Prayers Please

I recently had some very bad news. Our beloved Latin Mass priest, Fr Tom, has been having quite a struggle with reading the variable parts of the Latin Mass and even at the daily English Mass he had some difficuly reading the prayers. I wondered why he didn't get his glasses checked out but this week I was told that he has a incurable, degenerative eye disease. He's going to see Fr John Reay. a NZ priest with a healing Ministry, and ask him for prayer and we're ALL praying. He is he such a dedicated, blessed and loving priest and lives to say Mass. "Healer of the blind man, please heal Fr Tom, your priest." Please pray for him.

Celebrating Sundays

I love Sundays. I definitely see it as a day of celebration and rest. I spend most of Saturday preparing for Sunday so that I can have a complete rest (Thank you Lord for giving us a day of rest. Please help us rest!) When our children were young it was hard to have a day of rest, but we tried. My husband who comes from a more Protestant background has never quite grasped the Catholic Sunday. We go to Mass first and on the way home I may suggest having an icecream together (the only day I allow myself icecream) and he asks "Do you think we should eat icecream on a Sunday?" or I may suggest watching a favourite dvd and get the same response. I reply cheerfully "Away with your Puritan notions. We Catholics celebrate the Resurrection on Sundays. It is a day of rest and rejoicing!" Another taste of heaven perhaps?

Religion as a hobby

My old friend Rita was talking to her neighbour. Rita, a staunch Catholic, mentioned that she had just come back from Church. "Oh" said her neighbour "I think religion is such a great hobby for older people. I might take it up myself when I retire." For once in her life Rita was lost for words.

My Lord and my God.

It sometimes hits you doesn't it? Sometimes you realise, quite suddenly, that something about our Faith which we accept faithfully but peacefully is actually amazing, awe-inspiring and almost terrifying. This evening I was at an English Mass and everything was calm and quiet, it was just before Communion. Father held up the consecrated host and suddenly the reality of what was happening shook me. This was Jesus, the Son of God, our beloved Saviour, and soon I would hold Him in my workaday hands that do so many messy, dirty jobs. I would hold HIM. What could I do but kneel before Him and say, with utter humility, love and awe, "My Lord and my God."

Wondering...

Today was such a lovely day - in the middle of winter too - that I ventured out to do a little gardening. Now, I am not a gardener, I have a husband and 3 sisters who ARE and I know what a good gardener is and I'm not one of them. But I do go out occasionally, when the weather is not too cold or hot or windy or wet and pull up a few weeds. I couldn't help wondering today as I carried a pile of them to the bin why God created weeds...and snails!

Love for the Latin Mass

I sometimes wonder about the effect the Latin Mass has on me. When I come home after one I feel totally at peace, joyous and fulfilled, not just in my spirit but, in some inexplicable way, in every part of me. It's an amazing experience to feel that way and quite unexpected. Of course I love any Mass but why does the Latin Mass nourish me so much? I don't think it's the Latin, though that may be part of it, but the prayers themselves are so different from our modern prayers. They emphasise the greatness and glory of God, and the incredible holiness of what is happening on the altar. Combined with the silently worshipping congregation,the priest facing towards God instead of us, the whole atmosphere is one of awe and reverence. In that atmosphere I feel at home and at peace. Then of course we have a humble, gentle priestly priest who truly loves us. He preaches strong, hard hitting sermons instead of the feel-good sermons we get from other priests. After Mass we stand outside catching up with each other's news and Father moves among us, chatting, praying with those who need special prayers, and hearing confessions. And there is the dedicated congregation who are so devout, so friendly and so thankful to have a Latin Mass. One 92 year old drives for 1 1/2 hours to get there with his younger sister who is a mere 89! Many drive similar distances including a family with 6 young children. It's amazing how many children attend with their parents and what a blessing they are. So I thank God with all my heart that we are allowed a Latin Mass. My Latin is not too good but...Deo Gratias.

Friday Fasting.for Priests

I try to make every day of the week spiritually different but Fridays are extra special. My mission at present is prayer and especially to pray for priests. On Fridays I 'fast' for priests. It's not a complete fast, as fasting is not advisable for older people, but I do a kind of semi-fast. I don't eat meat on Fridays, with a nod to tradition, and I don't eat anything sweet (despite my very sweet tooth). I have a normal breakfast and my other two meals are light such as soup, cheese on toast, something like that. I don't have fish on Fridays because fish, for me, is a very expensive treat! Strangely enough, although I find the semi-fast a bit of a struggle - especially the lack of sugar - I love Fridays and I love fasting for priests. They need our prayers and sacrifices particularly at the moment as they are so much under attack. and here in New Zealand they are getting fewer and fewer. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, grant your Church many and holy priests. Mary, Mother of us all, Pray for Priests.