"Amazing Grace" is anti-Catholic

"Did you lose parishioners?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's So Appealing About Orthodoxy?

Just ask any of these people who pack the pews of Our Lady of Victory.

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.

The Strife is O'er

Before the Easter season slips away into Pentecost, I thought it would be nice to listen to one of the all time, very favorite Easter Hymn. The choir is St. John's in Detroit, an Anglo-Catholic parish with extremely well done liturgy. This particular church, however, has succumbed to having altar girls. Also, if you are into Anglican chant, browse through their selections and you'll find quite a few Anglican chant recordings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z-eAFvwmlI

STA Update - Upcoming Meeting With Bishop Clark

The meeting of the Irondequoit priests with Bishop Clark will be on Monday, May 17th. Keep yours ears open and tell us if you know of any decisions or problems.

Do Your Duty

Reminder - please vote for us in the Crescat's Cannonball Awards. We have been nominated for five categories, and are currently leading in each of these five categories. Why? Jesus loves us.

And we're just a bunch of angry, bitter, conservative reactionaries who can't let the past just die. Imagine that . . .

NOW VOTE!

http://thecrescat.blogspot.com/2010/05/unleash-hell.html

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.

A New Category for the Cannonball Awards

Anyone keeping vigil with us in this the night of our discontent will have noticed that "Defend Us In Battle" has begun to lash out at us. It's almost as if they sense defeat.

Their latest broadside, however, would earn them, in my humble suggestion, an honorary Cannonball Award for "Most Heavy-Handed Shakespearean Metaphor." However, living up to our villainous portrayal at that blog, I submit for your perusal my own Heavy-Handed Shakespearean Metaphor.


The following is shamelessly ripped-off from Shakespeare's Henry VIII.

CARDINAL WOLSEY Joe (Defend us in Battle)
What should this mean?
What sudden anger's this? How have I reap'd it?

What have I done to have maligned my readership thus?

That they should vote for those most foul urchins

Whose insights are limited to their own pursuits of glory?

He (that is, Gen) parted frowning from me, as if ruin
Leap'd from his eyes: so looks the chafed lion
Upon the daring huntsman that has gall'd him;
Then makes him nothing. I must read the voting results;
I fear the story of his anger. 'Tis so;
This poll at the Crescat has undone me: 'tis the account
Of all that world of wealth I have drawn together
For mine own ends; indeed, to gain the popedom Canonball Award,
And fee my friends in Rome. O negligence!
Fit for a fool to fall by: what cross devil
Made me to taunt this fellow's noble blog, and his equally noble writers?

Is there no way to cure this?
No new device to beat my treachery from his brains?
I know 'twill stir him strongly; yet I know
A way, if it take right, in spite of fortune losing horribly to him in the polls,
Will bring me off again. Wait, what's this?

What does this comment say? 'To the Pope!'
The letter comment, as I live, with all the business heavy-handed Shakespearean metaphors
I wrote to his holiness. Nay then, farewell!
I have touch'd the highest point of all my greatness;
And, from that full meridian of my glory,
I haste now to my setting: I shall fall
Like a bright exhalation m the evening,
And no man see me more.

I acknowledge my better, in every possible way.

Enter Gen, accompanied by Dr. K and Choir Loft

NORFOLK Dr. K
Hear the king's Gen's pleasure, cardinal blogger: who commands you
To render up the great seal  your attempts to steal the award presently
Into our hands; and to confine yourself
To Asher House  your own blog, my Lord of Winchester's Defend us in Battle,
Till you hear further from his highness, Gen.

CARDINAL WOLSEY Joe (Defend us in Battle)
Wait:
Where's your commission, lords? Words like these cannot carry
Authority so weighty by themselves.

SUFFOLK  Choir Loft
Who dare cross these words,
Bearing the king's Gen's will from his mouth expressly?

CARDINAL WOLSEY  Joe (Defend us in Battle)
Till I find more than the pathetic amount of votes I have garnered in the Cannonball Awards,
I dare and must deny it. Now I feel
Of what coarse metal you are moulded, envy:
How eagerly you follow my disgraces,
As if it fed ye! 

All I did was attempt to share in Cleansing Fire's glory,

and now You come seeking my ruin!
Follow your envious courses, men of malice o noble, victorious bloggers;
You have Christian warrant sufficient support in the award polls for them, and, no doubt,
In time will find their fit rewards. That seal blog and my sardonic humor,
You attack with such a violence, the king Gen himself,
Mine and your master, with his own hand gave me eyes read;
Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honours,
During my life; and, to confirm his goodness,
Tied it by letters-patents: now, who'll take it?

SURREY  Choir Loft
The king, that gave it.

Gen has not been deserving of your vicious 

and heavy-handed assaults.

CARDINAL WOLSEY  Joe (Defend us in Battle)
Then let him. He's far more temperate than I.

SURREY Choir Loft
Thou art a proud traitor, priest.

