A WYD Doppleganger

Here in The Priory we are all very excited about World Youth Day Madrid 2011.

Br Prior is even considering letting one of us go along. We are all busily studying the Spanish language and Iberian history in an attempt to be the one to impress him the most.

Br Belvedere hasn't been turning up to classes though. Perhaps he was busy practicing how to make (and drink) sangria in the barn and fell down a hole. He has been gone a few days and Sister M is getting worried, as he usually never misses a good bowl of slops.

Br Jasper was going really well until he realised that he had accidentally been learning Portuguese, while Br Pelagius is proposng that he has a right to attend simply because he thinks himself the person best able to teach the Spanish socialist government a lesson.

As I mentioned before, I have been brushing up on the Spanish version of the extraordinary form, the Mozarabic rite, in order to score real brownie points with the boss.

However, as we were wistfully looking at the World Youth Day Madrid website we realised a striking similarity with its logo and that of a well known club west of Sydney.

I think we all know where the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid was having his evening queimada during WYD08! I didn't know they served tapas there.

While we hear that the 'King of Clubs' can be quite a fun place, don't get any ideas Br. Prior. Shouting us a San Miguel at the Campbeltown Catholic Club is NOT 'just as good' as going to WYD Madrid.

Caption

Pilgrims might enjoy giving this a caption:

...but Some Animals are More Equal than Others

We all knew it was going to happen eventually.

Victoria is well known as the swine flu capital of this nation and has been exporting its diseases quite vigorously of late, and not simply H1N1. Victoria has now gone into the business of exporting draconian abortion laws.

We all remember the decriminalisation of abortion that occurred down here not long ago. Now that Vic has the most draconian abortion laws in the world (and, incidentally, the only state to have a charter of 'Human Rights'), it has come to our attention that there is now an organised push about to be made to decriminalise abortion in NSW and disallow conscientoius objection by doctors. Victorian feminists are assisting in drafting the legislation.

So while we now know that the swine flew over the border into NSW, we hope their idea that "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others" does not gain the popularity that it did in the 'Animal Farm' that is the Victorian Parliament.

While our blood boils over this we hope that hot-headedness in the different pro-life groups does not produce the dog's breakfast of a response to the bill that it did here in Victoria.

We encourage you all to say a Pater and Memorare daily for the end of the Victorian draconian epidemic.

And to those drafting the legislation, be well assured that we will object very conscienciously. NSW didn't want Vic's swine flu and they don't want Vic's abortion laws either.

An Abbott for a Deacon?

I know we've over done the whole Tony Abbott thing this week but we couldn't miss making fun of a CathNews article that appeared on Tuesday.

We just had to click and follow the link and it turns out Tony Abbott is not becoming a married deacon and simply speaking at the Deacon's Conference titled 'Word, Worship, Service'.

How is this for a line up of speakers?

• Tony Abbott
• Fr Frank Brennan [Abbott's best mate]
• Bishop David Walker of Broken Bay
• Bishop Anthony Fisher OP
• Bishop Michael Malone [those 3 are obviously mates and from a similar school of thought]
• Sr Kristen Johnston rsj
• Fr Frank Devoy
• Fr Gerard Kelly
• Deacon Jim Curtain

And who is left to discuss the 'Church in Australia'? That former seminarian - Abbott.

Looking at this list of speakers it seems that the National Committee of Deacons has a few different camps.

... with the celibacy of an Abbott

Many thanks go to Br Pelagius for reminding us of the chemistry evident between Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard during the last Federal Election campaign. It is clear from this enlightening collection of clips that the Deputy Prime Minister is throwing herself at the “naughty” Shadow Minister... but who could resist the charm of that brilliant smile?

According to his former ‘celibacy adviser’ – not many. It seems Julia may be right and our Tony has been a bit naughty in his time, making the position of ‘celibacy adviser’ a tough but worthwhile office.

This venerable (and long-suffering) individual, Josephine UI, was present yesterday at the launch of Abbott’s book Battlelines. We think the adviser could write a similar titled book about her former client, recapturing the skillful manner in which she single-handedly battled down his sinful urges with the shining sword of chastity.

What a woman! Although I’d like to point out she is standing remarkably (and likely, in her opinion, dangerously) close to a man she describes as “very fit, athletic [and] gorgeous”.

