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

Here is an interesting piece.  The blurb below accompanied an advertisement for a lecture at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology on 24 October.

The Archbishop Gerety Lecture series presents Rev. Msgr. Raymond Kupke, Ph.D. as he discusses the ways NJ Catholicism helped lead to the following dramatic conciliar moment, and its subsequent impact on the life of the universal Church. On November 13, 1964, Pope Paul VI, in a dramatic gesture in the midst of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, walked to the altar of Saint Peter’s Basilica and laid his coronation tiara on the altar as a gift for the poor of the world. By the Holy Father’s own admission, he made this gesture in response to the words of a New Jersey layman, James Norris. Mr. Norris delivered his speech in an historic conciliar intervention, the only one at Vatican II by a layman, just one week earlier. All are welcome, admission is free and call-in registration is strongly encouraged.

The poor are still with us and the tiara is no only seen in museums. 

Paul VI about to lay his tiara on the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of the Second Vatican Council.

 

I got this note from California Daily Daily.   It sounds like good news!

My emphases and comments.

“The use of the Latin language is to be preserved”  [Well.. after all, .... that’s … that’s… only Vatican II saying that!]

Will Benedict XVI’s motu proprio result in more Tridentine Masses in California?  [So… they didn’t see the WDTPRS poll.]

Will celebrations of the Tridentine Latin Mass multiply – even in California? Under John Paul II’s indult, the number of Latin Masses in the state was few and far between. But will things change under Pope Benedict XVI’s motu proprio liberalizing permission for celebrating the old Latin rite? 

The Oct. 13 Riverside Press Enterprise reported that Fr. Steve Porter of St. Catherine of Siena church in Rialto (San Bernardino diocese) seems willing to offer the Mass on a regular basis. On Sept. 14 – the date the motu proprio went into effect—Porter offered a Tridentine Latin Mass at his parish, attended by 100 people.

After the Mass, Porter received e-mails asking that he say the Mass more often. He is consulting with St. Catherine’s liturgy committee about the possibility of celebrating the Mass on major feast days, beginning with All Saints, Nov. 1.

The Tridentine Mass continues at San Secondo D’Asti church in Guasti, every Sunday at 10.30 a.m. The celebration, begun under the indult, is the only weekly celebration of the traditional Latin Mass in the San Bernardino diocese.

San Bernardino diocesan spokesman Fr. Howard Lincoln told the Press Enterprise that there is little demand for the traditional Mass. [The Party Line.] Bishop Gerald Barnes, said Lincoln, will allow the Tridentine Mass as long as the priest can pronounce the Latin prayers and knows their meaning – something, said Lincoln, the Holy See requires.  [The Holy See requires that the priest be minimally qualified.  It doesn’t say that you have be be expert in Latin.  Card. Egan, a distinguished canonist, explained that the priest must be able to pronounce the words properly.]

In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, St. Therese of Liseaux in Alhambra, staffed by Discalced Carmelite fathers, will offer the Tridentine Mass on the third and fourth Sundays of each month at 1 p.m. The offering of the Mass, says the parish’s web site, is “in response to the gracious invitation from His Holiness.”

The Diocese of Orange has two weekly Latin Mass locations – at Mission San Juan Capistrano and the Pope John Paul II Center in Yorba Linda. St. Mary’s by the Sea in Huntington Beach was to inaugurate a celebration of the Tridentine Mass in September – but it has been delayed.

But the Orange diocese might soon have a third Tridentine Mass – at St. John the Baptist in Costa Mesa, a parish staffed by the Norbertine fathers from St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado. In an Oct. 4 posting on his blog site, the parish’s pastor, Fr. Hildebrand Garceau, said he met with the Pastoral Council about interest shown by parishioners in the Tridentine Mass. The council “advised that I should have a meeting with all those interested to explain clearly what the traditional Mass is and how it compares with the newer form,” wrote Fr. Hildebrand. The “explanatory meeting” is set for Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.

