Litany of the Passion

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,

Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One, God,

Have mercy on us.

Jesus, the Eternal Wisdom, have mercy on us.

Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver, have mercy on us.

Jesus, prostrate on the ground in prayer, have mercy on us.

Jesus, strengthened by an angel, have mercy on us.

Jesus, in Thine agony bathed in a blood sweat, have mercy on us.

Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss, have mercy on us.

Jesus, bound by the soldiers in heavy restrictive chains, have mercy on us.

Jesus forsaken by Thy disciples, have mercy on us.

Jesus, brought before Annas and Caiphas, have mercy on us.

Jesus, struck many times in the face by evil men, have mercy on us.

Jesus, accused by false witnesses, have mercy on us.

Jesus, declared guilty of death, have mercy on us.

Jesus, spat upon hundreds of times, have mercy on us.

Jesus, blindfolded, have mercy on us.

Jesus, smitten on the cheek, hundreds of times, have mercy on us.

Jesus, thrice denied by Peter, have mercy on us.

Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod, have mercy on us.

Jesus, clothed in a filthy garment, have mercy on us.

Jesus, rejected for Barabbas, have mercy on us.

Jesus, whose flesh was torn to the bone with hideous scourges,
by demonically possessed men, have mercy on us.

Jesus, bruised for sins, have mercy on us.

Jesus, esteemed a leper, have mercy on us.

Jesus, mocked and covered with a purple robe, have mercy on us.

Jesus, crowned with long, deadly thorns, have mercy on us.

Jesus, repeatedly struck by blows and kicks over Thy entire Body, have mercy on us.

Jesus, demanded for crucifixion by the Jews, have mercy on us.

Jesus, condemned to an ignominious death, have mercy on us.

Jesus, given up to the will of Thine enemies, have mercy on us.

Jesus, loaded with the heavy weight of the Cross, have mercy on us.

Jesus, falling many times while carrying the cross, have mercy on us.

Jesus, spat upon hundreds of times while carrying the cross, have mercy on us.

Jesus, led like a sheep to the slaughter, have mercy on us.

Jesus, barbarously stripped of Thy clothes causing Thy wounds to reopen, have mercy on us.

Jesus, fastened by long blunt nails to the cross, have mercy on us.

Jesus, reviled by the malefactors, have mercy on us.

Jesus, promising Paradise to the penitent thief, have mercy on us.

Jesus, commending St. John to Thy Mother as her son, have mercy on us.

Jesus, declaring Thyself forsaken by Thy Father, have mercy on us.

Jesus, struggling for every breath on the cross, have mercy on us.

Jesus, in Thy thirst given gall and vinegar to drink, have mercy on us.

Jesus, testifying that all things written concerning Thee were accomplished, have mercy on us.

Jesus, the God Man, dying to save the whole world, have mercy on us.

Jesus, commending Thy spirit into the hands of Thy Father, have mercy on us.

Jesus, obedient even to the death of the cross, have mercy on us.

Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us.

Jesus, made a propitiation for us, have mercy on us.

Jesus, taken down from the cross, have mercy on us.

Jesus, laid in the sepulcher, have mercy on us.

Jesus, rising gloriously from the dead, have mercy on us.

Jesus, ascending into Heaven, have mercy on us.

Jesus, our Advocate with the Father, have mercy on us.

Jesus, sending down on Thy disciples the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, have mercy on us.

Jesus, exalting Thy Mother above the choirs of angels, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Who shall come to judge the living and the dead, have mercy on us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.



From all evil, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

From all sin, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

From anger, hatred, and every evil will, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

From war, famine, and pestilence, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

From all dangers of mind and body, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

From everlasting death, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most pure Conception, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy miraculous Nativity, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy humble Circumcision, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy baptism and holy fasting, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy labors and watchings, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy cruel scourging and crowning, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy thirst, and tears, and nakedness, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy precious death and Cross, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy sending forth the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

In the Day of Judgment, Lord Jesus, deliver us.



We sinners beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt pardon us, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt bring us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt mercifully pour into our hearts,

the grace of the Holy Spirit, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt defend and propagate Thy holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt preserve and increase,

all societies assembled in Thy Holy Name, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt bestow upon us true peace, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt give us perseverance

in grace and in Thy holy service, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt deliver us from unclean thoughts,

from the temptations of the devil,

and from everlasting damnation, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt unite us to the company of Thy saints, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That Thou wilt graciously hear us, we beseech Thee, hear us.



Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.



V. Christ, hear us.

R. Christ, graciously hear us.

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee,

R. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Let Us Pray

Almighty and eternal God, Who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son the Saviour of the world and willed to be appeased by His blood, grant that we may so venerate this Price of our Salvation, and by its might be so defended upon earth from the evils of this present life, that in Heaven we may rejoice in its everlasting fruit. Through Christ Our Lord Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. R. Amen!

The Crucifixion

24 And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. 25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

26 And the inscription of his cause was written over: THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: And with the wicked he was reputed. 29 And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days buildest it up again; 30 Save thyself, coming down from the cross.

31 In like manner also the chief priests mocking, said with the scribes one to another: He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32 Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

Christ Carries the Cross

21 And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross. 22 And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary. 23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh; but he took it not.

The Crowning With Thorns

16 And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace, and they called together the whole band: 17 And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. 18 And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews. 19 And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him. 20 And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him.

The Scourging

15 And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Christ Before Pilate

1 And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, saith to him: Thou sayest it. 3 And the chief priests accused him in many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, saying: Answerest thou nothing? behold in how many things they accuse thee. 5 But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered.

6 Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. 7 And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. 8 And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them. 9 And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy.

11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 And Pilate again answering, saith to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews? 13 But they again cried out: Crucify him. 14 And Pilate saith to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him.

