Umwelt

Die Umwelt is German for the environment. I am in the process of marking German speaking tests for nearly twenty schools, ranging from a couple to over fifty candidates.

A common presentation and discussion theme, as well as something which frequently crops up in the general conversation, is the environment and quite frankly I am sick to death of hearing kids trotting out the German for I help the environment by putting on a jumper, turning out the lights and going to the recycling centre with promises of never driving a car or flying anywhere again.

This topic bores me to tears, although I enjoy awarding marks for the use of good German, regardless of what I hear. Years ago 124 children described the film Titanic. I have never wanted to watch this film since.

I have heard two good sermons this weekend about the Blessed Trinity. Fr. Lister focused on the Sign of the Cross and Father Wiley concentrated on the question of who, as opposed to what, God is. That the Feast of the Trinity appears where it does is no accident, given last week's Gospel which foreshadows the Feast and which together allow us an insight into the nature of God, the Blessed three in one.

Blessed be the Holy and Undivided Trinity now and forever more. Amen.

Half term

I'm almost half way through my GCSE marking (German speaking) and half term has just begun. Apart from Mass and Confession my only self imposed obligations this weekend involve marking at least 50 scripts before lunchtime on Monday.

Father Lister will be offering Mass at Halifax on Saturday as Father Smith is away.

Fr. Lister was recently revered for his fast bowling skills in Father Elkin of Hexham and Newcastle's blog Let the Welkin Ring, wherein Fr. Elkin recounts their days at the College and on the cricket pitch.

I shall add Fr. Elkin's blog to this blog's links in the sidebar.

On Sunday there will be Mass at St. Joseph's, Castleford at 3.00p.m and at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardigan Road, Leeds at 6.00p.m.

Blessed be the Holy and Undivided Trinity, now and forever more. Amen.

Dinosaurs

Over the last few weeks I seem to have heard or read the word dinosaur more than I usually might expect to. This is because I do not like the thought of dinosaurs. I saw the first twenty minutes of Jurassic Park and fell asleep (a bit like at a school leavers' Mass).

Years ago I read Mgr. Lefebvre's Open Letter to confused Catholics. One of the chapters of this book, which was translated by Fr Michael Crowdie, is entitled It's a dinosaur, or something close to this. I was able to question this venerable old priest about this and what the Archbishop had written.

At that time the Modernists were claiming that most of that which had gone before was to be consigned to the dustbin forever, likening much of what they were systematically destroying to some sort of never to be repeated horror now extinct.

Many of those who were "in" are now voices from the past, as insipid as their folk Masses, others realise that the revolution in their hearts can never stop, because there is no end for them and the more outrageous their conflict with the Magisterium of the Church the better it gets, albeit often under the banner of Peace and Justice which to many (but by no means all) has come to mean that you can do just as you please.

Alas, for them, they are now the breed entering extinction. After forty years in the wilderness the homeland is becoming increasingly more visible.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

God bless the Pope!

Pentecost

The Birthday of the Church is upon us again, when she celebrates the Apostles receiving the tongues of fire.

I think that this evening at Mass was the first time I have ever actively listened to the Gospel of this Mass, being so preoccupied with the Epistle and Sequence which precede it. Even today I felt it was overshadowed by what had gone before it, but that that it seamlessly links to next week's feast of the Blessed Trinity.

Trinity Sunday only makes sense in light of the events of today's Mass, which in turn make the events of the Ascension, Resurrection, Passion, Baptism, Infancy, Birth and Incarnation of our Blessed Lord, which plot our liturgy, mean so much more.

Reciting the Credo a few minutes later I realised that this great prayer, wherein I was personally reciting aloud what I believe, is the "bigger picture" from which we base our calendar.

As at every Mass the Incarnation, Birth, Death and Resurrection unfold in an unbloody way and become real before our eyes, but Pentecost which is the start end / end start point of the Church's cycle also heralds the celebration of the Feast of the triune God, Father, Son and Spirit. The purple, white and red vestments of the Passion, Death and Resurrection will soon give way to the fresh green colours of the post Pentecost Sundays, at the end of which we will eventually come to welcome the opportunity of self renewal which the Advent purple offers us.

Please remember to pray for our Holy Father and for the Papal Nuncio to Great Britain who recently suffered a serious stroke and remains in hospital.

A thought

A retired priest of this diocese, who shall go nameless, is often found attacking the Traditional Mass in some of the (nominally) Catholic publications of this country.

This is nothing new and I cancelled my subscription to one paper because of this priest's views a couple of years ago.

It is only now, I think I understand why he is so opposed to this Rite of Mass and has been for many years.

