Women's Guild

'You start Saul, and end up Paul'

2011-01-25T09:09:00.000Z

I recently found a choral piece based on the story of Saul's conversion by the contemporary American composer Z. Randall Stroope. 'The Conversion of Saul' is set for double choir and is an impressive concert piece. The recording linked to here is one of the better ones (there are a few pre-recorded versions, but the videos are a little full-on...)

The opening section of Stroope's piece evokes Saul's relentless persecution of the Christians. The choir sings 'Caedite, vexate, ligate vinculis!' Vinculis, condemnate vexate! (Saul! Murder, harass, bind into chains! Saul! Chain, prosecute and harass!). The tight rhythms of the repetitive chanting and percussive foot-stamping are swiftly, though gently replaced by the more sustained second section in which we hear the words 'Why do you persecute me, Saul? Why? Fall down on your knees, turn hatred into love. Turn darkness into light. Bow down, Saul! Bow down, Saul!'

The Ordinariate: Anglican Ponderings

2011-01-18T13:49:00.001Z

Well, “hurrah” for the establishment of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham under the patronage of Blessed John Henry Newman. The happy birds ‘Te Deum’ sing! The Women’s Guild offers its sincere congratulations to the first priests of the Ordinariate: Father Andrew Burnham and Father John Broadhurst, and to the new ordinary, Father Keith Newton. Our prayers are also offered for those involved in setting everything up and for all those preparing to enter the Ordinariate this spring in the ‘first wave’ (eagerly clutching their yellow and white surfboards). There is much to come: sacrifice, uncertainty, trepidation; yet also, of course, a profound sense of joy and excitement.

In the midst of all this change, it is important to remember that between those now preparing to enter into the full communion of the See of Peter and those remaining in the Church of England (either in the short or long term) there needs to be meaningful and generous-spirited discussion, and mutual support. On one level, decisions such as whether or not to seek to join another denomination are reliant on a spiritual exploration of the Lord’s will for us. They involve prayer and the humble entreaty of the Lord to make His will known. Yet they also involve intellectual consideration, both of the history of our position - its development over the centuries and recent decades - and the realities of the present situation.

It is in this context of intellectual enquiry and exchange that rhetoric becomes most important and also, potentially, most problematic. Misunderstandings and mistakes abound – indeed they are propagated by people who, dare I say it, really ought to know better. They are frustrating because they are rehearsed over and over again and rarely challenged, at least with any real success. I offer three examples. Firstly, the ‘Church of my Baptism’ line. The Church of my Baptism is not the local church I attended when I was baptised. It is not the Church of England. It is the Universal Church: The Body of Christ. Secondly, the use of the terms ‘Plan A’ and ‘Plan B’. There is more than a tendency to regard the Ordinariate as a last-ditch option when all others in the Church of England have been exhausted. To have argued consistently for full visible unity, but to view the Ordinariate as ‘Plan B’ seems, forgive me, more than a little perverse. Indeed, I wonder what ‘Plan A’ might be… In any case, the use of these terms is confusing and unhelpful. Thirdly ‘seeing the Synodical process through’. I’d wager that most people peddling this line aren’t convinced that it’s an effective way of governing a church anyway. Waiting for Synod to act in order to ‘keep people safe’ seems very odd. Maybe it’s just me.

One of the things I find most frustrating about the structure of the General Synod, is that debates are rarely that – they involve a variety of people simply ‘having their opinion’ at each other, rather than engaging in genuine debate and discussion. As I have written previously on this blog, whatever one concludes about the legitimacy of a democratically elected Synod as a means of deciding the doctrine of the church, something as significant as the salvation of our souls seems too precious, too fundamental to be decided by ‘debate’ which is unworthy of the name. Similarly, when we discuss and debate the value of ‘staying’ or ‘going’ as it is increasingly viewed, the debate, the intellectual exchange and understanding appears frequently to be lost. It is not simply a shame – it is an outrage.

This division of Anglo-Catholics/Anglo-Papalists/High Church Anglicans and the like into ‘stayers’ and ‘goers’ at the present time is, of course, understandable. Yet it also seems to be dissolving at times into a competition to decide who’s ‘worse off’. For those immediately joining the Ordinariate there is uncertainty as a whole host of questions are as yet to be answered: ‘Where will clergy of the Ordinariate live? Where will they minister? Who will pay their stipend? Where will laity worship?’ For those staying behind there are similar questions: ‘Will Synod find an adequate means with which to respect the wishes of ‘traditionalist Anglicans’ who, for various reasons, do not wish to enter into communion with the Holy See?’ To suggest that either side is enjoying ‘calmer waters’ is to miss the point. Indeed, it is foolish and wrong for either side to convince themselves that they have it worse, or that the grass is necessarily greener on the other side. We must all recognise that, whichever path we choose in the coming weeks and in the future, our prayers for our Christian brothers and sisters are required of us. At the ordination of Fathers Andrew, Keith and John to the diaconate last Thursday, the preacher, Father Tony Philpot said of Blessed John Henry Newman that the ‘demands of the Gospel had become irresistible to him’. If we call ourselves Christians, then this much we must know, and we can do nothing else, than to be obedient to Christ’s call to prayer .

Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help, that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy Holy Name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

But what's the society for..?

2010-12-09T17:44:00.000Z

The Big Society?

2010-09-27T10:55:00.000+01:00

I was interested to receive a number of emails last week drawing my attention to the Missionary Society of Saint Wilfrid and Saint Hilda. As someone interested in this sort of thing, I'd like to find out more. Not least, because the information so far available is rather confusing, even contradictory (allowing for the fact that, according the website : "further details about the Society and its life will emerge in the comings months" and "a group has been asked to do some theological reflection about the identity of the Society, its common life and the way it might have the potential for ecumenical dialogue directed towards the goal of full visible communion with the rest of the Church catholic"). So, with my best wide-eyed, imploring gaze I'd be grateful for comments, thoughts, concerns and even answers.

"What's it all about then, eh?"

The Papal Visit!

2010-09-16T14:00:00.001+01:00

Well, the Pope has touched down on British shores and it's all go! This is truly an historic occasion and a comfort and joy to a great number of us at this time. Details of the visit may be found here, and if you want to follow the action online then I suggest you find your way to EWTN where there is good coverage of the visit.

There has been a great deal of vitriol directed at the Holy Father and so I urge all our readers to pray for Pope Benedict, and for Catholics everywhere. Most particularly, let us pray for the conversion of England the unity of the Church throughout the world:

God our Father, shepherd and guide, look with love on Benedict, your servant, the pastor of your Church. May his word and example inspire and guide the Church, and may he, and all those entrusted to his care, come to the joy of everlasting life. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayers for the Holy Father

2010-04-24T18:22:00.004+01:00

Today is the 5th anniversary of the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI.
I imagine that many readers of this blog, on whichever side of the Tiber they find themselves, have particular reason to be thankful for this Holy Father.
Our priests need our prayers more than ever at the moment, and the Pope in particular, who is the focus of a lot of undeserved hatred.
One way to ensure that we pray is to combine our prayers with others. The institute of Christ the King is preparing a spiritual bouquet and encouraging people to join in offering a novena for Pope Benedict.

It can be found here: http://www.institute-christ-king.org/bouquet/

Knitted.

2010-04-16T11:51:00.001+01:00

Procrastination is a terrible thing. You know you ought to be working, but the lure of constantly checking your emails, Facebook and the limitless possibilities of Google is too great. Still, this morning's foray into the virtual world has produced this: the joys of knitting.

Adorning (?!) an altar in an unnamed church:

Another treat (for those with an extended coffee/lunch/tea break) is the Catholic Knitter's Blog, which amongst other things recommends a 'Knit to Pray' scheme: .

Another excellent link - and indeed an excellent blog - is The Pious Sodality of Church Ladies who engaged in the campaign 'Scarves for Priests'.

And finally, a useful list of different charitable ventures which make use of knitting skills far and wide.

May Saint Fiacre, patron saint of knitters, pray for all knitting endeavours!

Maundy Thursday

2010-04-01T13:02:00.006+01:00

After what seems like an interminable interval of 'not blogging' I felt inspired this morning to share a short meditation I found. I have a small book which I bought in a church book sale. It is very small, very old and mottled by damp. It is called 'Weekday Walking Sticks: Thoughts for Daily Meditation through the Church's Year' by G. E. Frewer, published in 1930. In the preface the author writes: 'Sundays may well be left to look after themselves; myriads of sermons are then preached [...] for holy Mother Church in the liturgical Gospels gives to her children tht portion of our Blessed Lord's teaching which is good for them to assimilate. The aim of this little book is to carry on that special message for weekday thought as affording help to those who are journeying along the difficult, though altogether blessed, road of the Christian life; and the author claims that its title, even if somewhat quaint, is neither far-fetched nor irreverent. One thing those who use it will do well to remember viz. that walking sticks do not themselves do the walking for us'.

Here is the meditation for today:

'What shall I do then with Jesus?'

We know what was Pilate's answer to his own question; what is ours? There are great alternatives - betrayal or devotion, crucifying Him afresh or ceaseless adoration. On this day of the institution of His Feast of Love I will seal my adhesion by a great pledge of devotion to Him in the Blessed Sacrament, and vow to make Him my Friend and Guide, my Strength and Food.

The Women's Guild wishes all readers a fruitful and blessed keeping of the Triduum.

Publicity Spot

2010-01-15T11:08:00.005Z

Two sessions on the subject of Anglicanorum Coetibus have been brought to the WG's attention. Details below. It is heartening indeed that efforts are being made throughout our church to seek to understand the Holy Father's generous offer.

1. Holy Trinity, Reading

Father David Elliott, Priest-in-charge of the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Reading has set aside an evening for discussion on the subject of the recent Apostolic Constitution issued by the Holy Father. It will be held on Wednesday 20th January at 7.30pm in the Undercroft at HT. Fr David writes that while this is principally for the people at HT, others are more than welcome to come along to explore the future possibilities for different churches.

2. Pusey House, Oxford

A day conference examining elements of Anglican Patrimony in the light of the Apostolic Constitution of Pope Benedict XVI, Anglicanorum Coetibus.

Speakers include:

Anglican Patrimony: A Catholic historian’s perspective
Professor Eamon Duffy, Professor of the History of Christianity, Fellow, Director of Studies, Magdalene College, Cambridge

The Anglican Tradition of Moral Theology
The Revd Canon Dr Robin Ward, Principal, St Stephen’s House, Oxford

The Church of England: Parochial and Pastoral
The Revd Philip North, Rector, Old St Pancras Team Ministry, London

Canon Law: A comparative study
The Revd David Ackerman, Priest in Charge Sherborne, Windrush, the Barringtons and Aldsworth, Gloucester

Conference Fee: £20 (includes coffee on arrival and buffet lunch).

Booking: Father William Davage either by telephone 01865 288024 or by email william.davage@stx.ox.ac.uk

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Early booking is advised. When booking you should make any dietary requirements known.

The Conference will end with Sung Evening Prayer at 5.00 p.m.

Please keep those involved in such events in your prayers.

Liturgical Tea

2009-12-03T11:49:00.010Z

A blog I recently stumbled across is doing its bit to demonstrate that food, if not the way to man's stomach, is definitely a good way of encouraging interest in the church's calendar and the stories of the Bible.

http://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com : 'Recipes for Celebrating the Feasts and Seasons of the Liturgical Year'.

Lots of recipes to try out at home and some weird and wonderful ideas for teaching children about the liturgical year and the Saints. Enjoy!

Response to a Response...

2009-10-25T15:00:00.000Z

Perhaps you’ve assumed that the Women’s Guild has lost interest. Perhaps you’ve feared that we have flitted to blogging pastures new. Or, given the recent announcement from Rome, perhaps you’ve assumed that we’ve gathered up our books, embroidery and hymnals and boarded the luxury liner for new, white-and-gold-tinted waters. Well, not so! After a few months during which real-life has caught up with us all, there is now a little more time to reflect and to offer our own take on ‘life, faith and how best to serve’.

Now, I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again: the WG prides itself on offering something different in the blogging community. We do not concern ourselves (in this forum at least) with church politics but rather with the day to day life as Christians – be it RC or AC. At the Forward in Faith National Assembly yesterday Father Christopher Kinch spoke movingly about his deep despondency after the Synod vote last July, but emphasised how he returned to his parish and got on with his priestly tasks. This goes for us among laity too – there’s plenty of work to be doing.

Of course, the initial euphoria of His Holiness’s generous – more than generous – offer to Anglicans wishing to be reunited corporately with the Holy See is right and proper. We should celebrate this momentous occasion, indeed not to do so suggests a cynicism and anti-Papalism – in fact, an anti-Catholicism which is certainly worrying amongst those who would appeal in all other matters to the Universal Church. And yet we must also pray: for, although I cannot help but feel that finally we have been offered a Code of Practice looks as if it will do, there are legitimate concerns. We have to wait and see what this will mean in practice. And, crucially, we need to educate those who do not really understand it. There are also serious practical considerations for all involved: fears for loss of livelihood, loss of home, loss of church buildings, loss of the familiar, loss of potential. There will be sacrifice on all sides. Yet how else can we be Christians, in the proper sense, without sacrifice? How can we claim to follow Christ if we do not accept his offer to take up our own cross and live?

The angel tells Our Lady ‘do not be afraid, Mary’ and Mary says ‘be it unto me according to thy word’. So, like Mary, we must sing hymns of praise, thanking God for this new hope, that that which we thought impossible, extremely unlikely at best, is now a real prospect. But also, as Rosemary Parslow reminded us at the FIF National Assembly, we must become, now more than ever, like Our Lady pondering all these things in our hearts. And we, the little flock, must pray: to Our Lady and to the Saints for their intercession. We must pray honestly and fervently, because, as I believe the events of this week have shown quite clearly, prayer can be and will be answered.

Rejoice, O Virgin unsurpassed,

In whom our ransom was begun,

For all your loving children pray

To Christ, our Saviour, and your Son.

Praise Him all you little children!

2009-07-16T12:30:00.007+01:00

I am not a child, neither do I have children, so in many ways I am completely unqualified to comment on the subject of children's hymns. I certainly don't think that just because I do not like singing or listening to songs about Jesus wanting me for a sunbeam or similar, our brethren of tenderer years should be deprived of them if they find them an enjoyable and edifying means of devotional expression. It is very important to make church fun for children, but I sometimes wonder if, in fact, we are doing them a disservice by serving them up with children's versions of everything. A small child of my acquaintance likes nothing better than singing endless verses of "Glory be to Jesus", indeed his appetite for hymning the virtues of the Precious Blood could scarcely be greater, and although he has certainly been exposed to "If I were a butterfly..." it has not had anything like the same effect on him.

This occured to me again recently while reading "A Late Beginner" Priscilla Napier's beautifully-written memoir of a childhood spent in England and Egypt during and at either end of the Great War. Even in those days there were Sunday School hymns, the musical equivalent of their wholesome, but dull, boiled fish and boiled milk nursery meals, and the young Priscilla is not impressed with either the culinary or the musical attempts to cater for the young. One disappointing week "Bright the vision that delighted" and "Onward Christian Soldiers" are replaced by the far less rousing "Praise Him, Praise Him all ye little children, He is Love, He is Love." This new hymn is only made interesting for her when an equally unimpressed, and rather braver child starts revising the words, showing surreal and splendid powers of invention .

"Serve Him, Serve Him, all ye little soapsuds," Peter carolled. I listened entranced, to see where the flight of his fancy would carry him next. His face was radiant with enjoyment, his feet beat out the rhythm, no fire from Heaven descended to consume him, "Crown Him, Crown Him, all ye little wigwams," Peter sang on. This was too much for me, and I was told sternly to go outside until I could stop laughing."

