Diaconate Ordination - Part V

Let's see how many people you can name from the opening procession at the June 5 ordination Mass. This video is kind of like a who's who of DoR politicking. I have another video I will upload soon showing the second part of the procession.


On an unrelated note, we will be starting voting in the "Vocatus Es Contest" when we switch over to the new site.

St. Patrick's in Troy

Bishop Clark's bestest bishop buddy, Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany, NY is closing churches in his diocese. I wonder if Clark learns from Hubbard or Hubbard from Clark how to scam their parishoners. It just doesn't stop does it. Would it ever possibly, remotely even dawn on them that they should have been getting vocations for all these past years, instead of fleecing people. True orthodox priests would pack the churches. Preach the truth and they will come.

This situation parallels St. Thomas the Apostle in Irondequoit.

http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2010/04/27/news/doc4bd64705ad7b2794221364.txt

More on the demise of St. Francis Xavier Church

Terribilis est locus iste

I first reported on this on June 2 when a friend went into St. Francis Xavier and reported what he saw.

Yesterday, June 7th, a different friend stopped into the same church and reported to me what he saw.

First off, my friend said the Moslems were very gracious to him. Couldn't have been nicer. My friend, and myself, have a HUGE problem with the diocese of Rochester and Bishop Clark and NOT with the Moslems.

First off, two marble statues (one of the Blessed Mother and the other of St. Joseph), were knocked off their pedestals and had their faces jack hammered off. The pews were disassembled (it's hard to reassemble them once taken apart. Special vises are required) and were being sold for $100 a piece. The copper crosses on the top of the steeple still have to come down. The organ has been rendered inoperable by the sanding dust from the sanders that are being used inside the church.

All the angels on the cornices had their faces jack hammered off too. Most of it is in the dumpster. My friend did salvage a small angel who had survived. What's up for sale is the Gothic part of the old reredoes from Rochester's original cathedral, Saint Patricks. This is all Carrerra marble with finials (see picture above for example).

All the canvas paintings that for years had been adhered to the walls of this sacred house of God, have been ripped off the walls and are all torn up.

If you want a church bell, put in a bid. That's up for sale too. My friend put in a bid for the outside stone statue of St. Francis Xavier. The "Hic Domus Dei, Porta Coeli" is still in intact, but that, my friend was reassured, will be totally defaced. The four stained glass windows in the sanctuary are to be sold as a set of four. They are quite stunning. All the windows in the nave have to go too. Also, up for sale is the "rose window" above the organ in the rear of the church. And, last, but not least, some very nice oak cabinetry, including a plain, but adequate vestment case.

The diocese of Rochester is negligent in maintaining a stewardship that has been entrusted to them. While the church itself hasn't been consecrated, it has been blessed and consecrated to the worship of the Triune God. If this sale absolutely had to happen (I don't believe it did , if we had more priests, this probably would not have needed to happen), why couldn't the diocese sell or give the remain artifacts to other Catholic churches in the 12-county diocese.

Oh yeah, the old Holy Family Church on Ames Street on the westside has been sold to a Spanish Pentecostal Church. The church still houses a magnificent (albeit old organ) and probably one of the best collection of Austrian/German stained glass windows in the diocese.

Terribilis est locus iste: hic domus Dei est et porta coeli: et vocabitur aula Dei.

Why Altar Boys, Not Altar Boys and Girls?

This article from the National Catholic Register is expertly written. Everyone involved in youth ministry, parish work, faith formation, CCD, server training, liturgy coordination, etc. should read this. People tend to forget that there was a reason for everything in the Church, and when certain traditions were done away with, like only boys serving Mass, things began to crumble. I am not saying that girls aren't worthy, or that they are incompetent. I am merely stating that vocations are fostered on the steps of the high altar. When girls began to serve, many young men felt pressured to stop. They felt effeminate and dainty all of a sudden. What had once been a manly, masculine thing became a transgendered and politically-minded affair. I know there are some pious altar girls reading this, and I know that they are among those "working to change things from the inside." They have my miter-nod, of course.

Now the article:

The altar servers at Holy Family Catholic Church in St. Louis Park, Minn., are a sight to behold. In their white surplices and black cassocks — red for special feasts like Christmas and Pentecost — six carry candles, while others process in with the cross, Sacramentary and incense thurible and boat. Between 12 and 20 altar servers assist at every Mass, every Sunday. On special feasts, the head count jumps to more than 30.
And the most astonishing facet of the scene: All of the altar servers are boys.
It’s a sight that must put a smile on the heavenly face of St. John Bosco (1815-1888), the great priest-mentor who promoted the banding together of boys in religious activities. The Church celebrates his feast on Jan. 25.
Holy Family Church is one of a number of parishes that, after deciding to go with an all-boy corps of altar servers, have seen a notable increase in the number of boys participating in the life of the parish.
At Holy Family, the decision was made 10 years ago, when only a few boys were servers. The surge was on immediately. Today, more than 60 boys stand at the ready.
“What’s happened is: The younger boys can’t wait to get on the altar,” says parishioner Bob Spinharney. “And the older boys, to their great credit, stay on even beyond high school age. So the younger boys always have role models to look up to.”
Spinharney and fellow parishioner Mark Rode got the approval of their pastor, Father Thomas Dufner, for the altar boy program. Then they built key elements, like a hierarchy of services and names for each position.
Starting at age 10 as “leads” (beginners who observe from the altar), boys can stay as servers into their early 20s. Along the way, they progress to “torchbearer,” holding one of six candles for processing and during the Gospel reading and consecration; “mains,” serving the priest and ringing bells; “cross” and “book” with Sacramentary duties; and “thurifer” and “boat,” assisting with the incense during consecration. At each Mass, an older boy is designated “master of ceremonies” to lead and supervise the “troops.”
What drove the two men to suggest the experiment a decade ago? Two observations.
One: “When boys and girls are mixed on the altar, the boys tend to be less participative. They defer to the girls,” explains Spinharney. And two: “Many priestly vocations come from the altar. We’re trying to drive new vocations.”
Father Dufner expounds on those points. “Girls tend to be more reliable and get jobs done more effectively,” he says, “so the boys tend to drop out.” At the same time, he notices that boys are excited about being part of an all-male group that is hierarchical and advancement-oriented.
“And, clearly, reverent worship of God the Father through Jesus Christ in the liturgy is a calling card for vocations,” adds Father Dufner. In fact, one of the two current seminarians from this parish — from which four men have been ordained in the last 10 years — was an altar server. Both seminarians come back often to help the youngsters on Sundays, as do server alumni like Spinharney’s college-age son Jordan. The alumni become mentors.
“Boys 7 and 8 are glued to the Mass, watching their friends and brothers,” says Rode. “They can’t wait.”
According to Spinharney, no parent has complained about the absence of female altar servers. Instead of a dramatic immediate shift, the girls were allowed to phase out by age and were reminded of the many other services they could provide.
“The last two girls became some of our finest lectors,” points out Father Dufner.

