Happy St Joseph's Day to one and all! I'd like to say a special Thankyou to St Joseph for finding my husband a new job - we will be moving from sunny Shropshire in September (I do like a bit of alliteration!) - dahn saf, to Berkshire, not a county I know much about, but at least we'll be near a Parish where we can regularly get to attend the Sacraments in the "Extraordinary" Form, so that it will no longer seem so extraordinary, but be integrated into our daily life. I couldn't have asked for more.... but, of course, there's always just one more thing.. a little discernment on what to do on the home-educating front... we've left it in St. Joseph's hands, with a novena of prayer to him, and we now have to decide whether our nearing 13 yr old, only son should attend school. I'm still waiting for St Joe to write it up in big letters across the sky....

Homeschooling an only child, definitely needs a post of its own - I may get around to it someday, in the meantime:-

Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who pass their life in labour,obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my own inclinations; to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honour to use and develop by my labour the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever recoiling before weariness or difficulties. Help me to work, above all, with purity of intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must render of time lost, talents wasted, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, which is so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after your example, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my watchword in life and in death.

Amen.

Visit to Lisieux

The Basilica is a very impressive building, but the nicest part of it is the Crypt, where we attended the Old Rite Mass on the Sunday morning. I didn't get any photos during the Mass, I felt a bit inhibited, since we'd had one old lady give us one of those severe French 'stares' (anyone who's ever visited France will understand what I mean by that!) when we entered the Chapel. The photo below is taken just after Mass, when the two young men were returning the altar to novus ordo-ability.

The Mass itself was somewhat bizarre, for those who are used to the Usus Antiquior over here. The Priest seemed very unsure of himself, presumably because it was so long since he'd celebrated this Mass, but what got us, was that the Epistle was read in French by a layman, from a lecturn facing the people, followed by the Gospel read in French by the Priest, at the same lecturn - neither had been read through in Latin prior to this. The other odd thing was that they all stood during the consecration. Still it was better than the New Rite Mass we attended in the Carmel; charity prevents me from saying too much about that - suffice to say, it seemed very modern there... (and what they've done to the interior decor of the Carmel chapel made me very sad).

But, the mosaics in the Crypt are lovely, and I especially liked this statue of the Child Jesus - it was hard to get a photo in focus.


The upper Basilica main altar looks like this ..

And there is a shrine with a reliquary containing Therese's arm at the side (not sure about the dancing figure on the cross above, though!)

Outside, round the back of the Basilica, we found the tombs of Louis and Zelie Martin. Although their relics have been translated, and will be placed in a new shrine in the Crypt in September, prior to their Beatification on October 19th this year, we found it a good place to pray and have our photies taken by our son ...



who had climbed up lots of steps to a lovely outdoor altar, which he pointed out would make a great place to say the Old Mass, and then he decided to oblige us with a few of the actions the Priest would make, if he were to celebrate Mass there!






As I've already mentioned above, there was a little disappointment re the actual Carmel - especially as the sisters now come "out" for Mass, and sit at the front of the chapel - no strict enclosure there anymore - but the side chapel with Therese's remains is a lovely place to pray. I have to admit, when I first saw it, I wondered whether she was incorruptible, but actually, that is a wax effigy atop the tomb - it is very beautiful though.


But the most moving place, I found, was the family home of Les Buissonets. I really enjoyed its ordinariness, (in a 19th century way!). I didn't take any photos there, but looking for some on the internet, I came across a wonderful set, here on a lovely blog I've just discovered, called Laudem Gloriae.

I prayed for the intentions of all those who read this blog, so I'm sure Therese, and her Ma and Pa are interceding for you!

Beautiful Buddleia-Basking Butterflies!

What a delight to come back to this view from beyond my grubby kitchen sink! There are so many butterflies feasting on the buddleia, that I had to dash out and capture some pics.
This one obliged with several poses..



And I just managed to get a shot of this chap before he flew away!


We're off to Lisieux for a few days tomorrow, so Happy Feast of the Assumption to one and all - we'll be popping in to Reading on the way for the EF Mass, and to visit some home-schooling friends. And then in Lisieux, on Sunday, they should be having one of the first Traditional Latin Masses in a long time, at the Basilica, (to which we were alerted by Fr Hermeneutic's blog!) so we hope to be able to attend that. It's funny, but when I first began to be drawn to the Traditional Mass, people used to try to convince me that the New Mass was a wonderful invention, that did away with the dry dull old one, and one thought would come to me, "But what about people like Saint Therese of Lisieux, and other great Saints - surely they were happy with the Mass the way it was?"
I shall remember the intentions of all you bloggers, and especially recommend the married ones to Louis and Zelie Martin, although I fear they may not be "in" at present - their bodies having been exhumed, due to the investigation in to their cause for canonisation. Apparently they won't be "home" again 'till September, still, I'm sure Therese will put in a word for us with her ma and pa!!

Liturgical Feasts!

We were privileged to attend a lovely Mass on Friday evening, celebrating the anniversary of Fr Anton Guziel's ordination.








He was assisted by several Priests, including some from the Birmingham Oratory.










It was a splendid, occasion, but tinged with sadness, from a selfish point of view, since Father will be leaving his Parish later in the summer, to join the Oratorians.








He has always been so good with the altar boys. My son learned how to serve the Mass with him. We pray for every blessing upon him, and that the Good Lord will send us another Priest with as much enthusiasm for the Latin Mass.

Then, today, we had a lovely pilgrimage to Holywell, to the Shrine of Saint Winefride, where another beautiful Mass was celebrated, for the Latin Mass Society.












The singing was lovely.
And to think that none of us felt great this morning, and we almost decided not to go, but our son swayed us, since he said he really wanted to be an acolite.
We are glad that he feels at home with such reverent, and beautifully celebrated Masses.
We also thank God for our Priests who want to carry on the traditions of our Holy Mother Church.

Treats for Corpus Christi

This is an example of some fine craft work we did a couple of years ago in honour of the Feast of Corpus Christi, at a lovely home-schooling group we used to be able to attend. The boys would generally run around being hooligans, whilst the girls, and one or two of the more "arty" boys would diligently create masterpieces. My dear son, to my chagrin, was never one of those diligent, arty children, but I think he did occasionally come back to help stick some bits on here and there, so let's say this was a combined effort. I like to bring it out around this time of year, just to remind myself that we did do crafts, once!



My husband has been in London for an examiners' meeting for a few days. He was rather miffed, at first, that he had been given a more 'downmarket' hotel to stay in, than on previous occasions. We were discussing his visit a week or so ago, and realised that he would be away over the Feast of Corpus Christi, and wondered whether he'd be able to get to Mass on that day. Now we knew that some of the "big" Churches, like the Brompton Oratory would probably have Mass in the Extraordinary Form, but he wouldn't be near there. When we looked up the Mass times for Corpus Christi, we found there was a Church named Corpus Christi, in Maiden Lane, which was having an Old Rite Mass for the Feast Day - guess where hubbie's hotel was positioned? within walking distance of said Church. The Lord provides!

My son and I managed the hour's journey to the Birmingham Oratory, as we did on the Ascension. Although we are not in the parish, my son often serves the EF for one of the priests who was to be officiating at this Mass, and he invited him to serve if we came. I was rather concerned that as it was rather late he might disgrace me and fall asleep in the sanctuary, but he rose to the occasion and made a perfect accompaniment for the other little boy who was serving (son of a famous large-familied blogging mama , methinks!) On the journey down, I quizzed him about whether he'd be ok serving, and his reply was "oh it's alright serving at these big Masses, all you have to do is sit on the sub's bench and look holy"! There you go then!
(He wants me to add "but we did end up being acolites this time, so there was more to do").

It WAS Ascension Thursday!

