Form a reverent queue...

Fr Tim Finigan points out that the new CTS Mass Cards have what he calls a 'rogue instruction.'

Despite amended guidelines pointing out that a sign of reverence be made, such as bowing the head, before receiving communion, and that kneeling is an individual's right, the mass cards say:

Communicants come forward in reverent procession: they receive Holy Communion standing.

I suppose we should be grateful for the capitalisation of Holy Communion...

Regular readers will remember that I am, of course, a great fan of queuing as a sign of reverence.

Poland to vote on total abortion ban

Poland is set to vote on a total ban on abortions. The Catholic country has already reduced numbers from around 82,000 (1989) to about 500 (2008). Permissive abortion laws were the legacy of Hitler and Stalin, a murderous legacy from which the Poles, naturally, want to distance themselves.

Tellingly, they did not want us in the West to know of this massive groundswell movement, for fear that financial and diplomatic means would be employed to prevent them from breaking ranks with the 'liberal consensus' in Europe.

Pray for the success of this humane and sensible reform.

(H/t Lifesite News.com)

Effect of Abortion on Abortionists

Thanks to Laurence 'Bones' for this link to an interesting and thought-provoking article by Anthony Ozimic on the impact of abortions on abortionists.

I have long thought that this is one of the unspoken tragedies of the crime and sin of abortion (and you will find an 'Adopt an Abortionist' button in my sidebar, should you wish to pray for one daily...)

Lauda Sion Salvatorem

The whole of the Corpus Christi Sequence, Lauda Sion Salvatorem, was sung at (EF) Mass at Lancaster Cathedral this morning. As it runs to nearly 7 minutes, it demonstrates that the priest, Canon Shield, and the Schola were in no hurry.

The whole atmosphere was one of praying the Mass, rather than getting through it as quickly as possible.

That was enhanced as the Cathedral is celebrating 40 hours of Exposition and Adoration, so the altar was surrounded by beautiful white flowers and candles by the score.

Canon Shield also preached on the Lauda Sion, and in particular the astonishing fact of Christ's love for us being so great.

We are truly blessed to have this Mass available to us in our Cathedral on a regular basis. It would be even better if a few more people came...

'Lord, help me win...'

On this morning's 'Sunday' programme, there was an interview with the chaplain to the English Cricket team, about a prayer written for the London Olympics. It was a fairly PC type of prayer, but the interesting part of the interview (to me at least) was when he was asked if athletes should pray to win.

He thought not. He made the reasonable point that they could pray for excellence, and for their competitors to do well (as there is no point beating them if they don't). But he felt that praying for victory was not something anyone with a mature faith should do.

I think I disagree. I think that if it is permissible to compete (and I think it is) then it is legitimate to pray for victory. For are we not to bring all our hopes and desires to our Heavenly Father?

Always remembering, of course, that to make it a Christian prayer, we conclude: 'May Thy will be done.'

The other approach risks alienating people's prayer from their real life and concerns and making it a set of pious platitudes; and likewise alienating people's real hopes and concerns from their spiritual life...

Harvington Hall

Yesterday, Anna and I went to visit Harvington Hall in Worcestershire, near Kidderminster (and fairly near Birmingham).

A fascinating Elizabethan moated manor house, it is particularly important to Catholics as a testament to our fore-fathers' commitment to their Faith.

The Pakington family, who lived there, clung to their Faith at a time when it was considered treasonous to do so. Not only that, they set the house up as a Mass centre and safe-house for Catholic Priests. Any priest found would have been executed, and anyone found hiding a priest would also have been executed.

Therefore, the Pakingtons had several priest hiding holes built ingeniously into the structure of the building, and it is these which are of course the highlight of any visit. Some are up chimneys, some under floorboards, one under a staircase (two of the stairs lift away) and the most ingenious was behind a bookcase, and then behind a pivoted beam (which could be bolted from the inside when the hole was occupied).

The house now belongs to the Archdiocese of Birmingham, and a couple of Archbishops, recognising its importance, have invested in restoring it.

It is well worth making a considerable journey to see.

We were particularly delighted to meet there, quite by chance (or Grace, I suppose in Catholic theology) our old friends Jack and Nuala Scarisbrick, the founders and mainstays of Life.

A Future for Ushaw?

Something else I missed while in France was the news that there is a possible future for some of the Ushaw buildings that might be positive. According to the Catholic Herald, here, Durham University has suggested that it take on the main chapel, the library and some other buildings as part of its Centre for Catholic Studies.

Whilst it is a great shame (in every sense of the word) that the seminary is closing, this would be a much better future for the buildings than seemed likely even a short while ago.

Of course the real solution would be to invite one of the groups dedicated to the preservation of Catholic tradition to take it over: but I can't see the northern bishops favouring that one...