Fuel Price Increases

The cost of fuel keeps going up. I got these in an email this morning:

Euro 2008

It hasn't been a great tournament so far for the Italians, but hey, we're in the quarter finals!

Although I was born in the UK, my father is Italian, and I always follow Italy in every tournament (Just as well, seeing how well England do!)

In the recent World Cup, which Italy won, I had a feeling they were going to do well. Solid in defence, workman midfield with a touch of class from Pirlo and we scored goals. The goals were well spread out in the tournament with midfield, defence and attack all chipping in. There isn't the same feeling of quality this time round, our defence looks vulnerable, our midfield is huffing and puffing without producing and up front, Luca Toni has to be the unluckiest striker in the tournament! What does the man have to do to score!?

We've struggled so far, and unless we really find form we will struggle against the Spanish on Sunday. It will be extra difficult as we will be without Pirlo and Gattuso, who are both suspended as they have picked up two yellow cards. Still, there's always a chance, it's a one off game and the Spanish are known for choking in tournaments. I can hope!

Forza Italia!

My Patron Saint

Today is the Feast day of Saint Anthony of Padua. He is my patron Saint, my middle name is Antonio. Thinking back, St Anthony was probably my first real contact with the Catholic Church. I love his nickname, "The Hammer of Heretics".

You can find out so much about the life of this great Saint, a Doctor of the Church, by visiting StAnthony.org

This prayer is from St Anthony:

“Sweet Jesus, is there anything sweeter than you? To remember you is more delightful than everything else. Your name is joy; it is the true gate of our salvation. What else are you, Jesus, if not our Savior? Be our Redeemer. Give us the virtues of hope and love, just as you have given us faith, our primary joy. Give us the words that we need to praise you always. With the help and through the prayers of your mother. You who are blessed throughout the ages. Amen.”

St Anthony, Pray for us.

A Real Star

I've mentioned the program Britain's Got Talent before. There was the amazing performance by Andrew Johnston in the regional shows. Well, there's another star in the show, and wow, this girl is absolute class. She is just 12 years old! Yet the voice on her is fantastic. Singing Ave Maria, which is always a favourite of mine. I was surprised she didn't win, she didn't even make the top three. Scroll through to about 1 minute 45 in to hear her sing.

The Cost of Fuel

The price of fuel continues to rise. There were protests by truckers today, they were requesting a rebate of 25p per litre of fuel. If their demands are not met, they threaten to blockade the refineries. I remember the chaos the last time the refineries were blockaded.

In truth, whilst the cost of fuel is outrageously high, we are too dependent on a finite resource. We should be preparing for life without oil, instead of bickering over the price of the little that is left. Once it's gone, it's gone.

They Are Wrong

During the 19th century, slavers said black people weren't human. They were wrong. During the 20th century, the Nazis said Jews weren't human. They were wrong. Since 1967, the House of Commons has said the unborn are not human. They, too, are wrong.

From a statement made by Bishop O'Donoghue, on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, taken from the Saint Mary Magdalen Blog. Click here to read the full statement

What we mean by abortion

From Priests for Life, two videos that demonstrate how an abortion is performed. Under a campaign called "Is this what you mean?" Priests for Life set out to demonstrate exactly what abortion is. It's not pleasant, but for many the term abortion hides the reality, for most people abortion seems to mean someone who was pregnant no longer is. The mechanics of it all seem to be unimportant. If you are going to defend abortion you need to know what it is you are defending.

Suction Abortion


Dismemberment Abortion


Priests for Life

Mass for new Catholics

Yesterday at Westminster Cathedral a Mass was held for all in the diocese who had entered the Church at the Easter Vigil. I attended with Catherine, my friend who was received into the Church with me at Easter, plus Mike, Adrian and Caroline. Catherine and I went into Cathedral hall, where Cardinal Cormack Murphy O'Connor spoke to us briefly, and we then processed to the front of the Cathedral and walked to the seating at the front for Mass. On our way round we were given a Rosary which had been blessed by the Cardinal.

I always enjoy Mass, it really is the highlight of my week, and yesterday's occasion was very enjoyable. The meal afterwards was fun, good food and good company is always a winning formula.

Real Talent

I try to avoid trash TV if I can. So I don't watch Big Brother, or programs of that type, and I avoid things like X-Factor, Search for a Star and other similar programs. Of course, it can mean that every once in a while I miss a real gem. I hadn't seen this until I saw it on Fr Longenecker's Blog, Standing on my Head. Turn the volume on, press play, and if you haven't seen this either, prepare to be impressed. Even if you have seen it, it's certainly worth another look.

I Support the Pope (Pass It On)

Let us all pray for the safety of the Holy Father, and is guided by the Holy Spirit to make all the right decisions. At times the Pope is attacked by all sides, and it would be wrong of us to attack him as well. I will do my share of supporting our Pope, and think twice, and trice before I make a negative remark about any of his decisions.

Taken from Rise and Pray

Taking it Easy

I'm taking some time off. I need a break, I need some quiet time.

My New Toy

My new toy, an Asus eeePC. With this little beauty, I can carry around with me books and books worth of information, easily searched and cross referenced. There is no hard drive, just flash memory. 4GB internal memory, with an SD card expansion slot, which currently offers an extra 16GB of space. There are also 3 USB ports, which means I can further expand storage with a few USB storage disks. I currently have the database from Biblia Clerus installed, which is downloadable free from their site, and the content from New Advent, which is available on CD which can be ordered from the website for a small price.

The Asus is very small, much smaller than the average laptop, for those who recall them it is reminiscent of the Psion 7. The Asus runs on Linux, but I have Windows XP installed on mine, not because I'm a fan of Windows in any way, but this way I know the databases I want to store will work.

The Asus weighs less than a kilo, and I can easily access and reference the Catechism, the Holy Bible (Douay Rheims), the Summa Theologica, writings from the early Church Fathers, and documents from the Church councils.

I will always prefer reading from a book, but for convenient portable reference with access to all this information the Asus is ideal.

Is This Really a Catholic Mass?

They don't do this at the Church I go to every week (Thankfully, I may add) Just what is the Priest doing? And that Altar Server with the candle? IS this *really* a Catholic Mass??


From Holy Smoke

The Fractured Society

Many people are aware that the decline in society can be traced to the breakdown of the family. The family as the building blocks of society is damaged, and it is nigh on impossible to build something with damaged components.

Mr Justice Coleridge understands where the problem lies, too. He has spent the last 8 years or so presiding over divorce cases, children in care and family break up. He says the breakdown of the family is behind almost every evil in society today. And you can be sure that behind this is the evil one himself. The Judge makes many insightful comments regarding this problem we face today. He says family breakdown is an epidemic affecting all in society from the family down. It is "on a scale, depth and breadth which few of us could have imagined even "a decade ago. It is a never-ending carnival of human misery. A ceaseless river of human distress.

