The Italian Church - Still a Bastion of Glory

In recent years, the Church in Europe, and in Italy and France in particular, have experienced marked decreases. Whether the cause is spiritual, changing demographics, or liberalism, the decrease is still evident. Beautiful churches with hand-painted frescoes sit empty and devoid of the splendor of the Mass. However, this recent article from the New Liturgical Movement shows signs of great hope for the Italian Church, and all of its iridescent glory.

The Italian blog Messa in Latino have up some more beautiful photographs of an All Saints Day Mass in San Remo, Italy, from Maranatha.it.


The Mass was celebrated by Monsignor Vittorio Marteletti, rector of the Santuario di N.S. Dell'Assunta, San Remo. The art and architecture of this church is quite stunning to say the least.


Here are a selection of their photographs.

Warning: Tree Violence

The following video depicts graphic violence committed against a clay-animated tree. Viewer discretion advised.

Why? Because I can.

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The Christmas Rifle by Rian B. Anderson

This was passed on to me by a friend. It is a very, very good story for Christmas. Please read and take it to heart. All of us know a family like the Jensens, or should.

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for
those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from
giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like
the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.

After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible; instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though; I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house.

Something was up, but I didn't know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on.

After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood---the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd been by, but so what? "Yeah," I said, "Why?" "I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt."

That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait.

When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunnysacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy?

Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern. We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, and then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?"

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp. "We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it.

She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children---sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.

"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up." I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it,there were tears in my eyes too.

In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.

I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still
had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away. Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, "'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain that He will."

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough.

Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that. But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunnysacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night; he had given me the best Christmas of my life.

What Really Happened at Spiritus Christi

Few people know the full story of what happened at Spiritus Christi in Rochester. I hope this video will elucidate the matter for you all. Enjoy.

The Screwtape Letters

I have always enjoyed C.S. Lewis' work, be it Narnia or other theological writings. One book which I found both informative and entertaining was the famous "Screwtape Letters," which is a dialogue between two devils about the human soul. There are numerous portions of the work which make one laugh out loud, if you're of the dry-wit kind of humor, one of which I will put below for your reference and enjoyment. Note how even fictitious devils lash out against Tradition and proper liturgy. I have put into red the phrases I should like to focus on.

MY DEAR WORMWOOD,
I note with grave displeasure that your patient has become a Christian. Do not indulge the hope that you will escape the usual penalties; indeed, in your better moments, I trust you would hardly even wish to do so. In the meantime we must make the best of the situation. There is no need to despair; hundreds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a I brief sojourn in the Enemy's camp and are now with us. All the habits of the patient, both mental and bodily, are still in our favour.
One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see her, spread but through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners. That, I confess, is a spectacle which makes even our boldest tempters uneasy. But fortunately it is quite invisible to these humans. All your patient sees is the half-finished, sham Gothic erection on the new building estate. When he goes inside, he sees the local grocer with rather in oily expression on his face bustling up to offer him one shiny little book containing a liturgy which neither of them understands, and one shabby little book containing corrupt texts of a number of religious lyrics, mostly bad, and in very small print. When he gets to his pew and looks round him he sees just that selection of his neighbours whom he has hitherto avoided. You want to lean pretty heavily on those neighbours. Make his mind flit to and fro between an expression like "the body of Christ" and the actual faces in the next pew. It matters very little, of course, what kind of people that next pew really contains. You may know one of them to be a great warrior on the Enemy's side. No matter. Your patient, thanks to Our Father below, is a fool. Provided that any of those neighbours sing out of tune, or have boots that squeak, or double chins, or odd clothes, the patient will quite easily believe that their religion must therefore be somehow ridiculous. At his present stage, you see, he has an idea of "Christians" in his mind which he supposes to be spiritual but which, in fact, is largely pictorial. His mind is full of togas and sandals and armour and bare legs and the mere fact that the other people in church wear modern clothes is a real—though of course an unconscious—difficulty to him. Never let it come to the surface; never let him ask what he expected them to look like. Keep everything hazy in his mind now, and you will have all eternity wherein to amuse yourself by producing in him the peculiar kind of clarity which Hell affords.