Peter Denies Christ

66 Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest. 67 And when she had seen Peter warming himself, looking on him she saith: Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68 But he denied, saying: I neither know nor understand what thou sayest. And he went forth before the court; and the cock crew. 69 And again a maidservant seeing him, began to say to the standers by: This is one of them. 70 But he denied again. And after a while they that stood by said again to Peter: Surely thou art one of them; for thou art also a Galilean.

71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying; I know not this man of whom you speak. 72 And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me. And he began to weep.

Christ Before the High Priest

53 And they brought Jesus to the high priest; and all the priests and the scribes and the ancients assembled together. 54 And Peter followed him from afar off, even into the court of the high priest; and he sat with the servants at the fire, and warmed himself. 55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for evidence against Jesus, that they might put him to death, and found none.

56 For many bore false witness against him, and their evidences were not agreeing. 57 And some rising up, bore false witness against him, saying: 58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another not made with hands. 59 And their witness did not agree. 60 And the high priest rising up in the midst, asked Jesus, saying: Answerest thou nothing to the things that are laid to thy charge by these men?

61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said to him: Art thou the Christ the Son of the blessed God? 62 And Jesus said to him: I am. And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming with the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rending his garments, saith: What need we any further witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy. What think you? Who all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him: Prophesy: and the servants struck him with the palms of their hands.

The Betrayal

43 And while he was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve: and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients. 44 And he that betrayed him, had given them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; lay hold on him, and lead him away carefully. 45 And when he was come, immediately going up to him, he saith: Hail, Rabbi; and he kissed him.

The Agony in the Garden

32 And they came to a farm called Gethsemani. And he saith to his disciples: Sit you here, while I pray. 33 And he taketh Peter and James and John with him; and he began to fear and to be heavy. 34 And he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death; stay you here, and watch. 35 And when he was gone forward a little, he fell flat on the ground; and he prayed, that if it might be, the hour might pass from him.

36 And he saith: Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee: remove this chalice from me; but not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping. And he saith to Peter: Simon, sleepest thou? couldst thou not watch one hour? 38 Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 39 And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words. 40 And when he returned, he found them again asleep, (for their eyes were heavy,) and they knew not what to answer him.

41 And he cometh the third time, and saith to them: Sleep ye now, and take your rest. It is enough: the hour is come: behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise up, let us go. Behold, he that will betray me is at hand.

The Washing of the Feet

1 Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father: having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 And when supper was done, (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him,) 3 Knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and goeth to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments, and having taken a towel, girded himself. 5 After that, he putteth water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 He cometh therefore to Simon Peter. And Peter saith to him: Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered, and said to him: What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith to him: Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith to him: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him: He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are clean, but not all.

The Last Supper

12 Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the pasch, the disciples say to him: Whither wilt thou that we go, and prepare for thee to eat the pasch? 13 And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith to them: Go ye into the city; and there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him; 14 And whithersoever he shall go in, say to the master of the house, The master saith, Where is my refectory, where I may eat the pasch with my disciples? 15 And he will shew you a large dining room furnished; and there prepare ye for us.

16 And his disciples went their way, and came into the city; and they found as he had told them, and they prepared the pasch. 17 And when evening was come, he cometh with the twelve. 18 And when they were at table and eating, Jesus saith: Amen I say to you, one of you that eateth with me shall betray me. 19 But they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one: Is it I? 20 Who saith to them: One of the twelve, who dippeth with me his hand in the dish.

21 And the Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed. It were better for him, if that man had not been born. 22 And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body. 23 And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them: This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many. 25 Amen I say to you, that I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.

26 And when they had said an hymn, they went forth to the mount of Olives.

Wonderful Cross

This video is different to the one posted yesterday, using mainly stills at the start, and has a different soundtrack.

The Sufferings of Christ

This video is made of moments from the film, The Passion of The Christ.

Offline Time - Holy Week

The post yesterday, this, and all posts til Easter Sunday are scheduled. I am offline for Holy Week, as I attempt to remove myself from the things that matter not, and immerse myself into that which is most important. I wish all who come by this blog between now and Sunday, a very peaceful Easter.

Palm Sunday

1 And when they were drawing near to Jerusalem and to Bethania at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples, 2 And saith to them: Go into the village that is over against you, and immediately at your coming in thither, you shall find a colt tied, upon which no man yet hath sat: loose him, and bring him. 3 And if any man shall say to you, What are you doing? say ye that the Lord hath need of him: and immediately he will let him come hither. 4 And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways: and they loose him. 5 And some of them that stood there, said to them: What do you loosing the colt?

6 Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them; and they let him go with them. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus; and they lay their garments on him, and he sat upon him. 8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way. 9 And they that went before and they that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh: Hosanna in the highest.

2nd April 2009

The Apprentice

A lot of my friends watch the tv programme, The Apprentice. Although I know what it is about, and have heard of it, I've never really watched it. I hardly watch tv anymore, I mainly use my set for listening to the radio stations available on satellite. There's been a lot of advertising for this series, on radio and elsewhere, so I thought I'd tune in.

I wish I hadn't.

I found the whole thing very uncomfortable, the contestants come across as greedy, and selfish. The whole attitude is money, money, money. One of the contestants in his bio even said "making money is better than sex" Pretty pathetic really.

At the end, after much squabbling, accusation and counter-accusation, one contestant got fired. Not nicely done, poor girl even said thanks, for being fired! I can't imagine myself in that situation, at all, I wouldn't last. I'm not competitive enough, not motivated by money. I wouldn't get fired, I would have quit already. Nasty programme, really.

