REVIEW: Rituale Romanum from Nova et Vetera

The nice people at Nova et Vetera sent me an edition of their reprint of the Rituale Romanum.

Their site says:

 This is the first edition of the Rituale Romanum since 1957. It is based upon the last Editio typica of 1952, supplemented by all the benedictions approved by the Holy See until 1957. This new edition complies with canon law and regulations and was granted the Imprimatur according to can. 826 II CIC by His Excellency Bishop Gregor Maria Hanke OSB.

In contrast to the editions of 1952 and 1957 the new edition contains the traditional Vulgate psalms.

So, this is effectively the version of the Rituale, mutatis mutandis, that was in force in 1962.

Keep in mind that this is a Latin only book.  It is not like the Collectio Rituum which had English.

Here it is in the slip cover.

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The size. At 672 pages it is 20 mm thick!

It looks like leather, but it isn’t.

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The title page.  You can see that this is the “1st edition according to the typical edition”.

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The necessary document from the Bishop of Eichstätt, Most Rev. Gregor Maria Franz Hanke, O.S.B.

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The edition has the nice “bible paper”. strong but thin, at 40 grams per square meter. Regular copy paper is 80 gsm. Cream color rather than white.

The 19th century engravings were edited and partly redrawn, presumably to make them show up clearly in the printing process.

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There are two ribbons, one gold, the other red.

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We all will enjoy the Anti-Modernism Oath.

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Here is how the binding looks on the inside.  The spine cover is not glued down to the spine.  The papers seems sturdy.

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Not leather, but it looks very much like the old German editions of rituals and breviaries.

You can just make out that this is embossed with “nova et vetera”.

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The corners are rounded.

The price is 67 EURO, or today about $87 without shipping.

This book is very nice and easy to read.  I like the type face and the double columns for psalms.  And I like the psalms too!  They are the older, Vulgate psalms.  The red of the of the rubrics is clearly red, but it is not garish.  It assaileth not the eye.

In the very back there are two additional blessings include which were approved only in 1956.  These are the Blessing for Stone Quarries (Lapicidinarum) and a Blessing for a Marble Workshop.  Not used everyday, but hey!  There they are.  I once adapted the Blessing for Mountain Climbing Equipment for use on the hardware that was to replace a monsignor’s knee.

The book is useful for when you want to use Latin only and then explain, before or after, what you said and did.  That means that you have to know your Latin.  It also makes for some great reading!   I think priests should occasionally review the table of contents of their personal copies of the Rituale so that, when opportunity knocks, you know a) that there is an appropriate blessing and b) where to find it and how to make the necessary male/female and singular/plural changes.

A good gift for a priest or seminarian.  A bishop, too, for that matter!

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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41 Comments

  1. Does it have a blessing for firearms?

  2. StWinefride says:

    When I started using Holy Water and Blessed Salt and had my car blessed after a Priest had used the appropriate Blessings in the Rituale Romanum, something would inevitably go wrong. I was very taken aback at first and then came to my senses.

    The Rituale Romanum is obviously hated by the “other side” and “they” try and make you think that having objects etc properly blessed is useless.

    I nearly fell for their lies.

    And to think that there are priests, Bishops and Cardinals who don’t believe in Satan is scary.

    As John-Paul II was reported to have told Fr Gabriele Amorth:

    “One who doesn’t believe in the Devil, doesn’t believe in the Gospel”.

    St Michael the Archangel, pray for us.

  3. StWinefride says:

    Just to add to my above post.

    I try and avoid giving the “other side” too much credit for things happening. I know the appropriate attitude to have towards them is scorn. However, through the eyes of Faith, we know their activity is real.

  4. jflare says:

    So..for my fellow non-metric thinkers, that’s 672 pages at just less than an inch thick.
    That’s a LOT of pages in a small space. I hope those pages are, indeed, thin, but strong.

    I don’t entirely understand the contents. You’ve reviewed other books of rites before for Mass, using a different term, so I don’t think it’s a Sacramentary or Missal for Mass, but it doesn’t appear to be a Liturgy of the Hours either.
    Do I understand correctly then that this book provides the rubrics and texts for various other blessings and sacraments then?
    I regret you’ve partially lost me.

  5. VexillaRegis says:

    StWinefride: I’ve noticed the same thing: The day after our pastor had blessed some rosaries for me, using RR, the crucifix fell off my favourite one. That also happened to a really high quality rosary he blessed earlier.

  6. StWinefride says:

    Thank you Vexilla Regis, it’s nice to know one is not alone! Difficult subject to talk about. There are always those who are too eager to put things down to coincidence.

    I have understood, especially from the writings of the Saints and Mystics, that God can allow Satan some of his negative activity towards us to suit His own Purposes. I hope I am not wrong in deducing that.

    So hopefully, God can bring good out of personal witness to something going wrong after a Blessing using Rituale Romanum. It might be enough to convince others who think that the modern Book of Blessings contains effective blessings, to think again.

    I had an easier life when I had objects blessed using the modern so called “blessings”, and before I started teaching the Faith.

    We have an Enemy, he’s called Satan, He is real and he hates God and us with a passion.

    But God is good. He will never forsake us so I have no fear. Spiritual Warfare!

    St Michael the Archangel, pray for us.

  7. VexillaRegis says:

    StWinefride: Yes, it’s a difficult ting to talk about. If one mentions things like this to other catholics, they might even think one is superstitious. I happen to be a very down-to-earth-and-matter-of-fact person, but I have a good radar feeling for this kind of thing. You are not alone!
    may post later on a related matter – absolution in latin. Off for a walk while it’s still day light.

    God bless you!

  8. The Masked Chicken says:

    It seems, because this is an internationally read blog, that there is, effectively, a, “day crew,” and a, “night crew,” as judged by either GMT or EST (the two crews switch across the Atlntic). VexillaRegis probably belongs to the EST night crew, because it is, “still light,” at 6:21 am Mountain Standard Time (Fr. Z’s, blog time is one hour earlier than EST).

    If the old RR blessings are more effective than the new, shouldn’t the Holy Office be apprised. Maybe, if enough reports pour in, they might look into it.

    The Chicken

    [It is not that the older forms of blessings are more effective than the newer forms of blessings. The problem is, in the post-Conciliar “De Benedictionibus” or “Book of Blessings” as it is called in English, the prayers don’t actually bless anything. The distinction of constitutive blessing was eliminated. Bad book.]

  9. VexillaRegis says:

    Dear Chicken: Yes and no- I belong to the night crew, I wrote that 6.21 am-post at 1.21 pm here. We live one time zone east of GMT. Fr Z’s blog never sleeps! It’s getting dark already, alas. -5 Celsius and cloudy sky. Now some piano practice.

  10. Imrahil says:

    Dear @StWinifrede, thank you for your witness…

    Just saying that one might not think it the most effective thing in a blessing that it provokes the activity of the Enemy without hindering the same activity…

    But then, you never can tell what good it is for, as my grandmother used to say.

  11. PA mom says:

    Vexilla and St Winefride-it seems like the (ceramic) angels in my home are always getting broken and rosaries, too! Granted, the four children play a hand, but it seems somewhat disproportionate. And those things have not even been blessed! (some of the rosaries have been).
    How about blessings on children? I have been thinking of asking for blessings on my younger children, but I don’t think our priests do anything “old school.”
    Finally, if I were to ask for a blessing for my marginally Protestant, but mostly agnostic husband, is that a good idea if he were willing?

  12. Allan S. says:

    I bring my Weller edition (English) with me when I wish to have sacramentals blessed. Unfortunately, twice in the past year priests have REFUSED to use the RR, telling me it had been “replaced” with the Book of Blessings. May I ask Fr. Z. or anyone with knowledge exactly what the appropriate reply is? By what authroity can it be definitively shown that priests may use the RR when blessing objects? [Sigh. Perhaps you need to take a copy of Summorum Pontificum with you. Also, in the explanatory instruction about Summorum Pontificum we read: 35. The use of the Pontificale Romanum, the Rituale Romanum, as well as the Caeremoniale Episcoporum in effect in 1962, is permitted, in keeping with n. 28 of this Instruction, and always respecting n. 31 of the same Instruction.” Those referenced paragraphs don’t really pertain to the discussion.]