• I note with grave displeasure that your patient has become a Christian. Note how the devil, albeit a fictitious manifestation of one, experiences "grave displeasure" that one of the wandering souls on Earth came home to the Church. Now, the story goes that C.S. Lewis was ready to convert to Catholicism on his deathbed. For that reason, I will reference the Catholic Church in this "analysis," not the Anglican Communion.
• Hundreds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a I brief sojourn in the Enemy's camp and are now with us.Yes, it is an unfortunate reality that many Christians do lapse into sinfulness and blindness. These are caused, primarily, by the weakness of humanity and the power which we give to the devil. The devil, Satan, has no power. The only strengths he has are those which we give to him.
• One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. I think we can agree that C.S. Lewis is perfectly correct here. So many times Christians are led astray by those who are "servants of the Church." Just look at Martin Luther and Bishop Lefebvre. In the case of the former, how many innocent people died in the Reformation that otherwise could have led productive and saintly lives, if only one monk hadn't taken his hammer and nail and theses to the door of the cathedral. In the case of the latter, all that these people needed to do was wait for a couple decades. Poor unfortunate souls of mistiming.
• That, I confess, is a spectacle which makes even our boldest tempters uneasy. It can be said, and said with confidence, that devils are more aware of the Divine Mystery of the Altar than are most Christians. The spectacles of the Mass are most certainly splendid, as well they should be, for when else does the King of Kings descend from His throne to sit amongst us, the created? Nowhere aside from the Mass does this happen, and the Evil One knows this.
• One shiny little book containing a liturgy which neither of them understands, and one shabby little book containing corrupt texts of a number of religious lyrics, mostly bad, and in very small print. Looks like Satan doesn't enjoy the Latin Mass . . .
• Make his mind flit to and fro between an expression like "the body of Christ" and the actual faces in the next pew. How often do we find ourselves distracted at Mass. I am certain that even those of us who are lectors, acolytes, deacons, and even priests have moments where we have to refocus our attention on Our Lord as opposed to that lady in the back who's wearing an obscenely large hat, or that fellow in the front row who is filling out his Christmas cards rather than listen to the sermon. Distraction is a part of the Mass. It ought not to be, but we are imperfect. Strive to focus solely on the altar, the priest, the words of prayer, the glorious music bearing witness to the splendor of God enthroned in Heaven. The devil delights in distraction, so give him not the satisfaction of knowing the timidity and tepidity of our own hearts. Remember - we are at Mass for Our Lord, not our friends, not our families, not the coffee hour. Keep this in your mind and your tepidity will wain.
• Your patient, thanks to Our Father below, is a fool. Many Christians do let themselves fall into spiritual foolishness at the behest of the Evil One. For the devils and demons that exist (and exist they do) seek to bring us to ruin. Their wiles and temptations may appear to be an easy way to happiness and satisfaction, but they aren't. The only true source of unending joy is the Treasure within the tabernacles. It is foolish, indeed, to place our hopes and aspirations elsewhere, for all else is fleeting. Christ alone is the only constant in this equation of life.
• Never let it come to the surface. Here we can see that the devil does, in fact, acknowledge his own powerlessness. He describes ways in which to hold the attention of the Christian, to restrain his soul from attaining that which it so ardently desires. "Never let it come to the surface," "it" being a realization of the centrality of Christ, King, Savior, Shepherd, and Servant. Again, the devil yearns for the Christian heart to be distracted from the fount of perfect love, the Blessed Sacrament. Do not let yourself be corrupted by a marauding mind and a wandering eye.
• You will have all eternity wherein to amuse yourself by producing in him the peculiar kind of clarity which Hell affords. Finally, the devil declares that, in order to keep the Christian soul "hazy," one must make Hell appear a clear route. Hell is indeed a clear route, a way devoid of obstacles and hindrances. But pay no heed to it, for the road is also paved with indifference, with lust, with greed and avarice. The road to Heaven, the Glorious Court of the Most High, is obstructed with much, and all this done by the Evil One. He realizes it is easier to tear down and litter than it is to build up. Christ spent His short time on Earth physically building up the Church, His bride, in the form of the Apostles. Now Satan spends eternity trying to undo that wondrous deed. When we are inattentive to heresy, indifference, poor catechesis, liturgical abuse, and even crimes against the Church, we stand beside Satan, and pry forth bricks from the Heavenly walls which serve to protect us, we who assist the devil in tearing it down! The way to Heaven, though obstructed by sin, is clear, having been purged of "haziness" by Our Lord on the cross. What clearer focus is there in this world than that most perfect sign of Divine Love?

Interdict Update - December 15th 2009

Kindly note that in the "Interdict" column to the right, I have added an item:

- inept shoppers

I trust I have made myself sufficiently opaque? The explanation for both is as follows:

1. I was shopping today at Wegmans. If pressed, I would swear to the fact that every moronic child of God in the county was in this one location at once. Is it really so hard to move your cart one foot in the opposite direction to let another person pass? Evidently it is. And I think you all know exactly what I'm talking about: you're trying to rush through your shopping because you know what you want, you know where it is, and you need to get home to watch Mother Angelica's Religious Catelogue on EWTN. However, a little old lady of approximately 150 years is standing with her cart perfectly centered in the aisle, but at such an angle that one cannot pass. While looking at her pleadingly to move her cart, you realize that she's carrying on a conversation with the various cans of Italian-cut Green Beans. "Well, Mr. Jolly Green Giant, you look like you're awfully fresh. But little Miss Dole has a prettier packaging. What's that, Mr Giant? You want me to eat your products? Well, we'll just see about that! When you start decorating prettier, maybe then I'll have your beans with dinner."

POW! - Iridescent Italian Month's a Hit!

Literally.

Italian leader Berlesconi was attacked with a statue yesterday, leaving him dazed and bloodied. Details are still emerging, but I'll update this as soon as they release more information.

This is the actual video of what happened. Warning - it is rather bloody at spots.

All I have to say is this: Good old Italian political finesse!

The Purity Host Dispenser Strikes Again

Such heinous abuse I have seldom seen. Keep in mind, this is from a Catholic church.

Vote Your Conscience

Do we need a third Vatican Council? Seeing as how the first one accomplished next-to-nothing, and the second one split Catholics and practically destroyed catechesis, I'm not really too keen on launching ourselves into a third council.

Vote here.

Thou Art Not Peter

Iridescent Italian month marches on, and I thought we should take a moment to talk about the infamous Pope John XXIII. No, not Blessed John XXIII, but the anti-pope of the 15th century. There's a huge difference, folks. Remember? We talked about this - we're not sede-vacantists.

Here is a well-told history of this less-than-iridescent-Italian:

He was one of the seven cardinals who, in May of 1408, deserted Pope Gregory XII, and, with those belonging to the obedience of Antipope Benedict XIII, convened the Council of Pisa, of which Cossa became the leader. They elected Pope Alexander V in 1409.

On the night of the 3rd May 1410, Pope Alexander V died suddenly of poisoning after having dinner along with Cardinal Baldassare Cossa.

The Italian cardinals elected the Pisan Baldassare Cossa (c. 1370-1419) to replace him. He called himself Pope John XXIII (1410-1415)

The vices of Cardinal Cossa, who had bribed electors, were well known to the cardinals and all of Italy, and nothing could show more plainly than this election the depth to which the papacy had sunk. Whether he was the son of an Italian pirate, as Dietrich says, we need not stop to consider. For 15 years he had been the head of the popes' corrupt financial system and had led papal troops and mercenaries with all the ferocity and looseness of commanders of that age. Dietrich adds that, as papal legate at Bologna, Cossa had exacted a personal commission from gamblers and prostitutes. On these matters, it is enough to say that the cardinals who elected him were, like all Europeans, aware of his reputation, and we remain content with the official ecclesiastical description of his character.

To end the schism and mutliple Popes, Emperor Sigismund agreed to convoke and preside at a Church General Council at Constance in 1414. It was an uncanny four-year event that defied understanding, and "the incontinence practised by the churchmen demoralised the city in which it was convened" (Samuel Edgar's The Variations of Popery, London, 1838, 2nd ed., p. 533). The priests employed 1,500 prostitutes, whom they called "vagrant strumpets" (ibid.), who refreshed them of an evening after their days of arguing in the Council. The sacerdotal fornicators, it seemed, were very liberal with their favours to the professional ladies. One courtesan, it is said, gained 800 florins, an immense sum in those days.

