Gentlemanly Restraint Until End of Lent (GRUEL) 2023

[Dominic]

Proraso red products
Omega boar brush
RazoRock SLOC razor
Gillette Rubie razor blade (3)

Two pass shave. I’m not focusing so much on how silky smooth my face is so much as just doing the job.

Getting ready to pray Liturgy of the Hours. Decided to pray today for the pope in Morning Prayer and now for my bishop. My overarching Lenten intention is for the Church, a cleansing, so to speak, of the hierarchy and protection of the traditional Mass and sacraments. The faithful need shepherds interested in the salvation of their souls, not climate change and globalism. The faithful have a right to have shepherds who aren’t things best not mentioned in a social media type forum, but if you read any honest Catholic news source, you know what I mean.

 

[djmillard]

Amen, @Dominic !

We remain unmolested in the archdiocese of Minneapolis & Saint Paul, but many are not so fortunate.

I was extremely blessed, speaking of the Mass of the Ages, to be able to attend a high Mass for the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas last night at St. Stanislaus in South Bend, IN. This is my fourth attendance of an FSSP parish not in my home state, and it was probably the most memorable.

11 altar servers, three priests (one serving as deacon, one as subdeacon), a full schola that made my sung support of the Mass seem wholly inadequate, and more chanted scripture than I’ve ever heard.

I briefly teared up in the middle of Mass, thinking “Lord, look how much You are still adored!"

 

[Dominic]

Amen, @Dominic !

We remain unmolested in the archdiocese of Minneapolis & Saint Paul, but many are not so fortunate.

I was extremely blessed, speaking of the Mass of the Ages, to be able to attend a high Mass for the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas last night at St. Stanislaus in South Bend, IN. This is my fourth attendance of an FSSP parish not in my home state, and it was probably the most memorable.

11 altar servers, three priests (one serving as deacon, one as subdeacon), a full schola that made my sung support of the Mass seem wholly inadequate, and more chanted scripture than I’ve ever heard.

I briefly teared up in the middle of Mass, thinking “Lord, look how much You are still adored!"

I see there is a raised pulpit in that picture. Did he use it?

 

[La Malice]

Still in

Razor : Merkur 34 HD C
Blade : Gillette Silver Blue (3)
Pre Shave : none
Soap (SOTM) : Palmolive classic
Brush : Semogue 1305
Aftershave: OSMA Alum Block, Skin Bracer by Mennen

1 day of growth. A few nicks as usual in those case but still comfortable shave irritation wise.

Next shave on Sunday.

 

[Dominic]

Proraso red products
Omega boar brush
RazoRock SLOC razor
Gillette Rubie razor blade (4)

One pass shave for a SAS.

 

[djmillard]

I see there is a raised pulpit in that picture. Did he use it?

They actually didn’t. There was no homily, and the gospel was chanted directly in front of and underneath it. It made me wonder if it was being worked on.

 

[Dominic]

Proraso red products
Omega boar brush
RazoRock SLOC razor
Gillette Rubie razor blade (5)

Looks like two more uses of the pre-shave are left. Two pass shave with a little nick on the Adam’s apple.

Amazing how time flies. Got home from 8:00 a.m. Mass, took care of a few things, looked at the clock, and it was 3:30 p.m.

 

[1Pet5_8]

Bic3 and canned goo. 6/10, actually not a terrible shave...until the ATG pass, haha!
Thus starts Week3 of Lent. Hope you all are well and staying in the spirit of the (Liturgical) season. Prayers and good wishes for us all.

 

[Dominic]

Proraso red products
Omega boar brush
RazoRock SLOC razor
Gillette Rubie razor blade (6)

Have a good week.

 

[Dominic]

Sirach 34:31;35:5

Somehow I only just saw this.

 

[djmillard]

8/10 careful shave with my go-to 34c + Gillette Rubie (3). Is this a pretty aggressive blade? It’s the second of its kind I’ve used, and it has nibbled me more than most do in the Merkur, which I consider a fairly mild razor. Full on B&M Vespers set, which I should have known would send my wife fleeing.

The time change was very rough on us this weekend. I forgot morning prayers two days running and have found myself much more irritable with my son than usual. My hard commit today is to get to the Adoration chapel for an hour of Reparation, which I think my soul badly needs right now.

