INDOLENT SERVER

2007-06-10T23:20:00.000+09:30

Thomas Peregrinus
for all those that were asking on Sunday...

2028CONGRESS -- 6-8th July 2007

2007-06-02T12:17:00.000+09:30

visit www.towards2008.org.au for more details... registrations have just opened... available to students & young adults... official program out within days.

2007-06-02T12:09:00.000+09:30

I keep getting comments from people I never knew who read this blog asking why I can't get back to posting... so I decided to post something... very brief.

What I'm up to:

1) Uni... trying to finish final year engineering and am the Project Manager of the HYBRID SOLAR ELECTRIC VEHICLE team. See the HSEV 2007 WEBSITE for more details. It has attracted an amount of media attention already.

2) Job search... A number of interviews and weighing up my options for 2008. It's a bit crazy that I'm likely to sign a contract before I even sit my second to last round of exams.

3) ACSA... Our conference is so big this year that we are calling it a CONGRESS. See towards2008 and the post above for more details.

So I'm praying that I get through the next 4 weeks... without failing or burning out.

Indolent update

2007-03-10T16:49:00.000+10:30

As you have noticed I have been away from blogging for sometime. I apologise for leaving opened ended without an explanation. Here is somewhat of an explanation.

I’ve been busy. Very busy. The last time I blogged was about 2 weeks before I finished working full-time at ASC to return to uni after the summer break. They were a tiring 2 weeks as I chased up loose ends, wrote a presentation and handed over my ongoing work to the new graduate. I’m still working once a week on Thursdays but in a different department.

It was also the time when my final year engineering project got cranking. This meant some hours at uni after work, looking at team structures, deliverable deadlines but most importantly at that stage marketing and sponsorship.

The project is the Design & Build of a Hybrid Solar Electric Vehicle (HSEV) to be completed by the end of October. We don’t have a massive uni grant for the project so have to gain our own sponsorship from business. I took on the role of Managing Director of the project which includes 9 Mech Eng & 4 Elec Eng with 3 supervisors. This takes up most of my time at the moment as we arrange sponsorship proposals, a project launch and I prepare presentations for the launch and a special do with Engineers Australia. It’s terribly exciting and the prospects for success should be rewarding.

I’ve also accepted a new position at the university. You may recall that I’m the student member of the University’s governing council, and from that I was invited on to the University’s finance committee for 12 months. It’s an exciting time and should be another useful experience. (Council meeting the other day went for 6 hours though…)

And then of course there is ACSA. Once uni returns for the year we all know it’s time to really get the conference plans cranking, and we are yet to secure any large donations. Speakers are beginning to be locked in and the line-up is looking just about as wished (so far).

So with such a busy year ahead – I stayed in on the Saturday night of Week 1 – I probably won’t be blogging terribly much at all… so please accept my apologies and absence.

The perils of public transport

2007-02-08T18:47:00.000+10:30

A THAI woman who was lost for 25 years after catching the wrong bus home was finally reunited with her family thanks to simple song.

The last time Jaeyaena Beuraheng saw her seven children was in 1982 when she left the southern Thailand province of Narathiwat on one of her regular shopping trips across the nearby border with Malaysia.

She disappeared, and police later told her family that she had apparently been killed in a traffic accident.

In fact, Jaeyaena had simply taken the wrong bus home - an error that would have been easy to fix except that she only speaks the local dialect of Malay known as Yawi, according to officials at the homeless shelter where the 76-year-old has lived for two decades.

On her way back from Malaysia, she mistakenly hopped on a bus to Bangkok, some 1150km north of her home in Narathiwat province.

Unable to read Thai and speaking a language few Thais can understand, she again took a wrong bus, this time to Chiang Mai, another 700km further north.

There she ended up as a beggar for five years, until she was finally sent to a homeless shelter in the central Thai province of Phitsanulok in 1987.
More...

Catholic Blog Awards

2007-02-05T20:56:00.000+10:30

Nominations for the Catholic Blog Awards are now open but only until February 9th... (hint hint). Though of course my ego would love a nomination... I also point you to the many wonderful blogs that I link to that are far more superior to mine.

The categories are for:

1. Best Overall Catholic Blog
2. Best Designed Catholic Blog
3. Best Written Catholic Blog
4. Best New Catholic Blog
5. Best Individual Catholic Blog
6. Best Group Blog
7. Best Blog by Clergy/Religious/Seminarian
8. Funniest Catholic Blog
9. Smartest Catholic Blog
10. Most Informative & Insightful Catholic Blog
11. Best Apologetic Blog
12. Best Political/Social Commentary Catholic Blog
13. Best Insider News Catholic Blog
14. Most Spiritual Blog

Be warned that you have to sign-up to nominate... but then again you probably have to sign up to vote later on anyway.

[Pity there isn't an award for most outrageous Australian Blog, but then again Dominicanus might win that!

Now here is some good news

2007-02-05T19:30:00.001+10:30

From the ABC News website:

Uni to vote on church's demand for stem cell research ban

The University of Sydney is considering complying with a church request to ban a new medical research centre from conducting embryonic stem cell research.

The university wants to buy land from the Catholic Church to build the Institute of Health and Medical Research.

The church's deed on the land stipulates there should be no foetal stem cell research or procedures involving the termination of human life or artificial creation of it.

The president of the Student Representative Council, Angus McFarland, says it is outrageous a health and medical research facility would be banned from such research.

"I'm really concerned that is going to be compromising academic freedom," he said.

"To build a medical research centre on land where you are not allowed to ever, ever engage in human stem cell research or any sort of research that involves the artificial creation or termination of life - I think it's a very limiting thing for the university to do."

The university's Senate will vote tonight on whether to accept the conditions.

I sit on the equivalent of the Senate at the University of Adelaide. The choice is simple - comply or don't buy, and they would be silly not to buy!

Now here is some good news

2007-02-05T19:30:00.000+10:30

From the ABC News website:

Uni to vote on church's demand for stem cell research ban

The University of Sydney is considering complying with a church request to ban a new medical research centre from conducting embryonic stem cell research.

The university wants to buy land from the Catholic Church to build the Institute of Health and Medical Research.

The church's deed on the land stipulates there should be no foetal stem cell research or procedures involving the termination of human life or artificial creation of it.

The president of the Student Representative Council, Angus McFarland, says it is outrageous a health and medical research facility would be banned from such research.

"I'm really concerned that is going to be compromising academic freedom," he said.

"To build a medical research centre on land where you are not allowed to ever, ever engage in human stem cell research or any sort of research that involves the artificial creation or termination of life - I think it's a very limiting thing for the university to do."

The university's Senate will vote tonight on whether to accept the conditions.

I sit on the equivalent of the Senate at the University of Adelaide. The choice is simple - comply or don't buy, and they would be silly not to buy!

Blogs4Life

2007-02-03T19:14:00.000+10:30

Blog4Life have a conference on this year and as a promotional thing they have AngelMouse cartoons for all their boggers. You can even see my blog's template in the background!

links

2007-02-03T15:35:00.000+10:30

World's Toughest Catholic Quiz

Christopher Pearson: Catholics Flock to Cabinet

2007-02-03T12:36:00.000+10:30

I'm still trying to get my head around the new Blogger. So please forgive the messiness of the blog at the moment.
Work has been very busy over the last two weeks but rewarding nonetheless. My performance review on Monday went well and it that means that I'll all but guarenteed a full-time job there when I graduate at the end of this year.

This also signals that there is only 3 weeks left until uni resumes. My final year and all engineering subjects. But there are some interesting ones there such as Engineering Management and Professional Practice along with Finance for Engineers. I can't wait to finish and get out.

Papal lace-makers now producing G-strings

2007-02-01T19:26:00.000+10:30

(From CathNews earlier this week)

Catholics in a Polish lace-making village that produces altar cloths and robes for priests - including the Pope - are in uproar after declining demand for their products led women to develop hot selling new product lines including sexy G-strings for international markets.

The Age reports that the radical adaptation of the traditional skills of the women of the southern mountain village of Koniakow has proved a huge success and online sales of items costing over $100 are soaring.

But the Catholic Church and other critics say the new products including tight little tops, pants, bras and G-strings, known as stringi, are bringing shame on a respectable craft.

Malgorzata Stanaszek, who set up Koni-Art underwear and is now supplying Japanese, American and European customers, said: "We weren't selling much lace, so we had to think of something. It wasn't one woman's idea, it was more like a collective idea."

However, Mieczylaw Kamieniarz, who runs the lace museum in Koniakow, says that "all of Koniakow is ashamed".

"We have made Koniakow lace for altar cloths, priests' robes, even the Pope himself. And now people are going to wear Koniakow lace on their bottoms."
More...

This actually made it into the daily paper in Melbourne. Makes you wonder really...

Hello out there

2007-02-01T18:21:00.000+10:30

Well well well. No blogging for such a long time! The truth is, that I have been busy, but busy with things that don't involve a computer (outside work). Last two nights I have been transporting some antique furniture that the elderly relative gave me. Most will go in storage for the short-term until I leave the nest.

And you'll have noticed that I've finally moved to blogger beta - only because I was forced to.

Australia Day

2007-01-28T17:59:00.000+10:30

Australia Day

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
28 January 2007

Many Australians would be surprised to learn that our country is one of the oldest democracies in the world; one of the earliest nations to give all adults a vote, including women.

We know well that the colony of New South Wales was founded as a British prison, partly in response to the fact that the government in London could no longer offload their convicts to Georgia in North America after the American War of Independence. Few of our United States friends are aware of this and fewer speak about it publicly. But wishing cannot change the past.

As a child I was told that most of the convicts had only committed minor crimes and that many of them were Irish political rebels. In fact most of the convicts were wild, very wild, and often made worse by hardships, by the length of the journey to the other side of the world in small boats and the fierce cruelty of the system, which was worse again on Norfolk Island and Sarah Island in Tasmania.

But there was another side to the story as ex-convicts and their families changed for the better when they received their freedom, were given a fair go, encouraged by good governors such as Macquarie and Bourke. The discovery of gold in the 1850¡¯s, changed our society further.

Australians do not attempt to deny our past, the misery and degradation of the gaols, the awful mistakes, sometimes crimes, with the aborigines, because these humble beginnings emphasise the distance we have travelled to build one of the most prosperous and decent societies in the world.