He says "I am not saying every broken family produces dysfunctional children but I am saying that almost every dysfunctional child is the product of a broken family." He is not wrong.

I remember when reading Gaudium et Spes recently, in a study group from our Parish, there was a section on fostering the nobility of the family, and of marriage. A strong society is built on strong families, strong families are held together with strong marriage:

47. The well-being of the individual person and of human and Christian society is intimately linked with the healthy condition of that community produced by marriage and family. Hence Christians and all men who hold this community in high esteem sincerely rejoice in the various ways by which men today find help in fostering this community of love and perfecting its life, and by which parents are assisted in their lofty calling. Those who rejoice in such aids look for additional benefits from them and labor to bring them about.

Yet the excellence of this institution is not everywhere reflected with equal brilliance, since polygamy, the plague of divorce, so-called free love and other disfigurements have an obscuring effect. In addition, married love is too often profaned by excessive self-love, the worship of pleasure and illicit practices against human generation. Moreover, serious disturbances are caused in families by modern economic conditions, by influences at once social and psychological, and by the demands of civil society. Finally, in certain parts of the world problems resulting from population growth are generating concern.

All these situations have produced anxiety of consciences. Yet, the power and strength of the institution of marriage and family can also be seen in the fact that time and again, despite the difficulties produced, the profound changes in modern society reveal the true character of this institution in one way or another.

Therefore, by presenting certain key points of Church doctrine in a clearer light, this sacred synod wishes to offer guidance and support to those Christians and other men who are trying to preserve the holiness and to foster the natural dignity of the married state and its superlative value.

48. The intimate partnership of married life and love has been established by the Creator and qualified by His laws, and is rooted in the jugal covenant of irrevocable personal consent. Hence by that human act whereby spouses mutually bestow and accept each other a relationship arises which by divine will and in the eyes of society too is a lasting one. For the good of the spouses and their off-springs as well as of society, the existence of the sacred bond no longer depends on human decisions alone. For, God Himself is the author of matrimony, endowed as it is with various benefits and purposes.(1) All of these have a very decisive bearing on the continuation of the human race, on the personal development and eternal destiny of the individual members of a family, and on the dignity, stability, peace and prosperity of the family itself and of human society as a whole. By their very nature, the institution of matrimony itself and conjugal love are ordained for the procreation and education of children, and find in them their ultimate crown. Thus a man and a woman, who by their compact of conjugal love "are no longer two, but one flesh" (Matt. 19:ff), render mutual help and service to each other through an intimate union of their persons and of their actions. Through this union they experience the meaning of their oneness and attain to it with growing perfection day by day. As a mutual gift of two persons, this intimate union and the good of the children impose total fidelity on the spouses and argue for an unbreakable oneness between them.(2)

Christ the Lord abundantly blessed this many-faceted love, welling up as it does from the fountain of divine love and structured as it is on the model of His union with His Church. For as God of old made Himself present(3) to His people through a covenant of love and fidelity, so now the Savior of men and the Spouse(4) of the Church comes into the lives of married Christians through the sacrament of matrimony. He abides with them thereafter so that just as He loved the Church and handed Himself over on her behalf,(6) the spouses may love each other with perpetual fidelity through mutual self-bestowal.

Authentic married love is caught up into divine love and is governed and enriched by Christ's redeeming power and the saving activity of the Church, so that this love may lead the spouses to God with powerful effect and may aid and strengthen them in sublime office of being a father or a mother.(6) For this reason Christian spouses have a special sacrament by which they are fortified and receive a kind of consecration in the duties and dignity of their state.(7) By virtue of this sacrament, as spouses fulfil their conjugal and family obligation, they are penetrated with the spirit of Christ, which suffuses their whole lives with faith, hope and charity. Thus they increasingly advance the perfection of their own personalities, as well as their mutual sanctification, and hence contribute jointly to the glory of God.

As a result, with their parents leading the way by example and family Prayer, children and indeed everyone gathered around the family hearth will find a readier path to human maturity, salvation and holiness. Graced with the dignity and office of fatherhood and motherhood, parents will energetically acquit themselves of a duty which devolves primarily on them, namely education and especially religious education.

As living members of the family, children contribute in their own way to making their parents holy. For they will respond to the kindness of their parents with sentiments of gratitude, with love and trust. They will stand by them as children should when hardships overtake their parents and old age brings its loneliness. Widowhood, accepted bravely as a continuation of the marriage vocation, should be esteemed by all.(8) Families too will share their spiritual riches generously with other families. Thus the Christian family, which springs from marriage as a reflection of the loving covenant uniting Christ with the Church,(9) and as a participation in that covenant, will manifest to all men Christ's living presence in the world, and the genuine nature of the Church. This the family will do by the mutual love of the spouses, by their generous fruitfulness, their solidarity and faithfulness, and by the loving way in which all members of the family assist one another.

49. The biblical Word of God several times urges the betrothed and the married to nourish and develop their wedlock by pure conjugal love and undivided affection.(10) Many men of our own age also highly regard true love between husband and wife as it manifests itself in a variety of ways depending on the worthy customs of various peoples and times.

This love is an eminently human one since it is directed from one person to another through an affection of the will; it involves the good of the whole person, and therefore can enrich the expressions of body and mind with a unique dignity, ennobling these expressions as special ingredients and signs of the friendship distinctive of marriage. This love God has judged worthy of special gifts, healing, perfecting and exalting gifts of grace and of charity. Such love, merging the human with the divine, leads the spouses to a free and mutual gift of themselves, a gift providing itself by gentle affection and by deed, such love pervades the whole of their lives:(11) indeed by its busy generosity it grows better and grows greater. Therefore it far excels mere erotic inclination, which, selfishly pursued, soon enough fades wretchedly away.

This love is uniquely expressed and perfected through the appropriate enterprise of matrimony. The actions within marriage by which the couple are united intimately and chastely are noble and worthy ones. Expressed in a manner which is truly human, these actions promote that mutual self-giving by which spouses enrich each other with a joyful and a ready will. Sealed by mutual faithfulness and be allowed above all by Christs sacrament, this love remains steadfastly true in body and in mind, in bright days or dark. It will never be profaned by adultery or divorce. Firmly established by the Lord, the unity of marriage will radiate from the equal personal dignity of wife and husband, a dignity acknowledged by mutual and total love. The constant fulfillment of the duties of this Christian vocation demands notable virtue. For this reason, strengthened by grace for holiness of life, the couple will painstakingly cultivate and pray for steadiness of love, large heartedness and the spirit of sacrifice.

