Opening of Vatican II

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

God's Career Women

This is a rather lengthy 1950s-video about a girl becoming a School Sister of Notre Dame from their Saint Louis province

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

In Honor of Our Blessed Mother

May is the month that Catholics traditionally honor the Holy Mother of God. This Ave Maria is in her honor.

Defending the Faith

The following is the homily given by the Franciscan Friars (via their great YouTube channel). It would benefit your spirituality to watch this.

A Wave Hit It

I saw this, and thought it was absolutely hilarious.

Reform Now - Day Care Edition

Day Care Worker Charged with Abusing Child

By: YNN Staff

Irondequoit Police said a Marion man is facing charges for allegedly sexually abusing a child at an Irondequoit day care.

Police investigators charged Joseph Calabrese, 24, of Mill Street in Marion, with sex abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

Police said the arrest followed the disclosure of a 7-year-old girl that Calabrese allegedly sexually abused at Generations Early Care and Education on Empire Boulevard.

Police said Calabrese has worked at all seven Generations locations since 2007.

Police said the investigators developed information that Calabrese may have been connected to a similar incident at Generations in Fairport.

Irondequoit Police and the Monroe County District Attorney's Office are asking parents of children who may have had contact with Calabrese to call local police if they have any reason to believe there was inappropriate contact.

Police said Generations is cooperating fully with the investigation. Bridget Shumway, the president of Generations issued this statement:

"We are fully cooperating with the police and district attorney in the investigation of Mr. Joseph Calabrese, who worked until yesterday as an assistant teacher at our Irondequoit Child Care Center, and was employed by Generations for three years.

Upon hearing of his arrest late yesterday, we immediately notified the Office of Children and Family Services and Child Protective Services. We are notifying parents of children at all Generations centers today. We are able to assure our parents that because of our team teaching approach, Mr. Calabrese was very seldom alone with children, and that they already would have been contacted if the police investigation had raised a concern about their child.

Despite thorough background checks and references before being hired, along with our ongoing training and performance reviews, it appears that Mr. Calabrese was not to be trusted. This incident is personally upsetting to me, and to everyone in the Generations family."

Calabrese is being held in the Monroe County Jail on $20,000 bail.

"If only he didn't have to live with mandatory celibacy in a male-dominated daycare system."

Bishop Paprocki

Here is a link to Bishop Paprocki's homily http://www.realcatholictv.com/documents/vort-2010-05-03.pdf
St. John Fisher is also the patron saint of the Diocese of Rochester.

Our Latest Side-bar Poll

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer to Pope Pius XII

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

He Had Compassion On Them

Yesterday, May 1st, was the single busiest day for Cleansing Fire in our (almost) one year of existence. It was sort of like a "perfect storm" of discovery, what with our videos embedded on sites around the internet showing the Pontifical High Mass, the link to us from Rorate Caeli, now in our side bar, and a general growing trend among Rochester readers.

1,455 people read the site yesterday. And the best part - there were no nasty comments, no "you lack charity" epistles of self-righteousness, no contemptuous people at all. 1,455 people who love orthodoxy, and who have spread knowledge of our plight throughout the world. This was a generous gift from God, and a time of humble gratification. When we have our eyes fixed on what we know to be the Truth, there's really nothing that can discourage us.

So, my dear friends on Buffalo Road, orthodoxy does pay. Your messages of "reform" and "keeping the Spirit alive" are hollow and lacking in spiritual force. Whether people know it or not, they want, or rather, they crave orthodoxy. I spoke with our new writers yesterday, and we came up with this analogy: You're giving the people too much candy. It's sweet, and looks good, but when you keep loading the people up with these sweets, they lose important nourishment. We are the vegetables, the fruits, the proteins - we are necessary to the survival of the Church. You, dear friends in dissent, are not.

Take this passage of scripture into your hearts. It will be a great comfort to us as we try to extol the virtues of metaphorical vegetables.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:35-37

A Masterful Defense of Our Sovereign Pontiff

The following is an excerpt from the National Review. This piece definitely deserves your full attention, and also, a full read. The entire piece can be found here. The photo below also appeared on the National Review website as an ad.

May God bless these people who willingly and lovingly tell it like it is.

