Fr. Z's Blog | Formerly entitled: "What Does The Prayer Really Say?" – Clear, straight commentary on Catholic issues, liturgy and life by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf o{]:¬)

Four Words Which Can Complicate Your Day

Posted on 16 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

How about these:

Bank 1 Oxygen Sensor.

Grrrrrrr

Posted in Wherein Fr. Z Rants |
26 Comments

QUAERITUR: Some history on meatless Fridays

Posted on 16 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a priest:

Dear Father Zuhlsdorf, thank you for the great apostolic work you do every day. Your blog has been an orientation and a spiritual help for me since my days in seminary. And it is great fun, too!

Today, we had a Friday lunch together with brother priests from the city. We always have it meatless. During lunch, I mentioned that today the Bishops of England and Wales re-instituted the Friday penance of not eating meat.
One of the priests at table, of the middle-aged liberal type, said something like: “I can’t understand why intelligent people keep telling stupid things”. He then began to “explain” that the origin of friday penance is to be found at the French royal court, where everybody was so disgusted with eating lots of meat every day that they decided to have a meatless day each week.

I did not pick up his remarks (nobody did, actually), but later thought that I should have.

Do you have any sure historical details about the catholic practice of not eating meat on Fridays. I know about the Wednesday and Friday fasting in the old Church, but what about the special practise of not eating meat?

Any help would be appreciated.

Abstaining from meat on Friday began at the French court?

It is to laugh.

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One might say that Father is all wet.

While Father didn’t say which French court, I think we can assume he didn’t mean Charlemagne’s court.

Doing penance on Friday is an obvious reference to our veneration for Christ’s Sacrifice on Calvary. Abstinence from meat probably comes from the ancient belief that eating meat contributed to other carnal desires. Abstinence from meat was therefore undertaking in part in pursuit of purity.

Think also of the many prohibitions of certain foods in the Old Covenant. Some critters were seen as unclean. The prescriptions were of divine positive law and the purpose of the prescriptions was to aid the Jews in a desire for interior cleanliness. Under the new covenant, these restrictions were removed.

The early Latin theologian Tertullian (+ c. 220) wrote a work on fasting, which mentions prolonging the Friday fast into Saturday. Some Fathers of the Church refer to abstinence from foods. St. Ireneaus of Lyon (+202) wrote about abstaining from meat before Easter. Pope Nicholas I (+867) imposed abstinence from meat on Fridays. Councils had canons about food and fasting. St. Thomas Aquinas (+1274) in the Summa tackles questions about whether certain foods, such as eggs or cheese, were permitted on fast days.

I am sure readers here can add some more instances of abstinence, even Friday abstinence.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Mail from priests, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged Friday abstinence, meatless Fridays
25 Comments

First Tonsure, Minor Orders, Eye Infections and a WDTPRS POLL

Posted on 16 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The minor orders were suppressed in the Latin Church in 1972.

Who knows if, down the line, through some gravitational pull exerted through the slowly increasing use of the Extraordinary Form and a greater focus on continuity with our tradition, they will be restored.

The way to minor orders was opened by reception of the tonsure. Tonsure is from the fun Latin verb tondeo, totondi, tonsum, “to cut, sheer”. Great perfect form, nonne? Latin for barber is tonsor. In ancient Rome something known to everyone, to every “Tom, Dick, and Harry” as we say today, was “notum lippis et tonsoribus… known by people with eye infections and barbers” (cf. Horace Satire 1.7,3; Terence Phormio 89; Plautus Amph. 1013).

I have written before about the artist Daniel Mitsui and his interesting art. In his recent mailing he shows a new image he has made of the ceremony of the tonsure, which seminarians in “traditional” groups such as the FSSP still receive. Here is Mitsui’s tonsure depiction.

tonsure

This was commissioned by a seminarian. You can find more of his art HERE. Great gift ideas there.

First Tonsure, depicted above, used to make a man a cleric. In the Latin Church a man now becomes a cleric with ordination to the diaconate. This applies also to traditional groups who used only the older, pre-Conciliar books.

