Saturday 15 May 2010

Urgent Plea For Help...! The Good Counsel Network




The Good Counsel Network is a group which works tirelessly to help women in crisis pregnancies. Fr. John Boyle highlighted the dire financial straits the group is in:


Today Good Counsel has £50 in the bank, we needed £445 to buy this week's food vouchers. We are supporting fourteen mothers and their children at the moment, whose only support is this small weekly voucher. Please pray the following prayer for the next nine days and if you can help, donate online (click on the sidebar link) or transfer money into our bank account (phone + 44 (0) 20 7723 1740 or email for details). As times are hard, our income has gone down and our expenses have gone up.

Please forward this message to anyone who you think may help. For more information about Good Counsel see our blog.


NOVENA TO ST. RITA
Helper of the hopeless

Holy Patroness of those in need, St. Rita, you were humble, pure and patient. Your pleadings with your divine Spouse are irresistible, so please obtain for me from our risen Jesus the request I make of you, that Good Counsel will raise the funds they need and my own request (mention it.)
Be kind to me for the greater glory of God, and I shall honour you and sing your praises forever.
Glorious St. Rita, you miraculously participated in the sorrowful passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Obtain for me now the grace to suffer with resignation the troubles of this life, and protect me in all my needs. Amen.


Our Father, Hail, Mary, Glory be to the Father...


They haven't yet set up a PayPal button, though, hopefully, they will do so very soon. I doubt that they'll mind too much which method of payment you make, but the faster the better!


Please help financially if you can, and by prayer either way!

Thursday 13 May 2010

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Pope Pins Abuse Scandal on Church Sin




Pope Benedict XVI says the clerical child abuse scandal shows that the greatest threat to Catholicism comes from "sin within" the Church.

He made his comments in response to a question while en route to Portugal. Critics have previously accused the Vatican of attempting to blame the media and the Church's opponents for the escalation of the scandal. But the Pope made clear its origin came from within the Church itself, and said forgiveness "does not replace justice".

'Need for penance'

"Today we see in a truly terrifying way that the greatest persecution of the Church does not come from outside enemies, but is born of sin within the Church," the pontiff told reporters on a plane bound for Portugal. His comments were his most direct response to media questions, and some of his strongest words yet on the abuse scandal, says BBC Vatican correspondent David Willey, who is travelling with the Pope. Benedict said the Church has "a very deep need" to acknowledge that it must do penance for its sins and "accept purification". However, he added that forgiveness should not be a substitute for justice.

There has been a wave of allegations in the past few months that Church authorities in Europe and North and South America failed to deal properly with priests accused of child sex abuse, sometimes just moving them to new parishes where more children were put at risk. The Pope himself has been accused of being part of a culture of secrecy, and of not taking strong enough steps against paedophiles when he had that responsibility as a cardinal in Rome.

However, his supporters say he has been the most pro-active pope yet in confronting abuse.

'Spiritual crisis'

The Pope later on Tuesday landed at Lisbon, the capital, despite fears that the volcanic ash cloud affecting flights in the region would disrupt his plans.
Portugal is the site of one of Europe's most popular shrines, at Fatima
He celebrated an open-air Mass before a crowd of about 80,000 people in the city. Benedict told the crowd that nothing could destroy the Catholic Church. "The resurrection of Christ assures us that no adverse power will ever be able to destroy the Church," the Pope said during his address the banks of the Tagus river.

During his four-day trip the pontiff was also due to celebrate Mass at the Catholic shrine of Fatima, and in Oporto. Church officials say he will address Europe's spiritual and economic crisis. Although nearly 90% of people in Portugal are reported to be Catholics, only about 20% attend Mass regularly, the BBC's Vatican correspondent, David Willey, reports from Lisbon.

Pope Benedict intended to tell the Portuguese to seek solace in their faith to relieve the gloom of financial hardship, he says. Carlos Azevedo, the auxiliary bishop of Lisbon and the co-ordinator of the papal visit, said on Monday that the pontiff will speak about "the joy of faith and hope". "The moral values guiding the economy and politics show that there is a spiritual crisis," he said.

Portugal has been one of the countries worst affected by the economic problems troubling many European states. The highlight of the trip is a visit to Fatima on Wednesday and Thursday, where a giant outdoor Mass has been planned for as many as 500,000 people. Fatima is one of the main sites of Christian pilgrimage in Europe.

The Pope will be marking the anniversary of the day in 1917 when three Portuguese shepherd children reported having visions of the Virgin Mary in Fatima.

