John Howard (Australia's PM) will stay on and fight the next election attempting to win five-in-a-row. My personal opinion is that this is a fine decision and one that locks out Peter Costello. As to Howard's sucessor in two years or so... who knows. Realisticly I don't believe Tony Abbott has a chance and I'm not a big fan of Brendan Nelson or Malcolm Turnbull - among the other touted contendors. (Does either believe in anything?) We'll just wait and see.

Latest installment from Speck

"Light, Father?"

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Confessor

(I’m sure you don’t need a brief on who this man is!)

Introit: Philip. 2. 10-11 In the name of Jesus let every knee bow, of things in heaven, on earth and under the earth: and let every tongue confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. Ps. All they that love Thy name shall glory in Thee: for Thou wilt bless the just.

Collect: O God, who for the spreading of the greater glory of Thy name didst, by means of blessed Ignatius, strengthen Thy Church militant with a new army; grant that by his aid and by his example we may so fight on earth as to become worthy to be crowned with him in heaven.

Offertory: Ps 88. 25 My truth and My mercy shall be with him; and in My name shall his horn be exalted.

Pearson makes it to CathNews

Well known commentator and Traditional Latin Mass-type Catholic Christopher Pearson has finally made it in life. He has been quoted in CathNews! I'm sure he can retire now, having achieved the pinnacle of journalism.

See the article on Ethics and the Embryo in CathNews here or in The Australian here.

Couple of things from ZENIT

On the Future of the Jesuits
Interview With Superior General Father Kolvenbach

ROME, JULY 30, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Last February, Father Peter Hans Kolvenbach, father general of the Society of Jesus, convoked a general congregation for January 2008, to elect his successor. It was an unexpected announcement, as the office is for life, but the superior general has his reasons. In this interview with ZENIT, Father Kolvenbach explains why he called the meeting, and what other important issues the representatives of the world's close to 20,000 Jesuits will also address. More...

Priests and Communists in Poland
Interview With Historian Peter Raina

WARSAW, Poland, JULY 30, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Some Polish clergy who lived under the Communist regime are being falsely named as a former spies by government officials, says historian Peter Raina. Peter Raina, author of numerous books on Modern Church History, analyzes in this interview with ZENIT the truth of the relationship the clergy had with Communists. Raina obtained a doctorate from the University of Warsaw and taught Contemporary History at the University of Berlin. He has written essays and articles on Father Jerzy Popieluszko, killed by the Communist regime, and Father Konrad Hejmo, accused by the press of being a Russian spy in the Vatican. More...

I’ve just looked at the week ahead (according to my missal) in liturgical time:

Mon 31st Jul. Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Tues 1st Aug. St. Peter’s Chains
Wed 2nd Aug. Feast of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori
Thurs 3rd Aug. Finding of the Body of St. Stephen
Fri 4th Aug. Feast of St. Dominic
Sat. 5th Aug. The Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of the Snow (St. Mary Major).

Not bad really. A couple of religious founders in the mix. SJs vs OPs again… Go the OPs, but don't foregt: Fessio for Superior General in 2008!

Vestments

The New Liturgical Movement has a post On the Origins and Development of Vestments. Fascinating read and some pictures of course.

A photo of most of the priests, seminarians and religious that were involved in Solemn Vespers on the Saturday night of the ACSA conference.

There is a Marist at the back. He attended day one in a simple white shirt and crosses. He was back for day two in the real thing. Cassock, bib etc...

another biretta shot

Daniel Hill, Daniel Mannix, or the baroness?

I'm off to a "World Youth Day Dinner Dance for Young Adults" hosted by the Archdiocese of Adelaide. The guest speaker is Luke McCabe. Someone said he was a footballer - I follow football and have never heard of him. Anyway, the event will probably be ghastly but I feel obliged to go. It may, however, prove to be useful to meet people and help in my endevour to establish a Catholic presence on the Adelaide University campus.

Early night planned tonight even though it is Friday. Not only do I have to teach in the morning I have to do my swim rescue update immediate after. I’m not as young as I used to be, unable to hit the town until 3am and get up at 8.30am ready to teach.

(For those of you that don’t know I’m a swimming instructor and have been a pool lifeguard in the past as well. I teach children/adults with any form of disability ranging from simple coordination problems through to autism and cerebral palsy. I can recommend getting into the industry as a senior school student or uni student – it pays much better than a fast food outlet or shopping centre!)

