Time Flies!

I thought I'd get round to posting a bit more often, but it seems I'm as slow as ever. However, I am delighted to say that those manky old bulbs that I bunged in at the last minute have decided they'd rather live and give me a spot of colour in one corner of the garden, than die, even though I was sure I hadn't planted them deep enough for them to flower.

Spring flowers always make me want to smile! One of our Priests popped in for a cuppa last night, after doing a "heavy" shift at the school, hearing confessions - (unfortunately, I don't thing he got a lot of customers.) He said that his mother always loved gardening, and how civilizing he thought it was to  have a well-kept garden. It made me think maybe I should overcome my reluctance to do anything with this one since we are mere tenants. I have been silly really, thinking like that, since we've never stayed long enough in any place for me to reap the benefits of my endeavours (in terms of the overall picture, although I have seen some wonderful plants develop). Maybe I should make an effort to get this one up to scratch, so that even if we move on, someone else will have the benefit of it.
Trouble is, finding the time!
I've just discovered in the last few days a new article of clothing, that every modestly-dressed young miss needs for her trips to the park - "Skorts" - a mixture of skirt and shorts, and today I made up a pattern for a pair and completed them so that my friend's little girl would have something to wear in the garden.

All cut out and ready to go!

Is it a skirt?

No, It's a skort!

 Been knocking out Mantillas too, just in case anyone wants one - there seems to have been a proliferation of ladies starting to want to cover their heads at Mass, so I've been asked to make a few...

I like to make them nice and big, so that they don't feel like a doily stuck on the top of one's head!

Maybe after Easter I'll start digging the garden, and getting rid of the nettles, eek!

Of Mantillas and Meatless Fridays..

Here is an interesting post (with its comments), written by Rita at Tigerish waters, - it makes me feel like I'm not quite alone! I used to attend Mass in a parish where we once lived. I gradually became aware of the way young girls particularly, were beginning to dress in what can only be called an extremely immodest fashion. I distinctly remember hinting to one young lady, (a lovely girl) at the parish barbequeue, that she ought to pull her trousers up, since her underwear was showing. Later on, as I was chatting to a couple of other mums, they informed me that it was "the fashion", and quite intentional! I became increasingly uncomfortable with seeing these young girls waltzing through the Church to the sacristy prior to robing up for Mass, in their low cut jeans, showing off belly and bottom, and sometimes almost their nether regions, and other ladies, young and old, going onto the sanctuary to read, or be Extraordinary Ministers, clad in skin tight clothing, with arms and shoulders bare. I discussed this with my husband, and he said that it was a big distraction for a lot of men, since they are easily attracted by the shape and form of a woman. I began to realise how difficult it must be for some men, including Priests, who struggle with purity, to be constantly bombarded with such visual stimulation from scantily clad women - and how wrong it was for this to be going on in Church. I read more and more about modesty, and veiling, and became more and more convinced that though it may be uncomfortable and embarrassing for me, God wanted me to wear a head covering; I initially did so, as an act of reparation for all the immodesty I was witnessing. When I first went up to read, wearing my "mantilla", my husband said he thought it looked beautiful, and chaste, and modest. Other people in the parish weren't too happy, and thought that I had changed, even though I came and chatted to them after Mass in the same old way. But in some ways, I suppose, I had. I began to feel much less distracted at Mass, I could focus on the Mass, and I felt much more submissive before God. I was beginning at that time, to become aware of the Mass as the Sacrifice of Calvary in a much more "real" way, and being veiled, as Mary would have been, at the foot of the Cross, seemed so much more appropriate. I now feel very bare if I forget to bring a head covering, and I keep an emergency scarf in the car, just in case. When we moved to a new parish, I had to go through the embarrassment of being the "odd one out" again. But, I think decent people just get used to it, and don't worry about it after a while. If it bothers anyone, then that's their problem, not mine. If they want to know whether or not I'm a hard-line dyed in the wool Traditionalist, then they can come and talk to me to find out- if they choose not to, then that's up to them, and I don't mind what opinion they form of me, it's only their opinion, after all. The One who needs to know what I'm like, does so already!
I did have one chap ask me (having never spoken to me about anything whatsoever before) whether I still didn't eat meat on Fridays, as though it were some kind of a big joke. I mumbled something about 'not if I can help it', but really felt like saying 'I can't afford to eat meat most days of the week, you big fat geezer!' - he did look rather well-fed -(See what a Saint I am!).
I have moved in a different direction, to some degree; I no longer read at Mass, I don't see the need for me to do so, even though I was an excellent reader; my thoughts on lay reading have changed. My ego has improved since then too (in a spiritual way, ie, it's getting smaller!!)
I tend to go to Mass where I feel at home, and that usually means the old Latin Mass, Extraordinary, Gregorian, Tridentine, call it what you will.
And I don't always wear a mantilla - in fact, mine is not really a mantilla at all, just a huge length of black cotton lace I'd kept in a cupboard for years, Iwould never manage to keep one of those nylon lacey mantilla thingies on my bonce; I'm sure it would cause much fidgeting! I've got a brightly coloured stripey 'veil' too, which I wear Pashmina fashion.