Tonsures vary in size. The monastic was usually the whole crown of the head. The more modern tonsure for clerics out in the world came to be a shaved spot about the size of a silver dollar.

Maintaining the tonsure was serious business for a cleric. In the 1917 Code of Canon Law, a cleric was required to maintain it. If he didn’t, he was to be warned by his superior or bishop. If he didn’t restore the tonsure within within he could lose the clerical state. That could mean loss of income from benefices, etc. And, yes, it was a way to keep clerics both under the bishop’s thumb and, importantly, out of trouble. The tonsure identified a man as a cleric even if he changed his clothing.

Let’s have a little WDTPRS POLL.

Choose your answer and then give your reasons in the combox.

Posted in Just Too Cool, Lighter fare, Our Catholic Identity, POLLS, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged Daniel Mitsui, Horace, lippis et tonsoribus, minor orders, Plautus, polls, Terence, tonsure
27 Comments

Have a meatless day!

Posted on 16 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

GMTA.

Over at His Hermeneuticalness’s place we find a photo of eggs and toast. “But Father! But Father!”, I thought. “I also had an egg and toast today!” Then, I continued needlessly, “Why? I’ll tell you why. Which it’s Friday, ain’t it!”

I channeled my inner Preserved Killick for a moment.

Fr. Finigan was reminding his readers that today, 16 September, is the first day in England and Wales for all Catholics to observe in a serious way their “meatless Fridays” during the whole of the year.

This is a good development and WDTPRS sends kudos to the Bishops of England and Wales.

So, I had a poached egg with whole wheat toast for breakfast. It looks as if Fr. Finigan’s eggs were lightly fried. Perhaps a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup for lunch. Or maybe some breakfast cereal and yogurt. For supper? Perhaps I’ll break down and make some 炒粉 with vegetables. Or I could do that pasta sauce with tuna and hot pepper. Or I could thaw that pack of frozen sunny filets. Or I, since I have to use my basil before the freeze comes, I could make fresh pesto. Or I could fast. Or I could make mac and cheese. Or I could have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Or, if I run errands today, I could get a small piece of salmon, or mussels, or shrimp.

Lot’s of possibilities, all good.

And it is all swell with Mystic Monk Coffee!

Posted in "But Father! But Father!", Fr. Z KUDOS, Our Catholic Identity, Preserved Killick | Tagged abstinence, Conference of England and Wales, Fr. Finigan, meatless Fridays
34 Comments

Sweet Basil and the Holy Cross

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

An Orthodox priest reader sent some photos of their tradition using sweet basil on their observance of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Here are three.

Great tradition.

I didn’t get around to posting about the basil tradition yesterday and I was glad for the reminder today.

“But Father! But Father!”, some of you are saying. “What’s with the basil? Some other herbs would do, wouldn’t they?”

Keep in mind that the name of the herb comes from the Greek word for “king”, “basileos“.

There is a tradition that when the True Cross was rediscovered a sprig of basil growing from the wood.
This is why especially in the East there is a custom of placing a Cross on a bed of basil before the faithful venerate it. A kingly tradition.

There is a prayer/rite for the blessing of basil around, but, I cannot determine the provenance. I looked through the Rituale Romanum. No joy.

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
Let us pray.
Almighty and merciful God,
deign, we beseech You, to bless
Your creature, this aromatic basil leaf. +
Even as it delights our senses,
may it recall for us the triumph of Christ, our Crucified King
and the power of His Precious Blood
to purify and preserve us from evil
so that, planted beneath His Cross,
we may flourish to Your glory
and spread abroad the fragrance of His sacrifice.
Who is Lord forever and ever.
R. Amen.
The bouquets of basil leaf are sprinkled with Holy Water.

Again, I don’t know which approved book this comes from. Readers?

In the Rituale Romanum there is, however, a blessing for a Cross to be placed in a field for the feast of the Finding of the Cross. I haven’t done that one yet.

