Thoughts on the week gone by

I guess this will now be normal Blogging routine; that is a weekly post unless there is something dramatic happening.

Work is now back to normal; IBM announced its full year results and considering the economic climate they were excellent. I have been very busy which is a good sign, long may it continue.

Julia and I managed to catch the "Sacred made Real" exhibition at the National Gallery. This is an exhibition of Spanish Painting and Sculpture, 1600-1700. It includes  Spanish polychrome wooden sculptures. There was another small exhibition detailing how these remarkable sculptures are made. It was a very moving and uplifting experience viewing stunning works of art. It is too late to urge you all to see it as the last day is today.

Painting and polychrome wooden sculpture

At church we started a course for Catechists which I found informative, useful and interesting. There were sixty of us from local parishes taking part. It is always good to meet new people and be able to learn from their experiences. Mary who ran it did a superb job. We have some homework to do before the next session in a few weeks time. I must do it early or else I will forget!
Sadly moves are afoot to bring in the new English translation of the Mass. The language seems stilted and awkward. It is meant to be truer to the original Latin; but why fix something that is not broken? It seems designed to drive people away from the Church. I really cannot understand what is happening. On one hand the Church is keen to reach out and make special accommodation to those in the C of E who are wish to join over the issue of women priests. Yet at the  same time it is going out of the way to upset the existing flock. As a post-Vatican II convert to Catholicism I do not understand the Latin mass nor find it meaningful in any way. I have signed the petition asking for the introduction of this new rite to be delayed. I am not sure what effect this will have. I shall start following this development with renewed interest.
If we are to use a universal language for the Mass the most logical to my mind would be Aramaic; the language used by our Lord. But to have a literal translation of the Latin Mass means using English language in a most bizarre way that is not spoken by anyone.
I suspect that various power struggles and games are being played out in high places. I wonder if that is what our Lord wanted some 2000 years ago?