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.

 

 

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.

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/

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.

Mozart's Veni Sancte Spiritus

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

The Key is Dignity

I had a chat today with a musician at  the Church of the Assumption, whose musical abilities are undeniable and clearly God-given. She was asking about my liturgical tastes, and I explained to her that the liturgy of the Church must be "mutually enriching," to borrow a term from our dear Pope. We must learn from the old when conceiving the new. Continuity is integral to liturgical music, as is seen by many new hymns being published which are in English, but set to the old Gregorian melodies. When I gave her this reasoning, she was very pleasant, but she looked at me, put her guitar down, and said, "well, if you want to go a step backwards, that's okay."

Backwards? This is going a step forward, in the true spirit of Vatican II, which declared that Gregorian Chant have "principum locum," principal, primary place in the liturgy. The Council never intended for guitars and plucky psalm-tones, but alas, that's what we have. And so, I decided to tell her about my upcoming trip to the Sacred Music Colloquium with Choir, Sr. Emily, and two other friends of the blog. I particularly pointed out that we will be singing Latin motets written, not 500 years ago, but 25 years ago, and which are wholly reverent and suited for the liturgy. They are undeniably sacred. Of course, we will be singing the old pieces as well, Tallis, and Byrd, and Victoria among them. Again - this is what the Council had in mind: a refreshing of the old in light of the new.

The debate then turned, most subtlety to the question of dignified music. However, what I said can be summarized in this video just released by the Lalemant Polyphonic channel. Be sure to check out their psalm settings for the Ordinary Form. They are quite beautiful.

Our Approved Mass Schedule

So many times, people email us asking where to go to Mass if they're visiting Rochester. Even some DoR natives email us and ask "where can we go to escape the 'liturgy-wars?" Below (and in the side bar) is a schedule I made for you all to help you decide where to go and when to go there. If you're parish isn't listed here, don't worry. It's not that I have consigned it to the fires of Hell, it's just that it's not on the A-list of orthodoxy. I have a deep affection for every parish, because each parish is the dwelling place of God, whether they have Him enthroned on the altar or hidden in a broom closet. What all of us here at Cleansing Fire take offense at is when a parish is turned into a political statement. It's so unfortunate that a parish that is doing exactly what it is supposed to is labeled "reactionary," while parishes whose Masses are less-than-licit are labeled as "normal." This schedule seeks to present to you a list of parishes and worship sites that are doing the right thing. If you value your sanity, you should try to visit these at least once in a while. Sure, have your parish, but when you need a little dose of liturgical reality (i.e. Catholic liturgy, not Rochester liturgy) come to one of these.

I hope this helps.

Saturday Vigil Masses:
St. Stanislaus - 1124 Hudson Avenue (Rochester) - 4:00 PM (English Novus Ordo)
Our Lady of Victory - 210 Pleasant Street (Downtown Rochester) - 4:30 PM
Holy Spirit - 1355 Hatch Road (Webster/Penfield) - 5:00 PM
St. Thomas the Apostle - 4536 St. Paul Boulevard (Irondequoit) - 5:00 PM
St. Cecilia - 2732 Culver Road (Irondequoit) - 5:00 PM
St. Mary - 15 Clark Street (Auburn) - 5:30 PM
St. Mary - 7:00 PM

Sunday Masses:
St. Mary - 7:00 AM
Carmelite Monastery - 1931 West Jefferson Road  (Pittsford) - 8:00 AM
St. Thomas the Apostle - 8:00 AM
St. Cecilia - 8:30 AM
Holy Spirit - 8:30 AM
St. Mary - 9:45 AM
Abbey of the Genesee - 3258 River Road (Piffard) - 9:45 AM
Our Lady of Victory - 10:00 AM
Holy Spirit - 10:30 AM
St. Thomas the Apostle - 11:00 AM
St. Cecilia - 11:00 AM
Monroe Community Hospital (open to the public) - 11:00 AM
St. Mary - 12:00 Noon
Holy Spirit - 12:00 Noon
St. Stanislaus - 1:30 PM (Latin Mass in the Extraordinary Form)
Our Lady of Victory - 7:30 PM

These are Masses which, should you attend, guarantee that you will not witness any kind of genuine liturgical abuse. You are 100% safe with these choices.

Our Latest Side-bar Poll

You may have noticed that I have not yet taken down our latest poll, found to the right of this post. I left it up because, to me, it was a very interesting and very revealing poll. Let's go over some of the results:

I have never encountered liturgical abuse.	5 (8%)
I have encountered abuse, but I combat it from within.	18 (31%)
I have encountered liturgical and had to flee my parish.	20 (34%)
I have ended up at Our Lady of Victory.	20 (34%)
I have ended up at the Latin Mass Community.	15 (25%)
I have stopped going to Mass.	0 (0%)
I have participated in liturgical abuse.	3 (5%)
Nancy DeRycke made my soul bleed.	2 (3%)
Sr. Joan made my soul bleed.	8 (13%)
My parish was "renovated" and looks horrible.	5 (8%)
I'm too attached to leave my parish.	6 (10%)
I have become more orthodox because of the abuses.	30 (51%)
I left the Catholic Church.	0 (0%)
I have sent letters to Rome.	9 (15%)
I have sent letters to the nuncio.	11 (18%)
I have sent letters to Bishop Clark.	14 (24%)
I have sent letters to my pastor/administrator.	12 (20%)
I have served on Parish Council/Litiurgy Committee/etc.	14 (24%)

The first thing that stood out to me was that 5 people have never encountered liturgical abuse. If you selected this option, I must say you are either blessed among creation or one of the most blind creatures on this Earth. This means you're either a native parishioner of OLV or the Latin Mass Community, or you're a liturgy-hippie.

Another things which was very interesting was a full third of the people reading this blog have had to flee their own parish because of what was being done. Connected to this, 20 people ended up at OLV and 15 at the Latin Mass Community. No one stopped going to Mass.

Three people said that they have participated in liturgical abuse. I would imagine that this means that you did so willingly, but then changed your ways. This leads to the point that a full 51% of the people who voted said that they became more orthodox through their trials. Is this not the evidence of a loving and concerned God? He takes us from an instance of pain, and then heals and soothes us with the aromatic balms of pious priests, reverent liturgies, and genuinely Church-loving people.

