Sunday, July 16, 2017

Faith Resources Newsletter - Number 71 - June 2017


Christianity would not have enemies if it were not an enemy to their vices.
Jean-Baptiste Massillon, Bishop of Clermont

Message from the Manager
Welcome to our June 2017 Newsletter. Many beautiful feasts are celebrated this month: Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The second apparition of Our Lady of Fatima occurred on the Feast Day of St Anthony of Padua. St Anthony was born in Lisbon and a magnificent Church dedicated to him is built in the area where he was born and grew up.

On my recent pilgrimage to Fatima, two balmy days were spent in Lisbon. Here, we visited the amazing Monastery of St Jerome which houses royal tombs and that of the famous seafarer, Vasco da Gama. The beauty of St Sebastian and St Anthony’s churches where we attended Mass is indescribable. Father Guy, our chaplain offered Mass at the Church of the Holy Miracle, formerly St Stephen’s, at Santarem. In 1225, a woman trying to win back her straying husband stole a host after Holy Communion intending to give it to a witch who had tricked her into believing that it was necessary for a “love potion”. However, when she arrived back at her home, the host was bleeding and it was taken back in procession by the parish priest to the Church. The host still lives in a Monstrance on display above the main altar. We were able to view and pray before Our Living God.

Fascinated by Our Lady’s Appearances to the three children, it was with great anticipation that all members of our group entered Fatima. Greeted by torrential rain and bitter cold winds we soon learned the European art of wearing layers and to dash out between showers (never without an umbrella). We also learned that if we explained hard enough we could have the Portugese version of a Flat White: a strong shot of coffee in a tiny cup and a teapot full of hot milk! Our five days flew by with never a dull moment. Every hour we watched thousands of pilgrims march into Fatima on foot and there was not a square metre of land that did not have a car or a tent set up on it for miles around. On our tour of Aljustrel, we had the privilege of speaking to Lucia’s 97 year-old niece, Maria dos Santos, along with seeing the children’s homes and the sites where the Angel appeared to them. The place where Our Lady appeared on 19th August was close to Lucia’s home.

The nightly Candlelight Rosary Processions around the huge Sanctuary area were a magnificent sea of candles as myriads of people prayed the rosary and sang traditional hymns to Mary. Our tour guide had planned well and we were enthralled by everything in the Museum including the Crown that contained the bullet that almost killed Pope St John Paul II. The Chapel of the Apparitions in the Sanctuary, that was built beside the holm oak tree on which Our Blessed Mother appeared, has been covered by a modern structure for protection. There is an altar where at least fifty priests can assemble to celebrate Mass. The holm oak tree has gone but a very beautiful statue about the same size as Our Blessed Mother was now stands there. Each night she is lowered and carried around the perimeter so that everyone can take part. We visited the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary several times and prayed at the marble tombs of Lucia, St Jacinta and St Francisco for all our relatives, friends, parish members and our Cardinal Newman Faith Resources’ readers, volunteers and benefactors. The two girls are buried side by side on the left of the altar and Francisco is on the right.

The highlight was the Mass at 10am on 13th May where Blessed Jacinta and Francisco were canonised. At least a million pilgrims were packed together in the Sanctuary and even more jammed the surrounding streets. The Mass lasted three hours but it seemed like three minutes. It was beautiful. At Holy Communion hundreds of priests dispersed throughout the crowd to bring Our Lord to every pilgrim. From 8am that morning the skies around Fatima were a magnificent blue and the sun warmed us in every way. The Mass finished at 1pm and by 3pm the cold winds and torrential rain had returned. Our Mother Mary blessed us all that day.
Our last day was spent at the Monastery at Batalha and Nazarene where Father Guy celebrated Mass at the church where the statue of the Black Madonna of Nazareth sits above the altar.

We have some new recently published items added to our inventory this month including Father Tierney’s new long-awaited exciting instalment in the Bush Boys series, New Boys Go Bush Again. A warm thank you to the team of workers who made this production possible including Elizabeth Fanning who did the illustrations, Michael Brearley, Sean Fanning and Phil Murphy. Many people have already received their copies so hurry up and order so you do not miss out. (Please ring if you have ordered and have not received it yet as your order may have been missed accidently.) Next month we will publish some book reviews.

Thank you to all our readers, benefactors and volunteers, for without your support we could not fill our small place in the world spreading the word of Christ. I prayed for you and your families at Fatima. We hope that Our Blessed Mother, Lucia, St Jacinta and St Francisco will shower you with blessings.