The climate was hard for the first Europeans, the distances were immense, usually preventing any return, and for more than 150 years there were bouts of sectarianism, English versus Irish, Protestant versus Catholic. Catholics then were often seen as Moslems are today. But the old stories of how communities battled successfully to overcome these hurdles generate national loyalty for us now, reinforcing the conviction that we are Australian citizens, bound to one another by mutual obligations and belonging, not hostile neighbours.

Our young people should be told of our ancestors¡¯ achievements, exploring and settling a huge wilderness, planting self-governing communities, building roads and railways, schools, hospitals and churches, defending freedom here and abroad. We shall continue to thrive only if there is a critical mass of givers not takers, prepared to put themselves out for the common good, energetic enough to keep public opinion sound and courageous enough to withstand its mistakes.

No one has to belong to a particular race or religion to become an Australian, because the nationhood we celebrate on Australia Day is a civic, open nationalism, not racial, not hostile to anyone who chooses to belong and contribute.

Whatever our backgrounds and differences, if we are Australians, old or new Aussies, we belong to one another.

To Blog

2007-01-22T21:24:00.000+10:30

Thanks to Miss Monification for this tip. Try it for yourself if you don't believe it, but Blogger's own spell check doesn't accept the words 'Blogger' or 'Blogging'.

Spiders on Drugs

2007-01-22T18:44:00.000+10:30

A mate sent me a link to this video today. I couldn't stop laughing - 3million views... it's gotta be awesome!

Oz politics

2007-01-22T13:58:00.000+10:30

A piece worth reading from The Australian by Tom Switzer. It's in relation to this news here that former ABC presenter Maxime McKew will be working for the ALP.

2007-01-20T14:45:00.000+10:30

I haven't been posting much lately and probably won't until Monday. The excuse is that I've be soooo busy.

I had a meeting set up with my local Archbishop, Phillip Wilson DD JCL for Friday and was keen to get an ACSA "Annual Report" done in time for that meeting. Arch. Wilson is the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference (ACBC) and we report to them on a yearly basis. So my entire Wednesday night was taken up churnign out that report.

Thursday night my ACSA Treasurer, the redoubtable Camillus, hit Adelaide with a storm. He decided he wanted a bit of a holiday and made sure it co-incided the the ACBC meeting. 'Twas good to have some support.

Like something out of Yes Minister!

2007-01-16T18:16:00.000+10:30

Here Down Under we are in one of (if not the) worst drought on record. There are water restrictions in place in nearly every state and even people employed to moniter the suburbs. You are also encouraged to alert the authorities about neighbours breaking the laws regarding the use of water. The laws include only being allowed to water your garden for three hours and only after 8pm on a certain day of the week.

The classic story today from The Advertiser is about the Minister for Water, Michael Wright breaching his own laws. (The Aussies will apreciate this).

"It's not clear how this occurred but the sprinkler was turned off immediately it was realised," Mr Wright, who was interstate for work yesterday, said in a statement.

It is clear how it occured. You forgot to turn off the tap!

Links

2007-01-15T20:10:00.000+10:30

Fr. Ephraem muses about why some 'modern' priests get dementia.

Rocco has the Pope and Lech Walesa "furious" about the Polish debacle.

Fr. Tim has a simply magnificent post about Communion-in-the-hand.

And this is bizarre (hat tip to Rocco again)....
The Epicopaleans do "Latin Mass".

Shine Jesus, Shine

2007-01-15T19:47:00.000+10:30

I hope you're all preparing for World Youth Day 2008. Here in Adelaide we've been working on an acceptable alternative to Graham Kendrick's 1987 classic Shine Jesus Shine. You all know the chorus which will no doubt be sung at least 7x7 times a day over the two weeks.

Shine, Jesus, shine
Fill this land with the Father's glory
Blaze, Spirit, blaze
Set our hearts on fire
Flow, river, flow
Flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth your word
Lord, and let there be light

Although it doesn't quite match in an exact translation, a very reverend and pius brother has been working on a version called Lux Jesu, Lux. It fits the same tune as well so stay tuned for publication of the final product.

Are there anymore "hymns" we can "improve" before 2008??

McAuley and the Cardinal

2007-01-14T14:01:00.000+10:30

I'm still in the middle of the biography The Heart of James McAuley by Peter Coleman and published by my mate at Connor Court. McAuley was a famous Australia poet and one of Australia's bets known Catholic converts. He was involved politically in the 50s and 60s in the Cold War battles that raged in Australia and the Labor Party. He was a close friend and confident of Bob Santamaria and was very scathing of his Archbishop, Cardinal Gilroy over his "betrayal" of the Movement and its work. So harsh was the relationship that Cardinal Gilroy refused his imprimatur to McAuley's first published hymn book which includes the often sung Help of Christians Guard this Land. (Australia is under the patronage of Mary, Help of Christians.) Archbishop Young of Hobart was happy to give his imprimatur to the publication.

The first verse is:

Help of Christians, guard this land,
From assault and inward stain;
Let it be what Christ has planned,
His new Eden where you reign.

It's a very stirring and upbeat hymn and infact you could easily march to it. We adopted it three years ago as ACSA's official hymn.

Links: Wikipedia's biography of McAuley

Length of Sermons

2007-01-14T13:23:00.000+10:30

Okay guys, I'm looking for a bit of help and your opinion. How long should a sermon go for at your average Sunday morning Mass? Should it be short, sharp, shiny and to the point (5mins) at one extreme, or should it ramble on and repeat itself to hammer in the point (15-20mins)? I'm looking for a opinions here and reasons.

Ruddock doing something useful

2007-01-13T21:33:00.000+10:30

Story from ABC News today:

Euthanasia advocate Phillip Nitschke is furious that federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock is attempting to stop his book from being published in Australia.

Mr Ruddock is appealing a decision by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) to approve the sale of the self-help euthanasia book under strict conditions.

The book offers advice and tips to those considering euthanasia and is being sold in the United States and Canada.

Dr Nitschke denies his book would lead to an increase in Australia's suicide rate.

"Desperate people are the ones who do desperate things," he said.

"What we find is that when people are in possession of the best information, feel like they have choices and control, is that they actually live longer.

"So I simply don't agree with that idea that putting this information out is going to lead to a spate of suicides.

"Rather it will help or improve the overall general health of a lot of anxious and elderly folk at present."

Dr Nitschke says the Government's action is a violation of Australia's democratic rights. More...

The piece later quotes the prominent Northern Territory anti-euthanasia campaigner Tom Kylie as believeing that the book should be published. He believes that its publication would lead to a more healthy debate. Weird! There are some things that shouldn't be published. Last year Sandra Kanck MLC read out instruction to kill yourself in Parliament here in South Australia. The section was removed form Hansard.

Speck archives

2007-01-13T17:47:00.000+10:30

Dragging out the archives still... will have to wait until I'm regularly at uni for some new ones.

"I never met an altar boy before... say something in Latin!"

Girl banned from wearing Cross at school

2007-01-13T15:51:00.000+10:30

From the Daily Mail via The Australian

A BRITISH schoolgirl has been barred from wearing a crucifix necklace in class, the Daily Mail reported today.

Samantha Devine, a 13-year-old Roman Catholic, was told by teachers in Gillingham, south-east England, that it breached health and safety rules, the paper added.

Her family reportedly says it will fight the decision and has accused the school of discriminating against Christians because Sikh and Muslim pupils can wear religious symbols.

The case echoes that of British Airways employee Nadia Eweida, who was suspended in October for failing to remove her necklace or hide it under clothing in accordance with company policy.

The girl has pledged to keep wearing the cross when school restarts next week after the Christmas holiday.

"I am proud of my religion and it is my right to wear a cross around my neck.

"I can't understand why the school thinks a tiny crucifix on a thin silver necklace is a health and safety hazard," she told the Mail.

We hear about these stories so often at the moment. Such a shame especially in 'Christian Europe' as it was once known.

Catholic Church's agencies under fire from Australian Media

2007-01-11T17:47:00.000+10:30

The Catholic Church in Australia and it's agencies have been under scutiny by the Australia press. It's started again because of The Federal Government's funding of the Catholic CentreCare to provide pregnancy counselling. Much of the media and sections of the parliamentary parties and lobby groups believe than counselling can only be given by pro-choice agencies.

Anyway, this article appeared in The Australian today, attacking the Catholic-run hospitals for not refering rape victims to agencies which offer the morning-after pill. This opinion piece also featured today. Tony Abbott continues to cop it, but he continues to keep abortion in the press... something that has kept up since March 2004. And something that hasn't happened in decades.

Oh everyone loves a stab at the Catholic Church! The thing is, its because the other Churches have long given up any moral or ethical values they may have once held! Recall the Uniting Church's support for RU486?

(On a side note, did you see this piece in CNA? Where Uruguary's left-wing President expresses his total comittment to support the unborn!)

Stella Artois ad

2007-01-07T18:08:00.000+10:30

Thanks to Dominicanus for this one. The ad features a number of traditional priests...

Orthodox Christmas

2007-01-07T15:10:00.000+10:30

Merry Christmas to all the Orthodox Christians out there who of course celebrate the Birth of Our Blessed Lord and Saviour today. (The pic is of the Russian Orthodox Patriarch celebrating the Christmas liturgy)

T-Shirts

2007-01-06T15:45:00.000+10:30

'Anonymous' didn't seem to like my post below about abortion clinics. I've now worked out where the guy who sent me that image got it from: Those Shirts.com. Here is another sample.

Bits of Politics, Catholicism & Christianity

2007-01-06T15:02:00.000+10:30

On the front page of The Weekend Australian today was a story on Malcolm Fraser and Santamaria and Santa's role in the dismissial of Gough Whitlam. It read like the Oz had just foudn out the information and it was breaking news! The truth is that the letter was published in a book that was printed last year (2006). The book contains a number of letters to and from Santamaria. I can't remember the name of it but the old mna has a copy. It's not this story by Dennis Shanahan but Dennis' piece is worth a read.