The last thing that really stood out to me was that around 20-25% of you sent letters. 25% of 400 (our current daily readership average) is 100 people. That's over 100 letters that have been sent out by concerned people reading this site. Imagine how many people have sent letters that either don't read this blog or don't know about it! Rochester is being heard, friends. Rest assured of that.

Prayer to Pope Pius XII

"Oh, good Pope Pius, who did seek to glorify God through the majesty of the Liturgy, grant that we, to whom it has fallen to defend Truth and Tradition, may find the grace and the strength to persevere in all things. Intercede for us, good Pope Pius, that God may hear our cries, and that in His great mercy and love, may deem us worthy to be delivered from present affliction into the glorious reign of His most holy and beneficent will. Amen"

Pontifical High Mass - Part II

The following is taken from Fish Eaters, and would prove beneficial to anyone unaccustomed with this amount of liturgical dignity. The truly moving thing here in the photos is that you will notice that, along with the properly vested ministers, the laity are dressed modestly and respectfully.

Keep in mind that this is written from a strictly Latin Mass perspective - however, much of it can and should be transferred to our practices at the Ordinary Form liturgies we attend.

The basic idea of how we should behave in Church is summed up by the Second Council of Lyons, A.D. 1274:


It is fitting that He Whose abode has been established in peace should be worshipped in peace and with due reverence. Churches, then, should be entered humbly and devoutly; behaviour inside should be calm, pleasing to God, bringing peace to the beholders, a source not only of instruction but of mental refreshment. Those who assemble in church should extol with an act of special reverence that Name which is above every Name, than which no other under Heaven has been given to people, in which believers must be saved, the Name, that is, of Jesus Christ, Who will save His people from their sins. Each should fulfil in himself that which is written for all, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow; whenever that glorious Name is recalled, especially during the sacred Mysteries of the Mass, everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a bow of his head. In churches the sacred solemnities should possess the whole heart and mind; the whole attention should be given to prayer.



Attire


People have no problem, it seems, dressing for weddings, funerals, office parties, or dates -- but seem to think that dressing to meet Almighty God at the Mass is passé. But dressing for Mass is simply a matter of showing proper respect, not only for God, but for others around you. It's certainly not a matter of showing off one's finery -- lots of people don't even have fine clothes. Certainly, too, some people may attend certain Masses -- say the 5:30 PM Masses -- on their way home from their construction jobs. Fine! There is nothing to worry about in these things! Never let circumstances out of your control make you feel embarrassed or keep you away from the Sacraments! But one should always wear clothes that are modest, and, if possible, all things being equal, clean and the nicest clothes one has.

Below are some guidelines for proper attire (which also apply for other liturgies, such as Eucharistic Adoration or the Divine Office, etc.):





Shorts & Sweats: Just say no.


Blue Jeans: Nice blue jeans can be "OK" (but just OK), especially if dressed up, but are not ideal. But if jeans are all you have, by golly, wear jeans!


Ties and Jackets: Typical for men and considered the mark of the "well-dressed" in the West. If you have no suit or jacket, then come in the best you have, if possible.


Head Coverings: Laymen never wear hats in churches (except for rare ceremonial reasons on the part of some confraternities and lay associations).

On the other hand, women do cover their heads and have from the very first day of the Church. Please read more about veiling here. Some parishes and chapels will have veils available for women who don't have one.


Special to Women: Like men, women should wear their "Sunday best," which in the West is typically considered to be a dress or skirt. Hemlines should cover the knees when standing and sitting, shoulders should be covered (i.e., "tank top" dresses and spaghetti straps are not kosher), and necklines should be modest. If you have no dress or skirt, then wear the best outfit you have, if possible.

Just a note on lipstick: if you wear some, be sure to blot really well before kissing icons, statues, the priest's hands, etc. ("Oprah 'Girlfriend' Tip": get the kind that doesn't "kiss off" or smudge...)


Cell Phones/Pagers: Turn them off.

