O Clavis David - Catching Up: A Visit from NET... and a Family Christening

December 20 - O Clavis David
 O Key of David

O key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel; you open and none can shut; you shut and none can open: come and free the captives from prison, and break down the walls of death.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

[...come, and lead the prisoner
from jail.
seated in darkness
and in the shadow of death.]

O Clavis David,
et sceptrum domus Israël,
qui aperis, et nemo claudit,
claudis, et nemo aperuit:
veni, et educ vinctum
de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris,
et umbra mortis.

[Texts: Isaiah 22:22; Revelation 3:7]

O come, thou Lord of David's key!
The royal door fling wide and free;
safeguard for us the heavenward road,
and bar the way to death's abode.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

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CATCHING UP....

After a short trip last week to Toronto for a family Baptism at Holy Name Church (see below), I have discovered a backlog of photos and gatherings to report on. So, today I am posting photos of a meeting with one of the travelling NET teams. 

We celebrated the Mass of St. Juan Diego on December 9, then had breakfast in the large dining-room in my residence.  A delightful time, with a chance to learn of the adventures by teenage and twenty-something missionaries. 

Some photos from the breakfast:

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A PRETTY GRAND-NIECE

Uma Bayfield, who was first featured on this blog at her birth last December (her proud parents are Aarthi and Mark) is one year old today.  On Saturday at Holy Name Church in Toronto she was reborn as a child of God through Baptism.  She was shocked by the sacramental waters and then fascinated by the candle of her illumination.  Family members look on all smiles: