Safe in New Jersey… sort of…

Posted on 12 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I am at Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, NJ.

This stay is going to be interesting!

First, I am here to do some of the heavy lifting (things that involve talking) for the great Fr. Pasley. He is recovering from surgery on his throat and cannot talk for more than a few minutes a day.

Second, the snowfalls in the area have caused one of the roofs in the rectory literally to cave in. There are going to be some serious things going on. I hear there are also cracks in the church hall. They have got to get some snow off the roofs! Maybe we should have the blognic here and every one can bring a shovel.

Third, I am recuping from a bit of a broken toe. So, I am moving a little slowly.

Fourth, this is my broadband right now:

broadband speed test

It is supposed run to somewhere near 54mbps

My quixotic iPhone is faster right now!

Therefore, to whom shall we pray for increased speed… fast? St. Expeditus?

UPDATE:

On the way to supper… pot hole… trench… flat.

UPDATE:

The heat is out in church, and we can’t figure out why.

Posted in Mail from priests, Sermons |
22 Comments

Preaching to the converted, rather than preaching to convert.

Posted on 11 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

My good friend Fr. Ray Blake, the great P.P. of St. Mary Magdalen in Brighton, has a good post:

Mysogynistic, Homophobic, Fascist, Racist and Xenophobic

I find it quite frightening on how badly prepared the Church in England and Wales is to combat secularism and opposition to the Church’s teaching. We give the impression that we don’t really care.

This weekend there will be a demonstration against the Papal visit outside Westminster Cathedral followed by a rally outside the Italian embassy, presumably in the hope of attracting the attention of the Italian media, amongst the speakers will be Peter Tatchell, it advertises itself as:

    We support:
    · Women’s equality and reproductive rights
    · Equal rights for LGBT people
    · A secular Europe – immune to the Vatican’s agenda
    · One law for all, no religious exemptions from the law
    · State neutrality in matters of religion and belief
    We oppose:
    · European Union collusion with religion (Lisbon Treaty Article 16c)
    · The special status of the Vatican in the United Nations
    · State-funded faith schools
    · The economic privilege and political influence of the Vatican in Italy
    · Taxpayers funding the Pope’s State Visit to the UK this September
    · Misogyny, homophobia, fascism, racism and xenophobia

The problem is, I suspect most people in our congregation might actually agree or be unable to argue coherently against these assertions. Those Catholics not attending Sunday Mass, especiallly the young, are easy prey for the presentation of the Church as mysogynistic, homophobic, fascist, racist and xenophobic.

The very fact that our schools, our Catholic charities, our bishops, our clergy, our leading thinkers, our journalists, etc do not oppose this kind of appalling presentation of our faith might suggest that most of them believe that it is true.

Every agency of the Church needs to direct its efforts to communicating our Catholic vision of humanity. Too often we merely preach to the converted, rather than preaching to convert.

Let’s stop being so Churchy and look out, start training applogists, public speakers, people who can write about the faith.

 

Go give Fr. Blake some WDTPRS kudos.

Posted in Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices | Tagged ,
22 Comments

Confession by confession in NJ

Posted on 11 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Are there special Lenten programs for penance in your dioceses or parishes?

From a reader:

FYI, the Diocese of Paterson (NJ) is for the second year offering confessions at every parish on Monday’s throughout Lent.
Here is the link to the website with further information should we wish to read more.

http://www.welcomehometohealing.org/

It is promoted with billboards throughout the area.

Posted in Brick by Brick | Tagged , ,
15 Comments

SUPER IMPORTANT DISCOVERY NEWS ALERT

Posted on 11 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

With a tip of the tricorno to the Pertinacious Papist

o{];¬)

I bring you this very important news story:

[flv]10_02_11_CNN_whiskey.flv[/flv]

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged ,
12 Comments

Obama Admin’s Dept of Homeland Sec. investigated pro-lifers

Posted on 10 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

CNA has this with my emphases and comments.

Homeland Security assessed threat of pro-life rally in Wisconsin

Madison, Wis., Feb 10, 2010 / 07:33 pm (CNA).- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security conducted a “threat assessment” of a pro-life and pro-abortion activists [both] before a planned Wisconsin rally last year, yet later admitted that the groups in no way threatened national security.

Although the DHS has since destroyed its copies of the assessment, a local Wisconsin pro-life leader is criticizing the DHS effort as “an attempt by the Obama administration to silence pro-lifers.”

More of that story there.

Posted in Emanations from Penumbras | Tagged
6 Comments

Lyrics for “Aging Hippie Paradise”

Posted on 10 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Several readers asked for the lyrics to the hit song "Aging Hippie Paradise" sung by the liturgical rapper ZUHLIO.