Altar Apprenticeship
St. Michael Parish in Annandale, Va., also has an all-male server corps. Father Jerry Pokorsky, the pastor, says that when altar girls were permitted, they became the norm. The boys stopped volunteering.
“Lay readers and extraordinary ministers serve the people,” he says. “The altar boy serves the priest. He’s the hands of the priest. He would be an apprentice, either in a real or symbolic way, for the priesthood.”
When parents ask why their daughters can’t become altar servers, “they may not agree, but they do understand,” Father Pokorsky says.
With help from the parish’s Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters, this new pastor is working on a Helpers of Mary ministry for girls to visit nursing homes.
When discussing the question of female altar servers, “It is important not to [use] political categories such as rights, equality, discrimination, etc., which only serve to fog the issue,” wrote Legionary Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, on the Zenit news service website. “We are dealing with the privilege of serving in an act of worship to which nobody has any inherent rights.
“The question should be framed as to what is best for the good of souls in each diocese and parish. It is thus an eminently pastoral and not an administrative decision, and this is why it should be determined at the local level.”
The Church opened the altar service position to girls in 1994 in a letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. “The Holy See’s recommendation is to retain as far as possible the custom of having only boys as servers,” explains Father McNamara. “But it leaves to the bishop the choice of permitting women and girls for a good reason and to the pastor of each parish the decision as to whether to act on the bishop’s permission.”

Positive Peer Pressure
At Holy Family, Jean Prather sees nothing but positive effects in her son and daughters from the all-boy altar-service policy. Nick is 16 and has risen through the ranks. Oldest daughter, Emily, also in high school, has been a lector since fourth grade.
“They both have their place to contribute in the Mass. Emily wanted to do that after she saw an older teenage girl lector. It really is a positive peer pressure thing.”
“I always like to tell Nick what a special job he has to be so close to Jesus and serve him,” continues Prather. “He has learned such reverence. He really listens and brings things up that Father talks about in his homilies.”
Prather, too, believes participating in the liturgy can open boys’ hearts to hearing a call to a priestly or religious vocation.
But she stresses what the change has done for the parish as well as the servers in lifting people’s hearts to God. The surplices, cassocks and reverential pageantry are “what King Jesus deserves,” she says. “The reverence and beauty and example brings people into the reverence and glory of the Mass by having these altar boys not only as servers but as examples.”
As young as they are, says Rode, they understand there’s something really special going on at the altar: “We truly have the Real Presence.”

Staff writer Joseph Pronechen is based in Trumbull, Connecticut.

Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, was asked about the Church’s position on female altar servers. The following is excerpted from his response.

A 1994 letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments [clarified] that girls may serve at the altar. But bishops are not bound to permit them to do so, nor could the episcopal conference limit the bishop’s faculty to decide for himself.
The letter states: “It will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar. As is well known, this has led to a reassuring development of priestly vocations. Thus the obligation to support such groups of altar boys will always continue.”
The letter also recommends to bishops to consider “among other things, the sensibilities of the faithful, the reasons which would motivate such permission and the different liturgical settings and congregations which gather for the holy Mass.”
Among the pastoral factors to be weighed is the obvious yet often forgotten fact that boys and girls are different and require different motivational and formative methods.
Preteen boys … tend to reject sharing activities with girls. They also tend to have a greater need for such structured activities than girls, who are usually more mature and responsible at this stage of life.
It is also true that groups of boy servers have fostered vocations to the priesthood. But to be fair, this usually happens within a broader culture of openness to a vocation in which other elements come into play, such as the example and spiritual guidance given by good priests and family support.
It is very difficult to lay down precise rules in a matter like this since the situation may vary widely between parishes.

I Wish I Were the Little Key

I happened upon this poem when I was browsing through old Eucharistic hymns and prayer cards. It seems like something that would appeal to certain of you - I know I certainly enjoyed it.

I wish I were the little key

That locks Love's captive in

And who lets Him out to go and free

A stricken heart from sin.

I wish I were the little bell

That tinkles for the Host,

When God comes down each day to dwell

With hearts He loves the most.

I wish I were the chalice fair

That holds the Blood of Love

When every flash lights holy prayer

Upon its way above.

I wish I were the little flower

So near the Host's sweet face,

Or like the light that half an hour

Burns on the shrine of grace.

I wish I were the altar, where,

As on His Mother's Breast,

Christ nestles, like a child , fore'er

In Eucharistic rest.

But oh, my God, I wish the most

That my poor heart may be

A home all holy for each Host

That comes in love to me.

 

 

Well, It Worked in 452

The Associated Press is reporting that several groups (six, to be precise) sent representatives to protest against the priesthood in St. Peter's Square today. These protesters have gathered on the day before the commencement of the three-day ceremony to close out the Year for Priests.

Do you notice a trend here? The Church does nothing to provoke these people, save bear witness to the will of Christ. However, these precious children of God stand in our midst and attack us. They stand in front of our cathedral during such a happy occasion as the recent diaconate ordinations. They stand below the pope's window and hurl hatred and viciousness towards his person. Where is the respect? You don't see me yelling at Bishop Clark for the things he's done - I just sit and type. Not too hostile, that. However, these protesters have hurled themselves at the physical dwelling places of the Lord.

When Pope St. Leo the Great rode out in 452 to meet Attila the Hun, the barbarian was convinced to spare the Eternal City, Rome. He had respect for the papacy. If a pagan warlord can recognize the sanctity and preciousness of the Church, why can't liberals and militant evangelicals? The day that Catholics show up at Protestant churches and WOC meetings yelling obscenities and hatred, that's the day when these people will be justified. The Church proves Her charity by being perpetually on the defensive. That's the mark of the true Church, folks. We don't spit in the face of sanctity. We may write down and share our displeasure, but that's it. No souls are lost, no blood spilled, no physical or emotional pain inflicted.

Pope St. Leo the Great, defender of the Church and of Rome, pray for us. May these barbarians withdraw as they did 1558 years ago.

