The Use of Nidaros

Having found a link on the Orkney Chant blog to a facsimile missal of the Nidaros Use (pre-Reformation Norwegian), I got a sudden urge to transcribe the Ordinary (you know, the way one does). Please excuse the typos, the inconsistent spelling and punctuation, the occasional blunder; I did it this morning at one sitting without reviewing it. It's only for interest's sake.
I should perhaps explain that mediaeval and renaissance texts tend to use a lot of abbreviations with which I'm not entirely conversant. But one can pick up a certain amount as one goes through. And, of course, I can't lay my hands on my copy of Hoepli.

It seems to be a step nearer the Roman Use than the Sarum, but then is probably a bit later.

Mass begins p.73 of the facsimile, if you want to have a look yourself and make improvements.

Sacerdos missa celebraturus subscriptum legat hymnum

Veni Creator Spiritus

usque ad finem. Deinde legantur psalmi sequentes

Quam dilecta. Gloria Patri.

Ave Maria.

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori.

Et pre peccatis meis propter nomen sanctum tuum Domine Jesu Christe quia pius es.

Ps Benedixisti. Gloria Patri. Ave Maria.

Deus propitius.

Ps. Inclina Domine.

Credidi.

De Profundis.

Finitis psalmis dicat Antiphona

Veni Sancte Spiritus.

Deinde Kyriel. Christel. Kyrieel. 

Pater noster.

Et ne nos.

Convertere, Domine, usquequo.

Et deprecabilis esto super servos tuos.

Fiat misericordia tua Domine super nos.

Quemadmodum speravimus in te.

Sacerdotes tui induantur justitiam.

Et sancti tui exultent.

Protector noster aspice Deus.

Et respice in faciem Christi tui.

Domine Deus virt[utum converte nos].

Et ostende fa[ciem tuam et salvi erimus].

Domine exau[di orationem meam].

Et cla[mor meus ad te veniat].

Dominus vobiscum.

Et cum spiritu tuo.

Oremus.

Fac me quaeso omnipotens Deus ita iusticia indui: ut in sanctorum tuorum merear exultatione letari: quatenus emundatus a cunctis vicios sordibus: consortium adipiscar tibi placentium sacerdotum meque tua mi[sericordi]a a viciis omnibus exuat: quem conscientia propria reatus accusat. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.

Psalmus.

Judica me, Deus, et discerne causam meam de gente non sancta ab homine iniquo et doloso erue me.

Quia tu es, Deus, fortitudo mea: quare me repulisti et quare tristis incedo, dum affligit me inimicus.

Emitte lucem tuam et veritatem tuam ipsa me deduxerunt et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum: et in tabernacula tua.

Et introibo ad altare Dei ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam.

Confitebor tibi in cythara, Deus, Deus meus: Quare tristis es, anima mea et quare conturbas me.

Spera in Deo, quoniam adhuc confitebor illi: salutare vultus mei et Deus meus.

Gloria Patri.

Kyrieleyson. Christeleyson. Kyrieleyson.

Pater noster.

Et ne nos.

Introibo ad altare Dei: ad Deum qui letificat iuventutem meam.

Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus: quoniam in seculum misericordia eius.

Confiteor Deo omnipotenti et beatæ &c.

Respondet.

Misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus et dimis. &c.

Dominus custodiat nos ab omni malo.

Custodiat animam tuam Dominus.

Indulgentiam et remissionem omnium peccatorum nostrorum, spacium vere pentitentie, emendationem vite: gratiam et constolationem Sancti Spiritus tribuat nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen.

Deus tu conversus vivificabis nos.

Et plebs tua letabitur in te.

Ostende nob[is Domine misericordiam tuam].

Et salut[are tuum da nobis].

Ab occult[is meis munda me Domine]. 

Et ab [alienis parce servo tuo].

Domine Deus [virtutum, converte nos]. [?]

[Et ostende faciem tuam et salvi erimus.] [?]

Domine exaudi [orationem meam].

[Et clamor meus ad te veniat].

Dominus vobiscum.

[Et cum spiritu tuo.]

Hic inclinet se dicens.

Aufer a nobis Domine cunctas iniquitates nostras ut ad sancta sanctorum puris mereamur mentibus introire.

Acciones nostras quæsumus Domine et aspirando præveni et adjuvando prosequere: ut cuncta nostra operatio et oratio et a te semper i[n]cipiat: et per te incepta finiatur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Et osculato altari dicat.

Adiutorium nostrum [in nomine Domini}.

Qui fec[it cælum et terram].

Sit no[men Domini benedictum].

Ex hoc [nunc et usque in sæculum].

Benedicite Dominus.

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritussancti. Amen.

Hic inchoatur officium misse. Deinde

Kyrieleyson.

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex cælestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus Altissimus, Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

In summis de beata virgine

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex cælestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe. Spiritus et alme orphanorum paraclite.Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Primogenitus Marie virginis matris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Ad Marie gloriam. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus. Mariam sanctificans. Tu solus Dominus. Mariam gubernans. Tu solus Altissimus, Mariam coronans, Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

Ferialibus diebus de domina.

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex cælestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili Marie unigenite, Iesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis per precem piissimam tue matris Marie virginis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Ut nos tibi placeamus iugiter et sacrosancte tue matri Marie virgini. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Per Marie suffragia que est mater sue prolis et filia. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus. Maria sola mater innupta.Tu solus Dominus. Maria sola Domina. Tu solus Altissimus, Pater Marie et filius Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

Benedictio dyaconi ante evangelium.

Dominus sit in corde tuo et in labiis tuis ut competenter pronuncies evangelium pacis omnibus nobis. In nomine Patris + et Spiritussancti. Amen.

Dyaconus lecturus evangelium dicat.

Da mihi Domine sermonem rectum et benesonantem in os meum ut placeant tibi verba mea et omnibus audientibus et credentibus verbum Dei propter nomen sanctum tuum in vitam eternam. Amen.

Finito evangelio dicat hec oratio.