Back to the topic, a couple of beers at the Bull & Bear on King William St. are in order after lectures conclude for the day at 6pm!

Speck the Altar Boy

Here is your latest installment. (Yes, I found the book at uni -- thankyou St. Anthony)

"Forgive us our trespasses???"

Wow. If you have any interest in the war in the Middle East you must check out Against the Grain's wrap-up.

Defiance threat on stem-cell ban

The Australian has this story today on stem cell controversy in Victoria.

VICTORIA is taking legal advice on legislation governing the use of embryonic stem cells, in defiance of the federal ban.

With the Federal Government leaving open the possibility of starving researchers of funds if they use the controversial techniques, Victorian Treasurer John Brumby today upped the ante on conservative opponents of the technology. Speaking to a biotechnology summit, Mr Brumby called on the Government to allow the use of so-called therapeutic cloning, under which DNA is removed from an unfertilised human egg and replaced with a cell nucleus from a patient seeking treatment for a disease.

But he said Victoria was taking legal advice on possible legislation anyway. The Federal Government has raised the prospect of refusing to fund research, with Treasurer Peter Costello saying he would not fund "ethically repugnant" work.

More...

aaaagh! I've just realised I left my Speck book in the scanner at uni... pray to St. Anthony, pray to St. Anthony...

I guess I'll go in early tomorrow...

Speck the Altar Boy

This book was originally my uncle's (when he was a boy) but was given to me by my mother when I started serving many moons ago. Speck is a mischievous server in the times when priest wore cassocks and nuns wore habits. The cartoons are drawn by Margaret Ahern.

I’ll be posting a scanned image of Speck’s adventures here and there.

"O.K. if a layman blows out the candles?"

American Papist has found a news story on the religious left gearing up to face religious right counterpart.

Amy Welborn has My Day by Pope Benedict.

Shannon has a post on "Wo/men?" which looks at the Council for Australian Catholic Women and a link taking me to this ghastly place called Catholic Earthcare Australia.

Phillip Blosser has a dream about music.

Lastly, the Catholic Cavemen have...


"It's Not New, It's Not Improved..."

Ireland worker finds ancient psalms in bog

Here is nice news for you.

DUBLIN, Ireland - (Thanks to the American Papist)

Irish archaeologists Tuesday heralded the discovery of an ancient book of psalms by a construction worker who spotted something while driving the shovel of his backhoe into a bog.

The approximately 20-page book has been dated to the years 800-1000. Trinity College manuscripts expert Bernard Meehan said it was the first discovery of an Irish early medieval document in two centuries. More...

Catholic Signs

The Oxfiles has a post: New from Catholic Sign Company. Here is a sample sign and my personl favourite.

Catholic, Muslim and Jewish students

I was on SBS Arabic Radio (or something like that) today talking about a media release that the Australian Catholic Students Association sent out yesterday. It’s a joint release particularly with the Muslims Students Association and the Australian Jewish University Students. You can see it here I believe.

CathNews makes a story out of it and as usual has an outrageous headline: Students Taking Lead for Middle East Peace.

Ah well. It’s all learning especially being interviewed by a number of organisations and Mercy Sisters ringing to say thanks!! Weird!

New Architecture

Pic of a brand new church. It's St. James Catholic Church in West Virginia and built for the Church's growing population - at 3,400 now. Read more here (thanks Amy).
Times are obviously changing. I couldn't make out a high altar and looks as though the tabernacle is in the centre. Now don't go raging into a debate just yet about where the tabernacle should be placed. I'm doing a little research on the side and may present something shortly on central tabernacle vs. side tabernacle (on a side altar or the like).

links

"Descendant" of Jesus to write a book (via Rocco).

Saint Fulton? at at The Caferteria is Closed. There are also some fantastic pics of a small Church up today.

Update: Jimmy Akin and American Papist on the Medjugorie news front.

Feast of St. James, Apostle

St. James, son of Zebedee and brother of St. John, is called “the Greater” to distinguish him from the other Apostle James. He was beheaded at Jerusalem in the year 42 by Herod Agrippa in the hope of pleasing the Jews.