Diaconate Ordination - Part IV

Buried among all the liberal politicking and the liturgical problems at the Diaconate Ordination, there were a couple gems I should like to share with you all. The one in the video below was particularly enjoyable. Bishop Clark is thrilled to be ordaining a married man to the priesthood next year, but I think we all know that the bishop isn't getting a liberal poster child of dissent. He's getting a loyal son of the Church. For this reason, when Dr. Caton knelt in front of Bishop Clark, and the bishop told him "Scott, believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach," a little burst of glee had to be suppressed in my throat.

Name that Priest

Can anyone tell me the name of the priest on the left side of this video. You only see him for the first few seconds during the sortie.

Diaconate Ordination - Part III

The video below is of the vesting of the newly-ordained deacons. If you look closely (watch this in full screen mode) you will note Fr. Dennis Bonsignore was the vesting priest for Dr. Caton. They can be seen towards the left of the sanctuary - Dr. Caton is the taller fellow standing near the two women in red shirts.

The new growth of orthodoxy in Rochester has begun, folks, and it began right under Bishop Clark's cathedra.

Diaconate Ordination - Part II

Part 2 of a many-part series on the liturgical irregularities at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

I am certain that all of you have heard that absolutely atrocious setting of the Alleluia used by the DoR to celebrate feigned-diversity. You know, "Halle, Halle, Halle . . . .Looo - ooooo - yah." Well, I bet you've never seen 50 priests and a bishop clapping to it, along with hordes of deacons and lay people.

I have much to say about this, but the video can sum it all up better than I can. Be sure to watch it full -screen - I shot in HD for you. You can even see Bishop Clark clapping in rhythm. Now isn't that just the cherry on top of the liturgy sundae?

Diaconate Ordination - Part I

I was graced to be able to be present for Dr. Scott Caton's ordination this Saturday. While the Mass was certainly not as bad and riddled with abuse that it could have been (i.e. prancing gays in tights) there were certainly several moments of liturgical-disconnect. One instance that particularly stood out to me was the following clip I shot. During the preparation of the gifts, the choir sang "I Am the Lord of the Dance," accompanied by one of the Dady Brothers (secular musicians, mind you) playing the mandolin. Now, I love the Dady Brothers. They're great local talent. However, just because you're an amazing artists doesn't mean that you have the right to strum your mandolin, or guitar, or whatever in the sanctuary of God. There is a clear separation of sacred and profane that should be recognized by the planners of the liturgy. But, then again, we know what "liturgies" are permitted and endorsed by the DoR.

Anyways, the striking thing about this piece was that they're singing about Our Lord as if he's Garth Fagan, a dance master and glee-maker. About 50 feet above Mr. Dady and his mandolin is a life-sized crucifix, showing Our Crucified Lord. All around the church are the bloody stations depicting Our Savior's woe. Why would such a song as this be considered appropriate for a Mass? The Mass is a celebration and memorial of Calvary, not the last season of Dancing With the Stars.

Our Lady of the Flakes

     Some people must have an itch which is only satisfied when they re-create the Roman Church into something of their own making. Such thoughtless tinkering can be seen in the topics for discussion in the upcoming lecture series hosted by Our Lady of the Lakes. The program scheduled for Wednesday June 9th is particularly seditious. Keep in mind, this will be held at a winery - so we can have both heavy-handed communion metaphors and get plastered at the same time. Looking at these topics, one is led to the conclusion that the creator of the program was already a little inebriated when he/she/it put pen to paper.

Anthony Rd. Wine Company, Penn Yan

Deacon Tom Driscoll

“Remnants of a Medieval Church in the 21st Century”

• Do Ordained Men Have More of the Holy Spirit?

• What Does the Vow of Obedience Mean Today?

• Is Heaven Really Up and Hell Really Down?

• How Do We Look at Fear and Punishment Today?

Now, for all we know, the answers to these questions could be in accordance with Church teaching. However, asking a question like "Do ordained men have more of the Holy Spirit" tends to make one think that these are geared more towards a "reform-minded" crowd.

In the spirit of Christian charity, I think we should address these points one by one, and let the good people of Our Lady of the Lakes discern the difference between reality and flakiness.

1. The Church naturally does have remnants of its medieval past. It's called "Gregorian chant." You know, the thing that the Second Vatican Council declared to have "principal place" in all Latin Rite liturgies. The Church is not about the here and now - it is about eternity. The use of Gregorian Chant, incense, Latin, beautiful vestments, and other similar things, makes us grasp a sense of timelessness, not immediacy. If the Church changed from year to year, there would be no difference between MTV and the Mystical Bride of Christ, the Roman Catholic Church. Now, I'm not trash-talking whorishly-dressed girls hurling themselves at each other in musical ecstasy. However, I am gently reminding our dear readers and friends that the Church exists to move the world, not to be moved by it.

2. St. Paul tells us in the First Letter to the Corinthians the following:

"Now there are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit. And there are diversities of ministries but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but the same God, who works all in all. And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit. To one indeed, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom: and to another, the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit."

This means that everyone is filled with the Holy Spirit - there are no degrees. The only possible degrees one can imagine would be those dealing with external showings of sanctity, but that's not what is being discussed. God is wholly present in each and every person, but in a different way. Holy Orders is not Holy Matrimony. However, both the priest/deacon and the husband and wife are filled with the same Spirit, but with "diversities of graces." The Holy Spirit is not any more or less present in a priest than He is a little child. 


3. "What does the vow of obedience mean today?" It means the same thing it meant when described in the Acts of the Apostles. It says,

"The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith."

We must be obedient to the faith, letting ourselves be ruled, not dealing in matters too lofty for us. Humility means letting ourselves be conquered for Christ. Indeed, it means letting our souls be conquered by Christ, that He may drive out any profanations and sacrileges that may dwell therein, doing harm to our immortal souls. The priests "were becoming obedient to the faith." They did not add to it. They did not take anything away. They did not over-analyze it. They embraced it as it was, for it was as Christ gave it to them. We have the same Faith, but apparently, we lack the same humility. Who are we to question what obedience really is? The Church exists to give guidance to the people of God, not to let people submit their ideas as to what would be "really cool" or "in the interests of diversity."  Obey the Church. Don't try to make the Church obey you.

4. Is Heaven really up, and is Hell really down? Well, the Apostles' Creed states, "He descended into Hell" and that He also "ascended" into Heaven. That seems to give a pretty clear indication that Heaven is indeed above, and Hell, truly below. While we may not have the same cosmology as Dante did in the Middle Ages, all Christian prayers and scripture and Tradition holds that God is up, Satan is down.