But humanity is a fallen race, and as Josephine acknowledges; "I didn’t have a 100thper cent success rate… There were one or two lapses. He didn’t ever get caught but there were some close encounters."



“Some of the girls were quite infatuated”, she recalls, and Julia, Minister of Practically Everything, is just the latest. Give J.UI her job back we say! Or maybe she thinks her wise counseling planted the seed of chastity so deep in young Tony’s soul that there is no turning back. In which case, her close embrace was intended to test this theory. Celibacy adviser always knows best!

One way street

Peter Costello has written a superb article for Fairfax on the pending discrimination which will result from the reforms currently before the Victorian Parliament. We make no further comment on the fact that it was the Fairfax papers which printed it.

Unfortunately for Victorians, their Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities is a litmus test for a Federal counterpart – on which Fr Frank Brennan SJ is conducting the community consultation, despite his public opposition to such a charter.

This line especially tickled the Warden: “How did civilisation develop over the past couple of millennia without the Community Legal Services to guide it?” Indeed. What is more, how did we ever arrive at a situation where all Australians' religious liberty is seriously jeopardised by the smallest of minorities hell-bent on making it difficult for religions carry on their own affairs? Sometimes relativism seems only to work one way in a liberal democracy such as ours.

They that have done this deed are no doubt 'honourable' men...

Far be it for us to rustle up your spirit to mutiny but did anyone notice the silence with which one President was supplanted by another...

Some in The Cloister are wondering who orchestrated such a clumsy coup d'état... was it a colonel with little mustard from a library perhaps? If you get our meaning!

In the noble tradition of the liberal arts here follows our tribute to the noble victim!

Caption Competition

While organising The Cloister's extensive photograph library this one just jumped out and screamed caption me! caption me!

If you want something done properly best do it yourself!

The Devil in the Detail

I must admit that in years past I would have been unbearable to live with in the weeks leading up the ALP National Conference. Who was in, who was on the outer? Who would threaten to quit, who would stage a walk-out?

I drove my parents crazy with all this, as well as spending countless hours on the phone organising support and numbers for the crucial votes. At the height, Aunt Emily drove for 2 hours to visit my mother fearing something was wrong given the phone was out of action for so long.

Conferences in recent years have been fractured on Uranium mining, official union influence in the ALP (who could forget the Crean-Macklin 'dream team'), and a united stand against Work Choices.

This year is set to be dead boring. The 45th ALP National Conference presents a platform that focuses on the 'future', the economy and the '21st Century'.

What is not easily seen is the fractions in the movement on Rudd's proposed Emissions Trading Scheme. The unions would very much like to see the Liberal/National Coalition defeat the legislation rather than show a disjointed ALP/Union alliance.

A majority in the union movement would love to see the ETS buried but their colleagues (and often former comrades in arms) refuse to admit that it will cost thousands of Australian jobs.

It is good to see the arguments stay behind closed doors unlike the Liberal Party. In fact the poster-boy conservative Tony Abbott may even be invited this year given his support for the ETS and long time love of Julia Gillard.

We've dug up an old mix, but sources in the ALP are still in damage control.




Maybe Julia can help launch Abbott's new book? Or at very least use his Press Club speech as an excuse to miss the second session of the first day of the conference.

Anyway, let's hope there are some decent rendition of Solidarity Forever from the CFMEU delegates and Sharan Burrow leaves some of the dessert for Bill Ludwig.

I do thank Br Prior for giving me his permission to write about this former passion once again. Perhaps next year we can arrange a media pass?

Could it be that Catholics really can't sing?

We have all complained about the atrocious post conciliar state of Catholic liturgical music which is largely suffered in silence, as it is understandably difficult to get enthusiastic about unremarkable music.

But news that the music at Cranebrook's Corpus Christi Parish Church is so bad that the local government authority has been forced to take action against what neighbours are suggesting are illegal gatherings, caught some in The Cloister's attention.

Built in 1987, the church was in the middle of an empty paddock but as Council authorities failed to officially zone it as a "place of worship", residential properties were allowed to spring up next door. In what the Council is calling a compromise, the Church land was officially rezoned but only on the condition the doors and windows were closed for services irrespective of stifling summer temperatures.

