Here’s a headline we haven’t seen before

From the Regular Guy we find this:

 USCCB President To Participate In Latin Mass

His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, will assist in a celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM):

    Francis Cardinal George at Special Event at the Shrine of Christ the King

    On Saturday, Decemer 29th, His Eminence Francis Cardinal George will come to the Shrine of Christ the King to solemnly crown the statue of the Divine Infant King. This crowning will occur during a Solemn High Mass at which His Eminence will assist. The Mass, at 1:30 pm, will be celebrated inside the church building, which is under restoration.

    All are welcome to attend this moment of grace in the history of our Shrine.

The Shrine is located at 6401 S. Woodlawn Ave. in Chicago, just south of the University of Chicago campus. Perhaps I’ll see you there.

Although I have been critical of Cardinal George’s actions (and inactions) in the past, I applaud the Cardinal’s continuing support for the TLM and those who prefer it, including the Institute of Christ the King, and the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius.

 

Things are looking brighter every day!

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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30 Comments

  1. Matthew Mattingly says:

    This is very encouraging. It seems that the Tridentine Latin Mass is growing in popularity every day.
    Speaking of that, upon wandering thru Catholic websites I often visit, I came across a mention of a cloistered monastery of nuns in Italy which apparently is taking an interest in the Tridentine Latin Mass, which heretofore they didn’t have any interest in it. They added links for the TLM on their website.
    If anyone did alot of travels in Italy, maybe they’ve heard of the tiny Order of cloistered nuns (based in Genoa but have a handful of other monasteries too) called the Annunziate Celeste (or popularly known as the Monache Turchine= “turquoise nuns” due to the blue color of their scapular)
    There are less than 40 of these nuns in the world, but they have a beautiful habit, and liturgy. They could use some help in reparing parts of their ancient cloister near Genoa. But they live a beautiful traditional life, and have a unique habit. Very impressive site…www.monacheturchine.com

  2. Mark says:

    Things are looking brighter every day!

    …and it’s not even 2008 yet! (I am so bowled over by some of the things of this past year that the mind boggles to figure out what next year might bring!)

  3. Little Gal says:

    “Although I have been critical of Cardinal George’s actions (and inactions) in the past, I applaud the Cardinal’s continuing support for the TLM and those who prefer it, including the Institute of Christ the King, and the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius.”

    I think it is very good that you state this because it seems to be the fashion on all ends of the Catholic continuum to bash the bishops. The Cardinal was interviewed recently on his new role as the President of the USCCB and he stated-with that sense of humor of his-that now he gets complaints from all over the country instead of just Chicago! I wonder sometimes how he deals with this, except that he is a deeply spiritual priest. ( And when he talks, everything he says has so many layers of meaning to reflect on.) It will be wonderful to see how he uses the platform of his new role as the President of the USCCB. I suspect that we may be surprised at how dynamic he is….

  4. Matthew Mattingly says:

    Cardinal George is fairly solid in His Faith. He’s supportive of the Tridentine Latin Mass to a degree, and He certainly is an improvement over other presidents of the USCCB. I think Cardinal Krol was the best/ The worst was another Archbishop of Chicago (I won’t name him because he’s dead, R.I.P.), but the agenda fostered then, and the bishops being appointed then during his term (1974-77) were horrendous!!! SHUDDER !!!!
    Thank God things are changing, and improving.
    Whenever anyone wants to complain about bishops now, justremember the type of bishops coming out back then….and count our blessings for today.

  5. Nick says:

    This is really going to be quite an event. I’ve been attending Mass at the Shrine since April, and am really amazed at the transformation the completely gutted church underwent in preparation for Christmas. The Christmas Eve Solemn High Mass was lit almost entirely by Christmas Trees and Candles, and was one of the most beautiful I have ever attended.

    It seems that this Saturday’s event is going to be coram episcopo, and the throne and baldacchino are up!

  6. Norman says:

    Do remember to pray for us in South-East Asia. Even getting the Novus Ordo in Latin is a big headache.

