Anticipation -- is makin' me Wait

Couldn't resist this "field" of Easter Lillies, lined up - waiting for THE DAY.

(Super secret undisclosed location!)

Went to Holy Thursday Mass last night with the Byzantines, didn't have time to go through the video I took -- there may be some usable bits. Just have to find some good snippets between the wailing, whining and running around by two young parishioners. The only thing their parents did right was to take their SHOES off so they couldn't kick anything without hurting their tootsies. [Father P. must have been thinking "this too, shall pass" as he chanted a long lengthy Passion reading of the Last Supper and Crucifixion.]

Off to Stations up at Prince of Peace Abbey shortly with friends. I have to say there are a few advantages to being in a county of close to 3 million souls - you do have an embarrassment of riches as far as "choice" goes. And the "sun has got his hat on" and it rained recently, so there should be a few good pics of the vista from the Abbey to the Pacific ocean.

Fashion Forward Birth Control Device

-- just in time for Easter.

I'd put the following status up on my facebook page about an hour ago:

"Karen is wearing a BIRTH CONTROL DEVICE. Relax. Reading Glasses*. I could KILL all those eye docs from age 11 to 53 who NEVER mentioned "oh, for reading get a pair of +1.5 Off the Shelf reading glasses - you, being the nearsighted bat you are, your contacts are made so you can see far and not run into traffic so the rest of us are spared." Bassids. I can see the computer screen like a fricken EAGLE now."

Then I added the comment: "It's true, guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses. Which is why I gave them up at 17."

Within an hour, I was proven wrong.

Some nice looking guy came up and asked if he could borrow my reading glasses so he could read an official "gubbmit doc" he'd got.

Parole:
"Hi, could I borrow your reading glasses. I can't read this." He puts them on and says "How do I look?"

Me: "A lot better than I probably do in them!"

He turns to me and says: "Hey, you're not so bad looking yourself!" We both laugh. He asks me to open the envelope for him as he has too short nails (no non-paraplegic male can't open up a letter.) He introduced himself as "Joel" and proffered his hand to shake, then says: "Hey, warm hands too"

Me: "They oughta be...they've been in my pocket!"

Sheesh, maybe if I'da kept the goggles I'd have 20 grandkids by now....always a bridesmaid, never a bride!

[* - 3 pairs including snazzy case for 15 bucks. CVS pharmacy. Get 'em while they're hot, hot, hot.]

Tenebrae - all that and a bag of chips

Quick note in the wee hours of Thursday - last night for the first time I attended Tenebrae. I had not heard of it as a child or in high school, but saw it in a passing reference in Brideshead Revisited. So I'd looked up the term and found it was a service that had been done in the Divine Office. I thought to myself some 35+ years ago -- well, that's something I'll probably never get to see in my lifetime.

Tenebrae was hosted by St. John the Evangelist church in San Diego. A "normal" but orthodox parish - (for the 10th year running! - and I never knew that til last year, when I couldn't go.) The Brothers of the Little Oratory, with a boost from the La Jolla Renaissance Singers Chamber Choir to add some polyphony did the honors. You can see their event link here. The candleholder in the foreground is called a "hearse." Creepy name, hun? The service is essentially 3 "nocturns" (each nocturn consisting of a combination of psalms, lessons, and an Our Father) + Lauds. There are 15 psalms in all, and towards the end of each psalm, one of the candles on the hearse is extinguished. Starting with the ones at the bottom, then working one's way up to the top candle. During the Lauds, the top candle is not extinguished, but removed and "hidden" so it's light doesn't show. Then at the end, there was a traditional banging of books to symbolize the earthquake after Christ died on the Cross. More details about the ceremony in a follow on post.

I did get a fair amount of video and I hope to upload some of it later today after I get some sleep. The service was almost 2.5 hours long, but it didn't feel that way. Event organizers were a little light on booklets to follow along, but I had my missal which had the service, and a friend had brought her Liber Usualis. Afterwards we DID end up having fish and chips.