March 22nd 2008

Saturday, March 22nd, 2008. About the same time that I am now writing this blog post, in fact, I was received into the Catholic Church, Confirmed and took my first Holy Communion. So, today is my full one year calendar anniversary as a full member of the Catholic Church!! It has been an amazing year since then in my life, my Faith grows stronger each day, my love for the Lord keeps growing, and despite the many times I fall and get it wrong, He keeps on picking me up, dusting me down, and helps get me moving again.

I wrote about my journey into the Church last year, just after Easter, which is here I hope to have many more years in which I can celebrate the greatest moment of my life, when I was fully received into the Church!

The Oath Against Modernism

I, Jay Augustine, firmly embrace and accept each and every definition that has been set forth and declared by the unerring teaching authority of the Church, especially those principal truths which are directly opposed to the errors of this day.

And first of all, I profess that God, the origin and end of all things, can be known with certainty by the natural light of reason from the created world (cf. Rom. 1:90), that is, from the visible works of creation, as a cause from its effects, and that, therefore, his existence can also be demonstrated:

Secondly, I accept and acknowledge the external proofs of revelation, that is, divine acts and especially miracles and prophecies as the surest signs of the divine origin of the Christian religion and I hold that these same proofs are well adapted to the understanding of all eras and all men, even of this time.

Thirdly, I believe with equally firm faith that the Church, the guardian and teacher of the revealed word, was personally instituted by the real and historical Christ when he lived among us, and that the Church was built upon Peter, the prince of the apostolic hierarchy, and his successors for the duration of time.

Fourthly, I sincerely hold that the doctrine of faith was handed down to us from the apostles through the orthodox Fathers in exactly the same meaning and always in the same purport. Therefore, I entirely reject the heretical' misrepresentation that dogmas evolve and change from one meaning to another different from the one which the Church held previously. I also condemn every error according to which, in place of the divine deposit which has been given to the spouse of Christ to be carefully guarded by her, there is put a philosophical figment or product of a human conscience that has gradually been developed by human effort and will continue to develop indefinitely.

Fifthly, I hold with certainty and sincerely confess that faith is not a blind sentiment of religion welling up from the depths of the subconscious under the impulse of the heart and the motion of a will trained to morality; but faith is a genuine assent of the intellect to truth received by hearing from an external source. By this assent, because of the authority of the supremely truthful God, we believe to be true that which has been revealed and attested to by a personal God, our Creator and Lord.

Furthermore, with due reverence, I submit and adhere with my whole heart to the condemnations, declarations, and all the prescripts contained in the encyclical Pascendi and in the decree Lamentabili, especially those concerning what is known as the history of dogmas. I also reject the error of those who say that the faith held by the Church can contradict history, and that Catholic dogmas, in the sense in which they are now understood, are irreconcilable with a more realistic view of the origins of the Christian religion. I also condemn and reject the opinion of those who say that a well-educated Christian assumes a dual personality-that of a believer and at the same time of a historian, as if it were permissible for a historian to hold things that contradict the faith of the believer, or to establish premises which, provided there be no direct denial of dogmas, would lead to the conclusion that dogmas are either false or doubtful.

Likewise, I reject that method of judging and interpreting Sacred Scripture which, departing from the tradition of the Church, the analogy of faith, and the norms of the Apostolic See, embraces the misrepresentations of the rationalists and with no prudence or restraint adopts textual criticism as the one and supreme norm. Furthermore, I reject the opinion of those who hold that a professor lecturing or writing on a historico-theological subject should first put aside any preconceived opinion about the supernatural origin of Catholic tradition or about the divine promise of help to preserve all revealed truth forever; and that they should then interpret the writings of each of the Fathers solely by scientific principles, excluding all sacred authority, and with the same liberty of judgment that is common in the investigation of all ordinary historical documents.

Finally, I declare that I am completely opposed to the error of the modernists who hold that there is nothing divine in sacred tradition; or what is far worse, say that there is, but in a pantheistic sense, with the result that there would remain nothing but this plain simple fact-one to be put on a par with the ordinary facts of history-the fact, namely, that a group of men by their own labour, skill, and talent have continued through subsequent ages a school begun by Christ and his apostles.

I firmly hold, then, and shall hold to my dying breath the Faith of the Fathers in the charism of truth, which certainly is, was, and always will be in the succession of the episcopacy from the apostles. The purpose of this is, then, not that dogma may be tailored according to what seems better and more suited to the culture of each age; rather, that the absolute and immutable truth preached by the apostles from the beginning may never be believed to be different, may never be understood in any other way.

I promise that I shall keep all these articles faithfully, entirely, and sincerely, and guard them inviolate, in no way deviating from them in teaching or in any way in word or in writing. Thus I promise, this I swear, so help me God. . .

AIDS, Condoms and the Church

I missed this last night, but Joanna Bogle from the blog Auntie Joanna writes was on Channel 4 news talking about comments Pope Benedict XVI has made concerning condoms and AIDS. You can see a clip of the event here. I personally thought Joanna did a wonderful job of passionately defending the Church's teaching here, so I was dismayed to read on her blog that some people have been criticising her, saying they were ashamed of her because she appeared to lose her cool.

Well, blow them, is all I can say. Being passionate is not a crime, and she did a wonderful job of putting the woman from Christian Aid and the interviewer in their place. It was noticeable when he (Jon Snow, I think he is) couldn't contain the passionate responses from Joanna he fell back to the old cliche "Well, you are not being very Christian, are you?" Like he would know what being Christian is all about!

I think it would be a great thing to pop over to her blog and give her some much deserved messages of support.

Go Joanna!

It Really bothers Me....

...When people who claim they are Catholic live a life and preach a belief that is contrary to Catholic teaching! It grates me, it twists up my insides and it causes me pain. If you are a Catholic, then you live the Catholic life, you accept the authority of the Church and the teachings of the Faith. If you can't do this, at *least* be honest, and stop calling yourself Catholic.

Just Because....

Today has been quiet, and this has been one of the best advertising campaigns recently. Real good fun.

Are You a Geek?

This is a good fun quiz, the guys over at the What Mobile site have updated a quiz first ran back in 2004, to test if you are a geek.

I don't recall what my score was back then, but this time round I scored 26 points:

25-34 points
A highly evolved techie, you are totally at home with technology and use a wide variety of gadgets in your everyday life.

So, I am comfortable with technology but am officially *not* a Geek!

The quiz can be found here

A Day Out

It becomes a bit much when attending a training course can be considered a day out, but the training course I went on today was just a little bit different.

I work in a high st shop for one of the mobile networks, and today an event was organised in London to pick up info on one of the latest Nokia mobile phones, the Nokia 5800.

Now, it needs to be said, I am a bit of a mobile phone geek, so much so I have another blog that talks mainly about a certain type of mobile phone, the Nokia Nseries range. The Nokia 5800 is very similar to the Nseries handsets, it uses the same operating system, and has a really good range of features. The 5800 is the first consumer focused touch screen device.

The training course was held in London, and when I arrived at the hotel location I had to sign a disclaimer for the days 'activities'. I absolved the organisers from any liability for any injury I suffered, and the list was horrendous! Sliding down mud banks, getting run over, medical fees, all sorts. The responsibility for any mishap was mine and mine alone! I very nearly refused to sign, I have no time for such fooling around, I thought. But, curiosity got me, that and the fact I had to do the course or go back to work in the shop!

As it turns out it was one of the best training courses I've ever participated in. Normally with a new phone we get trainers who will highlight the main features of the phone, we then get some hands on time with the product, and that's it. Fine for me, being a geek, but a bit samey after a while. The disclaimer thing promised this would be a bit different, and it was. We were all split into pairs, and given one of the new phones. After a brief session that highlighted the main points, we were sent out around London with the phone and a list of objectives that had to be completed within two hours! At each of the locations we had to perform a task with the phone, either taking a picture and editing it, then sending it back to the base, or saving it as wallpaper, recording video clips, and navigating around town with the built in GPS facility. Pretty basic stuff really.

What really made the day was the tasks! These included a session in the boxing ring throwing some punches, being locked in a room at minus 10 for a minute, rowing 500 metres in two minutes on a rowing machine in a gym, driving a golf ball on a virtual reality golf course and dancing! It was an excellent day, really good fun, and I know I shall sleep well tonight. I'm pooped!

One of the first tasks we completed was the dancing. I didn't volunteer, my partner decided for me that I would dance whilst he 'DJ'd' using the music player on the phone. I don't think I did too good, but even so I got nominated for best dance!! (Probably in sympathy I think!) Back at the base when prizes were handed out I had to stand up in front of the whole room and recreate my slick moves for everyones amusement! But it was good fun, and the girl I danced with was very nice and a good sport.

The golf driving range was also good; I've never played golf before but managed a shot of 187 yards. My colleague was less successful, on one swing he completely missed the ball and hit the floor with the club. Thing is, he hit it so hard the ball actually fell off the tee and rolled a little across the floor, and the machine measured his drive at 4 inches! Very funny.

Overall the whole event was great fun, and I'd certainly do it again. I'm glad my curiosity got the better of me!

No TV

When I was a kid, I was a real telly addict. I could tell you what program was on, what day, time and channel (not as impressive as it may sound - there were only three channels when I was growing up!)

In the last few years, I've watched a lot less TV, but it is always on, if only for the light it gives and background noise. Last year, for Lent, one of my Lenten penances was to give up TV. By the end of Lent, I had lost all interest in TV. So, over the last year, my TV viewing has been sporadic, what I tend to watch mostly is sport. I decided last week to go the whole hog, and cancel my TV subscription. All that is left is the free to view channels.

I'm seriously thinking now of selling my TV set, so I won't even be watching the free channels anymore. Anything I must see, can be watched online via the download services; for the EWTN programs I like, I can view from their website.

Although my viewing habits have reduced a lot, not actually having the TV to watch is going to be hard to get used to. It's very quiet, and the corner where the TV stands appears dark.

edit: It's annoying that at this moment my stereo unit has decided to play up, my speakers are not working! No radio now either!

Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture

I've been spending a lot of time recently looking into various translations of Scripture. Even among what are known as Catholic Bibles some verses are translated very differently. Alongside a solid translation of the Bible, a must is a good Scripture commentary. It seems though, that it is harder to find a good Catholic Scripture commentary than it is to find a reliable Bible translation!

I discovered earlier of a new set of Bible commentaries that are being prepared, a Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. From their site:

The CATHOLIC COMMENTARY ON SACRED SCRIPTURE combines outstanding biblical scholarship with lively faith to help Catholics, especially those in pastoral ministry, interpret Scripture and apply it to Christian life today. In seventeen volumes, the series offers readable, informative commentary on each book of the New Testament. The CCSS responds to the desire of Catholics to study the Bible in depth and in a way that integrates Scripture with Catholic doctrine, worship, and daily life.

Central to the commentary’s approach are the theological principles taught by Vatican II for interpreting Scripture “in accord with the same Spirit by which it was written”—that is, interpreting Scripture in its canonical context and in the light of Catholic tradition and the analogy of faith (Dei Verbum, 12). The CCSS helps readers grasp the meaning of texts both in their historical and literary context and in their relationship to Catholic doctrine and life in the present.