  7. Little Gal says:

    Nick:

    I am curious about the make-up of the parish. Are folks coming from other parishes who offer the TLM?

  8. Chironomo says:

    “..and it’s not even 2008 yet! (I am so bowled over by some of the things of this past year that the mind boggles to figure out what next year might bring!)”

    Despite our complaining, or perhaps because of it, the Church is moving at a lightning pace (for the Church, that is!) towards a return to tradition. There are many layers to this move, but the simplest description is a move towards tradition, a reclaiming of our past and an identity founded in preservation of our heritage rather than it’s destruction. This is a movement not only in our particular faith, but in other faiths as well, and in other aspects of culture around the world. While it’s too early to call it a rejection of modernism, it is certainly a reaction to it and an attempt to find meaning in spite of it. The rapid acceleration of the TLM is an excellent example of how this is taking place in our particular sphere. I am so hopeful that our Sacred Music will be the next step towards reclaiming what is rightfully ours.

  9. Jack says:

    What exactally is His Eminence going to do? I know he’ll crown the statue, but I’ve heard conflicting reports about everything else.

  10. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    No, Chironomo, we’re not talking about Marxist reactionary rubbish here. The Church is the Body of Christ and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us to be the members of the Body of Christ. If some are merely reactionary, they are not with us, at all.

    Sacred Tradition is not our decision to conserve anything. Instead, Tradition is the Living Truth of Charity that God is, the content of the faith with the presense of God that sanctifies, all being provided directly by the Holy Spirit to each soul univocally, regardless of culture or place or people or epoch. Check out session four of the Council of Trent. VERY instructive. Also, read Gethsemane by Cardinal Siri.

    We don’t hand Tradition on to anyone… never did. The Church always uses the phrase, “quasi per manus”, almost as if by hand. Tradition is provided by the Holy Spirit, but it seems that we hand it on as if it were a physical object since Tradition is, in fact, the same for all.

    Your equation of what the Holy Spirit does in the Catholic Church to the reactionary whatever of any other “faith” is the definition of modernism. You, Chironomo, are a modernist par excellence. “Our particular sphere”? Come off it. There is only ONE true faith. Count… ONE.

    If many have moved away from Tradition in the Catholic Church, or are now coming back to it, that does not provide a definition of Tradition, but speaks only to the weakness of many in being politically correct with others in whatever age. Merely cultural Catholics are not Catholic.

    The Lord redeems time, drawing all of time, all of us to Himself when He is lifted up on the cross. We don’t pelagianistically turn the clock back to gain our past and identity as if we could find any of that in the past. We are found by Christ, drawn to Him by Himself at the hour of redemption.

    Sacred Music isn’t merely a step towards reclaiming anything. We can’t claim anything. The worship of God is God’s gift to us. Chant, for instance, is part of the way in which that worship is expressed. Either you receive from our Lord in this participation, or you will rampage with what you think is your possession. It is that latter attitude which has sunk so many into the modernism you, perhaps, can’t even see between your own two eyes.

    Your “finding meaning” claptrap is self-serving. Christ became incarnate to make us members of His Body. He is the Logos, which is a Word of utterly reasonable communication. He draws us into this Logic, if you will, this communication. This is where “meaning” finds us. Perhaps you are lost in the utterly shallow existentialist “therapy” of mid-1970’s psycho-babble.

    After you read session four of Trent, and sessions five and six, and the rest of it for that matter, and then move on to Cardinal Siri’s wonderful volume, you might want to report your experience. We’re all ears. Cheers.

  11. moretben says:

    Fr Renzo

    A little harsh, perhaps. You’re absolutely right, though.

  12. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    Thanks, moretben, I needed that reprimand big time. Apologies to all. It should be truth in charity. Thanks.

  13. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    Dear moretben,

    I think T.More wrote something like the following when he was in the tower of London:

    “Trying to find error in the works of Tyndale is like trying to find a drop of water in the ocean.”

    Thomas, saint that he is, keeps it all on a “works of” level. I need to learn that.

