Mortuum Mundo...Vivum in Christo

Need a good, honest Web Developer?

2010-05-22T14:44:00.001-06:00

(I haven't updated this blog in a long time, but I wanted to plug for a good friend of mine.)

My good friend Aaron Kavlie has begun a
freelance web development business, if you or anybody you know owns or
works for a small business that has a significant web business, please
check out the services he provides at http://aaron.kavlie.net/

MY SERVICES (aka buzzword bingo):
- Linux server setup & administration (Apache, MySQL, PHP & more)
- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (including JQuery)
- PHP programming (including the Zend Framework)
- Python programming (including the Django & TurboGears 2.0 frameworks)... See More... See More
- Search Engine Optimization (the legitimate kind, not the snake oil variety)
- General technical consulation

WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE ME
- Clear, honest, frequent communication.
- I'm not just the front man; I personally take care of all your technical needs myself. No shipping off the programming to anonymous coders overseas.
- Low rates.

CONTACT INFO
Email: akavlie@gmail.com
Phone: 602-653-1345
Web: http://aaron.kavlie.net/

-----------------------

On a personal note from myself, I can personally vouch for Aaron's hardwork ethic, accountability, and open communication lines. Both he and his wife(http://vijako.etsy.com/) have an excellent reputation as offering excellent services, fantastic quality, and good rates. Please consider their services for your needs.

Overdue correction...

2008-09-30T02:43:00.002-06:00

I know that I haven't been active on this blog in a while, my apologies, but I just noticed that I made an error (or two) when hyperlinking to GRANT THEM REST, is should have been http://grant-them-rest.blogspot.com/ (...again my apologies.)

(Late) Feast of the Immaculate Conception at San Xavier del Bac in Tucson, AZ

2007-12-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

I should have posted this earlier (seeing as how I was there and all), but I just stumbled across this article today.

In The Catholic Sun, the article titled "Spreading the Good News in an old way" comments on the first Latin Mass in a generation to be celebrated at Arizona's oldest church.

Latin Mass draws faithful to beauty, mystery

By J.D. Long-García, The Catholic Sun
December 20, 2007

TUCSON — For the first time in nearly 40 years, Catholics celebrated the Latin-language Tridentine Mass at the historic San Xavier del Bac Mission.

Members of Mater Misericordiae Mission, which offers the extraordinary form of the Roman rite, traveled to the Franciscan mission Dec. 8 to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

“The Blessed Mother, conceived without sin, that’s the feast day we celebrate today,” said Fr. Kenneth Fryar, FSSP, the mission’s pastor, during his brief homily. It’s one of the few parts of the Mass that isn’t in Latin.

He said Pius IX declared the Immaculate Conception an article of faith, which “is to be firmly and constantly believed.” The pope made the declaration in 1854 in the constitution Ineffabilis Deus.

Mater Misericordiae (“Mother of Mercy”) offers every sacrament according to the Roman Missal of 1962. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted established the mission in 2005.

“Some people think that the Latin Mass is a step backwards. But it really isn’t,” said Monica Smith, a member of the mission. “It’s a celebration of our faith.”

She said Mater Misericordiae seeks to expose Catholics to the Latin-language Mass, which had not been celebrated in the Phoenix Diocese before the mission began.

In addition to the Latin language, another major difference between the old and new Masses is the direction the priest faces. In the older form, the priest mostly faces the tabernacle, looking away from the congregation.

While some believe seeing the priest’s back disconnects him from the congregation, Latin Mass regulars recognize that this gesture calls attention to the Blessed Sacrament.

Throughout the Dec. 8 Mass, Fr. Fryar bowed in the direction of the tabernacle, the focal point in the Tridentine Mass.

“My face is not important,” he said after the Mass, calling to mind the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

At Tridentine Masses, the priest administers the Blessed Sacrament on the tongue while the faithful kneel. Many women in the congregation wear veils.

Reclaiming Latin

Smith, who has fond memories of attending the Mass as a child, began attending the Tridentine Mass because she felt it would help her connect to the mystery of the Eucharist.

“It’s so beautiful because it’s taken right from Scripture,” she said. Pope Pius V promulgated the Latin Tridentine Mass in 1570 after the Council of Trent.

Joe Bright, who sits on the mission’s pastoral council, began attending the Tridentine Mass out of state before it was celebrated in Phoenix.

“The prayers are just so beautiful — the gestures, the rubrics,” he said. Bright said the 1962 Missal, which provides an English translation adjacent to the Latin, is easy to follow.

“It helps you expand as a person,” he said.

Bright’s family is one of 150 that attend the mission’s Masses, which are celebrated daily at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish.

Fr. Fryar also offers a Sunday Mass at St. Thomas, as well as at St. Cecilia Mission in Clarkdale and the first Sunday of the month at All Saints Parish in Mesa.

Fr. Fryar is a priest with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, a society that forms priests to celebrate the extraordinary form of the Roman rite.

At Mater Misericordiae Masses, young children attend the Tridentine Mass with their parents and young adults attend with their peers.

While the mission’s numbers are steady, the Latin language is becoming more widespread in the Church. Many parishes are incorporating Latin into the liturgy and this summer Pope Benedict liberalized the celebration of the Tridentine Mass.

“In some regions not a small number of the faithful have been and remain attached with such great love and affection to the previous liturgical forms,” the pope explained in Summorum Pontificum. “The Latin liturgy in its various forms has stimulated the spiritual life of very many saints.”

Many members of Mater Misericordiae welcomed this apostolic letter, issued “motu proprio” (on his own initiative), and see it as reaffirming their mission.

“It’s really good news,” Smith said. “I think it helps people to realize that we’re just reclaiming something that’s always been ours, has always been the Church’s."

Citing beliefs, pharmacist drops birth control...

2007-12-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

Billings Gazette

BROADUS - Pharmacist John Lane believes he has a responsibility to serve humankind through his profession.

Lane, who converted to Catholicism 10 years ago, also believes the "humankind" he pledged to protect includes fertilized eggs that, because of oral contraceptives, are not able to implant in a woman's uterus and grow into a baby.

Beginning Jan. 1, Lane will no longer dispense birth control pills to his customers in Powder River County.

In a town of 450 people, Lane's decision will force customers to either get oral contraceptives by mail or drive 80 miles to the nearest pharmacy. Women who meet income requirements will still be able to get birth control pills through the public health nurse.

This is truly a way of putting one's money where their faith is. Please pray for John and his witness of faith.

You can also see John's letter to the people of Broadus on page 10 of the December issue of the Harvest, the newspaper of the Diocese of Great Falls Billings.

Pope to Purge the Vatican of Modern Music

2007-12-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

Read article here.

The Pope is considering a dramatic overhaul of the Vatican in order to force a return to traditional sacred music.

After reintroducing the Latin Tridentine Mass, the Pope wants to widen the use of Gregorian chant and baroque sacred music.

In an address to the bishops and priests of St Peter's Basilica, he said that there needed to be "continuity with tradition" in their prayers and music.

He referred pointedly to "the time of St Gregory the Great", the pope who gave his name to Gregorian chant.

Gregorian chant has been reinstituted as the primary form of singing by the new choir director of St Peter's, Father Pierre Paul.

He has also broken with the tradition set up by John Paul II of having a rotating choir, drawn from churches all over the world, to sing Mass in St Peter's.

The Pope has recently replaced the director of pontifical liturgical celebrations, Archbishop Piero Marini, with a man closer to his heart, Mgr Guido Marini. It is now thought he may replace the head of the Sistine Chapel choir, Giuseppe Liberto.

The International Church Music Review recently criticised the choir, saying: "The singers wanted to overshout each other, they were frequently out of tune, the sound uneven, the conducting without any artistic power, the organ and organ playing like in a second-rank country parish church."

Mgr Valentin Miserachs Grau, the director of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, which trains church musicians, said that there had been serious "deviations" in the performance of sacred music.

"How far we are from the true spirit of sacred music. How can we stand it that such a wave of inconsistent, arrogant and ridiculous profanities have so easily gained a stamp of approval in our celebrations?" he said.

He added that a pontifical office could correct the abuses, and would be "opportune". He said: "Due to general ignorance, especially in sectors of the clergy, there exists music which is devoid of sanctity, true art and universality."

Mgr Grau said that Gregorian chant was the "cardinal point" of liturgical music and that traditional music "should become again the living soul of the assembly".

The Pope favoured the idea of a watchdog for church music when he was the cardinal in charge of safeguarding Catholic doctrine.

He is known to be a strong supporter of Mgr Grau, who is also in charge of the Cappella Liberiana of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Card. Ottaviani and the Ottaviani Intervention

2007-12-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani, PhD, STD, JCD (October 29, 1890—August 3, 1979) was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Secretary of the Holy Office in the Roman Curia from 1959 to 1966 when that dicastery was reorganized as the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, of which he was Pro-Prefect until 1968.

Ottaviani was a prominent figure in the Church during his time, and was the leading conservative voice at the Second Vatican Council.

Biography

Ottaviani was born in Rome; his father was a baker. He studied with the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Trastevere, at the Pontifical Roman Seminary and the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare, from where he received his doctorates in philosophy, theology, and canon law. He was ordained to the priesthood on March 18, 1916. On January 12, 1953, he was both appointed Pro-Secretary of the Holy Office and created Cardinal Deacon of Santa Maria in Domnica by Pope Pius XII.

On November 7, 1959, he was named the Vatican's chief doctrinal guardian as Secretary of the Holy Office. Ottaviani was appointed Titular Archbishop of Berrhoea on April 5, 1962, receiving his episcopal consecration on the following April 19 from Pope John XXIII himself, with Giuseppe Cardinal Pizzardo and Benedetto Cardinal Aloisi Masella serving as co-consecrators. He later resigned his titular see in 1963.

He was the leader of the Curial conservatives during the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and worked with, amongst others, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, CSSp. During the last of the Council's preparatory sessions, Ottaviani engaged in a heated debated with Augustin Cardinal Bea over the subject of religious liberty.[1] Ottaviani, while opposed to the separation of Church and State and granting equal rights to all religions, supported religious tolerance—suppressing public manifestations of non-Catholic religions when possible. Their confrontation became so intense that Ernesto Cardinal Ruffini had to intervene, noting his disappointment at such a "serious discussion". Ottaviani also argued during the debates on the liturgy[2][3] and on the sources of Divine Revelation,[4] which are understood as Scripture and Tradition in Catholic theology.

He was opposed in his movements for a rapid Council, by the intercession of the Austrian Franz Cardinal König. Interestingly, König was advised by then Fr. Joseph Ratzinger, who would later become Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and then Pope Benedict XVI.

Ottaviani was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 1963 papal conclave, which selected Giovanni Battista Cardinal Montini as Pope Paul VI. He was also the Protodeacon (senior Cardinal Deacon) during the conclave, and as such, he had the honor of announcing Montini's election and crowning him on June 30 with the triregnum.

Upon the changing of the name of the Holy Office to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1965, Ottaviani was named Pro-Prefect of the congregation; the pope held the title of "Prefect" until 1968. He was raised to the rank of Cardinal Priest (with the same title) on June 26, 1967, and he resigned as Pro-Prefect on January 6, 1968.

In September 1969, together with Antonio Cardinal Bacci, he wrote a letter to Paul VI, supporting a study by a group of theologians under the direction of Archbishop Lefebvre criticizing the proposed Novus Ordo Mass, on which revision was being completed. This letter became widely known as the Ottaviani Intervention, and is often used by Traditionalist Catholics as support for their opposition to the Novus Ordo Mass.[5]

Trivia

Ottaviani was nearly blind throughout the entire course of the Second Vatican Council and afterwards.
His episcopal motto was: Semper idem ("Always the same"), which reflected his conservative theology.

--------------------

"The Ottaviani Intervention"

Letter from Cardinals Ottaviani and Bacci to His Holiness Pope Paul VI
September 25th, 1969

Most Holy Father, Having carefully examined, and presented for the scrutiny of others, the Novus Ordo Missae prepared by the experts of the Consilium ad exequendam Constitutionem de Sacra Liturgia, and after lengthy prayer and reflection, we feel it to be our bounden duty in the sight of God and towards Your Holiness, to put before you the following considerations:

1. The accompanying critical study of the Novus Ordo Missae, the work of a group of theologians, liturgists and pastors of souls, shows quite clearly in spite of its brevity that if we consider the innovations implied or taken for granted which may of course be evaluated in different ways, the Novus Ordo represents, both as a whole and in its details, a striking departure from the Catholic theology of the Mass as it was formulated in Session XXII of the Council of Trent. The "canons" of the rite definitively fixed at that time provided an insurmountable barrier to any heresy directed against the integrity of the Mystery.

2. The pastoral reasons adduced to support such a grave break with tradition, even if such reasons could be regarded as holding good in the face of doctrinal considerations, do not seem to us sufficient. The innovations in the Novus Ordo and the fact that all that is of perennial value finds only a minor place, if it subsists at all, could well turn into a certainty the suspicions already prevalent, alas, in many circles, that truths which have always been believed by the Christian people, can be changed or ignored without infidelity to that sacred deposit of doctrine to which the Catholic faith is bound for ever. Recent reforms have amply demonstrated that fresh changes in the liturgy could lead to nothing but complete bewilderment on the part of the faithful who are already showing signs of restiveness and of an indubitable lessening of faith.

Amongst the best of the clergy the practical result is an agonising crisis of conscience of which innumerable instances come tour notice daily.

3. We are certain that these considerations, which can only reach Your Holiness by the living voice of both shepherds and flock, cannot but find an echo in Your paternal heart, always so profoundly solicitous for the spiritual needs of the children of the Church. It has always been the case that when a law meant for the good of subjects proves to be on the contrary harmful, those subjects have the right, nay the duty of asking with filial trust for the abrogation of that law.

Therefore we most earnestly beseech Your Holiness, at a time of such painful divisions and ever-increasing perils for the purity of the Faith and the unity of the church, lamented by You our common Father, not to deprive us of the possibility of continuing to have recourse to the fruitful integrity of that Missale Romanum of St. Pius V, so highly praised by Your Holiness and so deeply loved and venerated by the whole Catholic world.

A. Card. Ottaviani
A. Card. Bacci

Brief Summary

I History of the Change
The new form of Mass was substantially rejected by the Episcopal Synod, was never submitted to the collegial judgement of the Episcopal Conferences and was never asked for by the people. It has every possibility of satisfying the most modernist of Protestants.

II Definition of the Mass
By a series of equivocations the emphasis is obsessively placed upon the 'supper' and the 'memorial' instead of on the unbloody renewal of the Sacrifice of Calvary.

III Presentation of the Ends
The three ends of the Mass are altered:- no distinction is allowed to remain between Divine and human sacrifice; bread and wine are only "spiritually" (not substantially) changed.

IV The Essence
The Real Presence of Christ is never alluded to and belief in it is implicitly repudiated.

V The Elements of the Sacrifice
The position of both priest and people is falsified and the Celebrant appears as nothing more than a Protestant minister, while the true nature of the Church is intolerably misrepresented.

VI The Destruction of Unity
The abandonment of Latin sweeps away for good and all unity of worship. This may have its effect on unity of belief and the New Order has no intention of standing for the Faith as taught by the Council of Trent to which the Catholic conscience is bound.

VII: The Alienation of the Orthodox
While pleasing various dissenting groups, the New Order will alienate the East.

VIII The Abandonment of Defences
The New Order teems with insinuations or manifest errors against the purity of the Catholic religion and dismantles all defences of the deposit of Faith.

I
History of the Change

In October 1967, the Episcopal Synod called in Rome was required to pass judgement on the experimental celebration of a so-called "normative Mass" (New Mass), devised by the Consilium ad exsequendam Constitutionem de Sacra Liturgia. This Mass aroused the most serious misgivings. The voting showed considerable opposition (43 non placet), very many substantial reservations (62 juxta modum), and 4 abstentions out of 187 voters. The international press spoke of a "refusal" of the proposed "normative Mass" (New Mass) on the part of the Synod. Progressively-inclined papers made no mention of it. In the Novus Ordo Missae lately promulgated by the Apostolic Constitution Missale Romanum, we once again find this "normative Mass" (New Mass), identical in substance, nor does it appear that in the intervening period the Episcopal Conference, at least as such, were ever asked to give their views about it.

In the Apostolic Constitution, it is stated that the ancient Missal promulgated by St. Pius V, 13th July 1570, but going back in great part to St. Gregory the Great and still remoter antiquity, was for four centuries the norm for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice for priests of the Latin rite, and that, taken to every part of the world, "it has moreover been an abundant source of spiritual nourishment to many holy people in their devotion to God". Yet, the present reform, putting it definitely out of use, was claimed to be necessary since "from that time the study of the Sacred Liturgy has become more widespread and intensive among Christians".

This assertion seems to us to embody a serious equivocation. For the desire of the people was expressed, if at all, when - thanks to Pius X - they began to discover the true and everlasting treasures of the liturgy. The people never on any account asked for the liturgy to be changed, or mutilated so as to understand it better. They asked for a better understanding of the changeless liturgy, and one which they would never have wanted changed.

The Roman Missal of St. Pius V was religiously venerated and most dear to Catholics, both priests and laity. One fails to see how its use, together with suitable catechesis, could have hindered a fuller participation in, and great knowledge of the Sacred Liturgy, nor why, when its many outstanding virtues are recognised, this should not have been considered worthy to continue to foster the liturgical piety of Christians.

Rejected by Synod

Since the "normative" Mass (New Mass), now reintroduced and imposed as the Novus Ordo Missae (New Order of the Mass), was in substance rejected by the Synod of Bishops, was never submitted to the collegial judgement of the Episcopal Conferences, nor have the people - least of all in mission lands - ever asked for any reform of Holy Mass whatsoever, one fails to comprehend the motives behind the new legislation which overthrows a tradition unchanged in the Church since the 4th and 5th centuries, as the Apostolic Constitution itself acknowledges. As no popular demand exists to support this reform, it appears devoid of any logical grounds to justify it and makes it acceptable to the Catholic people.

The Vatican Council did indeed express a desire (para. 50 Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium) for the various parts of the Mass to be reordered "ut singularum partium propria ratio nec non mutua connexio clarius pateant." We shall see how the Ordo recently promulgated corresponds with this original intention.

An attentive examination of the Novus Ordo reveals changes of such magnitude as to justify in themselves the judgement already made with regard to the "normative" Mass. Both have in many points every possibility of satisfying the most Modernists of Protestants.

II
Definition of the Mass

Let us begin with the definition of the Mass given in No. 7 of the "Institutio Generalis" at the beginning of the second chapter on the Novus Ordo: "De structura Missae":
"The Lord's Supper or Mass is a sacred meeting or assembly of the People of God, met together under the presidency of the priest, to celebrate the memorial of the Lord. Thus the promise of Christ, "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them", is eminently true of the local community in the Church (Mt. XVIII, 20)".

The definition of the Mass is thus limited to that of the "supper", and this term is found constantly repeated (nos. 8, 48, 55d, 56). This supper is further characterised as an assembly presided over by the priest and held as a memorial of the Lord, recalling what He did on the first Maundy Thursday. None of this in the very least implies either the Real Presence, or the reality of sacrifice, or the Sacramental function of the consecrating priest, or the intrinsic value of the Eucharistic Sacrifice independently of the people's presence. It does not, in a word, imply any of the essential dogmatic values of the Mass which together provide its true definition. Here, the deliberate omission of these dogmatic values amounts to their having been superseded and therefore, at least in practice, to their denial.

In the second part of this paragraph 7 it is asserted, aggravating the already serious equivocation, that there holds good, "eminently", for this assembly Christ's promise that "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. XVIII, 20). This promise which refers only to the spiritual presence of Christ with His grace, is thus put on the same qualitative plane, save for the greater intensity, as the substantial and physical reality of the Sacramental Eucharistic Presence.

In no. 8 a subdivision of the Mass into "liturgy of the word" and Eucharistic liturgy immediately follows, with the affirmation that in the Mass is made ready "the table of the God's word" as of "the Body of Christ", so that the faithful "may be built up and refreshed"; an altogether improper assimilation of the two parts of the liturgy, as though between two points of equal symbol value. More will be said about this point later.

This Mass is designed by a great many different expressions, all acceptable relatively, all unacceptable if employed, as they are, separately in an absolute sense.

We cite a few: The Action of the People of God; The Lord's Supper or Mass, the Pascal Banquet; The Common Participation of the Lord's Table; The Eucharistic Prayer; The Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharistic Liturgy.

As is only too evident, the emphasis is obsessively placed upon the supper and the memorial instead of upon the unbloody renewal of the Sacrifice of Calvary. The formula "The Memorial of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord", besides, is inexact, the Mass being the memorial of the Sacrifice alone, in itself redemptive, while the Resurrection is the consequent fruit of it.

We shall later see how, in the very consecratory formula, and throughout the Novus Ordo, such equivocations are renewed and reiterated.

III
Presentation of the Ends

We now come to the ends of the Mass.

1. Ultimate End. This is that of the Sacrifice of praise to the Most Holy Trinity according to the explicit declaration of Christ in the primary purpose of His very Incarnation: "Coming into the world he saith: 'sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not but a body thou hast fitted me' ". (Ps. XXXIX, 7-9 in Heb. X, 5).

This end has disappeared: from the Offertory, with the disappearance of the prayer "Suscipe, Sancta Trinitas", from the end of the Mass with the omission of the "Placet tibi Sancta Trinitas", and from the Preface, which on Sunday will no longer be that of the Most Holy Trinity, as this Preface will be reserved only to the Feast of the Trinity, and so in future will be heard but once a year.

2. Ordinary End. This is the propitiatory Sacrifice. It too has been deviated from; for instead of putting the stress on the remission of sins of the living and the dead, it lays emphasis on the nourishment and sanctification of those present (No. 54). Christ certainly instituted the Sacrament of the Last Supper putting Himself in the state of Victim in order that we might be united to Him in this state but his self- immolation precedes the eating of the Victim, and has an antecedent and full redemptive value (the application of the bloody immolation). This is borne out by the fact that the faithful present are not bound to communicate, sacramentally.

3. Immanent End. Whatever the nature of the Sacrifice, it is absolutely necessary that it be pleasing and acceptable to God. After the Fall no sacrifice can claim to be acceptable in its own right other than the Sacrifice of Christ. The Novus Ordo changes the nature of the offering turning it into a sort of exchange of gifts between man and God: man brings the bread, and God turns it into the "bread of life"; man brings the wine, and God turns it into a "spiritual drink".

"Thou are blessed Lord God of the Universe because from thy generosity we have received the bread (or wine) which we offer thee, the fruit of the earth (or vine) and of man's labour. May it become for us the bread of life (or spiritual drink)".

There is no need to comment on the utter indeterminateness of the formulae "bread of life" and "spiritual drink", which might mean anything. The same capital equivocation is repeated here, as in the definition of the Mass: there, Christ is present only spiritually among His own: here, bread and wine are only "spiritually" (not substantially) changed.

Suppression of Great Prayers

In the preparation of the offering, a similar equivocation results from the suppression of two great prayers. The "Deus qui humanae substantiae dignitatem mirabiliter condidisti et mirabilius reformasti" was a reference to man's former condition of innocence and to his present one of being ransomed by the Blood of Christ: a recapitulation of the whole economy of the Sacrifice, from Adam to the present moment. The final propitiatory offering of the chalice, that it might ascend "cum adore suavitatis", into the presence of the divine majesty, whose clemency was implored, admirably reaffirmed this plan. By suppressing the continual reference of the Eucharistic prayers to God, there is no longer any clear distinction between divine and human sacrifice.

Having removed the keystone, the reformers have had to put up scaffolding; suppressing real ends, they had to substitute fictitious ends of their own; leading to gestures intended to stress to union of priest and faithful, and of the faithful among themselves; offerings for the poor and for the church superimposed upon the Offering of the Host to be immolated. There is a danger that the uniqueness of this offer will become blurred, so that participation in the immolation of the Victim comes to resemble a philanthropical meeting, or a charity banquet.

IV
The Essence

We now pass on to the essence of the Sacrifice.

The mystery of the Cross is no longer explicitly expressed. It is only there obscurely, veiled, imperceptible for the people. And for these reasons:

1. The sense given in the Novus Ordo to the so-called "prex Eucharistica" is: "that the whole congregation of the faithful may be united to Christ in proclaiming the great wonders of God and in offering sacrifice" (No. 54. the end)

Which sacrifice is referred to? Who is the offerer? No answer is given to either of these questions. The initial definition of the "prex Eucharistica" is as follows: "The centre and culminating point of the whole celebration now has a beginning, namely the Eucharistic Prayer, a prayer of thanksgiving and of sanctification" (No. 54, pr.). The effects thus replace the causes, of which not one single word is said. The explicit mention of the object of the offering, which was found in the "Suscipe", has not been replaced by anything. The change in formulation reveals the change in doctrine.

2. The reason for this non-explicitness concerning the Sacrifice is quite simply that the Real Presence has been removed from the central position which it occupied so resplendently in the former Eucharistic liturgy. There is but a single reference to the Real Presence, (a quotation - a footnote - from the Council of Trent) and again the context is that of "nourishment" (no. 241, note 63)

The Real and permanent Presence of Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, in the transubstantiated Species is never alluded to. The very word transubstantiation is totally ignored.

The suppression of the invocation to the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity ("Veni Sanctificator") that He may descend upon the oblations, as once before into the womb of the Most Blessed Virgin to accomplish the miracle of the divine Presence, is yet one more instance of the systematic and tacit negation of the Real Presence.

Note, too, the suppressions:

of the genuflections (no more than three remain to the priest, and one, with certain exceptions, to the people, at the Consecration;
of the purification of the priest's fingers in the chalice;
of the preservation from all profane contact of the priest's fingers after the Consecration; of the purification of the vessels, which need not be immediate, nor made on the corporal;
of the pall protecting the chalice;
of the internal gilding of sacred vessels;
of the consecration of movable altars;
of the sacred stone and relics in the movable altar or upon the "table" - "when celebration does not occur in sacred precincts" (this distinction leads straight to "Eucharistic suppers" in private houses);
of the three altar-cloths, reduced to one only;
of thanksgiving kneeling (replaced by a thanksgiving, seated, on the part of the priest and people, a logical enough complement to Communion standing);
of all the former prescriptions in the case of the consecrated Host falling, which are now reduced to a single, casual direction: "reventur accipiatur" (no. 239)

All these things only serve to emphasise how outrageously faith in the dogma of the Real Presence is implicitly repudiated.

3. The function assigned to the altar (no. 262). The altar is almost always called 'table', "The altar or table of the Lord, which is the centre of the whole Eucharistic liturgy" (no. 49, cf. 262). It is laid down that the altar must be detached from the walls so that it is possible to walk round it and celebration may be facing the people (no. 262); also that the altar must be the centre of the assembly of the faithful so that their attention is drawn spontaneously towards it (ibid). But a comparison of no. 262 and 276 would seem to suggest that the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament on this altar is excluded. This will mark an irreparable dichotomy between the presence, in the celebrant, of the eternal High Priest and that same presence brought about sacramentally. Before, they were 'one and the same presence'.

Separation of Altar and Tabernacle

Now it is recommended that the Blessed Sacrament be kept in a place apart for the private devotion of the people (almost as though it were a question of devotion to a relic of some kind) so that, on going into a church, attention will no longer be focused upon the Tabernacle but upon a stripped, bare table. Once again the contrast is made between 'private' piety and 'liturgical' piety: altar is set up against altar.

In the insistent recommendation to distribute in Communion the Species consecrated during the same Mass, indeed to consecrate a loaf for the priest to distribute to at least some of the faithful, we find reasserted disparaging attitude towards the Tabernacle, as towards every form of Eucharistic piety outside of the Mass. This constitutes yet another violent blow to faith in the Real Presence as long as the consecrated Species remain.

The formula of Consecration. The ancient formula of consecration was properly a sacramental not a narrative one. This was shown above all by three things:

a) The Scriptural text not taken up word for word: the Pauline insertion "mysterium fidei" was an immediate confession of the priest's faith in the mystery realised by the Church through the hierarchical priesthood.

b) The punctuation and typographical lay-out: the full stop and new paragraph marking the passage from the narrative mode to the sacramental and affirmative one, the sacramental words in larger characters at the centre of the page and often in a different colour, clearly detached from the historical context. All combined to give the formula a proper and autonomous value.
"To separate the Tabernacle from the Altar is tantamount to separating two things which, of their very nature, must remain together". (PIUS XII, Allocution to the International Liturgy Congress, Assisi-Rome, Sept. 18-23, 1956). cf. also Mediator Dei, 1.5, note 28.

c) The anamnesis ("Haec quotiescompque feceritis in mei memoriam facietis"), which in Greek is "eis emou anamnesin" (directed to my memory.) This referred to Christ operating and not to mere memory of Him, or of the event: an invitation to recall what He did ("Haec . . . in mei memoriam facietis") in the way He did it, not only His Person, or the Supper. The Pauline formula ("Hoc facite in meam commemorationem") which will now take the place of the old - proclaimed as it will be daily in vernacular languages will irremediably cause the hearers to concentrate on the memory of Christ as the 'end' of the Eucharistic action, whilst it is really the 'beginning'. The concluding idea of 'commemoration' will certainly once again take the place of the idea of sacramental action.

The narrative mode is now emphasised by the formula "narratio institutionis" (no. 55d) and repeated by the definition of the anamnesis, in which it is said that "The Church recalls the memory of Himself" (no. 556).

In short: the theory put forward by the epiclesis, the modification of the words of Consecration and of the anamnesis, have the effect of modifying the modus significandi of the words of Consecration. The consecratory formulae are here pronounced by the priest as the constituents of a historical narrative and no longer enunciated as expressing the categorical affirmation uttered by Him in whole Person the priest acts: "Hoc est Corpus meum" (not, "Hoc est Corpus Christi").