    It makes me feel so awful and wretched to be looked down upon, as if I am some medieval, superstitious throwback who lacks the cognitive ability to grasp the modern way.

    Last time, a newly ordained priest finally used the RR to bless some candles for me, and when I next requested a blessing on a crucifix he replied “The Holy Spirit knows no bounds…it’s already blessed.” So, apparently saying “..bless these candles…etc.” also blesses any crucifixes in the area. And medals, and Holy Cards, and whatever else.

    I wish to be able with charity and kindness to show Father that he does in fact have authority to use the traditional blessings (in English if not Latin as most do not know Latin).

    Thank you.

  13. GregH says:

    Is the Collectio Rituum simply the Rituale Romanum with English translations?

  14. New Sister says:

    I was once present for the blessing of mountain climbing equipment. The Guides de Montagne in La Grave, France (Hautes-Alpes) place their gear (ropes; crampons; axes) at the foot of the altar after Holy Mass on 15 August for an annual blessing. I was so pleased to see this tradition still alive and the whole town involved — large procession; Holy Mass in the place centrale… one really sees in these moments that, however fading, all beauty in France was wrought by Catholicism.

  15. dominic1955 says:

    jflare-This book is the Ritual aka Rituale Romanum. It is the old “blessing book” in which are all the official blessings for things and people. The full-on Rituale will also have the Baptismal Rite, Rite of Exorcism and order for processions and such.

    Chicken-The old Rituale will not be restored until the powers that be who are cheerleaders for the New Order have shuffled off this mortal coil. The fact that it “works” better, puts the proper traditional theology of what a blessing really is into practice et al is completely irrelevant to those folks. Someone is going to lose major face when the Book of “Wishes” gets thrown into the liturgical garbage heap, and that is not an insignificant consideration (to some people, not me-I’d order a public damnatio memoriae…) in making decisions like these.

    GregH-the Collectio is an abridgement of the Rituale for common parish uses, i.e. Baptisms and blessing holy water and without all the more obscure blessings for various things and the Exorcism. Its a handy book for common parish use approved for use in the U.S.A. I’m pretty sure they all also have certain parts translated into English, but I don’t have one in front of me right now.

  16. StWinefride says:

    Chicken, how observant! Yes there is a night crew and a day crew. Father Z’s blog never sleeps…and that’s a good thing too! Now, the Holy Office or the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, well…thing is, in the good old days … no, I’m not going to continue lest I am accused of sounding like a conspiracy theorist. However, I’m sure I’m making myself clear… and anyway I have just seen that dominic1955 has explained nicely.

    Imrahil, I’m a simple soul… and what you have written sounds so complicated! But I would like to understand so please could you explain in more simple terms? This spiritual life is not easy to fathom. Thank you!

    PA Mom, I’m sure a Priest would be willing to bless your marginally Protestant husband, and don’t forget to season your food with blessed salt – the “real” stuff of course!

    Allan S, interesting and my experience too, but I know for a fact that Canon Law says (somewhere) that if you were baptised with the Traditional Rite of Baptism you have the right to receive all subsequent Sacraments in their Traditional form. If someone knows where that can be found I would be grateful if they could point it out, as I can’t remember where I read it.