  14. Nick says:

    Little Gal:

    No, the shrine is its own parish. The Cardinal has given it faculties to administer all of the sacraments according to the old rites. The community (which comes from all around Chicagoland, I live about 20 minutes away) is young, strong, and vibrant.

  15. Matthew Mattingly –
    Cardinal George is fairly solid in His Faith.

    I certainly don’t believe that I’ve ever criticized the Cardinal’s faith, although I have faulted him for his tolerance of pro-abortion Catholic politicians in his archdiocese, and is tolerance of the “Queer Studies” program at DePaul, his failure to object when Hillary Clinton was given a platform to speak at a Catholic forum in Chicago, and other similar things.

    But he has also been very generous to groups such as the Institute of Christ the King and the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. My parish had an indult to celebrate the TLM for years before Summorum Pontificum, long before it was under the care of the Cantians.

  16. Little Gal says:

    “his tolerance of pro-abortion Catholic politicians in his archdiocese, and is tolerance of the “Queer Studies” program at DePaul, his failure to object when Hillary Clinton was given a platform to speak at a Catholic forum in Chicago, and other similar things.”

    I think that the Cardinal is a very pastoral man who would address issues with someone in private. He is circumspect and one who I suspect approaches things both cerebrally and with the lens of love. I heard him discuss the importance of approaching those with differing opinions-even in our evangelization efforts-with great love recently. I think his quiet approach may be very difficult for some to recognize, much less understand because the media doesn’t pick this up and the noise level of our culture seems to predispose us to ‘hearing’ in a certain way. And I include the blogs here too. But as I have watched him and read his writings, my respect for him has grown. I see whose message he is living…I am local and have access to more information on some of the issues that have been mentioned here. All I can say is that,a disservice is done when those without access to details mention these issues with criticism.

  17. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    So, Little Gal, is that an admission that you are yourself or know pro-abort politicos, or that you’ve entrenched yourself in or teach the Queer Studies program, or that you somehow know that his Eminence was somehow obliged to let Hillary talk away?

    Oh, probably not, since you are still merely “suspecting” with your hermeneutic of suspicion. Yet, you say you have access.

    In the end, are we to suppose that you are one of his secretaries, or a spokeswoman for the diocese, or on the payroll of those bankrolling the things that you say you know so much about? I don’t know. You tell us.

    The point is that scandal remains scandal when a claim on authority is made like “I know something you don’t know but I’m not going to tell you.” Actually, if you were any of these things, that would only lessen the value of what you have to say. That’s how the hermeneutic of suspicion works.

    Truth and Charity are not mutually exclusive, nor do they cancell each other out. Nor does charity exclude the possibility of good irony. However much true irony can be biting, it can be charitable as well.

  18. Karl Meier says:

    Fr Renzo di Lorenzo, you are so quick to judge. I pray for more holy priests that there may be fewer priests like you.

  19. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    Karl Meier: You clearly agree that we can judge what people present to us on the outside, and deal with that outsideness, as it were, with what is sufficient to make the point. Good. But, reason, not emotions, is important.

    Perhaps you are offended by my comment of “HAR!” which actually refers to so many renditions of the psalms which are heavily edited for so-called pastoral reasons. I was hoping you would have known that, and agreed that such editing is not so pastoral.

    But if you are defending Little Gal here, consider that she said this: “I think that the Cardinal is a very pastoral man who would address issues with someone in private.” I would never put that on Cardinal George. Her idea, however, of public scandal forever continued by private addresses is counter-productive. That is the point.

    Actually, YOU are the one who may be judging Little Gal here, for if she sees good reasons for the continuation of such policies, and you condemn me for disagreeing with her, are you not saying the same thing she is? I’m simply wanting clarification from her. Mine are questions. Pointed, to be sure, but deservedly so.

    Regarding the violence of your prayers, perhaps a word on irony would be of help. It’s not an easy read. There’s lots of irony involved.

