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

In the latest issue of New Jesuit Review (issued by real Jesuits!) there is a fine article by my friend Fr. John Gavin, SJ, whom I got to know in Rome.  

Folks, there are good young Jesuits.  Really.

His article is "The Salvation of Souls and the Glory of God". 

Here is the beginning:

On January 15, 1544, St. Francis Xavier wrote to his companions in Rome from Cochin, in India, describing his incessant labors on behalf of the people in the region. The great Jesuit missionary was exhausting himself in baptizing, teaching, visiting the sick, and burying the dead. He traveled from village to village, attracting large crowds who sought his prayers and his counsel. His only regret was that there were so few missionaries to respond to the desperate hunger of the people for Christ. He wrote:

Many fail to become Christians in these regions because they have no one who is concerned with such pious and holy matters. Many times I am seized with the thought of going to the schools in your lands and of crying out there, like a man who has lost his mind, and especially at the University of Paris, telling those in the Sorbonne who have a greater regard for learning than desire to prepare themselves to produce fruit with it: “How many souls fail to go to glory and go instead to hell through their neglect!” And thus, as they make progress in their studies, if they would study the accounting which God our Lord will demand of them and of the talent which has been given to them, many of them would be greatly moved and, taking means and making spiritual exercises to know the will of God within their soul, they would say, conforming themselves to it rather than to their own inclinations: “Lord, here I am! What would you have me do? Send me wherever you will, and if need be, even to the Indies!”

St. Francis’ zeal illustrates an essential desire that inspires the mission of the Society of Jesus: the greater glory of God through the salvation of souls. St. Ignatius himself, in a letter to Francis in 1552, confirmed this animating principle when he wrote that he was praying that the people in the East “may leave its infidelity and come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our salvation, and of the salvation of their own souls.” While the Society may be involved in a variety of apostolates – teaching, parishes, chaplaincy – its efforts always aim toward the magis that leads to the perfection of man redeemed and transformed in Jesus. The connection between the Glory of God and the salvation of souls shapes the formation of the Society’s members and gives all Jesuit apostolates their distinctive character.

From a priest reader:

I’ve been a priest since 1984 and when I was ordained my bishop did not look favorably on the traditional Latin Mass.  Therefore my seminary training at St. Meinrad did not include any mention of the Tridentine Mass, other than the occasional joke about it.  I love to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass in English because I know what I am saying, but continue to be drawn to the traditional Latin Mass because of its solemnity, history and beauty.  My question to you is, how hard is it to learn to celebrate the Tridentine Mass?  I earned a "D" in Latin back in college, and have been told by a former Latin teacher to stick with English.  I don’t have a gift for languages.  For the past three years, during Lent in my parish, we have chanted the Pater Noster at Mass, and I still have to have the words in front of me.  I am not good at memorization.   I’ve seen two different workshops available, one offered by the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius and the other by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.  Any recommendations?  Comments?

 

Thanks.  I am sure there are many priests who hesitate even to start because they think it must be really hard.

That said, it is sure going to be hard for some priests, but not impossible.

Think about it this way: there were many generations of men who learned how to say Mass who weren’t exactly rocket scientists.  Right?  If they did it, anyone can do it.

It helps a great deal to have strong Latin.  But a priest is to be idoneus, suitable, to say Mass.  He must have the minimum tools for Mass.  He must be able to pronounce the words properly, at the very least.  He doesn’t have to be a Latin expert. 

The workshops mentioned above are very good.  They will be able to steer you toward good tools.

Memorization is important, but not an absolute obstacle: that’s why we have books and altar cards on the altar!

It can be done.

Finally, you would also need to make it clear to any overly zealous trad lay people that if they decide to snipe at you from the pews because they think you didn’t wiggle your pinky finger the right way at the third comma according to the final authority in all things rubrical – their own recollection of how old Msgr. Guido O’Leary did that at St. Ipsidipsy in Tall Tree Circle when they were ten and following their authoritative St. Joseph Daily Missal – then they can just wait… and wait…. and wait … until the good is no longer the enemy of the perfect.