H/t to BBC News, this was an unusually balanced piece from the BBC!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday 10 May 2010

Young Catholic Adults Host International Juventutem Weekend at Douai Abbey

During the weekend of the 10-12 September . Young Catholic Adults will be running the 2010 Juventutem Conference at Douai Abbey, the retreat will be led by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr de Malleray . The weekend will be full-board
Places are limited so please book early
* YCA will have half of the retreat centre to itself
* There will be socials
* Fr. de Malleray FSSP head of Juventutem will preach the retreat, Masses will be in the Extraordinary form.

THE MAIN GUEST HOUSE
Saturday 11th – Sunday 12th September (full board)*
51 pounds full-board (except Sunday lunch) PER PERSON PER NIGHT
25 pounds for students/low waged/unwaged (or whatever you can afford)

THE COTTAGES
£35 per person per night (full board). Self catering £25 per person per night (reductions for students:- or whatever you can afford) .

SELF CATERING CAMPING
£5 per person per night (or whatever you can afford - please bring your own tent and food ).

How to book - limited places so please reserve your place early
To reserve your place FOR THE WEEKEND (no deposit needed if you are coming for the day on Saturday 5th July), please a 20 pound deposit (NON RETURNABLE) to Damian Barker, Flat 5, 12 St. Catherine Street, Kingsholm, Gloucester, Glos. GL2 9DU (please make any cheques payable to Damian Barker). For enquiries ring 07908105787.

Young Catholic Adults: Newsletter

St Catherine’s Trust have very kindly helped produce the new YCA Newsletter. To download it go here

Http://www.tiny.cc/g3cc8

St Catherine's Trust, is a charitable trust set up in 2004 to promote Catholic education in accordance with the traditional teachings, liturgy and devotions of the Roman Catholic Church. It’s main activity at present is the organisation of annual week-long Summer Schools for young Catholics aged 11 to 18, and annual weekend Family Retreats for Catholic families, usually around Easter. To goto their website goto http://www.stcatherinestrust.org/

Birmingham Oratory Event

The Light of the World

Sunday, 27th June at 2:00pm, followed by Mass at 5:30pm

The Oratory, Hagley Road ,
Birmingham B16 8UE

An opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the challenges
facing Christians around the world – and how you are helping.
Talks begin at 2:00pm, followed by Mass at 5:30pm.
We hope that Father Samir Khalil Samir SJ will be our guest of
honour, speaking on Christianity and Islam in the Middle East .
Father Samir is an Islamic scholar, semitologist, orientalist and
Catholic theologian based in Lebanon .

There will be a talk, based on first-hand material, on how your generous support has
helped victims of the earthquake which struck Haiti in January.
Fresh from project trips, UK Director Neville Kyrke-Smith will
speak about the Faith in Ukraine , while Head of Press and
Information John Pontifex will report on Christianity in Pakistan .

This event is free, but please reserve your place at
www.acnuk.org/birmingham or by calling 020 8642 8668

Tuesday 30 March 2010

All Comments Will Now be Moderated


All comments will now be moderated due to spam being posted in the comments section!

Thursday 25 March 2010

A Shameful Attempt to Strike, at any Cost, Pope Benedict

I have just watched shameful denunciations on the BBC, of Pope Benedict, from such people as Michael Walsh (from Heythrop College in London and a leading theological dissident), it would appear that there is an orchestrated campaign to discredit Benedict; and that dissident Catholics and the liberal media pundits (like the BBC) are leading the calls for him to resign. The civil authorities and the American Bishops took no action for approx 40 years, and this is where the real blame lies. There is no link to Benedict, only Cardinal Bertone.

The real problem is that an "anything goes " attitude has gone on in the Church for years, indeed the "spirit of Vatican II," has infiltrated the Church almost entirely. In essence the Church has gone off the rails by being infected by the spirit of the world and it will continue to struggle until it returns to a more spiritual path.

All our prayers should be with the victims of these most terrible of crimes, they have had to put up with such wickedness - it is almost beyond bearing. May God help them in their trials.

H/t to Fr Z who I think puts things very well:-

"I have been struggling through the day with this post. I haven’t known precisely what to do about my anger.

The online edition of Hell’s Bible, in its relentless hectoring of the Catholic Church (ignoring the prosecuted sins of other groups) has a story about a priest who abused many children decades ago and about the way he was dealt with by the hierarchy. This recent round deals with a monstrously sick priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee (where one of the great liberals of the USA was in command, Archbp. Weakland) but who resided in the Diocese of Superior (where another great liberal, Bp. Fliss was in charge). The priest has since gone to his eternal, I repeat eternal, reward.


Vatican Declined to Defrock U.S. Priest Who Abused Boys

Top Vatican officials — including the future Pope Benedict XVI — did not defrock a priest who molested as many as 200 deaf boys, even though several American bishops repeatedly warned them that failure to act on the matter could embarrass the church, according to church files newly unearthed as part of a lawsuit.

The internal correspondence from bishops in Wisconsin directly to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future pope, shows that while church officials tussled over whether the priest should be dismissed, their highest priority was protecting the church from scandal.

The documents emerge as Pope Benedict is facing other accusations that he and direct subordinates often did not alert civilian authorities or discipline priests involved in sexual abuse when he served as an archbishop in Germany and as the Vatican’s chief doctrinal enforcer.

[...]

But Cardinal Bertone [then just Archbishop and the Secretary of the CDF] halted the process after Father Murphy personally wrote to Cardinal Ratzinger protesting that he should not be put on trial because he had already repented and was in poor health and that the case was beyond the church’s own statute of limitations.

“I simply want to live out the time that I have left in the dignity of my priesthood,” Father Murphy wrote near the end of his life to Cardinal Ratzinger. “I ask your kind assistance in this matter.” The files contain no response from Cardinal Ratzinger.

The New York Times obtained the documents, which the church fought to keep secret, from Jeff Anderson and Mike Finnegan, the lawyers for five men who have brought four lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The documents include letters between bishops and the Vatican, victims’ affidavits, the handwritten notes of an expert on sexual disorders who interviewed Father Murphy and minutes of a final meeting on the case at the Vatican.

Father Murphy not only was never tried or disciplined by the church’s own justice system, but also got a pass from the police and prosecutors who ignored reports from his victims, according to the documents and interviews with victims. Three successive archbishops in Wisconsin were told that Father Murphy was sexually abusing children, the documents show, but never reported it to criminal or civil authorities.

[...]
I will not post the lurid details, which surely indicate a profound pathology. I am too disgusted by both the details and the Times for posting them.

And I am filled with anger right now at the harm that was done by those sick and surely wicked people. I just want to …

Thanks a lot you wicked b********s. Enjoy your eternal reward.

Have a nice Year of the Priest.

And God help me for these thoughts.

But I have to make a few more observations.

The NYT article makes the point that civil authorities also gave this abuser "a pass".

It is reprehensible that the bishops in that time, informed of what was going on, especially due to the extent of what the abuser was doing, did not act to put it to an end. It is hard to understand this. I cannot explain it in any terms that satisfy my anger… our anger.

Insofar as the CDF was involved, I must press the fact that the official who put an end to the administrative dimension in Rome was then Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, who is now the Cardinal Secretary of State. People will accuse the Holy Father Pope Benedict, who was then Prefect, of personally trying to cover up what that deeply sick priest was doing. But Card. Ratzinger, Pope Benedict, is the ultimate delegator, the diametrical opposite of a micro-manager. And he hasn’t also been the best at selecting his delegates. His strengths don’t lie in the administrative realm, but rather the theological and spiritual. Someone is to blame here, don’t get me wrong. But while there is plenty of blame to go around, the responsibility lies mostly on the US side of the pond, with bishops who blew the case back in the day.

I wonder if Pope Benedict implemented this Year of the Priest because he knew what was coming around the bend.

Another aspect of my anger comes from the tension between my loathing of priests who harm children and the conviction that there is no sin that any infinite human being can commit which is so bad that an infinite and loving, merciful God cannot and will not forgive. Provided, of course, that we sincerely beg for mercy.

The sins this man and others like him deserve eternal hell. Bishops who mishandled cases this severe probably deserve the same. The fallen part of my humanity cries out for something worse than the rack for these men. I have to remind myself constantly that God is the final judge, and He can neither deceive nor be deceived. I even get mad at myself, .. how diabolical this all is… when I catch myself hoping they didn’t somehow obtain God’s mercy.

But Hell really is too terrible to wish on someone. We should never do that.

The Times article might talk about the "priest predator who got away". He didn’t get away from God. He might have escaped our earthly bloodlust, but He didn’t escape God. And I shudder for him. Imagine the what someone, some damned soul, experiences in his first few seconds of Hell.

We are going to see another wave of reports of these cases, with more attacks, justified and unjustified, on the Church.

I don’t know how many of the Church’s attackers are really interested in helping victims obtain anything like peace or even justice in respect to those who harmed them. I suspect many attackers have motives apart from the good of the victims. Others? They maybe were personally harmed and maybe they are sincere advocates for victims. Either way the whole thing is just ugly and sad.

