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

A reader alerted me to an interview in the execrable Newsweek with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), pro-abortion but self-named "Catholic".   You might remember some of her scintillating theological explanations about how she justified promoting abortion.

Here is a bit from the interview with my emphases and comments.

 

The Target

Nancy Pelosi doesn’t care if you like her. All that matters is getting the job done.
By Eleanor Clift | NEWSWEEK

Published Dec 21, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Jan 4, 2010

[...]

Q It was reported that you were negotiating with the conference of bishops.

I talked to one of the cardinals. I said to him that I believe that what we are doing honors the principles we talked about: we want to pass a health-care bill, we want it to be abortion neutral, and we want it to [have] no federal funding [for abortion], which is the law. And we believe that our language does that. They said, "We believe that it does not." I said, let’s sit down at the table and our lawyers can compare language. That’s what the meeting was about—to make our case. Clearly, the people at that table were not willing to accept what we know to be a fact.  [Someone isn’t telling the truth.]


Q I think you have had some brushes with [church] hierarchy.

[Remember… this person calls herself "Catholic"...] I have some concerns about the church’s position respecting a woman’s right to choose. [What sort of addled comment is that?  Note the language she uses.  She lives entirely within her liberal political view and even imposes its language on the teaching of the Church.] I have some concerns about the church’s position on gay rights. I am a practicing Catholic, although they’re probably not too happy about that. But it is my faith. I practically mourn this difference of opinion [Is that what it is?  A difference of opinion?  As if her opinion could possible have some sort of equivalence with the teaching of the Church… which is just the Church’s "opinion"?] because I feel what I was raised to believe is consistent with what I profess, and that is that we are all endowed with a free will and a responsibility to answer for our actions. And that women should have that opportunity to exercise their free will. [But apparently she wasn’t raised to believe that people have a right to be born.]

Q Is it difficult for you to reconcile your faith with the role you have in public life?

You know, I had five children in six years. The day I brought my fifth baby home, that week my daughter turned 6. So I appreciate and value all that they want to talk about in terms of family and the rest. When I speak to my archbishop in San Francisco and his role is to try to change my mind on the subject, well then he is exercising his pastoral duty to me as one of his flock. When they call me on the phone here to talk about, or come to see me about an issue, that’s a different story. Then they are advocates, and I am a public official, and I have a different responsibility.  [So, she has adopted the Kennedy Dichotomy.]

 

I cannot fathom why she hasn’t been told she must not receive Holy Communion.

How much more public scandal does she have to give before the bishops of the places where she resides take concrete action?

I’m back and the birds are busy!

This Red-bellied Woodpecker is having a hard time with the shape of this feeder.



This Hairy Woodpecker spent some time tapping on my window next to my desk.



Chickadee.



Nuthatch, scrounging.

1 January 2010 is a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States. 

It is among the Holy Days for the Latin Church.

If you are able to go to Mass on 1 January and do not go, you commit a sin you must confess.  You are not obliged to receive Holy Communion, but you have to go to Mass.

So, right now, make your plan about going to Mass on Friday, 1 January.

Do you remember your Precepts of the Church?

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.

Cf. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2041-3.

II. THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH

2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

2042 The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor") requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.82

The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness.83

The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.84

2043 The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.85

The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.86

The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his own abilities.87



^{82 Cf. CIC, cann. 1246-1248; CCEO, cann. 881 § 1, § 2, § 4.
83 Cf. CIC, can. 989; CCEO, can. 719.
84 Cf. CIC, can. 920; CCEO, cann. 708; 881 § 3.
85 Cf. CIC, cann. 1249-1251; CCEO, can. 882.
86 Cf. CIC, can. 222; CCEO can. 25; Furthermore, episcopal conferences can establish other ecclesiastical precepts for their own territories (Cf. CIC, can. 455).
87 Cf. CIC, can. 222.}

We all know that Pope Benedict would not want to be completely surrounded by bullet proof glass everywhere he went.

On the other hand, security around our Popes has been relatively light.

The use of the sedia gestatoria would both help people to see the Pope and also protect him from the sort of attack that took place on Christmas Eve in the Basilica.  You could put a line of Swiss Guards on either sides.  Frankly, I would prefer Recon Marines, but the Pope doesn’t have them available.

Some would argue that by raising the Pope higher he would be an easier target to shoot.   I think if someone wanted to shoot the Pope, he would shoot the Pope even if he wasn’t on the sedia gestatoria.

Some would argue that the sedia gestatoria sends the wrong message about what Catholics think about Popes.   I say we can answer those questions easily.  The knuckleheads who want to cling to the falsehoods about Catholics will cling to them no matter what we explain. 

I am sure there are other pros and cons.

Here is a WDTPRS POLL for you.  Please vote and then give your reasons in the combox.

I case you had stopped wondering about why we needed Summorum Pontificum, try this.

For Christmas Mass, we had a different priest by the name of Fr. _. He started to get all the children to sit in front of the altar, and then during the homily he started singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and his homily was about how the reindeer, and Santa Claus related to Christmas. It didn’t really relate much, but that’s what he preached. I much rather the TLM than the Novus Ordo, and this was a very Conservative Parish ….
What do you have to say about this?

We need to remember that bad things are still happening and then do what we can to fix them.

 

Holy Church considers many Old Testament figures to be saints. 

Today when you open your trusty copy of the 2005 Martyrologium Romanum you will find, just below the St. Thomas Becket, this interesting entry:

2. Commemoratio sancti David, regis et prophetae, qu, filius Iesse Bethlehemitae, gratiam invenit ante Deum et oleo sancto a Samuele propheta unctus est, ut populum Israel regeret; in civitatem Ierusalem Arcam foederis Domini transtulit ac Dominus ipse mox ei iuravit semen eius in aeternum mansurum esse, eo quod ex ipso Iesus Christus secundum carnem nasciturus esset.

 

I am sure some of you readers can come up with your renderings of the Latin original, either in a smoother version or perhaps in a slavishly literal way.

Changing tracks slightly, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art the other day, I saw a very fine painting of King David, part of a series with other Old Testament figures.



These are elements from an altar piece by Florentine painter Lorenzo Monaco (known also as Piero di Giovanni +1422).

Moses is at the top left.  Next to him is Abraham.  Below him on the bottom right is Noah with his ark. 

David is on the bottom left, holding a psaltery.



When you get the audio guide at the Met and listen to experts talk about the works, sometimes you get a sample of period music.  In this case, you get to hear some music played on a psaltery.

I dug around a bit and found some psaltery music on Youtube and elsewhere.

You can hear in this file a sample of bowed psaltery (also psaltry) together with a small harp, also appropriate to David, as well as plucked psaltery in two versions of a Medieval Lament for Tristan.

Listen as you do your translation!

When you go to the Met, you will surely have the chance to see these four paintings.  They are in the same room as the Madonna and Child by Duccio di Buoninsegna, a must see.