Guests from far and near: welcome!

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Dear Visitors, Unknown Friends, Welcome Guests,

You are invited to take what you need from this blog and share it with others. That is, if there is anything worth taking.

Make yourself at home; put your feet up and stay awhile. The 'Labels' menu is an easy way to access items by theme.

Whatever brought you here, may you find something that inspires you to give thanks to God for His many blessings. And, even if you don't find something to inspire you, may you be reminded to give God thanks and praise, remembering always to "worship God in the beauty of holiness".

A heart of gratitude is a home made by God for God and for others to find the peace only God can give.

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Gilbert

Visitors June 1 to 11, 2020

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The (Large) Sign Of The Cross Done Rightly

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Tertullian (d. ca. 250) In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the Sign of the Cross (De corona, 30). The Sign of the Cross is both a prayer and a ritual blessing. The way in which a worshipper makes the Sign of the Cross can say a lot about a person's intentions and practice of the Faith. Is the gesture deliberate and reverent, or careless and rushed? Is the gesture lazy or haphazard? Does someone look like they're swatting flies? Are some words omitted? Picture any of the above scenarios, but replace ‘Sign of the Cross’ with a loving gesture toward a spouse. Now imagine it as a half-hearted kiss, a limp hug, or even a weak handshake with a friend. The way the gesture is carried out can say a lot about what the other person may or may not be feeling and thinking. What do we want t...
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Who is Brian Holdsworth? And Why You Should Watch His Videos.

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Are you thirsty for solid Catholic content? Do you seek to raise your children in a vibrant Catholic culture that helps them become faithful adults? Are your hungry for truth, goodness and beauty? Are you tired of parish programs that waste resources and do little to feed the soul? Are you seeking to learn how you can help build up the Body of Christ? Introducing Brian Holdsworth. If you haven't watched this articulate, insightful and faithful fellow share a thoroughly Catholic understanding of the Faith, then you are invited to start by watching one of his videos. Visit Mr. Holdsworth's main site at:  https://www.brianholdsworth.ca/ Brian Holdsworth, a Catholic convert, resides in Edmonton, Alberta, with his wife and seven children. His videos are rich with genuine Catholic content, revealing a deep faith. Far from being just another "influencer" or social media personality, he is a true man of God, passionately advocating for truth, goodness, and beauty within the C...
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The Mandorla: Shape And Meaning

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Ever wonder what the curious pointed oval shape in religious art is called, the shape that is also used in various designs adopted by guilds and religious groups? That almond shape is called the mandorla, the Italian word for almond. The mandorla is a significant symbol in Christian art and theology, characterized by its almond shape, which is formed by the intersection of two circles. This shape has deep theological implications and is often used to represent the divine presence, particularly in relation to Christ and the Virgin Mary. Symbolic Meanings Divine Presence. The mandorla is frequently depicted as a radiant shape surrounding Christ in His glory, particularly in scenes of the Transfiguration or the Ascension. It symbolizes the divine light and glory that emanates from Christ, emphasizing His dual nature as both God and man. The use of the mandorla in art serves to highlight the sacredness of the figure it surrounds, marking a clear distinction between the divine and the eart...
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Sharing The Beauty Of Evensong In The Catholic Church

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DURANDUS | NLM Evensong is a liturgy of the Daily Office where psalms and other biblical passages are sung or said, usually close to sunset. The Latin word vesperas was rendered as aefensang  by Old English speakers, and this became "evensong" in modern English. https://singtheoffice.com/  | Music companion for chanting the Office. Variable audio support available. A very useful site! Structure The office of Vespers normally includes psalms, the Magnificat , a hymn, and other prayers. By the Early Middle Ages, it became common for secular clergy to combine Vespers and Compline . By the sixteenth century, worshippers in western Europe conceived 'evensong' as Vespers and Compline performed without break. Modern Byzantine services advertised as 'vespers' often similarly conclude with Compline . Background The Anglican archbishop Thomas Cranmer created choral evensong as a component of the Book of Common Prayer (1549) during the Edwardian Reformation, drawing on t...
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Review: Saint Gregory's Prayer Book

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Two copies of the St. Gregory's Prayer Book (SGPB) arrived a few days ago. It is a lovely work replete with beautiful devotions drawn from the English Patrimony. Both Ordinariate and diocesan Catholics would do well to acquire a copy to access its riches. The SGPB is "a collaborative venture" of the three personal ordinariates and the Anglicanorum Coetibus Society . A blurb from the Ignatius Press site where one can go to purchase copies: https://www.ignatius.com/St-Gregorys-Prayer-Book-P3228.aspx The St Gregory's Prayer Book is a beautifully produced leatherette prayer book compiled by the Ordinariates established by Pope Benedict XVI and drawing on the riches of the Anglican liturgical heritage and the exquisite Cranmerian language of the Book of Common Prayer to further enrich the panoply of Catholic liturgy and devotion. The text includes ancient English collects, introits and hymns available together for the first time for the whole Church...
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The Solemn Rite of Betrothal in The Ordinariate

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St John Henry Newman, Victoria, BC | Betrothal Rite The Ordinariate is blessed with a patrimonial treasure of tremendous beauty and goodness. The Solemn Rite of Betrothal might be familiar to more than a few Anglicans. It is a beautiful gift that helps couples enter more fully into their emerging communion in Christ and provides an acknowledgement of the path ahead, ornamented with avenues through which a couple may dispose themselves to God's grace. Betrothal betroth  (v.) | Online Etymology Dictionary c. 1300, betrouthen , "to promise to marry (a woman)," from be- , here probably with a sense of "thoroughly," + Middle English treowðe "truth," from Old English treowðe "truth, a pledge". It is attested from 1560s as "contract to give (a woman) in marriage to another, affiance." Middle English also had a verb truth ( treuthen ) "become betrothed" (c. 1300). -al suffix forming nouns of action from verbs, mostly from Latin an...
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PSALM 37

Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right : for that shall bring a man peace at the last.

POPE LEO XIV

The right to freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, religious freedom, and even the right to life are being restricted in the name of other so-called new rights, with the result that the very framework of human rights is losing its vitality and creating space for force and oppression. This occurs when each right becomes self-referential, and especially when it becomes disconnected from reality, nature, and truth.

ST AUGUSTINE

The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself.

SAINT PHILIP NERI

The greatness of our love of God must be tested by the desire we have of suffering for His love.

MARCUS AURELIUS

There is but one thing of real value - to cultivate truth and justice, and to live without anger in the midst of lying and unjust men.

MARK TWAIN

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.