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

Today is the feast of St. Venantius, bishop and martyr. This fellow is not to be confused with Venantius Fortunatus, whose magnificent poetry we lately heard in the Roman liturgy during Holy Week. Here is his entry in an old Martyrologium Romanum of 1878:

Eodem die sancti Vanantii Episcopi et Martyris

Not too helpful.

Here is the entry in the 2005MartRom:

Romae, commemoration sanctorum martyrum Venantii, episcopi, atque sociorum Dalmatiae et Histriae, scilicet Anastasii, Mauri, Pauliniani, Telii, Asterii, Septimii, Antiochiani et Gaiani, quos communi laude honorat Ecclesia.

That is a little more helpful.

I am guessing that we honor Venantius, at the others, on this day because it, probably, is the anniversary of the translation of their relics to Rome from Dalmatia by Pope John IV (+642) or to the chapel dedicated to them.

Next to the Lateran Basilica you find the very ancient Baptistry, itself a little church called San Giovanni "in fonte" originally build by Constantine, making it one of the oldest baptistries in the world, if not the oldest. Pope John IV built a chapel in the church for the remains of Venantius, et al.

I went to the Lateran University, right next to the Basilica and Baptisty, and used to pop in just to gaze at the place and ponder it. Among the interesting details are poetic distichs about baptism by Pope Leo the Great (+461) when he was still the archdeacon of Pope Sixtus III (+440). Remember that, as archdeacon, Leo also did the grand mosaics in St. Mary Major, which convery Catholic teaching in the face of Manichean errors. But back to those distichs… this is a 16 line poem divided into eight distichs, which is from Greek distikhon, refering to "two rows, lines", so a distich is a couplet. You find distichs in, for example, Elegaic poetry. Leo’s couplets are carved in the octagonal archtrave on top of the pillar which are arranged around the baptismal font in the center of the building:

GENS SACRANDA POLIS HIC SEMINE NASCITUR ALMO
QUAM FECUNDATIS SPIRITUS EDIT AQUIS.
VIRGINEO FETU GENITRIX ECCLESIA NATOS
QUOS SPIRANTE DEO CONCIPIT AMNE PARIT.
CAELORUM REGNUM SPERATE HOC FONTE RENATI:
NON RECIPIT FELIX VITA SEMEL GENITOS.
FONS HIC EST VITAE QUI TOTUM DILUIT ORBEM,
SUMENS DE CHRISTI VULNERE PRINCIPIUM.
MERGERE PECCATOR SACRO PURGANDE FLUENTO,
QUEM VETEREM ACCIPIET, PROFERET UNDA NOVUM.
INSONS ESSE VOLENS ISTO MUNDARE LAVACRO,
SEU PATRIO PREMERIS CRIMINE SEU PROPRIO.
NULLA RENASCENTUM EST DISTANTIA QUOS FACIT UNUM
UNUS FONS, UNUS SPIRITUS, UNA FIDES.
NEC NUMERUS QUEMQUAM SCELERUM NEC FORMA SUORUM
TERREAT HOC NATUS FLUMINE SANCTUS ERIT.

Here it is, but not in my translation:

Here is born a people of noble race, destined for Heaven,
whom the Spirit brings forth in the waters he has made fruitful.
Mother Church conceives her offspring by the breath of God,
and bears them virginally in this water.
Hope for the Kingdom of Heaven, you who are reborn in this font.
Eternal life does not await those who are only born once.
This is the spring of life that waters the whole world,
Taking its origin from the Wounds of Christ.
Sinner, to be purified, go down into the holy water.
It receives the unregenerate and brings him forth a new man.
If you wish to be made innocent, be cleansed in this pool,
whether you are weighed down by original sin or your own.
There is no barrier between those who are reborn and made one
by the one font, the one Spirit, and the one faith.
Let neither the number nor the kind of their sins terrify anyone;
Once reborn in this water, they will be holy.

Perhaps some of you would like to take a crack at the distichs!

I simply must swipe all of these from the Shrine.  They are just too good:

Some pretty impressive pictures, I think.

Brandon at This Old Church is awesome:



Is there a prohibition against clerics using phasers?




So is The Lapped Catholic:



Everyone already knew the Curt Jester was awesome. Note the Star Fleet badge on the Papal Cassock:



Casey Truelove is especially awesome, because in addition to these pictures, he also said: "Incidentally, I really like the pun."



This is my favorite:


Jeremy Priest offers a video enhancement of Casey Truelove’s pictures.

Here is another snapshot of, very roughly, where some of you are coming from in the last few minutes! 

