The Year of the Priest

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday also marked the beginning of the Year of the Priest. This is an excellent choice for focus this year, our Priests need payer, always, and this year should remind us of that. Below is a video from Archbishop Nichols, marking this Year of the Priest, during which he encourages praying the Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration and revival of the 40 hours devotion. What are you doing in your Parish this year, for your Priest?

The Year for Priests 2009 - 2010: Archbishop Vincent Nichols from Catholic Westminster on Vimeo.

What is a Browser?

Pretty amazing, this. I can certainly understand that there will be an element of people who are not quite technically aware, but in this clip, an amazing 92% of people did not know the difference between a browser and a search engine!

Rosary Beads and Fashion

I am struck recently by the number of people I see wearing Rosary beads. Is this a 'fashion statement' of some kind? I'm not against people developing a devotion to the Rosary prayer, and to Our Blessed Lady, but somehow it strikes me that this is not why people are wearing the beads.

Not totally sure how much this bothers me, but it does, to some extent. It would be nice to believe that an outbreak of love to Our Lady was behind this 'fad', but I can't be that gullible to believe it is true. I shall keep praying that it happens, though.

Festa Della Repubblica

Today is the Festa Della Repubblica, the day Italy changed from a Monarchy to a Republic. After 85 years, with a vote of 12.717.923 in favour of a Republic against 10.719.284 in favour of the monarchy, Italians voted and the reigning Royal Family, the Savoia, were banished from the newly formed Republic. It is only recently they have been allowed to return to Italy.

After many years the celebration of this date lost favour with many, but since 2000 has become more popular again. Falling as it does on a Tuesday this year, it has offered Italians the opportunity to 'bridge' the weekend into the festive day, and many shops and businesses would have been closed yesterday, too. Before the Republic, the Festive day of celebrating Italians was the first Sunday in June.

Buone Feste a tutti!!