Judge or theologian? Court determines child cannot be baptized.

Posted on 24 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This from “down under“.

Mum loses biblical row in court
by: Shelley Hadfield From: Herald Sun

A COURT has been forced to intervene in a bitter dispute between estranged parents over whether their seven-year-old daughter should be baptised.

A magistrate decided she could not yet be baptised.

He determined that the girl should make up her mind about being baptised when she was older. [Hmmm.]

In a judgment published this week, the Family Court dismissed an appeal from the mother against the ruling.

It ruled against overturning orders preventing her [I had to read that a few times.] from changing her daughter’s surname to a hyphenated name and provided for the girl to spend alternate Christmases with her dad.

[…]

The woman told the Family Court the magistrate had erred in law in making his decision that the child could not yet be baptised.

She said this was because the girl was attending a Christian school, was a practising Christian and had placed importance in the Christian faith.

Justice Thackery said the mum failed to demonstrate the magistrate’s decision was clearly wrong.

The magistrate who originally heard the case said the little girl had been asking about baptism and the mother believed it would help her fit in at school [?!] if she were baptised.  [Remember… this is a journalists version of the facts.]

“In my view, it is not necessary for (her) to be baptised in order to ‘fit in’,” the magistrate had ruled. [So the judge is a theologian, too?]

He said the father was not religious and believed a decision about baptism should be left until the girl was older so that she could have proper input. [Indeed a problem.  Both parents have rights in these matters.]

“His concern is about baptising her into a particular faith before she is able to decide for herself what religion she wishes to be part of,” the magistrate said.

“I consider that is it not necessary for (the child) to be baptised at this early stage. Given the conflict between the parents on this issue, and given her tender age, this process can be safely left to a later date.”

hadfields@heraldsun.com.au

What a can of worms.

Posted in Dogs and Fleas, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged
22 Comments

For your caroling edification

Posted on 24 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I know you have always want to go caroling and sing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in Ancient Greek.

The Laudator has the lyrics.

For your caroling edification

And then there is the obligatory Jingle Bells.

Jingle Bells

I think some Jingle Bell Java would go well with these, don’t you?

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged
7 Comments

Rectory Lamp as metaphor

Posted on 24 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

When it’s broke…

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Whaddya do?

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Parts 3.95

Time 15 minutes

Cost: … light.

And the pastor of the parish has one less thing to do.

If you see something that needs to be fixed, fix it.

You may need to get more people involved, but it can be done.

Want the EF?  The TLM?

Do it.

Get it done.

On that note…

[CUE MUSIC]

… all those Christmas goodies are going to need a nice mug of hot coffee!

Do you prefer tea?

The Carmelites in Wyoming do it all.

Try their Christmas Blend or Let It Snow Tea.

Rectory Lamp as metaphor

It’s swell!

Posted in Brick by Brick, SESSIUNCULA |
4 Comments

Your Midnight Mass plans

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Are you going to Midnight Mass?

Will a Mass called Midnight Mass actually be scheduled for 9:30?

What are your plans?

Post them here so as not to derail other entries.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged ,
148 Comments

The Feeder Feed: tortured dove edition

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I am at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC, before a painting by Rubens (+1640) of the Holy Family with Sts John, Elizabeth, and a dove.

Rubens has returned from some time in Italy, which affected his colors and composition, and probably the theme.

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The dove in question seems to be a matter of contention which the Lord is winning. Probably to the dove’s relief, I’ll add.

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Posted in On the road, The Feeder Feed, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged
15 Comments

A favorite place in NYC

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Bryant Park has made its way onto my list of favorite places in New York. Surrounded by interesting architecture and with great sightlines between the buildings, there are always interesting things going on in different seasons.

Right now people are skating, though it is warm enough here to be spring!

This is a real urban success, considering what it used to be like.

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

QUAERITUR: What to do about altars with huge Nativity scenes in front of them?