Parish Priest Father O'Mara said the parish "would like air-conditioning but we are not a wealthy parish" ... "We have fans, but with the doors and windows closed there is no circulation. "In summer, this becomes a health and safety issue." he said - referring to the heat not the music we presume...

Youth groups, family bands and Filipino troupes rotate to play during mass twice a week at 6pm on Saturday and 9.30am on Sunday. As one would expect the music lasts for about 15 minutes in each hour session but as Father O'Mara admits, "It's contemporary church music"

Despite a record of incompetance, Penrith City Council seems to suggesting the church proposal to open the windows when the PA was on or the band was playing is "not acceptable and recommended for refusal" but Councillors will not make a final decision until they visit the site.

Might we recommend a little chant or other tasteful polyphony for the visit...

Reason for hope, not just memories...

A selective application of liturgical law is what Brisbane's Elizabeth Harrington labelled the no less than five eulogies delivered at the state funeral for surgeon Chris O'Brien OA at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral.

Surely the “vigilantes” who shoot letters of complaint off to Rome at the slightest suggestion that a liturgical law may have been transgressed were scandalised at such a blatant breach of the rules about a Catholic funeral.

Citing the Order of Christian Funerals she suggests that the "liturgical watchdogs" who assumedly are also the "vigilantes" and who in her opinion make no allowance for liturgy to be adapted to local needs, resources and circumstances, can’t have it both ways! She further suggests that if flexibility and pastoral judgement have a place in the celebration of a funeral, their application in other cases should not be a catalyst for bitter censure and angry outbursts?

Here in The Cloister we are not entirely sure what Ms Harrington is getting at but are hopeful that she is suggesting that rubrics and not emotion should inform pastoral judgment. But it strikes us that if you have a history of advocating the primacy of ill informed pastoral judgment in the selective application of rubrics then 5 eulogies at a State Funeral in another Archdiocese hardly seems the place upon which to hang your hat.

In fact a good rule of thumb is that people with glass houses shouldn't throw stones... even rhetorical ones!

If the Cap Fits, 2

Last November we reported on the appointment of Military Bishop with an “interesting” name: Laszlo Biro of Hungary. See that story here.

Now the Holy See has done it again: it was announced yesterday that the new British “Bishop of the Armed Forces” is Monsignor Richard Moth, previously VG of Southwark.

It seems to us in the Cloister that Monsignor Moth has the right name for job and will appeal to all three of the Services:

They have Moths on the water, for the Navy:

And Moths in the air, for the RAF

And for the Army?


Why, caterpillar treads, of course!

The Domino Effect

The straight-talking Fr Joseph Fessio S.J. has just been fired from Ave Maria University in Floria again in the usual eyebrow-raising circumstances. It seems he doesn't like mass-produced pizza, or liturgy and university governance that is similar.

Fessio has been to Australia at least twice and has been a favourite of his audiences. Apparently there was a great line of his at Q&A some years ago about the Jesuits, but perhaps someone who was there could summarise it in the comments.

Of course, someone like Fessio will never be out of a job either side of heaven (he still has Ignatius Press to worry about), but we couldn't help noticing that there might be some use for him over here.

After all, Campion College seems to be still (at least officially) leaderless. While the whole episode is quite sad and still needs many prayers, we couldn't help but notice that perhaps there is an experienced candidate out there.

That is, of course, only if the acting President doesn't want to 'act' anymore and the board can handle someone who won't take to 'union thuggery'.

We would hope to see a AFL football match played between Campion College and Newman College of Melbourne University if such fantasies come to fruition!

Episcopal Pokemon

Looking around online it seems that +Brand McKenna Inc.'s 'logo' could be worse.



Is that a Pokemon on the coat of arms of the Bishop of Daejeon, the Most Reverend Augustino Kim Jong-soo?....


And what the heck is this!? and this!?

Hope in Melbourne

An irate pilgrim wrote in accusing us of not pointing out that the good Archdiocese of Melbourne is also putting on a WYD anniversary of its own.

We must apologise, the monks over at the cloister seem to have not even 'SCENE' what was going on there, but we must admit we hadn't really noticed either city's events, being stuck out in the country as we are.

While it only has a day left we HOPE everyone has "SCENE" the Melbourne program.

It Keeps Coming

Here is now a video, again seen at New Liturgical Movement, of the Good Cardinal Pell in Ireland in Cappa Magna.











