Feast of St. Stephen

The Feast Day of another of my personal Patron Saints...

 

Sancte Stephane, ora pro nobis.

 

 

 

Happy Christmas

 

May the joy, peace and blessings of Christmas be with you all.

 

 

Adeste Fideles



St Lucy

 

Couldn't let her feast go by without posting something. She is another of the great Virgin Martyrs of the Church, for whom, regular readers will have probably gathered, I have a particular respect and reverence.

I found this rather charming piece on  American Catholic, as part of their 'Saint of the Day' series, and have reproduced it below.

"Every little girl named Lucy must bite her tongue in disappointment when she first tries to find out what there is to know about her patron saint. The older books will have a lengthy paragraph detailing a small number of traditions. Newer books will have a lengthy paragraph showing that there is little basis in history for these traditions. The single fact survives that a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian and she was executed in Syracuse (Sicily) in the year 304. But it is also true that her name is mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer, geographical places are named after her, a popular song has her name as its title and down through the centuries many thousands of little girls have been proud of the name Lucy.

One can easily imagine what a young Christian woman had to contend with in pagan Sicily in the year 300. If you have trouble imagining, just glance at today’s pleasure-at-all-costs world and the barriers it presents against leading a good Christian life.

 

Her friends must have wondered aloud about this hero of Lucy’s, an obscure itinerant preacher in a far-off captive nation that had been destroyed more than 200 years before. Once a carpenter, he had been crucified by the Roman soldiers after his own people turned him over to the Roman authorities. Lucy believed with her whole soul that this man had risen from the dead. Heaven had put a stamp on all he said and did. To give witness to her faith she had made a vow of virginity.

 

What a hubbub this caused among her pagan friends! The kindlier ones just thought her a little strange. To be pure before marriage was an ancient Roman ideal, rarely found but not to be condemned. To exclude marriage altogether, however, was too much. She must have something sinister to hide, the tongues wagged.

 

Lucy knew of the heroism of earlier virgin martyrs. She remained faithful to their example and to the example of the carpenter, whom she knew to be the Son of God. She is the patroness of eyesight.

Comment:

If you are a little girl named Lucy, you need not bite your tongue in disappointment. Your patron is a genuine, authentic heroine, first class, an abiding inspiration for you and for all Christians. The moral courage of the young Sicilian martyr shines forth as a guiding light, just as bright for today’s youth as it was in A.D. 304.

Quote:
“The Gospel tells us of all that Jesus suffered, of the insults that fell upon him. But, from Bethlehem to Calvary, the brilliance that radiates from his divine purity spread more and more and won over the crowds. So great was the austerity and the enchantment of his conduct.” “So may it be with you, beloved daughters. Blessed be the discretion, the mortifications and the renouncements with which you seek to render this virtue more brilliant.... May your conduct prove to all that chastity is not only a possible virtue but a social virtue, which must be strongly defended through prayer, vigilance and the mortification of the senses” (St. John XXIII, Letter to Women Religious).

Patron Saint of:
Blind
Eye disorders"

Sancta Lucia, ora pro nobis

St. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr

 

 



As I believe I have said before, I have a lot of time for the canonised virgin martyrs of the Church. I didn't know a lot about today's Saint, Bibiana, so have looked her up on Catholic Online (the text of the entry is as follows):

St. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr (Feast day - December 2nd) Other than the name, nothing is known for certain about this saint. However, we have the following account from a later tradition.
In the year 363, Julian the Apostate made Apronianus Governor of Rome. St. Bibiana suffered in the persecution started by him. She was the daughter of Christians, Flavian, a Roman knight, and Dafrosa, his wife. Flavian was tortured and sent into exile, where he died of his wounds. Dafrosa was beheaded, and their two daughters, Bibiana and Demetria, were stripped of their possessions and left to suffer poverty. However, they remained in their house, spending their time in fasting and prayer.
Apronianus, seeing that hunger and want had no effect upon them, summoned them. Demetria, after confessing her Faith, fell dead at the feet of the tyrant. St. Bibiana was reserved for greater sufferings. She was placed in the hands of a wicked woman called Rufina, who in vain endeavored to seduce her. She used blows as well as persuasion, but the Christian virgin remained faithful.
Enraged at the constancy of this saintly virgin, Apronianus ordered her to be tied to a pillar and beaten with scourges, laden with lead plummets, until she expired. The saint endured the torments with joy, and died under the blows inflicted by the hands of the executioner.