Furthermore the acclamation assigned to the people immediately after the Consecration: ("We announce thy death, O Lord, until Thou comest") introduces yet again, under cover of eschatology, the same ambiguity concerning the Real Presence. Without interval or distinction, the expectation of Christ's Second Coming at the end of time is proclaimed just at the moment when He is substantially present on the altar, almost as though the former, and not the latter, were the true Coming.

This is brought out even more strongly in the formula of optional acclamation no. 2 (Appendix): "As often as we eat of this bread and drink of this chalice we announce thy death, O Lord, until thou comest", where the juxtaposition of the different realities of immolation and eating, of the Real Presence and of Christ's Second Coming, reaches the height of ambiguity.

V
The Elements of Sacrifice

We come now to the realisation of the Sacrifice, the four elements of which were: 1) Christ, 2) the priest, 3) the Church, 4) the faithful present.

In the Novus Ordo, the position attributed to the faithful is autonomous (absoluta), hence totally false - from the opening definition: "Missa est sacra synaxis seu congregatio populi" to the priest's salutation to the people which is meant to convey to the assembled community the "presence" of the Lord (no. 48). "Qua salutatione et populi responsione manifestatur ecclesiae congregatae mysterium".

A true presence, certainly of Christ but only a spiritual one, and a mystery of the Church, but solely as an assembly manifesting and soliciting such a presence.

This interpretation is constantly underlined: by the obsessive references to the communal character of the Mass (nos. 74-152); by the unheard of distinction between "Mass with congregation" and "Mass without congregation" (nos. 203-231); by the definition of the "oratio universalis seu fidelium" (no. 45) where once more we find stressed the "sacerdotal office" of the people (populus sui sacerdotii munus excercens") presented in an equivocal way because its subordination to that of the priest is not mentioned, and all the more since the priest, as consecrated mediator, makes himself the interpreter of all the intentions of the people in the Te igitur and the two Memento.

In "Eucharistic Prayer III" ("Vere sanctus", p. 123) the following words are addressed to the Lord: "from age to age you gather a people to yourself, in order that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name", the 'in order that' making it appear that the people rather than the priest are the indispensable element in the celebration; and since not even here is it made clear who the offerer is, the people themselves appear to be invested with autonomous priestly powers. From this step it would not be surprising if, before long, the people were authorised to join the priest in pronouncing the consecrating formulae (which actually seems here and there to have already occurred).

Priest as Mere President

2) The priest's position is minimised, changed and falsified. Firstly in relation to the people for whom he is, for the most part, a mere president, or brother, instead of the consecrated minister celebrating in persona Christi. Secondly in relation to the Church, as a "quidam de populo". In the definition of the epiclesis (no. 55), the invocations are attributed anonymously to the Church: the part of the priest has vanished.

In the Confiteor which has now become collective, he is no longer judge, witness and intercessor with God; so it is logical that his is no longer empowered to give the absolution, which has been suppressed. He is integrated with the fratres. Even the server address him as such in the Confiteor of the "Missa sine populo".

Already, prior to this latest reform, the significant distinction between the Communion of the priest - the moment in which the Eternal High Priest and the one acting in His Person were brought together in the closest union - and the Communion of the faithful has been suppressed.

Not a word do we now find as to the priest's power to sacrifice, or about his act of consecration, the bringing about through him of the Eucharistic Presence. He now appears as nothing more than a Protestant minister.

The disappearance, or optional use, of many sacred vestments (in certain cases the alb and stole are sufficient - no. 298) obliterate even more the original conformity with Christ: the priest is no more clothed with all His virtues, become merely a "non-commissioned officer" whom one or two signs may distinguish from the mass of the people: "a little more a man than the rest", to quite the involuntarily humorous definition of a modern preacher. Again, as with the "table" and the Altar, there is separated what God has united: the sole Priesthood and the Word of God.

3) Finally, there is the Church's position in relation to Christ. In one case only, namely the "Mass without congregation", is the Mass acknowledged to be "Actio Christi et Ecclesiae" (no. 4, cf. Presb. Ord. no. 13), whereas in the case of the "Mass with congregation" this is not referred to except for the purpose of "remembering Christ" and sanctifying those present. The words used are: "In offering the sacrifice through Christ in the Holy Ghost to God the Father, the priest associates the people with himself" (no. 60), instead one ones which would associate the people with Christ Who offers Himself "per Spiritum Sanctum Deo Patri".

In this context the follows are to be noted:

1) the very serious omission of the phrase "Through Christ Our Lord", the guarantee of being heard given to the Church in every age (John, XIV, 13-14; 15; 16; 23; 24);

2) the all pervading "paschalism", almost as though there were no other, quite different and equally important, aspects of the communication of grace;

3) the very strange and dubious eschatologism whereby the communication of supernatural grace, a reality which is permanent and eternal, is brought down to the dimensions of time: we hear of a people on the march, a pilgrim Church - no longer militant - against the Powers of Darkness - looking towards a future which having lost its line with eternity is conceived in purely temporal terms.

The Church - One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic - is diminished as such in the formula that, in the "Eucharistic Prayer No. 4", has taken the place of the prayer of the Roman Cannon "on behalf of all orthodox believers of the Catholic and apostolic faith". Now we have merely: "all who seek you with a sincere heart".

Again, in the Memento for the dead, these have no longer passed on "with the sign of faith and sleep the sleep of peace" but only "who have died in the peace of thy Christ", and to them are added, with further obvious detriment to the concept of visible unity, the host "of all the dead whose faith is known to you alone".

Furthermore, in none of three new Eucharistic prayers, is there any reference, as has already been said, to that state of suffering of those who have died, in none the possibility of a particular Memento: all of this again, must undermine faith in the propitiatory and redemptive nature of the Sacrifice.

Desacralizing the Church

Desacralising omissions everywhere debase the mystery of the Church. Above all she is not presented as a sacred hierarchy: Angels and Saints are reduced to anonymity in the second part of the collective Confiteor: they have disappeared, as witnesses and judges, in the person of St. Michael, for the first.

The various hierarchies of angels have also disappeared (and this is without precedent) from the new Preface of "Prayer II". In the Communicantes, reminder of the Pontiffs and holy martyrs on whom the Church of Rome is founded and who were, without doubt, the transmitters of the apostolic traditions, destined to be completed in what became, with St. Gregory, the Roman Mass, has been suppressed. In the Libera nos the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles and all the Saints are no longer mentioned: her and their intercession is thus no longer asked, even in time of peril.

The unity of the Church is gravely compromised by the wholly intolerable omission from the entire Ordo, including the three new Prayers, of the names of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Founders of the Church of Rome, and the names of the other Apostles, foundation and mark of the one and universal Church, the only remaining mention being in the Communicantes of the Roman Canon.

A clear attack upon the dogma of the Communion of Saints is the omission, when the priest is celebrating without a server, of all the salutations, and the final Blessing, not to speak of the 'Ite, missa est' now not even said in Masses celebrated with a server.

The double Confiteor showed how the priest, in his capacity of Christ's Minister, bowing down deeply and acknowledging himself unworthy of his sublime mission, of the "tremendum mysterium", about to be accomplished by him and even (in the Aufer a nobis) entering into the Holy of Holies, invoked the intercession (in the Oramus te, Domine) of the merits of the martyrs whose relics were sealed in the altar. Both these prayers have been suppressed; what has been said previously in respect of the double Confiteor and the double Communion is equally relevant here.

The outward setting of the Sacrifice, evidence of its sacred character, has been profaned. See, for example, what is laid down for celebration outside sacred precincts, in which the altar may be replaced by a simple "table" without consecrated stone or relics, and with a single cloth (nos. 260, 265). Here too all that has been previously said with regard to the Real Presence applies, the disassociation of the "convivium" and of the sacrifice of the supper from the Real Presence Itself.

The process of desacralisation is completed thanks to the new procedures for the offering: the reference to ordinary not unleavened bread; altar-servers (and lay people at Communion sub utraque specie) being allowed to handle sacred vessels (no. 244d); the distracting atmosphere created by the ceaseless coming and going of the priest, deacon, subdeacon, psalmist, commentator (the priest becomes commentator himself from his constantly being required to 'explain' what he is about to accomplish) - of readings (men and women), of servers or laymen welcoming people at the door and escorting them to their places whilst others carry and sort offerings. And in the midst of all this prescribed activity, the 'mulier idonea' (anti-Scriptural and anti-Pauline) who for the first time in the tradition of the Church will be authorised to read the lessons and also perform other "ministeria quae extra presbyterium peraguntur" (no. 70).

Finally, there is the concelebration mania, which will end by destroying Eucharistic piety in the priest, by overshadowing the central figure of Christ, sole Priest and Victim, in a collective presence of concelebrants.

VI
The Destruction of Unity

We have limited ourselves to a summary evaluation of the new Ordo where it deviates most seriously from the theology of the Catholic Mass and our observations touch only those deviations that are typical. A complete evaluation of all the pitfalls, the dangers, and spiritually and psychologically destructive elements contained in the document - whether in text, rubrics or instructions - would be a vast undertaking.

By Priest or Parson

No more than a passing glance has been taken at the three new Canons, since these have already come in for repeated and authoritative criticism, both as to form and substance. The second of them gave immediate scandal to the faithful on account of its brevity. Of Canon II it has been well said, among other things, that it could be recited with perfect tranquillity of conscience by a priest who no longer believes either in Transubstantiation or in the sacrificial character of the Mass - hence even by a Protestant minister.

The new Missal was introduced in Rome as "a text of ample pastoral matter", and "more pastoral than juridical", which the Episcopal Conferences would be able to utilise according to the varying circumstances and genius of different peoples. In the same Apostolic Constitution we read: "we have introduced into the New Missal legitimate variations and adaptations". Besides, Section I of the new Congregation for Divine Worship will be responsible "for the publication and 'constant revision' of the liturgical books". The last official bulletin of the Liturgical Institutes of Germany, Switzerland and Austria says: "The Latin texts will now have to be translated into the languages of the various peoples; the 'Roman' style will have to be adapted to the individuality of the local Churches: that which was conceived beyond time must be transposed into the changing context of concrete situations in the constant flux of the Universal Church and of its myriad congregations."

The Apostolic Constitution itself gives the coup de grace to the Church's universal language (contrary to the express will of Vatican Council II) with the bland affirmation that "in such a variety of tongues one (?) and the same prayer of all . . . may ascend more fragrant than any incense".

Council of Trent Rejected

The demise of Latin may therefore be taken for granted; that of Gregorian Chant, which even the Council recognised as "liturgiae romanae proprium" (Sacros Conc. no 116), ordering that "principem locum obtineat" (ibid.) will logically follow, with the freedom of choice, amongst other things, of the texts of the Introit and Gradual.

From the outset therefore the New Rite is launched as pluralistic and experimental, bound to time and place. Unity of worship, thus swept away for good and all, what will become of that unity of faith that went with it, and which, we were always told, was to be defended without compromise?

It is evident that the Novus Ordo has no intention of presenting the Faith as taught by the Council of Trent, to which, nonetheless, the Catholic conscience is bound forever. With the promulgation of the Novus Ordo, the loyal Catholic is thus faced with a most tragic alternative.

VII
The Alienation of the Orthodox

The Apostolic Constitution makes explicit reference to a wealth of piety and teaching in the Novus Ordo borrowed from Eastern Churches. The result - utterly remote from and even opposed to the inspiration of the oriental Liturgies - can only repel the faithful of the Eastern Rites. What, in truth, do these ecumenical options amount to? Basically to the multiplicity of anaphora (but nothing approaching their beauty and complexity), to the presence of deacons, to Communion sub utraque specie.

Against this, the Novus Ordo would appear to have been deliberately shorn of everything which in the Liturgy of Rome came close to those of the East.

Moreover in abandoning its unmistakable and immemorial Roman character, the Novus Ordo lost what was spiritually precious of its own. Its place has been taken by elements which bring it closer only to certain other reformed liturgies (not even those closest to Catholicism) and which debase it at the same time. The East will be ever more alienated, as it already has been by the preceding liturgical reforms.

By the way of compensation the new Liturgy will be the delight of the various groups who, hovering on the verge of apostasy, are wreaking havoc in the Church of God, poisoning her organism and undermining her unity of doctrine, worship, morals and discipline in a spiritual crisis without precedent.

VIII
The Abandonment of Defences

St. Pius V had the Roman Missal drawn up (as the present Apostolic Constitution itself recalls) so that it might be an instrument of unity among Catholics. In conformity with the injunctions of the Council of Trent it was to exclude all danger, in liturgical worship, of errors against the Faith, then threatened by the Protestant Reformation. The gravity of the situation fully justified, and even rendered prophetic, the saintly Pontiff's solemn warning given at the end of the Bull promulgating his Missal "should anyone presume to tamper with this, let him know that he shall incur the wrath of God Almighty and his blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul. (Quo Primum, July 13, 1570)

When the Novus Ordo was presented at the Vatican Press Office, it was asserted with great audacity that the reasons which prompted the Tridentine decrees are no longer valid. Not only do they still apply, but there also exist, as we do not hesitate to affirm, very much more serious ones today.

It was precisely in order to ward off the dangers which in every century threaten the purity of the deposit of faith (depositum custodi, devitans profanas vocum novitates" Tim. VI, 20) the Church has had to erect under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost the defences of her dogmatic definitions and doctrinal pronouncements.

These were immediately reflected in her worship, which became the most complete monument of her faith. To try to bring the Church's worship back at all cost to ancient practices by refashioning, artificially and with that "unhealthy archeologism" so roundly condemned by Pius XII, what in earlier times had the grace of original spontaneity means as we see today only too clearly - to dismantle all the theological ramparts erected for the protection of the Rite and to take away all the beauty by which it was enriched over the centuries.

And all this at one of the most critical moments - if not the most critical moment - of the Church's history!

Today, division and schism are officially acknowledged to exist not only outside of but within the Church. Her unity is not only threatened but already tragically compromised. Errors against the Faith are not so much insinuated but rather an inevitable consequence of liturgical abuses and aberrations which have been given equal recognition.

To abandon a liturgical tradition which for four centuries was both the sign and pledge of unity of worship (and to replace it with another which cannot but be a sign of division by virtue of the countless liberties implicitly authorised, and which teems with insinuations or manifest errors against the integrity of the Catholic religion) is, we feel in conscience bound to proclaim, an incalculable error.

Editor's note about the above document:

When studying the issues involved in the new liturgy, you may come across the assertion that Cardinal Ottaviani signed a document retracting his words above. But here is what happened, as recounted at www.traditio.com:
A purported letter of February 17, 1970, supposedly with the Cardinal's signature, was adduced to prove the story. However, by that date it is known that the Cardinal, then 80, was totally blind and would not have known what he was signing when presented with the purposed letter by his secretary, Msgr. Gilberto Agustoni. [Ed. Agustoni was later made Bishop, then Cardinal, by John Paul II]

Now it has come to light that this Agustoni [Ed. along with his brother, Fr. Luigi Agustoni] was a member of the Consilium which that fabricated the "New Mass" and which the Arch-Architect of the New Order service, Hannibal Bugnini, led. At the time, Jean Madiran, the editor of the respected French journal Itineraires, publicly accused Agustoni of obtaining the Cardinal's signature by fraud. As a result, Agustoni was fired as the Cardinal's secretary.

So, it seems that Agustoni insinuated his way into becoming the Cardinal's secretary and in that position created a fraud in an attempt to undermine the Cardinal's public document, which questioned the validity of the New Order service, by a phony "retraction," which Agustoni had himself written with others. In any case, co-author Antonio Cardinal Bacci and the Roman theologians never "retracted," in any manner, shape, or form the devastating document, which they courageously published.

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-08-03T08:13:00.000-06:00

GRANT THEM REST has been updated!

Fr. Rego, Chaplain of the Saint Gianna Latin Mass Community in Tucson, AZ, has suddenly passed away at the age of 72. Fr. Rego was a frequent guest on Catholic Answers and ran a blog that was posted to occasionally. However, on July 25th he posted three articles (his first posts since May). Please pray for the repose of his soul. Click here to read his final messages.

The following is taken from the St. Gianna Latin Mass Community website:

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved father, teacher, confessor, and friend. Father Rego died on Monday, July 30, in the year of Our Lord 2007 at St. Mary’s hospital in Tucson, AZ. Though God the Father, in His wisdom, called His faithful priest to judgment, Father Rego will live forever in the hearts of those he touched on earth. Father never wavered from preaching the truth. He taught us about Catholic faith and would have made St. Paul proud, for he did it both “in season and out of season.” He reiterated time and time again the importance of the obedience of faith, frequent confession, frequent communion, praying the rosary, and a deep devotion for Our Blessed Mother. Most especially he modeled for us, a reverence and awe for “the gift beyond compare,” Our Lord Jesus, really present, truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Father Rego had a deep devotion for the Traditional Latin Mass. Such devotion was proven on a weekly basis when he traveled 300 miles round trip from Ajo, AZ for almost 10 years to offer the Traditional Latin Mass. In the end, Father succeeded in establishing St. Gianna’s, a place for those of us who equally share in the reverence and solemnity of the Latin Mass. His message of truth reached thousands via the internet and his many appearances on Catholic radio.

We commend to Thee, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant Fr. Richard Joseph Rego, and we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, that as in mercy to him, Thou becamest man, so now Thou wouldst vouchsafe to admit him to the bosom of Thy Patriarchs. Remember, O Lord, he is Thy creature, not made by strange gods, but by Thee, the only living and true God, for there is no other but Thee, and none that can equal Thy work. Let his soul rejoice in Thy presence, and remember not his former iniquities and excesses, which he has fallen into, through the violence of passion and the corruption of his nature. For although he has sinned, yet he has always firmly believed in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; he has had a zeal for Thy honor, and faithfully adored Thee as his God, and the Creator of all things.

May Mary the most merciful Virgin Mother of God, kindest comforter of them that mourn, commend to her Son the soul of this His faithful priest, that through her maternal intercession, he may overcome the dread of death and, with her as guide, joyfully reach his longed for home in the heavenly fatherland. Amen.

There will be a viewing and Rosary on Friday, August 3, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone St., Tucson, AZ. There will be a Solemn High Requiem Mass on Saturday, August 4, at 1:30 p.m., also at St. Augustine Cathedral. In lieu of flowers, Father requested donations be made to St. Gianna Latin Mass Community.

Audio recordings by Fr. Rego

Here is a youtube video of the homily Fr. Rego gave when we were in Tuscon.

Fr. Richard J. Rego, Requiescat in Pace

Institute of Christ the King Press Release

2007-06-01T09:12:00.000-06:00

posted by Shawn Tribe @ NLM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(St. Louis, May 2007) - On Friday, June 15th, starting at 1:00 pm, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis will be the site of a church event not seen in St. Louis in decades -- ordinations to the priesthood in the Traditional Latin Rite. The Most Reverend Archbishop Raymond L. Burke will be presiding at this ceremony, in which two deacons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest will be ordained Roman Catholic priests.

The Institute of Christ the King is a society of priests dedicated to Catholic tradition, founded in Italy in 1990. Priests of the Institute were assigned the historic St. Francis de Sales Oratory in July 2005 by Archbishop Burke. Once known as the Cathedral of South St. Louis for its size and magnificence, this church is now home of the Latin Mass Community of St. Louis. A vibrant community has grown at St. Francis de Sales since the Institute arrived almost two years ago, attendance increasing from 300 to nearly 800 each Sunday. Here the Classical Latin Mass is offered every day, and twice on Sundays, along with several traditional Catholic devotions throughout the week.

The “Latin Mass” has been the focus of much media attention in the past months, since rumors surfaced that Pope Benedict XVI plans to issue a document granting a wider use of the Classical or “Traditional” Latin Rite. This millennial liturgy was substituted in 1969 by the “New Order of Mass,” now celebrated in most Catholic churches. However, Pope Benedict and other high ranking officials of the Catholic Church see an important role for the Classical Latin Rite, and recognize the ever waxing interest and desire for the traditional Mass in Latin.

Unlike what many would think, the Traditional Latin Rite is not a subject of nostalgia. Anyone attending one of the now hundreds of churches in the United States where the Latin Mass is celebrated, will immediately note the youthfulness of the congregation, and the vibrancy of the community. Young adults and young large families with many children skew the average age to the mid 40s if not lower. The reverence, beauty, timelessness and transcendence of the venerable Rite are often cited as the points of attraction. And it is the general experience of the clergy who celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass that their congregations are growing very steadily. All the churches staffed by the Institute of Christ the King demonstrate this phenomenon, St. Francis de Sales Oratory in St. Louis being a particularly striking example, were the congregation has nearly tripled in size in two years.

The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest itself is evidence of this growth factor. It was founded in 1990 by two French priests, Msgr. Gilles Wach and Fr. Philippe Mora, who sought to establish a seminary that would train young men for the priesthood desiring to be formed and educated in the tradition of the Catholic Church -- theological as well as liturgical. While at first established as a mission seminary in Gabon, Africa, in a matter of months the Institute was invited by the Archbishop of Florence, Italy, to relocate to the village of Gricigliano in his archdiocese. Two heiresses had left property to the Archdiocese of Florence to be used by any Catholic order or community dedicated to the Traditional Latin Mass. It was to in this property, the Villa Martelli in Gricigliano, that the Institute established its motherhouse and seminary.

After only sixteen years the Institute of Christ the King now has more than 50 priests stationed in over 40 locations in Europe, Africa, and the United States, where all the sacraments of the church are offered in the Traditional Latin Rite. In the United States the Institute is present in Chicago, Rockford, St. Louis, Kansas City, Green Bay, Wausau, Oakland, and Santa Clara. It receives several inquiries on a weekly basis from young men who wish to become priests in the Institute. As its seminary formation program is nearly filled to capacity with 70 men at the different stages of preparation for the priesthood, the superiors of the Institute of Christ the King have the rare problem of having too many aspirants to their seminary.

The ceremony on June 15th, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis will mark the first time that priests of the Institute of Christ the King are ordained in the United States. Usually, the ordinations take place at their seminary in Florence. Members of the Institute will be providing the Gregorian Chant and filling the several liturgical roles of the intricate and strikingly beautiful Ordination ceremony and Pontifical Solemn High Mass, which will be presided by the Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke, Archbishop of St. Louis.

Father Karl Lenhardt, Rector of St. Francis de Sales Oratory operated by the Institute of Christ the King, commented: “All the members of the Institute and faithful who attend our several churches around the country are very much looking forward to this special event. We are especially grateful to His Grace, Archbishop Raymond Burke, for having the ceremony at his own Cathedral Basilica, and above all for his kindness to the Institute throughout so many years.”

For more information call 314-771-3100.

The Mundelein Psalter

2007-05-23T10:43:00.001-06:00

The Church’s prayer must be allowed to speak for itself, to express the joy and grief, the anguish and elation of God’s children across the ages and around the globe. This volume hopes to offer an opening to the radical beauty of the Judeo-Christian prayer, in an accessible, comprehensible way.
–from the Introduction

This book offers a clear guide to making the Office a normal part of Christian life again, just as it was in the first thousand plus years of Christianity. The opening section reprints the General Instruction for saying the office, which I had never read (and didn't even know existed!), and that alone provides an excellent education into why our liturgical life should go beyond the Mass.

The editors must have spent thousands and thousands of hours on this. The patience and hard work that must have been involved is beyond belief actually. The book is $50, which sounds like a lot but once it arrives, you immediately realize what a bargain this is for a top-quality book of 1350 pages that opens up the whole of Christian daily prayer for all of us. (The last 40 pages are of real, authentic, Catholic hymns!)You can order it here.

Certainly every Catholic musician and singer should own a copy. It is really a book for everyone. May it initiate a revival of the Office for the whole Christian community.

If you would like to learn more about The Mundelein Psalter and listen to audio files, please go to www.mundeleinpsalter.com.

FSSP ordination 2007

2007-05-23T00:10:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures of the recent FSSP ordination (Fr. Masutti was with us here at Mater Misericordiae Mission as a Deacon - the third picture is of Fr. Masutti blessing the Bishop)

To see all of the pictures, CLICK HERE.

Viri Galilaei

2007-05-17T11:44:00.000-06:00

This was posted by Jeffrey Tucker at NLM, but since I will be chanting this later today at the Ascension Mass with the rest of the Schola Cantorum Sanctae Crucis I thought it seemed appropriate to bring over to this blog.

Ah how every Catholic singer for many hundreds of years has looked forward to Ascension, that he might sing the impossibly beautiful introit Viri Galilaei. If you do not hear this today or Sunday, you are missing out a glorious example of how it is that Gregorian chant created and sustained so much beauty and majesty in the world.

"Ye people of Galilee, why are you gazing in astonishment at the sky? Alleluia. Just as you have seen him ascend into heaven, so, in like manner, shall he return, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. All nations, clap your hands; shout unto God with a voice of joy."

I won't attempt to offer my own commentary, except to note how the very act of ascending to written into the dramatic opening line, and to observe the drama of the final three alleluias, the second of which reaches to the heavens. Instead I'll quote the incomparable Johner:

When we met the Saviour at Christmas, we greeted Him with the seventh mode. The motive dc ed dd over the accented syllable of Galilaei reminds us also of nobis in the Introit for the third Christmas Mass. Now the seventh mode leads the Lord back to the Father, who today will speak that long-promised word: "Now sit Thou at My right hand."

On Bethlehem's fields once the angels sang; today we again hear angels. They seem to have a special preference for the seventh mode in plainsong. Their words are addressed to the Apostles, who find it impossible to turn their eyes away from heaven, whither their dearest Lord and Master has ascended. And here the angels do not say, as the Acts of the Apostles report: "Why stand you looking up to heaven?" but: Quid admiramini aspicientes-—"Why wonder you, looking up to heaven?"

This word also supplies the key to the understanding of this Introit. The Apostles may not stand still and rest. Now is the time of labor, of strife, of suffering. Now they must fulfill the commission with which the Lord charged them. Now they must sow the seed in tears, in sweat, and in sorrow. Not till later will the time come for repose, for blissful contemplation of God. Perhaps the angel wished to stress another thought: "It is difficult for you to realize that your dearest Lord has departed from you. You cannot but wonder, and it is wonder that tends to make you sad. But be comforted! He will come again; you will see Him; and never again lose sight of Him. Just as true and real as His ascension is today, will His return be with power and majesty." This consoling thought, finds expression in the jubilant cries of alleluia. And St. Luke tells us (24: 52) that the disciples returned to Jerusalem "with great joy."

Today we also exult and rejoice, because the work which the Father gave His Son to do is now perfected. His glorification is ours also. He has, in the words of today's Communicantes, set at the right hand of the Father's glory the substance of our frail human nature which He had taken to Himself, and He says to the Father: "Father, I will that where I am, they also may be whom Thou hast given me."

The melody calls for an easy and joyous rendition... In the rendition, this climacus, and all the alleluia in fact, demand a most hearty rendition. Our joy should be voiced wholeheartedly. The rhythmic motive over admirdmini, dedc c (4 plus 1), runs through the entire piece, recurring over aspici-(entes), vidistis e-(um), (ascenden)- tern in cae—and over the second caelum. After the accented syllable of aspicientes the melody sinks a fifth. This makes the following line, expressing the heavenward gaze of the disciples, more effective.

In the second phrase, the melody moves lightly about c. Nevertheless quemddmodum and ita veniet are brought well to the fore. Special gravity and majesty are produced by the pause on c. The quiet second alleluia forms a contrast to the enthusiastic first.alleluia, while the third strikes a mean between the other two.

Mater Misericordiae Mission Easter snapshot

2007-05-16T15:55:00.000-06:00

Here is a pic (that I should have put up some time ago now) taken Easter at my parish:

Betrothed

2007-05-10T01:12:00.000-06:00

This last Sunday (May 6th) after Mass my fiance and I were betrothed in a traditional ceremony. (I would have done this earlier, but I only heard of it recently from a friend and fellow "chantor" in the Schola Cantorum Sanctae Crucis.)

Pius XII

2007-05-09T15:17:00.000-06:00

Sainthood congregation recommends Pope Pius XII be named venerable by Cindy Wooden | Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Members of the Congregation for Saints' Causes met May 8 to consider the cause of Pope Pius XII and apparently voted to recommend that Pope Benedict XVI formally declare him venerable.

Passionist Father Ciro Benedettini, vice director of the Vatican press office, confirmed the congregation had met, but since the result of the vote still had to be presented to the pope he would not say May 9 what the result was.

Italian newspapers, citing unnamed sources, said the congregation's cardinals and archbishops recommended that Pope Benedict formally recognize that Pope Pius lived the Christian virtues in a heroic manner.

Once the pope issues a decree recognizing heroic virtues, the candidate is referred to as venerable. Before a candidate can be beatified, the pope also must issue a decree recognizing a miracle attributed to the candidate's intercession. A second miracle is needed for canonization.

The newspaper Corriere della Sera reported May 9 that a minority of the congregation members had voted "no," urging Pope Benedict to delay issuing a decree until there is "a more favorable climate," particularly regarding the ongoing controversy over Pope Pius' actions during World War II.

However, a Vatican source told Catholic News Service in Rome May 9 that the congregation's vote was unanimously in favor of issuing the decree.

Jesuit Father Peter Gumpel, the promoter of Pope Pius' cause, was out of town May 9 and unavailable for comment.

Pope Pius led the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958; immediately before his election, the then-Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was the Vatican secretary of state.

For years, controversy has raged over whether Pope Pius did and said enough in defense of the Jews and other victims of the Nazis.

The May 8 vote of the congregation members was based on a review of a six-volume, 3,000-page "positio" or position paper prepared by the promoters of Pope Pius' sainthood cause. The report, given to the Vatican in 2004, included sworn testimony from witnesses, historical documents and a review of literature -- both neutral and negative -- pertaining to the Vatican's actions during World War II.

(Hat Tip to Overheard in the Sacristy.)

Pope Holds Surprise Meeting With Roman Curia

2007-04-16T12:33:00.000-06:00

Catholic News Agency has more about this surprise meeting with Roman Curia.

