In this PODCAzT I offer some thoughts, and a brief reading from, the prolifically indefatigable Peter Kwasniewski, a copy of which recently arrived:
Reclaiming Our Roman Catholic Birthright: The Genius and Timeliness of the Traditional Latin Mass
Dr. K included a hand written letter with this book, in which he explained what he was up to. I share some of that letter, because he puts it better than I could. Then I read a little of the first chapter, to give you a taste.
This is a handy volume especially for those of you who have younger children! Peter had you in mind.
However, you don’t have to be the parents of young children to value this volume. One of the things he does is present common objections to traditional forms and respond to them.
Also, riffing on the topic of the book, I answer here a question from a reader…
QUAERITUR:
How do we know for certain that a Novus Ordo Mass (done well) is not evil?
I’ve tangled with this claim over the years. Here are some thoughts about the Novus Ordo which might help to put it into perspective for someone who is drawn in both directions, Novus Ordo and TLM, and is struggling with doubts. It happens.
https//www.wdtprs.com/podcazt/20_07_23.mp3
WE ARE OUR RITES!
Thank you Father! I love the food analogy. I wonder if the current Wuhan Virus catastrophe could be one of those beneficial ones. There is anecdotal evidence that it has increased interest in the TLM as well as the closing of schools made more people aware of home schooling.
JonPatrick says: Wuhan Virus catastrophe:
We shall see. If something truly good comes from it which otherwise wouldn’t have happened, it could be an “eucatastrophe”.
I think JonPatrick is onto something. The coronapanic has been a huge indictment of the modernist experiment in the Church. It has proven that the “church of accompaniment” has got nothing for us. It is the traditionalist clergy that have been conspicuous for continuing to provide us with the Sacraments during this crisis.
Thank you, Father Z.!
I know as early as March, polls had been done that showed most people – even non-Catholics -thought the “Wuhan Flu” was a chastisement. Whatever it’s been, between that and the current iconoclasm disguised as anti-racism, I’ve noticed that people in my neck of the woods have become much friendlier, and people are far more likely to help out total strangers rather than pass them by and leave them to their own devices. Interestingly enough, the stirrings of “reverse racism” that were beginning in our nearby town have completely vanished, as black people seem to be going out of their way to be nice to white people. Even if it’s only to avoid being tarred with the same brush as the Communist agitators who are really behind the violence, it’s still a good thing.
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As for the shepherd parables that Christ often told…When I became a shepherd myself thirty some-odd years ago, it opened up a whole new outlook on the Bible for me. I lost count of the number of times I had to run out of the house barefoot in the middle of winter because something had gotten into the pasture and was threatening my sheep. Yes, you will abandon the ninety-nine to find the one that’s missing. ;D