By contrast, the nine-year old Priscilla finds in the "Te Deum" a glorious expression of her serious, though childish, religious feeling. Indeed, so enchanted is she by the line "To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually, continually, CONTINUALLY do cry" that she gets stuck on it, and has to be gently reminded by her mother that they have now got to "Vouchsafe, O Lord..." She explains her preference by saying that, "It was the same idea, only how much less soppily expressed"

Of course I am not trying to suggest that we skip the milk and go straight on to solid food either culinarily, theologically or musically; I am not calling for a ban on children's hymns. However, I think sometimes we can underestimate what children can cope with. I was not exposed to the sort of hymns I enjoy now as a child and therefore cannot say how I would have reacted, but there were many other "grown-up" things, perhaps especially the 1950's comedy of Flanders and Swann which I loved as a five year old although I scarcely understood a word of them. Some of it my parents explained to me, some of it remained mysterious until a lesson at school, or a book gave me a clue as to its meaning. One way and another, they kept me entertained and taught me a number of interesting things. The analogy with religious music is not exact, but we should not be afraid of introducing to children things which contain hard words or hard ideas: they will ask questions, some of it will remain mysterious for a while, but that does not mean that children will not enjoy and benefit from the rousing tunes and poetry of "grown-up" hymns.

Catholic or Calvinist?

2009-07-15T22:45:00.005+01:00

So you thought you were an Anglo-Catholic, Anglican Catholic, Catholic Anglican, catholic in the C of E or just Catholic. Are you sure? Are you really sure? Are you sure you're not....

a Calvinist

Put your mind at rest and take the Calvinist Test

(from Trouw newspaper via Faith Central)

I get 50% in the Calvinist Test so it could be worse, but then it could be better too. Amusingly the final question asks if you could have done anything better with the last five minutes than filling in the quiz. I gave the sensible Calvinist answer of 'Yes'.

Liturgical Music?

2009-06-22T13:41:00.017+01:00

Just when you could be excused for thinking the members of the Women's Guild dead (or worse!), here's another musical interlude: Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle (1863). However, despite its name the mass is far from 'petite' and not particularly 'solennelle' as it was written not for use in the liturgy, but for the salon of a Parisien town house. The more pernickety amongst you might also question its status as a 'messe' as it's just so long as to be totally un-liturgical. I've yet to meet the priest with the patience to stand through a thirty-one minute Gloria or sixteen minute Creed, though I may well be wrong. Answers on a postcard (or modern equivalent).

The piece was originally scored for two pianos, harmonium and twelve singers and Rossini himself described the setting as the last of his 'pêchés de vieillesse' (sins of old age). Some movements are entirely ridiculous. The tenor soloist bouncing along to the words 'Domine Deus' is one of the more ludicrous moments. This version is sung by the 'Prince of Tenors', Franco Corelli:

And, just when you thought the piece had reached new heights of utter bonkersness, there is a lengthy harmonium solo between the Benedictus and the O Salutaris Hostia! Yet, in spite of my mockery, the Messe Solennelle has for me some truly uplifting moments and is exciting and dramatic, and possesses a real sense of the holiness. The Sanctus and Benedictus are, for example, very beautiful and moving at times:

So, all you experimental liturgists out there: why not use the 'O Salutaris' for your next Benediction? Delight your congregation with all or some of this 'little' mass setting. You know you want to...!

How I wish I could make these....

2009-06-19T09:00:00.002+01:00

Image source here

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, have mercy on us!

Unreasonable Demands?

2009-06-13T16:12:00.005+01:00

"Robes, scary art, smoking incense, secret doors in the Iconostas popping open and little robed boys coming out with golden candlesticks, chants and singing from a small choir that rolled across the curved ceiling and emerged from the other side of the room where no one was singing."

Other than the Iconostasis (we don't have any Orthodox members -at least, not yet), this description could easily fit most of the churches in which the Women's Guild ~~lurk~~ attend. So, I was stuck by this blog post by a Baptist minister experiencing Eastern Orthodox worship for the first time (spotted on Shrine of the Holy Whapping) especially as I've become quite accustomed to robes, scary art, incense and gold candlesticks.

"So what did I think about my experience at Saint Anthony the Great Orthodox Church?

I LOVED IT. Loved it loved it loved it loved it loved it.

In a day when user-friendly is the byword of everything from churches to software, here was worship that asked something of me. No, DEMANDED something of me.

“You don’t know what Theotokos means? Get a book and read about it. You have a hard time standing for 2 hours? Do some sit ups and get yourself into worship shape. It is the Lord our God we worship here, mortal. What made you think you could worship the Eternal One without pain?"

I've been thinking of this recently whenever I've been too lazy to kneel in the right places or say my prayers when I ought. Faith is demanding -not about making things easy for yourself.

A Corpus Christi treat

2009-06-11T17:21:00.007+01:00

Whether you're keeping Corpus Christi today or on Sunday, here's a treat for the day found in a box of holy cards. Somebody* decided, on 23 February 1900, to make themselves a list of prayers to say in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I suppose the numbers must refer to page numbers in a prayer book -I wonder if any readers with a large library of early 20th century French devotional works can work out which one!

Prières a dire devant le Saint Sacrement exposé

Litanies du Sacré Coeur de Jésus
Amende honorable au Sacré Coeur de Jésus 373
Consécration au Sacré Coeur de Jésus 378
Chapelet – Mystères douloureux 433
Entretien de Jésus avec l’âme adoratrice 391
Amende honorable à Jésus Crucifié 326
Litanies du trés Saint Sacrement 299

This is exactly the sort of thing I could see myself making, losing and then it turning up over a hundred years later in somone else's box of cards.

*E. Cordieu is my best attempt at making out the name but perhaps just wishful thinking on my part given the presence of so many devotions to the Sacred Heart!

More blogs...

2009-06-09T21:46:00.007+01:00

A worried frog

I've just added two more blogs to our blogroll -they've linked to us for quite a while- you certainly have to be patient for recognition round here!

MommyLawyer: Catholic, mother, lawyer, homeschooler and blogger from the foothills of the Appalachians who wants to be a domestic goddess. I'd say she already is -just look at the frog dissection.

Apostolicity: Fr Christopher Cantrell SSC of Fort Worth, with artwork courtesy of Shrine of the Holy Whapping

What not to wear?

2009-05-31T18:48:00.006+01:00

Last week, I walked past a shop selling dresses decorated with Our Lady of Guadalupe. Of course I went in to look but discovered that said dress was made for someone much shorter and slimmer than me and also, by chance, cost the entire current contents of my bank account. You may now be wondering whether Women's Guild, after not posting in three weeks, has degenerated into a blog devoted to shopping, fashion and crash dieting. Fear not.

There really is a serious point to this -I wondered, if I were to buy the dress, how would other people look at me wearing it? In church? In the pub? On the night bus home eating a bag of chips? Would they think it was disrespectful, or that I didn't know what the image was, or that I was another of those nutters (see previous post) ? Or would they view it as an act of Christian witness or ask me what it was all about?

Clothing is often so much more than a few pretty things to wear, as the iconography of Our Lady of Guadalupe shows. It is important to bear in mind her status as the most important Mexican religious and cultural symbol, from her apparition to an indigenous Mexican, Juan Diego, during a period of conversion to Christianity from the Aztec religion, to her role as a symbol of national unity during the War of Independence.

Sun and moon: as in Revelation 12:1, "arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars". However in this case the stars are on the cloak and there are far more than twelve. Another interpretation is of an image of triumph over the Aztec sun and moon deities -in fact the little squashed figure underneath may be a winged moon god.

Cloak: Blue and green were Aztec colours of divinity. I have seen detailed argument that the arrangement of stars is that which appeared in the night sky on the date of the apparition, although to my untrained eye they do seem quite regularly spaced.

Dress: Rose coloured, as one might expect given that the apparition story involves the production of Castilian roses from a Mexican hill. Interpretations of the pattern range from more roses, to a contour map of Mexico.

Belt: A black belt was an Aztec symbol of pregnancy.

Brooch: On the original icon, and some detailed reproductions, it is possible to see a cross shaped brooch at her neck. Despite the indigenous influences, she is definitely a Christian figure.

So, the clothing of one relatively simple and well known image of Our Lady can lead to many interesting discoveries -more of her political and social implications as a Mexican national symbol are discussed in this essay.

Here's an attempt at a representation. Some of the important features can be seen, but I know that constellations, contour outlines of Mexico and winged moon gods are certainly far beyond the skill of the embroiderer!

Mary's Month of May

2009-05-13T11:18:00.003+01:00

If you've not yet read this piece by AN Wilson then here it is for your enjoyment. Members of the WG were in attendance at the Society of Mary's May Devotion at S. Silas, Kentish Town. An excellent day was had by all and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't been!

The Society of Mary 'seeks the glory of God revealed in Our Lord Jesus Christ, born for us as Perfect Man and Perfect God. Christ was given to us through Mary, His Blessed and Ever-Virgin Mother. As Members of the Society of Mary, we love and honour Her, who is shown to us in the Bible as ‘Blessed among Women’ and who was loved and honoured by Jesus.'

The Diary: AN Wilson

By AN Wilson

Published: May 9 2009

Sirens whined, traffic honked. Blocking the buses and the cars, was a long religious procession. The image of Our Lady, borne shoulder high on a bier, teetered forward. Little girls threw flowers. From the doorway of a Brazilian bar a heavily lip-glossed waitress, with cascades of raven hair and 5cm of mini-skirt, made the sign of the cross.

The nutters in the procession, who included myself, sang, “Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!” Behind the 250 people were an army of clergy in exotic rig, and the rear was taken up by two prelates arrayed in costumes that would have been a bit on the dressy side at the coronation of Pius IX – yards of lace, gauntlets, and jewels the sizes of over-ripe strawberries on their hands. One was the Suffragan Bishop of Whitby and the other the Dean of St Paul’s, who preached an excellent sermon at the Vespers of Our Lady that followed the procession and bun-fight. For we were not in São Paulo, or Lourdes, but in Kentish Town. And the clergy at this May Devotion were (just about) Church of England – what writer John Osborne in a superb joke called “Walsingham Matildas”.

These beautiful ceremonies are only the cherry on the pudding – the rest of the time the inspired and inspiring parish priest who is responsible for them is a key figure in the local primary school, tireless in his local knowledge and care for all of us, from the lonely alkies (and that’s just the writers) to the schoolchildren, the criminals and the housebound. Community may be an overused word but it isn’t an overused phenomenon. What else in today’s Britain could bring together people of so many varied ethnic and social backgrounds?

If you happen to be in Oxford on Saturday 23rd May then you could attend the Oxford May Devotion. This will begin at St Barnabas, Jericho, with High Mass at 3pm, followed by a procession to Pusey House; this will be followed by Benediction and then a party in the Pusey House gardens. The preacher is Fr Graeme Rowlands, Chaplain–General of the Society of Mary.

"O Mother! I could weep for mirth,
Joy fills my heart so fast;
My soul today is heaven on earth,
Oh could the transport last!
I think of thee, and what thou art,
Thy majesty, thy state;
And I keep singing in my heart—
Immaculate! Immaculate!"

Losing the Habit

2009-05-04T17:10:00.005+01:00

Available on BBC iplayer -Losing the Habit

From their website:

"British nuns tell the story of the dramatic Vatican reforms 40 years ago that forced them to abandon a life of seclusion and adapt to the modern world.

The Second Vatican Council's Decree on the Renewal of Religious Life in October 1965 may not have dominated the world's news agenda at the time, but it resulted in a revolution. Instead of a flight from the world, women's religious orders found themselves pressured into experimenting with new freedoms in the way they lived and worked. The end result was a 'new religious woman' in a cultural age when women were claiming their voice. But for many, it was a bruising journey: 'I've felt like a chameleon for the past 40 years,' says Sister Dorothy Bell.

We hear the testimonies of four women: Sister Dorothy Bell, June Raymond, Gemma Simmons and Sister Christine Charlesworth talk to Moyra Tourlamain about their initial decisions on entering the church and the subsequent upheaval when the Vatican reassessed its place and image in 20th-century society.

For some, the new encouragement towards freedom and individual decision making was empowering and refreshed their vocation; for others, it felt almost like betrayal. The results are still difficult to gauge. Numbers have dropped significantly, but that was already a trend in the 1960s."

Some quotes from the participants show that opinion as to the success of the reforms was, and still is, mixed. There were clear benefits for mission:

"It came as quite a shock to people when they started looking back at their origins, at their history. For instance a number of women's religious orders realised that they had never been intended to be considered nuns in the monastic sense, they had never been intended to live in large convents, large communities living a regimented way of life. A number of women's orders had been founded for quite front line missions -working with the very poor, working with orphans, working with prostitutes -but working outside the institution. They'd never been intended to wear monastic dress, but these were things that were imposed on them by the church in later centuries."

"I can remember a student saying to me "You know, I feel quite differently about you now that I can see you've got knees"

But also great regrets for what was lost:

"It was simply gorgeous, it was full seventeenth century widow's gear complete with a very complex veil....we wore linen cuffs which were modeled on cuffs that had been made for us by Queen Mary of Modena back in the seventeenth century. It was a very becoming habit, people looked very good in it, but it did take you a while to get dressed in the morning."

"Suddenly you weren't a traditional nun any more and I was quite sad about that because I rather liked the formality and the discipline of the old style nuns."

Listen soon as it disappears at 11:30 on Wednesday morning.

Break the monotony of your day with Spam

2009-04-29T11:00:00.000+01:00

Occasionally, when things are really, really dull, I look through the spam folder in the Women's Guild inbox. It fills up with the usual -offers of shady medication, dubious electrical goods and opportunities to make one's fortune in obscure African countries.

But today brought the cryptic message:

"All past efforts for world peace have failed!"

Catholic Anglicans may not be that popular at the moment but blaming us for global conflict is just too much!

And if this post hasn't been enough of a diversion, you really can "Break the monotony of your day with Spam" -though somehow I've never felt called to do so.

A Good Read?

2009-04-26T21:20:00.007+01:00

I've accumulated so many books that, when I look for something to read, I'm spoilt for choice. And when I go into bookshops, I'm dazzled by the many buying possibilities. If this sounds familiar, then help is available:

Index Librorum Prohibitorum -A searchable database

So, if I get rid of Victor Hugo, Balzac, Flaubert, Dumas, Zola, Peter Abelard, George Sand and Gibbon that should clear some space....

Oh and I'd better take Machiavelli off our Good Read list then.

(Before I start to smell bonfires, the Index was abolished in 1966 and this is posted only for interest and diversion, not to encourage the destruction of library collections which is a Bad Thing. Though it is supposed to retain moral value "against written materials that can put faith and good conduct in danger". Goes to look for the matches....)

"Christ claims you for his own"

2009-04-20T11:46:00.005+01:00

It seems incredible that a whole year has passed since the very first Women’s Guild blog entry and what a year it’s been judging by the statistics!

A little while ago I met a new member of our regular congregation who told me he was being prepared for baptism and asked whether I would act as his sponsor/godmother along with another friend of ours. I felt quite overwhelmed at this: what an honour, but also what a responsibility! I tried to gather information on what I ought to do to prepare for his baptism and for my own role in the future (hilarity ensued when I searched for ‘Godmother’ on Wikipedia.com and was reliably informed that Godmother was not only a ‘female godparent’ but also a ‘cocktail made with Italian Amaretto liqueur and vodka’..!). The baptism itself was conducted at the mass of the Easter Vigil and proved to be a profound and moving experience. It followed the Litany of Saints during which the assembled congregation processed from the choir to the back of the church, clutching our unlit candles and huddling around a small table with a bowl from the kitchen (the church is in a priory and therefore has no font). There was something pleasing about the litany: the list of excellent and devoted men and women who had gone before us - who had been baptised just as my friend and godson was about to be. On a night when our senses cannot help but be opened to the voice and presence of God, to watch a young man enter the Church, the body of Christ, was a tremendously exciting occasion. The priest’s pronouncement ‘Christ claims you for his own’ – simultaneously terrifying and wonderful – particularly emphasised to me in that moment my own identity as one of God’s children and the importance of my duty to act as a servant of God and of others.