Authentic conjugal love will be more highly prized, and wholesome public opinion created about it if Christian couples give outstanding witness to faithfulness and harmony in their love, and to their concern for educating their children also, if they do their part in bringing about the needed cultural, psychological and social renewal on behalf of marriage and the family. Especially in the heart of their own families, young people should be aptly and seasonably instructed in the dignity, duty and work of married love. Trained thus in the cultivation of chastity, they will be able at a suitable age to enter a marriage of their own after an honorable courtship.

50. Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the begetting and educating of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute very substantially to the welfare of their parents. The God Himself Who said, "it is not good for man to be alone" (Gen. 2:18) and "Who made man from the beginning male and female" (Matt. 19:4), wishing to share with man a certain special participation in His own creative work, blessed male and female, saying: "Increase and multiply" (Gen. 1:28). Hence, while not making the other purposes of matrimony of less account, the true practice of conjugal love, and the whole meaning of the family life which results from it, have this aim: that the couple be ready with stout hearts to cooperate with the love of the Creator and the Savior. Who through them will enlarge and enrich His own family day by day.

Parents should regard as their proper mission the task of transmitting human life and educating those to whom it has been transmitted. They should realize that they are thereby cooperators with the love of God the Creator, and are, so to speak, the interpreters of that love. Thus they will fulfil their task with human and Christian responsibility, and, with docile reverence toward God, will make decisions by common counsel and effort. Let them thoughtfully take into account both their own welfare and that of their children, those already born and those which the future may bring. For this accounting they need to reckon with both the material and the spiritual conditions of the times as well as of their state in life. Finally, they should consult the interests of the family group, of temporal society, and of the Church herself. The parents themselves and no one else should ultimately make this judgment in the sight of God. But in their manner of acting, spouses should be aware that they cannot proceed arbitrarily, but must always be governed according to a conscience dutifully conformed to the divine law itself, and should be submissive toward the Church's teaching office, which authentically interprets that law in the light of the Gospel. That divine law reveals and protects the integral meaning of conjugal love, and impels it toward a truly human fulfillment. Thus, trusting in divine Providence and refining the spirit of sacrifice,(12) married Christians glorify the Creator and strive toward fulfillment in Christ when with a generous human and Christian sense of responsibility they acquit themselves of the duty to procreate. Among the couples who fulfil their God-given task in this way, those merit special mention who with a gallant heart and with wise and common deliberation, undertake to bring up suitably even a relatively large family.(13)

Marriage to be sure is not instituted solely for procreation; rather, its very nature as an unbreakable compact between persons, and the welfare of the children, both demand that the mutual love of the spouses be embodied in a rightly ordered manner, that it grow and ripen. Therefore, marriage persists as a whole manner and communion of life, and maintains its value and indissolubility, even when despite the often intense desire of the couple, offspring are lacking.

51. This council realizes that certain modern conditions often keep couples from arranging their married lives harmoniously, and that they find themselves in circumstances where at least temporarily the size of their families should not be increased. As a result, the faithful exercise of love and the full intimacy of their lives is hard to maintain. But where the intimacy of married life is broken off, its faithfulness can sometimes be imperiled and its quality of fruitfulness ruined, for then the upbringing of the children and the courage to accept new ones are both endangered.

To these problems there are those who presume to offer dishonorable solutions indeed; they do not recoil even from the taking of life. But the Church issues the reminder that a true contradiction cannot exist between the divine laws pertaining to the transmission of life and those pertaining to authentic conjugal love.

For God, the Lord of life, has conferred on men the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life in a manner which is worthy of man. Therefore from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes. The sexual characteristics of man and the human faculty of reproduction wonderfully exceed the dispositions of lower forms of life. Hence the acts themselves which are proper to conjugal love and which are exercised in accord with genuine human dignity must be honored with great reverence. Hence when there is question of harmonizing conjugal love with the responsible transmission of life, the moral aspects of any procedure does not depend solely on sincere intentions or on an evaluation of motives, but must be determined by objective standards. These, based on the nature of the human person and his acts, preserve the full sense of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love. Such a goal cannot be achieved unless the virtue of conjugal chastity is sincerely practiced. Relying on these principles, sons of the Church may not undertake methods of birth control which are found blameworthy by the teaching authority of the Church in its unfolding of the divine law.(14)

All should be persuaded that human life and the task of transmitting it are not realities bound up with this world alone. Hence they cannot be measured or perceived only in terms of it, but always have a bearing on the eternal destiny of men.

52. The family is a kind of school of deeper humanity. But if it is to achieve the full flowering of its life and mission, it needs the kindly communion of minds and the joint deliberation of spouses, as well as the painstaking cooperation of parents in the education of their children. The active presence of the father is highly beneficial to their formation. The children, especially the younger among them, need the care of their mother at home. This domestic role of hers must be safely preserved, though the legitimate social progress of women should not be underrated on that account.

Children should be so educated that as adults they can follow their vocation, including a religious one, with a mature sense of responsibility and can choose their state of life; if they marry, they can thereby establish their family in favorable moral, social and economic conditions. Parents or guardians should by prudent advice provide guidance to their young with respect to founding a family, and the young ought to listen gladly. At the same time no pressure, direct or indirect, should be put on the young to make them enter marriage or choose a specific partner.

Thus the family, in which the various generations come together and help one another grow wiser and harmonize personal rights with the other requirements of social life, is the foundation of society. All those, therefore, who exercise influence over communities and social groups should work efficiently for the welfare of marriage and the family. Public authority should regard it as a sacred duty to recognize, protect and promote their authentic nature, to shield public morality and to favor the prosperity of home life. The right of parents to beget and educate their children in the bosom of the family must be safeguarded. Children too who unhappily lack the blessing of a family should be protected by prudent legislation and various undertakings and assisted by the help they need.

Christians, redeeming the present time(13) and distinguishing eternal realities from their changing expressions, should actively promote the values of marriage and the family, both by the examples of their own lives and by cooperation with other men of good will. Thus when difficulties arise, Christians will provide, on behalf of family life, those necessities and helps which are suitably modern. To this end, the Christian instincts of the faithful, the upright moral consciences of men, and the wisdom and experience of persons versed in the sacred sciences will have much to contribute.

Those too who are skilled in other sciences, notably the medical, biological, social and psychological, can considerably advance the welfare of marriage and the family along with peace of conscience if by pooling their efforts they labor to explain more thoroughly the various conditions favoring a proper regulation of births.

It devolves on priests duly trained about family matters to nurture the vocation of spouses by a variety of pastoral means, by preaching God's word, by liturgical worship, and by other spiritual aids to conjugal and family life; to sustain them sympathetically and patiently in difficulties, and to make them courageous through love, so that families which are truly illustrious can be formed.

Various organizations, especially family associations, should try by their programs of instruction and action to strengthen young people and spouses themselves, particularly those recently wed, and to train them for family, social and apostolic life.

Finally, let the spouses themselves, made to the image of the living God and enjoying the authentic dignity of persons, be joined to one another(16) in equal affection, harmony of mind and the work of mutual sanctification. Thus, following Christ who is the principle of life,(17) by the sacrifices and joys of their vocation and through their faithful love, married people can become witnesses of the mystery of love which the Lord revealed to the world by His dying and His rising up to life again.(18)

Taken from Gaudium et Spes

The decline of the Church in the community and the decline of the importance of Christian morals in society has left us with this mess. We all have a responsibility, in one way or another, to work to fix the damage before it gets any worse.

There is an article on the Judge's words over at the Daily Mail

A Meme

I've been tagged for a Meme by Mac at the Mulier Fortis blog.

These are the rules:

1. When tagged place the name and URL on your blog.
2. Post rules on your blog.
3. Write 7 non-important things/habit/quirks about yourself.
4. Name 7 of your favourite blogs.
5. Send an email/comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged.

Ok, first two done, here is part 3:

1. I'm a mobile phone addict, and a fully signed up member of the Mobile Communication age.
2. I can communicate in BSL, and have taken and passed the first year exam.
3. I never finish a book from cover to cover at the first attempt. I always get distracted to another book, and sometimes it takes three or four attempts before I finish a book I've started.
4. I am fluent in Italian
5. I like to play darts
6. I enjoy a good practical joke
7. I drink too much Lucozade

Ok, for part four I need to nominate 7 other blogs, so I will list Ellasdevil, Mel's Diner, This is not my country, Loved Sinner, Adoro te devote, Te Deum and Child of Mary. I don't really know all the people who write those blogs, but they are some of the many I like to read on a regular basis. Let's see if they will play....

Welcome Home

It has been an Easter to remember for so many reasons. I am not the best wordsmith in the world, so my blog posts tend to be few and far between, I hope to do justice to the events of the last four days.

But the last four days are the culmination of a journey that started back in January 2006. In fact, it was only just January 06, as the moment I can pinpoint when I felt the pull of Christ. In the early hours of the morning of Jan 1st, a couple of hours after the midnight celebrations of New Year's Eve, I had my conversion moment. One day I will attempt to describe exactly what happened back then, but I doubt I would be able to adequately define the events that led to where I am today.

I'm waffling, lets move on. After that special moment, I had no doubts in my mind where I was being called to. It was just obvious it was the Catholic Church, no other option even entered my mind. Not knowing anyone who went to Church, I wasn't sure what to do next. Obviously, I needed to start going to Church, but it didn't seem that simple. Was I just supposed to turn up, and start praying? How were you supposed to pray? What would happen in Church? I was sure everyone would notice me straight away, that I would stand out from the crowd, and I really find that uncomfortable. I hadn't had much religious thought in my life, I was unsure what to do. And after all, maybe this feeling would go away. But it didn't. After a few days, I decided to get a book to help me understand what I might be getting into. A quick browse around Amazon, I found "Catholicism for Dummies" and I thought that would be a nice easy introduction, and that's how it turned out. A nice simple explanation to what Catholics believe, and why.

From the book, I found at that for a Catholic to miss Sunday Mass without valid reason, could be considered a Mortal Sin. That's the push I needed, I just knew if I was going to go the full way into 'becoming Catholic' I *had* to go to Mass. The very next Sunday I went to my first Mass, and have done every week since. I don't remember much about my first Mass, I just recall sitting in a pew tucked away in the corner, watching everyone else, standing up when they did, sitting, kneeling, and trying to follow what was happening in the Missal. Which wasn't that easy, as it goes, after the readings I soon lost my place once we went to the Eucharistic prayers. I was too self conscious to make the sign of the cross, to say the prayers out loud, to make the responses after the readings, I thought I would be in a community where everyone knew each other and I would stand out like the stranger in those films who walks into the quiet country pub and everyone stops talking to watch what they do.

After Mass, I had a feeling of confusion, not really understanding what had happened, but underlying it all a feeling that it was the right thing to do. After a couple of months I noticed something in the newsletter. It said something along the lines of "If you are thinking of becoming a Catholic, call this number" I wished there was an email address, but there was not. The notice was in the newsletter for a couple of weeks, but I hadn't plucked up the courage to call. Then it disappeared, I guess to make way for other notices, but a few weeks later it was back. I had to make the call. I had been going to Mass every week for about three months now, I knew I wanted to get more understanding of what to do at Mass, I thought that is what I would get from the advertised RCIA, I wouldn't get much further trying to work things out on my own, so I made the call. The voice at the end of the phone was a joy. So calm, so nice and relaxed, so welcoming. I stumbled and stuttered an explanation of what I thought I was looking for, and I was invited to join the next session, which would be held in the Church, on a Thursday evening.

The RCIA group was around 6 or 7 people as I recall, Father was there, and a few others who seemed to know each other quite well. I just sat there, trying to understand what was happening. It all went over my head, and for the whole session I never said a word, until near the end, after one of the Catechists had given a fairly lengthy explanation or some such, somebody said "I don't get what you mean" I breathed a deep sigh of relief and said my only words of the night "me neither!". Of course, just the point was being talked about, I was talking about the whole group session thing! It didn't make sense to me at all. Where I had thought it would be a group that explained to wannabe Catholics why we did what we did in Mass, it was a discussion about something else, I don't even recall what.

But I went back the following week, where some others were there who had not been at the first session, including someone who had joined just a few weeks before me. What a relief, to find I wasn't the only newbie there. After a few weeks I started to recall people's names, and the group settled down into a regular bunch of people I started to feel comfortable with, but I was still saying very little. In fact, throughout my whole time in RCIA I haven't said much, really, even on occasions when I have had something relevant to add. The words would stick in my mouth, with the thought in my mind "Better to keep quiet and let people think you are stupid than open your mouth and confirm it". An old saying but one I took to heart. I knew little about the Bible, even less about the Catholic Faith, I didn't feel able to pass comment initially, and that is pretty much how I stayed, even as I started to learn and understand more.