Collect: We bessech Thee, O Lord, keep and sanctify Thy people; that strengthened by the help of Thine apostle James, they may please Thee by their conduct and serve Thee with a quiet mind.

Alleluia: John 15.16. Alleluia, alleluia. I have chosen you out of the world, that you should go, and bring forth fruit, and your fruit should remain. Alleluia.

Gospel: Matt. 20. 20-23.

Communion: Matt. 19.28. You that have followed Me shall sit upon seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Sancte Jacobe. Ora pro nobis.

My general opinions on lace surplices

This post was inspired by the reply to this post here.

Alb and cincture vs soutane and surplice for servers can be a highly contentious issue at some parishes. I’ll be upfront. I much prefer alb and cincture for the acolytes and thurifer IF the albs are apparelled and the cincture matches the colour of the day.

Onto surplices. I hate mountains of lace. It drives me nuts when wearing it and it’s really rare to find a nice pattern. They tear easily, rarely match and are just icky in general.

These surplices are quite nice.

But these are the types I despise especially on altar boys. (They don't look too bad on the episcopate classes when they want to play dress-ups!)

I also don’t mind gothic surplices. Usually left to the choir now-a-days, they give you a monastic feel and are generally quite comfortable with their wide and long sleeves and ample folds.

So lets leave lace to ladies underwear and the 1950s!

Side note 1: I go to the cathedral on occasion and I get really freaked out when I see an altar girl (aka serviette) wearing a soutane and surplice. Altar girls irk me enough as it is let alone seeing them in a soutane!

Side note 2: Ever seen a modern day priest wear one of these? They are okay if they have a cassock underneath. The priest I served for unfortunately only had black trousers!!

links et al

New Advent tells us about Arch. Charles Chaput's comments on Church vs State.

I don't think the government should listen to the church - the
government should listen to the people and the people should listen to the
church.

The Curt Jester has the Pirouetting Jesuit and Astalavista, baby Jesus.

Rocco on the controversial bishop-elect in Florida.

In other world news... Floyd Landis, who was gone for all money on Wednesday, has won the Tour de France.

Back to university today for the start of Semester two. My history subject is Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide and my engineering subjects are Dynamics and Control II, Embedded Computer Systems, and Design and Communication.

Confirmations went well yesterday. There were a total of 24 candidates. We could have done with two more altar servers and ontop of that one boy had to leave the sanctuary due to sickness and another fainted! I still can't work it out. These boys have made it through the 3-hour Holy Saturday liturgy but couldn't get through this 45minute gig. Need more stamina!

Confirmations

Tomorrow afternoon in little old Adelaide there will be about 20 people confirmed in my local Church. This isn't just any confirmation, but a confirmation in the old-rite. The Archbishop, Most. Rev. Phillip Wilson will preside and my sister Hannah is a candidate.

What I love about old-rite confirmations is that they are simple and not part of a Mass (Benediction will follow however). Oh and the candidates get slapped on the cheek by the bishop when he says Pax tecum. (The "slap of peace". Guess it's better than the "tongue of peace" - a line doing the rounds after WYD.)

Just seconds before that he dips his fingers in the chrism and gives the candidate a triple blessing: Signo te signo crucis + et confirmo te chrismate salutis, in nomine Patris + et Filii +et Spiritus + Sancti.

I'll be serving for the Archbishop. Holding the book or maybe even the crosier. Not sure as we will be down on servers because most are being confirmed!

Meanwhile...

Rocco has a post on the Pope's shoes and the American Papist finds the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church online.

Some book reviews for you from First Things. The title of the article is called Theocracy, Theocracy, Theocracy. That reminds me, I have to buy a certain Jesuit a subscription.

Caferteria is Closed has a post on the dictionary of progressive Catholicism and The New Liturgical Movement has a item on the Latin Lirurgy Association as well as more medieval vestments.

Feast of St. Mary Magdalen, Penitent

Mary Magdalen at the Tomb
When Christ gave the Holy Ghost to the Apostles, he bade them forgive sins as He Himself had done. To-day the liturgy recalls an ever memorable example of our Saviour’s mercy to penitents. Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, is called Magdalen because she was from Magdela in Galilee. She was a sinner, but, touched by grace, came and cast herself at our Lord’s feet; this scandalised Simon the Pharisee, who would have repelled her…but Jesus received her mercifully, and gently accepted her proffered service, assuring her of an honoured place in His royal court.

