Down in Adoration Falling

Last week, I ran across a quote by a French Catholic author of the last century that really resonated with me. “You understand absolutely nothing about modern civilization unless you first admit that it is a conspiracy against all interior life.” (George Bernanos) Even the very roots of the word “civilization” betray its origin, for it comes from the Latin […]

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“I’d Cut Down Every Law…”

Hans Holbein the Younger: Sir Thomas More

Today is the memorial of one of my favourite saints, Saint Thomas More, who died at the hands of King Henry VIII (that villain). That is, today is his memorial in the modern Roman calendar, which he shares with Saint John Fisher, also executed by the same king. In my Benedictine ordo, however, it is no such thing – you’d […]

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Malleus Hereticorum

The Lord manifests Himself to those who stop for some time in peace and humility of heart. If you look in murky and turbulent waters, you cannot see the reflection of your face. If you want to see the face of Christ, stop and collect your thoughts in silence, and close the door of your soul to the noise of […]

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Ten Years!

On this day, ten years ago, this blog was born. It’s had a bit of a bumpy ride, changing venues a couple of times in the process. This is what I said in that first post: So much has changed in that short decade. These days, when someone tells me I’m a traditionalist, I’m forced to correct them. I’m a […]

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The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Today, the day after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On my Benedictine Ordo (and the Extraordinary Form calendar), we’ll have to wait for August 22nd, the Octave Day of the Assumption, for this feast. While it is certainly tempting to write a short theological and […]

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Corpus Christi Retrospective Part 2:
In Procession

An anonymous bishop once famously prescribed a remedy for many of the problems facing the modern Church with the words “less jabbering – more processions“. He was not wrong. In one sense, of course, processions form the structure of the entire liturgy: we begin with an entrance procession (introit), and there are processions for the Gospel, the offertory, and perhaps […]

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Corpus Christi Retrospective Part 1:
Ad Orientem

This year my parish continued its tradition of celebrating our Corpus Christi Masses on the high altar. This obviously means that rather than facing the congregation through much of the Mass, the priest is facing the same direction they are: towards the altar, toward the tabernacle, towards the Lord. This way of celebrating the Mass is called Ad Orientem, which […]

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One Month On

A month ago today, May 2, we arrived in Santiago de Compostela. I still haven’t uploaded all of the photos to Flickr. Perhaps in my head this will be the action that ends the Camino, though it’s long over. I also haven’t finished unpacking, either physically or mentally. (Originally posted to Pilgrims on the Way.)

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Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity

Depending on what calendar you use (Ordinary Form or Extraordinary Form), and whether or not it is a Holy Day of Obligation in your diocese, today(or last Thursday) is (or was) the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Happy Corpus Christi! Whereas Holy Thursday is a celebration of the institution of the Eucharist, Corpus Christi is […]

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Practice and Celebration

This weekend we’re having what we call a “churchy” weekend. In just a few hours, I’m heading over to the parish to run a morning training for new and transferring Altar Servers. After lunch, rehearsals for the Corpus Christi Mass and Procession begin. In the church today, we’re also hosting some youth pilgrims coming to the Holy Door, Adoration, Benediction, […]

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The Venerable Bede Redux

Today in the calendar of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and on the Benedictine Calendar is the feast of this blog’s patron, Saint Bede the Venerable. For no reason that I understand, in 1970 his feast was moved to the day before yesterday. This sort of silly confusion should really be cleared up. One calendar for the Roman […]

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