Popemobile spotted in London....

Fr. Finigan has exclusive  details of the latest popemobile, supplied  to Ecclestone Square. With its  contemporary lines and stylish design, this vehicle is bound to turn heads  and it comes fully loaded with the usual refinements.
But don't take my word for it- read Fr. Finigan's scoop!

Plymouth Diocesan Priests on BBC Radio Cornwall

 "We feel honoured but we also feel we want to share our faith with him and to be strengthened by his presence among us."- Fr. Chris Findlay-Wilson

In these last few days before the State visit of the Holy Father to the UK, BBC Cornwall has recorded some radio interviews with a number of Catholics of that lovely county, including Frs., Jon Bielowski and Chris Findlay-Wilson. To be aired on Sunday 12th September during 'Donna's Breakfast Show',  0600-0900am.,  the programme can be heard again on the BBC iplayer.

Thanks to Fr. John Boyle

Our Lady's Birthday

Mary Immaculate, star of the morning,

  Chosen before the creation began,

Chosen to bring in the light of thy dawning,

  Woe to the serpent and rescue to man

 

Here, in this world of both shadow and sadness

  Veiling thy splendour, thy course hast thou run:

Now thou art throned in all glory and gladness,

  Crowned by the hand of thy Saviour and Son.

 

Sinners, we worship thy sinless perfection;

  Fallen and weak, for thy pity we plead:

Grant us the shield of thy sov’reign protection,

  Measure thine aid by the depth of our need.

 

Bend from thy throne at the voice of our crying,

  Bend to this earth which thy footsteps have trod:

Stretch out thine arms to us, living and dying,

  Mary Immaculate, Mother of God.

Nearly half of Mass goers would attend Mass in the E.F.

 The main findings of a study  of Mass goers, commissioned by Paix Liturgique, are:

• 32% of Britain's Catholics attend Mass at least once a month

• 43% of those Catholics who practise regularly would attend Mass in the Extraordinary Form once a week
• 50% of the Catholics questioned would find it normal if Mass  were celebrated in the Extraordinary Form alongside the Ordinary Form in their parishes
• 60% of Catholics were unaware of Pope Benedict XVI's Moto Proprio Summorum Pontificum which lifted restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass in 2007

Of course, statistics should never be wholly relied upon as being absolutely accurate and true, but this study would seem to indicate that Catholics are much more open to attending Mass in the E.F.,  than  some people,  for instance, would have us believe.
 
I wonder if that figure of 43% could be interpreted as a 'stable group'..... ?
( Some while ago, it was said that requests for Masses in the E.F. would need to be made by a stable groups of parishioners.)  
          
Thanks to the Catholic Herald

Aid to the Church in Need Annual Mass and ‘Hope Without Fear’ Event

I posted a few weeks ago about some aspects of the great charitable works undertaken by Aid to the Church in Need,  (one of the best Catholic Charities, in my humble opinion). I am happy to reproduce in full this comment on my earlier  post.

"We would be most grateful if you would kindly display this information regarding Aid to the Church in Need’s Annual Westminster Event on your Blog and pass it on to anyone else who may also be willing to display it. Pictures of the speakers can be sent, should you wish.
Many thanks and God bless
Mike Cowie (Area Secretaries Co-ordinator, Aid to the Church in need (UK)

Aid to the Church in Need Annual Mass and ‘Hope Without Fear’ Event, taking place at Westminster Cathedral and Hall, Ambrosden Avenue London, SW1P 1QW
on – Saturday, 16th October Mass of Our Lady (Feast of Margaret Mary Alacoque).
The day begins with Sung Latin Mass in Westminster Cathedral at 10:30am. Mass will be followed by an afternoon of talks in the cathedral hall. We are delighted to welcome some very special guests from the suffering Church in Sudan and Siberia.

Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio, south Sudan is leading his people in south Sudan through a time of great uncertainty. Despite the country’s fragile peace agreement, he has seen his people fall victim to atrocious attacks, including crucifixion. Benefactors are helping to provide hope, funding Christian education at the Save the Saveable schools, training seminarians, Sisters and catechists, and helping priests reach Christian communities with new vehicles.

Father Michael Shields from Magadan, Siberia is a long-time friend of Aid to the Church in Need. An American from Alaska, he chose to serve in a former communist gulag camp in Magadan, Siberia. Millions died here. Father works for those who survive, ensuring their stories are told and their suffering acknowledged by the authorities. He is the author of the Aid to the Church in Need publication Martyrs of Magadan – a book that tells the stories of 15 survivors of the gulags. Earlier this year, Aid to the Church in Need paid tribute to Father Michael’s work by including him in the book Heroic Priests.

Neville Kyrke-Smith, UK Director, Aid to the Church in Need
has travelled extensively in Eastern Europe and, this year, he will give an update on the help benefactors are giving to Christians in Ukraine, where he recently visited.

John Pontifex, UK Head of Press and Information, Aid to the Church in Need
will speak about suffering, faith and hope in Pakistan and how benefactors are helping to nurture this hope.

For more information please visit our Website http://www.acnuk.org/events.php/223/aid-to-the-church-in-need-annual-mass-and-hope-without-fear-event-westminster "

Just before I go....

...........I must let you know of a  newly launched website for families,  www.faithfamilynet.com  It's the initiative of three mothers who want to provide a virtual meeting place for Christian families, particularly but not exclusively, parents, so that they can share ideas and experiences of raising children in the practice of their faith.
The mothers are Catholics, and so faithfamilynet has strongly 'Catholic flavour', but is designed to be of interest to all Christian families.

The site is still under construction, but already there is a wealth of helpful information and links about many areas of family life.
I particularly liked this comment from one of the mothers, Anne, who has homeschooled most of her eight children:

" Home education does not mean living in isolation. In fact the biggest objection to it seems to be the fear that one's child will not socialise. People often ask  "aren't you scared they won't fit in?",  to which the reply is,

" I'm terrified they will." !

Though we are not homeschoolers  I think we can understand what Anne means:
in a secular society there is something of a battle for the hearts and minds of our children, a battle which increasingly, is waged in the classrooms and playing fields of  schools all over the country. Parents have to be vigilant over the flame of faith which their children received at baptism, and do all in their power to prevent it being extinguished.

Off to Walsingham....and Ireland

We will be making our way to Our Lady's shrine at Walsingham this week for the Youth2000 prayer festival, which I mentioned the other day and which has become for our family, an unmissable, annual event.

The plan involved me  taking two of our children to Walsingham for some camping, before the prayer festival begins. With the sad news of my aunt's death, that plan is now altered to allow me to stop off near London and join my brother on a flight to  Ireland in order to attend her funeral on Wednesday.
Then, back to London to resume the journey to Walsingham.
At least, that's how it's looking at the moment....

I probably won't be able to post until after the bank holiday...so here's wishing you all a restful holiday weekend!