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{]:¬)

QUAERITUR: Should people make responses during the Traditional Latin Mass?

Posted on 30 May 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

I have been attending the TLM almost exclusively for four years now. Where I used to live the responses were always given by the servers and we were expected to unite ourselves silently. However I’ve just moved and here there is a bit of tension around whether the congregation should say the responses or not. Is there any reason they should or shouldn’t?

I think people should make the responses.

Popes of the 20th century were speaking about “active participation” before the Second Vatican Council. They advocated making responses. The Holy See then clarified the different ways or “levels” of vocally active participation, depending on the sort of Mass being celebrated and the occasion.

In a nutshell, before the Council, it was strongly encouraged that people make responses, especially at Solemn and Sung Masses. This applied often to Low Masses as well, the so-called dialogue Mass.

Is there a good reason why not to respond? Why not to respond “Et cum spirit tuo“, for example?

It is hard for me to think of one.

As a matter of fact, it would be great for congregations who are capable of doing so to sing the Ordinary chants (Kyrie, Gloria, etc.), though that takes a while to learn.

I don’t think people should be bludgeoned into responding by someone with a microphone waving her hand around, as often happens with affliction liturgy in the Novus Ordo.

The argument is sometimes made that since all the responses are texts of Mass they should therefore be spoken by clerics or those who substitute for clerics (such as a choir).

That said, if no one else at the place you are going makes responses – at all – then I don’t recommend making them loudly all by yourself.

I think it would be good for congregations to make responses. People don’t have to shout, but they should not just sit there when they have been addressed by the priest.

The bottom line is, however, that the first and foremost way of active participation, which should give rise to any exteriorly active participation, is the interiorly active receptivity we should foster during every Mass. Active participation begins within and then gives rise to outward expression.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged active participation, liturgical responses, responses, TLM
87 Comments

TODAY – NYC: Corpus Christi – Mass and outdoor procession in Manhattan

Posted on 30 May 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today, Thursday, 30 May, is in the traditional Roman calendar the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Today at the Church of the Holy Innocents in Manhattan (37th between Broadway and 7th Ave – easy to reach by subway) at 6pm there will be a Mass followed by an outdoor Procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the area of Herald Square near the Church and then by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the church.

If you are anywhere in the area, I hope you will consider joining us.

The music should be wonderful: Palestrina’s Missa Lauda Sion and the famous Gregorian chants of the feast.

And did I mention the procession with the Blessed Sacrament in the streets of Manhattan?

You will also see the newly restored mural by Brumidi.

Pray for good weather! At least pray that the celebrant survives to the end.

Taking the Blessed Sacrament to the streets… this is the New Evangelization!

As an old Italian bishop said: “Meno chiacchiere – più processioni. … Less jabbering – more processions.”

Posted in Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged Corpus Christi, Holy Innocents, Manhattan
16 Comments

Archbishop on the TLM: “you must try to get as many people as possible to walk down this path of yours”

Posted on 29 May 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Here is some great news.

I was sent a translation of a sermon given by the new Archbishop of Ferrara-Comacchio, His Excellency Most Rev. Luigi Negri, on Pentecost at the Marian Shrine of Poggetto. The occasion was a celebration of Holy Mass with the 1962 Missale Romanum.

I share here the last part of the sermon (my emphases):

This grace which the Church gives, you are living it at the spring of the Faith: the celebration of Holy Mass. You are able to drink these waters thanks to the great mercy of Benedict XVI. You can drink from this fresh stream, using one of the Church’s great treasures: the traditional liturgy. This is not an alternative to the reformed liturgy brought in after Vatican II, but is a fuller, freer, and more responsible form to be lived alongside the other one. Benedict XVI said as much in his wonderful Motu Proprio.

He wanted to widen the richness of the Liturgy to the whole Church, and so he asked the Church – starting with the Bishops – to be more respectful of his desire to widen these riches to anyone who legitimately wanted so they could fully live the truth of the Faith for the mission of today through this “older” form. The Pope thus overcame that spurious distinction between “old” and “new” which is made by the followers of the hermeneutic of discontinuity between what happened before the Council and what happened after it, and what we see in today’s world which has caused so much fatigue.

There is only ONE Church, and She has lived through history thanks to the Holy Spirit. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council was an extremely important moment in time, although that moment was one of great challenges for the Church.

You may use this liturgy, and I am extremely happy that you do so in this Archdiocese where I arrived only a few months ago. You do not do so to attack anyone, or to push any opinion, but rather to live the mystery of the Church in accordance with the depth and truth of your right to live this way. The Church has made all this possible. Benedict XVI – I am not someone who uses words because he likes the sound they make – Benedict XVI showed his pastoral mercy by allowing this for individual Catholics or small groups who need not have a precise legal size. These are the “small groups” of the faithful who have the right and the duty to be able to come to this Mass. [small and now growing]

Now you have it all in your hands, and the Church allows you to spread it freely.

[NB] There can be no-one, no Diocese in Italy or anywhere in the world, who can stop you doing this. If any Bishop ever dares to say “no” to you, he must be brought before an ecclesiastical tribunal immediately. [!!!!] But before anything like that happens, there must be dialogue among the faithful who want the older Liturgy, and between the faithful and any priest who wants to help you take part in this beautiful Mass. To do so requires a certain level of preparation, but I am sure you have this already! I think that for it to become an experience for all those who want it a period of training and preparation will be needed. I tried to implement the Motu Proprio in a small Diocese, in San Marino-Montefeltro, where reactions were generally not extreme. I wrote to our Holy Father to tell him about the situation, mostly because the Instruction on how to apply the Motu Proprio was to take another two years. I received a short letter from Benedict XVI, who spoke very positively about how the Traditional Latin Mass had been brought back to my Diocese without any tension.

Try this older Liturgy for yourselves! Try out the truths of your faith! Try out the truths of your charity! Give impetus to your mission! Be like those who try out the same truths with the reformed Liturgy in the truth of their Faith and charity: they are two treasures for the same people. [NB]People can be said to be grown-up Catholics if they understand these freedoms the Church gives them. Liturgical freedom is not something the Church merely gives: She guarantees it!

Do not hold on to any opinions you think you need to “defend” against others. The Archbishop of Ferrara-Comacchio is neither the keeper nor the propagator of any opinions. The Archbishop of Ferrara-Comacchio has only one opinion, the eternal truth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the tradition of the Church, the teachings of the Holy Father, and the things he himself says when they are in line with the Pope. This is the space Benedict XVI has allowed us. I am one of the few bishops (I am afraid to say we are very few) to have gained from all this a deeper sense of our identity in our dealings with God. [The Italian bishops are not, as a body, on board with anything traditional. Odd, but that’s the way it goes.] It is truly a great thing; and not just for those who practise it, but for the whole Church.

[Watch this!] Let me sum up by saying that this is why you must try to get as many people as possible to walk down this path of yours. [Get that?] It will not take you away from the life of the Church, nor will it lighten the heavy burden of being in communion with them, although this is a wonderful thing.

[… He speaks then about recovering from the devastating earthquake….]

I shall always be close to you. I shall always encourage you. All I ask of you is that same humility which Pope Francis shows to the world in his words and actions, before he asks it of any of us. Have no other preoccupation than to live in the depths of your souls what the Church has given you for your own good and for the good of all. Remember that my support and help will never fail you. I offer you my correction too, as I do to every community that feels it needs such a thing, but I am sure I will never need to give you any!

READING FRANCIS THROUGH BENEDICT!

Fr. Z kudos to the Archbishop of Ferrara-Comacchio!

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Benedict XVI, Brick by Brick, Fr. Z KUDOS, Francis, Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, Reading Francis Through Benedict, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM, The future and our choices | Tagged Archbp. Luigi Negri, Archd. Ferrara-Comacchio, Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM
53 Comments

“Come, God of the EAST. We invoke you and call you, Whirlwind, God of the birds that fly,…”

Posted on 29 May 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Meanwhile… What Does The Prayer REALLY Say?

Even while the looniness is subsiding, some pretty strange things are still going on out there.

Here is something just plain … strange… from the Augustinians, posted by the Chicago province. HERE

I promise… I am not making this up.

And, just to be clear:

– Permission is granted to download, duplicate and distribute this Prayer Service for World Environment Day for use as an aid to prayer. Please credit the Augustinian Secretariate for Justice and Peace and www.midwestaugustinians.org/justpaxworldenviropray.html. Include the words “Used with permission” if printed or otherwise published.

I want to give full credit where credit is due!

It’s a little long for a blog post, but let’s see the whole thing, lest in the dawning of pure embarassment the Augustinians remove it from their site. As I look at this, I don’t even know how to post about it…. it’s that weird. I’ll just let it stand without additional comments.

To help you with your reading experience, please click the play button:

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY Model 1

June 5

The U.N. General Assembly designated June 5 as World Environment Day, to deepen public awareness of the need to preserve and enhance the environment. That date was chosen because it was the opening of the U. N. Conference on the Human Environment, which led to the establishment of the U. N. Environment Program.

But wait! There’s more! Friends, you can’t make up stuff like this.

Call to Worship

All over the world the effects of the “El Niño” phenomenon have been felt: unseasonable and torrential rains, in unusual places; snow where there nas been none for many years; arduous drought, and more. Humanity suffers as a consequence: “It is believed that in this century 90 Amazonian tribes have disappeared.”

As true followers of Augustine, our concern should not be so much for the land, as if it were a goddess enraged because it is being exploited, as for humanity itself. Our ecological concern is an ethical concern, of justice and solidarity with those who suffer the consequences of these disasters.

The “El Niño” phenomenon is provoked by a lack of care in our relationships with Nature, which we offend relentlessly with our projects, with our residues, with our selfishness and drive for profits. Nature is at our service, because God gave it to us “to subjugate it,” but we should use it with respect and care because we have also been ordered “to care for it.”

It is our hope that this celebration might help us to discover that we should change anti-ecological habits, because if we do not respect Nature in all its forms, we will be offending one another.

•—

Leader: In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. All: Amen. Leader: May the Creator and Lord of the Earth and of Life itself be will all of you.

Prayer

All: Come, God of the NORTH, God of the Earth. We invoke you and call you. You bring us the stars, stones, high mountains and fields of grain. Send forth your strength. Be here now!

Come, God of the EAST. We invoke you and call you,
Whirlwind, God of the birds that fly, [I said I was going to post without comment, but FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! what about the penguins?!?] God of the rising sun, of all there is to know. Send forth your light. Be here now!

Come, God of the SOUTH, God of fire. We invoke you and call you. You bring us the warmth of summer. [THAT’S NORTHERNIST THINKING!]
Send us your fire. Be here with us now!

Come, God of the WEST, God of water. We invoke you and call you.
You bring us feelings of care and love. You bring us the cleansing rain, the rivers and the sea. Send forth your soothing love. Be here with us now!

Come, God of the center, Spirit of our hearts and our lives. We invoke you and call you. You bring us power, creativity and adventure. You bring us laughter and tears. You are our hope. It is you we long for. Send forth your Spirit. Be here now!

It’s rather …. beyond self-parody, isn’t it? Let’s go on!

First Reading: Genesis 1:1 – 2:4

Leader: We who have lost our sense and our senses – our touch, our smell, our vision of who we are; we who frantically force and press all things, without rest for body or spirit, hurting our earth and injuring ourselves: we call a halt.

We want to rest. We need to rest and allow the earth to rest. We need to reflect and to rediscover the mystery that lives in us, that is the ground of every unique expression of life, the source of fascination the calls all things to communion.

We declare a Sabbath, a space of quiet, for simply being and letting be, for recovering the great forgotten truths, for learning how to live again.

Litany

A Prayer of Sorrow
Reader 1: Our response will be: “We have forgotten who we are.” All: We have forgotten who we are.

