Angels and Demons: Watch this Video, Read this Posting

The video is a warm up. Now read the posting at Ignatius Scoop Blog entitled "Angels & Demons" is methodical, pedestrian, and quite silly.

Who and What Is the Catholic Church?

Did Pope Benedict Sell Netanyahu on a Two State Solution?

I was amazed yesterday when I read the first news report.

Apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed.

The Anchoress presents a reality check for the media.

Post Pope, Israel may support 2-state solution - UPDATED

The AP is reporting thusly:

"On the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s crucial visit to Washington, his defense minister suggested Saturday the Israeli leader might be ready to endorse a Palestinian state when he meets President Barack Obama.

"That would be a significant shift for Netanyahu, who has made clear in the past that he does not think the Palestinians are ready to rule themselves. But that position has put him at odds with long-standing U.S. policy that supports Palestinian statehood as the cornerstone of Mideast peace efforts."

You got that? Netanyahu may be willing to support a 2-state solution, and it’s because he’ll soon be meeting with President Barack Obama. The Pope’s recent meeting with Netanyahu, and the papal support for a Palestinian State? Not even mentioned.

Such gigantic news could not come, of course, “on the heels of a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI.”

It can only come “on the eve of [a] crucial visit to Washington.”

Read the rest of her posting here.

Point being: Pope Benedict is Vicar of Christ. He speaks for Christ to this world in our day. Never forget the Office. Never underestimate the Office.

Today Notre Dame Gives President Obama An Honorary Degree

Msgr. Charles Pope comments here on what's wrong with this picture.

By the way, Jill Stanek is there, at Notre Dame University and liveblogging.

8 Yr. Old James Higgins, Future Pope Pius XIII

This video is from about one year ago-so little James is actually 9 years old now-but it's the first time I've seen it.

You have to watch it.

hat tip TLM Arlington

Fr. Robert Johansen's Guide to Summorum Pontificum: Why the Motu Proprio?

Why the Motu Proprio
by Fr. Robert Johansen

This easy-to-understand guide helps Catholics understand the pastoral approach that Pope Benedict XVI takes toward those Catholic faithful attached to the Traditional Latin Mass.

On July 7, Pope Benedict XVI promulgated an Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio, titled “Summorum Pontificum”, in which he greatly broadened the circumstances under which the “Old” Mass, that is, the “pre-Vatican II” Mass, could be celebrated. A Motu Proprio is a letter issued by the Holy Father “on his own initiative” for the good of the whole Church, and has the force of both legislation and teaching. This document promises to be of great importance to the lives of all Catholics, not only for its provisions for the celebration of the Classical Roman Rite, but for the understanding of the Church’s liturgy that it advances. This pamphlet will discuss some of the main points of the document and clear up some possible misconceptions.

What does the Motu Proprio do?

In this document, Pope Benedict grants any priest who can properly celebrate Mass according to the “old” usage the right to do so, without the need to seek permission from his bishop. Furthermore, it allows the faithful who desire the Mass according to the Classical Rite to request it from their pastors, who are now expected to “willingly grant” such requests. If such a request is not granted, the people have the right to take the matter to their bishop, who, the Motu Proprio states, is “strongly requested” to grant their petition. Should both the pastor and bishop not grant the request, the matter is to be referred to the Commission Ecclesia Dei of the Holy See. In short, the Motu Proprio recognizes the right of the faithful to the traditional Latin Mass, and makes it incumbent on pastors and bishops to provide it.

Does this Motu Proprio “bring back” the Latin Mass?

In one sense, no, because the “Latin Mass” has never been suppressed or “gotten rid” of by the Church. Firstly, Pope Benedict makes clear in the Motu Proprio that the pre-conciliar form of the Mass was never “abrogated” or suppressed. Also, the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, while it calls for a reform of the liturgy and for some use of the vernacular, also quite clearly calls for retaining the use of Latin in the liturgy:

36. 1. Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites.
54. …Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.

The constitution also recognizes the pride of place of traditional aspects of the liturgy such as Gregorian Chant.

What the Motu Proprio does is establish that the “old” Mass is one form of celebration of the Roman Rite, and the “new” Mass, while different, is but another form of that one Roman Rite. Indeed, from now on the two forms are to be known as the “ordinary” (new) and “extraordinary” (old) form.

Does this mean that all of our Masses will be in Latin?

No. Pope Benedict is not calling for a wholesale overturning of the status quo. The Church has learned the lessons from the “overnight” way in which the changes of the 1970 Missal were implemented, which created great pain and uncertainty among the faithful. What the Holy Father wants is the opportunity for the living Tradition of our liturgy to once again become part of the “normal” life of the Church.

What if I don’t want to go to a Latin Mass?

Well, firstly, I would wonder why a Catholic would be so uninterested in our Tradition as to adopt such an attitude. Generations of Catholics prayed the Mass, received Our Lord in Holy Communion, lived their faith, were given strength and comfort, and grew in holiness with the “old” Latin Mass. Surely, it seems to me, at the very least out of respect for them we should make an effort to value, or even treasure, that which gave them so much. As the holy father wrote in his letter explaining the Motu Proprio: “…what earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…”. However, that being said, if you really don’t want to go to a Latin Mass, you don’t have to. No one will be forced to participate in one.

Why is the Holy Father doing this now?