On my return to ‘real life’ I read the Holy Father’s homily at the vigil mass at S. Peter’s which spoke very powerfully of the meaning and wonder of baptism:

“... The second symbol of the Easter Vigil – the night of Baptism – is water. It appears in Sacred Scripture, and hence also in the inner structure of the Sacrament of Baptism, with two opposed meanings. On the one hand there is the sea, which appears as a force antagonistic to life on earth, continually threatening it; yet God has placed a limit upon it. Hence the book of Revelation says that in God’s new world, the sea will be no more (cf. 21:1). It is the element of death. And so it becomes the symbolic representation of Jesus’ death on the Cross: Christ descended into the sea, into the waters of death, as Israel did into the Red Sea. Having risen from death, he gives us life. This means that Baptism is not only a cleansing, but a new birth: with Christ we, as it were, descend into the sea of death, so as to rise up again as new creatures.

The other way in which we encounter water is in the form of the fresh spring that gives life, or the great river from which life comes forth. According to the earliest practice of the Church, Baptism had to be administered with water from a fresh spring. Without water there is no life. [...] Saint John tells us that a soldier with a lance struck the side of Jesus, and from his open side – from his pierced heart – there came out blood and water (cf. Jn 19:34). The early Church saw in this a symbol of Baptism and Eucharist flowing from the pierced heart of Jesus. In his death, Jesus himself became the spring. [...] In Baptism, the Lord makes us not only persons of light, but also sources from which living water bursts forth. We all know people like that, who leave us somehow refreshed and renewed; people who are like a fountain of fresh spring water. We do not necessarily have to think of great saints like Augustine, Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and so on, people through whom rivers of living water truly entered into human history. Thanks be to God, we find them constantly even in our daily lives: people who are like a spring. Certainly, we also know the opposite: people who spread around themselves an atmosphere like a stagnant pool of stale, or even poisoned water. Let us ask the Lord, who has given us the grace of Baptism, for the gift always to be sources of pure, fresh water, bubbling up from the fountain of his truth and his love!”

(The whole homily is available to read in translation here.)

Year by year, Lord,
we recall the mystery of Easter,
the mystery which restored mankind to its lost dignity
and brought the hope of resurrection.
Grant that we may possess eternally in love
what we now worship in faith.

Some statistics

2009-04-13T22:22:00.003+01:00

This blog originated from an idea proposed at a retreat over last year's Easter Triduum and, on Easter Tuesday 2008, we wrote our first ever post. So Women's Guild is now just over a year old.

Since then we've....

...had nearly 7000 visits and over 10000 page views
...attracted visitors from quite a few places -from Nova Scotia to Malta
...spent far too much time on the internet -15 posts in February and 1297 visits make it our busiest month so far
...eaten far too much
...travelled across the Channel
...said our prayers

And, hopefully, given an idea of the life, faith and service of at least a few Catholic laywomen.

Regina Coeli

2009-04-12T09:00:00.001+01:00

One Easter morning, St Gregory the Great was walking in procession when he heard angels chanting:

Regina coeli laetare, alleluia,
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.

And he added the last line:

Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Other than this legend, the authorship of the Regina Coeli is completely unknown although it has been attributed to Gregory V, apparently without any reason. During Easter, from the Easter Vigil until Pentecost, it replaces the Angelus and is often sung in the following translation to the tune of "Jesus Christ is Risen Today":

Joy to thee, O Queen of Heaven. Alleluia!
He whom thou wast meet to bear. Alleluia!
As he promised hath arisen. Alleluia!
Pour for us to God thy prayer. Alleluia!

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord is risen indeed, alleluia.

O God who by the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, didst vouchsafe to bring joy to the whole world.
Grant that through his Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Christ is Risen!

2009-04-11T19:29:00.003+01:00

He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

A very happy Easter to all.

Penitence

2009-04-06T21:29:00.004+01:00

From the Daily Telegraph, a slideshow of Hooded Penitents taking part in Holy Week processions in Spain. They walk for hours, barefoot and to the beat of a single drum, carrying floats depicting scenes of the Passion and statues of Our Lord and Our Lady. Their dress varies according to the fraternity that they belong to, but all have the hood in common -to enable them to repent their sins through these acts while remaining anonymous. As the pictures show, men and women of all ages are able to take part, though child penitents are excused the hoods!

Mysteries of the Rosary

2009-04-05T16:29:00.001+01:00

Each decade of the Rosary is recited in honour of a mystery from the life of Our Lord or of Our Lady. From the 16th century onwards, this was set at three sets of five mysteries showing the Rosary's origin as a way for those who couldn't read or memorise the psalms to imitate the monastic Liturgy of the Hours, which involved praying all 150 psalms daily, by substituting an Our Father or Haily Mary for each psalm.

The Joyful Mysteries (Mondays and Saturdays)

1. The Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38)
2. The Visitation (Lk 1:39-45)
3. The Nativity (Lk 2:1-7)
4. The Presentation in the Temple (Lk 2:22-35)
5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:41-52)

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)
1. The Prayer and Agony in the Garden (Mk 14:32-42)
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Mt 27:15-26)
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Mt 27:27-31)
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Jn 19:15-17; Lk 23:27-32)
5. The Crucifixion and Death of our Lord (Lk 23:33-38, 44-46)

The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays, Sundays)
1. The Resurrection (Mt 28:1-8)
2. The Ascension of Christ into Heaven (Ac 1:6-11)
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles (Ac 2:1-12)
4. The Assumption (1 Th 4:13-19)
5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Rev 12:1, 14:1-5, Is 6:1-3)

In 2002, Pope John Paul II added another set of mysteries, the Mysteries of Light:

The Mysteries of Light (Thursdays)

1. The Baptism of the Lord (Mt 3:13-17)
2. The Marriage at Cana (Jn 2:1-2)
3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom and call to conversion (Mk 1:14-15, 2:3-12)
4. The Transfiguration (Lk 9:28-36)
5. The Institution of the Eucharist (Mt 26:26-29)

And as for how to say the Rosary, look here, or it can even be downloaded (not that I've tried).

Holy Cards

2009-04-04T11:43:00.004+01:00

I've found this lovely blog which posts an appropriate holy card every day with accompanying thoughts:

Holy Cards For Your Inspiration

They're all the author's personal collection -what a wonderful one to have. The card above comes from the post for 15 March, accompanied by this text:

There are some things
that can be learned by the head...
Christ crucified
can only be learned by the heart.

Shhh!

2009-04-03T23:55:00.003+01:00

The Most Revd Vincent Nichols:

When doing the commentary for the BBC’s coverage of the funeral of John Paul II, he was asked by Huw Edwards to describe what was happening at a key moment. “No, Huw. This is an important part of the Mass — we will be quiet,” he said.

I like this one already!

The Apostles' Creed

2009-03-26T19:36:00.003Z

(1)I believe in God,the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
(2)And in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
(3)Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
(4)Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
(5)He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
(6)He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty;
(7)From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
(8)I believe in the Holy Spirit,
(9)The holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints,
(10)The forgiveness of sins,
(11)The resurrection of the body
(12)And life everlasting.
Amen.

Varying versions of the Apostles' Creed are found quoted in many early Christian authors: Tertullian, Irenaeus, Ambrose and Augustine are just a few. The traditional belief about its authorship was that each of the apostles had contributed one of the twelve articles into which it is divided. However modern scholarship traces its descent from the Old Roman Symbol, both a statement of belief and a way for early Christians to identify each other, with influences from the Nicene Creed. It may have been intended as a refutation of the Gnostic heresy.

This Creed is still an important symbol of Christian identity -for example,in an interrogative version, it is a part of the rite of Baptism, it is a part of the daily Office and the first prayer of the Rosary.

Laetare!

2009-03-22T18:03:00.004Z

The latest in our series of culinary expressions of the liturgical year: Agnes and I have been celebrating the lightening of Lenten discipline with sherry and Simnel cake. The eleven balls of marzipan on the top represent the eleven true disciples and traditionally this was the cake that young girls in service would take home to their mothers on Mothering Sunday. I'm afraid that I must confess to a complete lack of filial piety in this respect; Mothering Sunday was rather overshadowed in my mind by the prospect of cake!
I used to regard Refreshment Sunday as rather a cheat- an opportunity for the same sort of sophistry which leads one to be increasingly creative with dried fruit as Lent progresses. However, the sermon I heard this morning has helped me to realise that there is far more to it than that. First, it allows us the opportunity to refocus our efforts at a point in Lent when many of us are beginning to flag a little in the pursuance of our good resolutions. We have a chance now to refresh ourselves for the rest of the journey towards Easter. Second, it reminds us that Lent is not simply a time of doom and gloom, ash and penitence. All our acts of fasting and prayer are designed to prepare us for the great festival day and season of Easter. Today offers a foretaste of the joy to come: laetare indeed!

Prayer of St Michael

2009-03-22T07:00:00.000Z

St. Michael the Archangel defend us in this day of battle! Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls! Amen

I'm not going to weigh in on the controversy over Pope Leo XIII's vision here -a quick google search will reveal more than you would ever want to know! He added the prayer in 1886 to the Leonine prayers which he had ordered, two years previously, to be said after Low Mass against the loss of the Pope's temporal sovereignty over the Papal states caused by the formation of the nation of Italy. In 1929, when the situation was finally resolved by the signing of the Lateran Treaty, which created the Vatican City, the intention was changed for the benefit of the people of Russia.

Though these prayers were suppressed in 1964, the prayer of St Michael remained popular. In 1994, Pope John Paul II referred to the prayer in his Regina Coeli address on 24th April:

"May prayer strengthen us for the spiritual battle that the Letter to the Ephesians speaks of: 'Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might'. The Book of Revelation refers to this same battle, recalling before our eyes the image of St Michael the Archangel. Pope Leo XIII certainly had this picture in mind when, at the end of the last century, he brought in, throughout the Church, a special prayer to St Michael: 'Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil...' Although this prayer is no longer recited at the end of Mass, I ask everyone not to forget it and to recite it to obtain help in the battle against the forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world."

This prayer is a vital one to learn for times of worry or danger, or whenever we feel that we are in the presence of evil.

(Also see this post: Who is like onto God -we've blogged about this before.)

A Musical Interlude

2009-03-18T12:12:00.000Z

After a short interlude (because sometimes real life gets in the way of the virtual one...): a musical post.

Just as Advent brings with it a succession of performances of the Messiah, so Lent and Passiontide mean only one thing in the world of vocal music: Bach Passions. Galore. I myself am singing in a forthcoming performance of the St. John Passion and have been given the aria 'Ich folge dir gleichfalls' to render (with any luck as one ought to render beautiful 18th century music and not as one renders fat...)

The aria is a deceptively simple (almost twee) but conveys a fundamental and exciting message. It is imagined as being sung by the 'other disciple' with Simon Peter in Gethsemane:

Ich folge dir gleichfalls mit freudigen Schritten
I follow you likewise with joyful steps
Und lasse dich nicht,
and do not leave you
Mein Leben, mein Licht.
my life, my light
Befördre den Lauf
Bring me on my way
Und höre nicht auf,
and do not cease
Selbst an mir zu ziehen, zu schieben, zu bitten.
to pull, push and urge me on.

I find that in Lent I need a lot of 'urging on' - it's all very well on Shrove Tuesday thinking, 'right, this is it, no more of this, that or the other' - but the long haul is quite another thing. Still, I find that the refrain of this aria is a good sustaining force.

Enjoy.

Anima Christi

2009-03-15T09:00:00.002Z

Soul of Christ, be my sanctification;

Body of Christ, be my salvation;
Blood of Christ, fill all my veins;
Water of Christ's side, wash out my stains;
Passion of Christ, my comfort be;
O good Jesu, listen to me;
In Thy wounds I fain would hide;
Ne'er to be parted from Thy side;
Guard me, should the foe assail me;
Call me when my life shall fail me;
Bid me come to Thee above,
With Thy saints to sing Thy love,
World without end. Amen.

I've given John Henry Newman's translation because, although rhyming isn't very fashionable any more, it does make things easier to learn. It was once though that this prayer was composed by St Ignatius Loyola because he mentioned it in his Spiritual Exercises but in fact, by the time he wrote, it was a widespread and popular devotion. A mansucript in the British Museum has a version as early as 1370, it is contained in the prayer book of Cardinal Peter de Luxemboug (d.1387) and is inscribed on one of the gates of the Alcazar in Seville dating from the mid 14th century.

Traditionally, this prayer may be used after Holy Communion, which is something I often do. A tip though -if you can't remember it all, or want to read rather than recall something and there's a hymn book handy - Soul of my Saviour is another translation:

Soul of my Savior sanctify my breast,
Body of Christ, be thou my saving guest,
Blood of my Savior, bathe me in thy tide,
wash me with waters gushing from thy side.

Strength and protection may thy passion be,
O blessèd Jesus, hear and answer me;
deep in thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me,
so shall I never, never part from thee.

Guard and defend me from the foe malign,
in death's dread moments make me only thine;
call me and bid me come to thee on high
where I may praise thee with thy saints for ay.

To Keep a True Lent

2009-03-13T09:04:00.000Z

Is this a Fast, to keep
The larder lean?
And clean
From fat of veals and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish
Of flesh, yet still
To fill
The platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour,
Or ragg'd to go,
Or show
A down-cast look and sour?

No: 'tis a Fast to dole
Thy sheaf of wheat
And meat
Unto the hungry soul.

It is to fast from strife
And old debate,
And hate;
To circumcise thy life.

To show a heart grief-rent;
To starve thy sin,
Not bin;
And that's to keep thy Lent.

Robert Herrick

The Angelus

2009-03-08T07:00:00.000Z

V: The angel of the Lord brought tidings to Mary
R: And she conceived by the Holy Spirit

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

V: Behold the handmaid of the Lord
R: Be it onto me according to thy word

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

V: And the word was made flesh
R: And dwelt among us

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

V: Pray for us O Holy Mother of God
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Cross and Passion, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Angelus is a devotion in honour of the incarnation which at first consisted of three Hail Marys to be said three times a day in the morning, at midday and in the evening. Later, the three introductory versicles and the concluding versicle and prayer, which is that belonging to the Alma Redemptoris Mater, were added. It is generally thought that it developed out of the 14th century European custom of saying three Haily Marys in the evening, although there are various theories about each time of day which the Catholic Encyclopedia explores here. There's also the useful tip that, for those like me with dreadful memories who tend to forget bits, if you can't remember the Angelus, five Hail Marys are permitted instead.

To remind people to say it, a bell is tolled three times for each Hail Mary and nine times for the prayer at the end. If anyone would like to say it with bell accompaniment, this video provides it , as well as images of the annunciation, as an aid to prayer:

An avid reader of the blog tells me that he once managed to program his computer to ring the Angelus at midday and six in the evening. However, the Women's Guild would like to suggest that one can take things a bit too far...

Salve Regina

2009-03-01T10:00:00.001Z

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
ad te clamamus
exsules filii Hevae,
ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

+++++++

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

The Salve Regina is the Marian antiphon sung after Compline from Trinity Sunday to the Saturday before Advent and, in the vernacular, the final prayer of the Rosary. Recently, I've started saying it last thing before going to bed, which is possibly unseasonal, but feels appropriate, and, of course, actually using it helps with learning it.