Etiquette This is beyond "etiquette," but I will note here that you are to fast before receiving the Eucharist, and are to refrain from receiving the Eucharist if you are in a state of mortal sin. If you are a public, unrepentant sinner, the priest has every right and duty to not offer you the Body of Christ.   General deportment in a church and at the Mass should be based on these Truths:   Christ is present in the tabernacle. Therefore, respect the sanctuary as the holiest area of the church; it is the Holy of Holies.   During the Mass, we are at the foot of the Cross, witnessing the re-presentation of the Sacrifice at Calvary. How would you behave if you could see, in a way very apparent to the senses, Christ on the Cross, pouring out His Blood for you? What sort of gratitude and reverence would you exhibit? Look upon the Mass with the eyes of faith, and know that the all too common focus on the Mass only or primarily as "celebratory meal" or a "happy gathering" is in no way Catholic and in no way represents the Truth of what the Mass is.   If you're not shy, greet newcomers outside or in the Narthex (NOT in the church itself!) as they come in or leave. Make them feel welcome; learn their names. Give them eye contact, a warm handshake, a friendly pat on the back. Introduce them to the priest after Mass if they haven't already met. Let them know they are welcome, wanted, and entering the House of God. If they are new parishioners, talk to them sometime about events and associations in your parish. Go out of your way to make them feel at home. (Of course, on the other hand, some people are loners or are in very contemplative moods before Mass or just like to go to Mass and be left alone. Use your intuition and respect their wishes -- but a smile never hurt a loner, either!)   When you enter the Church, cross yourself with Holy Water and thank God for the grace given to you at Baptism. When you reach your pew, genuflect toward the Tabernacle in the Sanctuary before sitting down.   Keep sacred silence in the church. Avoid unecessary conversation and keep necessary conversation to a very low whisper. The Church is a lot holier than a library, eh?   Please try to be on time for Mass! Sometimes things can't be helped, without doubt -- cars break down, babies need changing, alarm clocks fail to go off -- but chronic lateness for the Mass is rude and disruptive.   Confession: If you go to Confession right before Mass, let the priest know how many people are in line behind you for the Confessional. If you have an extremely long confession to make and there are many people behind you and Mass begins soon, mention only mortal sins or make your confession at a later date (and do NOT receive the Eucharist if any of the sins you need to confess are mortal!). When someone is in the Confessional, keep a very wide berth of it. It's very, very rude -- very rude -- to stand anywhere near the Confessional when it is in use by another. (I always put a hand over my ear that faces the Confessional if I have to pass by it and someone is in there with the priest. It's not that one can overhear what is going on inside the Confessional -- I never have, at least -- but it helps signal to others that the Confessional is a very safe, private place that all Catholics understand needs to be respected as such).   Children: Children sometimes can't help making a bit of noise at Mass -- but it's usually the kind of noise we Catholics love to hear (what's better than new Catholics, especially little tiny ones?). If your child is out of control, though, or disruptive enough to distract people or makes it hard for others to hear or contemplate, take him to the Narthex, the "Cry Room," or outside. Remember, too, that an acceptable level of noise to you as a parent might be one thing because you are so used to hearing your children that you take their sounds for granted; others might find that same noise very distracting. And, please, don't let your children kick the backs of the pews or turn around and stare at people behind them. Note that children under the age of reason (7 years old) aren't required to assist at Mass, so, while it is extremely laudable to bring children of ALL ages to Mass, it is also OK to leave them at home, too, if it makes things easier on you or if they are particularly cranky or boisterous one day (my prayer, though, is that parents do bring their children to Mass as often as possible!). It might be best if couples with tiny infants and very young toddlers sat in the back of the church and at the end of the pew, if possible, so that if you must leave to tend to your children, your departure won't be distracting. Children who are old enough to pay some attention, though, might be better off sitting in front so that they can watch more closely what the priest and altar boys do. This will not only help them learn about the Mass, but will keep their attention occupied so they'll be less restive. Children who are old enough to read should have children's missals so they can follow along. Encourage your child's attention at the Mass by teaching him and by asking him questions beforehand, giving him things to watch for. As an example, you could ask him: how many times the priest makes the Sign of the Cross during the Mass, and let him try to count them; what side of the Altar the priest chants the Epistle from; at what times the bells ring; how often the exchange "Dominus vobiscum" and "Et cum spiritu tuo" is made; to discover what his favorite chanted melody is and what the words mean, etc. Ask him to look and listen for things that help us to know what liturgical season it is, for example the presence or absence of the alleluia or gloria, the liturgical colors used, etc. Have him listen to the priest's sermon and to the Gospel readings, and then have him repeat it back to you at the after-Mass breakfast or during supper. Ask him questions about what he heard during the sermon and Gospel readings, what it means, what he thinks about what he heard, what questions he might have, to draw pictures that depict today's Gospel, etc. Make these exchanges fun and interesting, though; we don't want "Church" to be seen as a chore or a bore, and the child shouldn't feel as if he's being put through an inquisition.    Do not chew gum or bring food or drinks into the church. The only exceptions are discreetly breastfeeding or giving a bottle to an infant (or, of course, rare medical emergencies such as giving water to a person reviving from having fainted, etc. True charity trumps all law, and law exists to serve charity.).   Never applaud in church for any reason.   Do not pray in the orans position (with arms extended upwards or outwards) during the liturgy. Though it is an ancient, natural, and beautiful prayer posture -- rather like a child reaching up to his Father -- and though it is commonly seen among the laity in the Novus Ordo Mass, it is a posture reserved for priests during the properly-offered Mass. Pray in the orans position all you want at home.   During the Offertory (the very first part of the Mass of the Faithful) is when the collection is taken. Have your offering prepared before you get to church and ready to pull out at this time. The ushers will move from the front of the church to the back, away from the Altar. How much to give is left to your discretion, as we are not bound by the Old Testament laws of tithing but are bound, as a precept of the Church, to support the Church as a general command.   If you're not receiving the Eucharist, be sure to raise the kneeler, if necessary, and make room for people to cross in front of you so they can go stand in line.   When you receive the Host, don't chew on it like it's a piece of steak; let it soften in your mouth, then swallow. One does not respond "Amen" or with any gesture but the Sign of the Cross after receiving the Host, unlike in the Novus Ordo.   After receiving Communion, keep a "custody of the eyes." Walk back to your seat with eyes in front of you, toward the floor. The most traditional posture after receving Communion is to walk with your hands in the "prayer position" -- palms together, fingers pointing upward, held at chest level. When you reach your pew, it is customary to kneel after Communion. Both before and after you've received, maintain this "custody of the eyes" and don't watch people as they return to their seats. Though the Eucharist unites us into one Body, it is, paradoxically, a very intimate time that calls for intense gratitude and individual contemplation (you may see people cover their faces with their hands or veils for a sense of privacy).   The Mass is not truly over until the priest has left the Altar. Don't sneak out after Communion.   When it is time to leave (i.e., after the priest has descended from the Altar and left the building), those sitting in the front pews generally leave first ("first in, first out"). This order should be maintained because we genuflect upon leaving our pew -- and we shouldn't be genuflecting toward some guy walking toward us down the aisle or blocking his exit. When you do exit your pew to leave the church, genuflect once again toward the Tabernacle. Some Catholics also again sign themselves with Holy Water when leaving the Church (a perfectly fine, pious custom, but one which isn't related to the historically-rooted purposes of blessing oneself upon entering the church).   Non-Catholic Guests: If you bring a non-Catholic guest to Mass, explain to him the meaning of the Mass, its parts, what to expect, etc, beforehand. And definitely explain to him lovingly, before you arrive at church, why he is not allowed to receive the Eucharist. Assure him that he is most welcome, and that we are glad he is with us, but that we Catholics know that the apparent "Bread and Wine" is truly the very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. Tell him that if that is not how he sees it, we believe he would be eating and drinking judgement on himself -- 1 Corinthians 11:29 -- and that we would be absolutely remiss in allowing him to receive the Eucharist without discerning the Body of Christ. Explain that even if he does believe it, Catholics who are not in a state of grace and young Latin Catholics who haven't yet been properly prepared for their "First Communion" don't receive the Eucharist, so it's nothing personal. ...and if he does believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, teach him about the rest of Catholic teaching and get him to convert!   Refraining from judgementalism: Do not sit in judgement of those who come to Mass not knowing the proper attire and etiquette (I speak here of the good-willed who are simply ignorant, not public, persistent, unrepentant sinners who use the Mass for political purposes, who flaunt Divine Law intentionally, etc. Even with these people, we are to refrain from personal judgements and are to love them in Truth, even as we judge their actions and protect our Church). Instruct those who are new to the Church gently and lovingly -- and mostly by good example. Ideally, churches and chapels will have the basic expectations written somewhere in the Narthex, in parish bulletins, in pamphlets in the pews, etc, but in any case, dirty looks and an accusing tone hurled at a newcomer are uncalled for; much more Christian -- and effective -- is a simple, "Ah! You're new here! Welcome! It's great that you're here! Here is some information that will help you feel comfortable at this parish; please, if you have any questions, just ask!" -- all wrapped up in a warm, genuine smile. Instead of thrusting a veil at an unveiled woman and looking at her as though she's the devil incarnate, give her a big smile and a "Oh, sister, you don't have a veil? Here's one that would look pretty on you!" or some other such thing (assuming you can speak genuinely). If she isn't receptive, just mind your own danged business and let Father deal with it his way. Finally, don't assume the ill-dressed even have better clothes or were in the circumstance of being able to access better clothes (maybe they'd been in an hospital waiting room all night, who knows? None of your business!). While we do owe our Lord our best, the Mass isn't a fashion show, and we've lost the Christian message entirely if we are are "like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful but within are full of dead men's bones and of all filthiness" -- which sitting in judgement of other people without knowing their situation and acting like holier-than-thou Pharisees would make us.