    A LESSON ON IRONY FROM HILAIRE BELLOC [PENGUIN BOOKS 1325]

    To the young, the pure, and the ingenuous, irony must always appear to have a quality of something evil, and so it has, for […] it is a sword to wound. It is so directly the product or reflex of evil that, though it can never be used – nay, can hardly exist – save in the chastisement of evil, yet irony always carries with it some reflections of the bad spirit against which it was directed. […] It suggests most powerfully the evil against which it is directed, and those innocent of evil shun so terrible an instrument. […] The mere truth is vivid with ironical power. […] The mere utterance of a plain truth labouriously concealed by hypocrisy, denied by contemporary falsehood, and forgotten in the moral lethargy of the populace, takes upon itself an ironical quality more powerful than any elaboration of special ironies could have taken in the past. […] No man possessed of irony and using it has lived happily; nor has any man possessing it and using it died without having done great good to his fellows and secured a singular advantage to his own soul.

    Now, Karl, I think we agree on very many things, do we not? Admittedly, I still have to work on what I said above: Thomas, saint that he is, keeps it all on a “works of” level. I hope I have your prayers for that. Wouldn’t a priest who expresses the truth with more charity give greater glory to God than just getting rid of him outright?

  20. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    And Karl, isn’t it good to have priests who are serious about the salvation of those God puts before him for his apostolate? As a priest whose major apostolate is hearing confessions, the fact is before me constantly that what we have before us always is a zero-sum game, so to speak: life or death, heaven or hell, forever.

    Admit it, Karl. There are few priests who will even use those words. If they don’t, they don’t love you, do they? Otherwise, they would treat you more seriously. If you insist on priests who cannot be men in this regard, well, Karl, I mean, in that case, the state of the Church today…

    Don’t think that I don’t want to see Little Gal in heaven. I do. That is why I treat her with respect. Jesus always treated people with respect, even when, especially when He reprimanded them. A father who doesn’t discipline his children hates his children. Isn’t that true, Karl? You know it is.

    Perhaps it is a bit of a shock to all of a sudden have priests who act like priests. Maybe we are used to wishy-washy nicey nice priests. That’s not good. Let’s pray for priests that all priests can be holy. I’m especially stubborn. I know that. Which is a start. I’m trying to learn. But with reality. Thanks, Karl.

  21. Karl Meier says:

    You are great with semantics, Fr Renzo. Truly, you are. Narrow minded as a pharisee, and obsessed with the wrong kind of tradition, but good with semantics.

  22. dad29 says:

    Well, for what it’s worth, Karl (and Fr. R.) the Bishop of Madison recently was forced to write a letter in which he specifically mentioned “scandalizing the Faithful.”

    (Google Bp. Morlino AB377 Wisconsin Legislature)

    Seems that the Wisconsin Catholic Conference made a horrendous error in judgment on a Wisconsin legislative initiative related to Plan B, the abortifacient.

    There IS such a thing as scandal, and it CAN occur because of tact.

  23. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    Dad29, a great quote:

    “It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged.” –G.K. Chesterton

    Of course, politicians come in very many walks of life, including my own, and, in regard to the priesthood, the point would be this:

    “It is terrible to contemplate how few priests and bishops are martyred.”

    May the Lord bless the Church with many martyrs, that we might have many more good vocations!

  24. Chironomo says:

    Fr Renzo di Lorenzo;

    Well obviously SOMEONE didn’t hand tradition on to others, and hence why we are where we are. The intellectual babble that you make use of (clap-trap, modernist par excellence, etc…) betray your educational background as obviously from a different culture than mine, (I never had to worry about Marxist threats to recieve my DMA in Organ and have not yet run into any proto-marxists in the numerous Scholas and Choirs I have worked with )although we apparently both know of what we speak when we speak of what we know! To call me a modernist or reactionary would be a bit off the mark though. I am well aware of the theological foundations of our faith and the nature of tradition in the Church. I think my point which you missed as you read too much into it was that the current movement of the “Church” (the people in it, not the eternal one) away from the ravages of modernism is not limited to the Catholic Church at this time. And again, I would have to differ with you that tradition is not “handed down”… this seems too obvious to refute. If what you mean is that those traditions which are handed down are not “created” by us, and are thus not ours to hand down, then I would agree with you. It is obvious that traditions have to be handed down… because it is obvious that someone back in 1972 failed to hand them down to us… If I had the time to read the sessions of Trent again ( directing Sacred Music programs at two parishes is a bit time consuming, I don’t know where you find the time!) I could comment. Perhaps when I have retired and have that time, I will come to see your point.