Gai Smith
Manager

Featured items

New Boys Go Bush Again by James Tierney $15.00
Join Jack, Jim and Joe who live at Terra Sancta in an old rambling house on 40 acres, without mains power, only firewood. They are explorers and detectives so we can expect lots of pictures, maps and diagrams as well as camping amidst wild ridges and gorges. Read this new exciting adventure and find out if their visitors will cope with the bush and who are the Sly Spy triplets!

Our Lady’s Message to the Three Children of Fatima and the World by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle normally $33.90 it has been reduced to $29.95
This beautifully illustrated durable hardback book will not only teach children about the message of Fatima but will help them live it.
The Secret of the Rosary (Leather) By St. Louis de Montfort normally $36.95 reduced to $29.95
Fatima The Apparition That Changed the World by Jean Heimann $39.95
Champions of the Rosary by Fr Donald Calloway MIC $29.95
The Last Secret of Fatima by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone $19.95
The Kiss of Jesus by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle $30.95
The Graced One CD by Rev Deacon Dr Sherman Kuek OFS $5.00

Savouring Our Faith with Fr Leo Patalinghug DVD (Signed Copy) $37.95
Savouring Our Faith Season II with Fr Leo Patalinghug DVD (Signed Copy) $37.95
Who Am I to Judge (Book on Relativism) by Edward Sri $29.95
Who Am I to Judge CD by Edward Sri $5.00
Christ Their Hope Suffering and Martyrdom in the Early Church DVD by Steve Ray $20.00
Holy Water and Its Significance for Catholics by Rev Henry Theiler $22.95
Love Sacrifice Trust CD by Fr Michael Schmitz $5.00
The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism by Edward Feser  $35.00
The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise by Cardinal Robert Sarah $29.95
"I painfully experienced assassination by gossip, slander and public humiliation, and I learned that when a person has decided to destroy you, he has no lack of words, spite and hypocrisy; falsehood has an immense capacity for constructing arguments, proofs and truths out of sand. When this is the behaviour of men of the Church, and in particular of bishops, the pain is still deeper. But … we must remain calm and silent, asking for the grace never to give in to rancour, hatred and feelings of worthlessness. Let us stand firm in our love for God and for his Church, in humility."

The Treasure of Our Soul - the Apostles’ Creed CD by Scott Hahn $5.00
Go and Make Disciples CD by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers $5.00
Meeting Jesus in the Beauty and Truth of the Catholic Faith CD by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers $5.00
Communion of Saints CD by Rev Deacon Dr Sherman Kuek OFS $5.00
The Three Secrets to Sharing the Faith DVD by Trent Horn $20.00

Glory Stories Secrets from Heaven The Story of the Children of Fatima CD $14.95
Glory Stories Blessed Imelda and Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe CD $14.95
Treasure and Tradition by Lisa Bergman normally $39.95 it is reduced to $34.95
Described as the best book ever printed to explain the Tridentine Rite, this quality hardback has magnificent glossy colour illustrations, photographs, diagrams, tables and simple explanations which are an effective way to help children to understand and follow along with the Mass.



