On The Blessing of Beer

I love a good Trappist Ale now and again. Like good wine, the brewing of beer has a rich history and link with the Catholic Faith. From Mike Aquilina:

The first bishop of my city was Michael O’Connor, an Irish teetotaler who looked askance at the local German monks who brewed their own beer. When he asked them to stop, the monks protested that they were simply doing what monks have always done.

Mike Sullivan, president of Catholics United for the Faith, passed me the following “Blessing of Beer,” from the old Roman Ritual of Pius V. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the benediction went back to the age of Benedict.

Benedictio Cerevisiae
V. Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Qui fecit caelum et terram.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Oremus. Bene+dic, Domine, creaturam istam cerevisiae, quam ex adipe frumenti producere dignatus es: ut sit remedium salutare humano generi, et praesta per invocationem nominis tui sancti; ut, quicumque ex ea biberint, sanitatem corpus et animae tutelam percipiant. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.
Et aspergatur aqua benedicta.

English translation
Blessing of Beer
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray. Bless, + O Lord, this creature beer, which thou hast deigned to produce from the fat of grain: that it may be a salutary remedy to the human race, and grant through the invocation of thy holy name; that, whoever shall drink it, may gain health in body and peace in soul. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
And it is sprinkled with holy water.

Oh how rich is the Catholic Faith lived amongst simple humanity, enjoying the goodness of the earth, praising God with one another...

The Best Little ... sidestep... in Texas

Politicians get under my skin very easily... Ask a question, get an answer to some other, less difficult, more politically expedient question... which is why it reminds me a little of Charles Durning from a famous movie/musical about a famous local issue that shall remain nameless on this blog...



at least for the time being... ;) If only Obama or McCain could dance this well...

World Youth Day 2014 in Houston?

According to Whispers in the Loggia:

And what's more, even further beyond Sydney Harbour, the stars have begun to align toward a US bid for the following WYD, slated for 2014, with all sights already pointing to Houston as the proposed host-city.

Wow! Finally something comes along that will allow Houston to redeem itself from the scandal that was Nipplegate '04.

In all seriousness, I think Houston would work, although I have questions about the inadequacies of Houston's public transportation system. It's 6 years away, so who knows?