Collect: May the prayers of blessed Mary Magdalen help us, O Lord: for it was in answer to them that Thou didst call her brother Lazarus, four days after death, back from the grave to life.

The Epistle of the day is from the Canticle of Canticles 3. 2-5; 8. 6-7 (look it up).

Gradual: Ps. 44.8 Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity. v Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness.

Post Communion: Having received, O Lord, Thy precious Body and Blood, the one salutary medicine of our souls: may we, through the intercession of saint Mary Magdalen, be delivered from all evil.

Sancta Maria Magdalena. Ora pro nobis.

I have no key post today for which I am sorry. However can I point you in the direction of The New Liturgical Movement. There is a post there on which as some beautiful pictures of a Pontifical High Mass -- check out the altar! There is also a debate raging in the comments about the merits of lace and forms of vestments. For the record I hate lace.

Speck the Alar Boy is coming to the Indolent Server soon...

Congratulations Rocco

Rocco Palmo from Whispers in the Loggia has hit 1 million visitors to his blog in just over 12months. Congratulations Rocco. Though I don't always agree with him (he's not conservative enough) he is a daily read. Well done and I hope you keep it up.

More links

Catholic Church Conservation, normally specialising in revealing the liturgical abuses within the Church, has two wonderful posts of images of the Seven Sacraments. Post 1 and Post 2.

Catholic Light has links to Gregorian Pop Music.

This blog has a heap of liturgical pictures... including that of the Dominican Rite at the Angelicum in Rome! (I take exception to where the servers are standing however -- must be Tridentine-trained). It takes ages to open but it's worth it. But there is, unfortunately, lots of lace but also pics for a requiem of a priest.

And the Polish Government prays for rain during a "Rain Mass".

A lot more people with their own blogs are now visiting Indolent Server. If you would like your blog listed on my Side Bar, in return for listing mine, drop me a line.

Chaser takes on Hill$ong

You just have to watch this even if it's the only thing you do today. Everyone in Australia will know about Hillsong and most will know of the boys from Chaser. Guys from overseas, this is a parody of an Evangelical Christian Church in Sydney. They were in a bit of strife over "funds"... in fact it's a corporation of sorts...

Official pics

Here are the official pics of the National Catholic Students Conference. Thanks goes to Daniel Kenny for these.

Fr. Fessio answering questions
Fr. Jordan giving an AFL football to our guest

His Grace, Archbishop Denis Hart after Solemn Vespers followed by His Grace, Archbishop Barry Hickey

Archbishop Hickey during delivering the Inaugural Archbishop Mannix Memorial Address on the conference theme How Can We Know The Way? (I’m just cut out of the pic on the left)

Some of the students that went to Mass at the Cathedral on Sunday morning


I will have some of the “unofficial” photos sent to me by early next week and I’ll be sure to post the most embarrassing ones.

I’ve decided I can’t be bothered writing an official wrap-up of the weekend. I hope you’ve read what others have had to say and I'm sure there'll be a summary in the next edition of Sentinel. I will say, however, that that talks were well-received by the students (which counted as nearly 200) as was Mass “as they do it in Rome” aka ad orientem with Gregorian chant. Most of the proceedings will be placed under resources on the ACSA website as they come to hand.

I look forward to a productive year as the President of ACSA and hope to consolidate the work done and advances made in this last year.

Good on ya Bush!

As expected US President G.W. Bush used his right of veto for the first time overnight to stop the exansion of embyonic stem cell reseach.

His message to the House of Respresenatives was blunt and to the point.

I am returning herewith without my approval H.R. 810, the "Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005."
Like all Americans, I believe our Nation must vigorously pursue the tremendous possibilities that science offers to cure disease and improve the lives of millions. Yet, as science brings us ever closer to unlocking the secrets of human biology, it also offers temptations to manipulate human life and violate human dignity. Our conscience and history as a Nation demand that we resist this temptation. With the right scientific techniques and the right policies, we can achieve scientific progress while living up to our ethical responsibilities. More...

Ironically though, he held a press conference soon after with babies born because of IVF. Here.

It's been a big week for the President who was caught using four-letter expletives with Tony Blair and now in trouble over a massage given to the German Chancellor.

Exams finally over. Semester 2 starts on Monday. Then 'round come another lot of exams.