Bishop Slattery's Homily - the Audio Edition

Below are two videos with audio of Bishop Slattery's homily provided by Fr. Z. It is an absolutely amazing homily, and I know this is entirely redundant, but I should like you to listen to his words. The sublime beauty of the truths he speaks is unable to be expressed by anyone relating this thing second-hand.

There is a slight error in the audio track for Part I which will cause it to skip for a few moments, then start over. All of this is done by 1:05, though. Don't worry.

The Entrance Procession for the Pontifical High Mass

Below is the footage I shot, in two parts, of the entrance procession. As Sr. Emily pointed out, these are meant to be viewed in a fullscreen format - it's HD. Enjoy!

Note that you can see DoR seminarian Peter Mottola about half way through in the first video. He is in the choir portion of the procession.

"We spoke of the Truth" - Bishop Slattery's Moving Sermon

The highlight of the Mass, for me, was Bishop Slattery's absolutely moving sermon, focusing on suffering, obedience, and perseverance. No words of mine can do justice to this man's eloquence, moved by his undeniable love for the Catholic Church, unpolluted by error, and for his love of the Church's Divine Spouse, Jesus Christ. Please read this beautiful piece. I have highlighted certain portions which are particularly moving.

We have much to discuss - you and I …


… much to speak of on this glorious occasion when we gather together in the glare of the world’s scrutiny to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the ascension of Joseph Ratzinger to the throne of Peter.

We must come to understand how it is that suffering can reveal the mercy of God and make manifest among us the consoling presence of Jesus Christ, crucified and now risen from the dead.


We must speak of this mystery today, first of all because it is one of the great mysteries of revelation, spoken of in the New Testament and attested to by every saint in the Church’s long history, by the martyrs with their blood, by the confessors with their constancy, by the virgins with their purity and by the lay faithful of Christ’s body by their resolute courage under fire.

But we must also speak clearly of this mystery because of the enormous suffering which is all around us and which does so much to determine the culture of our modern age.

From the enormous suffering of His Holiness these past months to the suffering of the Church’s most recent martyrs in India and Africa, welling up from the suffering of the poor and the dispossessed and the undocumented, and gathering tears from the victims of abuse and neglect, from women who have been deceived into believing that abortion was a simple medical procedure and thus have lost part of their soul to the greed of the abortionist, and now flowing with the heartache of those who suffer from cancer, diabetes, AIDS, or the emotional diseases of our age, it is the sufferings of our people that defines the culture of our modern secular age.

This enormous suffering which can take on so many varied physical, mental, and emotional forms will reduce us to fear and trembling - if we do not remember that Christ - our Pasch - has been raised from the dead. Our pain and anguish could dehumanize us, for it has the power to close us in upon ourselves such that we would live always in chaos and confusion - if we do not remember that Christ - our hope - has been raised for our sakes. Jesus is our Pasch, our hope and our light.


He makes himself most present in the suffering of his people and this is the mystery of which we must speak today, for when we speak of His saving presence and proclaim His infinite love in the midst of our suffering, when we seek His light and refuse to surrender to the darkness, we receive that light which is the life of men; that light which, as Saint John reminds us in the prologue to his Gospel, can never be overcome by the darkness, no matter how thick, no matter how choking.


Our suffering is thus transformed by His presence. It no longer has the power to alienate or isolate us. Neither can it dehumanize us nor destroy us. Suffering, however long and terrible it may be, has only the power to reveal Christ among us, and He is the mercy and the forgiveness of God.


The mystery then, of which we speak, is the light that shines in the darkness, Christ Our Lord, Who reveals Himself most wondrously to those who suffer so that suffering and death can do nothing more than bring us to the mercy of the Father.


But the point which we must clarify is that Christ reveals Himself to those who suffer in Christ, to those who humbly accept their pain as a personal sharing in His Passion and who are thus obedient to Christ’s command that we take up our cross and follow Him. Suffering by itself is simply the promise that death will claim these mortal bodies of ours, but suffering in Christ is the promise that we will be raised with Christ, when our mortality will be remade in his immortality and all that in our lives which is broken because it is perishable and finite will be made imperishable and incorrupt.


This is the meaning of Peter’s claim that he is a witness to the sufferings of Christ and thus one who has a share in the glory yet to be revealed. Once Peter grasped the overwhelming truth of this mystery, his life was changed. The world held nothing for Peter. For him, there was only Christ.


This is, as you know, quite a dramatic shift for the man who three times denied Our Lord, the man to whom Jesus said, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”


Christ’s declaration to Peter that he would be the rock, the impregnable foundation, the mountain of Zion upon which the new Jerusalem would be constructed, follows in Matthew’s Gospel Saint Peter’s dramatic profession of faith, when the Lord asks the Twelve, “Who do people say that I am?” and Peter, impulsive as always, responds “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Only later - much later - would Peter come to understand the full implication of this first Profession of Faith. Peter would still have to learn that to follow Christ, to truly be His disciple, one must let go of everything which the world considers valuable and necessary, and become powerless. This is the mystery which confounds independent Peter. It is the mystery which still confounds us: to follow Christ, one must surrender everything and become obedient with the obedience of Christ, for no one gains access to the Kingdom of the Father, unless he enter through the humility and the obedience of Jesus.

Peter had no idea that eventually he would find himself fully accepting this obedience, joyfully accepting his share in the Passion and Death of Christ. But Peter loved Our Lord and love was the way by which Peter learned how to obey. “Lord, you know that I love thee,” Peter affirms three times with tears; and three times Christ commands him to tend to the flock that gathers at the foot of Calvary - and that is where we are now.