It has also made me think a bit about Malcolm Fraser. In Australia we have a 30-year rule on the release of Government documents. Last year the 30 years found us in 1975 and Gough Whitlam while this years finds us in the government of Malcolm Fraser. Gough suddenly became important again last year and was interviewed on a nearly daily basis on the hot topics of today. I now unfortunately expect this to happen with Malcolm Fraser this year. Oh dear. Both are appalling characters and quiet small 'l' liberal in their values. Fraser in an interview publised on New Years Day refused to say whether he still voted for the Liberal Party. He did state however that he only renewed party membership in support of fellow small 'l' liberal in the ranks. Boy he's a shocker. I think we can only hope that people tire of his rants early this year.

In not unrelated news, Christopher Pearson has a sterling column today titled Rudd needs to learn real Christians are cultural conservatives which follows on from His Eminences column a few weeks ago challenging the ALP of its social progressive policies.

2007-01-05T21:31:00.000+10:30

I was sent this image today...

Moses at the pool

2007-01-05T19:32:00.000+10:30

I know I don't lifeguard at all anymore, in fact I haven't swum at a pool this summer yet but this made me giggle from Letters from a Young Catholic.

Rocky back in the fold...

2007-01-05T19:22:00.000+10:30

I've only just caught up with the news reported just before Christmas that Sylvester Stalone has returned to the fold.

WASHINGTON (CNS) – Sylvester Stallone grew up Catholic, stopped going to church after he tasted fame and fortune, but now considers himself a churchgoing Catholic again.

Stallone's shift back to church started when his daughter Sophia was "born sick," Stallone said in a Dec. 7 telephone interview from Dallas to promote his new movie, "Rocky Balboa."

In November 1996, at age 2 months, Sophia underwent open-heart surgery at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center. The operation went well, and Sophia, now 10, is doing "great," Stallone said. "She's the No. 1 athlete in her class."

Stallone tried to find the words to describe what brought about his self-imposed exile from Catholicism. "I don't know. Life," he said. "Your career is going, you're not communicating with your family."

The weight of celebrity was "very heavy," he added. "I didn't have any strong foundation behind me of people that would keep my feet on the ground. I was extremely seduced by the newfound freedom."
More...

Update/Abbott/Cricket

2007-01-05T17:38:00.000+10:30

Folks, it's been busy back at work so I apologise for the lack of posts. I did manage one post over at the Recusant Cricket Club which you can find over here. It's a tribute to Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer.

I read this opinion article by Hon Tony Abbott MP in the SMH on Wednesday titled Why our Christian legacy gets an each-way bet. It was published just days after the controversy surrounding his approval of counselling funding for the Catholic Centrecare for pregnancy counselling.

The article is great and well worth a read. You can find out info about the abortion debate and Tony's remarks about counselling services through Google News I'm sure.

New Year's Resolution

2007-01-02T21:46:00.000+10:30

Ah! I never really have new year's resolutions as I know from the start that they will never work. Maybe I can just make sure I get through what I hope will be my final year of university and that my final year project along with the ACSA conference doesn't drive me into an early grave or for that matter insane! And maybe I should get fit and drink a little less beer.

Polish in on the act

2006-12-31T15:19:00.000+10:30

Rorate Caeli has posted the Declaration on the use of the Traditional Liturgy which was signed by Polish intellectuals and Members of Parliament including the Speaker of the National Parliament. Perhaps we can get an Australian version? I can think of about two dozen of the top of my head that would count and a few dozen more who aren't regulars that would oblige. But it begs the question, whether these things actually work when it comes to the Vatican?

Whoops, there goes St. Michael

2006-12-28T15:37:00.000+10:30

I will make a rash promise that Speck will return sometime in the New Year.

"Father - er - does a new statue cost very much?"

The Pope's Cologne

2006-12-28T15:30:00.000+10:30

I got onto this tip from Dominicanus who suggests buying it for the priest who has everything! It's a website that claims to have re-created the cologne worn by Pope Pius IX in the 19th Century! Here is the exert from the website: www.thepopescologne.com/

The Pope’s Cologne is a classic Old World cologne made from the private formula of Pope Pius IX (1792-1878). We obtained this formula from descendants of the commander of his Papal Guard and lifelong friend, General Charles Charette. We have followed this complex, exclusive formula meticulously, using the same essential oils that his perfumers used 150 years ago. We believe that we have succeeded in capturing the same fragrance that he and those around him enjoyed so long ago. This is a truly extraordinary cologne with surprising freshness and notes of violet and citrus. We are pleased that you will have the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful, historic fragrance. It is an honor for us to be able to produce it and make it available for your pleasure today.

There was an article published about it in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Priests and Politics

2006-12-28T14:53:00.000+10:30

This first one doesn't relate to a priest, rather a former bishop (and a hat tip to Rocco Palmo too). It seems a former Paraguayan bishop is about to run for President. Fernando Lugo was appointed bishop of the impoverished northern San Pedro diocese by Pope John Paul II in 1994, but 10 years later he was ordered to retire. There was no official reason.

The Vatican on Tuesday called on a retired Roman Catholic bishop to give up his plans to run for Paraguay's presidency or face canonical sanctions.

But retired Bishop Fernando Lugo said he had already resigned from the priesthood to lead a planned opposition alliance and challenge conservative President Nicanor Duarte of the Colorado Party in elections scheduled for May 2008.
More...

I wonder how long it will be until a priest, or former-priest, has a run here in Australia. Remember this Canadian priest? There is a difference here in that the country is rather secular compared with the South American countries however that may not deter some... without publishing any names...
----------
This second one surrounds the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. (Hat tip Curt Jester) There are reports that he is considering setting up his own state-sponsored church with him as the head bishop. Note that Venezuela is at least 90% Catholic! Father Jonathan Morris wrote this story for Fox News.

Archbishop Hugo Chavez?

Try to imagine Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, dressed up as a bishop — the head bishop — of his own state-sponsored church.

According to media reports coming out of Latin America, President Chavez is considering a proposal that would establish him as the high priest of his own form of evangelical Christianity, convert his cabinet members into bishops of a lower rank, and submit church activities to the civil and military power of his government.

It is still unclear who is behind the proposal. Publicly, it has taken the form of a petition by leaders of “Centro Cristiano de Salvación” (Christian Center of Salvation). The association claims to represent 17,000 evangelical churches and 5,000,000 Venezuelans. Their request is simple: make their denomination the country’s official religion, teach it in all public schools and pay the pastors from government coffers. In turn, they will make Chavez their head bishop and promise to submit absolutely to his authority.
...
Some call the Venezuelan leader “El Loco,” but if these reports are true, President Chavez deserves more credit. He may be crazy, but he’s not dumb. He promised the world that his recent re-election would launch the second phase of his so-called “Bolivarian Socialist Revolution” and he is now keeping his promise.
Full story...

Lutherans blogging

2006-12-27T16:18:00.000+10:30

I've just (somehow) found a Lutheran blog with a very very funny piece. The blog is Horn + Swoggled and it seems that there are maybe nearly as meny Lutheran blogs out there to match the Catholic ones. And as is the case with us, the Lutherans that are blogging are mostly pretty traditional and orthodox.

Anyway the story I came across was on Liturgy Card Girls Highlight Blended Worship.

Faced with an alarming absence of men in its pews, one Iowa church is borrowing from successful fight promoters in a new form of "blended worship" designed to please a wide audience. The Third United Methodist Church of Ames will continue to use the historic liturgical form of worship, but has begun using bikini-clad "liturgy card girls" to announce each new part of the traditional service.

"Men are staying away more and more on Sunday morning," said Pastor William Knight, a 52-year-old former marketing consultant. "We need to do whatever it takes to fulfill the Great Commission by winning men's hearts for God."

Knight initially proposed scrapping liturgical worship altogether, replacing it with a contemporary football-themed service. When some younger members complained that they desired to deep the "solemnity" of the liturgy, Knight struck a compromise involving the liturgy card girls.

"We're all going to have to sacrifice if we're going to re-engage men in the life of the church," said Pastor Knight. "That includes some young women who are going to have to sacrifice some of their clothing for the sake of their erring Christian brothers."

Oh dear. I'm not sure if it's working and I wonder what kind of men it's bringing to the liturgy.

George Pell: God doesn't take sides in politics

2006-12-27T10:00:00.000+10:30

This article was published in The Australian today. I think His Eminence has made a brave move by challenging both Kevin Rudd and his Christian counterparts in the ALP to press for reforms within the ALP in favour of family and life. If you want to read the whole article see here.

IN his recent Acton Lecture, The Australian's Paul Kelly pointed out that God was making a comeback across the world, so that 70 per cent of the world's population will be Christian, Muslim or Hindu in 2025. In 1900 they were 50 per cent of a much smaller population.
...
In Kevin Rudd's earlier outspoken article in the October issue of The Monthly, "Faith in Politics", he obviously also felt that God was doing well in Australia, at least for the moment. He praised St Thomas More and especially the Protestant pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, killed by the Nazis, as an example of muscular Christianity, urging that the church should be in the middle of the village, not on the boundaries where human powers give out.

There is a certain tension in Rudd's approach because Bonhoeffer and More, executed by Henry VIII, are martyrs and it is difficult to be more marginalised than that, but he argues cogently against the political orchestration of various forms of organised Christianity in support of "the conservative incumbency".

The Opposition Leader obviously felt that his religiously framed attack on a host of Coalition policies would enhance the electoral fortunes of the Australian Labor Party and his own campaign for the leadership. He has been proved right on the second of these two issues.
...
Politicians and church leaders come to the problems of church and state, of religion and politics, from different perspectives. While politicians have an undoubted concern for the common good, their immediate goal is to present their arguments in a way that enables them to win power for their political party. On the other hand, religious leaders can afford a more objective approach, examining each issue from the perspective of traditional belief and the wellbeing of the community.
...
Political opinions vary among clergy and laity, and my own preference is for Christians to belong to the various parties rather than the churches having all their eggs in one basket. Like Rudd, I do not see the Christian churches as the political handmaiden of the conservative political establishment but neither do I see church leaders as handmaidens or regular spokesmen for the Opposition. Bishops and moderators have the right, and sometimes the duty, to speak out on public moral issues, to praise as well as blame any of the agencies in public life. Generally the instinct should be for co-operation, not confrontation, recognising that a strident advocacy for the marginalised, vulnerable and oppressed is often easier than helping them.