There are at least two reasons for this Motu Proprio:

Firstly, following the introduction of the “New” Mass in 1970, many Catholics - priests and laypeople - continued to desire the Mass according to the Extraordinary Form. However, in the early years following the change, in most places the Extraordinary Form was completely abandoned, and indeed many people were told or led to believe that the “old” Mass was forbidden or suppressed. This was not, in fact, the case. Because of the continued desire of many Catholics for the Mass in its Classical form, in 1984 Pope John Paul II extended an “indult” or special permission, allowing priests to celebrate the Mass of the Classical Roman Rite with their bishops’ permission. The document extending the indult urged bishops to grant this permission “generously”. Unfortunately, a substantial number of bishops did not abide by the spirit of the indult, and either refused to grant the permission altogether, or laid many conditions and burdens on those requesting the Classical Rite, in practice all-but denying it.

The second reason for this document is the Holy Father’s concern for the overall liturgical life of the Church. In the decades following the Council and the implementation of the “new” Mass, then-Cardinal Ratzinger and many other theologians and scholars realized that intent and goals of the council fathers had not been completely fulfilled, and in some cases, not fulfilled at all. For example, the provisions regarding the retention of Latin were largely ignored. Furthermore, it became apparent, as Pope Benedict wrote in his explanatory letter, “that in many places celebrations [of the liturgy] were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal, but [the “new” Mass] actually was understood as authorizing or even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy.” He further explained that “there is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture.” The Holy Father, as he indicated also in his encyclical of last year Sacramentum Caritatis (“The Sacrament of Charity”), desires that we recover and restore the fullness of our authentic Catholic tradition in our worship, because only in doing so can we remain fully grounded in the Faith as it has come down to us from the Apostles.

What should I do about this?

Well, firstly, if you’re not familiar with the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, or with our Latin tradition, take a little time to start getting familiar with them. Without doubt, many articles, workshops, and conferences about these things will be forthcoming. Take advantage of the opportunity to read the articles and attend some of the workshops. The more you understand our Catholic Faith the more fully you can live it!

Second, be patient! It will take some time to work out how this will be implemented and lived out in every diocese and parish. Make allowances for an awkward “adjustment” period, and even a little personal discomfort – the Church is asking us to grow, and deepen our understanding of how we are to live our faith as Catholics. We can’t grow if we insist in remaining in our own “comfort zone”.

Finally, say a prayer of thanksgiving for the wisdom and prudence of our holy father in giving this great gift to the Church. He is allowing the Church to re-appropriate the Living Tradition as it has come down to us from the Apostles and Fathers. This is a great gift!

Some On-Line Resources

Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum” – English Translation:
http://www.zenit.org/rssenglish-20071

Explanatory Letter of the Holy Father on the Motu Proprio:
http://www.zenit.org/article-20070?l=english

Amy Welborn’s Motu Proprio Tip Sheet (in progress):
http://amywelborn.typepad.com/motuproprio/

Analysis in The Catholic Herald (England) by Dr. Alcuin Reid:
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/features_opinion/feature%203.html

This pamphlet may be freely copied and distributed, but may not be edited or abridged without the express consent of the author.

Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, New Jersey

Fr. Selvester, blogmaster of Shouts In The Piazza, reports on the Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in Raritan, New Jersey.

As many have already seen here on this blog my bishop has appointed me to serve as the 6th Rector of the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament in Raritan, New Jersey. Some of you have been kind enough already to send good wishes and others have also asked for a little more in formation about the Shrine.

Father goes on to cite some very interesting history, including the history of the Traditional Latin Mass at the Shrine.

In addition to being the home of the Diocesan Eucharistic League the Shrine has also been the home of the Traditional Latin Mass in the diocese. For many years under the indult granted by Pope John Paul II, of happy memory, the mass using the missal of 1962 was celebrated twice a month on a Sunday morning. Because of its location almost in the geographical center of the diocese the Shrine was considered the ideal location for this mass. With the motu proprio of Pope Benedict XVI, "Summorum Pontificum", the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite began to be celebrated on a daily basis in addition to a daily celebration of the Ordinary Form at the Shrine.

Over the last 20 years this former parish church has become a beloved and valuable place of adoration, penance, devotion and worship for the people of the diocese. It will be a challenge and a privilege to continue this legacy as I take up my duties as the new Rector. Please pray for me.

I've added this site to my favorites list. I have a feeling we'll be hearing more Shouts in the Piazza from Father Selvester as the leaven of Summorum Pontificum continues to leaven the loaf.

Liturgical Treasures have an Objective Claim on Catholics

In a posting entitled "On Reunion with the Orthodox and the SSPX Connection" blogger Prima at Gregorian Rite Catholic discusses the centrality of the liturgy in the quest for unity within the the Church Militant, the Body of Christ on Earth.

Allow me to quote the first few paragraphs of this insightful post and if it sounds interesting, pay a visit to Gregorian Rite Catholic. Maybe you'll find some other pleasant surprises there as well.

[I've also added some hyperlinks to the text for the help of the reader.]
__________________________

On Reunion with the Orthodox and the SSPX Connection

A reader wanted a clarification on the possible reunion with the Orthodox and the connection with the reintegration of the SSPX. Certainly, the publication of Summorum Pontificum on 7 July 2007 was the first step in the effort toward reintegration with the SSPX. The SSPX had always made the liturgy one of their points of contention, along with ecumenism and religious liberty (which will now be dealt with in talks under the aegis of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, where the Commission Ecclesia Dei now reports). As Benedict XVI wrote:

Up to our own times, it has been the constant concern of supreme pontiffs to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy ritual to the Divine Majesty, 'to the praise and glory of His name,' and 'to the benefit of all His Holy Church.'