After hearing witnesses, the Council drew up a long indictment against John XXIII which ran to 54 Articles, and may be read in any collection of Church Council records available. He was later charged with rape, adultery, incest, sodomy and the murder of Pope Alexander V. After a brief trial he was found guilty, deposed, imprisoned and strangled within two years. The Romans pelted mud and stones at his coffin when it was brought to Rome.

Obama and the Catholic Bishops

Crozier Smack @ President Obama

This is from the Associated Press:

President Barack Obama entered the pantheon of Nobel Prize winners Thursday with humble words, acknowledging his own few accomplishments while delivering a robust defense of war and promising to use the prestigious award to "reach for the world that ought to be."

"Ought to be." This reminds me of a scene from Hamlet, in which Hamlet declares to his mother, "Seems, madame? Nay, it is. I know not 'seems.'" However, in this case it could be written, "Ought to be, sir? Nay, it is not. I know not 'ought to be.'"

The world is inhabited by mankind (and womankind, and childkind, and in-betweenkind). Mankind (etc.) is inherently sinful. Therefore, an ideal world, the world which "ought to be," cannot exist until the coming of the Messiah.

No, not Obama. I'm talking about Jesus.

Photo Caption Contest

It's time for more of your keen insights, once again. The last time, I had a very tough time picking a winner. In fact, I didn't. If you submitted a caption, you earned your five prayer cards. Just email me (cleansingfire@live.com) and I'll send them out. I've got some for two of you already, and you'll be getting them soon. Mea culpa for not sending them off sooner. Life has a funny way of getting busy.

Anyways, you know the rules: keep it decent, keep it clean.

For When You've Had Enough

Please feel free to print these off and keep in your wallet or purse.

The Ten Most Common Liturgical Abuses

The following appeared in "This Rock" about ten years ago. Please give it a read.

THE TEN MOST COMMON LITURGICAL ABUSES

And Why They're Wrong

By Kevin Orlin Johnson

Before Vatican II there weren’t any surprises when it came to the Mass. Now in many parts of the United States you’ll find priests improvising as they go along. Even archbishops issue pastoral letters directing things at odds with liturgical regulations. As Pope John Paul II noted in a 1998 ad limina address to the American bishops of the western states, not all of the changes in the liturgy "have always and everywhere been accompanied by the necessary explanation and catechesis; as a result, in some cases there has been a misunderstanding of the very nature of the liturgy, leading to abuses, polarization, and sometimes even grave scandal."

"Scandal" is a word much in the news these days, but it doesn’t really mean a shameful or sexual misdemeanor. "Scandal" in the Church’s vocabulary means just what it means in the Bible: a stumbling block, something that obstructs a person’s way to the faith (Matt. 18:6–9).

When the Mass is presented as something casual, entertaining, or improvisational, the whole point of it disappears. If the priest conducts himself as if Christ were not truly present in the Eucharist, why should the lay people in his parish think the Eucharist means anything? Why should they bother to go to Mass at all? Although census figures report that the Church in America is growing, only twenty-five percent of Americans who call themselves Catholic attend Mass regularly (down from seventy percent before the liturgical reforms following Vatican II). Worse, close to two-thirds of American Catholics say they don’t believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist—and many of those are among the twenty-five percent who still attend Mass.

A strong argument can be made that the loss of structure in liturgy caused an erosion of faith that in turn dealt a near-mortal blow to the American priesthood. Religious vocations, always sufficient in this country, began dropping off as the new order of the Mass was imposed without the necessary explanation and catechesis. Now many parishes have priests of other nationalities; we have become virtually a missionary country.

In an atmosphere of free-form liturgy, it’s up to the laity to know the laws about texts, gestures, the sacred objects used, and the proper conduct of the Mass; to obey those laws; and to see that the clergy obeys them, too. It’s up to us to call our priests back to due reverence when it comes to matters of taste that aren’t covered by law. It’s also important to know the difference between matters of law and matters of taste, because you have to know when you can insist and when you have to persuade. But by and large the laws binding on all priests are enough to bring back the reverence that is all too often missing.

If you question some liturgical practice at your parish, go to your nearest Catholic library or bookstore and have a look at these texts: the General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM); the Code of Canon Law (its acronym, CIC, is derived from its Latin title, Codex Iuris Canonici); the Ceremonial of Bishops (CB); and the Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite (CMRR). The Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979 (DOL) published by the Liturgical Press in Collegeville, Minnesota, includes many kinds of regulations in a single volume; so does The Liturgy Documents: A Parish Resource by Liturgy Training Publications at the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Check the directives from popes and Vatican congregations, particularly the Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship (CSDW). The Congregation publishes the answers to questions of interest in a periodical called Notitiae. These reinforcements of law are binding on all the faithful, and they go into greater detail than the laws themselves can; but mostly they repeat that the laws must be followed in this and every other instance.. Pauline Books & Media publishes many of these documents in inexpensive editions. And if you have a computer, check the Internet. You can easily find the complete texts of just about any Church document, free, including a good many articles from Notitiae.

Above all get a copy of the Order of Mass approved for use in the United States. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find the Order outside of huge altar books, which are expensive, or missalettes, which aren’t always accurate. Pangaeus Press in Dallas publishes an affordable edition of the Order.

When you have the applicable laws, write to the offending priest, citing the law, chapter, and verse and quoting it in full. Be objective and charitable; if you can, phrase your concerns as questions. An errant priest simply might not know what he’s doing, but whether he’s negligent or willful he might get obstinate or try to save face when his error is pointed out. If you get no satisfaction after a reasonable exchange, repeat your concerns to the priest in writing and send a copy to your bishop. It might end up being a longer and less pleasant process than you’d think. So be prepared to repeat the process and to keep the focus on the exact issue and the exact laws that it violates. As frustrating as the process might get, never lose your sense of charity. If your complaint comes to a successful conclusion, don’t crow about it; you haven’t won anything. The law has been fulfilled. The Blessed Sacrament has won.