Over the weeks and months, I found I was developing a real thirst for knowledge and understanding, I wanted to learn more, to know more, to understand more. My enthusiasm was high, and my hunger for the Word of God was insatiable. I searched the internet and found a whole world of resource, information and explanation on a variety of websites. I'm a bit of a phone geek, and I soon found software that lets me have the Bible on my phone, and I started to download 100's of podcasts and MP3 files that detailed so many different aspects of the Faith. Finally, I was in my element. I stored loads of MP3 files and podcasts to my phone to listen to on the move, I burned loads of CD's and kept them in my car, eventually I purchased an iPod for the extra storage and put everything I had there. On the way to work, and on the way home, which is around an hour each way, I listened to what I had downloaded. Of everything I have ever used, five people are top of the MP3 list for the help I have received on understanding the Faith. First, there is Archbishop Fulton Sheen. Then, there is Father John Corapi. Next, is Scott Hahn, then Michael Voris, and finally Father Robert Baron. Each person listed here is passionate about the Faith, each teaches what the Church teaches, not what they *think* the Church should teach and each has the ability to take a sometimes difficult subject and explain it in a way that makes it easy to understand without taking away from the fullness of the teaching. A wonderful gift indeed. If you've never listened to any of these people, I'd suggest you give it a try.

I subsequently found, on the satellite system I have for Italian TV, EWTN. I'd heard of EWTN on Catholic Forums, but as far as I knew, it was an American based station. To find it transmitting on Satellite, to find Catholic programming I could watch anytime I wanted was just amazing. In the UK, I am not aware of any transmission of Catholic programming, either radio or TV, so finding EWTN was a real bonus. A few weeks later I discovered EWTN transmits on SKY TV, hidden amongst other religious channels. A gem in a sea of trash, it really is.

And that is how I progressed, with podcasts, internet forums, TV, radio, all supplementing my study at RCIA, leading me into a love for the Word of God, feeding my desire for more, never satisfying it, the more I got, the more I understood the more I wanted. I still do. I started buying more books from Amazon; I've bought more books in the last 18 months than I have in the last 10 years, easily.

All of this helped. As I learned the importance of the Mass, learned the teachings of the Church, it felt more and more like something I wanted. I wanted to be a full member of the Church. The more I learned, the more I accepted everything the Church teaches. Often, I wouldn't fully understand straight away but accepted fully the teachings of the Church. I am very straight in my understanding, there is little room for grey areas, I'm very black and white on my understanding of the Church teachings. I don't think I have blind Faith, where I will accept anything just because the Church says so, but I have yet to hear something that I can't accept.

And that became my weekly ritual, and has been for the last year and a half. My journey to completing the first step of the rest of my life. And that brings me, finally, to Easter 2008. Everything I've looked for over the last two years has led me to this point. To the Easter Vigil, to full membership of the Church, to be in communion with the Church, to be able to partake in the Eucharist, the ultimate objective, the thing I came to desire more than anything else. I'd already been christened when I was young, but not for religious reasons. It was just the done thing, when you had a child back then, you got christened. As I was christened in the Church of England, it is recognised as valid by the Catholic Church, so Easter Vigil meant for me, confirmation and first communion. The person who was on the RCIA program just a few weeks before I joined, and who I've shared many wonderful moments with over the last two years, also joined the Church this Easter, and she was baptised, as well as receiving confirmation and first communion. It has been good to have someone to share the journey with.

So the Easter Vigil. Only the third I've ever attended in all my life, a moving Mass, so emotional and meaningful for so many reasons. The Church, in darkness, the lighting of the candle, the passing of the light through the Church, the readings, the incense, the choir hitting form at just the right moment, the congregation giving it their all as they join in the hymns, it is a wonderful experience, to share the fellowship with everyone around. After the homily, my friend and I were called up front. She was baptised, and we were confirmed. Now, for my confirmation name, I was sure it would be Joseph. I truly love St Joseph, for so many reasons, and I feel a strong connection with him, but eventually, my confirmation name was Augustine.

We had Lent study groups this year, based on the theme "Who is my Neighbour". All parishioners who want to share time together sign up for the groups, and we are divided into groups and assigned a day when we can meet up and talk about one of the Sunday readings and how that relates to the Who is my Neighbour theme. At our very first group at some point during the session, one of the participants made a throw away remark about "that wretched man Augustine". It wasn't nasty, or mean, but I was shocked at how that phrase came out. It prompted me to do some browsing around the net, I also recalled that our Holy Father Pope Benedict had given a series on St Augustine at back in Early January. Over the Lent period, as we studied the excellent readings from the Gospel of John, for both RCIA and the Lent group, it seemed everywhere I looked I was finding St Augustine. I found some new website I had not used before, readings from the Church Fathers on the Gospel of St John, and the one that stood out time and again was St Augustine, I found some stuff on the New Advent website on the Gospel, all from St Augustine. I listened to Fr Baron's homilies during Lent, and he kept on quoting St Augustine. I purchased a book, the Confessions of St Augustine. I looked around the Biblia Clerus site for study, and St Augustine was prominent, everywhere I looked. I had a feeling in my mind that maybe Augustine would be my confirmation name, but I dismissed it, I had already decided to take St Joseph. Until, in conversation with my fellow RCIA colleague, when I was again going on about the wonderful writings I had found from St Augustine, she said "You know, you should take Augustine as your confirmation name, you seem to be connecting so much with him recently". It just clarified the thought I'd had before. I prayed, and made the choice, and Augustine is the name I took. It was a strange experience as I received confirmation, to hear the Priest call me Augustine.

After that, my friend and I sat down, we had the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and because we were sitting at the front, we waited as everyone filed past until finally, it was our moment. Of everything, this for me was THE moment I had longed for, for the last two years. Finally, finally, I could take Holy Communion. No longer would I have to sit there in my pew as everyone else filed past. It was torturous, the wait has been sometimes so long, but every single second I had to wait was worth it. I went up to Father, and as well as I could, I opened my mouth and took communion. It seemed like that moment lasted forever, as if it was suspended, I could sense nothing else other than what I was doing right in that moment, I couldn't hear the choir, nor was I aware of anyone around me, all I knew in that second was just an overwhelming sensation. It means so much, there, right before me IS Jesus Christ, and I am sharing in something so huge, I am not ashamed to admit I don't fully understand, but that doesn't matter, it really doesn't. The finer points of how, why, are important, of course, but in that moment it is just me and my Lord. It means everything, it IS everything, it was really painful waiting for this moment, at every Mass when I couldn't take communion, but I would never change one thing. At that moment, it was just Jesus Christ, and me. And that is something so special, I will never be able to find words to do the experience credit, never.

After Mass, some special people who've made a real contribution to the journey gave us some nice gifts, and some cards with wonderful heartfelt messages inside. One of the cards had a message inside, with a heading "Welcome Home". And I know I am home.

I've gone on a bit. If you've just read all that, well done. This would be the moment, where I thank Alan who was my sponsor, where I thank Adrian, Angela, Janet, Joyce and Walter for giving their time in RCIA, where I thank John and Sandra who joined RCIA in the last few months, where I thank Caroline who has shared the journey, and given so much, and where I thank Catherine, my fellow new Catholic. Also Monsignor Turner, Father Robert, and David, who have all made a huge impact on my journey over the last two years. There are many other people who have made an impact on me, people who have shared my enthusiasm for the Faith and people who have challenged me in how I view the Faith, who I won't name here, but I will make sure they know how grateful I am.