Edison, New Jersey
Piedmont, South Carolina
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Etobicoke, Ontario
New Bedford, Massachuse…
Rome, Lazio
Pennington, New Jersey
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Columbus, Ohio
Hicksville, New York
Toronto, Ontario
Rome, Lazio
Lilburn, Georgia
Washington, District of…
Ft Mitchell, Kentucky
Bloomfield Hills, Michi…
Allegan, Michigan
Crofton, Maryland
Matlock, Derbyshire
Central District
Holy See (Vatican City State)
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
London, London, City of
Seaham, Durham
So Paulo, Sao Paulo
Vernor, Queensland
Edison, New Jersey
Ponte Vedra Beach, Flor…
Standish, Maine
Columbus, Ohio
Bristol, Bristol, City of
Refugio, Texas
Akron, Ohio
Belfast
Andover, Hampshire
Aldershot, Hampshire
Birmingham, Alabama
Bellshill, North Lanark…
So Paulo, Sao Paulo
Fort Collins, Colorado
Bennington, Vermont
Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz
Kildare
Mississauga, Ontario
Athens, Georgia
Saint Paris, Ohio
Warwick, New York
Gavirate, Lombardia
Philadelphia, Pennsylva…
Dallas, Texas
Lisbon, Lisboa
Gillette, Wyoming
Baltimore, Maryland
Rome, Lazio
Dublin
Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Dortmund, Nordrhein-Wes…
Rome, Lazio
Malaysia
Colombo
Schijndel, Noord-Brabant
Barberton, Ohio
Dartford, Kent
Berlin
Sydney, New South Wales
Fort Collins, Colorado
Bennington, Vermont
Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz
Cincinnati, Ohio
Bowie, Maryland
Winston Salem, North Ca…
Alexandria, Virginia
Boston, Massachusetts
Sterling, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
Akron, Ohio
Rotonda, Calabria
Kansas City, Missouri
Moreno Valley, California
Columbia, South Carolina
Nutley, New Jersey
Rome, Lazio
Tyres, Stockholms Lan
Boston, Massachusetts
Paterson, New Jersey
Sydney, New South Wales
Piazza, Liguria
New City, New York
Akron, Ohio
Sewell, New Jersey
Toledo, Ohio
Bellshill, North Lanark…
So Paulo, Sao Paulo
Rockingham, North Carol…
London, London, City of
Ternitz, Niederosterreich
Manchester
Pittsburg, Illinois
Ottawa, Ontario
London, London, City of
Jersey City, New Jersey
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Brunswick, Georgia
Washington, District of…
Ft Mitchell, Kentucky
Rome, Lazio
Holy See (Vatican City State)
Columbus, Ohio
Durham, North Carolina
Huntsville, Alabama
Alice Springs, Northern…
Chapel Hill, North Caro…
Brussels, Brussels Hoof…
Notre Dame, Indiana
Brwinw, Warszawa
Cocentaina, Comunidad V…
New York
Taupo
Kelsterbach, Hessen
Kansas City, Missouri
Barto, Pennsylvania
Rathcoole, Dublin
Alexandria, Virginia
Clementon, New Jersey
Dallas, Texas
Notre Dame, Indiana
Vienna, Wien
Billericay, Essex
Wijnegem, Antwerpen
Steinfurt, Nordrhein-We..
Allegan, Michigan
Los Angeles, California
London, London, City of
Melbourne, Victoria
Carmel, Indiana
Jacksonville, Florida
Fostoria, Ohio
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Parry Sound, Ontario
Singapore
Edinburgh, Edinburgh, C…
Blacksburg, Virginia
Brisbane, Queensland
Orange, Connecticut
Genova, Liguria
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Salamanca, Castilla y L…
Victoria, British Colum…
Heppenheim, Hessen
Midrand, Gauteng
Verona, Veneto
Trnok, Pest
Reading
Correggio, Emilia-Romagna
Santa Fe
Chicago, Illinois
Memphis, Tennessee
Berlin
Merrill, Wisconsin
New Zealand

This via e-mail:

I am writing with a couple of questions. First off, there is a parish about 4 hours from my home that is beautiful, traditional, offers the Latin Mass as well as many other activities that are unavailable where I currently live, yet it would be most desirable to participate in them to facilitate the type of life that we are trying to lead in our home. I am dreaming of moving nearby it, imagining that the increase of faith for my family would be well worth the inconveniences of moving. What we have available to us is just, well okay, if not downright poor. We do currently attend a Latin Mass, about 30 miles from home, but feel that we have no parish life or involvement even at that distance. The point is, that it brings up an interesting discussion – is moving to be close to a parish that would suit your family make sense? Is it reasonable? My husband doesn’t think that he would move for that, as it could change in a second. I mentioned that the idea of moving to be near this particular church is the only thing that has made me remotely interested in moving out of state! Now, we aren’t arguing about it or anything, it is a hypothetical discussion at the moment. We have no other reasons to desire moving. What is your take on this?

 

That is a poser.  There are so many factors to consider I don’t know how to advise you concretely, but here are some things to mull.

