Saturday 15 August 2009

Young Catholic Adults Get More Accomodation at Douai Abbey Retreat (18-20 Septmber 2009)

Douai Abbey have very kindly given Young Catholic Adults MORE accommodation and facilities for the Douai Abbey Retreat (18-20 Septmber 2009). Please note that at the Douai Retreat there is the possibility of having all your meals in the main dining area.

For Student and Youth Group Retreats

  • The Cottages accommodate groups of up to 10 young persons in simple 'hostel' type rooms.
  • Plus facilities include a kitchen, dining room and scullery.
  • Two other rooms provide a lounge and chapel, and the whole building is centrally heated.


  • The facilities available include the Abbey Church which provides a peaceful, prayerful space for worship. Guests are free to join in all the community services and to enjoy the spacious Abbey grounds.

  • Lying deep in the Berkshire countryside overlooking the beautiful Kennet valley to the distant Hampshire downs, the Cottages provide an ideal place for a group retreat for all who seek the refreshment of peace and quiet.










Sunday 9 August 2009

Words of Wisdom from the Gospel of Matthew

Perhaps it’s just me; however, there seems to be a lot of bad news around at the moment. Christians in general and Traditional Catholics, in particular, appear to be getting a rough ride. They appear to be either increasingly marginalised, or in the case of Traditional Catholics as marginalised as ever. Perhaps now is the time to remember what Saint Matthew recorded about the marginalised - that they are blessed people:-

Gospel According to Saint Matthew, Chapter 5.

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. 2 And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God. 10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: 12 Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you Douay-Rheims Bible.

Saturday 8 August 2009

Feastday of St. John Vianney


St. John Vianney

“Love for your neighbour consists of three things: To desire the greater good of everyone; to do what good we can when we can; to bear, excuse and hide others' faults'” (St. John Vianney)
The Curé of Ars.

The feastday of St. John Vianney in the Traditional Calendar is August 8th, so here is some info about the patron saint of Parish Priests.

John Mary Vianney was born on May 8, 1786, in a tiny village, Dardily, 3 miles north of Lyons. His parents were small farmers. He was the third of six children. The family was known to be kind to beggars. In fact, sixteen years before his birth, St Benedict Joseph Labre, known as beggar saint, had visited the family and left them his blessing.

To be a priest, to win many souls, were the thoughts shaping in John Mary's mind as he turned seventeen. His mother was overjoyed, but it took another two years for his father to be brought around.

In spite of his poor marks, John Mary was finally accepted because of his holiness. He would rise from bed at around one in the morning, then make his way with a lighted candle to the church where people would already be waiting for him. He would kneel at the foot of the altar and pray, then enter the confessional and hear confessions without a break until the hour for Mass. After Mass, he would again sit in the confessional until eleven. Then he would give his catechism lesson for about forty-five minutes. In order to recite his breviary, he would frequently tell his penitent to remain quietly at the confessional while he said the office, this being the only way to find time for it.

A young priest wrote to him: "Monsieur le Cure, a man with as little theology as yourself ought never to enter a confessional." The Cure of Ars replied: "My very dear and respected colleague, how right I am to love you. You alone really know me. As you are good and charitable enough to deign to take interest in my poor soul, help me to obtain the favour for which I have been asking for so long, so that I may be moved from a post I am unworthy to fill because of my ignorance and retire into obscurity to atone for my wretched life."

Visitors began appearing at Ars in large numbers, some out of curiosity, but most of them in order to make their confession and received Holy Communion from his hands.

Worn out by his labours and austerities, he grew weaker. He kept fainting in the confessional. His voice in the pulpit became very feeble. At one o'clock in the morning on July 30, 1859, he called for the Cure of Jassons and humbly made his confession. He received Holy Viaticum at three in the afternoon. He wept. "It is sad to receive the Lord for the last time," he said. "How good God is! When we cannot go and see him, he comes to us."

He was beatified on January 8, 1905, by Pius X and canonized on May 31, 1925, by Pius XI. In 1929, Pius XI declared him patron Saint of parish Priests all over the world. His incorrupt body now reposes in the new basilica at Ars in a glass coffin.

Tuesday 4 August 2009

The Feast of St. Dominic

Today is the feast day of St. Dominic (in the Traditional Calendar), he was one of the great saints of the middle ages. The sanctity of this holy friar soon spread throughout Christendom. “The life of St. Dominic was one of tireless effort in the, service of god. While he journeyed from place to place he prayed and preached almost uninterruptedly. His penance’s were of such a nature as to cause the brethren, who accidentally discovered them, to fear the effect upon his life. While his charity was boundless he never permitted it to interfere with the stern sense of duty that guided every action of his life…. He was canonised on 13 July, 1234, (whereupon) Gregory IX declared that he no more doubted the saintliness of Saint Dominic than he did that of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.” (The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913).

Here are the Epistle and Gospel for the Mass of St. Dominic (1962 – Traditional Missal).

Tuesday, 04 August 2009
St Dominic, confessor

Epistle
2 Tim 4,1-8.

I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming and his kingdom:Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine.For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears:And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables.But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. Be sober.For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand.I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.


Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12,35-40.

Let your loins be girt and lamps burning in your hands. And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you that he will gird himself and make them sit down to meat and passing will minister unto them. And if he shall come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not the Son of man will come.

Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible
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