Ora pro nobis 

Excellent piece by Michael Voris...and some personal thoughts

Lately, there seems to have been more than a distinct whiff of hysteria among on the part of some traditional Catholics stemming from concerns over recent events and news from Rome. I was therefore very pleased to listen to this very sound and sensible piece by Michael Voris, which I recommend to you (there is an advert for a retreat at the start, and Michael begins speaking at around 0.40).

From a personal viewpoint, yes, I do have concerns about some of the things the Holy Father says. We all know how the media and others (including some who profess to be Catholics) love to pounce on anything that they can spin and twist to suggest that the Church is abandoning her doctrines and succumbing to the position of the World (as in the Devil, the World and the Flesh). We saw this a number of times with Pope Benedict, where careful traps were laid to appeal to his academic background and fondness for intellectual debate, and then attempt to present what was intended as a hypothetical scenario for analysis as a generalised position, and even as a new doctrine. If this can be done with the most careful and thoughtful of popes, it is inevitable that a lot of rubbish will be said about a pope who is given to off the cuff remarks and small talk.

I have not quite worked out why the Holy Spirit has given us Pope Francis, but then, as my old school chaplain often used to say, "I don't know, because I'm not God". It is clear that the Holy Father is trying to make the Church more welcoming, and perhaps overcome some of the 'bogeyman' that have been attributed to her, particularly following the various scandals that have emerged in recent years, concerning rogue clergy, child abuse and so on. Perhaps he is also trying to combat the influence of secularism and show that Catholicism is still relevant today, and not some fuddy-duddy relic of the Middle Ages, and as a consequence increase popular interest in the Faith as a form of proto-evangelism. Perhaps, not beyond possibility with a Jesuit, he is trying to open up controversy in order to provoke a renewal in catechesis and a revival of orthodoxy among the laity, who are apt to react when they are aware that things have shifted from the status quo of the past. Perhaps there is some other purpose...

What we do need is to recognise that the Holy Spirit is with us, and that the Church has endured crises in the past and survived. We know that there have been good and bad popes through history, and yet the papacy has survived and is still doing its job. We need to recognise errors where these occur, and do what we can to address them, and also to recognise positives and potential for spreading the Faith and saving souls. We need to guard against rumour and conjecture, which are fertile ground for the Father of Lies, who is constantly trying to provoke division and draw us away from God. Above all we must continue to PRAY - for the Church, for the Pope and clergy, and for ourselves.

More from Henry V - How to Deliver a Political Challenge

Referring to my previous post and the video from Kenneth Brannagh's Henry V, here is another from the same film, in which Brian Blessed, as Exeter, delivers the ultimatum to the King of France and the Dauphin in suitably spirited manner - shame we don't see more of this sort of thing in Parliament...or for that matter, synods.

Feast of Ss. Crispin and Crispinian - Agincourt Day

I see that Zephyrinus has beaten me to posting about today's feast, and the 599th. anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt.