African priest marries mother of his children

I didn't think that much of Rocco's first post on Out of Africa but his second made me take notice. It's a debarcle about an African Catholic priest who married his lover and mother of his two kids and has now formed a break away group with 26 other priests!

Godfrey Shiundu says that his conscience was now clear, "I knew it was wrong to have a girlfriend while serving God as a priest, but I couldn't leave her because I love her with all my heart."

Here is the report from allafrica.com.

I doubt whether I will post today. I have an engineering exam tomorrow (the one I skipped to serve at Fr. Michael McCaffrey's ordination). I have done little study so am hoping that the exam is nearly identical to past years.

On Fr. McCaffrey, he said Mass in Adelaide last Sunday. I MCed and was all done well, except the chior didn't give a long enough tone for the Ite Missa Est. It was, infact, I think, the first Missa Cantata he had celebrated with the rest mainly being Solemn High Masses. For those of you who don't know, Michael has been posted to Canberra.

Couple of links for you

First is a recent article by George Weigel on What Christianity Gave the West.

The second is from Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex on Lord of the Rings Profits Used to Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

My Favourite Catholic Pick-up Lines

By popular demand I’ve gone and looked them up again. Some are my own creation, some are my fathers (mainly aimed at me!), some are originally from a Canon now living in Camberwell and some are from Patrick Madrid.

My favourite five...

1. Haven’t I seen your face on a Holy Card somewhere?
2. Confess here often?
3. My Guardian Angel thinks you’re cute
4. What's a nice girl like you doing at a First Saturday Rosary Cenacle like this?
5. What lovely scapular brown eyes you have! (Can, of course, insert green if need be.)

And the rest...

• Your Pilgrimage or mine?
• May I sit down? I was admiring your Chest - erton. Have you also read Orthodoxy?
• I have a vocation to the married life. Will you help me out?
• My Sacred Heart statue started beating faster when I saw you.
• Ah, so you’re what happened to my missing rib.
• May I offer you a light for that votive candle?
• I would like to study the Theology of your body.
• Hi there. My buddy and I were wondering if you would settle a dispute we're having. Do you think the word should be pronounced HOMEschooling, or homeSCHOOLing?
• You don't like the culture of death either? Wow! We have so much in common!
• Let's get out of here. I know a much cozier little Catholic bookstore downtown.
• I bet I can guess your confirmation name.
• Hi, I need someone to do a Novena with. (That’s nine dates guaranteed)
• Sorry, but I couldn't help but noticing how cute you look in that ankle-length, shapeless, plaid jumper. (ouch!)
• Did you feel what I felt when we reached into the holy water font at the same time?
• Can I carry your missal for you?
• Come to my parish on Sunday you can see me in a tunicle.
  
  If you thought those were lame try these one's... for the evangelical in you!

Have I missed any? Anyone have any more? Or, more importantly, has anyone used them?

St. Camillus

Today July 16 is the feast of St. Camillus de Lellis who is the founded of the Camillians, a congregation of Clerks Regular devoted to the service of the sick. St. Camillus is invoked in the Litany for the Dying and himself died on July 14 1614. (St. Bonaventure, Bishop, Confessor & Doctor is celebrated on July 14)

Introit: John 15.13 Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ps. Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.

Alleluia: Ps. 111.1 Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, he delights exceedingly in His commandments. Alleluia.

Sancte Camille. Ora Pro Nobis

Tomorrow is St. Vincent de Paul so while I’m in a “Mass mood” here is some snippets about him. He is known as the great apostle of charity and brought about a wonderful revival of the priesthood in the 17th Century. As a young priest he was captured by the Moors and carried off to Africa. He too founded a religious congregation of priests – the Lazarists – and the Sisters of Charity. He died in 1660.

Sancte Vincentii de Paulo. Ora Pro Nobis

Israel and the Middle East et al

Against the Grain and American Papist have summaries of the war in the Middle East. The links are worth reading.

Update 17/07: video care of The Australian here. Has B16 on it.

Update 18/07: American Papist is doing a great job of collecteding all the materical. His Permalinks aren't working but just go to him.

I've also come across I weird piece in Catholic World News' Off the Record of a "marriage" between Michael (who had been a seminarian, preparing for the Jesuit priesthood) and Randy (a former Benedictine monk).