Peter knew that Jesus was the true Shepherd, the one Master and the only teacher; the rest of us are learners and the lesson we must learn is obedience, obedience unto death. Nothing less than this, for only when we are willing to be obedient with the very obedience of Christ will we come to recognize Christ’s presence among us.


Obedience is thus the heart of the life of the disciple and the key to suffering in Christ and with Christ. This obedience, it must be said, is quite different from obedience the way it is spoken of and dismissed in the world.


For those in the world, obedience is a burden and an imposition. It is the way by which the powerful force the powerless to do obeisance. Simply juridical and always external, obedience is the bending that breaks, but a breaking which is still less painful than the punishment meted out for disobedience. Thus for those in the world obedience is a punishment which must be avoided; but for Christians, obedience is always personal, because it is centered on Christ. It is a surrender to Jesus Whom we love.


For those whose lives are centered in Christ, obedience is that movement which the heart makes when it leaps in joy having once discovered the truth.


Let us consider, then, that Christ has given us both the image of his obedience and the action by which we are made obedient.


The image of Christ’s obedience is His Sacred Heart. That Heart, exposed and wounded must give us pause, for man’s heart it generally hidden and secret. In the silence of his own heart, each of us discovers the truth of who we are, the truth of why we are silent when we should speak, or bothersome and quarrelsome when we should be silent. In our hidden recesses of the heart, we come to know the impulses behind our deeds and the reasons why we act so often as cowards and fools.


But while man’s heart is generally silent and secret, the Heart of the God-Man is fully visible and accessible. It too reveals the motives behind our Lord’s self-surrender. It was obedience to the Father’s will that mankind be reconciled and our many sins forgiven us. “Son though he was,” the Apostle reminds us, “Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered.” Obedient unto death, death on a cross, Jesus asks his Father to forgive us that God might reveal the full depth of his mercy and love. “Father, forgive them,” he prayed, “for they know not what they do.”


Christ’s Sacred Heart is the image of the obedience which Christ showed by his sacrificial love on Calvary. The Sacrifice of Calvary is also for us the means by which we are made obedient and this is a point which you must never forget: at Mass, we offer ourselves to the Father in union with Christ, who offers Himself in perfect obedience to the Father. We make this offering in obedience to Christ who commanded us to “Do this in memory of me” and our obediential offering is perfected in the love with which the Father receives the gift of His Son.


Do not be surprised then that here at Mass, our bloodless offering of the bloody sacrifice of Calvary is a triple act of obedience. First, Christ is obedient to the Father, and offers Himself as a sacrifice of reconciliation. Secondly, we are obedient to Christ and offer ourselves to the Father with Jesus the Son; and thirdly, in sharing Christ’s obedience to the Father, we are made obedient to a new order of reality, in which love is supreme and life reigns eternal, in which suffering and death have been defeated by becoming for us the means by which Christ’s final victory, his future coming, is made manifest and real today.


Suffering then, yours, mine, the Pontiffs, is at the heart of personal holiness, because it is our sharing in the obedience of Jesus which reveals his glory. It is the means by which we are made witnesses of his suffering and sharers in the glory to come.


Do not be dismayed that there many in the Church have not yet grasped this point, and fewer still in the world will even consider it. You know this to be true and ten men who whisper the truth speak louder than a hundred million who lie.


If then someone asks of what we spoke today, tell them we spoke of the truth. If someone asks why it is you came to this Mass, say that it was so that you could be obedient with Christ. If someone asks about the homily, tell them it was about a mystery and if someone asks what I said of the present situation, tell them only that we must - all of us - become saints.

When we hear words such as these, and bring them into our hearts, we cannot help but feel the joy of knowing that what we are doing is the right thing. We are obedient, not to dissent and fraction, but to Tradition and wholeness. It is absolutely beyond me how Bishop Slattery and Bishop Clark are both bishops, both ranking the same in the eyes of man, and the eyes of God, and the eyes of the Church. And yet, Bishop Slattery travels hundreds of miles to say a Pontifical High Mass at the National Shrine, drawing thousands of people. What does Bishop Clark do? He sits in dissenting silence, loving the darkness, and fearing the light of orthodoxy. There is no future in dissent, and those who cling to the notions of self-importance, of hollow "reform," of everything contrary to the heart of the Church, will find themselves cast off into the shadows of the past. They are irrelevant.

Let us look forward, out of these current depths of darkness and depravity, and gaze on Him who is above all.

Pontifical Mass - Part I

Over the course of the next several days, I will be uploading much of the footage I shot at the Pontifical High Mass, along with several photos and stories accrued along the way.

The first thing I would like very much to share with you is the precious gem of the "cappa magna" worn by one of the bishops whose name escapes me as I write this. It wasn't Bishop Slattery, and it certainly wasn't Bishop Clark.

What, you may ask, is a "cappa magna"? It is a special vestment worn by bishops and other high-ranking church officials, and which wikipedia describes as thus:

The cappa magna (literally, "great cape"), a form of mantle, is a voluminous ecclesiastical vestment with a long train, proper to cardinals, bishops, and certain other honorary prelates.
The cappa magna is not strictly a liturgical vestment, but only a glorified cappa choralis, or choir cope. That is to say, it is not used when vested as a celebrant at a liturgical service. It is worn in processions or "in choir" (i.e., attending but not celebrating services). Its colour for cardinals is ordinarily red and for bishops violet. Cardinals and papal nuncios are entitled to wear a cappa magna of watered silk.

The cappa magna is ample in volume and provided with a long train and a disproportionately large hood, the lining of the hood used to be of ermine in winter and silk in summer, and was made in such a way as to completely cover not only the back, but also the breast and shoulders. The hood is functional and in earlier times was often placed on the head and covered with the galero. This used to be the custom when the pope created a new cardinal at a consistory. Nowadays, the hood is normally worn over the head only during penitential rites. Previously, cardinals who were members of specific religious orders would wear a cappa magna in the color of their order. Nowadays, all cardinals wear red.
It is now rarely used, since the 1969 Instruction on the Dress, Titles and Coats-of-arms of Cardinals, Bishops and Lesser Prelates lays down that:

The cappa magna, always without ermine, is no longer obligatory; it can be used only outside of Rome, in circumstances of very special solemnity. (§ 12)

However, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem still uses the ermine-lined winter cappa, because he is bound by the complex and unalterable rules of the status quo, an 1852 Ottoman firman which regulates the delicate relations between the various religious groups which care for the religious sites in the Holy Land. This anomaly is most evident at the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem. The cappa magna is also still used among groups using the Tridentine Mass.