I recommend Zephy's excellent post, and will not try to replicate the details he has included. I will, however, supplement it with a bit about the good Saint (or in fact, Saints) whose martyrdom this day commemorates - I am used to hearing the names (not least through Shakespeare's Henry V), but hadn't really explored the Saints themselves. Here is a piece from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:



Martyrdom of Ss. Crispin and Crispinian by Aert Van den Bossche

"Saints Crispin and Crispinian are the Christian patron saints of cobblers, curriers, tanners, and leather workers. Born to a noble Roman family in the 3rd century AD, Saints Crispin and Crispinian, twin brothers, fled persecution for their faith, ending up at Soissons, where they preached Christianity to the Gauls whilst making shoes by night.
Their success attracted the ire of Rictus Varus, governor of Belgic Gaul, who had them tortured and thrown into the river with millstones around their necks. Though they survived, they were beheaded by the Emperor c. 286.
An alternative account gives them to be sons of a noble Romano-Briton family which lived at Canterbury, following their father's murder for displeasing the Roman Emperor. As they were approaching maturity their mother sent them to London to seek apprenticeship and to avoid coming to the attention of their father's killer. Travelling there, the brothers came across a shoemaker's workshop at Faversham and decided to travel no further and stayed in Faversham where there is a plaque commemorating their association with the town. They are also commemorated in the name of the ancient pub "Crispin and Crispianus" at Strood. This account fails to explain how the brothers came to be venerated and martyred.
The feast day of Saints Crispin and Crispinian is 25 October. Although this feast was removed from the Roman Catholic Church's universal liturgical calendar following the Second Vatican Council, the two saints are still commemorated on that day in the most recent edition of the Roman Church's martyrology.
Saint Crispin is often associated with the Battle of Agincourt since the battle was fought on Saint Crispin's Day, and has been immortalised by Shakespeare's St. Crispin's Day Speech from his play Henry V."


Zephyrinus has also included a video of the St. Crispin's Day Speech from Henry V: he uses the version from Sir Laurence Olivier's 1944 film, which is very much of its time, being made during WWII, I personally prefer this more naturally delivered version by Kenneth Brannagh in his 1989 film of the play.

 

 







More Betjeman - 'Margate, 1940'

Further to my last post, here is another poem by John Betjeman, which I couldn't resist putting up. In the last week, there has been much discussion about the concept of 'Britishness', which we are now supposed to teach. This poem's charming description of old-fashioned seaside holidays in the years between the World Wars as something worth fighting for, seems to fit well with the idea. I also like the subtle emphasis on the family. The location, Margate, is also very apt, as the new Parish Priest of that town seems to be settling in very well, and I am sure he will do great things for the parish.

MARGATE, 1940

Sir John Betjeman

From out The Queen's Highcliffe for weeks at a stretch
I watched how the mower evaded the vetch,So that over the putting-course rashes were seen
Of pink and of yellow among the burnt green.



How restful to putt, when the strains of a bandAnnounced a thé dansant was on at The Grand,
While over the privet, comminglingly clear,I heard lesser Co-Optimists down by the pier.How lightly municipal, meltingly tarr'd,
Were the walks through the lawns by the Queen's PromenadeAs soft over Cliftonville languished the light
Down Harold Road, Norfolk Road, into the night.
Oh! then what a pleasure to see the ground floorWith tables for two laid as tables for four,
And bottles of sauce and Kia-Ora and squashAwaiting their owners who'd gone up to wash -Who had gone up to wash the ozone from their skins
The sand from their legs and the rock from their chins,To prepare for an evening of dancing and cards
And forget the sea-breeze on the dry promenades.
From third floor and fourth floor the children looked downUpon ribbons of light in the salt-scented town;
And drowning the trams roared the sound of the seaAs it washed in the shingle the scraps of their tea.

Beside The Queen's Highcliffe now rank grows the vetch,Now dark is the terrace, a storm-battered stretch;
And I think, as the fairy-lit sights I recall,It is those we are fighting for, foremost of all.

Queen's Highcliffe Hotel, Margate



Troops at Margate Station, WWII


 



Fairy-lit sights - Fr. Tim's photo of Margate sea-front

 

 

Thoughts on Betjeman - recalling happier times

John Betjeman in a typical setting

I have recently remembered an old poem by John Betjeman, in which he reminisces about the glories, as he perceived them, of the Anglo-Catholic movement, presumably in the early 20th. Century. It is entitles 'Anglo-Catholic Congress Congresses'.