I remarked how I'd REALLY like to grab the bunnies who'd watered down the catechism and all of the musical offerings etc. post Vatican II watered and denied us having even the option to experience a lot of Catholic heritage. Those goons didn't even TELL us about it -- and gave us junk like "Kumbaya" and "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" instead. Well, "Quomodo sedat sola civitas plena populo"* indeed, to "YOU people."

[*I won't be a snob and not translate for those who need it: "How doth the city sit that was full of people...." - which starts the beginning of the lament from the prophet Jeremiah, which was the first lesson read. -- I can think of more than a few "kumbaya" desolate churches. And nice to see the verse I saw first quoted by Charles Ryder in context! The article I linked re: Tenebrae above notes that we know of these readings for the office in the 8th century.]

The Pope, The NY TImes, and Obama

A number of Catholic bloggers have been wondering: Why is the NY Times going into full bore tilt re: the Pope and his alleged cover up for a Pedophie.

I came across this article from the Priestly Pugilist, an Australian, and his theory seems plausible to me, that it's a bit of a collusion between the NY Times and Obana for getting back at the church for not supporting ObamaCare and for the Church giving Obama a hard time. The story is OLD news, covered well over a decade ago.

In short I don't think this is implausible. Granted, you have to Be able to prove the NY Times and Zero colluded on this, but I don't think it's more than a half-inch jump. Especially given that Hussein repeated tried to foist pro-abortion diplomats to represent the US to the Holy See - in a blatant in your face move.

If Barrack HUSSEIN Obama treats Jewish Netanyahu like garbage at an official White House meeting, do you think he gives a flip about the pope? It's "payback time" the Thugocracy way. Put the POPE on Front page news in holy Week, so Hussein can run for the sewer with all the back room deals he cut on his DeathCare deal.

Ruin Holy week coverage so the news can be all over the "hypocracy" of the Pope instead of the Message of the Resurrection. SOP for the left-wing.

Else why dredge up and rehash a story they wrote about 15 years ago?

It wasn't as if the NY Times wasn't Obama's biggest cheer leader all through out his campaign. It wasn't as if the NY Times wasn't in constant make-Christians-look-bad mode all the time. Anything to ruin Easter and they'll do it.

[BTW, for the first time since the White House Easter egg roll was started, which schools WEREN'T invited? Oh, Catholic ones....]

Latin Mass For Dummies

Over on my other blog, Bury me Not on the Lone Prairie, I've just posted an item regards the Latin Mass. This breaks things down step by step in a convenient reference. Years ago, Treasure Chest Magazine, of late and happy memory had series on the Latin Mass. Though the articles were written for youngsters, the average adult could probably find a thing or two about the Mass they didn't know. There's a lot of history thrown in. I've given a few tips for first time Latin Mass goers, and I've given some links that make it easy to get to the 1st pages of the articles. Each part of the Mass is was broken out in a different article.

Even if you NEVER intend to go anywhere near a Latin Mass, you might still find the articles of intrest -- just to learn about the history and development in different parts of the Mass. Where I thought a term might be unfamiliar, or had notes about that part of Mass - I put a little explanation after the date the article was published. Any plugs most welcome.

Ann Coulter re: Speech shut down

This excerpt is from her column today

"Only one college speech [out of over 100 she's done -- gem] was ever met with so much mob violence that the police were forced to cancel it: The one that was preceded by a letter from the university provost accusing me of hate speech.

(To add insult to injury, Francois didn't even plan to attend my speech because Tuesday is his bikini wax night.)

If a university official's letter accusing a speaker of having a proclivity to commit speech crimes before she's given the speech -- which then leads to Facebook postings demanding that Ann Coulter be hurt, a massive riot and a police-ordered cancellation of the speech -- is not hate speech, then there is no such thing as hate speech.

Either Francois goes to jail or the Human Rights Commission is a hoax and a fraud. "

It's for lines like "...his Bikini Wax night" that the far left go ape over. That's why they really can't stand her, it's not only that she's usually right about something, it's that deep in their hearts they know she's funny too, but they are so politically correct they can't laugh about it.

Don't Call DC - Call your broker

I'm listening to the Rush show right now, and a caller had the PERFECT way to get back at the Obamabastards. ANY company that is behind Obama on any issue -- SELL YOUR STOCK in that company and divest your money into something else.