Per istos sermones sancti evangelii pacis indulgeat nobis Dominus universa nostra delicta: et sit pax omnibus audientibus et credentibus verbum Dei. Amen.

Credo.

Dyacono offerente calicem cum patena et oblata superposita dicat sacerdos.

Sancti+fica quesumus Domine hanc oblationem ut nobis unigeniti tui corpus et sanguis efficiatur. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritussancti. Amen.

Sacerdos accepta oblatione procedat ad medium altaris et dicturus orationem teneat calicem in manibus cum patena et oblata desuper locata.

Suscipe sanctam [sic] Trinitas hanc oblationem quå tibi offerimus: in memoriam passionis, resurrectionis, et ascensionis Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Et in honore sanctissime et perpetue virginis Marie. Et beatorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli atque Andree: et omnibus sanctorum tuorum. Ut illis proficiat ad honore, nobis autem ad salutem. Et illi pro nobis intercedere digneris in celis quorum memoriam agimus in terris. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Postea deponat calicem super altare in modum crucis: et hostiam ante pedes calicis et patenam aliquantulum super corporali ad dexteram et cooperiat calicem cum corporali dicens.

Acceptum sit omnipotenti Deo sacrificium nostrum. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritusssancti. Amen.

Deinde benedicat utrumque simul dicens.

Veni sanctificator omnipotens eterne Deus ac bene+dic hoc incensum et acceptabile fiat Domino in odorem suavitatis. Amen.

Deinde incenset sacrificium dicens

Incensum istud ad te benedictum ascendat ad te Domine et descendat super nos misericordia tua. Domine clamavi ad te exaudi me. Intende voci mee dum clamavero ad te. Dirigatur oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu tuo. Elevatio manuum mearum sacrificium vespertinum.

Deinde lavet manus et dicat.

Lavabo inter innocentes manus meas et circumdabo altare tuum, Domine. Ut audiam vocem laudis tue, et enarrem universa mirabilia tua. Domine, dilexi decorem domus tue, et locum habitationis glorie tue. Ne perdas cum impiis Deus animam meam, et cum viris sanguinum vitam meam. In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt: dextera eorum repleta est muneribus. Ego autem in innocentia mea ingressus sum: redime me et miserere mei: Pes meus stetit in directo: in ecclesiis benedicam te, Domine. Gloria Patri

Postea pre dēsañ [?} medium altaris dicat orationem sequentem, profunde inclinante.

In spiritu humilitatis et in animo contrito suscipiamur ad te et sic fiat sacrificum nostrum ut a te suscipiatur hodie et placeat tibi Domine Deus omnipotens Pater. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritussancti. Amen.

Deinde vertens se ad populum dicat

Orate pro me fratres et sorores ut meum pariter et vestrum in conspectu Domini acceptum sit sacrificium.

Deinde dicat secretas et in fine ultime secrete dicat Per Dominum usque ad Per omnia secula seculorum.

[Here are the prefaces, each beginning Aeterne Deus].

Sanctus. Sanctus. Sanctus Dominus Deus sabaoth. Pleni sunt celi et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis. Bene+dictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.

Te igitur, clementissime Pater, per Jesum Christum Filium tuum Dominum nostrum, supplices rogamus et petimus, 

Hic osculetur altare

uti accepta habeas et benedicas hec + dona, hec + munera, hec + sancta sacrificia illibata. In primis, que tibi offerimus pro Ecclesia tua sancta catholica: quam pacificare, custodire, adunare et regere digneris toto orbe terrarum: una cum famulo tuo Papa nostro N. et Antistite nostro N. et Rege nostro N. et omnibus orthododoxis atque catholice, et apostolice fidei cultoribus.

Petitio secunda pro fratribus spiritualibus.

Memento, Domine, famulorum famularumque tuarum N. et N. 

Hic faciat memoriam recommendatorum: sed non longam quia periculosa forte erit.

et omnium circumstantium, atque fidelium christianorum quorum tibi fides cognita est et nota devotio, pro quibus tibi offerimus: vel qui tibi offerunt hoc sacrificium laudis, pro se, suisque omnibus: pro redemptione animarum suarum, pro spe salutis et incolumitatis suæ: tibique reddunt vota sua eterno Deo, vivo et vero.

Petitio teria pro sacerdotibus et ministris. Hic interservuntur aliqua verba in precipuis festivitatibus.

Communicantes, et memoriam venerantes, in primis gloriosæ semper Virginis Marie, Genetricis Dei et Domini nostri Jesu Christi: sed et beatorum apostolorum ac martyrum tuorum, Petri, Pauli, Andree, Jacobi, Joannis, Thome, Jacobi, Philippi, Bartholomæi, Matthæi, Simonis et Thaddæi: Lini, Cleti, Clementis, Silvestri, Cornelii, Cypriani, Laurentii, Crisogoni, Joannis et Pauli, Cosmæ et Damiani: Et eos quorum hodie gloriosus celebratur triumphus: et omnium Sanctorum tuorum; quorum meritis precibusque concedas, ut in omnibus protectionis tuæ muniamur auxilio. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen

Hic interservuntur aliqua verba in precipuis festivitatibus. Inclinet se ante altare dicens

Hanc igitur oblationem servitutis nostre, sed et cuncte familiæ tue, quesumus, Domine, ut placatus accipias: diesque nostros in tua pace disponas, atque ab æterna damnatione nos eripi, in electorum tuorum jubeas grege numerari. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Hic erigat se sacerdos dicens:

Quam oblationem tu, Deus, in omnibus, quæsumus, 

Signet super calicem et hostiam simul. 

bene+dictam, adscri+ptam, ra+tam, rationabilem, acceptabilemque facere digneris:  

Hic faciat primo crucem super solam hostiam deinde super solum calicem, dicens:

ut nobis Cor+pus et San+guis fiat dilectissimi Filii tui Domini nostri Jesu Christi.

