The Hermeneutic of Continuity

Michael Cowie writes to me of an event to be held by Aid to the Church in Need at the Birmingham Oratory on Sunday week. Here are the details: The Light of the World Sunday, 27th June at 2:00pm, followed by Mass at 5:30pm The Oratory, Hagley Road, Birmingham B16 8UE An opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the challenges facing Christians around the world – and how you are helping. Talks begin at 2:00pm, followed by Mass at 5:30pm. We are delighted to welcome Father Samir Khalil Samir SJ as our guest of honour, speaking on Christianity and Islam in the Middle East. Father Samir is an Islamic scholar, Semitologist, orientalist and Catholic theologian based in Lebanon. Xavier Legorreta, Aid to the Church in Need’s Latin America Projects Head, will report on how your generous support has helped victims of the earthquake which struck Haiti in January. Fresh from project trips, UK Director Neville Kyrke-Smith will speak about the Faith in Ukraine, while Head of Press and In...

My sister just rang me to check that I was still alive since she hadn't seen anything on my blog for a few days. I realise that it is almost a week since I posted. Sorry about that - still alive and posting again now ... not too much this evening though as I have to read 5000 other blog posts first on google reader :-)

You can play Jesuit hangman which gives you six guesses for words in the category "Things Jesuit". This is provided by a newly ordained Jesuit priest of the New Orleans Province, Fr. Anthony Barrow, S.J. And if you are really having trouble filling your day, you can get the php script to make up your own version ;-) H/T Good Jesuit, Bad jesuit

This Saturday at Linares in Spain, Manuel Lozano Garrido, ("Lolo") will be beatified by Archbishop Angelo Amato. Garrido (1920-1971) was a journalist who wrote for various media, including Associated Press. He also wrote nine spiritual books. The Spanish site for Lolo's beatification has an English translation of a short biography . At the age of 22 Garrido contracted spondylitis which confined him to a wheelchair. He continued writing while he physically could, and then dictated articles. He was blind for the last nine years of his life. At one point, while he still had some use of his fingers, he was given a typewriter. The first words he wrote with it were: "My Lord, thank You. The first word, Your Name, may it always be the strength and soul of this machine ...May Your light and clearness be the mind and heart of all that type on it, so that everything written may be noble, fair and promising.” He started up "Sinai" groups which consisted of twelve ...

Rome reports has this interview with Mgr Guido Marini, the papal Master of Ceremonies. There is a full transcription of the interview at Rome Reports. In this short piece, Mgr Marini highlights the importance of the hermeneutic of continuity as applied to the Sacred Liturgy so that there is authentic growth without cutting the roots so that development includes the richness of the Church's history and tradition. Rome Reports has come up on the radar a few times recently. Taking a more careful look, I must say that it is very impressive and have added it to the blogroll.

The other day I posted about a Blessed Sacrament procession that went on a boat. Thanks to Berenike of Laodicea for the link to this video of a Blessed Sacrament procession on a train!

Take a look at this magnificent post from the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer: He passed this way . Our Lord is carried through the streets of Whitehall village and then by barge from Stronsay to Papa Stronsay.

Recently our youth group Cross Section had a visit from a favourite presenter whom I tend to refer to as "Reptile Man". He speaks about the care of reptiles and his talk is educative in terms of zoology. It is also an opportunity to cross the threshold of "ugh" as our picture shows. (He had some arachnids with him too.)

Gay activist Peter Tatchell who organised the Protest the Pope Coalition and has arranged various anti-Catholic protests in the Piazza outside Westminster Cathedral, has been commissioned by Channel 4 to present a documentary on the Holy Father. Let me quote the major political blogger Ian Dale : If you were a commissioning editor at Channel 4 and wanted to make a documentary about the Pope's religious and political journey since the 1930s, who might you get to front it? Ann Widdecombe? Sue MacGregor? Ed Stourton? No. Channel Four has chosen Peter Tatchell. Yes, your gob is smacked, isn't it? Peter says he wants to produce a completely factual programme. In which case, why did Channel 4 choose him? Surely his attraction to a programme maker is that he is deeply opinionated. Never mind the headlines "Catholics angry" etc. This is a calculated insult typical of our "I can do what I like" culture. Catholics may well feel minded to write to Channel 4; ...

I have, from time to time, heard Americans talking about Bob Newhart but never really understood. Now I do, thanks to this video which I saw at Catholic Minority Report .

I received this photo of the Spirit in the City Festival with 300 people making their way through the heart of London from Soho Square to Notre Dame de France just off Leicester Square where Father Stan Fortuna of the Franciscans of the Renewal gave a talk. It is great to hear of such witness in the heart of London.