5. Regarding how we look at fear and punishment, I should like to say that religion does not exist to scare people into doing the right thing. However, the Church exists to tell people the Truth. And, if we are at all aware of our sinful inclinations, there should be a damnably frightening realization that our actions result in our judgment. While God's mercy is infinite, He is not stupid or dense. He knows the secrets of our hearts, and if we desire sin over Him, then we deserve no part of His mercy. He may still grant it, of course, but we are undeserving of such unfailing love.

We are punished if we do wrong, even as little children. We fear that punishment, of course, but there is a higher goal of the reprimand and penalty. We are to love grace, and to find in humble consent to righteousness an inexhaustible source of joy and contentment. Only God can fill our souls, and whenever we turn to something else, such as money, licentiousness, gluttony, we embrace imperfection, and are thus in desperate need of correction. God, our all-knowing Father, realizes this. He punishes us out of Divine Love and Divine Mercy, not contempt and derision. How does a little boy learn that stealing a bike is wrong unless his parents make him realize that what he has done is a sin against his family, his friend, and, ultimately, against God? Again - we must humbly submit. We know nothing compared to God.

Deaconate Ordination Tomorrow

Just a reminder for you all - there will be deaconate ordinations tomorrow at 10:30 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Normally, I would consider the Cathedral a no-fly zone for people who have genuine regard for the Liturgy. However, Dr. Scott Caton will be ordained to the transitional deaconate at this Mass. He is definitely worthy of your prayers, as are the seven other men who will be ordained to the permanent deaconate. Your prayers are one of the sources of much-needed grace and strength for our ordained ministers.

If you can make it to the Cathedral for this special day, I would strongly urge you to do so. Show your support for ordained ministry. I find it extremely ironic that the diocese pitches the "we want vocations" shpeal so often, but the Master of Ceremonies is a nun, vested in alb. Only in Rochester do we have a Mistress of Ceremonies in lieu of a Master of Ceremonies, who is typically a monsignor. What message does this send to the young men in the diocese? "We want vocations, but it's nothing special to be a priest - anyone can play the part."

You can have the nicest posters, the most reverent priests, the most intimate conversations with discerners and seminarians, but without the proper liturgical and sacramental formation, vocations die. And when vocations die, so do parishes and schools. When the Mass is corrupted, so too are the minds of those young men who are called to ordained ministry in the deaconate or the priesthood. We have seen this in so many instances in Rochester - I can state with certainty that Jim Callan had a vocation to the priesthood, but look at how he was warped! That was not his doing, but the doing of a lacklustre administration in his formation years. There is a glimmer of hope in every heretic's heart, and that glimmer is the Call they received from God. If only human politicking did not obscure God's plans so easily.

So come to the ordination, tomorrow, Saturday, at 10:30 AM at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Show your bishop that you support our ordained ministers. Be there for Dr. Caton on this blessed day, and give him your prayerful support. And in the long-term, do all that you can to let the young men in your parish know that the priesthood is something so transcendent that it cannot be restricted to "sacramental ministering" and parish administration. To be a priest is to love the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and through this piercing and all-consuming love come the sacraments of the Church, and through them, the singular grace which only can be attained through them. Without the priesthood, there are no sacraments and no Church.

Pray for vocations. Support our young men, our seminarians, our discerners, our Becket Hall residents, and even your own sons. Put your sons into the altar serving program at your parish, because there is no surer fountain of vocational awareness than being in the sanctuary of Our God, aiding the priest who makes God incarnate again and again, each and every day reenacting that bloody sacrifice of Calvary. To serve at the altar of the Lord is to kneel shoulder to shoulder with the choirs of haven, the hosts of angels, and the saints who have gone before us in Faith. Show your sons that a vocation to ordained life is a manly, noble thing, not something to be toyed with for political gain. Pray for our priests, and pray for our deacons, and pray for our religious. May God bless them in their ministry, and may He bless Dr. Caton and his fellow soon-to-be-deacons in their zeal for God's Church.

Orthodoxy - the Obvious Choice

The two videos below are from two valid Masses in the United States. However, the one is markedly different from the other. The first one is from a "Teen Mass." I guess a regular "Mass" isn't good enough for some people. When I watched this video, I was struck by how trite the whole thing is. There's more effort going into throwing the slides on the screen than there is in trying to read the Word of God worthily. The second video is from the 2007 Sacred Music Colloquium in Washington. Now when you compare the two, and you measure the reverence, the piety, the tastefulness, the beauty, and the eye appeal, the obvious "winner" is the second video.

Why?

The Mass is a reenactment of Calvary - it is not a talent show, a powerpoint presentation, a chance to socialize, or an opportunity to meet new friends. It is Heaven on Earth, and those who are loyal to the Church, and whose views are orthodox and unfaltering, realize this.

So watch these two videos, and feel free to comment on what you feel is more sacred, and why you feel that way. Bear in mind that these are both Novus Ordo Masses, that is, "Ordinary Form." They are using the same missal, the same rubrics, the same norms. However, one of them is celebrating Mass according to the genuine spirit of Vatican II, and the other is possessed by the impostor spirits of Vatican II, which were not of divine origin.

The Battle for the Ancient Mass

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, aka FSSP, has released this rather interesting talk called "The Battle for the Ancient Mass." I would strongly urge you to give it a listen. It certainly rings true.

http://fssp.com/press/2010/05/audio-the-battle-for-the-ancient-mass/

High Mass for Feast of Corpus Christi

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, more commonly known by its Latin name the Feast of Corpus Christi, is celebrated in honor of Christ’s institution of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday. The feast is observed in the United States on the Sunday following Holy Trinity Sunday.

In honor of this feast, there will be a High Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 1:30 p.m. this Sunday, June 6th at St. Stanislaus, at the corner of Hudson Avenue and Norton Street. The celebrant will be the Reverend Dennis Bonsignore. After Mass and following Catholic tradition, there will be a procession of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the church, followed by Benediction.

The Latin Mass choir will sing Missa Phrygia. The Mass was written by Pompeo Cannicciari, an Italian Baroque composer. The choir director and organist is Eastman School of Music student, John Morabito. Also, our "Schola Roffensis" will sing the Gregorian propers and the Sequence, Lauda Sion Salvatorem. The schola is directed by the very capable, Joel Morehouse.

Saint Stanislaus is one of the few churches in the Diocese of Rochester that has not been "renovated". Restored, yes; but not renovated.