Pope Benedict cites the name of Gregory the Great here:

Among the pontiffs who showed that requisite concern, particularly outstanding is the name of St. Gregory the Great, who made every effort to ensure that the new peoples of Europe received both the Catholic faith and the treasures of worship and culture that had been accumulated by the Romans in preceding centuries.

This is an important statement. While the "treasures of worship and culture" do not rise to the level of dogma or doctrine, Benedict notes that Gregory the Great was concerned to make sure that the new Christians of Europe received them. What Benedict is saying here is that these treasures have an objective claim on us as Catholics, even though they may not have the status of dogma or doctrine and that we cannot simply disregard them. They are objectively important in the lives of Catholics:

It is known, in fact, that the Latin liturgy of the Church in its various forms, in each century of the Christian era, has been a spur to the spiritual life of many saints, has reinforced many peoples in the virtue of religion and fecundated their piety.

Benedict particularly commends St. Pius V, who:

sustained by great pastoral zeal and following the exhortations of the Council of Trent, renewed the entire liturgy of the Church, oversaw the publication of liturgical books amended and 'renewed in accordance with the norms of the Fathers,' and provided them for the use of the Latin Church.

Benedict here is saying that, while there is always a need for reform, there is no excuse for disregarding and banishing the treasures of the past, which have proved themselves so salutary for the practice of the faith. Benedict notes the reforms that followed Vatican II, including those of the liturgical books, but says:

But in some regions, no small numbers of faithful adhered and continue to adhere with great love and affection to the earlier liturgical forms. These had so deeply marked their culture and their spirit that in 1984 the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, moved by a concern for the pastoral care of these faithful, with the special indult 'Quattuor abhinc anno," issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship, granted permission to use the Roman Missal published by Blessed John XXIII in the year 1962. Later, in the year 1988, John Paul II with the Apostolic Letter given as Motu Proprio, 'Ecclesia Dei,' exhorted bishops to make generous use of this power in favor of all the faithful who so desired.

In the explanatory letter that accompanied Summorum Pontificum, Benedict reinforced the salutary nature of the ecclesiastical tradition:

What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church's faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place. Needless to say, in order to experience full communion, the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to the new books. The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness.

The Subtle Power of a Seed Planted

I like to think of SP as not only the abbreviation of Summorum Pontificum but also the abbreviation of a Seed Planted.

Father Z has a posting alive with the energy of change brought about by the Holy Father’s gift of SP to the Church.

This is but one of hundreds of stories foreshadowing and substantiating the New Offensive.

_______________________

30 And he said: To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? or to what parable shall we compare it? 31 It is as a grain of mustard seed: which when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth: 32 And when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches, so that the birds of the air may dwell under the shadow thereof.

Mark 4:30-32

Another parable he spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.

Matthew 13:33

The Beauty and Obedience of Veiling at Mass

Jane Teresa gives her take on Veiling at Mass.

Here’s an excerpt:

Over time, I have grown into a deeper understanding of the beauty of veiling. I started veiling my head during Mass only because of a vague sense of the Holy and because of an instinctual humility at encountering it. I hadn't experienced the traditional Mass, and I also hadn't been taught perhaps the most important thing that anyone can be taught. As is written in the Baltimore Catechism, the four principle ends of the Mass are:

First, to adore God as our Creator and Lord.
Second, to thank God for His many favours.
Third, to ask God to bestow His blessings on all men.
Fourth, to satisfy the justice of God for the sins committed against Him.

She ends her posting with a link to a Latin Mass Society article on veiling, entitled "Wear your Mantilla with Pride".

Father Cutié Becomes Newest Poster Boy for Celibacy Debate

The celibacy debate once again has gone viral it seems, mostly due to the recent scandal caused by Father Cutié.

However, Fr. James Farfaglia explores the matter a little more deeply in this well written piece and Father Thomas Euteneuer weighs in also on The Dynamics of Celibacy.

Ignatius Insight is also featuring an excerpt “Clerical Celibacy: Concept and Method” from The Case for Clerical Celibacy by Alfons Maria Cardinal Stickler.

There’s much more to the subject of celibacy than the media’s 30 second clip of talking points.

What is the Traditional Latin Mass?

[image source]

According to the Gregorian Society of Baltimore, the Traditional Latin Mass is offered every Sunday at 11:30 am at St. Alphonsus Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
One of the resources offered on the Society's website is a response to the basic question "What is Traditional Latin Mass?"

It's reasonably brief but well put together. Bear in mind that it was obviously written before Summorum Pontificum which was issued by Pope Benedict XVI on July 7, 2007 but nevertheless it's a helpful article for newcomers to the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite, as Benedict XVI termed it.

________________________

What is Traditional Latin Mass ?

"…respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition, by a wide and generous application of the directives…(for the use of the Traditional Latin Mass.)"
-- Pope John Paul II's letter titled Ecclesia Dei

What today we call the “Traditional Latin Mass” was called prior to the Second Vatican Council the “Holy Sacrifice of the Mass” or simply “The Holy Mass”.

In the years following Vatican II and the introduction of the Novus Ordo or New Order (the New Liturgy), the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass began to be described in terms such as….the “old” Mass, or the “Latin” Mass or the “Tridentine” Mass to distinguish it from the New Liturgy of the post Vatican II years.

