The Hermeneutic of Continuity

In the wake of the Youcat fiasco, Raffaella writes with true Roman fury on the betrayal of Pope Benedict by those around him. (I could imagine her reducing Roman Senators to quivering wrecks.) I have spent some time translating her article: it was not easy because it is written with acidic Italian colloquial expressions for which there is no English equivalent. Figuraccia means something much more contemptible than the very British "poor show" (I have translated it as "mess" in the context); Basta! is really more intensive than "Enough!"; and I don't really know how to translate anonimo-rana: anonymous frog doesn't seem right :-) There are other expressions where I may have gone wrong but I hope that my version gives you some flavour of what she is saying out of love for Pope Benedict and anger at those who should assist him. Here is the link to the original text . If you read Italian, you will love it for the power of its expression. And by t...

Fancy gowns and overblown triumphalist ceremony - I'm not talking about the traditional Mass but about one of our leading universities. Damian Thompson has a post today  which continues  a theme where he (rightly in my personal opinion) expresses concern about the silly remarks made by David Cameron about Oxford University, accusing the University of discriminatory admissions policies. I don't feel that is particularly a discussion for this blog but I was struck by the photograph used to illustrate Damian's post. The Chancellor, Chris Patten, is wearing a richly decorated gown, and assisted by a young train-bearer in buckled shoes. If you look at other photos of Encaenia (the annual honorary degree awarding ceremony) you will see all sorts of fancy gowns and accoutrements. Were this a procession for a traditional Mass, there would undoubtedly be spiteful comments about how they are only concerned with outward show, lace and fancy cloaks, how it is all a bit, well, u...

If you are in Rome on the weekend of 13-15 May, you have the chance to participate in a most remarkable Conference, including a Pontifical High Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St Peter's celebrated by the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship. The Associazione Giovani e Tradizione (Youth and Tradition Association) and the Sodality of Priestly Friends of Summorum Pontificum are holding the third Conference on the Motu Proprio in Rome from 13-15 May 2011 with the theme "Hope for the entire Church." The Conference is supported by officials of the Ecclesia Dei Commission, the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter, the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, and the Franciscans of the Immaculate. On the first evening of the conference, there will be a spiritual conference given at Ssma Trinita dei Pellegrini  by Fr Cassian Folsom OSB and Bishop Athansius Schneider will celebrate Pontifical Vespers. On the Saturday, there will be seven papers giv...

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life" said Samuel Johnson. Thanks be to God I have not yet tired of London. An unexpected eventuality left me free yesterday evening since a good Franciscan priest wanted to say my Sunday evening Mass. I therefore seized the opportunity to take a rare "Day Off" which I spent in London, staying overnight in town. This morning I took a walk which included a circuit of St James's Park before meeting Sir Dan for lunch. It gave me the opportunity to take some photos of London in the spring. Here is a view of Buckingham Palace: the Foreign Office crowned by the Wheel: a view of Horseguards from the end of the lake: A wonderful bird is the Pelican Its beak can hold more than its belly can: We are shortly to have a Royal Wedding. Here is a venue for a previous Royal Wedding: The Queen's Chapel was designed by Inigo Jones for the Infanta of Castile on her proposed marriage to the then Prince Charles....

The Evangelium Conference has been a great success from a fairly recent "standing start". The publicity for this year's conference has been overshadowed a little by the World Youth Day in Madrid, so do take a look at the details of the conference from 5-7 August and book in if you are free.

Sir Dan of the Blogosphere is a long-time opponent of meaningless waffle. We had lunch today in central London and I found a perfect photo opportunity afterwards at Charing Cross Station. Sir Dan agrees with Hiscox Insurance that "Waffle should only be served up with syrup."

Today's invitation from Hilary White: Hey "Taliban Catholic" Bloggers!! Come to the *Other* Rome Catholic Blognic . Well someone had to do it - and Hilary is just the girl! Michael Voris will be keynote speaker which sets the tone more or less unambiguously. There will be pizza and beer; and if you absent-mindedly leave your computer and turn up in pyjamas that will probably not be noticed too much. It will be happening on 3 May from 1-5 pm at a location yet to be determined since Hilary only had the idea on Friday. I'm on the invite list, quite high up. Drat! My ecclesiastical career prospects were looking so hopeful and all. Well, since my cover is blown, I will freely admit that I was in on the conspiracy at an early stage (the beer & pizza bit was mine.) Unfortunately, I have already booked to go to Rome the week after and I can't just swan off from the parish at the drop of a hat. However, I think I will be allowed to participate in some way by Skype....