It begins like this:

What happens when you combine a blue-eyed gene with a brown-eyed gene? You get brown eyes.
What happens when you combine a "gay wedding" with a "Catholic wedding?"

More...

I wonder how many of their fellow seminarians and religious attended?

Interview with Fr. Joseph Fessio SJ

Keeping with the Fessio for Superior General theme, I found a sneak preview of an interview conducted during the ACSA conference with Fr. Fessio that will be published in Inside the Vatican next month. Thanks to The New Liturgical Movement.

- by Andrew Rabel

Fr Joseph Fessio SJ was a keynote speaker at the national conference of the Australian Catholic Students Association on the weekend of July 7-9 in Newman College at the University of Melbourne.

Fr Fessio is the founder and director of Ignatius Press, the largest Catholic publishing house in the US, and the Provost of Ave Maria College in Naples, Florida. A regular commentator on Catholic affairs, he did his doctoral thesis on Hans Urs Von Balthasar under then Professor Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, at the University of Regensburg, Bavaria in 1975.

In 1996, he founded Adoremus to push Cardinal Raztinger’s goal of the “reform of the reform”. As a close friend of the Holy Father, he has a unique perspective to comment on the affairs and controverises within the Church. At the conference, ITV was able to sit down with Fr Fessio and discuss some of these with him.

1. With the election of Pope Benedict, many of his supporters expected a tough crackdown on dissenters in the Church. But it seems that the Holy Father is moving at his own pace in those areas, to the impatience of some of his diehard following. Is the reaction of some columnists a fair one?

I don’t think it is fair. I think he has continued what he has done as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in responding to serious problems that have come to his attention. But he is someone who works slowly but very surely in a certain direction, and I have not seen any problem that he is aware of that he is not taken steps to address. That may not please some people, but he has a lot of things he has to do.

More...

ACSA conference round up - updated

Originally dated: July 11 2006
I'll keep updating this post when more sites publish info so keep an eye on this one. I'll be posting myself as soon as I return home and download my photos.

Here is post #1 from Dominicanus who claims the conference was the "biggest victory since Lepanto".

Update: July 15 2006
My photos aren't great and I actually too very few during the conference -- I didn't get time.

and here is post #2 from Dominicanus. This post is complete with pics of the Dominican contingent as well as a "non-liturgical" pic of Dominicanus and I. I must however apologies for the far-away look.

shannondonahoo also has a great Fessio round-up and a pic of the two SJs (far out numbered by the OPs of course).

Update: July 17 2006
oh dear. Dominicanus just can't stop! He has now posted #3 which includes the talk he gave on the Sunday after lunch.

blogs of interest

Liturgical Junkies alert! Rocco posts...(Liturgical) Calender Alert

SSPX watch...Vatican offer to SSPX prepared

B16 watch at Against the Grain

Catholics in the Public Square reports on action is Louisana.

Get Religion has a Roundup of World Cup religion coverage

As you can see the posts are more frequent again -- I'm trying to study!

Cappa Magna mania

Don Jim at Dappled Things has reports of more Cappa Magna mania this time by the Archbishop of Malta.

This priest has another blog here where he posts photos of ancient dress and liturgical "stuff". I love it! Bring it all back!

This is outrageous!

I have terrible news. I have been censored by none other than my mother. She thought my post on the Jesuits in question was far too controversial and ordered me to take it down or I wouldn’t get any dessert.

This is an outrage. But one must obey their mother especially under duress.

For the meantime let’s keep up the campaign:
Fessio for Superior General

I suggest letters to your local Jesuit saying “The time has come to get in line. Vote 1 Fessio in 2008”.

What I'm reading

While studying for my last exam (the one I got out of to serve for THE ordination) I've started reading a new book. It's What We Can't Not Know by J. Budziszewski and available through my friend at Connor Court. For those interested in Australian politics I can recommend The Howard Factor published by The Australian recently looking at John Howard's 10 years in office. I've also (finally) got George Weigel's Letters to a Young Catholic on order so it looks to be a good few months if I find time to read.

I'm also keeping an eye on Howard-Costello affair. So if any aussies have an opinion please share it. Today's The Weekend Australian is jam-packed with articles assessing the Costello, McLachlan, Milne claims.

