Go to the Buxton Panto!

If you are in the area of Buxton, go see the panto, The Three Musketeers  which includes a family friend, Michael Hall, on the far left as Athos, who has many other talents besides acting. From the article--Expect an all-singing, all dancing panto spectacular as the group presents its latest seasonal offering at the Burbage Institute, on Nursery Lane, Buxton, on Friday February 3 and 10 at 7.30pm, and Saturday February 4 and 11 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.Tickets are priced £6.50 for adults and £5 for children, and available from Clowes the Chemist, Burbage News or on the door. A special ‘buy one get one free’ offer on child tickets is available for the 7.30pm performance on February 3 and the 2.30pm performance on February 4.

And, I hope all Catholic parents have this great classic on their childrens' bookshelves. 

Judith Miller on Looking for Christian Scapegoats in Egypt

Look at my post below a day ago and check out this article by Judith Miller. Thankfully, journalists are waking up to the dangers presented to Christians in the emerging Arab Winter countries. It has taken a year, but better late than never. The ostriches in the media are lifting their heads. Here are some extracts:

"There is a reluctance to acknowledge what is happening, which is that these revolutionary movements that were spearheaded largely by secular, liberal young people have been taken over by Islamist forces, and there is an unwillingness to come to grips with the direction in which these revolutionary movements are moving."


"If the Egyptian economy fails, and it’s rapidly on route to failing, they are almost out of hard currency --you could actually have riots and chaos in the streets. You could have a turning by the Muslims on their Christian brethren in the hunt for scapegoats. And that is what the Christian community fears the most."

Better late than never. Watch her video as well at the above link.

BBC Series on Catholicism--Comments Wanted

Independent Catholic News states that the Westminster Diocese has cooperated with a BBC 4 series on Catholicism. Here is the link. If others have news on this, let me know. I do not have a television, nor do I watch it, but "would be nice" to get feedback from those of you who do.

Praise ye Him, O sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars and light . Ps. 148

Right now, from where I am in Ireland, I can see in the night and morning sky, Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Saturn and the great constellations of Orion and Canis Major with Sirius, the brightest star. If one is in a dark area, Canis Minor and the Hare may also be seen.

Last week, I saw three large shooting stars, one in Orion. Orion is also called "Strider", which, of course, reminds us of Aragorn in LOTR. When I look at Orion, I think of Aragorn , the Christ figure in the book, and of Christ Himself, who is the Hunter of our souls. In the winter sky, He calls us and how can one not praise The Father Creator for such beauty? The winter sky is worthy of watching both at dawn and at dusk. I love to watch Orion stride across the sky.  One can also see Draco and the Little and Big Bears if one is in the right place.

Orion is my favorite constellation and The Pleiades, my favorite cluster. I can only see four of the seven sisters in The Pleiades, and I shall tell their story in another post.  There is too much highway and town light pollution for me to see as much as I would want, but the sky is fantastic.



Here is a great link for all.

By the way , if you want to know more about telescopes , visit my brother's  website in Iowa at this site.

Housekeeping and St. Blaise

On the right side, I have added several links to key encyclicals which I quote regularly on this blog. Also, I have links to popular articles. In addition, just to remind us that we are a VISIBLE CHURCH instituted by Christ on earth, I have linked the Vatican national anthem.

Have a lovely Feast of St. Blaise. And, thanks again to Wiki for this picture and so many others.

Prayer for Priests, One

A friend of mine sends me prayers from a booklet for priests, the title which I do not have. Here is one prayer for today. Please pray for priests, and today, for all our good blogging priests. I especially remember Father John Zuhlsdorf, Father Ray Blake, Father John Corrigan, Father John Boyle, Father Tim Finigan, Father Ed Tomlinson, the Transalpine Redemptorists, all the Ordinariate Priests in England, Scotland and Wales, the Priests of the Monastery of San Benedetto, the Priests of St. Kevin's in Dublin, and my parish priests.


This prayer is for you.


A Prayer for Priests

Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord,
Keep them, for they are Thine -
Thy priests whose lives burn out before
Thy consecrated Shrine.
Keep them - Thou knowest, dearest Lord -
The world - the flesh are strong.
And Satan spreads a thousand snares
To lead them into wrong.

Keep them for they are in the world
Though from the world apart,
When earthly pleasures tempt, allure -
Shelter them in Thy Heart.
Keep them, and comfort them in hours
Of loneliness and pain
When all their life of sacrifice
For souls seems but in vain.

Keep them, and oh, remember Lord,
They have no one but Thee
Yet they have only human hearts,
With human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host -
That daily, they caress -
Their every thought and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord, to bless.