Danielle Bean writes about the rules that she set down for her daughter, Kateri, when she started her own Facebook profile. I think that they are quite sensible, hence I pass on the link to you, especially parents: Six Rules for Facebook . Actually the rules are quite sensible for everyone, not just teenagers. Especially: 3. Remember: It's forever. Yes, you can delete status updates, photos, and even "friends" who turn out to be weirdos, but a well-timed screen shot is all it takes to be your undoing -- with your boss, your kid's school, or your mother-in-law. Even if you maintain the strictest of privacy settings, remember that people love to talk and share, right-click and save. Don't ever share something on Facebook you wouldn't want the entire world to know. The way I put it to young people is "Do not post anything on the internet that you would not want to be posted on the noticeboard in the school hall." I was interested to read that Da...

"Have you ever seen the non-cropped version of the Sitting Bull?" was the question put to Taylor Marshall by Fr Phil Wolfe. The above photo (from Taylor's Canterbury Tales blog) may seem very familiar, but the crucifix is not normally shown. Sitting Bull became a Catholic in later life, being influenced by the friendship of the French Canadians. Roman Christendom also has a lengthy post about him: A Roman Catholic Sioux leader: Chief Sitting Bull

Aid to the Church in Need are running a Pilgrimage to Walsingham which you may like to join. Walsingham is a great place of devotion, steeped in Catholic history and it is always worth visiting, especially on a spiritual exercise: and ACN are an excellent group to go with. Here are the details: Aid to the Church in Need UK Annual Walsingham Pilgrimage of Hope Saturday, 30th April 2010 Please join us as Aid to the Church in Need remembers suffering Christians around the world with our 2011 Pilgrimage to the Roman Catholic National Shrine in Walsingham. ACN is organising coaches from London Victoria, Bressenden Place, departing at 08:00. Should parishioners wish to join us at Walsingham, travelling independently or, perhaps, organising coaches from their locality they are very welcome to do so. For those who would like to join us on this Pilgrimage and would like more information a brochure and booking form is downloadable from the ACN website . You could also contact us on 020 8...

The Vatican is holding an official blognic the day after the beatification of Pope John Paul II. Space is limited to 150 so if you are a blogger and want to get into this, you had better sign up quickly at the email address below. Please note that there is a dress code on Vatican property even for bloggers, and you would be advised to remember not to go in your pyjamas. The Pontifical Council for Social Communications gives the official information in Italian. Here is my own unoffical translation: Information on the meeting in the Vatican for Bloggers St Pius X Auditorium, 2 May 2011 A meeting of bloggers will take place on the afternoon of 2 May. The event, organized by the Pontifical Councils for Culture and Communications, aims to enable a dialogue between bloggers and representatives of the Church, to share the experiences of those working in this field and to better understand the needs of that community. The meeting will also present some of the initiatives that the Churc...

Gayle Sulik has criticised the manipulative and ineffective “awareness” campaign against breast cancer in her book Pink Ribbon Blues . She points to the fact that the campaign has done virtually nothing to lower the incidence of breast cancer. Matt Hanley recognises her valuable contribution but points out that she also has a blind spot (see:  Pink Ribbons & the Mother of all Causes .) He says: Had she dug deeper, she would have had to acknowledge a “cause” far more alluring and destructive – a “cause” which has contributed mightily to the tremendous rise in breast cancer over the past several decades: the “liberation” promised by the sexual revolution. This alleged “liberation” requires the radical disruption of natural biological processes which in turn imperil breast tissue, so it can only be out of deference to that supreme cause that she utterly fails to specify, let alone stress, three of the most protective things a woman can do to reduce breast cancer risk: have childr...

The Good Counsel Network offer abortion-bound women alternatives and practical support. Their rate of success is good, but this has now created a problem: the number of women that they are seeing has increased five-fold but the increase in financial support does not match this. There are currently 23 women who depend on the Good Counsel Network for food, and nine are being housed by them; this gives some idea of the need. Most of the women are able to return to independence after a year of so but some are in urgent need. You can read more at the Good Counsel's blog Maria Stops Abortion: see the post Five-fold Increase in Women Coming to Good Counsel - Help Us Feed and House Mothers and Babies Today To donate, you can go to the Donations page . This offers you the choice of donating by PayPal , by credit/debit card at the Justgiving website , or by sending a cheque in the post. (Could I gently suggest that readers from outside the UK donate online rather than by sending a chequ...

