To the barricades! Let's storm the church!

"Latin Mass at Llandovery next Sunday d'accord?"

No, not the Church, I mean the church, the Church of Our Lady in the Welsh town of Llandovery where a seagull flying overhead is a cause for intense discussion and debate.

It is a quiet town, quite pleasing in aspect, and - it's next door to the village of Llangadog, the village of three stunning pubs all within a few feet of each other.

But it's not the pubs (no, really) it is the beautiful little church that has no parish priest and is served from its larger neighbours of Llandeilo and, somewhere else (memory is getting embarrassing).

This church has no Sunday Mass. Hmm.......my brain went into second gear when I heard that fact.
No priest, no Sunday Mass - it's ripe for a take-over.

Let's do it! St Nicolas-du-Chardonnay style.

Do you remember 1977? No? Never mind, stick with me.

That was the year that a group of French Catholic families, thoroughly fed up with the liturgical bilge that was pushed in their direction, rebelled. Yes, rebelled.

They chose a church in the centre of Gay Paree (well, just Paris really, most of it is gay these days). And they stormed it, turfing out the clerical occupants and barricading the doors.

Of course they were well stocked up with all edible things French (in France, the maxim is, if it moves eat it and, even if it doesn't move, still eat it).

So they had stocks of pate, baguettes by the ton and plenty of bottles of....Chardonnay of course! Voila!

They stayed in the church for about six weeks until the secular authorities (who have jurisdiction over church property in France), caved in and granted the church of St Nicolas to the then legit SSPX.

It remains today, an absolute bastion of Catholicism, beautiful and untouched by moronic modernist hands.

But, back to Llandovery. Could we, I wonder, recreate the actions of the Catholic French and take over this  gem of a church and reserve it only for the Tridentine Latin Mass?

We would need a stock of provisions, some traditional Welsh fare, Caerphilly cheese, laverbread, salt marsh lamb and.....some curry sauce and chips! All along with a few barrels of good Welsh ale.

The forces of darkness could not compete against folk who had such stout reserves.

And then...we would await word from the Bishop. Maybe a letter stuck in the cleft of a stick and pronouncing:


" With the authority granted to me by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, I hereby grant the Latin Mass lovers of Menevia, full use of the Church of Our Lady, Llandovery for the celebration of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form in perpetuity and furthermore state that no OF Mass of any kind, whether celebrated by clown priests, or accompanied by leotard clad maidens, shall ever take place in this holy House of God"

That would indeed be a case for a "huzzah" in fact, quite a few "huzzahs".

NB: A friend has kindly pointed out that the Paris Church is that of St Nicolas-du-Chardonnet...not Chardonnay.- I did, of course, just take a little poetic licence (ahem, and a few yellow pills).

Manhattans, Mikado and Mass

What the....!!!! I hear the one or two followers of this blog spluttering into their gruel....the fellah's gone totally mad, what on earth can connect those three things?

Not a lot really except that, I (along with Mrs L) have just returned from an overnight stay in Cardiff to see an open air version of Gilbert & Sullivan's Mikado.

The production was great and highly entertaining but....but....it just didn't hit the spot.

Why?

Konnichiwa or How d'you do? but never howdy pardner

Because the producer had decided, in his wisdom, to bring the production a little up to date so that some numbers, such as, "Here's a how-de-do" (which, I believe should be spelt and pronounced as "Here's a how d'you do but now I am getting pedantic) had been vulgarised into a hillbilly format complete with fiddle type music and holding one's braces dance routines. There was more of the same.

It did nothing to improve (how could it) on G & S's music and lyrics but it did a great deal to detract and diminish.

So, (by now you will have seen my exocet trail) I was minded of the Novus Ordo and how, it is good and proper but it just fails to hit the spot; it's all that 'bringing it up to date' c**p that really does not wash.

First link.

And then, the notable Fr Z has recently devoted some time to debating the merits of Manhattan cocktails over Dry Martinis - stay with me and all will become clear.

Due to our pre booked hotel making a fist of our reservation and, in fact, losing it (Oh yeah?) we were offered a damp mattress in a doss house as compensation.

'No way' was our retort. We want a five star hotel complete with all the trimmings plus we want a free meal for four, a series of taxis to ferry us to the show and back to our new hotel and yet back again the following morning.

Our wishes were granted; in fact, the somewhat worried looking Manager actually stated that we could have whatever we wanted.