Good work your Eminence. We hope to see you in one in Australia soon!



We also remind all bishops (well those with jurisdiction) that they can get into one too if they want. We're sure +Lismore and +Melbourne are also ready to roll out the train.



And if you don't really care about the Cappa Magna, it's worth listening to the music in any case.

A Priory Feast

What a busy day in The Priory!! Hopefully it won't be this busy again for 12 months.

Why? It's the feast of St. Mary Magdalene and traditionally a day off for our hardworking dear sister.

Br Momus woke especially early this morning - still well after Br Jasper rises - and prepared the altar linen and picked a few flowers for the sanctuary to celebrate the feast. We celebrated it with a beautiful Sung Mass just after the sun rose.

Br Belvedere did the cooking for today and yours truly tackled some of the cleaning. Br Belvedere managed to cook a fabulous feast this evening with some excellent seasonal vegetables, something I'd happily eat more regularly.

Goodness knows what Sr Magdalene was really up to all day, but we hope she wasn't getting too comfortable!

At vespers we sang:

Magdalae sidus, mulier beata,
te pio cultu veneramur omnes,
quam sibi Christus sociavit arcti
fœdere-amoris.

Cum tibi-illius patefit potestas
daemonum vires abigens tremenda,
tu fide gaudes potiore necti
grata medenti.

Haeret hinc urgens tibi caritatis
vis ut insistas pedibus Magistri,
fervidis illum comitata semper
sedula curis.

Tuque comploras Dominum, crucique
impetu flagrans pietatis astas;
membra tu terges studiosa-et ungis
danda sepulcro.

Quos amor Christi peperit, triumphis
nos fac adiungi socios per aevum,
atque Dilecto simul affluenter
pangere laudes.

Sr Magdalene, we all hope you're happy, satisfied, but please don't ever get sick. We might just have to hire some help!

Happy Feast Day!

Logos

A flip of the amice to Shouts in the Piazza for alerting us to this.



Yup, thats right, the "coat of arms" of the New Bishop of Bathurst, +Michael McKenna.

We are wondering what is worse, the jettisoning of the Papal Tiara from poor old Benedict XVI's arms (which seems to be being reversed), +Too-woom-bah 'bus driver' Bill, who instead of a zimar (except when behaving in Rome) wears a tie with his coat of arms on it, or this personal 'logo' from the new Bishop of the See of Bathurst.

We couldn't agree here.

Sr Magdalene thinks that it was simply the fact that there were no good heraldic artists in Bathurst and he was forced to go with a corporate fad. Br Pelagius quickly offered his services free of charge.

We are sorry to say that +McKenna will forever be known as +Brand McKenna Inc. if he does not have something done up that is more fitting to his episcopal dignity.

In the meantime, a comment about the 'logo' from another blog is appropriate to quote here

Horrible, terrible. AHHHHH, my eyes have been injured!!!!

Marjorie's Bird Strikes Back

WYD chasubles were unsurprisingly high in number last night on the 'live streaming' Mass at St Mary's, Sydney and they seem to have become the official vestment for Pentecost Sunday in Australia.

As it has been a year since the joys, delights, fun and games of what was the spectacular World Youth Day Sydney '08 we thought we might offer a 'flashback' to the controversy surrounding Benedict's refusal to wear 'Marjorie's Bird' on his chasuble.

"THE Pope has decided he will not wear the vestments specially designed for World Youth Day and billed as "chic clergy couture" on the WYD website," said The Australian in April 2008.

The WYD office denied it but nobody could get the pope to don the imagery (unless it was on his episcopal dalmatic).

While we must admit the Sydney chasubles were far superior than any at previous WYD's, in the end it seemed that His Holiness poo-pooed the whole WYD vestment design and opted to bring his own.

The chasuble he wore at Randwick was also dug out for Palm Sunday in Rome this year.

However, we have been sitting on this pic of the Pope at Randwick high altar for a long time.

After examining this, could we say that the feelings Benedict had for Marjorie's bird were mutual?

Bag-End

A pilgrim has hurriedly alerted us to a current initiative of one of the prettier faces of WYD, Miss Jovina Graham. Miss Graham is encouraging all WYDers out there today to don their yellow and orange backpacks to "remind secular Sydney of those joyful times."