This is the video I shot of the cappa magna being used in procession before the Mass. I dare say that I had a better vantage for this particular shot than did the EWTN camera crew.






I am certain that certain ones among you may be thinking to yourselves, "Gee, this seems like lavish excess. Jesus wouldn't wear a cappa magna. In fact, I'm pretty sure they didn't even have watered silk in those days . . . " Consider, then, this counter-question: Does not the United States spare no expense in building and maintaining its embassies world-wide? There will be a new one built in London at a cost of $1,000,000,000. Why? Because it is the representative of the United States in that particular country. We spare no expense because we have the ability to spare no expense - it shows how much we care. And yet, even though we spend money on such things, we are one of the most philanthropic nations on Earth.

The same is precisely true of the Catholic Church. Each church is the house of God - things like this cappa magna lend an air of majesty to it.

New Celebrant Announced for Pontifical High Mass

Bishop Edward Slattery, of Tulsa, Oklahoma will be taking the place of Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos for the Pontifical High Mass in Washington this Saturday. The following two pieces were noted on Wikipedia:

Pro-choice politicians

During the 2008 presidential election, Slattery criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Senator Joe Biden for their remarks on abortion on Meet the Press, describing their positions as "clearly inconsistent with Catholic teaching" and "plainly false."

Ad orientem liturgy

Bishop Slattery has returned to the practice of celebrating the Eucharistic liturgy ad orientem in his cathedral. He explained in his diocesan newspaper that this liturgical orientation had a number of significant advantages over the versus populum form of celebrating the Mass.

Personally, I think this change is a really good thing. Nothing against Cardinal Hoyos, but to have an American-born bishop saying the first Latin Mass in the nation's basilica for the first time in 50 years is pretty awesome. Nod of the miter at Bishop Slattery. 

Colloquium XX Registration is Full

The registration for the twentieth Sacred Music Colloquium is now closed. You can still register, but you will be added to a wait list which, in my opinion, isn't very promising.

However, before the deadline closed, Cleansing Fire received two new members to the delegation! That means that five of us are going to be doing liturgically backward, antiquated, things in clear defiance of the Spirit of Vatican II.

But wait - what's that? Gregorian chant is the spirit of Vatican II? Are you sure?? Wow. So I guess we're not dangerous reactionaries after all. I kind of feel drained of importance.

"I told you Latin sounded witchy."

I'll Rub Shoulders For Y'all

I'm sure many of you know that when I'm down around the Mason Dixon Line this week and weekend, I'll be in attendance for the Pontifical High Mass at the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

What I'm sure many of you didn't know is that I will be there with some of our Catholic blogging elite: Fr. Z will be there, along with Kat from the Crescat, along with many others.

Envious yet? So, when you're bracing yourself for another weekend of exile and dissent, I'll be at table with Fr. Z and the Crescat, along with throngs of others. I feel like a total blog-snob, and I'm loving every minute of it.

Did I mention that Choir, Sr. Emily, and I will be carousing with the New Liturgical Movement people during the Colloquium? Oh, that's right - I did.

The Art of Gregorian Music

The following portion of an essay was written by Dom Andre Mocquereau, a liturgist of the late 19th century. It is lengthy, but definitely deserves at least a partial read.

The most striking characteristic of plainsong is its simplic­ity, and herein it is truly artistic. Among the Greeks, sim­plicity was the essential condition all art; truth, beauty, goodness cannot be otherwise than simple.

The true artist is he who best—that is, in the simplest way— translates to the world without the ideal conceived in the simplicity of his intellect. The higher, the purer the intellect, the greater the unity and simplicity of its conception of the truth; now, the closest interpretation of an idea which is single and simple is plainly that which in the visible world most nearly approaches singleness and simplicity. Art is not meant to encumber the human mind with a multiplicity which does not belong to it: it should on the contrary tend to so elevate the sensible world that it may reflect in some degree the singleness and simplicity of the invisible. Art should tend not to the degradation, but to the perfection of the individual. If it appeals to the senses by evoking impressions and emotions which are proper to them, it only does so in order to arouse the mind in some way, and to enable it to free itself from and rise above the visible world as by a ladder, cunningly devised in accordance with the laws laid down by God Himself. Whence it follows that plainsong is not simple in the sense that its methods are those of an art in its infancy: it is simple consistently and on principle.

It should not be supposed that this theory binds us to sys­tems long since out of date: the Church in this matter professes the principles held by the Greeks, the most artistic race the world has ever known. In their conception, art could not be otherwise than simple. Whenever I read Taine’s admirable pages on the simplicity of Greek art, I am constantly reminded of the music of the Church. Take for instance, the following passage: "The temple is proportionate to man's understand­ing—among the Greeks it was of moderate, even small, dimen­sions: there was nothing resembling the huge piles of India, of Babylon, or of Egypt, nor those massive super-imposed palaces, those labyrinthine avenues, courts, and halls, those gigantic statues, of which the very profusion confused and dazzled the mind. All this was unknown. The order and har­mony of the Greek temple can be grasped a hundred yards from the sacred precincts. The lines of its structure are so simple that they may be comprehended at one glance. There is nothing complicated, fantastic, or strained in its construc­tion; it is based upon three or four elementary geometrical designs.

Do you not recognize in this description, Gentlemen, the un­pretentious melodies of the Gregorian chant? They fill but a few lines on paper: a few short minutes suffice for their execu­tion: an antiphon several times repeated and some verses from a psalm, nothing more. They are moreover so simple that the ear can easily grasp them. There is nothing com­plicated, weird or strained, nothing which resembles those great five-act operas, those interminable oratorios, those Wag­nerian tetralogies which take several days to perform, be­wildering and confusing the mind.
The same simplicity is found in Greek literature and sculp­ture. To quote Taine again :—"Study the Greek play: the characters are not deep and complex as in Shakespeare; there are no intrigues, no surprises—the piece turns on some heroic legend, with which the spectators have been familiar from early childhood; the events and their issue are known beforehand. As for the action, it may be described in a few words—nothing is done for effect, everything is simple—and of exquisite feeling.”