Tersis digitis oblatam accipiat dicens:

Qui pridie quam pateretur, accepit panem in sanctas ac venerabilis manus suas, 

Hic accipiat panem in manus: et sursum erigat visum absque mora:

et elevatis oculis in cælum ad te Deum Patrem suum omnipotentem tibi gratias agens, bene+dixit, fregit, dedit discipulis suis, dicens: Accipite, et manducate ex hoc omnes: Hoc est enim corpus meum.

Hic hostia levetur et reponatur: deinde calicem accipiat dicens.

Simili modo postquam cenatum est, accipiens et hunc preclarum Calicem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas: item tibi gratias agens, bene+dixit deditque discipulis suis dicens: Accipite, et bibite ex eo omnes. Hic est enim Calix Sanguinis mei, novi et æterni testamenti: misterium fidei: qui pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum.

Hic calicem levat et postmodum reponat et cooperiat dicens: 

Hæc quotiescumque feceritis, in mei memoriam facietis.

Hic extendat brachia in modum crucis sursum elevata. 

Unde et memores, Domine, nos servi tui, sed et plebs tua sancta, eiusdem Christi Filii tui Domini nostri tam beatæ passionis, necnon et ab inferis resurrectionis, sed et in cælos gloriosæ ascensionis: offerimus preclare maiestati tue de tuis donis ac datis,

Hic faciat tres cruces insuper utrumque dicens

hostiam + puram, hostiam + sanctam, hostiam + immaculatam, 

Hic signet corpus Domini solum.

Panem + sanctum vite æterne,

Signet calicem solum.

et Calicem + salutis perpetuæ. Supra que propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris: et accepta habere, sicuti accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui justi Abel, et sacrificium Patriarchæ nostri Abrahæ: et quod tibi obtulit summus sacerdos tuus Melchisedech, sanctum sacrificium, immaculatam hostiam.

Cancellatis manibus inclinans se dicat:

Supplices te rogamus, omnipotens Deus, iube hec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime altare tuum, in conspectu divinæ maiestatis tuæ: 

Erigens se, osculetur altare dicens:

ut, quotquot ex hac altaris participatione sacrosanctum Filii tui

Hic primo signet Corpus Domini: deinde Sanguinem

Cor+pus, et Sangui+nem sumpserimus, 

Hic signet seipsum.

omni bene+dictione celesti et gratia repleamur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Petitio iiii pro universis fidelibus defunctis in q due orationes dicuntur.

Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum famularumque tuarum N. et N., qui nos præcesserunt cum signo fidei, et dormiunt in somno pacis. 

Hic meditandum et pro familiaribus animis [?] defunctis. Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus, locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulges, deprecamur. Per eundum Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Hic exaltans vocem paululum tundet pectus parum [?] cum summitatibus illorum [?] solummom [???] digitorum quibus sacrum altaris non tangitur dicens:

Nobis quoque peccatoribus famulis tuis, de multitudine miserationum tuarum sperantibus, partem aliquam, et societatem donare digneris, cum tuis sanctis Apostolis et Martyribus: cum Joanne, Stephano, Matthia, Barnaba, Ignatio, Alexandro, Marcellino, Petro, Felicitate, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucia, Agnete, Cæcilia, Anastasia, et omnibus Sanctis tuis: intra quorum nos consortium, non æstimator meriti, sed veniæ, quæsumus, largitor admitte. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. 

Hic non dicatur amen.

Per quem hec omnia, Domine, semper bona creas,

Hic signat ter utrumque, dicens:

sancti+ficas, vivi+ficas, bene+dicis, et prestas nobis. 

Deinde discooperiat calicem, et sumat Corpus Domini inter manus et faciat quinque cruces cum Corpore Domini super calicem: secunda crux calici coequetur videlicet de labio ad labium: tertia infra calicem: quarta fiat sicut prima: quinta inter calicem et presbiterum. 
Per ip+sum,  et cum ip+so,  et in ip+so, est tibi Deo Patri + omnipotenti,  in unitate + Spiritussancti, omnis honor, et gloria.

Deinde deponat Corpus Domini: et cooperiat calicem cum corporali et postea alta voce incipiat.

Per omnia secula seculorum. Amen. Oremus. Preceptis salutaribus moniti et divina institutione formati audemus dicere. Pater noster, qui es in celis: sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo, et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris et ne nos inducas in tentationem. Sed libera nos a malo.

Libera nos, quæsumus, Domine, ab omnibus malis, præteritis, præsentibus, et futuris: et intercedente beata et gloriosa semperque Virgine Dei Genitrice Maria, et beatis Apostolis tuis Petro et Paulo, atque Andrea, cum omnibus Sanctis, da propitius 

Hic accipiat patenam et osculetur eam

pacem in diebus nostris: 

Hic supra caput in modum crucis cum patena signet

ut, ope misericordie tue adjuti, 

Hic tangat pectus in modum crucis cum patena

et a peccato simus semper liberi, 

Hic tangat oculos:

et ab omni perturbatione securi.

Hic deposita patena ante pedes calicis: discooperiatur calix et Corpus Domini utraque manu teneatur supra medium calicis, et frangatur primo in duas particulas: et particula dextre manus locetur in patena. Dein frangatur particula residua in sinistra manu iterum in duas partes: et pars sinistre manus locetur in patena cum prima parte. Sed tertiam teneat super calicem dicens:

Per eundem Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum 

Hic fiat prima fractio

Filium tuum. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate

Secunda fractio:

Spiritussancti Deus.

Deinde teneat tertiam partem super calicem donec misceatur cum sanguine, et paululum calicem levet dum dicitur

Per omnia secula seculorum. 

Et statim deponat.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem.

Deinde commiscetur Corpus cum Sanguine dicat.

Hec sacrosancta commixtio et consecratio Corporis et Sanguinis Domini nostri Jesu Christi fiat mihi et omnibus sumentibus salus mentis et corporis et ad vitam eternam promerendam et capescendam sit preparatio salutaris. Amen.

