Mass without pews---war time edition

This made me take a deep breath.

“As Leviathan’s lions begin to roar, the nominal Catholics will skip out of the arena. Roman Catholicism has become for baptized pagans a neuralgic kind of Cute Catholicism, with leprechauns, mariachi bands and Santa Claus instead of confession, prayer and fidelity to doctrine. But behind each leprechaun St. Patrick stares, and behind every mariachi band Our Lady of Guadalupe weeps, and behind every Santa Claus Christ himself judges.”

                                                      Fr. George Rutler.

Mass without pews--war time edition

This Mass was in Vietnam. The altar is made of what looks like sandbags and a MRE(?)  C rations (thanks Digital Hairshirt) box.

Nun praying

Nun with a Rosary

To sin is to crucify the Son of God

— to sin is to crucify the Son of God, to tear his hands and feet with hammer blows, and to make his heart break.

St.Josemaria Escriva

This quote from St. Josemaria, gives me chills. I don't have a particular devotion to him but he seems to have an interest in me or Rocky because we keep walking into churches with his relics or meeting Opus Dei priests and finding quotes by him out of the blue.

Mass without pews--wartime edition starting off with Fr. Corby

Fr. Corby giving a general absolution to the Irish brigade before the Battle of Gettysburg.


Reader, Newguy gave me a terrific idea for a series. I found some photos of Mass or priests either before or after Mass on the battlefield and I'll be posting them every week or so. The men at these Holy Masses lacked pews, roofs, kneelers but they really didn't lack a thing.

Mass before pews

I wish I could get this close during Mass.

Tuesday night Mass at St. Rita's

My parish, St. Rita's in Alexandria, Virginia now has the TLM on Tuesdays as well as Thursday. This is very exciting and it's educational because our parochial vicar, Fr. Sharp (so nick-named because is a very, very smart man) says it differently than Fr. Hawk. The low Mass can be a dialogue or it can be almost silent. Fr. Sharp is so quiet that one must really concentrate and that's cool. "Everything is grace", St. Therese said.

 There's nothing more fascinating  for me than to learn more about the Faith, the ways it is practiced and it's traditions that I never heard of before.

The Monday song

When I was a kid an animated version of  Return of the King aired on TV. It was widely derided by adults and serious Tolkein fans but children loved it. I know I sure did and I remain fond of this version. This song, sung by the Orcs stayed in my head and I every now and then I find myself humming it on my Monday morning commute.

St. Matthew and the Angel

This particular painting has always tickled me because of the expression Caravagio puts on St. Matthew's face. He looks like the angel has  nagging him for hours and he's grumbling, "I HEARD you the first time."

This is my all time favorite St. Matthew and the angel painting. The angel looks like he's bouncing up and down with excitement and dear Matthew looks patient.

Here is a black and white version of the now lost original Caravagio St. Matthew and the angel painting. Apparently, the public didn't like it and Caravagio went back to the lab again to get  it right. I kind of like it myself. 

And then there's this one by Paolo Veronese. A really

  relaxed St. Matthew looks like he's asking his little angel for an honest critique on what he's written. 

In memoriam

Money talks, apologetics....well you know

The trouble with professional Catholics is that they will do whatever they have to in order to keep the money rolling in. I feel something close to sympathy. The rent/mortgage needs to be paid, the kid's tuition is a big ole check and marriages explode when the bills aren't paid. I get it. The company man does what he has to. However,as I've said before, I don't trust any layperson who makes his or her living off the Church and whose teachings are treated as equal or greater than that of an ordained member of the clergy.

Should priests blog?

Nope. Not unless the blog doesn't allow comments and is strictly homilies, apologetics, or a collection of the priest's writings like this  or this. 
I've seen priest blogs that were too worldly, waspish to anyone who didn't slobber over them like a big happy dog, and well.... dangerous because they showed bad judgement, and did not show the priesthood in a respectable light. A priest blog should not be like a pop star writing to his fans.

So what to do, when a priest blogger is embarrassing? Treat him like Noah's good sons did when they saw him drunk and naked. Turn your eyes away, don't dwell on the disgrace and never revisit the episode again. There are at least three priestly blogs that I just won't read anymore.

St. John Vianney, pray for us. 

Father Solanus Casey, pray for us.

Fr. Walter Ciszek, pray for us. 

Fr. Augustus Tolton, pray for us.

Fr. Miguel Pro, pray for us. 

St. Pio, pray for us.