These principles, Gentlemen, may all be applied to plainsong. "No loud tones, no touch of bitterness or passion; scarce a smile, and yet one is charmed as by the sight of some wild flower or limpid stream. With our blunted and unnatural taste, accustomed to stronger wine (I am still quoting Taine) we are at first tempted to pronounce the beverage insipid: but after having moistened our lips therewith for some months, we would no longer have any other drink but that pure fresh water; all other music and literature seem like spice, or poison."
You will no doubt ask how so simple an art, from which the modern means of giving expression are systematically excluded, can faithfully interpret the manifold and deep meaning of the liturgical text. Seemingly this is impossible. But here you are mistaken, Gentlemen. In music, as in all art, the simpler the means, the greater the effect and impression produced. Victor Cousin has a telling saying :—"The less noise the music makes, the more affecting it is!” And so simplicity excludes neither expression nor its subtleties from the chant.

What then is this expression, whence does it spring, and what is its nature? Let me make yet another quotation, for I like to adduce the theories of modern authorities in sup­port of the aesthetics of the chant: behind their shelter, I shall not be exposed to any charge of having invented them to suit my case. M. Charles Blanc, in his "Grammar of the Graphic Arts," says that "Between the beautiful and its ex­pression there is a wide interval, and moreover, an apparent contradiction. The interval is that which separates Christian­ity from the old world: the contradiction consists in the fact that pure beauty (the writer is speaking of plastic beauty) can hardly be reconciled with facial changes, reflecting the count­less impressions of life. Physical beauty must give place to moral beauty in proportion as the expression is more pro­nounced. This is the reason why pagan sculpture is so limited in expression.” I am well aware, Gentlemen, that in sculp­ture, more than in any other art, the greatest care must be taken not to pass certain appointed bounds, if the stateliness which is its chief characteristic is to be preserved. I am also aware that in other arts, such as painting or music, it is legitimate to indulge more freely in the representation of the soul's manifold emotions. All this I grant, Gentlemen: never­theless, it must be acknowledged that these distinctions are very fine indeed, and that in every art, the higher laws of aesthetics are the same. The laws of musical expression are analogous to those of plastic expression: there too it may be asserted that pure musical beauty accords ill with the tonal, metrical or rhythmic changes of a melody reflecting the manifold old impressions of the soul in the grip of its passions. There too we may say that the more intense is the expression, the more the beauty of the music as music gives way to moral beauty. How then are we to reconcile beauty, by its very na­ture serene and immutable, with the restlessness and versa­tility which are the essential characteristics of expression? The problem is by no means easy of solution.

Ancient art, with deeper insight, loved beauty so much that it shunned expression: our more sensual modern art endeavors to obtain expression at the expense of beauty. But the Church in her song has found, it would seem, the secret of wedding the highest beauty without any change to a style of expression which is both serene and touching. This result is attained without conscious effort. For as a sound body is the instru­ment of a sound mind, so the chant, informed by the inspired word of God, interprets its expression. This expression is en­hanced both by the smoothness of the modulations, and by the suppleness of the rhythm. And as the melody is simple and spiritual, so likewise is the expression: it belongs, like the melody, to another age. It is not, as in modern music, the result of surprise, of discord, of irregularity or disorder; it does not linger over details, nor endeavor to chisel every word, to cut into the marble of the melody every shade of emotion. It springs rather from the general order, the perfect balance and enduring harmony of every part, and from the irresistible charm born of such perfection. Measured and discreet, ample liberty of interpretation is left to the mind by such expression. Always true, it bears the signal stamp of the beauty of fitness: it becomes the sanctuary, it becomes those who resort thither that they may rise to the spiritual plane. "No defilement shall touch it," no dimness, nor stain but a limpid virginal purity: like the ancient Doric mode, it breathes modesty and chastity.

It is, moreover, infinite in its variety. "Attingit ubique propter munditiam suam." What, for example, could be more artless and expressive than the Ambrosian Gloria which was sung to you? It turns upon two or three notes, and a short jubilus. A modern composer would consider it monotonous and insipid, but to me its simplicity is charming, and its frank and wholesome tonality refreshing. That joyous neum has a rustic ring about it that reminds one of the hillsides of Bethlehem and fills me with the joy and peace of Christmastide. It is indeed a song worthy of the angels, those pure spirits, and of the poor shepherd folk.
The same characteristics are found in the little carol "In Israhel orietur princeps, firmanentum pacis." It contains but six short words, yet these suffice to make a melodic composition of exquisite delicacy and expression. In the Introit Reminis­cere, you heard the plaintive accents of sorrowful entreaty, and in the Laetare, those of a joy so sweet and calm as to be almost jubilant. As for the communion Videns Dominus, it has no equal. No melody could express more vividly the Saviour's tears and His compassion for Lazarus' grief-stricken sisters, and the divine power of His bidding to death.

In presence of the masterpieces of Greek art, the most dis­cerning modern artists frankly confess their inability to ap­preciate them at their true value. To use Taine's words:— "Our modern perceptions cannot soar so high." And we may in like manner say of the musical compositions of the early Church that they are beyond the reach of our perceptions: we can only partially and gradually comprehend the perfection of their plan; we no longer have their subtlety of feeling and intuition. “In comparison with them we are like amateurs listening to a musician born and bred: his playing has a deli­cacy of execution, a purity of tone, a fullness of accord, and a certain finish of expression, of which the amateur, with his mediocre talents and lack of training can only now and again grasp the general effect.”

The finishing touch has yet to be added to this brief outline of plainsong; this suavity, or more correctly, unction, the supreme quantity in which all the elements we have been dis­cussing converge. The product of consummate art, it crowns the chant with a glory unknown in all other music, and it is on account of this very unction that the Church has singled it out for her use: It is this quality which makes plainsong the true expression of prayer, and a faithful interpretation of those unspeakable groanings of the Spirit who, in the words of St. Paul, “prays in us and for us."   We sometimes wonder at the secret power the chant has over our soul: it is entirely due to unction, which finds its way into men's souls, converts and soothes them, and inclines them to prayer. It is akin to grace, and is one of its most effectual means of action, for no one can escape its influence. The pure in heart are best able to understand and taste the suavity of this unction. Yet, for all its delectable charm, it never tends to enervate the soul, but like oil, it makes the wrestler supple and strengthens him against the combat; it rests and relaxes, and bathes him in that peace which follows the conquest of his passions.