Often I am asked who are the saints in the niches on the high altar. From left to right, they are St. Methodius, St. Adalbert, in the center is St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Jadwiga (Hedwig) and finally St. Cyril. All of these saints are of the Eastern European tradition.

There is plenty of parking in the lot across the street from the Church, or behind the Church, or on Hudson Avenue. We have two security guards, a handicapped elevator and facilities for men and women at the back of church. There is also a very well stocked Catholic book table in the narthex at very reasonable prices. In addition, there is a "discount" table full of traditional Catholic readings.

If you or your family has never attended "The Mass of the Ages", please bring them with you to this timeless ritual of Roman Catholicism. Holy Communion is received on the tongue only and kneeling (if you can) at the Communion rail. You must be a practicing Catholic and spiritually prepare to receive Communion.

There will be no liturgical "aberrations". No parade of Eucharistic ministers, no wonkiness from the pulpit and no "I'm-a-woman-and-want-to-be-a-priest types." Everything will be, as they say, "according to Hoyle". Everything is solidly and unabashedly Catholic.

If you have a desire for the sacred, then this is the Mass you need to be at.

This is the last High Mass of the year. As typical, even the choir needs a summer break. See you at the Communion rail!

Mass at St. Peter's Basilica

A Memorial Day Prayer‏

Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, when
flowers were placed at the graves of Union and
Confederate soldiers. On this day we honor all who
have died in service of our nation.

Dear God our Father,

Your word tells us, “Unless the LORD build the house,
they labor in vain who build. Unless the LORD guard
the city, in vain does the guard keep watch” (Psalm 127:1).

Thank You for those who have guarded not only our
cities, but our country, allies, and many other communities
from unjust and unprincipled aggressors. On this Memorial
Day, with a solemn and sacred spirit, we pause to remember
and honor the brave men and women in our Armed Forces
who gave up their lives for their fellow Americans at
home and abroad.
Many were young and many were married, with their loved
ones praying for them back home; but they were each fighting
to protect the freedom we enjoy when they were called to make
the ultimate sacrifice.

Dear God, please bless our heroes and heroines with Your
mercy, grace, and peace. Bless also their families and
friends. May Your perpetual light shine upon them; and may
their souls and the souls of all our faithful departed rest
in peace. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

St. Thomas the Apostle to Close

From the very first whispers even unto the present moment, not a single kindness was shown to the people of St. Thomas the Apostle. Their sufferings were mocked and magnified by the greed and callousness of their administration, especially Fr. Norm Tanck. I don't care how many people say we shouldn't single an individual out. When a wrong has been committed, it is the duty of the lay faithful to address it. This is what we are doing.

Fr. Tanck has lied and offered false truths to the people of St. Thomas. As their priest, he should have been leading their defense, but that task was thrown to the ground by his treacherous hands. We were obliged to pick it up, for the sake of genuine charity, caritas. Fr. Tanck will also be the new pastor of the St. Irondequoit community, as it's been termed. He will be assisted by Fr.'s Horan and Leone.

As of now, the parish will be closed on September 1, 2010. This is not official yet, but we have it from a very reliable source. The diocese is certainly in a hurry to destroy the faith in Irondequoit. And I wonder why? Could it be that they see their political agendas and "renewal" efforts failing? Do they blame the orthodox members of the diocesan Church for this? Do the administrators of the diocese not realize that the people of St. Thomas and St. Salome have only followed the Church loyally? Why does the diocese root out the sane parishes, the kind and focused faithful, and the devoted laity, to bring down the hammer of their "leadership"?

The closing of these two parishes is nothing less than a political maneuver hidden behind a facade of people who have been made to feel important and righteous. The IPPG should be ashamed of itself. What Catholic, nay, what human, would willingly turn on his own family? Only the mentally infirm and the traitorously inept would even think to attempt such a thing. And yet these individuals have done more than formulate thoughts- they turned them into dangerous and daunting weapons of canonical destruction.

To the parishioners of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Salome - stop contributing to the weekend collections. If the diocese says you don't have the money to support yourselves, don't try to argue otherwise. Make them bleed.

Start getting organized to sue for your money back. Your renovation(s), repairs, enhancements, etc. are your own - you have a right to what you paid for. Do not give one more penny to the diocese, to your parish, or to the CMA. They do not deserve your money, nor are they worthy to sit at your feet and beg for the "scraps off your table." They are the dogs that devoured your spiritual well-being. They deserve no special consideration.

Get to work, friends. Start writing to religious orders, other bishops, and friends who now people. We need to find a buyer for this property, or at least, someone who can take it over at no cost to the diocese. This is the job of another group separate from Cleansing Fire, so I will let them get to work on their own time.

God will not reward the impious. God does not give aid to those who desecrate His holy Church.

Our Lady of Divine Compassion, comfort us in our time of need and sorrow, and pray for the souls who have led us to our doom. They have more need of prayers than anyone else.

Bishop Clark's Decree Regarding the Future of Irondequoit

Folks - there's nothing more which I can say. Just read this. Nothing good can come of this:

Update from Dr. K, 8:18 PM: I believe this decree is dealing with the dissolution of the five parishes as separate parish entities (similar to what happened with Peace of Christ). It does not appear to call for closure of any particular church building. Were closure to be decreed, it would seem that such would need to be clearly stated in the document. I am not sure what this may mean for STA at this point in time. Has the diocese decided to give STA time to prove it should remain open, like was awarded to Holy Name? Is another decree of closure soon to follow? Has the diocese accepted the addendum of St. Thomas (to keep it open) which was attached to and sent along with the IPPG recommendation?

We will post updates as information arrives.

Bishop Accepts IPPG Proposal

Cleansing Fire has learned that Bishop Clark has accepted the IPPG recommendation to merge the Irondequoit parishes into one. However, whether or not the parishes to be closed were mentioned specifically has yet to be determined. I will keep you all up to date with whatever news comes to us. Please check back often, and spread the word.

As if pressured by the fates, Fr. Tanck included in this weekend's bulletin one more slap-in-the-face for St. Thomas the Apostle parishioners. To read his piece in the cluster bulletin, click here. Why is it that when people need a pastoral priest the most, they are confronted with veiled accusations of faithlessness?

Probably the same reason that the orthodox in Rochester are punished for their faith by the administration.

Another thing you should note, is that Fr. Tanck's announcement this evening is the first time he has been present at a weekend Mass at STA in seven weeks. Could his views be any more obvious to the casual observer? I think not.

Bishop Clark, remember that you are a representative of the Holy Apostles. Let this knowledge, and your conscience, dictate your decision, not the politicking of those with whom you have surrounded yourself.

