The United Kingdom, Europe and the US that is, not the Catholic Church.

The parallels are similar...The liner pilots of the country drove too fast to break new pay records (bankers, politicians etc), in a bid to make the liner attractive to the super-rich, then hit an iceberg (sub-prime mortgages and attending banking crisis) and now the UK and the Eurozone are going down very quickly indeed.

Now for the fate of the 'third class' voyagers. Surely a Government has to pass a bill before it informs the terminally ill (unproductive) that their benefits may be cut from next April, if, or as the Government hopes, when, such a bill is passed? The very rich will ride the economic catastrophe playing out before our eyes at the moment, but it looks like the 'safety net', for what that net is worth (net worth?),  is about to be cut. Mind you, the women and children rule doesn't really apply any longer does it? New third class voyagers include old men and women who will be cu…

On Sunday I went to Mass at St Joseph's Church in Brighton and was struck by a few things that made me wonder whether or not the new translation is making a difference to the liturgical life of the Church already.

My impression is that, unfortunately, much still depends upon the Priest who is celebrating the Holy Sacrifice, which is really a great shame because I had got the sense that with the new translation that the Priest may decrease so that Christ may increase. Why do some Priests hog the Mass? Why can't they let go and let God?

Clearly the Priest there has been versing his congregation very well in the new translation and he noted at the beginning of Mass how the translation had deepened the "devotional" aspect of the Mass. I don't think he used the word "reverent" but he seemed to be saying that the Mass with the new translation was more prayerful, devotional and perhaps contemplative. I wholeheartedly agree with him...but...

At various times du…

These were the words that Prime Minister David Cameron used to describe the effect of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom. Perhaps, looking at those words, it is only in the light of the Prime Minister's recent statements and the political direction he is taking us that we can assess that he was indeed talking about the country, rather than himself.

I find David Cameron a little confusing, for a Conservative, that is.  That said, he is, in a way, to the Conservative Party what Tony Blair was to the Labour Party, only his 'modernisation' programme for the party is not about removing clause four and becoming more attractive to business and Rupert Murdoch, but about removing traditional Conservative values, such as respect for the institutions of marriage and the family and replacing them with new values grounded in new ideologies grounded in a distorted perception of human 'equality'. Both modernisation programmes are quite similar in that they are ab…

Well, that was a busy day. I received a call today and spent the day moving furniture and antiques bought by a young Israeli chap who owns a shop in Kemptown. He had invested in goods for his shop at Scarborough Fine Arts Auction House in Southwick and I was called to assist him in moving his new stock. He said he misses Israel everyday, describing it as paradise. I guess he must have lived in a nice part of it!

As well as paying me for my services, he was also kind enough to donate to me a TV, freeview box, video player, two mahogany cabinets and a huge wooden cabinet. I don't know what to do with them now, but there we go, perhaps I can sell them at a car boot sale that I am planning to do on Saturday in Shoreham, as there is still stuff from St Mary Magdalen's that needs to be sold which has rested in the garage for a long time.

Slowly, the van is coming into its own. We did two runs to the auction houses and managed to fill the van both times. He did make an offer to me to…

As I said in previous posts about the LMS Ely to Walsingham Pilgrimage, I had never prayed the Rosary in Latin before and I was quite taken with it because it was strikingly the same, yet different. I still have the LMS booklet with all the prayers used in the Rosary in Latin and in English and so last night dug it out and prayed the Rosary in Latin on my own for the first time. I really like it in Latin. I get the feeling that it is more suitable for prayer because it is more respectful of God's majesty and transcendence but the prayer is still definitely filial.

Something about it is a little more meditative as well, more soothing to pray. It seems to free you up to think about the mysteries rather than concentrating on the meaning of the words - which is ironic given that to us the language is foreign or even alien. I'd recommend giving it a go, if you haven't tried praying the Rosary in Latin already.

I also got the feeling Our Lady likes it in Latin. Of all ladies she…

H/T Ecumenical Diablog

On 14th September - the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - Bishop Fellay, SSPX, and a bunch of others are being received by Cardinal Levada of the CDF. Anything could happen - it could be good news, it could be bad news.

If you missed the novena, say a Rosary and one or all of the following;

Prayer for England

O Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother look down in mercy upon England thy Dowry and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee. By thee it was that Jesus our Saviour and our Hope was given unto the world and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more. Plead for us thy children whom thou did receive and accept at the foot of the cross O sorrowful Mother, Intercede for our separated brethren that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the Chief Shepherd the Vicar of Thy Son. Pray for us all dear Mother that by faith, fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God together …

Well done to theBishop of Paisley!

I also read that the The Gay Gospels author who defended the practise of homosexuality on Fr Ray Blake's blog, and who deems that he is a higher authority on matters of Sacred Scripture than the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, will be launching his heretical and rather scandalous book on Thursday 22nd September, 2011 at Waterstones in Brighton.

The 'controversial' book, The Gay Gospels is written by Keith Sharpe, a chap who is Chair of 'Changing Attitudes Sussex' and he will be launching his book in Brighton at one of the leading national chains of bookshops.

Hmm...very interesting. I wonder if he will be taking questions? I do sometimes wonder whether those who seek to change Church teachings while rewriting Salvation History and draping it in a Gay Pride flag so much as to consider even 'enlightening' us about Our Lord's 'sexual orientation' are open to their own attitudes being changed. I do so ho…

I've been updating my Bones's Catholic Storeand it looks a lot more organised now, divided, as it is, up into pages and sections for the relevant Catholic devotional items.

