Tag: Christianity

Latin Mass with Friends and Family- Worship Old School Style

image1-1I’m questioning my mental faculties… No surprise to many (yeah, yeah, my family can all stop voicing their assent. You all are sooooo funny). Forgetfulness is becoming my ever-present, unwanted pal.

It’s driving me nuts!

My problem is that I see my world in layers, and should really look at the whole: when I work on a job, or layer, I tend to focus on ONLY that one layer. Often, other obligations become mere background noise. This past week we focused on getting school supplies, sports physicals, forms, etc. purchased, met, and completed. The previous week was spent moving kids rooms around and welcoming their friend to our home. It’s been busy, but I had completely forgotten our plans made for Sunday, August 16th.

Guess who remembered to bring veils/scarves? Yep. Samantha.
Guess who remembered to bring veils/scarves? Yep. Samantha.

Three weeks ago, on the drive to Vidcon in Anahiem, I told Friend of The Girl (Samantha) that I wanted to attend a Latin Mass. As soon as I mentioned this to Samantha, also known as our Chief Organizer and Planner, she had her phone out and found each church in our area offering one. The Girl, The Husband and The Boy all were on board. Samantha later went on to research the different kinds of Latin Masses, appropriate dress, times, parishes, AND her own train route to get herself to the church. The only thing she forgot was my forgetfulness… The Girl had to remind me, “Mom, quit planning our morning, we are meeting Samantha, remember?” Of course not, I can’t remember where I park my car half the time!

Saint Anne's Catholic Church, San Diego
Saint Anne’s Catholic Church, San Diego

Needless to say, we all made it. And were early, to boot! Samantha studied the different kinds of churches and different types of Latin Masses offered, and hit on the best one for us, Saint Anne’s Catholic Church in San Diego. It was humbling to experience the Mass in the language of the early church. We all decided that we’d like to visit St. Anne’s again- the parishioners that we met afterwards were so warm and inviting. We felt truly welcome and are thankful for their warmth and geniality!

Inside St. Anne's
Inside St. Anne’s

Thank you for the research, the scarves, and these photos, Samantha! You will take university by storm, and no doubt continue to make everyone proud!

Finally Finished My May Read: “The Screwtape Letters,” by C. S. Lewis

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts, Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.”
C. S. Lewis, from “The Screwtape Letters”

CS Lewis
CS Lewis “The Screwtape Letters”

I finally finished a book that I started several years ago. Can I perhaps tempt you to read it, too? (LOL… OK, I’ll stop). In “The Screwtape Letters,” Lewis provides much food for thought, and the main thought of the book is Temptations.

C. S. Lewis, well know for his Narnia series, is almost as famous for his theologic essays and stories. In “The Screwtape Letters,” we read correspondences between the earthly tempter and demon “Wormwood” and his under-worldly advisor, “Screwtape.” The whole of the story focuses on Wormwood’s need for advice as to how to best lead his assigned human astray from “The Enemy,” God.

In one letter, Screwtape shares with Wormwood: “…as one of my own patients said on his arrival down here, ‘I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked.'”  This really struck me, and I stopped reading to think… reminded of how the modern screen conveniences, in particular, allow me to become easy pickings for my own personal demons. Good grief, that could be me looking back at all the hours I spend wasted in front of a TV, smartphone, or computer. Sobering, to say the least.

Screwtape then closes this letter with what many of us will recognize (in reverse, of course)… how many times have you heard this idea preached from the pulpit? Or maybe you’ve read it in a book:

“But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick.”