I am also torn because I hate seeing the Church so hectored, so singled out, as if these crimes are only committed by Catholics. That’s just plain wrong.

I know that Holy Catholic Church in its human dimension has to undergo this purification. It simply has to happen. The Church will always be attacked from without and within, as part of a constant purification. And I would be inconsistent indeed were I not to apply what I constantly mention to those going through a harsh purification. St. Augustine said about Christ, Physician of the soul, who corrects us sometimes with nearly unbearable means:

"The doctor doesn’t stop cutting just because the patient is screaming for him to stop."

We are going to have another long and lurid round of exposure of sins and failures. It will be worse this time, because more regions of the world will start producing evidence of the same. The Enemy of the soul, the devil and the fallen angels, will use earthly agents to wreak havoc in the spiritual realm. As always.

So, God help us all. We must pray for solace for the victims of this crisis, and for lots of forgiveness, even as we pray for Holy Mother Church.

To a certain extent we are going to have to lie here and be kicked by anyone who walks by… until they decide that kicking someone else gets them what they want… that and must continue to revitalize our worship of Almighty God, who alone can see us through to the other side."

Sunday 7 March 2010

YCA-Juventutem Event at ST. WILLIAM OF YORK CATHOLIC CHURCH in Reading on Sunday 28th March 2010.

We will be meeting up at the 11am Traditional Mass at ST. WILLIAM OF YORK CATHOLIC CHURCH in Reading on Palm Sunday (28th March) and then heading off for a meal afterwards (place to be specified). Everyone is warmly welcome.

Where is St. William of York?

It is situated at , Upper Redlands Road, Reading, Berks. RG1 5JT. Located next to St Joseph Convent School. Large free parish car park next to St William Church. Sung Mass preceded and followed with Confessions. For more details see:- http://www.fssp.org.uk/england/pages/mass-times.php

Saturday 14 November 2009

Young Catholic Adults in the Universe Newspaper for the First Time


A few weeks ago YCA managed to get into the Universe for the first time (18th October)!

For a snapshot of the article, please see below:-

Young Catholic Adults Weekend Retreat at Douai Abbey 18-20 September 2009

During the weekend of the 18-20 September, Young Catholic Adults (YCA) held its annual weekend retreat at Douai Abbey in Berkshire in the south of England. It was by far the biggest YCA event so far, with three Masses in the Extraordinary Form, three talks and a Marian procession over the long weekend.

The retreat was led by the head of the Juventutem Federation, Fr Armand de Malleray FSSP. Some participants stayed for the whole weekend, while others came for the day to the Marian Procession and Sung Mass of St Januarius and Companions, which was sung by the Douai Abbey Singers. Both these events were open to the public and attracted approximately seventy people; moreover, the Mass of St Januarius was the first public Traditional Mass to be celebrated in the main Douai Abbey church since the liturgical changes of 1969.

One of the retreatants wrote: “well, it‘s been over a week since the retreat and I just thought I’d like to express my gratitude to .... Fr De Malleray and all those involved. I really appreciated the retreat itself, and the effort everyone put in. The retreat was exactly what I was looking for, a peaceful, laid- back and social setting, deep and thought-provoking talks, and the absolute beauty of the Extraordinary Form of Mass. I really believe this is what young Catholics need, something deeply enriching. It certainly helped me to be a bit more serious about my Faith! I feel really great as a result of the retreat; and having met all the other great people there was fantastic, it gave me the real sense of being part of something huge, the Church.”

YCA is always looking to create more local groups/events. If you would like to volunteer or be put on the mailing list, please email Damian Barker at juventuterncatholicam@yahoo.co.uk

Friday 6 November 2009

Aid to the Church in Need Annual Memorial Mass for Departed Benefactors and Friends


Please join Aid to the Church in Need for the Annual Memorial Mass for our Departed Benefactors and Friends with a sung Latin Mass (1962 Missal) at 7pm on Thursday, 26th November, Celebrant, Father Martin Edwards, at the Little Oratory, Brompton Road, SW7 2RP

Monday 5 October 2009

Fraternity of Saint Peter Day of Recollection in Bristol

The FSSP is having a Day of Recollection in Bristol, I’m sure that it will be a great day – do go along!

Sunday 11 October 2009 at

St Antony’s Catholic Church, Satchfield Crescent, Henbury, Bristol BS10 7BE

Day of recollection by Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP

(Superior of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter in England & Wales : www.fssp.co.uk

and Ecclesiastical Assistant of Youth Movement Juventutem: www.juventutem.org)

EF Holy Mass at 11.30am, refreshments, talk at 2pm followed

with Eucharistic Adoration, confessions and Benediction.