Moving from these personal perspectives, I welcome Rudd's religious concerns without necessarily sharing his conclusions. He does not challenge the separation of church and state in any way and effectively rebukes those secularists who wish to exclude Christian considerations from public discussion.

However, it remains to be seen how widely the ALP will avoid following the pattern of the Democrats in the US where, until the recent elections, Christians were not wanted as candidates.

Preselection of Labor candidates is not in the hands of the parliamentary leader. It is performed by local party members and-or elected bodies where secular influences are much stronger than in the general community. The influence of Emily's List in the selection of pro-abortion female candidates for the Labor Party is well known.

If the party were to follow nationally the old-fashioned views of John Cain, Joan Kirner and The Age editorialists in Victoria rejecting pro-life and pro-family policies, the ALP would be in permanent Opposition. Times have changed and many are troubled by the consequences of the revolutions of the 1960s.

God is making a comeback across the world and will continue to do better in Australia than many secular commentators allow. The moral challenges of war, biotechnology, refugees and social justice will not disappear. But there is no immediate prospect of a Christian Right here with the influence of the moral majority in the US, and economic considerations will continue to outweigh godly claims, the protests of the secularists and the dwindling number of atheists.
...

I guess we shall have to wait on the consequences of this piece. My guess is that a number in the ALP won't be happy.

Midnight Mass II

2006-12-27T09:43:00.000+10:30

Midnight Mass went off rather well. The chior was in fine form and there were just enough servers there to make do. (A number are quite young and weren't allowed out so late!). Everyone was surprised at the turnout. I would be guessing around 200 which is less than we usually get on a Sunday but from my position on the altar (with confirmation from some friends) most fo the churchgoers weren't regulars. In fact nearly a majority no-one had ever seen before. Why they chose to attend Midnight Mass in the Traditional Rite, I have no idea except to say that if I was one of those once or twice a year Catholics I'd be wanting to make sure that one Mass was up to scratch!

Not many of the servers made it up again for the 9.30am Day Mass however all the chior were present and again were fabulous. And the general numbers of parishoners were still high.

Et Verbum Caro Factum Est

2006-12-27T09:24:00.000+10:30

To all the bloggers out there and their families I hope you had a blessed and safe Christmas.
(It's late I know but we are still well inside the Octave of Christmas!)

And I can't be bothered posting on the action in Rome over Christmas. I'm sure you can find all the necessary sermons and messages.

Midnight Mass

2006-12-23T23:54:00.000+10:30

I noticed a whole lot of hits coming in through Google with people searching for a midnight Mass in Adelaide. So here is a shameless plug:

Midnight Mass (that is 12 midnight)
Church of the Holy Name
80 Payneham Road, St. Peters.

It will be celebrated in the Traditional Roman Rite with (there can be no doubt) a beautiful chior.

Dappled Things

2006-12-23T11:28:00.000+10:30

I'm a little bit disapointed that ACSA didn't get out an edition of Sentinel before Christmas but have a read of the Advent/Christmas edition of Dappled Things instead.

Christmas Message from George Cardinal Pell

2006-12-23T10:25:00.000+10:30

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
23 December 2006

Most Australians approve of the feast of Christmas and not just because it is a good holiday break. Christmas celebrates birth and motherhood, innocence and promise. It is a feast of the future.

Most of us like to receive greetings and presents, while young children love being the centre of attention. In celebrating Jesus’ birth we honour one of their age group, one from their young tribe.

The Christ child and his mother are reassuring; only confronting to those who do not value children. A healthy happy baby, growing apace, is a source of wonder and awe and a stimulus to Christian hope. Christmas also reminds us that families and nations decline and disappear unless babies are born, loved and nurtured.

But the truths of Christmas are also central to the Christian idea of God. For some, God is a figure on the boundary, almost out of the game. For others, God is remote, uncaring and indifferent to our suffering.

God is not an absentee landlord. Recently, a grade six boy asked his bishop why, if God loved us so much, He didn’t come himself to visit us. The Christian notion of God means that he did, because the Son, the eternal word, is from within God and is God. Jesus has a divine and human nature.

Christmas shows us that God is personal, much more than the mighty forces of nature. The Son of God once lived among us and continues to act today through his followers and all people of good will. So we can claim in faith that Christ is at work in the firefighters, not in the bushfires they are fighting.

Let us pray once again at this Christmas that through our actions the Christ child will bring peace to all hearts and homes, especially to those who are physically or psychologically ill, to those in detention centres or gaols, to those with little or no hope.

I wish everyone a happy Christmas, to my fellow Christians, to those of other faiths, to those without faith and especially to all battling the drought in country areas. A happy Christmas to you all.

Shane Keith Warne

2006-12-22T17:31:00.000+10:30

My tribute to Shane Keith Warne has been posted at the Recusant Cricket Club and includes a bit of a stab at the future make-up of the Australian squad.

I also note this news where Martin Crowe has called for a review of Muttiah Muralitharan's action which he claims deteriorates as the innings wears on.

DLP whoops

2006-12-22T16:32:00.000+10:30

You can recall this post of mine about the election of a member of the DLP to the Victorian Parliament. Thus I was rather surprised to read in the Melbourne papers that the DLP's MP was prepared to back gay unions. The Age led with this:

INCREASED rights for gay couples in Victoria could be a step closer after the Democratic Labor Party said it would support measures to decrease same-sex discrimination.

In his first interview since entering the Victorian Parliament, Peter Kavanagh, the DLP's first Victorian MP in almost 50 years, told The Age he would push for gay couples to have their relationships recognised and be given the same property and inheritance rights as heterosexuals.

And the Herald Sun this:

AUSTRALIA'S first DLP Member of Parliament in 50 years, Victoria's Peter Kavanagh, would support law changes allowing gay people to register their relationships.
The shock announcement -- designed to dispel the notion that the DLP is ultra-conservative -- comes as Mr Kavanagh begins finding his feet in Victoria's Upper House, where he holds a share of the balance of power.

"I'm not anti-gay, particularly," the 47-year-old former barrister and schoolteacher said, "provided we retain a special place for traditional marriage . . . if it is necessary to change the law to avoid exploitation in a gay relationship, or to help with superannuation or to end unfair discrimination, then I would support it."

The DLP was quick to try and get the point straight and within a coupel of hours I had received a copy of the DLP's media release... three times. It starts off with:

The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) is outraged and has moved immediately to issue a clear and definite statement on the party’s stand against legislating for same sex unions, following erroneous reports today that Peter Kavanagh, the party’s newly elected Member of the Victorian Legislative Council had expressed support for civil unions and the registration of same sex relationships.

The reports arising from a press interview given by Mr Kavanagh yesterday are completely misleading and have misrepresented the DLP position, according to a party spokesman.

Party secretary, John Mulholland, said, “DLP members have reacted to the reports believing they were intended to damage support for the DLP. It is not easy for our members to see this as anything less than deliberate, given the extent of erroneous reporting and the anti-DLP tone of earlier press comment on the party’s success in the State election”.

John Mulholland has blamed journalists responsible for the reports, for “twisting Mr Kavanagh’s words” to maximise the “shock value” they have been able to generate in the media. He said “it looks very much like it was intended to leave the public confused about where the DLP stands”.

Mr Mulholland said:
“The DLP does not support the legal recognition, in any form whatever, of the (same sex) relationships referred to in these reports”.

“The DLP recognises that where injustices to individuals in these relationships occur, just as they occur to individuals in any other kind of relationship they may warrant legislative attention, for example, in regard to property and inheritance rights”.

“But this is merely to recognise the individual rights of the persons involved in same sex relationships, wherever the injustices or inequities occur”.

“It is by no means to give any form of legal standing or recognition to their relationships per se. The DLP and the broad membership of the party are emphatic on this distinction”.

Guess the guy is new to politics... remember Barnaby Joyce and his first week or two?

The Holy Family

2006-12-22T10:02:00.000+10:30

I know, it's not yet the feast the Nativity of Our Blessed Lord let alone the Holy Family but I'm doing a bit of a plug here for a fantastic brochure put our by the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family (Melbourne).

Go to their website here and download and read the brochure on the Holy Family. It's actually very good and worth reading.

This is the blurb I got sent:

"The John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family has produced a brochure to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. It has been written by a lecturer at the Institute with a view to explaining the origins of this feast and to offer some reflections from the contemporary theology of the Holy Family. So often the only thoughts people have on the Holy Family are of pastel holy cards from childhood. In this reflection we have tried to offer something a little more substantial."

Holy Smoke

2006-12-19T16:24:00.000+10:30

You either love them or hate them. The Irish... they are damn Catholic yet don't understand sometimes...how is this story from CathNews today?

Irish MP and medical practitioner, Dr Jim McDaid, has again lit a firestorm of debate over his warning of the potential danger for altar servers breathing incense smoke at church services.

Reporting on the comments of Dr McDaid, who first raised his concern for incense smoke in 2003, Dr W Gifford-Jones of Canada Free Press says there are unknown health problems associated with the Christian tradition of lighting candles and burning incense during Masses.

"Here you have quite a thick billowing type of smoke. Sometimes you see children with this instrument which is down normally around their ankles, and the smoke keeps coming up", Dr McDaid, who is a Minister of State for Ireland, was quoted as saying.

Dr Gifford-Jones says "it takes a brave man to criticise current traditions and clerics who have confirmed ideas about the burning of incense".

In another story, the Canada Free Press also warns that care of children is especially necessary at Christmas.

The journal cites the case of a two-year old boy with a history of recurrent right-sided pneumonia since 10 months of age whose bouts of lung infection started a few months after his first Christmas.

Initially, doctors detected nothing abnormal after examining the lungs with a stethoscope, and the boy was otherwise healthy. But x-ray continually revealed a right-sided pneumonia.

Eventually an X-ray and CT scan showed a round mass in the lower portion of the boy's right lung that surgery showed to be a small branch of an evergreen Christmas tree that the child had swallowed.

"So keep an eye on toddlers who have a tendency to taste and swallow objects this
Christmas," the Free Press warns.