St. Thomas the Apostle, pray for us. St. Matthew the tax collector, and holy Apostle, pray for us. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us.

Jesus, a Nice Guy

I would just like to share, briefly, the gist of a homily I heard today. Those of you who watched EWTN's Mass, or went to one around the DoR, will have noted that the Gospel is that which deals with the cleansing of the temple. The Mass I attended had a priest presiding (rare, I know), who gave this little bit of insight which is ideal for us who zealously seek to restore reverence to our own "temples." And, no, I wasn't anywhere remotely close to Our Lady of Victory, so don't even think about it.

"We see Jesus get angry. Now, don't get me wrong. Jesus was a nice guy. A great guy. He got hungry, because He was fully man, and He probably got cranky too, because He was fully man. Some of you are probably thinking, 'God shouldn't get angry like that. It's scary.' Well, what we see today in the Gospel is called 'righteous anger.' Would that we be consumed with the same passion to cleanse our parishes of the abuses we see perpetrated in the sight of God. What clearer directive do we have, friends, than this? God cleansed His own temple. Imagine all the pigeons flying out, all the coins rolling down the temple steps, and why? Because God's anger was brought upon these perpetrators of sacrilege. He will not permit Himself to be profaned, and that is what drove Our Lord's divine anger."

Bishop Morlino on Eucharistic Reverence

This was sent to us by a dear friend of the blog. Many thanks go out to her and her family. May God bless such kind-hearted and sincere Catholics.

The video below is of Bishop Morlino discussing reverence at Mass. His insight is invaluable, and should be given, in a spirit of precise charity, to all your administrators, your pastors, your sacramental ministers, or what ever else you may have. He states, "No one intends to be irreverent." I could not agree more. Our lay preachers think they're doing the right thing. They love the Church, but in a very inappropriate way. Just like a 15 year old boy may "love" his girlfriend after a night of passion, that love is misplaced and juvenile. There's something there, but it's trounced and destroyed by the effects of sin. No one, unless they are instruments of Satan, seeks to destroy that which they know to be good. No one, unless they are instruments of Satan, would follow a path they know to be wrong. However, if we permit these people to walk in these ways, to continue embracing the metaphorical girlfriend, we testify to be in error ourselves, for we are doing nothing to bolster the good which we perceive, the good which Our Lord perceives.

Submissions for the Vocatus Es Contest

The following are submissions for the create-your-own vocations poster for Rochester. Enjoy! We'll start voting once we have several posted. Send your submission for funny or serious DoR self-designed posters to me at cleansingfire@live.com.

Submitted serious vocations poster:

- Submitted by Anonymous Photo credits: jdbradley and CarbonNYC

- Submitted by A.G.

- Submitted by Anonymous 

- Submitted by Nod, from  http://blynken.blogspot.com/

Submitted humorous vocations posters:

- Submitted by Emma

- Submitted by Nate

- Submitted by Nate

- Submitted by anonymous

- Submitted by Ben and Mary Anderson

Liturgical Reform

This video sets forth very clearly exactly what we (and others like us) mean when we talk about "reform of the reform."

You Know You're in Good Company When . . .

. . . at daily Mass, the priest sings "Dominus Vobiscum" and every single person responds in flawless unison, "et cum spiritu tuo."

And you also know you're in good company when, on a similar note, every single person can sing the chant ordinaries without picking up a book.

That's the real spirit of Vatican II. The sooner you grasp that, the sooner you become a citizen of reality.

Biblical Cartoons.

Sacred or Secular Music at Mass?

Can you tell the difference?? from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.

Announcing the Brand New "Vocatus Es Contest"

The Diocese of Rochester is trying (and I give them some credit for that) to recruit men to the priesthood through these posters you've seen here and in your parish atria and gathering spaces. However, most men aren't called through feel-good posters, but one-on-one interaction with priests. There is something so fraternal about the priesthood, something which gets forgotten or trivialized in these posters. Sure, the little boy at the altar looks cute enough. "Aww, he's soo wittle!" But that's not what rouses vocations awareness.

And so I'm challenging you all to design two posters:

#1 will be a serious poster, asking young men to answer the call to the diocesan priesthood.

#2 will be a comedic poster, embracing the fruits of your snarkiness. I will post ALL submissions, presuming they aren't inappropriate, and we will vote on them in due time. 

You can submit for one or both categories.

What do you get for all your hardwork? How about a brand new Cleansing Fire t-shirt! If you want, I'll even autograph it for you. Just promise you won't sell it on eBay. Yes, I'm just that awesome. Runners up will receive, in order of achievement, a Cleansing Fire medal for second place, and 10 Cleansing Fire prayer cards for third place.

So get to work! I want to see your Vocations Awareness Posters! Send your submissions in the Vocatus Es Contest to me at cleansingfire@live.com. Do it now, and maybe

A Nod of the Miter Goes To . . .

. . . you, the readers. Yesterday evening, we surpassed 100,000 hits. That means that we have had thousands of people, in the Diocese of Rochester and outside of it, reading of our plight and our efforts. You, dearest friends, have turned this blog into a success. We have conducted ourselves for almost a full year in the ways of light-hearted sanctity and jocularity, bringing comfort, affirmation, and an occasional smile to your besieged hearts.

We have "admonished the sinner" and "instructed the ignorant," two of the spiritual works of mercy so integral to the life of the Church. While we have our detractors, even in our own midst, their words fall on deaf ears, and are heard by individuals whose apathy and sluggishness prove their unwillingness to risk great things for the sake of the greatest, that is, the Holy Eucharist, brought to us each and every day in the Mass. Without a proper respect and zeal for the King of Kings, we can have no genuine recourse, in this life or the next.

And so, as we near our First Anniversary, and all the festivities there-upon, I want to thank you all for your continued support and readership. People always tell me, not knowing my blogging identity, "you know, all those blogs, they're run by cranky old white men who can't deal with reality." You, friends, are proof that this is not so. Just look at our followers on Facebook - almost half of them are in high school or college. The others are young parents of large families, converts, devoted single people, and those who have stayed true to the authentic teachings of the Church through the tumult of the 60's and 70's. We are the real face of diversity. The sooner these aging liberals realize that, the sooner God's will may be realized.

Your humble host and friend in orthodoxy,
Gen

Needed: Baby Swing, Highchair/Stroller

If any of you would like to help Mary Jost at the Focus Pregnancy Help Center, she sure could use many things.

