What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

From a reader:

I see that the plan of one small church in America to burn a Koran has gained world-wide attention, interventions by the Secretary of State and religious leaders, and a spot on the BBC’s front page.

Does this mean we can confidently expect the next, sadly inevitable, act of desecration against the Most Blessed Sacrament to elicit such a response?

Somehow, I think not.

I have now visited the new "Eataly" complex in Manhattan, across from the Flat Iron building and Madison Square Park.  It is about a block and a half from where I often stay when here.

This is clearly going to be a vast and churning money machine.

I have been in the place several times, and at all hours the aisles and places to sit and eat have been jammed, even fairly late.



You can buy finished products for immediate consumption, such as ice cream, and slices of goodies, or glaces of wines with more goodies, and also packaged products and raw materials for cooking in your own kitchen.

I may need to go tomorrow and pick up some cockles and mussels for a set to in the rectory.  Yum.









Working with salmon roe.



The fresh pasta looks quite good.



I will also be looking for squid ink.



There are banks and banks of dry pastas.



There is a very good meat counter.



And people enjoying one of the cafe/restaurants.



The produce looks stupendous.  

I haven’t tried anything yet of the salumeria.  The bread seems to be spectacular.

The wines are, from a glance, undistinguished but useful.

My impression of a great deal of the packaged goods and products is, how to say, "corporate".  I haven’t seen them in my usual groceries in Rome.  The whole place throbs with a "corporate" feel.  I am guessing the organizers approached or were approached by various large food concerns (Barilla comes to mind) who packaged products for the enterprise.   This doesn’t mean that it is of second quality, of course.

Put it this way.  It is far to large and uniform to be anything like a real Italian market.  However, this is New York City.  Having the immediate availability of all these things nearby would be a great advantage.

I think the idea is this: you can sample myriad things and then also, on the spot, buy everything you would need to make it at home.   This would be a great place to start getting familiar with Italian staples.

Also, this would be a great place to meet people.   I wonder if a blognic would work here.  Hmmm.

And it is HUGE, and filled with fascinating and fascinated people.  It has a great feeling.  You could have a lot of fun here.

Damian Thompson posted this over at his place. 

My emphases and comments.

The Pope’s Mass in Glasgow: are Benedict XVI’s liturgical wishes being ignored?

Pope Benedict XVI likes to celebrate Mass on an altar bearing six candles, or seven if there is one behind the central crucifix. It’s a venerable Christian tradition, drawing possibly on the Jewish menorah or the use of seven acolytes in early medieval Masses. [The so-called "Benedictine Arrangment", which is a transitional arrangement of the altar towards a reestablishment of ad orientem worship.  I have some PODCAzTs about this.  This arrangement, explained by Joseph Ratzinger in Spirit of the Liturgy, seeks to bring the attention of celebrant and congregation alike back to the Lord, who is to return "from the East".  Ad orientem worship is superior in this regard.  But placing the Crucifix between the congregation and priest breaks the enclosed circle of priest and congregation attending to themselves, thus reorienting to the Lord who is to come.]

So I don’t know what to make of persistent reports that the organisers of the papal Mass at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, have decided not decorate the altar with six candles. [That, if true, would be quite an offense.] Can this really be true? Monsignor Guido Marini, the Pope’s Master of Ceremonies, usually goes to enormous trouble to ensure that the Holy Father’s wishes are implemented. I’m mystified. Are the organisers trying to appease the spirit of John Knox? Seriously: this rumour is doing the rounds, and – though a dispute about altar decoration may seem petty to non-Catholics – it’s damaging for the Scottish Church.

Also… I believe there will be 400 priests present at the Mass. That will be more than enough to distribute Holy Communion to even as many as 50,000 communicants. Church rules on this question are quite clear: lay people are to distribute the Sacrament only if there is a shortage of priests. So I’m assuming that there can be no truth in the rumour that Scottish parishes are being asked to provide “extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion” for Bellahouston. [That would be DREADFUL.] “Lay ministers are not a feature of papal Masses, and if they were suddenly to make an appearance here it would look like sleight of hand,” says my source. “It would enable the old liberals to say afterwards: well, the Pope was OK with it in Glasgow.” [There will not be only priests at that Mass, but also we can assume not a few deacons, seminarians and … ehem… bishops.  When did bishops stop being Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion? ... of the Eucharist?]

I think the decision to ask Susan Boyle to sing at the service was a mistake, because it looked as if the organisers were using a TV personality to tempt Catholics to a papal Mass.  But, in the end, that’s a question of taste. [I wonder if this isn’t some sort of trend.  When the Pope was in the USA, some famous singers were trotted out at Communion time.]  Playing fast and loose with the Vatican’s liturgical guidelines is another matter, however. I do hope Mgr Marini will put a call through to Glasgow to check that these rumours are untrue.