General Electric? SELL (crap and trade backers -- voodoo "science" whores)

GM? SELL

APPLE? SELL

GOLDMAN-SACHS? SELL

and so on.

I like it -- perfectly legal, and will screw them up.

Way to go, Stupidak, you sold your soul

to a lying Marxist who promised you he'd see to it we wouldn't end up paying for abortions, by pulling an unenforceable executive order out of his butt for you and the other idiots who showed themselves to be democraps 1st "pro-lifers" second. Stop lying to yourselves, Catholic who still belong to the 'crap party. You're frauds. Baby killers, the lot of you.

Way to go, you whores.

Here's how much your messiah cares about babies and abortions. Somehow he got up off his couch to vote for this instead of voting "present."



Stupidak, you're in his camp now. Live with your rotten conscience when you use our tax money to kill babies.

Update: Here's what the whore got - $726,409 in Federal Grants for 3 airports in his district.

Is God Still in the Smiting Business

..it seems to me He's mighty out of practise.  I mean I have a whole list of candidates and everything.    At the head of my list are an awful lot of US politicians.

When exactly was the last time He "smote" anything?

Obama Akbar

Part of the reason I haven't posted lately, is because I am so physically sick to death of the creeps, liars and whores who are trying to shove ObamaCare down our throats, come hell or high water.

But I can't miss passing on this cartoon. What's it going to take? Pitchforks and lit torches coming for these bastards?

How 2 Consecrate a Chapel With Style

Today I got to watch a good part of the 4.5 hour ceremony of the Consecration of the Chapel on the grounds of the FSSP seminary in Denton, Nebraska. I'd read about this ceremony on a blogspot about two years ago, but never expected to see one.

I don't know if EWTN will rebroadcast this, or make a DVD of it (I hope!) - but you can download the following:

Consecration / Mass Booklet and Explanatory Chapel Consecration Booklet

Irritatingly, my own internet connection was somewhat "persnickty" so for about 1/2 the ceremony I didn't get as good a picture as I might have, but after I gave Fr. Boyle a "heads up" HE was also able to see some of it, and he posted a blog item and had a better link to it (technology wise) than I had selected. (So I'm saving THAT link, because EWTN's "maze" is a pain in the kazoo to figure out the quickest way to get to "LIVE." - not to mention NOT dinking around wtih some stupid player ewtn tries to foist on you.)


I was delighted to see that Deacon Rhone Lillard, who is soon to be ordained to the priesthood, was MC for Bishop Bruskewitz. There was one little bit I noticed where he got to correct the bishop. So yes, MCs do have to be on their toes, because it isn't every day someone gets to consecrate a church.

I also was delighted to see Fr. Jose Zepeda, was one of the "deacons" who assisted while vested in red, the sacred relics which were placed in the altars. There were also many assisting bishops, so Bishop B. didn't have to do all of them himself! [The Sainted Fr. Shipley tells me of the time some 50+ years ago where HE played a big role in keeping things all "together" for then Bishop Buddy when the Immaculata, on the campus of USD was consecrated, the main altar and all 12 side altars were consecrated that day by the bishop personally!]

There were a lot of interesting features in this Mass which one would seldom see nowadays...there was a procession all around the church, both inside and out when the bishop bless the outside walls with "Gregorian Water" a special kind of Holy water which also includes ashes, he used a hyssop branch to do so -- then there was a special "open sesame" deal, with special prayers said before the chapel doors were officially opened by the porter after the bishop formally requested entrance (reminded me a little of the dude from The House of Lords going to approach the House of Commons chamber to tell them that the queen wants to see 'em ... except no one slammed the door in the bishop's face -- but not too many times you'd see a bishop get to use the bottom of his crozier to bang on a door -- cool stuff!)

Once inside the bishop also blessed to portals, there were twelve crosses blessed all inside the church (the bishop having to climb a ladder to do so), the altars were all consecrated, and the relics put in each altar, (REAL masons actually lend a hand here too, to make sure things get done right in the clean up -- and there is even a special mortar used, and the water in the mortar is also "Gregorian water") there was also a ceremony with making wax crosses on the altar, which I missed a large portion of, because my connection had flaked out.

