Smithereens

A friend of mine who lives in Rome belongs to this parish

which he described to me the other day as having "fallen from heaven".

It is the newly established personal parish of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, the Church of Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini.


I think there must be something wrong with me, because looking at it fills me with a sense of dread.

And he said: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses hid his face: for he durst not look at God.

I don't think I could stand to be this Catholic. It would be like living on food that is too rich, or using perfume that is too strong. I would choke on it.

I'm developing my idea that I'm really just not a very devout person. This much intensity of Catholicism just looks like too much for me. I wonder if this is not some clew as to how Novusordoistes feel about the whole Tridentine revival thing.

Didn't I read somewhere that when Moses lived in the desert and was face to face with the Ancient of Days in the tabernacle, he was transformed into a strange new sort of man whom no one could stand to look at in the face. He had to go about wearing a veil over his face to keep from dazzling and frightening everyone.

When the angels appear to men, their first words are "Don't be afraid". It is because their appearance is terrifying and overwhelming.

"...his head and his hairs were white, as white wool, and as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as in a burning furnace. And his voice as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars. And from his mouth came out a sharp two edged sword: and his face was as the sun shineth in his power.

And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet as dead."