I actually meant to talk about psalms yesterday, but somehow that post, almost from the first word, was taken out of my hands and morphed into this piece on Oblates and Tertiaries, and I’ve gotten to the point where I just don’t fight that sort of stuff anymore. Those who check in from time to time to pray Morning Prayer or Vespers with me in the podcasts know that I consider psalmody a spiritual wellspring for our eternal thirst, and... Read more
NRO’s Kathryn Jean Lopez twitters: Nancy Pelosi is not on the front page of the New York Times today. That’s shocking even for the Times. Yes…that is pretty surprising, given what her very role as Speaker of the House seems in jeopardy; she may yet be felled by ironic twist of her own knife. With an assist by the truly ticked off CIA. Oh, what a tangled web we weave, and so forth. The Washington Post, on the other hand... Read more
Okay, I don’t need an Oratory. But I need one. Nicely doneOrthodox Prayer Corner My Oratory will not be so elaborate My husband, who is a very fine woodworker when he has time to indulge the hobby, has already been assigned the task of building me a prie-Dieu. I’m not expecting it any time soon, but I know eventually he’ll make something beautiful. In the meantime, I am re-doing an old escritoire; hopefully most of my icons will fit on... Read more
Or, “th'” as Joseph Marshall correctly deems it (I think) in the comments section of this surprisingly rambunctious post from yesterday, wherein we wondered how one properly should pronounce the word T-H-E when it precedes a word beginning with a vowel. Not my most popular recent post (that would be my admonishment to Christian girls that they put their breasts back into their shirts) or my most accessed-through-google post (which I am sure disappoints everyone who finds it), but certainly... Read more
I was corresponding with a Dominican nun the other day and I joked with her that, although I am a Benedictine Oblate, I am lately finding myself very drawn to Dominican spirituality, likely due to my friendship with her and also because of those those two charismatic and intrepid Dominican nags I have mentioned with some frequency, lately, St. Catherine of Siena and Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, both of whom were laypeople, not vowed religious. “If you become a Dominican... Read more
It seems there are all sorts of different Catholic blogging awards going on, and I wasn’t aware of it at all. Ah, well…such is the practice of detachment! But now that I AM aware…I would like to win something! Or at least make a respectable showing ;-) Caroline Cannonball (how can you not love?) is offering up her own sublime 2009 Cannonball Awards. I am nominated in the category of Best Catholic Political Blog that is Not the American Papist.... Read more
On this feast of Our Lady of Fatima, I like this quote from John Vianney, which I actually used just the other day in this compilation: The Father takes pleasure in looking upon the heart of the most holy Virgin Mary, as the masterpiece of his hands…The Son takes pleasure in it as the heart of his Mother, the source from which he drew the blood that has ransomed us. – St. John Vianney (1786-1859) Here is the Podcast for... Read more
I hadn’t realized it until I went to morning mass, but today is the feastday of Our Lady of Fatima, and the anniversary of the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. So, here is Morning Prayer, using the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A little late for the Eastern Seaboard, but perhaps useful to those west of whatever. You knew I had to do this for Fatima, right? After all, those Portuguese children did nag me into podcasting... Read more
Growing up, I was taught that when you are following the word T-H-E with a word that begins with a vowel, then the correct (and, to my ear) more pleasant pronunciation was “thee” – long e. As in “please don’t feed thee animals.” One would never say, “please don’t feed thuh animals.” I notice an increasing trend the other way, though. Even in the video of Miss California, below, I note it. I hear it on television and in my... Read more
For anyone interested, me and my raspy voice in a podcast of Vespers for the day. If like me, you like a cup of coffee after vespers, the price is going to go up! Why am I not surprised. Well, I splurge to get the world’s best coffee, anyway. Read more
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