We went through yesterday thinking we wouldn't be able to get to an Ascension Mass. It's funny, but the hierarchy don't seem to have learned from past mistakes. Most would acknowledge that after the introduction of the New Rite of Mass in the 1960's there were a few problems caused amongst the laity - it was all very sudden and people were totally unprepared for what was to hit them. It caused a lot of devastation. We used to hear a lot about "collaborative ministry" in our last parish. We were frequently told "this is the age of the laity". How come then, the laity were never informed as to why little additions were creeping into the Mass - such as the priest waving a giant host around BEFORE the consecration. I realised how ridiculous this had become when at one weekday Mass, since there were no altar servers, one of the elderly ladies, Kitty (RIP), who used to ring the bell at the consecration, started vigorous ringing BEFORE the host was consecrated. It wasn't because she was old and doddery, and didn't know what she was doing, it was because she had not been informed of the novelty of Father wafting the unconsecrated host around, so she thought, as she was bound to do, that he must have got on to the consecration early! I don't remember the laity being asked whether they wanted their Feast Days moved. I know a lot of devout Catholics who attend both rites who are, frankly, cheesed off with this removal. This is because they try to live their lives in union with the liturgical seasons, and they are trying to educate their children in the richness of the Church's liturgical life. It makes sense to children, that if Jesus ascended 40 days after his Resurrection, the feast day should be on that Thursday, forty days on. It makes sense to children, that if the first novena to the Holy Ghost/Spirit, (call Him what you will) was NINE days after the Ascension, it won't fit in after Ascension Sunday!!!!
Anyway, we were EXTREMELY blessed last night because the school Parent's Evening, that my husband had had to attend, didn't go on too long, and he was able to get to the friend's house where my son and I were visiting (which is much closer to Birmingham than where we live) in time to pick us up, and get us to the Oratory for Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form - and it truly was Extraordinary, and the music was sublime, and raised our hearts and minds to the Ascended Lord. Even the traffic queue from the one accident that could have held us up (a bashed car at some traffic lights - don't think it was too serious, please God) was beginning to clear, and we got to the church with a minute to spare. After Mass was finished (although it was so wonderful, it seemed to stay in my soul) it was late, and we had to stop for something to eat (poor hubby had had nothing after his long day at school) so we stopped at a drive through place and they had burgers. (Dear son had had food earlier, but is a growing lad, so needed more!).
I wondered why my son came down to breakfast with his pyjamas inside out this morning - he'd been so tired last night that he hadn't even put the light on to see what he was doing before getting in to bed!

So now we can celebrate the transferred Feast of Saint Joseph the worker today too!

Praying for Saint Joseph's intercession, that all those who are out of work, especially husbands and fathers, will be able to find employment and be able to support their families. Also for all those people who are in difficult work situations, and would like to find other employment.
Here's a lovely prayer for all of us :-
Glorious St. Joseph,model of all who pass their life in labour,obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my own inclinations; to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honour to use and develop by my labour the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever recoiling before weariness or difficulties. Help me to work, above all, with purity of intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must render of time lost, talents wasted, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, which is so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after your example, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my watchword in life and in death.

A Timely Bunch of Flowers and Incense Excitement

UKOK awarded me this, just when I was needing a nice bunch of flowers! (And of course, I can't have a real bunch in this liturgical season!!)

I've been stuck in bed with the 'flu' all day today, so missed Mass. It was to have been a High Mass too, in one of the more "EF friendly " Churches where the TLM is held. My son was supposedly going to be 'doing the incense' for the first time ever. I felt strangely glad I wouldn't have to witness this - visions of the thurible flying everywhere, or burning incense being dropped on the sanctuary carpet, or the whole thing getting caught in his cotta, or that awful moment when he can't work out which of the chains he's supposed to pull on!!! But to my great relief, once he arrived home I was informed that one of the adult servers turned up, so could take on the role, and my boy happily did the bells, and cruets. Typical mother - worrying over nothing!

Whilst in bed I read Corrie Ten Boom's "The Hiding Place" right through - it was very moving.