“It will be necessary to have a large and stable group of parishioners [There’s that nad translation, "stable group".  There is NO indication from the Holy See that the group has to be "large".] who are committed to attending this Mass weekly for us to dedicate a time on Sunday,” said Fr. Hildebrand. The Norbertines have said the Tridentine Mass at other locations in Southern California.

Fr. Hildebrand’s blog features “Latin Mass FAQs,” explaining the old rite in comparison with the new. Vatican II did not forbid the Latin Mass, writes Hildebrand. “The Council, in its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, said: ‘The use of the Latin language is to be preserved.’ The Council merely gave permission for the limited introduction of the vernacular (or local language) into certain parts of the Mass when celebrated in public.” [Right!]

 Things seem to be looking up!

Here is an interesting piece, long in advance, which a monsignorial friend has passed along for your edification:

St. Colman’s Society for Catholic Liturgy
Est. 2007

INTERNATIONAL LITURGICAL CONFERENCE

“Benedict XVI and The Sacred Liturgy”

at The Sheraton Fota Island Golf Resort & Spa

On Saturday 12th July 2008.

The Conference will be chaired by Professor Vincent Twomey, S.V.D.
Member of Ratzinger Schulerkreis and author of “Pope Benedict XVI. The Conscience of our
Age: A Theological Portrait” (San Francisco, 2007) (German translation: Augsburg 2006).

Speakers will include:
Professor Manfred Hauke, Lugano Switzerland
Topic: Klaus Gamber, ‘father’ of the ‘new liturgical movement’.

Fr. Uwe Michael Lang
Topic: Sacred Language
Father Lang of the London Oratory is author of "Turning Toward the Lord: Orientation in
Liturgical Prayer." The book was first published in German by Johannes Verlag and then in
English by Ignatius Press. The book has also appeared in Italian, French, Hungarian and Spanish.

Dr. Alcuin Reid
Topic: The Liturgical Reform of Benedict XVI
Dr Alcuin Reid is the author of The Organic Development of the Liturgy (Ignatius, 2005), which
carries a preface by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger.

Fr. Neil Roy
Fr. Roy visiting Professor at Notra Dame, South Bend, Indiana, USA

Venue is situated on a beautiful island estate in Cork Harbour.
Bookings and Information: The Secretary at Colman.Liturgy@yahoo.co.uk
Sheraton Hotel web address: www.Sheraton.com/FotaIsland
East Cork Tourism address: www.EastCorkTourism.com
Cobh Tourism address: www.corktourist.com/towns/cobh/

I have been for a long time that the Pope has a kind of "Marshall Plan" for the Church.  He is trying to revive, rebuild, reinvigorate many sectors of the Church after the devastation of the last decades.  

Despite the happy gas blown around hither and yon, things in the Church aren’t actually so rosy these days, unless of course you wear rose colored glasses… which make it hard, by the way, to read rubrics.

I contend that Summorum Pontificum is a major component in the Benedictine Marshall Plan.  For Benedict, we are our rites.  If the Eucharist (the Sacrament and the celebration) ar the source and summit of Christian life, then liturgy is all important.  Save the Liturgy, Save the World, after all.

Other people are noticing the Pope’s agenda.

For example, the gentlemanly Sandro Magister had a very good piece about how the Pope is underscoring sacred music.  It deserves a close reading.

Here it is, somewhat edited, with my emphases and comments.

A New Musical Season Opens at the Vatican – And Here’s the Program [Even in translation, the perfect word choice for a title]

Pope Ratzinger seems to be stepping up the tempo. The curia will have a new office with authority in the field of sacred music. And the choir of the Sistine Chapel is getting a new director

by Sandro Magister

ROMA, October 18, 2007 – In the span of just a few days, a series of events have unfolded at the Vatican which, taken all together, foretell new provisions – at the pope’s behest – to foster the rebirth of great sacred music.  [He has a plan.]

[1st] The first of these events took place on Monday, October 8. On that morning, Benedict XVI held an audience with the "chapter" of Saint Peter’s basilica –

...

The pope reminded them that "it is necessary that, beside the tomb of Peter, there be a stable community of prayer to guarantee continuity with tradition."

...

