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

Credit must be given when credit is due!

Trautman to skip graduation in protest of Clinton visit

Erie Catholic Bishop Donald W. Trautman will not attend the Mercyhurst College graduation in protest over Sen. Hillary Clinton’s visit to campus Tuesday.

Trautman issued a written statement on Monday, the day after the college announced Clinton would be speaking.

The full text of the statement follows:

“I am disappointed in Mercyhurst College for not reflecting the pro-life stance of the Catholic Church regarding abortion. As tangible expression on my disappointment, I have notified (Mercyhurst President Tom) Gamble that I will not be present for Mercyhurst’s graduation. I am open to meeting with Dr. Gamble in the future to ascertain how the Catholic identity of Mercyhurst can be better clarified.”

Clinton favors abortion rights.

Diocesan spokesman Tom McSweeney said in the statement that Trautman would have no further comment on the issue.

Mercyhurst spokeswoman Debbie Morton said she was not sure whether Gamble had received the statement and was not prepared to comment.

WDTPRS applauds Bp. Donald W. Trautman…. (which may be the first time those words were ever written)!

Incidently, the last time I was flying through, I think it must have been in Detroit, I wound up in the NWA lounge sitting next to the President of Mercyhurst College.  Small world.

On this Feast of the Annunciation, which was bumped by the observance of the Easter Octave, we will hear St. Pope Leo I, "the Great" (+461) sermon 22, a Christmas sermon of 441, which is part of the office of Lauds in the older, traditional Breviarium Romanum. 

Last year, I presented what St. Leo said in the post-Conciliar Liturgy of the Hours, and you should really listen to that PODCAzT also to deepen your sense of what this great Father and Doctor of the Church had to say.

I also give you a couple of voicemails left for me through my skpye numbers.  People had questions.  I have my answers! 

http://www.wdtprs.com/podcazt/08_03_31.mp3

 

I was recently told that on BBC 4 radio there is a program about Palestrina and the Popes. 

Alas, you can’t hear via internet this outside the UK.

Any chance one of you might have captured it?

Drop me a line if you have.

About that papal skateboard:

Biretta tip   o{]:¬)   to Fr. Blake and the Curt Jester.  

I often wonder what it is that critics of Summorum Pontificum are really objecting to.

Some say that they object to the "out dated" ecclesiology.

Quite often I think their objections go deeper… to Catholic moral teaching.

Traditional liturgy usually goes hand in hand with traditional Catholic teaching on faith and morals. 

I suspect most critics of the older Mass don’t, for one reason or another, want traditional teaching about morals.

"But Father, but Father!",  some of you are  saying, "what set this off?  Did you find some interesting news item that got you thinking about this?"

How well you know me.  Take a look at this.  There will be a series of talks on homosexuality at the very church where I helped out with the Triduum.

A Men’s Forum for Catholic Apologetics

Second Tuesday of the Month, from October through May
Church of St. Augustine, South St. Paul, MN

Father Echert [see here and here for what I have written about him before]
will be giving his presentation,

"Straight Talk on Homosexuality: The Catholic Perspective"
 
The menu 
Appetizer:
Ridiculously Good Smoked Beef Rib Tips and Smoked Salmon
 
Dinner:
Smoked Beef Brisket, and Charcoal Roasted Sirloin Tip (Seasoned to perfection and you can smother it with either one of our two kinds of Sauces, 1st a thick rich peppery red wine herbed mushroom sauce, 2nd a sweet rich robust BBQ Sauce. 
Kent’s Awesome Potato Salad
Sassy Green Beans
Hearty Bread
 
Desert:
Triple Chocolate Cake covered in wild berries served with Chocolate Espresso Ice cream and everything gets smothered in a Chocolate liqueur Sauce.


Tuesday, April 8th
Social at 6:30pm (beverages and appetizers)
Dinner at 7:00pm
Total cost for the evening is $12 at the door [sheesh!  At that price you can’t afford not to go!]

There will be time for you to agree or disagree with our speaker during the Q&A, which starts immediately following dessert.  But you are all encouraged to enjoy the good humor, food and fellowship. We enjoy the company of men from all different creeds and ages.  Priests and seminarians get in for free but are not shown any partiality in debate.  Fath