Some have discussed, including some news agencies, whether this was about Latin America. However, there is the open question out there as to whether that was indeed what it was about, since we have no official report, or at least what it was solely about.

Catholic news agency spoke of the meeting this way:

"In what could be a sign of an important upcoming announcement, Pope Benedict XVI convened a surprise meeting on Saturday with the leaders of the Roman curia.

"The Holy See’s Press Office simply reported that the meeting took place on Saturday morning at the Apostolic Palace, where the Pontiff resides.

"Although the Holy See has not revealed the nature of the meeting, several Vatican analysts said the Holy Father has prepared two important documents that merit the opinion of curial officials.

"The first is a the possible Motu Propio—which could be accompanied by a study on the subject by experts—that would allow the universal celebration of the Mass of St. Pius V, the Latin Rite that was universally celebrated prior to the liturgical reform of Vatican II."

The interesting point here is the addition of information, to my knowledge the first time discussed in the news or even generally, that the Motu Proprio "could be accompanied by a study in the subject by experts".

This might also explain the delays in formally promulgating this document. If there is such a study, is it ready or is it undergoing cross-examination before being finally released?

All interesting questions.

(H/T to The New Liturgical Movement)

The New Translation

2007-04-13T12:29:00.000-06:00

Here it is, folks, brought to you by Valle Adurni:
The canons are at the end.

[pro multis has yet to be added: apparently it hasn't yet been decided whether to render it 'for many' or 'for the many']

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
or —
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
or —
The Lord be with you
And with your spirit.

Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,
that we may be ready to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned greatly
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault.
Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels ad Saints,
and you my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

May almighty God have mercy on us
and lead us, with our sins forgiven,
into eternal life.
Amen.

or —
Have mercy on us, O Lord
For we have sinned against you.
Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
And grant us your salvation.

May almighty God have mercy on us
and lead us, with our sins forgiven,
into eternal life.
Amen.

or —
You were sent to heal the contrite of heart:
Lord have mercy or — Kyrie eleison
Lord have mercy or — Kyrie eleison

You came to call sinners,
Christ have mercy or — Christe eleison
Christ have mercy or — Christe eleison

You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us:
Lord have mercy or — Kyrie eleison
Lord have mercy or — Kyrie eleison

May almighty God have mercy on us
and lead us, with our sins forgiven,
into eternal life.
Amen.

Lord have mercy or — Kyrie eleison
Lord have mercy or — Kyrie eleison

Christ have mercy or — Christe eleison
Christ have mercy or — Christe eleison

Lord have mercy or — Kyrie eleison
Lord have mercy or — Kyrie eleison

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

Let us pray…
Amen.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Pray, Father, your blessing.
May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips
that you may proclaim his Gospel worthily and well,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
or —
Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God,
that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.

The Lord be with you
And with your spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to N.
Glory to you, O Lord.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only-begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial wit the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate
of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated a the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and he Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
And one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for we have received from your abundance
the bread we offer you,
fruit of the earth and work of human hands:
it will become for us the bread of life.
Blessed be God for ever.

By the mystery of this water and wine
may we come to share in the divinity of Christ
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for we have received from your abundance
the wine we offer you,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands:
it will become for us the spiritual drink.
Blessed be God for ever.

With humble spirit and contrite heart
may we be accepted by you, O Lord,
and may our sacrifice to you this day
be pleasing in your sight, Lord God.

Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

Pray, brothers and sisters,
that the sacrifice which is mine and yours
may be acceptable to God
the almighty Father.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice from your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good
and the good of all his holy Church.

Amen.
The Lord be with you
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The mystery of faith.
We proclaim your death, O Lord,
and profess your resurrection
until you come in glory.
or —
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your death, O Lord,
until you come again.
or —
Saviour of the world, save us,
for by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.

Through him, and with him, and in him,
to you, O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
is all honour and glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Taught by the Saviour’s command
and formed by the word of God,
we have the courage to say:
Our Father …

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, sustained by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope,
the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.

Lord Jesus Christ,
who said to your Apostles,
Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not on our sins,
but on the faith of your Church,
and be pleased to grant her peace and unity
in accordance with your will.
Amen.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And with your spirit.
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

May this mingling of the Body and Blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ
bring eternal life to us who receive it.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,
by the will of the Father
and the work of the Holy Spirit,
you gave life to the world through your death.
By this your most holy Body and Blood
free me from all my sins and from every evil;
keep me always faithful to your commandments,
and never let me be parted from you.
or —
Lord Jesus Christ,
may the receiving of your Body and Blood
not bring me to judgment and condemnation,
but through your loving mercy
let it be my protection in mind and body,
and healing remedy.

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the banquet of the Lamb.
Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.

May the Body of Christ
keep me safe unto eternal life.

May the Blood of Christ
keep me safe unto eternal life.

The Body of Christ.
Amen.

What has passed our lips as food, O Lord,
ma we possess in purity of heart,
that what has been given us in time
may be our healing for eternity.

Let us pray …
Amen.
The Lord be with you
And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
Thanks be to God.

EPI
To you, most merciful Father,
we therefore humbly pray
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
We ask you to accept and bless these gifts,
these offerings,
these holy and undefiled sacrifices,
which we offer you first of all
for your holy Catholic Church.
Be pleased to grant her peace,
to guard, unite and govern her
throughout the whole world,
together with your servant N. our Pope
and N. our Bishop,
and all Bishops who, holding to the truth,
hand on the catholic and apostolic faith.

Remember, Lord, your servants N. and N.
and all gathered here,
whose faith and devotion are known to you.
For them we offer you this sacrifice of praise
and they offer it to you for themselves
and all who are theirs,
for the redemption of their souls,
in hope of health and security,
and fulfilling their vows to you,
the eternal God, living and true.

In communion with the whole Church,
they venerate above all others the memory
of the glorious ever-virgin Mary,
Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ,
† then of blessed Joseph, husband of the Virgin,
your blessed Apostles and Martyrs,
Peter and Paul, Andrew,
James, John,
Thomas, James, Philip,
Bartholomew, Matthew,
Simon and Jude:
Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus,
Cornelius, Cyprian,
Laurence, Chrysogonus,
John and Paul,
Cosmas and Damian
and all your Saints:
grant through their merits and prayers
that in all things we may be defended
by the help of your protection.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In communion with the whole Church,
and celebrating the most sacred night/day
on which blessed Mary the immaculate virgin
brought forth a Saviour for this world,
they venerate above all others the memory
of the same glorious ever-virgin Mary,
Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, †

In communion with the whole Church,
and celebrating the most sacred day
on which your Only-begotten Son,
eternal with you in your glory,
appeared in a human body, truly sharing our flesh,
they venerate above all others the memory
of the glorious ever-virgin Mary,
Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, †

In communion with the whole Church,
and celebrating the most sacred night/day
of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh,
they venerate above all others the memory
of the glorious ever-virgin Mary,
Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, †

In communion with the whole Church,
and celebrating the most sacred day
on which your Only-begotten Son, our Lord,
set at the right hand of your glory,
our weak human nature,
which he had united to himself,
they venerate above all others the memory
of the glorious ever-virgin Mary,
Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, †

In communion with the whole Church,
and celebrating the most sacred day of Pentecost,
on which the Holy Spirit
appeared to the Apostles in tongues of fire,
they venerate above all others the memory
of the glorious ever-virgin Mary,
Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, †

Therefore, Lord, we pray:
graciously accept this offering from us, your servants,
and from your whole family:
order our days in your peace,
and command that we be delivered from eternal damnation
and counted among the flock of those you have chosen.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Therefore, Lord, we pray:
graciously accept from us, your servants,
and from your whole family,
this offering which we make to you
also for those to whom you have been pleased to give
the new birth of water and the Holy Spirit,
granting them forgiveness of all their sins:
order our days in your peace,
and command that we be delivered from eternal damnation
and counted among the flock of those you have chosen.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We pray, O God:
be pleased to bless, recognize,
and approve this offering in every way:
make it spiritual and acceptable,
that it become for us
the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who, on the day before he was to suffer
took bread into his holy and venerable hands:
with eyes raised to heaven
to you, O God, his almighty Father,
giving you thanks he said the blessing,
broke the bread
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body,
which will be given up for you.

In the same way, when supper was ended,
he took this precious chalice
into his holy and venerable hands,
and once more giving you thanks, he said the blessing
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the Cup of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal Covenant;
it will be poured out for you and for all
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.

The mystery of faith.
We proclaim your death, O Lord,
and profess your resurrection
until you come in glory.
or —
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your death, O Lord,
until you come again.
or —
Saviour of the world, save us,
for by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.

Therefore, O Lord,
as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed passion,
the resurrection from the dead,
and the glorious ascension into heaven
of Christ, your Son, our Lord,
we, your servants and your holy people,
offer to your glorious majesty
from your own generous gifts,
the pure victim,
the holy victim,
the spotless victim,
the holy Bread of eternal life
and the Chalice of everlasting salvation.

Be pleased to look upon them,
with a serene and kindly gaze,
and to accept them
as you were pleased to accept
the gifts of your just servant Abel,
the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith,
and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek,
a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.

In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God,
bid that these gifts be borne
by the hands of your holy Angel
to your altar on high
in the sight of your divine majesty,
that all of us who receive
the most holy Body and Blood of your Son
through this sharing at the altar
may be filled with every grace and blessing from above.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Remember also, Lord, your servants N. and N.
who have gone before us with the sign of faith
and rest in the sleep of peace.
Grant them, O Lord, we pray,
and all who sleep in Christ,
a place of refreshment, light and peace.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

To us sinners also,
your servants who hope in your abundant mercies,
graciously grant some share
in the communion of your holy Apostles and Martyrs:
with John the Baptist, Stephen,
Matthias, Barnabas,
Ignatius, Alexander,
Marcellinus, Peter,
Felicity, Perpetua,
Agatha, Lucy,
Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia,
and all your saints,
into whose company we beg you admit us,
not weighing our merits but granting us pardon,
through Christ our Lord.

Through whom
you constantly create all these good things, O Lord,
you make them holy and fill them with life,
you bless them and bestow them on us.

Through him, and with him, and in him,
to you, O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
is all honour and glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

EP II
The Lord be with you
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy,
through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,
your Word through whom you made all things,
whom you sent to us as Saviour and Redeemer,
incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin.
Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people,
he stretched out his hands as he suffered,
to break the bonds of death and show forth the resurrection.
Therefore, with the Angels and all the Saints
we proclaim your glory,
as with one voice we say:

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

You are indeed the Holy One, O Lord,
you are the wellspring of all holiness.
Therefore, make holy these gifts, we pray,
by the dew of your Spirit,
that they may become for us
the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Who, as he was handed over
and entered willingly into his Passion,
took bread and, giving thanks, broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body,
which will be given up for you.

In the same way, when supper was ended,
he took the chalice
and, once more giving you thanks,
he gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the Cup of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal Covenant;
it will be poured out for you and for all
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.

The mystery of faith.
We proclaim your death, O Lord,
and profess your resurrection
until you come in glory.
or —
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your death, O Lord,
until you come again.
or —
Saviour of the world, save us,
for by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection,
we offer you, Lord,
the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation,
giving thanks that you have deemed us worthy
to stand in your presence and serve you.
Humbly we pray
that, sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ,
we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.

Remember, Lord, your Church
spread throughout the world,
and bring her to the fullness of charity,
together with N. our Pope and N. our Bishop
and all the clergy.

[Remember your servant N.
whom you have called {today}
from this world to yourself.
Grant that he/she who was united with your Son in a death like his,
may also be one with him in his resurrection.]

Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection,
and all who have died in your mercy:
welcome them into the light of your countenance.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
the blessed Apostles,
and all the Saints from every age who have pleased you,
we may be worthy to share eternal life,
and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through him, and with him, and in him,
to you, O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
is all honour and glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

EP III
You are indeed the Holy One, O Lord,
and all you have created
rightly gives you praise,
for through your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
by the power and work of the Holy Spirit,
you give life to all things and make them holy.
You never cease to gather a people to yourself,
so that from the rising of the sun to its setting
a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.

Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you,
graciously make holy by the same Spirit,
these gifts we have brought to you for consecration,
that they may become the Body and Blood
of your Son our Lord, Jesus Christ
at whose command we celebrate these mysteries.

For he himself
on the night he was handed over
took bread
and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body,
which will be given up for you.

In the same way, when supper was ended,
he took the chalice
and giving you thanks he said the blessing,
he gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the Cup of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal Covenant;
it will be poured out for you and for all
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.

The mystery of faith.
We proclaim your death, O Lord,
and profess your resurrection
until you come in glory.
or —
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your death, O Lord,
until you come again.
or —
Saviour of the world, save us,
for by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.

Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial
of the saving passion of your Son,
his wondrous resurrection
and ascension into heaven,
and also look forward to his second coming,
we offer you in thanksgiving
this holy and living sacrifice.

Look, we pray, upon your Church’s offering
and, recognizing the Victim by whose sacrificial death
you willed to be reconciled,
grant that we, who are strengthened
by the Body and Blood of your Son
and filled with his Holy Spirit,
may be found to be one body and one spirit in Christ.

May he bring us to perfection
as an eternal gift to you,
that we may gain an inheritance with your elect,
above all with the most blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
with your blessed Apostles and glorious Martyrs,
[with Saint N.]
and with all the Saints,
whose intercession in your presence
is our unfailing pledge of help.

We pray, O Lord,
may this Victim who is our reconciliation,
advance the peace and salvation of all the world.
Be pleased to strengthen in faith and love
your pilgrim Church on earth,
with your servant N. our Pope and N. our Bishop,
the Order of Bishops, all the clergy,
and the entire people you make your own.

Listen graciously to the prayers of this family,
whom you have called into your presence.
Merciful Father, in your compassion
gather to yourself all your children
scattered throughout the earth.
†Lovingly receive into your kingdom
our departed brothers and sisters
and all who were pleasing to you
at their passing from this life.
In that kingdom we hope to be filled with your glory for ever
through Christ our Lord
through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.

[† Remember your servant N.
whom you have called {today}
from this world to yourself.
Grant that he/she who was united with your Son in a death like his,
may also be one with him in his resurrection,
when from the earth
he will raise in the flesh those who have died,
and transform our lowly body
to be like his own glorious body.
Lovingly receive into your kingdom
our departed brothers and sisters
and all who were pleasing to you
at their passing from this life.
In that kingdom we hope to be filled with your glory for ever
when you will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
For seeing you, God, as you are,
we shall be like you for all ages
and praise you without end,
through Christ our Lord
through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.

Through him, and with him, and in him,
to you, O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
is all honour and glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

EP IV
The Lord be with you
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.

It is truly right to give you thanks,
it is truly just to give you glory, Father most holy,
for you are the one God living and true,
who are before all ages and abide for all eternity,
dwelling in unapproachable light;
yet you, the one good and the source of life,
have made all that is,
to bless your creatures beyond measure
and bring joy to many by the radiance of your light.
Therefore in your presence stand countless hosts of angels,
who serve you day and night,
and, gazing on the glory of your face,
glorify you without end.
With them we too confess your name in exultation
giving voice to every creature under heaven
as we sing:

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

We give you praise, Father most holy,
for you are great, and you have fashioned all your works
in wisdom and in love.
You formed man in your own image,
male and female you created them,
and entrusted the whole world to their care,
so that in serving you alone, the Creator,
they might have dominion over all creatures.
And when through disobedience they had lost your friendship,
you did not abandon them in the domain of death.
For you came in mercy to the aid of all,
that those who seek might find you.
Time and again you offered covenants to them,
and through the prophets taught them to look forward to salvation.

And you so loved the world, Father most holy,
that when the fullness of time had come,
you sent your Only-begotten to us as Saviour.
Incarnate by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary,
he shared our human nature
in all things but sin.
To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation,
to prisoners, freedom,
and joy to the sorrowful of heart.
But to accomplish your plan,
he gave himself over to death,
and, rising from the dead,
he destroyed death and restored life.
And that we might live no longer for ourselves
but for him who died and rose for us,
he sent the Holy Spirit from you, Father,
as first fruits for those who believe,
so that, continuing his work in the world,
he might sanctify creation to the full.

Therefore, O Lord, we pray,
may the same Holy Spirit
graciously sanctify these gifts,
that they may become
the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
for the celebration of this great mystery,
which he himself left us
as an eternal covenant.

For when the hour had come
for him to be glorified by you, Father most holy,
having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end:
and while they were at supper,
he took bread, blessed and broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body,
which will be given up for you.

In the same way,
taking the chalice filled with the fruit of the vine,
he gave thanks,
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the Cup of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal Covenant;
it will be poured out for you and for all
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.

The mystery of faith.
We proclaim your death, O Lord,
and profess your resurrection
until you come in glory.
or —
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your death, O Lord,
until you come again.
or —
Saviour of the world, save us,
for by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.

Therefore, O Lord,
as we now celebrate the memorial of our redemption,
we remember the death of Christ
and his descent to the realm of the dead,
we proclaim his resurrection
and his ascension to your right hand;
and as we await his coming in glory,
we offer you his Body and Blood,
the sacrifice acceptable to you
and the source of salvation for the whole world.

Look, O Lord, upon the Sacrifice
you yourself have provided for your Church.
Grant in your loving kindness
to all who partake of this one Bread and one Cup
that, gathered into one body by the Holy Spirit,
they may be made perfect as a living sacrifice in Christ
to the praise of your glory.

Therefore, Lord, remember now
all for whom we offer you this sacrifice:
first of all your servant, N. our Pope,
N. our Bishop, and the whole Order of Bishops,
all the clergy,
those who make the offering,
those gathered here before you,
your entire people,
and all who seek you with a sincere heart.

Remember also
those who have died in the peace of your Christ
and all the dead,
whose faith only you have known.

Merciful Father,
grant to all of us, your children,
that we may gain a heavenly inheritance
with the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
and with your Apostles and Saints in your kingdom.
There, with all creation,
set free from the corruption of sin and death,
may we glorify you through Christ our Lord,
through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.

Through him, and with him, and in him,
to you, O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
is all honour and glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

What part of "HOC EST CORPUS MEUM" don't you understand?

2007-04-11T10:24:00.000-06:00

I just saw a post on a friend's blog showing a couple of t-shirt designs, and this one imparticular I really liked:

(I also really like the one that says, "It's better in Latin.")

"A new look at the Old Mass" - the use of Latin

2007-04-10T10:37:00.000-06:00

Fr. Kenneth E. Myers wrote an article in the Homiletic and Pastoral Review entitled "A new look at the old Mass" in it he writes about his experience as a pastor with the Traditional Latin Mass. Here is a quote taken from that article on the use of Latin:

The use of Latin for Mass is so valuable in
our world today, where the English language
has become so profane and vulgar. Latin removes
the Mass from the realm of everyday
life. It sets the Mass apart from the world, so
that when we come to church our minds and
hearts are called upon to leave the world behind
and enter into the realm of the sacred.
Latin helps us to make this transition from the
worldly to the sacred. In this way, Latin becomes
the language by which we speak to
God, separating what is profane from what is
sacred. Indeed, the great Catholic philosopher
Dietrich von Hildebrand said that modern liturgists
have “replaced holy intimacy with
Christ by an unbecoming familiarity.” He
meant that the replacement of Latin with the
vernacular at Mass has actually placed a distance
between the Lord and People, in contradiction
to what is popularly believed. Latin
addresses God at Mass, but our common
speech is directed to man. The use of Latin at
Mass does not create an artificial barrier between
God and man, but rather enables us to
address God with a gracious elegance that befits
the prayer of the creature offered to his
Creator.

You can read the article in its entirety here.

----------------------------------------

Father Kenneth Myers was born in New Brighton, Pa. He grew up there and attended public schools, although he is grateful to the Sisters of St. Joseph for their influence on his vocation through their catechism classes. Father Myers graduated from Duquesne University with a bachelor's degree in Latin, Greek, and philosophy, and then a master's degree in education. He also holds a master's degree in theology from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York.

Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1980, Father Myers served 15 years as a parish priest and 5 years as a hospital chaplain. He has been offering the traditional Mass since September, 1992, and was named chaplain of the Pittsburgh Latin Mass Community in January of 2001. He believes it is a great privilege to be able to offer the old Mass and to serve the faithful of the Latin Mass Community.

Summer Study Opportunity

2007-04-04T09:30:00.000-06:00

Classes in chant and the famed Ward method will be offered by the International Centre for Ward Method Studies at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at the Catholic University of America. Classes run from June 25 to July 13, 2007, and can be taken for credit or non-credit. Offered on a rotational basis, this summer’s lineup includes:

WARD METHOD – COURSE I
MTWRF 9:30am – 12:30 p.m.
MUS 543 : 3 credits; Tuition : $2,100
SMUS 543 : Non-credit workshop; Tuition : $500
Instructor : Nancy Fazio, M.F.A.Lower School music teacher, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Bethesda, MD
Prerequisite: ability to sing on pitch.

WARD METHOD – COURSE II
MTWRF 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
MUS 544 : 3 credits; Tuition : $ 2,100
SMUS 544 : Non-credit workshop; Tuition : $500
Instructor : Amy Zuberbueler, M.Mus.Ed. Director, Ward Centre, San Antonio, Texas
Prerequisite : successful completion of MUS 543 and consent of instructor/director; experience in teaching Ward I strongly recommended.

WARD METHOD – COURSE IV:
GREGORIAN CHANT PRACTICUM I
MTWRF 9:30am-12:30pm
MUS 547 : 3 credits; Tuition : $2,100
SMUS 547 : Non-credit workshop; Tuition : $500
Instructor : Scott Turkington, organist/choirmaster at St John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Stamford, Conn..

More information available by writing.

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-03-13T08:51:00.000-06:00

FN Paul Hawkins, from the Bisbee Knights of Columbus Mother Lobe, has been added to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of his soul.

+JMJ

STOP PLANNED PARENTHOOD TAX FUNDING - MARCH 2007 UPDATE

2007-03-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

*******************************************************

This update is was sent to all people who have signed
the petition to end taxpayer funding of Planned
Parenthood at:

http://www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxpayerFunding.com

-------------------------------------------------------
In this month's issue:

1.) State funding of Planned Parenthood
2.) Complications in the numbers
3.) State funding of Planned Parenthood Table
4.) Action Items
-------------------------------------------------------

1.) STATE FUNDING OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD

During 2006, American Life League contacted every state
in the country and asked how much money they gave to
Planned Parenthood in the latest fiscal year. Most of
the states responded and we have listed them below in
order from highest-to-lowest in terms of funding
Planned Parenthood.

We had trouble getting the numbers from California and
Pennsylvania, so their amounts are estimated in the
list from the best data we have.

2.) COMPLICATIONS IN THE NUMBERS

You should be aware that we are reporting to you what
was told to us by the states. We believe that several
states have given us low numbers and we are trying our
best to get more accurate figures. We are presenting to
you the best numbers we have at this time.

Also, there is major confusion and differences
state-by-state with Title X funds from the federal
government. These monies flow from the federal
government to Planned Parenthood in different ways.

In some states, the money goes directly to Planned
Parenthood and does not go through the state. In other
states, the money goes to the state and then the state
allocates funds to Planned Parenthood and others.

Finally, as you read te table below, please note that
the numbers represent the state controlled funds that
go to Planned Parenthood.

It does not include money going to PP directly from the
federal government. For example, Utah reports giving
zero dollars in state money to PP, but PP in Utah says
it gets $1.7 million in taxpayer funds.

The table shows that Title X money goes directly to PP
in Utah from the federal government and it receives all
the Title X money in the state.

Despite these complications, the table will show you
how your state ranks in PP receiving state-controlled
money. These are numbers you can change through
concerted efforts in your state.

3.) STATE FUNDING OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD TABLE

The table below contains five columns. Here is the
guide to each of those columns:

Column 1 - is the two character state abbreviation

Column 2 - is the amount of money the state reports
giving to Planned Parenthood

Column 3 - is a code to indicate how Title X money
flows in that state. The codes are:
S = Fed to State
P = Fed to PP
B = Fed to both State and PP
O = Fed to other entity

Column 4 - is a code to indicate how much of the Title
X money goes to Planned Parenthood
All = PP gets all Title X
Some = PP gets a portion of Title X
None = PP gets no Title X

Column 5 - is the year reported by the states to us

CA $25,000,000 S Some (Estimated)
NY $23,022,037 S Some (2005)
TX $21,378,451 S Some (2005)
OR $11,963,126 S Some (2006)
WA $ 5,354,259 O Some (2006)
IL $ 5,213,178 S Some (2006)
NJ $ 4,986,741 S Some (2006)
PA $ 4,000,000 S Some (Estimated)
WI $ 3,600,000 P Some (2006)
OH $ 2,787,022 B Some (2005)
CT $ 2,002,911 P Some (2006)
MI $ 1,844,262 S Some (2005)
MD $ 1,764,469 S Some (2006)
ME $ 1,412,774 S Some (2006)
CO $ 1,392,412 S None (2005)
MN $ 1,314,060 B Some (2005)
MA $ 1,304,529 S None (2006)
NH $ 1,161,833 S Some (2005)
IA $ 932,522 S Some (2005)
VT $ 858,888 S All (2006)
IN $ 644,144 S Some (2005)
NE $ 613,762 S Some (2006)
NC $ 455,051 S Some (2005)
TN $ 450,600 S Some (2006)
DE $ 444,639 S Some (2006)
KY $ 367,961 S Some (2006)
RI $ 328,411 S Some (2005)
MO $ 316,600 S Some (2006)
HI $ 300,000 S Some (2005)
KS $ 278,062 S Some (2006)
AK $ 260,000 B Some (2005)
SC $ 159,370 S None (2006)
GA $ 128,800 S Some (2006)
NM $ 120,500 S None (2006)
AR $ 109,946 S None (2005)
NV $ 90,099 S Some (2006)
VA $ 45,236 S None (2006)
FL $ 30,000 B Some (2006)
MS $ 3,450 S None (2006)
WY $ 2,768 S None (2005)
LA $ 1,916 S Some (2005)
ND $ 1,786 S None (2006)
AZ $ 1,354 S Some (2006)
AL $ 900 S None (2006)
ID $ 0 S None (2006)
MT $ 0 S Some (2006)
OK $ 0 P Some (2006)
SD $ 0 S None (2006)
UT $ 0 P All (2006)
WV $ 0 S None (2006)

4.) ACTION ITEMS

As you can see, Planned Parenthood receives millions of
dollars through the states. We are working with people
at the state level to help cutoff these funds. You can
help in this effort by:

a. Encourage everyone you know to sign the petition
at http://www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com
(the more people who sign, the better will be the
chances to end the state funding.)

b. Use the data above to encourage the people of
your state to turn off the flow of funds to
Planned Parenthood.

c. Contact us at stopp@all.org if you have any
questions or if you would like us to help in your
state's fight against Planned Parenthood funding.

American Life League

P.O. Box 1350
Stafford, VA
22555
US

Into Great Silence

2007-03-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

I apologize for being away from the blogosphere lately, but this blog entry was requested of me by the mother of a priest, she writes:

Please do all you can to get this film to Arizona! Call/visit/meet with theatre managers, esp. Harkins and the like, and request the film: Into Great Silence. You will be so very glad that you did! We need films like this. Our spirits, our souls, are hungry for this subject matter: PRAYERFUL SILENCE in GOD's PRESENCE. Are there "art house theatres" in Arizona? If so, please request this film. The more who do, the better chance we have of getting it as Mr. Greydanus says below:

A review by Steven D. Greydanus

Philip Gröning’s Into Great Silence is pure cinema at its purest and most exalted. Its achievement virtually defies commentary; a critic has only words with which to illuminate a film, but how can what is wrought in silence be illumined by words?

Filmmakers from Bresson to Tarkovsky to Malick to the Dardenne brothers have sought creative freedom in formal austerity, assiduously stripping away the superfluous and superficial to create space for the essential, the transcendent. Into Great Silence is both a work in a kindred spirit, and an immersion in a divesting of inessentials, not merely as a creative discipline or aesthetic philosophy, but as a total commitment, a way of life, a world unto itself.

The title refers to the discipline of silence observed by many contemplative religious orders, and in particular to the ten or twelve hours of silence between the last words spoken at evening services and the first words spoken at morning services.

Into Great Silence is an odyssey, or perhaps a pilgrimage, into a world of such silence: the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps, head monastery of the Carthusian order, where Gröning received unprecedented permission to shoot in 2002. (A postscript to the film informs us that this permission came more than sixteen years after Gröning first approached the general prior with the proposal — an illuminating insight into the deliberateness of life in this world.)

Gröning stayed with the Carthusians for about half a year, observing in both senses of that word their rigorous way of life, from their discipline of silence to their grueling routine of prayer, work and sleep. Working alone, using only available light, he shot for approximately three hours a day, eventually amassing over 120 hours of material.

The formal rigor of the finished 164-minute film, mirroring the ascetic strictness of the monks themselves, offers none of the didactic or expositional context associated with typical documentaries. No voiceover narration expounds the history of the monastery buildings or the Carthusian order. No captions clarify or introduce us to the events or rituals we see.

No interview footage furnishes psychological insights into the dispositions or motivations of the monks (apart from a single brief homiletical reflection late in the film). In contrast to nearly wordless nature documentaries like Atlantis, Microcosmos and Winged Migration — or for that matter essentially the whole history of silent film — there is no nondiegetic music to provide emotional cues and mood support to the audience.

The result is more than a documentary of monastic life. It is a transcendent meditation on the human pursuit of meaning, on man as a religious and social creature; on the form and function of symbols and ritual and tradition; on the rhythm of work and prayer, day and night, winter and spring.

The silence is not total; the monks must speak, to celebrate the liturgy and other special functions, to accomplish certain necessary tasks, and on weekly outings from the monastery to socialize and discuss their life together. But if the silence is not absolute, it is still the point of reference; it gives meaning to the words, not the other way around. “The symbols are not to be questioned — we are,” says one monk during one of those weekly outings. The monks don’t question the silence, it questions them — and us, if we let it.

