I was talking with someone on the campsite the other day and they interrupted me to say they had just heard a thrush singing. .This amazed me To tell the different types of birds from their singing
They used to broadcast the dawn chorus every morning on RTE Radio 1, from a different part of the country each day for a week or so in Spring. Maybe they still do. My parents would sometimes get up at dawn to listen to it, they'd have the radio on and the windows open so they could get it in stereo
There was a Christian brother when I was a child who used to take us all out to the forest and name all the flowers, trees and birds for us. He was amazing. Just about the first thing God did when He created everything, as we are told in Genesis was to name them all. I think I will download Aps to my phone that identify things like flowers and birds . All you have to do is take a picture and it names them. That would be fun.
I have an app called “Picture This” that I use to identify wood and trees for woodworking. It’s surprisingly good. It will identify most plants fairly accurately. Like you said, just snap a photo with your phone, have it scan that photo and it identifies it and gives you loads of background info. My friend here is a postman. A person on his route had a nice stack of big logs in his front yard. He took a picture with his phone, texted it to me, and asked if I knew what kind of wood it was. I ran the picture through this app, and it came up honey locust. Honey locust is very good for wood turning, especially bowls. He brought home a dozen big heavy logs. I have very big hands, for an idea of their size: I’ll make something from one of them on my lathe, probably a large bowl, for that homeowner for letting us have the wood, which is a traditional gesture of appreciation among many woodturners.
Saint Joseph would have loved this, Jesus too. Of all the trades in the World He chose to be a carpenter, that says something.
To be at Holy Mass with Our Lady, what a privilege! I am quite humbled to assist at the altar as deacon. With my pastor vacationing in Africa, we've had to arrange for retired priests to come and fill in. And, of course, each of them seems to have a different expectation of what my duties should be at the altar. Today, Father Lester Smith was the celebrant. He is a humble, devout man, yet very precise. He always prays the traditional Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I), but out-of-the-blue asked me to chant my line at the time of dismissal. Last evening at the Holy Mass of anticipation, Fr. George Wurz asked me to preach, but today Fr. Smith preached! My pastor, Fr. Francis chooses to purify the sacred vessels after Holy Communion, but Fr. Smith always has me do that when he substitutes. Never a dull moment. I only do what I'm told to do.
The Old Roman Canon is my very favourite, I love to hear it but it is said so seldom because it is so long. A young priest said it in the hospital chapel at lunchtime and I was so pleased and touched I went to thank him after Mass, he looked very surprised that I noticed. You are so blessed to be a Deacon, I would give my right arm for such a privilege, but of course I am not worthy. In the last four weeks I have seen many priests in many different parishes and I have to say every single one of them seemed very holy. I suspect a lot of the rit that set in focused aroundd the Religious Orders.
Nearly four weeks camping. I was seriously tempted to return home the other day. I love camping, but this is the longest I have ever been away and thoughts of a hot bath and home comforts draw me homeward. However I don't like to be a quitter and the weather forecast from today onwards. I got an invite to be one of the Eucharistic Ministers for Closed Novena from the 14th of June awards so my time is drawing to a close anyway. A large young family turned up on site yesterday evening with a large tent trailer. It was quite cool and the insects were coming out to bite but they seemed very happy and busy cooking over an open log fire. It's lovely to see children on these wild camp sites with no washing facilities, no power, no toilets. But I can help wondering how on Earth they cope. But they seem very happy, bless them.
I find it a little hard doing the Stations of the Cross after Mass because I imagine everyone is staring at me. Happily by the time I finish the Rosary the Church is usually empty. So I plough on at it. The Stations are a great. Great joy. I wish more people would do them. It is very. Very rare to see folk doing these.
Derry is the second city in Northern Ireland. And when they were putting together the 2nd university back in the 70s, in Northern Ireland, instead of giving it to Derry - where it would generate income. They opted for protestant Coleraine. A small market town on the River Bann. It was a big deal at the time. And created a lot of resentment.
The Great Apostacy. There was someone wrote something very telling and sad on the Forum a few months ago which was so sad and telling. He was the Father of a young family which really, really counted on him as breadwinner to support his family. He wrote that he could easily see a time coming shortly were his employer would asked him to go along with something that is against the Faith. He wrote that when that day comes he had already decided he was going to bow the head and go along with it. That his family needed him too much to do otherwise. You know that fork in the road is heading towards us very, very quickly. In one sense the young father was very wise and alert to see this coming. But of course hwas wrong to give in before the attack was mounted. But it's coming for each and everyone of us and it's cominvery, very soon.
1 million per cent! For some it has arrived. They are the fore-runners. Villified. Like the unvaccinated were ostracized and villified. Made to feel like 2nd class citizens. Donald Trump's wall doesn't seem like such an outlandish idea anymore to many who once scoffed at it, and not just in America but in other countries too. I often wonder in what shape or form my particular moment will arrive. I think the vaccination thing was just a precursor. It was just a warm-up for the real-deal yet to come. We didn't take it. We were initially fooled by covid. But not the vaccines. We were never taking that poison. My wife and I went through many trials down the years. But these days we are close and together in a way and in a manner that we've never before been. Subsequently, we are united and resolute in that we intend taking the 'right fork'. We will not take the easy road. I think God has given us this grace to be united, so that we might be an example to our children. Given this, personally, I believe we are close to our moment of choice.
I see the World Health Organisation has just confirmed a link between the onset of Multiple Sclerosis and the MRNA vaccines. This is the WHO, the establishment of the establishment, not people anyone can claim to be pointy headed nut jobs. However this WHO research paper has been t aken off all the main servers. It's not that they are saying it's not true, they just cancel it. When I heard about this I just let out a huge sigh of relief and thanked God I never took any of that ghastly poison inside myself. A great big thank God. MS , just imagine. What could be more awful.
Yes, Terry if anyone is worthy, it is you. But I don't want to give you a big head so I'll write no more.
When I went off to Mass this morning there were six camper vehicles here, including lots of lovely laughing children. Now this evening there are just the two of us, myself and a very quiet lady in a camper beside me. Campsites can be like this; folks have to get back to work and I don't so I am left alone. This reminds me of the Church. When I was young the campsite of the Church was brimful and very rich and powerful, pretty well controlling the country. On Sunday morning there were several Masses and the Churches were brimful of people,cso much so that many people had to stand through the Mass. Now, in the evening of my life the campsite is empty. There's nobody here but us Faithful Remnant chickens. Even the folks who run the campsite, the Vatican have left it and are building a campsite of their very, very own. Being in a full campsite is very different from being in an empty one.Being in a campsite or Church that gets emptier and emptier causes you to ask yourself questions about why you're still there when everyone else is gone. You have to be real camper, or a real Catholic to stay. Running away and leaving can be tempting, but that's just what it is a temptation. An empty campsite is still a campsite... Just as an empty Church is still a Church.
Sad to hear you were not able to stay in Knock. Strange times. Our Lady's message in Medjugorje struck a cord. I have developed a prayer garden It is teeming with life. I can hear the dawn chorus in my bed every morning. It wakes me up at about 5am. The garden is a lovely place to pray. We have the gift of 5 Dominican nuns in traditional habit taking up residence in our city. They are having a big impact on everyone. Pádraig don't forget I have a place for you to stay for a week in August. I hope it all works. I'm looking forward to it. I'll write out all those names requesting prayers and pray for them at the Blue Cross.
