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

I was tagged for a meme on 5 Random Things About Myself.

Here goes:

1. I despise Retsina
2. I touched the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
3. I am listening to an audio book by Ernest Hemingway on my mp3 player when I am walking these days
4. Some people truly think I am a spy … and they say so
5. I have a baseball signed by both Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle

There is a little project going on to get rosaries to the troops. Here is the story (with my emphasis):

Ranger rosaries in short supply for U.S. soldiers
By George P. Matysek Jr.
11/28/2006

The Catholic Review

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (The Catholic Review) – What Pat Evans calls the “most powerful weapon” American servicemen could ever carry is failing to make its way into the hands of many military men and women in Iraq.

The “weapon” is a spiritual one designed to bring peace to a troubled region and protection to soldiers – the rosary.

Ms. Evans knows there aren’t enough of the time-honored Catholic prayer beads being shipped because she has coordinated a rosary- making guild at St. Mary in Annapolis for nearly four years that has produced 70,000 military-style “ranger rosaries” – an impressive number, but nowhere near what military chaplains tell her is needed.

“From the letters I receive from military chaplains, I could probably send a thousand rosaries (every week),” said Ms. Evans, noting that it costs about $1 to make and ship each rosary.

“We only have a budget of $20,000, so we just can’t do it,” she said. “We need more people to help us.”

There are 25 St. Mary’s parishioners who make and send about 400 rosaries every week – mostly to chaplains in Iraq, but also to chaplains in Afghanistan, stateside training bases, the Navy fleet and military hospitals.

Some parishioners of the Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City, Md., and St. John the Evangelist in Columbia, Md., have also helped produce the popular rosaries – as have some Catholics across the country, but Ms. Evans would like to see more Maryland parishes step up.

Father John Kingsbury, C.Ss.R., St. Mary’s pastor, has proposed expanding the ministry beyond his parish to include other faith communities surrounding Annapolis or the entire eastern vicariate. He is looking for a parishioner to coordinate the expanded ministry.

Ranger rosaries were the idea of Frank V. Ristaino, a St. Mary parishioner and sergeant in the Maryland Army National Guard. During training as a young army recruit in 1981, Sgt. Ristaino used parachute cord and beads in land navigation drills. Every 72 paces, he pulled one of the beads down his cord to indicate that he had walked 100 meters. It was during one of those drills when it struck him that the cord and beads would be perfect for a rosary.

Made of olive green parachute cord, black plastic beads and a black plastic crucifix, the ranger rosaries include no metal parts that would reflect light or make rattling sounds in the field.

St. Mary’s parishioners also make similar sailor rosaries with gray parachute cords and royal blue beads. They pray for the men and women who will hold the beads, and the rosaries are blessed by the Redemptorist priests of the parish before they are shipped.

“I think some people are unhappy with the war and sometimes they forget the warrior,” said Ms. Evans. “I can’t tell you how many letters I receive from chaplains who say their men don’t feel forgotten when they have one of our rosaries in their hands.”

Some letters Ms. Evans has received tell how soldiers hang the rosaries in their humvees and tents. Others recount how servicemen use them in prayer in the field or while recovering from wounds in the hospital.

“I know firsthand how much the ranger rosary is loved by the American soldier,” wrote Chaplain Christian T. Connelly in one of Ms. Evans’ treasured letters. “Once they get it in their hands, it is a powerful reminder of their Catholic faith and the love that our Lord and his Blessed Mother had for each of us no matter where harm’s way may take us.”

A U.S. Army chaplain in Baghdad said he uses the sturdy beads to pray as many as 50 mysteries of the rosary a day when he goes on a mission with his troops.

“Do you know that we are one of only two units in Iraq that has never been attacked?” he wrote. “Please continue to pray and Our Lady will continue to protect us.”

For more information, call 410-280-1448 or visit www.rangerrosary.com. Send donations to “St. Mary’s Ranger Rosary,” St. Mary Advancement Office, 109 Duke of Gloucester St., Annapolis, MD 21401.

I was at the presentation of a book today prepared by the Pont. Council for Promoting Christian Unity headed up by His Eminence Walter Card. Kasper. The book was presented as a manual of suggestions and projects for "Spiritual Ecumenism". 

Some of the projects suggested in the book would be things like becoming more familiar with Scripture and documents about ecumenical issues, getting to know the liturgies and celebrations of others, etc.

Wouldn’t you like a little "spiritual ecumenism" for people who want the older form of Mass? 

People could treat those with a desire for traditional liturgy with respect.  They could attend Mass in Latin and receive Communion on the tongue like others with traditional aspirations and offend the sensibilities of those who think particles of Hosts that wind up on the floor or clothing are Jesus Christ truly present, His Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity.  They could learn the Latin prayers and frequent traditional devotions, perhaps even going to confession frequently. 

But wait… that all sounds familiar.

St. Emerentiana has a rather thin entry in the 2005 Roman Martyrology:

2. Romae via Nomentana in coemeterio Maiore, sanctae Emerentianae, martyris.

 

There is a rather "hagiographical" account of Emerentiana.  According to the story, Emerentiana’s mother was the nanny of St. Agnes, perhaps her wetnurse.  Thus, Emerentiana and Agnes would have probably spent quite a bit of time together, perhaps even being like sisters to each other.  Emerentiana was a catechumen.  A few days after Agnes’ death, listed in the depositio as 21 January, Emerentiana was found praying at Agnes’s grave.  Though not yet baptized she declared herself to be a Christian. They stoned her to death.  She was placed in the same tomb as Agnes, close in death as they were in life.

UPDATE: Please note that the text of the hymn has been revised, yet again.  Click HERE.

I have had a little correspondence with the author of the "Battle Hymn of the Tridentine Mass" I published earlier. It was sent to me by a friend, but the author contacted me. I will reserve his identity, but here is his last bit, which he would want me to share.

Dear Fr. Zuhlsdorf,

Thank you for your interest in the "battle hymn". The hymn text is enclosed in this mail. In Germany, many people criticize the Latin. Most of the criticism is nonsense. But the "resurrecta"-criticism was justified. And I also think that, from theological point of view, "traditum" is better than "veterum", which was a little criticized on your site. Please put the hymn on your web site in the form below, unless you feel sure that the change that follows is better:

I still consider whehter "versus tabernaculum" in the second line should be changed to "adque tabernaculum", for "versus" is very vulgary, it is not a classical Latin, but it is better regarding the clarity. On the other hand, changing the word order shows that "et Missa Tridentina ad tabernaculum spiret" is a classical Latin provided the second "ad" (ad firmandum…") is still fitting, but I think it is. If I decide, after having consulted experts, to change it again, I will tell you immediately.

You can also tell me your opinion or another’s expert opinion. Of course, it would have been better to publish only a finish version. On the other hand, humans are not perfect, and why should we not use the advantage of the internet where thousands of readers can help to improve the text with their comments.

Hymnus proelii pro Missa Tridentina

1.
Surrectura ex ruina
Versus tabernaculum
Spiret Missa Tridentina
Ad firmandum populum.

Refrain:
Lupos ovium in pelle
Vincimus Rosario.
Mediatrix, Co-Redemptrix,
Virgo Dei Genitrix,
Tu adjuva nos!
Tu adjuva nos!

2.
Sancte Pater, pastor Sancti,
Sacrum duc Imperium!
Gregi da desideranti
Sacrum ritum traditum!

Refrain

3.
Re divina celebrata
Ori nostro sacerdos
Corpus ex Immaculata
Det cum eo jungens nos!

Refrain