CARDINAL WOLSEY Joe (Defend us in Battle)
Proud lord, thou liest:
Within these forty hours I have not been 

able to compete with Gen's tremendous support,

in the polls, on the blogs, and on Facebook.

SURREY  Choir Loft
Thy ambition,
Thou scarlet sin, robb'd this bewailing land
Of noble Buckingham, my father-in-law 

Contest of all decency and honor:
The heads of all thy brother cardinals bloggers,
Who attacked Cleansing Fire so derisively

Aren't fit to hold Gen's miter, let alone be smacked by his crozier.

Oh deceitful and heavy-handed blogger, thou!
You sent me deputy for Ireland led people to vote for a vain blog author;
Far from his succor Gen's mercy and friendship, from all

That might have mercy on the fault thou gavest him;
Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity,
Absolved him with an axe.

Exeunt. They go unto the ballot boxes at the Crescat, and force Joe to direct each voter to consider a vote for Cleansing Fire. For that is a just and equitable punishment for his anger and vain attempts for victory.

Enemies within the Church

How do you think our DoR leadership stacks up against what is said in this video?

DoR Liturgical Training Video

I saw the following via a link on the New Liturgical Movement and thought I should share it with you. This seems to be the video which inspires parishes like Assumption to do the kind of liturgies they do. I'm pretty sure that if you look at the credits on this, you'll see Bishop Clark's imprimatur.

No, not really. But just watch it.



"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Does God Exist?

The Catholicism Project

A double-nod of the miter goes to Kat and Fr. Barron. The former posted a video made by the latter which is a promo for a TV/DVD event which, in my opinion, looks absolutely amazing. Watch this for yourselves, and see what I mean. It's about time someone showed the real face of the Church, and Fr. Barron is doing that with this project. More information can be found here.

When Good Priests Are Fettered By Liberal Politicking

The following was submitted by one of our soon-to-be authors. I thought you would enjoy seeing what he has to say. Let me be clear - this is not an attack on Fr. Horan or any other priest. It serves as a sad reminder that even our ordained brethren can be sucked into situations and events not of their making, and be forced into the way of thinking made all-too-common by our diocesan administration. Pray for our priests, that they can remove the smog of politicking from the parish life of our worship communities.

No Catholic Left Behind

Saturday this week was the regional meeting for Irondequoit Catholics to hear the plan for the configuration of a new parish.  If accepted by the bishop it will mean the end of each of the five Irondequoit parishes and the creation of a brand new worshipping community that would span the town of Irondequoit... The new parish will use three of the five worship/facility sites.  Two parish sites will be closed (and sold -forever).

There is of course sadness for all of us.  Things will never be the same (I don’t think we realize this yet at St. Margaret Mary’s (he has this right!). (All the parish councils should have been made to vote for the same outcome as STA and SS, to close and sell their parish.  There would have been much more understanding of what the diocese is doing to their parishes.)  It is especially hard for those members of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Salome’s who will lose their beloved church building. (They keep trying to tell us we are just losing our building when in reality we are losing our entire parish, past, present and future, as only one who has been a member of parish can possibly understand.)

Why does it have to be that way?  (Good question!) Why can’t each parish dig down deep and make that all out effort with pledges and fund raisers and increased attendance programs to try to keep alive?  (Isn’t this what we are called to do?  Isn’t this what our forefathers did to build the parishea and support them?  This is a crisis of faith, not resources, Father.)  So Irondequoit can’t support five Catholic parishes . . . Okay, let’s see which ones are strong enough or clever enough to make it.  Kind of a religious Darwinism. (Darwinism?  The survival of the fittest?  In reality, the DoR and IPPG have taken the two weakest, most defenseless parishes, the ones that have no resident pastor that will support them, the ones that have the smallest attendance and by committee decided to extinguish them forever. In reality they are practicing religious Darwinism at its worst!)  Like ships at sea we signal to each other,“Good luck and Godspeed” and off we sail each to face its future alone. (This is simply not true.  In fact, three of the parishes have been clustered for several years now, sharing priests, ministries, and staff.  Yes, we as Catholics are called to support each other and help each parish to grow together.)

That’s not how Catholics do things.  We see things differently.  We believe that we belong to each other; we believe that we’re in this life and this church TOGETHER.  We have one priest and shepherd Jesus Christ.  We have a structure to the church that was given to us by Christ Himself.  Under the successor of St. Peter (“The Rock”) the Holy Father has appointed an apostle (bishop) to be a source of unity and guidance for this part of the world (Rochester and environs).  That bishop sends out priests to celebrate the sacraments in the local parishes.  We all hear the same Gospel and eat of the One Bread that is the Body of Christ. (This is all very true but his conclusion is twisted and not a Catholic perspective at all – read on…..)

