Apologies, explanations and future plans

Over past months and particularly since August this year, I have found it impossible to maintain this blog at the level warranted by its subject matter. I apologise for this and beg your understanding and forgiveness. Please be assured that I have not neglected the prayer life of a spiritual mother and have no intention of doing so. Also, a fair amount of private correspondence has resulted from the original initiative and that cannot be neglected.

In an attempt to improve matters and make it easier for me to post more frequent items of relevance to Spiritual Mothers and their friends, I have decided to record such items as part of my other blog, Thoughts from a Catholic Oasis - see here Such posts will usually appear under 'Spiritual Mothers' Community Room News' starting at number 1 and continuing in due numerical order. I've just finished a week's break from blogging and will be back on the Oasis later today.

This blog will remain as it is so that its links will still be available. As time allows I'll duplicate these links in the Oasis right hand sidebar.

God bless all here.

Novena for the Church In Ireland begins today

For explanation and text see Protect the Pope

Father Mark and his little but growing monastic community in Tulsa OK are desperately in need of a new and more secure home. He has asked us to beg for the intercession of Saint Vincent de Paul. (See Vultus Christi)

St. Vincent we beg your prayers for all Benedictines, but particularly at this time for Father Prior Mark Kirby and his fledgling community at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Cenacle in Tulsa..

Protect the Seal of Confession

Clicking the purple stole at top of right sidebar will take you to the Irish  Saint Genisius blog. There is voiced Irish  anguish that their hierarchy has as yet said nothing about the Irish governement's threat to the Seal of Confession. Please do everything you can to support any effort to get them to fight and to speak out.

Congregation for Clergy: The Priest, Minister of Divine Mercy

The Congregation has published this new aid for Confessors and Spiritual Directors. See here, and press 'read more' for the whole document.

ZENIT - Georg Ratzinger Also Marks 60th Anniversary

ZENIT - Georg Ratzinger Also Marks 60th Anniversary

This is a poignant interview and one that could be easily overlooked. I love the revelation about the brothers' nick-names their seminary class. How appropriate they turned out to be. Ad multos annos to both 'Bucher-Ratz' (book-lover-Ratz) and 'Orgel-Ratz (music-lover-Ratz).

News from Birmingham, England

A friend from Birmingham has let me know (at least I think she's in Birmingham) that her parish is about to have a priestly ordination, the second in three years. She also told me that the seminarians, must be Oscott if she's in Birmingham, are very appreciative of all the prayers that we offer in their support. It's great to have this feedback, and I share it with you in great happiness.It is still less than a year since they were visited by the Holy Father. How stirring that must have been for them, They were the last people he saw on his trip to the UK last September and the occasion must have given him great joy and hope for the future..

Our dear HSD Fr Mark Kirby speaks this evening at Adoratio 2011 in Rome

This is most probably an unnecessary reminder, but in case anyone has forgotten, Fr Mark will speak tonight on 'Eucharistic Spirituality' at 6pm (i.e 5pm UK time). I'm hoping that the full text will be published on the Adoratio site. Please see the same site for full programme of speakers. I'm sure you will all want to join in the sending of the following message:

Dear Father Mark,
Our love and prayers always, but particularly for the success of your talk tonight, and for that of the entire Conference.
from the friends, followers and author of  'Spiritual Mothers of Priests'.

Horse drawn carriages bring miniature Bavarian churches to the Vatican

Horse drawn carriages bring miniature Bavarian churches to the Vatican

Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby The Chant Café

Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby The Chant Café

Our dear Fr Mark will be speaking at the Adoratio 20011 Conference in Rome on June 20th. For more details and a full list of speakers see here http://www.adoratio2011.com/

ZENIT - 7 Priests for Ordinariate; a Parish in USA

ZENIT - 7 Priests for Ordinariate; a Parish in USA

Hopes for the US Ordinariate

Pope Benedict's prayer intention for June: Pray for priests

General Intention:
'that priests, united to the Heart of Christ, may always be true witnesses to the caring and merciful love of God.'

Missionary Intention:                                                                                                                                        'that the Holy Spirit may bring forth from our communities many missionaries who are ready to be fully consecrated to the spreading of the Kingdom Of God.'

ZENIT - Prayer to Mark Pope's Priestly Anniversary

ZENIT - Prayer to Mark Pope's Priestly Anniversary

Congregation for Clergy calls us to special prayer.

Priests and Alcohol

Please see important and instructive information at this interesting post by Shadowlands on the new group blog 'the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma'..

ZENIT - Priest Reflects on Old Liturgy in Church's Future

ZENIT - Priest Reflects on Old Liturgy in Church's Future

Pope's long-term plan for the Liturgy

Trend shows younger men becoming priests (In U.S.)

See Zenit report here

Home from Rome

Dear Spiritual Mothers, Followers and friends,

My first post-Vatican Blogmeet report is now up on my Oasis site. There will be two more over the weekend and a thrid one devoted to photos as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support in prayer.

God bless
J

Last post before departure for Rome

Please see Oasis blog for this latest communication.

Father Mark Kirby has sent his loving blessing on my pilgrimage to Rome. I am taking you all with me, and so I'm sure that his blessing is for you too.

J

Rome update

Dear Spiritual Mothers, Followers and Friends,

The main arrangements are all made but now am trying to fix meetings with other Anglophone bloggers who will be going. D.V., I intend to publish final arrangements and plans on Friday evening.These will appear on my Oasis blog.  and there will be an email address for you to message me whilst I'm in Rome. If anyone can do that, it will encourage my strength and determination and remind me that I'm not alone. So please check me out on Friday.