Here are the most common abuses that you find in American liturgies today, with a few references to the laws that prohibit them. Check out those references and you’ll probably find laws on similar problems in your own parish.

1. Disregarding the prescribed text of the Order of Mass.

This particular abuse is perhaps the most widespread. You might think that the mere existence of a prescribed, official Order of Mass would be enough to show priests that they’re not to change or improvise, but it isn’t.

It’s not uncommon to find lectors eliminating male references to God in the Scripture readings or using the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (or other inaccurate and unapproved ones) for the readings. You sometimes hear priests changing the words of the Nicene Creed—omitting the word "men" in "for us men and for our salvation" is the most common violation—or omitting the Creed altogether; saying aloud the prayers to be said quietly; or generalizing them, saying, for instance, "Lord, wash away our iniquities and cleanse us of our sins" (instead of "my" and "me").

You hear priests changing the tense and thereby the sense of phrases like "pray that our sacrifice is acceptable" instead of "may be acceptable" or "the Lord is with you" instead of "the Lord be with you." You hear them inviting the congregation to join in prayers specified as the priest’s alone. On occasion you even find priests winging it during the Eucharistic Prayer. And beyond the improvised words you’ll find a lot of flippant practices like using blue vestments for Marian feasts or gingerbread for the Eucharist at children’s Masses.

All of this is unlawful: "Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop. Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 22, repeated in documents like Sacram Liturgiam; Tres Abhinc Annos; CIC 841, 846; and many other laws and regulations). Deviations from the Order are illicit, and when done intentionally they’re a grave offense both against the Church and the faithful who have a right to an authentic liturgy (Inaestimabile Donum, CSDW, April 3, 1980).

2. Interrupting the Mass.

The priest has no more right to interrupt the Mass from the sanctuary than you have to interrupt it from the pews. At the conclusion of Mass the lector or priest may make general announcements for the information of the parish; that’s specified in the Order. But no one may stop the Mass to make announcements, give financial reports, or make pleas for funds (Inter Oecumenici; Inaestimabile Donum). No one may stop the Mass for extra homilies (CSDW, Liturgicae Instaurationes 2(a)) and certainly not for other activities that are themselves unlawful, like skits or "liturgical dance."

3. Omitting the penitential rite.

This one is often misunderstood. A priest may choose to use the rite of blessing and sprinkling as given in the Order, in which case he must omit the "Lord have mercy." But a priest can never omit the penitential rite altogether, and he cannot give a general absolution during the penitential rite of the Mass as a substitute for individual Reconciliation (nor can he do so during a communal penance service [CIC 961]).

There are other options available to the celebrant elsewhere in the Order. The sign of peace, for instance, is optional (GIRM 112). If he includes it, though, the priest is not allowed to leave the sanctuary to exchange it with the congregation (GIRM 136).

4. Replacing or omitting the homily.

A priest may omit the homily only on weekdays that are not holy days. On Sundays and holy days he must give a homily (Sacrosanctum Concilium; CIC 767); it should relate the readings to one another and indicate how their message can be applied to the lives of his parishioners (Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntianidi; Inter Oecumenici). No priest can substitute announcements, financial reports, or pleas in place of the homily, nor add such things to it. Of course the Holy See isn’t going to make a fuss if he takes a couple of sentences at the end of the homily to make an announcement, tell how much is in the building fund, or mention a second collection.

Nobody who is not a priest, deacon, or bishop can give the homily at Mass; nobody who is not ordained can give a "talk" or "reflection" in place of the homily (CIC 766–768). Although some few groups like the Society for the Propagation of the Faith have a dispensation to speak on behalf of an order or mission at the time appointed for the homily, it is never permitted without that dispensation—not even if he (or, worse, she) gives a short homily before launching into the appeal. An ordained minister gives a homily structured on certain guidelines; that’s it.

Incidentally, he may not leave the sanctuary during the homily (GIRM 97).

5. Dictating posture.

There are parishes where the ushers will ask you to stand when you’re kneeling. Many churches are being built now without kneelers to discourage you from kneeling at all. This violates the law and does no honor to Christ nor to the martyrs who died rather than compromise the outward signs of their faith.

But if the celebrant and his ushers can’t mandate your posture, the law can, and it does. Everybody at Mass is supposed to be uniform in standing, sitting, and kneeling (GIRM 20), and there are universal rules about it. In this country you are still required to kneel during the Consecration, from after the end of the Sanctus until the Great Amen, even if there aren’t any kneelers (GIRM 21; Appendix to the General Instruction 21). You are required to bow or kneel at the words "by the power of the Holy Spirit" in the Creed (GIRM 98). You are required to genuflect whenever you pass the Eucharist, whether it’s in the tabernacle or publicly exposed except when in procession (GIRM 233; CB 71). And contrary to what you might see these days, the Eucharist’s tabernacle can’t be tucked out of the way. It should be "placed in a part of the church that is prominent, conspicuous, beautifully decorated, and suitable for prayer" (CIC 938).

After Communion, though, you’re free to stand, sit, or kneel as you choose.

6. Dictating the manner of reception of the Eucharist.

Vatican II never mentioned receiving the host in hand. But when some countries introduced the practice illicitly Pope Paul VI surveyed the world’s bishops to see if it should be allowed where it already existed. Rather than suddenly suppressing reception in the hand, the pope granted an indult intended to let the practice continue for a time in those areas where it already existed. Oddly enough, the bishops of the United States—where the practice did not exist—asked permission of the Holy See to introduce it here. Even more amazingly, they got it.

Still, universal Church law does not permit reception of the Sacrament in the hand, and John Paul II disapproves of the practice. The indult that allowed it specified that reception in the hand "must not be imposed" (CSDW, En réponse, 1969). Absolutely no priest or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may refuse to administer the Eucharist on the tongue. Your right to determine which lawful manner you use is stated in the GIRM (Appendix for the United States, 240b).