So what do Catholics do when some area can no longer support the number of churches from the 1950’s?  We all lose. We all die. In our town we will all lay down our individual lives as parishes.  (We as Catholics are not called to die!  This is not how we are called to support each other.  We are to help each other to grow and spread the faith of Jesus.  We are people of the Light, not people of death.  We are not called to the lowest common denominator so we can all be the same.  This is not the faith that has been handed down to us through many generations that grew and spread the faith.) Now we might all find a home in a new and, shall we say, “Resurrected” parish.  We all lose something dear.  We all gain something brand new. There are no “veterans” who invite us into “their” parish. We are all “beginners” in the new parish.  (In reality, this is a risky experiment that most likely will result in the loss of many Catholics in Irondequoit.)   Why does everyone have to sacrifice when some could survive all by themselves?   (Sacrifice is when you freely give not when something is taken from you. Parishes have a right to exist, Father.)

That’s just what love does when we belong to each other.  (Love doesn’t call one to die with someone but to support and nourish the other. This is true Catholicism!)  We are in this together. NO CATHOLIC LEFT BEHIND.  (No parish left behind!)

Now let’s get busy bringing Christ to this community. I love this Catholic Church. It sent me to be with you. (Amen Father! Amen.)  I’m glad.   (The parishioners of the parishes you voted to close and sell are devastated.)

Fr. Tim

This Has Been a Test of Our Emergency Preparedness System

Sorry folks - the meeting we reported on with Bishop Clark and the Irondequoit priests DID NOT occur. We still await word from the Bishop (or any discontented priests who may wish to inform us of what's going on . . . ). 

Socialism is Evil

St. Thomas the Apostle Decision Expected Tomorrow

A very reliable source has informed us that the bishop has scheduled a meeting tomorrow with the various relevant priests (i.e. Fr.'s Horan, Tanck, Leone, Belligotti, etc.) to discuss the matter of the Irondequoit Suppression, as I call it. There is a strong chance that in 36 hours, we will know the fate of STA. At that time, we will either celebrate the reign of common sense, or mobilize against the forces of ignorance.

Pray for Bishop Clark, and for his priests, that they harden not their hearts, but that zeal for God's house may consume them.

Below are several photographs emailed to me by a friend of the blog and future staffer. They show the original "crypt church" used by the parishioners, the construction of the current majestic structure, and the solemn dedication of that same building. Note the following: many nuns in full habit, many servers in cassock and surplice, priests vested correctly and tastefully, piety on the part of the parishioners, and the clear and undeniable continuation of Tradition with a distinctly modern renewal. How beautiful this diocese once was, and imagine how beautiful it will one day be again!

Keep Voting

Dear friends and followers,

Cleansing Fire is doing remarkably well in several categories for the Crescat's Cannonball Awards. I would like to thank all of you who read this blog. When I started it, it was meant to be a place where I could rant and rave, and if anyone wanted to read it they would be free to do so. However, it quickly morphed into the role of "Defensor Fidei," Defender of the Faith, for the Diocese of Rochester. In our meager one year of existence (one year come June 10) we will have accrued 100,000 hits on this site, with an average of 300+ readers each and every day. We will have evolved from one author to twelve. We will have forced action on diocesan matters. We will have been responsible for liturgical reprimands.

We are here, not for glorification, but for service. Dr. K and I, your most humble administrators, and our fleet of authors (who will soon be revealed to the world), are here to defend the Church in Rochester, to elevate noble priests and religious, and to expose the scandal of others. We do not sit in judgment, but we condemn any action, whatsoever, that threatens the sanctity of the Mass, of the Church, and of Christ Himself.

And so, I thank you. Please keep up your voting at the Crescat, but more importantly, continue reading this blog. For so many, this is the only source of solidarity they have. We have been scattered and wounded, but no more. We have each other, and that is more than anyone could ask for.

Sincerely yours in Faith,

Gen

The Vortex

I Didn't Know that "Diversity" Was a Liturgical Color

I am hopeful that everyone here knows the various correct liturgical colors, even if there are liberals and schismatics included in this "everyone." Green, violet, red, gold/white, rose and black. However, I have noticed some local priests who use rainbow stoles and the "children of God" motif, along with the commonly-seen "tapestry" variety of stole. While I favor the last one over the first two, I think I should note that I would ultimately prefer a stole which clearly and undeniably reflects solely that liturgical color appropriate to the feast or liturgy.

This being said, how would you categorize these stoles below? No, "stupid" is not an option.

Noah's Ark Stole

Children of the World Stole

Prayer Chaplain Stole

Rainbow Stole I

Rainbow Ecumenical Stole

Fingerpaint Stole

Rainbow Stole II

I could go on, and on, and on, but I don't want to lead you into the depths of liturgical depression. That's why we have lay administrators - I wouldn't want to usurp their authority. Generally, if I had to categorize them, I would say they are all in the realm of "WTF?!?!?!?!?!"

No, I don't mean what you're thinking of with "wtf." In this context it simply means "what's the function." Get your mind our of the gutter, folks.