She most especially needs baby swings, highchairs and stroller. With the nice weather, the mothers want to take their babies out in a stroller. The Center always needs diapers from newborn and up.

So if any readers would like to make a very significant contribution to a most worthy cause, please call Mary at 200-9477. She would be very grateful for any contribution that you could make.

From Rome

Cardinal Arinze on Kneeling, Communion Rails, and Eucharistic Reverence

Prayers needed to stop this abortion

A very good friend called to ask all of us to pray to stop an abortion that is scheduled take place early tomorrow morning. The doctors (?) talked her into it. Please say some prayers that the abortion does not happen. Thank you.

In Honor of Our Dear Lay Administrators

Another "Epic Limerick" for your perusal.

I found myself mumbling in Latin,
The words more luscious than satin.
So I spoke them aloud,
In the midst of the crowd,
And that's when this story did happen:
The alb-clad lay preacher rose tall,
And gave a most sobering call:
"I feel I've done wrong,
Misleading this throng,
And piercing their souls with this awl."
At this the old woman reached down,
Picked up an awl, stained by blood brown,
She spun it about,
Beginning to shout,
"I drove all my faithful downtown!"
So I kept up my feverish pace,
Running this linguistic race,
Mumbling old prayers,
Despite all the stares,
In this dark, sterile, liberal place.
The awl was a menacing tool,
Which she used in a spirit most cruel,
When one would oppose her,
With intent to depose her,
She'd challenge that bloke to a duel.
So the awl pierced many a soul,
To defend her illicit role,
And those who survive,
Must carefully drive,
To escape the clutch of this troll.
But then, alas, she lamented,
Admitting her soul was demented,
She dropped the awl,
And discerned her call,
Te be a nun, and contented.

On This Day O Beautiful Mother

In honor of Our Blessed Lady. Catholics of a certain age will definitely remember singing these hymns, especially when First Holy Communion fell on Mothers Day.


On this day, O Beautiful Mother!
On this day we give thee our love;
Near thee, Madonna, fondly we hover,
trusting thy gentle care to prove.

On this day we ask to share, dearest Mother,
thy sweet care;
Aid us e'er, our feet astray, wandering from
thy guiding way.

Queen of Angels, deign to hear, thy dear
children's humble pray'r;
Young hearts gain, O Virgin pure, sweetly
to thyself allure.

For the Crowning of the Blessed Mother, this was probably sung more than any other hymn.



The hymn below can and does get Catholics to sing with gusto to the Virgin Mother of God. It is one of those hymns that Catholics seem to love to sing. This is not the version from that stupid "Sister Act".

Mozart's Veni Sancte Spiritus

This is the closing portion of the piece - definitely worth a listen.

Our Lady of the Lighthouses, Pray For Us

A reader of the blog sent the following to us. He was visiting his aunt, a one-time parishioner at St. Anne Church on Mt. Hope Avenue, and who now lives at Monroe Community Hospital. The reason she chose to live there rather than a home like St. John's or St. Ann is because she knows how reverent the Masses are there. Every Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, Fr. Bonsignore offers a Mass, and in her words, "they're just so sublime!"

Well, today the hospital chaplain was away, celebrating the golden anniversary of ordination for a friend of his. In his stead was a priest who, at the request of the "informant," will remain nameless. Usually, this priest is solid, loving the Traditions of Holy Mother Church. And doubtless he did today, but in a most . . . peculiar . . . way.

Upon the altar, flanking the crucifix, he placed to lighthouse figurines. Adorning them at their base was the stole which should have been worn with the chasuble he chose for the day. However, the stole that he wore (over his chasuble, mind you) was apparently made of felt, with glued-on flames and other "fire decorations." His explanation for the statuettes was that they represented the fruits and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He continued this theme at the "Behold the Lamb of God" portion of the Mass by saying, "Here is the Lamb of God, whose fruits and gifts are like these beacons on the shores of life. Happy are those who have been called to His supper."

This is part of a trend which is perhaps the most unfortunate of trends in the post-Conciliar Church. Uniformity has been lost. The Mass is an instrument of whatever priest is saying it, rather than being a timeless, ageless, statement-free liturgy focused on God rather than self. Are we starting to see the merits of having a by-the-book interpretation, folks? When you "say the black and do the red," no one gets angry, no one feels hurt, and the Mass is genuinely beautiful. However, when you let personal ideas and tastes infiltrate the hallowed halls of our liturgical "know-how," that's when problems begin.

I hope that you all had a lighthouse-free Pentecost. I'm certainly glad I did.

The Man's a Saint - The Brother's a Foul-Tongued Cretin

For anyone who caught Brother Wease's interview with Dr. Scott Caton, you will have noticed that a little piece of you died. No one should be made to deal with such a lewd, shallow, dull-witted individual as Wease. I mean no offense to the man, but when he refers to Dr. Caton's children as "little packages" that drive him insane, and when he professes to be a Jehovah's Witness because he let them in his house, and when he says that all priests should have the ability to have a sexual outlet with their wives, he loses his veil of innocence and charity.

Dr. Caton - you have all of our sincere admiration for dealing with such an insipid and tactless man on live radio.

Brother Wease - stick to your station's celebrity bikini contests (do not click if you value your soul), and leave religion to those who actually take it as something serious, and not an amusement for communal jocularity.

Missa Cantata for Pentecost

This coming Sunday there will be a Gregorian Missa Cantata celebrated by the Rev. Gerard McMahon. Mass is at 1:30 at Saint Stanislaus Church. The local "Schola Roffensis" will sing the Gregorian Chant Mass "Orbis Factor" and the Gregorian propers. Orbis factor means "Creator of the World". Take a listen to the clip below and see what you'll be missing. See you all on Sunday. Remember - it's "open seating".

Can the deacon's wife preach the homily?

"On March 25, 1963 kids were uneasy"

In grade school, I was taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. They taught us many useful things, but most important of these was our Catholic faith. Getting to heaven was the major reason we were born, ultimately to be with God in heaven.

Practicing our Catholic Faith, and the frequent reception of the sacraments and attendance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, would give us the necessary graces (actual and sanctifying), to get us to heaven. Our minds and bodies were fresher and more alert in the morning, so each day we had to attend 8 a.m. Mass and the off to school to study the truths of our Catholic faith.

I distinctly remember Sister Meinulpha (and the priests too) telling us that the Church never changes quickly; it changes slowly and with good reason as it use prudential judgment and the wisdom contained in its vast 2,000 years of tradition to guide any change that might happen. She further instructed us that where the Holy Ghost is present there is gentleness, meekness and humility. If that is not the case, beware of a false outcome.