I was a little disapppointed that I hadn't managed to pick out my own pastor, Fr. Gismondi or the associate, Fr. Dennis Gordon (he has TWO brothers who are also FSSP priests!) -- they were probably in full view but between the camera switching view, and irritable connection "issues" I missed them clean.

I was very amused at the end after a greeting had been read from the pope and an indulgence given to all present, the bishop mentioned the same indulgence would be given to those who attend an annual anniversary Mass of the Chapel's consecration -- the bishop HASTENED to add that that from now on the anniversary date will be celebrated on Jan 22....the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter -- so as not to have the anniversary always fall in Lent! [Maybe this time they DID borrow the concept of the queen having a real birthday and an "official" one - in her case it's to increase the chance of better weather on the "official" day.]

But it was grand, grand, simply grand.

The Zenith of Tacky

How swellegant!!!

The Dalai Lama is escorted out a side door of the White House after meeting with Zero the other day.

Zero is trying to keep his hands around his ankles so as not to "offend" China, so he's treating the Dalai Lama worse than the Fuller Brush man.

What "ghetto czar" did Zero appoint allow house/grounds keeping standards to fall so low as to have stacked up trash bags by any White House entry or exit? I don't care if snow was up to people's backside in DC -- these people are paid to make sure EVERYTHING looks nice.

What did Zero serve him? Colt .45 out of the can and left over cold Chicken McNuggets on a bed of arugula with chopsticks?

Congrats, Zero. By comparison the Carter administration hit the Gold Standard.

Thank you Georgie

Washington, that is. I know people call it "President's day" But it isn't. Really. It's still officially "George Washington's Birthday" -- by act of congress. I wasn't thrilled about it being celebrated today, because it's only the 15....and his real birthday was later in Feb. BUT.....

....we ended up bailing from work early!!! Usually only govvie workers or associated types get a paid holiday...schools close, the mailman doesn't deliver, banks are shut....but a lot of people go to work this day.

Well, WE did too -- BUT our contact rate of customers was really low (we call on small to medium size business owners) -- so as we could scarcely get a janitor to talk to us (all the bosses tended to have taken the day off) OUR boss said "oh, the hell with it -- let's kick it." So WE clocked out at 11!!!

Is there ANYTHING better than an unexpected lunch period and afternoon off work?

It was in the Mid 70s today. FABULOUS WEATHER. [Eat your heart out.] So I took advantage and went for a swim at the Kroc Center in the early afternoon. There are 11 lanes in the competition pool, and by the time I got there there was still one left....all for MMEEEEEE~!!!!!!!!

WHEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! So I swam 1.5 miles. The pool was a little shaded down at one end.

So I was in just long enough to get some coloring back and some nice sunshine, but not long enough to get TOO much sun.

Perfect. Thank you, Georgie. Or I should thank your PARENTS, probably your dad in particular for getting "frisky" in the "lusty month of May"* of whatever year you were conceived in! I thank your mom for not having a headache. [And thank you for not getting your butt shot off in either the French and Indian War or the Revolutionary war, and not dying of smallpox when you were a teen and all that other stuff too.]

I'm going to see if I can find the slice of cherry pie that's calling me from a-far before I go to sleep tonight.

*[Yes, Stephen, I threw that in for you!]

Did Jesus have ADHD?

Just asking.

John 13: 36-38 "Simon Peter said to Him "Master, where are you going?" Jesus answered [him], "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later." Peter said to Him, "Master, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock willnot crow before you deny me three times."

Later:

John 16:5 "But now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asked me, 'Where are you going?'"

Uh, Jesus...Simon Peter asked you a couple of chapters ago....and where exactly were you guys for chapter 15 and 16 and 17? We know that you already "left the building." And of all gospels, why no words of institution during the Last Supper -- particularly after John 6. The most curious of omissions ever.

I still want to know if the Blessed Vigin Mary had Passover dinner with the Finkelsteins that night.