We suspect and hope that the idea is well followed and encourage all pilgrims to join in.

Sr Magdalene was using hers today to carry in the fresh carrots from the garden, while Br Belvedere got a scolding from Br. Prior for wearing it over his surplice when serving our conventual mass.

However we have generally found the backpack to be a bit useless.

Br. Pelagius couldn't fit his appareled alb and amice inside, Br Jasper was cursing when attempting to stuff a big six into its front pocket, and it isn't even near big enough to hold my 14th century illuminated Mozarabic rite breviary.

I don't think any Melbourne priests could fit an altar-stone it theirs either.

I can even suspect what the good Cardinal's excuse was when asked by Fr Withoos in Ireland to produce his cardinalatial cassock, " Umm, it wouldn't fit in my backpack."

No tongues please

No, it's not the latest slogan of the Trad Movement criticising the charismatics who think they are God's gift to linguistics.

Nor is it one of the rules of a SSPX speed dating service.

Rather it's the edict from various dioceses around the country taking measures to prevent swine flu.

It seems that the other dioceses have caught up with Melbourne with suggestions for the sign-of-peace; specifications regarding the presentation of the Precious Blood; and receiving the host.

Is it really a possibility that one would die after receiving the Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord and Saviour? In fact, why would that not be the perfect circumstances to be called to the next life?

The Priory would really like to know how strictly this is being applied? Are some ordinaries encouraging the clergy celebrating the Extraordinary Form to comply?

The next question is when will this be lifted? Especially in such places as Maitland-Newcastle and Townsville where Communion-on-the-Tongue is generally frowned upon.

So in the meantime,

PUT YOUR TONGUE AWAY!

Where's Withoos? IV

Solemnly assisting his former Ordinary as Master of Ceremonies in Ireland.

That "Bathroom Slip"

The real truth about the reason for recent surgery on the Holy Father's right hand is revealed in the last seconds of this video:

Tim Fischer!

The Selective Application of Liturgical Law - and a "Where's Withoos?" into the bargain!

Did Cardinal Pell say or do something to upset the Brisbane liturgistas during his recent visit?

A rather odd piece this week * from Mrs Elizabeth Harrington in her regular “liturgy column” of the Brisbane Catholic Leader newspaper.

Here’s a quote:

“I CAN’T help wondering if the mail bags going to Rome were extra heavy a few weeks ago after the funeral of a well-known surgeon in St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney. Surely the “vigilantes” who shoot letters of complaint off to Rome at the slightest suggestion that a liturgical law may have been transgressed were scandalised at such a blatant breach of the rules about a Catholic funeral. I refer of course to the fact that there were five lengthy eulogies at the funeral.”

So I guess Elizabeth is taking a shot at people who like to see liturgical laws kept and complain when they’re not. The “vigilantes” she refers to are probably kept rather busy in Brisbane, where Elizabeth is “Education Officer” of the Liturgical Commission.

I think she is having a shot too at Cardinal George Pell of Sydney, in whose Cathedral the funeral of Dr Chris O’Brien was held. After all, was it not the same Cardinal Pell who promulgated a “one eulogy” rule a couple of years ago?

Perhaps the subtext is this: “Look, you vigilantes, your hero George Pell let his rules be broken in his own cathedral, so don’t complain when your local priest breaks the rules!”

Maybe that’s what she means by writing:

“Surely such blatant and public transgression of this clear instruction would not have gone unreported. If not, I cannot help wondering why.”

Elizabeth helpfully quotes paragraph 27 of the Order of Christian Funerals: “A brief homily based on the readings is always given after the gospel reading at the funeral liturgy and may also be given after the readings at the vigil service; but there is never to be a eulogy.”

She gets in another pot-shot at the Cardinal’s cathedral;

“Surely it undermines the efforts of those priests who try to follow the rule concerning eulogies at a Catholic funeral.”

But Elizabeth goes on to concede that pastoral considerations may indeed suggest allowing a few eulogies, and comes to the nub of her argument:

“But if flexibility and pastoral judgement have a place in the celebration of a funeral, why is their application in other cases often the cause of bitter censure and angry outbursts?”

Gosh, so cleverly and convincingly argued! Yes, Elizabeth, we vigilantes will never complain about liturgical abuses ever again because we recognise the need to be pastorally flexible. Thank you for helping us see the light.