And then there's the Martin Luther bonnet I made myself, which is great in winter,although I do look a bit prettier than him in it... and I wear it with more aplomb, (even if I do say so myself!).
It can be seen onthe corner of the chair bedecked in my "veil" collection. The little heart-shaped picture is of Saint Maria Goretti, another of my favourite saints - a good lassie to pray to, to intercede for all these silly young folk who have lost the sense of modesty, and their parents who seem unable to do anything about it.

Early Canonisation!

I have been canonised.

I was at Mass the other night, in a Church I don't often get to, which has the Old Rite on a first Friday. After it was ended, huddled inside my mantilla (I have a very large one - a sort of "gorilla" mantilla,) making my thanksgiving and avoiding any of the chit-chattering old dears, I sensed someone shuffling into the pew ahead of me, and then stopping directly in front of me. I realised I could avoid the inevitable no longer, (there was no-one else around, so I knew the visitation was for me), looked up, and saw a little old lady, who eagerly wanted to talk to me. She wanted me to pray for her family situation - the new great-granddaughter whose father has abandoned her and the mum, due to the fact that she is to be baptised, he being a Moslem. It's funny, but whenever I get "feelings" about our failure to adopt, I often hear of a baby in need of prayers - spiritual adoption is definitely a much needed thing, these days - so many children need prayers. I have an extreme reluctance to talk to anyone whilst in Church, apart from Our Lord, unless it is really necessary, so I kept my responses to her, to many smiles, and nods of sympathy, with promises to pray for the situation. But what truly horrified me, was what she came out with next - "You are a Saint" - I think I looked suitably aghast, and then laughed in embarrasment, that she should think such a thing, but again, being in Church, I couldn't protest too loudly now, could I?

Anyway, just in case anyone else out there has got the wrong impression of me, I will now post what my husband read out to me from our Saints book, as being pertinent to my salvation - he being under no illusion as to my level of sanctity -

(This is from Saint Francis de Sales - brilliant man)

The remedies against anger are:

1) To forestall its movements, if possible, or at least to cast them aside quickly, by turning the thoughts to something else. (Tried this, it worked well for about half a day).

2) In imitation of the Apostles when they saw the sea raging, to have recourse to God, whose office it is to give peace to the heart. (Forgot this one, on the spur of the moment).

3) During the heat of passion, not to speak, nor take any action as to the matter in question. (This one lasted about half a minute).

4) To strive to perform acts of kindness and humility towards the person against whom one is incensed, especially in reparation for any of a contrary nature.(Mmmm have to wait 'till the anger subsides!)

Humble mildness is the Virtue of Virtues, which Our Lord has recommended to us, and therefore we ought to practise it everywhere and always. Evil is to be shunned, but peaceably. Good is to be done, but with suavity. Take this for your rule: Do what you see can be done with Charity, and what cannot be done without disturbance, LEAVE UNDONE. In short, peace and tranquility of heart ought to be uppermost in all our actions, as olive oil floats above all liquors.

To keep the soul continually in a state of gentle calm, it is necessary to perform every action as being done in the presence of God, and as if He Himself had ordained it.

Now isn't that the most fantastic advice for those of us who are prone to anger? - even Saints like me!

(By the way, if anyone wants to make any of those little Holy cards with pictures of a saint on, please feel free to use the images in this post).