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{]:¬)

Catilina a-dressing

Posted on 7 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

ante diem vii idus novembres

ludi Plebeii (day 4) — the major festival in honour of Jupiter continues
63 B.C. — Cicero accuses Lucius Sergius Catilina of various misdeeds (the so-called Second Catilinarian Conspiracy) …
8 B.C. — Death of Maecenas, patron of Vergil, Horace, and many other artists in Augustan Rome

“Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? Quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet? Quem ad finem sese effrenata iactabit audacia?” – Oratio in Catilinam Prima in Senatu Habita

And then…

Vile potabis modicis Sabinum
cantharis, Graeca quod ego ipse testa
conditum levi, datus in theatro
cum tibi plausus,

care Maecenas eques, ut paterni
fluminis ripae simul et iocosa
redderet laudes tibi Vaticani
montis imago.

Caecubum et prelo domitam Caleno
tu bibes uvam: mea nec Falernae
temperant vites neque Formiani
pocula colles.

– Horace, Ode 1.20

Posted in Just Too Cool, SESSIUNCULA | Tagged Cataline, Cicero, Horace, Maecenas
6 Comments

Suggestions for airlines

Posted on 7 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Airlines are in it for the money, no matter how much they say it is all about us.

Since I have to leave NYC fairly soon – alas – and I am thinking about how pleasant it has become to fly, especially with Delta, I have a few suggestions – developed with the help of a friend – for how Delta can make even more money from their guests, whom they are so pleased to serve.

1. Since Delta announces on their flights that they are now “cash free”, give your appreciated guests the opportunity to dip their credit or debit cards for 15 whole minutes of overhead light or the use of the air jet. This has the added objective of increasing the passengers aerobic activity on longer flights.

2. Seat recline auctions. Bid against the person in front or behind you over who can recline the seat… and how far! Think of the excitement, the thrill of the live action! Will the person in front of you bid more and be able to recline his seat? With the person behind you prevent you from reclining yours? Only you can decide! Courtesy of Delta!

3. Inflight insurance against asphyxia! Delta is always concerned about the safety of all passengers. It is their foremost goal! However, you can be doubly sure that you will receive adequate oxygen, in the rare case that it is needed, by depositing a small, non-refundable fee. And remember, Delta is a cash-free airline!

We are sure we’ll come up with a few more. In the meantime, we apologize for the delay. Thank you for your cooperation. It has been our honor to serve you. Thank you for chosing WDTPRS! We look forward to your business in the future.

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged airlines, travel
32 Comments

Facepalm

Posted on 7 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

A reader alerted me to this:

Tired of liturgical abuses in your parish? Tired of dopey improvisation from the priest?

Get your priest and even the liturgy staff some Say The Black – Do The Red reminders!

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged Say The Black - Do The Red
15 Comments

It’s “good news” time!

Posted on 7 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Do you have any really good news for the readers?

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
31 Comments

GIRM 299 and the old, uncorrected translation

Posted on 7 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

I’ve seen your posts in the past regarding the mistranslation of the Institutio Generalis 299, from which many argue that Holy Mass facing the people is desirable. [GIRM 299 actually says that what is desirable, when possible, is that the altar be separated from the wall, not that Mass be versus populum.] I was looking forward to the new translation of the Institutio with the New Missal clarifying this. However, to my great surprise, the New Missal with its newly-translated Institutio retains the mistranslation of #299. Awful! Any insight into why ICEL got this wrong again or if any battles were faced in the process of the translation in regard to this text? Kyrie, eleison!!

Yes, indeed. The new, corrected translation and all that goes with it (such as the GIRM) are a great improvement over what we have had. Just because it is an improvement doesn’t mean that everything is perfect or even good.

The continual mistranslation of GIRM 299 is troubling because, even after an explanation from the Congregation for Divine Worship and a certain passage of time guaranteeing the dissemination of information, the powers-that-be in the Anglophone world haven’t made a change. I can only surmise that they are doing this because they are pushing their own agenda instead of what GIRM 299 really says. They don’t like ad orientem worship and are publishing a flawed translation in order to defend versus populum celebration of Holy Mass.

I have written about the issue a few times here. You might check this for a bit more on the topic and translation.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged ad orientem, General Institution of the Roman Missal, GIRM 299, versus populum
26 Comments

BIG PUPPET ALERT!

Posted on 7 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a Call To Action liturgy… who can forget this?

Remember their music?

From Occupy Wall Street…

Coincidence? I think not!

[wp_youtube]IRoh62wRgkc[/wp_youtube]

And there’s this.

Posted in Caption Call, Linking Back, Mail from priests, Throwing a Nutty | Tagged big puppets, Call To Action, CTA, Occupy Wall Street
11 Comments

Your Sunday Sermon notices

Posted on 7 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Do you have any good points from the Sunday sermon you heard?

Share the with the readers.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
46 Comments

HUGE ASTEROID HURTLING TOWARDS EARTH! RUNNING WON’T HELP! AHHHHHHHG!

