Back from vacation and other random thoughts

•  Rocky and I just got back from vacation and it was wonderful. We took my mother with us as usual and we all needed the break from DC and Northern Virginia. For Mass we went to a little church about 16 miles from our vacation cottage. It was like stepping back into 1980. The music was Eagles Wings and other stuff I haven't heard since elementary school. The people were very sweet to tourists. The cantor reminded me of a high school football coach but instead of making us run laps for practice he produced a lovely voice.
  The only real fly in the ointment was the homily. The priest was a friendly, kind man who obviously cares about his people but he tried to justify the pope's latest airplane interview. Fr. assured us that Gandhi, and Billy Graham were saints. They weren't with us (I guess he meant Catholics) but they did the Lord's work. I sat there and thought, "Father, Gandhi let his wife die because he didn't want to use British medicine and he later slept in the same bed as his nieces to test  his chastity."
  
  After Mass Rocky asked, "What did you think of Father's homily?"
  "I didn't like it. " 
  
  "Didn't think you would." We laughed and drove off along the tiny country roads to find dinner. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• My uncle Junior was without power for four days in South Carolina. My cousin came and brought him back to Tennessee but it was rough trip. My uncle says he's never seen devastation like Helene before. It was worse than a tornado. I finally heard from another cousin, Shirley, who lives in the next county over from Uncle Junior. She still has no power and cell phone service is spotty. A tree fell on her truck and another one fell on the fence. She also stated the damage is incredible.
  
    I just donated to The Martyrs Walk hurricane relief effort.  Please don't donate to Red Cross. Send your money to local charities that are on the ground. 
  
  
  
  
  
• I've never felt much enthusiasm for the FSSP because it's only in two places in the Richmond diocese and I don't see it ever being allowed in Arlington. The order seems pretty rimrocked to me and the latest news of an Apostolic Visitation from Rome doesn't bode well.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Out of all the wonderful charities and volunteer groups who are helping in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida, you know whose name I haven't heard about? Catholic Charities. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Speaking of Catholic Charities, you should read this by Fr. Nix. 

Random thoughts on a Sunday afternoon

•  Rocky and I went to Mass at the newly renovated Arlington Cathedral and it's actually beautiful. The garish colors and mish mash of styles are gone. The Blessed Sacrament is in the middle of the sanctuary now instead of the side and the bishops chair is no longer in the middle.
  
  Is it as stunning as the cathedral in Baltimore, or DC? No, of course not but it is a huge improvement over what it was. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The Pro Life movement has to get its act together. Right now people are talking about a woman who was a pro life activist who was looked up to and admired by a number of young women. She just announced that she had an abortion in June. So, you have a pro-life activist who despite everything she's said and argued and all the resources she could have access to, who had an abortion. Did nobody check this woman's background before promoting her as a face of the movement? 

Well that was a dud

 I ordered a veil from Maria Veils and am not happy with the non existent customer service, the undeliverable company emails, and with what I received. The veil in my hands does not look as long or ornate as the one in the photo. Oh well, lesson learned. From now on I'll stick to Veiled by Tradition or order from nuns.