Trepidation

For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”   Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
-1 Cor 1:11-13

It has been n interesting week. We have a new Pope. God bless him, keep him and guide him in the time he has as our Holy Father.

I have to confess to a degree of trepidation. After the last years of Pope John Paul and the years of bishops and priests playing fast and loose with sexual morals, liturgy and theology, it seemed as though we had a gentle pastor who would secure the passing on of the Faith in continuity with the Faith of our Fathers and who would be firm in ensuring that clerical (and lay) morals would be reformed, that the liturgy would be celebrated with dignity and that theology would be in line with mind of Christ and His Church.

I grieve the loss of Pope Benedict from the public life of the Church (though it may be that his private life of prayer brings fruits we are unaware of) and feel vulnerable to the wolves who will no doubt roam again, thinking they have carte blanche to live in accord with the mores of the world, to abuse the liturgy and play games with the the Faith. But I have to have trust in the Shepherd the Lord has given us. I am oddly stirred by his desire to be a Church of the poor (we have always been that, whatever our detractors may say). I will not say "I am for Benedict" or "I am for Francis". I will say "I am for Christ" and I will be obedient to His Vicar.

That said, Benedict set us on a road of dignity in liturgy, strength in good morals and joy in the Truth of the teaching of His Church.

I am fearful, but still filled with joyful hope.

Magnificent

He has done valiantly with the strength of his arm, driving the proud astray in the conceit of their hearts; 
He has put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted the lowly

There is something rather neat and in keeping with the words of Our Lady that fits with the news that the beautiful church of Our Lady of the Assumption, Warwick St is to be given to the Ordinariate, and that the notorious 'Soho Masses' held there are to cease.

Given the use of the word 'Pride' and indeed the cosy links between 'London Pride' and the 'Soho Masses' it is all the more appropriate and in keeping with the words of the Magnificat, that a group of Christians who have sought shelter in the Catholic Church with remarkable humility - abandoning positions of influence in the Church of England and submitting to the local ordinary and the Catholic Church to begin afresh - should have been given a precious gift with a chance to enhance the life of the Church in E+W in such a central location.

How ever it happened, well done Archbishop Nichols.

A Priest Forever

My priest friend is making a slow but steady recovery from his major surgery.

He told me about an event that moved him today. The nun who has been bringing him Holy Communion each day (I know, I know...) asked him if he could see another patient. He walked gingerly to see the frightened old chap who was having drastic surgery done that day and even though feeling pretty rotten himself, administered the Sacrament of the Sick to the old chap.

God uses us, but especially His priests, even in our frailty.

Liturgy in Glasgow - about to change?

There are liturgical rumblings in the Archdiocese of Glasgow

I hear that the new Archbishop, ++Philip, has been challenged at a recent seminar, in the most filial way, by one of impeccable loyalty and orthdoxy, about the provision of the TLM and traditional Catholic music in the Archdiocese.

Now, the rumblings continue and many of us are concerned that the resources to ensure that the liturgy when celebrated in most churches of the Archdioceses, whether in English or in Latin is done with sufficient dignity and with an eye to the hermeneutic of continuity in the liturgy so soundly expressed by the Holy Father, both before and after his election to the Chair of Peter.

Some have stuck their heads above the parapet.

My own view is that across the deaneries, there should be regular training and practices to ensure that choirs and scholas exist that can sing the Mass, the Offices and the devotions that make up the liturgical life of the Church in a way that is in accordance with the mind of the Church expressed through the ages: plainchant - either in the original or adapted for the vernacular and using the texts of the Mass: Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion and the appropriate tones, antiphons etc for the Office. Every parish in the Archdiocese should be able to celebrate Mass with sung parts from the Graduale Simplex in Latin or Graduale Parvum in English, as a bare minimum.

I hope the Old Guard are feeling a little uncomfortable. Come in MacInwood, your time is up. No more Hoots Mon, Here I Am Lord to a fakey gaelic air.

Will the rumblings currently being transmitted through the Archdiocese be picked up, acted upon, prayed for, implemented?

Who can say?

Thomist rice

Spotted in a deli in the West End of Glasgow. Angelic rice. Who knew?

A Small Sign

Spotted walking up Cathedral St in Glasgow today -  a Dominican in full habit.

As Richard Collins points out, this is remarkable.

A dear priest friend

I would ask your prayers for the priest who married Mrs P and me and who baptised our boys. He is currently in hospital having had major surgery this week for a very large but probably curable tumour. The surgery involved the removal of a couple of major organs.

I would ask your prayers for his long road to recovery. I would ask any priests reading this to remember such a good priest in the memento at the altar.