Contact telephone number: 0117 9466 270.

Monday 28 September 2009

Young Catholic Adults Douai Weekend 18-20 September 2009 Photos

Approximately 70 people came the the Young Catholic Adults weekend at Douai Abbey during September 18-20th 2009. Here are some photos of this extraordinary event.

talk2 Mass

procession.mark2 processioninthechurch

Mass.3jpeg Mass2

Friday 11 September 2009

Just A Few Places Left For The Young Catholic Adults (Part Of The Juventutem Federation) Weekend at Douai Abbey in Berkshire 18-20 September 2009

Douai Abbey have very kindly given Young Catholic Adults MORE accommodation and facilities for the Douai Abbey Retreat (18-20 Septmber 2009). There are a few places left in student/youth style shared rooms in “The Cottages.” The remaining spaces are just £35 per person per night (full board) or £25 for Students.

Events Open to the Public

Saturday 19th September 09’ at 10am –Mass (the choir will be the Douai Singers ) in the main Abbey Church followed by a Marian Procession around the extensive grounds of the Abbey at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church).



All ages/Parishes/Church groups are warmly welcome to attend Masses and the procession. All events are organised by Young Catholic Adults (YCA).


How to book for the Retreat- limited places!

To reserve your place FOR THE WEEKEND (no deposit needed if you are coming for the day), please send a 20 pound deposit (NON RETURNABLE) to Damian Barker, Flat 5, 12 St. Catherine Street, Kingsholm, Gloucester, Glos. GL2 9DU (please make any cheques payable to Damian Barker). It is helpful for the Abbey if you include a contact address, telephone number and email address (as they can book you in straight away). For further enquiries please ring 07908105787.

Detailed SCHEDULE:

(Extraordinary Form liturgy and talks by Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP, Ecclesiastical Assistant of Juventutem www.juventutem.org)

Friday 18 September(S Joseph of Cupertino)

1-6pm onwards arrival
6.00pm – 7.00pm Holy Mass in the Parish Church

7.00-7.30pm - Supper
8.30- Social

Saturday 19 September(SS Januarius B & Comps MM)

8.00-9.00am Breakfast
9.00-9.30am Rosary
10am Sung Holy Mass, main Abbey Church

11am Marian Procession around the extensive grounds of the Abbey at 11am (if bad weather, procession within the building).
1.00-2.00pm Lunch in the Refectory
2.00-3.00pm Talk: How to bear witness to Christ in today’s world?
3.00-5pm Free time
5.00-6.00pm Talk: Why and how to pray?
6.00-6.30pm Vespers
7.00-7.30pm Supper
7.30-9.30pm Adoration and Confession
9.30pm Social

Sunday 20 September (16th after Pentecost)

7am Holy Mass in Parish Church

8am Breakfast

9am Talk: ‘Thy will be done’ – God’s will, our fulfilment.

10am Free time

12noon Rosary

1.00pm Lunch in nearby pub

Access to Douai Abbey:

Address: Upper Woolhampton, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 5TQ, England.

Abbey website: http://www.douaiabbey.org.uk

Rail: Midgham railway station, 3mn drive from the Abbey.

Nearest main station: Reading (25mn drive from the Abbey), or Newbury.

Large free car park at the Abbey

Saturday 15 August 2009

Young Catholic Adults Get More Accomodation at Douai Abbey Retreat (18-20 Septmber 2009)

Douai Abbey have very kindly given Young Catholic Adults MORE accommodation and facilities for the Douai Abbey Retreat (18-20 Septmber 2009). Please note that at the Douai Retreat there is the possibility of having all your meals in the main dining area.

For Student and Youth Group Retreats

  • The Cottages accommodate groups of up to 10 young persons in simple 'hostel' type rooms.
  • Plus facilities include a kitchen, dining room and scullery.
  • Two other rooms provide a lounge and chapel, and the whole building is centrally heated.


  • The facilities available include the Abbey Church which provides a peaceful, prayerful space for worship. Guests are free to join in all the community services and to enjoy the spacious Abbey grounds.

  • Lying deep in the Berkshire countryside overlooking the beautiful Kennet valley to the distant Hampshire downs, the Cottages provide an ideal place for a group retreat for all who seek the refreshment of peace and quiet.










Sunday 9 August 2009

Words of Wisdom from the Gospel of Matthew

Perhaps it’s just me; however, there seems to be a lot of bad news around at the moment. Christians in general and Traditional Catholics, in particular, appear to be getting a rough ride. They appear to be either increasingly marginalised, or in the case of Traditional Catholics as marginalised as ever. Perhaps now is the time to remember what Saint Matthew recorded about the marginalised - that they are blessed people:-

Gospel According to Saint Matthew, Chapter 5.