Like Damian, I would also like to know if these rumors are true.

Perhaps people in the UK could direct their questions to the organizers with a measure of respectful and gentle persistence?

From a press release:

Relics of Saint John Bosco (Don Bosco)
Founder of the Salesian Order, “Father and Teacher of the Young”
to Arrive in San Francisco THIS SATURDAY September 11!

SAN FRANCISCO—On Saturday, September 11, at 11:30PM, the relics of Don Bosco will arrive at Saints Peter and Paul Church, 666 Filbert Street, in San Francisco. The relics, a portion of Don Bosco’s right arm bone encased in a 1,800 lb. reliquary, will be driven to San Francisco from Tijuana, Mexico, the most recent stop on a worldwide tour commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Don Bosco’s birth. The relics have already visited (among others) Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Bolivia, Guatemala, and Mexico.

Don Bosco will be received at Saints Peter and Paul, the first Salesian presence in North America, by an honor guard including members of the SF Fire Department, the SF Police Department, the Knights of Malta, the Knights of Columbus, and the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher.  The Church will be open all of Saturday night, allowing veneration by the faithful.  On Sunday, September 12, there will be five Masses celebrated at Saints Peter and Paul, each emphasizing a particular aspect of Don Bosco’s ministry: as a Model of Service; as Apostle to the Young; as Missionary to the World; as Model of Holiness; as Faithful for the Kingdom.

[...]

POLL BELOW!

I found this note about the new translation of the Roman Missal at SERVIAM.  My emphases and comments:

I would like to propose a change in our “default” reference to the upcoming translation changes to the Roman Missal.

At the moment there are three camps:  [1] There is the “It’s About Time” camp (of which I am a card-carrying member) and there is [2] the “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Seeking to Undermine the Glorious Empowering Liturgical Reforms of the Last Forty Years” camp, of which I am not.  I suspect that each of these camps represent about 10% of Catholics.  In between, there are 80% who currently belong to [3] the “What New Translation?” camp.  In political circles, these are called “swing voters.”

We are currently referring to the upcoming translations as “new.”  While accurate, this reference is also editorially neutral. [Interesting.]  As most people don’t know there is anything wrong with the current translations, their default position will likely be “why hassle me with a change where none is needed?”  They might also conclude that the original prayers were simply re-written by Pope Benedict to reflect his conservative agenda.  Then we are put in a defensive position from square one.

I suggest our default reference be “corrected translation” or “new corrected translation.”  By adding the word “corrected” to all references, we teach that the original translations were defective and that this was a repair, not the promotion of an agenda.  We communicate the the real reasons for the change from the outset, not in defense against those on the left who ARE promoting an agenda.

Thoughts?

Let’s have your thoughts.

Please respond to this WDTPRS POLL and give your reasons for your answer in the combox, below.

In case anyone missed it, I object to the term "the Latin Mass" when used to indicated the Traditional Latin Mass, otherwise called the Extraordinary Form or a whole raft of other things.

I object to "the Latin Mass", because – properly – the Novus Ordo or Ordinary Form is also to be celebrated in Latin.  The Novus Ordo is also "the Latin Mass.

This comes from The Herald of Scotland with my emphases and comments.

Pope’s Glasgow Mass in Latin

5 Sep 2010

A substantial part of the Mass to be celebrated by Pope Benedict at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow on September 16 will be said in Latin, the Vatican has confirmed.

In an interview with The Herald, published today, Monsignor Guido Marini, the Pope’s master of ceremonies, reveals the Canon and Preface – the most significant parts – will be said in the ancient language. [I think also that most everything that is sung should be in Latin.  Let the readings be in the vernacular.]

Mgr Marini said: “For all the Masses said in the UK the Preface and the Canon will be said in Latin. What the Holy Father intends by using Latin is to emphasise the universality of the faith and the continuity of the Church.”

The Canon is the most significant part of the Mass as it both precedes and follows the Consecration. [The consecration is part of the Canon.  But watch this…] It will be said in a Latin translation of the modern English liturgy, and will be viewed as a sign of Benedict XVI’s desire to return to the solemnity of the traditional liturgy.  [Did you find that odd? "It will be said in a Latin translation of the English"?  Noooo….  Latin is the original and English is the translation.]

Mgr Marini also revealed a new English translation of the Mass, [I assume that the proper prayers (Collect, Super oblata, Post communion, will be in English.] to be introduced next year, will be truer to the original Latin used by the Church for 1500 years before the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s. Parts of it will be said at Bellahouston for the first time.

But the move falls [far] short of a wholehearted [odd word] return to the old Tridentine rite of pre-Vatican II, supported by Pope Benedict, but which remains controversial. Earlier this year news of the papal visit to the UK sparked debate about the unity of the church in Scotland as it was claimed some Scottish bishops opposed returning to the old pre-1970s liturgy. [Claims aside, what is the actual track record in this regard.  What did they do or fail to do?]