I have updated the original entry…. FYI.

Posted in Linking Back | Tagged
Comments Off on Lyrics for “Aging Hippie Paradise”

Understanding what really happened to Church music: a glimpse

Posted on 10 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Liberals want to control the history, the narrative, of what happened during and around the Second Vatican Council.   They have had an iron grip on that narrative for years.

In recent times, even before the election of Pope Benedict, the liberal grip on that narrative started to slip.  A more accurate picture is beginning to emerge from out the cone of silence in which liberal elitists had imprisoned it for decades.

A great deal of correction is needed for what happened in the realm of sacred music. 

To that end, my friend Jeffrey Tucker of Music Sacra, who took over as one of the editors of the journal Sacred Music (once edited by my pastor and friend the late Msgr. Richard Schuler), has posted an entry on NLM about the founding of the Consociatio Internationalis Musicae Sacrae.  

Go have a look at Mr. Tucker’s work.

 

Posted in The Drill | Tagged , , ,
8 Comments

Biretta sighting

Posted on 10 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Thanks to my friend Fr. Robert Johansen of Thrown Back we know what clerics are up to at the Liturgical Institute near Chicago:

This is what you may receive from us at the mention of liturgical dance:

Posted in Lighter fare, Mail from priests | Tagged
29 Comments

QUAERITUR: Triduum – 1 priest with 2 parishes

Posted on 10 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a priest reader:

I have recently been appointed Parish Priest (Pastor) of what are at present two canonical parishes. (The two parishes will eventually amalgamate to form one new parish with 2 churches).  As the season of Lent approaches my mind is moving forward to the celebration of the Easter Triduum. 
 
Obviously I cannot celebrate the entire Triduum in both parishes.  I am currently thinking of celebrating Holy Thursday and Good Friday in one parish and the Easter vigil in the other and then alternating the following year.  At the Easter Vigil I would bless 2 paschal candles but only light the second at the end of the Mass to carry it out in procession ready for use in the other church the next day.
 
I would be interested to hear your views and that of your readership about my proposed idea.

Any thoughts?

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged ,
23 Comments

Bishop by bishop

Posted on 10 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Here is something quite interesting for your Brick By Brick file.

I picked up from the intrepid Andrea Tornielli that Una Voce Malaga has been doing some arithmetic.

Apparently, world wide, since summorum Pontificum went into effect some 138 cardinals or bishops have been celebrant for or presided at Holy Mass or Vespers in the older, traditional form of the Roman Rite.

 

Il sito spagnolo di Una Voce Malaga, rilanciato a sua volta dal blog Messa in latino, ha stilato un puntuale elenco con i nomi – divisi per Paesi – dei cardinali e dei vescovi che hanno celebrato o assistito alla forma “straordinaria” della messa secondo il messale romano antico (o comunque di vespri solenni secondo l’antica forma) dopo la liberalizzazione stabilita da Benedetto XVI con il motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. Questi i dati: Germania 3, Argentina 3, Australia 6, Belgio 1, Brasile 4, Canada 6, Cile 2, Cina 1, Colombia 1, Danimarca 1, Filippine 3, Francia 17, Gabon 2, Italia 15, Irlanda 2, Kazakhstan 1, Liechtenstein 1, Monaco 1, Nigeria 2, Nuova Zelanda 1, Polonia 7, Regno Unito 9, Repubblica Ceca 1, Spagna 4, Sri Lanka 1, Svizzera, 2, Ungheria 2, Usa 33.  Dei 138 ben 20 sono cardinali, 4 spagnoli, 4 americani e 4 italiani (Antonelli, Piovanelli, Poggi e Scola). I vescovi italiani sono 11. Guardando a questi risultati si potrebbe dire che è ancora molto poco. Ma credo che lo sguardo più giusto sia quello del lungo periodo: è cominciato – nonostante le difficoltà, le tensioni, i dinieghi anche clamorosi, le polemiche mediatiche, le rigidità e le rivendicazioni – un processo positivo, nella linea voluta da Benedetto XVI, quella della riconciliazione e dell’arricchimento reciproco fra i fedeli che seguono la messa nelle due forme ora previste del Rito romano. E’ un segno, ancora piccolo ma incoraggiante, dei frutti che sta portando il modo di governare di Papa Benedetto: quello dell’esempio, dei piccoli passi, di “riforme” che per essere tali devono partire anche dal basso e non possono venire soltanto imposte dall’alto.

 

Bishop by bishop, folks! 

 

Posted in Brick by Brick, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM |
26 Comments