Oratio subscripta dicatur antequam pax detur que non pretermittatur nisique Missa fiat pro defunctis: et in die cene Domini. [this para diff to read]

Domine Jhesu Christe qui dixisti apostolis tuis; pacem meam do vobis pacem relinquo vobis: ne respicias peccata mea sed fidem sancte ecclesie tue catholice: eamque secundum voluntatem tuam pacificare custodire adunare et regere digneris. Qui cum Patre et Spiritussancto vivis et regnas Deus per omnia secula seculorum. Amen.

Osculans [librum ?] et altare dicat

Pax Christi et sancte matris Ecclesie abundet semper in cordibus nostris.

Osculans sacrum[?] Corporis et Sanguinis dicat

per spiritumsanctum qui datus est nobis.

Dans pacem clerico dicat.

Pax tecum.

Respondeat clericus.

Et cum spiritu tuo.

Deinde subiungat presbiter.

Habete vinculum pacis et charitatis ut apti sitis misteriis sacrosanctis: per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Antequam communicet dicat orationes sequentes

Domine sancte pater omnipotens eterne Deus: da mihi hoc corpos et sanguinem filii tui Dominie nostri Jesus Christi ita digne sumere ut merear per hoc remissionem omnium peccatorum meorum accipere: et tuo sancto spiritu repleri: quia tu es Deus solus, et preter te non est alius, cuius regnum et imperium sine fine permanet in sæcula sæculorum. Amen. 

Oratio.

Domine Jesu Christe Fili Dei vivi, qui ex voluntate Patris, cooperante Spiritusancto, per mortem tuam mundum vivificasti: libera me, quæso, per hoc sacr* [?] Corpus et Sanguinem tuum a cunctis iniquitatibus meis et ab universis malis: et fac me tuis semper obedire mandatis: et a te nunquam in perpetuum separari permittas, Salvator mundi, qui cum eo Patre et eodem Spiritu Sancto vivis et regnas Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen. 

Accipiat patenam inter manus in quo locatum est Corpus Domini dicens:

Panem celestem accipiam et nomen Domini invocabo.

Deinde dicat ter.

Domine non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum: sed tantum dic verbo et sanabitur anima mea,

Hic signet se cum patena dicens:

Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam meam in vitam eternam. Amen.

Hic communicet et postea levet calicem dicens.

Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus que retribuit mihi. Calicem salutaris acipiam et nomen Domini invocabo. Laudans invocabo Dominum et ab inimicis meis salvus ero.

Hic signet se cum calice in modum crucis dicens.

Sanguis Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam meam in vitam eternam. Amen.

Postquam communicaverit dicat

Corpus tuum Domine quod sumpsi, et Sanguis, quem potavi, adhereat semper in visceribus meis: et presta; ut in me non remaneat scelerum macula, quem pura et sancta refecerunt sacramenta: Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate spiritus sancti. Per omnia secula seculorum. Amen.

Deinde lavet digitos: et sumpta lotione veniat ad medium altaris et ibi inclinatus dicat

Quod ore sumpsimus, Domine, pura mente capiamus: et de munere temporali fiat nobis remedium sempiternum. Amen.

Deinde lavet manus dicens psalmus

Nunc dimittis

usque ad finem. Hic legatur cõro [??].

Dictoque Ita missa est inclinet se sacerdos dicens

Placeat tibi sancta Trinitas obsequium servitutis meæ et præsta, ut hoc sacrificium quod oculis tuæ majestatis indignus obtuli tibi sit acceptabile, mihique et omnibus pro quibus illud obtuli, sit, te miserante, propitiabile: hic et in vitam eternam. In qua vivis et regnas Deus. Per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

Deinde fiat benedictio super populum dicens,

Benedicat vos divina maiestas Pa+ter et Fi+lius et Spiritus+sanctus. Amen.

Dominus vobiscum.

Et cum spiritu tuo.

Initum sancti evangelii secundum Joannem.

In principio erat. a xiii.

How far we have come

I have just been watching a programme on RTE about the Queen's visit to Ireland last year. It was an event that was deeply healing and is still being talked about there. Before the visit, the Irish Ambassador in London threw a party for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall; it featured many people from the Irish community in Britain, both the famous and the not-so-well known. Two among the famous caught my eye; Bob Geldof was there, as one might expect. But the figure standing next to him was none other than Ian Paisley. A willing guest in the Irish Embassy! How far we have come, indeed!

When we have so much to lament in our world, there are also things to be grateful for.

Irish and the Liturgy

A few days ago, I stumbled across the blog Lux Occulta, and rather liked it, so included it in my links section, where you can find it. I was a little intrigued by one post, called The Myth of Catholic Exceptionalism in which the author, Shane, takes issue with those on the Catholic Blogosphere who have characterized the Irish Catholic Church of the 1950s as an 'insular, peasant-led, anti-intellectual, aliturgical backwater.' I had an uneasy feeling that I might have been one of those he was rebuking. He left a comment on the last post which reinforced my suspicion.

But either he has misunderstood me in my earlier posts, or I did not express myself very well.
From the earliest days Ireland has regarded herself as indisputably part of the Western Latin Church. Those who would put blue water between her and the Holy See have had to struggle hard; there has been a myth among Anglicans that saw the Celtic Church (their sort-of predecessor, some believed) as a bravely independent body tricked into Roman submission at the Synod of Whitby (664). A look at the life of, say, St Columbanus (d.615) would give the lie to that immediately. In it we see both a devotion to the See of Peter and yet also a very different way of looking at things (not least regarding the relative importance of bishops and abbots).
Throughout the English occupation of Ireland, and especially after the Reformation, there can be no doubt of Ireland's attachment to the universal Catholic Church; indeed bishops continued to be appointed, and took up their sees whenever possible—there was often even a nuncio (or 'internuncio'). The Church was unquestionably under pressure, but never severed its link to the mainstream Church.
There are those who argue that there was a Gallican streak in Irish Catholicism, and there is a certain amount of evidence for this; many priests were trained in France, and I have heard that this accounts for the use of red sanctuary lamps throughout the British Isles (red being the French local colour for the Blessed Sacrament). But when we come to the twentieth century there can be no doubt whatever of the attachment of Ireland to the Holy See: the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, 1932, brought a great outpouring of loyalty to the Pope.
Others may have thought Ireland a backwater; she never thought of herself that way.
Nor did Ireland lack intellectual muscle. It has always, proverbially, been a reading nation, and the establishment and quality of the National University has led to Ireland, a tiny country, being ranked eighth in the world for its high proportion of quality universities. Seven of these were in 2008 ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement as among the 500 top universities in the world.