One example the pope gave to the chapter of St. Peter’s was the celebration of the liturgy at the abbey of Heiligenkreutz, the flourishing monastery he had visited just a few weeks earlier in Austria.  [Ironic that the Pope shouldhave to go to Austria to give the chapter a lesson in singing the Roman liturgy, but let that pass…]

In effect, since just over a year ago, Gregorian chant has been restored as the primary form of singing for Mass and solemn Vespers in Saint Peter’s basilica.

The rebirth of Gregorian chant at St. Peter’s coincided with the appointment of a new choir director, who was chosen by the basilica chapter in February of 2006.

The new director, Pierre Paul, a Canadian and an Oblate of the Virgin Mary, has made a clean break with the practice established during the pontificate of John Paul II – and reaffirmed by the previous director, Pablo Colino – of bringing to sing at the Masses in St. Peter’s the most disparate choirs, drawn from all over the world, very uneven in quality and often inadequate.

Fr. Paul put the gradual and the antiphonal back into the hands of his singers, and taught them to sing Mass and Vespers in pure Gregorian chant. The faithful are also provided with booklets with the Gregorian notation for Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and the translation of the texts in Italian, English, and Spanish. The results are liturgically exemplary celebrations, with increasing participation from a growing number of faithful from many nations.  [Gee!  What a surprise!]

...

[2nd] The second event took place on Wednesday, October 10, again in Saint Peter’s Basilica. The orchestra and choir of Humboldt Universität in Berlin, conducted by Constantin Alex, performed the Mass "Tu es Petrus," composed in honor of Joseph Ratzinger’s eightieth birthday by the German musician Wolfgang Seifein, who was present at the organ.  [I wrote about this event.]

Make no mistake: this was not a concert, but a real Mass. Exactly like on November 19 of last year, when in St. Peter’s (see photo) the Wiener Philarmoniker provided the musical accompaniment for the Eucharistic liturgy celebrated by cardinal Christoph Schönborn, with the Krönungsmesse K 317 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

...

[3rd] The third event is Benedict XVI’s visit to the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, on the morning of Saturday, October 13.

...

He also confirmed that "three characteristics distinguish sacred liturgical music: sanctity, true art, and universality, meaning its ability to be used regardless of the nature or nationality of the assembly."  [What an incredible vindication of the constant drumbeat kept up in the dark years by the late Msgr. Richard Schuler, well-known to the Holy Father (he sent a telegram for Msgr. Schuler’s funeral!) and Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, another great Church musician.]

And he continued:

"Precisely in view of this, ecclesiastical authorities must devote themselves to guiding wisely the development of such a demanding genre of music, not by sealing off its repository, [Msgr. Schuler used to talk about "opening up the treasury".] but by seeking to insert into the heritage of the past the legitimate additions of the present, in order to arrive at a synthesis worthy of the high mission reserved to it in the divine service. I am certain that the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, in harmonious agreement with the congregation for divine worship, will not fail to offer its contribution for an ‘updating’, adapted to our time, of the abundant and valuable traditions found in sacred music."

This expectation could soon be followed by the institution, in the Roman curia, of an office endowed with authority in the area of sacred music. It is already known that, as a cardinal, Ratzinger maintained that the institution of such an office was necessary.  [Interesting, no?]

But Benedict XVI has also made clear his preferences in regard to the type of sacred music that should be promoted.

In his speech to the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, the pope mentioned the name of only one living "maestro" of great sacred music: Domenico Bartolucci, 91, who was seated in the front row and whom the pope later greeted with great warmth.  [Read this carefully.]

Bartolucci was removed from his position as director of the papal choir of the Sistine Chapel in 1997. And his expulsion – supported by the pontifical master of ceremonies at the time, Piero Marini [What an impact he had.] – marked the general abandonment in the papal liturgies of the Roman style, characterized by great polyphonic music and Gregorian chant, of which Bartolucci is an outstanding interpreter.  [BULLSEYE! It was a terrible scandal in Rome, years ago, when Bartolucci, who was the Maestro in perpetuo of the Sistina, was so unceremoniously (or rather very "ceremoniously" given the heave-ho.  Everyone knew what happened.]

The only group that remained to keep this style alive in the papal basilicas of Rome was the Cappella Liberiana of the basilica of Saint Mary Major, directed since 1970 by Valentino Miserachs Grau, who succeeded Bartolucci in this role.

Miserachs is also the head of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, to which the pope has entrusted the task of "guiding wisely the development of such a demanding genre of music."

Bartolucci and Miserachs: this is Benedict XVI’s dual point of reference, in Rome, in the field of liturgical music.  [I have heard Miserachs speak a few times.  He is such a breath of fresh air in his approach to music and liturgy after the horrible times from which we are now happily emerging.]

* * *

[4th ]The fourth event, which came shortly before the first three, was the replacement, on October 1, of the director of pontifical liturgical celebrations.

To replace Piero Marini – who will go to preside over the pontifical committee for international Eucharistic congresses – the call went out to Genoa, to Guido Marini, who’s close to his predecessor in name, but to pope Ratzinger in substance.

The removal of Piero Marini leaves unprotected the man he had brought in, in 1997, to direct the Cappella Sistina after Bartolucci’s dismissal: Giuseppe Liberto.

As director of the choir that accompanies the papal liturgies, Liberto is not the right man for the current pope. It’s enough to read what was written about him in the authoritative "International Church Music Review" by an expert in this field, Dobszay László of Hungary, in commenting on the inaugural Mass of Benedict XVI’s pontificate:

"The election of pope Benedict XVI gave hope and joy for all who love true liturgy and liturgical music. Following the inaugural Mass on the tv-screen we were deeply moved by Holy Father’s celebration and sermon.

"As the Mass went ahead, however, we became more and more unhappy with its musical feature. Most of what was sung is a very poor music; Gregorian chant was not more than pretext for a home-composer to display himself. The choir cannot be proud on anything except the old nimbus. The singers wanted to overshout each other, they were frequently out of tune, the sound uneven, the conducting without any artistic power, the organ and organplaying like in a second-rank country parish-church.  [We used to call the the "Sistine Screamers".  PHEW were they awful!]

"The poor quality of music was the consequence of another fault: the awkward and arbitrary fabrication (by Marini?) of the liturgical texts (proprium), [BULLSEYE again!  Isn’t this the case?  Marini just made up his own rites and Liberto set aside the Church’s "standard" and imposed his own schlock compositions.  I have heard Liberto speak twice.  The first time was at a day’s conference sponsored by the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments.  He was to talk for about 15 minutes… he took almost 45!  All the time pushing nothing but his own weird view of music.  The occassion?  The anniversary of Pius X’s motu proprio on Sacred Music.  It was awful.]  that practically excluded the ‘precious treasury of Church music’ (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium). A formula missae selected from the proper of the Roman Liturgy could have good influence on the music, too. Somebody, however, got again onto the path of vane glory and conceded to the temptation of voluntarism. Our happiness has been spoilt."

The director of the "International Church Music Review," a publication in four languages, is Giacomo Baroffio, a towering scholar of Gregorian chant and the head of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music before Miserachs.

* * *

[5th] One final event must be added to the events already mentioned, one that provides background for all the others. It is the promulgation of the motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum," by which Benedict XVI liberalized the ancient rite of the Mass.  [Yes… this is the centerpiece of Benedict’s plan, make no mistake.]

It is increasingly evident that with this decision, pope Ratzinger wanted to make it possible for the modern liturgies to regain the richness of the ancient rite that they are in danger of losing: a richness of theology, textual form, and music.

It is no accident that maestro Bartolucci’s first words to the pope, during their brief conversation on Saturday, October 13, were a "thank you!" for the promulgation of the motu proprio. 

I got this by e-mail:

QUAERITUR:

Why does the Church give us – in her Traditional Liturgy – the Collect "Interveniat" for St Luke, seeing as it contains the
phrase "qui crucis mortificationem jugiter in suo corpore…
portavit"? 

I was wondering about this while saying the Breviary and
serving Mass today. 

While doubtless all should do so (cf. esp. 2 Cor 4:10;
also Lk 9:23; Gal 5:24), I would have thought this collect better used for St
Paul, who carried the marks of the Lord in his body (Gal 6:17), while I find no
special reference to stigmata, etc., regarding St Luke.   Any ideas?

Here is the Collect:

Interveniat pro nobis,
quaesumus Domine,
sanctus tuus Lucas Evangelista:
qui crucis mortificationem iugiter in suo corpore
pro tui nominis honore portavit.

There might be a couple reasons for this.  First, Evangelists are associated closely with the Apostles, and so it might not surprise us that something from the Apostle Paul might be applied to others in that category. 

This is strengthened by Luke’s strong association with Paul.  We associate Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.  Here also is the entry in the Roman Martyrology talking about how St. Luke was a companion of St. Paul:

Festum sancti Lucae, Evangelistae, qui, ut fertur, Antiochiae ex ethnica familia natus et arte medicus, ad Christi fidem conversus et comes carissimus beati Pauli Apostoli factus, in libro Evangelii, quae fecit Iesus et docuit, mansuetudinis Christi scriba omnia diligenter ordinavit et item in Actibus Apostolorum primordia vitae Ecclesiae usque ad primam Pauli in Urbe commorationem enarravit.

[Luke] had rightful work and deed, and his work was rightful by intention,
and that is signified in his collect where it is said: Qui crucis
mortificationem jugiter in corpore suo pro tui nominis amore portavit:
he bare in his body mortification of his flesh for the love of thy
name.

The idea here is that when one applies oneself to one’s vocation properly, in all you do, you deny the urges of the flesh and therefore mortify your senses and appetites, which is a way of uniting oneself with the Passion of the Lord.  It may be that this was thought to be apt because, as a physician, Luke would have seen much suffering, which is difficult to endure in one with great charity.

Other than that, it is a rather nice and pious thing to pray.

PS: For the Latin cited, above, maybe you readers would like to try your hand and offer the rest of us a smooth and accurate rendering.

Keep watching this for updates!

I received this from a WDTPRSer:

Bishop to celebrate Missa Pontificalis

Bishop Robert C. Morlino will celebrate a Missa
Pontificalis (Pontifical High Mass at the Throne) according to the
Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite based on the Missal of Blessed John XXIII.
The bishop will celebrate the Mass on Gaudete Sunday, Dec. 16, at 2 p.m. at
Holy Redeemer Church in downtown Madison.

Here’s the link: http://www.madisoncatholicherald.org/current/index.html
(it’s the 2nd article on the front page)

The Tridentine Latin Mass Society of Diocese of Madison is also planning to
start a weekly TLM soon.

On the side note, at the St. Paul’s University Catholic Center at University of
Wisconsin-Madison, there is Latin Novous Ordo every Friday at 5:00pm. The
priests over there are amazing. There are 2 daily Masses, Holy Hour, and
confession 30 minutes before every Mass on the weekday. A very solid Newman
center in a secular university.

I also received this:

His Grace the Most Reverend Barry James Hickey,
Archbishop of Perth, Western Australia, will celebrate solemn Pontifical Mass
at the throne at 9.30 am on Saturday the 20th of October 2007, at St Michael
the Archangel Chapel, Leederville (the Cathedral is currently closed while
being renovated).  The sacrament of
Confirmation will also be conferred beforehand.

NB In case you may wonder, in the Canon here in Perth the
priest must name the Archbishop as "Finbarro Jacobo".

There is an interesting little article in the Italian Il Riformista about the three Vatican Monsignors Marini.  There is a little pun here on the well-known Italian "Le Tre Marie".

Remember that Italians use terms like "Monsignor" a bit more liberally than English speakers and they refer to Pope’s also by their family names. 

Here is my translation: 

Trinum non semper perfectum est

The Marini Walz and the new consistory

by Paolo Rodari

The three Marinis are working like beavers these days in their respective offices in the Vatican.  Marini I, or the ex papal Master of Ceremonies Msgr. Piero, just a little while ago in high style baptized his arrival as head of International Eucharistic Congresses.  At the ribbon cutting on the day of his entrance in that rather small and modest office was (and these are the mysteries from the other side of the Tiber [NB: the Vatican is sometimes referred to as the "oltre Tevere"]) noone less than the Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone.  A great enthronement, therefore, even though this new job isn’t very tough, at least on paper.

