Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Chrism Mass and other thoughts.....



Chrism Mass

Rocky and I went to the Chrism Mass at St. Matthew's Cathedral in DC. It was glorious. Archbishop Wuerl was there and I was startled by his appearacnce. He looked like a piece of chewed on leather. Has he not been well lately? Cardinal McCarrick is a couple of decades older than him and looked just as pink cheeked and perky as a youngster. The music was magnificent. The Cathedral's schola choir is always impressive.




There must have been over 100 priests in attendance and it was beautiful to see them. There were old priests, grown grizzled and gray in the service of the Lord, one was so frail that he had to be led. There were tall priests, short priests, thin ones and one so fat and jolly looking that he reminded me of the Pillsbury Doughboy. There were Benedictines, Franciscans and Domincan priests and priests from other orders I couldn't identify. There were young priests and many, many young seminarians.




These young men were a special delight. Many of them wore cassocks and all seemed excited to be there. I saw the Missionaries of Charity nuns, the Virgin of Mattara Sisters and a few Dominicans and Franciscan nuns as well. After Mass the mood was a joyful one. It was like a class reunion.

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I just had a thought. Let's say that the Tridentine Mass really is going to be set free. Will my bishop obey? Will yours? Will the average Catholic finally be able to go to a nearby parish (if not his own) and attend the Tridentine Mass? I predict that many of our US Bishops will simply ignore anything from Rome.

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The great horror is almost upon us. Ladies, the quest for a swimsuit that looks modest and cute and in no way resembles a flour sack begins again for another Summer. So far as much as I respect what these people are trying to do I found a number of suits that would make me ill if I had to put them on. For example this one is well.... HIDEOUS.




I found it at Wholesome Wear.

Then there's this one which is sweet but impractical.

I didn't mind this one but it comes in such revolting patterns.

Finally, there's the suits at this site which are cute for little girls but would look silly on me.





I'll probably buy something from LL Bean or the Esther Williams collection. The Esther Williams suits are retro so I'll be decently covered but none of her things make you look like something so lumpish and ugly that you should be covered up for the safety of the public.