Its origins are rather confused being attributed to many including St Bernard of Clairvaux, St Anselm of Lucca, Petrus of Monsoro, Bishop of Compostella, Adhémar, Bishop of Podium, and Hermann Contractus. The Catholic Encyclopedia weighs up the various claims to authorship here. However it is agreed that its current form appeared at the Abbey of Cluny during the twelfth century.

Until I set my mind to learning both properly, I was always more successful at the Latin than the English because of the lovely plainsong, as given below with subtitles for singing along and nice pictures of mountains and waterfalls.

Or if that's not your style, there's always this version:

Prayer and Almsgiving

2009-02-27T21:07:00.007Z

Two small suggestions for Lent:

1) Send your prayer intentions to Fr Steel:

"What I am intending to do is to offer all readers the opportunity to send me prayer requests that I will bring to the Shrine of S. Cuthbert and the tomb of S. Bede every Friday during Lent at the noon hour at the Durham Cathedral. There I will pray for all the needs and requests that have been sent during each week. At the end of Lent, during the week of Easter, I am going to Rome for a retreat. I will take all of the intentions during Lent to the tomb of S. Peter and leave them there as I pray."

Contact details can be found by following the link to his blog above.

2) If you're looking for a charity to support, then consider the Archbishops' Zimbabwe Appeal, launched on Ash Wednesday:

"We need to remember those who are hungry and who are starving. And I have got a letter from a priest writing from the Bulawayo area saying he opened the door and there was seven bodies found there, died from starvation - that's terrible, to die of starvation because we haven't got enough food left." (From a BBC interview with the Archbishops which can be found in full here)

But, as they remind us, almsgiving needn't just be money:

"Interviewer: And your main call is for individual people to put their hands in their pocket and believe that they can make a difference?

ABC: They can save lives, they can definitely save lives.

ABY: And pray and fast as well."

Miserere mei, Deus

2009-02-25T07:00:00.001Z

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

Prayer by Heart II

2009-02-23T21:55:00.005Z

Here is the list I have so far with thanks to all who commented:

1)Salve Regina
2)Angelus
3)Anima Christi
4)Prayer of St Michael
5)Apostles' Creed
6)Mysteries of the Rosary
7)Regina Coeli
8)Prayer of Our Lady of Walsingham
9)Prayer of Jean Jacques Olier
10)Nunc Dimittis
11)Prayer of St Ignatius Loyola
12)Adoro te devote
13)St Augustine's evening prayer
14)Prayer of St Richard of Chichester
15)General Thanksgiving
16)Collect for aid against all perils
17)Prayer of St Chrysostom

Never mind Lent, this will keep me going all year! And then I'll start on the Latin....

(The first person to tell me the quote in the picture's wrong wins a very special prize)

Comic Relief: Are we the Baddies?

2009-02-23T11:24:00.003Z

After hours of explaining why a Code of Practice won't do and why you humbly consider yourself to be following the Church's teaching, have you ever felt like this...?

Prayer by Heart

2009-02-17T20:47:00.000Z

A few weeks ago, Fr Hunwicke bewailed the impossibility of learning psalms by heart due to the vast number of translations in use. I am not even at the stage of contemplating this, but I thought that some prayers might be a good place to start.

So, if we take the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be as given, because these are the only three I can consistently remember without mental blanks and grievous errors, what would be in a must learn list?

Here is mine:

1)Salve Regina
2)Angelus
3)Anima Christi
4)Prayer of St Michael
5)Apostles Creed
6)Mysteries of the Rosary
7)Regina Coeli

This is in no particular order and certainly not exhaustive, but just those that I find myself looking through books for the most. And as there are seven, I could learn one a week during lent and, appropriately, have the Regina Coeli left for Easter week. And of course I'll post them here so you all do it with me! (I'm sure most of you are not as ignorant or forgetful as I am and so you know them already).

But I would like to know if there's anything really obvious that I've forgotten, or any that you would add and why. Or make you own list and leave it in the comments.

General Synod: A magical land in the upstairs wardrobe?

2009-02-12T15:52:00.004Z

Well, the Women's Guild is back from the General Synod debate on Women Bishops. There was certainly a marked toning down of the venom witnessed in July, but nevertheless there was still a sense in which people just weren't listening to each other. There was no real debate, but rather a series of views which could be ignored entirely if one desired, rather than real discussion and argument (in a positive sense). There were more than a couple of moments when I found myself utterly incredulous at the things being said in the chamber. Not least the constant refrain of 'justice for women'. Yes, please. The Church of England was criminal to allow women to be ordained to the priesthood but not the episcopate - I mean, if one is accusing people of being sexist or bigoted, surely that is a fine example! Now that women may be ordained to the priesthood, the only logical thing to do is to ordain them to the episcopate. This I concede. Yet, this justice for women sentence seems to have a silent 'cough' in the middle of it: "Justice for *cough* some women". I'm a woman. I'm being offered a Code of Practice. Which I say won't do. Which is supposed to enable me (a "valued member of the CofE") to stay in the CofE - but, of course, (and as I have said) it doesn't, because it doesn't actually respond in any way to a Catholic understanding of the episcopate and the Church.

It's not our custom at the Women's Guild to point fingers or be 'political', but I'm afraid I can't pass over the Bishop of Lichfield's speech in which he used C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to justify women's ordination to the episcopate. You'll remember that, at the end of the story, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are crowned as kings and queens of Narnia. They are all equal rulers - the boys and the girls. Apparently this is sufficient justification for +Lichfield. For my part, I'm unsure as to what we say about ourselves as a church, if our theology and ecclesiology is based on a fictional story about a talking lion... Not to mention the fact that C.S. Lewis was opposed to women's ordination. In addition, you'll note that a new phrase which was put 'out there' yesterday was "Women in the Church Hierarchy" - the acronym for which is, in fact, a key part of the title of one of CS Lewis's best-known novels... "Is there a 'misreading C.S. Lewis' conspiracy? Is the next step to say that, in his classic 'Trilemma', Lewis is in fact arguing that Jesus is not God? That would certainly be an argument more in line with 'what society thinks' and 'what society wants'. (If this were Private Eye there would now, no doubt, be the following comment: [Enough. Ed.])

Still, it just seemed to me to exemplify the kind of disregard for context that finds us in this mess. In any case, a children's book is undoubtedly far more accessible than the sorts of complex argument set out by the likes of Fr Paul Benfield and the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe. Perhaps we need to be even clearer about things - even more basic in our explanations. After all, that's how Our Lord did it...

And the future? Well, we keep praying, talking, debating, working - all of us, at every opportunity in whatever way we can. Personally, I keep coming back to the first verse of Newman's hymn:

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

The Power of Prayer

2009-02-11T07:33:00.000Z

Further to the comments at the end of my previous post, the Women's Guild joins with Fr Jones and Fr Hunwicke in asking our readers to pray the rosary with intention for the future of catholics in the Church of England on this the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes.

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation. Amen.

Saint Scholastica

2009-02-10T11:58:00.002Z

As I was looking through some of our older blog posts, I realised I had intended to write something about Saint Scholastica, but failed to do so. So, since it's her day, I thought I'd take the opportunity! I was first told the story of Saint Scholastica by a benedictine nun. I rather wish I had a podcast of her telling of it to offer here. Principally, because she told the story with such enthusiasm, wit and sincerity. The story according to Gregory the Great (c. 540-604), Dialogues, Book II (Life and Miracles of St. Benedict) runs as follows:

What man is there, Peter, in this world, that is in greater favor with God than St. Paul was: who yet three times desired our Lord to be delivered from the prick of the flesh, and obtained not his petition? Concerning which point also I must needs tell you, how there was one thing which the venerable father Benedict would have done, and yet he could not. For his sister called Scholastica, dedicated from her infancy to our Lord, used once a year to come and visit her brother. To whom the man of God went not far from the gate, to a place that did belong to the Abbey, there to give her entertainment.
And she coming thither on a time according to her custom, her venerable brother with his monks went to meet her, where they spent the whole day in the praises of God and spiritual talk: and when it was almost night they supped together, and as they were yet sitting at the table, talking of devout matters, and darkness came on, the holy Nun his sister entreated him to stay there all night, that they might spend it in discoursing of the joys of heaven. But by no persuasion would he agree unto that, saying that he might not by any means tarry all night out of his Abbey.
At that time, the sky was so clear that no cloud was to be seen. The Nun, receiving this denial of her brother, joining her hands together, laid them upon the table: and so, bowing down her head upon them, she made her prayers to almighty God: and lifting her head from the table, there fell suddenly such a tempest of lightning and thundering, and such abundance of rain, that neither venerable Benedict, nor his monks that were with him, could put their head out of door: for the holy Nun, resting her head upon her hands, poured forth such a flood of tears upon the table, that she drew the clear air to a watery sky, so that after the end of her devotions, that storm of rain followed: and her prayer and the rain did so meet together, that as she lifted up her head from the table, the thunder, so that in one and the very same instant, she lifted up her head and brought down the rain.
The man of God, seeing that he could not by reason of such thunder and lightning and great abundance of rain return back to his Abbey, he began to be heavy and to complain of his sister, saying: "God forgive you, what have you done?" to whom she answered: "I desired you to stay, and you would not hear me, I have asked our good Lord, and he hath vouchsafed to grant my petition: wherefore if you can now depart, in God's name return to your monastery, and leave me here alone."
But the good father, being not able to go forth, tarried there against his will, where willingly he would not stay. And so by that means they watched all night, and with spiritual and heavenly talk did mutually comfort one another: and therefore by this we see, as I said before, that he would have had that thing, which yet he could not: for if we respect the venerable man's mind, no question but he would have had the same fair weather to have continued as it was, when he set forth, but he found that a miracle did prevents desire, which, by the power of almighty God, a woman's prayers had wrought.
And it is not a thing to be marvelled at, that a woman which of long time had not seen her brother, might at that time than he could, seeing, according to the saying of St. John, "God is charity" [1 John 4:8] and therefore of right she did more which loved more.

The next morning they parted. Three days later S. Scholastica died, and her brother beheld her soul in a vision as it ascended into heaven.

I must admit that, at the present time, the ability to flood a place with one's tears seems to be a remarkably attractive skill! What excites me about the story of S. Scholastica is the sheer power of love and of prayer which her story demonstrates. She is an example of the limitless possibilities if we really and truly have faith in Christ. In the words of Alfred Lord Tennyson: 'More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.' As the General Synod meets this week, we could do worse than to keep the model of S. Scholastica and Tennyson's words in our minds.

"O God, Who, to show the innocence of her life, didst cause the soul of Thy blessed Virgin Scholastica to ascend to Heaven in the form of a dove, grant, we beseech Thee, by her merits and prayers, that we may live so innocently as to deserve to arrive at eternal joys, through Jesus Christ, Thine only-begotten Son Our Lord, Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, God, forever and ever. Amen."

The Ninth Day

2009-02-09T19:07:00.002Z

Opened in 1933, Dachau was Germany’s first concentration camp and was located to the north-west of Munich in the southern German state of Bavaria. It principally held political prisoners. Of the approximately 200,000 prisoners (from more than 30 countries), two-thirds were political ‘dissidents’ and one-third were Jews. 25, 613 prisoners are believed to have died in the camp and almost another 10,000 in its subcamps.

Dachau also served as the central camp for Christian religious prisoners and had a special “priest block”. According to records of the Roman Catholic Church, at least 3,000 Catholic priests, lay brothers and seminarians, from 38 nations, 134 dioceses and 29 religious orders and congregations were imprisoned there. In addition, the community included 109 Protestant, 30 Orthodox and two Moslem clergymen.

Since the 1990s German cinema has been dominated by films which explore various aspects of the country’s National Socialist past. Films include the experience of resistance figures, such as Sophie Scholl, member of the White Rose group in Munich, or the internationally renowned film Downfall which sought to depict Hitler’s last days in the bunker in Berlin. Another such film, released in Germany in 2004 treats the story of a catholic priest from Luxembourg who, after being imprisoned in Dachau, is permitted nine days to try and convince the Bishop of Luxembourg to sign a treaty with the National Socialists. The anti-Nazi bishop had become a problem for the occupiers by ringing the cathedral bells at noon every day as a symbol of resistance.

The film is based on the story and diary-entries of Msgr Jean Bernard who was arrested in 1941 by the German occupation forces as a symbol of Luxembourg Catholic resistance to German occupation. He was sent to in May 1941. In the film, Msgr Bernard becomes Fr Henri Kremer. He is taken unexpectedly from Dachau to Luxembourg where he is met and supervised by Gestapo Untersturmführer Gebhardt who attempts to present an argument for accepting Nazi rule. Gebhardt, who incidentally is an ex-seminarian who forsook the priesthood in favour of a career in Nazi administration, argues that while Jesus may have been a Jew, it was his will to overcome his Jewishness that makes Jesus a model for humanity. The arguments and discussions between the two protagonists form the basis of the film and the primary focus is on Msgr Kremer’s decision: either to stay in Luxembourg and collaborate with the Nazis, or to stand his ground which will inevitably mean his return to Dachau.

Whilst the film is primarily concerned with moral decision-making, rhetoric and theological debate, there is also a great deal of action. Several scenes, which occur frequently in the form of flashbacks when Msgr Kremer is in Luxembourg, depict the persecution of those interned in Dachau. In one of the film’s initial scenes, the audience sees one of the priests taken from the block by the camp guards. The guards put a crown of thorns on the priest’s head and he is crucified on a life-size cross which the camp guards have erected outside the block. The next morning, beside the first cross (on which still hangs the body of the murdered priest) another wooden cross has been erected. For the priests, the life-size crosses represent both a threat and a symbol of joy and hope. The film’s audience is afforded just a glimpse of the suffering endured by just one group of the persecuted, but it is enough to terrify and shock – just as the thought of Our Lord’s suffering and death is unbearably painful. And yet that cross, the very instrument of suffering stands as a symbol of hope, for it is only through suffering that everlasting joy is to be found.

The story of those priests interned in Dachau can give us a sense of hope through the torment they suffered. A review of Jean Bernard’s autobiography, Priestblock 25487: A Memoir of Dachau (translated by Deborah Lucas Schneider) can be found at Roman Catholic Vocations. The author of the post articulates this sense of hope which stories like this can give us. The author writes:

“One message that comes through loud and clear is the absolute joy that the sacraments brought to these men who were in such dire conditions. Although they could be executed if caught, they secretly said Mass and used what little scraps of bread they could find to provide communion for priests and non-priests alike. Fr. Bernard wrote: ‘It is a sea of comfort that pours over the gathering. Comfort and hope and strength for new suffering joyfully accepted’.”

Above all, this piece of historical experience reminds us of the sacrifice we must make as Christians as we take up our cross, but it simultaneously reinforces our knowledge that our sacrifice will not go unrewarded, for in Christ we all shall be made alive.

Passing on the faith

2009-02-08T21:07:00.005Z

On the theme of religion in family life which Fr Jones and Fr Steel have recently metioned, here is a notice found in Douai Abbey. I hope that I will be forgiven for reproducing it in full as it does not seem to appear on their website:

Passing on the faith - Ten Top Tips

1)Pray with your children
Talk to God; teach your children how to pray. A short morning offering and three Hail Mary's before bed is an easy start. Add an examination of conscience, a great way for them to realise what they are doing wrong.

2)Pray for your children
St Monica showed us how her constant prayers turned her son from a grave sinner to the great Saint Augustine. Our children need our prayers to grow in the faith.

3)Be an example
Think about how you talk to other family members -is it mostly with love, impatience, or anger? Do your children see you praying, trying to be good and helping others? Do they see you going to Confession and Holy Communion? All these things will influence them more than you realise.

4)Take your children regularly to Confession
If you go as a family, the family is renewed in Christ and begins again. It is better than any group therapy and Christ is waiting for you, willing you to come to Him. Make a date on the calendar -make it a priority.