Yesterday Father Stephen Dunn, parish priest of Sacred Heart church in Bridgeton, responded to the news by saying he is moving his regular Latin Mass from Monday evening slot to Tuesdays at 10am from this week.

“I’m doing this because it is in accordance with the wishes of the Holy Father,” he said. “I am delighted that the Holy Father is once again using liturgical Latin. It was never banned but has been discouraged.”

But Scottish composer James MacMillan, who has set parts of the new English verion [sic] to music for the Bellahouston Mass, dismissed any idea of controversy.

“Vatican II was never intended to do away with mass in Latin,” he said. “Contrary to what certain activists are trying to claim, neither Latin nor choral music have ever been banned.” [Do I hear an "Amen!"?]

Ronnie Convery, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Glasgow, said: “It is possible the Latin liturgy at Bellahouston may reawaken a renewed interest in the Church’s traditional music forms. We are completely relaxed about it, and support it.”

Meanwhile, the BBC has rejected claims by the leader of Scotland’s Catholics that it [i.e., the BBC] is institutionally biased. Cardinal Keith O’Brien said in a newspaper interview that mainstream Christian views have been “marginalised” by the corporation and that senior news managers have admitted a radically secular and socially liberal mindset pervades their newsrooms.

He also voiced concern over a documentary about the Pope, to be broadcast on the eve of his arrival in Scotland, and the level of religious programming.

However, a spokeswoman for the corporation said yesterday: “The BBC’s news and current affairs coverage of any subject is approached in an objective and impartial way reflecting the different sides of the debate. [Suuuuuuure.]

“BBC news and current affairs has a dedicated religion correspondent, and works closely with BBC Religion, ensuring topical religious and ethical affairs stories are featured across all BBC networks.

A priest reader from Down Under clued me to a photo on his blog.

He was getting ready to prepare a sermon, and needed to make some coffee.

Obviously priests write better sermons when they use a mug like this.



Good on ya!

[CUE MUSIC]

Are the sermons in your parish less than what you think they ought to be?

Get Father a new coffee mug and some Mystic Monk Coffee!

Those sermons will start to sparkle with wit, erudition and holiness in a jiffy. 

Remember! Sunday’s coming up again soon. Give Father Mystic Monk Coffee!  It’s swell!

From an article by Pat Archbold in the National Catholic Register, with my emphases and comments:

As part of our On The Town day today, we three zoomed up the the NY Botanical Garden, which was delightful.

But I was surprised to see this fellow perched on a stone bridge.



I am thinking that this one may have been either an escapee or a surreptitious releasee.  He let me get fairly close.

I am about to say the TLM at Holy Innocents Church on 37th near Broadway.

Prayer for the dead is a work of mercy.

"It’s only a matter of time", said the priest. 

Sardonic humor is one thing, but he raised a harrowing prospect.

We had been talking about the sacrilegious horrors brought about by Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.  And we weren’t talking about good-intentioned lay people trying to do a good turn but without proper training and supervision.  You know the story: someone gets a Host at Mass by putting a pyx on the altar and then, after Mass, has coffee and donuts with the gang, runs errands, and eventually pays attention the Eucharistic LORD in her purse.

We had in mind, for example, the religious sister in charge of chaplains at a metropolitan hospital who after helping herself to the tabernacle routinely tossed the pyx with Hosts into her unlocked desk door.

As we dined last last, one of the fellows at the table speculated that it was only a matter of time before some idiot priest got the bright idea to send consecrated Hosts in an envelope by mail.

From that starting point, we speculated about how this would be handled. 

Perhaps the self-communicating telecommunicant would then turn on the local-access cable channel and consume the Lord while watching Mass at the parish.



Or perhaps, if they were worried about sacrilege, they could mail out unconsecrated Hosts, and instruct the self-communicating telecommunicant what to do.

They should, for example, press the Host to the screen to auto-teleconsecrate.



I don’t have a problem with Masses broadcast on television.

But we do need to watch trends carefully.

Also, is the Blessed Sacrament being treated with due regard by Catholics in all places and at all times?   Pastors of souls have the duty to see to it that the Eucharist is treated with all reverence and care.

The Catholic League has been on a tear about the decision of the owners/operators of NYC’s Empire State Building not to illuminate the uppermost part of the famous skyscraper in blue and white for the 100th Birthday of Bl. Teresa of Calcutta, foundress of the Missionaries of Charity.

They were perfectly willing to illuminate the tower with red and yellow light in honor of the "birthday" of the People’s Republic of China, under whose rule millions have died due to oppression and poor judgment in governance, and where there are still grave human rights questions.

Today I read this story from CNA.

