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{]:¬)

REVIEW: CTS DAILY MISSAL – People’s Edition

Posted on 19 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The nice people at Catholic Truth Society in England sent me their new People’s Edition of the Roman Missal for DAILY use. The have a Sunday Edition which I wrote about HERE.

Buy here: USA link and UK link. Remember, this volume is for use in ENGLAND, WALES, IRELAND, and SCOTLAND. The daily Mass goer could in the USA use this, mutatis mutandis.

The new daily hand missal is the blue one, on the right. The red book is the Sunday Missal. The black book is the hand missal for the Extraordinary Form by Baronius Press.

The new daily missal is a brick. It is a nice brick, but it is a brick (1233 g or 2.12 lbs).

It could hardly be anything other than a substantial book after the Novus Ordo innovation of a three-year Sunday cycle and two-year week-day cycle.

Big? Yes. However, as a commentator added, below, it has all the “order of Mass, the ordinary, all the proper prayers and prefaces — that is, everything but the daily and Sunday scripture readings — in parallel Latin and English. It is the only new OF hand missal, so far as I know, for which this can be said.”

That said, a daily Mass goer won’t mind the extra weight. Pick up your CTS…

The binding is slightly textured (the daily, red, book is smooth).

I will refer you to may last review when it comes to the internal pages, but here is a reminder.

The paper is that fine “bible” paper, very thin but strong.

There are plenty of ribbons, for your convenience.

In the front of the missal there is a catechetical piece about the Eucharist from Sacrosanctum Concilium, and from Pope Benedict XVI’s Sacramentum caritatis, and his Verbum Domini.

The Table of Liturgical Celebrations goes to 2039.

In the back there is a section of Prayers and Devotions, including Stations of the Cross by John Henry Newman.

For the daily Mass participant who wants to follow on the page all that is being said in the sanctuary, this book will do the trick.

Posted in Brick by Brick, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, REVIEWS | Tagged Catholic Truth Society, CTS, Daily Missal, hand missal
13 Comments

Have some good news?

Posted on 19 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Hearing about the good news other people have can lift everyone’s spirits.

Have some good news?

While you are ponder that…

… please refresh your supply of …

If you haven’t tried it yet, try the Monk’s Four Favorites.

And a grinder.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
38 Comments

Card. Dolan on Religious Freedom and Protecting Healthcare for Women and Children

Posted on 19 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

FAVOR ASKED BELOW.

Supporters of the Obama Adminstration in a campaign of deceptive rhetoric are trying to tar the Church as being “political” whenever the bishops teach about matters of morals or raise their voices in the public square concerning any social issue. When the bishops raise their voices on social issues in the public square they do so not only on the basis and background of our faith, but rather of reason and the natural law. Liberals, the truly political left, however, paints what the Church holds by faith and reason as “policies”, implying that the Church’s pastors are being political when they teach on any issue which is also a social issue. They are also suggesting that political pressure must be brought against the Church so that the bishops will change their “policies” or shut up.

A case in point is found in the lies told in the liberal media about the Church and healthcare and women.

A nice antidote to comes from a concrete example in (President of the USCCB) His Eminence Timothy Card. Dolan’s blog (my emphases):

Religious Freedom and Protecting Healthcare for Women and Children

[…]

[I]f you want to see creative, daring, lifegiving healthcare for women and their children, look at what the Church is doing.

And now understand why Catholics rightly bristle when politicians and commentators characterize the Church as backwards and insensitive when it comes to women’s health. Yes, the PR experts advise them that this tactic is a proven ploy to take the attention off the current urgent issue of religious freedom. The marketers advise them that, if they can reduce the issue to one of contraception, stereotyping the Church as opposed to women’s rights, they have a chance of clouding the towering issue of the First Freedom.

But the Church should not be the ones on the defensive here. We’re on the offensive when it comes to women’s health, education, and welfare, here at home, and throughout the world. We hardly need lectures on this issue from senators.

We just want to be left alone to live out the imperatives of our faith to serve, teach, heal, feed, and care for others. We cherish this, our earthly home, America, for its enshrined freedom to do so. Those really concerned about women’s health would be better off defending the Church’s freedom to continue its work.

A couple of years ago I visited a woman’s prison. The warden asked me if I wanted to visit the expectant and new mothers’ healthcare center. It then dawned on me that, of course, some women would enter prison pregnant. I was so happy to see the expectant moms, getting good health care for themselves and their unborn babies, and to see the moms with babies under two getting classes in childrearing and parenting skills, with the babies receiving tender care right next to their moms. When I told the warden how grateful I was to see such excellent care for these women and children, he replied, “Thank yourself. Catholic Charities runs it.”

Case closed . . .

WDTPRS kudos to Card. Dolan. Do me a favor: Go spike Card. Dolan’s stats at his blog (CLICK HERE) and encourage him! Tell him Fr. Z sent you!

If half of you go and leave a nice note and promise of prayers, I’ll bet he would be very encouraged. He has a combox. It’ll take … what… 30 seconds?

Posted in Dogs and Fleas, Fr. Z KUDOS, Religious Liberty | Tagged 1st Amendment, 2012, Card. Dolan, Catholic Charities, First Freedom, health care, HHS, Pres. Obama, religious liberty
15 Comments

Your Sunday Sermon Notes

Posted on 19 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Was there a really good point in the Sunday Sermon you heard which you can share with us?

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
19 Comments

Musing on canonical consequences for participation in same-sex “weddings”

Posted on 19 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From the Canonical Defender comes this:

Possible canonical consequences for participation in ‘same-sex weddings’

March 19, 2012

British Catholic blogger Damien Thompson recently remarked “For Roman Catholics the prospect [of Britain legalizing same-sex marriage] is a very bleak one. Even if a liberal priest wanted to do the honours, he’d incur automatic excommunication and be out of a job. The ‘wedding’ would be a parody of the sacrament. So a legal ban would save a lot of awkwardness.” Of course, there is no such thing as ‘same-sex marriage’ and civil law should not pretend that there is. But that’s not what I respond to here. My focus is on canon law.

As canon law reads right now, officiating at a ‘same-sex wedding’ does not result in latae sententiae excommunication. Green, “Table 1”, in CLSA Comm (1985) at 932. To the extent, however, that such action on a cleric’s part might constitute, say, “abuse of ecclesiastical power or function”—and I think that such an act would constitute abuse of Church office—he might well face punishment “according to the gravity of the act” and even loss of office. Canon 1389. Whether that punishment could, in turn, in the face of, say, clerical recalcitrance or repeat offenses, lay the foundations for later excommunication (Canons 1393, 1399, and/or by particular legislation under Canon 1315) remains to be seen.

Individual Catholics attempting such marriages seem generally susceptible to a “just penalty” for simulation of a sacrament under Canon 1379.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged can. 1379, homosexuals, same-sex marriage
13 Comments

Rather like how I feel when looking at my “to do” list

Posted on 19 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From Savage Chickens:

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged to-do list, work
6 Comments

QUAERITUR: Flowers and unveiling Mary’s statue on Annunciation, during Passiontide.

Posted on 19 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Please use the sharing buttons! Thanks!

From a reader:

Should everything remain veiled for the Feast of the Annunciation? Can we unveil Mary? Is it appropriate to have flowers on the altar?

Passiontide is a heavy liturgical time, especially in the older, traditional calendar, which must be our guide for these matters.

My consultation of Alcuin Reid’s reworking of Fortescue/O’Connell says (p. 318):

“Before the first Vespers of Passion Sunday all statues and images (including crucifixes) in the church which are the objects of veneration and not merely ornamental, are to be covered with a plain opaque violet veil. No figure or ornament is allowed on these veils. The images are not to be uncovered for any reason (except the crosses on Good Friday) tell the veils are removed at the Gloria in excelsis at the first Easter Mass. But the Stations of the Cross may remain uncovered.

No exceptions.

I conclude… no unveiling of the statue of Mary and no flowers… well… flowers… sure… okay (it’s 1st Class).

Let Passiontide be Passiontide, even on such a beautiful Marian feast.

NEW "LEX ORANDI" STUFF AVAILABLE

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, LENT, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged Alcuin Reid, Annunciation, Passiontide, veil
11 Comments

Kansas: Priest says a prayer before House session. Hijinx ensues.

Posted on 19 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Priests and lay people need to rally around Card. Dolan and the whole USCCB in its effort to uphold the 1st Amendment, religious liberty rights not only of Catholics, but of all Americans in the face of blatant attacks by Pres. Obama and his Administration.

We need to give voice to our concerns in the public square and not allow ourselves to be intimidated into silence.

On that note, here is something a reader sent me from LJWorld.com with my emphases and comments:

Kansas House prayer gets political
By Scott Rothschild
March 15, 2012

TOPEKA — A prayer to open the House session on Thursday included comments about abortion, same-sex marriage and religious freedom.

Father James Gordon of St. John Vianney in Maple Hill, delivered the prayer, saying, “We ask you to strengthen our understanding of traditional marriage: one man and one woman. We ask you to bring us back to virtuous morals in society, morals that kept us from killing a child in the womb through abortion.

“We ask you to defend us now in the fight for true religious freedom and freedom of conscience, that seems to be threatened now in the public sphere.”

Gordon was a guest of Rep. Mike Kiegerl, R-Olathe. People who are invited to lead the daily prayer to open the House session are asked to steer away from political topics. [He was asked. He declined.]

House Speaker Mike O”Neal, R-Hutchinson, said Gordon’s prayer “arguably went beyond” those guidelines.