I'm just going to finish by saying for everyone who ever reads this and is not Catholic, but is thinking about joining the Church, just do it. If anything is holding you back, work it out, and get to the Church. It is worth it. Anyone who is currently going through RCIA, stick with it. However long your journey is, it will be worth it. And even when you become a full member of the Church, there is still so much more to come. And anyone who is Catholic, keep in mind just how fantastic, how amazing, how great it is, to be Catholic.

He is Risen!

Descent

La Pieta

Crucifixion

Carrying the Cross

Crowning with Thorns

The Scourging

The Trial

The Betrayal

The Agony in the Garden

The Last Supper

Solemnity of St Joseph

We don't know much about St Joseph. But what we do know is pretty much all we need to know. St Joseph was a just man, a righteous man. He was humble, hard working, and the man chosen to be a father figure to the Lord Jesus, and spouse to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

For my confirmation, I get to choose a Saint who inspires me, a role model whose values and virtues I can try to live by. There are many wonderful Saints, but over time I have become close to St Joseph. I am a Dad, to two wonderful children, in difficult circumstances. A remnant of the way my life used to be, a painful reminder of the mistakes I made. I draw inspiration from St Joseph, as a Father, and if I could be just a tenth of the man St Joseph is, I would be fortunate indeed.

Lenten Prayer Groups

In our Parish during Lent, we have been holding Lenten prayer groups, where members of the Parish have got together to talk over the previous Sunday's readings, and to consider them in the light of a particular theme. This year the theme is "Who is my neighbour?"

As a new Catholic (I'm officially a member of the Church next weekend, when I have my confirmation at the Easter Vigil) I find these groups fascinating. For the last two years I have been going through the process of RCIA, and have made some good friends along the way. We are blessed with a knowledgeable group leader and some excellent Catechists, and the whole journey has helped root me into the Faith. I've enjoyed it so much I don't want to leave, and even feel inspired to take on study to become a Catechist in time. But that's for another day. The difference with the Lent prayer groups is we get to experience the Faith as others see it, and sometimes that can be very eye-opening, but on the whole it is very beneficial.

At tonight's Lent group, the usual leader of the session was away on holiday. She let us know last week, and asked for a volunteer to lead the session. I immediately suggested my friend who has been going through RCIA with me the last two years and myself as co-leaders, and tonight we took the group! Now, on the face of it, it isn't much, but to us, newbie/wannabe Catholics still green behind the ears it was just fantastic! The group of people we met with were kind and considerate and we had an excellent discussion on the Gospel of John from last Sunday and reflected on the Who is my neighbour theme. My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and it meant so much to us to be able to share this.

During our first session of these Lent prayer groups, a comment was made about St Augustine, which provoked me into looking more into his teachings, and that was a fortuitous moment, because I have learnt so much from reading his works, and it really helped me to get a better understanding of the Gospel readings.

Overall it has been a worthwhile Lenten exercise and has set me up for Holy Week and my pending confirmation and first Communion.

The Motto of the Traditional Catholic

I saw this post on the blog A Quiet Catholic, and it contained the following motto:

The Traditional Catholic's Motto

We are what you once were.
We believe what you once believed.
We worship as you once worshipped.
If you were right then, we are right now.
If we are wrong now, you were wrong then.

I started to wonder, who is it aimed at? Is it aimed at Catholics who have left the Faith? Is it aimed at the Protestants? Who are we trying to deliver this message to?

Pictures from Rome

Although I wasn't able to blog from Rome, I did take lots of pictures and a few video clips. All taken from a Nokia N95 on standard settings. So, here are a few pictures from my trip to Rome, and to start a brief video from St Peter's Square:

A day in Rome

So, the 'moblogging' didn't work out (stupid Vodafone - no matter what I tried I couldn't get a data connection. Tech support were worse than useless) but that apart, and a bit of drizzle early on, it's been a great day. My feet ache so much, I've walked miles and miles. All the way from Termini station to the Vatican and all the way back again!

My first stop this morning was Santa Maria Maggiore. As I recall, this is the biggest Church dedicated to Our Lady. Afterwards, I walked down the road and stopped in at St Pietro in Vincoli. It is said the chains on show inside the Church are the same ones that held St Peter when he was prisoner in Rome. I'm never too sure about these stories but also there's no reason to think that there isn't some truth in them.

From there I walked down the road to the Colosseum, and then up Via del Corso. From there I deviated to the Trevi fountain and onwards to Piazza Spagna. Then I walked down Via del Babuino which is apparently twinned with Madison Avenue. After passing through Piazza del Popolo, I walked along Via Cola di Rienzo up to the Vatican.

Going to St Peter's is always the highlight of a stop in Rome. I always see something new, every time. I was there for about an hour and a half, which included half hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament in a beautiful quiet side chapel.

Then I headed back. It was my intention to attend the Vigil Mass in Santa Maria Maggiore tonight but my return transport didn't leave time. I've been to Mass there before, but I'd have liked to do so again. Slightly disappointing but it can't detract from a great, if very tiring day.

On my walk back I popped in to a few bookshops and managed to find a reasonable looking Italian Bible. I found it surprising that a) A Bible was so hard to find and b) there were hardly any options to choose from! But the one I have will do for now. I'm hoping translation into Italian will be closer to Latin and help throw a bit more light on understanding Scripture that you can't always get from the English translations.

So, in all, a well spent, if very tiring day. My poor feet! I will sure sleep well tonight. I will post a few more pictures tomorrow along with a video clip I took outside St Peter's.

Moblogging From Rome

An opportunity came my way a month or so ago to be able to go to Rome, tomorrow, for the amazingly cheap price of £20, all in! The downside to that great deal means flying out at 6am in the morning, and flying back at 11pm tomorrow evening. A long day, but I decided it would be worth it.

In real terms I'm going to get about 8 - 9 hours to do what I want to, and my loose agenda is to go from Termini down the road to Santa Maria Maggiore, then down to the Colosseo, a long walk up to the fontana di Trevi, then up to Piazza Spagna, on to Piazza del Popolo, then another long walk down to the Vatican. That's a fair few miles! After the Vatican, I will be getting the tube back to Santa Maria Maggiore, where I intend to participate in the Vigil Mass. All in, that agenda will more or less take in the time I have.