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. 2 And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God. 10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: 12 Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you Douay-Rheims Bible.

Saturday 8 August 2009

Feastday of St. John Vianney


St. John Vianney

“Love for your neighbour consists of three things: To desire the greater good of everyone; to do what good we can when we can; to bear, excuse and hide others' faults'” (St. John Vianney)
The Curé of Ars.

The feastday of St. John Vianney in the Traditional Calendar is August 8th, so here is some info about the patron saint of Parish Priests.

John Mary Vianney was born on May 8, 1786, in a tiny village, Dardily, 3 miles north of Lyons. His parents were small farmers. He was the third of six children. The family was known to be kind to beggars. In fact, sixteen years before his birth, St Benedict Joseph Labre, known as beggar saint, had visited the family and left them his blessing.

To be a priest, to win many souls, were the thoughts shaping in John Mary's mind as he turned seventeen. His mother was overjoyed, but it took another two years for his father to be brought around.

In spite of his poor marks, John Mary was finally accepted because of his holiness. He would rise from bed at around one in the morning, then make his way with a lighted candle to the church where people would already be waiting for him. He would kneel at the foot of the altar and pray, then enter the confessional and hear confessions without a break until the hour for Mass. After Mass, he would again sit in the confessional until eleven. Then he would give his catechism lesson for about forty-five minutes. In order to recite his breviary, he would frequently tell his penitent to remain quietly at the confessional while he said the office, this being the only way to find time for it.

A young priest wrote to him: "Monsieur le Cure, a man with as little theology as yourself ought never to enter a confessional." The Cure of Ars replied: "My very dear and respected colleague, how right I am to love you. You alone really know me. As you are good and charitable enough to deign to take interest in my poor soul, help me to obtain the favour for which I have been asking for so long, so that I may be moved from a post I am unworthy to fill because of my ignorance and retire into obscurity to atone for my wretched life."

Visitors began appearing at Ars in large numbers, some out of curiosity, but most of them in order to make their confession and received Holy Communion from his hands.

Worn out by his labours and austerities, he grew weaker. He kept fainting in the confessional. His voice in the pulpit became very feeble. At one o'clock in the morning on July 30, 1859, he called for the Cure of Jassons and humbly made his confession. He received Holy Viaticum at three in the afternoon. He wept. "It is sad to receive the Lord for the last time," he said. "How good God is! When we cannot go and see him, he comes to us."

He was beatified on January 8, 1905, by Pius X and canonized on May 31, 1925, by Pius XI. In 1929, Pius XI declared him patron Saint of parish Priests all over the world. His incorrupt body now reposes in the new basilica at Ars in a glass coffin.

Tuesday 4 August 2009

The Feast of St. Dominic

Today is the feast day of St. Dominic (in the Traditional Calendar), he was one of the great saints of the middle ages. The sanctity of this holy friar soon spread throughout Christendom. “The life of St. Dominic was one of tireless effort in the, service of god. While he journeyed from place to place he prayed and preached almost uninterruptedly. His penance’s were of such a nature as to cause the brethren, who accidentally discovered them, to fear the effect upon his life. While his charity was boundless he never permitted it to interfere with the stern sense of duty that guided every action of his life…. He was canonised on 13 July, 1234, (whereupon) Gregory IX declared that he no more doubted the saintliness of Saint Dominic than he did that of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.” (The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913).

Here are the Epistle and Gospel for the Mass of St. Dominic (1962 – Traditional Missal).

Tuesday, 04 August 2009
St Dominic, confessor

Epistle
2 Tim 4,1-8.

I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming and his kingdom:Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine.For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears:And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables.But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. Be sober.For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand.I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.


Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12,35-40.

Let your loins be girt and lamps burning in your hands. And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you that he will gird himself and make them sit down to meat and passing will minister unto them. And if he shall come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not the Son of man will come.

Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible

Thursday 30 July 2009

New Assistant LMS Rep for Gloucestershire

This is just a short post to say that the new assistant LMS Rep for Gloucestershire is yours truly the author of this blog! You can contact me on juventutemcatholicam@yahoo.co.uk. My name is Damian Barker and I will be working to try and increase the number of Masses in this part of the world. There is still much hostility against Summorum Pontificum in Gloucesterhire, hopefully this will be overcome – with time.