The chalice cannot be left on the altar for people to pick up and drink from, not even during lightly attended Masses. The celebrant must distribute the Sacrament (United States Bishops’ Directory on Communion Under Both Species, 47). In fact, you’re not allowed to dip your host into the chalice; you have to take the cup and drink from it (DCUBS 45).

By the way, as to Eucharistic ministers, it’s important to note that they’re not supposed to help distribute the Sacrament routinely; only if there’s an unusually large number of people at Mass or if they’re sent to distribute extraordinarily outside of Mass, as to the sick. They are not supposed to assist at all when a priest is in attendance. Their office has nothing whatever to do with increased participation by the laity.

7. Ignoring rules for reception of the Eucharist.

The official statement of the rules for reception has recently been rewritten by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and unfortunately it’s pretty vague. But it still says clearly that "in order to be properly disposed to receive communion, participants . . . normally should have fasted for one hour," abstaining from food and drink except water or medicine.

The rewrite also goes to great lengths to say that non-Christians and Christians not in communion with the Church are welcome to come to Mass, but it’s not nearly so clear as it used to be on the fact that they may not receive the Eucharist. The new phrase "ordinarily not admitted to holy communion" makes some Catholics—and too many priests—figure that it’s all right for non-Catholics to take communion on special occasions like weddings or funerals, or if the non-Catholic is a prominent person like a government official or head of state. Exceptions are so few and given in circumstances so rare that it might have been more helpful to write simply "not admitted to holy communion"; but that’s for the bishops to say.

Naturally, you’re also required to be free from "grave" sin—what we all used to call "mortal" sin—which means Reconciliation before reception if you have committed a grave offense. And, no, the theology about what constitutes a grave sin has not changed, even if the terminology has.

8. Holding hands during the Our Father.

This is oddly widespread in the United States but it’s an illicit addition to the liturgy. The official publication of the Sacred Congregation for the Sacrament sand Divine Worship, Notitiae (11 [1975] 226), states the practice "must be repudiated . . . it is a liturgical gesture introduced spontaneously but on a personal initiative; it is not in the rubrics." And anything not in the rubrics is unlawful, again because "no other person . . . may add . . . anything [to] the liturgy on his own authority" (ibid).

Notitiae (17 [1981] 186)) also reaffirms that the priest may never invite the congregation to stand around the altar and hold hands during the Consecration. He stays in the sanctuary and we stay outside of it.

9. Performing liturgical dance.

Introducing dance into the liturgy in the United States would be to add "one of the most desacralized and desacralizing elements" leading to "an atmosphere of profanity, which would easily suggest to those present worldly places and profane situations. Nor is it acceptable to introduce into the liturgy the so-called artistic ballet because it would reduce the liturgy to mere entertainment" (Notitiae 11 [1975] 202–205).

10. Closing the holy water fonts at some seasons.

This is another innovation introduced spontaneously, and while holy water fonts are not integral parts of the Mass, emptying them during Lent or Advent is wrong no matter how you look at it. It’s not found anywhere in liturgical law, which is reason enough to suppose it to be forbidden. And it makes absolutely no sense. Holy water is a sacramental, so its right use carries with it a certain degree of forgiveness of sin and remission of punishment (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1668; CB 110–114). There is no positive spiritual benefit in depriving the faithful of this legitimate aid at any time. In fact, removing it during penitential seasons is bizarre—that’s when we need it most.

By the way, because the penitential rite of the Mass and reception of the Eucharist remit venial sins, there’s no need to use holy water on the way out of Mass. Unless you’ve been up to some mischief in those few minutes.

As a postscript, I mention something that might be categorized as an abuse by the laity: parish-hopping. The Code of Canon Law provides that "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day" (1248, para. 1). Consequently, you can fulfill your Sunday obligation by going to a Mass anywhere. While your legal membership still remains in your local parish, the only times you are required to check in there are when you want to receive a special sacrament (e.g., marriage, confirmation) for which the priest needs the jurisdiction to administer.

Nevertheless, if you flee your home parish when things get ugly, you are in a sense not living up to your responsibility as a lay person. It is your duty to point out that liturgy is not entertainment. The liturgy is reality, the primary reality of this world. Christ is God, the reality on whom the secondary reality of creation depends ("through him all things were made," remember?). And the liturgy is the sacrament by which he comes personally and physically among us. The Mass is indisputably the single most important thing that human beings can do.

You have your part to fill in this great work. In fact, that’s what the liturgy is: the word is from the Greek meaning "the laity’s job." We are the Church itself, we are not the Church’s customers. Still less are we the Church’s audience. And we have a right to authentic liturgy (Inaestimabile Donum), liturgy exactly in line with all applicable rules and celebrated with a suitable sense of reverence (CIC 528). So if your priest offers sloppy, illicit, or even inappropriate liturgies, guess whose job it should be to pitch in and fix the problem?

Are We That Stupid?

An excerpt from Bishop Clark's book, Forward in Hope:

The presence of and growth in numbers of lay ecclesial ministers
should be viewed as a complement to the ministry of the
ordained and not as corrosive of their authority or place in the
Church. (i.e. "Priests dance to my tune," from Sr. Sobala and the Barb Swiecki's firing of Fr. Peter Abas. Yeah - that's a compliment to the ministry of the ordained?)

I can count on one hand (one finger?) the amount of reverent and non-corrosive lay administrators.

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Well, here's the latest from the Our Lady of Lourdes+St. Anne cluster. A friend of mine and one-time parishioner relates the following incident:

In past years, J___ L_____ would dress up as St. Nicholas and have the kids come in some weekend and tell them the real story of St. Nicholas. He'd always have on the miter, and he'd hold the crozier, and he makes a really great St. Nicholas. However, now that Sr. Joan's in charge, that's not enough. Instead of just having a "Breakfast with St. Nick" at St. Anne's, they decided to have a special cluster Mass in which St. Nicholas would preach the homily. So in they all processed, the altar servers, the lector, the good sister, St. Nicholas, complete with miter and crozier, and then the priest. Well, once they got up into the sanctuary, they all took seats. Right there in the sanctuary. So then the Mass goes on with the usual "fluff n' stuff" from Sr. Joan at every possible (and every impossible) point.

But then comes the homily. Fr. ______ got up and introduced it. Quickly. Then Sr. Joan got up and started her little whatever-you-call-it. Followed by St. Nicholas (aka random lay-person who's playing dress-up at Mass). That's just insane. When I talked to a priest, a solid priest, about it, he remarked, "monkeys aren't part of the Tradition."

Below two actual pictures of the perpetrator. I'd put him under Cleansing Fire interdict, but since he's a gen-u-whine bishop, I fear he'd try to do the same to us. Now don't get me wrong - I think that the whole notion of telling the true story is great. However, the line is crossed when someone goes from hosting a kid's breakfast to being a lay-preacher at the Holy Mass. That's completely out of line.

A Christmas Carol

Two things: 1 - we're not calling Bishop Clark a jerk. 2 - God bless us, everyone.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

All I Want For Christmas, Your Holiness, Is You

High Mass this Sunday at St. Stanislaus

The Mass of Gaudete Sunday will be celebrated this coming Sunday, the 13th at St. Stanislaus Church at 1:30 p.m. The church is at the corner of Hudson Avenue and Norton Street.

The processional hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" will be sung in English (imagine that!) as the altar boys and priest approaches the high altar. The ordinary and proper parts of the Mass will be sung in Gregorian Chant. The motets will be "Ad Te Levavi" and "Dixit Maria". The recessional hymn will be "O Come Divine Messiah".

All God's children are welcome to experience an exceptionally beautiful Mass in an exceptionally beautiful church. Confessions will be heard after Mass.

Dixit Maria by Hans Leo Hassler

In Latin:

Dixit Maria ad angelum:

Ecce ancilla Domini,

fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.

In English:

Mary said to the Angel:

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord,

let it be done to me, according to your word.

Most of us would recognize Hassler for composing the hymn tune "O Sacred Head Surrounded".

What We Do, Why We Do It, And The Manner in Which It Is Done

The readings this past weekend were very well-suited for our purposes here at Cleansing Fire. I think, if we can be perfectly honest, that we were all driven here because of some measure of anger, sorrow, frustration, or disappointment. If we can then compound this honest realization with our current situation, we can then reasonably state what we, as Catholics, ought to do in this Babylonian exile.

Primarily, we need to find a safe place for Mass. Of course, seeing the frequency with which we talk of Our Lady of Victory and the Latin Mass Community, I think most of you have. But there are several of you, I know, who are outwardly angered by these abuses we discuss, but are either apathetic and caught up in enthusiasm, or are so afraid to tread on those sanctimonious toes of our administraitors (not a typo) that verbosity translates into inaction. I urge you, rouse yourselves from your fears and apathy and make a step in the proper direction - i.e. to the nearest parish that is not home to illicit and invalid Masses. It may be gut-wrenching to "make-the-break," but would you not rather have a wrenched-gut than a weeping soul?

In addition to this, I urge you, read the documents that are always mentioned in the debates here. They include (but are not limited to) Sacrosanctum Concillium, Redemptionis Sacramentum and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, i.e. "GIRM." If we, as Catholics, have a clear and firm understanding of these documents, without reading into them personal opinions, biases, views, etc. then we can more readily combat the various manifestations of the heresy of liberalism which has taken root in the Diocese of Rochester and several other places.

A third bit is not to turn every injustice into a martyrdom. If everyone is grievously wounded by every single word uttered by any living person, schismatic, Traditional, or Traditionalist, then there's a serious problem. If you are asked to sing less boisterously, don't say "I've been slain by the liberals! My life-blood flows!" No. Don't be a liturgical drama queen. However, this doesn't mean we should be push-overs, either. We need to be firm and unyielding on important matters - i.e. Liturgy, the Sacraments, Morality. If your lay preacher or administraitor changes what kind of soap is in the restroom, don't make a fuss. By nitpicking every solitary detail of an administration, we lose credibility. We look like reactionary ninnies. Example: I love the soap which Nanacy DeRycke uses in the Good Shepherd restroom. Smells like lilies and freshly-washed albs.

Compounding these three things is a fourth - don't be embarrassed to ask questions, to "mess up" from time to time, to mis-speak or have some metaphorical typos. If you have no clue why the Church has used Latin for the majority of its life, ask us. We can't band together if we intimidate each-other into silence.

A major bit which we must all take to heart is a sense of humor and a sense of sin. Putting faces of various diocesan personalities into a video, or by saying "Fr. _____" did something bad at Mass, is NOT A SIN. We are obligated to expose liturgical abuses, and if we can do that and laugh at the same time, I tend to think Our Lord would be well-pleased. However, there is sin and we are all capable of it. It would be a sin to criticize a priest's character, i.e. "Fr. ______ is a flaming queer." Spreading rumors and half-truths is sinful, indeed. Try to avoid it. It is just as sinful, though, to turn a blind eye to heresy and irreverence towards Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. There's a difference between mockery and reprimanding with humor. I should think that we do the latter.

So, in short - find a good, reliable Mass. If you don't go there every week because of emotional connections to another parish, fine. Go to the "good" Mass when you're feeling discouraged or drained. Also, be literate in terms of Church documents. Don't be a liturgical drama-queen. We have enough of those. Ask questions. Have a sense of humor, and have a sense of sin. These are each imperative for those of us who actually hope to grow in spiritual maturity rather than wallow in reactionary cesspools of hate and malice.

Any Sopranos Out There?

If there is a soprano reading this, who isn't too bashful to sing with three other people, please email me. We lost a volunteer for the "music project."

Click here to email me.

Help out with a survey

This survey is about Mass attendance and church music if you would like to take it. This is not a Cleaning Fire survey.

http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=1464364

For your Advent meditation

The Alma Redemptoris is one of four Marian liturgical antiphons sung at the end of Compline. It is sung to the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin. The Alma is the appropriate antiphon during Advent. The other three antiphons are Ave Regina Caelorum, Salve Regina and Regina Coeli.



Latin

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli

Porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,

Surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,

Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem

Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

English

Loving Mother of our Savior, hear thou thy people's cry

Star of the deep and Portal of the sky!

Mother of Him who thee made from nothing made.

Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid:

Oh, by what joy which Gabriel brought to thee,

Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.