5)Celebrate high days and holidays
Find out the family patron saints and their feast days. Make the day special with a cake, a meal out, or a family trip. Celebrate as many feast days as you can, the holy days, Our Lady's feasts, any excuse to make your Faith joyful.

6)Resolve to make Lent and Advent special times of year
Decide as a family what each will give up, what they will do extra and how you can help others. Introduce the idea of sacrifice to build up a spiritual gift for Our Lord.

7)Teach your children their Faith
Find a catechism book and read it through with your children. If there are classes or days in the parish, make an effort to get to them. You will be rewarded, not only spiritually, but your children may learn to think of others and even help you!

8)Make sure your children know they are Catholic
Have Catholic books and saints stories at home. Put a crucifix up and a statue or picture of Our Lady. Make being a Catholic a normal part of their lives. Show them you are not embarassed about being a Catholic. Talk freely about religious matters and show how comforting praying can be.

9)Help in the parish
Could any of your children be encouraged to serve, help with the flowers, clean the church or sing in the choir? Getting them involved will draw them in and help them understand more of what goes on. Befriend a priest or religious so their example can be added to your own.

10)Prayer books in church
A suitable missal or prayer book will help you to guide them through the Mass. It will help them to understand more and may mean they are less distracted.

As I don't have any children, I can't say I've tried to put this into practice but it seems like sensible advice. In fact, a good deal of it could be applied to adults wanting to strengthen their faith too.

LOL!

2009-02-07T10:00:00.001Z

It had to happen eventually: LOLSaints (with thanks to the Shrine of the Holy Whapping)

If there is anyone reading this who has managed to escape the LOLCat phenomenon, then Wikipedia is your friend (and congratulations on having better things to do with your life).

Personally, I prefer the cats, because at least I can laugh at them without feeling ever so slightly guilty!

The Conversion of St Paul

2009-02-06T01:22:00.001Z

What is conversion? Not at all
For me the experience of St Paul,
No blinding light, a fitful glow
Is all the light of faith I know
Which sometimes goes completely out
And leaves me plunging into doubt
Until I will myself to go
And worship in God's house below -
My parish church -and even there
I find distractions everywhere.

What is Conversion? Turning round
To gaze upon a love profound.
For some of us see Jesus plain
And never once look back again,
And some of us have seen and known
And turned and gone away alone,
But most of us turn slow to see
The figure hanging on a tree
And stumble on and blindly grope
Upheld by intermittent hope.
God grant before we die we all
May see the light as did St Paul.

I had never read John Betjeman's poem on the Conversion of St Paul until someone pointed it out to me last week (on the feast of the Conversion of St Paul, funnily enough!). As it doesn't seem to be available online, I have typed out the portion above. It was originally written as a reaction to a radio broadcast in 1955 by the humanist Margaret Knight called Morals without Religion which may be found here on the British Humanist Society website. Her argument was that moral education and religious education could, and should be separated. It appears, from reading her broadcast, that she believes there are two types of Christian: those who pretend without belief for the sake of social conformity but worry about what to teach the children, and those in whom beliefs are "deeply implanted and to whom they mean a great deal". She notes that nothing she is about to say will make any difference to the second group!

But the poem, I think, suggests that faith is not something that can be presented in Knight's polarised terms. There are as many different experiences of faith and conversion as there are Christians. Betjeman cannot identify with St Paul's "blinding light" and subsequent unshakeable faith. His doubts, worries, distractions and "fitful glow" may well be more familiar to many, they certainly are to me. There are even those who have a moment of conversion and turn away from it. But whatever one's experience, it is made clear that we must "stumble on" throughout our lives, even if sometimes it means forcing ourselves to church and just going through the motions, to try and establish a faith stronger than a fitful glow. And not everyone will succeed. But, we can't all be like St Paul, nor should we be, the important thing is to try and keep trying.

Stop worrying and enjoy your life II

2009-02-04T10:10:00.001Z

With this new online procrastination tool, your very own Atheist Bus Slogan Generator

Oh, the possibilities.....

And as an antidote to the frivolity, Steve Jones, professor of Genetics at UCL argues that science and religion should leave each other well alone:

Can we please forget about Charles Darwin?

Maybe he's got a point? Any views?

St Blaise, Bishop and Martyr

2009-02-03T09:12:00.009Z

This morning at mass, as is customary in my local church on the feast of St Blaise, we had our throats blessed. The priest held a pair of crossed candles over each congregant's throat, saying: 'May God at the intercession of Saint Blaise preserve you from throat troubles and every other evil'.

This practice apparently originated when a boy who had a fish-bone stuck in his throat was brought to St Blaise, who healed him. Relatively few facts are known about St Blaise. Legend has it that he was born into a rich and noble family who raised him as a Christian. He became a bishop and, during a period of heightened persecution of Christians, he fled to the hills where he cured sick animals. He was captured, sentenced to death by starvation and was finally martyred.

St Blaise is the patron saint of physicians, sick cattle, wax-chandlers, woolcombers (the instruments of his martyrdom), and of wild animals.

O GOD, deliver us through the intercession of Thy holy bishop and martyr Blase, from all evil of soul and body, especially from all ills of the throat; and grant us the grace to make a good confession in the confident hope of obtaining Thy pardon, and ever to praise with worthy lips Thy most holy name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Whiter than snow: a miscellany for the snowed in

2009-02-02T15:52:00.008Z

Those of you who don't live in London or south east England will have to forgive this post, but I haven't seen this much snow in eighteen years! I will now attempt to provide a thin veneer of relevance to my excitement.

Dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Nives was once the name for the feast of the dedication of S Maria Maggiore. Our Lady of the Snows was once the popular name for the Basilica because of its foundation legend:

"During the pontificate of Liberius, the Roman patrician John and his wife, who were without heirs, made a vow to donate their possessions to the Virgin Mary. They prayed that she might make known to them how they were to dispose of their property in her honour. On 5 August, at the height of the Roman summer, snow fell during the night on the summit of the Esquiline Hill. In obedience to a vision of the Virgin Mary which they had the same night, the couple built a basilica in honour of Mary on the very spot which was covered with snow."

Though, even the Catholic Encyclopedia goes on to admit "From the fact that no mention whatever is made of this alleged miracle until a few hundred years later, not even by Sixtus III in his eight-line dedicatory inscription ... it would seem that the legend has no historical basis." So, despite the loss of the romantic name, for once, change is perhaps a good thing.

Eulalia of Mérida was a virgin martyred during the reign of Diocletian and Maximian. Her mother feared that her daughter would only get herself into trouble during the persecution with her outspoken piety and so hid her in the countryside. Eulalia escaped to the court of the governor and challenged him to martyr her. She was stripped, tortured and burnt but continued to mock her torturers throughout. John William Waterhouse's painting, now in the Tate, shows a cross as an instrument of torture but includes the white dove that flew out of her mouth at her death and the miraculous snowfall, symbolic of her sainthood, that covered her naked body.

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow"

The Neck Verse was a name for Psalm 51 from which the lines above are taken. Until 1827, anyone convicted of a felony could escape the death penalty by a legal loophole called benefit of clergy. As secular courts had originally had no jurisdiction over the clergy, anyone appearing with a tonsure would be handed over to the church for trial, where the sentence was likely to be significantly more lenient. This was not hard to fake, so a reading test from the Bible was added. However, the test was always the same passage, begining "Miserere mei Deus, secundum misericordiam tuam..." so not even literacy was necessary, just a good memory.
Eventually, benefit of clergy became a way for first offenders to obtain a light sentence automatically, but they were branded to stop them taking advantage of it again. Amusingly but absurdly, it was extended to women in 1624.

I hope this has been diverting and I notice that it has now stopped snowing here.

Culinary Piety

2009-01-28T11:48:00.006Z

On a recent trawl of the internet I came across this gastronomic aid: 'Cooking with the Saints'. It promises 'a variety of 170 recipes and inspiring biographies of 73 Saints' and enables you to 'Celebrate the Catholic tradition of honoring Saints with special meals and recipes on their feast days.'
Sadly there's no recipe for St. Thomas Aquinas. Instead, here's an example from the recipe for St.Agnes' day: 'Agnesenplätzchen', little biscuit sandwiches filled with apricot jam. The recipe is accompanied by the story of St. Agnes' life and a reproduction of a 6th century mosaic depicting the saint.

This strikes me as a splendid way to follow the liturgical calendar and to broaden one's culinary horizons! You can have a good look at the contents here on the amazon website.

Enjoy...!

From Saul to Paul

2009-01-25T19:57:00.002Z

'O glorious St. Paul, who from a persecutor of Christianity, didst become a most ardent Apostle of zeal; and who to make known the Savior Jesus Christ unto the ends of the world didst suffer with joy imprisonment, scourgings, stonings, shipwrecks and persecutions of every kind, and in the end didst shed thy blood to the last drop, obtain for us the grace to receive, as favors of the Divine mercy, infirmities, tribulations, and misfortunes of the present life, so that the vicissitudes of this our exile will not render us cold in the service of God, but will render us always more faithful and more fervent.'

Blessing of Lambs

2009-01-23T15:54:00.004Z

With thanks to Theodosius the Cenobiarch and the Vatican's new youtube channel, here is the Holy Father blessing lambs on Wednesday for the feast of St Agnes -if you listen very carefully gentle bleating can be heard under the voiceover:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nkkr7CisI7Q&feature=channel_page

More about St Agnes and the lambs may be found here and Fr Hunwicke on St Ambrose's office hymn and Euripides here (which reminds me how much less I find myself afflicted by the curse of knowing dead languages than I once did!).

"Telling it like it is"

2009-01-19T18:20:00.001Z

For those who have been introduced to the Catholic faith rather too late in life to have undergone catechesis, it’s quite possible that they will find certain things rather strange, possibly uncomfortable and often down-right odd. It’s reminiscent of a scene in Brideshead Revisited in which the young Cordelia convinces the unsuspecting Rex that there are ‘sacred monkeys in the Vatican’. His credulity is entirely forgivable – given that Christians believe that a man died and was resurrected, sacred monkeys seem pretty plausible (perhaps the crew of massinformation can confirm or deny the monkeys’ existence…).

I’ve often found myself being asked such apparently self-evident questions as ‘why do you go to church on Sundays?’ and ‘what’s a rosary actually for?’ and found I couldn’t give a snappy answer, at least not without thinking about it. Access to helpful tracts or pamphlets, such as the Tufton tracts, or those produced by individual churches, has been of tremendous importance in providing clear and brief initial ideas as well as guidance for further reading.

The Basilica of Saint Ambrose and Saint Charles in Rome (as well as hosting a relic of St. Charles Boromeo’s heart…) has a number of stands at the entrance to the church which hold a good thirty or so different tracts, entitled ‘Current Topics’ which have been translated (very well indeed) into various European languages. Topics include ‘How to Pray’, ‘Why go to Mass every Sunday?’, ‘Marriage and Family in the Christian Faith’ and ‘Our Lady: how do we venerate her?’. They provide straightforward instruction as well as links and references for further reading. They are available online in English (there’s a menu at the top, right-hand corner of the screen to select the different languages). You can also obtain paper copies from the Basilica itself in return for a donation (of whatever you can afford) to cover printing costs. I hope readers will find them an interesting and useful resource.

What I find so appealing about these pamphlets, aside from their brevity (!) is that they provide a helpful balance between theory and practice. They explain concepts and the history of traditions and ideas, yet they also offer practical guidance on how to live out these creeds in one’s everyday life. They cover a range of topics, some of which may prove highly problematic and difficult to confront: examination of conscience, priestly celibacy, homosexuality, death, illness, sexual intercourse before marriage to name but a few. Yet they face these topics accessibly and unapologetically. They promote obedience, but simultaneously place the importance of reason and reasoning alongside that obedience.

I hope they make for interesting reading…

Excellent Women: St Geneviève

2009-01-03T07:00:00.002Z

While we may blog about whatever acts of religious devotion we have most recently attended, in the 17th century, Madame de Sévigné could only write letters, and being unable to provide photos from every possible angle, she had to rely on extremely detailed description. She writes to her daughter about the procession of the relics of St Geneviève held yearly in Paris to protect the city from harm:

"Do you know that this procession is considered a very fine sight. It is attended by all the religious orders, in their respective habits, the curates of the several parishes, and all the canons of Notre-Dame, preceded by the archbishop of Paris in his pontificals, and on foot, giving his benediction to the right and left as he goes, till he comes to the cathedral; I should have said to the left only, for the Abbe de St. Geneviève marches on the right, barefoot, and preceded by a hundred and fifty monks, barefoot also; the cross and mitre are borne before him, like the archbishop, and he gives his benedictions in the same manner, but with great apparent devotion, humility, and fasting, and an air of penitence, which show that he is to say mass at Notre-Dame. The parliament, in their red robes, and the principal companies follow the shrine of the saint, which glitters with precious stones, and is carried by twenty men clad in white, and barefoot. The provost of the merchants, and four counselors, are left as hostages at the Church of St. Geneviève, for the return of this precious treasure. You will ask me, perhaps, why the shrine was exposed. It was to put a stop to the continual rains we have had, and to obtain warm and dry weather, which happened at the very time they were making preparations for the procession, which, as it was intended to obtain for us all kinds of blessings, I presume we owe his majesty's return, who is expected here on Sunday next." Letter XLIII 19 July 1675.

St Geneviève is considered to be one of the patron saints of the city of Paris. As a child, St Germain picked her out as someone who would lead a life of great sanctity. At the age of 16, she went to live with her godmother in Paris where she attracted a great deal of criticism for her austerity, works of charity and claims of visions and prophecies. But St Germain refused to believe her detractors, and as Bishop of Paris, he appointed her to look after the welfare of virgins dedicated to God in the city.
But, of course, she didn't confine her activities solely to protecting virgins: she saved Paris from destruction at least twice while alive. When Attila the Hun was preparing to attack, she exhorted the citizens to trust in God and do penance. Attila and his forces turned away towards Orleans and so Paris was spared. Thirteen years later, the city was again besieged, this time by Childeric. Geneviève passed through the enemy lines in a boat to Troyes to fetch grain and save the inhabitants from starvation, as well as negotiating with Childeric for the welfare of prisoners of war.

And while dead, it seems she still protects the city. She was credited with saving Paris from flooding in 834 and an epidemic of ergot poisoning in 1129, which actually ceased during a procession of her relics. Many other miracles were recorded at her tomb in the Church of St Geneviève. Unfortunately, the relics were burnt by revolutionaries in 1793 so the procession that Madame de Sévigné describes can no longer take place.

The church however was spared. Louis XV had vowed to rebuild it with an edifice worthy of the patron saint of Paris, and the work was finished just in time for the revolution. So, the revolutionary government decided that the spectacular building was the perfect location for their "temple to the great intellectuals of France" and it became the Panthéon. Quite possibly they never noticed the irony of creating a shrine to the leading men of the new regime next to the desecrated tomb of the patron saint and saviour of the city. In 1995, Marie Curie became the first woman to be buried in the Panthéon in her own right and, as far as I can discover, remains the only one. But it gives me some satisfaction to think that, actually, St Geneviève got there first of all!

Sainte Geneviève, qui rétablissiez la paix entre les ennemis, priez pour nous.

Venite Adoremus Dominum!

2008-12-27T17:01:00.000Z

During the last week before I went home for Christmas, I was travelling on the tube in London and saw a very pleasing sight. Amidst the hustle and bustle of Christmas shoppers and exhausted tourists, there stood a man leafing through a well-thumbed and ancient-looking breviary. He then proceeded to say evening prayer silently as the tube rumbled along. Having fought my way through Fortnum and Mason (to take advantage of the free samples in the Food Hall, rather than to part with any cash!) and been harassed by countless busy and determined shoppers, the sight of a man quietly bearing witness to what the whole thing is about in the first place was particularly inspiring just at that moment. Days later, I rather wish I’d told him just how inspiring I found it.

