Friday on the Gunpowder River...

With the CLSA convention, the trip home last weekend for the Archbishop's visit to the Latin Mass, and with all the work of the middle of the semester, I haven't been fishing for a while. Got the chance yesterday, and made the most of it. Caught several trout in the 8-10 inch range. In the middle of the afternoon a good hatch occurred and I happenned to have the right fly tied on.

Visit of Archbishop Kurtz to the Latin Mass Community...

Yesterday was a wonderful day for the Latin Mass Community at St. Martin's in Louisville. Our Archbishop attended in choir and preached at the 12:30 Mass. It was wonderful to have the support of the archdiocese visibly present, as it was also nice that two of the others (besides myself) who help celebrate this Mass were also present in choir. Especially nice was the presence of Fr. Charles Schoenbaechler - 93 years and still going strong: "Ecce Sacerdos Magnus!"

This Mass was begun in the archdiocese back in the late 80's under the indult Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, and has continued with the help of many good and holy priests. I have had the privilege of celebrating it for almost five years now.

As promised, here's a short video of yesterday's Mass. The choir did a spectacular job (as you hear in the video: the "Christus Vincit," one of my favorites...), the servers "remembered the altar cards" (inside joke...), and everything went smoothly. Thanks to Eddie for helping with the creative photo angles. This video may be revised and improved, once I can figure out how to get my editing software to read the video from a camera which was located in the choir loft... wrong format, I think. Anyway, enjoy:

Extraordinary Form "Going's On..."

Some remarkable news from the Eternal City: a Mass in the Extraordinary Form was celebrated in the Vatican Basilica this past Sunday by Archbishop Burke, prefect of the Apostolic Signatura. The Mass took place in the Eucharistic chapel of the Basilica. A brief video of this Mass was posted on YouTube:



Tomorrow morning I'm flying home for the weekend. Archbishop Kurtz will be making a pastoral visit to the Latin Mass community at St. Martin's in Louisville. He will be attending in choir at the 12:30 Mass on Sunday. I'll be posting something early next week, be sure.

On a related (liturgical) topic, this afternoon is the annual McManus Lecture, sponsored by the School of Canon Law. The speaker this year is Bishop Trautman of Erie, speaking on the new translation of the Roman Missal. This one ought to be interesting...

Convention Week at Home...

My week at home for the CLSA National Conference is coming to an end. Tomorrow I celebrate the 12:30 Mass at St. Martin's and then fly back to DC. A quick report on my activities...

The convention was an interesting experience. I made it to a few of the conferences. Mainly, my purpose there was to serve as the driver who shuttled many of the speakers and other dignitaries back and forth from the airport. I spent a LOT of time at the airport this week. So much so that the shoe-shine guy near the security check-point and I were on a first name basis. Interesting, but glad it is over. I used to associate airports with the excitement one experiences when leaving for / returning from a vacation. This week there was no such association, only tedious waiting for the delayed flights of those I was responsible for picking up. A little ink was spilled over some of my words in the diocesan paper this week "The Record." The poor reporter wandered out of one of the conferences with her head spinning. Before I knew it she was jotting down notes when I was talking with her. That's not usually a good thing when it happens with me... Oh well, check out the short article HERE.

Certainly, a highlight of the week was the machine gun shoot at Knob Creek... All I can say is "WOW!" The caucaphony of automatic gunfire that was unleashed by 75-80 individuals at once elicits a strange, almost giddy, sensation in the observer. While I am a staunch believer in the second ammendment of the Constitution, and enjoy hunting and shooting myself, I must say that it was at least mildly alarming that such weaponry is available. I was able to set aside any conflicted feelings, however, to simply take in the pageantry (yes, that is how I would describe it) of the event. Check out some of the damage inflicted:

A southern rock band belts out the tunes while the lead flies:

Yes, that's a CANNON:

Home for the CLSA Convention...

I Flew home yesterday morning for the Canon Law Society of America annual convention, which happens to be in Louisville this year. I'll be helping the Tribunal in playing host. Celebrating the 12:30 Mass at St. Martin's tomorrow, then handling the shuttle service from the airport to the conference on Monday morning.

It just so happens that this weekend is the bi-annual "machine gun shoot" at Knob Creek! Woo-hoo! What a masterpiece of timing (I don't think it was intentional on the part of the CLSA, however...)! Heading out there this afternoon. For those of you unfamiliar with Knob Creek, let me just say that the place is so red-neck it even makes me a bit nervous, and this weekend is when the place really shines...

Check out some select parts of the official website for the shoot (any event that has such warnings/advertisements is definitely worth attending in my book!):

"All Visitors enter Knob Creek Property at their own risk. It is public knowledge that pyrotechnic charges sometimes blow debris into the spectator area. Hearing and eye protection are strongly recommended at all shooting areas on Knob Creek Property. Knob Creek Range Inc. will not be held responsible for injuries to you or damage to your personal property while at Knob Creek."

"Flamethrower rentals available Friday, Saturday & Sunday"

JCL II Fall Field Trip...

Let's face it, my canon law class has earned a certain reputation around the university here. And I won't claim that I haven't had anything to do with it either, mind you. If there is one thing that everyone on campus knows it's this: canon law students know how to throw a party... we know how to have fun. Last year something of a tradition was begun. Once a semester, we take what we have begun referring to as "a field trip." Thursday evening after classes found us doing just that: duckpin bowling. A couple of our professors were even brave enough to go along, too. An evening of fun, enlightening canonical conversation, and amazing feats of athletic prowess was enjoyed by all. Thanks to Fr. Vince, our official class photographer, for the pics:

A last-minute bribe is offered to the official tournament scorekeeper:

Fr. Rich: the "Kingpin" of JCL II:

The second year canon law class: