Dani Garavelli on the "Condom Conundrum"

Dani Garavelli, a journalist at the Scotsman's Sunday paper - the Scotland on Sunday - wrote a piece today on the whole debacle about one of the Pope's responses in the book-interview Light of the World. Garavelli often comments on Catholic affairs because she herself is Catholic. One only needs to read one article to realise that she is of the liberal persuasion but nevertheless she is honest. Here is an example:

THE way the world has reacted to Pope Benedict XVI's "reassessment" of his position on condoms last week you would be forgiven for thinking he'd whole-heartedly embraced them and was now personally dispensing them from his Popemobile. The truth is far more prosaic and predictable. [...] Not only did the Pope confine his qualified acceptance of condom use to those involved in the sex trade, he seemed to be motivated not by a desire to protect those at risk, but by the hope that the act of putting one on might signal the start of a journey that would eventually lead to a more chaste lifestyle.

I am glad that she has written this even though she's on the other side of the fence, so to speak. It's important for people to realise that what they think has been said is in fact not what has been said. It's always good when the people who disagree with you understand what you are saying. 

So far, I've avoided mentioning the whole affair as I thought it more prudent to wait and see what would happen. I must say that, like many others, I have been disappointed with the official response to the misunderstanding being proclaimed in the mainstream media. The most difficult things to read were quotes from aid agencies who clearly were looking to misread what the Pope was saying and so use it as justification for the distribution of condoms. Those without access to unbiased media would have very little on which to base any counterargument. For this reason, I hoped for a greater response from Church officials on this. On other less important issues, their response is often more than adequate. Sadly, this time it wasn't the case.

V. Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Benedicto.
R. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.
Pater noster. Ave Maria.
Deus, omnium fidelium pastor et rector, famulum tuum Benedictum, quem pastorem Ecclesiae tuae praeesse voluisti, propitius respice: da ei, quaesumus, verbo et exemplo, quibus praeest, proficere: ut ad vitam, una cum grege sibi credito, perveniat sempiternam. Per Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Papal Encyclical Quas Primas

QUAS PRIMAS
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI
ON THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING
TO OUR VENERABLE BRETHREN THE PATRIARCHS, PRIMATES,
ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS, AND OTHER ORDINARIES
IN PEACE AND COMMUNION WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE.

Venerable Brethren, Greeting and the Apostolic Benediction.

In the first Encyclical Letter which We addressed at the beginning of Our Pontificate to the Bishops of the universal Church, We referred to the chief causes of the difficulties under which mankind was laboring. And We remember saying that these manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these had no place either in private affairs or in politics: and we said further, that as long as individuals and states refused to submit to the rule of our Savior, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations. Men must look for the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ; and that We promised to do as far as lay in Our power. In the Kingdom of Christ, that is, it seemed to Us that peace could not be more effectually restored nor fixed upon a firmer basis than through the restoration of the Empire of Our Lord. We were led in the meantime to indulge the hope of a brighter future at the sight of a more widespread and keener interest evinced in Christ and his Church, the one Source of Salvation, a sign that men who had formerly spurned the rule of our Redeemer and had exiled themselves from his kingdom were preparing, and even hastening, to return to the duty of obedience.

Review of Sung Mass for the Feast of Saint Margaret

God is very clearly answering my prayers. Recently, I have been longing to hear an Ordinary Form Mass chanted. Indeed, ever since I heard these recordings I have wanted to assist at a Mass chanted by the priest. This longing was fulfilled last night when I went to the Mass for the Feast of Saint Margaret. The choir was as usual excellent. The Saint Margaret Schola are very good and they regularly sing EF vespers at the cathedral. Just last week they sang the vespers from the office of the dead. The priest, whom I had never seen before, had a good singing voice as well (mercifully - I imagine it could be quite painful to have a priest sing the whole mass terribly). Wondering who this priest was (and thinking how lucky his parishioners are), I did a quick investigation last night but to no avail. Nevertheless, I found out this evening who he was as I attended a talk concerning Sacred Music given by him. Fr Gerry Byrne is very much for gregorian chant (hurrah!) and he told everyone there plain and simple what is allowed and what is not allowed (which seemed to upset quite a few - for me hearing this was music to my ears (pun intended!). Anyway, God seems to really be showing me that there are a good number of good priests out there (I'd started wondering...) and that they are starting to really take the lead in steering the faithful back towards proper liturgical practices and back to a proper teaching of the Catholic faith rather than watered downs stuff. Deo gratias!