Of course I didn't, because engaging strangers in conversation on the tube to tell them how much you're enjoying watching them pray is not always considered 'the done thing'. However, I can't help feeling that, if this had taken place on Christmas night I might well have done so. On the way out of church after Midnight Mass I found myself suddenly talking at length with a middle-aged man who was sporting a baseball cap covered in badges from various countries and continents. I might never have spoken to him, but for wishing him a ‘happy Christmas’. He was alone and looked rather keen to tell someone how he intended to spend the Christmas season (which included a trip to Amsterdam to see his son play bass in a band on Boxing Day!). I found that I had a sudden confidence as I walked out of church which meant I could speak to anyone about anything: any inhibitions or guards of which normally I would have had to consciously rid myself were gone. The beauty of the Christmas story (which, incidentally, overpowered the misery of the liturgy!) and the hopeful buzz amongst those leaving the church created an atmosphere in which the normal rules of life were temporarily suspended. Anything was possible on this night – something miraculous had been made possible in that stable in Bethlehem – and something of this miraculous possibility was in the chilling air of the early morning of Christmas day.

In any of the dozen or so screen adaptations of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol which have been broadcast over the past few days, we see Ebenezer Scrooge cast off the fetters of worldliness, cynicism and selfishness and leap and dance at his new-found joie de vivre. It is his confidence in mankind’s worth and his loss of inhibition which enables him first to ask the urchin passing his house what day it is (the reply: ‘Why, Christmas day, o’ course!’) and then to change his ways for good. Scrooge is transformed and has the confidence and glee to go out into the world and do good. In the 1951 film of the book, the redeemed Scrooge awakes on Christmas morning and cries ecstatically: 'I don't know anything, I never did know anything, and now I know that I don't know, all on a Christmas morning. I must stand on my head, I must stand on my head!'. There's something about Christmas which gives us the chance to stand on our heads, to see the world turned upside down and to do as we never thought we might.

This Christmas I sent a card to a couple whom I met several years ago, who were very kind to me and with whom I’d lost touch. I decided to try writing to them out of the blue, using Christmas as my excuse: ‘because it’s Christmas and so one is permitted to do such things’ (this, I am reliably informed, is a like well-known line from the film Love Actually which just goes to show the widespread acceptance of the idea...!). This sense in which Christmas provides us with a chance to act differently, to mend our ways and to put right our wrongs comes, I think, not from the saccharine tales of individuals having the job of Father Christmas thrust upon them, or Polar Bears being saved from a life of loneliness, or the temporary suspension of feuding in soap opera families across the nation, but rather (predictably, though probably not predictably enough) from the story of the nativity. Every figure in the Christmas story is required to undertake something unusual, unexpected or undesirable. Yet they all embrace the call they receive and, in saying ‘yes’, they do the extraordinary which God asks of them. The moment when history is transformed, when the human and the Divine are met in one, gives us the chance to do so many remarkable and unexpected things. This sense of possibility which reaches a real height at Christmas, when we remember the birth of Our Lord, watched by the shepherds, the angels, Joseph, and Our Lady pondering it all in her heart, reminds us that we can do anything God asks of us. What joy might we see if every day could be so filled with that gentle hum of hope and possibility which crackles in the air on the holy night of Christmas. As old Ebenezer swears, 'I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.'

Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

2008-12-25T15:00:00.000Z

Out of your slepe arise and wake,

For God mankind nowe hath itake,
All of a maide without eny make,
Of all women she bereth the belle,
Nowel!

And thorwe a maide, faire and wis,
Now man is made of full grete pris:
Now angelis knelen to mannis servis;
And at this time all this befell,
Nowel!

Now man is brighter than the sonne;
Now man in Heven on hie shall wone;
Blessed be God, this game is begonne,
And his moder Emperesse of helle,
Nowel!

That ever was thralle, now he is free;
That ever was smalle, now grete is she;
Now shall God deme bothe thee and me
Unto his blisse, if we do well,
Nowel!

Now man may to Heven wende,
Now Heven and erthe to him they bende:
He that was foo, now is oure frende.
This is no nay that I yowe telle,
Nowel!

Now blessed brother, graunte us grace
A Domesday to se thy face,
And in thy courte to have a place,
That we mow there singe, 'Nowel',
Nowel!

From a 15th century manuscript in the Bodleian Library (MS. Arch. Selden B.26 f. 14b). A version in slightly more modern language may be found here.

The best bit is, of course, Our Lady's title 'Emperesse of Helle'. Fantastic! Now, as Christ is King of Heaven and, through his death, has conquered death for us, then, of course his mother, is Queen of Heaven and also of Hell. Am I correct?

But, to provide me with some Christmas afternoon entertainment, does anyone know any more about the origin and use of this title?

And is it true?

2008-12-24T12:00:00.001Z

Now let’s see if I can be the first to post a bit of Christmas Betjeman this year....

I have lived in London all my life and for most of it, I have read and loved Betjeman’s poetry too, to the scorn of my friends with English degrees! His description of a city Christmas reminds me of those of my childhood. Fortnum’s windows and lights on Oxford Street are Christmas for me, not snowdrifts and bunches of holly and yew. So this, other than the Dorchester Hotel, is rather familiar and I am sure that I fall into the derogatory category of a “girl in slacks”, though I do remember that I have my Dad to thank for my taste in poetry.

And London shops on Christmas Eve
Are strung with silver bells and flowers
As hurrying clerks the City leave
To pigeon-haunted classic towers,
And marbled clouds go scudding by
The many-steepled London sky.

And girls in slacks remember Dad,
And oafish louts remember Mum,
And sleepless children's hearts are glad,
And Christmas morning bells say 'Come!'
Even to shining ones who dwell
Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.

More so, in that, as for most of the Christmases in my life, I wasn’t a Christian, they really were all about the family love that Betjeman compares here with God’s love by which his son is “become a child on earth for me”. So, as Christmas, for me, was until last year, mainly about that family love and, of course, family traditions, I now feel torn. I would dearly love to be able to go to midnight mass and the mass of the day in my parish church, but it will probably be mass of the vigil and then home to my parents on the last train to decorate the cake and make stuffing and do all those things that I have helped with since I was big enough to reach the kitchen worktops. Don’t think I’m complaining –my Christmas will be a very happy one, as it always has been, but I would like to do both, which is impossible. But whatever I do, I feel as if I am neglecting someone, my family or God, and the end of the poem pricks my guilty conscience, that presents and food and celebrations shouldn’t be more important than God at Christmas.

And is it true? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant.

No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was Man in Palestine
And lives to-day in Bread and Wine.

But we can always find a compromise. Last year, in the end, I went to the church closest to my parents’ house on Christmas morning. And because it was raining, Dad drove me there, and then he said he may as well come in, and then he stayed for the whole service. At the end, he said “Do you know, I think I can understand now why you like going to church so much”.

O Emmanuel

2008-12-23T18:51:00.004Z

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster,
exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.

(“O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.”)

“The Lord himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”(Isaiah 7:14)

O Rex Gentium

2008-12-22T16:26:00.003Z

O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

(“O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.”)

"For a child has been born for us, a son given us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

O Oriens

2008-12-21T17:52:00.004Z

O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

(“O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”)

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined." (Isaiah 9:2)

O Clavis David

2008-12-20T13:55:00.007Z

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel;
qui aperis, et nemo claudit;claudis, et nemo aperit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

(“O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.”)

"I will place the Key of the House of David on His shoulder; when he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open.” (Isaiah 22:22)
“His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over His kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.” (Isaiah 9:6)

O Radix Jesse

2008-12-19T18:08:00.002Z

Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem Gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.

(“O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.”)

“But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (Isaiah 11:1)

O Adonai

2008-12-18T22:56:00.003Z

13th century icon of Isaiah and Mary, mother of God of the burning bush

O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel,
qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

(“O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.”)

“But He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” (Isaiah 11:4-5).

O Sapientia

2008-12-17T21:51:00.003Z

I was told sternly the other day that I was not to put up the crib until the O antiphons start. I then realised that, other than the names of each one, I had little idea why or what they were. And even my idea of the definition of an antiphon was somewhat hazy.

So for those who wallow in ignorance similar to mine, Fr William Saunders explains:

"The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil."

Right, now I see. And each of these is named after a title for the Messiah and refers to one of the prophecies of Isaiah. So, today we start with:

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

(O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.)

"The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” ( Isaiah 11:2-3).

I'm still not sure why the crib had to wait til today though.

The Trumpet shall Sound!

2008-12-07T18:19:00.004Z

I've just enjoyed (or endured, depending on your view!) my first performance of Handel's 'Messiah' this Advent. It was a good, solid performance with some excellent young soloists, although disappointingly the tradition of the audience standing for the Halleluiah chorus was only continued by two people!

As I listened to the performance, I was struck once again by the beauty of one of the final arias: the bass's 'The trumpet shall sound'. The soloist sings the recitative: 'Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet'. This is followed by the aria: 'The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality'. Here’s a video for your enjoyment!

It's a glorious aria, with the trumpet part accompanying the singer who has to tackle technical difficulties and who needs a great amount of stamina (although I'm sure you'll agree that the singer in this recording, Alastair Miles, makes it look like a walk in the park!).

I find the aria so uplifting as it seems to offer us two causes for joy: firstly, the promise that, after death, we shall indeed be changed, entering into eternity in God's kingdom. Secondly, there is the more subtle reminder that we have been made new in our knowledge and love of Our Lord. When we embark on the Christian journey, when we let Christ into our hearts, we become changed by His grace: our old way of life, particularly for those of us who have not been brought up as Christians, is transformed. A new way of living is offered to us in the example and teachings of Jesus and so in a very real sense we have been changed already in the knowledge and love of Him.

Handel's musical interpretation of these joys is triumphant and reminds the listener of the power and love of God. During the reflective quiet and preparation of Advent, it offers a glimpse of the joys of Easter and finally to the Last Day when He shall come again with glory and, as the soprano soloist proclaims earlier in the 'Messiah': ‘and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep’.

"Buckaroo: the Sport of Kings..."*

2008-11-26T15:20:00.001Z

Another distraction from the weighty concerns of the day: some board games! These offerings which I've found are both entertaining and edifying, it would seem.

There's 'Catholic - opoly' and 'Bible-opoly' (catchy names, aren't they...?), the 'Journeys of Paul Catholic Strategy Game', the 'Mary Memory Card Game' and 'Divinity' - the game which teaches you the catechism as you move around the board!

I'm sure there's a potential line in designing these games. Perhaps the General Synod could market one to raise funds. There could be a buckeroo-esque contraption onto which 'traditionalists' have to pile ammendments before it finally pops up and they all comes crumbling down. (Another suggestion was 'Trivial Pursuit'...).

On a serious note, however, there seems to be a lot of good in these (albeit somewhat 'niche') games. I wonder how many of our readers have them/use them with Sunday School pupils and so forth. Are there any others which we should know about? Answers on a postcard! Or on the back of a Mary Memory Game card, of course...

(*10 points to anyone who guess the source of this quotation.)

"Popping In"

2008-11-19T20:03:00.004Z

I have recently started watching, extraordinarily enough for the first time, the television adaptation of "Brideshead Revisited." I have read the book many times and find that it is the sort of book which seems to change shape every time I do so. I first read it almost exclusively for the jolly larks and nostalgia, rather skipping over the adultery, the pain and, really, most of the religion. Every subsequent reading has led me to concentrate on something new, looking beyond the teddy bear and Brandy Alexanders, and watching the televised version has had the same effect. Recently, something that Cordelia said, when Bridey talks of closing the chapel, struck a chord with me.

"We must have the Blessed Sacrament here," said Cordelia. "I like popping in at odd times; so does mummy."

"Popping in" to visit the Sacrament has become more and more important to me recently. I am very fortunate that directly next to the place where I work, there is a church in which it is possible to kneel in the ante-chapel (Not the ante-chapel. What do you call the ante-chapel in a church?) in view of the tabernacle, even when the main church is locked. I frequently visit after work or during a break to say the office, or the rosary, or simply to kneel in prayer for a moment or two. Often while I am there, other people come in for a few minutes to do the same thing.

When I was at university, I would often visit the chapel during the day for a few minutes here and there and this was something that I missed when doing postgraduate work at a university which did not have a chapel. It was very valuable to have the opportunity to sit or kneel in a beautiful and (generally!) quiet environment. The church I "pop in" to now is neither so quiet, nor so beautiful, but it has one thing that my student chapel did not have: the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the sanctuary. I can (and should, more than I do) pray to God anywhere, at work, at home, on the bus and it is all very good. Praying before the Sacrament, however, is an even greater source of strength and consolation, one which I find hard to describe.

As an undergraduate, I was able to go to daily Mass, and this is something I miss greatly. Now, because of tedious things like jobs and where I live it is much more difficult to go to Mass during the week, and because of a mixture of legitimate practical reasons and sheer laziness, I rarely do so. Things like visiting the Sacrament, praying the rosary on the bus, or saying the angelus (being in earshot of the angelus bell is another benefit of my work place!) are important substitutes for the daily services of my university days.

To draw yet another, rather more frivolous comparison, with those halcyon days of libraries and essay crises, my religious life now has become rather more like my social life was then. In those days it wasn't really necessary to arrange to meet my friends, I just bumped into them, or popped round to visit. Sadly, this is no longer the case with my friends, scattered far and wide as we are. I can however, still "pop in" to visit the Sacrament. And, with Jesus, you never feel that you ought to be writing an essay instead.

Christmas Shopping

2008-11-17T20:49:00.008Z

Much as I should hate to pander to the aggressive consumerism which has the shops already decked with tinsel, bells and coloured lights, I have found a superb website which, if you wanted to use it for your Christmas shopping, you'd have to think about now!

This website was recommended to me by a friend and has proved useful in birthday/Christmas present ideas. It is also very reliable in delivering! There are a range of notebooks, t-shirts, hoodies, mousemats, mugs and so forth with amusing (sometimes extreme, and not in a good way) captions and illustrations. Particular favourites: 'What part of hoc est corpus meum don't you understand?', 'It's extraordinary in Latin' and 'Be a good catholic and eat some Jesus!'.
Well worth a look even if you don't intend to part with any cash!

And remember folks, as the t-shirt tells us: Jesus is the Reason for the Season: Keep Christ in Christmas! (I'm sorry - I just couldn't resist...)

NB: The Women's
Guild will not be receiving a commission for this 'ad'. Honestly.

Excellent Women: St Hilda of Whitby

2008-11-17T09:00:00.002Z

After her husband's murder, Bregusuit used to dream about searching for him everywhere and not being able to find him. Instead, she found a precious jewel under her dress which "cast such a light as spread itself throughout all Britain". This dream was fulfilled in her little daughter Hilda who became the Abbess Hilda, of whom Bede says

" All that knew her called her Mother, for her singular piety and grace, was not only an example of good life, to those that lived in her monastery but afforded occasion of amendment and salvation to many who lived at a distance, to whom the fame was brought of her industry and virtue."

Hilda went to live at the court of her great uncle King Edwin where she was converted by the preaching of St Paulinus and decided to enter religious life. At first she resolved to join her sister at Chelles Abbey in France, but St Aidan of Lindesfarne gave her a piece of land by the river Wear where she started to live a monastic life with a few companions. Aidan then appointed her abbess of Hartlepool Abbey where she organised and established a rule of life according to his instruction. When she became the founding abbess of the monastery at Whitby, Bede mentions that she did exactly the same there:

"She taught there the strict observance of justice, piety, chastity, and other virtues and particularly of peace and charity; so that after the example of the primitive church, no person was there rich, and none poor, all being in common to all and none having any property. Her prudence was so great, that not only indifferent persons, but even kings and princes, as occasion offered asked and received her advice; she obliged those who were under her direction to attend so much to reading of the Holy Scriptures, and to exercise themselves so much in works of justice that many might be there found fit for ecclesiastical duties and to serve at the altar."