I think, dear Father, the best thing to do is just to start. 

Build it up, brick by brick, and you will find that it isn’t so hard as all that once you get used to it.

That said, I invite PRIESTS to chime in with their comments about learning to say the TLM.

I am at Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, NJ.

This stay is going to be interesting!

First, I am here to do some of the heavy lifting (things that involve talking) for the great Fr. Pasley. He is recovering from surgery on his throat and cannot talk for more than a few minutes a day.

Second, the snowfalls in the area have caused one of the roofs in the rectory literally to cave in. There are going to be some serious things going on. I hear there are also cracks in the church hall. They have got to get some snow off the roofs! Maybe we should have the blognic here and every one can bring a shovel.

Third, I am recuping from a bit of a broken toe. So, I am moving a little slowly.

Fourth, this is my broadband right now:



It is supposed run to somewhere near 54mbps

My quixotic iPhone is faster right now!

Therefore, to whom shall we pray for increased speed… fast? St. Expeditus?

UPDATE:

On the way to supper… pot hole… trench… flat.

UPDATE:

The heat is out in church, and we can’t figure out why.

Thanks to my friend Fr. Robert Johansen of Thrown Back we know what clerics are up to at the Liturgical Institute near Chicago:

This is what you may receive from us at the mention of liturgical dance:

Latin is not, as some claim, tooo haaard for parishes.

From a priest reader:

I’ve been thinking about the new translation of the Novus Ordo.  Suddenly, all of the old music will be out, of no use.  I wondered what to do about it, when it struck me that this is the time to teach the parish Gregorian Chant.  We will begin with the Sanctus this Lent and continue slowly making additions until the new translation comes; we’ll be prepared.  They won’t be adjusting to everything all at once; and in some sense will be very well prepared to accept the new translation!
 
I shared this with the chair of the diocesan liturgical commission, and he thought it was a wonderful idea.

I would add… start forming a schola cantorum.

Go to this Orthodox priest’s blog and make his stats spike like nothing he has ever seen before!  Freak him out a little.

You can do it. 

Everyone!

It’ll just take a moment. 

An alert priest reader sent me this:

In the Washington Post’s annual "What’s In and What’s Out"
list for the new year, the list for 2010 includes:

What’s out:  Latin fusion
What’s in:  Latin Mass

(scroll about 45% down the page, just past the pictures of Emily Blunt and Rosamund Pike)

WaPo say we got the BigMo.

 

Brick by brick.

 

A priest reader of WDTPRS writes asking:

Dear Fr. Z,
 
How can we get our experience of heterodox sisters to the congregation rightly investigating these women?

The best way I can think of is to write directly to the one appointed to coordinate the visitation, Mother Mary Clare Millea, ASCJ.  They have a contact form here.

As in any instance of making concerns known to ecclesiastical authority, whether it is about liturgical abuse or heterodox preaching, etc., follow the tips for writing I posted HERE.

Keep in mind especially the need to back up what you say with some kind of documentation…. things they printed and distributed, screenshots of their websites with links, sound or video recordings, letters they wrote, etc.

Also… and this is important... also for the love of God also write about the good things you see in some communities!

The Apostolic Visitation is not merely about sticking it to the weird wicca wymym who are spinning out of control.  It is to access what the state of the question is in the United States.  That means also accessing the good communities which are faithful and strong.

There are some very beautiful photos at Godzdogz of a TLM celebrated at Blackfriars, London for the feast of the English Martyrs.

Here is a sample.

From a priest reader who works in a seminary and is involved with helping seminarians learn how to say Mass (edited):

... I find it helpful to know the historic reasons behind even small gestures at Mass.  [...]
 
Thus, I would like to prepare to pass along this wisdom by studying the Mass and absorbing, as much as I can, the reasons that we do what we do up there – so that the men are competent in, and devoted to saying the black/doing the red because they understand whence they come – and I find that if one wants to understand the parts/gestures/prayers/sequence of the novus ordo, he must study the TLM.
 
I read recently The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by Fr. Nicholas Gihr, which was superb.  Might you have other book suggestions, either for me in preparation, or for the students, so as to understand the NO by understanding the TLM?