Happy Feast of Saint Margaret of Scotland!

Today is the feast of Saint Margaret of Scotland. Outside Scotland, it is just an optional memoria but since she is the secondary Patron of Scotland, (behind Saint Andrew, who is Patron), the day has been elevated to a feast for Scottish Catholics. I have a particular affinity to Saint Margaret as my parish is dedicated to her, and it has a beautiful rose window above the altar. My primary school was also called Saint Margaret's, and they even had made up their own song for her. Here is a description of her from Catholic Culture:

She was born in Hungary (1046), where her father was living in exile, and likewise spent her childhood there as an unusually devout and pious girl. In the course of time she went to England, when her father was called to high office in his fatherland by his uncle, King St. Edward III. Fortune, however, soon reversed itself again (Margaret's father died suddenly in 1057), and upon leaving England a mighty storm — or better, divine Providence — brought her to the shores of Scotland. Upon instructions from her mother, Margaret married Malcolm III, king of Scotland, in 1069. The country was blessed by her holy life and by her deeds of charity for the next thirty years. Her eight children she zealously trained in the practice of Christian virtues.
In the midst of royal splendour Margaret chastised her flesh by mortification and vigils and passed the greater part of the night in devout prayer. Her most remarkable virtue was love of neighbour, particularly love toward the poor. Her alms supported countless unfortunates; daily she provided food for three hundred and shared in the work of serving them personally, washing their feet and kissing their wounds.

If you visit Edinburgh Castle, the oldest part of the castle is the Saint Margaret Chapel, build by her fourth son King David (Saint David of Scotland) in the 12th century. Nearby at the other end of the Royal Mile and then across towards Arthur Seat (so not far from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which Saint David also built) is the St Margaret's Well (though this is only a connection in name). After attending Saint Margaret's Primary I then moved on to Saint David's High School, dedicated to her son who also built Newbattle Abbey, in which the old Saint David's High building was situated. Therefore, I feel quite well acquainted with Saint Margaret and her son Saint David!

Tonight, for the Feast of Saint Margaret, I am going to a Sung Mass at the cathedral in Edinburgh. It is being chanted by the Edinburgh Schola whose Patroness is Saint Margaret. I've never been to a mass in the Ordinary Form which has been chanted. It will be an interesting experience, I'm sure.

Saint Margaret, Patroness of Scotland, pray for us!
Saint David, pray for us!
Saint Andrew, pray for us!

Reminiscing of the days in Nantes

Today I watched a video that featured on the website of the FSSP parish in Nantes, which is by far the best parish I have EVER been to. Here is the video, which looks back over the past year at the parish. Almost all of the events featured took place after I left, but what you can gather from the video is that it is a truly "living" parish, dedicated to forming young peoples lives so that they are well-rounded and properly equipped to deal with the vicissitudes of life, if you pardon the cliché, and also to preach the gospel by their way of living. It is entirely contrary to the popular yet gravely dishonest caricature of being sour and grumpy folk that traditionalists are often portrayed as. No, theirs is a parish where one cannot help but notice the love of Christ acted out in its members' devotion. The two priests were also excellent confessors and I can say that my time there was the most spiritually consoling and helpful time in my life. Oh how I miss it!

Anniversary of Baptism

Like last year, I would once again like to thank God for giving me life through baptism, and I ask him to help me by his grace to live up to my baptismal promises.