A Decade

 Today is ten years since I was admitted to the Presbyterate of the Ordinariate; on the feast of our Blessed Lady of Perpetual Succour. Bishop William Kenney officiated, at his request, which gave me great pleasure. His lordship is titular bishop of Midica, in North Africa, at one time a bit of a hot spot of Donatism. But not now. Heresies come, heresies go, as heresies ever will.

Aware that I have a secret preference for Latin Liturgy, he kindly decreed that the Canon Romanus, in Latin, was to be used. Ad multos annos Domine! Plurimosque annos!

The following day, by the kind permission of the Provost, I celebrated my First Mass in Full Communion with the See of S Peter, at that fabulous pietra dura Lady Altar in the Brompton Oratory. (It began life in the Dominican Church, now demolished, in Brescia.) I was very aware, as I did so, of the statue of the  Dominican Pope S Pius V, standing there beside our Lady. Since then, a dignified altar to S John Henry Newman has popped up beside S Pius. Did you hear me just now shout Dottore pronto?

By a happy coincidence, Ss Pius and John Henry both used an Authentic Roman Rite!  So do I!!

I hope that our Blessed Lady, and S John Henry, and S Pius, and my Holy Readers, will pray for this unworthy presbyter.