I tried to fax Cardinal Piacenza today (too late to write), to let him know that 'we' would be at the PCCS bloggers' meeting on May 2. I wanted to promise him, after his kind letter to me in September last, that if the opportunity presents itself at the meeting, I will do everything I can to raise the profile of Spiritual Motherhood, in its various forms.The fax would not transmit. The Dicastery is probably closed for Easter and the Beatification, but I will keep trying.

Please pray for me. Never having been to Rome before, I am very nervous!

Until Friday then, God bless you all.

Have a peaceful and blessed Eastertide,

Jane

Improperia Maiora - Popule meus

Next Post: Improperia from the Good Friday Liturgy

"Spiritual Mothers of Priests" going to Rome Blogmeet May 2nd

Dear Spiritual Mothers, Friends and Followers,

Sorry not to have posted for a while. Yes, I'm Number 56 on the list of 150 bloggers invited to the meeting in Rome and have been busy for the last six days trying to make the arrangements - not easy at such short notice and with my own financial limitations! I'm convinced that my Guardian Angel has smoothed the way for me and will take care of me on the trip - very necessary because I'm travelling on my own. Now everything is booked, I still can't really believe that I'm about to go to Rome for the first time in my life. My age (67), dictated that I make every effort to take advantage of this amazing opportunity, whch is almost certainly a never-to-be-repeated one..

There are more details about this on my other blog 'Thoughts from an Oasis.....'. This is the blog that appears on the official list, but I want to assure you that I listed THIS blog on my application and so in a way you are all going with me! Cardinal Piacenza knows about us, and if you remember expressed his gratitude in  a letter to me sometime ago. I'll drop him a line in the hope that it may be possible to meet him, or one of his  Secretaries , during my 4 day stay in Rome. Nothing ventured nothing gained! In case I do have the chance, and you have any suggested topics you would like me to raise with him, please put them in the combox of this post..

I don't know whether I'll be able to blogpost from Rome, but if not, will report as soon as possible after I get home on May 4. I may post again before leaving on April 30.

Thanks be to God and to my Guardian Angel. Please pray for me.

In Christo pro Papa,
Jane

News of Father George Byers, Father of Mercy

Many thanks to Mulier Fortis for news of Father's whereabouts and a link to his new blog - http://holysoulshermitage.wordpress.com I'm sure many of you will remember Father George's blog from Lourdes when he was a chaplain there. The blog was closed when he returned to the USA. I'm sure that like me you will joyfully applaud the new focus of his priestly vocation and will wish to support him through prayer and/or donations. Permanent link in sidebar here.

Benedict XVI uses St. Alphonsus Liguori as example to inspire priests

At today's General Audience

Prefect promotes Adoration for Vocations and Holy Clergy

Cardinal Piacenza says every diocese needs a chapel devoted to these intentions.
If your diocese has one, please let the Cardinal have some feedback!
For Zenit report on his recent statement please see here.

Full text of Pope's address to Seminarians; Cardinal Prefect writes to priests before Lent

For full text of Pope Benedict's Lectio Divina to Roman seminarians see here

For news of Cardinal Piacenza's letter see here

Pontiff recommends mentors for young priests ...

....and urges Clergy tokeep pursuing Lost Sheep

See Zenit report here

Sister Briege McKenna and the Priesthood

Please see the excellent blog 'All the Little Epsilons', for more details. You will be inspired.

Pope urges entire Church to pray for Vocations

See Zenit report here ; link to full text at foot of Zenit item.

Have a blessed and happy feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Pope sets doves free for world peace

Click for Rome Reports video clipPope sets doves free for world peace

I like Rome Reports, but their commentaries sometimes leave a lot to be desired in the accuracy department. If you are slapdash in the small things, why should you be trusted in the large ones?
This clip is a case in point. Since when have two doves been designated as a flock? As far as I know only two doves are released whilst the Pope is at his window. In any case he only releases the first dove, and the charm of this particular occasion, was that the second dove twice flew back into the Holy Father's study, mainly because the young boy who tried to project it into the air, couldn't get the right angle to ensure its flight. Only the second dove twice did a u-turn, the first bird having been deftly released by Pope Benedict. He can hardly have been too surprised by the second dove's behaviour because exactly the same thing happened last year. As it was this year, the second bird nearly landed on the Pontiff's head!
The metaphor about peace which the commentary transmits, is perhaps justifiable, but no more so than the one I prefer. Namely, the dove is symbolic above all of the Holy Spirit. Last year a friend and I agreed that it was as if the Dove didn't want to leave the Successor of Peter, a symbol of the presence of the Holy Spirit with our Holy Father. That would have given a hopeful balance to the commentary.

Recommended Reading today

Zenit reports on the Pope's address to Seminarians on the nature and effect of Priesthood

Father Mark at Vultus Christi has a beautiful and meditative post on Cardinal Piacenza's recent address on celibacy.

Rorate Caeli has the full text of interview with the Bishop of San Merino on the topic of Liturgical Reform after Vatican Council II and the present Pope's attempt to introduce a 'true' interpretation of that Council's intentions.

Cardinal Piacenza: Priestly Celibacy Congress in Ars, France

The Congress ended Wednesday. Today Zenit has two items reporting the Cardinal's contribution here and here. Both reports have link to the full text of his address.

The Holy Face, Manoppello - Paul Badde's new book

'The Face of God' by Paul Badde has just been published by Ignatius Press. Father Mark has a related post at 'Vultus Christi'

Alma redemptoris mater - Peter Philips (1561 - 1628) from Cantiones Sacr...

With my prayers for all Priests and their spiritual mothers. Have a happy and blessed Solemnity and peaceful New Year.