This sublime and sacred liturgy has always been known for its beauty, reverence, silence and mystery. Perhaps this explains why so many people are attracted to this form of worship and in increasing number have requested this venerable Mass.

In response, Pope John Paul II in October 1984, granted permission for this same “Holy Sacrifice of the Mass” to be offered with approval by the local bishop. On July 2, 1988 Pope John Paul II expanded his earlier directives for this Mass by release of an Apostolic Letter called “Ecclesia Dei”. In this letter he proclaimed…

“To all those Catholic faithful who feel attached to some previous liturgical and disciplinary forms of the Latin tradition, I wish to manifest my will to facilitate their ecclesial communion by means of the necessary measures to guarantee respect for their rightful aspirations. In this matter I ask support of the Bishops and of all those engaged in the pastoral ministry in the Church

"By virtue of my Apostolic Authority I Decree ... respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition, by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued some time ago by the Apostolic See, for the use of the Roman Missal…of 1962.”

The Roman Catholic faithful may now ask their bishop that the traditional Latin Mass be offered every Sunday in their parish.

Why is it called the "Holy Sacrifice of the Mass"?

Michael Davies in his book, “The Tridentine Mass” wrote,

“The Christian religion has only one sacrifice, the sacrifice that was once offered when Our Lord Jesus Christ, acting both as Priest and Victim, shed His Blood for us upon the Cross. On Holy Thursday, at the Last Supper, our Savior offered this sacrifice in anticipation. (The Last Supper was offered in anticipation of the Cross. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered in memory of the Cross.) He also consecrated His Apostles as bishops, and commanded them to offer this selfsame sacrifice as His commemoration in order that, as the Council of Trent teaches us, ‘He might leave to his own beloved Spouse the Church, a visible sacrifice such as the nature of man requires.’ Whenever this visible sacrifice is celebrated the Sacrifice of the Cross is made present.

When we assist at Mass we are present at Calvary .”

“The Sacrifice of the Mass is truly the Sacrifice of Calvary made present among us, a sacrifice at which we should dare to be present only in a spirit of the utmost reverence and the most abject humility, conscious of our unworthiness in the presence of the all-holy God.”

“In his Brief, Si quid est, September 2, 1634, Pope Uban VIII evoked the spirit of wonder and reverence which must characterize every true Catholic when present at the Holy Sacrifice; ‘If there is anything divine among man’s possessions which might excite the envy of the citizens of heaven (could they ever by swayed by such a passion), this is undoubtedly the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, by means of which men, having before their eyes, and taking into their hands the very Creator of heaven and earth, experience, while still on earth, a certain anticipation of heaven.’”

Indeed, Rev. Fr. Frederick William Faber said in regards to the Mass, ‘It is the most beautiful thing this side of heaven.’

Why is this Mass sometimes called the "Tridentine" Mass?

A distinction must be made between the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass itself and the rite of the Mass in which it is offered. There are many different rites of Mass, but the sacrifice itself, the making present of Calvary , is identical in every case. A rite of Mass consists of the words and ceremonies surrounding the essential elements instituted by Our Lord. The different rites of Mass evolved in a gradual and natural manner over the centuries. Rev. Father Adrian Fortescue, England ’s greatest liturgical historians, has remarked that the Mass of the Roman Rite (as we knew it up to 1969) is the most venerable rite in Christendom.

It is unfortunate in one way that the traditional Mass of the Roman Rite is now generally referred to as the “Tridentine Mass”. This practice has led to the widespread impression that it was composed following the Council of Trent. The word “Tridentine” means pertaining to this Council –the Concilium Tridentinum—which took place at various periods between the years 1545 and 1563. On the other hand, the term “Tridentine” provides a useful reminder that the traditional Mass embodies within its prayers and ceremonies the Eucharistic teaching of the Council of Trent, which, the Council commanded, must be held until the end of the world.”

Indeed it was St. Pius V who referred to the Mass as the Eternal Mass the Mass of All Ages.

A new Missal was not promulgated at the Council of Trent rather for the first time in the history of the Church the Council and Pope consolidated and codified it.

Fr. Fortescue explains:

"The Protestant Reformers naturally played havoc with the old liturgy. It was throughout the expression of the very ideas (the Real Presence, Eucharistic Sacrifice, and so on) they rejected. SO they substituted for it new communion services that expressed their principles but, of course, broke away utterly from all historic liturgical evolution. The Council of Trent (1545-1563), in opposition to the anarchy of these new services, wished the Roman Mass to be celebrated uniformly everywhere. The medieval local uses had lasted long enough. They had become very florid and exuberant; and their variety caused confusion.

“The first priority of the Council of Trent was to codify Catholic Eucharistic teaching. It did this in very great detail and in clear and inspiring terms. Anathema was pronounced upon anyone who rejected this teaching, and the Fathers insisted that what they taught concerning the Eucharist must remain unmodified until the end of time.”

The ‘Tridentine’ Mass is indeed the most venerable rite in Christendom and in all essentials predates the Council of Trent by almost a millennium.

Why Latin?

Latin remains the official language of the Roman Catholic Church and has been used as a liturgical language in the West since the third century. The unchanging nature of the Latin language has preserved the orthodox doctrine of the Mass handed down from the Early Church Fathers. The use of Latin in the Mass and in official Church documents has been fundamental in supporting the universality and unity of the Church.