New LMS Blog for Gloucestershire



There is a new LMS blog for Gloucestershire, it is a bit sparse at the moment, but it gives an overview of what Mass locations are available in Gloucestershire.

http://latinmasssocietyingloucestershire.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately there is only one Sunday Mass once a month for the whole of the County, which covers a population of half a million people. Hopefully this will change in the near future.

Pilgrimage to Caldey Island



At the start of July an historic Pilgrimage took place on Caldey island, which is just off the coast of South Wales. The island is one of the oldest monastic islands in Britain and is currently owned by the Cistercian.

It was the first time that the Traditional Mass was celebrated on Caldey Island in c.40 years.




The Feast was the Most Precious Blood.The celebrant was Fr Jason Jones of Our Lady of the Taper, Cardigan.

Thursday 18 June 2009

Is God calling ME?

Come and discern:

Vocation Retreat (2 nights)

4-6 August 2009

Preached by Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP, Ecclesiastical Assistant Juventutem

Starts: Tuesday 4th August 2009 at 1pm –Ends: Thursday 6th August at 3pm

Theme: ”Ask the master of the harvest to send out labourers for his harvest.” (Mt 9,38)

Retreat for celibate lay men, age 16-40 (English-speakers living in or outside the UK)

Vocations video: http://www.fssp.org/objet/flashpretreEN.htm


Cost: no set price : (donations welcome).

Schedule: Silent retreat (inside the premises); meals with table reading on the theme of the retreat or music; includes a one-hour conference in the morning and in the afternoon; coffee-break; walks around the house in beautiful countryside of Devon; possibility of private meeting with the Retreat Master and of confession. Eucharistic Adoration.

Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite each of the three days :

· Tues. 3pm : St Dominic, Founder of the Order of Preachers;

· Wed. 11am: Dedication of St Mary of the Snows;

· Thurs. 11am : Transfiguration of OLJC.

Location: in Axminster, Devon (between Exeter and Yeovil).

By car: near A35, south of M5.

By rail: Axminster station: trains from London Paddington, London Waterloo, etc. A lift from and to the railway station can be arranged, also from the London area.

Booking and contact: Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP, 179 Elgar Rd, Reading RG2 0DH, Berks – Tel.: 0118 987 5819 – E-mail: fij_malleray@fssp.org

Website: http://www.fssp.org.uk/

To make a donation to help others – especially students – attend the retreat: please use contact above (£ cheques made payable to ”FSSP England” – please mention ”Retreat Sponsoring”. Thank you very much). FSSP England is a registered charity

LETTER TO CLERGY FOR THE YEAR FOR PRIESTS

VATICAN CITY, 18 JUN 2009 (VIS) - The Pope has sent a Letter to the priests of the world for the occasion of the Year for Priests, which has been called to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney.

Dear Brother Priests,



On the forthcoming Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday 19 June 2009 - a day traditionally devoted to prayer for the sanctification of the clergy - I have decided to inaugurate a "Year for Priests" in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the "dies natalis" of John Mary Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests worldwide.

I still treasure the memory of the first parish priest at whose side I exercised my ministry as a young priest: he left me an example of unreserved devotion to his pastoral duties, even to meeting death in the act of bringing viaticum to a gravely ill person. I also recall the countless confreres whom I have met and continue to meet, not least in my pastoral visits to different countries: men generously dedicated to the daily exercise of their priestly ministry. Yet the expression of St. John Mary also makes us think of Christ's pierced Heart and the crown of thorns which surrounds it. I am also led to think, therefore, of the countless situations of suffering endured by many priests, either because they themselves share in the manifold human experience of pain or because they encounter misunderstanding from the very persons to whom they minister. How can we not also think of all those priests who are offended in their dignity, obstructed in their mission and persecuted, even at times to offering the supreme testimony of their own blood?

St. John Mary Vianney taught his parishioners primarily by the witness of his life. It was from his example that they learned to pray, halting frequently before the tabernacle for a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. "One need not say much to pray well" - the Cure explained to them - "We know that Jesus is there in the tabernacle: let us open our hearts to Him, let us rejoice in His sacred presence. That is the best prayer". And he would urge them: "Come to communion, my brothers and sisters, come to Jesus. Come to live from Him in order to live with Him. ... "Of course you are not worthy of him, but you need him!". This way of educating the faithful to the Eucharistic presence and to communion proved most effective when they saw him celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Those present said that "it was not possible to find a finer example of worship. ... He gazed upon the Host with immense love". "All good works, taken together, do not equal the sacrifice of the Mass" - he would say - "since they are human works, while the Holy Mass is the work of God". He was convinced that the fervour of a priest's life depended entirely upon the Mass: "The reason why a priest is lax is that he does not pay attention to the Mass! My God, how we ought to pity a priest who celebrates as if he were engaged in something routine!". He was accustomed, when celebrating, also to offer his own life in sacrifice: "What a good thing it is for a priest each morning to offer himself to God in sacrifice!"