    Whether this rule would also extend to the preferred usage of the Rituale Romanum, I don’t know, but I know that I don’t bother asking modern priests for traditional stuff anymore. The look they give me…

    There’s a true story about how before Padre Pio moved to San Giovanni Rotondo, he was at a Monastery in Foggia. There, as throughout his life he was battered black and blue by the other side. One evening, a Bishop came to stay and was warned about this by the friars as quite a racket would be heard coming from Padre Pio’s room sometime that evening. The Bishop scoffed at this and said something like “this isn’t the middle ages you know”. In short he didn’t believe. During dinner, poor Padre Pio’s torment began and there was indeed a racket coming from his room. The Bishop went white, got up and left in a hurry…

    Over to the day crew… and God Bless all Fr Z’s readers – and Father Z of course!

  17. tominrichmond says:

    I hope they publish the 1962 Missale Romanum in this same format soon. There used to be such a publication, but I’ve lost my copy and regret it greatly. It was basically the complete altar missal in hand-held size, just like this book.

  18. Therese says:

    Watch all the oldies-but-goodies come out of the woodwork! I’d love a handheld copy of the ’62 Missale.

  19. The Masked Chicken says:

    Which is which. I vote EST = day crew, GMT = night crew, but then, I’m a chicken and we have that blasted hot lamp on in the coop 24/7.

    The Chicken

  20. fvhale says:

    @Chicken: I hope I do not lay an egg, but I would like to peep up for those of us who live on the edges of the Pacific. I know that I am often late to the party.

  21. The Masked Chicken says:

    You could be the, “swing shift.”

    The Chicken

  22. StWinefride says:

    Chicken,
    I too vote EST day crew, GMT night crew.

    fvhale, you and your fellow Pacific rimmers can be Pacific crew.

    So to recap: EST = day crew, GMT = night crew, PACIFIC = pacific crew, CHICKEN = 24/7 crew.

    That’s that sorted then, and Chicken, when it all gets too much put your eye mask on!

  23. VexillaRegis says:

    I vote with The Chicken: chirp! Night crew here, the same time zone as the Holy Father, by the way. Just to impress you ;-) When I log on in the mornings, before work, I feel that *I* am late for the party, having to dig through tons of coments to get a grip of what was said at the party six-seven hours earlier.

    A comment on Latin. One time, when I went to confession, there were no printed leaflets in the vernacular, so the priest had to say his part by heart and resorted to latin. My sins were not worse than usual, (at least I thought so) but I got a huge penance, that lasted for a day, and after the absolution I felt hit by a truck, in a positive sense (sounds crazy) and sort of vaccinated against sinning for a couple of weeks! However, the devil didn’t like this, of course, and I suspect that’s why some very bad things happened in my life after that.

    I confess frequently and this has never happend, neither before, nor since then.

  24. carl b says:

    I have a couple copies of the Collectio Rituum. Were I to give them to deacons/priests will they be able to use them, or are they no good since they’re from the after-62 period? [I doubt the texts are any different than those of the earlier editions.]

  25. Imrahil says:

    Dear @StWinifrede,

    does it indeed sound complicated? Sorry! I did not intend it to do so.

    What I meant is that the intuitive imagination of an effective blessing is that it throws all inimical influence wide away; and the more effective the more it does so.

    I do acknowledge that this need not necesserily be the case, and that the Enemy may indeed be more active facing more effective blessings… But that is the kind of mystery I rather like not to think of.

  26. Allan S. says:

    Thank you Father!

  27. StWinefride says:

    But Father! But Father!

    You say to Chicken that it’s not the fact that the older forms of blessings are more effective than the newer forms of blessings, but then go on to say that the blessings in the new “Book of Blessings” don’t actually bless anything.

    Therefore, a Rosary blessed with the older form of Blessing will actually be blessed. Whereas a Rosary “blessed” with the newer form of blessing will not.

    Can it be safely concluded therefore, that as far as that particular Rosary is concerned, the older form of blessing is more effective than the newer form of “blessing” by virtue of the fact that the older form of blessing has actually caused the Rosary to be blessed?!

    Either something is effective or it is not, i.e. it creates a positive result.

    The times we live in …. the words “diabolical disorientation” spring to mind…

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  29. StWinefride says:

    Dear @Imrahil,

    Thank you. Ok I get this:

    the Enemy may indeed be more active facing more effective blessings… But that is the kind of mystery I rather like not to think of.

