7 Quick Takes Friday

I'm going to try something new today. Well, partially because all the cool kids are doing it, and mostly because I have a bunch of short anecdotal microreflections from the last week, and completely because my body still thinks it's late evening even though it's 5am at night. Yes, night.

--- 1 ---

Firstly, and most importantly, I have returned home to the boiling little inferno on the equator, also known as Singapore. It's a hot 27 deg C outside, and the weather says it's going to be 32 deg C for the next five days. Good ol' Sol missed me so much, then I when I stepped off the nice cool cabin of the plane, he straight on spear tackled me, and within seconds, I was sweating out all the hot chocolate I drank on the plane.

--- 2 ---

I assisted at my first ever Solemn Pontifical High Mass. Sung by the Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, SJ, of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, for the feast of St Barnabas with Palestrina's Missa Papa Marcelli. It was absolutely gorgeous. He gave a lovely homily as well. I managed to meet His Grace afterwards, and we had a short chat. He's a very holy man. I managed to snag a picture of him that reminds me of Bl. Cardinal Newman.

I showed this picture to the bishop's secretary, and the good Monsignor said, with a loving twinkle in his eye and a gentle smile, 'That's my bishop.' Which reminded me of the great love and respect that, we, in the Catholic Church have for our shepherds, the great descendants of the apostles. They have been chosen by God to lead their flock, and when they do a good job, one is some how paternally drawn to them, like to Christ, they are after all, alter Christus.

--- 3 ---

I also met quite a few clerics from the Fraternity: Fr Bizard, the vice rector of their Seminary in Wigatzbad, and Fr de Malleray, the chaplin of Juventutem, and the two recently ordained Deacons and a seminarian. It was a great honour to take Fr Bizard and Deacons Passo and Young on a brief tour of Dublin City. I must say, it is always very inspiring to keep company with the FSSP. The conversation is always edifying and never without a good dose of humour.

One of the Carmelites of Clarendon St giving the FSSP clerks and C a brief history of the beautiful church.

--- 4 ---

The Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, once remarked that, 'To see a priest making his meditation before Mass. does more for an altar boy's vocation. than a thousand pieces of inspirational literature.' In my limited experience, in places where the EF is offered, I have often seen priests praying before Mass in the church. Often, I see them praying in thanksgiving after Mass as well, usually before they have to make the usual rounds with the congregation, sometimes before. While waiting for the Pontifical to start, this amusing dialogue took place:
'Where is Fr M?'
'He's in church praying.'
'Right, of course he is.'

Now, if only this would happen back home in my parish and often!

--- 5 ---

I was telling Fr de Malleray how disappointed I was for missing his talk on Transubstantiation and he said, 'Don't worry. You can find it all in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.' WIN.

--- 6 ---

I almost finished my first year of medical school (awaiting promos results now). Yay! My best friend finished law school, triple yay! And, so he came over for a short, albeit unfortunately further shortened trip, to Dublin. He says he came to visit me, but I know his real aim was to sample the Guinness.

Well... I had some too.

--- 7 ---

Finally, I was craving some authentic bolognese, so I decided to treat myself and make some. I used this recipe, sans tomatoes and with red wine, and it turned out pretty awesome.

Though, I ended up eating it for a few days. A few awesome days.

Well, that's all for now. I didn't actually think it'd be that hard to squeeze out 7! Anyway, I'm going off to cower in my fridge until it's time to return to the emerald isle. 

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!