And that's The Way it is...

This week a judge, in handing down sentence on a Sydney priest who had pleaded guilty to gross stupidity in front of a webcam, made an equally grossly stupid display of himself with observations regarding the celibacy practiced by the vast majority of Catholic priests. Thankfully Cardinal Pell was reported to have said of the sentence quite succinctly... "Justice has run its course."

His spokeswoman however, Katrina Lee, for some reason felt it necessary to add that "The archbishop was surprised by the judge's voiced opinions on psychology and theology". And this less than a week after Ms Lee offered to look up "the rules" in relation to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's offerings on his Lenten abstinence practices.

And what a pearl that was... "I can't actually find anything in here about giving up sex for Lent" she said, "The closest it comes is self-denial, but that was traditionally eating fish instead of meat."

Some in The Cloister are asking where she gets this stuff!

Ember Week

A little slow this week as Ember Days are testing the resolve of the Cloister.

While heading back to tradition we are, without really trying, reducing our carbon footprint for Lent. Something that the Bishop of Liverpool suggested as a modern Lenten penance through giving up gadgets.

We don't own too many gadgets in the Cloister (what is Fr Z's carbon footprint I wonder?) however limited sweet brain-food means the latops aren't on as often to facilitate the creative juices.

Lent also means that we aren't indulging in beef and lamb which everyone knows is a major source of global warming.

Instead Br Momus & Sr Magdalene are sharing tofu delights while the rest of us dealt with lentil soup yesterday and have another round to come on Friday & Saturday. It might smell bad when cooking but the flavours let the imagination run wild.

October 17

Risking being locked in my cell for the rest of Lent by my brethren, I break the silence to herald the announcement by Pope Benedict that Bl. Mary MacKillop will indeed be canonized on October 17, 2010.

Mother Mary of the Cross

Ora Pro Nobis

The Bishop, the Baker and the Vestment-Maker

Since the big announcement from the Big Drain's drain himself about an early retirement, members of the cloister have been scouring the internet and other archives in preparation for a collage to mark the occasion.



(Disclaimer: It is not known if the gentleman to the left of Messer Sternbeck and His Lordship is really a baker.)

“Liturgical Eye-Candy Folks”

With much amusement did the Cloistered witness the ‘diablog’, not really a ‘dialogue’, that went on with the reporting of the vestments of the Holy Father’s celebration of Ash Wednesday in Rome.

Fr Z and NLM went toe-to-toe for the mantle of the “liturgical eye-candy folks”.

First, NLM post two photos only of the penitential procession and none of the Mass, citing conflicting schedules as the reason for dropping the ball.

Then Fr Z at WDTPRS posts the following: “I know the liturgical eye-candy folks at NLM will probably be diligent in posting images, so I won’t do too much of that,” together with a just few photos of the Mass itself.

Then New Liturgical Movement (NLM) post just one photo of the Mass itself, and refers readers back to Fr Z’s blog post, by which time Fr Z has posted a total of 26 photos from the day.

Game, set, match: Fr Z.

The 2010 “Liturgical Eye-Candy Folks” Scorecard:

Fr Z - 2
NLM - 1
St Bede Studio - 0

But Prime Minister... Lent is no 'Ordinary Time'!

Joseph (Joe) Biden is the first Roman Catholic to become Vice President of the United States and so the black smudge on his brow is not an indication that Obama has him under the thumb as some have suggested.

Here in Australia, Chairman KRudd is always keen to stay on message and so ash smudges on foreheads are not a sign of a government committed to reducing the nation's reliance on carbon.

Rather, he is seen here sporting the tax neutral option for Catholics in the Lenten Season...

To Keep a True Lent

Is this a Fast, to keep
The Larder lean?
And clean
From fat of veals and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish
Of flesh, yet still
To fill
The platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour,
Or ragg'd to go,
Or show
A down-cast look and sour?

No: 'tis a Fast to dole
Thy sheaf of wheat
And meat
Unto the hungry soul.

It is to fast from strife
And old debate,
And hate;
To circumscise thy life.

To show a heart grief-rent;
To starve thy sin,
Not bin;
And that's to keep thy Lent.

Robert Herrick

Pope keen on Black Magic What?

The Cloister must admit to being just a little baffled by the most recent mixed messages emanating from behind the walls...

On the very same day that it was announced that the recording of Alma Mater is in line for a prestigious top music award, L'Osservatore Romano, releases a Top of the Pops.

One can hardly imagine, as reported, the Holy Father listening to tunes such as Black Magic Woman on his iPod. But for those in any doubt, here is a Youtube presentation which our dear Warden is said to prefer over Br Jasper on the folk instruments.

Got a black magic woman
Got a black magic woman
Ive got a black magic woman
Got me so blind I can't see
That she's a black magic woman
Shes trying to make a devil out of me

Don't turn your back on me baby
Don't turn your back on me baby
Yes don't turn your back on me baby
Stop messing round with your tricks
Don't turn your back on me baby
You just might pick up my magic sticks

Got your spell on me baby
Got your spell on me baby
Yes you got your spell on me baby
Turning my heart into stone
I need you so bad, magic woman
I can't leave you alone

Don't call me Father.

While (Fr?) Peter Kennedy has now essentially been chewed up and spat out by the national media he is still making an appearance here and there.