I'm hoping to take lots of pictures on my phone (I use the N95 8GB these days) and hope to moblog. I made a trial post here before Christmas, and it worked well. The picture comes through at a small size, but it can be clicked on to be viewed in it's full state. I've no idea how this will work, and because I want to keep my data costs down I will be keeping my data allowance for email usage only, so I'll get to see how it looks when I get back.

Saints Meme

Mulier Fortis posted this Meme over on her blog the other day and I got a tag to join in. I am not a net newbie, in many respects but can someone explain to me the name, Meme, where does it come from, what does it mean?

Anyhow, the rules for this Meme are as follows:

1. Answer the questions! You can give a reason for the answer if you like.
2. As for tagging people, you tag as many as you want or as little...minimum of one. There's no obligation to play.
3. Last of all, have fun!

Sounds simple enough. So, here we go:

1. First Saint you "met"?
My first experience with a Saint was way before I joined the Catholic Church. Officially I've only been part of the Church for just over two years, after my 'conversion moment' back on the 1st January 2006. I've gone through RCIA which is just completing and I get fully received into the Church this Easter!
Anyhow, my first experience of a Saint was with Sant' Antonio di Padua. Antonio is my middle name, and after I got married to an Italian lady I was introduced to the wonderful idea of 'Onnomastico' where you celebrate the feast day of your Saint. The feast day for Sant' Antonio is June 13th.

2. Favourite Saint(s)?
My experience with Saints is still something new, and I am learning more and more every day. I have a special affection for Our Holy Mother, and love praying the Rosary. St Joseph is very personal for me, and after much studying of Saints in the last few months (where most of my limited understanding of Saints comes from) so I could find a Saint to share on my confirmation, it was St Joseph I heard call. St Joseph is amazing, a just and righteous man, and no matter how long I live I will never be a tenth of the man St Joseph was. Other favourite Saints, with not many surprises I guess, include St Peter, St Paul, St Teresa of Avila and St Francis of Assisi. I also love the story of St Joseph of Cupertino, called The Dunce, and who is Patron of people taking exams.

3. Patron saint for the year?
I never knew about this; we can take a Patron St personally for the year? How do you do that? Who gives you the Saint? Would anyone like to suggest a Saint for a newbie Catholic?

4. Favourite book by a saint?
I hadn't read any, til recently. My study time has been taken up reading the Bible, and reading the Catechism. Any Catholic must be intimate with both as a minimum. Just recently I have started to look into readings of the saints. For Lent I am reading from the Early Church Fathers daily, by the end of Lent I will have read ten of the Church Fathers. I have just started The Way of Perfection, which is just amazing, by St Teresa of Avila, and I have also recently purchased The Confessions of St Augustine.

5. Saint book you are reading now?
The Way of Perfection, St Teresa of Avila

6. Favourite film of a saint?
I don't think I have ever seen one. I did see a TV mini series on Italian TV about St Francis, though.

7. Favourite Autobiography/Biography of a saint?
I've not yet read one. I have so many things to learn, to read, I don't know where to start!

8. Favourite novel/book by a saint?
I can't answer that yet.

9. Saint (besides your favourites) you'd want to meet?
I had to give this a lot of thought, for reasons already explained. I don't know enough, yet, to be able to give an insightful answer to this question. And, whilst in thought, I got a strong image of San Gennaro (St Jenarius). His feast day is September 19th, and he is the patron of Naples. The Cathedral in Naples holds a vial of the blood of St Gennaro, and on his feast day it liquefies. It is said that if this miracle happens then Naples will be protected for another year. The Neopolitans are very proud of their patron Saint.

10. Saint you look to for help?
At the moment I am developing my relationship with St Joseph, so it is he whom I turn to help at the moment.

11.Favourite saint quote?
Oh, how little I know, and how much I have to learn. But I do like this quote, from St Jerome: Read God's Book continually; never let the sacred volume be out of your hand. Learn, so that you may teach.

12. Favourite Holy Card?
Erm, not sure I have one, to be honest.

13. Favourite story of a saint?
It is regarding St Joseph of Cupertino. By all accounts he was gracious, kind, warm hearted and always ready to please, but when it came to learning he just couldn't get the hang of it. It seemed things wouldn't stick in his head. He wanted to join the Franciscans, but because of his poor efforts at study, he failed. After a few attempts he was admitted once again to the order to try and become a full member, with the hope that he could learn enough to be ordained. It is said:

He could never expound a Sunday Gospel in a way to satisfy his professors; one only text seemed to take hold of him, and on that he could always be eloquent; speaking from knowledge which was not found in books. It was a text of St. Luke (xi, 27): "Beatus venter qui te portavit."

Finally, came the time for Joseph to take his oral exam in front of the Bishop. This is what happened:

Minor Orders in those days were easily conferred, and even the subdiaconate; but for the diaconate and the priesthood a special examination had to be passed, in presence of the bishop himself. As a matter of form, but with no hope of success, Joseph was sent up to meet his fate. The bishop opened the New Testament at haphazard; his eye fell upon the text "Beatus venter qui te portavit," and he asked Joseph to discourse upon it. To the surprise of everyone present Joseph began, and it seemed as if he would never end; he might have been a Master in Theology lost in a favorite theme. There could be no question about his being given the diaconate. A year later came the priesthood, and Joseph had again his ordeal to undergo. He was examined with a number of others One by one the first candidates were tested, and their answers were far above the average. At length the bishop, more than satisfied with what he had heard, cut the examination short, and passed the rest unquestioned. Joseph was among the fortunate candidates who were asked nothing, and was ordained along with the rest. He was twenty-five years of age.

14. If you could go anywhere on a pilgrimage to a saint's homeland, where would it be?
I missed out on being able to attend our Parish trip to Lourdes for the feast day on the 11th February, and Lourdes remains at the top of the list of places I would like to go.

15. Any Blesseds or Venerables that you would like to become canonized?
I'm sure there are many worthy, but none I know enough about to comment

An interesting list of questions. and oh boy, I still have so much to learn about my Faith, but that is one of the things I love about being Catholic. The Faith is so rich in history and there is so much around it, I could spend every day for the rest of my life learning, and still only scratch the surface of it all.

Now, the idea is is I 'tag' someone to join in here, so if you've read this far and you would like to join in, post up on your blog your Q&A and drop a note in the comments box so I can come and have a read.

Claude Newman

I don't recall where I saw this linked from earlier, I opened the link then was away from my PC for a couple of hours, so I can't give credit to the link, but anyhow, please if you have a few minutes open this link at On The Side of Angels. Maybe you know the story of Claude Newman, maybe you don't (I did not) but even so, it's worth a read.

New Blog Time

Found a new blog, via Mulier Fortis called Child of Mary

Pop over and take a look.

Down a bit.....