The Letter of Marini I

Indeed Marini I had already rightfully baptized his new post: with an unpublished initiative – namely, with a letter sent by internal mail to major superiors of dicasteries of the Roman Curia – he had explained all the successes he attained in these twenty years as head of papal ceremonies,  twenty years as strenuous defender, in the liturgical sphere, of the faith in the "spirit" of Vatican II.

Marini II, the Successor

The passage from Marini I to Marini II was immediate. Both, in fact, that is Msgr. Piero and his successor as head of papal ceremonies, namely the Genovese Msgr. Guido, will meet next Sunday for a televised passing of the baton.  Both with be at the Pope’s side (like a walk-on part next to the other two) on the occasion of the Eucharistic celebration to take place in the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples.  Two ceremonieri, that is, for only one Pope.

But it won’t be Sunday – and it’s still long to wait – the moment when Ratzinger will celebrate in public Mass with the old rite of St. Pius V.  Marini II, however, is on alert but it seems that mainly for organizational reasons some weeks still have to go by before the great event.


The scratches of Marini III

In these days, moreover, Marini II, or rather Msgr. Mario, adjunct Secretary of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei", has been gathering from dioceses around the world all the letters of protest from the faithful and priests about the lack of application of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum.

In this light, there is being drafted a note which looks to underscore the importance of papal instructions and the definition of some points to keep in mind for the correct celebration of the old rite, celebration that must be conceded to whomever desires it without the possibility of refusal.

Three Flunked Sees

The halls of Vatican offices ("nei sacri palazzi"), in anticipation of the apostolic visit to Naples, many are talking about the red hats that yesterday the Holy Father wanted to give to various prelates.  Other than the exclusion of Msgr. Paolo Romeo (predicted in this column), there were noticed three cardinalatial sees that the Pontiff left out of his second consistory: Washington, Dublin and Warsaw.

Donald William Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, thought he had done it.  Instead, probably on account of the high number of cardinals already present on the West Coast ["West Coast" -  I wonder if the writer meant East Coast], and because the emeritus Cardinal of the same Washington, Theodore Edgar McCarrick, who is certainly maintaining high visibility remaining the only prelate in the capitol of the States present in the College of Cardinals, the thing didn’t go through.  [The writer has forgotten Cardinal Baum, I think.]

The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, on the other hand, has passed some not so excellent months at the helm, in addition to his perhaps too harsh a personality, not very soft, which has made him unpopular among the local clergy.

As far as Warsaw is concerned, the missing biretta granted to Msgr. Kazimierz Nycz left a taste of victory for the Cardinal of Krakow, the ex secretary of Wojtyla, Msgr. Stanislaw Dziwisz.

Look at the difference in these reports:

Emphases mine.

    Gerlie Anobong – AHN News Writer

    Vatican City (AHN) – A drunken, barefoot Frenchman was reportedly seized by the authorities after he managed to ring a bell in the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

    Reports said the man, believed to be homeless, entered St. Peter’s by climbing up scaffolding around the Arch of the Bells, which is undergoing restoration and reconditioning.

    Police say he was apprehended in a "state of confusion" and was handed over to the Italian officials after his initial arrest by Vatican guards.

Naked Frenchman Rings Vatican Bells
By Nick Pisa
Rome
Updated: 08:43, Thursday October 18, 2007

A naked, drunk Frenchman has managed to evade tight security to ring the bells of a Vatican building.

he unidentified man managed to climb scaffolding and get into the Arch of Bells, to the left of St Peter’s Basilica.

The Arch of Bells is currently being restored and is one of the official Vatican entrances always watched by Swiss Guards.

A Vatican spokesman said the man managed to ring the bells several times before being arrested.

He was then handed over to Italian authorities.

The spokesman said: "He appeared to be in a confused state and looked as if he had been sleeping rough."