His new book Peter Kennedy: The Man Who Threatened Rome has been launched. The title intrigues us. Delusions of grandeur are his bread and butter, but now it seems he has gone all out and, if the title of the book is anything to go by, is pretending he is an ancient Carthaginian general.

Serial pests don't just go away, they breed and they have been spawning in Queensland for a while now. Fr Stan Griffiths of Maleney is now trumping his credentials, defying his bishop and going on the record in support of same-sex parents in light of Queensland's new surrogacy legislation.

Perhaps it is time for Archbishop Bathersby to finally concede that you should turn these men over to the secular arm of the church for punishment as in days of yore.

Carthago Delenda Est.

Shrove Tuesday...

The eve of Ash Wednesday is commonly associated with releasing high spirits before the somber season of Lent. A pilgrim of the Haute couture variety has forwarded what he calls "recent footage" of Fr Withoos on his way to work at the Congregation for Divine Worship...



We are naturally appalled, but in the spirit of Shrove Tuesday and so that certain of the Cloistered might get it out of their system before Lent we share it in the knowledge that nobody could accuse The Cloister in the ordinary course of having ever been so unkind to the good Fr Withoos...

Would they?

Odd Baptismal Rites?

Our thanks to the loyal pilgrim who while policing the blogosphere had his attention drawn by his good lady wife to a rather perplexing image and in particular, sign.

The collective wisdom of our archives seems to indicate that the image and sign pops up from time to time and does from what we understand reside in the lake at the Mary Anderson Centre for the Arts, Mount St Francis Indiana USA. There is we believe a poem by the same name composed by a Miss Bonnie Maurer...

A water strider is too single minded.
The dragonfly dips and departs.
What calls a Franciscan Friar to the water?

Does he shed his garb
or let his black habit spread before you
as a watery pasture?
And what kind of companion in the lake
is a Franciscan Friar?
Do you mirror his strokes?
Does he lead you to the other side
and back again?
Do you walk to the end of the brick-red dock,
talk of weathered boards, sage-old knotholes,
then dive in
or begin your journey one step at a time
down the dream ladder?

How deep do you go at first?
Does he lose himself in “Sister Water”?
Would he lead you toward heaven
on earth, the billowing
parachute of clouds on water, the diamond
slant of “Brother Sun”?

Would he explain the insistent opportunity the woodpecker
confirms from the maple: the persistent
swim from your old life tangle, the taste of
water, pure and chaste?

Would you emerge clear and reflective (as water)
and stand by the bones
of the dead catfish on the bank: spine and
bony whiskers; tail fin still intact;
skin, parchment-thin; soggy, white flesh, fine
and delicate as milkweed blossoms and ask
where does the spirit of the catfish sail?

Would he stand dripping, opalescent, as rain holds
to the pokeberry, and preach the fish’s story: Could we all
curve back—our spines gracefully arranged;
our tail fins splayed for balance; our heads
laid low, humble, dead
on those mud-laden rocks at the water’s edge?
The ripples find this old carcass and accept this design
on the water sure as faith.

Then would we lift our eyes
to the three young swallows
darting a new maze over the water
and call it a day?

That said we invite pilgrim offerings to explain the sign for everyone's amusement...

Domus Australia Update

Have a squiz at the following video. A news report from RomeReports via CathNews.




What do we notice?

The Cloister has picked up on Tim Fischer's rainbow stole; that the good Cardinal is looking fit and healthy; that both Fischer & the good Cardinal have an identical stoop; and that Fr Withoos wasn't to be seen?

While there is no evidence that the ruins beneath are of anything particularly significant other than that it is an old Roman house, a pilgrim tells us that the Good Cardinal has been heard saying that "Saints Peter and Paul may not have lived there, but it was possible that they did pop over for a barbecue from time to time".

Look on the Bright Side

A pilgrim has alerted us to a controversial "statue" (actually the relief below it) in the Cathedral of St John in Milwaukee. It depicts the notorious former Archbishop Weakland, who was a very naughty boy in more ways than one.

However, we find the naysayers need to look on the bright side. The (eventual) destruction of this image will bring far more joy than the endurance of it for a short time.

Imagine the fun they would have had if it was actually a full blown statue.

Bitter Poor Souls

Those aCatholics over at the other site.

They seemed rather excited when news broke about the good Cardinal being in poor health in Rome. Wishful thinking Tony & Brian.

But good sources all appear to suggest that the good Cardinal has had a pacemaker installed. This is of no great consequence, though we do worry about the working of the Italian health system.

Yet the forums still fear the Cardinal being appointed to the Congregation for Bishop. May the idea remain if only for this small reason.

Look Mum, No Hands!

Yet again we visit the Catholic Leader's column by E. Harrington, Education Officer of the Brisbane Liturgical Commission. This week, she devotes 500 words to a description and explanation of the procession of gifts and preparation of the altar and gifts (the part of Mass every normal person calls the Offertory).

Somewhat remarkably, in describing the whole meaning and purpose of things, - including that "We are joined to Christ's sacrifice when, as members of the body of Christ, the Church, we offer the consecrated bread and wine to the Father" , she does not mention the priest once. Not once.

Is that symptomatic of something, I wonder.

Frequent Eminence

Given the good Cardinal's lengthy stays overseas, it is only fitting that we launch the newest fleet of Australian aircraft to carry all the personal staff and assistants overseas for meetings.

Given the Cardinal's height and ailments, perhaps an Airbus A380 would have been better choice.