A little history: This piece was written by Herman Contractus, aka Herman of Reichenau.
Born with a cleft palate, cerebral palsy, and spina bifida to a farm family. His parents cared for him until the age of seven, but in 1020 they gave him over to the abbey of Reichenau Island in Lake Constance in southern Germany; he spent the rest of his life there. He became a Benedictine monk at age twenty. A genius, he studied and wrote on astronomy, theology, math, history, poetry, Arabic,Greek and Latin. He built musical instruments and astronomical equipment. In later life he became blind and had to give up his academic writing. The most famous religious poet of his day, he is the author of the Salve Regina and Alma Redemptoris Mater.

Here is a little more about Herman. This was written by the late Rochester priest, Reverend Robert F. McNamara. http://www.irondequoitcatholic.org/index.php/Bl/HermannTheDisabled

12:10 p.m. Mass at OLV today FYI

I attended the 12:10 Mass at OLV and Father A. had the kiss of peace. It turned out to be a "wave of peace". I didn't see any handshakes but then again I don't have eyes in the back of head either.

More idiocy from the USCCB

Come Chat With Us

We've added a "chat" feature to Cleansing Fire, over in the right hand column of goodies. You'll see it - it's a rectangle, turquoise button.

Hope to chat with some of you soon!

"Respect and Charity"

I received an email regarding my attempted post at the blog which is in the process of canonizing Sr. Sobala. If anyone has noted, the only comment which the person who runs it has permitted is one which sings the praises of schismatic dissent.

The comment I tried to post contained the following:

• quotes from Sr. Joan Sobala and Bishop Clark, all verified
• statistics regarding Mass attendance at Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Anne, St. Mary's Downtown
• financial woes relating to the St. Anne cluster
• all facts, no opinion

This is the email response I received:

I received your comment on my blog and wanted to respond to you personally. The blog is not a forum for personal attacks nor is it for airing personal grievances. Everyone who comments on the blog is expected to do so with respect and charity.
Sincerely,
Sister Julie

So, in the eyes of Sr. Julie, telling someone "you're wrong" is a "personal attack." In my eyes, it's more charitable to defend the Church, Christ's Bride, than it is to defend a woman who expresses clear contempt for the Church.

2 Corinthians 13-15
13 "...For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve..."

---

Update 2:06 PM (by Dr. K):
A Nun's Life has recently closed comments on the Sr. Joan canonization post:

Adam and Steve to Remain "Friends Only"

From the Boston Globe:

N.Y. gay marriage measure defeated

Governor says vote lacked fortitude (Sort of like cheating on your wife, Gov. Paterson?)

By Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times | December 3, 2009

ALBANY, N.Y. - The New York state Senate decisively rejected a bill yesterday that would have allowed gay couples to wed, providing a major victory for those who oppose same-sex marriage and underscoring the deep and emotional divisions surrounding the issue.

The 38-24 margin startled proponents of the bill, and signaled that political momentum, at least right now, has shifted against same-sex marriage, even in heavily Democratic New York. The vote followed more than a year of lobbying by gay rights organizations, who have poured close to $1 million into New York legislative races to boost support for the measure.

Senator Thomas W. Libous, the deputy Republican leader, said the public is gripped by economic anxiety and remains uneasy about changing the state’s definition of marriage.

“Certainly this is an emotional issue and an important issue for many New Yorkers,’’ said Libous, who represents Binghamton. “I just don’t think the majority care too much about it at this time because they’re out of work, they want to see the state reduce spending, and they are having a hard time making ends meet. And I don’t mean to sound callous, but that’s true.’’

The defeat, which followed a stirring and at times deeply personal debate, all but ensures the issue is dead in New York until at least 2011, when a new Legislature will be installed.

Since 2003, seven states, including three that border New York, legalized same-sex marriage. But in two of the seven, including Maine last month, voters have reversed the decisions of lawmakers or judges in referendums, and effectively outlawed gay nuptials.

In Albany yesterday, proponents had believed going into the vote that they could attract up to 35 supporters to the measure; at their most pessimistic, they said they would draw at least 26. They had the support from Governor David A. Paterson, who has publicly championed the bill, along with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and the Senate Democratic leadership.

The defeat revealed stark divides: All 30 of the Republican senators opposed the bill, as did most of the members from upstate New York and Long Island. Support was heaviest among members from New York City and Westchester County and among the Senate’s 10 African-Americans. Seven of the Senate’s 10 women voted for it.

Senators who are considered politically vulnerable also voted almost uniformly against the bill, including four first-term Democrats.

(Emphasis is solely mine.)

Iridescent Italian Month

You voiced your opinion, and it's now officially "Iridescent Italian Month." I'll be putting various Italian musical selections in the window to the right for the next month.

Praying for a Happy Death

I was just thinking about a few things today, and I thought you would enjoy hearing my little tidbits on death. Cheery, I know.

First of all, I found a quote from St. John Berchmans, a Jesuit, who said of his impending death, "I should like to die with my crucifix, my rosary, and my book of rules (catechism)."

Then I was browsing various rosaries, and I saw a picture of beads like this:

Note the skull - it's called a "momento mori," and is representative of the temporary victory of death, but the eternal victory we have in Christ's Passion. During the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, the "momento mori" or "momento of death" was a popular gift for young suitors. Nothing quite so romantic as saying to your sweet-heart, "hey, honey, we're both going to die and decompose, but if you look at this skull you'll realize that ain't so bad!" These beads were quite often actually carved from real bones, be they of animals or humans. Again, romantic.

Then I got to thinking about praying for a happy death. So many people are a bit put-off when they see in their missal or prayer-book a section of "Prayers for a Happy Death." Many people, since the 60's and 70's onward, have had some kind of phobia about "death." I guess it has to do with the all-pervasive sense of relativism and idealism. Anyways, there are some very beautiful prayers asking for a happy death:

O Glorious St. Joseph, behold I choose thee today for my special patron in life and at the hour of my death. Preserve and increase in me the spirit of prayer and fervor in the service of God. Remove far from me every kind of sin; obtain for me that my death may not come upon me unawares, but that I may have time to confess my sins sacramentally and to bewail them with a most perfect understanding and a most sincere and perfect contrition, in order that I may breathe forth my soul into the hands of Jesus and Mary. Amen

O Jesus, while I adore Your dying breath, I beg You to receive mine. Since I do not know whether I shall have command of my senses when I depart from this world, I offer You even now my last agony and all the sorrows of my passing. I give my soul into Your hands for You are my Father and my Savior. Grant that the last beat of my heart may be an act of perfect love for You. Amen.