Shane exhorts me to write with care about the Liturgical Movement in the 1950s in Ireland because, he writes, it is a subject he knows something about and (he gently implies) I plainly don't. I confess I know very little at all about the progress of the Liturgical Movement in Ireland, and would be very interested to read anything that Shane might write (and I do hope he will). I have never seen much serious evidence for the Movement, though, on the ground. That it was present is highly probable, especially in seminaries and cathedrals; that it never crossed my path is undeniable.

I think, for instance, of the rebuilding of St Columcille's Church in Kells. Co Meath, which took place under the inspiration of the great parish priest Fr McCullen, in the very early 1960s, I think. An spatially-inadequate and ornate 19th century church was demolished (with difficulty, as it turned out—the excuse had been that the old one was about to fall down) and a new one built. Now, to my eyes, it shows a lot of Liturgical Movement influence. Pictures on the web, alas, are few and far between.

It is a very large building, without pillars or columns, so that everyone could have a view of the high altar under a simple tester, raised up on many steps. There were only two side altars, in the traditional Irish position, to the left and right of the high altar—none at all down the nave. Votive candles were strictly forbidden. The interior is very pleasing and harmonious, at least as designed, though it has had some unsympathetic reordering in recent years.
(The Blessed Sacrament is not now reserved , as one might suppose, on the old high altar, but behind Bishop Smith, and the old tester has been removed. The screen has been added, rather jarring with the style of the building) A new altar, as you can see, has been added in the nave.

The building is a good one, but I have never experienced a Mass there which was not hurried—oh, correction; a visiting priest last week celebrated beautifully. I was once (several years ago) rebuked by a resident priest for taking a whole half hour to celebrate a Sunday Mass (including sermon and many many communions).

My point has always been that good or bad liturgy has never been vital to the spirit of the Irish Church; it has relied on other things, and so has survived both a lack of liturgy in the penal days and bad liturgy today. Call the other things 'peasant' if you want; I would not, for everyone practised them. What I want to do in another post is to look at some of those things and find a Catholic rationale for them.

Of course you could always find good liturgy; the point is that is was not commonplace. And is probably less so today.

Told you so

At the time of Ireland's closure of its Vatican embassy, I remarked to several people that Enda Kenny and his government would come to regret it. 'It will come back and bite them', I said. 'They underestimate the residual loyalty of Ireland to the faith, and are simply playing to those they think are in the gallery.'
I considered blogging upon it, but decided not to; besides, those days before Christmas were simply too busy and I didn't do much blogging at all.
I want to write some more on Ireland, and will do so soon. In the meantime, you can read the account here, thanks to Fr Z.

Indolence and truth

Journalists are apt, like most of the human race, to take a shortcut wherever possible. The surprise that the Vatican obtained information for its biographies of the new cardinals-elect from Google (Archbishop Dolan is a Catholic, that sort of thing), directly lifted and without attribution, is but one example.

The précises of Papal homilies is another example. Inevitably journalists pick on the one phrase that they think will interest their readers, usually some sort of a negative comment, as you can read here on First Things:

http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2012/01/benedict-doesnrsquot-make-headlines

(Thanks to The Pulpit, and apologies that I can't put in links very well; they aren't easy to do on an iPad)

Wouldn't it be sensible for the Vatican Press Office to send around to the accredited journos not just the full text of the Holy Fathers' homilies, but a predigested account of the central message? Just a paragraph that the journos can tweak a bit to make it different enough not to be accused of plagiarism, or to make the Telegraph's account not too like the Guardian's. Perhaps with a bottle of whiskey to encourage the journos to use that rather than trawl through the homily itself to find the most potentially inflammatory phrase (when portrayed in a particular way)

This, of course, suggests that the Holy See provide some more help to the indefatigable Fr Lombardi, who always appears to project a strange mixture of puzzlement and confidence, of blind panic and quiet reassurance.

Friday Abstinence again

I noticed that The Bones had a dilemma about whether or not to eat meat last Friday, it being the livid scar of the feast of the Epiphany. I, too was in a dilemma.

You see, I was travelling. It is my memory that travellers were dispensed from abstinence, but in their restoration of Friday abstinence, our bishops did not grant dispensations (at least explicitly) or specify when these might apply. I think that in the old days a parish priest might dispense his parishioners for a good reason, and in certain cases (such as when travelling) the dispensation was automatic. I should have liked to see a dispensation for dining when others (who are not Catholics) have cooked and when one does not wish to cause an awkwardness. In fact our bishops explicitly directed that in such cases we were to explain to our friends that we were not permitted to eat their food, but to explain to them charitably a concept that few Catholics understand these days. It would appear to amount to:

'well, no, it isn't about doing penance, because we left all that behind us forty years ago. It is actually about us feeling good about being Catholics and being different, and this being a good witness to you about Living Simply'.

So you get to inconvenience, annoy, exclude and patronise your hosts all at one time. Fun.

Like old Boney, I thought about it being the real feast of the Epiphany, and about travelling, and so at the airport I hovered over a chicken salad sandwich before good old Catholic Guilt won out and I took the egg mayonnaise.

On arrival in my uncle's house, he was already laying a chicken casserole on the table as I came through the front door. I ate it with him. Now, we are in Ireland, and the law of abstinence doesn't apply here. But I still felt guilty, and wondered whether I should be inconveniencing, annoying and patronising him to do my religious duty.

