Moustaches pour tous

World weary, denying no one their manly rights, the great warrior

proclaimed "moustaches pour tous"

ALL SHALL HAVE MOUSTACHES

They shall fight

The high orb hung and shed its woeful light on the fields of war. The clamouring warriors struggled with each other, yielding no quarter...

Piercing the very air itself, they flung themselves defying nature's balance - taunting the laws of God.

And no weight was too heavy for their powerful arms

And swift were the feet of the messengers of war.

Sports day

The four houses gathered on the field of battle for the task of deciding the might and power of the great peoples.

The warriors had painted themselves with dreadful patterns to terrify those opposing them.

And battle commenced...

Plus ca change...

The Pope has set up a Vatican commission into the Vatican Bank... good so far!

But it is made up of Italian Cardinals!!!

For goodness sake, plus ca change.

Confirmation - snaps afterwards

A true prelate speaks to all people.

Our newly confirmed were snapped after the Mass, but I seem to have missed a couple.

Note the school badge.

This one seems to be playing cricket.

Future Lord Snowden.

Confirmation, the Mass itself

The preparation of the altar

It is always a pleasure to be around Mgr Castet when he says Mass. You can tell when a man believes and lives his actions.

Giving the servers communion

Group photo

Confirmation, the Bishop preaches and confers the Sacrament

Mgr Castet preaching

Mgr Castet preaches in the traditional manner, sitting down.

This is the sense of "Cathedral". It comes from Cathedra meaning seat, and the seat is the source of the Bishops teaching authority. Priests do not sit down because they administer the teaching of the Church. Bishops, as successors of the apostles, are members of the teaching corp of the Church.

Fr Rowe singing the Gospel

And it is because of this that Bishops must uphold the teaching of the Church. They are charged, by Jesus Christ himself, to teach the faith. They will be held personally responsible at the day of judgement if any of the flock of Christ untrusted to them have gone astray because they did not defend the truth that comes to us from Jesus through the Church.

Preparing for the prayer of confirmation

Preparing for the imposition of hands

The Bishop lays hands on the head of the sister of one of our students

If they have watered down the faith by diminishing belief in the real presence then they will be held accountable. If they teach strange doctrines which question the divinity of Christ of the place of the Blessed Virgin, then they will be held accountable. If they do not promote the teachings on morality, which lead to salvation, such as the evils of artificial contraception, abortion, euthanasia, same sex 'marriage', then they will be held accountable. If they do not oppose injustice or oppression, then they will be held accountable.

The anointing with the oil of Chrism
"Be sealed with the Holy Spirit, the gift of God"

If this is harsh then as Sir Humphrey said in "Yes Primeminister" - it's your job, you wanted to do it.

Confirmation, the arrival of the Bishop

Fr Rowe acting as Deacon carrying the Evangeliarium

Mgr Castet, Bishop of Lucon

To the strains of "Sacérdos et Póntifex et virtutum óptifex, pástor bóne in pópulo, sic placuísti Dómino"
Mgr Castet arrived. Last year he brought a chasuble with him (just in case!) this year he brought a Pontifical Dalmatic in his case.

Incensation of the Altar

Confirmation, getting ready

The Bishop's Throne

 Getting ready to welcome the Bishop for confirmation is always a joy. The boys have been prepared and so it is the housekeeping of getting the chapel ready, new candles, making a throne, making sure that the boys know how to genuflect before him and kiss his ring.

Altar with new candles and beautiful flowers

Masters anxiously wait, checking booklets

Crowds gather

Everything, indeed that happens in hundreds of parishes throughout the world when their Bishop comes.

Gentlemen in cassocks

Imperious schoolboys

Chavagnes International Choir at its finest

When is the Bishop getting here??