Currently available is the Gospel of Mark and First and Second Timothy, Titus. Further volumes to come are:

* The Gospel of Matthew by Edward Sri and Curtis Mitch
* The Gospel of Luke by Timothy Gray
* The Gospel of John by Francis Martin and William M. Wright IV
* The Acts of the Apostles by William Kurz, SJ
* Romans by Scott Hahn
* First Corinthians by George T. Montague, SM
* Second Corinthians by Thomas D. Stegman, SJ
* Galatians by Ronald D. Witherup, SS
* Ephesians by Peter S. Williamson
* Philippians, Colossians, Philemon by Dennis Hamm, SJ
* Hebrews by Scott Hahn and Mary Healy
* First and Second Peter, Jude by Daniel Keating
* Revelation by Peter S. Williamson

This promises to be a valuable study resource, and a good addition to my study guides.

La Befana

La Befana vien di notte
Con le scarpe tutte rotte
Col vestito alla romana
Viva, Viva La Befana!

The Italian tradition of La Befana is based on a popular legend. When the Magi were looking for the baby Jesus they stopped at the house of an old woman, to ask for directions. The woman was well known for her excellent hospitality and took pride in her home. The Magi stayed over for the night, and the next day as they took their leave they asked the woman to accompany them on their search for the infant Jesus. However, she declined, saying that she had too much to do keeping her home tidy.

After the Magi left, the woman had a strange feeling that she had made a huge mistake, and rushed after them, but without success. She was unable to find them, and to this day continues her search on the night of the 5th every year. In her search, she will leave gifts for all the good young children she meets, however all the bad children get just a lump of coal!

It's a nice treat for the children, and it is funny to see their faces when they get coal! (After all, almost all children have been naughty at some point during the year!) But of course, there is often a nice treat for them too, as they have their moments of good behaviour also.

Keeping Busy

I haven't had much to write here recently, it's very possible I won't post much, if at all, going forward. Apart from being a bit ill recently with some ugly virus, nothing much is going on. Life just keeps plodding on.

I'm studying the Gospel of John, looking at many variations in Bible translations, trying to find out why one Bible that is a Catholic translation says one thing whilst in others that are also Catholic translations, verses are translated differently to give a different meaning or sometimes the verses are not there, at all! Maybe I was naive, but I expected different translations to read differently only in as much as the style of English used, rather than the meaning being totally different. Finding verses missing completely threw me, to be honest. And I'm still thinking about various aspects to do with my life and my Faith, and how totally entwined it has all become.

Apart from that, I'm watching the darts on TV, working, (only part-time) and setting myself to enjoy Christmas the way it is meant to be, not the way marketers would have it be.

Life just keeps ticking over. I must catch up on some emails, I promised a couple of things but they haven't been done yet. Gotta keep on top of it.

Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome

Today the Church celebrated the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica. I was in Rome back in February 2007, here are two pictures I took inside:

Ordination at Westminster Cathedral

There is going to be an ordination ceremony at Westminster Cathedral on the 22nd November. Two guys are going to be ordained to the Priesthood, on of whom has been at my local Church for the last year or so.

If you're in town on the day, drop by, the ceremony starts at 10.30.

End of British Summertime

Clocks go back one hour tonight, marking the end of British Summertime. Enjoy your extra hour in bed.

Non Abbiate Paura

I found this video clip searching through YouTube this week, for the clips I have recently posted. This is a clip from 22nd October, 1978, John Paul II. Don't Be Afraid... Let Christ Speak to the Man.

La Livella

Toto is one of the greatest comedic actors in all Italian cinema history. This clip, though, is not one of his comedy classics. Here, Toto talks about "La Livella". In death, we are all equal.

La Smorfia - San Gennaro

Another favourite of mine from La Smorfia. I know people who talk like this to San Gennaro, as with most comedy clips this is even funnier because it is so true!

L'Annunciazione!

After two clips featuring Massimo Troisi from the film "Non Ci Resta Che Piangere" here is one of the most famous comedy clips of all, from his time with the group "La Smorfia". Here is their take on the Annunciation:

Leonardo

Another clip from "Non Ci Resta Che Piangere", Massimo Troisi tries to explain an elementary rule of the card game "Scopa" to Leonardo Da Vinci:

Alt! Chi Siete? Un Fiorino!

One of my favourite Italian films is "Non Ci Resta Che Piangere" with Massimo Troisi and Roberto Benigni. This clip is a classic from that film. Still brings me to tears with laughter, every time.

Bless You!

A bit of light hearted fun:

A Duty to Die

This is so outrageous that it defies words, but is worrying because deep down, you just know that there are people out there who will agree with this argument.

Some woman who I have never heard of, Baroness Warnock, has said that people suffering from dementia should be allowed to die because they are a burden to those who care for them, and as they are suffering they obviously cannot be enjoying their life. She said people suffering mental decline have a "duty to die". They are wasting people's lives because they have to care for them, and should be allowed to die. Not only are they 'wasting people's lives' they are also a drain on the resources of the NHS.

Very disturbing, especially the last part there. With the way economies around the world are crumbling, I can see that people will accept such an absurd argument, and people with debilitating mental illnesses will be encouraged to die, as a duty to the next generation. They will be encouraged to relieve the financial burden on their families, do the 'right thing' and kill themselves. Once that has been accepted you can look at any person who is handicapped, because they will be a financial burden too, and also impact on the lives of those who have to care for them. Then we can look at people who smoke. They are a financial burden on health resources, too. If finance is a reason to kill someone off, then why stop there? Why not kill anyone who becomes ill. No ill people, no need for carers, so they can toddle off and enjoy their quality of life, no need for a health service, the country will save billions!

The idea is totally crazy, and the fact that someone can even suggest it as a valid argument shocks me to the core. We're walking the slippery slope, folks. I just hope we realise, before it is too late.

The Miracle of San Gennaro

Today is the feast day of San Gennaro. San Gennaro is a Bishop and Martyr, and the Patron of Naples.

There isn't a great deal known about the life of San Gennaro, he is certainly more famous now for the blood miracle that is celebrated three times during the year. On the 16th December it celebrates his patronage of Naples, and the Saturday before the first Sunday in May is for the unification of his relics. The 19th September is in celebration of his feast day.

It is said that if the blood miracle does not happen then the City of Naples will be left without the protection of San Gennaro. For example, in 1980 the blood did not liquefy before the earthquake that took 2,000 lives. One of the earliest recordings of the blood miracle comes from as far back as 1389, with the records officially starting in 1649.

From what we know about the life of San Gennaro, he was from a rich family, and at 15 became a local parish Priest. He became Bishop of Naples at 20 years old, and of his acquaintances was Juliana of Nicomedia and St Sossius. During the persecution of Christians by Emperor Diocletian, he hid his fellow Christians and prevented them from being caught. Unfortunately, while visiting Sossius in jail, he too was arrested.

He was placed in a furnace to be cooked alive, he came out unscathed. He was pushed into the Flavian Amphitheater at Pozzuoli to be eaten by wild bears, who had not eaten in days. Yet the animals refused to eat them, instead licking their toes. Januarius was beheaded along with Sossius and his companions at Solfatara.

The Feast of San Gennaro is a major occasion in Italy, and thousands of Neopolitans will be packing into the Cathedral today to witness the miracle. In defence of the blood miracle of San Gennaro, St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote:

"The Neapolitans honour this saint as the principal patron of their city and nation, and the Lord himself has continued to honour him, by allowing many miracles to be wrought through his intercession, particularly when the frightful eruptions of Mount Vesuvius have threatened the city of Naples with utter destruction. While the relics of San Gennaro were being brought in procession towards this terrific volcano, the torrents of lava and liquid fire which it emitted have ceased, or turned their course from the city. But the most stupendous miracle, and that which is greatly celebrated in the church, is the liquefying and boiling up of this blessed martyr's blood whenever the vials are brought in sight of his head. This miracle is renewed many times in the year, in presence of all who desire to witness it; yet some heretics have endeavored to throw a doubt upon its genuineness, by frivolous and incoherent explanations; but on one can deny the effect to be miraculous, unless he be prepared to question the evidence of his senses.

John Henry Cardinal Newman also attested to the veracity of the miracle of liquefaction:

I think it impossible to withstand the evidence which is brought for the liquefaction of the blood of San Gennaro at Naples.

Nothing Going On

There's nothing much happening these days. I'm getting into Bible study, the deeper I dig the more I find and the more fascinating it becomes. Apart from that there is little to say, life is just ticking over, day by day. To brighten an otherwise dreary blog post, here's a relaxing picture.

Pope Benedict's Rosary CD

I saw this posted on Fr Z's blog here and Mark's blog here. I ordered the CD's and they arrived today. Surprisingly quick service, past experience with Posta Italiana hasn't always been so good!

There are four CD's, each with the Pope reciting the Rosary in Latin for the Luminous, Sorrowful, Joyful and Glorious mysteries. There is also a booklet listing the prayers and mysteries in Latin. At the back of the booklet there is a paragraph taken from the Apostolic Letter "Rosarium Virginis Mariae":

The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, as at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depths of the Gospel ,essage in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb. With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of His love.

Bible Translations and Interpretations

I have a few different Bible versions now, and from that has grown a curiosity about the many different Bible translations there are available. I understand that there is not a 'perfect' translation of the Bible, but I was surprised to find that some verses that are in the Douay Rheims, for example, that are not in other Catholic translations I have.

The main Bible I use is the Douay Rheims. I recall once reading the best version of the Bible to have is the one you will read, pointing to the fact that many Catholics are not as familiar with Scripture as other Christian groups. The Bible fascinates me, I am strongly drawn to not just reading Scripture but understanding it, too. That might seem like an obvious statement to make, after all it would be silly to read the Bible and NOT understand it!! But I love digging through Scripture, and getting into the deeper meaning. That is what I mean when I say I want to understand. It is an immense joy when I read a particular Scripture passage, and then I find it connected to something else, something from the Old Testament. Or when new light is shone upon Scripture, after reading an interpretation from the early Church fathers. When I read the Douay Rheims, for all the unusual way with words, it just sings to my heart, like the most glorious poetry, the words create three dimensional images and I can truly appreciate the beauty of the Word of God.

Apart from the Douay Rheims, the Bible translations I have are the RSV CE, the new CTS Bible which is the translation we use in Mass, and a recently purchased Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral edition. Each has it's own benefits, the RSV I use to help me understand the more difficult English you come across on the Douay Rheims, the CTS Bible is good for the fact it is the version used in Mass, and has good chapter introductions and some on page annotation, and some links to other verses in other books of the Bible that relate to that particular passage. The Community Christian edition has more informative notes on each page, it reads almost like a Bible commentary.

I recently noticed that there is a verse in the Douay Rheims version of the first letter of John that is not in the other Bibles. Only one verse, maybe, but it does make me wonder if there are others that are different. I can understand versions being different, in style of English used and if verses are literally translated or paraphrased, but for a verse to be missing, it did surprise me.

In the Douay Rheims, 1 Jn 5:7 it reads:

And there are three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one.

The RSV reads:

And the spirit is the witness, because the spirit is the truth.

The CTS Bible reads:

so that there are three witnesses,

And the Christian Community Bible says:

There are then three testimonies:

It will help to expand these out a bit, so here is each version, in the same order as above, but this time 1 Jn 5:6-7-8
Douay Rheims:

6 This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which testifieth, that Christ is the truth.
7 And there are three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one.
8 And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water and the blood: and these three are one.

RSV

6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with water only but with the water and the blood.
7 And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth.
8 There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree.

CTS Bible:

Jesus Christ who came by water and blood, not with water only, but with water and blood; with the Spirit as another witness - since the Spirit is the truth -
7 so that there are three witnesses,
8 the Spirit and the water and the blood, and all of them agree.