Last night we went to the only Sunday Mass in the parish -- strangely late on Saturday night, and it was carefully explained that as we had celebrated Epiphany last Friday, the Mass would be that of the Baptism of the Lord. So even had the abstinence laws applied in Ireland, my uncle was right to serve meat, and I had felt guilty for nothing ( even though I know that I had no need to anyway).

As for the new translation in Ireland; well the stories you hear about it being a disaster area are not correct. My uncle tells me the there was some grumbling from some of the priests (during Mass of course), but that the laity just got on with it. That was my experience, too. Everyone said the prayers at their own pace as usual, the speed ranging from very fast to lightning, and all but one of the people near me were using the new text without leaflets except for the Gloria and Creed. Only one person kept up the old responses, but as she was going faster than any others around her that was perhaps to be expected. The celebrant didn't stumble or grumble once (though he ad libbed from time to time), and he encouraged the correct people's responses by saying them loudly into the microphone faster than anyone else. Only at one point did all the congregation pray all in solemn unison instead of the usual in-your-own-time,-folks style, and that was the Pater Noster, said in Irish. I really am going to have to learn that.

I asked about the lapsation in light of the recent troubles of the Church, and here in the wild and wooly parts of County Clare it doesn't seem to be a problem; Mass attendance is still about 90-95%, and even draws in the increasing number of (non-Catholic) immigrants from England, Germany and elsewhere, who have discovered for themselves what an important part of social cohesion the Church is here. Well, it's nice to hear some good stuff, isn't it?

They hadn't heard about the new Nuncio, but were highly amused to hear that he he is called Charlie Brown. No doubt he will be presented with a dog soon.

A very different way of doing the first reading

Here, from the Sarum Christmas Missa in Gallicantu, beginneth the first reading:

(translation further down, should anyone need it)

Duo clerici de secunda forma in capis sericis in pulpito simul cantent lectionem.

Laudes Deo dicam per sæcula, qui me plasmavit in manu dextera, atque redemit cruce purpurea sanguine Nati.

Hic cantetur alternatim:

Lectio Esaiæ Prophetæ.

In qua Christi lucida vaticinatur nativitas.

Hæc dicit Dominus. 

Pater, Filius, Sanctus Spiritus, in quo sunt omnia condita superna atque ima.

Populus gentium qui ambulabat in tenebris

Quem creasti: quem fraude subdola hostis expulit paradiso: et captivatum secum traxit ad tartara;

Vidit lucem magnam; 

Fulserunt et immania nocte media pastoribus lumina.

Habitantibus in regione umbræ mortis: Lux

Sempiterna et redemptio vere nostræ

Orta est eis. 

O stupenda nativitas,

Parvulus enim natus est nobis, 

Magnus hic erit Jesus Filius Dei.

Et Filius 

Patris summi,

Datus est nobis.

Ab arce summa prædictum sic erat.

Et factus est principatus super humerum ejus.

Ut cœlos regat atque arva.

Et vocabitur nomen ejus,

Messias, Sother, Emmanuel, Sabaoth, Adonai.

Admirabilis,

Radix David,

Consiliarius

Dei Patris,

Deus

Qui creavit omnia,

Fortis 

Barathri claustra perimens teterrima

Pater futuri sæculi,

Rex omnipotens et cuncta regens,

Princeps Pacis

Hic et in ævum.

Multiplicabitur ejus imperium. 

In Hierusalem, Judæa, sive Samaria,

Et pacis non erit finis, 

Per sæcula sempiterna, 

Super solium David et super regnum ejus sedebit, Et regni meta sui non erit aliqua.

Et confirmet illud,

In fidei pignore.

Et corroboret in judicio, et justitia, 

Judex cum venerit judicare sæculum.

A modo

Illi debetur gloria, laus et jubilatio.

Et usque in sempiternum.

Hic cantent usque ad finem:

Ab ortu solis usque occiduos, 

ad fines mundi orbis per climata 

laus Creatori resonet congrua. 

Amen dicant omnia.

Let two clerks of the second bench, in silk copes, chant this Lesson together in the pulpit:

I will sing praises to God for ever, Who formed me in His right hand and redeemed me on the cross with the purple blood of his Son.

Then alternately:

The Lesson of Esias the Prophet.

In which is foretold the glorious birth of Christ.

Thus says the Lord,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, by whom are created all things in heaven and earth,

The people that walked in darkness

whom you created, whom the enemy expelled from Paradise by a subtle fraud and led captive with him into hell,

Have seen a great light.

And at midnight strange brightness shone on the shepherds,

On those who dwell in the shadow of death, a light

Everlasting, and our true redemption,

has shined.

O stupendous birth!

For unto us a child is born,

Jesus the Son of God; he shall be great,

A son

Of the highest Father

is given to us

So had it been foretold from the throne on high.

And the government shall be upon his shoulder,

That he may rule heaven and earth.

And his name shall be called

Messiah, Soter, Emmanuel, Sabaoth, Adonai,

Wonderful,

The Root of David,

Counsellor

of God the Father,

God

who created all things,

Mighty,

overthrowing the hideous gates of hell,

The everlasting Father,

King Almighty and governing all,

Prince of Peace

Here and for ever,

Of the increase of his government

In Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria,

And peace there shall be no end,

For ever and ever,

Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom

and there shall be no bounds to his reign,

To order it

In the bonds of faith

And to establish it with judgment and with justice,

when he shall come as Judge to judge the world.

From henceforth

to him be due glory, praise and rejoicing

and for ever and ever.

Here let them sing together to the end:

From the rising of the sun to its setting

let fitting praise resound to the Creator

through all places to the ends of the world

and let everything say Amen.

By gum!

And here was I thinking that I was an all-Irish product. My mother, at seven minutes past 2011, reveals that my great-grandmother, one Mary Burnell, was a Yorkshirewoman.

Happy new year, everyone.

To elevate or not to elevate

Not that long ago I was upbraided for my unrubrical celebration of the Mass. I was somewhat stung, as I thought that I do take a lot of care do say the black and do the red, as Fr Z would put it. My particular offence was that
1) I elevated the Host and Chalice high after each consecration, and
2) not high enough for the 'Per Ipsum'.
It was pointed out to me that the rubric directs, after the Consecration that the priest

Hostiam consecratam ostendit populo

and, after the chalice:

Calicem ostendit populo.

The priest is to show the Host and Chalice to the people, and no more. This is underlined by the instruction that at the Per Ipsum, the priest is actually to elevate the Host (on the paten) and Chalice:

Accipit patenam cum hostia et calicem, et utrumque elevans, dicit: Per ipsum…

Therefore, I was instructed, I should lift chalice and paten high for the Per Ipsum, and merely present (as it were) the Host and Chalice after the consecration.

I took the point that this was indeed what the text said, but mutinously continued to maintain my practice, only with an uneasy conscience, on the grounds that

a) my practice was sanctioned by tradition,
b) I thought the other looked silly and (I'm afraid)
c) I wanted to.

I thought to mention this on a post that Fr Z put up yesterday, and then went to check some facts. Interestingly, I discovered that the Extraordinary Form also directs that the priest after each Consecration:

ostendit populo [Hostiam & Calicem]

and, at the Per Ipsum,

elevans parum Calicem cum Hostia, dicit 'omnis honor et gloria'.

Now it is very clear from a hundred liturgical commentaries that the 'showing' at the Consecration is a lifting up high, while the elevation at the Per Ipsum is parum, a little.

Here the Sarum use may be of help, being more explicit. The Celebrant is directed to

elevet [hostiam] super frontem ut possit a populo videri

(let him raise the Host over his forehead that it might be seen by the people)
and

elevet calicem usque ad pectus vel ultra caput.

(let him raise the Chalice to his chest or over his head)

In using the same expressions in the same places, Mgr Bugnini was clearly intending that the rubric be interpreted exactly as it always has been interpreted otherwise he would have made a change (as he did in requiring that the paten be involved in the Per Ipsum). And therefore, I contend, it is those who do not lift the Host high after the Consecrations who are being unrubrical.

There is, by way of interest, another useful connection that can be made. I do not think that this has any ancient witness to it (unless some of you know different), but surely there is an interesting parallel between the elevation and the crucifixion:


John 3:14—
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,


John 8:28 —When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he,


John 12:32—And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. (ESV)

At least catechetically, then, there is an important connection to make in people's minds here.

Christmas Prefaces

First, the ordinary tone, which to my mind definitely needed some adjustment:

And I thought I'd have a go at setting it to the tonus sollemnior (Ben having reminded me in the last post). It actually seems to work rather better than I thought it might, though the proof of the Christmas pudding will be in the eating.
If these are any use to you, I dare say you could easily print them off. I wrote them on A4 paper, so if you're using American Letter, you might need to scale down a little.
The resolution could be higher, and I could replace these with a clearer version if anyone thinks it a good idea.

Prefaces

On the whole I am pretty happy with the new translation. One thing, though, that I find particularly irritating is that the prefaces have not been set well to music. My spies tell me that the musicians had almost no time to reset the prefaces once Mgr Moroney had stopped tinkering, so did a rush job.
No doubt many celebrants have experienced the same thing. Particularly awkward is the fact that the musicians don't seem to have noticed that prefaces fall into three 'paragraphs' which need separate musical treatment. Some of the settings remind me of priests who can't read music, and have a go at vaguely fitting the tune to the words without preparing it first (we've all encountered those priests).

The preface for Advent I wasn't very good, nor others I've looked at, so I thought that I'd have a go myself. Here's the one for this weekend, Advent II: actually the one in the missal is very nearly okay, and I've agreed with it almost everywhere. But it was good for me to get the practice. And I prefer square notes for this sort of thing.

Services of Reconciliation

Yesterday I held two 'reconciliation services' in the parish; one in the morning at our smaller centre, where some twenty (more senior) people came and another in the evening in the main church. I had asked two other priests to help, and they kindly came. The participants? Ten. From a Sunday Mass attendance of between 250 and 350.
I have read so often that the reason people do not come to confession is that the priests are failing in their duty to preach about it, or make opportunities. In this parish, I offer an hour and a half every week (distributed through the three churches) (when I sit alone saying my breviary), and a conveniently timed 'reconciliation service' during Advent and Lent. And I do preach about it. Occasionally very directly.
In the past, I have been told that it is 'forbidden' to hear confessions during Mass. I know that this advice is false.
I should add that the times are calculated to be easy and available, and that the opportunity in the main church coincides with the hour's exposition of the Blessed Sacrament that happens daily.
I know excellent priests who hear confessions before every Mass; these tend to be city-centre parishes, and this would simply not work here.
So, I would be interested to know whether anyone has tried the experiment of having visiting priests hearing confessions during Sunday Mass a couple of times a year.
Or, frankly, I would be grateful for any advice at all.
I am very depressed about this. My parishioners clearly think that they are saints. Some may be, but most, I suspect, are no more saintly than I am. Well, perhaps a little bit more.

Wildlife

I have been receiving emails encouraging me to engage in some sort of competition. The prize, apparently, is to see some arctic monkeys. I do enjoy those David Attenborough programmes, and have seen polar bears (not nearly as cuddly as one might suppose), though never arctic monkeys.

Someone suggested that it might be the name of some pop group. Sounds very unlikely to me, though of course the Beetles are named after insects. What's become of them? I haven't heard them for some time.
But now I have a worry: if I enter this competition, I might stand some remote chance of winning. And if I won, perhaps they would make me go to the performance. I don't think I should like that. Flower power was never my thing.

Mythapprehensions

I had an enquiry this morning from one of my ecumenical opposite numbers about the song A Partridge in a Pear Tree. She had heard that this was a sort of catechetical song of the Catholic Underground during penal times. This is an explanation that I have heard, too, but I have to say that I don't find it remotely convincing. The only thing that it might teach is a child to count backwards from ten; what one might want a child to learn is not that there are seven sacraments so much as what those sacraments are—children would learn that there are seven anyway.
Several of these sorts of crypto-Catholic practices were described in Fr Mark Elvins' book Old Catholic England, and I hesitate to say that I think that lots of these connections are simply fantasy, romantic invention, but, having hesitated [……], there, I'm afraid that I do think that they are just that.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone knows any more about it: I'd be very pleased if any sort of real connection were made between these things and the recusant period.