A last word as to the style of execution best suited to plainsong. There can of course be no doubt that an able and artistic interpretation is eminently suited to music so subtle and so delicate, but I hasten to add that mere technique is not enough: it must be coupled with faith, with devotion and with love. There must be no misunderstanding in this matter. Notwithstanding its beauty, plainsong is both simple and easy: it is within the capacity of poor and simple folk. Like the liturgy and the scriptures, and, if such a comparison be ad­missible, like the Blessed Sacrament itself, this musical bread which the Church distributes to her children, may be food for the loftiest intellects as for the most illiterate minds. In the country it is not out of place on the lips of the ploughman, the shepherd, or laborer, who on Sundays leave plough and trowel or anvil, and come together to sing God's praises. Nor is it out of place in the Cathedral, where the venerable canons supported by the fresh young voices of a well-trained choir sing their office, if not always artistically, at least with the full appreciation of the words of the Psalmist "Psallite sapienter." Very possibly the chant is neither rendered, understood, nor appreciated in precisely the same manner in a country church as in a cathedral. But it would be unfair and unreasonable to except of village folk an artistic interpretation of which their uncultured minds have no inkling, since, after all, their devotion and taste is satisfied with less. But on the other hand, a suitable interpretation may in justice be expected and required of them: the voices should be restrained, the tone true and sustained, the accents should be observed, so too the pauses, the rhythm, and the feeling of the melody. All that is needed beyond this is that touch of devotion, of feeling, which is by no means rare among the masses. With this slender store of musical knowledge, the village cantor will not, I con­fess, become an artist. He will not render the full beauty, the finer shades of the melody: nevertheless, he will express his own devotion and withal he will carry his audience with him. For the simple folk who listen to him are no better versed than he in the subtle niceties of art: neither he nor they can fully appreciate the chant, but they are satisfied with that which they find in it: it contents their musical instincts and appeals to their ingenuous piety.

Is this then all, Gentlemen? Does such an easy victory fulfill the Church’s intentions: is her aim merely to win the approval of our good peasants? Indeed, such is not the Church's meaning: she does not rest content with well-meaning mediocrity: she has her colleges, her greater and lesser seminaries, her choirs, her monasteries, and her cathedrals. Of these she demands an intelligent rendering of the chant so dear to her heart, that it may compel the admiration of the most exacting critics, and be at the same time the most perfect expression of her official prayer. Here indeed is art most necessary: here we may despoil the Egyptians of their most precious vessels, and fairly borrow, without any scruple, from profane artists, the methods whereby to restore to the voice its true sweetness and purity. Art teaches us how to use the voice, to sing the neums softly or loudly as the case may be, to pronounce the words, to give delicacy to the accents, to phrase correctly, to bring out the expression and the true mean­ing of the ideas contained in the words. Art conceals natural or acquired defects, and restores to nature its primitive beauty and integrity. In plainsong, the aim of art is to provide the soul with a docile, pliant instrument, capable of interpreting its sentiments without deforming them. To attempt to sing without training or art; "naturally," as the saying goes, would be as foolish an undertaking as to pretend to attain to sanctity without setting any check upon our impulses. Art is to the right interpretation of the chant what the science of ascetics is to the spiritual life. Its proper function is not to give vent to factitious emotions, as in modem music, but rather to allow genuine feeling complete freedom of expression. It is with intent that I use the word freedom, for freedom is simply the being able to yield without effort to the rules of the beautiful, which become as it were natural.

Art then is necessary, but as I have already said it is not sufficient in itself. To sing the chant, as it should be sung, the soul must be suitably disposed. The chant should vibrate with soul, ordered, calm, disciplined, passionless: a soul that is mistress of itself, intelligent and in possession of the light; upright in the sight of God, and overflowing with charity. To such a soul, Gentlemen, add a beautiful voice, well-trained, and the singing of those hallowed melodies, will be a finished work of beauty, the music of which Plato dreamed, a music which inspires a love of virtue: nay, more, you will have the ideal of Christian prayer as St. Dennis understood it, the realization of the great Benedictine motto :—"Mens nostra concordet voci nostrae." "Let our mind concord with our voice" in the praise of God.

Pope Benedict on Liturgy

VATICAN CITY, 15 APRIL 2010 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received the prelates of the North II Region of the Brazilian National Conference of Bishops on the conclusion of their ad limina visit.

  Speaking of the Eucharist, the Pope recalled that it constitutes "the centre and permanent source of the Petrine ministry, the heart of the Christian life, source and summit of the Church's mission of evangelization. You can thus understand the concern of the Successor of Peter for all that can obfuscate this most essential point of the Catholic faith: that today, Jesus Christ continues alive and truly present in the consecrated host and the chalice."

  "Paying less attention at times to the rite of the Most Holy Sacrament constitutes," he said, "a sign and a cause of the darkening of the Christian sense of mystery, such as when Jesus is not the centre of the Mass, but rather a community preoccupied with other things instead of being taken up and drawn to the only one necessary: their Lord."

  Benedict XVI emphasized that "if the figure of Christ does not emerge from the liturgy ... it is not a Christian liturgy". This is why, he added, "we find those who, in the name of enculturation, fall into syncretism, introducing rites taken from other religions or cultural particularities into the celebration of the Mass."

  As Venerable John Paul II wrote, "the mystery of the Eucharist is 'too great a gift' to admit of ambiguities or reductions, above all when, 'stripped of its sacrificial meaning, it is celebrated as if it were simply a fraternal banquet'."
  The Pope highlighted that "behind many alleged motives, there exists a mentality that is incapable of accepting the real possibility of divine intervention in this world to assist human beings. ... Admitting God's redeeming intervention to change our situation of alienation and sin is seen as fundamentalism by those who share a deist vision  and the same can be said about the sacramental sign that makes the salvific sacrifice present. For such persons, the celebration of a sign that corresponds to a vague sentiment of community would be more acceptable."

  "Worship, however," he continued, "cannot come from our imagination: that would be a cry in the darkness or mere self-affirmation. True liturgy supposes that God responds and shows us how we can adore Him. ... The Church lives in His presence and its reason for being and existing is to expand His presence in the world."

  The Holy Father concluded, recalling that within a month the 16th National Eucharistic Congress will be celebrated in Brazil. In this context he asked that Jesus in the Eucharist "truly be the heart of Brazil, from which comes the strength for all Brazilian men and women to recognize themselves and help one another as brothers and sisters and as members of Christ. Whoever wishes to live, has a place to live, has something to live for. Let them draw near, create and begin to form part of the Body of Christ and they will be given life."