I haven’t read Gihr, but I have heard of it.

I am pleased that Father is taking this approach.  As young men learn the older forms or learn about them, they will have a better grasp of who they are as priests and what they do at the altar.

I think they could benefit from access to Jungmann’s The Mass of the Roman Rite, which will be in the library, but should be on all of their shelves without question.  It is a scholar’s approach.   More accessible is, perhaps, Romano Guardini’s little book Meditations before Mass. 

Also, have them look at the works of Klaus Gamber about ad orientem worship.

 

Perhaps some readers will offer other titles.

As I have said before, when the younger clergy learn the older form of Mass, it changes who they are and how they say both forms. 

This is the terrible nightmare of the aging liberals.  The biological solution is pushing them aside and bringing up these younger priests who have a healthier and more integrated vision of our liturgical worship.

On that note, I want to share a  nice brick by brick note from a priest, Fr. Ryan Hilderbrand in Montgomery, IN.  I asked him if I should "anonymize" his note and he said I could post away.  My emphases and comments.

I’m dropping a quick note to give you further hope in the new priests of our age. I am Fr. Ryan Hilderbrand, and I was ordained to the priesthood on 6 June 2009. My first Mass in the ordinary form was that evening. The next morning, I was the celebrant of a Solemn High Mass in the extraordinary form; in effect, this was my second "first" Mass, and my pastor billed it as such. The people of the parish had requested such a Mass, and one of the best things about it was the fact that, with a few exceptions, this was entirely an "in-house" job – the servers were trained for this Mass, and the parish choir chanted. The deacon and subdeacon were classmates of mine from Mundelein, and the assistant priest was a good friend of mine from the south side of Chicago. Please find two photos, attached, of the Mass. Credits to my brother-in-law, Mr. Richard W. Morris, Jr. [Excellent.  I think the work of specialist groups is important, but the real work will be done when diocesan priests and seminarians make the provisions of summorum Pontificum and the vision of Pope Benedict their own.]

My own reflection on the Mass is not particularly deep. I remember thinking ahead of time being afraid of dropping something, turning left instead of right, &c. However, the nerves stopped as soon as the "Asperges" was finished. Assuming the grace of the Holy Spirit, of course, I believe this was because I realized quickly that I didn’t have to "act," that the people’s eyes weren’t "on" me, but "with" me. The old joke is that people go to first Masses and to NASCAR races for the same reasons – to see the accidents. When the "actor" feeling dissolved with ad orientem worship, all of the nerves went along with it. I remember PRAYING the Mass that morning.

Incidentally, I had a "first" Spanish-language Mass in the OF that afternoon. We didn’t bother to take down the setup for the EF Solemn Mass, so that was done "ad orientem" as well. No one complained! Peace!

Brick by brick.

Thanks, Father, for that great note.

Pope Benedict’s vision, his "Marshall Plan", will not be implemented in a day or a year or even a few years. 

But it is happening.

This "Marshall Plan" revolves around a revitalization of Holy Church’s worship. 

To this end, Pope Benedict gave us Summorum Pontificum and other tools and gifts, such as his own example.

I am pleased that more and more people have the opportunity to participate at Masses celebrated with the older, traditional Missale Romanum.  These experiences will help also to correct the way the newer form of Mass is celebrated.

There are some institutes and fraternities of priests dedicated to this cause.

But what I think is really needed in dioceses, first and foremost, is not so much some specialized group to come in and do what other can’t do.  What is truly necessary is that diocesan priests and seminarians take charge of this vision.  Diocesan priests and seminarians, ideally with the full support of the local bishop, must make this project their own.  All these other groups play their good and necessary role, but when the diocesan clergy take up this challenge – and it will happen, folks – this "Marshall Plan" will really pick up speed. 

With that preamble, I share this from a reader in St. Louis:

As someone who enjoys your blog very much, I wanted to share with you some pictures of a Solemn Pontifical High Mass that took place in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, Sept. 19. It was celebrated by Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Carmelites of the Divine Heart of Jesus.