Although the Mass is said or sung by the priest in Latin, those members of the congregation who have their own prayer books will find English text printed along side the corresponding Latin text. Therefore, anyone who is able to read, adult to the youngest child, is able to practice interior or quiet prayer, while following the priest and the prayers of the Mass.

Visitors to St. Alphonsus Church will find small, red-covered, missalettes available in the back of the church which they may borrow. The missalettes contain all the common prayers, those prayers which are the same for nearly every Mass. The ‘proper prayers’ which include the Introit, Gradual, Epistle, Gospel and others…which vary with the days of the Liturgical Year are provided in the form of an ‘insert’ for each Mass.

The Little Number of Those Who Are Saved

[image source]

Can you believe that it was a Catholic who wrote like this? It sounds more like Puritan Jonathan Edwards "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God".

But that was long before modernism swept with vengeance over the vast fields of the faithful. However, any true return to orthodoxy must re-embrace the fullness of the Magisterium, of which the truths presented by St. Leonard of Port Maurice are an integral part.

If the reader thinks that the teachings of St. Leonard of Port Maurice on this subject are simply an aberration of some kind, why not read "The Fathers and Saints on the Fewness of the Saved."

The seed of a return to orthodoxy has now been planted. The New Offensive will indeed be offensive to a great many.

Concluding Chapter to
The Little Number of Those Who Are Saved
by St. Leonard of Port Maurice

Brothers, I want to send all of you away comforted today. So if you ask me my sentiment on the number of those who are saved, here it is: Whether there are many or few that are saved, I say that whoever wants to be saved, will be saved; and that no one can be damned if he does not want to be. And if it is true that few are saved, it is because there are few who live well. As for the rest, compare these two opinions: the first one states that the greater number of Catholics are condemned; the second one, on the contrary, pretends that the greater number of Catholics are saved. Imagine an Angel sent by God to confirm the first opinion, coming to tell you that not only are most Catholics damned, but that of all this assembly present here, one alone will be saved. If you obey the Commandments of God, if you detest the corruption of this world, if you embrace the Cross of Jesus Christ in a spirit of penance, you will be that one alone who is saved.

Now imagine the same Angel returning to you and confirming the second opinion. He tells you that not only are the greater portion of Catholics saved, but that out of all this gathering, one alone will be damned and all the others saved. If after that, you continue your usuries, your vengeances, your criminal deeds, your impurities, then you will be that one alone who is damned.

What is the use of knowing whether few or many are saved? Saint Peter says to us, "Strive by good works to make your election sure." When Saint Thomas Aquinas's sister asked him what she must do to go to heaven, he said, "You will be saved if you want to be." I say the same thing to you, and here is proof of my declaration. No one is damned unless he commits mortal sin: that is of faith. And no one commits mortal sin unless he wants to: that is an undeniable theological proposition. Therefore, no one goes to hell unless he wants to; the consequence is obvious. Does that not suffice to comfort you? Weep over past sins, make a good confession, sin no more in the future, and you will all be saved. Why torment yourself so? For it is certain that you have to commit mortal sin to go to hell, and that to commit mortal sin you must want to, and that consequently no one goes to hell unless he wants to. That is not just an opinion, it is an undeniable and very comforting truth; may God give you to understand it, and may He bless you. Amen.

In the first Rules on the discernment of spirits, Saint Ignatius shows that it is typical of the evil spirit to tranquilize sinners. Therefore, we must constantly preach and give rise to confidence and the duty of hope in the Lord's infinite pardon and mercy, for conversion is easy and His grace is all-powerful. But we must also recall that "God is not mocked," and that someone who is living habitually in the state of mortal sin is on the road to eternal damnation.

Historical Notes on the Oratory of the Sacred Heart at Mercy Convent , St. John's, NL

Sr. Mona Carew, RSM, in May of 1997 released her "Historical Notes on Sacred Heart Oratory (Mercy Convent Chapel), Cathedral Square/Military Road, St. John’s, Newfoundland."

It makes very interesting reading and I'd like to post the notes online for all to access.

The Mercy Convent Church, as it was called in 1891, was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary (the golden jubilee) of the arrival in St. John's of the Sisters of Mercy from Dublin, Ireland, in 1842. Construction began on 1 April 1891, the feast of our Lady of Good Counsel, and the chapel was blessed and dedicated in 1892.

The first mass was celebrated on 3 June 1892. At its opening, the chapel was decorated with evergreens and flowers, and the dedication ceremony took place at 9 AM when the procession entered, the clergy and sisters first, followed by the girls of Mercy Convent schools in their white veils and procession dresses. Many clergy were present, including Archbishop O'Brien of Halifax, Bishop Macdonald of Charlottetown, Dr. Power the bishop of St. John's, Monsignor Howley and others, 23 clergy in all.

The celebrant was the Vicar-General of the diocese, Rev. John Scott of the Cathedral parish. Rev. J.J. McGrath was Deacon, and Rev. J. Donnelly was Sub-Deacon. The dedication ceremony was performed by Bishop Power. The bishop preached the sermon, touching on the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Sisters of Mercy and the good work done by them since they established their foundation in St. John's in 1842. Bishop Power also preached briefly on the manifestation of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary. This was the feast chosen by the celebrant. In referring to the good work done by the Sisters, the bishop paid tribute to "the liberal assistance afforded them by the people of St. John's... no more noble or generous hearted people existed in the world." He noted that their faith and respect for their clergy and religious were also some of their characteristics, speaking of the "lavish generosity toward their faith, its ministers and its institutions has almost become proverbial, and is amply indicated in this and other religious buildings which embellish the city". The bishop then paid tribute to Mr. John Coleman, the architect of Mercy Convent Church. The mass was followed by solemn benediction. The cathedral choir sang, and at 11:30 the congregation left the building.

Mercy Convent Chapel is oblong, the ceiling edge is arched and lofty. Circular stained-glass windows shed a soft light into the building. The altar is at the north end and the choir gallery is in the South. The chapel fronts on Military Road. In the apse which extends upward and forms the dome, the apex of which is glass, the altar is erected. The ceiling is fully plastered, and six rose windows illuminate the chapel from the clerestory walls. The northwest rose window containing the stained-glass image of St. Joseph carrying the infant Jesus in his arms was donated by the businessmen of St. John's to show their reverence and appreciation for their deceased teacher Sister Mary Joseph Fox, founder and teacher of the Commercial Department of Mercy school. (See Sr. M. Wilhelmina Hogan, Pathways of Mercy, St. John's, 1986)

The altar was designed by J. J. Callahan, the carving and painting of the panels was the work of Dan Carroll. The principal part of the woodwork was done by James Armstrong and painted by Thomas Dunn. The altar and the elegant chancel rail were the gift of the generous benefactor James Boggan. In 1992, the repainting of the chapel was completed by Tempo Construction of St. John's under the direction of Jerry and Richard Scaplen.

Since its dedication over a century ago, Mercy Convent Chapel was where daily mass was said for the Sisters of Mercy and their pupils. Children of Mary retreats were made, and there was benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Here the little ones made their First Holy Communion. Ceremonies of reception, and profession of the Sisters were held here, and many marriages of the alumni of the Academy of Our Lady of Mercy School have taken place.

On 18 October 1990, the Convent of our Lady of Mercy and the Sacred Heart Oratory, Military Road, were designated provincial heritage structures by the heritage foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Portrait of the True Christian

PORTRAIT OF THE TRUE CHRISTIAN

To know the Catholic religion, to respect it, to love it, to avoid diligently that which it prohibits, to fulfill exactly that which it commands.

To believe in God, to hope in Him, to love Him, to pray often to Him, to thank Him, to praise Him, to adore Him, to fear Him, to submit perfectly to Him.

To observe subordination, piety, justice, goodness, charity toward our superiors, or equals, and our inferiors.

To be humble, teachable, patient, modest, chaste, temperate, detached from the world and from self, and to be occupied about our own salvation, and the means of attaining it.

All this to be fulfilled with the intention of rendering glory to God, in faithful imitation of Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord, our Head, and our Model.

This is the portrait of a true Christian. Seek to make it your own.

taken from
The Hidden Treasure of the Holy Mass
by St. Leonard-Port Maurice
Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, 1890
TAN BOOKS

First Weekly Latin Mass Celebrated in St. John's NL

Today, the Latin Mass community in St. John's NL was blessed to have its first weekly 8:30AM Mass celebrated in the Extraordinary Form (EF) at Mercy Convent Chapel, Military Road.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo.

Barring unforeseen circumstances the Traditional Latin Mass will now be celebrated on a regular weekly basis on Sundays at 8:30 AM beginning May 10, 2009, with Fr. William Browne, SJ, as celebrant.

The Masses are open to the public and all are welcome to join us.

Deus Nobiscum, Quis Contra?

Teaching and Singing the Latin Mass

The Stamford Advocate does a terrific job of reporting on the CMAA training conference on singing the extraordinary form of the Mass. Great video to watch.

h/t New Liturgical Movement: The Advocate on Singing the Latin Mass

Homeless Winnipeg Man a Saviour to Teen

Here's a story that touches the heart.

It's not Latin Mass related but it does remind me that Jesus Christ is the Great Saviour and saves us in ways and times incomprehensible to us, as He did in this case through this unlikely hero.

The story also makes me wonder what we are doing for people around us who, like the hero here, have no home.

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

_________________________________

Homeless man saves teen from drowning
Risks life after he saw male jump
By JASON HALSTEAD, SUN MEDIA
May 5, 2009

WINNIPEG -- A homeless Winnipeg man risked his life to save a teenager from the Red River on Sunday afternoon.

Faron Hall, 44, who lives on the banks of the Red in St. Boniface, said he saw the male teen fall from the Provencher Bridge above where he was sitting with friend Wayne Spence. Hall said the teen appeared to jump.

"He was saying, 'It's cold! Help me!' and I just threw off my backpack and ran down and dived in," said Hall, who is originally from Dakota Tipi First Nation but mostly grew up in foster care in Winnipeg.

Hall said he managed to get a grip of the teen about 30 metres from the bank but was afraid both would be swept away by the rapid, cold waters.

"He was fighting me and I told him, 'Don't fight me! I'm trying to save you. Otherwise we're both going to drown'," Hall said. "He was pushing me under and I had to slap him in the head. I hated to do it, but I said, 'I'll bring us to shore. Just trust me.' He went limp and I got him to the grass."

Hall said his friend Spence helped pull the exhausted and freezing Hall and the teen out.

"The firefighters said to me, 'You're a hero, you saved a life'." Hall said. "I said, 'Well, possibly, but can I get a blanket? I'm kind of cold.' "

Hall downplayed the hero tag.

"I don't think I'm a hero. I'm just a human being," he said yesterday.

