Edinburgh Sunday, Oct 25 2009
Mike in College 6:47 am
Where in the World is MJR? Friday, Oct 23 2009
Around and about and Mike in College 9:12 pm
Since Mike is galavanting around Europe, I thought I’d post his whereabouts–that is, if I can find him…I know that at 8:30 this a.m. he was headed for Scotland. College is so tough!
Welcome Anglican Catholics Tuesday, Oct 20 2009
Healing Anglican Communion 6:35 pm
The way has been paved for many Anglicans around the world to enter into Communion with the Roman Catholic Church. The Anglican Church in recent years has abandoned its traditions and ordained gays and women, as well as embraced liberal theology across the board. But many hundreds of thousands of Anglicans have not gone along and have sought communion with Rome. Here is a short explanation of how it will work.
Christ’s wish was that all may be one. This is a huge step in that direction. Let us continue to pray ut unum sint.
No Olympics for Chicago Friday, Oct 2 2009
This N That 6:45 pm
In case you haven’t heard, Obama didn’t get the Olympics.
Kirking the Tartans Wednesday, Sep 16 2009
Around and about and Family Life and Traditions 10:02 am
The Long’s Peak Scottish Highland Festival is a weekend of celebration of Scottish/Irish culture. There are athletic events, dance competitions, music, free-flowing Guinness and scotch, pipe bands, a parade, clan booths and everywhere there are men and women in kilts. The variety of woven fabric seen on the kilts is dazzling. Each fabric is unique to a particular clan, and people-in-the-know are pretty good at identifying the clan of others by the kilt.
The tartan, as the woven fabric is called, has played a significant role the dress codes of the Highlanders as well as in their battle dress. In earlier times, it was central to the identity of the family, or clan, and was worn proudly by the men. The tartan consists of yards and yards of fabric which is pleated into the kilt. In the 1700s, the clans would wear their kilts to battle, following their band of pipes and would be a formidable foe not only to other Scots, but to the English as well.
Following attempts by the Duke of Cumberland to put down all Jacobite resistance among the highlanders, The Act of Proscription of 1746 was passed. This was an attempt to assimilate the Scots into the English fold and to destroy their Scottish identity.
By this Act, “Any persons within Scotland, whether man or boy (excepting officers and soldiers in his majesty’s service), who should wear the plaid, philibeg, trews, shoulder belts, or any part of the Highland garb, or should use for great coats, tartans, or parti-coloured plaid, or stuffs, should, without the alternative of a fine, be imprisoned for the first conviction for six months, without bail, and on the second conviction be transported for seven years”.
The use of the bagpipes was also forbidden in the proscription.
This onerous law was repealed in 1782 and read:
”Listen Men. This is bringing before all the Sons of the Gael, the King and Parliament of Britain have forever abolished the act against the Highland Dress; which came down to the Clans from the beginning of the world to the year 1746. This must bring great joy to every Highland Heart. You are no longer bound down to the unmanly dress of the Lowlander. This is declaring to every Man, young and old, simple and gentle, that they may after this put on and wear the Truis, the Little Kilt, the Coat, and the Striped Hose, as also the Belted Plaid, without fear of the Law of the Realm or the spite of the enemies.”
The Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans was conceived by Dr. Peter Marshall, who was the first Chaplain of the US Senate as a commemoration of these events of the 1700s. It is still held at Washington, D.C.’s historic National Cathedral; with its sermon being delivered by the Presiding, or Senior Minister of the Washington, D.C. Catholic Archdiocese; or by a special guest speaker, primarily one of Scottish and/or Scottish-American background.
The Kirkin (churching or blessing) of the tartans is a moving ceremony. It celebrates the end of proscription and the freedom to “show the colors” of the clan tartans. This particular kirking was held outside. Led by bagpipers, the knights of The Imperial Constantinian Military Order of Saint George, clad in white capes, processed onto the field followed by the clans, with their tartan flags held down at their sides. After a rousing “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes, the national anthems of the various countries represented were played. Then, a brief history of the proscription was read, and as the name of each clan was called, the clan flag was quietly raised. When all the flags were raised, they were blessed by the chaplain with the following prayer:
On behalf of all Scots away from Scotland, and in the name of all the Scottish Clansfolk that are here represented, we present these Tartans before Almighty God in appreciation of our Heritage; and we ask His Blessings upon these, His humble servants.
O Lord, Thou hast promised that in all places where Thou recordest Thine Holy Name, Thou wilt meet with Thy servants, and bless them; fulfill now Thy Promise, and make us joyful in our prayer, so that our Worship, being offered in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, and by the guidance of Thy Holy Spirit, may be acceptable unto You, and profitable unto ourselves.
Bless, we pray, these Tartans — that they may be unto us and unto all people a token of the faith of our Fathers; and a sign of our service unto You.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The priest who offered the benediction ended by saying “Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.”
After the blessing, all the flags were raised and there was a loud cheer. More music, and then the final prayer was read. The clans and knights were led off the field by the pipers as they had entered.