    Very true. I mean if St Thomas Aquinas could utter “all that I have written seems like straw compared to what has been revealed to me” then what hopes have the rest of us of trying to figure it all out!

    But the sentence before – Yikes! However, I shall endeavour to work it out…

    Many thanks again!

  30. The Masked Chicken says:

    I am confused. Is holy water not holy or rosaries not blessed because the RR was not used? Does that not count as a danger for the faithful?

    The Chicken

  31. StWinefride says:

    Dear Chicken,

    Someone ought to ask the Pope if he believes in the Devil.

    Because I cannot even begin to imagine any of the pre-Vatican II Popes agreeing to the replacing of the Rituale Romanum with an ineffective Book of Wishes, as dominic1955 rightly calls it.

    It has always struck me as very merciful, and of course providential, of God to remove Padre Pio from this Earth in 1968. Can you imagine Padre Pio baptising with the New Rite of Baptism for instance? The poor thing, his obedience was such that he would have felt bound to obey his superiors and yet he would have sinned against his own conscience because he would have understood the nature of the changes, but still have had to use the new impoverished rite. But God is good, hence the timely removal of our beloved Padre Pio.

    Padre Pio leaving this earth in 1968 says it all for me. The only stigmatised Priest in the 2000 year history of the Catholic Church. Some think Jesus relived His Passion through Padre Pio.

    What comes after the Passion? Death

    And after Death?

    The Resurrection. And that’s only right because Our Lord promised us that:

    “The gates of Hell shall not prevail”.

    Night crew checking out.

  32. VexillaRegis says:

    This is indeed an interesting thread. Night crew now going to bed praying the rosary for all WDTPRS’ers!

  33. StWinefride says:

    Vexilla Regis, night crew checking in! Although week-ends are normally blog reading-free days, I am for a brief time going to break my own rule to carry on with this interesting thread – this is too important!

    Dear Father Z, I apologise for the length of this post!

    You mentioned Confession in Latin the other day and it reminded me of how I had read that the devil HATES prayer in Latin – Exorcists always notice how the demons are more agitated when prayers are said in Latin. However, he tolerates the latin language – in fact in a black mass, to mimic the EF Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is plenty of latin. But that’s ok because it’s not PRAYER to God. But isn’t that ironic! A black mass is not in the vernacular – the Devil keeps the latin. Words fail ….because in a perverse way it gives the impression that the Devil is more obedient to the Sacrosanctum Concilium paragraph on Latin than the vast majority of the clergy. I highlight “impresion” because the Devil has already pronounced his NON SERVIAM.
    Diabolical disorientation ….

    I was googling “devil hates latin” the other day and stumbled across a post by our dear Fr Z from 2006, if memory serves me correctly, speaking about this very subject! In fact, he recommended all readers at that very moment to say out loud the St Michael Prayer in LATIN helpfully provided by him, sprinkling Holy Water all around!

    In any case, here, for anyone interested and in all its glory is what THE NEARLY 2000 YEAR OLD GLORIOUS CATHOLIC CHURCH TRULY BELIEVES the Blessing of the Salt and Water should be: (from Sancta Missa – Rituale Romanum):

    1. On Sundays, or whenever this blessing takes place, salt and fresh water are prepared in the church or in the sacristy. The priest, vested in surplice and purple stole, says:

    P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

    All: Who made heaven and earth.

    2. The exorcism of salt follows: God’s creature, salt, I cast out the demon from you by the living + God, by the true + God, by the holy + God, by God who ordered you to be thrown into the water- spring by Eliseus to heal it of its barrenness. May you be a purified salt, a means of health for those who believe, a medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all evil fancies of the foul fiend, his malice and cunning, be driven afar from the place where you are sprinkled. And let every unclean spirit be repulsed by Him who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.
    All: Amen.
    Let us pray.