There are marvelous blessings and customs attached to the rhythm of the year. People would guide the arc of their years and lives along with these special days.

Posted in Just Too Cool | Tagged blessings, Exaltation of the Cross, Ocimum basilicum, sweet basil
16 Comments

England: 17 September – Inauguration of Bl. John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This Saturday, 17 September, will bring the official inauguration of the Blessed John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in Birmingham, England. My friend Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth wrote me saying that this is “probably the most significant enterprise in liturgical music in the UK since the Council.”

17 September will be the 1st anniversary of the beatification of Bl. John Henry, founder of the modern Oratory in Birmingham.

I can’t help but think that my old mentor, Msgr. Richard Schuler, who fought the good fight all those decades would be delighted at the creation of a new institute with this objective.

I have perused the inaugural address, which is embargoed for the time being… obviously. There is a fine vision underlying this project.

Remember: Music is not an “add on” in the liturgy. True sacred liturgical music, which must be art and sacred, is liturgy. Music should be what the Second Vatican Council calls an “integrating part” of liturgical worship, and not something tacked on for the sake of a false notion of “active participation”… usually resulting in a collective drop in the IQ of everyone in the building. I incessantly talk about a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild our Catholic identity. I relentlessly claim that a renewal of liturgical worship is the point of the spear in such an endeavor, a sine qua non for progress. Sacred liturgical music must be addressed. This new Institute is setting out to do that.

I ask St. Philip Neri, one of my personal patrons, and Bl. John Henry to intercede with the Father, amidst the music and choirs of heaven, to bless this initiative.

I hope that on a future trip across the way, I can visit the place and see what they are up to.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, New Evangelization, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged Birmingham, Bl. John Henry Newman, Blessed John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music, Oratory, St. Philip Neri
6 Comments

Another front for bullying the Church

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In the increasing hot culture war, the Catholic Church is going to be torched more and more often. Here is an example.

A disturbing article appeared in the site NorthJersey.com.

East Rutherford Catholic church’s gay music director to quit over priest’s sermon
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
BY DEON J. HAMPTON
STAFF WRITER
The Record

EAST RUTHERFORD – A gay [I detest the misappropriation of that word] Catholic church musician on Wednesday said he will voluntarily leave his post in two weeks because his pastor allegedly created a hostile work environment after preaching against homosexuality. [I wonder how many staffers using contraception would be willing to do the same?]

“Marriage between two men is a lie,” Robert Russell, who has been a music minister at St. Joseph Parish for 22 years, said the newly appointed pastor preached to the congregation July 10. [That was a sentence?]

The Rev. Joseph Astarita, who became pastor of the church in July, declined to comment.

Jim Goodness, Archdiocese of Newark spokesman, also declined to comment on the resignation. But he did say, “Catholic churches are allowed to employ people based on [the church’s] belief.”

[Get this one…] The Vatican does not condone homosexuality.

“My feeling at that point was to walk out,” Russell, 58, of Hackensack said of the alleged comments made during the sermon. “But I didn’t because I have a responsibility to the choir and church.”

He said he met with Astarita in August to discuss the remarks and to reveal he was gay and had a partner of 15 years.

“His comments against gay marriage were insensitive and uncomfortable,” said Russell, who admitted he felt pressured to leave his job. He has retained attorney David L. Wikstrom.

Wikstrom said that Russell “couldn’t properly perform his work because of his sexuality, thus creating a hostile and adverse work environment.”

According to Russell, the pastor expressed concern about his involvement in a yet-to-be created children’s choir and allegedly told him he would be a “poor example.”

[…]

Longtime church member Pam Lakefield was in the congregation when Astarita preached the sermon and said his comments were “offensive,” and that the priest is teaching horrible thoughts.

