A day off

This week has been quite busy in the parish. The Funeral of Mrs Sheehan on Tuesday was edifying with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren gathered from across the globe. She had a particular devotion to St Oliver Plunkett so I was glad to bring in some reflection on his life in the homily. On Thursday we had the funeral of a five month old baby, Ellie whose short life was a great gift to all those who cared for her. Ellie had been baptised in hospital so it was lovely to celebrate Mass with white vestments and affirm our certainty that she is in heaven with all the saints.

The parish is also in top gear now preparing for our Confirmations next week. We have 39 young people aged 12-13 preparing to receive the sacrament and it will be the first visit of Bishop Pat Lynch to the parish for Confirmation.

People are taking up my suggestion from a sermon a few weeks back that I would always be happy to go to bless houses in the parish. I find that this is a good way to do some purposeful visiting of families. Wednesday saw the meeting of Bexley Council at which this year as "Mayor's Chaplain" I lead the prayers. There were civic awards presented to various local people who have been nominated for recognition of their voluntary service to the community.

After Rosary and Benediction on Thursday, I led the RCIA meeting on the subject of the virtues and vices as presented in the excellent programme Evangelium and on Friday, before the Confirmation rehearsal, we had our weekly lenten Stations of the Cross. This is a devotion that I really love. It is simple, direct and moving, especially with the two schemes of meditation provided in the old Manual of Prayers. The first is St Alphonsus but I am not sure whether the second is also. It certainly bears the same character.

All of this has left me too little time to finish off properly my lecture at the SPUC University Students' Conference but God is good and the lecture went down well. Today was something of a "Day off" in that I made an exception and went away from the parish on a Saturday. Fr Charles Briggs said my morning Latin Mass, heard confessions and gave Benediction while I took an early bus to Oxford.

Popular posts from this blog

1962 Missal pdf online

The Church Music Association of America and Jeffrey Tucker of the New Liturgical Movement have made available the 1962 Missal online in pdf format (72Mb). The file is hosted at Musica Sacra , the website of the CMAA, thanks to a generous gift from Fr Robert Skeris While you are at it, take a look at the articles clarifying the rules for music at Low Mass and music at High Mass .
Read more

Saint Gabriel

Image
The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai...
Read more

Request for Novena to Blessed Pius IX

Image
A priest friend of mine is ill in hospital. He has a special devotion to Blessed Pius IX. Could I ask you, of your charity, to say a Novena for his speedy recovery. Novena In Honour of Blessed Pius IX Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX, who consecrated the Universal Church to you. (Our Father...) O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you Immaculate. (Hail Mary...) Saint Joseph, spouse of the most pure Virgin Mary, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you the Patron of the Universal Church. (Glory be...) Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Mary, our Hope, and Saint Joseph hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX , granting to us through his merits and intercessions the graces which we ardently desire: that the glory of God be revealed through Father's illness. (Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory be...
Read more

The Transfiguration and Jewish feast days

Image
My post on " Interesting parallels in Jewish customs " seems to have been well received, so I thought it might be helpful to look at today's feast day in the light of two Jewish feasts. Many years ago, I was bowled over by Fr Jean Galot's observation concerning St Peter's profession of faith. He argued that if, as many scholars accepted, the transfiguration occurred during the feast of tabernacles, then the "after six days" of Matthew 17.1 would mean that the profession of faith of St Peter in Matthew 16.16 would have taken place on the Day of Atonement. This is highly significant because the Day of Atonement was the one day in the year on which the high priest solemnly pronounced the holy name YHWH in the holy of holies in the Temple. St Peter, by his confession of faith fulfils the work of the high priests, and Our Lord in His own person is the living presence the Most High. Then there is the feast of tabernacles itself. This feast lasted for a w...
Read more

Novena in honour of Bl Pius IX for seminarian

Image
The Overbrook Seminary of Philadelphia began yesterday a novena in honor of Blessed Pius IX that God might be glorified through the illness of a second year seminarian, Philip Gerard Johnson. Philip has helped at Lourdes for many years as a day pilgrim guide as one of those guiding the torchlight Rosary Procession throughout these Summers. He blogs at In Caritate non Ficta . The photo above is one I took of the statue of Blessed Pius IX in the Salesian Church of the Sacred Heart in Rome. Do join the Novena if you can. Here are the prayers: Novena In Honor of Blessed Pius IX Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX, who consecrated the Universal Church to you. (Our Father...) O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you Immaculate. (Hail Mary...) Saint Joseph, spouse of the most pure Virgin Mary, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who ...
Read more