Except that she forgot to quote paragraph 170 of the Order of Christian Funerals which says: “A member or a friend of the family may speak in remembrance of the deceased before the final commendation begins.” So there's a certain inbuilt flexibility in this case.

And she forgot to mention that this was at an official State Funeral, meaning that there would probably have been government as well as Church protocols to be considered.

And she forgot to mention that the Principal Celebrant of the funeral was a musical Marist Father of the kind known for their own selective application of liturgical law.

Cardinal Pell should wear his Cappa Magna next time he goes to Brisbane. That'd give Elizabeth something to talk about!

*This link might not work after a few days, but you will proabably find the column archived in the Leader or the Brisbane Liturgical Commision website.

The Barking Bishop

If you need any further proof that some Anglicans are barking mad, you only have to listen to the latest pronouncement from the soon-to-retire Bishop of Chelmsford and former Bishop of Barking in the UK, John Gladwin.
Bishop Gladwin has ordered that the stoups in his churches be drained of holy water on the grounds that they are an easy source of infection and could spread swine flu.
Someone should tell him that you're meant to cross yourself with it externally - not drink it!

Prayers for the Holy Father

SCENE news may have been breaking in The Priory yesterday, but today we break our silence with prayers for the injured Holy Father.

It's certainly not of the nature of consequence of a bullet wound, and didn't even stop of the Pontiff celebrating Mass and eating breakfast before making a trip to the hospital.

Mass will be harder to celebrate without full use of his right hand as will giving blessings to the faithful.


So please join The Priory with a Pater, three Hail Mary's and a Gloria Patri for the speedy recovery so that we may kiss his ring again soon.

Breaking News

Our Inbox was just hit with this - and we thought Sydney had enough going on already!

"BREAKING NEWS

Already one year since Australia hosted the biggest event the country has seen –

World Youth Day 08.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims packed the streets of Sydney for one of the most exciting, enthusiastic and spiritual events of their lifetime. To remember and reflect on those days there will be a First Year Youth Day Anniversary Mass at Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral, celebrated by Archbishop Cardinal George Pell.

It will be on Monday 20 July at 6.30pm AEST and streamed LIVE on the Sydney Archdiocese web site www.sydneycatholic.org

Our special soloist will be 15 year old schoolboy Mark Vincent who is already attracting wonderful reviews both in Australia and overseas. Join us online as we reflect and give thanks for this time last year.www.sydneycatholic.org 6.30pm AEST"

This seems to have been an even bigger secret than SCENE.

Of course one must forgive us for thinking that with three days notice, the Archdiocese must be running on the seat of its pants. Even so, it is good to see that the WYD Office is still alive and well and performing at its usual well-planned and well advertised standard.

Is this the first time they have actually emailed the attendees of WYD en mass? We hope that instead of people watching 'live streaming' that there will be plenty of people streaming in to be there.

Then again, perhaps it is an attempt to avoid negative press in the lead up to the event like last time.

"I wonder if there are thousands of protesters expected." commented Br. Pelagius.

I quickly looked up the No to Pope Coalition but don't seem to have been doing much (which is the usual cause for their getting media attention). According to their news they have apparently turned their sights on more important issues like attacking the Church in Slovenia. We're sure churchgoers are shaking in their boots over there.

Sr Magdalene wondered with excitement if there will be any natives bringing up the gospel this time.

"If they do at least they won't be greeted with a Fr Don Richardson's not so 'inviting' demeanour," Quoth Brother Jasper.

"It is also good to see that they are flying Cardinal Pell in from Europe just for the event," commented Br Pelagius, "I had suspected that Cardinal Mark Coleridge would be celebrant!"

"If they can celebrate a similar mass to the one that they did in St Mary's Cathedral during WYD I'll be happy," grumbled Brother Prior as he wandered off for a puff of his pipe in peace.

"But is three days notice enough time for the cathedral sacristan to iron the Cappa Magna?!?" asked Br Belvedere with intense concern.

Pell the Pontificator

And here are some more, thanks to The New Liturgical Movement and Fr Z's WDTPRS, who have even more images. As they come, we will post them up for you.

But that's not.... the good Fr. Withoos is it? We hope so!

In the meantime Bishop Eliott has been having a bit of fun of his own in Caulfield.