Finally, the Christian Community Bible:

6 Jesus Christ was acknowledged through water, but also through blood. Not only water, but water and blood. And the Spirit, too, witnesses to him for the Spirit is truth.
7 There are then three testimonies:
8 the Spirit, the water and the blood, and these three witnesses agree.

It is also fascinating that in verse 6 the Douay Rheims says that it is the Spirit that testifies that Christ is truth, but in all three other versions it is the Spirit who is truth. It may make a difference, it may not, I don't understand, yet, but it is fascinating that the differences are there at all.

Out of curiosity, I thought I would look through the KJV Bible I own. This Bible is a study version, it usefully links verse readings throughout the whole Bible, very helpful. I truly wish for an authoritative Catholic Bible that has similar links. The KJV was a gift, from some dear friends. I find that in discussion with other Christians it is useful to have to hand the version of the Bible they will invariably quote from and to compare with Catholic Bibles. It helps to see where Protestant Bibles have been altered to reflect Protestant teaching and conflict with Catholic teaching*. In fact, the very reason I was initially looking through this particular letter of John was to show where in the Bible you could find evidence of the Trinity. V7, with the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three are one, seems quite clear to me. The KJV Bible says:

6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit and the water and the blood: and these three agree in one

(The italics exist also in the KJV)

Almost identical to the Douay Rheims, but also in verse 6 the KJV translates the Spirit is truth, where the Douay Rheims translates it as Christ is the truth.

It truly is fascinating to get into Scripture in such detail, and it has inspired me to look for courses in my local area where I can join with others to learn more about Scripture, to learn more about the major languages and why translations are presented as they are, and why there is such variation even amongst Catholic Bibles.

*An example of this can be seen in Acts, 19:35 or Romans 11:4. The word image in italics is used in the KJV, intending to imply that Catholics worship images. Frequently the words Idols and Idolators are changed to images and image-worshippers.

Another New Bible

I have a good selection of Bibles now. I recently purchased a Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition and a while ago I purchased the New CTS Catholic Bible. This has the translations we use in Mass. I also have a Douay Rheims Bible and an RSV CE Bible, too. But just recently I have bought a Bible that is just that bit special.

I like to see a Bible that looks special. And the new Bible I have purchased is just beautiful. The cover is ornately designed, reflecting the design of the original version of this Bible that had an engraved cover. I like to see an ornate cover on a Bible, it gives a sense of the beauty that is contained within. This Bible is a Douay Rheims version, and comes complete with notes by Father George Leo Haydock; there are many notes, from around 210 sources, including many of the early Church Fathers. It is really going to help with my Bible study, complimenting the St Jerome Bible commentary and Holy Scripture commentary I bought recently. There is also a Catholic Bible dictionary and a history of the books of the Holy Catholic Bible. The book is huge. It's going to be a great resource for Bible study, but I doubt I will be carrying it around much! I order this from Ebay, $124.99, a special gift that I was able to buy after selling a few old items I had on Ebay. This Bible is printed and distributed through the Catholic Treasures website, the page for this Bible is here.

Here are a few pictures:

A Quirky Meme

I got tagged for a Meme, from the UkOk blog. I did something similar before. Then it was to list some totally unimportant things, quirks or habits. It has evolved a bit now, I need to list just 6 quirky habits. Before, I mainly listed some unimportant things about me, but quirky habits? Do I have any, I ask myself? First, the rules:

1. Link the person(s) who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

Ok, so one and two are done. Now, 6 quirky habits....

1. I always eat my meals in a particular order. The food on my plate always gets eaten in the same order, I can't stand the idea of eating food in a different way.

2. In a similar vein, I always get dressed in the same way, including always putting on the left sock before the right. It just feels so unnatural to put the right one one first! I guess these habits suggest I am an ordered person who likes things 'just so' but nothing could be further from the truth. These really are quirks, because it is nothing to the way I usually am, where everything is messed and disordered.

3. I never pack for holiday until the night before I travel. If I'm traveling in the afternoon or evening, then I will pack that morning. It does bother me, expecially when I'm running round at the last minute. I regularly forget things and always promise the next time I will be better organised. But it never happens.
Not only that, I never get travel money in advance, either.

4. Another 'in the same order' quirk. I always read blogs in a particular order, starting from the bottom of my blogroll and working my way up. Some blogs I read daily, others weekly, but whichever I read it is always in the same manner.

5. I never throw away envelopes. Not because I re-use them, I just store them. The box where I keep my bills and invoices is as half full with envelopes as anything else. I don't particularly have a fetish for envelopes or anything, I think it is more related to the fact I am too lazy to sort through it all.

6. I always sit in the same place in Church. I'm not sure this is so quirky, as just convenience. I like the position, it is well situated, and most importantly I get to control the kneeler! I can't stand the kneeler being down when I stand up, and have become quite adept at lifting and lowering the kneeler with my foot. As I usually get to Mass quite early it has never happened that someone else is sitting where I normally sit. I'm not sure what I would do if that were the case...

And that's it. It took me *ages* to write this post, I most be the most boring person around, if those are the only quirky habits I have! To be fair, I'm sure there are a lot more, I'm just not aware of them, as I probably see them as quite normal behaviour patterns.

Now, I am supposed to 'tag' 6 people, but completely against the spirit of the Meme I'm going to leave it open. If you read this and you have some quirks you want to share with the blogging world, feel free. Just link back and let me know so I can come take a look :-)

(Edit - I've decided to 'enforce' the Meme onto just one person, Mr ED from ellasdevil.blogpsot.com - Consider yourself 'tagged!')

St Augustine and Me.

On my journey to the Catholic Church, I needed to choose a Saint who I admired, who maybe had a story that I identified with, or had lived a live I admired or maybe was patron of something important to me. I would then honour this Saint by choosing their name as my confirmation name. As we came closer to the Easter vigil, nothing had been decided, but I thought I would possibly choose St Joseph as my confirmation Saint. I love St Joseph immensely, from the little that is written about him in Scripture you can already know the type of man he is, his qualities of honesty, integrity and bravery, his justness, his righteousness, were all qualities to be admired. Also, I sometimes feel he is marginalised a little in the Church, and I just feel very close to St Joseph.

During Lent, in our Parish as in many others I presume, we organise some Lent study groups. The Diocese provides some literature in small booklets as a basis to work from, and for a couple of hours every week the group will get together and discuss various related issues. The first Lent group I went to last year had such a profound effect on the way I approach my Faith that I was eagerly anticipating this one.

It was during this year's Lent group that I came to choose St Augustine as my confirmation Saint.

Our group this year was a good spread of older and younger, seasoned Catholic and newbies. During our first session, amongst the discussion, one member of our group made a comment about 'that wretched man Augustine'. I was quite shocked and asked "Do you mean St Augustine?" He clearly did, but I just questioned to clarify as I was surprised to hear someone who admittedly I didn't know a great deal about, but knew was an important figure in Church history, a Doctor of the Church, being described as a 'wretched man'. That was the spark. I went home, looked up St Augustine on the web, read biographies, learnt a few quotes, ordered a copy of the Confessions of St Augustine from Amazon, and we were set.

The Gospel readings during Lent were some of the beautiful readings from the Gospel of St John, including the blind man given sight, Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman at the well, and the raising of Lazarus. I was also still in RCIA during this time, so I was studying the Gospel readings for that as well as the Lent groups. Everywhere I looked, I was bombarded with quotes from St Augustine. I discovered the excellent Catena Aurea, which is loaded with quotes from St Augustine as well as many other Church Fathers, I was reading the Augustine tracts on the Gospel of John, even on podcasts I downloaded I was hearing quotes from St Augustine. For the whole of Lent, and since then, I just made a really strong connection, and when my friend pointed out the obvious, that with such a strong connection St Augustine should be my confirmation Saint, that's what happened. The whole Easter Vigil service was special for so many reasons, first time taking communion, being fully received into the Church, but I won't ever forget when the Priest, anointing me with the oil, called me Augustine. That was indeed a special moment.

I saw Peter shortly after Easter, the man who had called St Augustine "That wretched man" at our Lent group. I told him that thanks to him, I had been inspired to take Augustine as my confirmation name. He just chuckled, it was a good moment.

And all of that, I write today, because today is the feast day for St Augustine. The first time I can celebrate today as an Onomastico (That word is what we use in Italian for our name day, when it's the feast day of the saint we share a name with. It's almost as important as a birthday.)
It seems the only way to finish is with this beautiful writing from St Augustine:

Late have I loved You,
Beauty ever old yet ever new!
Late have I loved You!
You were within me, but I was outside.
There I sought You, as I rushed about
among the beautiful things you had made.
You were with me,
but I was not with You.
The beautiful things of this world
kept me far from You.
You called. You cried.
You burst through my deafness.
You scattered my blindness.
I breathed Your fragrance
and now I pine for You.
I tasted You,
and I hunger and thirst for You.
You touched me,
and I burn with desire
for Your peace.

Saint Monica

Today is the feast day of Saint Monica, the mother of St Augustine. It is always interesting to read about the lives of the saints, and what I've read of St Monica is certainly an inspiration. Apparently she was married to a man who was not Christian, and who was abusive. She lived with her abusive husband and not so nice mother-in-law, yet through patience, prayers and penance she converted them both to the Catholic Faith.

More famously, it is through her prayers and acts of penance that she brought to conversion her son, Augustine. To me this example of perseverance is something we should all keep in mind when we pray. Not only was St Monica praying for others, she was persistent, without losing faith when her prayers were not answered immediately. Living the way we do today with access to instant information on the internet, instant on-demand access to films and tv programs and the 'fast food' style of service, it is easy to lose perspective and expect an instant on-demand reply to our prayers.

Next to the Blessed Virgin, St Monica is one of the best examples of a Christian mother.

St Monica is patron of patience, married women, homemakers and housewives, mothers, wives, widows, alcoholics, difficult marriages, disappointing children, victims of adultery or unfaithfulness, and victims of (verbal) abuse

Exemplary Mother of the great Augustine,
you perseveringly pursued your wayward son
not with wild threats
but with prayerful cries to heaven.
Intercede for all mothers in our day
so that they may learn to draw their children to God.
Teach them how to remain close to their children,
even the prodigal sons and daughters
who have sadly gone astray.

To The Greatest Cheese in the World

Yeah, I know, it's only cheese. But Parmigiano Reggiano is the BEST cheese in the world! (Although Mozzarella di Bufala runs it close!) Thanks to Mark for pointing these adverts out on YouTube:

Parmesan Flavoured Ice Cream

I like Ice Cream, I also like parmesan cheese, but the idea of the two mixed together does not appeal, at all! However, there are plenty of people in China who do like it, it seems. Italo-Chinese company La Perla says people are snapping it up. The ice cream is hand-made, in the traditional manner, with real parmesan cheese.

The taste was immediately excellent, but the biggest problem was getting the consistency right,

said La Perla director Roberto Longoni.

We found that the secret was to choose an 18-month-old cheese, which is sweeter and more elastic,

he said.

In total, La Perla offer over 400 flavours of ice cream; I wonder whether there is another as bad as parmesan flavour?

Source

Laurel and Hardy Again

Here's another clip, this is one of my favourite's. The audio is not English, but there isn't much and it's not really necessary either. Enjoy: