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{]:¬)

NYC 1-3 Feb – a great Forty Hours, and an item for art lovers – Brumidi!

Posted on 28 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

My trip to the nation’s Capitol has the painter Brumidi fresh in my mind.

Here is some great news sent from a friend in New York City about more work by Brumidi together with a sacred event everyone in the area of Manhattan will want to take in.

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The Church of the Holy Innocents in Manhattan will celebrate the restoration of its monumental Mural of the Crucifixion by Constantino Brumidi with the first traditional Forty Hours’ Devotion in the Archdiocese of New York since the Second Vatican Council.

The Forty Hours Devotion will take place over the first weekend of February and conclude with a Pontifical Mass at the Faldstool on Sunday, February 3rd at 10 AM coram sanctissimo (in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament). There will be sign-up sheets at the back of the Church of the Holy Innocents for those who would like to commit to adoring the Blessed Sacrament in the Church during the periods of Exposition.

The Forty Hours Devotion begins on the First Friday of February, February 1st, at 6:00 PM with a Solemn Votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament (in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite). This Mass concludes with the Exposition and Procession of the Blessed Sacrament. The First Friday All Night Vigil begins after this Mass and will continue until 4:00 AM.

The Forty Hours continues on the First Saturday of February, February 2nd, at 1:00 PM with a Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Candlemas (in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite). This Mass will include the blessing of candles and procession.

At 4 PM there will also be a Pontifical Mass (in the ordinary form of the Roman Rite, versus populum and in English) for the Solemnity of the Dedication of the Church celebrated by His Excellency Dominick Lagonegro, Auxiliary Bishop of New York at which he will bless the restored Mural.

The Forty Hours Devotion concludes on the First Sunday of February, February 3rd, at 10:00 AM with a Solemn Pontifical Mass at the Faldstool coram sanctissimo for the Feast of the Dedication of the Church celebrated by His Excellency, James C. Timlin, Bishop Emeritus of Scranton. This Mass concludes with the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Reposition.

Posted in Just Too Cool, The Campus Telephone Pole | Tagged Constantino Brumidi, Forty Hours, Holy Innocents, Manhattan
12 Comments

Tulsa Day 1

Posted on 27 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I am in Tulsa! There is a conference for priests on exorcism sponsored by the Diocese and Bp. Slattery which I have wanted to attend for the last three years.

The evening began, however, with sung (Novus Ordo) vespers in the cathedral, with Bp. Slattery.

Lovely building, not large but warm.

Nearby there is a magnificent large church, Methodist?, art deco!

R and R with some priests.

I am now officially exhausted.

Tomorrow the conference begins, but we had some good discussions tonight during supper and I learned a few useful things. This should be a helpful few days.

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged Bp. Slattery, D. Tulsa, exorcism, exorcists
22 Comments

Fishwrap’s Kennedy wrong about Flannery’s heresy.

Posted on 27 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Over at the Fishwrap, the National Schismatic Reporter (the paper of record for heretics which has hijacked the name “Catholic”), failed-priest Eugene Cullen Kennedy wrote a thought – not a very good thought – about the Irish heretic Fr. Flannery, who is being corrected by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Thus, Eugene Cullen Kennedy, defending Flannery, in a piece entitled “Fr. Flannery’s grasp of theology better than that of his silencers“:

“Consider just two of those that Flannery is being forced to sign off on if he wants to continue his work: Christ’s having established the church in hierarchical form and the assertion, employed constantly by bishops to legitimate their authority, that they are the direct descendants of the apostles.

“If anything, Christ called together a college of apostles, and the collegiality to which Vatican II returned is a far better image than the hierarchical form that was adopted from the hierarchical cosmological view of the universe and expressed in secular kingdoms, including the Roman Empire, whose provinces and proconsuls provided the model for laying out the governance of the church.”

The problem with these agèd hippies is that they don’t read the documents.

Shall we now look together at what the Vatican II really said?

Turn to the principal document of Kennedy’s much-vaunted Second Vatican Council, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen gentium:

19. The Lord Jesus, after praying to the Father, calling to Himself those whom He desired, appointed twelve to be with Him, and whom He would send to preach the Kingdom of God; and these apostles He formed after the manner of a college or a stable group, over which He placed Peter chosen from among them. …

20. That divine mission, entrusted by Christ to the apostles, will last until the end of the world, since the Gospel they are to teach is for all time the source of all life for the Church. And for this reason the apostles, appointed as rulers in this society, took care to appoint successors.

For they not only had helpers in their ministry, but also, in order that the mission assigned to them might continue after their death, they passed on to their immediate cooperators, as it were, in the form of a testament, the duty of confirming and finishing the work begun by themselves, recommending to them that they attend to the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit placed them to shepherd the Church of God. They therefore appointed such men, and gave them the order that, when they should have died, other approved men would take up their ministry. Among those various ministries which, according to tradition, were exercised in the Church from the earliest times, the chief place belongs to the office of those who, appointed to the episcopate, by a succession running from the beginning, are passers-on of the apostolic seed. Thus, as St. Irenaeus testifies, through those who were appointed bishops by the apostles, and through their successors down in our own time, the apostolic tradition is manifested and preserved.

22. Just as in the Gospel, the Lord so disposing, St. Peter and the other apostles constitute one apostolic college, so in a similar way the Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are joined together. […] But the college or body of bishops has no authority unless it is understood together with the Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter as its head. The pope’s power of primacy over all, both pastors and faithful, remains whole and intact. In virtue of his office, that is as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme and universal power over the Church. And he is always free to exercise this power. The order of bishops, which succeeds to the college of apostles and gives this apostolic body continued existence, is also the subject of supreme and full power over the universal Church, provided we understand this body together with its head the Roman Pontiff and never without this head. This power can be exercised only with the consent of the Roman Pontiff.

That’s what Vatican II really says, my friends.

Kennedy doesn’t have a clue. To get one, he could start by reading Lumen gentium.

Posted in Blatteroons, Liberals, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, Throwing a Nutty, Vatican II | Tagged Eugene Kennedy, Fishwrap, heirarchy, LG 19, Lumen gentium, National Catholic Reporter, National Schismatic Reporter
27 Comments

Changes in the Roman Curia affecting catechesis and seminaries

Posted on 26 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I was busy yesterday and missed this at News.va. The Holy Father changed the “competence” of some dicasteries of the Roman Curia.

He moved responsibility for Catechesis from the Congregation for the Clergy to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization by means of a Motu Proprio called Fides per doctrinam. He also moved governance of seminaries from Congregation for Catholic Education to the Congregation for the Clergy by means of a Motu Proprio Ministrorum institutio.

Posted in Benedict XVI, New Evangelization, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged Benedict XVI, catechesis, Cong. Catholic Education, Cong. Clergy, Fides per doctrinam, Ministrorum institutio, Roman Curia, seminaries
56 Comments

My View For A While

Posted on 26 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The March For Life was a great experience. I will seriously consider doing it again next year.

At the airport I was able to enjoy for the first time the fruits of TSA Pre-check, which made security seem almost like the good ol’ days.

The plane is full of people heading back to the Midwest, and even my native place, after the March.

Lunch, to the accompaniment of the Goldberg Variations, for reasons some might pick up. No Dean and Deluca alas, or left overs.

Tomorrow, Tulsa and a conference on exorcism.

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to |
14 Comments

One priest’s tips for a better celebration of Holy Mass

Posted on 26 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

At the site of the UK’s best Catholic weekly, The Catholic Herald, there is an interesting piece by a priest who gives tips for a better celebration of Holy Mass, am improved ars celebrandi. There are tips for the priest and for congregation.

Let’s see what you think about them.

• Start the Mass on time. If it says six o’clock, then let it be six o’clock, not five past or seven past.
• The priest should turn up in good time. Seeing a flustered looking chap rush in at one minute to does not help. After all, Mass is important, and for important events we always turn up in good time, don’t we? Besides, ones needs to prepare.
• Wear a chasuble, and make sure it is the correct colour.
• When you preach, it really is not a good idea to go on too long. And to help you keep within a reasonable time frame it is a good idea to plan the sermon. Less really is more when it comes to saying things: say it concisely and people may get what you are saying; say it in a prolix manner and your meaning may well get lost in the verbiage.
• The same goes for bidding prayers. Short and sharp. And do we need them in the week? I doubt it.
• Do not leave bits of the Mass out. The Opening Prayer, the Creed, the second reading – why do these sometimes fall by the wayside? There can be no good reason for this.
• Do not ad lib, and especially do not as lib during the Eucharistic Prayer. The people surely want to hear the words of the Church not the words of Father Joe (or whatever he is called).
• When celebrating Mass, look at God, not at the people, especially not at the strangers in Church (you never know, one of them might be a spy from the Catholic Herald.)

All of the above applies to the celebrant, but there are some points that ought to be recognised by the faithful.

• Don’t answer your mobile in Church. And when you do, which you should not, do not converse in a loud voice on the said phone, especially during the Eucharistic Prayer. In fact, just switch the thing off.
• Arrive on time.
• Yes, you have lots of important things to discuss with your neighbour, but surely they can wait twenty minutes? After Mass, you can talk to your heart’s content. During Mass, talk to God. Silently.
• Leave your shopping alone. No need to rustle through the contents of that bag at all.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged ars celebrandi, The Catholic Herald, tips
38 Comments

“Zero Question” – NCReporter’s use of “Catholic” in title is canonically illicit.

Posted on 26 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

“Finn was too kind to them.”

That is Prof. Ed Peters, canonist over at his fine blog, In The Light Of The Law.

Peters has written about the Bp. Robert Finn’s column about the National catholic Fishwrap… Reporter. Bp. Finn, bishop of the place where the Fishwrap is headquartered, has finally called them out. In effect NCR is not a Catholic paper or web source.

Thus, Peters…

Recognizing the National Catholic Reporter for what it is (actually, for what it isn’t)

Bp. Robert Finn (KC, MO) has a very good column on a local bishop’s responsibility over local media in regard to the promotion and protection of the Catholic Faith. [I wrote on that HERE] Most folks, however, will likely skim the first part of the essay, and go right for Finn’s critique of the National Catholic Reporter in the second.

In my opinion, Finn was too kind to them.

NCRep has carried on a steady tirade against ecclesiastical authority in general, and against numerous Church teachings in particular, for several decades, but the last few years have seen a shrillness that should discomfort even its dwindling number of friends. Besides my own efforts to reply to them (e.g., July 2010, October 2009, March 2009) Fr. Z’s blog has long served as a clearing house for reasonable, Catholic responses to the NCRep (what a thankless task that is). [You are welcome.] I won’t try to summarize his efforts here, but I will recall my own experiences of the unprofessionalism of the NCRep (March 2011, January 2011) and wonder again whether its one-time editor Joe Feuerherd ever retracted his 2008 “bishops be damned” screed in the Washington Post. If he did, I missed it.

Finn’s remarks re the NCRep focus on their use of the name “Catholic” in their title and it is here that he goes too gently, I think, against their continued use of that title. Finn writes: In light of the number of recent expressions of concern, I have a responsibility as the local bishop to instruct the Faithful about the problematic nature of this media source which bears the name “Catholic.” While I remain open to substantive and respectful discussion with the legitimate representatives of NCR, I find that my ability to influence the National Catholic Reporter toward fidelity to the Church seems limited to the supernatural level.”

First, I would have expressly argued that NCRep’s use of the word “Catholic” in their title is canonically illicit per Canons 216 and 300. There is simply zero question about this assertion, for they “claim the name Catholic without the consent of the competent ecclesiastical authority.” Second, once one is shown to be acting illegally under canon law, a number of canonical responses to illicit activity come into play including precepts, the invocation of penal law, and certain sacramental consequences for organizational leadership. Not to mention, of course, those supernatural tools that a prayerful bishop thinks of first in times of trial. Thus, my opinion that Finn is being too kind; at the very least, there are more arrows in his quiver than a quick read of his essay lets on.

Anyone who follows American Catholic media issues knows that, over the years, some other groups using the name “Catholic” for their operations—groups with, frankly, a better claim to be Catholic than the NCRep could ever assert—have dropped that name when asked or directed to do so by ecclesiastical authority. Such actions speak directly to and well of their sensus Ecclesiae. [A good example is that of Michael Voris’s initiative. The changed their name after a dustup with the Archd. of Detroit. Say what you will about that dustup, but in the end Voris and company followed authority. Fishwrap reviles authority.]

The most notorious and neuralgic refusal to comply, however, remains that of the National Catholic Reporter.

I’m all for the “consequences” phase now. Forget the dialogue.

The New Evangelization also requires a sweeping of the floors.

Prof. Peters does not have an open combox. I bet I know why!

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, 1983 CIC can. 915, Brick by Brick, Liberals, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, The future and our choices, Year of Faith | Tagged Bp. Finn, can. 216, can. 300, D. Kansas City-St. Joseph, Ed Peters, Fishwrap, National Catholic Reporter
26 Comments

FOLLOW UP -March for Life: Where was NCR? LCWR? Nuns on Bus? CHA?

Posted on 26 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I am looking for March for Life photos of the banners and contingents from the Fishwrap (National catholic Reporter), the Catholic Health Association, the Nuns on the Bus, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

Anyone? Photos?

Posted in Emanations from Penumbras, Liberals | Tagged March for Life
30 Comments

Washington DC Day 3 – The March for Life

Posted on 25 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Friday begins with Mass at Old St Mary’s in the Usus Antiquior in honor of Nellie Gray.

Confessions are being heard during Mass, which is always nice to see.

It is also great to see young people with March for Life gear in the pews, the young ladies with chapel veils.

It is the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul.

Try to convert again today.

UPDATE

With my friend Fr Pasley!

Sen Rand Paul say our country needs spiritual cleansing.

UPDATE

Benedict XVI sent a tweet

A parish with a TLM!

With Tom Peters who is promoting March for Marriage!

With Archbp Nienstedt

I have been instructed to glare as we pass the Supreme Court!

UPDATE

PONTIFICAL MASS

I was stuck I traffic in a cab with the world’s least aggressive driver, so I didn’t make it to the choir in time.
But, hey!

Chant is a little eccentric, but not bad.

UPDATE:

The blognic is on. Alas people are scattered around the place and are almost constrained to sit, but there are about 40 people right now. Coming and going.

UPDATE:

I am finally back in my room after a loooong and rich day.

A great experience, wonderful people, the best cause.

Posted in Emanations from Penumbras, On the road, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged March for Life, pro-life
55 Comments

Bp. Finn calls out the National Catholic Reporter

Posted on 24 January 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The National Catholic Reporter (aka Fishwrap) conspired with others who are openly hostile to the Catholic Church to intimidate His Excellency Most Rev. Robert Finn into silence.

The fact is, the NCR is not a “Catholic” paper or news source. That was established years ago. But clearly NCR has worked incessantly to find every negative thing possible about Bp. Finn, and the tell it over and over again, in a way even Goebbels would admire, so that were Bp. Finn ever to exercise his office as bishop of the place where NCR is published, they could accuse him of retribution.

Talk about deflection of the most sinister kind.

In the newest edition of the diocesan paper of the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph, Bp. Finn’s diocese, the bishop has an interesting column in which he calls out the NCR.

The paper has been released, though as I write this is not on the diocesan website yet.

Bishop Finn wrote a column entitled

The Bishop’s Role in Fostering the Mission of the Catholic Media.

He cites canon law and explains it and talks about the diocesan paper.

Then he writes:

[…]

In a different way, I am sorry to say, my attention has been drawn once again to the National Catholic Reporter, a newspaper with headquarters in this Diocese. I have received letters and other complaints about NCR from the beginning of my time here. In the last months I have been deluged with emails and other correspondence from Catholics concerned about the editorial stances of the Reporter officially condemning Church teaching on the ordination of women, insistent undermining of Church teaching on artificial contraception and sexual morality in general, lionizing dissident theologies while rejecting establised Magisterial teaching, and a litany of other issues.

My predecessor bishops have taken different approches to the challenge. Bishop Charles Helmsing in October of 1968 issued a condemnation of the National Catholic Reporter and asked the publishers to remove the name “Catholic” from their title – to no avail. From my perspective, NCR’s positions against authentic Church teaching and leadership have not changed trajectory in the intervening decades.

When early in my tenure I requested that the paper submit their bona fides as a Catholic media outlet in accord with the expectations of Church law, they declined to participate indicating that they considered themselves and “independent newspaper which commented on ‘things Catholic.'” At other times, correspondence has seemed to reach a dead end.

In light of the number of recent expressions of concern, I have a responsibility as the local bishop to instruct the Faithful about the problematic nature of this media source which bears the name “Catholic.” While I remain open to substantive and respectful discussion with the legitimate representatives of NCR, I find that my ability to influence the National Catholic Reporter toward fidelity to the Church seems limited to the supernatural level. For this we pray: St. Francis DeSales, intercede for us.