Cardinal Newman Catechist Consultants — 1st June, 2017 — HANDOUTS n. 147
“Clear, brief and easily assimilated by all”
Spirituality for Priests
Download as a PDF
For Seminarians and Priests in Parishes
Based on Christ’s threefold works, His tria munera:
·        PROPHET: Intellectual Formation of seminarians in philosophy and theology by those who are themselves “Masters in Israel” (John 3:10) and holding the priestly vocation in great esteem.
·        PRIEST: Spiritual Formation must be given by those fervent in faith and virtue: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:6).
·        KING: Character formation by discipline is under the fatherhood of the rector or bishop, to learn self-restraint: “For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Hebrews 12:7).
CONTRASTING ORDER
Council, Code & Catechism list the tria munera differently for clergy and laity, probably because the priestly vocation is to activate the laity in apostleship.
See Handouts n. 10, Bishops & Priests: Teachers, and Teachers of Teachers (on two sides of an A4). For the laity and the Church generally, the order is Priest, Prophet & King, consistently contrasting with Prophet, Priest & King for priests & seminarians:-
In the Church there is diversity of ministry but unity of mission. To the Apostles and their successors Christ has entrusted the office of teaching, sanctifying & governing in His name and by His power. But the laity are made to share in the priestly, prophetical & kingly office of Christ; they have therefore in the Church and in the world their own assignment in the mission of the whole People of God.
    VCII Apostolate of Laity (Apostolicam Actuositatem §2
SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality is a perfecting of one’s moral life.
Morality flows from doctrine.
Doctrine is revealed teaching on God and His plan.
Devotion, piety, prayer life, are foundational for doctrine, morality, spirituality, catechesis & theology. So catechisms start with prayers to be memorized, then Creed, Sacraments, Covenant Commandments and the doctrine of Prayer.
LAY SPIRITUALITY — see over
Read 1 Peter 3:1 - 4:19 and Colossians 3:1-17. Also,
What is most necessary in the world today
is to have in each parish a group of laymen
who are at the same time
virtuous, enlightened, determined and really apostolic.
St Pius X, quoted in The Soul of the Apostolate
PRIESTLY SPIRITUALITY
Read 1 Peter 5: Greek presbyteros is usually priest in DRV, and presbyter is an English word usually meaning ‘priest’. Note letters PR-ES--T in both Greek & English. KJV, RSV, JB have ‘elder’ or ‘senior’; Knox sometimes has ‘presbyter’.
Priestly & seminarian spirituality includes
1.   Adoration of God, our raison d’etre, “reason-to-exist”.
2.   A growing friendship with the Lord Jesus.
3.   Mary, our mother in discipleship, is His greatest disciple.
4.   Becoming His prophet on whom rests the Holy Spirit.
5.   Celibacy: spiritually married to the Chinch, thereby making Christ’s Bride fruitful with offspring (see Handouts n. 52).
6.   Serving the laity by activating them in their apostolate.
7.   Radiating charity: joy and optimism of the Resurrection.
8.   Fighting the Devil, a life-long battle.
9.   Unworldly in life-style, an example of “Repent & Believe”, to hand on the Good News, publicly and courageously.
10.Laughing at one’s own absurdities, the road to humility.
11.Priestly reserve, self-respect, inspire reverence for Christ.
PRACTICAL POINTS
1.   Spirituality builds up our Covenant with God, hence it must be Scriptural and Liturgical.
2.   Reciting the Office: worthily, attentively, devoutly (digne, attente ac devote), even moving the lips to meditate the Psalms in monastic-style contemplation.
3.   Daily Holy Hour coram Sanctissimo: “Speak, Lord, Thy servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10); “The Master is here and calls thee”, (John 11:28).
4.   Daily Mass, including Mondays on the weekly “day-off” with other priests: “Do this in memory of Me” (Luke 22:19-20), for Mass is making the new covenant.
5.   Regular Confession for a Christ-conformity and to resist Satan (whereby priests experience the shortage of suitable confessors suffered by the laity).
6.   Memorization and understanding of lots of Scripture and Liturgy, poetry and literature: “Did not our hearts burn within us?” (Luke 24:32) — vital in an upbringing, especially in a seminary-upbringing.
7.   Bringing God to the laity and die laity to God: our apostolate is to activate the laity; (see above aa §2).
8.   Allocating time according to scale of priestly priorities, akin to sailors when high aloft amid the billowing canvas, “One hand for the ship and one for yourself’ — we must save our own souls first!
TEXTS
St Paul: “Charity is patient and kind...” 1 Corinthians 13:4- 14:1
St Francis of Assisi: “Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace...”
Kipling’s famous poem “If—” is applicable to priests:
If you can keep your head when all about you,
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you [...]
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster,
and treat those twin impostors just the same [...]
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings — nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
if all men count with you, but none too much [...]
Then you’ll be a man, my son.
And so the poem is quite applicable to priests and seminarians but with a new last line:
You’ll be a priest, my son!
St Gregory Nazianzen:
“The Art of Arts is the care of souls.”

Spirituality of the Lay Faithful
All the baptized are called to holiness, the vocation of all the lay faithful, as well as of priests and Religious
COVENANT SPIRITUALITY
Life on earth is a journey Godward and a great adventure. God-incarnate has come as Mediator of a covenant which is both communal and personal.
Our CREED of FAITH
The Creed of the Covenant is the teaching in the Apostles’ Creed.
It is about God, what He is like, what His plan is:-
·        the Unity and Trinity of God
·        the Incarnation, Life, Death and Resurrection of His Son
·        the Mission of the Holy Spirit
·        and of the Church.
The Spirituality of the Covenant includes the whole history of salvation, beginning in the Pentateuch, called in Hebrew Torah, the Law, which is the Will of God (cf. Psalm 119 [118]) for each and all in daily life.