New US stamp honors Mother Teresa, admirer and critic of American society

Washington D.C., Sep 5, 2010 / 02:15 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Following the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mother Teresa on August 26, the United States Postal Service is honoring her with a new 44 cent stamp. It was issued in a special ceremony today at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Postmaster General John Potter dedicated the stamp Sunday along with other officials from both the postal service and the Catholic Church, including the Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Auxiliary Bishop of Washington Barry Knestout, Monsignor Walter Rossi of the national shrine, and Sister Leticia, MC, provincial superior of the Missionaries of Charity.

During the ceremony, Potter explained that it is important for the government agency to “focus attention on subjects our country regards with respect and affection, and that is certainly true of Mother Teresa, who believed so deeply in the innate worth and dignity of humankind and worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor, sick, orphaned and dying.”

The postmaster added that he is “very proud” for the U.S. to be “honoring Mother Teresa with such a lasting memorial.” Collectible first-day postmark editions of the new stamp will be available directly through the U.S. Postal Service.

[...]

For the last couple days here in Manhattan, this is what we have been seeing at night.



Coincidence?

I only willingly eat bagels in New York.

But what bagels!  As some of you readers may recall, I have explored quite a few bagel shops in this area of Manhattan, and so far among the very best are found at a little corner shop close to the rectory.

Sadly, they do not also make… you know.

The weather is close to perfect.  Friends and I are seeing the sights!

The lovely and persistent Anna Arco, one of my favorite writers for the UK’s best Catholic weekly, The Catholic Herald, has an interesting article which escaped my noticed as I winged my way Gothamward.

My emphases and comments.

Poll: almost half of Mass-goers would attend older form

By Anna Arco on Friday, 3 September 2010

Almost half of English and Welsh Mass-goers would attend Masses in the traditional form of the Roman Rite if it was celebrated in local parishes, a new study has shown. [I can’t possibly imitate the style of Damian Thompson, but, giving the old college try: Cricket sounds from Eccleston Square…?]

The survey, which used a sample of 800 people who identified themselves as Catholic, showed that 66 per cent of practising Catholics [NB: practising.  That might mirror some of the findings in the USA.  If people are going to Mass regularly, they would be happy to attend also the more… what can one say… challenging? complete?... adult? ... experience of Holy Mass?] would be happy to attend the traditional Latin Mass once a month if it were celebrated in their parishes.

Commissioned by the French group Paix Liturgique, the survey also showed that Britain had a higher percentage of regular Mass attendance than France, Portugal and Germany.

Although only 19 per cent of Britain’s population identifies as Catholic, 32 per cent of Catholics attend Mass at least once a month, if not more often, compared with 19 per cent of French Catholics and 10 per cent of German Catholics.  [That high?]

According to the survey, 43 per cent of those Catholics who practice regularly would attend Mass in the Extraordinary Form once a week. Fifty per cent of the Catholics questioned said that they would find it normal if Mass were celebrated in the Extraordinary Form alongside the Ordinary Form in their parishes. The survey also found that 60 per cent of Catholics were unaware of Pope Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum which lifted restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass in 2007. [14 Sept is the 3rd Anniversary of its going into effect.]

John Medlin, general manager of the Latin Mass Society, said: “Broadly speaking these results are the same across Europe. They indicate that among Catholics who take interest in their faith, although there is great ignorance, once people are made aware of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum there is a willingness for people in large numbers to accept the Extraordinary Form.

“Once it is explained, there is a willingness on the part of Catholics attached to the Ordinary Form for the two forms of the rite to exist quite happily side by side in the parishes, just as most of those attached to the Extraordinary Form are quite happy to accept the right of those attached to the ordinary form to have Mass celebrated in this way.”

In a statement Paix Liturgique said: “In Great Britain as elsewhere, the argument resting on [NOTA BENE] the lack of interest among the faithful for the application of the Motu Proprio is unfair. When their point of view is solicited in an opinion poll the results are quite different to those obtained when one merely speaks in their name.”

Get out and start inviting people.

Get to work.

From iWireNEws:

Pope To Tell Young People Of Hitler Youth

Published on September 03, 2010  
by NewsDesk – iWireNews ™

VATICAN CITY, ROME

Pope Benedict XVI plans to use his own experience in the Hitler Youth in his message to young people at the next World Youth Day, the Vatican said Friday.

Officials released a partial text of the message the pope has written for the gathering, scheduled for Aug. 16-21 in Madrid, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. He plans to tell young people they must rely on faith and the values found in the Gospels, that job-hunting and economic security are "great and pressing problems" but not the most important issues in life.

Benedict, born in Germany as Josef Ratzinger, was forced to join the Hitler Youth when he turned 14 in 1941. His father was a devout Catholic who opposed the Nazi Party, and the pope has said he dodged meetings of the youth organization.

"We were closed in by a dominant power, we wanted to get out and enjoy the fullness of the possibilities of being human," he plans to tell the World Youth Day of that part of his life.