I’m off. It is odd … I haven’t been on an airplane for about a month.
It’s like falling off a bicycle though.
These super early flights have some advantages.
At this hour, with the exception of a boy about 7 years old, this is a sedate crowd.
UPDATE:
This is a little different.
The last two Synods of Bishops were really fun, weren’t they? Weren’t they great?
The next Synod’s theme may… may, mind you… have identified. HERE
We need to start lining up writers for the 58 Cardinals Book™:
The Next Synod Is Already in the Works. On Married Priests
In mid-February Pope Francis will go to Chiapas, where hundreds of deacons with their wives are pushing to be ordained as priests. And in the Amazon as well the turning point seems to be near. It was all written down in the agenda of Cardinal Martini
ROME, December 9, 2015 – While waiting for Pope Francis to rule on communion for the divorced and remarried, which two synods discussed and split over, there is already a glimpse of the theme of the next synodal session: married priests.
The selection of the theme is up to the pope, as happened with the past synods and will take place with the next, independently of what will be proposed by the fourteen cardinals and bishops of the council that acts as a bridge between one assembly and the next.
And that married priests will be the next topic of synodal discussion can be gathered from various indications.
*
The first indication is the evident intention of Pope Francis to implement the agenda dictated in 1999 by Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, in a memorable statement at the synod of that year.
The archbishop of Milan at the time, a Jesuit [Surprised?] and the undisputed leader of the “liberal” wing of the hierarchy, said that he “had a dream”: that of a Church capable of getting into a permanent synodal state, with a “collegial and authoritative exchange among all the bishops on some key issues.”
And here are the “key issues” that he listed:
“The shortage of ordained ministers, the role of woman in society and in the Church, the discipline of marriage, the Catholic vision of sexuality, penitential practice, relations with the sister Churches of Orthodoxy and more in general the need to revive ecumenical hopes, the relationship between democracy and values and between civil laws and the moral law.”
Of Martini’s agenda, the two synods convened so far by Pope Francis have indeed discussed “the discipline of marriage” and in part “the Catholic vision of sexuality.”
There is nothing to prevent, therefore, the “key issue” of the next synod from being that which Martini put at the head of them all: “the shortage of ordained ministers.” [In seminary, some of the the heretics that ran the place forbade us from using the word “priest”, to which we referred as the “P-Word”. Instead, we had to say “ordained ministers”. After all everyone is a “minister”! Right?]
*
The shortage of priests – who in the Latin Catholic Church are by rule celibate – is felt especially keenly in some regions of the world. Above all in Latin America. [And that seems to be driving things right now… like a kind of crazy manifest destiny.]
[…]
I have an idea.
I need to start work – NOW – to set up my new venture:
a match-making service for priests!
Fathers, start getting your CV’s ready.
We need to come up with some good names for it.
UPDATE:
A priest friend sent:
pHarmony
From a reader…
May I attend a Mass by an SSPX priest during the Year of Mercy to fulfill my Sunday obligation? What is the current status of their Mass and is it affected by the Year of Mercy declaration by Pope Francis on the SSPX?
Yes, attendance at a Mass by an SSPX priest can fulfill your Sunday Obligation… even before the Year of Mercy and also afterward. This is unaffected by Francis’ decision to grant (albeit indirectly) the faculty to priests of the SSPX to receive sacramental confessions and to absolve validly.
In order to absolve validly, a priest must have more than just his valid priesthood. He must have the Church’s permission to exercise the power to forgive sins because absolution involves the binding and loosing associated with the Power of the Keys, jurisdiction. That’s different from the priest’s ability validly to confect the Eucharist. The priest needs the Church’s permission to say Mass, but that permission is needed for liceity, not for validity. In the case of confession, the priest needs permission for both validity and liceity.
The Church’s Law (for the Latin Church) says that we fulfill our Sunday (and Holy Day) Obligation we must attend Holy Mass in a Catholic rite on the day itself or one it’s vigil.
Canon 1248 § 1 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law states:
The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.
That’s the law, plain and simple.
Some claim that you cannot fulfill your obligation at an SSPX chapel. Unless there has been some kind of official statement to the contrary from the Holy See, they are wrong. It has been the long-standing position of the Holy See that you do fulfill your obligation this way.
That said…
Unless you are for a serious reason prevented from attending Mass at a recognized chapel or church, I will not recommend that you attend regularly a chapel of a group that is not in clear union with the Roman Pontiff.