I think once it was given a foot in the door again he realised that it would be impossible to get the genie of the spirit of Vat2 back into the vinegar bottle, if the Traditional Mass were to be re-introduced. Not only was it re-introduced but we were told that it was never abrogated!

A look at the many trad/orthodox blogs shows ever increasing and ongoing expansion of the Extraordinary Rite, at all levels of the Church militant. From an ordinary little parish in freezing Glasgow to St. Peter's in scorching Rome this Mass is offered regularly.

It is interesting that suppliers of traditional vestments and liturgical books and equally important resources for an informed and more discerning laity fruitful in vocations are doing a roaring trade. Paying big money in bad times shows not only sacrifice but demand, with the desire to fill a big hole.

None of this means that the liturgical abuses will stop and alternative versions of the Catholic Faith will be embraced by priests and people alike, but it has set the Roman cat lover and the cat amongst the pigeons and the mess they have left everywhere after 40 years in the wilderness.

God bless the Pope!

Ss Joseph and Michael, pray for us!

From the Young Catholic Adults

Young Catholic Adults Host International Juventutem Weekend at Douai Abbey
During the weekend of the 10-12 September 2010

During the weekend of the 10-12 September . For the first time, Young Catholic
Adults will be running the 2010 Juventutem International Conference at Douai
Abbey(before the Douai weekend was aimed at the UK), the weekend will be led
by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr de Malleray . The weekend will be
full-board

Places are limited so please book early

* There will be Sung Mass, Low Mass, Rosary, Adoration, Confession, a Marian
Procession in honour of Our Lady of Fatima and socials

* Fr. de Malleray FSSP head of Juventutem will preach the retreat, Masses will
be in the Extraordinary form.

THE MAIN GUEST HOUSE

Saturday 11th – Sunday 12th September (full board)*

51 pounds full-board (except Sunday lunch) PER PERSON PER NIGHT

25 pounds for students/low waged/unwaged (or whatever you can afford)

THE COTTAGES

£35 per person per night (full board). Self catering £25 per person
per night (reductions for students:- or whatever you can afford) .

SELF CATERING CAMPING

£5 per person per night (or whatever you can afford - please bring your
own tent and food ).

Limited places so please reserve your place early

To reserve your place FOR THE WEEKEND (no deposit needed if you are coming for
the day on Saturday 5th July), please a 20 pound deposit (NON RETURNABLE) to
Damian Barker, Flat 5, 12 St. Catherine Street, Kingsholm, Gloucester, Glos.
GL2 9DU (please make any cheques payable to Damian Barker). For enquiries ring
07908105787.

For more details see:- http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/

Different look

I thought I'd change the blog layout to something like it was originally, the pale blue background commemorates this Month of Our Blessed Lady.

I have introduced a poll (as if we haven't had enough of those!) for the next month or so. Please take at most ten seconds to answer, but only once, however many times you visit the site.

After a technical misfortune (I pressed the wrong button) I erased the "useful links" section of the blog a few months ago. I have now refined and restored this section.

God bless and protect the Pope!

Ascension Day Mass

Mass for Ascension Thursday will be at St. Mary of the Angels, Cross Bank Road, Batley at 7.00a.m.

The weekend Masses at Halifax, Castleford and Leeds St. Augustine's will be Masses for the Ascension.

Some good news

The appalling Dr. Death ex Lib Dem MP, Evan Harris lost his seat in Thursday's election. Even better the new MP is pro-life.

Following that same election we have a lame duck busted flush Prime Minister whose quoting of scripture before polling day made my flesh crawl.

The election looms

I use the word "looms" because none of the parties fielding candidates have a pro life agenda. The present Government has done nothing for the rights of the unborn child, the Prime Minister is proud of his gay friendly policies, a cigarette paper could be held between the views of the leaders of the other two parties on the same moral issues. I do not particularly like much of what any of the other minor parties have to say.

For the first time ever I am unsure whom to vote for (but I shall not be voting for New Labour). Do I tactically vote Lib Dem to get New Labour out, do I vote for the Muslim Tory candidate to show my opposition to the other two, given the Lib Dem opposition to Faith schools and Labour plans to continue to impose their appalling views , or do I vote for a minority party to express my disgust at all three? Do I spoil my paper by voting for none of the above, as my wife often does? I do believe I have the obligation to show up and put something on the ballot papers, but as yet I am decidedly "undecided". I have no idea what the common good is, as far as the General Election is concerned in this case. Not one prospective candidate has knocked at my front door for me to ask the questions I usually ask.

Decisions, decisions!

God help us come Friday morning.