X!

Diamond Jubilee

This year we're celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of our Queen, Elizabeth. She is the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and all the other realms. She is also head of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Simple English Propers

Today in my box I found a parcel. I was surprised, I wasn't expecting anything, I thought. Then I realised I had requested a copy of the "Simple English Propers" from Tiber River, and I am very grateful to them for sending it to me! Now, soon expect a review WITH pictures, a long with a review of the Common English Bible....as I had previously promised!

Let out a big ahhhhh, for good and reverent sacred music!

Upon an egg

Shall Mother Robin sit the next few weeks. Today as I looked in the bird's nest on my door, I noticed that she's finally laid an egg!

On singular blue egg. Sorry if the quality is so off! I was trying my best not to touch anything remotely close to the nest and egg, so I stood far atop and zoomed in!

Now we wait.

But, you MUST pray. I trust you've been following the developments regarding the Church and the Society of St Pius X!

A Mother's Nest

Apparently, a robin has taken a liking to the wreath I have on my front door. Why? Well, Mother Robin has decided (hopefully) to raise her family there, and...I don't object, but I may work out a rental agreement if she's willing.

She's ever-so-tastefully took it upon herself to furnish and decorate to her tastes, to create a cosy family environment.

Don't worry, I never touched it. I zoomed in, because I know that Mother Robin would hardly be fancied to re-nest if I had.

AH! You're saying to yourself: look, he's figured out how to put his OWN pictures up! Yes, I have! I have found a camera! But that's not important, what's important is this: a bird has built her nest on my wreath.

A few days ago I did notice on the steps a few twigs, and moss, heather, and grass. I assumed it was from the wind, because we've been having windy weather lately. But then yesterday, I noticed my door had gotten busier-looking, and as blank as I am, I never noticed the wreath first. Then I closed the door and from inside the door I noticed it.

What's funny is that out of ALL the maybe 7 or 8 trees in my front yard, and out of ALL the maybe 26 trees in my back yard and out of ALL the maybe 400000000 trees in the "village", out of ALL the 200 houses with 4/5 of them having wreaths on the doors, a robin chose my door for her nesting. I'm frankly, honoured. I need to do a bit of reading now, and figure out how long she'll nest for. I blocked off the front steps so no one will come a use the front door and end up knocking the poor bird's house down. So guests will either climb through the window or go through the back for now. It'd be a sin to move it.

I'll keep you updated in this matter of course!

The Australian Ordinariate!

t was announced yesterday that a Personal Ordinariate will be established within the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference on 15 June 2012. This will be the third Personal Ordinariate to be erected by Pope Benedict XVI following the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus.

The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross will be under the patronage of St Augustine of Canterbury and will be headed by an Ordinary, who is yet to be named.

 

Monsignor Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, said, "This is great news for the Church in Australia, and for those from the Anglican tradition who are seeking to fulfil the goal of full visible unity with the Apostolic See, whilst maintaining essential elements of our Anglican tradition".

 

"A close bond already exists between the Ordinariate here in the UK and our brothers and sisters of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter. It is my hope that similarly strong ties can be established with our Australian counterparts, especially as we look forward to the publication of a common liturgical use".

 

Archbishop Denis Hart of Melbourne said, "I hope that those former Anglicans who have made a journey in faith that has led them to the Catholic Church will find a ready welcome".

Ah! This is great news! Read the full article here on the site of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham!

All thine!

Catholic schools could be breaking laws over gay marriage

**shocker**

The Welsh Government has written to Catholic schools in Wales following complaints over teachers inviting pupils to sign a petition against the Givernment’s plans to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples.

Ministers in Westminster are still "looking into” whether or not to issue a similar warning to schools in England.

More than 600,000 people so far have signed the Coalition For Marriage campaign petition, supported by figures such as Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Catholic Education Service said last month that it had contacted its 385 secondary schools in England and Wales asking them to circulate the letter by the Archbishops of Westminster and Southwark - the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols and the Most Reverend Peter Smith - which was recently read in parishes, defending the traditional definition of marriage.

You see that marriage is under attack, the very sacrament and holy institution of marriage is under attack - by those we've elected and put into office. Please pray for Wales!

Read mroe here.  ( I know, the Telegraph...but I couldn't find anything)

Archbishop William Carew + Requiscat in Pace

It's with great sadness that I learn of the death of a defender of the faith, a very holy and orthodox man, His Grace Archbishop William Carew. He was 90 years of age, ready to defend the unborn child, he loved Our Lady, and lead all who came to him to Our Lord and Saviour. Here is the release from the Archdiocese of St John's

Archbishop William Aquin Carew was born in St. John's October 23, 1922, only son of William J. Carew, C.B.E., K.C.S.S., and Mary Channing. There were three sisters who are all resident in St. John's. Educated at St. Bonaventure's College from 1927 to 1940, and at St. Paul's Seminary of the University of Ottawa, he was ordained to the priesthood June 15, 1947.
From 1950 to 1952 he specialised in diplomacy at the Pontificia Academia Ecclesiastica, the Vatican's diplomatic college in Rome. Returning to St. John's, Father Carew was Secretary to Archbishop P.J. Skinner during 1952-1953.
Returning to Rome, he became an official of the Vatican Secretariat of State from 1953 to 1969. He was bureau chief of the English language section from 1963 to 1969 and as such handled all Papal audiences by English-speaking heads of state and government.
Created a Supernumerary Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness in 1955, he became a Right Reverend Monsignor in 1964. Monsignor Carew accompanied His Holiness Pope Paul VI on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in January 1964 and on his visit to Uganda in 1969.
He was a member of the Papal Mission to the tercentenary of the Canadian Hierarchy in Quebec in October 1959 and to the quadricentennial of the evangelisation of the Philippines in Cebu, April 1965.
On November 27, 1969 he was named titular Archbishop of Telde and Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda-Burundi in Central Africa. He was consecrated January 4, 1970 in St. Peter's Basilica by the late Cardinal lldebrando Antoniutti, whom he had served as personal secretary at the Apostolic Delegation in Ottawa from 1947 to 1950.
Archbishop Carew arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, February 28, 1970 and served as Nuncio in both republics for four and a half years. In April 1972 he was sent as extraordinary envoy of His Holiness on a special mission to Bangladesh.
On May 10, 1974 the Archbishop was named Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine (including Israel and Jordan with residence in Jerusalem), as well as Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Cyprus and Apostolic Visitor to Greece. While in these posts he served as Grand Chancellor of the University of Bethlehem, Ecclesiastical Superior of the Advanced Theological Studies at Tantur, and of the House of Abraham Hospice in Jerusalem.
After nine and a half years as Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine (Jordan and Israel) and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio in Cyprus, he was named Apostolic Pro-Nuncio in Japan on August 30, 1983. Archbishop Carew arrived in Tokyo November 18, 1983, and presented Credential Letters to Emperor Hirohito on November 30, 1983. His Holiness Pope John Paul II went to Japan February 24-26 1981, visiting Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
After retiring in 1997, Archbishop Carew returned to his native Newfoundland.

Please pray for him! 

Some good news

 

Go over to the wonderful Rorate Caeli blog to read something about "doctrinal problems" which may brighten your spirits!

PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

Columcille

Today is the feast of St Columba, and I'll direct you to the Transalpine Redemptorists for their good post on this saint.

Also say a prayer for them, and they've had a visit from the Bishop!

Something about our Mother

Ireland's new ambassador!

Pope Benedict XVI warmly welcomed Ireland’s new ambassador to the Holy See, David John Cooney, at a ceremony in the Vatican on May 4.

Ambassador Cooney presented his Letter of Credence from the President of the Republic of Ireland, Michael D.Higgins, to the 85-year old pontiff, and the two men spoke together briefly.


He was one of a group of five ambassadors to present their credentials on this day in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall; the others were from Armenia, Ethiopia, Fiji and Malaysia.  

He presented his credentials at a particularly delicate moment in relations between Ireland and the Holy See because the previous day, May 3, some of Ireland’s top politicians, including Prime Minister, Enda Kenny, the Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore, suggested or called for Cardinal Brady’s resignation for failing to protect children from abuse by a priest predator, by informing their parents in 1975. (See Vatican Insider stories, May 3).

Pope Benedict, however, made no reference to this, or indeed to any specific country, in his speech welcoming the new ambassadors. Instead, he asked them to convey his greetings to their “civil and religious authorities” and to “reassure” the Catholic communities in their countries of his prayers for them. His words are likely to be well received in Ireland where 84% of its 4.6 million people identified themselves as Catholic in the 2011 census. 

Read more of this good news here 

To caption?

...or not to caption. Perhaps this is just too sad. Feel free to caption though.

From In Hoc Signo.

May! It's May!

And it is May! Ave Maria! The Month of Mary!

P.S. I'm sticking with this template now, it's warm and cosy. All I need now is to get my old header back, with the Holy Father.