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

Today we have some interviews! 

First, I interview a young Nigerian priest, Fr. Paschal, about how he introduced Latin into the worship of his parish.  Great stuff!   This fellow has his head screwed on in the right direction and many priests could learn something from him.

Also, I have audio of an on air interview from 13 June with Al Kresta of Ave Maria Radio.  We talk about liturgical translation and what Pope Benedict is up to.

I also describe the origins of this blog, in case you ever wondered why I started this.

Then there is another on air piece with syndicated talk show host Hugh Hewitt, about what is going on between the Holy See and the SSPX.  He had me on for two segment, which I splice together.

Then we dig into the famous Five Conditions offered to Bp. Bernard Fellay,  Superior of the SSPX, looking at them through the lenses of his sermon in Paris on 1 June, which we hear a bit of, and then his 20 June sermon in Winona, MN, wherein he talks about Rome’s "ultimatum". 

I add my own analysis along the way.    For example, we have to clarify some things about what Summorum Pontificum really does and also drill into what Pope Benedict is really interested in.  Does he want to suppress objections to the Novus Ordo or the teaching of the Council?  What is he after?  I think that perhaps Bp. Fellay is not characterzing the situation correctly when he speaks about it.

Background:

Conditions resulting from the 4 june 2008 meeting between Dario Card. Castrillon Hoyos and Bishop Bernard Fellay:

       1. A commitment to a proportioned response to the generosity of the Pope.
       2. A commitment to avoid any public speech which does not respect the person of the Holy Father and which can be negative for ecclesial charity.
       3. A commitment to avoid the pretense of a Magisterium superior to the Holy Father and to not put forward the Fraternity [SSPX] in opposition to the Church.
       4. A commitment to demonstrate the will to behave honestly in full ecclesial charity and in respect to the authority of the Vicar of Christ.
       5. A commitment to respect the date – fixed at the end of the month of June – to respond positively.  This will be a required and necessary condition for the immediate preparation for adhesion to have full communion.

Isn’t this basically a papal "offer you can’t refuse"?

http://www.wdtprs.com/podcazt/08_06_26.mp3

This story from the Capital Times of Madison, WI came to my attention through the intermediary of a kind reader.  My emphases and comments:

Mazomanie church nixes altar girls

Pat Schneider  —  6/25/2008 5:07 pm

Members of St. Barnabas Parish in Mazomanie say they are stunned to learn that the priests leading their Catholic community will no longer allow their daughters to be servers at Mass. From now on, only boys will be able to assist priests in the ancient religious rite.  [Do you catch a tone of outrage yet?]

The new policy was announced at a meeting with parents Tuesday by Rev. John Del Priore, who was assigned to the parish on June 1.  [Wow.  He moved quickly!]

"It’s an outrage," said Tammy Parks.  [As I mentioned, "outrage", which I wrote above before I even read this line.  Heh heh.] "They said it was a good way for boys to be indoctrinated  [HAH!] into being a priest."

After letting her 11-year-old daughter know that she would no longer be allowed on the altar, Del Priore asked her 8-year-old son about his interest in becoming an altar boy, Parks said in an interview.

"Not only is the priest discriminating against my daughter, he’s teaching my son that that is appropriate behavior," she said.  [I see.  For Tammy this is about social engineering.  Tammy doesn’t understand that no lay person has any RIGHT to server in the sanctuary.  No one is being discriminated against.  It is possible there could have been more tact, but let’s not forget the facts and underlying issues.  Service at the altar is not a right.  No priest can be forced to have altar girls or women serving.  The custom of service by boys and men is to be given first priority and fostered.]

Parents at St. Barnabas are so distressed that there is talk of having the boys boycott altar duty.  ["Having the boys boycott".  That means instrumentalizing the boys for political purposes.  Nice parenting.]

The Catholic Church broke with centuries of tradition in 1994, when the Vatican said girls would be allowed to join "altar boys" in assisting priests at Mass.