PERSONAL COVENANT
Seven Pledges for God’s glory-giver
On MY HONOUR, I promise
that I will do my best
to be God’s glory-giver:-
a child of the Father,
a cross-bearer with Jesus Christ,
my Saviour and Friend,
with the Holy Spirit
as my Helper and Guide.
I reject Satan, sin and selfishness.
I will to be a child of Mary and the Church,
a Good Samaritan to my neighbour
and faithful to the duties
of my vocation in life to which
it has pleased God to call me.
Saint N., named my patron at Baptism
And Saint N. at Confirmation
Pray for me.

Our CREED of MORALS
The Ten Commandments are man’s Creed of Morals, of natural morality, hence the Biblical Creed of Morals.
These Commandments are underpinned by the doctrine of the Covenant, which is:
·        there is only One God, Almighty, Eternal, immortal, invisible, of Whom no image can be made.
·        the People of God, the People of the Covenant, united in faith and morals, in Creed and Commandments.
·        Hence spirituality revolves about our covenant with God, with a morality made more intensely personal and noble by the Mediator Jesus Christ.
In me there is left no spark of worldly tilings
but only a murmur of living water
which whispers within me, “Come to the Father”!
    St Ignatius of Antioch
COURAGE to CARRY the CROSS
Throughout our testing time on earth, our joy in Christ’s Resurrection is blended with our carrying His cross with Him: “Christianity is a free gift at an appalling price,” (C.S. Lewis).
FOURFOLD CHECKLIST
To defeat Satan’s assaults on our virtue/integrity:
·        Prayer, and not just in time left-over
·        Penance to restrain our waywardness
·        Godly Reading to feed our minds
·        Final hour before going to bed is crucial for virtue.
The Enemy Within the Gate: Renascent Modernism, by Fr John McKee
A RULE OF LIFE for married, single, Religous
Lay Spirituality is centered on the Liturgy of the Mass and the Sacraments, on Family Prayers and on Private Prayers. This enables the laity to live in the midst of a busy but passing world while living in the spiritual covenant with God. It is the very soul of the lay apostolate to a troubled world.
The Liturgy integrates natural life with covenant life. It gives us integrity of life in intimacy with Our Lord, to work conscientiously to save our souls and to resist the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
See MY WAY OF LIFE: Daily, Weekly, Monthly Programmes, Always, in the Catholic Family Catechism Disciples’ Edition pp. 5-7. It includes simple plans under the headings Loyalty, God’s Plan, Good Example, God’s Work of Art, Opportunities, Vocation in Life, and the inspiring words:
Man is created to praise, reverence and serve God our Father, and by this means to save his soul. All other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him fulfil the purpose for which he was created. From this it follows that man is to use these things to the extent that they will help him attain this end. Likewise, he must rid himself of them in so far as they prevent him from attaining it.
St Ignatius Loyola
This leads logically into Daily Prayers, pp. 8-10.
EXERCISE
Spiritual exercise is even more important than bodily exercise. “If you don’t use it, you lose it!” As all too many do!
Praying to God is truthful and generous and thereby humbling. And humility is the foundation virtue for living in the Covenant-Kingdom of God, to “Repent and believe the Good News”. For this He created us.
Listening to God is a vital part of praying, because prayer is lifting our minds and hearts to God.
Remember Our Lady, the greatest disciple and our mother, and also your Guardian Angel and patron saint(s).

MODESTY
Goodwill flows forth from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5
Lord, help me to save my soul by putting other
– their safety, feelings, comfort –
and make me pure and humble,
truly manly/womanly,
modest and well mannered
in gesture, deed and dress,
speech and thinking,
never rude or crude,
and shunning pride and vanity
or any vulgar display
of my body, talents or successes;
may I always imitate Mary,
Your lowly handmaid, the
Living Catechism of Christ Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
In the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Check the 7Rs for self & for others
1.   Religion
2.   Respect (manners)
3.   Reason
4.   Responsibility (duty)
5.   Reading
6.   ’Riting
7.   ’Rithmetic
Meditate Daily
O God Almighty! '
O Blessed Trinity!
O Incarnate Son!
O Real Presence!
Father James Tierney
© The Rev. B.J.H. Tierney. Handouts are free and may be copied for any non-profit teaching purpose. However, donations to defray costs are welcome and should be made to the publisher and distributor, the Cardinal Newman Faith Resources Inc. PO Box 359, St Marys NSW 1790; phone 02 9673 2235; fax 02 9623 3181 email <fr@eardinalnewman.com.au>

Cardinal Newman Catechist Consultants — 29th June, 2017 — HANDOUTS n. 148
“Clear, brief and easily assimilated by all”
News for my Friends
Download as a PDF
New Boys Go Bush Again and the Kipling Connection
MOVING ON — SOON
SOMETIME within the next six months, I hope to move to The Rock, 30 km southwest of Wagga Wagga.
So from the end of July, before writing or faxing, please phone 02 4829 0297 to check if I have moved. If you do not get my recorded message, my new address will by then be settled, and available from 02 9673 2235 at Newman Resources, St Marys.