The Kirking was solemn, dignified, and full of meaning. It was a good reminder to us all, that freedom should never be taken for granted. At all times in history, people have been oppressed, and just as the Jews celebrate their freedom annually during the Seder, and as Americans celebrate their freedom every 4th of July, the American Scots celebrate the freedom of their ancestors with the Kirking of the Tartan.
Change is coming, only this time it is good Saturday, Aug 22 2009
Prayers 1:43 pm
You may have heard that we are in for some change in the text of the Mass. A bit of the more formal language of the past is making a comeback, not because we are reverting to Pre-Vatican II times, but because in the haste to translate the prayers for the Mass of Pope Paul VI, some of the actual meaning of the prayers was lost. I will not venture a guess as to why.
Some examples:
“The Lord be with you.” Response: And with your spirit.
The Confiteor will go like this:
I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done
and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
For more examples check out the Bishops’ website. This change is on its way to being approved.
Fungi Monday, Aug 17 2009
Homeschooling 101 7:45 pm
We used to have a man from Poland living with us who loved to go out in the area and hunt for mushrooms. People who study fungi are called mycologists, but I don’t know what you call people who just know all about them, pick them, and then actually have the confidence to eat them. Maybe you call them Smart, or Reckless, but I hold them in awe, even though I absolutely forbade my children from eating anything that our Polish guest offered them.
We have had a lot of rain here in Black Forest this summer. So much so, that we have many species of fungi in abundance that are beautiful and interesting. Recently when my sister was visiting, we took a walk with my granddaughters on our property and saw a wide variety of fungi. I don’t know if they are technically called mushrooms but that is what I call them because I don’t know any better. Homeschooling idea The study of these interesting oddities would be a great homeschooling science project, providing proper precautions were taken.
Here are some we saw
Giant Pink Mushroom
Giant White Mushroom
Giant Toadstools
Tiny Brown Mushrooms
Medium Yellow Mushroom
Fairy Lights (according to Margaret)
Please try not to be too impressed with my clever naming of these fungi. My knowledge of mycology is so limited that I don’t know a psychotropic from a morel or even a bolete or a pore from a gill, but I am fascinated with the variety that pops up after a bit of rain on the dry earth.
Oh. Those hands which served as size markers belong to these lovely young ladies
Year of the Priest Tuesday, Jul 28 2009
Prayers 4:34 pm
On June 19, Pope Benedict opened the Year of the Priest, for the purpose of encouraging “spiritual perfection” in the priests of the Catholic Church. During this year, St. John Vianney will be named the patron of the world’s priests, which expands on his title of patron of parish priests.
It is no secret that priests have had a rough go of it over the last 15 years due to the scandal. However, that scandal, so blown up by the media, did not take into account the huge percentage of priests who were not involved. It took the few who were and used them as an example to blacken the name of the holy priesthood. I know seminarians who have been spat upon and called all manner of names because people think they are somehow connected to the misdeeds of those priests. Not mitigating the sins of those priests involved, we still have to remember that most priests were not involved.
So this Year of the Priest will give priests a new focus and also call attention to the necessity of priests for our Catholic life. What can the laity do in this special year? Is this year just for priests, or can we somehow lend them support? Read what James has to say about positive things we the faithful can do.
What is a gala and how do you dress for one? Monday, Jul 13 2009
Around and about 4:22 pm
This year our diocese is celebrating 25 years of existence. It is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ordination of our first Bishop. We went to the gala which was a free event held at the Broadmoor Hotel, which is not exactly in the low-rent district.
Mass, concelebrated by several bishops from the region, preceded the dinner. Bishop Hanifen was the homilist, so when he had a chance to speak at the dinner, he just cracked a couple of jokes and that was it.
We had chicken Wellington followed by tiramisu. Being the Broadmoor, it was beautifully presented. The Wellington was a bit on the tough and soggy side, but hey, they had to make if for hundreds of people and beggars can’t be choosers, right!
Since this was a “gala” I decided to dress up. What I learned was that everybody has a different definition of what a gala is and how to dress for it. My husband wore a sport coat, and due to an unfortunate miscommunication, our son ended up without a coat. He likes to dress up for occasions like this, so he was dismayed to learn that his coat had been taken out of the car. Anyway, some of the women were in capris and sleeveless blouses and some of the guys were in open neck collars. Thankfully, nobody thought jeans and t-shirts were appropriate for this quarter-century celebration of the diocese. But who hit the nail on the head and dressed appropriately for this type of occasion? I felt over dressed, while Mike felt under dressed. Crazy world we live in.
Because we live in a “do-your-own-thing” world anymore, nobody really knows how to dress for various occasions. What is “casual” or “semi-formal” or even “formal?” What is a gala anyway?
The evening was lovely, no matter how people dressed, and good wishes were flying for our first bishop and all the people of the diocese. But the nagging question for me is “If I am invited to a gala at the White House, will I dress the same way that I dresssed for this gala, and if so, will I be under dressed?”
