A little bit of Limburg

Limburg am Lahn - Germany - A magnificent Medieval town - and stunning late Romanesque former Collegiate Chruch now a Cathedral.

Fontgombault Study

The Abbey Church of Our Lady, Fontgombault. (N.D. de Fontgombault)  The community number roughly a hundred and celebrates it's liturgies according to the Classical Roman Rite (Usus Antiquior)

Photo from behind the Choir

The Abbey had lain in ruins after the french revolution until Cistercians returned and made the buildings habitable again in the late 1800's - It was latter settled by Benedictine Monks from Solemnes Abbey in the mid 1950's

From the side door at the westend

Left side of the main west door

Abbey Church and guest wing

The village church of St Jaques (if I recall correctly)

The Abbey from across the river

From accross the river - the old mill house now functions as a hydro-electric generator

An aerial view of the Abbey

Porters Lodge and Monastic shop behind can be seen the guest house

The west end of the Abbey note how a line may be drawn accross the church - the lower part being romanesque and the upper gothic - the slits date from the religious wars

The great western portal

Ordinations conducted by the FSSP some years ago (mid ninties)

A small romanesque chapel rescued by the abbey and rebuild in the grounds

PRIESTS NOT JUST SOCIAL WORKERS

Zenit reports today (from CNA) -
VATICAN CITY 16 MARCH 2010

Priests must prioritize spiritual role over social, remarks archbishop


Vatican City, March 16 (CNA) .- Archbishop Willem Jacobus Eijk of Utrecht in Holland noted last week that because of their contact with the world, priests run the risk of allowing "their social roles to prevail over their spiritual ones." In order to avoid this, he continued, each priest must continue to grow in his "relationship with Christ the priest, teacher and pastor."

The archbishop made his comments during a theological congress on "The Fidelity of Christ, the Fidelity of the Priest," organized by the Congregation for the Clergy at the Pontifical Lateran University on March 11-12.

"I don't want to underestimate the importance of the social role of priests, who although 'in a certain sense are segregated in the heart of the People of God,' yet they do not remain 'separated from this same people or from any man' with whom they live and for whom they work in a particular age and culture," Archbishop Eijk said.

Nevertheless, he pointed out, "we seek to train future priests and focus on their spiritual identity. Priests are exposed daily to pressure, tension and the disillusionment related to the proclamation of the Gospel in a society that is not very open to the Christian faith."

For this reason, he added, "After ordination there is always the risk of the social role prevailing over the spiritual. In order to prevent this conflict, priests must do everything possible to grow in their relationship with Christ the priest, teacher and pastor."

St Birinus after additional work

St Birinus Interior before resotration and additions to the Screen

What you should be experiencing in church

Mass at Westminster Cathedral, London U.K.

"In the earthly liturgy we take part in a foretaste of that heavnly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister of the choirs and of the true tabernacle. With all the Warriors of the heavenly army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of the saints we hope for some part and fellowhip with them; we eagerly await the saviour, Our Lord Jesus Christ..."

St Birinus, Dochester-on-Thames

Below a series of images gathered from the internet (but mostly taken by the young Dominican Br Lew O.P. from Blackfriars at Oxford - to whom much praise and thankfulness is due for this splendid study)

This small chapel built in 1849 by Wardell, is shewn here in various phases before during after it's restoration by Fr John Osman, its parish priest. In fact Fr Osman goes beyond just restoring it, but adds to it completely in style in a most laudable way.

Thank you Fr Osman.

First the Exterior