Rudyard Kipling
by A.B. ‘Banjo’ Paterson
One expects a great literary giant to be in some way a sort of freak: drink, women, temperament, idleness, irregularity — nearly all the great writers of the past have had one or other of these drawbacks, and some of them have had them all. [...] So, when I went to stay with Kipling in England [in 1901, after meeting him in South Africa at the Boer War], I was prepared for literally anything. Would he drink? Would he be one of those men who had half a dozen wives with a complementary number of concubines? Would he be up all night telling me how good he was, or would be recite his own poetry with appropriate gestures?
None of these things happened. [...] Kipling was remarkable in that his life was so very unremarkable.
He hated publicity as his Satanic Majesty is supposed to have holy water; and in private life he was just a hard-working, common sense, level-headed man, without any redeeming vices that I could discover. [...]
Frankly, they [his English contemporaries] looked upon him as one of those infernal know-alls, who wanted to do all sorts of queer things. What right had anyone to come along and suggest that there would be a big war, and that England should be prepared for it? [...]
Kipling, out of his own pocket, bought enough land for a rifle-range and paid the wages of a retired sergeant-major to teach the yokels drill and musketry.
[...] Kipling himself lost his only son in the Great War, and was asked to write an epitaph to be put on a tablet in the centre of the thousands of war graves. He wrote, “Had our fathers not lied to us, so many of us would not be here.” And who shall blame him? Needless to say, they did not use it.
    A.B. Paterson, Happy Dispatches, 1934,
    in The World of ‘Banjo’ Paterson,
    edited Clement Semmler, 1967.
There are similarities between the Church in Australia and the former British Empire. In their heyday, it was inconceivable that either could dwindle or diminish, let alone vanish. But the sun has set on the British Empire and the Catholic Church and Christianity in Australia are imperilled... As far back as 1897, Rudyard Kipling, in his stirring hymn, The Recessional — so appropriate for Anzac Day: full text, below — warned the British people that the survival of their empire depended on their fidelity to God.

NOW ON SALE at the Cardinal Newman Faith Resources
NEW BOYS GO BUSH AGAIN
by Father James Tierney: adventure in 434pp plus 78 pp of Appendices: $15 with PPK $8.
An earlier book in the Bush Boys series quoted Kipling. See Bush Boys on the Move pp. 91-92:-
Greg, however, had further requirements. “Remember? I said there was one more thing for all six of us to do, to be complete Bush Boys? We’ve gotta take the Kipling Oath on a Khyber knife.” Even Pete looked puzzled. So Greg declaimed:-
O East is east and West is west
And never the twain shall meet,
Till earth and sky stand presently
At God’s great judgement seat.
But there is neither east nor west,
Border nor breed nor birth,
When two strong men stand face to face
Though they come from the ends of the earth.”
Kev thought how appropriate it was for their black and white gang. Greg kept quoting:
They have looked each other between the eyes,
And there they have found no fault,
They have taken the oath of the brother in blood,
On leavened, bread and salt.
They have taken the oath of the brother in blood,
On fire and fresh cut sod,
On the hilt and the haft of the Khyber knife
And the wondrous names of God.”
    The Ballad of East and West by Rudyard Kipling.
    (The Khyber Pass is between Afghanistan and Pakistan.)
He opened his pocket knife and hacked off six pieces of his Mum’s homemade bread. He sprinkled each with a pinch of salt. “Leavened bread and salt,” he said. “Eat it! It means we’re at peace like blood brothers.” Each ate solemnly.
Greg dug chunks of earth from the cave floor and gave each of them a bit. “Sprinkle it on the fire,” he commanded. “If you break the oath may you be burnt by bushfires and return to dust and ashes with the earth.” No one dared ask, ‘What oath?’ but they did as he said.
Greg held out the blade of the knife. “You’ve gotta put your finger on it,” he told them, “because it’s an oath like a ‘cross my heart and spit’, and ‘cut my throat if I break it’.” Somehow six greasy, grimy fingers fitted on the short, stout blade of the scout knife. “Now say after me,” he ordered. They repeated his words, phrase by phrase. “I promise — to save the bush — and keep the Ten Commandments — so help me God. — Amen.”
“Congratulations,” said Greg, beaming on them, now that the solemn part was over. “That makes us the highest grade of Bush Boys. And once they take the oath, Ruff and Tim will be full members [...].
*  *  *
Kipling and Paterson are my favourite poets. Incidentally, Paterson’s visit to Kipling fulfilled the latter’s Ballad of East and West, as quoted above:- When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth.
My mother often quoted Kipling to me as a child, especially excerpts from his poem “IF—” which is on the next page.