Hall was transported to St. Boniface General Hospital -- along with the teen, whose condition is unknown -- where he warmed up for several hours before being released. Before leaving the hospital, he visited the teen he pulled from the river.

"I just asked him, 'Why?' That's all I said to him," Hall said. "He just said he was sorry."

Hall said he'd like to see the teen and his family in the future.

"I'm not ever going to forget what I saw," Hall said of the incident. "That boy's got his whole life ahead of him."

Hall is no stranger to tragedy. His sister Kristi Hall, 36, was stabbed to death in a random attack in July 2007 in the North End.

"Maybe that's why I didn't want to let anyone else die," he said of the river rescue.

Hall, who has been homeless for about seven years, said he spent Sunday night at the Main Street Project shelter on Martha Street but sleeps year-round along the banks of the Red near the rescue spot, where he said he plans to continue living.

"I just do my own thing," Hall said. "I don't bother anybody."

After graduating high school, Hall said he worked as a teacher's aide while studying education at the University of Manitoba for two years before his life took a turn for the worse.

"That's when I hit alcoholism," Hall said. "I've had so many pitfalls in my life."

Hall said he last worked on construction jobs in Saskatchewan before returning to Winnipeg about 10 years ago.

jason.halstead@sunmedia.ca

Also reported on canada.com in this article.

Swine Flu and Communion in the Hand

About.com is about "Guidance. Not Guesswork."

So says their homepage.

Scott P. Richert is a contributing editor to the About.com Guide to Catholicism and "an author of numerous articles on Catholic moral, social, political, and historical issues."

According to his bio page on About.com, Scott has a somewhat unusual background and history:

In his monthly column for Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture (of which he is the executive editor), and in articles published elsewhere (especially the national Catholic weekly newspaper The Wanderer), Scott frequently writes on Catholic themes.

While Scott was completing his studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., he and his wife, Amy, spent two years at a Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic parish in Annandale, Virginia, where they became well versed in the history and liturgies of Eastern Rite Catholic churches.

Today, they belong to St. Mary Oratory, a traditional Latin Mass parish in Rockford, Illinois. Scott and Amy homeschool their seven children using a traditional Catholic curriculum, and Scott has written homeschooling courses for Seton Home Study School, a Catholic homeschooling organization in Front Royal, Virginia.

On Saturday past, Scott wrote an interesting piece entitled Swine Flu and Communion in the Hand in which he takes issue with some of the recent diocesan policies which have mandated Holy Communion only in the hand and NOT on the tongue. He maintains that the advent of the swine flu may be a teaching moment--even for some of our bishops.

There are at least two problems with this. First, as I noted in my earlier post, even encouraging Catholics to receive Communion on the hand rather than on the tongue seems an overreaction. Suspending the Sign of the Peace, in which the faithful shake hands, makes sense, because it's easy to see how the flu virus might be transmitted. The same is true of distributing the Precious Blood of Christ, since there is physical contact with the chalice.

But when Communion is distributed on the tongue, there is no physical contact—as long, of course, as everyone involved is doing things right. In almost 30 years of receiving Communion on the tongue almost exclusively, I do not remember ever having a priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister of the Eucharist touch my tongue or lips while giving me Communion.

His summary of problem 1:

So mandating the reception of Communion on the hand seems at best an overreaction and, at worst, perhaps the less sanitary way to go.

And then he tackles problem 2:

The second problem with mandating Communion on the hand is that it is, by its nature, a denial of the right to receive Communion on the tongue. And that opens up a real can of worms.

He then provides some historical background, which is basically summarized in this excerpt:

Pope Paul VI had made it clear in Memoriale Domini that Communion on the tongue had to remain an option, and in 1977, the Congregation for Divine Worship reiterated this point:

"The practice must remain the option of the communicant. The priest or minister of Communion does not make the decision as to the manner of reception of Communion. It is the communicant’s personal choice."

Which brings us back to today, to public-health concerns over the swine flu, and to bishops who are "mandating" Communion in the hand. No matter what their intentions (and we should always assume the best of intentions), the bishops who have effectively banned Communion on the tongue have overstepped their authority.

What's the Catholic layperson to do who wishes to receive on the tongue but who may be subject to local prohibitions?

The best way to avoid a scene is to avoid the opportunity for one. If you have access to a Traditional Latin Mass or to an Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy, attend that instead. Communion in those rites will continue to be distributed on the tongue, according to their normal practices.

Scott then finishes by providing three insightful--and practical--options for those who do not have access to a Traditional Latin Mass or a Divine Liturgy, including the option of being prepared to be refused Communion.

Read the full article here.

Step by Step Walk-Through of Low Latin Mass

Recently, Aaron Baugher, JF, blogger at Commentarii Mei and promoter of the Latin Mass at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, issued a posting entitled Latin Mass Walk-Through.

Here's how he introduces the posting:

We had some new people at the 8:00 Mass this Sunday, and I discovered afterward that we’re not doing a very good job of helping newbies get started and follow along. After you’ve been going a while, it’s easy to forget how confusing it was the first time, but it doesn’t have to be that way if people are helped a little. So for people who are thinking about joining us at St. Rose, here’s a step-by-step guide that I hope will prevent some confusion.