For all its asceticism, Into Great Silence is an exquisitely beautiful film. Precise compositions and splendid use of light at times overtly suggest the paintings of Vermeer, while stunning use of the natural beauty around the monastery may evoke Malick or Tarkovsky.

Like the monks’ lives, the film is cyclical and repetitive. Yet there is also movement, direction. Into Great Silence opens in bleak midwinter, amid austerity, frozenness, impenetrability. The silence is so profound you can hear the falling of snowflakes. The monks go about their business, but we see them as outsiders. There is no entering their world.

But there is. A pair of postulants are received as novices and take the tonsure. An eye-opening scene reveals an older monk enjoying a surreptitious bit of fun with some furry friends. There are small signs of life, of coming spring. An icebound succulent clings to life. An elderly monk walks into a snow-covered field and begins shoveling, seemingly at random; eventually we see he is clearing garden beds for planting.

At last there are dripping icicles, melting snow, running water. Spring comes to the mountains. When did we realize that the monks’ lives aren’t so impenetrable after all? Severity and rigor yields to familiarity, fullness, even joy. At last we see the secret of the cloistered life: In rigor and discipline there is freedom and fulfilment.

The film could end there. But it doesn’t. The seasons continue to turn. And yet it is impossible to return to the early sense of severity and impenetrability. The joy of the last hour is sublime. Such is the film’s achievement by this point that one sees the monastery and the very world with new eyes.

There is no short cut to this experience. Like a novice, one needs sheer time to acclimate to this world before one is ready to fully appreciate and embrace it, to experience it aright. Repetition, sameness, even a degree of monotony, is inseparable from what Into Great Silence sets out to illuminate, what it has to offer, for sameness itself is somehow transformed when we have embraced it long enough. I watched the last hour of the film in a different state of mind from the first hour and a half — and I needed every minute of that first hour and a half in order to get into the right state of mind to fully appreciate that last hour.

Ultimately, Into Great Silence reveals itself to be about nothing less than the presence of God. So many spiritually aware films — The Seventh Seal, Crimes and Misdemeanors — are about God’s absence or silence. Here is a film that dares to explore the possibility of finding God, of a God who is there for those who seek him with their whole hearts.

Into Great Silence makes no apology for the monks’ traditional Catholic and Christian milieu. One of the few long sustained speeches in the film is a chanted excerpt from a patristic treatise on the Holy Spirit — a catechesis in Trinitarian theology. The film is punctuated by contemplative intertitles citing Old and New Testament scriptures as well as traditional Christian sources. Two frequently repeated texts suggest the two sides of the monastic experience. On the one hand, self-denial and severity: “Unless a man gives up all he has, he cannot be my disciple.” On the other, the joy of self-abandonment to God: “O Lord, you have seduced me, and I was seduced.” In the film’s lone aside to the camera, a blind monk offers some simple but piercing observations on Christian happiness, abandonment to God’s providential care, and the tragedy of the loss of faith and meaning in the modern world.

Yet Gröning isn’t preaching to the choir; one need not be a Catholic, or even a Christian, to appreciate the beauty and depth the film finds in this way of life. Søren Kierkegaard, not a Catholic, vividly diagnosed the malady and the cure to which this film speaks:

The present state of the world and the whole of life is diseased. If I were a doctor and were asked for my advice, I would reply: Create silence! The Word of God cannot be heard in the noisy world of today. And even if it were blazoned forth with all the panoply of noise so that it could be heard in the midst of all the other noise, then it would no longer be the Word of God. Therefore create Silence.

This film creates silence. Not just absence of noise, but inner stillness.

Another popular quotation, attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, advises, “Preach the gospel at all time; when necessary, use words.” Into Great Silence is the antithesis of a preachy film, yet for receptive viewers of varying creeds — or none — Gröning’s achievement reveals the beauty and power of this most hidden, yet unexpectedly human, world.

Into Great Silence offers an implicit challenge, not so much to the trappings of modernity — modern technology crops up here and there in the monks’ world, occasionally to humorous effect — as to the spiritual disconnectedness and social fragmentation of a world in decay, to the postmodern incapacity for commitment and sacrifice, to the dissonance and haphazardness of life as we know it. It is not for us, perhaps, this life, yet it isn’t something irrelevant or unrelated either. The silence of the monks has something to say to us, if we have ears to hear.

WHERE AND WHEN: (to see it - if you're lucky.)

Saint of the Day - March 8

2007-03-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

St. John of God
(1495 - 1550)

Having given up active Christian belief while a soldier, John was 40 before the depth of his sinfulness began to dawn on him. He decided to give the rest of his life to God’s service, and headed at once for Africa, where he hoped to free captive Christians and, possibly, be martyred.
He was soon advised that his desire for martyrdom was not spiritually well based, and returned to Spain and the relatively prosaic activity of a religious goods store. Yet he was still not settled. Moved initially by a sermon of Blessed John of Avila, he one day engaged in a public beating of himself, begging mercy and wildly repenting for his past life.

Committed to a mental hospital for these actions, John was visited by Blessed John, who advised him to be more actively involved in tending to the needs of others rather than in enduring personal hardships. John gained peace of heart, and shortly after left the hospital to begin work among the poor.

He established a house where he wisely tended to the needs of the sick poor, at first doing his own begging. But excited by the saint’s great work and inspired by his devotion, many people began to back him up with money and provisions. Among them were the archbishop and marquis of Tarifa.

Behind John’s outward acts of total concern and love for Christ’s sick poor was a deep interior prayer life which was reflected in his spirit of humility. These qualities attracted helpers who, 20 years after John’s death, formed the Brothers Hospitallers, now a worldwide religious order.

John became ill after 10 years of service but tried to disguise his ill health. He began to put the hospital’s administrative work into order and appointed a leader for his helpers. He died under the care of a spiritual friend and admirer, Lady Anne Ossorio.

Comment:

The utter humility of John of God, which led to a totally selfless dedication to others, is most impressive. Here is a man who realized his nothingness in the face of God. The Lord blessed him with the gifts of prudence, patience, courage, enthusiasm and the ability to influence and inspire others. He saw that in his early life he had turned away from the Lord, and, moved to receive his mercy, John began his new commitment to love others in openness to God’s love.

Quote:

The archbishop called John of God to him in response to a complaint that he was keeping tramps and immoral women in his hospital. In submission John fell on his knees and said: “The Son of Man came for sinners, and we are bound to seek their conversion. I am unfaithful to my vocation because I neglect this, but I confess that I know of no bad person in my hospital except myself alone, who am indeed unworthy to eat the bread of the poor.” The archbishop could only trust in John’s sincerity and humility, and dismissed him with deep respect.

Oremus.

2007-03-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

From Amy Welborn

A friend from Phoenix writes with this, inviting your prayers:

A Planned Parenthood Clinic caught on fire shortly after our blessed Bishop’s Christmas Eve Rosary at the site. The fire was not arson. The clinic staff shared the facts of the fire with investigators as is standard when this type of thing occurs. The fire began in the office of the director, destroying all his degrees and memorabilia from his career. Within the last month or so, the same director was told he is suffering from advanced, incurable cancer. He could die any day. He has a blog, which his son is typing for him now, as he is too weak. Unfortunately, it is not
appropriate for general viewing, or I would list it.

Everyone in Phoenix who knows about the situation is praying and making sacrifices for this man. He is not a Christian. Knowing his soul is precious to God, we fear he may despair as the end approaches. I am just wondering if this is something you think your readers might want to pray for during this Lent. His name is Joseph. For 25 years, he ran a clinic where the death toll is 300 dead babies a month. On Christmas Eve, we counted 17 women entering the clinic, just during the hour we were there. We are praying he comes to know the Mercy of God. The Divine Mercy Chaplet, (http://www.thedivinemercy.org/ ) is a great way to pray for the dying when you cannot be with the person.

Let us pray for the conversion of this man!

St. Augustine, St. Gianna Molla ora pro nobis!

Saint of the Day - February 23

2007-02-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

St. Polycarp
(d. 156)

Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey), disciple of St. John the Apostle and friend of St. Ignatius of Antioch was a revered Christian leader during the first half of the second century.
St. Ignatius, on his way to Rome to be martyred, visited Polycarp at Smyrna, and later at Troas wrote him a personal letter. The Asia Minor Churches recognized Polycarp’s leadership by choosing him as a representative to discuss with Pope Anicetus the date of the Easter celebration in Rome—quite a controversy in the early Church.

Only one of the many letters written by Polycarp has been preserved, the one he wrote to the Church of Philippi, Macedonia.

At 86, Polycarp was led into the crowded Smyrna stadium to be burned alive. The flames did not harm him and he was finally killed by a dagger. The centurion ordered the saint’s body burned. The “Acts” of Polycarp’s martyrdom are the earliest preserved, fully reliable account of a Christian martyr’s death. He died in 156.

Comment:

Polycarp was recognized as a Christian leader by all Asia Minor Christians—a strong fortress of faith and loyalty to Jesus Christ. His own strength emerged from his trust in God, even when events contradicted this trust. Living among pagans and under a government opposed to the new religion, he led and fed his flock. Like the Good Shepherd, he laid down his life for his sheep and kept them from more persecution in Smyrna. He summarized his trust in God just before he died: “Father... I bless Thee, for having made me worthy of the day and the hour... .” (Martyrdom, Chapter 14).

Quote:

“Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the Lord, ‘firm and unchangeable in faith, lovers of the brotherhood, loving each other, united in truth,’ helping each other with the mildness of the Lord, despising no man” (Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians).

For the Record - An abbot explains why "the Tridentine Mass is the missing link"

2007-02-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

The blog entitled Rorate Caeli has a solid interview with Dom Christopher Zielinski, OSB Oliv., Abbot of the Olivetan Abbey of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Pecos, New Mexico (Tip: Reader). You can read the article here.

Meditations for Lent

2007-02-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

HOLY PERSEVERENCE
BY
ST. ALPHONSUS DE LIGOURI

[SAINT, MORAL THEOLOGIAN, & DOCTOR OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH]

St. Jerome says, 'that many begin well, but few are those who persevere.' Saul, Judas, Tertullian, began well; but they ended badly, because they did not persevere in virtue: 'In Christians it is not the beginning, but the end that is required.' The Lord, St Jerome continues, does not require only the beginnings of a good life, but the end also; it is the end that will obtain the reward. St. Bonaventure says that the crown is given to perseverance alone: 'Only perseverance is crowned.' For this reason, St. Laurence Justinian calls perseverance 'the gate of heaven.' He, then, who does not find the gate cannot enter Paradise. My brethren, you have quit sin, and justly hope that you have been pardoned. You are, then, the friend of God; but know that you are not yet saved. And when will you be saved? When you have persevered to the end: 'He that shall perseverance to the end shall be saved' (Matt 24:13). You have begun a good life, thank God for it: but St. Bernard warns you that the reward , though promised to him that begins, is only given to him that perseveres to the end: 'The prize promised to beginners , is given to those who persevere.' It is not enough to run for the prize ; but we must run until we obtain it: 'So run that you may obtain,' says the Apostle Paul.

You have already put the hand to the plough, you have begun a good life; but now, more than ever fear and tremble: 'With fear and trembling work out your salvation' (Phil 2:12). And why? Because if (which God forbid) you look behind, and turn back to a bad life, God will declare you to be excluded from Paradise: 'No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God' (Luke 5:62). Now, by the grace of God, you avoid the occasion of sin, you frequent the sacraments, you make your meditation every day: happy are you, if you continue to do so, and if Jesus, when He shall to judge you, shall find you so doing: 'Blessed is that servant whom, when his Lord shall come, He shall find so doing' (Matt 24:46).But do not believe that now, because you have set yourself to serve God, temptations are at an end, or will be wanting. Listen to what the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures says to you: 'Son, when thou comest to the service of God, prepare thy soul for temptation' (Sirach 2:1).Know that now more than ever must you prepare yourself for battle; because your enemies – the world, the devil, and the flesh – will arm themselves now more than ever against you to make you lose what you have gained. St. Denis the Carthusian says, that the more any one gives himself up to God, the more does hell strive to overcome him: 'The more bravely a man strives to serve God, so much the more fiercely does the enemy rage against him.' And this is stated most clearly in the Gospel according to St. Luke: 'When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest: and not finding, he saith: I will return into my house whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself: and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.' (Luke 11:24-26). The devil, when he is cast out of a soul, finds no repose, and does all he can to enter into it again; he calls his companions to his aid, and if he suceeds in re-entering, the second ruin of that soul will be far greater than the first.

Consider, then, what arms you must make use of to defend yourself against these enemies, and to keep yourself in the grace of God. There is no defense but prayer against being overcome by the devil. St. Paul tells us that we have not to fight against men of flesh and blood like ourselves, but against the powers of hell: 'For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places' (Eph 6:12). And he wishes to warn us that we have not the strength to resist such powerful enemies, but that we stand in need of the help of God: we can do all things with the Divine assistance: 'I can do all things in Him who strengtheneth me' (Phil 4:13).So spoke St. Paul , so ought each one of us to speak. But this aid is only given to such as ask for it by prayer: 'Ask and you shall receive.' (Matt 7:7). Let us not trust, then, to our resolutions; if we put our confidence in them, we shall be lost. When we are tempted by the devil, let us place all our confidence in the help of God; recommending ourselves at such times to Jesus Christ and the most holy Mary, ever-virgin. And this especially when we are tempted against chastity; because this is the most terrible of all temptations, and is the one by which the devil gains the most victories. We have not the strength to persevere in chastity; God must give it to us. Solomon said: And as I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, except God gave it, and this also was a point of wisdom, to know whose gift it was, I went to the Lord, and besought him, and said with my whole heart' (Wisdom 8:21). In such temptations we must instantly have recourse to Jesus Christ and to His holy Mother, and frequently invoke their most holy names. He who does so, shall conquer; he who does not, shall be lost.

[SELECTION TAKEN FROM: PREPARATION FOR DEATH: MEDITATIONS ON THE FOUR LAST THINGS]

CONSIDERATION ON GROWTH IN PERFECTION
BY
ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO

[SAINT, THEOLOGIAN, & PRINCE OF THE DOCTORS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH]

You see that we are on a journey. You say: 'What does it mean to walk?' In a word , it means to progress, for I would not have you misunderstand and walk lazily along. Make progress, examine yourselves constantly, without guile or flattery. For there is no one in you before whom you need be ashamed and be driven to boasting. There is someone there, but it is humility that pleases Him; seek His approval. But you must test yourselves too. Let your present state always leave you dissatisfied, if you want to become what you are not yet. For, wherever you feel satisfaction, there you will stop. Say, 'It is enough,' and you are lost. You must always strive for more, walk onward, make progress. Do not stop on the road or retrace your steps or leave the path. The man who does not progress stops; the man who returns to what he has abandoned retraces his steps; the man who apostatizes leaves the path. A lame man who stays on the road makes greater progress than a swift runner who abandons it.

[SELECTION TAKEN FROM: SERMON 169:18]

"Then Jesus said to his disciples: 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matt 16:24)

Remember: all days of fasting and abstinence are morally required by all Catholics from ages 18-60! You must participate unless pregnant, nursing, ill, or have been given a dispensation. Jesus told us that as Christians we would fast (cf. Matt 6:16-18, 9:14-17), so we must! Read these documents well and open up new break-through in your walk with Christ!

(1) How to Think Properly About Fasting by Bro. Ignatius Mary a Hermit of St. Michael

Very succinct and to the point; lays out proper guidelines and requirements for liturgical fasting!

(2) Catechesis on Fasting: Food and Sex, Fasting and Chastity: Goods of the Body, Goods of the Soul
by Adam A.J. DeVille Ph.D.(sub-deacon for Eparchy of Toronto of the Ukrainian Catholic Church)

Sub-deacon DeVille presents a more in depth look at the justification, need in our modern day/culture, and differences between east & west of fasting.

Let us live with zeal for God this Lent, much as the Prophet Elijah did!

“Zelo zelatus sum, pro Domino Deo exercituum!”

“With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts.”

[3 Kings 19:10, Latin Vulgate; 1 Kings 19:10; RSVCE]

Chair of St. Peter the Apostle

2007-02-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

This feast commemorates Christ’s choosing Peter to sit in his place as the servant-authority of the whole Church (see June 29).
After the “lost weekend” of pain, doubt and self-torment, Peter hears the Good News. Angels at the tomb say to Magdalene, “The Lord has risen! Go, tell his disciples and Peter.” John relates that when he and Peter ran to the tomb, the younger outraced the older, then waited for him. Peter entered, saw the wrappings on the ground, the headpiece rolled up in a place by itself. John saw and believed. But he adds a reminder: “..[T]hey did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (John 20:9). They went home. There the slowly exploding, impossible idea became reality. Jesus appeared to them as they waited fearfully behind locked doors. “Peace be with you,” he said (John 20:21b), and they rejoiced.

The Pentecost event completed Peter’s experience of the risen Christ. “...[T]hey were all filled with the holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4a) and began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them.

Only then can Peter fulfill the task Jesus had given him: “... [O]nce you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). He at once becomes the spokesman for the Twelve about their experience of the Holy Spirit—before the civil authorities who wished to quash their preaching, before the council of Jerusalem, for the community in the problem of Ananias and Sapphira. He is the first to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. The healing power of Jesus in him is well attested: the raising of Tabitha from the dead, the cure of the crippled beggar. People carry the sick into the streets so that when Peter passed his shadow might fall on them.

Even a saint experiences difficulty in Christian living. When Peter stopped eating with Gentile converts because he did not want to wound the sensibilities of Jewish Christians, Paul says, “...I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong.... [T]hey were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel...” (Galatians 2:11b, 14a).

At the end of John’s Gospel, Jesus says to Peter, “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). What Jesus said indicated the sort of death by which Peter was to glorify God. On Vatican Hill, in Rome, during the reign of Nero, Peter did glorify his Lord with a martyr’s death, probably in the company of many Christians.

Comment:

Like the committee chair, this chair refers to the occupant, not the furniture. Its first occupant stumbled a bit, denying Jesus three times and hesitating to welcome gentiles into the new Church. Some of its later occupants have also stumbled a bit, sometimes even failed scandalously. As individuals, we may sometimes think a particular pope has let us down. Still, the office endures as a sign of the long tradition we cherish and as a focus for the universal Church.

Quote:

Peter described our Christian calling in the opening of his First Letter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...” (1 Peter 1:3a).

(This entry appears in the print edition of Saint of the Day.)

"IT IS THE HOLY FATHER WHO WILL DECIDE" - Ranjith

2007-02-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

[Courtesy, Inside the Vatican]

All who are interested in the Church’s liturgy are wondering if the Pope will soon issue a motu proprio allowing the celebration of the "Old Mass," and (if he does), what it will say. One of the Vatican’s liturgists sheds light on the Pope’s plans

ANTHONY VALLE: Your Excellency, you have been generous in giving several interviews to the international press regarding liturgy since becoming the secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship. Some of your statements have been misinterpreted and aroused controversy rather than providing the intended clarity. Would you care to clarify anything?

ARCHBISHOP MALCOLM RANJITH: What I wished to insist on in those interviews was that the post-conciliar reform of the liturgy has not been able to achieve the expected goals of spiritual and missionary renewal in the Church so that today we could be truly happy about it.

Undoubtedly there have been positive results too; but the negative effects seem to have been greater, causing much disorientation in our ranks.

The churches have become empty, liturgical free-wheeling has become the order of the day, and the true meaning and significance of that which is celebrated has been obscured.

One has to, then, begin wondering if the reform process had in fact been handled correctly. Thus, we need to take a good look at what had happened, pray and reflect about its causes and with the help of the Lord move on to make the necessary corrections.

VALLE: It seems as if Pope Benedict XVI will release a motu proprio to liberalize the use of the traditional or Tridentine Mass. Some hope that the Pope’s motu proprio will institute a juridical structure enabling priests to celebrate the traditional Mass without being unjustly harassed and persistently thwarted by, ironically, not people of other faiths or secular authorities, but by their own pastors and bishops. Is this hope for a new juridical apparatus realistic? Is such an apparatus necessary?

RANJITH: Well, there is this rising call for a restoration of the Tridentine Mass. And even certain leading figures of the elite have made public appeals for this Mass in some newspapers recently.

The Holy Father will, I am sure, take note of this and decide what is best for the Church.

You speak of the possible realization of new juridical structures for the implementation of such decisions. I do not think that this would be so much of a problem. Rather what is more important in all of this is a pastoral attitude.

Will the bishops and priests reject requests for the Tridentine Mass and so create a need for juridical structures to ensure the enforcement of a decision of the Pope? Should it go that way?

I sincerely do not hope so.

The appropriate question the shepherds have to ask themselves is: How can I as a bishop or priest bring even one person closer to Christ and to His Church?

It is not so much a matter of the Tridentine Mass or of the Novus Ordo. It is just a question of pastoral responsibility and sensitivity.

Thus, if the Tridentine Mass is the way to achieve an even better level of spiritual enrichment for the faithful, then the shepherds should allow it.

The important concern is not so much the "what" as much as the "how." The Church should always seek to help our faithful to come closer to the Lord, to feel challenged by His message and to respond to His call generously. And if that can be achieved through the celebration of the Novus Ordo Mass or the Pius V Mass, well, then space should be provided for whatever is best instead of getting down to unnecessary and divisive theological hair-splitting. Such things need to be decided through the heart and not so much through the head.

After all, Pope John Paul II did make a personal appeal in Ecclesia Dei Adflicta of 1988 to the bishops, calling upon them to be generous in this matter with those who wish to celebrate or participate in the Tridentine Mass. Besides, we should remember that the Tridentine Mass is not something that belongs to the followers of Archbishop Lefebvre only. It is part of our own heritage as members of the Catholic Church.

The Second Vatican Council, as Pope Benedict so clearly stated in his speech to the members of the Curia in December 2005, did not envisage a totally new beginning, but one of continuity with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and a new outlook that better responds to the missionary needs of the time.

Besides, we also have the serious question of the diminishing number of faithful in some of the churches in the Western world. We have to ask ourselves what happened in these churches and then take corrective steps as may be necessary. I do not think that this situation is attributable to secularization only. A deep crisis of faith coupled with a drive for meaningless liturgical experimentation and novelty have had their own impact in this matter. There is much formalism and insipidity visible at times.

Thus, we need to recover a true sense of the sacred and mystical in worship.

And if the faithful feel that the Tridentine Mass offers them that sense of the sacred and mystical more than anything else, then we should have the courage to accept their request.

With regard to the timing and nature of the motu proprio, nothing yet is known. It is the Holy Father who will decide.

And when he does, we should in all obedience accept what he indicates to us and with a genuine love for the Church strive to help him. Any counter attitude would only harm the spiritual mission of the Church and thwart the Lord’s own will.

VALLE: Like many Catholics today, my wife and I have found that we leave the celebration of the Novus Ordo Mass on Sunday exasperated and perplexed rather than spiritually invigorated. Why?

RANJITH: In the celebration of the Novus Ordo we have to be very serious about what we do on the altar. I cannot be a priest who dreams in his sleep about what I will do at the Mass the following day, walk up to the altar and start celebrating with all kinds of novel self-created rubrics and actions.

The Holy Eucharist belongs to the Church. Hence, it has a meaning of its own which cannot be left to the idiosyncrasies of the single celebrant.

Every element in the liturgy of the Church has its own long history of development and significance. It is certainly not a matter of private "traditions" and so cannot be the object of manipulation by all and sundry.

In fact, Sacrosanctum Concilium does state that other than the Apostolic See and the bishops, where this is allowed to the latter by the former, "absolutely no other person, not even a priest, may add or remove or change anything on his own authority" (SC 22). Even then, we note much free-wheeling in liturgical matters in some areas of the Church today, basically due to an incorrect understanding of liturgical theology.

For example, the mystery of the Holy Eucharist has often been misunderstood or partially understood, leaving thus the door open to all kinds of liturgical abuses.

In the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, some place too much accent on the presidential role of the priest. But we know that the priest is really not the main agent of what happens on the altar.

It is Jesus Himself.

Besides, every liturgical celebration has also a heavenly dimension "which is celebrated in the holy city of Jerusalem towards which we journey as pilgrims" (SC 8).

Others explain the Eucharist in a way that places the accent on its banquet/meal dimension, linking it to "communion." This too is an important consideration, but we should remember that it is not so much a communion created by those taking part in the Eucharist as much as by the Lord Himself.

Through the Eucharist, the Lord assumes us unto Himself and in Him we are placed in communion with all the others who unite themselves to Him. It is thus not so much a sociological experience as much as a mystical one. Hence even as "communion" the Eucharist is a heavenly experience.

What is more important is the sacrificial dimension of the Eucharist. Each time we celebrate the Eucharist we relive the sacrifice of Calvary, celebrating it as the moment of our salvation.

And this very fact also constitutes the unique dignity and font of identity of the priest. He has been instituted by Christ to celebrate the wonderful mystery of turning this corruptible piece of bread into the very glorified Body of Christ and this little bit of wine into the Blood of Christ, enacting the sacrifice of Calvary for the salvation of the world. And this has to be lived, understood and believed by the priest each time he celebrates the Eucharist.

Indeed, Sacrosanctum Concilium placed accent on the sacrificial and salvific effectivity of the Mass. The priest thus becomes another Christ, so to say. What a great vocation! And so, if we celebrate the Eucharist devoutly, then the faithful will reap immense spiritual benefit and return again and again in search of that heavenly nourishment.

VALLE: Some have contended that the solution to the liturgical crisis -- and at bottom the crisis of faith -- afflicting the Catholic Church today would be to implement the exclusive use of the Tridentine Mass, while others maintain that all we really need is a "reform of the reform," in other words, a reform of the Novus Ordo. What do you think?

RANJITH: An "either-or" attitude would unnecessarily polarize the Church, whereas charity and pastoral concern should be the motivating factors.

If the Holy Father so desires, both could co-exist.

That would not mean that we would have to give up the Novus Ordo. But in the interaction of the two Roman traditions, it is possible that the one may influence the other eventually.

We can’t say everything is completed and finished, that nothing new could happen. In fact, Vatican II never advocated immediate change in the liturgy. Rather it preferred change to "grow organically from forms already existing" (SC 23). As Cardinal Antonelli, a much revered member of the Concilium that undertook the revision of the liturgy after the Council, noted in his diaries, some of the liturgical changes after the Council had been introduced without much reflection, haphazardly, and made later to become accepted practice.

For example, Communion in the hand had not been something that was first properly studied and reflected upon before its acceptance by the Holy See. It had been haphazardly introduced in some countries of Northern Europe and later become accepted practice, eventually spreading into many other places. Now that is a situation that should have been avoided. The Second Vatican Council never advocated such an approach to liturgical reform.

VALLE: Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi ("The law of praying (is) the law of believing, (is) the law of living"). Is it true that how we worship and pray influences what we believe, and that what we believe influences how we live? In other words, liturgy ultimately influences our moral life, does it not?

RANJITH: Yes. How can we convince the faithful to make sacrifices in their ethical and moral options, unless they are first touched and inspired by the grace of God profoundly? And such happens especially in worship when the human soul is made to experience the salvific grace of God most intimately. In worship, faith becomes interiorized and brims over with inspiration and strength, enabling one to take the moral options that are in consonance with that faith. In the liturgy, we should experience the closeness of God to our heart so intensely that we in turn begin to believe fervently and are compelled to act justly.

VALLE: What are some contemporary liturgical trends or problems that need correction?

RANJITH: One of these, as I see, is the trend to go for ecumenical liturgies in replacement of the Sunday Mass in some countries, during which Catholic lay leaders and Protestant ministers celebrate together and the latter are invited to preach the homily. Sunday Liturgies of the Word with the distribution of Holy Communion, which form is allowed in cases where a priest cannot be present, if turned into ecumenical events can give the faithful the wrong signal. They may get used to the idea of the Sunday without the Eucharist.

The Eucharist, as you know, makes the Church (Ed E. 21) and this is central to us Catholics. If it is so easily replaced by Liturgies of the Word, or worse still by so-called ecumenical prayer services, the very identity of the Catholic Church would be in question. Unfortunately, we hear also of cases whereby the Eucharist itself is being celebrated under various guises along with the Protestant pastors. This is totally unacceptable and constitutes a graviora delicta ("more grave offense") (RM 172).

Ecumenism is not something left to the ad hoc choice of individual priests. True ecumenism, such as the one espoused by Vatican II, comes from the heart of the Church. For example, the path to true ecumenism begins with serious reflection on the part of those who are deemed competent to engage in that type of reflection, such as the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Holy Father himself. Not everyone has the competence to know in what way this delicate search for unity is to be perceived. It needs much reflection and prayer. Hence, liturgical novelty in the name of ecumenism should not be tried out individually.

A second disturbing trend is the gradual replacement of the Mass celebrated by a priest with a paraliturgical service conducted by a lay person. This of course can legitimately happen when no priest is available and facilities for the fulfillment of Sunday obligation are scarce. However, this is an exception, not the rule. What is dangerous is to marginalize the priest even when he is available and some lay pastoral leader team arrogates to itself tasks that are reserved for the priests. I mean by this the trend to get the lay leader to preach the homily instead of the priest, even when he is present, or to distribute Holy Communion, leaving the priest to sit idle at the altar.

We have to stress here that, as the Second Vatican Council affirmed, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood "differ from one another in essence and not only in degree" (LG 10). And so it is gravely abusive to relegate to the laity the sacred obligations reserved to the priest.

What is unfortunate is the increasing tendency worldwide to laicize the priest and to clericalize the laity. This too is contra mentem ("against the mind" or "against the intention") of the Council.