It has been disappointing and irritating (but not surprising) that the New York Times has tried to set this controversy up as another Watergate, and with po-faced sanctimony reports each new weekly, unsubstantiated allegation of deviant clerical abuse in Moldova, Fiji, Timbuktu, Patagonia, and assumedly, the Moon. It wished to make it a war of a thousand cuts, escalating steeply and swiftly, on the Watergate pattern, to the destruction of the pope himself: the drumfire of endless outrage confected and displayed with pseudo-grave neutrality, from which debouches the tribal move to execute the chief. “The king must die”; regicide as tokenism, as liberal group therapy.

. . . 

Benedict XVI has declared the Church to be ashamed and penitent, has met with victims’ and their families, has expedited investigative and corrective procedures, has opened up access for complainants, and has imposed fail-safe strict controls, without delivering his clergy to the howling cannibals. He has handled it all like the great, scholarly, courageous, and profoundly civilized man he is, with humility, dignity, and effectiveness. He should now decree a reasonable deadline for past complaints and start to lead the Church out of the fire, and close down the decades-long turning of the spit that the Church’s enemies had been ghoulishly preparing.

As the pope tries to amputate what is bad, the Church’s enemies are trying to take advantage of that process to destroy the entire institution. This too is a pattern. Pius XII’s wartime performance was quite inadequate, but he did save 850,000 Jews, as is now coming to light. No one else did that. This child-abuse crisis is shameful and evil and disgusting. Only the Church can stop, punish, confess, repent, and prevent recurrence, all on the scale required. It is doing so, late and over-cautiously. But secular witch-hunts and lynchings are not part of the solution, and if they continue, it may be almost time for a few Counter-Reformationist measures. The scorching unction of the Church’s more rabid enemies might become more bearable to them if the Church’s adherents reconsidered their advertising budgets. In the case of the Times, its guardian angel, Señor Slim, would surely fly to its aid again with another infusion of 14 percent yield, usurers’ junk bonds.

Easter Season Marches On

I just wanted to remind all of you that we are still in the Season of Easter, and we will be until Pentecost Sunday. In keeping with the rejoicing spirit of this holy season, I present for your viewing pleasure the following video, recorded at the 2008 Bach-fest in Germany.

Changing of the Guard

The following is taken from the people at US Catholic. Seeing as how they use our work and do not link, we will not extend a courtesy refused to us. Smack of the crozier at self-centered liberals.

My commentary added, as usual.

When the alarm clock rings, Father James Moore, 33, pops out of bed. He brews coffee, makes his bed, and launches into prayer.

Down the hall, Father Bart Hutcherson, 48, likes to set two alarms half an hour apart to ease into the morning. He doesn’t bother making his bed.  

Their days, their desks, and their general approaches to priesthood differ widely. Yet they are both Dominican priests serving the same parish, St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Center in Tucson, Arizona.

When they are standing side by side on Sunday, the contrast is clear. Father Bart wears a simple white habit, a green chasuble, and sandals (AKA "Hippie"). Father James wears the same habit and chasuble, along with an alb, an amice, and black shoes (AKA "priest"). He looks fancier, yet he is the associate to Father Bart, who considers his junior’s dress “overkill.”(There is nothing overkill about looking like a priest. The only thing which is "overkill" is the older priest's dated demeanor and liberal taint.)

The amice “is truly a pre-Vatican II vestment, not required in any circumstances,” he says. “Here in the desert, it makes little sense to put on an extra layer of clothes.”(It's not about comfort, it's about the liturgy. It's one thing which was discarded needlessly, and without any formal decree. It was one more casualty of the "Spirit of Vatican II," a spirit which the older priest obviously professes.)

So it is no surprise, with clothing differences that translate into liturgical ones, that parishioners wondered what would ensue when Father James—fresh out of seminary (It's the young ones who are loyal) —was assigned to assist their more casual pastor.

“Father James led such a sheltered life, growing up in a traditional Catholic family in the country, so he shows up at the Newman Center and he’s all set and ready to fight the good fight,” (I don't care for this fellow's tone. So what if he's from the country? John Paul II acted the same way, but grew up in a big city, Krakow. Oh, but that's right, we don't have to examine anything before Vatican II, because it's all irrelevant.) says parishioner Cliff Bowman, 45, a pilot instructor and father of four (what lofty credentials to judge a newly-ordained priest). “I was a little concerned how they were going to work out.”

The two priests had the same questions. Father Bart had just attended Father James’ ordination, “a very high-church liturgy at a big Gothic church”—a far cry from the informal Newman Center where, alas, the avid organist would have no organ. “That was my first impression: How is he going to survive here without an organ? And is he going to push us to try to get an organ?” (What a shallow interpretation of being a lover of the liturgy.) Father Bart recalls. “I knew his liturgical style is much more high church than mine, so I worried, how is that going to affect our ministry here? Is that going to be something that’s a sadness for him? Or is it going to be something where he comes in and tries to change the dynamic here?”

