As soon as you've unravelled all the complicated mystery
About what the Holy Office does, the Rota, the Consistory;
When you've studied more theology, and don't get quite so drowsy on
Attending learned lectures which discuss the Homoousion;
When you've somehow put behind you (with your poor command of French) a list
Of authors whose philosophy is known as Existentialist -
When your learning on a multitude of themes is less bucolic -
There's ne'er a Protonotary will be so Apostolic.
Acknowledgements not so much to Gilbert's and Sullivan's Modern Major General as to an earlier ex-Anglican Apostolic Protonotary who would have rejoiced to see the day of the Ordinariate.
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7 comments:
First verse
I'm the sort of man they make an Apostolic Protonotary -
I've written reams and reams of prose, and quite a lot of potery [sic];
To walk on garden-rollers is among my minor glories,
And I used to be prevailed upon to write detective stories;
I can also punt canoes (or as they say in Greenland) Kayaks,
And had quite a flair at one time for composing elegiacs;
I can look up trains in Bradshaw, on occasions locomotary,
As undoubtedly becomes an Apostolic Protonotary.
(I believe the response of Mgr Ronald Knox PA to a letter of congratulation from the Very Rev'd Cyril Alington, sometime Dean of Durham.)
In short in matters prelatical, canonical and clerical,
He is the very model of a protonotary curial.
baah...
Bravo, Father!
William Schwenck Gilbert lives!
G&S. So pleased you've finally discovered some 'patrimony' to bring with you, Father.
I remember many years ago, a Roman Catholic priest of my aquaintance referred to the office of Protonotary Apostolic as 'mule bishops'!!
Rdr. James Morgan
olympia, WA
Probably my first post here
Auriel: Welcome!
Presumably you mean Mgr Knox. What's the evidence for your claim?
Fr Ashley Beck
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