Both Hartlepool and Whitby were double monasteries where men and women worshipped together in church but otherwise lived in separate buildings. Whitby alone produced five bishops: Bosa, Hedda, Oftfor, St John of Beverley, Bishop of Hexham and St Wilfrid, Bishop of York. She was also a patron to the poet Caedmon who was a herder at the monastery.

Despite suffering from a recurring fever for the last six years of her life, Hilda refused to give up any of her work. In the year before she died, she established another monastery at Hackness. One night, a nun there called Begu heard the bell that was used to wake the sisters every morning, to call them to prayer and if there was a death. When she opened her eyes, instead of the room filled with sleeping nuns, she could see Hilda being led to heaven by angels. She woke the others and they spent the night in church praying for the repose of their abbess's soul. In the morning, a messenger came from Whitby with news of her death, but the nuns announced that they already knew.

St Hilda must have been stubborn, fierce and bloody minded, as well as extremely capable and intelligent, which endears her to me. But she was clearly very much loved and shows that, even in the 7th century, women did a lot more than just look decorative! Perhaps this is why she is now considered to be the patron in particular of women's education, as well as learning and culture.

So, as her feast falls this week (on either the 17th or 19th), may I ask your prayers for all university students, for those women who are still denied the opportunity of education, for St Hilda's College, Oxford, and for the church of St Hilda, Cross Green in Leeds whose Comper banner illustrates this post.

Contact Us

2008-11-16T22:18:00.000Z

We've set up a Women's Guild email address to which you can find a link in the sidebar. If you enjoy reading the blog, then please say hello, or use it for suggestions or ideas for new posts.

If you don't use a mail client, such as Outlook, then you can see the actual address by letting the mouse hover over the link and looking in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. I realise that this is probably blindingly obvious to everyone else, but I've only just noticed. Amazing.

An Open Letter to the House of Bishops

2008-11-13T12:34:00.008Z

I have reproduced in full below an open letter to the House of Bishops from the members of massinformation. We at Women's Guild would like to add our support and prayers to this letter and ask all our readers to pray for the House of Bishops, the massinformation team and all seminarians affected by this situation over the next few days:

Most Reverend and Right Reverend Fathers in God,

You will soon meet as a House of Bishops to discuss the current state of the Church of England and, particularly, the decision made at General Synod over the summer. As young people training for the ministerial priesthood in the Church of England we have attempted to put into words our concerns and anxieties about the future, and to offer you, in some small way, an insight into our hopes and fears for, potentially, forty years of ordained ministry.

The decision by General Synod in July to consider a Code of Practice, rather than structural alternatives, presents a significant problem for those who are opposed to the ordination of women. Many of this integrity have suggested that it is “too soon to give up” and that something effective can come from the next Group of Sessions. We fear this is unlikely. If the Church of England chooses not to provide appropriate structural solutions, as this resolution by General Synod would seem to indicate, it would be foolhardy - and even disingenuous - to continue to prepare for a life of ordained ministry in the Church of England.

General Synod is the “synodically governed” part of the Church of England’s systems of authority, but there is another: the recognition that it is “episcopally led” is as vital to this discussion, and it is this element that we wish to address. At the July Group of Sessions, Synod decided to disregard the interventions of the two Archbishops and a number of our most senior bishops. This would seem to undermine the authority of the Archbishops, and appears to reflect a distressing disunity within the House of Bishops itself.

If the House of Bishops is to lead us from the brink of irreparable damage to the systems of government within the Church of England, then this is the time to do it. Whether you, as the bishops of the Church of England, wish to follow this route is your decision. We will continue to pray for an increased unity in the House of Bishops in order that the same unity might spread throughout the Church of England.

There has been much discussion of a Code of Practice but, as we have stated above, this is unworkable. Fr Jonathan Baker’s resignation from the Manchester Group indicates the strength with which the constituency resents being, seemingly, ‘dealt with’ in this way. A Code of Practice may seem attractive on paper, but it is hard to see how it could sustain a body of Christians shaped for mission and evangelism and who are not merely tolerated, but respected.

Many have pointed to other Provinces within the Anglican Communion as examples of places where women are ordained to the episcopate, using this as a reason for us to consider it within the Church of England. If this is taken seriously as legitimising the quest for episcopal ordination for women, it follows that other related examples within the Communion should also be taken seriously. The House of Bishops need not be reminded of the current situation in the United States, where it is possible to see instances in which such a Code of Practice has failed to provide for those it intends to. A similar situation has developed in the decision by the Governing Body of the Church in Wales not to replace the Provincial Assistant Bishop following his recent retirement.

The House of Bishops has the opportunity to bring this situation under control. Nobody would suggest that this issue is going to go away; nobody would suggest that the House of Bishops can, over the course of a weekend, solve all the problems that currently exist. However, it is possible for the House of Bishops to provide the leadership and unity that is so urgently needed on this matter.

The House of Bishops represents as broad a range of opinions as the Church of England encompasses—and well it should. On this issue a matter of Christian Unity is at stake. Not only within the Church of England, but in the church at large, there is genuine concern that the future could bring further dissonance and disunity to Christ’s Church, bringing realistic hopes for Christian Unity to an end.

A Code of Practice cannot sustain the Church of England as it is today. The House of Bishops has the potential to do something about that, and to come together as a model of Christian living, affirming and including all within our number.

With our good wishes and prayers,

http://www.massinformation.org/

Catholic Cuisine

2008-11-10T21:53:00.004Z

I've just come across this blog filled with delicious recipes including baked potato mice for St Martin's day, lion cupcakes for St Mark and many other good things:

Catholic Cuisine

I am filled with admiration and it makes me miss the days when I had time for proper cooking. Let's hope that it proves to be an encouragement.

No desertion? Nun at all*

2008-11-07T22:19:00.007Z

With apologies for the recent absence of blogging, here is this week's news story about nuns, or rather, just one very determined nun:

"I am alive and kicking, and so is the Community of the Epiphany"

Ninety-two year old Sister Elizabeth, the last survivor of her order, still takes part in services and has written a homily on the importance of obedience for a service to mark the 125th anniversary of the Community of the Epiphany. At its largest after the World Wars, the community numbered over seventy and worked particularly with children and the disadvantaged, even setting up a mission in Japan.

The Daily Express adds a romantic detail that the war widows who joined the order gave their engagement rings to be melted down into a chalice for Truro cathedral. Apparently, religious life was still seen as a "suitable place to go" for a woman who had lost her husband or fiance. This surprised and disappointed me a little, as I had thought, and this is possibly naive, that the growth in choices and opportunities for women by the end of the first, and certainly the end of the second, World War would have removed the need for a "suitable" place for single women. Surely these vocations were a positive call to the religious life, and not just a desire to leave the secular world? Does this explanation belittle these women's call or does it reflect a sensible and pragmatic decision at the time? What do we think?

But as Sister Elizabeth is the only remaining member, this question is perhaps now of only academic interest. Richard Norman's article, in November's edition of New Directions (for which a mantilla tip to massinformation), considers what we are losing in "failing to recognise and encourage" these vocations as distinct from those to ordained ministry, and asks us to:

"Pray that God would call men and women to the religious life and that we should be granted grace to look for and answer this call."

*I'm so sorry, I just couldn't resist it

Font Spotting...

2008-10-27T14:48:00.001Z

Following massinformation's post on the new font at Salisbury Cathedral, I felt a word should be said about the font in Norwich Cathedral which I saw for the first time this summer. It is a large copper bowl which was once used to make toffee in the Rowntree-Nestle chocolate factory in Norwich. The 15th century seven sacrament font is now housed in St. Luke's Chapel and apparently originally came from the lost church of St Mary-in-the-Marsh, which once stood inside the Cathedral Close.

When I used 'Google' to find a picture of the new font, I came across this (I found the gurgling baby noises a little chilling, but it seems to be a good resource nonetheless..!). It seems that, if you're going to replace something in a cathedral, or indeed any church, then to use something which already exists (like, I suppose, apparatus from an old factory) is environmentally friendlier than constructing something new. That's how I've squared it with myself anyway: I rather think it's a shame that the old font isn't in use anymore. Still, it would be less amusing an anecdote than 'I was baptised out of a chocolate vat...'!

Who could ask for anything more?

2008-10-23T09:15:00.001+01:00

As much as it pains me to admit it, at Mass yesterday morning I wasn't really listening. I had a day ahead with two seminar papers to prepare, shopping to do, a staff lunch to attend and music to learn... That familiar line of 'I'm just so busy...' reared its ugly head. Still, despite all that, one line in the first reading made it through the spaghetti junction grid-lock in my brain and stayed with me throughout the day, to the extent that I went to look up the entire reading last night and to read it again - this time properly.

St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, 3:2-12

Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation,
as I have written briefly earlier.
When you read this
you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
which was not made known to human beings in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit,
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same Body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.

Of this I became a minister by the gift of God’s grace
that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power.
To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given,
to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ,
and to bring to light for all what is the plan of the mystery
hidden from ages past in God who created all things,
so that the manifold wisdom of God
might now be made known through the Church
to the principalities and authorities in the heavens.
This was according to the eternal purpose
that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness of speech
and confidence of access through faith in him.

It was the phrase 'confidence of access' which impressed me. My first thought was that it sounds as if Our Lord puts our name on the list which gives us access to the VIP Lounge. We know we've got access - we know we're on the list. If we want to come in, then we can. Of course, if we want to stand outside in the queue then that's our choice. But we don't have to. We have confidence of access. Bring it on!

As a very short person (vertically challenged, as some like to put it...) I often find I just can't reach things. Kitchen cupboards, in particular. The 'confidence of access' makes me think of the little box or stool I'm sometimes presented with so that I can reach up to get whatever it is I need. With the box I'm given I am assured of reaching my goal, if I choose to step onto it. I can't possibly reach without it. I have confidence of access - it seems a little crude to draw a direct analogy with Christ as the box, upon whom I can step to lift me up to the cupboard (if I choose to) of a relationship with the Father... Still, you can see where I'm going with that...

At a time when there doesn't seem to be much hope or indeed confidence that we may all have continued access to the Sacraments, to the hope of reunion with the universal church and to our own local church even, this phrase, this 'confidence of access' seems to me to provide a gentle reminder that, ultimately, we look to something more than the concerns of the present, as weighty as they are in their own right.

It's the sort of thing you want to go out and sing in the jazz style:
'I've got confi - dence of access,
I've got my Lord, who could ask for anything more?
Who could ask for anything more?'

Stop worrying and enjoy your life

2008-10-22T23:21:00.005+01:00

"There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life"

The famous atheist bendy bus advert hasn't quite had the intended effect. In fact, it's brought to mind the words of St Theresa of Avila:

“Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All things pass; God never changes. Patience attains all that it strives for. He who has God finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices.”

So, in other words, "There is a God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life".

The Sound of Music

2008-10-20T16:11:00.002+01:00

It's a wet and windy afternoon and so what better way to spend it than in the company of Puccini and some nuns...? I'm talking, of course, about Puccini's one-act opera Suor Angelica. First premiered at the Met in December 1918, it is the second of the three operas which make up Il Trittico. I first came across the most famous aria from this opera, 'Senza mamma', while watching an episode of Inspector Morse. When I realised the piece was from an opera in which the cast consists almost entirely of nuns, you can imagine my delight. However, there was better yet to come... a walk-on part for Our Lady in the final scene. I rest my case.

As the opera opens we see life in the convent running as usual. After chapel the sisters gather in the courtyard, rejoicing at the beauty of the sun on the fountain, turning the water, as it were, to gold. This reminds them of a sister who has died and Sister Genevieve suggests they pour some of the golden water onto her tomb.

The nuns then discuss their desires — while the Monitor believes that any desire at all is wrong, Sister Genevieve confesses that she wishes to see lambs again, uttering the wonderful line: 'Thou knowest, my sweet Lord, that in the world I used to be a shepherdess… I haven't seen a lamb for five years. Lord, does it vex thee if I say that I want to see a tiny one [...] and hear it bleat? If it is a sin, I offer the Miserere mei. Forgive me, Lord, Thou who art the lamb of God'. Sister Dolcina wishes for something good to eat! Sister Angelica claims to have no desires, but as soon as she says so, the nuns begin gossiping — Sister Angelica has lied, because her true desire is to hear from her wealthy, noble family, whom she has not heard from in seven years. The rumours have it that she was sent to the convent in punishment.

The conversation is interrupted by the Infirmary Sister, who begs Sister Angelica to make a herbal remedy — Sister Angelica's specialty as part of her Cadfael-esque role. This is followed by an announcement that the Princess, Sister Angelica's aunt is paying a visit.

Jolly good, you might think. But, this is a tragic opera... The Princess, a fierce mezzo-soprano, explains that Angelica's sister is to be married and that Angelica must sign a document renouncing her claim to her inheritance. Angelica replies that she has repented for her sin, but there is one thing she cannot give the Virgin — she cannot forget the memory of her (illegitimate) son who was taken from her seven years ago. The Princess refuses to speak, but finally informs Sister Angelica that her son died of fever. Sister Angelica, devastated, signs the document and collapses in tears. The Princess leaves.

Sister Angelica is seized by a heavenly vision — she believes she hears her son calling for her to meet him in paradise. She makes herself a poison and drinks it, but realizes that in committing suicide she has damned herself (I like the slightly Homer Simpson 'doh' aspect of this plot element...). She begs the Virgin for mercy and, as she dies, she sees a miracle: Our Lady appears, along with Sister Angelica's son, who runs to embrace her.

It is an incredibly moving and beautiful piece of music. A trawl through www.youtube.com brings up some rather good extracts from productions of it. This video has Renata Scotto as the lead.

Here's another version with Barbara Frittoli as Suor Angelica:

Finally, if you've another few minutes to spend in the company of Puccini, this is Éva Marton singing the main aria, 'Senza mamma':

For full enjoyment, here's a rough translation of the words: Without a mother, my baby, you died! Your lips, without my kisses grew pale and cold! And you closed, my baby, your beautiful eyes! Not being able to caress me, you folded your little hands in a cross! And you died without knowing how much your mother loved you! Now that you are an angel in heaven you can see your mother, you can come down from the sky and I feel you fluttering about me … You're here, you're here, you kiss me, caress me … Oh, tell me, when shall I see you in heaven? When shall I kiss you? Oh, sweet end to all my sorrows, when can I join you in Heaven? When shall I die, oh, when shall I die? Tell your mother, pretty baby, with a tiny twinkle of a star. Speak to me, my beloved, my loved one.

What can I give Him?

2008-10-18T12:03:00.003+01:00

As Agnes has said, we had a very jolly time at the Bloggers' Dinner and I'd like to add my thanks too!

There have been some interesting discussions of the Forward in Faith National Assembly online which are well-worth reading. As I listened to the proceedings this time last week, I felt particularly drawn to the closing words of Christina Rossetti’s Christmas poem ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’:

'What can I give him,

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb,

If I were a wise man

I would do my part,'

Throughout the National Assembly I listened attentively to a range of people who are working to find a solution, or possible way forward in these difficult times. The Assembly heard from young Seminarians, priests, members of the Catholic Group on General Synod and others, all of whom are playing their part in a practical and useful sense. As the day wore on, I began to ask myself ‘what can I do?’. As a laywoman with no particularly remarkable contacts, no friends in high places, I felt an overwhelming desire to contribute something personally, but wondered what exactly I could practically and usefully do were I to respond to that impulse. I wonder how many people have asked themselves that question. I wonder how many have found a tenable answer.