With a few changes of words, it would be very easy to adapt this poem to express how I guess many of the former TLM community of Blackfen feel, now that this Liturgy, and the social life that existed around it (good company and a cup of tea or a nice pint in the social club after Mass, children playing in the garden while their parents chatted, a chance for the P.P. to meet his flock...etc.), are no longer extant. I leave it to my readers to select the exact format of the rewording.

Interestingly, when I searched for the poem online, I noticed that the great Fr. Hunwicke had posted about it earlier in the year, and trust that he will not mind me cutting and pasting the text from his blog - thank you for saving me a lot of typing, Father.

We, who remember the Faith, the grey-headed ones,
   Of those Anglo-Catholic Congresses swinging along,
Who heard the South Coast salvo of incense-guns
   And surged to the Albert Hall in our thousands strong
   With 'extreme' colonial bishops leading in song;

We, who remember, look back to the blossoming May-time
   On ghosts of servers and thurifers after Mass,
The slapping of backs, the flapping of cassocks, the play-time,
   A game of Grandmother's steps on the vicarage grass -
   "Father, a little more sherry. I'll fill your glass."

We recall the triumph, that Sunday after Ascension,
  When our Protestant suffragan suffered himself to be coped -
The SYA and the Scheme for Church Extension -
   The new diocesan's not as 'sound' as we'd hoped,
   And Kensit threatens and has Sam Gurney poped?

Yet, under the Travers baroque, in a limewashed whiteness,
   The fiddle-back vestments a-glitter with morning rays,
Our Lady's image, in multiple-candled brightness,
   The bells and banners - those were the waking days
    When Faith was taught and fanned to a golden blaze.

 

 

 

 



Midnight Mass at Blackfen - Photo by Mulier Fortis
 
 

 

Just included this picture from The Hermeneutic of Continuity because it's delightful - I believe it's from a Family Day at Our Lady of the Rosary


 

 

 

 

Fr. Philip Graystone, S.M., R.I.P. - Past Headmaster of St. Mary's Sidcup

 

It is with sadness that I received this evening a text from one of my friends, informing me of the recent death of Fr. Philip Graystone, my old headmaster from my own school days. Father passed away at Dorrington House Car Home, Wells-next-the-Sea, at 11.30 pm on Monday 15 September, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.

I am sure that there are many other old boys of St. Mary's Grammar School, Sidcup from the 1960's and '70's (and, indeed some past pupils of St. Joseph's Convent Grammar School, Abbey Wood, and of the amalgamated school which the two formed in 1979) who remember Fr. Graystone with some fondness. Father was also active in the Parish of St. Lawrence, Sidcup, when he was Head of the school.

I understand that Father's Requiem will take place at Walsingham on Tuesday, 30th. September. Sadly, I will be unable to attend, but offer my prayers for Father's soul.

Requiem aeternum dona ei, Domine,

Et lux perpetua luceat ei:

Requiescat in pace.

AMEN.

Virgo Dolorosa, ora pro ei.

Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour for those affected by changes in Blackfen

I anticipate that the majority of my readers are already aware of the recent changes that have taken place at Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen.

I am aware that other bloggers who have been directly affected by this have maintained a dignified silence, and I, too, do not wish to become involved in discussion of the matter in the blogosphere at this time.

May I, however, suggest making a Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (or Perpetual Help), for those who are bearing crosses as a result of the changes. I suggest Our Lady under this title, as there are undoubtedly those who are seeking comfort, help and guidance at this time, and also because the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour was apparently originally in the Church of San Mattaeo (my patron) in Rome, and it would seem apt as I am beginning this Novena on his feast.

There appear to be various Novena prayers to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour - the follow, which I suggest, as it seems very apt, is taken from those used at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help at Baclaren in the Philippines, and further prayers can be found on their website .

Novena Prayer

Dear Mother of Perpetual Help from the cross Jesus gave you to us for our Mother. You are the kindness, the most loving of all mothers. Look tenderly on us your children as we now ask you to help us in all our needs especially this one…

(Pause to recall your petitions - I will leave readers to use their own words here)

While you were on earth, dear Mother you willingly shared in the sufferings of your Son. Strengthened by your faith and confidence in the fatherly love of God you accepted the mysterious designs of His Will. We too have our crosses and trials. Sometimes they almost crush us to the ground. Dearest Mother, share with us your abundant faith and confidence in God. Make us aware that God never ceases to love us; that He answers all our prayers in the way that is best for us. Strengthen our hearts to carry the cross in the footsteps of your Divine Son. Help us to realize that he who shares the cross of Christ will certainly share His resurrection. Dearest Mother, as we worry about our own problems let us not forget the needs of others. You always love others so much; help us to do the same. While praying for our own intentions and for all the intentions of all here present at this Novena we earnestly ask you, our Mother, to help us comfort the sick and the dying give hope to the poor and unemployed, heal the broken-hearted lighten the burden of the oppressed, teach justice to their oppressors and bring back to God all those who have offended Him. Dearest Mother, help us to avoid sin which separates us from our heavenly Father and from one another. Full of trust in you, we place ourselves under the mantle of your maternal protection and confidently hope for your powerful help.

Amen.

Feast of St. Matthew

Today is the Feast of St. Matthew, whose name I took at my Confirmation and, in its Latinised form, use as my identity in the blogosphere, and who is, therefore, one of the patrons of this blog.

Happy Feast!

This is quite a tough time for me to celebrate this feast, as Our Lord has lately seen fit to send me a number of crosses.
May I request, of your Charity, your prayers for the former TLM community of Blackfen, now being scattered, and also for my elderly father who is currently ill in hospital.

Sancte Matthaee, ora pro nobis.

Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo

Sancte Augustine, ora pro nobis

Happy Feast!

Also my Birthday, so going to have something nice to eat (and probably also to drink) today.

Chasuble Shapes

I recently came across this rather interesting image while googling for a picture of a Roman vestment. It shows the development of chasubles (I assume the numbers in Roman numerals under each picture refer to the century from which it dates). This may be helpful to those readers not familiar with different forms of chasuble. Some of the regional variants of the 'fiddleback' shape are worth noting.

 

 

When you have finished your perusal, you might want to pop over to The Rad Trad's Liturgical Boutique with your wish list :-)



More Irish Music

As I mentioned in an earlier post, there is some ongoing banter between myself, Zephy, and a priest acquaintance, over Irish songs.

I was going to send them the link to this little piece, but decided it was worthy of sharing with a wider audience. It seemed quite apt as this is a Bank Holiday weekend in England, considering what experiences of travel at these times are often like ;-)

The song was written by the great Irish singer-songwriter and artist of the early 20th. Century, Percy French, apparently as a response to being unable to get to one of his concerts due to delays on the West Clare Railway. The story goes on that the railway attempted to sue French for libel, so he responded with a countersuit for loss of earnings. I understand that both suits were dropped, and the song now remains as a delightful piece of Irishness (it has been said the Irish language has several words roughly equivalent in meaning to the Spanish manana, however none expresses quite the same sense of urgency :-) ).

Percy French



Prayers for the Holy Father and his family

I have just read on Fr. Z's blog the sad news that the wife and children of Pope Francis' nephew have been killed in a road accident, and the nephew himself, Emanuel Bergoglio was seriously injured. Please remember the Holy Father in your prayers, and also pray for his family, and for the repose of the souls of those who died.

Interesting Interview with Michael Voris

For those who may not be familiar with Michael Voris, he is an American, traditional Catholic (for want of a better expression) televangelist and public speaker. I heard him speak in London a few years ago, and found his talk very interesting with much that inspired.

Michael Voris

Following a link on Father Z's blog, I have just read this personal interview that he gave to Supetraduum of the Etheldredasplace blog. He makes some interesting points, notably about vocations among the laity. It's well worth a read.

Michael's own online TV channel, ChurchMilitant, can be found here - you can sign up for a free subscription to watch his regular broadcasts.