Rudyard Kipling’ “IF —”
ON THE BRINK OF MANHOOD
IF YOU can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream — mid not make dreams your master;
If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hem the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken.
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings — nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run.
Yours is the Earth and every tiling that’s in it,
And — which is more — you’ll be a Man, my son!

    A doctor told me that medicos put a twist on the last line:
    And you’ll have a heart attack, before you’re 21 !

THE RECESSIONAL
GOD of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle line,
Beneath Whose aweful (sic) Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine —
Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget — lest we forget!

2. The tumult and the shouting dies;
The captains and the kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
A humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget — lest we forget!

3. Far called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Ninevah and Tyre!
Judge of the nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget — lest we forget!

4. If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law —*
Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget — lest we forget!

5. For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube or iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word
Thy mercy on Thy people, Lord! Amen.

*Kipling wrote The Recessional almost as a hymn of national penitence for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The controversial line, "Lesser breeds without the law” is, at worst, compassionate rather than racist, as are Christ’s words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. Besides, it may mean Kaiser Wilhelm II, whose expansionist program was already evident in 1897, 17 years before World War 1, which Kipling had foreseen and strove to forewarn.

Parodies on IF— a tribute to Kipling
TO A BOY — with a homely twist in the last line
IF YOU can keep quiet for a single minute —
When being spoken to, can stand quite still,
Or learn that there is really something in it
When told that untold sweets will make you ill.
If you can cease from one continual chatter,
Other than when you’re actually asleep
Or moderate your most infernal clatter,
Or fold your clothes, not leave ’em in a heap.

If you can make one pile of all your treasures
Rather than scatter them about the room,
If you can be content with simple pleasures,
And not with those that crash or shriek or boom.
If you can let your sister, sometimes, be the winner,
And not retaliate when you are hurt,
If you can learn to sit and eat your dinner
And never spill a spoonful down your shirt.

If you can keep your hands and face quite spotless,
When all tire other lads are caked with clay,
Or answer me, when I have asked you, not less
Than fifteen times, to cease your grimy play,
If you can climb, nor burst your pants asunder,
Or whilst I’m saying this, wait till I’m done,
There’s not the slightest doubt you’ll be a wonder...
But if you CAN’T — you’ll be a boy, my son!

DAD TALKS WITH JUNIOR
IF YOU can drive your car, when all about you
The surging traffic hems and hampers you,
And trust yourself when Dad and Mother doubt you,
Yet, make allowance for that doubting too.
If you can curb die urge to “make it faster”,
If you can drive and not make speed your aim,
If you can keep your temper when disaster
Is barely missed — with someone else to blame;

If you can stand to hear the horns a’blowing,
Yet give a fellow turning right a break,
If you can bear to see the traffic flowing,
And wait, and wait, and wait, for safety’s sake;
If you can drive in crowds and not be frantic,
And dodge the careless walkers all die while,
If, meeting with a crazy driver antic,
You keep your driving poise, and still can smile;

If you can fill each dangerous highway minute
With sixty seconds’ cautious driving done,
Then here’s the car and all the petrol in it —
Here are the keys — good luck to you, my son.
These parodies are from Russ Tyson’s Philosopher’s Note Book, Landsdowne Press, Melbourne, 1961.
Father James Tierney
© The Rev. B.J.H. Tierney. Handouts are free and may be copied for any non-profit teaching purpose. However, donations to defray costs are welcome and should be made to the publisher and distributor, the Cardinal Newman Faith Resources Inc. PO Box 359, St Marys NSW 1790; phone 02 9673 2235; fax 02 9623 3181 email <fr@eardinalnewman.com.au>




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