We settled for the above and when, late that night we checked in to the Cardiff Hilton, we fell into the bar (exhaustion, you understand) and ordered drinkie poos for 4.

Now, never having tried a Manhattan I decided that my time had come and asked the barman for the same. He looked puzzled and asked me for the formula.....ummm.....whisky and sweet Martini was my response. He looked dubious and went off to Google it. Turns out I was correct and within a very few minutes a large cocktail glass, big enough for two goldfish to live in quite comfortably, was at my elbow (but not for long).

I sipped this exotic looking drink and was hooked - pure ambrosia!

However, the dear barman, in an attempt to please had added a stick with three glace cherries impaled on it so that, instead of looking fairly cool and man of the worldish, I appeared much like a second hand car salesman of uncertain gender. All it lacked was a paper umbrella.

Never mind. I agree with Fr Zuhlsdorf.......Manhattans are great.

It took several people to restrain me from ordering a second which is just as well because I think two of those concoctions might have played with my brain, or what is left of it.
 I settled for a goodnight glass of Murphy's (there was no Guinness on offer) and went to bed.

So, there you have it. Global warming is getting a grip, Iran is moving closer to a nuclear strike, Europe is in meltdown, Obama is gaining ground as Romney weakens (remember I told you not to give up on Santorum?) and Al Qaeda look likely to rule in Afghanistan - never mind - Manhattans are fantastic.

And so is the Tridentine Latin Mass (and you don't get a hangover).