Fr. Jean-Marie Charles-Roux, R.I.P.

 



Of your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of the remarkable Rosminian priest, Father Jean-Marie Charles-Roux, who died in Rome a little over a week ago (the news has only just reached me).

Fr. Charles-Roux was for many years resident at St. Etheldreda's, Ely Place, and was a well-known London character. I recall, in the late '80's and early '90's there were only two priests who would routinely walk about London in cassock and saturno - Fr. Charles-Roux and Monsignor Alfred Gilbey - upon spotting the hat, the next step was to look at the shoes to identify which it was - Fr. Charles-Roux always sported footwear with silver buckles.

I have attended Mass celebrated by Fr. Charles-Roux at Ely Place. This was something you needed to plan for: always in the Usus Antiquior,  Father's Low Mass could take considerably longer than most Pontifical or High Masses, as he would enter a sort of ecstasy while celebrating, saying, and seemingly physically feeling, each individual word. The elevation of the Sanctissimum could take anything up to ten minutes. I also recall him once hearing my confession.

Father was also known as a champion of monarchy and aristocracy, reflecting his own aristocratic French roots, and for his distinctive, flamboyant and often outspoken style of preaching.

Please have a look at Damian Thompson's obituary for Father, and also the one written by Fr. Lucie-Smith. These gentlemen knew Fr. Charles-Roux far better than I.

The Latin Mass Society have a Requiem Mass for Fr. Charles-Roux at Spanish Place on 9th. September at 7p.m.

Requiem aeternum dona ei, Domine,

Et lux perpetua luceat ei:

Requiescat in pace. AMEN



Divine Love

I have just read the very interesting post by Bones, concerning some of the recent celebrity 'comings out'. I urge you to read this post, which eloquently addresses the currently fashionable cliché that 'God loves me just as I am'.

I will not serve, because God will love me just as I am - sure about that???

Of course God loves us. It is through His Divine Love that we have our existence: while sufficient in Himself, He wished to share that abounding love that exists within the Blessed Trinity, and so He brought into being others whom He could love, first spiritual beings, the angels, and latterly the physical Universe, eventually giving rise to beings, ourselves, intelligent enough and capable of supporting an immortal soul, with all the gifts of God, including especially Free Will, for we cannot love truly unless that love is freely given, and so we must also have the option of rejecting the love God offers. We know that some of the Angels did this, and that humans also do - I was going to say 'many humans' but at least small ways, we all do this, it's called sin.

God loves us, but wants us to receive all His love, to grow in our love for Him, and to be perfect. While He recognise that we are frail humans, and prone to weakness and temptation, and is aware of our faults, He doesn't just accept these but wants us to overcome them, to touch our wisdom and understanding and impart His grace, and would like us to conform our wills to His, as He knows this is what is best for us. He does not love us 'just as we are': He recognises where we are, and, in love, wants us to become better.

Ven. Fulton Sheen - Ora pro nobis

I recall the Venerable Fulton Sheen giving an example of this in one of his talks to young people, drawing and analogy between what God does and what our parents do. The example he uses is parents 'potty training' their children. If they let their babies be 'just as they are' then, when these children grew up they would be social outcasts and would end up hating their parents because they did not give them even the most basic guidance as to what is acceptable to do. More subtly, we learn (hopefully) from our parents morality, manners, and ways in which to nurture our own talents for our own benefit and that of our neighbour. Somewhat more rewarding than being in nappies when you're forty, methinks.

Who cares if I still haven't worked this out when I'm 40 - everyone will love m just as I am - SURE!

And so it is with God, he loves us, but wants us to grow and develop, to become better people, so that we can achieve perfection ultimately (albeit often through the fires of Purgatory and the prayers of others) which is a requisite to enjoy our eternal reward with Him. Just as parents don't stop loving a child when he is naughty, but instead try to encourage him to do better next time, so Our Lord recognises our frailty, and, when we sin, wants us to return to Him and do better in the future.

Kyrie eleison,

Christe eleison,

Kyrie eleison.