Retreat!

 

I know, "retreat" sounds bad, like some kind of defeat, but this was good, a retreat  with the local chapter of the SSC (Society of the Holy Cross) at Camp Crucis, just outside Granbury. It's a fun drive if you take the country roads, 22 and 144 through Whitney, Meridian, Walnut Springs and Glen Rose, with long stretches of empty two lane highway running through the hills.

Not so long ago this was bandit country, the notorious haunt of outlaws and bootleggers and it still has, I always think, a frontier feel. You can imagine Indians on the hills and sure enough they were there, but now Granbury's home to marauding hordes of tourists instead of Commanche war bands and the camp's pleasantly distant from that.

Our schedule was simple, Morning Prayer, Low Mass, Evensong, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and a series of meditations on the priesthood. Plenty of time to have fun with fellow clergy too, all united in a common love of the Faith. And no, there weren't any priestesses performing transing liturgical dance to the beat of a unicorn's hooves. That's not allowed. 

Then, all too soon, it was time to head back to the Compound, uplifted in spirit. It was good to get away.

God bless,

LSP

SSC

 

The local chapter of the SSC (Society of the Holy Cross) met today in Fort Worth and there we were, in the Church of the Holy Apostles on the western border of Cow Town, worshiping God. Great result and you'll be amazed to know there was no interpretive liturgical dance set to the dismal beat of guitars, pan pipes and foot stomping priestesses.

No, none of that, just the Mass and that sung with quiet dignity and reverence, beautiful, well done. After the sacred mysteries we moved next door to the church hall for a Chick-fil-A box lunch and I took the opportunity to admire the church's attractive "Garth," which means "enclosed quadrangle" and glowing stained glass in the church itself.

Uplifting, on both counts, and the Chick boxes weren't bad either, nice. Then, lunch over, we heard a presentation on the recent goings on at GAFCON and I, for one, was left wondering if the Global South Primates have the mettle to squeeze the trigger and declare themselves formally out of communion with Justsin Welby.

Justsin, you may recall, has joyfully embraced the rainbow while pretending not to, and this has enraged our dusky heteronormative brethren. Quite right too, let's see if African sound and fury equates to actual thunder. If it does, I'm prepared to be amazed. Watch this space.

Then, business over, I wandered down to the stream at the bottom of the churchyard, overgrown with riotous spring growth. And there was the water, untouched, it felt, by the march of time. I wanted to fish it but didn't have a rod, maybe next time.

God bless,

LSP

SSC

 

What a busy couple of days, driving from the safe haven of the North Central Exclusion Zone into the brawling streetfight that is the DFW Metrosprawl connurb, a Mega City larger than Connecticut itself, wherever that is. Why?

To go to the SSC provincial Synod, which is an assembly of priests dedicated to asserting Catholic Faith for our part of God's holy Church. We met in Southlake for worship, teaching and fellowship and it's been a great thing to meet up with brothers in the Faith.

Originally, the SSC began in England as a priestly society bound together by a common rule of life, to promote the Faith in its fullness, what did this look like? Glorious liturgy, yes, but with that the founders of the society were renowned, seriously, for their work amongst the poor of East London. Not least in the cholera epidemic of 1865.

That spirit's alive today. What does it mean to be an Anglican? we ask, and the answer's, "A Catholic Christian." With that goes the admonition, "I was hungry and you fed me," and, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."

So there you have it. Ma LSP returned from Wales today and was pleased to find her house burnished, clean and water on. We must take our victories, gentlemen and women, as we find them.

Your Old Pal,

LSP

Exaltation of The Holy Cross

 

Today's the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and our province of the SSC (Society of the Holy Cross) met for the start of its annual Synod. Things started off with Evening Prayer followed by a Solemn High Mass and I tell you, there wasn't a single guitar playing nun or liturgical dancer in sight. Or a priestess, for that matter. They're not allowed.

Then it was time for dinner and a chance to get together with fellow clergy, what a good group of men. And let's be clear, they're priests and bishops who've stood and continue to stand firm for the Faith in the face of the rainbow apostates who appear to have taken over the Church. But appearances can be deceiving. Christ is King over the Church, his Body, and the Cross is his throne.

We should glory

in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

for he is our salvation,

our life and our resurrection,

through him we are saved and made free.

God bless,

LSP

Retreat!

SSC Secretary

One of the things I get to do as an LSP is go on retreat with the Society of the Holy Cross (SSC). A good chunk of that involves plinking at targets of opportunity with other gun priests, including the Society Secretary. Good man, the Sec, and not a bad shot either. A creek bed makes for a good range.

Quite different to SSC retreats in the Old Country.

Just sayin'.

LSP