When I was an Anglican priest my bishop was the Rt Rev Peter Ball--a charismatic character, he was an elf-like self appointed Franciscan style monk. Bishop Peter had a brittle, little way of speaking, a twinkle in his eye and a beguiling smile. He was a delightful preacher and an impressive and inspiring leader. He was [...]
The third in a series on traditional Catholic Worship: At the solemn High Mass on Sundays at Our Lady of the Rosary, Greenville the congregation join the choir in singing or saying certain parts of the Mass in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Every Alleluia and Amen are from the Hebrew. The Kyrie Eleison is in Greek. [...]
I have been asked on social media to write more about married priests. I should say first that I am NOT an advocate or an activist for the church to change her discipline on this matter. I respect my celibate friends too much to do so, and I respect too much my own privileged and unusual [...]
Second in a series of blog posts about traditional worship: At OLR Greenville at the 10:30 High Mass we use lots of incense. Why do we do that? Is it just because we happen to like "smells and bells"? We do like incense and the sanctus bell, but what's the point? Is it just that the [...]
At our parish of Our Lady of the Rosary in Greenville the Catholic Mass is celebrated in a traditional style. We do not celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, but the Novus Ordo Mass as informed by the Traditional Latin Mass. So, when you attend the high Mass on Sunday mornings at OLR, Greenville you will see [...]
Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born in New York State in 1774--the daughter of a doctor and grand-daughter on the maternal side of an Anglican clergyman serving in New York City. At this time the Episcopal Church of the USA--(American Anglicanism) had yet to be established. At the age of twenty she married William Seton. The first [...]
One of my favorite quotes from Pope Benedict XVI is "Scripture can only be interpreted through the lives of the saints." When I read this--and I forget where in the writings this occurs, it opened my heart and mind to both the Scriptures and the Saints in a new way. The context of this, of course, [...]
On Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Holy Family and in my homily I reflected on the astounding fact that Almighty God chooses, from the beginning of human history, to use the family to accomplish his will in the world. Get your head around this: He doesn't choose to primarily use Emperors and Potentates, Presidents, [...]
I remember when Richard Nixon was elected and a bewildered, wealthy New York democrat woman was reported as saying, "How could he have won? I don't know anybody who voted for him!" It sums up the attitude of the elitist progressive whether they are in Washington, New York or Rome. The progressives in the church are [...]
In the confessional every priest deals with folks who are struggling with guilt and shame, and it has seemed to me for some time that most folks do not have the tools to deal with guilt and shame. However, the church teaches how to approach guilt and shame in a positive and objective manner. This is [...]