Another go...

Apologies to readers for the lack of posting - since December last year! I can't quite believe it has been so long nor indeed that the year is already into it's fourth month and Easter has been and gone!


I must confess I do wonder at how others, particularly clergy, are able to blog so profusely, I wonder at where they find the time?! However, ruminating on that particular conundrum made me realise that the time I was spending reading others people's blogs could be spent on writing my own?  So here it is... not only that, but so much is going on in the "world of church" at the moment that I feel I really must start to get some things "off my chest". That said, I wonder at where to start and how to commentate, rather I think than repeat much of what has already been more eloquently elucidated by others I esteem, I shall try and keep my posts to my own original thoughts. Naturally I shall give references to sources, articles etc that may have prompted my thoughts, but rather than seek to become an amateur journalist, it might be more edifying for any readers if I simply write about "wot I fink anywayz"?!

Firstly I suppose, one ought to give a quick précis of what one has been doing such that one has not had the time to comment previously! I think Easter being so early this year made the beginning of the year seem to go extraordinarily quickly.  No sooner was the Nativity over than the Epiphany was upon us, then Candlemass and Gesima and before one knew it, Lent had begun! When following what is now more colloquially referred to as the "Extraordinary Form" of the Latin Rite, the liturgical seasons of the Church can be quite a bit more involved than say the "Ordinary Form" as the Novus Ordo is now called; one can become quite consumed with the rubrics and "liturgics" of it all and there are plenty to keep one occupied! Thus the seemingly increased rate of progress through the Church's Year at the beginning of this year, kept one on one's proverbial toes in more ways than one! Combined with my quixotic desire to preach a homily during the Daily Mass broadcast and publish the Stational Churches everyday on our Parish Blog, as well as all the other additional commitments one takes on during the Season of Lent both parochially and ecumenically, the first four months of this year have been quite "full on"!

I have only really now begun to appreciate this year's celebration of Holy Week, the Sacrum Triduum and Easter. It may appear a strange thing to say for a priest! Yet, consider the amount of work these liturgical olympics afford mentally, spiritually and physically, particularly for a single priest with one server in a small Chapel attempting to offer the liturgy with the best we have, can afford and can realise from the rubrics of the Memoriale Rituum for the pre'55 "Use" of the "Extraordinary Form! Here I have to praise our server, Peter whose first full pre'55 Sac'Trid' it was and who followed instructions extremely well and with sparing rehearsal/walk through time prior to services [amazing the time a walk through takes for the simplified ritual of the Memoriale]! Thankfully Peter assures me the experience was deeply spiritual for him despite the added pressure of serving!

Certainly our Daily Mass Online viewers seem to have appreciated our efforts for this year's offering of the Sacred Liturgies, record numbers of viewers for the Sacrum Triduum particularly, 148 people viewed Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, but Paschaltide was particularly popular with 263 viewers for Easter and it's Octave! Considering that we predicted figures to be low, expecting most of our regular viewers to be attending the Liturgies in person for the Season, these figures are quite a testimony to our apostolate of encouraging Spiritual Communion for those unable to attend in person the Sacred Mysteries.