This is a great photo, I found it earlier on the Telegraph blogs:

There

I don't know where 'There' is. 'There' is a place, but you can't just go 'There' you have to arrive, and you arrive in a certain way. 'There' is the place you arrive when you are kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament. 'There' is the place you reach when you are fully concentrated on Christ. I don't know where 'There' is, but 'There' is immense, a huge and vast place, so deep and so rich, so moving and so overwhelming.

I don't know where 'There' is, but I want to go back 'There'.

A Sign of Love

This is NOT a sign of Love
In Many shops now, you will see toys like this one, sometimes embroidered with loving messages, as we approach Valentine's day. It is an indication of how generally warped the view of society is when an icon of the Devil is used to represent Love. The Devil has taken this Saint's day, taken it for himself. He has confused the whole concept of Love with lust and sex. So instead of celebrating Love, people use Valentine's day as an excuse for fornication. The Devil is symbolised as a cheeky, happy sign of carefree Love, when in reality he is anything but.

It really bugs me when people abuse the Saints in this way, people who otherwise wouldn't have a clue about what Saint's feast day it is. It happens on St Patrick's day, too, when that Saint's Holy Feast day is turned into an excuse for drunkenness and gluttonous excess.

The 'cheeky Devil' is not a sign of Love. Instead, I offer you something different, something that breathes Love, something that has Love woven through every part of it. This is Love, and if you can't see Love here, I'd suggest you are not looking properly:

Blog Surfing

One of my favourite habits when I have a few moments to waste on the internet is blog surfing. This is when I select a blog from the list on my bloroll, and select a bog from their blogroll, and read through, then pick a blog from that blogroll, and so on. You get the idea.

I was doing this just the other night, and from the Standing on my head blog I found the Roving Medievalist blog, an excellent blog, to be recommended. Whilst reading through I found this post, and I thought it to be one of the best posts on a blog I've read in a long while. Here's a taster:

Making a stand is a good thing. Working for just laws is a good thing. But good can be perverted, if it's made into a god. You can march on Washington all you want, but you're not doing God's will if you hate the opposition. You can vote Republican until the cows come home, but you're not doing God's will if you place a party or a cause above God's Church. You can vilify "baby killers" all you want, but don't lie to yourself. You're not called to vilify. You're called to love. You're not called to imprison them. You're called to forgive them. You're not called to build God's Kingdom on earth by political means. You're called to do God's will by being Christ-like.

Click here to get the rest of the post, and be sure to check the blog in full. You'll find some excellent photos posted.

What's in your pocket?

I am a fan of technology, in particular mobile phones. The modern era of mobile communications brings with it many benefits, and the devices we use are becoming increasingly more advanced. For example, I use a Nokia NSeries N82. It is loaded with features, built in GPS, WiFi, internet connection, 5.0 megapixel camera, FM radio, MP3 player, etc, etc. I have recently acquired an 8GB memory card for my phone, and that means I can carry around with me loads of music files. I also have hours and hours and hours of talks from the likes of Father Corapi, Scott Hahn, the One True Faith with Michael Voris, and many others. There is some Gregorian chant, some quality classical music, and more. I also have two copies of the Bible on my phone, one RSV text and one Douay Rheims, both downloaded from Olive Tree. I also download podcasts, such as those from Catholic Answers and Word on Fire. Using the WiFi connection on the phone iti s simple to connect to my home broadband connection and download the podcasts, which I usually listen to in the car on the way to work.

There is so much you can use phones for, more than just phone calls. It almost excuses Nokia for calling their phones 'Multimedia Computers' these days, that's almost what they are.

I saw a clip on the SQPN website, an excellent spoof of the Apple iPhone advert. It reminded me so much of how I use my phone. I'm not a big iPhone fan, but all the same the ad is excellent:

Buy Catholic books and help Westminster Cathedral

In an effort to help raise money for the Westminster Cathedral fund, I have started my own affiliate bookshop with Amazon. You can get to it by clicking on the picture in this post, or by clicking here, or by clicking on the permanent link set up in my side bar. I've selected a category for Catholic books, just browse through the pages available or search by title/author in the search bar. All orders are fulfilled by Amazon, just as if you had purchased directly through that site. The benefit of buying through my store is commission is generated for every sale made, but all the prices are the same as the Amazon main site.

50% of all commission earned through the scheme will be donated to the Westminster Cathedral fund, with the other 50% going to worthy charitable causes. Please take a look. If you don't buy now, remember the shop in the future, anytime you want to buy a book.

Westminster Cathedral Appeal

Westminster Cathedral is in need of repair. In total, £3million is needed to help with the repair bill.

I was in the Cathedral just after New Year, and I will be going back in a couple of weeks as I participate in the Rite of Election.

The Cathedral is a magnificent building, and work needs to be done now to ensure that it will stay open to the public. It is expected if we do nothing now, within ten years the Cathedral could be closed to visitors on safety grounds.

I'm sure various fund raising events will take place to help reach the total required, but we can all make a personal donation if we wish to the fund. The Cathedral receives no support from the government, and does not charge an entrance fee for visitors. The every day running costs of the Cathedral are immense, already, any help offered to the Cathedral for the repair fund will be gratefully received, I'm sure.

I don't know, exactly, how many Catholics there are in the UK. But, as ever with these things, if all made a small contribution the final result would be large indeed.

If you would like to make a donation to the fund to enable the work of these urgent repairs, you can do so by clicking this link to the Westminster Cathedral Appeal site

Please, where possible, Gift Aid your donation.

New Bible

I picked up a new bible the other day from the Church shop. From CTS, it is based on the Jerusalem Bible, which is the translation we have in Mass.

The CTS Bible is well laid out, I find the text easy to read, although it is slightly small. The headings are useful, and there are some introductions to the books which is very useful. I've always wanted a good Bible with decent notes and the CTS Bible is better than my RSV Bible in this regard. At the back of the Bible there is a list indicating which readings are taken on which day through the three year cycle, again a nice touch and very useful.

I'm not a Bible scholar, so I can't really comment too much on the translation quality of the text; for me the fact that it is the same as that used in the Mass is a plus. In Luke 1:28 the verse reads "Rejoice, O highly favoured" When I prefer "Hail, full of Grace." which is how my RSV translates the verse. But then, for example, I personally prefer the way the CTS presents the verses from the second letter to Timothy, 4:2-4 than the way it is translated in the RSV.

I've learnt that there is no such thing as the perfect Bible. There is just one issue I cannot accept and that is the use of inclusive language. Thankfully, the new CTS Bible doesn't seem to use it. Overall it's a nice Bible, well put together, sturdy and stout. It has that feel of a good book when you hold it in your hand. I got this for just £10, which is a very good price.

You can get more information on the CTS Bible from here, where you can also download pages extracted from the book in .pdf format.