- Haven’t had much time lately for teh internets. Busy with work and academic obligations. (Still rather behind on that second one…)
- I’m turning into a Martin Thornton junkie! After Christian Proficiency, I’m now reading English Spirituality, and his Spiritual Direction is next in line. He’s one of those people who confirms a lot of the things that I’ve been thinking about history and spiritual movements—but extends them in new and interesting directions.
- Thornton’s section on the Victorines reminded me of a theme I’d wanted to expand on that sees the Scriptures and Creation as intertwined twofold revelation of God’s creative and redemptive work. I think this line of thought is absolutely key in balancing the proper relation between the too frequent rhetorical division between reason and revelation and the impact of those on our theological thinking.
- Also on tap is Martin Smith’s Reconciliation which I probably should have read a long time ago.
- But I’m also re-reading Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere which is an outstanding read…
- Not that I’m biased or anything, but the current Roman kalendar seems rather overloaded with saints from the Counter-Reformation.
- And what happened to the Saturday after Ascension being “Mary, Queen of Apostles”? All I can find on the Bishops’ kalendar for 2009 is the”Queenship of the BVM”, a memorial on Aug 22. That seems a rather different concept than Queen of Apostles if you ask me…
- We ran out of coffee a few days ago and have been living without. Our inability to get things done has been—well, I’d say eye-opening but they’re not really open… On one hand, we could treat this as a “wake-up” call to return to a lifestyle less dependent on chemical stimulants. On the other, we’ve decided it’s a sign that we need to go out and buy more coffee.
- I hope to get back to some posts of substance in the not too distant future.
I’d like to thank you for suggesting Christian Proficiency, which I ran out and bought after you mentioned it this summer. Also, please read the Martin Smith ASAP! I had always put myself firmly in the “none must” camp in terms of auricular confession, but after eight weeks spent with Reconciliation I began making regular confessions. The Rev. Smith is currently at St. Columba’s in Washington, so he’s not too far away should one want to speak with him further on the matter.
I thought that was the same Martin Smith who writes for the Cafe… Yes, I should definitely try and meet up with him after I read his book!
Brother Stephen O. Cist’s priory sells some fine coffee.
And there’re limited edition holiday cakes as well!
the transfer of queen of the apostles after ascension to queenship of the bvm in august was the topic of the sermon at the latin mass I went to a couple of weeks ago. I am totally not kidding. he was against it, in case you were wondering. :)
I’m against it too but for a reason he’d hate… :-)
For me it emphasizes her apostolic and therefore priestly functions. I mean, if the priest is the one who makes the Body of Christ literally present you can’t get a better example than the BVM!
Thus, if she represents a prototypical priestly figure—well, you get my drift…
Derek,
Mary, Queen of the Apostles was never a feast in the general calendar, to the best of my knowledge. Pius XII instituted a general feast of Our Lady, Queen on May 31, and numerous local calendars already had a Marian feast on that day, such as the B.V.M., Mediatrix of All Graces (as S. Bernard taught), or Our Lady, Queen of All Saints and Mother of Fair Love, which originated–I believe–in Belgium. August 22 was originally simply the Octave Day of the Assumption and then later the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. That latter now falls on the day after the feast of the Sacred Heart, and the Queenship, as you know, was moved to the August date, albeit in the absence of any octave for the Assumption.
And of Martin Thornton there is never enough. I also have Fr Smith’s book, but haven’t yet gotten around to reading it.
Derek, thanks for posting even though busy! And I’m over here nodding to the point of neck pain in total agreement with your Thornton and Martin Smith reading. Rereading Reconciliation may just help me get over the dumb hurdle that’s been keeping me from making a long-overdue confession: Deciding which priest to approach for this (basically: one I know? or a stranger?). Answer: appointment with rector for long-overdue one, then whoever’s “in the box” on a Saturday evening or Sunday morning.
Thanks for the history, Paul; that clears up some things I’d been wondering about—such as the dating of the Visitation in the BCP (also May 31; not July 2 as in RC).
Interesting. My Baronius Press ’62 Missal has “Our Lady, Virgin and Queen”; the Liber has St Angela Merici (one of those Counter-Reformation saints…) as does the Anglican Breviary.
What’s the Monastic Diurnal got, anybody? (I’ve gotta get one of those…)
That’s been a tough one for me, Scott. Trust is an issue for me. I know in theory that nothing should ever come out of the confessional but I also know a lot of priests, some of whom fall short of the “discreet and understanding priest” mentioned in the Exhortation.
Fortunately my director specifically identified a few who should work just fine.
The Farnborough edition of the Monastic Diurnal has nothing on May 31, and St. Timothy on August 22. I will check the Andrewes Press edition later.
– Just handed “English Spirituality” to a seminarian a few hours ago.. Thornton’s “Rock and River” is great as well- the balance of stability and development- and come to think of it, maybe that should start getting handed around more often these days.
Hi David—I’m not familiar with Rock and River; looks like I’ll need to pick that up too! :-)
The Andrewes Press MD has nothing on May 31 and the Octave of the Assumption on August 22.
Derek,
If you recall, I once made a long post on Smith’s work on Reconciliation. It’s really very helpful.
I too wish to thank you for putting me on to Martin Thornton.
The Sarum Kalendar has S. Petronilla, Virgin not Martyr, for 31 May, and Octave of S. Mary for 22 August (with Memory of SS. Timothy and Symphorian).
No problem, CG! I think it’s high time for a Martin Thornton Revival; I’m just doing my part!
Not surprisingly, that’s what my Anglican Missal had as well.
Indeed, Fr. Smith’s book is a good read, and I found its theology of reconciliation quite sound and reflective of a wider consensus.