There is also an increasing trend to shift the Sunday Mass to Saturdays almost as a "normal" practice. Rather than Sunday being the true day of the Lord, and so a day of spiritual and physical rest, there is a move to reduce its importance, making it become a day of worldly distractions. In Dies Domini, Pope John Paul II warned against this disturbing trend.

A final point I wish to make here concerns some practices introduced in mission territories, for example, in Asia, in the name of change, which are counter to its cultural heritage.

In some Asian countries we see a trend to introduce Communion in the hand which is received standing. This is not at all consonant with Asian culture. The Buddhists worship prostrate on the floor with their forehead touching the ground. Moslems take off their shoes and wash their feet before entering the mosque for worship. The Hindus enter the temple bare-chested as a sign of submission. When people approach the king of Thailand or the emperor of Japan, they do so on their knees as a sign of respect. But in many Asian countries the Church has introduced practices like just a simple bow to the Blessed Sacrament instead of kneeling, standing while receiving Holy Communion, and receiving Communion on the hand. And we know that these cannot be considered practices congruent with Asian culture.

Besides, the laity whose role today is being enhanced in the Church are not even consulted when such decisions are made.

All these situations do not augur well for the Church and we need to correct these trends, if the Eucharist we celebrate is to become, as St. Ignatius of Antioch affirmed, "medicine of immortality and antidote against death" (Eph. 20).

Anthony Valle is a theologian and writer who lives in Rome.

(Hat Tip to The New Liturgical Movement)

Saint of the Day - February 16

2007-02-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

St. Gilbert of Sempringham
(1083 - 1189)

Gilbert was born in Sempringham, England, into a wealthy family, but he followed a path quite different from that expected of him as the son of a Norman knight. Sent to France for his higher education, he decided to pursue seminary studies.
He returned to England not yet ordained a priest, and inherited several estates from his father. But Gilbert avoided the easy life he could have led under the circumstances. Instead he lived a simple life at a parish, sharing as much as possible with the poor. Following his ordination to the priesthood he served as parish priest at Sempringham.

Among the congregation were seven young women who had expressed to him their desire to live in religious life. In response, Gilbert had a house built for them adjacent to the Church. There they lived an austere life, but one which attracted ever more numbers; eventually lay sisters and lay brothers were added to work the land. The religious order formed eventually became known as the Gilbertines, though Gilbert had hoped the Cistercians or some other existing order would take on the responsibility of establishing a rule of life for the new order. The Gilbertines, the only religious order of English origin founded during the Middle Ages, continued to thrive. But the order came to an end when King Henry VIII suppressed all Catholic monasteries.

Over the years a special custom grew up in the houses of the order called "the plate of the Lord Jesus." The best portions of the dinner were put on a special plate and shared with the poor, reflecting Gilbert's lifelong concern for less fortunate people.

Throughout his life Gilbert lived simply, consumed little food and spent a good portion of many nights in prayer. Despite the rigors of such a life he died at well over age 100.

Comment:

When he came into his father’s wealth, Gilbert could have lived a life of luxury, as many of his fellow priests did at the time. Instead, he chose to share his wealth with the poor. The charming habit of filling “the plate of the Lord Jesus” in the monasteries he established reflected his concern. Today’s Operation Rice Bowl echoes that habit: eating a simpler meal and letting the difference in the grocery bill help feed the hungry.

First Mass for those listed at Grant Them Rest

2007-02-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

The first Mass has been said as of Thursday, February 8th, for all those listed on Grant Them Rest, it was said by Fr. Michael Goodyear, LC, and he will continue to do so on a monthly basis.

Please remember to keep everyone listed there in your prayers.

Pax tecum.

(PS~ I have been really sick for the last week so I apologize for not keeping up to date with the blogging.)

Another GRANT THEM REST Update!

2007-02-03T01:36:00.000-07:00

Theresa Little Flower and Joseph Marie Koinzan were submitted today to Grant Them Rest.

+Requiescant in pace.

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-02-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

SK James B. Jolly has been added to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of his soul!

+JMJ

The REAL Douay-Rheims

2007-02-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

The original & true Douay Rheims Bible is the English translation of the Latin Vulgate of St. Jerome of A.D.385; making it the most trustworthy Bible available to students, scholars, and individual Christians.

"Lost" for some 423 years (1582 Rheims), and almost 400 years as the entire Bible, due to the only print editions being in old English script, Dr. William G. von Peters has transliterated the text into modern English.

The copious marginal notes and voluminous annotations make it a superb study bible. It contains references from the Apostles, Fathers of the Church, Councils and Saints.

To find out more visit - http://www.realdouayrheims.com/

Presentation of Our Lord

2007-02-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany (January 6), the observance of Christ’s birth, and the gala procession in honor of his Presentation in the Temple 40 days later—February 15. (Under the Mosaic Law, a woman was ritually “unclean” for 40 days after childbirth, when she was to present herself to the priests and offer sacrifice—her “purification.” Contact with anyone who had brushed against mystery—birth or death—excluded a person from Jewish worship.) This feast emphasizes Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple more than Mary’s purification.
The observance spread throughout the Western Church in the fifth and sixth centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus’ birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days after Christmas.

At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.

Comment:

In Luke’s account, Jesus was welcomed in the temple by two elderly people, Simeon and the widow Anna. They embody Israel in their patient expectation; they acknowledge the infant Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Early references to the Roman feast dub it the feast of St. Simeon, the old man who burst into a song of joy which the Church still sings at day’s end.

Quote:

“Christ himself says, ‘I am the light of the world.’ And we are the light, we ourselves, if we receive it from him.... But how do we receive it, how do we make it shine? ...[T]he candle tells us: by burning, and being consumed in the burning. A spark of fire, a ray of love, an inevitable immolation are celebrated over that pure, straight candle, as, pouring forth its gift of light, it exhausts itself in silent sacrifice” (Paul VI).

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay/

Another homily by Fr. Damien

2007-02-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday IV Ordinary Time – 28.I.07

The ancient Greeks had three words for "love." The first word speaks of a love of desire and longing. The second is the love of friendship. It is a higher form of love than the love of desire and it finds one of its best expressions in a good marriage. Finally, there is the love which St. Paul is speaking about in his letter to the Corinthians. This is "agápe", it is an unconditional reaching out in love to another, even if it is not returned or even rejected. This is charity. This is the love that God has for every single one of us, and it is the kind of love which should be the trademark of a Christian. It is agápe which makes it possible for us to pray for those who curse us, and bless those who harm us.

We see an example of God's love for us in the first reading, " Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you." This verse clearly highlights the fact that we are created unique and privileged. We are not solely a product of biology, of chromosomes and genes. We are purposefully brought into this world through the love of God, which cooperates with the love shared between husband and wife.

The reading goes on to say that God will make the prophet Jeremiah "a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze" to protect him against the kings and princes of Judah who will persecute him. The treatment of Jeremiah foreshadows the persecution of Jesus. As Christians, we have to be ready to face certain trials and hardships in imitation of Christ. We received a glimpse of this in the Gospel reading. "The people in the synagogue were filled with fury. They rose up against [Jesus] and drove him out of their town." What did our Lord say to have triggered such an angry response?

As you recalled from last Sunday, Jesus stood up in the synagogue and read the prophecy of Isaiah, and our Lord made it clear that it is he who has been sent "to proclaim liberty to captives and the recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free." Jesus is the promised Messiah that his listeners have been waiting for, he has come to grant that which we desire most deeply, happiness, which requires freedom from sin and the dominion of the Devil. St. Luke says that all who were present were amazed at our Lord's gracious words. However, the thoughts in their hearts betrayed the admirations on their lips. "Physician, cure yourself" was their thinking. Instead of falling down to worship the love that has become incarnate, standing before them; they showed their true color by revealing the pride and faithlessness that lie within by posing the question, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" So when Jesus corrected them for their lack of faith and humility, they turned on him.

In our Lord's rebuke, he gives two striking examples from the Old Testament, one from Elijah and the other from Elisha. Elijah was sent to help a poor widow in Sidon, a non-Jewish area, during a famine. Why did the prophet go to her when there were so many Jewish widows in the same plight? In the same way, there were many lepers in Israel but Elisha was sent to Naaman, a Syrian general. The Syrians were the hated enemies of Israel.

There are two points to be gathered from our Lord's examples. The first reveals God's disposition towards us. The love that God has for fallen humanity extends beyond his preference or predilection for the Jewish people. Both the widow and Naaman were Gentiles, and since God's love is boundless and unconditional, it will give of itself to the Gentile nations. There are no longer ethnic boundaries; the members in the Church that Jesus has founded are now God's new chosen people.

Secondly, the example reminds us of the disposition that we should have when approaching God. It is the humility of the widow of Sidon, and Namaan the Syrian, that won for them God's favor. They were both in a very desperate situation; one was to die of starvation, whereas the other was stricken with leprosy. Hence, they can only draw near to God begging, and this is a perfect paradigm for us. Mother church recognizes that humility is the foundation for love; you are only as charitable as you are humble, and so she puts on the lips of her children certain key words in the liturgy: Lord, have mercy! I confess to almighty God that I have sinned through my own fault. Lord, I am not worthy to receive you.

Now contrast these humble aspirations with the words that we heard today, " Physician, cure yourself… Do here the things that we heard were done in Capernaum." Ultimately, such derision and irreverence had their origin in the father of lies, Satan himself. What did the Devil say to tempt Jesus in the desert? "Command this stone to become bread… If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here." Throw yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple.

Ironically, these words bear a striking resemblance to the end of today's Gospel reading. Those whom Jesus grew up with "led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built to throw him down headlong." Their town was built next to a cliff, this is rather precarious, don't you think? Our bodily health, our material possessions, our good reputation before others, all these things could slide down the cliff of life tomorrow because the city of man, that is, the happiness that we have defined for ourselves, is on very unstable ground. We do not have here a lasting city. Fallen humanity, plagued by sin, is in a very insecure place when we endeavor to go at it without God, especially when we attempt to cast him out of our lives in moments when we find him disagreeable. "But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away." Our Lord will never force himself into our lives. He created us with free will in order for us to love, and he will always honor that. The only thing we can be secure and certain about is that Jesus will come to us, if we allow him to.

Brothers and sisters, very briefly Jesus will be amongst us under the appearances of bread and wine. Do not let Jesus pass through our midst. Prepare a proper dwelling place for him in your hearts by beseeching him for an increase in faith, humility and love so that you may receive him worthily in Holy Communion.

Saint of the Day - February 1

2007-02-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

St. Ansgar
(801 - 865)

The “apostle of the north” (Scandinavia) had enough frustrations to become a saint—and he did. He became a Benedictine at Corbie, France, where he had been educated. Three years later, when the king of Denmark became a convert, Ansgar went to that country for three years of missionary work, without noticeable success. Sweden asked for Christian missionaries, and he went there, suffering capture by pirates and other hardships on the way. Less than two years later he was recalled, to become abbot of New Corbie (Corvey) and bishop of Hamburg. The pope made him legate for the Scandinavian missions. Funds for the northern apostolate stopped with Emperor Louis’s death. After 13 years’ work in Hamburg, Ansgar saw it burned to the ground by invading Northmen; Sweden and Denmark returned to paganism.
He directed new apostolic activities in the North, traveling to Denmark and being instrumental in the conversion of another king. By the strange device of casting lots, the king of Sweden allowed the Christian missionaries to return.

Ansgar’s biographers remark that he was an extraordinary preacher, a humble and ascetical priest. He was devoted to the poor and the sick, imitating the Lord in washing their feet and waiting on them at table. He died peacefully at Bremen, Germany, without achieving his wish to be a martyr.

Sweden became pagan again after his death, and remained so until the coming of missionaries two centuries later.

Comment:

History records what people do, rather than what they are. Yet the courage and perseverance of men and women like Ansgar can only come from a solid base of union with the original courageous and persevering Missionary. Ansgar’s life is another reminder that God writes straight with crooked lines. Christ takes care of the effects of the apostolate in his own way; he is first concerned about the purity of the apostles themselves.

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-01-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

John Bianco has been added to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of his soul!

+Requiescat in pace.

Saint of the Day - January 31

2007-01-31T08:31:00.001-07:00

St. John Bosco
(1815 - 1888)

John Bosco’s theory of education could well be used in today’s schools. It was a preventive system, rejecting corporal punishment and placing students in surroundings removed from the likelihood of committing sin. He advocated frequent reception of the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion. He combined catechetical training and fatherly guidance, seeking to unite the spiritual life with one’s work, study and play.
Encouraged during his youth to become a priest so he could work with young boys, John was ordained in 1841. His service to young people started when he met a poor orphan and instructed him in preparation for receiving Holy Communion. He then gathered young apprentices and taught them catechism.

After serving as chaplain in a hospice for working girls, John opened the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for boys. Several wealthy and powerful patrons contributed money, enabling him to provide two workshops for the boys, shoemaking and tailoring.

By 1856, the institution had grown to 150 boys and had added a printing press for publication of religious and catechetical pamphlets. His interest in vocational education and publishing justify him as patron of young apprentices and Catholic publishers.

John’s preaching fame spread and by 1850 he had trained his own helpers because of difficulties in retaining young priests. In 1854 he and his followers informally banded together under Francis de Sales.

With Pope Pius IX’s encouragement, John gathered 17 men and founded the Salesians in 1859. Their activity concentrated on education and mission work. Later, he organized a group of Salesian Sisters to assist girls.

Comment:

John Bosco educated the whole person—body and soul united. He believed that Christ’s love and our faith in that love should pervade everything we do—work, study, play. For John Bosco, being a Christian was a full-time effort, not a once-a-week, Mass-on-Sunday experience. It is searching and finding God and Jesus in everything we do, letting their love lead us. Yet, John realized the importance of job-training and the self-worth and pride that comes with talent and ability so he trained his students in the trade crafts, too.

Quote:

“Every education teaches a philosophy; if not by dogma then by suggestion, by implication, by atmosphere. Every part of that education has a connection with every other part. If it does not all combine to convey some general view of life, it is not education at all” (G.K. Chesterton, The Common Man).

--------------

Normally this is where I leave off with the "Saint of the Day" but I decided to also put forth this vision by St. John Bosco:

ST. JOHN BOSCO'S DREAM (VISION) OF HELL

The Holy Saint John Bosco had a Prophetic Vision of Hell in 1868 A.D. (*which is recorded in its entirety below)
Many of the dreams of St. John Bosco could more properly be called visions, for God used this means to reveal His will for the Saint and for the boys of the Oratory, as well as the future of the Salesian Congregation. Not only did his dreams lead and direct the Saint, they also gave him wisdom and guidance by which he was able to help and guide others upon their ways. He was just nine years of age when he had his first dream that laid out his life mission. It was this dream that impressed Pope Pius IX so much that he ordered St. John Bosco to write down his dreams for the encouragement of his Congregation and the rest of us. Through dreams God allowed him to know the future of each of the boys of his Oratory. Through dreams God let him know the boys' state of their souls. On February 1, 1865 St. John Bosco announced that one of the boys will die soon. He knew the boy through the dream the night before. On March 16, 1865, Anthony Ferraris passed away after receiving the Last Sacraments. John Bisio, who helped Anthony and his mother during the former's last hour, confirmed the story of his part in this episode by a formal oath, concluding as foIlows: "Don Bosco told us many other dreams concerning Oratory boys' deaths. We believed them to be true prophecies. We still do, because unfailingly they came true. During the seven years I lived at the Oratory, not a boy died without Don Bosco predicting his death. We were also convinced that whoever died there under his care and assistance surely went to heaven."

*The Road to Hell
(Prophetic Dream of St. John Bosco 1868 A.D.)

On Sunday night, May 3 [1868], the feast of Saint Joseph's patronage, Don Bosco resumed the narration of his dreams:

I have another dream to tell you, a sort of aftermath of those I told you last Thursday and Friday which totally exhausted me. Call them dreams or whatever you like. Always, as you know, on the night of April 17 a frightful toad seemed bent on devouring me. When it finally vanished, a voice said to me: "Why don't you tell them?" I turned in that direction and saw a distinguished person standing by my bed. Feeling guilty about my silence, I asked: "What should I tell my boys?"

"What you have seen and heard in your last dreams and what you have wanted to know and shall have revealed to you tomorrow night!" He then vanished.

I spent the whole next day worrying about the miserable night in store for me, and when evening came, loath to go to bed, I sat at my desk browsing through books until midnight. The mere thought of having more nightmares thoroughly scare me. However, with great effort, I finally went to bed.

"Get up and follow me!" he said.
"For Heaven's sake," I protested, "leave me alone. I am exhausted! I've been tormented by a toothache for several days now and need rest. Besides, nightmares have completely worn me out." I said this because this man's apparition always means trouble, fatigue, and terror for me.

"Get up," he repeated. "You have no time to lose."

I complied and followed him. "Where are you taking me?" I asked.

"Never mind. You'll see." He led me to a vast, boundless plain, veritably a lifeless desert, with not a soul in sight or a tree or brook. Yellowed, dried-up vegetation added to the desolation I had no idea where I was or what was I to do. For a moment I even lost sight of my guide and feared that I was lost, utterly alone. Father Rua, Father Francesia, nowhere to be seen. When I finally saw my friend coming toward me, I sighed in relief.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Come with me and you will find out!"

"All right. I'll go with you."

He led the way and I followed in silence, but after a long, dismal trudge, I began worrying whether I would ever be able to cross that vast expanse, what with my toothache and swollen legs. Suddenly I saw a road ahead.

"Where to now?" I asked my guide.

"This way," he replied.

We took the road. It was beautiful, wide, and neatly paved. "The way of sinners is made plain with stones, and in their end is hell, and darkness, and pains. " (Ecclesiasticus 21: 11, stones: broad and easy.) Both sides were lined with magnificent verdant hedges dotted with gorgeous flowers. Roses, especially, peeped everywhere through the leaves. At first glance, the road was level and comfortable, and so I ventured upon it without the least suspicion, but soon I noticed that it insensibly kept sloping downward. Though it did not look steep at all, I found myself moving so swiftly that I felt I was effortlessly gliding through the air. Really, I was gliding and hardly using my feet. Then the thought struck me that the return trip would be very long and arduous.

"How shall we get back to the Oratory?" I asked worriedly.

"Do not worry," he answered. "The Almighty wants you to go. He who leads you on will also know how to lead you back."

The road is sloping downward. As we were continuing on our way, flanked by banks of roses and other flowers, I became aware that the Oratory boys and very many others whom I did not know were following me. Somehow I found myself in their midst. As I was looking at them, I noticed now one, now another fall to the ground and instantly be dragged by an unseen force toward a frightful drop, distantly visible, which sloped into a furnace. "What makes these boys fall?" I asked my companion. "The proud have hidden a net for me. And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling-block by the wayside." (Psalms 139: 6)

"Take a closer look," he replied.

I did. Traps were everywhere, some close to the ground, others at eye level, but all well concealed. Unaware of their danger, many boys got caught, and they tripped, they would sprawl to the ground, legs in the air. Then, when they managed to get back on their feet, they would run headlong down the road toward the abyss. Some got trapped by the head, others by the neck, hand, arms, legs, or sides, and were pulled down instantly. The ground traps, fine as spiders' webs and hardly visible, seemed very flimsy and harmless; yet, to my surprise, every boy they snared fell to the ground.

Noticing my astonishment, the guide remarked, "Do you know what this is?"

"Just some filmy fiber," I answered.

"A mere nothing," he said, "just plain human respect.",

Seeing that many boys were being caught in those straps. I asked, "Why do so many get caught? Who pulls them down?"

"Go nearer and you will see!" he told me.

I followed his advice but saw nothing peculiar.

"Look closer," he insisted.

I picked up one of the traps and tugged. I immediately felt some resistance. I pulled harder, only to feel that, instead of drawing the thread closer, I was being pulled down myself. I did not resist and soon found myself at the mouth of a frightful cave. I halted, unwilling to venture into that deep cavern, and again started pulling the thread toward me. It gave a little, but only through great effort on my part. I kept tugging, and after a long while a huge, hideous monster emerged, clutching a rope to which all those traps were tied together. He was the one who instantly dragged down anyone who got caught in them. It won't do to match my strength with his, I said to myself. I'll certainly lose. I'd better fight him with the Sign of the Cross and with short invocations.

Then I went back to my guide. "Now you know who he is," he said to me.

"I surely do! It is the devil himself!"

Carefully examining many of the traps, I saw that each bore an inscription: Pride, Disobedience, Envy, Sixth Commandment, Theft, Gluttony, Sloth, Anger and so on. Stepping back a bit to see which ones trapped the greater number of boys, I discovered that the most dangerous were those of impurity, disobedience, and pride. In fact, these three were linked to together. Many other traps also did great harm, but not as much as the first two. Still watching, I noticed many boys running faster than others. "Why such haste?" I asked.

"Because they are dragged by the snare of human respect."

Looking even more closely, I spotted knives among the traps. A providential hand had put them there for cutting oneself free. The bigger ones, symbolizing meditation, were for use against the trap of pride; others, not quite as big, symbolized spiritual reading well made. There were also two swords representing devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, especially through frequent Holy Communion, and to the Blessed Virgin. There was also a hammer symbolizing confession, and other knives signifying devotion to Saint Joseph, to Saint Aloysius, and to other Saints. By these means quite a few boys were able to free themselves or evade capture.

Indeed I saw some lads walking safely through all those traps, either by good timing before the trap sprung on them or by making it slip off them if they got caught.

When my guide was satisfied that I had observed everything, he made me continue along that rose-hedged road, but the farther we went the scarcer the roses became. Long thorns began to show up, and soon the roses were no more. The hedges became sun-scorched, leafless, and thorn-studded. Withered branches torn from the bushes lay criss-crossed along the roadbed, littering it with thorns and making it impassable. We had come now to a gulch whose steep sides hid what lay beyond. The road, still sloping downward, was becoming ever more horrid, rutted, guttered, and bristling with rocks and boulders. I lost track of all my boys, most of whom had left this treacherous road for other paths.

I kept going, but the farther I advanced, the more arduous and steep became the descent, so that I tumbled and fell several times, lying prostrate until I could catch my breath. Now and then my guide supported me or helped me to rise. At every step my joints seemed to give way, and I thought my shinbones would snap. Panting, I said to my guide, "My good fellow, my legs won't carry me another step. I just can't go any farther." He did not answer but continued walking. Taking heart, I followed until, seeing me soaked in perspiration and thoroughly exhausted, he led me to a little clearing alongside the road. I sat down, took a deep breath, and felt a little better. From my resting place, the road I had already traveled looked very steep, jagged, and strewn with loose stones, but what lay ahead seemed so much worse that I closed my eyes in horror.

"Let's go back," I pleaded. "If we go any farther, how shall we ever get back to the Oratory? I will never make it up this slope."

"Now that we have come so far, do you want me to leave you here?" my guide sternly asked.

At this threat, I wailed, "How can I survive without your help?"

"Then follow me."

We continued our descent, the road now becoming so frightfully steep that it was almost impossible to stand erect. And then, at the bottom of this precipice, at the entrance of a dark valley, an enormous building loomed into sight, its towering portal, tightly locked, facing our road. When I finally got to the bottom, I became smothered by a suffocating heat, while a greasy, green-tinted smoke lit by flashes of scarlet flames rose from behind those enormous walls which loomed higher than mountains.

"Where are we? What is this?" I asked my guide.

"Read the inscription on that portal and you will know."

I looked up and read these words: "The place of no reprieve." I realized that we were at the gates of Hell. The guide led me all around this horrible place. At regular distance bronze portals like the first overlooked precipitous descents; on each was an inscription, such as: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25: 41) "Every tree that yielded not good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the the fire." (Matthew 7: 19)

I tried to copy them into my notebook, but my guide restrained me: "There is no need. You have them all in Holy Scripture. You even have some of them inscribed in your porticoes."

At such a sight I wanted to turn back and return to the Oratory. As a matter of fact, I did start back, but my guide ignored my attempt. After trudging through a steep, never-ending ravine, we again came to the foot of the precipice facing the first portal. Suddenly the guide turned to me. Upset and startled, he motioned to me to step aside. "Look!" he said.

I looked up in terror and saw in the distance someone racing down the path at an uncontrollable speed. I kept my eyes on him, trying to identify him, and as he got closer, I recognized him as one of my boys. His disheveled hair was partly standing upright on his head and partly tossed back by the wind. His arms were outstretched as though he were thrashing the water in an attempt to stay afloat. He wanted to stop, but could not. Tripping on the protruding stones, he kept falling even faster. "Let's help him, let's stop him," I shouted, holding out my hands in a vain effort to restrain him.

"Leave him alone," the guide replied.

"Why?"

"Don't you know how terrible God's vengeance is? Do you think you can restrain one who is fleeing from His just wrath?"

Meanwhile the youth had turned his fiery gaze backward in an attempt to see if God's wrath were still pursuing him. The next moment he fell tumbling to the bottom of the ravine and crashed against the bronze portal as though he could find no better refuge in his flight.

"Why was he looking backward in terror?" I asked.

"Because God's wrath will pierce Hell's gates to reach and torment him even in the midst of fire!"

As the boy crashed into the portal, it sprang open with a roar, and instantly a thousand inner portals opened with a deafening clamor as if struck by a body that had been propelled by an invisible, most violent, irresistible gale. As these bronze doors -- one behind the other, though at a considerable distance from each other -- remained momentarily open, I saw far into the distance something like furnace jaws sprouting fiery balls the moment the youth hurtled into it. As swiftly as they had opened, the portals then clanged shut again. For a third time I tried to jot down the name of that unfortunate lad, but the guide again restrained me. "Wait," he ordered.

"Watch!"

Three other boys of ours, screaming in terror and with arms outstretched, were rolling down one behind the other like massive rocks, I recognized them as they too crashed against the portal. In that split second, it sprang open and so did the other thousand. The three lads were sucked into that endless corridor amid a long-drawn, fading, infernal echo, and then the portals clanged shut again. At intervals, many other lads came tumbling down after them. I saw one unlucky boy being pushed down the slope by an evil companion. Others fell singly or with others, arm in arm or side by side. Each of them bore the name of his sin on his forehead. I kept calling to them as they hurtled down, but they did not hear me. Again the portals would open thunderously and slam shut with a rumble. Then, dead silence!

"Bad companions, bad books, and bad habits," my guide exclaimed, "are mainly responsible for so many eternally lost."

The traps I had seen earlier were indeed dragging the boys to ruin. Seeing so many going to perdition, I cried out disconsolately, "If so many of our boys end up this way, we are working in vain. How can we prevent such tragedies?"

"This is their present state," my guide replied, "and that is where they would go if they were to die now."

"Then let me jot down their names so that I may warn them and put them back on the path to Heaven."

"Do you really believe that some of them would reform if you were to warn them? Then and there your warning might impress them, but soon they will forget it, saying, 'It was just a dream,' and they will do worse than before. Others, realizing they have been unmasked, receive the sacraments, but this will be neither spontaneous nor meritorious; others will go to confession because of a momentary fear of Hell but will still be attached to sin."

"Then is there no way to save these unfortunate lads? Please, tell me what I can do for them."

"They have superiors; let them obey them. They have rules; let them observe them. They have the sacraments; let them receive them."

Just then a new group of boys came hurtling down and the portals momentarily opened. "Let's go in," the guide said to me.

I pulled back in horror. I could not wait to rush back to the Oratory to warn the boys lest others might be lost as well.

"Come," my guide insisted. "You'll learn much. But first tell me: Do you wish to go alone or with me?" He asked this to make me realize that I was not brave enough and therefore needed his friendly assistance.

"Alone inside that horrible place?" I replied. "How will I ever be able to find my way out without your help?" Then a thought came to my mind and aroused my courage. Before one is condemned to Hell, I said to myself, he must be judged. And I haven't been judged yet!

"Let's go," I exclaimed resolutely. We entered that narrow, horrible corridor and whizzed through it with lightning speed. Threatening inscriptions shone eerily over all the inner gateways. The last one opened into a vast, grim courtyard with a large, unbelievably forbidding entrance at the far end. Above it stood this inscription:

"These shall go into everlasting punishment." (Matthew 25: 46) The walls all about were similarly inscribed. I asked my guide if I could read them, and he consented. These were the inscriptions:

"He will give fire, and worms into their flesh, and they may burn and may feel forever." (Judith 16: 21)

"The pool of fire where both the beast and the false prophet shall be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Apocalypse 20: 9-10)

"And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up forever and ever." (Apocalypse 14: 11)

"A land of misery and darkness, where the shadow of death, and no order, but everlasting horror dwelleth." (Job 10: 22)

"There is no peace to the wicked." (Isaias 47: 22)

"There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 8:12)

While I moved from one inscription to another, my guide, who had stood in the center of the courtyard, came up to me.

"From here on," he said, "no one may have a helpful companion, a comforting friend, a loving heart, a compassionate glance, or a benevolent word. All this is gone forever. Do you just want to see or would you rather experience these things yourself?"

"I only want to see!" I answered.

"Then come with me," my friend added, and, taking me in tow, he stepped through that gate into a corridor at whose far end stood an observation platform, closed by a huge, single crystal pane reaching from the pavement to the ceiling. As soon as I crossed its threshold, I felt an indescribable terror and dared not take another step. Ahead of me I could see something like an immense cave which gradually disappeared into recesses sunk far into the bowels of the mountains. They were all ablaze, but theirs was not an earthly fire with leaping tongues of flames. The entire cave --walls, ceiling, floor, iron, stones, wood, and coal -- everything was a glowing white at temperatures of thousands of degrees. Yet the fire did not incinerate, did not consume. I simply can't find words to describe the cavern's horror. "The nourishment thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the Lord as a torrent of brimstone kindling it." (Isaias 30: 33)

I was staring in bewilderment about me when a lad dashed out of a gate. Seemingly unaware of anything else, he emitted a most shrilling scream, like one who is about to fall into a cauldron of liquid bronze, and plummeted into the center of the cave. Instantly he too became incandescent and perfectly motionless, while the echo of his dying wail lingered for an instant more.

