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“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
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I was blessed to be able to attend the only TLM in my state yesterday morning (FSSP) 2.5 hours drive from my home where, after mass, Fr. W. blessed my guide dog, invoked the aid of St. Hubert (among others) to intercede for myself and said guide dog after which he sprinkled her with holy water. the two Fr.’s of this community are dear souls, wonderful gentle priests of Christ. This is all the more a blessing as my husband was prepared to wait for the mass 1.5 hours in length (he has not practiced his faith for half a century) while I went. Please pray for him that he comes back to Holy Mother Church (I converted six years after marrying; never thought I would ever be Catholic; god works in mysterious ways).
Also, please pray for the FSSP that they can send priests into our parish, or better still, that priests of our parish are willing to say the TLM or the Anglican Ordinariate mass.
God willing, we wil be spending Christmas in Sydney and my husband has offered to take me to everything at the FSSP parish; Christmas Eve mass, Christmas morning mass and (if it is offered) Boxing Day mass.I was also able to use a Braille missal to follow along, though I found myself getting lost a bit and just sat back to listen (the chant is slow enough to make following in Braille easy but the latin is non-contracted/abbreviated Braile; I’ll read it a few times on my own before the Christmas mass. Addditionally, my guide dog sat quietly through the whole thing, very well behaved (this mass is longer than our local NO that she is more accustomed to sitting through.
My wife’s and our youngest son’s birthday, Holy Cross Day and Summorum Pontificum Day coincide again this year.
My middle son and I managed (with a little help) to replace the dashboard lights on our van. Never previously attempted, so quite a feather, as it were.
God continues to bless my family.
Yesterday’s Russian Rite Gospel was Mark 8:34-9:1, which finishes: “And He said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.'”
And the good news, which is also “Good News” is that our pastor continues to preach the heart of the Gospel very effectively as he did yesterday: Repent! The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Our good news is that we have a contract on our house, as of Saturday, making it possible to move to Front Royal, VA, to be members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, a very orthodox parish that we have been longing to join for over 5 years. TLM, new Mass in English/Latin, ad orientum, long confession lines, communion railings that are used, perpetual adoration, reverent silence, fabulous music. The first thing I plan to do upon arriving will be to go to the adoration chapel and offer up a heartfelt Te Deum. What could be better news?
My good news Father….Norbertines!!! The parish that we started attending nearly 2 years ago is run by the Norbertines with 5….yes, that’s a FIVE, priests who all can (and do) celebrate the TLM. They serve an ethnically diverse community and work to bring all together (which the Latin mass – either form – does so wonderfully). The parish is a hub of activity each weekend….hard to get in the parking lot there is so much going on. GREAT priests, involved laity being properly catechized….and God willing, souls being led to Him. That’s good news!
Packrraat,
You forgot to mention the beautiful architecture and the thoughtful acoustics — and this in a building which has some architectural challenges. I’m very happy for you. I had the chance to sing at St. John the Baptist when the Sacred Music Colloquium was at Front Royal, on Christendom’s campus all those years ago.
There is good news…not so much in our local parishes….have to travel an hour plus for the EF (sigh)…..HOWEVER.. I see The Lord raising up strong families in all these places, who, in time will be the salvation of The Church. I have been reminded that saints are formed in every age whether because of or in spite of the leadership. And Praise God my 24th grandchild was born on Saturday !
The good news is that Jesus is giving us at least one more day to get our acts together. Not sure about tomorrow, so grabbing the chance today.
After 3 miscarriages, me and my wife are expecting and saw a heartbeat on our 7 week ultrasound. Still plenty of challenges ahead, but this is the farthest we have progressed into a pregnancy at this point. Not to turn this into a post for prayers, but they would be appreciated : )
Bittersweet–my mom passed away. She was 98, not in pain and had received Last Rites.
The Good News–last year she had wistfully asked for a Requeim Mass although she had not been able to attend church for some time. My local priest (NO parish but he offers private EF Masses) was able to fulfill her request. Friends stepped forward and offered Gregorian Chant.
Most who attended were not familiar with the old rite but many commented afterwards on how suitable it had been for a funeral.
There is something spiritually satisfying about solemn ritual…
I met Cardinal Burke on Saturday, and he autographed my Code of Canon Law. He also make a few funny remarks about the new changes but they slip my mind right now. He also blessed a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel which I gave to my mother on the next day as a gift in celebration of her definitive promises with the OCDS.
My newest grandchild was born successfully by C-section with good recovery for my daughter-in-law, who was totally exhausted after long labor. There were problems not discovered until the surgery, but all is well now.
Friends,
I recently was married in the Catholic church. Please consider looking at our efforts to inspire couples to celebrate a more reverent Marriage and Mass. We have a website called http://www.sedunacaro.com that has a lot of photos, videos, and we hope inspiration. Our music includes Monteverdi, Bach, and Mozart, and the Missa de Angelis. Our church also just underwent a stunning renovation. While not everything was perfect, we did our best.
Thank you for your prayers.
My 4 legged guardian angel has a mitral valve condition and severe murmur. She has been under speialist care and meds for a year. Today was her echocardiogram and blood work and it all came back excellent. Grazie San Rocco and St. Francis.
On the 8th day God created dachshunds!
My cousin, who married a year ago, shortly before his deployment to Japan, is now the proud papa of a three week old boy, named for my uncle, who died four years ago.
In Feb. I was hit by a car and my knee isn’t healing; the MRI came out showing no torn ligaments or tendons but did show arthritis and swelling.
In March, my mother died, reconciled with the Church, which she left in 1972.
@ASPMsem, I seriously considered going to that Mass but had a chance to chat with Card. Burke in WI a few months ago so thought that others had a greater need than I.
My husband started a new job and we have a new parish with nuns in habits!!!
I’ve just recently got engaged to my girlfriend! We’ve got the wedding booked for the end of April, and we had a chat with the church’s music director the other day to sort out the hymns and sung Mass parts. Very exciting!
Received, out of the blue, a job offer with a company I had not thought of pursuing (it’s the biggest in IT, and is three letters) to take over leadership of their security monitoring support efforts for NYC, lower CT, and northern NJ. A lot more remunerative, but means I have to consider moving (a 2 hour commute one way on Amtrak is not the most fun thing in the world); so, I’ve a bit to pray over.
My surgery went well and the Lord willing ,I’m far on the good side with few permanent residual effects and negative results back from the biopsies. My Dr. is pleased (and so am I).
I woke up this morning, the sun was trying to peek out, and for the first time in many years, have no headache (due to the surgery correcting a long-standing defect)…little traffic here in the Philly region (probably won’t be able to say that this weekend…I’m going in the opposite direction) to get to work, and the Spirit has led 4 candidates to our parish RCIA efforts this year.
God is good. All the time.
Youngest daughter has recovered enough from her TBI to return to school to complete an associate’s degree. It will be slow, but she will get it done. She was also able to stage manage a small production at her former theater, something we were not sure she could ever do again. (Though we’ve learned not to do school and work at the same time…)
So thankful and rejoicing with others’s good news.
My six week old grandson had open heart surgery yesterday at Vanderbilt in Nashville. He is out of PICU a day early and doing so well he may come home early. The doctor says he will have a completely normal life, no restrictions, no further surgeries needed.
Many people, including strangers, have helped our family in a number of ways. The kindness, the blessings, have been amazing.
First, a young man of my acquaintance, out of rehab for all of a week, appears to have made the firm resolution to leave all the booze and chemicals behind. Deo Gratias. We continue to pray for him.
Second, our unborn baby, with a working diagnosis of Down Syndrome, continues to grow on track in utero and appears to have a beautifully healthy heart, which can be a major concern with these particular kiddos. Again, we are grateful to God for his mercy and goodness.
My wife and 19 year old son returned safely from 10 days in Lourdes, France serving with the North American Volunteers assisting pilgrims off the trains, in the piscines and serving as sentinels at the Grotto. I am very humbled by the graces the Lord has given my son, who, at 19, has a far greater grounding in the faith than I ever did at his age. Who knows where I would be at 50 had I been as blessed at 19?
I attended a discernment retreat. I am awaiting news from the order if the accept me or not…While you are discerning them they aer discerning you.
Even if it does not work out, it’s good news that I went as just a few years ago, I was not even Catholic!