  25. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    No, Chironomo. The Holy Spirit didn’t forget to hand on Tradition. Many refused to accept Tradition.

    When you spend time contradicting what the Church teaches on Tradition, and then take the time to insist on this, and don’t have time to read, what, two whole pages from Trent, well, what can be done? Wait for retirement? Will you have time then?

    Here’s another comment perhaps not from your own culture. It’s from Africa, and refers to ostriches: Pull your head out of the sand! There’s no reason to be afraid of seeing how Tradition is Tradition.

  26. dad29 says:

    Fr R., calm down.

    The Apostle refers to “handed down to us…” and I am happy to be able to ‘hand down’ to my children the Gregorian Chant of my father, and his father, and…etc.

    So while we did not CREATE any traditions, and while the Holy Spirit preserves the tradition (and is THE Hander-Downer of Tradition,) it seems as though you would deny that there is any HUMAN ‘handing down.’

    So..what was St. Paul? Chopped liver?

  27. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    dad29. You’re spot on. Saint Paul is not chopped liver!

    He is a member of the Body of Christ. Being formed into the members of the Body of Chirst is how the Holy Spirit teaches us all that Christ did and said. The Lord is the Lord of history, and works with us so that we cooperate in this handing on. You have it exactly right.

    I only insist on Tradition since it has been replaced by almost everyone as that which is merely human, with each generation providing the backdrop for understanding for the next generation. And nothing more than this. Really. That’s what the best of the best think. In that case, Tradition is defined by the ebb and flow of political correctness.

    As it is, on our own, we’re no good at handing anything down. All groups change their minds every few seconds on what they want for doctrine and morality, except for one.

    The amazing thing, then, with the Catholic Church and her Tradition, is that the doctrine and morality of the Church is always the same, just as God is always the same. Yes, we have our Ecumenical Councils like Trent, etc., but those participating are extremely aware of being docile to the work of the Holy Spirit.

    The difference between tradition “per manus” “by hand” and, on the other side, “quasi per manus” “almost as if by hand,” is as great as the Reformation / Counter Reformation. And perhaps this fact can be annoying to some people (speaking in general terms).

  28. Chironomo says:

    “And nothing more than this.
    Really. That’s what the best of the best think”

    And thus obviously what Fr. Di Lorenzo thinks?

    It’s apparent that “Fr. DiLorenzo” is not going to allow anyone else to have the last word. Were it so that he “knew what was in the hearts of those he takes to task”. In the meantime, I’ll continue to fight for the Church we should have, and FDL can continue to believe that it already exists .

  29. RBrown says:

    You are great with semantics, Fr Renzo. Truly, you are. Narrow minded as a pharisee, and obsessed with the wrong kind of tradition, but good with semantics.
    Comment by Karl Meier

    What happened to your you-won’t-have-Karl-Meier-to-kick-around anymore farewell of a few days ago?

  30. Fr Renzo di Lorenzo says:

    Chironomo said: “And thus obviously what Fr. Di Lorenzo thinks?”

    No, Chironomo. I’m not a marxist like you.

    Whenever you compare a return to tradition in the Catholic Church (by which I would mean people accepting once again this Tradition from the Holy Spirit) with other faiths and what they are doing, this reduces Tradition to an intellectual reaction, which is the definition of modernism, a kind of theological marxism. If you don’t know that, welcome to Pius X.

    I shouldn’t think that blogging on WDTPRS is a power trip about last words, Chironomo. It’s about coming to know the faith better. IF you insist on lowering the faith to an external reaction, why shouldn’t I say something?

    Error has no rights. Or is it that which bothers you, as it does marxists. Marxist doctrine is as follows: Error has rights. Everyone shares with Thomas Groome theological marxism, and then they go home with their relativism confirmed. I’m not interested in that.

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