Battles, at Nafpaktos, in Souls, and in Synods

I have been having trouble dragging my carcass out of bed in any timely fashion, but today I did arrive for Mass in time for the Rosary.
And I was even called upon to lead a decade, for which I was glad - and besides almost righteously so, snarkily, as well.
Two Turks parishioners came in to the church and thought they would have a conversation.

Not today, boys, not today.
I am the youngest "regular" by a couple miles, and there is some serious hearing loss distributed amongst my fellow pray-ers.
Do the hearing impaired think it might behove them to sit nearer the front, from which intentions are read, congregants called upon to take a decade?
No, they do not.
I think all priests and ushers and other lay ministers come to terms with this reality, eventually- people gonna sit where people gonna sit. (I knew a wonderful pastor twho once tried strategically turning out various lights in the transepts and near the back to heard the daily mass people into a closer grouping - after a week, with no success, one man who had sat in near total darkness the entire time dropped in to the confessional after mass -Father, I don't have a confession, I just want you to know that a bunch of the lights in the back that must be burned out.)

Anyway, I know, because I am approached at the supermarket, in the church parking lot, at restaurants, (on the rare occasions,) that people love it when I read at Mass or lead part of the Rosary.
They can hear and they can understand.
I have good diction, (thank you, Lord, and thank you, Dorothy Tree/Dorothy Uris,) and I am loud.
And I can always get louder.
Or even LOUDER.
Without shouting.
So don't think you're gong to come in and converse loudly enough to hear each other, boys - ain't gonna happen.
Take it outside.
Anyway, a good day for the Rosary - and a visiting priest, so I'm also looking forward to confessions this weekend.
And the celebrant was beautiful!
I don't mean good looking, but gestures so perfect and reverent, I didn't even notice them until i thought back on them after Mass.

The way the orans posture changed so smoothly into hands folded in prayer into the sign of the cross was art.
Gentle, (yet somehow in retrospect almost shocking,) art.

It was so wonderful, not having to fight distractions to Be In the Liturgy.

And the Rosary was especially powerful today, our Lady, hearing our pleas, watching over us - us all, the Church, her Son's Bride.
And evidence of her protection, and the Holy Spirit sorting things out?
A corrective, when goings on, (at the Sin-Odd? ;oD) take more effort than you might think, to make public.
God bless Edward Pentin!

reliable sources have shared with me a few of the subjects covered by other synod fathers, helping to provide a more rounded picture of what was discussed: 
* A number of synod fathers spoke in support of Cardinal Peter Erdo’s introductory speech, including one who underlined the importance of keeping fidelity to truth about marriage, the family and the Eucharist.
* A synod father asked “What are we doing here?” and stressed the synod is about the family, not other relationships such as homosexual ones. He also stressed that if the synod accepts the divorced-remarried issue, the Church effectively “supports divorce”.
* Another said the emphasis should be the sacrament of marriage, so the spiritual beauty of marriage is brought to the fore. Often the Church is not united around the “positive vision” of marriage and family. He said instability around marriage is “against its nature”.
* A synod father referenced St. Augustine, saying some of the baptized living in “irregular situations” don’t want to approach the Sacrament of Penance; he said the crisis of the family is a crisis of faith. He quoted 2 Timothy 4:2-5
* Another intervention noted the flock are too few, and that one should show respect for families which battle and try to remain faithful, those who in particular remain faithful to their marital vows given before God, although there are controversies and difficulties.
* A further intervention stressed that the Church has to defend that which God revealed about marriage and family and that the work of prelates is to support healthy families. A danger for families are “certain cultural currents,” as well as a sociological approach. In order to serve the family one has to take as the point of departure the word of God.
These were just some of the interventions the press didn’t hear about from [the English language press spokesperson] among the 72 delivered to the synod on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.

Queen of the Rosary, and Victor of Lepanto, pray for us!