Feast of Pope St Pius V - Quo Primum - worth a re-read

Was Archbishop Lefebvre disobedient? Read the Papal Encyclical of Pope St Pius V and decide for yourself. This encyclical  normalised what became known as the Tridentine Latin Mass so that, with very few sensible exceptions, there was one Faith and one Liturgy.   If you read nothing else, read the last sentence.    PIUS: BISHOP OF ROME Servant of the Servants of God FOR AN EVERLASTING MEMORIAL      Upon our elevation to the Apostolic throne We gladly turned Our mind and energies, and directed all Our thoughts, to the matter of preserving incorrupt the public worship of the Church; and We have striven, with God’s help, by every means in Our power to achieve that purpose.     Whereas amongst other decrees of the Holy Council of Trent We were charged with revision and re-issue of the sacred books, to wit the Catechism, the Missal and the Breviary; and whereas We have with God’s consent published a Catechism for the instruction of the faithful, and thoroughly revised the Breviary for the due performance of the Divine Office, We next, in order that Missal and Breviary might be in perfect harmony, as is right and proper (considering that it is altogether fitting that there should be in the Church only one appropriate manner of Psalmody and one sole rite of celebrating Mass), deemed it necessary to give Our immediate attention to what still remained to be done, namely the re-editing of the Missal with the least possible delay.     We resolved accordingly to delegate this task to a select committee of scholars; and they, having at every stage of their work and with the utmost care collated the ancient codices in Our Vatican Library and reliable (original or amended) codices from elsewhere, and having also consulted the writing of ancient and approved authors who have bequeathed to us records relating to the said sacred rites, thus restored the Missal itself to the pristine form and rite of the holy Fathers. When this production had been subjected to close scrutiny and further amended We, after mature consideration, ordered that the final result be forthwith printed and published in Rome, so that all may enjoy the fruits of this labor: that priests may know what prayers to use, and what rites and ceremonies they are to use henceforward in the celebration of Masses.     Now therefore, in order that all everywhere may adopt and observe what has been delivered to them by the Holy Roman Church, Mother and Mistress of the other churches, it shall be unlawful henceforth and forever throughout the Christian world to sing or to read Masses according to any formula other than that of this Missal published by Us; this ordinance to apply to all churches and chapels, with or without care of souls, patriarchal, collegiate and parochial, be they secular or belonging to any religious Order whether of men (including the military Orders) or of women, in which conventual Masses are or ought to be sung aloud in choir or read privately according to the rites and customs of the Roman Church; to apply moreover even if the said churches have been in any way exempted, whether by indult of the Apostolic See, by custom, by privilege, or even by oath or Apostolic confirmation, or have their rights and faculties guaranteed to them in any other way whatsoever; saving only those in which the practice of saying Mass differently was granted over two hundred years ago simultaneously with the Apostolic See’s institution and confirmation of the church, and those in which there has prevailed a similar custom followed continuously for a period of not less than two hundred years; in which cases We in no wise rescind their prerogatives or customs aforesaid. Nevertheless, if this Missal which We have seen fit to publish be more agreeable to these last, We hereby permit them to celebrate Mass according to this rite, subject to the consent of their bishop or prelate, and of their whole Chapter, all else to the contrary notwithstanding. All other churches aforesaid are hereby denied the use of other missals, which are to be wholly and entirely rejected; and by this present Constitution, which shall have the force of law in perpetuity, We order and enjoin under pain of Our displeasure that nothing be added to Our newly published Missal, nothing omitted therefrom, and nothing whatsoever altered there in.     We specifically command each and every patriarch, administrator and all other persons of whatsoever ecclesiastical dignity, be they even Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, or, possessed of any other rank or pre-eminence, and We order them by virtue of holy obedience to sing or to read the Mass according to the rite and manner and norm herein laid down by Us, and henceforward to discontinue and utterly discard all other rubrics and rites of other missals, howsoever ancient, which they have been accustomed to follow, and not to presume in celebrating Mass to introduce any ceremonies or recite any prayers other than those contained in this Missal.     Furthermore, by these presents and by virtue of Our Apostolic authority, We give and grant in perpetuity that for the singing or reading of Mass in any church whatsoever this Missal may be followed absolutely, without any scruple of conscience or fear of incurring any penalty, judgment or censure, and may be freely and lawfully used. Nor shall bishops, administrators, canons, chaplains and other secular priests, or religious of whatsoever Order or by whatsoever title designated, be obliged to celebrate Mass otherwise than enjoined by Us. We likewise order and declare that no one whosoever shall be forced or coerced into altering this Missal; and this present Constitution can never be revoked or modified, but shall forever remain valid and have the force of law, notwithstanding previous constitutions or edicts of provincial or synodal councils, and notwithstanding the usage of the churches aforesaid established by very long and even immemorial prescription, saving only usage of more than two hundred years.     Consequently it is Our will, and by the same authority We decree, that one month after publication of this Our Constitution and Missal, priests of the Roman Curia shall be obliged to sing or to read the Mass in accordance therewith; others south of the Alps, after three months; those who live beyond the Alps, after six months or as soon as the Missal becomes available for purchase.     Furthermore, in order that the said Missal may be preserved incorrupt and kept free from defects and errors, the penalty for nonobservance in the case of all printers resident in territory directly or indirectly subject to Ourselves and the Holy Roman Church shall be forfeiture of their books and a fine of 100 gold ducats payable ipso facto to the Apostolic Treasury. In the case of those resident in other parts of the world it shall be excommunication latae sententiae and all other penalties at Our discretion; and by Our Apostolic authority and the tenor of these presents. We also decree that they must not dare or presume either to print or to publish or to sell, or in any way to take delivery of such books without Our approval and consent, or without express permission of the Apostolic Commissary in the said parts appointed by us for that purpose. Each of the said printers must receive from the aforementioned Commissary a standard Missal to serve as an exemplar for subsequent copies, which, when made, must be compared with the exemplar and agree faithfully therewith, varying in no wise from the first impression printed in Rome.     But, since it would be difficult for this present Constitution to be transmitted to all parts of the world and to come to the notice of all concerned simultaneously, We direct that it be, as usual, posted and published at the doors of the Basilica of the Prince of the Apostles, at those of the Apostolic Chancery, and at the end of the Campo de’Fiori; moreover We direct that printed copies of the same, signed by a notary public and authenticated with the seal of an ecclesiastical dignitary, shall possess the same unqualified and indubitable validity everywhere and in every country that would attend the display there of Our present text. Accordingly, no one whosoever is permitted to infringe or rashly contravene this notice of Our permission, statute, ordinance, command, direction, grant, indult, declaration, will, decree and prohibition. Should any person venture to do so, let him understand that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.     Given at Saint Peter’s, Rome, in the year of Our Lord’s Incarnation one thousand five hundred and seventy, on the fourteenth day of July in the fifth year of Our Pontificate. Given at St. Peter's, Rome, in the year of Our Lord's Incarnation, one thousand five hundred and seventy, on the fourteenth day of July of the fifth year of Our Pontificate.                      H. Cumin Caesar Glorierius

"in perpetuity" doesn't that mean forever?