Reader 1: We have forgotten who we are. We have alienated ourselves from the unfolding of the cosmos.
We have become estranged from the movements of the earth. We have turned our backs on the cycles of life. All: We have forgotten who we are.

Reader 2: We have sought only our own security. We have exploited simply for our own ends. We have distorted our knowledge. We have abused our power. All: We have forgotten who we are.

Reader 1: Now the land is barren. And the waters are poisoned. And the air is polluted. All: We have forgotten who we are.

Reader 2: Now the forests are dying. And the creatures are disappearing. And the humans are despairing. All: We have forgotten who we are.

Reader 1: We ask for forgiveness. We ask for the gift of remembering. We ask for the strength to change. All: Help us to remember who we are.

Commentary of St. Augustine

“This is what I love when I love my God. And what is this? I put my question to the earth and it replied, ‘I am not he.’ I questioned everything it held and they confessed the same. I questioned the sea and the great deep, and the teeming live creatures that crawl, and they replied, ‘We are not God; seek higher.’

“I questioned the gusty winds and every breeze, with all its flying creatures, told me, ‘Anaximenes was wrong; [OMG! And all this time….] I am not God.’ To the sky I put my question, to sun, moon and stars, but they denied me: ‘We are not the Go you seek.’

“And to all things that stood around the portals of my flesh, I said, ‘Tell me of my God. You are not he, but tell me something of him.’ Then they lifted up their voices and cries, ‘He made us.’ My questioning was my attentive spirit, and their reply, their beauty.” (–Confessions X, 6) !

Litany

Just keep reading. Really… this is a hoot. It’s rather like bad high school readers theatre.

A Prayer of Gratitude
Reader 1: Our response will be: We rejoice in all life. All: We rejoice in all life. Reader 1: We live in all things. All things live in us. All: We rejoice in all life. Reader 2: We live by the sun. We move with the stars. All: We rejoice in all life.

Reader 1: We eat from the earth. We drink from the rain. We breathe from the air. All: We rejoice in all life. Reader 2: We share with the creatures. We have strength through their gifts. All: We rejoice in all life.
Reader 1: We depend on the forests. We have knowledge through their secrets. All: We rejoice in all life.

Reader 2: We have the privilege of seeing and understanding. We have the responsibility of caring. We have the joy of celebrating. All: We rejoice in all life.

Reader 1: We are full of the grace of creation. We are grace-ful. We are grateful. We rejoice in all life. All: We rejoice in all life.

Leader: Blessing

That, dear readers, is what’s up with the Augustinians.

Doesn’t that make you want to join up?

This is where the Novus Ordo takes us when great vigilance is neglected.

By the way… what I posted above is only MODEL 1! There are also model 2 and model 3!

Model 2 begins thusly:

Opening Song

Leader: In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. All: Amen. Leader: May the Creator and Lord of the Earth and of Life itself be with all of you.

Pardon [Needed: A world globe, a spray can, a small battery, a chunk of charcoal] Leader: We seek forgiveness as we bring forth symbols that we place around the globe.

Really. It does.

Posted in Blatteroons, Liberals, Lighter fare, Throwing a Nutty, You must be joking! | Tagged Augustinians, Chicago, environmentalism
88 Comments

Pope Francis shoots down bishops who want Summorum Pontificum overturned

Posted on 29 May 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Recently there was a news item about some Italian bishops griping (that’s not news) to Pope Francis (ditto) about Summorum Pontificum (as before). They think it should be extirpated (more of the same). Francis shot them down. That’s news.

I am having days filled with museums at the moment, and therefore living on my computer is low on my list. However, my friend Fr. Tim Finigan, His Hermeneuticalness, has the low down. Let’s see what clever analysis he offers (my emphases and comments):

The Bishops of the region of Tavoliere met recently with Pope Francis on an ad limina visit. On their return home, one has given a fascinating glimpse of the attitude of Pope Francis to those who are seeking to use the opportunity of his papacy to attack the traditional Mass. This is reported in the Italian paper Il Foglio, in the article: La messa antica non si tocca, il Papa gesuita spiazza ancora tutti (“The old mass is not to be touched, the Jesuit Pope wrong-foots everyone” [spiazza… floors, shocks])

Here is [Fr Finigan’s] translation of the relevant part of the article which tells of other bishops raising concerns with the Holy Father and goes on to speak of the intervention concerning the old Mass:

Then it was the turn of the bishop of Conversano and Monopoli, Domenico Padovano, who recounted to the clergy of his diocese how the priority [what a sad group of men] of the bishops of the region of Tavoliere had been that of explaining to the Pope that the mass in the old rite was creating great divisions within the Church. The underlying message: Summorum Pontificum should be cancelled, or at least strongly limited. But Francis said no.

Mgr Padovano explained that Francis replied to them saying that they should be vigilant over the extremism of certain traditionalist groups but also suggesting that they should treasure tradition and create the necessary conditions so that tradition might be able to live alongside innovation. [Right. And we could even have a document that says that! It could be called… how ’bout… Ecclesia Dei adflicta? In it the Pope could command by his Apostolic authority that bishops do that.]
This is not really a surprise (did anyone expect that Pope Francis would somehow “repeal” Summorum Pontificum? [Apparently those bishops did.]) but it is a welcome confirmation of what we would all expect.

One thing that jumps out of the story is that the bishops of this region judged that their main pastoral priority – to be communicated to the Pope on a five-yearly visit – was to attack Summorum Pontificum. [“priority”] Forget abortion, embryo experimentation, the push for same-sex marriage throughout Europe, the loss of faith of many Catholics and our failure in catechesis and evangelisation. No, the really big problem is a small number of priests legitimately saying the old Mass. [small but growing, especially as the Biological Solution kicks into gear] Given what Pope Francis has said about the danger of being a self-referential Church, I can well imagine he gave them short shrift. [Good insight.]

Those bishops fell into the trap of pitting Pope Francis against Pope Benedict.

Francis himself gave us an example of READING FRANCIS THROUGH BENEDICT.

I will now repeat what I wrote after the election of Pope Francis, addressed to those who were unsure about how to proceed giving the new Pope’s different (outward) style.

The tank has only one gear.

If you are feeling down and don’t know what to do, if you are discouraged because Pope Francis is doing different things, remember that Pope Benedict left juridical provisions.

If you don’t know what to do…

… take the training wheels off and RIDE THE DAMN BIKE.

Get something going. Now is not the time to hesitate. Press forward.

Posted in Benedict XVI, Brick by Brick, Francis, Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, Our Catholic Identity, Reading Francis Through Benedict, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM, Throwing a Nutty | Tagged Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM, Tavoliere
31 Comments

QUAERITUR: Should I serve at the altar if I don’t want to be a priest?

Posted on 28 May 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

I have been an altar server for several years. However, after a
slowdown two years ago, I have figured out that priestly ordination is
probably not for me. Occasionally, I still serve at an Eastern
Catholic parish, whose pastor likes when I am able to do it. However,
I question if I should really be doing something priestly if it is not
(likely) my vocation?

Sure. I don’t see any reason to stop serving at Holy Mass.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged Altar servers, priesthood, vocation
48 Comments

QUAERITUR: American patriotic stuff in church

Posted on 28 May 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

Is it permissible to recite the pledge of allegiance at Mass before
the final blessing and then omit the final blessing? Is it permissible
to display the American flag on the main altar during Mass?

Omit the final blessing? NO! Not unless there is a liturgical reason to do so.

But to have the Pledge at that point? Before the blessing? That’s out of place. After Mass would be okay. In the past I have after Mass willingly lead people in a recitation of Archbishop Carroll’s prayer for public figures. When I am in England I have after Mass happily lead a prayer for the Queen.

I believe there is no law for the universal Church that governs the placement of flags in church. Diocesan bishops could issues particular rules for their dioceses. However, if memory serves, flags in the sanctuary itself are discouraged.