Two new blogs

A good friend of mine from Oxford days, Joseph Sowerby, has started writing Catholic Commentary. Joseph is a Physics teacher and branch secretary for one of the teaching unions. He had an interesting post the other day concerning a visit to the synagogue and a Rabbi's unhesitating affirmation that "When we stand up to pray, we all face the same way, towards the East" (Facing East). Today, he comments on School tips on anti-gay bullying. Joseph's wide range of interests and experience will make his blog one to watch.

Fr David Barrett, a priest of Northampton Diocese and formerly Bishop's Chaplain there, is spending some time in Rome, staying at the Casa Santa Maria where he is researching for a doctoral thesis on St Hilary of Poitiers. I am delighted to hear that he is studying Latin with Fr Reginald Foster - and collecting some Reggie sayings. He is also writing a blog called Hilariter. Although this is not a daily updated blog, it will be worth keeping an eye on for pictures of Rome and Italy as well as for posts like Bah Bah See in which succinctly captures the bias of Auntie Beeb.

From Fr Barrett's blogroll I came across Peregrinus by Fr Avram, a priest of Sacramento who is another priest staying at the Casa which is worth a visit for the Header picture alone.

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1962 Missal pdf online

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Request for Novena to Blessed Pius IX

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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...
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Saint Gabriel

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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...
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Novena in honour of Bl Pius IX for seminarian

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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 ...
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Plenary indulgences not impossible

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