What then of the NO options? There too the Mass times mostly keep outside the hours that would be suitable. Of the churches around where I live and work only two seem to have Mass times that are suitable for daily attendance, both unfortunately NO. (Curiously both happen to be priories, one Carmelite on my way to work and one Dominican a short buss ride from the office.) Every now and then the LMS throws a Mass far away in the city which one might be able to get to every now and then.

So are NO Masses the answer if one wants to go to a daily Mass? I’m not happy about the idea but I don’t see very much else around.

These commentators, camp leaders etc. still fall into the heresy of Americanism which is an idea of accommodation to secular society and a form of proto-modernism e.g. separating Church and state, supporting all-out parliamentary democracy etc. contrary to the prescriptions of among other writings of the Holy See; Quanta Cura. Therefore their ideas of a happier, more Christian USA are deeply flawed. These ‘radicals’ simply aren’t radical enough. That of course is apart from them basing their ideas on the false, sandy foundation of protestantism rather than on the bedrock of Catholic Truth.

Most of what made it an embarrassing thing to watch was the simple thing that the objects of the documentary were some of the worst happy-clappy charismatics I’ve seen on TV, helped of course by some prejudicial editing. The lack of intellectual depth and prudence among some of these groups keeps surprising me, adding to the embarrassment.

Here is Benedict XVI giving communion to one of the religious that assisted at the Mass:

Now, some of the readers here know that I’m discerning a vocation to the priesthood, at the least my post about visiting the seminary should have made that clear. Following a recommendation from someone who encouraged me to get in touch with the Order of Preachers I went up to St Dominic’s Priory at Southampton road here in London the other day. Mass was pretty mainstream; altargirls(poorly trained), something that definitely wasn’t the Roman Canon, an Altar facing the wrong way, communion in the hand, Eucharistic monsters handling the chalice .. However, the music was fairly good -gregorian- despite several choir members being on pilgrimage to Walsingham. The priests seemed sound enough in a conservative, NO sort of way, until full of enthusiasm one of them told me about the upcoming visit to Blackfriars Hall in Oxford (their house of study) by none other than the Dalai Lama. The mixed messages leave me scratching my head in some confusion as to what to think about them.

At the group discussion we were presented with a number of points for discussion out of which my group only got to no 1, whether or not it’s legitimate for the state to fund schools that are more or less exclusively tied to a particular religion. I think I was the only one who said that it’s not only legitimate but even a duty for the state to do so. Even without relating the discussion to the infallible judgments in Quanta Cura, parental control of the child’s education would require the state to support schools of this type.

It was an interesting evening and an educational foray into modernist territory, that otherwise well educated Catholics can come up with and support such liberalist and releativist attitudes as those I heard baffles me. If I am not busy it would be interesting to see what they have to say on the next occasion when the subject is the Eucharist.

The sun shone down on us mercilessly throughout the pilgrimage, I got away with some minor sunburns on my arms. The whole event was very impressive and for three days or so one could almoust forget about all the problems in the Church today, there was nothing but full, traditional Catholicism as far as anyone could see. Granted, proper posture and dress sense is lacking among some of the younger pilgrims but perhaps one can be charitable and assume that the kid who was sleeping his way through the final Mass was suffering from heat exhaustion. I must admit that I too dozed off during the homily outside the cathedral in Chartres, not knowing french it simply wasn’t engaging at all.

All in all it was a hot, grueling, exhausting and lovely little stroll.

Pictures and more when available.

Thou, on those who evermore
Thee confess and Thee adore
In Thy sevenfold gifts, descend:
Give them comfort when they die;
Give the life with Thee on high;
Give them joys which never end. Amen.

The Fruits of the Holy Ghost
The gifts of the Holy Ghost perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us
to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in
the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Ghost, our
service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue becomes
more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and
consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Ghost. These Fruits in turn
render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful
incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve Whom is
to reign.

Prayer
Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits, Thy charity,
joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness, and temperance,
that I may never weary on the service of God, but by continued faithful
submission to Thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Thee in
the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory be to the Father (seven times)
Act of Consecration (As below)
Prayer for the Seven Gifts (As below)

************************************************** *********************************
Prayer to the Holy Ghost
Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in them the
fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created;
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray – Oh God, Who hast instructed the hearts of the faithful by the
light of the Holy Ghost, grant that by the same Spirit we may be always
truly wise, and ever rejoice in His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord.
Amen. (From the Roman Missal).
************************************************** *****************************

O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You.
Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me.
Tell me what I should do, give me Your orders.
I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me
and to accept all that You permit to happen to me.
Let me only know Your will. Amen

The Gift of Wisdom
Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues,
Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of Wisdom it is written “all good
things come to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands.” It is
the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects
charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom
enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation
of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a
divine sweetness according to the words of the Savior: “Take up thy cross
and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light.”

Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly
things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them
above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to
attain them and possess them for ever. Amen.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory be to the Father (seven times)
Act of Consecration (As below)
Prayer for the Seven Gifts (As below)