 

[Owen Bawn]

Amen, @Dominic !

We remain unmolested in the archdiocese of Minneapolis & Saint Paul, but many are not so fortunate.

I was extremely blessed, speaking of the Mass of the Ages, to be able to attend a high Mass for the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas last night at St. Stanislaus in South Bend, IN. This is my fourth attendance of an FSSP parish not in my home state, and it was probably the most memorable.

11 altar servers, three priests (one serving as deacon, one as subdeacon), a full schola that made my sung support of the Mass seem wholly inadequate, and more chanted scripture than I’ve ever heard.

I briefly teared up in the middle of Mass, thinking “Lord, look how much You are still adored!"

I know Monsignor Fritz at St Stanislaus. A lovely man.

 

[Owen Bawn]

I just discovered this thread. I haven't spent a cent so far this Lent. Eating once a day, usually after 3.00 PM. My Lenten reading is the first volume of The Evergetinos, a 3 volume anthology of ascetic writings by and about the early monastic Fathers (and Mothers). I'm also reading St John Climacos 'Ladder of Divine Ascent.'

 

[Owen Bawn]

Proraso red products
Omega boar brush
RazoRock SLOC razor
Gillette Rubie razor blade (3)

Two pass shave. I’m not focusing so much on how silky smooth my face is so much as just doing the job.

Getting ready to pray Liturgy of the Hours. Decided to pray today for the pope in Morning Prayer and now for my bishop. My overarching Lenten intention is for the Church, a cleansing, so to speak, of the hierarchy and protection of the traditional Mass and sacraments. The faithful need shepherds interested in the salvation of their souls, not climate change and globalism. The faithful have a right to have shepherds who aren’t things best not mentioned in a social media type forum, but if you read any honest Catholic news source, you know what I mean.

Do you have access to a Dominican Rite Mass?

 

[Dominic]

Do you have access to a Dominican Rite Mass?

No, sir. Unfortunately, I don’t. Where I live there’s not a Dominican to be found.

Once last year when I was going to the Cathedral for mass, I saw a Dominican friar standing behind the closed gate (between the school and the cathedral). As I approached I said, “I thought I saw a Dominican habit,” and smiled. He replied, “I thought I saw a Dominican shield.” I was wearing a T-shirt that has the shield on it. (I was serving Mass, and I would wear that shirt under the cassock.). He was in town to give a conference at the University of Tulsa, I believe.

I asked a friar once how does one establish a Dominican house (friary) here, and he said the bishop needs to ask.

 

[Dominic]

I just discovered this thread. I haven't spent a cent so far this Lent. Eating once a day, usually after 3.00 PM. My Lenten reading is the first volume of The Evergetinos, a 3 volume anthology of ascetic writings by and about the early monastic Fathers (and Mothers). I'm also reading St John Climacos 'Ladder of Divine Ascent.'

I haven’t heard of the Evergetinos before.

 

[djmillard]

I haven’t heard of the Evergetinos before.

Neither had I - very interesting.

I had been hoping to do more fasting, but it’s become abundantly clear that with my tendency to get “hangry” with a 5 year old around the house, my plans need to be adjusted. I am moving toward smaller portions/single helpings (and not big ones) at meals.

 

[1Pet5_8]

Great thread again this year! 2023 has already been rough for many of us, so it's inspiring to read everyone's honest efforts and new discoveries in the midst of jobs, family, stress, temptation, etc. That's all we can do.
Merton wrote,"...the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing."
Needed to go back to simpler reading lately so started "The Catechism Explained by Fr. Spirago" which I was always hearing about as a recommendation for the laity. It is exactly what I needed. Not an inexpensive book, but is available to read at the sensus fidelium website.

 

[Leverspro]

Still in and enjoying the season anticipating the Passion and Resurrection. It truly changes everything.
No asceticism here though using this shave kit. Very luxurious.

 

[Dominic]

Proraso red pre-shave
Proraso red soap
Omega 10049 boar brush
RazoRock SLOC razor
Gillette Rubie razor blade (7)
Proraso red aftershave

Two passes. Rubie nipped my lip. Bad dog! Smooth enough. Can't complain.

I've read and heard numerous times that holiness consists not of doing grand things for God but doing your daily duties when you should do them. So the mundane things we need to do, done with love, according to Saint Therese of Lisieux, can convert a soul.