I can obtain these delightful Catholic bracelets now at a wholesale price and am selling them for £3.50 each, two for £5.00, so if you wish to purchase one or two just give me an email.

Today I will be uploading some absolutely delightful Catholic posters and prayer cards which were sent to me, so keep your eye out for some new products for sale. Also, St Francis of Assisi, anyone?

He is 26 cm high and is yours for just £8.99.

Two blog posts have caught my eye today, one from Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith for The Catholic Heraldand one from Ed West for The Telegraph, both arguing the depressing futility of the abortion 'debate', in the wake of this week's thumping Commons majority in support of the caring, compassionate, ruthlessly efficient industrial killing machine that is Marie Stopes and their friends, the BPAS. Some have blamed the pro-life movement for not moving themselves, together, on the amendment, but even with the higher number of pro-life MPs, I do think that the pro-life movement in the 21st century, when campaigning and lobbying MPs, must by now realise that it is going through the motions. Our parliamentarians, apart from a small minority, are not interested in changing the law on abortion, in the slightest. I expect that most of our MPs think abortion is a good thing because it means that after they've got home from thieving from the public purse on their second homes and duck …

While browsing the comments onFr Blake's post, The Illiberality of a local MP'I noticed a comment from someone called Keith Sharpe who took the opportunity to plug his book, The Gay Gospels, in which he gives a 'rainbow' slant to Sacred Scripture. By the way, I did rather enjoy the bit in Michael Voris's speech in London when he said that the rainbow had been nicked from the Catholic Church (and the Jews also) by the gay movement. Anyway, that is an aside.

As far as I know, Mr Sharpe is not a Catholic, so I shouldn't spend too much denouncing him on my blog, as outside of the Church, the idea that you can rewrite Salvation History according to your sexual or ideological preferences is even more widespread than it is within Her. Similarly, heresies of every kind are (surprisingly) even more widespread outside of the Church than they are inside of Her. If we were to tackle every example of modern 'spiritual' books written by moral relativists with an ideo…

I've been informed by a local LMS representative is organising a High Mass in Arundel at noon on Saturday 5th November.

Very exciting!

I'll certainly be endeavouring to attend the Mass. If you are in the area, or would like to be in the area to attend the Mass then put the date in your diary.

As we know, the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton is at the forefront of the liberation of the Traditional Latin Mass, with Mass in the Extraordinary Form being celebrated in Horsham, Lewes, Brighton, Seaford, West Grinstead, Bognor Regis and Arundel.

May God bless His Lordship for continuing to show generosity and love in exposing the Faithful to the great gift to the Church and the great mystery of the Mass of Ages. What joy!

From a nice afternoon out at the beach with Paul Smeaton, George and Diane. Let me know what the sound levels are like, as I have no sound on my computer. I should have asked him to sing that song that goes, "I left my boat at the shore..." because every Catholic loves that one!

Prince Charles is calling upon the World to repent of its flagrant abuse of the environment.

The Royal has, as we know, since his youth inhabited a small forest on the edge of Tunbridge Wells where he has been warmed only by a small, ecologically friendly heater powered by biofuels.

He has lived from berries which he has sourced locally from the trees and has lived a life of outstanding frugality, leading the way as a pioneer in survivalism and using only the local environment as a perfect steward of creation in order to preserve Mother Earth for future generations. We should all listen to this man because he has always practised what he preaches.

Now that the Royal, who has never even set foot in a car, let alone a private jet or other polluting modes of transport and whose only source of lighting is a beeswax church candle, has called upon the World to do environmental penance to save the earth we would do well to listen to him. Speaking from his small hut, waterproofed only by oak …

I have set up a website for a new operation with my van. Gardening, house clearances, deliveries, light removals are my main ideas so far, but with a little help from a Government grant, I'm sure I could find people with cleaning NVQs, catering NVQs, plumbing and decorating and plastering NVQs who have nothing to do during the day.

In my head I have a lot of ideas of how this van could maybe one day bring employment to myself and certain people I know, as part of David Cameron's Big Society vision, but as our MPs have emphatically made clear, this society is not big enough to advise counselling outside of the abortion industry (that wants people to have abortions) for people procuring abortions (who are not always sure).

All in all, its a rather small society at the end of the day, isn't it, and one that doesn't really like the very small? I must say I find this video of Nick and Dave laughing their heads off after Nadine Dorris's amendment was put in clinical wast…

I must say I find the vitriol surrounding the eviction of the Dale Farm travelling community rather ugly. The gypsy communities are often Catholics who take the Church's teachings deadly seriously. The usual newspapers and the usual columnists are lining up to condemn them. Why is it that there is such an insult-sensitive embargo on Jews and gays, but other victims of the Nazis Holocaust are still absolutely fair game? It doesn't make much sense to me.

At Walsingham there were quite a few Irish gypsy travellers who were camped up for the Youth 2000 group that hold their event at Walsingham every year. They have big families and take marriage very seriously. That may be a separate and unrelated issue, but, still, there is something rather nasty about the way in which they are discussed. Josephine Siedlecka of Independent Catholic News has written a piece on the background information to their eviction from Dale Farm which is posted below. One thing that does strike me is that s…