Fr Agnellus Murphy, of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, is leading a retreat on Our Lady at Pantasaph in North Wales from 6–8 May. Here are the details: Mary in the New Testament and in the Lives of the Faithful 6th - 8th May 2011 Grow in your knowledge and love of Our Blessed Mother! Talks by Fr. Agnellus M. Murphy, FI: 1) Who is Mary? The First Principle of Our Mariology 2) Immaculate Conception: Mary, Victrix over Evil 3) Mother Undefiled: Mary and the Infancy Narratives 4) New Eve: Mary and the Paschal Mystery 5) Clothed with the Sun: Mary, Archetype of the Church Franciscan Retreat Centre, Pantasaph, Holywell, Flintshire CH8 8PE Tel: 01352 711053 Email: pantasaph@gmail.com Website: www.pantasaph.org.uk £25 deposit - £90 full offering

Last week I wrote about the canonical establishment of the FSSP house in Amsterdam. Today, James MacMillan tells of his visit to the St Agneskerk during a trip to Amsterdam to conduct at the Concertgebouw. This was only the third time that he had attended the usus antiquior Mass but the title of his blogpost does not convey any ambiguity concerning his feelings: An Extraordinary Form Mass in Amsterdam – much more inspiring than the usual trendy rubbish . Musicians who have worked hard to help people participate actively at Mass are usually struck by the way in which the people in the congregation at the older form of the Mass sing the parts of the Mass that pertain to them. James MacMillan also noticed this in Amsterdam: his observations would be borne out by a visit to any parish that regularly celebrates the extraordinary form. This is exactly what Vatican II asked for: "... steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin th...

Photo credit: Eamonn Keane Pro-Lifers from the North and South of Ireland will be climbing Croagh Patrick to raise awareness of the need to protect human life. Pat Buckley of the European Pro-Life Network invites pro-lifers from Ireland and abroad to take part in the climb on Saturday 7 May. Pro-Life T-shirts and other insignia are encouraged. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal from Derry will be taking part, and my good friend, Fr Fidelis, will celebrate Mass at the summit, where there is an Oratory dedicated to St Patrick. Photo credit: Paul McIlroy St Patrick fasted for forty days on the summit of Croagh Patrick and, according to legend, threw a silver bell down the side of the mountain, exorcising the she-demon Corra, and banishing all the snakes from Ireland.

Women's Rights Without Frontiers has published the story of the murder of Mr Xu Shuaishuai by a Family Planning Official in China. The report tells of how the Family Planning Officials were looking for Mr Xu's sister so that she could be taken for forced sterilisation. Since they could not find her, they started beating up the Father of the family. Mr Xu tried to intervene and was stabbed in the heart twice with a long knife by one of the Family Planning Officials. He died on the way to hospital. The Chinese website boxun.com reports that "The murderer is still enjoying his freedom as though nothing had happened." Attempts to gain justice from the local Public Security Bureau or to publicise the event in the local media met with excuses and inaction. The Women's Rights Without Frontiers report makes the pertinent observation: The fact that no action is being taken against the family planning murderer demonstrates one of two things: either the Chinese Com...

© Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham This is the photo that I was waiting for! It is great to see Mgr Keith Newton with the Holy Father. The book that he is presenting to the Holy Father is a collection of the photographs of the Ordinariate groups which have been published on this website and the first ordinations. The Holy Father was also presented with a copy of Fr Michael Rear's new book about pilgrimage to Walsingham, and an image of Our Lady of Walsingham. There are some more photos at the flickr set of the Ordinariate.

Click to enlarge I am delighted to pass on this message from Charles Finch concerning a Concert for Japan which the Cantores Missae are holding on 11 May. I'm sorry that I won't be able to be there myself but I do recommend it to you. Cantores Missae are pleased to announce a "CONCERT FOR JAPAN" on May 11th to raise money to help provide necessary aid for the victims of the recent earthquake and tidal wave in Japan. Please see the leaflet below for more details and how to book tickets. In this concert we shall be marking the 400th anniversary of the death of Tomas Luis de Victoria, performing some of his best known motets and the Requiem Mass for 6 Voices. In addition the distinguished Japanese violinist, Yu Yasuraoka, will play solo works by J.S. Bach. Only 200 seats are available for this concert and so early booking is recommended. For those unable to attend and who wish to make a donation, please follow this link below to the Japan Society Tohoku Earthquake...

Pierpaolo Finaldi of the Catholic Truth Society gives us a look at the various features of the splendid new Missal that they are producing for the introduction of the new (corrected) ICEL translation. The prices for the various editions have also been announced. They seem quite reasonable to me for such high quality books. You can see the details at the CTS Catholic Compass Blog . There will also be pre-publication discounts so I will be taking advantage of those.