Monday Morning Musings.

Beach buddy!

It's been a busy few weeks. I spent five days in April with my blogging partner, Susan, who lives in Florida. We met in North Carolina at her daughter's cabin in the woods, a great spot to appreciate the glory of God in His creation and revel in our friendship. We always laugh a lot when we're together. How can one not laugh at the insanity of the world?As one Catholic blogger says, "We laugh because we believe."  The long drive back to northern Virginia was grueling for this old lady, but the weather was beautiful, the woods and fields fresh and green. While the redbud and daffodils were finished, the dogwood put on a full bloom show all the way home. 

After spending a week at home tending to my chickens who were glad to see me, I headed to the beach to meet two of my five sisters for several days. We visited, prayed together, played games, went "junking", and met up with a niece and her two precious little boys one morning. That was lots of fun because we visited a hotel with an atrium and saw several beautiful parrots and a bearded dragon. The boys loved it! We packed a lot of family memories into those few days and made some new ones. And I always love to walk on the beach and pick up treasures from the sea. 

I didn't want to end up at Sunday Mass gong shows while I traveled. Been there, done that on too many trips! So I arranged the visits to be at home for Sundays and was glad to return and thank God for safe travels, family, and good friends (and for a loving husband who held down the fort and tended to my chickens while I was gone). "East/West, home's best!"

The day after arriving home, Larry and I attended the traditional Latin nuptual Mass of a sweet young couple getting married at the chapel. The bride's parents attended an Engaged Encounter we teamed in 1985. Wow! Almost 40 years ago and they remembered our names. Talk about a small world! They approached us several months ago after Mass and what a delight to become reacquainted and witness the beautiful fruit of their life together. 

Sad to say, the traditional sacrament of marriage rarely takes place today in diocesan churches. Traditionis Custodes put an end to that! If a couple is lucky, they may be able to marry in a gym or school auditorium, but the traditional sacraments, for the most part, are now verboten in diocesan parish churches. (Perhaps exceptions will be allowed for big donors.) Soon, even the traditional Mass, gets the hobnailed boot. 

How bishops can go along with this is beyond me, not to mention the laity who have the capacity to just say no to the unreasonable, uncharitable fulminations coming out of a corrupt Rome ruled by clerics who embrace sins that cry to heaven for vengeance. Where are the bishops willing to walk in the footsteps of St. Athanasius and the martyrs. How many truly care about the flock?  Judging from their behavior during COVID, not many!

Which leads me to end with a plea. We desperately need good and holy priests! Many good and holy priests, whether they are simple associates, pastors, bishops, archbishops, cardinals or the pope himself. How can we have holy priests unless we  pray and sacrifice for them? 

What will you do today to beg God to send us workers for the vineyard? Without priests we are lost! So let us love our priests and pray unceasingly for them. So many are under attack even from their own bishops. Who would have believe it?

Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Lady, Queen of the clergy, pray for us.

St. Joseph, guardian of the Church, pray for us.