Father James had no plans for a takeover, but he did bring a penchant for Gregorian chant, a knowledge of Latin, and a “curiosity as to how it would play out.”(Sounds like a tyrant to me. Not.)

How is it playing out two years later? “Pretty well,” Bowman says, which is remarkable when you line the two men up and break down their differences. The short list is the stuff they have in common: the Dominican formation, the Newman mission, the commitment to priesthood and service.

The list of differences is virtually everything else, beginning with where they preach, how they preach, and what they preach on. Father James uses a prepared text and stands at the lectern; Father Bart leaves the lectern and the script. Father James addresses morality, church teaching, and church history, while Father Bart applies scripture to everyday challenges and temptations (note the difference between what a homily should be, and what the homily is for the older priest).

Even the way they position their hands at Mass reflects broader discrepancies: Father Bart folds one hand over the other, palms facing his chest (and liberals call orthodox liturgists effeminate??), while Father James presses his hands together, fingers pointing up.

Changing of the guard

As a younger generation of priests joins and replaces an older generation, parishes across the country are feeling the change (God forbid.). City by city, diocese by diocese, it is a changing of guards that is neither swift nor soundless and comes with no choreography to guide the steps.

Many young priests arrive with an unabated zeal for the church, a solid grasp of liturgical rubrics, and a preference, if not insistence, for traditions of the past (If it were me, it would be insistence, not "preference." We are seeing young men coming in who aren't the liberal pushovers we have now [or the liberal tyrants]). They call themselves “JPII priests” because their formative years were shaped by Pope John Paul II’s pontificate. They are unafraid to preach on touchier moral teachings and eager to share rituals they consider timeless—ones their gray-haired peers often interpret as a step backward from the hard-won changes of the Second Vatican Council.("Hard-won changes"? The changes these liberals cling to are not genuine results of the council - they have contrived them out of the haughtiness of their hearts.)

For these older priests, zeal for the church has softened into an abiding love, tinged by an awareness of its shortcomings. They’ve seen many messy relationships, and they’ve mastered the fine art of meeting people where they are and gently drawing them in.(And new priests can't do this? How do these people think the Church existed before Vatican II?)

At best, the change can puzzle parishioners, surprised at how different the same vocation can look. It can result in awkward moments—a parishioner sitting between a pastor and an associate pastor engaged in a tense debate at a council meeting, or seeing the older priest roll his eyes and reference “the young buck.”

At worst, it can induce an exodus of parishioners. (Show me one parish that has suffered because of orthodoxy. Name one.) When the old priest and the new priest are diametrically opposed, Catholics say it can feel as if the axis of a familiar home church is tilting, the ground moving beneath their feet.

It’s “jarring,” says Mary Deeley, the pastoral associate at the Sheil Catholic Center in Evanston, Illinois. “Whenever you have a change in leadership, there are going to be people who say, ‘I just can’t do this. I’m out because he’s out.’ ”

On a personal level, that can result in a crisis of faith—someone who stops going to Mass or someone who never comes back.(So the author isn't a practicing Catholic? I wouldn't want to infer the wrong thing, but that's what it sounds like to me. How can someone who "stops going to Mass" actually write about this with any semblance of credibility?)

That major decision can be prompted by minor liturgical changes, which parishioners quickly pick up on and often read into, says Karon Latham, who has worked as a pastoral associate and now serves as director of faith formation for a cluster of three parishes in rural Central Michigan. “The liturgy is the heart of who we are and what holds us together as Catholics,” she says. “Any time there is an abrupt change in the way [liturgy] is done, it can really interfere with the way people are encountering God.”(It can interfere with the way people think they're encountering God. Would you not rather have a spotless liturgy than a familiar one? We are called to strive towards perfection, not to settle for what's easy, common, or understandable. The Mass is above all that, and should be approached as such. That means no sandals and more amices.)

There's more of this, but it's just the same liberal buzzwords over and over again. I have better things to do than to destroy liberals and their weak arguments.

Why I Stick to Limericks

Rocking the Boat

Rocking the Boat Barque of Peter is, from what I can gather from this video, a favorite hymn at Spiritus Christi.