If you do attend occasionally, from the motive of experiencing the TLM (and not, for example, because you reject the Church’s teaching in some way), I will not recommend receiving Holy Communion, unless there is a serious reason why you cannot receive in a normal place clearly in union with the Holy Father and local bishop. That is, in 99.9% of the place my readers are, pretty unlikely.
It would be permissible, our of justice, to make a small donation when the collection is taken up.
Furthermore, if that chapel is truly a chapel staffed by an actual priest of the SSPX, then you do fulfill your obligation on days of precept by attending Mass there on the day itself or on the evening before. However, there was a letter from the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei” clarifying that attending Mass at some independent chapel associated with the SSPX but not actually under its aegis does not fulfill the obligation. More on that HERE.
Pray for an end of the division and the full reconciliation of the SSPX with the Roman Pontiff.
Last night, 8 Dec, the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison (we have a vestment project – PLEASE HELP!) sponsored a Solemn Mass in the Extraordinary Form in the Presence of the Diocesan Bishop, His Excellency Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino (aka The Extraordinary Ordinary).
Bp. Morlino attended in cappa magna rather than in cope and miter and he gave the homily from the Throne. I, the undersigned, was the celebrant for the Mass.
Here are a few photos from the Mass.
In this manner of celebrating Mass, the Bishop comes to the center of the altar and he recites the Prayers at the foot of the altar. After the absolution, the the celebrant takes over. The bishop blesses the incense each time it is used. He blesses the water at the offertory.
Heading to the center for the consecration: the bishop kneels before the altar.
On the way out, the bishop blesses people. The Assistant Priest is Fr. Greg Ihm, the Director for Vocations… just in case you potential seminarians with a love of Tradition want to put in an application… I’m just sayin …. look at this picture.
A better view.
Meeting people after Mass.
A fitting way to celebrate Our Lady and the beginning of the Year of Mercy.
Brick by brick, dear readers, brick by brick.
________________________
On Tuesday evening, 8 December, Feast of the Immaculate Conception (in these USA a Holy Day of Obligation), a special Solemn Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be celebrated in the presence of the Diocesan Bishop of Madison, His Excellency Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino.
A Solemn Mass includes the service also of a Deacon and Subdeacon. Since it is in the presence of the diocesan bishop, some of the ceremonies are changed.
This Mass also marks the beginning of the Year of Mercy, officially inaugurated in Rome by Pope Francis on 8 December.
All are welcome. Clergy are invited to participate in appropriate choir dress.
The music for this Holy Mass will be Gregorian Chant and a polyphonic Ordinary under the direction of Mr. Aristotle Esguerra.
– Missa secunda, Michael Haller (1840–1915)
– Magnificat octavi toni, Ciro Grassi (1868–1952)
– Ave Maria, Jacob Handl (1550–1591
What: Solemn Mass in the Presence of the Bishop in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite
When: Tuesday, 8 December, Immaculate Conception, 7:30 PM
Where: Bishop O’Conner Pastoral Center – MAP
Why: Patronal Feast of the United States of America, Holy Day of Obligation, opening of the Year of Mercy in Rome
Who: His Excellency Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison (Homilist – Presiding), Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (Celebrant), Fr. Greg Ihm (Asst. Priest), Fr. Alex Navarro (Deacon), Fr. Chris Gernetzke (Subdeacon).
The Mass is sponsored by the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison. http://latinmassmadison.org/
From the often amusing Eye of the Tiber:
Pope Infallibly Declares Nutella Overrated
In a stunning declaration this morning, Pope Francis shocked many Vatican observers when he declared that Nutella, the popular hazelnut chocolate spread, as “completely overrated.” [We have to pay attention to words. That “completely” is really tricky.]
“I declare,” said the Pope from his seat at St. John Lateran, “that through my office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, and by virtue of my supreme apostolic authority, I hereby declare that Nutella shall henceforth be known as just kind of good, and not, as popular opinion would have it, the greatest thing since sliced Eucharistic host. Hereafter, if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that which We have defined, that Nutella is wholly overrated, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith.” [See? It’s “wholly”, not “completely”. But… Holy Father… please, as a gesture of Mercy™, please announce that your infallible teaching was wrong!…. Good grief? What am I saying?!? See how confusing this pontificate is?]
Francis went on to say that, although the declaration would be binding on all the Catholic faithful, it was not meant to “hinder” the faithful from eating Nutella, but was simply meant to hinder them from pondering how they ever lived their lives before Nutella. [Try Nutella with banana and then try to believe in Pope Francis again.]