Black and Red

And here it is, thanks to the indefatigable New Liturgical Movement.

Cardinal Pell making a "scene," not in Sydney, but in Cork
(or, as we say 'Cark').

However it seems the good Cardinal left his red cassock behind.

If we get any better pictures we shall let you know.

Until then, "Introibo at Altare Deum (sic!)."

Has anyone 'SCENE' this before today...

Street evangelisation - code for 'pedestrian pestering' isn't it? A rose by any other name...

Look out for Dear!

Previously The Cloister has reported on the activities of Fr John Dear SJ. His is a disturbing litany of public disorder or nuisance crime in the name of 'peace'. We've been a bit remiss of late and Father Dear has been to a number of pilgrim spots without our prior warning.

Recently he again faced the possibility of imprisonment for a protest on Holy Thursday at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, but prosecutors it seems have decided to drop all charges! Fr Dear has been arrested more than 75 times. He has spent more than a year of his life in jail.

So with a swag of convictions to his name for public disobedience and the like, it will be interesting to see if officials here in Australia permit him a visa later in the year when he is scheduled to present at “The School of Prophets” weekend retreat in Adelaide on November 6-8.

Look out for Dear gentle pilgrims, he is one of those hazards frequently encountered along the road...

For Whom the Bell Looms

Just rarely do two forms of esoterica come together so happily: weaving and bell-ringing.

By “bell-ringing” we mean proper English-style Change-Ringing of course.
Someone in Sydney has taken the trouble to weave, on a loom at home, towels which have a pattern of ringing-method charts. Bristol Major, Yorkshire Major, Belfast Major and Cambridge Minor methods to be precise.

I find it very reassuring that someone would do this. It makes me feel a lot better about my latest hobby, translating the complete Letters of Archbishop Eric D'Arcy into Akkadian.

Anyway, speaking of bells:

Sydney Auxiliary creating a 'SCENE' is no laughing matter...

That lesser known Sydney Auxiliary Bishop, Julian Porteous, recently told the Sydney Morning Herald that the Mass was not a venue for the priest to indulge his own personality. Suggesting a truth or foible were excusable, he indicated that there has been in his opinion a tendency to feel that a joke at the end of the Mass was necessary to leave people with a smile. A truth or foible is suffient to have some of the Cloistered laughing all day irrespective of whether it was knowningly communicated.

Just last year that somewhat better known Sydney Auxiliary Bishop, Anthony Fisher, was laid bare to many a joke owing to his being the face of WYD Sydney. A year on, and with one Auxiliary gone bush, Bishop Porteous seems committed to showing everyone that like Fisher he has what it takes to make it in the Sydney 'Scene'...

And so on the first anniversary of last year’s hugely successful, World Youth Day, word reaches The Cloister that Bishop Porteous is making a SCENE. That propaganda machine which is Catholic Communications reports that "thousands of Catholics from across Australia" as well as clergy, apologists and speakers from the US, Europe, Britain and Asia will converge on Sydney for Australia’s first-ever national congress on the new evangelism." First we heard of it!

Organised through the Sydney Archdiocesan Office of Evangelisation and Renewal (CREDO) who "sees its role within the Archdiocese of Sydney to be a key agency to further the strengthening of Catholic Life, by developing programmes of renewal and spearheading works of evangelisation", the Congress runs form July 19 - 26.

“World Youth Day showed a face of the Church which surprised and encouraged many,” says Bishop Porteous. “It is one thing to discuss key questions among ourselves as Catholics, it is another to go into the public forum and raise the issues that are current and important.” The Bishop says that holding talks in pubs in the city "provides young people with an informal relaxed environment in which they can engage with the important questions that are currently being debated in newspapers, on talk back radio and on many television programs.”

All terribly noble but we cant seem to find anyone who is going, and our Sydney spies tell us that far from making a scene, the Congress is proving harder to promote than some may have suggested when the idea was first floated. Indeed it is even being suggested that a certain charismatically inclined Auxiliary Bishop might have been better off being simply 'Scene' and not heard!

That aside, The Cloister recognises this is no laughing matter and urge people to register quick smart!

In the mean time we shall watch with interest and pray it all goes well. That said, we could pray for rain, afterall that's what one does at the cricket when having trouble getting runs on the board!