Happy New Year!

Orthfully Catholic would like to wish all their readers a very Happy New Year and prays that 2008 will bring you every happiness and blessing.

God Bless you all,

The Seminarians

Merry Christmas!!!

Orthfully Catholic would like to wish all their readers a Happy and Holy Christmas. May the Christ-child bless you all and His Holy Mother hold you in Her loving arms this Christmastide and throughout the New Year.

The Seminarians

Down to Earth

I was brought down to earth with a bump today when a Filipino priest who is staying at the presbytery at the moment asked me, 'What is the Church's stance on abortion in England?' I didn't quite understand what he meant, surely he knows the Church's stance on abortion worldwide. He explained that because abortion is legal in this country he thought maybe the English bishops were in favour of it. I replied that as with the rest of the Magisterium they are most certainly not in favour of abortion in any form.

This shocked me; how many other people in countries where abortion is illegal because of the Catholic status of that country think that the Church in countries where abortion is legal is pro-choice? It made me realise that while we do a lot to try and change the policy in our own country we clearly aren't doing enough to make our voices heard abroad!

Pray for England and her conversion.

Thoughts

While I was not the only (nor indeed the most fervent) supporter of Same Difference in the seminary, I am a fan. I must regester my shock and sorrow at their loss. I feel it, deep in my heart, and a tear comes to my eye whenever I hear one of the songs they covered "Don't Feel Like Dancing" and especially "Never had a dream come true". It is sad, because they probably don't feel like dancing, and this dream, for them, has not come true. So, if they do read this seminarians blog, I wish them joy and hope and that I'll buy their album, if they release one.

Today I have been buying presents for a party, it was stressful in the big city, full of bustling people, I constantly had my eye on my wallet, such is modern life. By the end of the day, i.e. today, I was shattered, my feet were aching and my head was spinning, and my arms were tired after carrying around 24 presents for various people. I was expressing my discomfort (not that I'm a complaining type, you understand, merely that to express emotion is a basic psycological neccesity) and my friend, a brother semianrian, reminded me that the people surrounding us were, in the majority, only doing it as slaves of materialism, we, at least, were performing a service. We had the great O antiphon to look forward to at evening prayer. This both saddened and perked my spirit.

Anyway, I have written enough, not enough, beloved brothers and sisters, chiao for now.

Congratulations Leon

Every Saturday night over the last term our Seminary has seen a flourishing tradition whereby supper is taken in the common room and we all sit around the Sky+ box and watch X-Factor. Last night was the final and while we were unable to be together to celebrate the occasion we were all in contact throughout the night by text.

One of the brethren was a big fan of Same Difference (Get in) so we all commiserated with him when they were the first to be removed from the competition. It was all down to Leon, the kid who can't sing but managed to ride through on the votes of teenage girls, and Rhydian, the Welsh opera singer who will, we're sure, have a huge career in Opera and the West End.

Eventually Leon won, no surprises there, and as much as none of us wanted him to win he was incredible last night. He's a natural bass, a fantastic crooner, but he actually hit a descant note at one point with no struggle at all.

Orthfully Catholic would like to congratulate Leon and wish him all the best for his future career.

Home again, home again, jiggety jig

The retreat finished yesterday evening, thank you all for your prayers. We have now broken up for Christmas, but fear not, I'm sure this will not stop us from updating you on parish life over the Christmas vacation.

God Bless

The Seminarians

Seminarians on Retreat

Please keep us in your prayers over the next few days as we will be on retreat in order to wind down from a busy term and prepare for the Nativity of Our Lord.

God bless you all

The Seminarians

Immaculate Conception

It's a little belated but Orthfully Catholic would like to wish all our readers a very Happy Feast and hope it was celebrated with due pomp.

As I said earlier not all of us went to St George's (the Hermit did so hopefully he will give a report at a later date) but some of us went to Farnborough Abbey. Unfortunately due to a misunderstanding we arrived 2 hours late for Mass but the Abbot kindly showed us round the Monsastery, including those parts currently being renovated. He then took us to the guesthouse for tea and coffee and we had a long discussion about how monastic and seminary life has changed in the last 30 odd years and how it is slowly returning to the way it once was. He also spoke to us about how the lebvevrists are all young but as a result don't truly understand how things should be and didn't realise that an Abbot has certain privileges not given the monks such as eating breakfast sitting down.

We returned to the seminary and found a member of staff who thankfully said Mass for us in the Lady Chapel! Our thanks go out to him, especially as he was quite unwell at the time.

High Mass at St George's

Many of you may have heard that High Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be celebrated at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St George and the English Martyrs for the first time since 1969 to celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Some Seminarians will be there, other will be attending Mass at Farnborough Abbey - just to see which Form the Abbot will decide to say Mass in.

Happy New Year

Well, here we are. All essays have been handed in, the sound of heavy breathing is travelling through the seminary corridors, the word 'Retreat' is being thrown around carelessly everywhere we go - it must be the end of term.

We celebrated the new liturgical year last weekend with First Vespers and a New Year's Party. We had an Open Day at the seminary on Advent Sunday, a very successful occasion, well attended, which ended with a beautiful Advent Service based on Second Vespers and including an incredible 4-part Magnificat, written by the Musical Director while a student here, sung by the Schola.

We are now all incredibly tired and looking forward to our Retreat beginning on Monday evening.

As you may have seen Orthfully Catholic are celebrating the Season with a new picture on the left.

God Bless you all this Advent!

The Seminarians