I recall seeing something a couple of years ago where a priest in Ireland banned incense becuase of health concerns. Compare that with the 'good old days' when Dominicanus celebrated Mass at St. Lawrence's Church Nth. Adelaide! Back int he days when a server and I used to go through two packets of charcols a week - that was excessive but...we were young. We used to joke about our addiction to Prinknash and thought about taking up smoking it in a pipe!

Australian Wins the Ashes

2006-12-18T21:44:00.000+10:30

I'm trying to be gracious by extending my condolences to my friends and colleagues at the Recusant Cricket Club at the loss of something so close to them - the Ashes. But what a game! Australia and the England bowled out very cheaply in the first two days before Australia put bat to ball on Day 3 with Hussey, Clarke and Hayden making some decent scores before Gilchrist cimply finised them off. Adam Gilchrist, the Australian wicket-keeper scored the second fasted century in Test cricket off only 57 balls!!! Gilchrist hadn't made a decent test score for sometime and needed to regain some form. What a way to do it!

Monty Panesar bowled superbly on a pitch that, unusally for Perth was first a spinners' wicket then flattened to be a batsman's paradise. England's effort in the 4th innings was remarkable too.

And thankgoodness an Australian cricket ground finally let in the trumpeter! Meanwhile debate surrounds the urn remaining in Australia - even the one that Ponting is holding is a replica.

Shane Warne's wicket total now stands at 699, fittingly leaving him to take his 700th wicket in front of his home crowd in Melbourne on Boxing Day.

Prayers and thoughts are with Ashley Giles as he heads back to the UK to be with his sick wife who has just been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Putting Christ back into Christmas

2006-12-18T20:13:00.000+10:30

If there is one thing you do today it is watching this video of the Christmas Linebacker. Another one via Roman Miscellany. I loved it so much I left the text of the post big.

The DLP and Victoria

2006-12-17T17:12:00.000+10:30

Well I said I'd try and write a post on the DLP and the Victoria election so here you go (written in between watching the 3rd Test - Warne has just got Bell out caught on 87, the devil's number of cricket!)

The victory of the Democratic Labor Party's Peter Kavanagh in the Upper House last week and the effort of party chief John Mulholland who lost on recount to the ALP was a blast form the past for many. The DLP has not had a MP in a Parliament in Australia for nearly 30 years and no-on in the Victorian Parliament since the 1950s.

The DLP of today is not the DLP of yester year with BA Santamaria as it's brain child but there are many links to the past. Gerard McManus's article in the Herald Sun is worth a read. In summary for the overseas readers, the DLP split from the Australian Labor Party in the 1950s over the ALP's support for Communists in the Trade Union movement. It was largely a Catholic Party and the brain child of BA Santamaria and his movements. The 'Movement', as it became known, has support from Archbishop Daniel Mannix in Melbourne but was not liked by the bishops of Sydney and after some lobbying Rome, Santamaria was forced to drop the Catholic tag and set up the National Civic Council.

Both Mulholland and Kavanagh are good guys and deserve some support. For a day it looked like the DLP would hold the balance of power in the Upper House along with the Greens and Nationals meaning a with the Nationals there was a decent conservative bloc. However the DLP lost a seat on recount to the ALP and the Greens picked up one a the ALPs so a net gain to the government of zero still leaving them without a majority but with a greater Greens presence.

Crikey.com had this to say:

Who would have thunk it! Fifty-one years after it last one a seat in Victoria’s Parliament, the DLP appears to have picked up two places in the new Legislative Council on less than 2% of the primary votes.

Bob Santamaria must be lecturing God and St Peter on politics today, pots are calling kettles black with left wing nutter and new Green MP Greg Barber complaining about the election of a "right-wing nutter"; meanwhile, the psephologists are studying the power of preferences.

But if the DLP’s back, who will it draw to its flag. It’s cousins in the NCC have been stacked by the La Rouchists. Will they move on Santa’s Helpers in the DLP – or will the right wing bruvvers ride to the rescue.

Take the Shoppies, for example. Sunday trading has done wonders for their membership, but Joe de Bruyn keeps urging us to remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy. Will his union be the first lot to reaffiliate with the new resurgent DLP?

The split never really happened in South Australia, but the Speaker of the state parliament, Jack Snelling, is a grouper through and through. Labor has a healthy majority there, but still has the state’s sole National and a country conservative independent in the ministry. A speaker from the DLP would only add to the colour.

Think about it. There may be some real benefits for Labor MPs to join the DLP. Think of the Family First preferences to begin with.

So who else should shift their affiliations? We’re not just talking Labor members here. What about Tony Abbott? Johnno Johnston would weep tears of joy.

and this:

The Democratic Labor Party (DLP), pronounced dead by most observers 30 years ago, has stirred from the grave this week and on provisional results has won two seats in the Victorian Legislative Council. (There will be recounts, and there are some apparent anomalies; for a full discussion see the comments at the Poll Bludger site.)

Strictly speaking, this is not the old DLP that split from Labor in the 1950s under the influence of Bob Santamaria's Movement (later the National Civic Council). That party was wound up in 1978, but a group of Victorian dissidents led by John Mulholland carried on under the old name.

The old DLP was conservative and rigidly anti-communist, but it was still within the political mainstream. It held seats in the Senate until 1974, and in its heartland of Victoria its vote peaked in 1961 at just under 17% (with which it won no seats).

In the 1970s and 80s, after Santamaria pulled the plug on the DLP, NCC members (often called "Groupers", after the ALP Industrial Groups) with any taste for mainstream politics moved into other parties. The NCC-controlled unions were readmitted to the ALP in the mid-80s, and their leaders have gone on to play a major role in cementing right-wing control of the Victorian ALP.

They are also found in the Liberal and National parties: two of the new Liberal upper house members are commonly identified as Groupers.

But the Groupers had a third string to their bow; in addition to influencing the major parties, they were able to funnel their preferences to the surviving DLP, which under Mulholland had become an ever-narrower anti-gay and anti-choice brigade.

It was the best of all possible worlds, combining the advantages of mainstream politics and single issue pressure group.

Now they seem to have hit the jackpot: Labor preferences give the DLP a seat in Western Victoria ahead of the Greens, and Liberal preferences elect Mulholland in Northern Metropolitan ahead of the ALP's Nazih El Asmar.

In one sense, democracy is well served by denying the government control of the upper house. But the way in which it occurs threatens to make Victorian politics hostage to the extreme right.

The Greens' Greg Barber is not an unbiased source, but he hit the nail on the head this morning:

I think Labor has again, like with Family First, elected a right-wing nutter to the Parliament. If I was a Labor voter living in Geelong or Ballarat or Portland, I'd be absolutely furious because their vote was taken off them and sent off to a place where they never imagined it was going.

Gaudete Sunday

2006-12-16T12:42:00.000+10:30

It's that time of year when the Rose vestments are dusted and brought out for the First Sunday this (Liturgical) year. They will have to wait until Laudete Sunday to be worn again. I'm looking forward to it as the chior tends to put an effort into this particular day.

The New Liturgical Movement has a simply awesome post on Rose vs. Pink vestments citing the following examples. I think you may be able to guess which one I prefer...

Pater Noster in Greek and Aramaic

2006-12-16T12:27:00.000+10:30

I was Googling (the verb to Google) around and found a site with the Pater Noster in a number of languages (thanks to Wikipedia).

Here it is in Greek:

Πάτερ ἡμῶν, ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς·
ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου,
ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου,
γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τής γής.
Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον.
Καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν,
ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν.
Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν,
ἀλλὰ ρυσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ του πονηρου.

Aramaic:

Avoen de-bisj-maïa
Nit ka-dasj sjim-moech
Tih-thih mal-khoetoe
Neh weh sev-ja-noech
Ai-tsjana de-bisj-maïa
Ap bar-a
Hah lan lach-ma de soenka-nan jo-mana
Osjok-lan cho-been:
ai-tsjana de-ap chnan sjvakkan le-cha-ja-ween
Ola ta-elan le nisjoena:
Il la passan min biesja
Mit-thil de-di-loech hai mal-khoeta
oe-chela oe tisj-booch-ta
Le-alam al-mien
Amien

And of course, just for a bit of a reminder, in Latin:

Pater noster, qui es in caelis
Sanctificetur nomen tuum;
Adveniat regnum tuum.
Fiat voluntas tua
Sicut in caelo et in terra
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie.
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
Et ne nos inducas in tentationem;
Sed libera nos a malo.
Amen.

I was dissapointed that I couldn't find it quickly in Gaelic.

Update: Thanks to Jovan-Marya Weismiller, T.O.Carm. in the comments, in Gaelic.

Ár nAthair, atá ar neamh, go naomhaítear t'ainm, go dtaga do ríocht, go ndeintear do thoil ar an dtalamh mar a deintear ar neamh. Ár n-arán laethúil tabhair dhúinn inniu, agus maith dhúinn ár gcionta mar a mhaithimíd do chách, agus ná lig sinn i gcathú, ach saor sinn ó olc.

My thoughts on Kevin

2006-12-16T11:54:00.000+10:30

Kevin Rudd was in Adelaide yesterday and apparently met my sister and grandmother in a shopping centre. Anyway, what are my thoughts on Kevin? (Kevin Rudd is the new Leader of the Opposition (Labor Party) here in Australia). You can recall that I like to call him Kevin ‘I’m a Christian too’ Rudd because he likes to remind everyone that Tony Abbott isn’t the only strong Christian in Federal Parliament. This is true but it’s the manner that Rudd does it that amuses me.

Kevin was raised a Catholic but is now a practicing Anglican along with his wife and children. Mostly he’s a good guy on ethical and moral issues but lacks grounding like many of those that were educated or instructed by Jesuits. One day he is calling himself and old-fashioned Christian Socialist and the next day he is running round saying that the ALP would drop its socialist doctrines.

I think Rudd is truly a centrist but I’m not sure whether he will, in his nerdiness, gain the vote of 50% +1 of voters in 50% +1 of electorates. I don’t think Julia Gillard will help matters either. Now there is a Red if there was one. The way she looks and speaks is not Australian which is another problem Rudd will encounter – his accent isn’t typical Australian.

Let’s hope Howard wins again, this time with a greater number of Catholic/Christian MPs at his side.

Third Test

2006-12-14T20:38:00.000+10:30

I have just posted a wow of a pic at the RCC. Just a friendly reminder of the Second Test for our English friends.

Day 1 in Perth was very interesting. Australia were bowled out for 244 with Panesar taking 5 wickets and Harmison regaining some form with 4. But at stumps England are 2/51. So not a bad day to be a spectator - nearly 300 runs and 12 wickets.

If it weren't for the cricket and work I would write a little on the DLP's victory in the Victorian election. Maybe Saturday, so watch for it. I've also been working on a bit of ACSA business which is finally getting somewhere with a few recent donations and a few letters sent out to bishops etc.

Scottish Sems

2006-12-13T18:03:00.000+10:30

Last time I tried to post this it failed so here goes...

You can see below of pic of some Scotish seminarians wearing blue! I thought it was a tad odd so thought it was worth a post (thanks to Fr Nicholas Schofield who will be added to the blog roll when I next update).

You can also see they are doing what seminarians should do best... looking after the booze!

Waiting on news on Classical Rite

2006-12-12T16:40:00.000+10:30

Fr. Ephraem has two posts worth reading - one and two - and this one from Rorate Caeli. Effectively the Ecclesia Dei Comission is meeting to discuss the 'liberation' of the Classical Rite.

Christmas Hymns/Carols

2006-12-10T20:28:00.000+10:30

We sang O Come O Come Emmanual as a recessional hymn for the second sunday in a row and no doubt we will be singin it next week too but I got me thinking - what is my favourite Christmas Hymn/Carol? And why? I'm really not sure.

I love Rorate Caeli during Advent and I am a bit of a fan of Gaudete and Puer Natus in Bethleham but not sure what would top my list.

What top's your list and why?

Midnight Mass

2006-12-10T20:11:00.000+10:30

It was made official today that there would be a Mass in the Tridentine Rite in Adelaide at midnight this Christmas. I'm looking forward to it as I've actually never been to one in the Classical Rite as there hasn't been a 'public' Mass allowed.

I wonder what the chior will choose and what the turn-out will be like?

Unfortunately we aren't lucky enough to manage a dawn Mass... maybe next year.

Worthy Links

2006-12-09T13:58:00.000+10:30

Christopher Pearson has an amusing piece in The Australian today about Julia Gillard, the ALP's new Deputy Leader - Finding a job for Julia.

CNA has also published an awesome piece on Arch. Chaput - Denver Archbishop decries trend of discounting believers in political life.

OP Salve Regina

2006-12-09T13:50:00.000+10:30

You can watch/listen to the Dominican version of the Salve Regina on YouTube here. I simply love this version and it's much more monastic in character.

ramblings

2006-12-09T10:26:00.000+10:30

Sheesh. Have I missed a bit of news lately or what! Cloning is now legal in Australia. There was some thought that an ammendment prohibiting the use of aborted foetuses would get up and then force the bill back to the Senate but that was not to be. I'm appalled at those 'Catholic' politicians who stood up and announced their Catholicism before supporting the Bill. Well done to John Howard and Kevin Rudd (the new ALP leader) for speaking against the bill.

Now that's a topic I've barely looked at either. The Labor leadership - the new dream team of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. And Pauline Hanson formerly of One Nation is back and goign to run for Parliament again. This time not against Aboriginals but against Muslims. Gosh she is a nutter. Maybe she is just short of money again.

Then there was the great win by the Aussie cricket team on Tuesday. Taking 9 English wickets before tea then scoring 168 in a small amount of over to win the test with only 2 overs to spare. Just sensational and undoubtedly the bext win by the Aussies at Adelaide. The most exciting loss being when Australia lost by one run to the West Indies in a dubious decision by the umpire to give Craig McDermott out, caught behind.

Hopefully I ave time and motivation to write on these things this coming week.

Personal Update

2006-12-04T21:49:00.000+10:30

Happy New Liturgical Year. The blog has been dead quite for a few days. Why? The Test Cricket is in Adelaide! For a detailed analysis of the match please visit my post at the Recusant Cricket Club. This will simply be a personal account.

I got to the ground with my Polish Cricket Umpire mate just before the gates opened at 8.00am to rush with the crowd to get a decent seat in the members. Problem was that a couple of thousand others had the same idea – match starts at 11am… Anyway, we managed to get a couple of decent seats near the back of the Edwin Smith Stand at about a 30-40 degree angle from the line of the
pitch. We reserved a couple of seats next to us and just sat there for 3 hours waiting for play to start. (We had two newspapers to it wasn’t too bad).

We had a few beers throughout the day and hung around after play for a while out the back enjoying the atmosphere. Saturday morning we got to the ground at 7.30am to have a crack at getting some prized seats in the Bradman Strand. We managed some seat right behind the bowler’s arm where you can see the turn off the pitch. Only problem was that it is in the sun from about 12.30pm – 4pm and I got badly burnt. I blame the Civil Engineers and Architects…

I took it very easy on Saturday with the drinking and left when play ended. I made it to play late on the 3^rd Day due to Mass which was celebrated by Fr. Michael McCaffrey FSSP who was visiting from Canberra before he moves to Sydney.

So I didn’t get a seat and spent much of the day out the back watching play on the big screens. We watched a bit from time to time and even spent the last half hour of play on the famous Adelaide Oval Hill in the middle of the Barmy Army.

Today I had a University Council meeting all day but will be at the match again tomorrow to see the end of one of the least exciting matches played in Adelaide in the last 10 years. The first pic is the view from just left of where we were in the Bradman Stand. The second is an action shot and the third is among the Barmy Army.

Controversy and the Cathedral

2006-11-30T18:15:00.000+10:30

This is something I've known about for sometime and I saw the plans when I visited Sydney last in September. But I refrained (I don't know why!) from posting anything on this to avoid conflict and possible controversy. But The New Liturgical Movement and then CathNews have let the cat out of the bag so I'll make a couple of comments.

But first some tracking. I saw the post on TNLM on Tuesday evening - Liturgical Thunder from Down Under - and made a simple comment. I refrained from posting that night fearing that someone might mention it on my trip to Sydney and I will be seeing the Cardinal there. Anyway, I got a great shock when I saw this story on CathNews of all places. Man that service has improved! It's reached a whole new level. I'm impressed that the editors read TNLM and possibly other great blogs. This was followed by a mass of comments at TMNL original posts and a second post.A venerable priest noted to me today that the ghastly Pelican Ambo (above) is a play on Pell's name. Below is the proposed new altar design.Maybe ACSA should launch a campaign to stop it...???

Cricket and WYD

2006-11-29T21:44:00.000+10:30

I was asked today whether I was going to the cricket starting Friday – Is the Pope in Turkey?

Yes I’m going. Hopefully everyday except most of Monday which I have a University meeting after lunch at the National Wine Centre. What should I do – Day 4 of the Test Match or free lunch and drinks at the Wine Centre?

I went to a WYD thingy tonight. I didn’t really know what to expect when I arrived but it was a bit unusual. I probably thought it was a Q&A forum with suggestion but it turned into a kinda early stages of forming working committees for the events in Adelaide in the lead up.

Anyway, it was pretty bad except that I met LYL from Purcell’s Chicken Voluntary!!! And there were a couple of other worthwhile people. The problem was it was just disorganised and there were a couple of mad ladies on my table – ‘WYD should be about the Indigenous and social justice’ – What about Our Blessed Lord??!!!

Suggestions included a Mass by the River Torrens... I refrained form suggesting that it would be great only if it were ad orientem. Maybe I should have stacked the meeting and hence the committees!

Pro-cloning activists hide nasty truth

2006-11-28T19:24:00.000+10:30

The cloning vote is expected in the House of Reps this week. How is this for a story from News Limited? Maybe some MPs may reconsider their vote. I hope so, but am not holding my breath.

Pro-cloning activists hide nasty truth

A FINAL vote about human cloning is looming as the debate begins in the House of Representatives this week.

Hidden among the promises of cures and hype about a biotech boom is the assumption that thousands of women will merrily undergo hazardous egg harvesting procedures to hand over their eggs to the cloners.

Foreshadowing an egg shortage, Loane Skene, the acting chairwoman of the Lockhart committee, has suggested that eggs could be removed from women after their death and used to produce cloned embryos for research. Dead women would be raw material for cloning research and become mothers to embryos, to be exploited in turn, in the name of research, scientific kudos and corporate profit.

If that doesn't already take the yuk factor to a new level, it's now emerging that senator Kay Patterson, the sponsor of the cloning bill, wants researchers to be able to help themselves to eggs from dead female fetuses as well.

During the Senate committee inquiry into cloning, Ms Patterson was asked what the public would think of her Bill's proposal to allow the harvesting of eggs from aborted female fetuses to make embryos for research. She wouldn't answer.

Likewise, when confronted with this question on ABC radio, the Australian Stem Cell Centre's Stephen Livesey was evasive: "That's sort of science fiction. I think we should stick to the facts." Mr Livesey was told the Bill's provision to create embryos using the immature eggs of aborted female fetuses had been confirmed by former members of the Lockhart committee. "Misrepresentation," he claimed.

It's time we faced the facts. Although Ms Patterson, Mr Livesey and other pro-cloning activists don't want to admit it, the Bill passed in the Senate by one vote would turn aborted female fetuses into the mothers of embryos that themselves would be destroyed in research. The Bill allows scientists to "create human embryos using precursor cells from a human embryo or a human fetus, and use such embryos". As defined in the existing legislation "precursor cell means a cell that has the potential to develop into a human egg (ovum) or human sperm".

More...

Personal Update

2006-11-28T18:55:00.000+10:30

Miss Monification has been demanding to know why I have been so busy as to not have a proper post since Friday.

Well, I’m back working full-time for the summer. I’m working at ASC information about which you can find here. It’s busy and the working hours mean I tend to get up at 6am to leave by 6.40am and I tend to get hame after 5.15pm. (Pretty bad for little old Adelaide.)

Saturday I went on a wine tour of the MaClaren Vale with the Adelaide Young Liberals. I’ve actually never been on a wine tour before and it was loads of fun. A mate and I decided to treat the Liberals to a few hymns on the way home: Help of Christians – J .P. McAuley and Faith of Our Fathers along with a few Irish ballads

The whole family except for my 18yr old sister were also away for the past 7 days staying at Coffin Bay near Pt Lincoln. They got home today. I just helped with 3 loads of washing! Guess the house won’t be as quiet again for another year…

An up coming event is the Society Ball in Sydney. It’s hosted by the Sydney University Catholic Chaplaincy and I’m going top look into booking plane flights to come over. Cardinal George Pell & Bishop Julian Porteous will be in attendance and will launch the Universities World Youth Day Campaign during the night. I’m definitely not one for dancing but would be good for me to be there. Guess I can always hide with some beers in the corner with a few mates…

Only three sleeps now until the Adelaide Ashes Test Match!

Links

2006-11-26T21:11:00.000+10:30

Fr. Tim has a piece about rumours that Cherie Blair is set to becom a Vatican advisor.

Fr. Nicholas has a pic of the Pope enjoying a few beers on the patio.

And Against the Grain anticipates the Pope's visit to Turkey.

Friday Funny

2006-11-24T09:34:00.000+10:30

Scene: New York City, man is going to jump off the building. Up rushes good Irish cop. Cop yells up to the man "Don't jump! Think of your father"

Man replies "Haven't got a father; I'm going to jump."

The copy goes through a list of relatives, mother, brothers, sister, etc. Each time man says "haven't got one; going to jump."

Desperate the cop yells up "Don't jump! Think of the Blessed Virgin"

Man replies "Who is that?"

Cop yells "Jump, Protestant! You're blocking traffic!"

2006-11-24T09:25:00.000+10:30

Pious, Devout, Religious, Reverent. What other words are there to describe you? According to my Sydney sources, 'Devout' is the 'in' word at the moment.

Religious Vilification gone mad!

2006-11-24T08:42:00.000+10:30

Australian readers will recall the uproar over Victoria's Racial and Religious Vilification Act which was introduced in the recent Labor term in office. SA was all but about to introduce laws as strict as these but the goverment bailed to public and internal pressure and removed the more controversial clauses.

However, Victoria's legislation has prompted a new case, raised by the pro-life group, Endeavour Forum. The question arisies over whether telling Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott to keep his rosaries off a women's ovaries freedom of speech or religious vilification?

Mrs Babette Francis of Endeavour Forum claims T-shirts bearing the words "Mr Abbott, keep your rosaries off my ovaries" vilify Catholics and incite violence. The Greens Senator Kerry Nettle wore such a T-Shirt in Parliament at the time of the debate over RU486.

The YWCA, (yes, the one and same Christian organisation!) which makes the T-shirts, fought yesterday to have her legal action struck out, arguing it fails to meet the strict parameters of the Racial and Religious Vilification Act.

Read the full story from the Herald Sun here.

Birthday Meme

2006-11-24T08:40:00.000+10:30

I was 'tagged' by Fr. Tim for this one...Instructions are:

1. Go to Wikipedia
2. In the search box, type your birth month and day but not the year.
3. List three events that happened on your birthday
4. List two important birthdays and one death
5. One holiday or observance (if any)

Three events

1328 - Antipope Nicholas V, a claimant to the papacy, is consecrated in Rome by the Bishop of Venice. (Quite relevant considering Fr. Tim's antipope theme at the moment!)
1982 - During a procession outside the shrine of the Virgin Mary in Fátima, Portugal, security guards overpower Juan Fernandez Krohn before he can attack Pope John Paul II with a bayonet. Krohn, an ultraconservative Spanish priest opposed to the Vatican II reforms, decided that the Pope must be killed for being an "agent of Moscow."
1881 - In North Africa, Tunisia becomes a French protectorate.

Two birthdays

1820 - Florence Nightingale, English nurse (d. 1910)
1907 - Katharine Hepburn, American actress (d. 2003)

One death (Well, I've put two. Check out the small gap in years too!)

1003 - Pope Silvester II
1012 - Pope Sergius IV

One holiday or observance

International Nurses Day

Okay, I tag Utter Muttering, The New Crusade and Joee Blogs.

In trouble... again?

2006-11-22T23:06:00.000+10:30

Et Clamor Meus Ad Te Veniat has a bit of a scoop. Apparently Arch. Bathersby has be called to Rome... watch this space.

Two links

2006-11-22T20:55:00.000+10:30

The first is a Joke about the Pope in Alaska.

And the second is not to be missed. It's another installment at Dappled Photos - photos of Canons in clerical dress.

Preview for the First Test

2006-11-20T20:42:00.000+10:30

My preview for the Ashes First Test in Brisbane starting on Thursday has been published over at the Recusant Cricket Club.

Done deal

2006-11-20T18:57:00.000+10:30

Seems Pro-Multis (for many) is a done deal. See CWN for more information.

Although "for many" is the literal translation of the Latin phrase, the translations currently in use render the phrase as "for all." Equivalent translations (für alle; por todos; per tutti) are in use in several other languages.

Cardinal Francis Arinze (bio - news), the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, has written to the heads of world's episcopal conferences, informing them of the Vatican decision. For the countries where a change in translation will be required, the cardinal's letter directs the bishops to prepare for the introduction of a new translation of the phrase in approved liturgical texts "in the next one or two years."

So we'll be seeing quite a bit more of this:

Anti-popes

2006-11-19T15:22:00.000+10:30

Fr. Tim has an amusing post on anti-popes at The Hermeneutic of Continuity. He adds to the list two modern anti-popes elected in 1998 and 1990 respectively. There is even and Australian link.

Also, if you have a blog of your own and link to me (and you post on a regular basis) please let me know and I'll add you to my sidebar.

My books

2006-11-19T14:59:00.000+10:30

People that know we well know already that I'm not the greatest of readers. I used to be. In primary school I would be reading constantly but all that changed. Now I rarely read fiction at all, in fact I probably haven't read a novel for years. That said, I do read a bit of history and politics. The first picture below shows my booksefh in my room. This is a shap-shot of my personal collection of books (plus some in a box in the shed) but I'm not as mad as my old man who has masses of shelves.

I do house my favourites elsewhere - just above my desk for easy access. Besides the Dictionary and Thesarus these include:

The Constitution of Australia - signed by John Howard
The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite - Fortescue and O'Connell
Against the Tide - BA Santamaria (his autobiography)
The Howard Factor
The Cube and the Cathedral - George Weigel
The Early Papacy - Adrian Fortescue
Farewell to Cricket - Don Bradman
The Prince - Machiavelli
The Courage to be Catholic - George Weigel
What were the Crusades - Jonathon Riley-Smith
What We Can't Not Know - Budziszewski
Latham and Abbott - Michael Duffy
Ill-Starred Captains Flinders and Baudin - Anthony J. Brown.
The Fall of Constantinople 1453
The Great Disruption - Francis Fukuyama

Letters to a Young Catholic (George Weigel) and my Missale Romanorum are on my bedside table

An afternoon at the Adelaide Oval

2006-11-18T17:58:00.000+10:30

Ah the joys of finishing exams. Rather than tidy my room of catch up on filing or bills I decided to head down to the Adelaide Oval for the second day of the 3-day game between South Australia and England (cricket). A full report will no doubt appear on the Recusant Cricket Club but I thought I'd share a couple of pics with you immediately.

The view from the members' pavillion looking across the oval. The players are coming off for tea.

Looking toward the famour scoreboard with St. Peter's Anglican Cathedral in the background.

2006-11-17T11:12:00.000+10:30

Uni for the year is finally over. I'm really not sure how I went in my exams but it's the furthest thing on my mind right now!

I have a million-and-one things to do now too. I have to catch up on alot of ACSA business which includes beginning to start fundraising and hopefully meet our target of $20-25,000 before next July.

We are also struggling with a location. We would very much like to go to Canberra for the National Conference but can't find accomodation there. It seems none of the residential colleges 'kick-out' their students for the mid-year break as many others do. This has also put us in the awkward situation where we can't tell His Grace Archbishop Chaput where we will be hosting him. He has agreed to come and be our major guest speaker - I must contact him this week too.

The cloning bill before Parliament is also rumoured to be due to be debated in the House of Representatives from next Thursday.

Gay parishes

2006-11-15T20:18:00.000+10:30

The Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish at Pride 2006... oh dear!From their website:

Most Holy Redeemer Parish, located at 100 Diamond Street (at 18th Street) has existed as the Roman Catholic religious center of the Castro neighborhood in San Francisco since 1900. Located just 2 blocks from the heart of the historic Castro district, the parish reflects the diversity and excitement of the surrounding neighborhood.

MHR prides itself in being an inclusive Catholic community -- embracing all people of good faith -- Catholics as well as those people interested in learning about the Catholic experience -- regardless of their background, gender, race, social status or sexual orientation.
Mission Statement
Most Holy Redeemer Parish is a Christian Community in the Roman Catholic tradition. The parish draws people from isolation to community, from searching to awakening, from indifference to concern, from selfishness to meaningful service, from fear in the midst of adversity to faith and hope in God.

The community of Most Holy Redeemer shares God's compassionate love with all people. The parish offers a spiritual home to all: senior citizens and youth; single people and families; those who are straight, gay and lesbian; the healthy and the sick, particularly persons with HIV disease.

As a parish community, we celebrate God's loving presence in our lives. In worship and sacrament, especially the Eucharist, we are nurtured and challenged to extend God's kingdom of justice, truth, love and peace by growing in the spirit of Jesus, the Most Holy Redeemer.

Roman Catholic tradition...?

Why wasn't I in Victoria last night?

2006-11-14T21:08:00.000+10:30

Beer spill blocks major highway

Dominicanus

2006-11-14T20:52:00.000+10:30

Many readers are probably waiting on information about the health of Dominicanus. I exchanged a few SMS today and he is out of hospital following the operation. His toes are straight and he'll be walking on crutches or the like soon. He is also on far less pain killers than when we last spoke over the weekend.

More Marini

2006-11-12T22:46:00.000+10:30

This pic and caption come from the archives of Shouts in the Piazza.

"No, Piero, in liturgy our focus isn't out there on them...it's on Him."

My CV has been in the Vatican for months now... still haven't had a reply...

House keeping

2006-11-12T20:11:00.000+10:30

Plenty of welcome rain last night in a time where we are experiencing the worst drought in 1000 years - actually the Premier got the WRONG but you get the picture. Our lawn at home, which of course gets plenty of wear, will be grateful for it.

I found out this afternoon that my local council bid wasn't sucessful. Nevermind. Just about all the candidates standing for re-election throughout the entire council got up again except the Mayor. No regrets about throwing my hat in the ring.

In fact, maybe it's a blessing I didn't get elected. Even though I'm in exam mode for 2006 I've been deciding on and organising my Final Year Project for Mech Eng next year. I've chosen, and was chosen for, the Design and Build of a Hybrid Solar Car. Now this will be challenging and will be completed by a group of 10 of us Mech Eng along with 4-6 Elec Eng. This is the whole project form start to finish which includes raising money and sponsorships etc. It's expected that we each put in over 20 hours per week for less units on our academic record than a 3rd year Arts subject! Anyway, I'm looking forward to another challenge in my life.

Exam is Thursday morning so hopefully more regular postings will resume then.

11/11

2006-11-11T18:40:00.000+10:30

Today is Remembrance Day in Australia.

Remembrance Day is the day we remember those who have died in war. At 11am on 11 November we pause to remember the sacrifice of those men and women who have died or suffered in wars and conflicts and all those who have served during the past 100 years.

On the 11th November 1918 the Germans and their allies accepted the Armistace offered to them which ended World War I. Over 60,000 Australians were killed out of ther 350,000 that served overseas.

You can find out more here including the significance of the poppy.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

WYD leaders

2006-11-10T11:46:00.000+10:30

ZENIT has an article from Australia about the WYD08 Leaders Course. It is for 18-30 year olds and will be 3 months long with 'live-in' arrangements. To me this is all well and good but 3 months full-time? They are going to miss out on most of the awesome leaders who can't afford that time off work or study. I wonder who came up with the idea? Sure it's great in theory but who in their right mind wants to do a 3 month course in leadership of youth from March to June? Leadership isn't something you can really teach. It's something that an individual grasps or has instinctively.

2006-11-10T10:53:00.000+10:30

My history exam was okay on Wednesday afternoon. We had a choice of six essay questions and had to answer two. The first I chose was nearly identical to my tutorial paper and element of which i used in my major essay so that was fantastic but the second was rather hard and I struggled to form much of a piece. It was about definitions and I know them well but couldn't drag out mch of a piece and found myself finished after two pages - hardly an essay.

One exam to go... I have a week to learn (as opposed to revise) the course -- Embedded Computer Systems. I'm terrible at programming so am aiming strictly for a pass. I've also signed up for my final year honours project - Design and Build a Hybrid Solar Car. Should be a massive challenge but very interesting.

And then it's a summer of work and cricket! (Not neccessarily in that order of priority!)

Latin on the charts

2006-11-08T23:05:00.000+10:30

My mate the Latin scholar sent me this one and it got me thinking. The post below is from Amazon.com when he was searching. (You can click to make larger). Anyway, it shows that Cassell's Latin Dictionary: Latin-English, English-Latin (Hardcover) is number#6750 in the rankings.
Now that is high! Something tells me that it might be because a huge number of priests are buying up and refreshing themselves...!!!

Catholic MP an IVF Father

2006-11-07T21:48:00.000+10:30

I mentioned in this post about Senator Stephen Conroy's abstention from the embryonic stem cell vote. His abstention was made all the more notable by this story which broke the evening before.

BY ONE measure, Labor senator Stephen Conroy would seem an unlikely candidate for an ethically controversial path to fatherhood.

A practising Catholic, he has been labelled "the altar boy" by Liberals from across the chamber. He underlined his socially conservative credentials this year by voting against the abortion drug RU486 in a conscience vote.

But when it came to having his own child, the Victorian senator best known as a right-wing factional headkicker took anything but a conservative course.

Yesterday, his first child, Isabella Conroy, entered the world courtesy of her surrogate mother.

Isabella is a gift to her ecstatic parents, Senator Conroy and his wife, Paula Benson, from two altruistic women: a surrogate mum and an egg donor, both of whom have chosen to remain anonymous.
More...

There is, I expect, another story brewing out of Victoria. I have word that a woman MP in Victoria has publically announced her support for changes to the abortion laws (negative changes) in that state... this woman is a 'Special Minister of the Eucharist' at her local Catholic Parish.

Update: CathNews' story worth a read with comments from Card. Pell and Arch. Hart.

Update: Card. Pell's comments in The Age - Cardinal fears for Conroy baby's future

Update: Conroy may have to flee law

News News News

2006-11-07T20:38:00.000+10:30

The vote has just been cast in the Senate about Theraputic Cloning of Embryonic Stem Cells and we lost 34-32. One single measly vote. It has only just this minute happened and we are yet to know exactly who voted which way. I'll keep you posted tonight.

Update: This is how the Third Reading vote stands:Notable absences are Fiona Nash (proponent of this years RU486 Bill and National Party) and Stephen Conroy (against RU486 and one of the headkickers of the Labor Right in Victoria)

The bill will now go to the House of Representaives later this week or next week. Numbers there are, as always, hard to tell.

Update: For those who want a bit more background visit Cloning.org.au and Make a Stand also has some info. Sorry I can't give more. I really should calm down a bit, relax and get some sleep right now before my exam tomorrow which I haven't really done much revision for.

It just ain't cricket

2006-11-06T22:23:00.000+10:30

I got this image this morning from a now retired Polish cricket umpire

Saddan Hussein to Hang

2006-11-05T20:14:00.000+10:30

Breaking News...

Saddam sentenced to death

Ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been sentenced to death by hanging after being found guilty of crimes against humanity in ordering the deaths of 148 Shiite villagers.

Visibly trembling, Saddam cried: "Long live Iraq. Long live the Iraqi people. God is greater than the occupier."

Four guards took him away with his hands held behind him after the sentence was read.

The court hearing began early this evening in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.

Saddam former vice-president, Taha Yassin Ramadan, was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the 148 killings while Saddam's half-brother, Barzan al-Tikriti, was also sentenced to death.

Three Baath party officials also charged with the killings were sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Only one of the defendants, Baath Party official Mohammed Azzawi al-Ali, was cleared of any involvement.

People condemned to death in Iraq are hanged if they are civilians or go before a firing squad if they are members of the armed forces.

Saddam, who was sentenced to death by hanging, had earlier said he would rather face a firing squad.

"Remember that Saddam was a soldier and that therefore, if he is condemned to death, he should be shot and not hanged," he said on July 26, speaking of himself in the third person during his trial in Baghdad. More...

I've been quick of the mark and interested to know your thoughts... so I created a new poll.

2006-11-05T17:04:00.000+10:30

Exam was okay. Thanks all. I struggled with it and really don't have much of an idea what the result will be. I'm also lucky I had an afternoon exam as the morning exam was postponed an hour into the exam as the pavillion it's held in had to be evacuated due to a fire alarm! Poor students. I think it means they will have to re-sit it again in early December.

Anyway, I shouldn't be thinking about that now, rather concentrating on my next exam which is on Wednesday - Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide in 20th Century Europe. We have to answer two essay questions out of six in the two hours. I know three of the case studies well so I should be able to pull through this one which will be my last assessment for my B.A. (majoring in History).

I have to work all day Tuesday so I apologise in advance if I don't post anything before then.

2006-11-03T10:55:00.000+10:30

I have my first exam tomorrow - on Dynamics & Control II - so there won't be any posts until tomorrow afternoon.

-Aaron

Recusant Cricket Club

2006-11-02T20:06:00.000+10:30

This is a blog I've been visiting for some time nowand it's called the Recusant Cricket Club. The picture below pretty much sums it up. It's run by Catholics but not just about Catholicism, rather they like to discuss all sorts of topics (except football).
So pay them a visit - they'll be up on my sidebar soon. (Lovely pull-shot from the skipper!)

All Souls Day

2006-11-02T00:05:00.000+10:30

Like the Feast of All Saints, I’m sure most of you get the gist of the meaning of the date and commemoration of all the faithful departed. Today all priests may celebrate three masses. If only one is said it is the First Mass and the First Mass is the one celebrated if it is to be sung regardless of it is actually the first mass of the day. As the readings are all different, I’ve decided to post simply the Dies Irae (the Sequence) which is attributed to a 13th Century Franciscan, Thomas de Celano.

1 Dies iræ! dies illa
Solvet sæclum in favilla
Teste David cum Sibylla!

2 Quantus tremor est futurus,
quando judex est venturus,
cuncta stricte discussurus!

3 Tuba mirum spargens sonum
per sepulcra regionum,
coget omnes ante thronum.

4 Mors stupebit et natura,
cum resurget creatura,
judicanti responsura.

5 Liber scriptus proferetur,
in quo totum continetur,
unde mundus judicetur.

6 Judex ergo cum sedebit,
quidquid latet apparebit:
nil inultum remanebit.

7 Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus,
cum vix justus sit securus?

8 Rex tremendæ majestatis,
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
salva me, fons pietatis.

9 Recordare, Jesu pie,
quod sum causa tuæ viæ:
ne me perdas illa die.

10 Quærens me, sedisti lassus:
redemisti Crucem passus:
tantus labor non sit cassus.

11 Juste judex ultionis,
donum fac remissionis
ante diem rationis.

12 Ingemisco, tamquam reus:
culpa rubet vultus meus:
supplicanti parce, Deus.

13 Qui Mariam absolvisti,
et latronem exaudisti,
mihi quoque spem dedisti.

14 Preces meæ non sunt dignæ:
sed tu bonus fac benigne,
ne perenni cremer igne.

15 Inter oves locum præsta,
et ab hædis me sequestra,
statuens in parte dextra.

16 Confutatis maledictis,
flammis acribus addictis:
voca me cum benedictis.

17 Oro supplex et acclinis,
cor contritum quasi cinis:
gere curam mei finis.

18 Lacrimosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla
judicandus homo reus.
Huic ergo parce, Deus:

19 pie Jesu Domine,
dona eis requiem. Amen.

Why did I post the Latin when I normally post a good English translation? Because I didn't have the time to type it out and I couldn't find a really good translation online in a short time. I reckon I found three or four different translations in the short time I searched. Anyway, it's better in the original.

Note to self: must also listen to Mozart's Requiem today.