Pontifical High Mass - Part II

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

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

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


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



Attire


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

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





Shorts & Sweats: Just say no.


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


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


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

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


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

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


Cell Phones/Pagers: Turn them off.

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

Pope Benedict and the Great Reform of The Church

"Mommy, look! A priest!"

"No, honey. That's just a man having a midlife crisis."

I am absolutely baffled as to why we see the alb-trend being embraced by men now, as well as women. It's funny how in a strange sort of way, it makes sense, but in a twisted sort of way it doesn't. We can all understand why women wear the alb when they are "administrators." They want to be priestesses. It's that simple. Nancy DeRycke, Joan Sobala, Barb Swiecki, Margaret Ostromecki, and like-minded daughters of wisdom feel oppressed by the male-dominated Church. Even though 1. they're not, and 2. they're wrong, I can at least, in principle, understand where they're coming from.

But Mr. Rabjohn? He has every ability to become a priest, at least in principle. He's a man, and he's Catholic. So what reason does he have to wear an alb? It's not really a protest. If it is, it's kind of lacking in the gusto department. Is it arrogance? I wouldn't presume to start judging men's souls.

So why is he wearing an alb? He's not an altar boy. He's not a lector. He's not even a specified and specific Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. According to Rome, these roles in the liturgy can use an alb. Rather, he's a "Pastoral Administrator." What administrating is done from the pulpit that can't be done from behind a desk? An administrator is someone who runs the parish, not the Mass held within that self-same parish. A Pastoral Administrator can serve God nobly without being an intrusive presence in the sanctuary.

Rome has never permitted anyone bearing such a title to wear an alb, much less to actually be in the sanctuary for some made-up liturgical role. Sr. Joan behaves the same way and dresses in similar fashion because she's trying to prove something. However, whatever the motives are for such attire and posture, the matter is still an illicit one.

Another key facet of this is that a woman is obviously not a priest. Anyone going into St. Anne or Good Shepherd will see the Pastoral Administrator vested in that way, but will know, "they're not priests." If anything, it would probably be "oh, look, there's a nun." However, when someone comes into St. Pius the Tenth parish, there is a clear and distinct possibility that Mr. Rabjohn will be taken for a priest. At the very least, he could be construed as a deacon, sitting next to the presider. While his motives may or may not be the same as our female administrators' (I'm not one to judge men's hearts), the implications here are much more definite. He is a man. He is vested. He is in the sanctuary. He is interfering with the Mass in a way only expected of an ordained minister.

If these liberals are going to cling to their notion of "the alb is the vestment of the baptized," then perhaps we should just keep bins of albs on hand at the entrances of our parishes, so every baptized Christian could wear one. But, wait, that would mean that our administrators wouldn't be the center of attention.

And there's the real reason, dear friends. Liberals crave attention. Whether it's legitimate or not, they need it. Forget about the rubrics, 2,000 years of liturgical tradition, and reverence. "If it makes us look important, we'll do it. And why? Because we can."

Shame on those who enable such immature behavior. Shame on those who engage in it. The Mass isn't some can of tinker-toys that can be upended and the contents rearranged for amusement's sake.

I, for one, hope that this fad of middle-aged and elderly men and women playing dress-up at Mass goes away. How long can a mid-life crisis last? Somethings tells me it's got something to do with that countdown at the top of the page.

Reform of the Reform

A Nod of the Miter Goes to . . .

. . . Fr. Frank E. Lioi, for his noble defense of the people and parish of St. Thomas the Apostle Church. As you all know, the matter at hand is the closing of St. Thomas and St. Salome. However, common sense begs the question "Why, when we're moving towards super-churches, are we closing the biggest one in Irondequoit?" Fr. Lioi stated the following. Seeing as how I wasn't in the room, it's not word-for-word, but it's as exact as my sources have told me.

"Bishop Clark, I don't see the purpose in keeping open a church which resembles a temporary basketball court, and closing a permanent, sacred, consecrated building."

The basketball church is either St. Cecilia's or Christ the King - no offense to anyone from those parishes. What he means is that architecturally, they cannot sustain (nor were they meant to) a large group of parishioners. They were supposed to be temporary structures, and have become the lasting ones.

It is also interesting to note that there was a clear and definite majority (if not unanimous) who wanted to see St. Cecelia close in order that the larger, more stable parish may survive. Could it be that, led by solid priests such as Fr.'s Lioi and Leone, the argument for a more logical plan of action could win out? Let us certainly hope so.

Tu Es Petrus!