What I think was most remarkable about this seven-month project was that it was completely organized and executed from scratch by diocesan priests and seminarians, in an oratory that was not designed for this sort of big liturgy. It was a wonderful experience to see how beautiful and prayerful a Liturgy a relatively small group enthusiastic and dedicated diocesan men can organize.

I think all of us that took part in the Mass were left with great hope for the future. I hope that, at the least, this Mass can serve to inspire others to save the liturgy. The resources are out there, it just takes zeal and love of the Church.

A couple photos:

From priest reader:

I just started praying the usus antiquior low mass after a year of preparation (of latin and the rubrics).

Question:  When may I opt to say a missae defunctorum?  When may I not?  In other words, may a missae defunctorm be chosen over a 3rd class feast, etc.?

First and foremost, thank you for learning the older form, traditional form of Mass.  I am always happy to learn that another priest is not ignorant of our common Latin Rite.  Kudos to you.  I am also hoping that you are young, so that you can say this form of Mass for many many years for many many people.

There are those special occasions as in, for example, when people die or it is the anniversary of their death.  However, I think what you are aiming at is really the daily Requiem Mass.

The rules for these daily Requiem Masses are along the lines of the rubrics for votive Masses.

A Requiem is of the 2nd class on the day of death (or getting news of the death) or on the day of burial.  That’s the Missa in die obitus seu depositionis defunctorum. It is of the 3rd class on the third, seventh, and thirtieth day after the death or burial.

A "daily" Requiem is 4th class and can be used on ferial days of the 4th class.

So… tomorrow 16 September is the Feast of Ss. Cornelius and Cyprian.  It is a 3rd class feast.  But the day after tomorrow, 17 September, is a "dies non", a 4th class feria.  You can say the "daily" Mass for the Dead, the Missa quotidiana defunctorum.

I hope that helps.

And remember that there are some differences in the Requiem Mass.  You exclude the Iudica me at the beginning, and do not bless the water.  Kiss the altar at the end, but don’t give the final blessing before the Last Gospel.  Leave off the gloria after washing your fingers and exclude the first of the three private prayers before your Communion.  The Agnus Dei is a little different and your say Requiescat in pace for the dismissal.

So, Father, put on those nice black vestments.  Put those unbleached candles on the altar and fire ‘em up!

From a priest reader with my emphases and comments:

Really appreciate your blog. Priests like you give us other priests a lot of encouragement to keep working to bring more reverence to the liturgy. Thank you so so so much.  May God Bless you.  [You are welcome!]
 
Long story short.  In my last parish over a three year period I introduced an EF mass offered each Sunday.  Started using the altar rail for communion on the tongue.  Started to celebrate the OF ad orientem.  Started using more latin in the OF, e.g., gloria, credo, canon, pater noster.  Helped to work with the choir to learn Gregorian chant which we added to the celebration of our Sunday Liturgies.  The celebration of the Mass ad orientem made the biggest difference in my experience.  [The eminent liturgical scholar Klaus Gamber, who had such an influence on Joseph Ratzinger, opined that the turning of altars was the single most damaging change made after the Council.] The altar boys loved it and they immediately became more serious and reverent.  Communion at the altar rail also made a big difference.  And then because of the complaints of a few parishioners I was ordered by the bishop to cease and desist. [Stopped.. doing things that were perfectly legitimate, btw.  But … it is always a few vinegary types, isn’t it.] I stopped, lost all credibility with the parishioners and was very discouraged for a few weeks. 
 
Now I’m in another parish and I have made a few little changes.  Like wanting to have male altar servers.  And the complaints are starting to add up.  People really need to pray for their priests!  I guess I’m not looking for any answers but it really does feel difficult sometimes trying to do what the Lord wants us to do. [Especially when the bishop leaves you to twist in the wind.]

Father… don’t be discouraged. 

The tide really is turning.

I have received a great deal of feedback by e-mail from readers concerning my comments on the funeral of the late Edward Kennedy, pro-abortion Catholic Senator.

Most of the feedback was what you might expect: we should celebrate Kennedy’s life, you people are so mean, how dare you criticize, you are just a mean stupid Republican, blah blah blah. 