Terribly frightened, I stared briefly at him for a while. He seemed to be one of my Oratory boys. "Isn't he so and so?" I asked my guide.

"Yes," was the answer.

"Why is he so still, so incandescent?"

"You chose to see," he replied. "Be satisfied with that. Just keep looking. Besides, "Everyone shall be salted with fire." (Mark 9: 48)

As I looked again, another boy came hurtling down into the cave at breakneck speed. He too was from the Oratory. As he fell, so he remained. He too emitted one single heart-rending shriek that blended with the last echo of the scream that came from the youth who had preceded him. Other boys kept hurtling in the same way in increasing numbers, all screaming the same way and then all becoming equally motionless and incandescent. I noticed that the first seemed frozen to the spot, one hand and one foot raised into the air; the second boy seemed bent almost double to the floor. Others stood or hung in various other positions, balancing themselves on one foot or hand, sitting or lying on their backs or on their sides, standing or kneeling, hands clutching their hair. Briefly, the scene resembled a large statuary group of youngsters cast into ever more painful postures. Other lads hurtled into that same furnace. Some I knew; others were strangers to me. I then recalled what is written in the Bible to the effect that as one falls into Hell, so he shall forever remain. ". . . in what place soever it shall fall, there shall it be." (Ecclesiastes 11:3)

More frightened than ever, I asked my guide, "When these boys come dashing into this cave, don't they know where they are going?"

"They surely do. They have been warned a thousand times, but they still choose to rush into the fire because they do not detest sin and are loath to forsake it. Furthermore, they despise and reject God's incessant, merciful invitations to do penance. Thus provoked, Divine Justice harries them, hounds them, and goads them on so that they cannot halt until they reach this place."

"Oh, how miserable these unfortunate boys must feel in knowing they no longer have any hope," I exclaimed. "If you really want to know their innermost frenzy and fury, go a little closer," my guide remarked.

I took a few steps forward and saw that many of those poor wretches were savagely striking at each other like mad dogs. Others were clawing their own faces and hands, tearing their own flesh and spitefully throwing it about. Just then the entire ceiling of the cave became as transparent as crystal and revealed a patch of Heaven and their radiant companions safe for all eternity.

The poor wretches, fuming and panting with envy, burned with rage because they had once ridiculed the just. "The wicked shall see, and be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth, and pine away. . . " (Psalms 111: 10) "Why do hear no sound?" I asked my guide,

"Go closer!" he advised.

Pressing my ear to the crystal window, I heard screams and sobs, blasphemies and imprecations against the Saints. It was a tumult of voices and cries, shrill and confused.

"When they recall the happy lot of their good companions," he replied, "they are obliged to admit: "We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honour. Behold, how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints. Therefore we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of justice hath not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen upon us." (Wisdom 5:4-6) "We wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity and destruction, and have walked through hard ways, but the way of the Lord we have not known. What hath pride profited us ? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us ? All those things are passed away like a shadow." (Wisdom 5: 7-9)

"Here time is no more. Here is only eternity."

While I viewed the condition of many of my boys in utter terror, a thought suddenly struck me. "How can these boys be damned?" I asked. "Last night they were still alive at the Oratory!"

"The boys you see here," he answered, "are all dead to God's grace. Were they to die now or persist in their evil ways, they would be damned. But we are wasting time. Let us go on."

He led me away and we went down through a corridor into a lower cavern, at whose entrance I read: "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched." (Isaias 66: 24) "He will give fire, and worms into their flesh, and they may burn and may feel forever." (Judith 16: 21)

Here one could see how atrocious was the remorse of those who had been pupils in our schools. What a torment was their, to remember each unforgiven sin and its just punishment, the countless, even extraordinary means they had had to mend their ways, persevere in virtue, and earn paradise, and their lack of response to the many favors promised and bestowed by the Virgin Mary. What a torture to think that they couId have been saved so easily, yet now are irredeemably lost, and to remember the many good resolutions made and never kept. Hell is indeed paved with good intentions!

In this lower cavern I again saw those Oratory boys who had fallen into the fiery furnace. Some are listening to me right now; others are former pupils or even strangers to me. I drew closer to them and noticed that they were all covered with worms and vermin which gnawed at their vitals, hearts, eyes, hands, legs, and entire bodies so ferociously as to defy description. Helpless and motionless, they were a prey to every kind of torment. Hoping I might be able to speak with them or to hear something from them, I drew even closer but no one spoke or even looked at me. I then asked my guide why, and he explained that the damned are totally deprived of freedom. Each must fully endure his own punishment, with absolutely no reprieve whatever. "And now," he added, "you too must enter that cavern."

"Oh, no!" I objected in terror. "Before going to Hell, one has to be judged. I have not been judged yet, and so I will not go to Hell!"

"Listen," he said, "what would you rather do: visit Hell and save your boys, or stay outside and leave them in agony?"

For a moment I was struck speechless. "Of course I love my boys and wish to save them all," I replied, "but isn't there some other way out?"

"Yes, there is a way," he went on, "provided you do all you can."

I breathed more easily and instantly said to myself, I don't mind slaving if I can rescue these beloved sons of mine from such torments.

"Come inside then," my friend went on, "and see how our good, almighty God lovingly provides a thousand means for guiding your boys to penance and saving them from everlasting death."

Taking my hand, he led me into the cave. As I stepped in, I found myself suddenly transported into a magnificent hall whose curtained glass doors concealed more entrances.

Above one of them I read this inscription: The Sixth Commandment. Pointing to it, my guide exclaimed, "Transgressions of this commandment caused the eternal ruin of many boys."

"Didn't they go to confession?"

"They did, but they either omitted or insufficiently confessed the sins against the beautiful virtue of purity, saying for instance that they had committed such sins two or three times when it was four or five. Other boys may have fallen into that sin but once in their childhood, and, through shame, never confessed it or did so insufficiently. Others were not truly sorry or sincere in their resolve to avoid it in the future. There were even some who, rather than examine their conscience, spent their time trying to figure out how best to deceive their confessor. Anyone dying in this frame of mind chooses to be among the damned, and so he is doomed for all eternity. Only those who die truly repentant shall be eternally happy. Now do you want to see why our merciful God brought you here?" He lifted the curtain and I saw a group of Oratory boys -- all known to me -- who were there because of this sin. Among them were some whose conduct seems to be good.

"Now you will surely let me take down their names so that I may warn them individually," I exclaimed. "Then what do you suggest I tell them?"

"Always preach against immodesty. A generic warning will suffice. Bear in mind that even if you did admonish them individually, they would promise, but not always in earnest. For a firm resolution, one needs God's grace which will not be denied to your boys if they pray. God manifests His power especially by being merciful and forgiving. On your part, pray and make sacrifices. As for the boys, let them listen to your admonitions and consult thei conscience. It will tell them what to do."

We spent the next half hour discussing the requisites of a good confession. Afterward, my guide several times exclaimed in a loud voice, "Avertere! Avertere!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Change life! "

Perplexed, I bowed my head and made as if to withdraw, but he held me back.

"You haven't seen everything yet," he explained.

He turned and lifted another curtain bearing this inscription: "They who would become rich, full into temptation, and and to the snare of the devil." (1 Timothy 6: 9) (Note: would become rich: wish to become rich, seek riches, set their heart and affections toward riches.)

"This does not apply to my boys! I countered, "because they are as poor as I am. We are not rich and do not want to be. We give it no thought."

As the curtain was lifted, however, I saw a group of boys, all known to me. They were in pain, like those I had seen before. Pointing to them, my guide remarked, "As you see, the inscription does apply to your boys."

"But how?" I asked.

"Well," he said, "some boys are so attached to material possessions that their love of God is lessened. Thus they sin against charity, piety, and meekness. Even the mere desire of riches can corrupt the heart, especially if such a desire leads to injustice. Your boys are poor, but remember that greed and idleness are bad counselors. One of your boys committed substantial thefts in his native town, and though he could make restitution, he gives it not a thought. There are others who try to break into the pantry or the prefect's or economer's office; those who rummage in their companions' trunks for food, money, or possessions; those who steal stationery and books...."

After naming these boys and others as well, he continued, "Some are here for having stolen clothes, linen, blankets, and coats from the Oratory wardrobe in order to send them home to their families; others for willful, serious damage; others, yet, for not having given back what they had borrowed or for having kept sums of money they were supposed to hand over to the superior. Now that you know who these boys are," he concluded, "admonish them. Tell them to curb all vain, harmful desires, to obey God's law and to safeguard their reputation jealously lest greed lead them to greater excesses and plunge them into sorrow, death, and damnation."

I couldn't understand why such dreadful punishments should be meted out for infractions that boys thought so little of, but my guide shook me out of my thoughts by saying: "Recall what you were told when you saw those spoiled grapes on the wine." With these words he lifted another curtain which hid many of our Oratory boys, all of whom I recognized instantly. The inscription on the curtain read: The root of all evils.

"Do you know what that means?" he asked me immediately.

"What sin does that refer to?"

"Pride?"

"No!"

"And yet I have always heard that pride is the root of all evil."

"It is, generally speaking, but, specifically, do you know what led Adam and Eve to commit the first sin for which they were driven away from their earthly paradise?"

"Disobedience?"

"Exactly! Disobedience is the root of all evil."

"What shall I tell my boys about it?"

"Listen carefulIy: the boys you see here are those who prepare such a tragic end for themselves by being disobedient. So-and-so and so-and-so, who you think went to bed, leave the dormitory later in the night to roam about the playground, and, contrary to orders, they stray into dangerous areas and up scaffolds, endangering even their lives. Others go to church, but, ignoring recommendations, they misbehave; instead of praying, they daydream or cause a disturbance. There are also those who make themselves comfortable so as to doze off during church services, and those who only make believe they are going to church. Woe to those who neglect prayer! He who does not pray dooms himself to perdition. Some are here because, instead of singing hymns or saying the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, they read frivolous or -- worse yet -- forbidden books." He then went on mentioning other serious breaches of discipline.

When he was done, I was deeply moved.

"May I mention all these things to my boys?" I asked, looking at him straight in the eye.

"Yes, you may tell them whatever you remember."

"What advice shall I give them to safeguard them from such a tragedy?"

"Keep telling them that by obeying God, the Church, their parents, and their superiors, even in little things, they will be saved."

"Anything else?"

"Warn them against idleness. Because of idleness David fell into sin. Tell them to keep busy at all times, because the devil will not then have a chance to tempt them."

I bowed my head and promised. Faint with dismay, I could only mutter, "Thanks for having been so good to me. Now, please lead me out of here."

"All right, then, come with me." Encouragingly he took my hand and held me up because I could hardly stand on my feet. Leaving that hall, in no time at all we retraced our steps through that horrible courtyard and the long corridor. But as soon as we stepped across the last bronze portal, he turned to me and said, "Now that you have seen what others suffer, you too must experience a touch of Hell."

"No, no!" I cried in terror.

He insisted, but I kept refusing.

"Do not be afraid," he told me; "just try it. Touch this wall."

I could not muster enough courage and tried to get away, but he held me back. "Try it," he insisted. Gripping my arm firmly, he pulled me to the wall. "Only one touch," he cornmanded, "so that you may say you have both seen and touched the walls of eternal suffering and that you may understand what the last wall must be like if the first is so unendurable. Look at this wall!" I did intently. It seemed incredibly thick. "There are a thousand walls between this and the real fire of Hell," my guide continued. "A thousand walls encompass it, each a thousand measures thick and equally distant from the next one. Each measure is a thousand miles. This wall therefore is millions and millions of miles from Hell's real fire. It is just a remote rim of Hell itself."

When he said this, I instinctively pulled back, but he seized my hand, forced it open, and pressed it against the first of the thousand walls. The sensation was so utterly excruciating that I leaped back with a scream and found myself sitting up in bed. My hand was stinging and I kept rubbing it to ease the pain. When I got up this morning I noticed that it was swollen. Having my hand pressed against the wall, though only in a dream, felt so real that, later, the skin of my palm peeled off.

Bear in mind that I have tried not to frighten you very much, and so I have not described these things in all their horror as I saw them and as they impressed me. We know that Our Lord always portrayed Hell in symbols because, had He described it as it really is, we would not have understood Him. No mortal can comprehend these things. The Lord knows them and He reveals them to whomever He wills.

The Center for Higher Studies Choir in Rome

2007-01-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

The Center for Higher Studies Choir of the Legionaries of Christ in Rome is made up of forty-five seminarians from ten different countries. During some of the solemn celebrations throughout the year they sing polyphonic melodies composed by Palestrina, Tomás Luis de Victoria, Perosi and Praglia among others. The choir strives to assist the faithful in raising their hearts and souls to God in prayer through sacred music.

Click on the links below to listen:

«Ave María» de Perosi.

«Domine, non sum dignus» de Tomás Luis de Victoria.

«Tu es sacerdos» de Praglia.

Saint of the Day - January 30

2007-01-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

St. Hyacintha of Mariscotti
(1585 - 1640)

Hyacintha accepted God’s standards somewhat late in life. Born of a noble family near Viterbo, she entered a local convent of sisters who followed the Third Order Rule. However, she supplied herself with enough food, clothing and other goods to live a very comfortable life amid these sisters pledged to mortification.
A serious illness required that Hyacintha’s confessor bring Holy Communion to her room. Scandalized on seeing how soft a life she had provided for herself, the confessor advised her to live more humbly. Hyacintha disposed of her fine clothes and special foods. She eventually became very penitential in food and clothing; she was ready to do the most humble work in the convent. She developed a special devotion to the sufferings of Christ and by her penances became an inspiration to the sisters in her convent. She was canonized in 1807.

Comment:

How differently might Hyacintha’s life have ended if her confessor had been afraid to question her pursuit of a soft life! Or what if she had refused to accept any challenge to her comfortable pattern of life? Francis of Assisi expected give and take in fraternal correction among his followers. Humility is required both of the one giving it and of the one receiving the correction; their roles could easily be reversed in the future. Such correction is really an act of charity and should be viewed that way by all concerned.

Quote:

Francis told his friars: "Blessed is the servant who would accept correction, accusation, and blame from another as patiently as he would from himself. Blessed is the servant who when he is rebuked quietly agrees, respectfully submits, humbly admits his fault, and willingly makes amends" (Admonition XXII).

Denver Archbishop speaks out against Planned Parenthood tax funding

2007-01-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

Last week, Jan. 17, 2007, the Catholic archbishop of Denver, Most Rev. Charles Chaput, wrote a column in the Denver Catholic Register criticizing the new governor of Colorado, Bill Ritter, for his reported efforts to restore funding to Planned Parenthood.

In the article, Archbishop Chaput wrote: “It's hard to have a future 'for our children and our children's children' without children, and in practice, Planned Parenthood specializes in the business of preventing them [through their contraceptive programs / ddp]. Even more troubling is Planned Parenthood's long involvement in abortion 'rights' and the lethal services associated with them."

The archbishop’s comments attracted a great deal of attention because Governor Ritter claims to be a pro-life Catholic.

It is time we stopped the government funding of Planned Parenthood everywhere. Please take a moment and go to www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com and sign the petition against any more taxpayer money going to Planned Parenthood

Save the Liturgy, Save the World!

2007-01-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to bring to your attention an excellent post made by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf which captures my thoughts precisely.

Here is a quote from the post:

Mass is not merely a “teaching moment” or a “celebration of unity” or a "tedious obligation". Our choice of music, architecture, ceremonies and language affect more than one small congregation in one building. We are interconnected in both our common human nature and in baptism. When we sin we hurt the whole Body of Christ the Church. If that is true for sin, it must also be true for our liturgical choices. They must also have personal and corporate impact. Any Mass can be offered for the intentions of the living or the dead. Not even death is an obstacle to the efficacy of Holy Mass. Celebrate Mass well, participate properly – affect the whole world. Celebrate poorly – affect the whole world.

Read the entire post here: Save the Liturgy, Save the World...

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-01-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

Marie Giardina has been submitted to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of her soul.

+JMJ

Saint of the Day - January 29

2007-01-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

Servant of God, Brother Jupiter
(d. 1258)

"Would to God, my brothers, I had a whole forest of such Junipers," said Francis of this holy friar.
We don’t know much about Juniper before he joined the friars in 1210. Francis sent him to establish "places" for the friars in Gualdo Tadino and Viterbo. When St. Clare was dying, Juniper consoled her. He was devoted to the passion of Jesus and was known for his simplicity.

Several stories about Juniper in the Little Flowers of St. Francis illustrate his exasperating generosity. Once Juniper was taking care of a sick man who had a craving to eat pig’s feet. This helpful friar went to a nearby field, captured a pig and cut off one foot, and then served this meal to the sick man. The owner of the pig was furious and immediately went to Juniper’s superior. When Juniper saw his mistake, he apologized profusely. He also ended up talking this angry man into donating the rest of the pig to the friars!

Another time Juniper had been commanded to quit giving part of his clothing to the half-naked people he met on the road. Desiring to obey his superior, Juniper once told a man in need that he couldn’t give the man his tunic, but he wouldn’t prevent the man from taking it either. In time, the friars learned not to leave anything lying around, for Juniper would probably give it away.

He died in 1258 and is buried at Ara Coeli Church in Rome.

Comment:

What can we make of Juniper? He certainly seems to be the first of many Franciscan "characters." No doubt some of the stories about him have improved considerably in the retelling. Although the stories about Juniper may seem a little quaint, his virtues were not. He was humble because he knew the truth about God, himself and others. He was patient because he was willing to suffer ("patience" comes from patior meaning "to suffer") in his following of Jesus.

Quote:

It is said that St. Francis once described the perfect friar by citing "the patience of Brother Juniper, who attained the state of perfect patience because he kept the truth of his low estate constantly in mind, whose supreme desire was to follow Christ on the way of the cross" (Mirror of Perfection, #85).

New Jersey Recognizes Civil Unions between Same-Sex Couples

2007-01-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

My boss just sent out this email to our entire office:

1/26/2007 New Jersey passed a bill granting civil union couples all of the same benefits, protections and responsibilities that are granted to married couples. The new law affects mortgage lenders in that civil union couples are now afforded the same legal benefits as married couples relating to the acquisition, ownership and transfer of real property. The bill goes into effect February 19, 2007.

Of course there is plenty of rejoicing from the rest of the employees, but I think it is a very bad idea to reward sinful lifestyles. This sends out a bad message that will most likely only contribute to the downward spiral in morality that our society is currently in, unless Catholics (and other Christians that still have some holding to moral orthodoxy) take a firmer stand and take action with the "mind of the Church", unless this happens soon and with greater vigor, I only see more of the same happening in the near future.

Saint(s) of the Day - January 26

2007-01-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

Sts. Timothy and Titus

Timothy (d. 97?): What we know from the New Testament of Timothy’s life makes it sound like that of a modern harried bishop. He had the honor of being a fellow apostle with Paul, both sharing the privilege of preaching the gospel and suffering for it.
Timothy had a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Being the product of a “mixed” marriage, he was considered illegitimate by the Jews. It was his grandmother, Lois, who first became Christian. Timothy was a convert of Paul around the year 47 and later joined him in his apostolic work. He was with Paul at the founding of the Church in Corinth. During the 15 years he worked with Paul, he became one of his most faithful and trusted friends. He was sent on difficult missions by Paul—often in the face of great disturbance in local Churches which Paul had founded.

Timothy was with Paul in Rome during the latter’s house arrest. At some period Timothy himself was in prison (Hebrews 13:23). Paul installed him as his representative at the Church of Ephesus.

Timothy was comparatively young for the work he was doing. (“Let no one have contempt for your youth,” Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:12a.) Several references seem to indicate that he was timid. And one of Paul’s most frequently quoted lines was addressed to him: “Stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23).

Titus (d. 94?): Titus has the distinction of being a close friend and disciple of Paul as well as a fellow missionary. He was Greek, apparently from Antioch. Even though Titus was a Gentile, Paul would not let him be forced to undergo circumcision at Jerusalem. Titus is seen as a peacemaker, administrator, great friend. Paul’s second letter to Corinth affords an insight into the depth of his friendship with Titus, and the great fellowship they had in preaching the gospel: “When I went to Troas...I had no relief in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.... For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—external conflicts, internal fears. But God, who encourages the downcast, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus...” (2 Corinthians 2:12a, 13; 7:5-6).

When Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth, Titus was the bearer of Paul’s severe letter and was successful in smoothing things out. Paul writes he was strengthened not only by the arrival of Titus but also “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged in regard to you, as he told us of your yearning, your lament, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.... And his heart goes out to you all the more, as he remembers the obedience of all of you, when you received him with fear and trembling” (2 Corinthians 7:7a, 15).

The Letter to Titus addresses him as the administrator of the Christian community on the island of Crete, charged with organizing it, correcting abuses and appointing presbyter-bishops.

Comment:

In Titus we get another glimpse of life in the early Church: great zeal in the apostolate, great communion in Christ, great friendship. Yet always there is the problem of human nature and the unglamorous details of daily life: the need for charity and patience in “quarrels with others, fears within myself,” as Paul says. Through it all, the love of Christ sustained them. At the end of the Letter to Titus, Paul says that when the temporary substitute comes, “hurry to me.”

Quote:

“But when the kindness and generous love of God our Savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. This saying is trustworthy” (Titus 3:4-8).

Moses, the Pope and Freud

2007-01-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

In 1595, Pope Julius II gave to Michelangelo the commission to design and sculpt his tomb.

The tomb was to be in the family church of the Pope`s famly: San Pietro in Vincoli (St Peter in Chains) in Rome.The original dimensions of the tomb were 36 × 34.5 × 23 ft (11 × 10.5 × 7 m); it was to include almost 47 oversized figures.

However, events conspired to delay the completion of the project: Michelangelo fell out heavily with Pope Julius; Michelangelo was commissioned to carry out the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and other projects;Julius changed his mind and decided that he wished a major tomb in St Peters Basilica; Pope Julius died and his heirs decided to scale back the project considerably.

Michelangelo made only one figure for the tomb, Moses.He made the statue from a block of marble deemed unmalleable by earlier sculptors.

One well known legend is that when finishing the Moses, Michelangelo violently hit the knee of the statue with a hammer, shouting, "Why don't you speak to me?"

The sculpture shows Moses holding the Tables of the Ten Commandments. He is represented as seated. His body faces forward. His head with its mighty beard looks to the left. His right foot rests on the ground and his left leg is raised so that only the toes touch the ground.

The thumb of the right hand is concealed and the index finger alone is in effective contact with the beard. It is pressed so deeply against the soft masses of hair that they bulge out beyond it both above and below.

The Tables are stood on their heads and practically balanced on one corner. The upper edge is straight, the lower one has a protuberance like a horn on the part nearest the viewer. The Tables touch the stone seat precisely with this protuberance. It is to prevent the Tables from hitting the ground that the right hand retreated, let go the beard, a part of which was drawn back with it unintentionally, came against the upper edge of the Tables in time and held them near the hind corner, which had now come uppermost.

The facial expression of Moses is characterised as showing a mixture of wrath, pain, and contempt.

Moses has descended from Mount Sinai, where Moses has received the Tables from God. It is the moment when he perceives that the people are rejoicing around the Golden Calf. The figure expresses the potential energy to spring up and shatter the tablets as related in Exodus 32.

Moses is depicted with satyr's horns, as opposed to "the radiance of the Lord", due to the similarity in the Latin between the word for "beams of light" and "horns". This kind of iconographoic symbolism was common in early sacred art. In this case it gives ease to the sculptor (as sculpting concrete horns is easier than sculpting abstract light) and would have been understood by all who saw it as referring to the radience of Moses' face. They would not have actually thought that he had horns.

Pope Julius died at Rome, on the night of 20-21 February, 1513. He was buried in St Peters Basilica in the Vatican. The tomb in San Pietro in Vincoli was not finished until 1545.

The Pope`s remains, along with those of his uncle Pope Sixtus IV, were desecrated during the Sack of Rome in 1527. Today, the remains of both lie in St. Peter's in the floor in front of the monument to Pope Clement X, having been moved from the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. A simple marble tombstone marks the site.

As regards the composition of the sculpture, some have seen the influence of Donatello`s statue of St John the Baptist for the Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice (1438).

The Moses had long been seen as a thinly disguised portrait of Pope Julius II , whose terribilita as a father figure was notorious.

While working on the Pope's most important commissions, his tomb and the Sistine Ceiling, Michelangelo characterised himself and was long described by historians as a prodigal son who repeatedly rebelled, fled, and was reconciled.

Besides being Michelangelo's most important patron-father, Julius II was also the Holy Father, a man of enormous power in worldly as well as spiritual terms.

Later, the statue was frequently identified with the sculptor himself, possessed of the raging energy of a divinely inspired artist who persevered against the odds of political events and the sabotage of inferior competitors.

Early in the twentieth century, the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud became fascinated with the statue.His essay Der Moses des Michelangelo (1914) was published anonymously. He did not confess to authorship until ten years later.

In September 1912, when the essay was germinating in Freud's mind, he visited the Moses on a daily basis.

In his essay, Freud wrote:

"No piece of statuary has ever made a stronger impression on me than this...some turn of mind in me rebels against being moved by a thing without knowing why I am thus affected and what it is that affects me."

Because of this essay, and what it reveals about Sigmund Freud, the statue seems to have acquired a significance in psychoanalysis, all of which was undreamed of by both Julius II and Michelangelo.

(Hat Tip to Idle Speculations)

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-01-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

Abbott Patrick Shelton, O.S.B., and Fr. David Draim, O.S.B. have been added to Grant Them Rest.

The Reverend Abbott Patrick Shelton, O.S.B., and the Reverend David Draim, O.S.B. were killed at 3:55 p.m. yesterday in a car accident.

Please pray for the repose of their souls!

+JMJ

NEW Sacred Music Major at Franciscan University

2007-01-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Hat Tip to Vivat Jesus

Musica Sacra reports that Franciscan University is creating a new Sacred Music Major.

Franciscan University of Steubenville is pleased to announce the creation of a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Music to begin in the fall of 2007. The degree may be pursued in either the program in voice or the program in organ. Pianists may audition for the program in organ on the piano. Courses will include private instruction on the major instrument, music theory, music history, conducting and a year-long course in Gregorian Chant. In addition, students will participate in the Schola Cantorum Franciscana, which concentrates on polyphony and chant and sings for occasional services on and off campus.

Interested students may apply for admission to the university at:

Franciscan University of Steubenville
Admissions
1235 University Blvd.
Steubenville, OH 43953

Students interested in auditioning may contact Prof. Paul Weber at the above address or by telephone at 740.284.5884.

Saint of the Day - January 25

2007-01-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL
Feast: January 25
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
from EWTN

See Tillemont, t. 1, p. 192.
This great apostle was a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin. At his circumcision, on the eighth day after his birth, he received the name of Saul. His father was by sect a Pharisee, and a denizen of Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia: which city had shown a particular regard for the cause of the Caesars; on which account Cassius deprived it of its privileges and lands; but Augustus when conqueror, made it ample amends by honoring it with many new privileges, and with the freedom of Rome, as we read in the two Dions and Appian. Hence St. Paul, being born at Tarsus, was by privilege a Roman citizen, to which quality a great distinction and several exemptions were granted by the laws of the empire.[1] His parents sent him young to Jerusalem, where he was educated and instructed in the strictest observance of the law of Moses, by Gamaliel,[2] a learned and noble Jew, and probably a member of the Sanhedrin; and was a most scrupulous observer of it in every point. He appeals even to his enemies to bear evidence how conformable to it his life had been in every respect.[3] He embraced the sect of the Pharisees, which was of all others the most severe, though by its pride the most opposite to the humility of the gospel.[4] It was a rule among the Jews that all their children were to learn some trade with their studies, were it but to avoid idleness, and to exercise the body, as well as the mind, in something serious.[5] It is therefore probable that Saul learned in his youth the trade which he exercised even after his apostleship, of making tents.[6]

Saul, surpassing all his equals in zeal for the Jewish law and their traditions, which he thought the cause of God, became thereby a blasphemer, a persecutor, and the most outrageous enemy of Christ.[7] He was one of those who combined to murder St. Stephen, and by keeping the garments of all who stoned that holy martyr, he is said by St. Austin to have stoned him by the hands of all the rest6 to whose prayers for his enemies he ascribes the conversion of St. Paul:[8] "If Stephen," said he, "had not prayed, the church would never have had St. Paul."

