Historically, today, the 1st Sunday of Lent, was the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday and the intervening days were added later. That makes this Sunday historically and theologically important.
Too many people today are without good, strong preaching, to the detriment of all. Share the good stuff.
It is the 1st Sunday of Lent in the Novus Ordo and in the Vetus Ordo.
Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Sunday Mass of obligation?
Tell about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass. I hear that it is growing. Of COURSE.
Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?
In very good news, Bp. Paprocki of Springfield changed the status of a church where the Vetus Ordo is celebrated so that it is no longer a parochial church. Hence, the Roche Rescript won’t affect it. Paprocki is a distinguished canonist. He knows more than his prayers.
I have a few thoughts about the orations in the Vetus Ordo for 1st Sunday of Lent: HERE
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Today the Bishop sat in choir at the TLM with the Oratorians in Raritan, NJ. His sermon was pretty general, but he did stress how we need the Eucharist to always strengthen us against temptation. He did not address the restrictions against the TLM coming from Rome- he did thank the congregation for its witness in coming to Mass each Sunday. Mass was packed- standing room only, lots of kids babbling away, young and old(er) present for a lovely solemn High Mass. I’m thinking of writing to the bishop to thank him ( I did after Mass) and suggesting that the shrine be restored and dedicated as the diocesan center for Eucharistic devotion, especially in this year of Eucharistic renewal along the lines of Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane, in London- thoughts Father Z?
0700 Mass. Novus Ordo with fair attendance. Homily focused on the three temptations of Christ with a segue into the need for confession along with that temptation to sin is not a sin (and need not be confessed). It’s probably bad theology but I made a connection between the Tree of Life in the Garden and Christ on the tree as the new path to everlasting life that was lost when Eve succumbed to the serpent’s temptation.
Good point – the deacon who preached this morning stressed the importance of praying for our enemies.
Father’s homily centered around how we can become distracted by events happening around us that are beyond our control, and forget that Lent is about our personal journey, and we should try to focus on that. Father doesn’t usually say much about such things, but he mentioned the rescript, and said something further is anticipated during Holy Week, and he could not really say why these things are happening, he did not have an answer for that. He said to him the people who love the Latin Mass and want it as part of their spiritual pilgrimage is edifying to him, and that our bishop is supportive of the TLM and will remain so.
God bless faithful bishops and priests. If they are faithful they love God and love the poor flock and will tend to them, not leave them when they are needed most. But hard times seem to be coming.
Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham with a nearly packed congregation of young and old: the homilist noted that the temptations offered to Christ by the devil were apparent goods but, quoting Saint Thomas, not real goods (I forget the technical term used), and that this is how our own temptations are presented, so we must discern what are the real, not just apparent, goods. We must be vigilant.
Usual SSPX in the boonies, but attendance was down due to snowfall. I think I need to find a chapel in the desert to attend
Sermon today had one line that stuck with me: sometimes you need to do the virtuous thing and tell your feelings “sorry, I have things to do”.
He also said one should pick the virtue you fail at the most and embrace the challenge of succeeding in it instead. Think about something that tempts you the moment you see it and make the concerted effort to resist and become stronger.
He added it hurts Mary’s Immaculate Heart when she sees her Son offended because of her love for Him, so offer up prayers to console her.
Father’s homily centered on Lent, the spiritual aspect, not just fasting from food. He also restated the main aim of the Church, the salvation of souls and not the salvation of the planet. He pondered how the climate change matter is pertinent to the Church, given that advocating for climate change doesn’t save souls.
Fr. preached on the symbolism of Ash Wednesday, the need to be aware of our temptations, and discussed our Lord’s temptations at some length. All good stuff.
Attendance for our TLM has been solid despite severe Sunday weather for a few weeks, with new people at a steady trickle and new people at an even greater pace.
Today a man who had been away from the Church for many years and had never been to a TLM before turned up and was moved to tears by the experience. Mirabile visu!
TLM well attended even in icy conditions.
Homily note: Just as Adam’s original sin involved eating, Our Lord, the New Adam, would fix that by not eating by fasting for 40 days.
I was very happy to here yesterday at TLM that Father spoke with our Bishop who told him, “he sees no reason to change a thing”, keep doing what you’re doing. I love that these Bishops are Strong in their Faith and not being confused and protecting the Latin Mass.
Had to stay close to home instead of deive to the TLM this weekend. Focus was on avoiding the near occasion of sin as a way of lwssening temptations in our own lives. Heard from some friends in the dioceae next door that they found out beginning next week, their TLM would have to be in the parish’s cafeteria due to the Arthur Crow Laws. This is a tiny rural church in Texas. The actual parish church building will be vacant during the TLM.
Father I—– gave a beautiful and artfully crafted sermon on the sweetness of temptation and the bitterness of sin, in keeping with the Gospel passage for the TLM. A standout idea: Eve’s first mistake in the Garden of Eden was to engage the Serpent in conversation. Don’t do that! “Et ne nos inducas in tentationem ” is a good idea, in spite of what some currently reigning bishops think.
Attendance at the Mankato (Minnesota, Diocese of Winona-Rochester) were noticeably depressed (my estimate is from a normal 80 to about 60)*, most likely since this was the first Sunday that we have been moved from a beautiful nineteenth-century, immigrant built parish church to a 1960s, stark, contractor built, statue-less, un-ornemented, brick and concrete chapel at the local Catholic school. Poor Father I—– had to squeeze Mass on to a “table” designed for a “Eucharistic meal” rather than pray the Mass on an altar of sacrifice. If anyone would like pictures, ask me. When I was a wee lad, I used wonder why some of my black (Catholic) school classmates couldn’t have a sandwich at the five-and-dime store lunch counter. I’m beginning to get a sense of how they must have felt.
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* A few previous attendees have flat out told me that they have no intention of coming to this Mass.
P.S. I apologise for previous typographical errors. My thumbs are getting rather arthritic.
Strong attendance as always at the FSSP parish in Minneapolis. Weather was mild — in the 20’s and clear, unlike today (30’s and raining on top of the ice). I would say church was about 90% full for the High Mass. (There are 3 on Sundays. If anyone is traveling to the Twin Cities, please come check it out!!)
Fr. M. gave a strong homily, but what really stood out for me was his reminding us that although we had some time during Septuagesima to prepare our plan for mortification, it isn’t too late, and that we should go into Lent knowing that God’s grace goes with us. It was a good word for me — I’d been thinking that perhaps the items on my list were kind of soft, and so resolved to add one day of fasting as well.
Awesome homily at the Cathedral.
The young rector noted that he had attended undergrad at University of Colorado in Boulder – notably not a town noted for a large presence of Christians. He said that on Ash Wednesdays there, though, all manner of people showed up to receive ashes: Muslims, Sikhs, Agnostics, and the like. Why? Because conscience tells us we need to get right with God.
He read a snippet of Alexander Pope’s brilliant Essay on Man (“a being darkly wise and rudely great . . .”) to remind us of our great – yet impaired – dignity as creatures made in the image and likeness of God, yet marred by sin.
He went on to discuss the importance of a well-formed conscience and noted that it’s evident that many current Catholics do not have one. He talked about the importance of a good examination of conscience and gave a good outline of one. He exhorted us to examine our consciences and get to confession, lest we risk Hell.
He recounted the story of St. Thomas More: who in his life was dubbed the conscience of England. He closed by reading a prayer that was found in the saint’s personal prayerbook after his death.