These very major points were not lost on me (I believed everything the Sisters told me) when I started seeing the upheaval after Vatican II. I smelled a rat. So I was always skeptical of the Council, because it didn't seem to square with what the Sisters and priests had taught us about change. They wouldn't lie. It was breaking a commandment to lie.

Kids like a secure environment. When that changes, most kids tend to get uneasy. On March 25, 1963 kids were uneasy. The Sisters changed from their old habit to a modified habit. We knew it was coming. The 12 Sisters filed from the convent to church for 8 a.m. Mass. The door opened and for the first time we saw the Sisters in their "new and modified" habits. We didn't pay attention to the Mass much that day, because part of the environment was changed. The Sisters knew that.

In school, after Mass, they let us ask questions. Sister told us about obedience and we should always be obedient to the Church and her traditions. Out of the 60 kids in class, the majority did not like the new habits. A few said "it looks so different". A few didn't care much. Guess which group I was in?

In retrospect, it seemed that on that day the old world was tossed aside and the new world had to be embraced, however reluctantly. Remember we were 13/14 years old then, but well formed enough in the Catholic faith, to know that our Catholic traditions ran deep in the faith.

I have linked below to a video the Sisters made about the change of their habits. If I haven't adequately expressed myself, please forgive me. I smelled a rat in 1963 and in all those years after with the changes that Vatican II never even came close to suggesting, I smelled an even "bigger rat". It's getting better with Pope Benedict, but we have a long ways to go to return to the Catholic heritage and traditions that are our birthright. Long live Catholic Tradition! Long live Pope Benedict!

So now, Vatican II opened on October 11, 1962 and within a little over 5 months the Sisters had their new habits made and donned. Seems like they went a bit too fast into change.

http://www.sturdyroots.org/Sewing_The_Habit.html

Nostalgia for Bishop McQuaid

Bishop Bernard J. McQuaid, the Jesuit high school's namesake, has been dead for one century. He was the first Bishop of Rochester, and made this diocese into a cradle for Catholicity. He opened scores of churches, schools, orphanages, and other Catholic institutions. He formed St. Bernard's Seminary, along with St. Andrew's, which was a minor seminary. He elevated Rochester's Catholic population from being small, weak, and almost priest-less, to something which was associated with the very fabric of the city.

But alas, his vision of Rochester has died. Below are some photographs, one showing Bishop McQuaid lying in state in St. Patrick's Cathedral in downtown Rochester, and others showing the funeral and the procession to his grave for burial. In the words of St. Thomas More, "Yes, death comes for us all. Even for kings does he come."

Click on the links to view the photos:


http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm08/scm08513.jpg

http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm08/scm08728.jpg

http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm08/scm08512.jpg

Nostalgia for St. Patrick's Cathedral

No, not the one in Manhattan. I'm talking about Rochester's original cathedral, St. Patrick's, now a parking lot due to shifting demographics, Kodak's expansion, and the diocesan coffers.

This photo shows the consecration of Bishop Hanna in 1912. Note how the entire left hand portion of the image is filled to capacity with priests and seminarians in their cassocks, and how the lay people are dressed respectfully and in a dignified manner. No jean shorts and tie dye here.

Now any function at the cathedral, Sacred Heart, is accompanied with gay politicking and celebrations of "diversity" when there is no genuine diversity to be had.


http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm08/scm08558.jpg

Nostalgia And St. Joseph's

I was browsing various sites for images not yet shared with you on this site. Below is one I particularly liked, showing St. Joseph's, now burned-down and turned into a park, as seen from East Avenue in downtown Rochester. You can really get a sense as to how grand that church was, as well as how beautiful and prosperous downtown was back then. Anyone that goes to Our Lady of Victory, Blessed Sacrament, Corpus Christi, etc. knows what a daunting prospect it is to launch oneself into the bowels of urban depravity for the sake of Mass. Note that above the street are the wires and guide-lines for the trolleys which once traversed Rochester. They were discontinued in 1936, and the subway followed suit in the late 50's.

http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm03/scm03071.jpg

"Amazing Grace" is anti-Catholic

"Did you lose parishioners?"

The following appeared in the St. Helen parish bulletin this weekend:

I just hate it when the people who remain misinterpret why people left. No, it was not because they rejected to the person of Sr. Joan. No, they didn't object because she was a nun, not a priest. No, they didn't object because she was a SSJ. They objected because she is in open denial of papal authority, and shows an unabashed hate for everything traditional and orthodox in the Church. The fear over Latin being lost was quite real, from what I have been told by friends. However, that has stayed. But only because Sr. Joan knows that if she cut that, St. Anne would be just another bland, flavorless parish devoid of any liturgical strength.

The reason people leave parishes is not so much a matter of "I don't like _________" but rather "I don't like what ________ does because it is illicit." People could have cared less about Sr. Joan if she had just stayed in the pew rather than insert herself into the Mass. However, when you have an administrator (aka "business manager") sitting, vested, next to the priest, major problems arise. People, even if they are not the most well-read Catholics, can discern when something is not quite right. That's how so many of our readers find us - they think something is slightly amiss, so they check with people who have experienced the same thing.

So, yes, people left because of Sr. Joan. However, this bulletin blurb would lead you to think that they were the stick-in-the-mud reactionaries who can't deal with change. No. Those who left did so because they were told to do so by their pastoral administrator. "Go fertilize another parish." "Take your subversion elsewhere." "You're theology is backwards." "I'm the new resurrection." These words, dear friends, are not words of comfort or pastoral leadership. They are the rantings and intemperate bleatings of a nun whose goal is not to glorify God, but to glorify herself. I am sorry, but it is absolutely true.

If you go to any of the parishes in Gates, or know people who go there, set the record straight. People don't leave only because of the clustering. The majority will leave if they are presented with heterodoxy and dissent from Church teaching. Who cares if you have to go to Mass at a different time? The real battles come when you are confronted with administrators who have no regard for the legitimate authority of Rome. Diocesan norms mean nothing if they run contradictory to those from Rome. A bishop must do as Rome does. If he does not, he is in error, and is in denial of Rome. Rome has said NO to lay preaching, NO to women's ordination, and NO to every other abuse perpetrated by Sr. Sobala. It's time we look towards Rome for leadership, for our own local leaders are so consumed with pride they have lost sight of the authentic faith which they were ordained and appointed to defend.

Pray for Sr. Joan. Pray for Bishop Clark. They need our prayers more than most.