However, there are been some very thoughtful comments as well.  Here is one, from a parish priest, with my emphases and comments.

Dear Fr Z,
 
Thank you for your blog which I have found to be very informative.  As a diocesan priest I would like to make a comment about the Funeral for Ted Kennedy.
 
I think that is was completely proper and canonically correct to offer Holy Mass for the repose of his soul.  [This next comment is hard to deny…] If the Catholic leaders did not discipline him during his lifetime it would have been a very cheap shot to do it after his death.  We pray for all the faithful departed.  He was a national figure and so the Funeral was televised.  As I said I see no problem with this.  [Well… I still do.  But I see his point.]
 
My problem is that it was not a Catholic Funeral. This was not a Funeral.  It did not follow the Novus Ordo.  The whole "celebration" was focused on Ted Kennedy and what a great man he was.  It [This is important…] seemed that he was not in need of salvation, forgiveness, mercy, grace, etc.  That would not have been proper if he were had been Mother Teresa herself.  Catholic Funerals are not about the person’s past achievements.  Since Holy Mass is part of it, first of all, the Funeral is about worship of God.  Secondly, it is a profession of our Catholic Faith.  [And this is why I still have a problem with the public nature of the funeral: the Senator’s record concerning abortion.] Thirdly, Holy Mass is offered for the repose of the deceased immortal soul and asking God’s mercy on him.  Fourthly, we pray for the consolation of those who mourn.  Ted Kennedy’s Funeral did not even follow even the guidelines of the Archdioceise of Boston.  [That is a problem, isn’t it.] It was badly planned and poorly carried out.
 
It was poorly planned because whoever directed the planning had no idea of what a Catholic Funeral is about.  Readings are not chosen to highlight the deceased achievements nor because they were his/her favorite’s passages.  [If I recall, the first reading was a standard selection, but the responsorial psalm and Gospel resounded with irony.] They are chosen to speak to us of the teachings of the Word of God regarding the mystery of death, forgiveness, and eternal life.  They are chosen to give hope that God’ mercy which is undeserved for any of us, may be given to this deceased person.  The Prayers of the Faithful are a time to pray for all these intentions not to push agendas. [Those "intercessions" were perhaps the worse part of the whole thing.]  Eulogies are not allowed.  A simple short reflection by a family member may be given before the Final Commendation which I personal wished had never been permitted.  The place for all of this is some Memorial at another time and another place than a church.
 
The Liturgy was very poorly executed.  You could hear the directions being given over the open microphones.  ("where is the pall?"  etc.)
 
This was not a Catholic Funeral.
 
Worst of all from a parish priest’s perspective is that now that millions have seen this, this is the type of Funeral they want. [Remember that the Code of Canon Law says that we should not have a public funeral if there is danger of scandal.  I think it was entirely possible that this funeral did just that… in more than one respect.]  It because impossible to say no as it is a difficult time for the family and they say the Cardinal of Boston do this.  It makes the parish priest look like he is being unreasonable [Exactly!] and not following the Church for his own agenda.  I have been to too many Catholic Funerals where an important person has died, or a family member of a priest, or a religious has died, and the very people who will not allow this for their parishioners break every norm.  (In my diocese for example, priests have the choir sing the "Gloria" at their parent’s Funeral because we are suppose to be joyful.  [Or, God forbid, "Danny Boy", or similar.] Of course, the bishop and his Liturgical Director encourage this.) 
 
I agreed with your question.  When did we stop praying for the deceased at a funeral?

Perhaps when we gave up Black vestments and the Dies irae.

Didn’t Pius XII warn against the loss of black vestments?

Some past entries of relevance…

• Question
• The Exceptional Catholic
• Fr. Sirico: Sen. Kennedy and also cultural Catholics who “relinquish the substance of the faith if it gets in the way”
• America writer attacks critics of Sen. Kennedy: don’t mention his abortion record
• Comments in the press about Sen. Kennedy’s passing: the abortion issue does surface
• NCR’s Sr. Fiedler gushes over the death of the late pro-abortion Catholic Senator