“He’s losing parishioners,” said Lakefield, a member since 1970, who is strongly considering leaving the church. [Same ol’ same ol’…]

St. Joseph members say the church has traditionally been liberal, but the pastor is “ultra-conservative.” [blah blah blah]

The parish was once led by the Rev. Mychal Judge, chaplain of the New York Fire Department who was the first confirmed death of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. In the years since his death, it has been widely reported that Judge was a celibate gay priest.

Russell said the church has been run by the Franciscan order for the past 99 years. But the order gave up the church in July due to low staffing numbers and the archdiocese took over in July, he said. Astarita joined the church after the change.

Russell said his last day will be Sept. 30.

“I felt his words were an attack on my integrity and I felt it was hostile and it was harassment.”

E-mail: hampton@northjersey.com

Rather PC, no? Lot’s of twists and turns to that twisty turny piece.

Posted in Biased Media Coverage, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, The Last Acceptable Prejudice, Throwing a Nutty | Tagged bullying, homosexuality
72 Comments

QUAERITUR: What to say if confessing to a bishop, cardinal, pope?

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

If you were confessing to a Bishop or a Cardinal or even the Holy
Father would you say “Bless me Bishop” or “Bless me your Eminence” etc
etc?

Sure. You could do it that way. If would be proper. But you could always stick with “Bless me, Father…”. There is no title which is more appreciated than that.

I know of few bishops who regularly hear confessions in their cathedral churches. The best example I know of is His Excellency Most Rev. Robert Finn, Bishops of Kansas City-St. Joseph. From the times I have met and spoken with him, I have a sense that he would be an outstanding confessor. He has his name on one of the confessionals in the Cathedral in Kansas City.

Perhaps you readers have some edifying information of which I know naught.

Would that bishops and cardinals put on the purple stole and heard confessions regularly. I’ll bet most of them would like to. One might object with some practical reasons why that wouldn’t be feasible on a regular basis… but I am not sure how good those reasons would be when placed in the balance of the great need in the Church today to revive the Sacrament of Penance and give a good example to priests.

UPDATE:

Remember: Except in the case of the lifting of some censures, you are not more forgiven when you receive absolution from Pope Sixtus the Sixth in St. John Lateran than you are from receiving it from Fr. Joe Bagofdoughnuts at St. Ipsidipsy in Tall Tree Circle.

You are not more married if a bishop does the nuptials.

You don’t receive more Jesus if a cardinal says the Mass.

You aren’t more anointed if a monsignor, or canon, or bishop or other great prelate does it.

You might be more buried if the bishop does the graveside … gotta think about that one. But the grace wouldn’t be more blessed if blessed by the bishop rather than the assistant at your parish.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged Bp. Finn, confession, confessional, D. Kansas City-St. Joseph, sacrament of penance
16 Comments

Budgeting your money and your time

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said that time is money. There are times when my time is worthy more than my money.

For example, while running errands I stopped a two stores yesterday looking, inter alia, for a refill for the thing I use to wash the outside of windows of the house. No joy. Using my amazon app on my phone I found the same product available for slightly more than the price that was on the empty slot on the shelf at the store. Since I have an amazon “Prime” account (o how that has saved money over the year!) which gives you free shipping on most things, standing there in the store where the product should have been, I hit the button on the phone and ordered it. It cost slightly more than it would have had the stores had it in stock, but I wasn’t going to go to a third store and waste more time and gas for the difference in price, or come back to find it another day. My time is worth more than my money when it comes to certain things. Now it will come to my door within a day or so and I don’t have to think about it anymore.

So, when I saw this cartoon, I thought I would share the observations.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes | Tagged time is money
16 Comments

The Feeder Feed: highly annoying squeaky-toy edition

Posted on 14 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It is definitely fall. You know this because the world sounds right now like a squeaky-toy quality testing facility staffed by dozens of sugar-amp’d three year olds.

I am referring to the most annoying bird of the season, baby Goldfinches.

Goldfinches are not your most intelligent of winged-critters. They hurl themselves at just about every window of the house, for example. But the babies… have a relentless squeak in the relentless pursuit of their parents.

The baby is perched on top, squeaking at dad, below.