O Mary, my good Mother, after Jesus you are my hope and consolation. By your protection make me persevere in my firm determination to offend God no more and to prefer a thousand deaths to the deliberate commission of one mortal sin! Obtain for me the grace of final perseverance, and grant that I may remember to ask for it during the time of temptation and at the hour of death. You are the refuge of sinners and our perennial help. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for me.
O Mother of Jesus, I offer you the last day, last hour, and last moment of my life, and everything that shall take place in me at that last moment--in honor of the last moment, hour and day of your life, and of all that occurred in you on that day. If it pleases you, unite me with all the holy and divine dispositions of your maternal heart and your pure soul. Grant that, by your merits and prayers, my last thoughts, words, acts, and breaths may be consecrated to the honor of the last thoughts, words, acts, and breaths both of your Son and of yourself. Grant that I may die loving Him with His holy love; that I may be utterly consumed and sacrificed to His glory; that my life may end with a last act of most pure love of Him. Amen.

So, after reading these, many people think, "okay, sure, but does it really change anything?" I can confidently say yes. Without a doubt. My grandmother used to say the prayer to St. Joseph which I posted above. She died in her sleep on Good Friday. God listens. You'd better believe it.

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

In the last remaining hours between "Everything English Month" and whatever month you choose, I'll post a transcendent recording of this favorite Advent/Christmas hymn. Enjoy, all!

Some much need humor

Home Remedies

1. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY
GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.

2. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE
TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK.

3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF
AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON
YOUR VEINS. REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.

4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL
PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP
AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES.
THEN YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.

6. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE.
IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT
SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE.

7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN
ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

DAILY THOUGHT

SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING
BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE
STAIRS.

I'm Here To Help

Taken from the Acts of the Apostasy blog.

This is an offer to all my friends at Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), Call to Action, Pax Christi, the LCWR and the Women's Ordination Conference (WOC) who anticipate attending the American Catholic Council in June 2011.

You know, I've been poking fun at your ideologies and beliefs since I started this blog. And while some of it has been justified...well, actually, all of it has been justified, but that's a whole other issue...I admit that you haven't always accepted my criticism with charity, and perhaps even quite possibly on occasion remotely you were less than Christian in your attitude.

So I want to make it up to you.

I realize that this council, planned for June 2011 in Detroit, is a big deal for you. It's your chance to resurrect the glory days of the Call to Action kick-off event in 1976, as well as a response to the call of the Spirit of Vatican II. I don't agree with any of the provisions of this American council, but that's besides the point. In the spirit of Christian fraternity, I'm here to help.

Eighteen months is a long time from now. A very long time. And given that a sizable percentage of your membership is...how can I say this politely?...really really old, it's quite possible that nature will dash many a dream, and that many may not live to see the dawning of this historic council. It's a cold hard fact of life.

When you factor in the possibility that the council many be postponed to 2012 (from the ACC website: "We also need to determine the physical details of our national meeting (including availability of space and speakers—and whether there is sufficient time to stage such an important event in the spring of 2011)—or whether we should provide more time for process and schedule a 2012 event"), the chance that many faithful catholics won't be around increases exponentially. I can only imagine the heartbreak and regret, that so many might not live to see this council.

Another possibility is that many will be too frail and infirm to travel to the Motor City, and thus miss out on coming to the table. Tragic. It just doesn't seem fair that the wisest, most venerable and most experienced of progressive catholics might be forced to remain behind while the impotentimportant work of the council gets done.

As you realize the pitiable situation in which you find yourselves, you're probably asking: "How can you help?" In a word, simply. In a few more words, by offering exclusive Council Attendance Insurance.

This is an exclusive offer open only to members of the aforementioned groups. AoftheA is making available to you and your members Council Attendance Insurance, whereby you purchase a non-refundable policy that guarantees your place at the table, even if you die. How, you ask? Because AoftheA will send someone in your place as a proxy in the event you are unable to attend, for any reason. Even if the council gets postponed until 2013 or beyond, you're guaranteed a voice.

For a modest one-time non-refundable fee of $1,500, AoftheA will screen for appropriate proxy candidates using the latest Briggs-Meyer Personality Test Typology methodologies. AoftheA assures you that individuals who most closely reflect your worldview will be on standby in the event you cannot make it to Detroit in 2011. AoftheA promises to not discriminate proxy candidates on the basis of creed, color or gender - just like you (unless the candidate is a straight white male who follows the Magisterium - we will categorically reject them, just like you!). In fact, AoftheA provides a 100% guarantee that our proxy candidates will be significantly less catholic than you could ever hope to be, thus ensuring the council will be be faithful to its mission, even if you can't be there.

Don't delay - you have little time! This is a limited time offer - you aren't going to live forever, you know. If you email AoftheA today, a packet will be sent to you via overnight mail. Complete the forms and send your check payable to "Council Attendance Insurance Policy", and then relax. Be assured that even if you can't attend the council, you'll be there in spirit. And someone just as non-catholic as you will be there to take up the call to...do something or other.

Advent Music

One of the great Advent hymns is "Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending". It deals with the second coming of Christ, one of the themes of Advent.

I chose two version of the same hymn. The first is from Lichfield Cathedral (dedicated to St. Chad and St. Mary) in Staffordshire, England. It is the only mediveal cathedral in England with three spires. Just think, at one time this magnificent cathedral was Roman Catholic. England is known as "Our Lady's Dowry".



The second version has the embedding disabled, so I can't put it up on the site. The instrumentation is very different than the first. The first is more choral and the second is more ornamented, especially with trumpets that herald the second coming of Christ. It gives me the shivers listening to it. Here, for your listening pleasure, is a link to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08cGl44SWGM&feature=related