House Minority Leader Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, said the prayer was inappropriate. [Ooooo… that’s about as bad as it can get! “Inappropriate!”]

“The prayer needs to be ecumenical,” Davis said. [I think most religious groups, including Muslims and orthodox, observant Jews, would accept a prayer that included mention of morals, marriage and life. These are things we embrace because of reason, not merely because of revelation. Davis might not know what ecumenical means. Unless he means: “It challenged my pro-choice, pro-homosexual political agenda I hold as a Democrat, and therefore it is not ‘ecumenical’.”]

Thomas Witt, executive director of the Kansas Equality Coalition, which advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons, said, “Prayers at the beginning of the each day’s session of the Legislature are meant to ask for the blessings of the creator. Using prayer to launch political attacks against one’s opponents is unacceptable.” [It wasn’t a political attack. It was a prayer. Liberals who promote perversity always turn issues of natural law into political “policies”.]

Someone prayers a prayer that isn’t vague and generic pabulum and the left has a nutty.

Most ministers of religion probably go all wobbly at the prospect – nay rather – the incredible prestigious wondrous ineffable honor of being able to stand up there in the focal point of secular political power and say a few words. They therefore utter a few treacle-laden sentiments which anyone would be entirely right to ignore and then go home, probably bearing a little “Kilroy Was Here” certificate to put on the wall, perhaps alongside the photo that was taken. There is always a temptation to bend to secular pressure. I don’t know how good military chaplains walk this line day in and day out, but some of them do, and do it properly while maintaining their Catholic identity.

WDTPRS kudos to Fr. Gordon.

BTW… Fr. Gordon has the letters FSSP after his name. He is a member of the Fraternity of St. Peter.

Posted in Brick by Brick, Fr. Z KUDOS, Just Too Cool, Mail from priests, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, Priests and Priesthood, Religious Liberty, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice, Throwing a Nutty | Tagged 1st Amendment, Kansas, religious liberty
42 Comments

Benedict XVI sends Apostolic Blessing, Indulgence for opening of Extraordinary Form church

Posted on 18 March 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Brick by brick across the Mersey River:

Press Release from the Diocese of Shrewsbury

Sunday 18th March 2012

For immediate release:

Pope Benedict XVI offers blessing and indulgence to mark reopening of landmark Wirral church

Pope Benedict XVI is offering a Papal Blessing with an attached Plenary Indulgence for all the faithful who attend the grand opening of the Shrine Church of Ss Peter and Paul and St Philomena, New Brighton, Wirral, on March 24
The Mass will mark the opening of the shrine church following the closure of the parish church in 2008. The Shrine Church will be a special place of prayer and devotion open every day for adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist. The church will also serve as a centre in the Diocese of Shrewsbury for the celebration of the Holy Mass and other sacraments in the Latin Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The Parish of Holy Apostles and Martyrs is served from the Parish Church of English Martyrs and Father Philip Moor, the parish priest, will assist at the opening Mass.
The church will become the first in Britain to be entrusted to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a society of Apostolic life of Pontifical Right.
The Celebrant at the Mass, which begins at 10.30am, will be Monsignor Gilles Wach, the French founder of the Institute, and the homily will be preached by the Rt Rev. Mark Davies, the Bishop of Shrewsbury.
People are expected to travel from different parts of the country and some from overseas to the church that the Bishop of Shrewsbury hopes will become a special centre of devotion for people from the immediate area and far beyond.

The Vatican, which has taken an interest in the establishment of the shrine church, has issued the following decree announcing the Papal Blessing and Plenary Indulgence (see notes below) to all the faithful who attend the Mass:

THE APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY, empowered by a faculty granted to it in a special way by our Holy Father Benedict XVI, by Divine Providence Pope, happily grants his Lordship the Most Reverend Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, that, on the 24th March next, on which the pastoral care of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and St Philomena is solemnly entrusted to the members of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, after the offering of the Divine Sacrifice, he may impart to all the faithful present, who, their souls entirely separated from attachment to sin, take part in the sacred mysteries, a Papal Blessing with an attached Plenary Indulgence, which may be gained under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion and Prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff).

Those faithful unable for a reasonable cause to be present at the sacred rites may devoutly receive this Papal Blessing and the Plenary Indulgence, according to the norms, if they follow the rites with a pious intention of mind by means of radio or television broadcast.

Nothing to the contrary withstanding.

Given at Rome, from the Apostolic Penitentiary, on 14th February in the year of Our Lord 2012.

This great story brings up an interesting point.

Consider the issue of pearls before swine.

Perhaps Holy Church ought to restrict the granting of indulgences only to those who believe in them.

We know these traditional groups promote the obtaining of indulgences, and many other groups and even parishes and even, dare I say it, dioceses, … how to put it… don’t care. Even when the Holy See grants indulgences to some groups or places, people don’t seem to care.

So, give them to those who care!

Tongue in cheek, of course. But not really.