While many are already speaking out against the Pope’s decision to call Nutella overrated, saying that not only is the spread “to die for,” but that the declaration neither concerns morals or doctrine, others staunch supporters of Francis are coming to his defense. [Well… faith and morals… there is that.]
“I believe that, as successor to St. Peter, and more importantly, as a man who has taste buds, Pope Francis was right in infallibly defining it as overrated,” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI told EOTT in an exclusive interview. “Nutella is alright, I admit. But it is not awesome, and I fully support the Pope’s decision.” [The blow upon the bruise.]
After this sad development what more can we say?
Close The Parenthesis!
SHIFT-ZERO!
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
I was born to Southern Baptist parents and baptized at age 7 by immersion. I clearly remember standing waist-high in a pool of water… the Baptist minister pronounced the Trinitarian formula and AFTER WHICH, he immersed me. (YouTube “Baptist baptism” and you’ll see what I mean)
At the rather precocious age of 13, I converted to the the Catholic Church on my own. The pastor and RCIA teacher only asked for my baptismal certificate which simply states I was baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There was no further inquiry into the timing of matter and form. I didn’t think anything of it.
[…]
Recently I came across a 19th century decree from the Sacred Congregation of Rites ruling baptisms in sects that separate form & matter are invalid. Is that still in force? How could I possibly be validly baptized if the formula was fully pronounced before my head was the least bit wet?
I’ve lost a lot of sleep recently wondering whether I’m technically a Christian at all. What are your thoughts?? Should I be baptized SINE or SUB conditione? Or am I missing something and just being scrupulous/ pharasitic?
After some consultation, I think you can be confident in the validity of your baptism. The temporal separation of matter and form was minimal, and part of the same act. If the minister had pronounced the baptismal formula, then proceeded to deliver a sermon, and then immersed you, the separation of matter and form would have been such as to render the baptism invalid. The brief separation, while not optimal, doesn’t seem to be sufficient to render your baptism invalid.
Baptism is arguably the most important moment in an individual’s life. Christ tells us that baptism is necessary for entrance into the heavenly kingdom. As for those who die unbaptized? We simply don’t know. We can trust the mercy of God, but we have to acknowledge His justice as well, and the clarity of Christ’s demand to go out and baptize all nations. God can save whom it pleaseth Him to save. We don’t place limits on Him. If He does save the non-baptized, we don’t know how He does it.
There was a time in the Church when all converts, regardless of their previous faith and prior baptismal experience were at a minimum conditionally baptized. In a spirit of ecumenical fervor (warranted or unwarranted?) and out of a recognition that a valid baptism cannot be repeated, ever, the Church cautioned Her priests to be more careful when receiving those who were baptized outside the Catholic Church. If those baptisms were valid, they cannot be repeated and to do so “conditionally” was deemed imprudent.
Considering the baptismal practices of some of the mainline Protestant congregations, the judgment of prudence might Swing in another direction.
We are confident in the judgment of Our Mother, the Church, who has solicitude for us and for the sacraments. If She says we’re validly baptized, we should rest confident in Her judgment and continue to work out our salvation in fear and trembling. Pray for the continued grace to live out the call to holiness you received at the time of baptism, and which was strengthened at your confirmation, and regularly draw spiritual nourishment through your reception of Our Lord in Holy Communion.
On 8 December 2005, I posted this photo. This blog project began.
This was a shot – from my apartment window – of the Basilica and Apostolic Palace on the evening of the day that Pope Benedict was elected.
It is ironic that, exactly ten years to the day that I posted this, there was a different sort of light show on the facade of St. Peter’s.
In any event, today is the 10th anniversary of this blog.
I started it with the original intention of it being an archive for articles I was writing for The Wanderer. Thus, it’s original name.
It rapidly took on a life of its own.
Since I started keeping stats, on 23 November 2006, I have had about 71 million page views and 45 million unique visits. People come from all over the world, as you can see from the screen shot of the live visit feed just before I posted this.
Dear readers, please accept my thanks for everything, your comments and feedback, your prayers and your patience with me.
Tonight I will say Mass for the intention of my benefactors and donors. HERE
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
Father, I am a new Catholic and I’m struggling mightily to overcome a past life filled with pornography. Sometimes I fail the day after a confession. Some Priests have told me not to go more than once per week or to go only every other week to confession. Is it possible to go more than once per week to confession, or should I wait? Will going to mass and not receiving because I have mortal sin be helpful in finally ridding my life of this filth?
When attacking a deeply-entangled habit of sin, or when rooting out sinful behavior, recourse to a regular confessor can be very beneficial.
Follow the advice of one, good, trusted confessor. This can help you move forward and leave not only the sin behind, but the remnants of and attachments to sin.
Scrupulosity is a spiritual disease that often develops in a person who is trying to overcome past bad habits. Satan and fallen angels can spur memories to entice the repentant sinner to dwell on past sins in an unhealthy way or to feel extreme guilt about mere temptations. The area of sexuality is a favorite of Satan in ensnaring souls because it goes to the very heart of one of our most primal urges, the urge to procreate. All too often, that primal and good instinct is perverted and twisted. It leads souls down dangerous paths away from the loving God who constantly calling us all to a life of chastity and integrity.
Find a good confessor and stick with him. Adhere to his advice. If he suggests confessing weekly, or biweekly, monthly, or daily – follow his advice.
If, after trying, you find that you can’t live with the schedule that he sets for you, and if you think it’s too frequent or not frequent enough, talk it over with him. He may have good reasons for his proposed schedule. We follow a medical doctor’s orders to recover from a physical sickness with greater speed. So too we follow a good confessor’s direction to recover from spiritual sickness more quickly, and to minimize the danger of falling back into old vices or – quod Deus avertat – into other, more dangerous traps for your soul.
NB: If he suggests never going to confession again, find a different confessor.
The moderation queue is ON.
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
I’m satisfied that Canon 1248 clearly grants us a generous concession to fulfill / satisfy our obligation to assist at Mass on a Sunday by going on Saturday evening. If my Church has a Saturday evening Mass but no Masses on the actual Sunday does that concession become an legal obligation?
Communion in the hand…
Blessings instead of Communion even by lay ministers…
Pianos…
Mass “facing the people”…
Saturday evening Masses as quasi-vigil Masses for Sunday is one of those poorly thought out decisions that, once implemented, has by now become so fixed in the Catholic psyche that they are as easy to roll back as the tide.
Granted: Saturday vigil Masses make attendance at Masses for Sunday Obligation possible for that small segment of society who are truly unable to attend Mass on Sunday morning. The question is, however, begged: why weren’t Sunday afternoon or evening Masses considered?
Sadly, the prevalence of Saturday evening Masses have had the effect, in many parishes, of eliminating the Saturday morning Mass, depriving the faithful of the celebration of numerous feasts, not too mention the regular commemoration of the Blessed Virgin on those Saturdays in Ordinary Time when the day is otherwise unencumbered.
There are now Catholics who, for no other reason than convenience, have not been to Holy Mass on Sunday morning for years.
This plays into our culture’s desacralization of Sunday, which is no longer the Lord’s Day, but merely a “day off.”
That said, Saturday evening Masses allow a Catholic to fulfill her canonical obligation to hear Mass on Sundays, and Holy Days of Obligation.
The Mass that one attends on Saturday evening need not be a Mass of Sunday. It need not have the readings of Sunday. It need not have the prayers of Sunday. It need not have the Gloria, the Creed, the interminable and often incomprehensible prayers of the faithful, the collection, the joke-riddled homily, the cutesy introduction, hoards of Unnecessary Ministers of Communion, the warm and fuzzy comments at the end that one often finds on Sundays. There is a lot of misinformation in this regard, but the law is clear – the obligation is fulfilled by attendance at any Mass offered in a Catholic rite on Saturday evening. The canon has the Latin word “advesperascit“, which sparks some debate as to when “evening” begins. Some people offer reasonable arguments that a Mass at noon fits the definition. I don’t think so, but who am I to judge?
This concession is a favor granted by the Church to the faithful, and, as such, is subject to a broad interpretation. It is a favor. It is not an additional obligation. If a Catholic cannot hear Holy Mass on Sunday for a legitimate reason, she MAY fulfill her obligation by attending Mass on Saturday evening. She does not HAVE to. If she truly cannot get to Mass on Sunday, the canonical obligation ceases.
But.
Luke 17:10.
“We are unprofitable servants; we have done only that which was our duty to do.”
We should all strive for better than just hearing Mass solely out of a sense of obligation. Let us examine our consciences and ask ourselves if we are settling for the bare minimum. Give the obligations of the virtue of Religion, that could be sinful.
Would that every Catholic might desire to attend Mass often, even daily, to worship God as is His due, not just with routine presence, but with fervent, interiorly active receptivity and gratitude.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
A Daily Prayer for Priests
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