Coronation of Pius XII

This is a clip from an Italian film on his life preceeding the Papacy, hence the narration for the first half. Although the video quality is rather poor, it is still an interesting historical piece.

I love the habits of those nuns.

Today I had a visit from Fr Jonathan Martin, who is study Canon Law in Rome, he wanted a mention on the blog, incidently he looks strangely like Pius XII, hence the video. Other trivia about him, he lives in the same house as Fr John Zuhlsdorf and who I learnt today was taught the Viola da Gamba by Alison Crum who tried teach me, that is Fr Jonathon not Fr John.

A New Eucharistic Mirracle in Lourdes?

Is this host levitating? Is it just a photograph of host sitting on a pile of smaller ones?

see here for the story

This happened in Lourdes in 1999 at a televised Mass, it was downplayed by the French heirarchy and was brought to the attention of a Curia Cardinal, and is now under investigation.

If you look at the pictures, some change seems to take at the consecration, during the Preface the host sit flat on the crock, during the consecration it appears to hover.
It could of course be reaction from God (or a plot by man) to the French Bishops.

Interesting, but if we are talking about levitation I would expect something more spectacular.

I readily admit God tends to be more subtle than me.

Pope: Church and politics should concretely support family and life

AsiaNews – At a time when the institution of the family is in “profound crisis”, religious and political institutions should extend a helping hand, not least because it represents the natural environment for the birth and growth of children and for safeguarding life, which is to be respected even when it is at its weakest and most vulnerable, as in the case of a newborn or dying person.

Universe Editor couldn't think of an Explanation

The editor of The Universe said,

"Isn’t it amazing how things develop. On Monday we had the cardinal’s high profile intervention, accompanied by widespread support across the faith communities, so that by my Wednesday lunchtime deadline I had despatched this Sunday’s Universe to the printers, complete with the full text of the letter, stories detailing the support, and pretty rousing editorial comment. By Friday morning I was pulling out of numerous requests to be a Catholic spokesperson on radio and TV because I just couldn’t think of any sound explanation as to why Catholic adoption agencies were sending children out to gay singles, co-habiting couples and single parents, nor could I clarify the remarks of leading Catholic commentators to the effect that gay singles were fine as adoptees because it’s the ‘act, not the orientation that we’re against,’ and obviously ‘single gay people won’t be sexually active, whereas couples would be!!’"

I think we deserve an explanation or at least a clarification. I find it very easy to defend the Catholic Church's teaching on this matter but almost impossible to defend the policy of Catholic adoption agencies, which would have been approved by the Bishops, as I have said before, I feel this situation has arisen because of the lamentable failure of the Church in England and Wales to support and promote the family.

I was told there was an article in last weeks Mail on Sunday about a young boy who was classified as being "gay" by, I think, Islington's adoption agency and despite his protests, he was sent to a homosexual couple and became a victim of a pederastic ring.

h/t Muniment Room, he also has a little piece on how the Adoption debacle has impacted on the Cormac succession stakes.

An insight into todays Gospel

h/t Me Monk

"We have been fishing all night and caught nothing". Watch the video to the end it is amazing.

I think this is a wonderful insight, it explains why this such an extr-ordinary life changing event for the Apostles.

The reference to fishing at night seems to suggest that Peter and his partners were lamp or torch fishing, using a fire in a brazier in the stern of the boat used to attract fish, thus even in apparent daylight, the Light of the World draws fish to himself

Presentation Problems

Today is the feast of the Presentation, I have been trying to find something in English that is singable for the Procession, there is nothing in the hymnbook we use. We are going to use the antiphon "Lumen ad revelationem" with the Nunc Dimitis for the introit, partly because we are going to process around the Church a couple of times and I want people to join and they won't do it if they are carrying candles and have to remember a Latin text or read something from a piece of paper, and besides it is a bit short for a procession. So I had to resort to writing something myself so we will be singing, "My eyes have the Light of the Nations: now let your servant go in peace" with a Litany, or Trope, which I am in the process of writing.

"I have seen the King of seraphim in the Virgin's arms"

"I have seen the salvation of the nations" etc

Unfortunately we haven't anyone who can cant so I am going to have be the cantor as well - pity my poor people. It was that or singing, "This little light of mine" or something equally grotesque. It has been my experience in the past that a procession normally ends up by being a mad rush for seats after it has begun, or people just refuse to move so I am afraid after the procession, before the Mass proper begins I am going to get people to come and venerate the icon of Our Lady of Kazan which will be carried in procession- a bit Eastern for my tastes but it worked last year.

I just wish that there was a "hymn" book that had material that was suitable for the liturgy, for processions when they needed, music that fitted the liturgical Sequences, we ended up by singing the Pentecost Sequence to Stabat Mater, better than just reading it, but not much.

We have such a transient community, so many none English speakers, so that what was used last year is forgotten this year, and we really don't have great liturgical resources.

I wish that our bishops would do what the Vatican Council instructed them to do and draw up a hymn of suitable liturgical texts.

What do other priests or parishes do? I would be grateful to know.

A Rublev Deeisis

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Iconastas has a Deeisis attributed to Andrei Rublev on offer, very expensive I should think, I rang Chris at the shop in Piccadilly Arcade to ask how much, "We haven't even thought about it,"he said. Apparently they were the property of a dealer in Lebanon who bought them in the 1960s and held onto them. They are small domestic icons about 8" tall, the experts who have seen them suggest Rublev as a likely artist.

If you go to the shop they aren't there but will displayed later in the year at a masterpieces exhibition.

My mouth waters, so if you are looking for an anniversary of ordination present for me, or just a nice gift, or even if just wanted to house them with me for a decade or so, I would be absoluted delighted.

Aren't they wonderful, the simplicity of line, the minimum of detail, the empitomy of "noble simplicity".