It is up to the local bishop to decide whether to allow lay women, or girls, to serve when needed, said Brent King, director of communications for the Madison Diocese. Female servers have been allowed in the Madison Diocese, King said, but it is ultimately up to each individual priest to decide whether he needs help at the altar. Priests may ask whomever they wish to assist them, so long as that person is a Catholic in good standing, King said.  [You know, I am liking this Bishop Morlino more and more and more.]

He stressed that servers take on the duties of acolytes, traditionally a low clerical rank.

"Neither lay women nor lay men have the right to carry out the function of acolyte," King said.  [I like this guy.  He gets it.  I hope he has been reading WDTPRS!  o{];¬)  ]

Altar service is being reserved for boys to promote vocations to the priesthood, Rev. Jared Hood, one of a group of priests that serves the St. Barnabas cluster, said in an interview. Hood said he is a member of the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest, a religious order that ministers to boys to inspire them to become priests. The order offered its services to the Madison Diocese, which is consolidating parishes because of a shortage of priests.

"Very many priests began as altar boys," Hood said. "Without contact with a priest it’s difficult for boys to even think about a vocation as a priest." He first learned about the order of which he is now a member as an altar boy in New Jersey, he said.

Four priests from the order now oversee a cluster of five parishes: St. Barnabas, St. Aloysius in Sauk City, St. Norbert in Roxbury, St. John the Baptist in Mill Creek, and St. Mary in Merrimac. Hood said boys only will be servers for each of the parishes.

That’s been the case at St. Aloysius for more than a year, and the furor that met the change in policy has evaporated, said Ann Cicero, a secretary for the parish whose sons serve as altar boys.  [Of course.  Fluctus in simpulo!]

The commitment by parish boys to altar service is proof that it’s right to reserve it for boys, she said. When girls were allowed to be servers, it became less popular among boys. Now that it’s a thing for boys only, they revel in it.  [Of course!]

Besides, having girls on the altar is misleading about what the church is about, she said.

"Women are not ordained," Cicero said.

The boys meet weekly with priests for training, spiritual growth and outings as the group, St. Michael Altar Guild, a practice that strengthens their ties to the church and parish community, she said. Girls, too, meet regularly and do things "more appropriate for girls."

Cicero said several young boys have begun to talk about vocations to the priesthood.  [Of course!  They may not ultimately choose that direction, but at least they will have considered it!]

Jim Schmitt of Mazomanie said that for his 11-year-old daughter, being an altar girl was a way to give back to the church.  [There are other ways.]

Today a Madison firefighter, Schmitt said he was an altar boy at Queen of Peace parish in Madison. He took pride in that role, but never thought of it as preparation for a vocation as a priest. It was a tradition, though. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather all had served as altar boys.  [Fair enough.]

"If someone has a vocation, how does serving with a girl interfere with that?" Schmitt asked. "I don’t see why we’re regressing."  [Partly because of the way boys develop and what their needs are.]

Parks, [remember Tammy from above?] an attorney, [Yah… that’s about right.]  said discrimination is significant issue for her personally.

"To have it in my own by parish, by my own priest, is repugnant," she said. 

 

I think Tammy should be the recipient of the special WDTPRS Sour Grapes Award for putting the worst possible spin on what has happened, having imposed exactly the wrong criteria on the Church’s worship and our active participation.



At the same time, huge WDTPRS kudos, with gold star, to the priests in those parishes.

I got this by e-mail:

Just wanted to let everyone know that Fr. Leger at St. Catherine’s in New Haven, Ky will be offering his first Traditional Latin Mass this Sunday, June 29, 2008 at 1PM EST.  I hope everyone will consider joining him and show their support.  This will be a High Mass with a choir.  This Mass will be offered every Sunday.  Please share this information with anyone who may be interested.

St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish
174 N. Main Street
New Haven, Ky
Parish Mailing Address:
413 First Street
New Haven, Ky 40051
Parish Office: 502-549-3152
Email: stcatherine@bardstown.com
Pastor: The Reverend Jeffrey P. Leger
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Traditional Latine Mass
1:00 PM EST