On the one hand, your spiritual concerns for the family should be at the top of the list of things to provide for.  A parish is certainly going to be important in that regard.  But we remember also that the Church calls the family home the "domestic church".  There are many things you can do at home to make up for what you are not getting at a local parish.  Even when your parish is very good, you must be very conscious of the family home as the domestic church. Also, what your husband is concerned with is true: parishes can change very quickly depending on the who the parish priest is.  I no one parish which for years was pretty robust and is now effectively disintegrating.  It will become something else, for better or worse, no question, but it won’t be the same.  People who moved to be near that parish might find themselves pretty alienated and disappointed.  Others might choose to move to the area.

Furthermore, there is some value in being attached to your geographical parish, though I think with our high mobility this is breaking down now.

So, there are a lot of factors to consider.  I can sure sympathize with your desire to have some parish life.   I wonder if the added expense in time and money incurred by driving to that parish you like might not wind up being cheaper than relocation.  I don’t know… the housing market is pretty strange now.  

Also, I am wondering what you think of women wearing a veil at Mass? I am considering it, though I feel no pressure to do so, and my daughters would like to join me in this practice. I am beyond trying to sort out the "Canon Law never changed to say that women no longer needed to wear a veil" argument, I have just been doing some reading on the subject.

I have written about this quite a few times on the blog and elsewhere.  I guess this demonstrates that I really do need to update or change this blog’s template and get a search feature.  But I digress…

According to the 1983 Code of Canon Law, for the Latin Church, women are no longer obliged to cover their heads,  usually by wearing chapel veils (mantillas), in church.   However, I think it is a very good idea.  It is a fine centuries old tradition rooted in Scripture.  St. Paul calls for this.  However, according to the Church law you are not obliged.  

Some people might try to tell you that because the 1983 Code doesn’t mention head coverings or chapel veils, and doesn’t explicitly eradicate the obligation to keep their heads covered, then therefore you are still obliged.  If you hear or read this, feel free to smile politely and think to yourself: "Hogwash".   The present canon law does not oblige you, though – to repeat – it is a fine custom, rooted in Scripture, which helps to reinforce our Catholic identity.  I am very much in favor of it. I know from discussions on the Catholic Online Forum that women who have begun to wear chapel veils have interesting insights about how it has affected them and others.

I am sure readers will want to chime in about the issue of moving and parishes.  Some of them are sure to have personal experiences which could be helpful to you. 

However, I will limit the discussion about head coverings and chapel veils mostly to what women have to say about them and probably just delete comments that stray into convoluted (erroneous) arguments about how the law really does still oblige women… blah blah blah…

When I am in need of a little Middle-English, as I am sure many of you also often are, I enjoy the contributions of Geoffrey Chaucer on his posthumous blog.  It is fitting to check him out today of all days.

Here is his latest!

A verie joyous "Whan that Aprille Week" to all of yow, my rederes, from yower forwaked and fortravailled blogger. Ich haue been y-laboring for National Adaptacioun of Guido della Colonna’s Historia Destructionis Troiae Moneth (NaAdGuiCollHistDestTroMo) and ich am proud to saye that ich haue y-carved an entyre boke of the double wo of Troylus and Criseyde from the raw matter of the historiale accountes. It hath ben a good way to kepe from thinkinge upon the gret wo and distourbance that hath risen up yn parlement.

In the maner of poostes from two yeeres now, ich do aske yow to use thys fyne daye of Aprille to reden of my werkes. Ich do copye myn owene letter patent from bifor:

...ich praye yow permitten me oon smal moment of sentimente.

On this week cometh the first daye of Aprille. Bifor Aprille was the cruellest moneth (whatever that meneth!), [y-LOL!] it was a moneth of coloures and cries, and pilgrymages. Yt was, I sholde saye, myn favourite moneth.

Ich am nat oon to tooten myne owen horne, but this week ich wolde asken yow to declaymen my tales. To yowrselves, to yowr frendes, or simplye in the marketplace or churchyarde. For charitees sake, ye coulde declaymen them to beggares, leperes, or humorlesse rogues who studien engineerynge. Wherever ye proclaymen them thogh, do yt so in loude voyse and cleere, for yt is only fooles who think a poeme lith on the page aloone.

Yf thou knowst nat this maner of Englyssh, be nat ashamed. Yf thou kanst reden thys blogge, thou kanst reden myn Englisshe. Talke to yt slowlie, as if it were an olde relative whom thou lovest verie muche, and yt shal talke back to thee.

I, Galfridus Chaucer, do invite all my rederes to poost yower contribuciouns as comments to this poost – ye maye make videoes for ye-tube of redynges of myn werkes or of adaptaciouns, ye maye poost linkes to mp3s, or to events, or to peyntures or animaciouns or what-evir ye wolde present to the othir rederes of myn blog to celebrate this joyous moneth. Thos who teche or studye myn werkes may leve testamentz of experiences in yower class roomes, or explain why or whan ye first began to studien myn writinges. May it plese yow to linke, quote, cite and pass this on!