After the martyrdom of the holy deacon, the priests and magistrates of the Jews raised a violent persecution against the church at Jerusalem, in which Saul signalized himself above others. By virtue of the power he had received from the high priest, he dragged the Christians out of their houses, loaded them with chains, and thrust them into prison.[9] He procured them to be scourged in the synagogues, and endeavored by torments to compel them to blaspheme the name of Christ. And as our Saviour had always been represented by the leading men of the Jews as a n enemy to their law, it was no wonder that this rigorous Pharisee fully persuaded himself that [10] By the violences he committed, his name became everywhere a terror to the faithful. The persecutors not only raged against their persons, but also seized their estates and what they possessed in common,[11] and left them in such extreme necessity, that the remotest churches afterwards thought it incumbent on them to join in charitable contributions to their relief. All this could not satisfy the fury of Saul; he breathed nothing but threats and the slaughter of the other disciples." Wherefore, in the fury of his zeal, he applied to the high priest and Sanhedrin for a commission to take up all Jews at Damascus who confessed Jesus Christ, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, that they might serve as public examples for the terror of others. But God was pleased to show forth in him his patience and mercy: and, moved by the prayers of St. Stephen and his other persecuted servants. for their enemies, changed him,, in the very heat of his fury, into a vessel of election, and made him a greater mall in his church by the grace of the apostleship, than St. Stephen had ever been, and a more illustrious instrument of his glory. He was almost at the end of his journey to Damascus, when, about noon, he and his company were ml a sudden surrounded by a great light from heaven, brighter than the sun.[12] They all saw the light, and being struck with amazement, fell to the ground.. Then Saul heard a voice, which to him was articulate and distinct; but not understood, though heard by the rest : ? Christ said not: Why cost thou persecute my disciples? but me: for it is he, their head, who is chiefly persecuted in his servants. Saul answered: ? Christ said: :—" to contend with one so much mightier than thyself. By persecuting my church you make it flourish, and only prick and hurt yourself." This mild expostulation of our Redeemer, accompanied with a powerful interior grace, strongly affecting his soul, cured his pride, assuaged his rage, and wrought at once a total change in him. Wherefore, trembling and astonished, he cried out: ? What to repair the past? What to promote your glory? I make a joyful oblation of myself to execute your will in every thing, and to suffer for your sake afflictions, disgraces, persecutions, torments, and every sort of death. The true convert expressed this, not in a bare form of words, nor with faint languid desires, nor with any exception lurking in the secret recesses of his heart; but with an entire sacrifice of himself, and au heroic victory over the world with its frowns and charms, over the devils with their snares and threats, and over himself and all inclinations of self-love; devoting himself totally to God. A perfect model of a true conversion, the greatest work of almighty grace! Christ ordered him to arise and proceed on his journey to the city, where he should be informed of what he expected from him. Christ would not instruct him immediately by himself, but St. Austin observes,[13] sent him to the ministry[14] which he had established in the church, to be directed in the way of salvation by those whom he had appointed for that purpose. He would not finish the conversion and instruction of this great apostle, whom he was pleased to call in so wonderful a manner, but by remitting him to the guidance of his ministers; showing us thereby that his holy providence has so ordered it, that all who desire to serve him, should seek his will by listening to those whom he has commanded us to hear, and whom he has sent in his own name and appointed to be our guides. So perfectly would he abolish in his servants all self-confidence and presumption, the source of error and illusion. The convert, rising from the ground, found that, though his eyes were open, he saw nothing. Providence sent this corporal blindness to be an emblem of the spiritual blindness in which he had lived, and to signify to him that he was henceforward to die to the world, and learn to apply his mind totally to the contemplation of heavenly things.. He was led by the hand into Damascus, whither Christ seemed to conduct him in triumph. He was lodged in the house of a Jew named Judas, where he remained three days blind, and without eating or drinking. He doubtless spent his time in great bitterness of soul, not yet knowing what God required of him. With what anguish he bewailed his past blindness and false zeal against the church, we may conjecture both from his taking no nourishment during those three days, and from the manner in which he ever after remembered and spoke of his having been a blasphemer and a persecutor. Though the entire reformation of his heart was not gradual, as in ordinary conversions, but miraculous in the order of grace, and perfect in a moment; yet a time of probation and a severe interior trial (for such we cannot doubt but he went through on this occasion) was necessary to crucify the old man and all other earthly sentiments in his heart, and to prepare it to receive the extraordinary graces which God designed him. There was a Christian of distinction in Damascus, much respected by the Jews for his irreproachable life and great virtue; his name was Ananias. Christ appeared to this holy disciple, and commanded him to go to Saul, who was then in the house of Judas at prayer: Ananias trembled at the name of Saul, being no stranger to the mischief he had done in Jerusalem, or to the errand on which he was set out to Damascus. But our Redeemer overruled his fears, and charged him a second time to go to him, saying: For tribulation is the test and portion of all the true servants of Christ. Saul in the mean time saw in a vision a man entering, and laying his hands upon him, to restore his sight. Ananias, obeying the divine order, arose, went to Saul, and laying his hands upon him, said: Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he recovered his eyesight. Ananias added: Saul then arose, was baptized, and took some refreshment. He stayed some few days with the disci. pies at Damascus, and began immediately to preach in the synagogues, that Jesus was the Son of God, to the great astonishment of all that heard him, who said: ? Thus a blasphemer and a persecutor was made an apostle, and chosen to be one of the principal instruments of God in the conversion of the world.

St. Paul never recalled to mind this his wonderful conversion, without raptures of gratitude and praise to the divine mercy. The church, in thanksgiving to God for such a miracle of his grace, from which it has de rived such great blessings, and to commemorate so miraculous an instance of his almighty power, and to propose to penitents a perfect model of a true conversion has instituted this festival, which we find mentioned in several calendars and missals of the eighth and ninth centuries, and which pope Innocent III. commanded to be observed with great solemnity. It was for some time kept a holy day of obligation in most churches in the West; and we read it mentioned as such in England in the council of Oxford in 1222 in the reign of king Henry III.[14]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Endnotes

1 Acts, xxi. 29, xxii. 3.

2 Ibid, xxvi 3.

3 Ibid, xxvi 4.

4 Ibid, xxvi 5.

5 Rabbi Juda says, "That a parent who neglects his duty, is as criminal as if he taught his son to steal." See Grotius and Sanctius on Acts xviii. 3.

6 These tents were for the use of soldiers and mariners, and were made of skins sewn together. Some think that his business was that of making tapestry and hangings for theatres.

7 Ga. i. 14.

8 Serm. 301.

9 Ibid. 116, c. 4. Acts, vi.

10 Acts, viii. 3, xxii. 4, xxvi. 10.

11 Acts, xxvi. 9.

12 Heb. x. 32.

13 Acts, x. 1.

14 Acts, ix. xxii. xxvi.

15 Qn. Evang. 1, 2, c. 40, et praef. 1, de doctr. Christ. p. 32.

16 St. Austin doubts not but Ananias was a bishop, or at least a priest. The Greeks give him a place on their calendar on the 1st of October, and style him bishop of Damascus and martyr.

17 Conc. Labbe, t. xi. p. 274.

Saint of the Day - January 24

2007-01-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

St. Francis de Sales
(1567 - 1622)

Francis was destined by his father to be a lawyer so that the young man could eventually take his elder’s place as a senator from the province of Savoy in France. For this reason Francis was sent to Padua to study law. After receiving his doctorate, he returned home and, in due time, told his parents he wished to enter the priesthood. His father strongly opposed Francis in this, and only after much patient persuasiveness on the part of the gentle Francis did his father finally consent. Francis was ordained and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva, then a center for Calvinists. Francis set out to convert them, especially in the district of Chablais. By preaching and distributing the little pamphlets he wrote to explain true Catholic doctrine, he had remarkable success.
At 35 he became bishop of Geneva. While administering his diocese he continued to preach, hear confessions and catechize the children. His gentle character was a great asset in winning souls. He practiced his own axiom, “A spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrelful of vinegar.”

Besides his two well-known books, the Introduction to the Devout Life and A Treatise on the Love of God, he wrote many pamphlets and carried on a vast correspondence. For his writings, he has been named patron of the Catholic Press. His writings, filled with his characteristic gentle spirit, are addressed to lay people. He wants to make them understand that they too are called to be saints. As he wrote in The Introduction to the Devout Life: “It is an error, or rather a heresy, to say devotion is incompatible with the life of a soldier, a tradesman, a prince, or a married woman.... It has happened that many have lost perfection in the desert who had preserved it in the world. ”

In spite of his busy and comparatively short life, he had time to collaborate with another saint, Jane Frances de Chantal, in the work of establishing the Sisters of the Visitation. These women were to practice the virtues exemplified in Mary’s visit to Elizabeth: humility, piety and mutual charity. They at first engaged to a limited degree in works of mercy for the poor and the sick. Today, while some communities conduct schools, others live a strictly contemplative life.

Comment:

Francis de Sales took seriously the words of Christ, “Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart.” As he said himself, it took him 20 years to conquer his quick temper, but no one ever suspected he had such a problem, so overflowing with good nature and kindness was his usual manner of acting. His perennial meekness and sunny disposition won for him the title of “Gentleman Saint.”

Quote:

Francis tells us: “The person who possesses Christian meekness is affectionate and tender towards everyone: he is disposed to forgive and excuse the frailties of others; the goodness of his heart appears in a sweet affability that influences his words and actions, presents every object to his view in the most charitable and pleasing light.”

Saint of the Day - January 23

2007-01-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Blessed Mother Marianne Cope
(1838-1918)

Though leprosy scared off most people in 19th-century Hawaii, that disease sparked great generosity in the woman who came to be known as Mother Marianne of Molokai. Her courage helped tremendously to improve the lives of its victims in Hawaii, a territory annexed to the United States during her lifetime (1898).
Mother Marianne’s generosity and courage were celebrated at her May 14, 2005, beatification in Rome. She was a woman who spoke “the language of truth and love” to the world, said Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. Cardinal Martins, who presided at the beatification Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, called her life “a wonderful work of divine grace.” Speaking of her special love for persons suffering from leprosy, he said, “She saw in them the suffering face of Jesus. Like the Good Samaritan, she became their mother.”

On January 23, 1838, a daughter was born to Peter and Barbara Cope of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. The girl was named after her mother. Two years later the Cope family immigrated to the United States and settled in Utica, New York. Young Barbara worked in a factory until August 1862, when she went to the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. After profession in November of the next year, she began teaching at Assumption parish school.

Marianne held the post of superior in several places and was twice the novice mistress of her congregation. A natural leader, three different times she was superior of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, where she learned much that would be useful during her years in Hawaii.

Elected provincial in 1877, Mother Marianne was unanimously re-elected in 1881. Two years later the Hawaiian government was searching for someone to run the Kakaako Receiving Station for people suspected of having leprosy. More than 50 religious communities in the United States and Canada were asked. When the request was put to the Syracuse sisters, 35 of them volunteered immediately. On October 22, 1883, Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii where they took charge of the Kakaako Receiving Station outside Honolulu; on the island of Maui they also opened a hospital and a school for girls.

In 1888, Mother Marianne and two sisters went to Molokai to open a home for “unprotected women and girls” there. The Hawaiian government was quite hesitant to send women for this difficult assignment; they need not have worried about Mother Marianne! On Molokai she took charge of the home that Blessed Damien DeVeuster (d. 1889) had established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, pride and fun to the colony. Bright scarves and pretty dresses for the women were part of her approach.

Awarded the Royal Order of Kapiolani by the Hawaiian government and celebrated in a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, Mother Marianne continued her work faithfully. Her sisters have attracted vocations among the Hawaiian people and still work on Molokai.

Mother Marianne died on August 9, 1918.

Comment:

The government authorities were reluctant to allow Mother Marianne to be a mother on Molokai. Thirty years of dedication proved their fears unfounded. God grants gifts regardless of human short-sightedness and allows those gifts to flower for the sake of the kingdom.

Quote:

Soon after Mother Marianne died, Mrs. John F. Bowler wrote in the Honolulu Advertiser, “Seldom has the opportunity come to a woman to devote every hour of 30 years to the mothering of people isolated by law from the rest of the world. She risked her own life in all that time, faced everything with unflinching courage and smiled sweetly through it all.”

Bulletin Catechesis: The Body and the Liturgy

2007-01-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Body and the Liturgy
Excerpt The Spirit of the Liturgy, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger now Pope Benedict XVI

I would like to at this point to mention bowing . . . Here again the bodily gesture and the spiritual process are inseparable and flow into one another. This is the gesture of the tax collector, who knows that he cannot endure the gaze of God and so bows low before it. And yet this prayer asks that our sacrifice may come before the face of God, into his sight, and be for us a blessing. Out of the depths of our insufficiency we call upon God, that he may set us upright, enables us to gaze upon him, and make us such that he may gaze upon us. The supplices – our being “bowed low” - is the bodily expression, so to speak, of what the Bible calls humility (cf. “he humbled himself”, Phil. 2:8). For the Greeks humility was the attitude of a slave, and so they rejected it. The transformation of values brought about by Christianity sees in it something different. Humility is the ontologically appropriate attitude, the state that corresponds to the Truth about man, and as such it becomes a fundamental attitude of Christian existence. St. Augustine constructed his whole Christology, indeed, I would say his entire apologetics for Christianity, upon the concept of humilitas. He took up the teaching of the ancients, of the Greek and Roman world, that hybris – self-glorifying pride – is the real sin of all sins, as we see in exemplary form in the fall of Adam. Arrogance, the ontological lie by which man makes himself God is overcome by the humility of God, who makes himself the slave, who bows down before us. The man who wants to come close to God must be able to look upon him – that is essential. But he must likewise learn to bend for God has bent himself down. In the gesture of humble love, in the washing of feet, in which he kneels at our feet – that is where we find him. Thus the supplices is a gesture of great profundity. It is a physical reminder of the spiritual attitude essential to faith. Astonishingly, several modern translations of the Roman Canon have simply omitted the supplices. Perhaps, they regarded the physical expression, which as a matter of fact has disappeared as unimportant. Perhaps, too, they thought it was an unsuitable thing for a modern man to do. To bow low before a human being, to win his favor, is indeed unfitting. But to bow low before God can never be unmodern, because it corresponds to the truth of our being. And if modern man has forgotten this truth, then it is all the more incumbent on Christians in the modern world to rediscover it and teach it to our fellow men.

Another gesture came in Christianity from the narrative already mentioned of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (cf. Lk 18:9-14) striking the breast. Apparently, in the North Africa of St. Augustine, it was very popular and practiced in a somewhat exaggerated and superficial manner, so much so, in fact, that the Bishop of Hippo had to remind his flock, with gentle irony to moderate their “sin-bashing”. However, this gesture, by which we point not at someone else but at ourselves as the guilty party, remains a meaningful gesture of prayer. This is exactly what we need, time and again, to do: to see and acknowledge our guilt and so also to beg for forgiveness. When we say mea culpa (through my fault), we turn, so to speak, to ourselves, to our own front door, and thus we are able rightly to ask forgiveness of God, the saints, and the people gathered around us, whom we have wronged. During the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God), we look upon him who is the Shepherd and for us became Lamb and as Lamb, bore our iniquities. At this moment it is only right and proper that we should strike our breasts and remind ourselves, even physically, that our iniquities lay on his shoulders, that “with his stripes we are healed” (Is 5:3-5).

Bulletin Catechesis: Striking the Breast

2007-01-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

Striking the Breast

Striking of the breast as a liturgical act is prescribed in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass during the Confiteor at the phrase "Through my fault" (three times), at the Nobis Quoque Peccatoribus (once), at the Agnus Dei (three times), and at the Domine, Non Sum Dignus (three times). With bowed head, except at the Nobis Quoque Peccatoribus, moderately and without noise, the celebrant strikes his breast with the right hand, the fingers being held closely together and curved or fully extended, as the rubrics are silent on this point; after the consecration, however, with the last three fingers only, since the thumb and index finger, which are joined, must not come in contact with the chasuble. At the Agnus Dei in requiem Masses the striking of the breast is omitted, to show that the celebrant is thinking of the departed more than of himself. The faithful are accustomed to this practice as well as the priest.

The early Christians were familiar with the practice, as St. Augustine and St. Jerome testify. "No sooner have you heard the word 'Confiteor'", says the former, "than you strike your breast. What does this mean except that you wish to bring to light what is concealed in the breast, and by this act to cleanse your hidden sins?" (Sermo de verbis Domini, 13). We strike our breast", declares St. Jerome, "because the breast is the seat of evil thoughts: we wish to dispel these thoughts, we wish to purify our hearts" (In Ezechiel, c. xviii). A warrant for these statements is found in the Psalmist: A contrite and humbled heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise (Psalm 1:19). The petitioner at the Throne of Mercy would chasten his heart and offer it as a sacrifice to God who healeth the broken of heart and bindeth up their wounds (Ps. cxlvi, 3). The ancient Christians were accustomed to strike the breast when they heard mention made or sensual sins; at the "Forgive us our trespasses" of the Pater Noster; and in detestation of the crime of the Jews, at the words of the Gospel, "Thou hast a devil", applied to Christ. www.newadvent.org/cathen/02751a.htm

Bulletin Catechesis:The Mystical Significance of the Healing of the Leper

2007-01-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

Great minds think alike I guess, as a good friend of mine is doing the very same thing (his blog - Vivat Jesus)...Bulletin Catechesis: I will be posting some of the Catechetical articles found in the weekly bulletin of Mater Misericordiae Mission, my TLM parish. Here is the first one:

The Mystical Significance of the Healing of the Leper
St. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria and Doctor (d. 444 A.D.)
Reprinted in The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers

Behold a leper came. The faith of this man who came to Jesus is indeed worthy of all our praise. He testified that Emmanuel can do all things perfectly, and He pleads with Him that by His divine command He might be delivered of his leprosy, although it was an incurable disease. For leprosy is not wont to yield to the remedies of the physicians. For he says, have I not seen unclean spirits driven forth by divine power, and other mend freed from other disease. I know that this has been done by some divine and invisible hand. I see also that Thou art both good and most kind and that You show compassion to all that come to Thee. Why then should I not also seek Thy mercy?
What did Christ say to this? He confirmed him in his faith, and by this miracle showed that He approved it. He receives his prayer and reveals that He can do this saying to him: I will: be thou made clean. He also bestows on him the touch of His holy and omnipotent hand, and immediately the leprosy leaves him, and his sickness departs.

Let you join with me in awe, beholding Christ at work as both God and man. For it belongs to His divinity so to will that all things are as He wills; it is a human act to stretch forth the hand. In both the one and the other Christ is perceived, since the Word became flesh. And Jesus saith to him: see thou tell no man. The character of the wonder that was performed, even though the leper remained silent was enough to reveal to all who had known the leper the power of the One Who had healed him. Nevertheless He bids him tell no man. Why? That they who have received from God the gift of healing may learn that they are not to look for applause from those they heal, nor accept praise from others, lest they fall into pride, which is the wickedest of all sins. But, Go, show thyself to the priest, and offer . . . Prudently therefore He counsels the leper to offer a gift to the priests, according the law of Moses. For though without any doubt He intended to take away the shadows, and to change the figures of the law into the pure spiritual worship, yet, because the Jews did not believe in Him, but still clung to the precepts of Moses, as though the old law still endured, He permits the leper to do this for a testimony unto them.

Why did He do this? The Jews at all times were proclaiming their zeal for the law, and declaring that the great prophet Moses was the minister of the will of heaven, and they strove to belittle Christ the Saviour of all men. And so they said openly: We know that God spoke to Moses: but as to this man, we know not whence he is (Jn. Ix. 29). It was therefore necessary to convince them by these signs that the dignity of Moses was below the glory of Christ. Moses was but a faithful servant in the house of God: Christ was the Son in the house of His father. And so from the healing of the leper it was clearly evident that Christ, in an incomparable manner, far transcended the law of Moses. For Mary the sister of Moses, because she had murmured against him was stricken with leprosy. And Moses at this affliction of his sister was profoundly grieved; but since he was unable to banish the disease from the woman, falling down before God he besought Him saying: O God, I beseech thee heal her (Num. xii, 13).

Now observe carefully. In the one case there is entreaty: with prayer he sought to obtain the divine clemency: but the Saviour of mankind, with authority that was truly divine, says I will: be thou made clean. This healing of the leper served therefore as a warning to the priests, that from it they should learn that those who gave precedence to Moses were wandering from the truth. Without doubt they should reverence Moses as the minister of the Law, a helper of grace made known by angels (Gal. iii. 19), but much more is Emmanuel to be praised and glorified as the true Son of God and the Father.

It may be that someone would like to see here the great and profound mystery concerning Christ, which is related to us in Leviticus. The Law of Moses declared that a leper shall be condemned of uncleanness, and ordered to be driven forth from camp as unclean. Afterwards, should the sickness leave him, it prescribed that he be received back in to the camp. It lays down in what manner he shall be regarded as clean, saying. This is the rite of a leper, when he is to be cleansed: he shall be brought to the priest: who going out of the camp when he shall find that the leprosy is cleansed shall command one of the sparrows to be immolated in an earthen vessel over living waters; but the other that is alive he shall dip in the blood of the sparrow that is immolated, wherewith he shall sprinkle him that is to be cleansed seven times, that he be rightly purified. And he shall let go the living sparrow in the field (Lev. xiv). There were accordingly two sound, that is clean birds, free according to the Law of every defect; of which one is slain over living waters; the other, exempt from slaughter, being sprinkled with the blood of the one that was slain is then set free.

This figure truly designates the great and ever to be adored mystery of our Saviour; for He, is the Word was from above, that is from the Father and from heave: and so is appropriately compared with the bird. By His Incarnation, He came down in the likeness of our nature and took upon Himself the form of a slave. But even in this He was from above. For which reason speaking with the Jews, He said openly to them: You are from beneath: I am from above (Jn. viii. 23) And again: And no man ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man (Jn. Iii. 13).
For as I have just now said, being made flesh, that is truly man, He yet was not of the earth, nor of clay like us, but heavenly and supramundane, as God is understood to be. Nevertheless it is truly lawful to see Christ in the figure of the birds having suffered in the flesh, as the Scripture says (I Pet. iv), yet remaining beyond the reach of suffering; human dead, divinely living: for the Word is life. Wherefore it is that the most wise Disciple says of Him, that being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit (I Pet. iii. 18). But though the Word could not suffer in His own divine nature, nevertheless He truly made His own the passion of His Body. For the living bird was sprinkled with the blood of the one that was slain: and so dyed with its blood, and becoming almost a sharer of its suffering, was sent forth in the desert. For the Only-Begotten Word of the Father has returned to heaven, and with Him the flesh of our lowliness and there was a strange spectacle in heaven. For the family of heaven were astonished at seeing the Kind of the earth, the Lord of all powers appearing as one of us. And they exclaimed: Who is this that cometh from Edom, that is, from the earth? With dyed garments from Bosra, which is interpreted as meaning, flesh, or straitness or affliction. Then shall they say to Him: What are these wounds in the midst of they hands? And he shall say: with these I was wounded in the house of them that loved me (Zach. Xiii. 6)

. . . The Law therefore was a picture, a type, of the things which brought forth truth; so that even though there were two birds, yet by them but one Christ was prefigured, both as suffering and as not suffering; dying, yet above all dying; finally also ascending to heaven, as a second beginning of humanity, reborn to immortality. He in truth has prepared for us a new way to heaven, and we in due time shall follow Him. That one of the birds was slain, and that the other was sprinkled with the blood of the one that was slain, and being free it escaped slaughter, must all be considered as a figure of the things that now are true. For Christ died for us, and we are baptized in His death and He by His blood redeemed us, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen.

Adoro Te

2007-01-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we sung this piece, Adoro Te, for communion, (correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was written by St. Thomas Aquinas around 1274?)

*A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who recite devoutly this hymn.

(Click Here for the audio)

Here are the rest of the verses:

Vísus, táctus, gústus in te fállitur,
Sight, touch, taste In Thee are-deceived,

Sed auditu solo tuto créditur:
But (by) hearing only safely we-believe:

Credo quídquid dixit Déi Fílius:
I-believe whatever was-said (by) God’s Son

Nil hoc vérbo veritátis vérius,
Nothing (than) this word of-truth (can be) more-true.

In crúce latébat sóla Déitas,
On the-cross was-hidden only (the) Divinity,

At hic látet simul et humánitas:
But here is-hidden at-once also (the) humanity:

Ambo tamen crédens atque cónfitens,
Both however believing and confessing,

Péto quod petívit látro paénitens.
I-ask what he-asked, (that) thief who-was-penitent.

Plágas, sicut Thómas, non intúeor :
Thy-wounds, as Thomas (saw), I-do-not see:

Déum tamen méum te confiteor:
God, however, of-mine Thee do-I-confess:

Fac me tibi semper magis crédere,
Make me in-Thee always more-firmly to-believe,

In te spem habére, te diligere.
In Thee (my) hope to-place, Thee to-love.

O memoriále mórtis Dómini,
O memorial of-the-death of-the-Lord,

Pánis vivus, vitam praéstans hómini,
Bread of-life life bestowing on-man,

Praésta méae ménti de te vívere,
Grant my heart on Thee to-live,

Et te fílli semper dúlce sápere.
And do-Thou to-it ever sweetly taste.

Pie pellicáne, Jésu Dómine,
Loving pelican, Jesus Lord,

Me immúndum múnda túo sanguine,
Me unclean cleanse-Thou in-Thy Blood,

Cújus úna stílla sálvum fácere
Of-which (a) single drop to save

Tótum múndum quit ab ómni scélere.
(The) whole world is-able from all (its) guilt.

Jésu, quem velátum nunc aspício,
Jesus, Whom under-a-veil (I) now behold,

Oro, fiat íllud quod tam sítio:
I-pray, be-done that which so-much I-thirst-for:

Ut, te reveláta cérnens fácie,
That, Thee unveiled perceiving face-to-face,

Vísu sim beátus túae glóriae. Amen.
By-the-vision I-may-be blessed, (seeing) Thy glory. Amen.

Saint of the Day - January 22

2007-01-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

St. Vincent
(d. 304)

When Jesus deliberately began his “journey” to death, Luke says that he “set his face” to go to Jerusalem. It is this quality of rocklike courage that distinguishes the martyrs.

Most of what we know about this saint comes from the poet Prudentius. His Acts have been rather freely colored by the imagination of their compiler. But St. Augustine, in one of his sermons on St. Vincent, speaks of having the Acts of his martyrdom before him. We are at least sure of his name, his being a deacon, the place of his death and burial.

According to the story we have (and as with some of the other early martyrs the unusual devotion he inspired must have had a basis in a very heroic life), Vincent was ordained deacon by his friend St. Valerius of Saragossa in Spain. The Roman emperors had published their edicts against the clergy in 303, and the following year against the laity. Vincent and his bishop were imprisoned in Valencia. Hunger and torture failed to break them. Like the youths in the fiery furnace (Book of Daniel, chapter three), they seemed to thrive on suffering.

Valerius was sent into exile, and Dacian now turned the full force of his fury on Vincent. Tortures that sound like those of World War II were tried. But their main effect was the progressive disintegration of Dacian himself. He had the torturers beaten because they failed.

Finally he suggested a compromise: Would Vincent at least give up the sacred books to be burned according to the emperor’s edict? He would not. Torture on the gridiron continued, the prisoner remaining courageous, the torturer losing control of himself. Vincent was thrown into a filthy prison cell—and converted the jailer. Dacian wept with rage, but strangely enough, ordered the prisoner to be given some rest.

Friends among the faithful came to visit him, but he was to have no earthly rest. When they finally settled him on a comfortable bed, he went to his eternal rest.

Comment:

The martyrs are heroic examples of what God’s power can do. It is humanly impossible, we realize, for someone to go through tortures such as Vincent had and remain faithful. But it is equally true that by human power alone no one can remain faithful even without torture or suffering. God does not come to our rescue at isolated, “special” moments. God is supporting the supercruisers as well as children’s toy boats.

Quote:

“Wherever it was that Christians were put to death, their executions did not bear the semblance of a triumph. Exteriorly they did not differ in the least from the executions of common criminals. But the moral grandeur of a martyr is essentially the same, whether he preserved his constancy in the arena before thousands of raving spectators or whether he perfected his martyrdom forsaken by all upon a pitiless flayer’s field” (The Roman Catacombs, Hertling-Kirschbaum).

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-01-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

Maria Gloria Mercure has been added to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of her soul!

+JMJ

Saint of the Day - January 19

2007-01-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

St. Fabian
(d. 250)

Fabian was a Roman layman who came into the city from his farm one day as clergy and people were preparing to elect a new pope. Eusebius, a Church historian, says a dove flew in and settled on the head of Fabian. This sign united the votes of clergy and laity and he was chosen unanimously.
He led the Church for 14 years and died a martyr’s death during the persecution of Decius in a.d. 250. St. Cyprian wrote to his successor that Fabian was an “incomparable” man whose glory in death matched the holiness and purity of his life.

In the catacombs of St. Callistus, the stone that covered Fabian’s grave may still be seen, broken into four pieces, bearing the Greek words, “Fabian, bishop, martyr.”

Comment:

We can go confidently into the future and accept the change that growth demands only if we have firm roots in the past, in a living tradition. A few pieces of stone in Rome are a reminder to us that we are bearers of 20 centuries of a living tradition of faith and courage in living the life of Christ and showing it to the world. We have brothers and sisters who have “gone before us marked with the sign of faith,” as the First Eucharistic Prayer puts it, to light the way for us.

Quote:

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church” (Tertullian).

Support the ProLife cause - use prolifesearch.com

2007-01-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

I have been using ProLifeSearch for a while now as my search engine. It is great, everytime you search the website makes money which they can donate to pro-life and Catholic causes. Use http://www.prolifesearch.com every time you do a websearch and spread the word to family and friends to do the same. Here is what the site says, so that you get a better idea of how it works:

How Does ProLifeSearch.com Support Life?

ProLifeSearch.com is the "Web's First Pro-Life Search Engine." Search the Web just like you would with any major search engine.

We donate revenues to Pro-Life charities. These revenues come from our own ads that we run on our home page and from the sale of products.

To make sure this is crystal clear: We DO NOT generate revenue for donations from "Pay-Per-Click" ads (e.g., "Ads by Google," etc.) Therefore there is no financial incentive to click on any ads. Please visit our sponsors if what they offer truly appeals to you.

Here's how it works.

It's really very simple. Use ProLifeSearch.com for all your Internet search needs. Unlike other search engines we donate a minimum of 50% of all net profits to pro-life charities around the world.

What's the catch?

None. Nada. Zilch. Zero. You use ProLifeSearch.com whenever you search the Internet and we make donations to pro-life charities. It's really that simple. Together we can make a real difference in defense of life.

Do I have to provide my personal information to use ProLifeSearch.com?

No. You do not have to register to use ProLifeSearch.com, but if you choose to register you will become a member of the PLS community. This will allow you special benefits and information that we only make available to our members.

Who are you guys?

We're a privately-held company in Chicago, Illinois, founded and managed by two guys who both try hard everyday to be the good Catholic boys their mothers always hoped they'd be.

I have added ProLifeSearch engine to my blog, so you can also search using this engine from my blog as well. If you have a webpage, I urge you to do the same.

Another GRANT THEM REST Update!

2007-01-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

Marie Maus and Señora Ida Ferraris viuda de Madarang have been added to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of their souls!