Extraordinary Form Train and a very Ordinary Form church

While outside the church today, waiting to hear our 8-year-olds first Confessions, I was pleased to hear a chuffing in the distance from the railway line that runs past St Peter's. It's 34067 Tangmere, on the way to Bath.

What if?

…and I write as a financial dunce (please don't rub it in)…

 Catholics, Christians, were to put their money into those British Islamic banks that don't do usury? Or even have our own, similar, institutions?

In the end, has the ancient prohibition of usury been shown to have more behind it than might have appeared, say, ten years ago?

Golly!

Golly!
Irony, do you think?

Giving the Jerusalem Bible a Belt

On Mondays I tend to start my week reading over the Gospel for next Sunday, moving on later days to commentaries. Next Sunday we will read the beginning of St Mark's Gospel, and, as usual this morning, I read it first in the Greek, and then used various translations to get the best sense. But I discovered a peculiarity. In 1:6, the strange clothing adopted by St John the Baptist is described:

καὶ ἦν ὁ Ἰωάννης ἐνδεδυμένος τρίχας καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσθων ἀκρίδας καὶ μέλι ἄγριον.

The Vulgate has:

Et erat Joannes vestitus pilis cameli, et zona pellicea circa lumbos ejus, et locustas et mel silvestre edebat.

Douai-Rheims:

And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and he ate locusts and wild honey.

The English Standard Version (basically RSV) has:

Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt round his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

All pretty straightforward (the translations, I mean, not St John's clothing). However, when we come to the Jerusalem Bible, we get:

John wore a garment of camel-skin, and he lived on locusts and wild honey. 

Strange. Where's the belt gone? A problem of the Lectionary, I thought; these things aren't unknown. I've even discovered a passage in a Gospel where the vital word 'not' is left out (though I can't remember where). But I went to my JB and checked. No belt. Okay; the plot thickens. What about the New Jerusalem Bible?

John wore a garment of camel-skin, and he lived on locusts and wild honey.

Just the same as old JB, in fact. 

Perhaps there is a variant text in the Greek; this Sunday's Gospel had one; either 'Watch' or 'Watch and pray'. But no, there seems to be no disagreements among the Greek versions; John did indeed have a leather belt.

Finally, I tracked it down in the Jerusalem Bible (original) French version:

Jean était vêtu d'une peau de chameau et mangeait des sauterelles et du miel sauvage.

But a footnote adds:

Var: Jean était vêtu de poils de chameau et se ceignait les reins d'un pagne de peau.

There we are. But nobody else seems to think that not wearing a belt is an option. It's just a JB oddity, and, no doubt, they have found a manuscript to back them up, but not one that anyone else seems to have found.

It raises a point, though: what are we supposed to hear at Mass? The biblical critics' version, or that which the Church asks of us in the Latin original Lectionary?

On another point in this verse, the commentary by Dom Paul Delatte, once Abbot of Solesmes is delightfully French: for him it isn't enough to know that John ate locusts (sauterelles; grasshoppers)—he wants to know what they tasted like!

Les sauterelles de Palestine sont longues et fortes, grosses à peu prés comme des crevettes, et, assaisonnées de certaine manière, elles en ont le goût, paraît-il.

Palestinian grasshoppers are long and strong, roughly as big as prawns, and seasoned in a certain way, it would appear that they taste like them.

I have a delightful image of French gourmets haring off to the Judean desert and demanding salade des sauterelles avec sauce Marie Rose, perhaps followed by Gâteau du Foret Noir. Or perhaps not.

—and (a later thought) it seems that Delatte considered that John the Baptist might well have enjoyed his sauterelles assaisonnées de certaine manière. Perhaps with a glass of light Chablis?

St John Fisher

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that the Archbishop of Westminster has written a book about St John Fisher. It is now available, published by Alive Publishing.

ISBN 976-1-906278-13-7
or go here.


There is a very real danger that, simply because a man is Archbishop of Westminster, a book might (a) be published and (b) be dismissed by serious scholars.

This book is a real contribution both to scholars and to Christians generally who want to know more about Fisher. At the book launch last night in Archbishop's House, the eminent historian Eamon Duffy admitted privately that he had expected to have to 'flannel', because of who the author was, but he acknowledged that this work genuinely breaks new ground and contributes to our understanding of Fisher, not just as martyr, but as theologian and pastor. That is no mean accolade from our foremost English Reformation scholar.

Professor Jack Scarisbrick, who also spoke (and what an extraordinary man he is—the father (maybe with Haigh) of revisionist Reformation history) made the comment that whereas St Charles Borromeo has been considered the patron saint of the clergy, St John Fisher has an equal—if not greater—claim to the title. I have long thought this, and am delighted to hear it reaffirmed by so great an authority.

Professor Scarisbrick also mentioned Archbishop Peter Amigo in his talk, something that, I thought might set the foundations of the home of Cardinal Bourne a-trembling. But that's another story.

Do I recommend the book? Well, I've yet to finish it, but so far, I recommend it very highly. It is high time that St John Fisher was written about as confessor (in the old sense); as a genuinely holy and intelligent man who was saintly in his life as well as his death. It is good, too, to set him in his context and compare him to his contemporaries.


As for the launch, somebody asked me why I was invited. I said I didn't know, but I was pleased to be there. Thinking about it, I think that it was probably a mistake, and that they had meant to invite Fr Tim Finigan.



On other matters, I do apologize for the thin posting; parish work has been very pressing, extraordinarily so, and I've not been feeling at all well. Say a prayer, please. 
No, don't assume it's anything serious; just lurgies, but debilitating ones. Good for my soul, if not my body.