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a priest:

As I prepare to take some time away from the during Christmastide, it occurs to me that all of the altars in my home town will have large, practically immovable, Nativity scenes in front of them.
I intend to say the EF exclusively while I am away. Do you have recommendations on what to do in such a situation. My thought is that I will treat the tabernacle as the high altar and treat the altar, facing the nave, as a side altar. This will still force me to offer Mass with my back directly to the tabernacle. The only alternative that I can think of is to use an antemensium and set up a makeshift altar in my parents’ home.

Reverend Father, you just deal with it. There are rubrics for the Extraordinary Form for altars that are versus populum. There had to be, since some old Roman basilicas have altars oriented that way in imitation of the first and second St. Peter’s Basilica.

Just… cope.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , ,
6 Comments

HuffPo is having a spittle-flecked nutty about Card. George of Chicago.

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

HuffPo‘s spittle-flecked nutty about Card. George of Chicago. His Eminence made an on-camera remark about the homosexual-activist movement possibly morphing into something like the KKK.

Cardinal George: Chicago Gay Pride Parade, LGBT Movement Could ‘Morph Into Ku Klux Klan’

Cardinal Francis George, the Archbishop of Chicago, this week told a Chicago news station that he agreed with a local Roman Catholic church’s objections to the city’s recently-adjusted Gay Pride Parade route passing by its doors and warned that the parade could “morph into the Ku Klux Klan.” [KKK=Intolerant bigots who use violence and intimidation to get their way.  You don’t think there might be any negativity expressed by the paraders toward anything Catholic, do you?]

George made the comment Sunday on Fox Chicago when asked about Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s complaints that the parade passing by its Belmont Avenue location would force the church to cancel its morning mass. The church recently launched a petition urging the city to force parade organizers to adjust their plans.

“I go with the pastor,” George told Fox. “He’s telling us that he won’t be able to have services on Sunday if that’s the case. You don’t want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism.” [Do I hear an “Amen!”?]

(Scroll down to watch video of Cardinal George’s comment.)

When the Fox host pointed out that George’s comparison was “a little strong,” [OOOOO!  A man of the cloth used strong words!  OOOOO!] the cardinal stood by his statement.

“It is, but you take a look at the rhetoric,” he continued. “The rhetoric of the Ku Klux Klan, the rhetoric of some of the gay liberation people. Who is the enemy? Who is the enemy? The Catholic Church.”

The cardinal’s comments came a matter of days before the Gay Pride Parade organizers announced Wednesday that the pride start time, originally pushed back to 10 a.m. in an effort to curb public drinking, overcrowding and other safety hazards,  [What could possibly go wrong?] would revert back to noon in order to stay clear of the church’s Sunday mass, according to the Windy City Times.

LGBT Catholic group the Rainbow Sash Movement criticized Cardinal George as promoting a “doubled standard” in pushing for the parade to start later.

“One only has the look at the Chicago Marathon, and negative impact that race has on parishes such as Assumption Parish, St. Joseph’s Parish, Immaculate Conception Parish and St. Michael’s Parish just to name a few,” the statement read, as reported by the Windy City Times. [What a dopey notion.  The Marathon and the Unnatural Parade are moral equivalents?  It is to laugh.]

[…]

Read the rest there…. if you can stand HuffPo.  There is video.

WDTPRS KUDOS to Card. George!

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Biased Media Coverage, Fr. Z KUDOS, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice, Throwing a Nutty | Tagged , , , , ,
24 Comments

QUAERITUR: Long confession lines, having only venial sins, and blocking someone else’s chance to confess

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

QUAERITUR: Long confession lines, having only venial sins, and blocking someone else's chance to confessFrom a reader:

Last week I was in line for a long time, and finally entered the confessional around 3:25. As I was leaving, the sacristan came in behind me to tell Father it was time to prepare for Mass. There were still a lot of people in line, and I immediately felt a bit guilty. I’m definitely not perfect by any means, but I’d just confessed a lot of venial sins, none mortal. What if someone in line behind me had a mortal sin to confess, and my scrupulosity had taken up space in line they needed more than me? I’m not sure what to feel about this. My spiritual director encourages frequent confession; at her direction I began going every two weeks, but now I wonder if I should back off a bit unless I have mortal sins, lest I take up valuable time from others who may need it more? Or is that silly?