+JMJ

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-01-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

Damian Paul Coghlan has been added to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of his soul.

+JMJ

Saint of the Day - January 18th

2007-01-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

St. Charles of Sezze
(1613 - 1670)

Charles thought that God was calling him to be a missionary in India, but he never got there. God had something better for this 17th-century successor to Brother Juniper.
Born in Sezze, southeast of Rome, Charles was inspired by the lives of Salvator Horta and Paschal Baylon to become a Franciscan; he did that in 1635. Charles tells us in his autobiography, "Our Lord put in my heart a determination to become a lay brother with a great desire to be poor and to beg alms for his love."

Charles served as cook, porter, sacristan, gardener and beggar at various friaries in Italy. In some ways, he was "an accident waiting to happen." He once started a huge fire in the kitchen when the oil in which he was frying onions burst into flames.

One story shows how thoroughly Charles adopted the spirit of St. Francis. The superior ordered Charles — then porter — to give food only to traveling friars who came to the door. Charles obeyed this direction; simultaneously the alms to the friars decreased. Charles convinced the superior the two facts were related. When the friars resumed giving goods to all who asked at the door, alms to the friars increased also.

At the direction of his confessor Charles wrote his autobiography, The Grandeurs of the Mercies of God. He also wrote several other spiritual books. He made good use of his various spiritual directors throughout the years; they helped him discern which of Charles’ ideas or ambitions were from God. Charles himself was sought out for spiritual advice. The dying Pope Clement IX called Charles to his bedside for a blessing.

Charles had a firm sense of God’s providence. Father Severino Gori has said, "By word and example he recalled in all the need of pursuing only that which is eternal" (Leonard Perotti, St. Charles of Sezze: An Autobiography, page 215).

He died at San Francesco a Ripa in Rome and was buried there. Pope John XXIII canonized him in 1959.

Comment:

The drama in the lives of the saints is mostly interior. Charles’ life was spectacular only in his cooperation with God’s grace. He was captivated by God’s majesty and great mercy to all of us.

Quote:

Father Gori says that the autobiography of Charles "stands as a very strong refutation of the opinion, quite common among religious people, that saints are born saints, that they are privileged right from their first appearance on this earth. This is not so. Saints become saints in the usual way, due to the generous fidelity of their correspondence to divine grace. They had to fight just as we do, and more so, against their passions, the world and the devil" (St. Charles of Sezze: An Autobiography, page viii).

Saint of the Day - January 17

2007-01-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

St. Anothony of Egypt
(251 - 356)

The life of Anthony will remind many people of St. Francis of Assisi. At 20, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message, “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor” (Mark 10:21b), that he actually did just that with his large inheritance. He is different from Francis in that most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude. He saw the world completely covered with snares, and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism, great personal mortification and prayer. But no saint is antisocial, and Anthony drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance.

At 54, he responded to many requests and founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells. Again like Francis, he had great fear of “stately buildings and well-laden tables.”

At 60, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311, fearlessly exposing himself to danger while giving moral and material support to those in prison. At 88, he was fighting the Arian heresy, that massive trauma from which it took the Church centuries to recover. “The mule kicking over the altar” denied the divinity of Christ.

Anthony is associated in art with a T-shaped cross, a pig and a book. The pig and the cross are symbols of his valiant warfare with the devil—the cross his constant means of power over evil spirits, the pig a symbol of the devil himself. The book recalls his preference for “the book of nature” over the printed word. Anthony died in solitude at 105.

Comment:

In an age that smiles at the notion of devils and angels, a person known for having power over evil spirits must at least make us pause. And in a day when people speak of life as a “rat race,” one who devotes a whole life to solitude and prayer points to an essential of the Christian life in all ages. Anthony’s hermit life reminds us of the absoluteness of our break with sin and the totality of our commitment to Christ. Even in God’s good world, there is another world whose false values constantly tempt us.

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-01-16T23:17:00.000-07:00

Dominic Spatara has been added to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of his soul.

+JMJ

Fulfilling the Council: Sacrosanctum Concilium and the Traditionalist Movement

2007-01-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

H/T to the NLM and Dr. Blosser

Michael P. Foley wrote an excellent article for Latin Mass Magazine (btw, I highly recommend subscribing to this excellent periodical). This article details how many TLM communities have fulfilled much of what Vatican II has called for (especially in regards to participation actuosa) while the Novus Ordo parishes have largely failed in this regard. Dr. Blosser has made this fabulous article available on his blog and I highly recommend that it be read.

Fulfilling the Council: Sacrosanctum Concilium and the Traditionalist Movement

Gregorian Chant with Fr. Castor

2007-01-14T23:49:00.000-07:00

Fr. Castor's chant section on his webpage is notably better than most. He has Jubilate Deo with a combination of Gregorian Chant square notes as well as modern notation, and a recording of himself chanting (with a very clear and easy to understand voice).

Here is an example of the Credo III, (click here for the audio)

Recommended Homepage!

2007-01-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine showed me this little jewel of a website, http://www.catholic-pages.com/ which I highly recommend that you set as your homepage, start here.

There are more useful links than you will know what to do with, and it is very organized (IMO).

Enjoy!

The Greatest Building That Was Never Built

2007-01-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

Hat Tip to The New Liturgical Movement.

The fabled and long-forgotten model of British architect Edwin Lutyens' equally storied and equally neglected unbuilt design for Liverpool Cathedral is scheduled to go on display in an exhibit entitled The Cathedral that Never Was at the Walker Gallery in Liverpool later this month, with the show running into April.

The creation of the mammoth model, equal parts St. Peter's, St. Paul's, Hagia Sophia and perhaps Gibraltar, was almost as ambitious a project as the design of the cathedral itself, and the restoration project has proved nearly as complex. There's extensive coverage of the new exhibit in the Apollo arts and antiques magazine--though (free) registration is required to read it. It is, however, entirely worth the hassle.

Pro-Life Group Releases New List of Planned Parenthood Abortion Donors

2007-01-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 10, 2007

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life organization that monitors corporations that donate money to Planned Parenthood has released a new list of companies that give money to the nation's largest abortion business. New corporations on the boycott list include jeweler Tiffany & Company and Blackjack Pizza restaurants.

Life Decisions International has been monitoring companies for over 15 years and says that at least 137 corporations have stopped funding Planned Parenthood as a result of the pro-life boycotts. That's cost Planned Parenthood an estimated $35 million.

"This should be a testament to those who believe it is impossible to change corporate philanthropic behavior," LDI president Douglas Scott said.
Companies appearing on the boycott list for the first time also include AlphaGraphics, television broadcasting firm Arizona Lotus, BolchalkFReY Marketing, Kara-Line (Wild Carrots apparel), hotel and resort operator Lowe Enterprises, and Scolari's Food & Drug.

Numerous corporations have appeared on the LDI boycott list for years and the group encourages pro-life people to continue to boycott their products and contact their corporate headquarters to let them know why.

Neiman Marcus, software maker Adobe, Wachovia, Golub (which operates Price Chopper supermarkets), Nike, Time Warner, Unilever, Bank of America, the Dallas Cowboys, CIGNA, Walt Disney, Johnson & Johnson, Wells Fargo, Whole Foods Market, and Nationwide insurance are some of the large companies that have supported the abortion business.

The new boycott list also includes the names of charitable groups that have developed relationships with Planned Parenthood and LDI asks pro-life people to disassociate themselves with them.

These groups include the American Cancer Society, Camp Fire girls, The Dr. Phil Foundation, Girls Inc., Girl Scouts, Human Rights Watch, Kiwanis Clubs, the March of Dimes, Rotary Clubs, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and the YWCA.

"We ask all people who care about life to visit this page to learn which businesses in their area are supporting Planned Parenthood," Scott said. "We urge picketing, letter-writing, and personal visits to these establishments. It is important for pro-family people to let these entrepreneurs know how they feel."

"The Pro-Life Movement will succeed only to the extent that pro-life people are willing to be inconvenienced," Scott said. "The very lives of children are worth that much effort and a whole lot more."

Related web sites:
Life Decisions International - http://www.fightpp.org

Saint of the Day - January 12

2007-01-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys
(1620 - 1700)

“God closes a door and then opens a window,” people sometimes say when dealing with their own disappointment or someone else’s. That was certainly true in Marguerite’s case. Children from European as well as Native American backgrounds in seventeenth-century Canada benefited from her great zeal and unshakable trust in God’s providence.
Born the sixth of 12 children in Troyes, France, Marguerite at the age of 20 believed that she was called to religious life. Her applications to the Carmelites and Poor Clares were unsuccessful. A priest friend suggested that perhaps God had other plans for her.

In 1654, the governor of the French settlement in Canada visited his sister, an Augustinian canoness in Troyes. Marguerite belonged to a sodality connected to that convent. The governor invited her to come to Canada and start a school in Ville-Marie (eventually the city of Montreal). When she arrived, the colony numbered 200 people with a hospital and a Jesuit mission chapel.

Soon after starting a school, she realized her need for coworkers. Returning to Troyes, she recruited a friend, Catherine Crolo, and two other young women. In 1667 they added classes at their school for Indian children. A second trip to France three years later resulted in six more young women and a letter from King Louis XIV, authorizing the school. The Congregation of Notre Dame was established in 1676 but its members did not make formal religious profession until 1698 when their Rule and constitutions were approved.

Marguerite established a school for Indian girls in Montreal. At the age of 69, she walked from Montreal to Quebec in response to the bishop’s request to establish a community of her sisters in that city. By the time she died, she was referred to as the “Mother of the Colony.” Marguerite was canonized in 1982.

Comment:

It’s easy to become discouraged when plans that we think that God must endorse are frustrated. Marguerite was called not to be a cloistered nun but to be a foundress and an educator. God had not ignored her after all.

Quote:

In his homily at her canonization, Pope John Paul II said, “...in particular, she [Marguerite] contributed to building up that new country [Canada], realizing the determining role of women, and she diligently strove toward their formation in a deeply Christian spirit.” He noted that she watched over her students with affection and confidence “in order to prepare them to become wives and worthy mothers, Christians, cultured, hard-working, radiant mothers.”

Growth of the Traditional Latin Mass

2007-01-11T11:49:00.001-07:00

Pope Pius XII on Gregorian Chant

2007-01-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Hat tip to The New Liturgical Movement and Vivat Jesus.

From Pope Pius XII's Encyclical Musicae Sacrae:

It is the duty of all those to whom Christ the Lord has entrusted the task of guarding and dispensing the Church's riches to preserve this precious treasure of Gregorian chant diligently and to impart it generously to the Christian people.... And if in Catholic churches throughout the entire world Gregorian chant sounds forth without corruption or diminution, the chant itself, like the sacred Roman liturgy, will have a characteristic of universality, so that the faithful, wherever they may be, will hear music that is familiar to them and a part of their own home. In this way they may experience, with much spiritual consolation, the wonderful unity of the Church. This is one of the most important reasons why the Church so greatly desires that the Gregorian chant traditionally associated with the Latin words of the sacred liturgy be used.

Saint of the Day - January 11

2007-01-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

Blessed William Carter
(d. 1584)

Born in London, William Carter entered the printing business at an early age. For many years he served as apprentice to well-known Catholic printers, one of whom served a prison sentence for persisting in the Catholic faith. William himself served time in prison following his arrest for "printing lewd [i.e., Catholic] pamphlets" as well as possessing books upholding Catholicism.
But even more, he offended public officials by publishing works that aimed to keep Catholics firm in their faith. Officials who searched his house found various vestments and suspect books, and even managed to extract information from William's distraught wife. Over the next 18 months William remained in prison, suffering torture and learning of his wife's death.

He was eventually charged with printing and publishing the Treatise of Schisme, which allegedly incited violence by Catholics and which was said to have been written by a traitor and addressed to traitors. While William calmly placed his trust in God, the jury met for only 15 minutes before reaching a verdict of "guilty." William, who made his final confession to a priest who was being tried alongside him, was hanged, drawn and quartered the following day: January 11, 1584.

He was beatified in 1987.

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-01-11T00:24:00.000-07:00

Paula Hudek and Charles Nicholas Conrad have been added to Grant Them Rest.

Please pray for the repose of their souls.

And if you have someone that you would like to have added, please email me at mortuum_mundo@mac.com

Pax tecum.

Saint of the Day - January 10

2007-01-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

St. Gregory of Nyssa
(330 - 395)

The son of two saints, Basil and Emmilia, young Gregory was raised by his older brother, St. Basil the Great, and his sister, Macrina, in modern-day Turkey. Gregory's success in his studies suggested great things were ahead for him. After becoming a professor of rhetoric, he was persuaded to devote his learning and efforts to the Church. By then married, Gregory went on to study for the priesthood and become ordained (this at a time when celibacy was not a matter of law for priests).
He was elected Bishop of Nyssa (in Lower Armenia) in 372, a period of great tension over the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. Briefly arrested after being falsely accused of embezzling Church funds, Gregory was restored to his see in 378, an act met with great joy by his people.

It was after the death of his beloved brother, Basil, that Gregory really came into his own. He wrote with great effectiveness against Arianism and other questionable doctrines, gaining a reputation as a defender of orthodoxy. He was sent on missions to counter other heresies and held a position of prominence at the Council of Constantinople. His fine reputation stayed with him for the remainder of his life, but over the centuries it gradually declined as the authorship of his writings became less and less certain. But, thanks to the work of scholars in the 20th century, his stature is once again appreciated. Indeed, St. Gregory of Nyssa is seen not simply as a pillar of orthodoxy but as one of the great contributors to the mystical tradition in Christian spirituality and to monasticism itself.

Grant Them Rest - Update!

2007-01-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

Michael Paraiso has been added to Grant Them Rest. Please pray for the repose of his soul and the peace of his family.

+JMJ

Epiphany homily from Fr. Damien

2007-01-09T22:35:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. The word "epiphany" means "manifestation", it is through the adoration of the Māgi that Christ manifested or revealed himself to the world. The journey of the three wise men in seeking the child Jesus is very much like our own pilgrimage in this life. They spent many days traveling from afar looking for the "newborn king of the Jews" to offer him homage, so we have been called to spend our earthly life seeking that same infant to render him worship, in order to enter into eternal happiness. It has been manifested to us that it is he, the Christ, who will fulfill all our desires. He is the source of our earthly and eternal happiness.

However, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that our journey will be a difficult one. "See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples." What is "this darkness" of which Isaiah speaks? Experience teaches us that we live in a world shrouded in the darkness of sin; it is like a thick cloud, which robs us of any lasting peace and joy. But we are not left in the dark, because like the three Kings, we are guided by a star, that star is the Catholic Church. St. Matthew tells us that "[the Magi] were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother." If we desire to find Jesus and his mother, we must always follow the guidance of the star, the Church, which shines ever so brightly in a world darkened by sin.

Upon entering the house, the three wise men "opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." What treasures do we bring with us when we go to visit our Lord? We are called to approach God bearing the gift of gold, which reminds us in spirit that we should be detached from money and the material goods of this world. Yet, there remains something that is more valuable than our earthly possessions, something that we cling to greedily, and that is "our time." We want to be the sole custodian of how to make use of the hours given to us. What is the most common excuse as to why we do not pray more or go to church more often? I just do not have the time.

Allow your vocation in life to guide you in the expenditure of this precious commodity. As a priest or a nun, the most faithful living out of one's religious calling is to lavish God with one's time. The efficacious way for a religious to give witness to a life of consecration is through a profound prayer life. When you approach your priest, you expect to meet someone who is in deep communion with God, which can only be exemplified through a life of prayer. As a layperson, you too are called to a life of prayer, which is indispensable to the spiritual growth of a Christian. However, your fidelity to your vocation can also be gauged by how much time you spend with your family. Parents may shower upon their children the material benefits of this world, but if they are physically or emotionally absent through those formative years because of overworking, then what is it all for? Spouses owe it to one another to spend time in genuine dialogue so that when difficulties and trials arise, which are inevitable in any marriage, they will have recourse to a foundation, which have been established through mutual trust and open communication. This is how we are to approach the infant Jesus with our gift of gold, by giving God and our family that which is most valuable, our presence.

Next, we must imitate the Māgi by bearing the gift of myrrh. Myrrh reminds us of the Passion of Our Lord. On the cross, Jesus was offered wine mingled with myrrh. And it was with myrrh that his body was anointed for burial. But do not think that the need for sacrifice and mortification means an increase of sadness in your life. Mortification is not pessimism or bitterness; on the contrary, it is very closely related to joy. We bring the desires of the flesh under the control of reason to prepare our soul to receive a spiritual joy, one that comes from a life of prayer, love and sacrifice. Love and sacrifice will always go together, because it is only through dying to self will one begin to love. If we deny ourselves of sensible pleasures, we do so in imitation of Jesus who accepted the bitter cup of suffering throughout the days of his earthly life. This is our gift of myrrh.

Lastly, we go Jesus in adoration bearing the gift of frankincense. If you attend Mass regularly at the Abbey, you will take notice of our use of incense. What is the sweet aroma that is most pleasing to God? It is filial obedience, the conformity of our will to the will of our heavenly Father. We possess a will that has been weakened by sin. A will that is more inclined toward the capital vices than the cardinal virtues. You must discipline it by imitating Jesus, who sought only to do the will of the Father. The three wise men prostrated themselves to worship the holy infant, so we must be ready to bend our knees in humble submission to the authority of those who are rightfully placed in charge of us. Children are to submit to their parents, especially during those teenage years, religious to their superior, and Catholics to the teaching authority of the Church. Such obedience is the deathblow to the proud and arrogant soul, and it is like the smell of incense offered to God the Father. However, the Devil and our fallen world will recoil at the sheer thought of such humiliation. That is why when Herod heard of the newborn king of the Jews, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem was troubled with him.

This is why the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, instead, "they departed for their country by another way." We have received God's revelation in its fullness, manifested through the instrumentality of the Catholic Church. This is the only star we need to illuminate our pathway as we journey toward our true country, which is heaven. There is only one star that we must steadfastly fix our eyes upon, divert our gaze and we will run the risk of choosing another road, one on which we will find the likes of Herod waiting for us. We have chosen the way of daily conversion, do not turn back. To help us remain unwavering on this pilgrimage, we must bear the three-fold gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, that is, the gift of our time, our humble obedience and our sacrifices.

So...slow!

2007-01-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

This might not seem like a big deal to some of you, but our system is running on a backup line right now and is intollerably slow...I kid you not, it just took me 15 minutes to open a 4mb efax (this would normally take less than 15 seconds).

Today should be fun. =/

Saint of the Day - January 9

2007-01-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

St. Adrian of Canterbury
(d. 710)

Though St. Adrian turned down a papal request to become Archbishop of Canterbury, England, Pope St. Vitalian accepted the rejection on the condition that Adrian serve as the Holy Father’s assistant and adviser. Adrian accepted, but ended up spending most of his life and doing most of his work in Canterbury.
Born in Africa, Adrian was serving as an abbot in Italy when the new Archbishop of Canterbury appointed him abbot of the monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul in Canterbury. Thanks to his leadership skills, the facility became one of the most important centers of learning. The school attracted many outstanding scholars from far and wide and produced numerous future bishops and archbishops. Students reportedly learned Greek and Latin and spoke Latin as well as their own native languages.

Adrian taught at the school for 40 years. He died there, probably in the year 710, and was buried in the monastery. Several hundred years later, when reconstruction was being done, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state. As word spread, people flocked to his tomb, which became famous for miracles. Rumor had it that young schoolboys in trouble with their masters made regular visits there.

Solemn High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory

2007-01-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Lacrimarum Valle has up a report on a Solemn High Mass in the classical rite offered today at the Birmingham Oratory.

It includes some absolutely splendid photos of which here is one:

Epiphany Statement

2007-01-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

http://thenewliturgicalmovement.blogspot.com/

For those who would like to add their voices to the chorus of support for the liberalization of the Traditional Latin Mass, may do so here:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Epiphany_Declaration/

Epiphany Declaration Published: English Speaking Writers and Intellectuals Join Chorus of International Support for possible Papal Motu Proprio

2007-01-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

http://thenewliturgicalmovement.blogspot.com

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]DECLARATION SUPPORTING ANY PAPAL INITIATIVE TO ALLOW THE FREER USE OF THE 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM

We, Catholic laity and clergy, predominantly of various English-speaking lands, express our hope and desire to see the form of liturgy used prior to and during the Second Vatican Council given, again, greater freedom of use in the life of the Catholic Church and we express our enthusiastic support for any papal initiative to the same end.

We join in spirit as well with those figures of yesteryear who, in 1971, successfully petitioned the Holy See for the continued use of the classical Roman liturgy, deemed by them and by us as a spiritual and cultural treasure of inestimable value. Today in a similar spirit of love for the Church and her rich liturgical tradition, we unite our own voices with those heard in the recent past: with those of Agatha Christie, Cyril Connolly, Kenneth Clark, Graham Greene, Cecil Day Lewis, Malcolm Muggeridge and Iris Murdoch. Moreover, we join with the likes of such esteemed individuals as Evelyn Waugh in expressing our profound attachment to this liturgical treasure of Church.

As such, we wish to voice our support for the possible initiative of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, which is thought to allow for the wider usage of the classical Roman liturgy in the hope that:

1. Pastorally, the "rightful aspirations" (cf. Ecclesia Dei adflicta) of Catholics attached to the classical form of the Roman liturgy might be more freely and readily realized in the Latin rite;

2. The ancient liturgical usages of the West might be fostered as living forms of worship in the Church, enjoying full right of citizenship in the same – the classical Roman rite as well as the ancient liturgical rites and uses of the religious orders and primatial sees which formed a part of the living, organic and legitimate liturgical diversity of the Church until recent times.

Finally, we believe that the presence of the classical form of the Roman liturgy in broader ecclesial and parish life will positively contribute to the ongoing efforts to implement the liturgical reforms promulgated by the Second Vatican Council as delineated in Sacrosanctum Concilium, and as envisioned by the Fathers of the aforesaid Council.

Saturday, January 6th
Feast of the Epiphany
Signed:
Matthew Alderman, Intern Architect and Liturgical Artist (USA)
Dr. Deri Balázs, Head of the department of Latin (Eötvös Loránd University),
Director of the Institute for Ancient Studies, Editor-in-chief of the Hungarian Church Music Review (Budapest)
James Bogle, Esq., Barrister (London, UK)
Daniel J. Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief, Crisis in Education (USA)
Christian Champion, Department of History (McGill University, Canada)
Fr. Richard G. Cipolla, Ph.D., D. Phil.(Oxon), Chairman, Classics Department. (Brunswick School, Greenwich, CT, USA)
Stephen M. Collins, Musician (USA)
László Dobszay, Writer, Professor (Liszt Ferenc Music Academy, Budapest)
Colin B. Donovan, STL (USA)
Fr. Lawrence Donnelly (Canada)
Jane Errera, M.A., Musician and Speaker (USA)
Fr. Timothy Finigan, MA, STL, Lecturer, Founder of the Association of Priests for the Gospel of Life (UK)
Fr. Gregoire J. Fluet, Ph.D, K.H.S, V.F., Vice-President, Holy Apostles College and Seminary, Cromwell, Connecticut, Pastor (St. Bridget of Kildare Church, Moodus, CT, USA)
Dr. Michael P. Foley, Assistant Professor of Patristics (Baylor University, USA)
Michael Gilchrist, Editor, AD2000 (Australia)
J. Richard Haefer, Professor of Music (Arizona State University, USA)
Rev. Dr. Laurence Paul Hemming (Heythrop College, University of London, UK)
Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, Author and Speaker (USA)
Fr. Thomas Kocik, Author (USA)
Fr. Matthew L. Lamb, Professor of Theology (Ave Maria University, USA)
Philip Lawler, Editor, Catholic World News (USA)
Michael Lawrence, Musician and Writer (USA)
Joseph Mansfield, M.Ed, President of TennSoft LLC (Retired) (USA)
Roger McCaffrey, Catholic publisher (USA)
Dr. Dennis Q. McInerney, Professor (Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, USA)
Dr. Stephen McInerney, Lecturer/English Literature (Campion College, Australia)
Fr. Aidan Nichols, OP, John Paul II Lecturer in Roman Catholic Theology (Oxford University, UK)
Dr. Susan Frank Parsons, President, Society for the Study of Christian Ethics (UK), Co-Founder of the Society of St Catherine of Siena (UK)
Joseph Pearce, Writer, Professor of Literature (Ave Maria University, USA)
Michael Procter, MA LRAM ARCM FRSA, Editor and publisher of Sacred Polyphony, Director of the International Academy of Sacred Music (Venice)
Dr. John C. Rao (D.Phil., Oxford), Associate Professor of History (St. John's University); Chairman, The Roman Forum (USA)
Dr. Alcuin Reid, Liturgical Scholar and Author (UK)
Daniel W. Sexton, Attorney at law (USA)
Dr. Joseph Shaw, Fellow in Philosophy (St Benet's Hall, Oxford University, UK)
Dr. Barry Spurr, Senior Lecturer in English (University of Sydney, Australia)
Thomas A. Szyszkiewicz, Freelance writer in the Catholic media (USA)
Shawn R. Tribe, Writer (Canada)
Edward S. Turner III, CIO IVES Group (USA)
Paul M. Weber, Assistant Professor of Music (Franciscan University of Steubenville, USA)
Fr. Samuel F. Weber, O.S.B., (Wake Forest University Divinity School, USA)
Amy Welborn, Catholic Author (USA)
David Williams, Professor of Literature (McGill University, Canada)
Fr. Joseph Wilson (USA)
Kieron Wood, Barrister-at-Law (Dublin, Ireland)
Dr. Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Historian and Author (USA)

Saint of the Day - January 8

2007-01-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Blessed Angela of Foligno
(1248 - 1309)

Some saints show marks of holiness very early. Not Angela! Born of a leading family in Foligno, she became immersed in the quest for wealth and social position. As a wife and mother, she continued this life of distraction.
Around the age of 40 she recognized the emptiness of her life and sought God’s help in the Sacrament of Penance. Her Franciscan confessor helped Angela to seek God’s pardon for her previous life and to dedicate herself to prayer and the works of charity.

Shortly after her conversion, her husband and children died. Selling most of her possessions, she entered the Secular Franciscan Order. She was alternately absorbed by meditating on the crucified Christ and by serving the poor of Foligno as a nurse and beggar for their needs. Other women joined her in a religious community.

At her confessor’s advice, Angela wrote her Book of Visions and Instructions. In it she recalls some of the temptations she suffered after her conversion; she also expresses her thanks to God for the Incarnation of Jesus. This book and her life earned for Angela the title "Teacher of Theologians." She was beatified in 1693.

Comment:

People who live in the United States today can understand Blessed Angela’s temptation to increase her sense of self-worth by accumulating money, fame or power. Striving to possess more and more, she became more and more self-centered. When she realized she was priceless because she was created and loved by God, she became very penitential and very charitable to the poor. What had seemed foolish early in her life now became very important. The path of self-emptying she followed is the path all holy men and women must follow.

Quote:
Pope John Paul II writes: “Christ the Redeemer of the World is the one who penetrated in a unique, unrepeatable way into the mystery of the human person and entered our ‘hearts.’ Rightly therefore does the Second Vatican Council teach: ‘The truth is that only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery of the human person take on light.... Christ the New Adam, in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and his love, fully reveals human beings to themselves and brings to light their most high calling’” (Redemptor Hominis, 8).

Sacred Art at St. John Cantius

2007-01-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

from the website of St. John Cantius Church:

St. John Cantius Parish feels that sacred art plays a very important role in its efforts to Restore the Sacred in our Church. Although a large part of its work is directed to helping save many of the exemplary vestments, sacred vessels, and art works that others have discarded over the past thirty years, it does not believe that its mission ends there. As a result, St. John Cantius Parish and its resident religious community, the Society of St. John Cantius, are striving not only to preserve past sacred art, but also to continue the cultivation of new sacred art for the Greater Glory of God. We present here a few examples of the sacred art from its collections and will add other examples in the future.

Saint of the Day - January 5

2007-01-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

St. John Neumann
(1811-1860)

Perhaps because the United States got a later start in the history of the world, it has relatively few canonized saints, but their number is increasing.
John Neumann was born in what is now the Czech Republic. After studying in Prague, he came to New York at 25 and was ordained a priest. He did missionary work in New York until he was 29, when he joined the Redemptorists and became its first member to profess vows in the United States. He continued missionary work in Maryland, Virginia and Ohio, where he became popular with the Germans.

At 41, as bishop of Philadelphia, he organized the parochial school system into a diocesan one, increasing the number of pupils almost twentyfold within a short time.

Gifted with outstanding organizing ability, he drew into the city many teaching communities of sisters and the Christian Brothers. During his brief assignment as vice provincial for the Redemptorists, he placed them in the forefront of the parochial movement.

Well-known for his holiness and learning, spiritual writing and preaching, on October 13, 1963, he became the first American bishop to be beatified. Canonized in 1977, he is buried in St. Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia.

Comment:

Neumann took seriously our Lord’s words, “Go and teach all nations.” From Christ he received his instructions and the power to carry them out. For Christ does not give a mission without supplying the means to accomplish it. The Father’s gift in Christ to John Neumann was his exceptional organizing ability, which he used to spread the Good News.

Today the Church is in dire need of men and women to continue in our times the teaching of the Good News. The obstacles and inconveniences are real and costly. Yet when Christians approach Christ, he supplies the necessary talents to answer today’s needs. The Spirit of Christ continues his work through the instrumentality of generous Christians.

Quote:

All people of whatever race, condition or age, in virtue of their dignity as human persons, have an inalienable right to education. This education should be suitable to the particular destiny of the individuals, adapted to their ability, sex and national cultural traditions, and should be conducive to amicable relations with other nations in order to promote true unity and peace in the world. True education aims to give people a formation which is directed towards their final end and the good of that society to which they belong and in which, as adults, they will have their share of duties to perform. (Declaration on Christian Education, 1, Austin Flannery translation).