    Almighty everlasting God, we humbly appeal to your mercy and goodness to graciously bless + this creature, salt, which you have given for mankind’s use. May all who use it find in it a remedy for body and mind. And may everything that it touches or sprinkles be freed from uncleanness and any influence of the evil spirit; through Christ our Lord.
    All: Amen.

    Exorcism of the water:

    God’s creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God + the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus + Christ, His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy + Spirit. May you be a purified water, empowered to drive afar all power of the enemy, in fact, to root out and banish the enemy himself, along with his fallen angels. We ask this through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.
    All: Amen.
    Let us pray.

    O God, who for man’s welfare established the most wonderful mysteries in the substance of water, hearken to our prayer, and pour forth your blessing + on this element now being prepared with various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, when used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles of the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this water may everything opposed to the safety and peace of the occupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord.
    All: Amen.

    3. Now the priest pours the salt into the water in the form of a cross, saying:

    May this salt and water be mixed together; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
    All: Amen.

    P: The Lord be with you.

    All: May He also be with you.
    Let us pray.

    God, source of irresistible might and king of an invincible realm, the ever-glorious conqueror; who restrain the force of the adversary, silencing the uproar of his rage, and valiantly subduing his wickedness; in awe and humility we beg you, Lord, to regard with favor this creature thing of salt and water, to let the light of your kindness shine upon it, and to hallow it with the dew of your mercy; so that wherever it is sprinkled and your holy name is invoked, every assault of the unclean spirit may be baffled, and all dread of the serpent’s venom be cast out. To us who entreat your mercy grant that the Holy Spirit may be with us wherever we may be; through Christ our Lord.
    All: Amen.

    4. On Sundays after the water is blessed and before Mass begins the celebrant sprinkles the altar, himself, the ministers, and the people as prescribed in the Missal and in the ceremony of the Ritual given below.

    5. Christ’s faithful are permitted to take holy water home with them to sprinkle the sick, their homes, fields, vineyards, and the like. It is recommended too that they put it in fonts in the various rooms, so that they may use it to bless themselves daily and frequently.

    Our dear Lord told us this:

    And all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive“.

    Whoever is responsible for the changes, clearly does not believe in the Devil or his influence.

    That is NOT CATHOLICISM.

    To repeat Bl. John Paul II’s words to Fr Gabriele Amorth:

    “He who does not believe in the Devil, does not believe in the Gospel”.

    And in my humble opinion, Our Holy Father and all post-Vatican II Holy Fathers, who through their silence, are guilty, as Supreme Shepherds of the Holy Catholic Church, of failing to adequately protect their Flock from Satan.

    SCANDALOUS.

    Pope Benedict XVI, you are in our prayers.

  34. The Masked Chicken says:

    This matter concerns me, greatly. I once lived next to a psychic medium and was under attack all of the time. Does this mean my holy water made no difference or my blessed salt? Are my crosses not blessed? When I ask a priest to less a rosary or a cross, he usually makes the sign of the cross over it and says a few words (in English). Is that not a correct way to bless things? Are most priests ill-informed?

    I am confused.

    The Chicken

  35. StWinefride says:

    Dear Chicken,

    Get thee swiftly to a Traditional Priest and procurest thyself proper Holy Water, Blessed Salt. Takest also with thee, thy Rosaries and all other objects that thou wishest to have “properly” blessed, and for Heaven’s sake, havest thy chicken coop properly blessed too!

    I have inexplicably reverted to using medieval English, no doubt mixing up my thee/thy and thous. Perhaps it is because belief in the Devil according to some, actually quite a lot, in the Church, believe the devil to be a medieval notion. I’m travelling back in time.

    I was in the same room as a pychiatric patient once (don’t ask), who I was convinced was possessed. When she came over towards me, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I have rarely felt such fear. Also when she was in her room she would bang her head against the wall. Needless to say, the psychiatrist was trying to treat her with medication. Poor soul.

    An Exorcist in EVERY diocese would be nice. No, is a MUST.

