Monday 31 May 2010

End of Our Lady's month of May


Today many Catholic Anglicans will be risking their linen suits on the National Pilgrimage to Walsingham. I really wish that I could go at least once in life, if only for the pilgrimage Mass on the site of the old Abbey. One year.

Well, I thought I would share with readers how I'm marking the last day of Mary's month of May. The picture above is of my home altar. This is not an altar, as people sometimes imagine from the name, where Mass can be said. Rather a "home altar" is a wonderful Catholic tradition which creates a focus of prayer and reflection within the home; a place where one can express personal and religious creativity. It is an altar in the sense that the experience of the Sacred goes in both directions. On the one hand it is a "dwelling place" of Holiness, where God's glory is told in images of His Saints and in the Crucifix. On the other hand, it is the place where "sacrifices" of prayer are made, represented by material offerings of flowers, oil lamps, candles and incense.

My home altar started life as a St. Joseph's altar to celebrate my name day, but it has survived through year and has been reconfigured monthly. The altar is three-tiered to represent the Holy Trinity and the Holy Family. The principal image of the month is displayed on the top tier, this month is it Our Lady of Candelaria. In front of Her on the tier below are three small oil lamps, two of which burn for specific intentions, the central one is kept lit whenever I am at home. Beside the lamps are two metallic icons from the Holy Land reflecting the principal patronage of Our Lady and S. George, and which remind me to pray for peace in the Middle East. The tier below features images of my other patrons, S. Joseph, S. Gerard, S. Magnus, each one reminding me to pray for specific intentions, for my parish and for pregnant women or new mothers. The right hand corner of this tier is dedicated to prayer for the dead, and besides a picture of a deceased relative, normally features a book of prayers for the Suffering Souls. The left hand side of this tier reminds me of spiritual discipline. It is where I keep my rosary (from the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham) and recently features an image of whichever Saint I am remembering who isn't the principle Saint of the month. In this case I'm remembering to thank Venerable Jose Gregorio Hernandez (a Venezuelan doctor who died in 1919 and was beatified in 1949), for prayers for recovery from a recent illness.

Anyway, I hope my little home altar encourages other people to take up the tradition. For some tips and more information check out this article on the Domestic Church, which gives some good background and ideas for bringing holiness into the home.

Tuesday 25 May 2010

I love Our Sovereign Lady......

*** EVENT: Corpus Christi @ S. Magnus UPDATED***


Well it certainly has been a while since I've logged into the old Ex Fide. With profuse apologies I must explain myself: I've taken on a new job which leaves far less time to plan and write blog posts. I'm also reluctant to spend my evenings and weekends waiting for blogger to load my photos up.

Anyway, I have the great joy of announcing an upcoming event at S. Magnus (we've been having many recently, and wonderful they've been). This year we are keeping the Feast of Corpus Christi "on the day" as it were, and celebrating it with High Mass and Procession of the Most Blessed Sacrament at 6.30pm on June 3rd. I understand that this might clash with other regular Corpus Christi celebrations, perhaps your parish church, or some shrine that you visit regularly. However, I must urge you to consider S. Magnus this year. In the past (especially due to our location in the city) we have not always been able to summon servers and faithful on a weekday evening. However, as a confident, growing congregation, we now have the resources to offer the rites of the Feast on the Thursday. We're hoping for brilliant weather as we walk with Our Lord through the historic streets of the City, and we cordially invite you to join us in our celebrations.


THE FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI

THURSDAY JUNE 3RD 2010

HIGH MASS AND PROCESSION OF THE M. Bl. Sacrament

6.30pm

*Petite Messe Solenelle by Bordese & motets by Lorenzo Perosi*

Preacher: The Rev. Andrew Zihni,
Minor Canon of S. George's, Windsor

The Church of S. Magnus the Martyr,
Lower Thames St.
London

Nearest tube stations: Monument/Bank, London Bridge
http://www.stmagnusmartyr.org.uk/