I’m writing about the Low Mass here, since it’s the one I attend at 8:00am every Sunday, and it’s also the form used on other days of the week. The High Mass at 11:00am Sunday and some holy days is different because the choir sings the responses and some other things, and there’s more going on. The Low Mass is easier to follow your first time, since it’s all spoken rather than sung. Maybe I’ll do another walk-through on the High Mass sometime.

Aaron also completed a series called Why the Latin Mass? and even offers online lessons on Learning Latin.

Looks like a good effort by Aaron.

Longing for a Return to the Order and Dignity of the Mass

The Latin Mass is advancing in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Nice reporting from the Kenosha News.
______________________________

Mass Appeal
Church hopes Latin service will unite Catholics in community

BY KAREN MAHONEY
Kenosha News correspondent
Published May 2, 2009 |

For most local Catholics, the traditional Latin Mass is either a hazy memory or a footnote in church history.

But on Mother’s Day, May 10, the rite that was set aside more than 40 years ago in favor of a new, vastly different Mass, will be welcomed back to Kenosha thanks to a 2007 apostolic letter from Pope Benedict XVI and a group of dedicated Catholics.

St. Peter Catholic Church, 2224 30th Ave., will hold the Mass, also known as the Tridentine Mass, on a monthly basis beginning with the one held at 3 p.m. on May 10. The Rev. William Hayward will attend, but the celebrant will be the Rev. Oliver Meney from the Institute of Christ the King and St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Milwaukee.

“We were approached by a group of families to have the Mass on our site,” Hayward said. “The Archdiocese encouraged it, and I am very interested and impressed with people like Kamela Gleason who have done wonderful work to get this started here in Kenosha.”

For Gleason, a member of St. James Catholic Church, bringing the Tridentine Mass to St. Peter Church has been divine providence.

“Many dedicated Catholics have been involved in its initial coordination and planning,” she said. “This journey to bring the traditional Latin Mass has unified many Catholics in our community. Supporters can be found from many different local parishes and come from all walks of life. Even young people are asking for and desiring this sacred liturgy. Catholic home-schoolers have also shown an interest. They feel that this is an educational opportunity and wonderful way for their children to appreciate and experience the fullness of the Catholic Church’s teaching.”

When the Vatican released the 2007 document in which Pope Benedict reached out to alienated traditionalists and relaxed restrictions on the use of the Latin Mass after the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, priests can celebrate the Tridentine Mass without requiring authorization from their local bishop. Pope Benedict also said the priests who celebrate according to the Tridentine rite cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating the new Mass.

The old-style Mass requires the priest to face the altar and tabernacle, turning away from the congregation to demonstrate unity with the parishioners in worshiping God together. Members kneel to receive Holy Communion on their tongues, and more women and girls wear lace veils, called mantillas, on their heads. Missals with Latin on one page and English on the other allow those attending Mass to follow along.

Since his ordination in 2000, Father Oliver Meney has celebrated the traditional Latin Mass daily and has found a significant increase in interest among Catholics throughout the world.

“This Mass is a treasure of the Church,” he said. “Any time you have a chance to go into your grandparents’ attic and find old pictures or other old stuff from them you want to discover more about how they lived and what life was like before. That is similar to the interest now in the Latin Mass.”

For Meney, this nostalgia for a Mass most Catholics never have experienced is not only surprising but also joyful.

“It is really neat and excellent. I think it helps a lot to understand what is done today in remembering the past speaks a lot about the present,” he said. “Everywhere I see the same joy and unity and love, and it is becoming more obvious.”

There are six local boys already training to learn the procedures of the traditional Latin Mass. These brothers — Thomas, 16, Charlie, 15, Michael, 12, John, 11, and Joseph, 9, Maurer — and their cousin, Peter Stephens, 16, all are members of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish.

According to Charles and Donna, parents of the Maurer boys, Mass in Latin for their three oldest won’t be too difficult, as the children are all home-schooled and have been learning Latin for a few years.

“This has helped a lot,” Donna said. “They have also gone to St. Stanislaus Parish for some training in the Latin High Mass. They are all excited and think it’s pretty cool.”

For nearly 1,400 years, the Latin Mass was the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. The growing interest in it has enthused Gleason and other traditional Catholics.

“One question I have received multiple times from people in the community is, ‘Why can’t we have it at my parish?’ This tells me that there is a longing and great need for the Latin Mass. I guess it is time to start training more priests so it can be more readily available,” Gleason said. “I have personally spoken to a few local active priests who are interested in learning the old form of the Mass. These priests are not only young, but energetic. They can see its peace, serenity and beauty.”

Offering to officiate when needed, retired priest the Rev. John Richetta is happy to be part of the return to the traditional liturgy.

“We see the unbroken continuity of apostolic times from this time to the last four centuries,” he said. “We have a continuity with the past, and I think people are longing for a return to the order and dignity of the Mass, as well as a sense of the sacred.”

Regular Weekly Celebration of Latin Mass in St. John's

We are very pleased to be able to announce that the Traditional Latin Mass, i.e. Mass in the Extraordinary Form (EF), will be celebrated at Mercy Convent Chapel, Military Road, on a regular weekly basis on Sundays at 8:30 AM beginning May 10, 2009, with Fr. William Browne, SJ, as celebrant.

This schedule will extend through to at least mid-August, barring unforeseen circumstances, although it is hoped that provision can be made for the same schedule on a regular basis further into the future, God helping us.

As usual, if the weather is wet or muddy, please bring indoor footwear.

UPDATE: Effective October 2009, Mass time on Sundays is changed from 8:30AM to 9:00AM.