    Also, a tip when ministering to the poor on the street, arm yourselves with EFFECTIVE sacramentals. The devil, sadly, can use these poor souls, who are often under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to get at you. I have no direct experience of this, but I know people who have.

    Dear Chicken, confused no more will you be, when you avail yourself of the EFFECTIVE Sacramentals that our Holy Mother Church, through her Priesthood, so graciously gifts us.

    A gift of immense proportions in our battle against SATAN!

    St Michael the Archangel, pray for us!

  36. VexillaRegis says:

    Dear StWinefride and Chicken,
    this part of the night crew is now heading for Vigil Mass and does not have the time to respond until later this eve. Stay tuned and trust in God!

  37. VexillaRegis says:

    Dear StWinefrid and Chicken, my note to you, that i will respond to you after Vigil Mass, went into moderation. Hi, Fr Z! ;-)

  38. VexillaRegis says:

    Dear StWinefride and Chicken, a short reply to you gentlemen – Mr Sandman just walked by…

    The last post by Chicken would best be answered by a priest, I think, but just a short prayer ( in any language) and the sign of the Cross, doesn’t seem sufficient for blessing things. My pastors always use(d) the aspergil.

    StW: As for the confession in Latin, yes, the Devil and his ilk hate prayers in Latin, that was very clear to me. Why? I don’t know, I just can’t doubt it anymore after my personal experience.

    Please cut our dear Popes some slack regarding not properly protecting us from the Devil. We don’t know everything a Pope does and which obstacles and nasty curial beurocrats he faces. Benedict XVI works extremely hard, brick by brick, to restore our glorious Church. Who would have thought ten years ago, that we would get the EF back? Be happy and trust the Pope :-)!

    I thought of you, StW and Chicken, when we prayed the St Michael’s prayer and sang Alma Redemptoris Mater at the end of Vigil Mass today.

    Night crew checking into bed! Have a nice party over there.

  39. StWinefride says:

    Dear Vexilla Regis, night-crew checking in! St Winefride is a gentle “woman”!

    You’re right about cutting the modern Popes some slack. I do pray for Benedict XVI – he asked us to pray for him so that he may not flee for fear of the wolves. I shall say no more and take myself off to Confession before Mass this evening.

    BUT the vocation of a Pope is Martyrdom.

    The first 30 + Popes of the Early Church were MARTYRED!

    The supreme law of the Church is the salvation of souls:

    Sed salus animarum, lex suprema ecclesia est

    Did the Martyrs die in vain?

    Did the Saints give up everything to follow Christ in vain?

    and come to think of it, although I should have mentioned Him first, did Our Lord die on the Cross in vain?

    All these deaths…. for what exactly?

    What’s the Catholic Church about if it’s not about the business of the salvation of souls?

    So I’m angry, very angry and it’s righteous anger. And the sheep have a right to bleet their anger in appropriate ways.

    How many are lost because of the silence of the Shepherds?

    I’ll sign off before I possibly condemn myself even more! Have a good Sunday!

  40. VexillaRegis says:

    Dear StWinefride: My appologies! I really thought you were a male, despite your female alias. There is something in your writing style that lead me to believe you are an young(er) lad. Don’t tell me you are 75 y/o too!

    You have some good points there, and of course no martyr has died in vain, but Popes are people too, and not perfect in every way. I feel your pain, I do – family members have gone astray due to bad catechesis in the 70’s. But let’s bleat sadly, not angrily!

    Have a blessed Sunday!

  41. StWinefride says:

    Dear Vexilla Regis, interesting remark about the writing style! I’m only half English, all my education was in a foreign language and being a somewhat -no make that extremely- zealous-for-the-Faith type of person, I like to get to the point – and rapidly!! Cut out the waffle I say! Because if you get the basics right, the rest follows.

    We know not the hour….

    As to my age, well here’s a clue – I am between 0 and 75 years old!!! boom boom, as Basil Brush used to say!

    Night crew checking out early this Sunday, so have a truly Blessed Sunday too! And to all WDTPR readers and of course, our dear Father Z!

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