Posted on 7 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From Reuters:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla (Reuters) – A huge asteroid will pass closer to Earth than the moon Tuesday, giving scientists a rare chance for study without having to go through the time and expense of launching a probe, officials said.
Earth’s close encounter with Asteroid 2005 YU 55 will occur at 6:28 p.m. EST (2328 GMT) Tuesday, as the space rock sails about 201,000 miles from the planet.
“It is the first time since 1976 that an object of this size has passed this closely to the Earth. It gives us a great — and rare — chance to study a near-Earth object like this,” astronomer Scott Fisher, a program director with the National Science Foundation, said Thursday during a Web chat with reporters.
The orbit and position of the asteroid, which is about 1,312 feet in diameter, is well known, added senior research scientist Don Yeomans, with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
“There is no chance that this object will collide with the Earth or moon,” Yeomans said. [Yah… right. That’s what they’re telling us. Isn’t NASA now under… you know… ?]
Thousands of amateur and professional astronomers are expected to track YU 55’s approach, which will be visible from the planet’s northern hemisphere. It will be too dim to be seen with the naked eye, however, and it will be moving too fast for viewing by the Hubble Space Telescope.

[…]

Lulling us into a sense of security.

Well, everyone. It’s been great knowin’ ya’ll!

But… come to think of it…. it isn’t too late to make a donation!

From Spaceweather:

ASTEROID FLYBY: NASA radars are monitoring 2005 YU55, an asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier, as it heads for a Nov. 8th flyby of the Earth-Moon system. There is no danger to our planet. At closest approach on Tuesday at 3:28 pm PST (23:28 UT), the space rock will be 324,600 kilometers away. Nevertheless, professional astronomers are eagerly anticipating the flyby as the asteroid presents an exceptionally strong radar target. Even amateur astronomers might be able to photograph it during the hours around closest approach. Check http://spaceweather.com for observing tips and more information.

Posted in Global Killer Asteroid Questions | Tagged asteriod
12 Comments

QUAERITUR: Mentioning names of those for whom Mass is offered.

Posted on 6 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

I will make this short. Why is the name of the person for whom the
Mass is beign said not mentioned by the priest any more?

There is no hard and fast universal custom about this from priest to priest or place to place.

Some people, however, who get used to this really take it to heart if they don’t hear the name they want to hear when they are used to hearing it. What results is an awkward confrontation in the sacristy when a 4’2″ Italian immigrant nonna with cataracts starts stabbing her sausage-like finger at the equally old visiting Vietnamese priest who has no idea what she is talking about. “I comma here and I paya for dis Messa ana you no saya da name. Whya you no saya da name?”

Some priests say the name during the Eucharistic Prayer or before Mass or at sermon time in the announcements. Some don’t say the name at all. However, be sure that – if it is a parish Mass and there is an intention – the priest has checked before Mass and has the intention in mind. Mass was said for the intention you asked for whether you heara da name o no heara da name.

Relax about this. If you are curious about a priest’s practice, wait until you are very calm and then, someday, ask him about it.

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

QUAERITUR: Usher dressing down mothers over children with TOYS, God forbid, during LATIN MASS!

Posted on 6 November 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

Today at Mass, it would seem my very active 3 year old was being a
little too loud with one of his small toy cars (he wasn’t all that
interested in coloring one of his three catholic coloring books or his
illustrated bible or his “Story of Easter” book). An usher approached
me while I am trying to get my son to be quiet and says, “There are no
toys allowed in the Latin Mass.” Then he repeated it again in my ear.
“There are no TOYS allowed in the LATIN MASS.” I put the the toys away
and predictably my toddler started to cry. We had to leave church (and
stand out in the cold) until he settled down. I have to admit this
really upset me. I don’t know if this is a common church policy but I
must admit it seemed pretty off putting. In 3 years of attending Mass
with my child I have never once been scolded for being too loud or for
bringing “toys”. I was wondering if you had an opinion or any advice.

Well! And here we go, leaping toward the third rail.

I think I would have been tempted to respond, “And what part of LATIN MASS gives you permission to walk around church, ignoring the sacred action and reprimanding mothers?”

Ushers.

Without having been there, it is hard to know what to say. But it strikes me that the usher was on pretty shaky ground. Sure, all children at LATIN MASS should look just like the sweet little darlings in the pastel artwork depicting young ones praying head-bowed, pink hands together at their bedsides as a guardian angel hovers over them. That’s what all children at LATIN MASS should be like.

In the meantime, on my planet when little Stupor Mundi is making too much noise, and how much is too much and I am not at all sure, then attentive parents – used to their prodigy’s din at home – takes the diminutive treasure out.

That isn’t always possible and children can be obstreperous. Even at the LATIN MASS! Do be sensitive to noise levels. You might be used to the noise your child makes. Others are not.

Catholic Moms and Dads can jump in here. From time to time we have practical advice on this very topic. Since I firmly believe in the wisdom of the adage repetita iuvant, we can dig into it again.