To the Most Holy Virgin I entrust this Year for Priests. I ask her to awaken in the heart of every priest a generous and renewed commitment to the ideal of complete self-oblation to Christ and the Church which inspired the thoughts and actions of the saintly Cure of Ars. It was his fervent prayer life and his impassioned love of Christ Crucified that enabled John Mary Vianney to grow daily in his total self-oblation to God and the Church. May his example lead all priests to offer that witness of unity with their bishop, with one another and with the lay faithful, which today, as ever, is so necessary. Despite all the evil present in our world, the words which Christ spoke to His Apostles in the Upper Room continue to inspire us: "In the world you have tribulation; but take courage, I have overcome the world". Our faith in the Divine Master gives us the strength to look to the future with confidence. Dear priests, Christ is counting on you. In the footsteps of the Cure of Ars, let yourselves be enthralled by Him. In this way you too will be, for the world in our time, heralds of hope, reconciliation and peace!

Benedict XVI.

BXVI-LETTER/YEAR FOR PRIESTS/... VIS 090618 (4360)

V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

Friday 15 May 2009

Novena for Juventutem

WWW.JUVENTUTEM.ORG

Ad Deum Qui laetificat + Juventutem meam

Dear Juventutem Friends,

Greetings in the Lord.

In 10 days (Sunday after the Ascension, 24th May) on the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians we will celebrate the third anniversary of the foundation of the International Juventutem Federation. We invite you to pray each of the next 9 days one decade of the Holy Rosary for all Juventutem members worldwide and for the clergy supporting Juventutem.

With my prayer,

Fr de Malleray, Ecclesiastical Assistant Juventutem

_______________________________________________________________________

Upcoming events:

1)Traditional international ‘Pilgrimage of Christendom’ from Paris to Chartres, France, May 30th – June 1st, 2009 (cf http://www.nd-chretiente.com/index-eng.php). Join the Juventutem chapter and walk from Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris to Notre-Dame cathedral in Chartres, together with 8,000 other young pilgrims! All Masses in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite. Meet with dozens of clergy and religious from the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter and other ‘Ecclesia Dei’ communities.

Contact: Madeleine Readings : madeleinereadings@googlemail.com.

2)Juventutem retreat in England, Douai Abbey, Berks, September 18-20, 2009: all young adults welcome.

Preacher: Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP.

Contact: Damian Barker: juventutemcatholicam@yahoo.co.uk; for more details, please see http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/news.htm.
Cost: from as little as 25 GBP for students (or 48-88 GBP for non students).

Monday 11 May 2009

Some Good News! Young Catholic Adults Douai Abbey Retreat Gets Bigger and Better



During the weekend of the 18-20 September 2009. Young Catholic Adults (YCA are part of the international Juventutem Federation) will be running a Traditional Retreat at Douai Abbey in the south of England, the weekend will be led by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr de Malleray. Summorum Pontificum must be working - at least in a "brick by brick" fashion, just look at the following:-

-For the first time Young Catholic Adults will be using the main Abbey Church for Mass

-For the first time YCA will be organising a Missa Cantata, sung by the Douai Singers; this will be followed by a Marian Procession

- YCA has booked out the whole of the retreat complex this year, on the advice of Douai Abbey itself, as the monks were so pleased with the YCA retreat last year


Places are limited so please book early


-YCA will have the retreat centre to itself
-There will be a social in the evening
- Fr. de Malleray FSSP head of Juventutem will preach the retreat, all Masses will be in the Extraordinary form
- There will be a Sung Mass (Missa Canta) on Saturday 19th September 09’ at 10am. The choir will be the Douai Singers, in the main Abbey Church, followed by a Marian Procession at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church) around the extensive grounds of the Abbey (weather permitting, if the weather is poor there will be Marian devotions in the main Abbey Church )
-The weekend will be full-board (except for the Sunday lunch)


How to book

The cost of the weekend will be from as little as 25 pounds for students (or 48-88 pounds for non students) for more details, please see http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/news.htm or email juventutemcatholicam@yahoo.co.uk.

Events Open to the Public

The Sung Mass (Missa Canta) on Saturday 19th September 09’ at 10am followed by a Marian Procession around the extensive grounds of the Abbey at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church) are open to the public.

There are also a few rooms allocated for all age groups (not just YCA) so please book soon.



There are limited places so please reserve your place early!


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