Contrary to popular belief, priests cannot both be in the confessional hearing confessions and in the sanctuary saying Mass at the same time.  At a certain point he really does have to stop hearing confessions so that Mass can start on time.  People depend on Mass – confessions too – starting on time.

When lines are long and you know for sure that you do not have any MORTAL sins to confess, perhaps it would be best to step aside. Venial sins are forgiven through a good reception of the Eucharist. Mortal sins need absolution from the priest.

Frequent confession of venial sins is a good practice.

When there isn’t a line, and there is plenty of time before Mass or the end of scheduled confessions, there is time to make also a confession of less grave matter.

If you see a long line and the clock is ticking, and you know that you don’t have MORTAL sins to confess, perhaps you would do better to say a Rosary for the priest hearing confessions. And pray for more vocations to the priesthood! We need more good confessors!

Also, this is a good reason why priests – if possible – might consider beefing up the regular confession schedule.

Also see my tips on making a good confession with special attention to #3 and #5 and #6.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , , , ,
47 Comments

WDTPRS: Last Days of Advent: 23 December – discerning

Posted on 23 December 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Here is the first prayer for the Mass of 23 December, the last full day of Advent before the Vigil of Christmas.

COLLECT:
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus,
nativitatem Filii tui secundum carnem
propinquare cernentes,
quaesumus, ut nobis indignis famulis tuis
misericordiam praestet Verbum,
quod ex Virgine Maria dignatum est caro fieri,
et habitare in nobis.

This is an ancient prayer from Rotulus 24 published with the Veronese Sacramentary.

If in the other prayers from the Rotulus there are images of light and splendor, this prayer has the counterpart of “sight”, in cerno.  Cerno is “to separate, sift” and thus “to separate, distinguish by the senses, mostly by the eyes, i. e. to perceive, see, discern”.

A LITERAL VERSION:
Almighty everlasting God,
as we are discerning that the Nativity of Your Son according to the flesh
approaches,
we beseech You, that the Word grant mercy to us Your unworthy servants
for it deigned to be made flesh from the Virgin Mary
and dwell amongst us.

That use of dignatum est isn’t very common, and so it should spark interest right away.  In looking around for how this has been used by ancient writers, I found an interesting passage in a letter of Fulgentius of Ruspe (ep. 7.18):

Deus ergo factus est Christus ut Christus esset deus homoque perfectus, quia verbum dignatum est caro fieri, ut caro posset verbi, hoc est dei, nomine nuncupari. … God therefore became Christ so that Christ might be the perfect God and man, for the Word deigned to become flesh, so that flesh could be proclaimed by the name of the Word, that is God’s.

Nuncupo, as your own copy of the Lewis & Short Dictionary will tell you, is not merely “to call by name, to call, name”,, but also “to name publicly before witnesses as one’s heir” and “to announce publicly, proclaim formally”.  The naming is critically important here.  The Word becoming flesh resounds.  It is God’s manifest claim of paternity over humanity, an indestructible bond.

What catches my attention in the Collect is the interplay between the form of indignus with dignatum est.

We are unworthy (nos indigni) but it was deemed a worthy thing (dignatum est) that the Word should become flesh (Verbum caro fieri).

NEW CORRECTED ICEL (2011):
Almighty ever-living God,
as we see how the Nativity of your Son
according to the flesh draws near,
we pray that to us, your unworthy servants,
mercy may flow from your Word,
who chose to become flesh of the Virgin Mary
and establish among us his dwelling,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Posted in ADVENT, WDTPRS | Tagged ,
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