Well, fortunately enough during the course of the proceedings I got some answers. There were a variety of speeches, questions and responses from which I have gleaned four key areas in which the laity could usefully contribute to the current situation.

1. The first is something which the Chairman of the Catholic Group on General Synod implored us to do: if you feel able to, stand for election to the General Synod in 2010. It is possible to change the balance in the Synod, but only if there are members of the laity who are willing to put themselves forward.

2. Be an evangelist: talk to people who don’t necessarily share our view or even understand our position. If you’re not fully informed, get informed. Know and explain why, as the response to the psalm goes ‘a code of practice will not do’ and why, as in the revised version, ‘only jurisdiction will do’.

3. As Emma Forward reminded us, a huge problem is the perception of Forward in Faith amongst those who aren’t members. I think people's view of Anglo-Catholicism is similarly skewed. There is no sense of the earthy sincerity of faith and desire to serve which is, I would argue, at the heart of Angl0-Catholicism. It is all too easy for others to see us as preoccupied with such weighty questions as who bows when, who wears what, and (more often!) who doesn't. By word and example this view can be altered.

4. Pray, fervently, trusting in Our Lord to carry us through this difficult time. As St. John of the Cross reminds us, “In tribulation immediately draw near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength, enlightenment, and instruction.” I find I can't argue with that.

To end where I started, Rossetti's poem closes with the offer of a glorious and inspiring opportunity:

'Yet what I can I give Him —

Give my heart.'

From the depths of our hearts, filled with the love of Christ, through prayer, fellowship, dialogue, teaching - all of which are at the very core of our faith - you and I, as members of the laity, can play our part. And so we must, for Truth's sake.

National Assembly and Bloggers' Dinner

2008-10-13T18:40:00.005+01:00

As can be seen on Fr Jones's blog, Veronica and I spent Friday evening at the Anglo-Catholic bloggers' dinner. It was wonderful to meet our fellow bloggers, some of them for the first time. As far as I know, we are the only blogging Anglo-Catholic laywomen around, so it felt particularly important to be there*. Many thanks go to Fr Jones and Fr Steel for organising the occasion.

We spent Saturday at the Forward in Faith National Assembly and our comments will appear soon, but in the meantime do look at massinformation and de cura animarum (where I am astonished and delighted at the eighth great thing about being a catholic).

*If I have got this wrong, complain at length below -it would be good to find some more of us!

Our Lady of the Rosary

2008-10-07T17:09:00.000+01:00

On the 7th of October 1571, Pius V was in conference with his Cardinals in Rome when he suddenly rose and went over to the window and said "Enough of business. Let us thank God for the great victory He has just given our fleet". Two weeks later, news arrived in Rome of the victory of the Holy League over the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto. Two years earlier, he had officially approved the use of the rosary and called for public recitation throughout Europe to combat the Turkish threat. For three hours before the battle, the rosary had been said before an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe belonging to Admiral Giovanni Andrea Doria.

Pius V wrote "we desire in particular that the remembrance of the great victory obtained from God through the merits and intercession of the glorious virgin...may never be forgotten" and established the feast of Our Lady of Victory, later called Our Lady of the Rosary.

This reminds me that though I often carry my rosary around with me, and keep one on my bedside table at home, I don't say it as much as I think I do, as much as I think I ought to, or with proper attention when I actually do it. Perhaps public revelation of my faults will inspire me to greater diligence but any advice would be appreciated.

Who is like unto God?

2008-10-02T13:12:00.001+01:00

Like Agnes, I too have been doing some seasonal research for Michaelmas, but having missed the feast itself, will have to be content with publishing within Michaelmas term.

The photograph accompanying this article is of an icon of the Archangel which I was recently given. I have had rather a devotion to St. Michael for some time, particularly since being disturbed by what are vaguely referred to as "night terrors." I found that reminding myself that I had such an ally against real terrors also armed me against those that were a product of my own over-active subconscious.

After deciding to write something about St. Michael, I realised how very little I actually knew about him. I did not know, for example, that the Hebrew name Michael translates as "Who is like unto God?" which was also the battle cry of the angels as they expelled Satan from Paradise. I was interested to read, in the Catholic Encyclopedia, that as well as fighting against Satan, he is also believed to fulfill the offices of rescuing the souls of the faithful from the enemy at the hour of death, being the champion of church and bringing the souls of men to judgement. And this is all as well as being the patron of everything from paratroopers to Cornwall by way of (apparently, and I hope this is true) haberdashers, fencing and hatters!

Among the many interesting things I found on the internet, I came across a more suspicious webpage. On first scanning it, the presence of Leo XIII's prayer to St. Michael and the repeated occurence of the word papal led me to think that it must be Catholic. On closer inspection, however, it turned out that I had been misled. The repeated word was not papal, but Paypal, and the site was selling candles, anointing oil and "grains of paradise" in order to obtain favours from the Archangel- whose name was here translated as above, but without the question mark. The substitution of the relative pronoun for the interrogative seemed to turn St. Michael from God's champion into some sort of demi-god, who could be got on side by the judicious burning of bay leaves.

Angels seem to have a particular appeal for (I don't know how to refer to them: alternative religions?) either as "spirit guides" or as powerful beings with the ability to grant requests seemingly independently of God. Reading this sort of thing, apart from making me cross about being accused of appropriating Jewish "angelology" by people who are quite happy to appropriate prayers composed by the Pope, made me think about how we do, or should, think about angels ourselves.

Angelic saints are clearly different to human saints in a number of ways. From our point of view, their example cannot teach us how to live our lives in the same way as those of the earthly saints can. The angels "who see Him face to face" might not seem to be very relevant to our struggles with temptation and doubt. However, as that same hymn says, we can ask them to "help us to adore Him." We do not have the clear vision of the angels, but, by prayer, we can share some of the confidence of this saint who confronts the devil with the unanswerable question: "quis ut deus?"

St. Michael the Archangel defend us in this day of battle! Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls! Amen

Seasonal Recipes

2008-10-01T20:52:00.000+01:00

First I'll reassure my fellow members of the guild that I'm not turning this into the Waitrose food magazine.

Monday was, as you of course all know, the feast of St Michael (and Raphael and Gabriel..). Michaelmas has particular foods associated with it and I did once promise to collect recipies appropriate for the liturgical year, try them out, and post the results, so here we are:

Michaelmas Goose

St Michael's Bannock

And now, I must confess that I've failed to try them out. I don't think I could fit a goose in the oven and I certainly don't know where to buy rye meal*. So, we feasted on chicken, and blackberry crumble instead. At least the blackberries were appropriate to the feast. There is a tradition that, after this date, they are cursed by the Devil, as, when St Michael threw him out of heaven, he landed in a blackberry bush. This is probably why you can now get them everywhere as a 2-for-1 offer.

*Anyone who thinks they can do either is welcome to show off in the comments!

Carrying Jesus

2008-09-25T17:35:00.001+01:00

From a sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lourdes on 24th September 2008:

"Our first and overarching task is to carry Jesus, gratefully and faithfully, with us in all our doings: like St Teresa of Avila, we might do this quite prosaically by having with us always a little picture or a cross in our pockets, so that we constantly 'touch base' with the Lord. We can do it by following the guidance of the Orthodox spiritual tradition and repeating silently the Jesus Prayer, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, a sinner'. And if we are faithful in thus carrying Christ with us, something will happen, some current will stir and those we are with will feel, perhaps well below the conscious surface, a movement of life and joy which they may not understand at all. And we may never see it or know about it; people may not even connect it with us, yet it will be there – because Jesus speaks always to what is buried in the heart of men and women, the destiny they were made for. Whether they know it or not, there is that within them which is turned towards him. Keep on carrying Jesus and don't despair: mission will happen, in spite of all, because God in Christ has begun his journey into the heart."

The full text may be found here on the Archbishop's website and thanks go to Theodosius of massinformation for pointing it out -he suggests a mantilla tip!

Excellent Women?

2008-09-21T17:39:00.000+01:00

Judah and Tamar, school of Rembrandt

It’s a while ago now, but I wonder if you remember the gospel for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that is the first chapter of Matthew, the genealogy of Christ. An aside in the sermon I heard pointed out that, in contrast to Our Lady herself, most of the women mentioned are pretty disreputable! This has roused the wrath of my inner feminist (yes really!) to provide some special pleading in each case

1)Tamar (Genesis 38): her scandalous reputation stems from dressing as a prostitute to trick her father-in-law, Judah, into sleeping with her. But, she only tricks him into doing his legal duty. Under the Levirate law, when a man died, his nearest male relative had to marry the widow and father a son to continue the dead man's name. Tamar had been married to Er, and then to his brother Onan but had no children so Judah was shirking his responsibility. When Judah finds out that she is pregnant, he orders her to be burnt as a harlot but when she reveals his seal, which he had given to the 'prostitute', he is forced to reveal that he is the father of her child. He also admits that "she is in the right rather than I".

2)Rahab (Joshua 2): unlike Tamar, she really is a prostitute. But some would call her a 'tart with a heart', though possibly not the inhabitants of Jericho. When Joshua sent spies into the city, she hid them from the king under bundles of flax on the roof of her house. So, a traitor as well. But consider why she did it, "I know that the Lord has given you this land...when we heard this, our hearts failed us, and no courage is left in any of us to stand up to you, because the Lord your God is God both in heaven above and on earth beneath." Isn't this a profession of faith and an acceptance of God's will?

3)Ruth: she is not in any way disreputable. I'm not going to summarise the Book of Ruth, but read it because it's quite nice (and it's short!)

All three have in common a loyalty to their faith, to God's laws and a willingness to accept his command, even at a huge price. Tamar is prepared to risk her life and reputation, Rahab betrays her country and Ruth rejects the safety of her family for uncertainty. But for me, the most inspiring thing is that none of them crumbles, bewails their fate and waits for a miracle. They show intelligence, independence and act to better their lives while remaining true to their faith, and God helps them, because they have helped themselves.

(I know I've omitted "Uriah's wife", that is, Bathsheba, but I can't actually find any mitigating circumstances for her adultery with David. I suppose she was the mother of Solomon who was a Just King and Good Thing.)

A Diary of Private Prayer

2008-09-17T04:35:00.000+01:00

Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed,
Droops on the little hands little gold head.
Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares!
Christopher Robin is saying his prayers.

God bless Mummy. I know that's right.
Wasn't it fun in the bath to-night?
The cold's so cold and the hot's so hot.
Oh! God bless Daddy--I quite forgot.

[...]

Oh! Thank you, God, for a lovely day.
And what was the other I had to say?
I said "Bless Daddy," so what can it be?
Oh! Now I remember it. God bless Me.

One way I've found of avoiding falling into Christopher Robin's (albeit very endearing) pitfall is to use John Baillie's A Diary of Private Prayer each evening as part of 'saying my prayers'. I recently came across an updated version, A Diary of Daily Prayer (2002) by J. Barrie Shepherd whose aim in producing the new text was to supplement the earlier work.

I came across a copy of the 1956 edition in a box of books in the parish church in Walsingham last year and it turned out to be a very worthwhile purchase. The book offers prayers for morning and evening to take the reader through thirty-one days, as well as two separate prayers for use on Sundays. Each prayer is printed on the right-hand side of the book, with the left-hand page left blank for writing thoughts, notes or prayer requests. The prayers are, according to the author, intended as aids and are elegantly written and beautifully sincere.

I've reproduced the evening prayer I've come to today as an illustration:

'Let me now rejoice, O most gracious God, in the love Thou hast shown to our poor human race, opening up to us a way whereby we might be delivered from our sin and foolishness.

O God the Father, I praise the great and holy love whereby, when we had utterly gone astray, Thou didst diligently seek us out and save us, sending Thy well-beloved Son to suffer and to die that we might be restored to the fellowship of Thy children.

O God the Son, I praise the great and holy love whereby Thou didst humble Thyself for my sake and for the sake of my brethren, consenting to share our common life, to dwell in the midst of all our sin and shame, to endure all the bitterness of Thy most blessed Passion, and at the last to die upon the Cross, that we might be released from our bondage and enter with Thee into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

O God the Holy Spirit, I praise the great and holy love whereby Thou dost daily shed abroad in my unworthy heart the peace and joy of sin forgiven, making me a partaker with all the saints in the blessings of my Lord's Incarnation, of His Passion and Crucifixion, and of His Resurrection and Ascension to the Father's right hand on high.

O holy and blessed Trinity, let me now so dwell in the mystery of this heavenly love that all hatred and malice may be rooted out from the heart and life. Let me love Thee, as Thou didst first love me; and in loving Thee and my neighbour in Thee let me be saved from all false love of myself; and to Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be all glory and praise for ever. Amen.'

Faith in the Frame

2008-09-14T08:01:00.000+01:00

Is this, the Isenheim altarpiece, "the most harrowing depiction of suffering in the history of western art", as claimed by a panelist on Faith in the Frame, a new ITV discussion series on Christian art? Looking at it certainly chills me.

This was painted by Matthias Grunewald for the monastery of St Antony in Isenheim near Colmar where the monks ran a hospital for those suffering from the skin disease ergotism. Patients were placed in front of it in the hope of a miracle cure. As the programme points out, the patients might well have been able to identify their suffering with that of the crucified Christ as his skin is covered in lesions and discoloured. Their gaze would have then moved to the Deposition, directly below the centrepiece and just above the altar itself reminding them that they were about to receive the body of Our Lord at Communion. And then, the right hand panel depicting the resurrection would provide hope that they might one day be cured, or at least freed from their suffering.

I would highly recommend watching the whole programme which is available for a month on the ITV website. The discussion is chaired by Melvyn Bragg and the panelists are Sarah Dunant, a novelist and broadcaster and Jackie Wullschlager, art critic for the Financial Times, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who reminds us "if we have the crucifixion as a central tenet of the faith, this is what it's about" and not the more cosmetic representations dismissed by one contributor as "Catholic interior design".

This evening's episode features the Wenhaston Doom and a full list of featured works can be found here. It is unfortunately, but not surprisingly, on at 12.15 am.

The Nativity of Our Lady

2008-09-09T20:53:00.000+01:00

In slightly belated honour of the Nativity of Our Lady, here is a painting, Dante Gabriel Rossetti's The Girlhood of Mary Virgin, that I am particularly fond of and something I enjoyed singing yesterday...

Ave Maria! O Maiden, O Mother,
Fondly thy children are calling on thee!
Thine are the graces unclaimed by another,
Sinless and beautiful, Star of the sea!

Mater amabilis, ora pro nobis!
Pray for thy children who call upon thee;
Ave sanctissima! Ave purissima!
Sinless and beautiful, star of the sea!

Ave Maria! The night shades are falling;
Softly our voices arise unto thee;
Earth's lonely exiles for succor are calling,
Sinless and beautiful, star of the sea!

Mater amabilis, ora pro nobis!
Pray for thy children who call upon thee;
Ave sanctissima! Ave purissima!
Sinless and beautiful, star of the sea!

Ave Maria! thy children are kneeling,
Words of endearment are murmured to thee;
Softly thy spirit upon us is stealing,
Sinless and beautiful, star of the sea!

Mater amabilis, ora pro nobis!
Pray for thy children who call upon thee;
Ave sanctissima! Ave purissima!
Sinless and beautiful, star of the sea!

Ave Maria! thou portal of heaven,
Harbour of refuge, to thee do we flee;
lost in the darkness, by stormy winds driven,
Sinless and beautiful, star of the sea!

Mater amabilis, ora pro nobis!
Pray for thy children who call upon thee;
Ave sanctissima! Ave purissima!
Sinless and beautiful, star of the sea!