Some beautiful photos inside St. Pat's

I'm still waiting on some pics of the ACSA Conference (I was far to busy to take any) so here are some pics I took at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne on Tuesday. (Click for larger images)Archbishop Mannix himselfSome nice fiddle-back vestments And the window at the back of the Cathedral

Wait! How did the monk get here?

Oh dear...

Oh Dear. This is true, she is an OP nun. See Back Home to Rome for more info. Why can't more nuns be like the Ganmain Sisters we met on the weekend?

A night at the Priory...

I am waiting on a few pics before I post on the conference itself and a conference post will take a bit more time and level of concentration (which I don’t have right now. I must say it was a pleasure to meet many of my readers in Melbourne. Now I challenge you to comment!

This post is dedicated to Daniel and the Prior of St. Dominic’s in Camberwell. Daniel, Patrick and myself had arranged to stay two night with the OPs after the conference – to relax and get some final business done.

The OPs have a Chapter of sorts this week at Mannix College so there were only 3 others in the house on Monday night. The house can sleep 45 and all 3 other were fast asleep by the time we returned from dinner.

Below are some pictures taken that night. You can fill in the blanks of the story yourselves...


















All I want to know is how someone can turn into this the next morning? Daniel is now waiting for his own STD.

Final vows for Mannes

Br. Mannes Tellis OP (formerly known as Paul) was approved for final vows in the Order of Preachers on Sunday night. Please pray for him as this is a huge step in the lead up to ordination.

be right back

Dear all my lovely readers,

I'll be away until Wednesday at the National Catholic Students Conference (see previous posts) so nothing until then. And I have bought a new digital camera so be expecting a few more regular pics.

I've been reading Musings of a Pertinacious Papist for a while now so it's about time I gave it a plug and added it to my list. It's by Dr. Philip Blosser who is a very interesting man so check out his background.

Angry Twins - Fessio and OP nuns

Considering that I will meet Fr. Joseph Fessio SJ I thought I'd post this from the Angry Twins. Famous look-a-likes.
They also have a video of Dominican nuns shaking their bootie!

Pell on Nicole and Keith

Cardinal Pell's column from last weekend's Sunday Telegraph is worth a read here. I love the start. He goes straight from wishing Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban all the best into discussing sexual promiscuity and divorce.

Union official vs union?

I read this story in The Sunday Mail this morning. It's a little ironic really.

FEDERAL Labor and the ACTU have been severely embarrassed by a union official's claim he was sacked by his union using John Howard's new industrial relations laws. Alex Reid, former Queensland secretary of the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers, said he was sacked on "trumped up" charges after a falling out with his boss. Under the provisions of the Government's unfair dismissal laws, he has no right of appeal. More...

Watch this one. I expect the Government will have a field day over this one!

Voluntary Student Unionism

Today Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) comes into effect in Australia! VSU in one form or another has been fought for by right-wingers and conservatives since the 1970s. Student unions in Australia have generally been training grounds for the Labor Party as well as extra funding for Labor campaigns and issues. See what I had to say about the issue in December 2004 in The Australian titled Good Riddance to Compulsory Campus Unionism (I’d post a link by it’s been taken off the website). My views changed over my time as Vice-President of the Adelaide University Union where I was generally marginalised by my views for reform (many of which are now being implemented a year later).

I spent a year attending Union Board meetings as well as chairing the Finance and Development Standing Committee and sitting on various others. It wasn’t a total waste of time as I gained valuable experience in management and a little financial knowledge. It has held me in good stead in a number of my current capacities, primarily now as a member of the University of Adelaide Council. I have also dealt with the dirtiest of personal politics with a number of gagging motions and policies direct at me. One in particular “condemned” me for the above article.

Student Unions not only spend students money (compulsorily acquired though fees) on political campaigns ranging for attacking university policy to the Church teachings and also from promoting abortion to advocating Cuban government as a perfect system, but also on subsidising poor quality food outlets on campus. I can go on but many of you know the story and the arguments that were outlined sometime before the bill was passed in December 2005 with the help of Family First senator, Steve Fielding.

Campus culture should not be lost, simply an end to complacency and new tactics to be forged by the Left. Tony Abbott, Peter Costello, Eric Abetz et al campaigned and succeeded without compulsory support of the student union, now its time for Labor to do the same.

I certainly won’t be voluntarily joining the AUU this semester! Yippie for VSU!