Have a meatless day!

Posted on 16 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

GMTA.

Over at His Hermeneuticalness’s place we find a photo of eggs and toast.  “But Father! But Father!”, I thought.  “I also had an egg and toast today!”  Then, I continued needlessly, “Why?  I’ll tell you why.  Which it’s Friday, ain’t it!”

I channeled my inner Preserved Killick for a moment.

Fr. Finigan was reminding his readers that today, 16 September, is the first day in England and Wales for all Catholics to observe in a serious way their “meatless Fridays” during the whole of the year.

This is a good development and WDTPRS sends kudos to the Bishops of England and Wales.

So, I had a poached egg with whole wheat toast for breakfast.  It looks as if Fr. Finigan’s eggs were lightly fried. Perhaps a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup for lunch. Or maybe some breakfast cereal and yogurt.  For supper? Perhaps I’ll break down and make some 炒粉 with vegetables. Or I could do that pasta sauce with tuna and hot pepper. Or I could thaw that pack of frozen sunny filets. Or I, since I have to use my basil before the freeze comes, I could make fresh pesto. Or I could fast. Or I could make mac and cheese. Or I could have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Or, if I run errands today, I could get a small piece of salmon, or mussels, or shrimp.

Lot’s of possibilities, all good.

And it is all swell with Mystic Monk Coffee!

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Sweet Basil and the Holy Cross

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

An Orthodox priest reader sent some photos of their tradition using sweet basil on their observance of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.  Here are three.

Great tradition.

I didn’t get around to posting about the basil tradition yesterday and I was glad for the reminder today.

“But Father! But Father!”, some of you are saying.  “What’s with the basil?  Some other herbs would do, wouldn’t they?”

Keep in mind that the name of the herb comes from the Greek word for “king”, “basileos“.

There is a tradition that when the True Cross was rediscovered a sprig of basil growing from the wood.
This is why especially in the  East there is a custom of placing a Cross on a bed of basil before the faithful venerate it.  A kingly tradition.

There is a prayer/rite for the blessing of basil around, but, I cannot determine the provenance.  I looked through the Rituale Romanum.  No joy.

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
Let us pray.
Almighty and merciful God,
deign, we beseech You, to bless
Your creature, this aromatic basil leaf. +
Even as it delights our senses,
may it recall for us the triumph of Christ, our Crucified King
and the power of His Precious Blood
to purify and preserve us from evil
so that, planted beneath His Cross,
we may flourish to Your glory
and spread abroad the fragrance of His sacrifice.
Who is Lord forever and ever.
R. Amen.
The bouquets of basil leaf are sprinkled with Holy Water.

Again, I don’t know which approved book this comes from.  Readers?

In the Rituale Romanum there is, however, a blessing for a Cross to be placed in a field for the feast of the Finding of the Cross.  I haven’t done that one yet.

There are marvelous blessings and customs attached to the rhythm of the year.  People would guide the arc of their years and lives along with these special days.

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A curious and annoying blog glitch on the side bar

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

A curious glitch.

I have noticed that some widgets on my right sidebar appear on Chrome and IE but not on Firefox.

For example, I have a couple amazon.com widgets, search boxes and so forth, which don’t appear.  Strange.  Nooooo… idea what this is all about.

Here is a screen shot of what you are not seeing if you use Firefox.  I use Firefox most of the time and I have noticed this.  But now it annoys me.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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England: 17 September – Inauguration of Bl. John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This Saturday, 17 September, will bring the official inauguration of the Blessed John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in Birmingham, England.  My friend Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth wrote me saying that this is “probably the most significant enterprise in liturgical music in the UK since the Council.”

17 September will be the 1st anniversary of the beatification of Bl. John Henry, founder of the modern Oratory in Birmingham.

I can’t help but think that my old mentor, Msgr. Richard Schuler, who fought the good fight all those decades would be delighted at the creation of a new institute with this objective.

I have perused the inaugural address, which is embargoed for the time being… obviously.  There is a fine vision underlying this project.

Remember: Music is not an “add on” in the liturgy.  True sacred liturgical music, which must be art and sacred, is liturgy.  Music should be what the Second Vatican Council calls an “integrating part” of liturgical worship, and not something tacked on for the sake of a false notion of “active participation”… usually resulting in a collective drop in the IQ of everyone in the building.  I incessantly talk about a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild our Catholic identity.  I relentlessly claim that a renewal of liturgical worship is the point of the spear in such an endeavor, a sine qua non for progress.  Sacred liturgical music must be addressed.  This new Institute is setting out to do that.

I ask St. Philip Neri, one of my personal patrons, and Bl. John Henry to intercede with the Father, amidst the music and choirs of heaven, to bless this initiative.

I hope that on a future trip across the way, I can visit the place and see what they are up to.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, New Evangelization, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , ,
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Another front for bullying the Church

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In the increasing hot culture war, the Catholic Church is going to be torched more and more often.  Here is an example.

A disturbing article appeared in the site NorthJersey.com.

East Rutherford Catholic church’s gay music director to quit over priest’s sermon
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
BY DEON J. HAMPTON
STAFF WRITER
The Record

EAST RUTHERFORD – A gay [I detest the misappropriation of that word] Catholic church musician on Wednesday said he will voluntarily leave his post in two weeks because his pastor allegedly created a hostile work environment after preaching against homosexuality. [I wonder how many staffers using contraception would be willing to do the same?]

“Marriage between two men is a lie,” Robert Russell, who has been a music minister at St. Joseph Parish for 22 years, said the newly appointed pastor preached to the congregation July 10. [That was a sentence?]

The Rev. Joseph Astarita, who became pastor of the church in July, declined to comment.

Jim Goodness, Archdiocese of Newark spokesman, also declined to comment on the resignation. But he did say, “Catholic churches are allowed to employ people based on [the church’s] belief.”

[Get this one…] The Vatican does not condone homosexuality.

“My feeling at that point was to walk out,” Russell, 58, of Hackensack said of the alleged comments made during the sermon. “But I didn’t because I have a responsibility to the choir and church.”

He said he met with Astarita in August to discuss the remarks and to reveal he was gay and had a partner of 15 years.

“His comments against gay marriage were insensitive and uncomfortable,” said Russell, who admitted he felt pressured to leave his job. He has retained attorney David L. Wikstrom.

Wikstrom said that Russell “couldn’t properly perform his work because of his sexuality, thus creating a hostile and adverse work environment.”

According to Russell, the pastor expressed concern about his involvement in a yet-to-be created children’s choir and allegedly told him he would be a “poor example.”

[…]

Longtime church member Pam Lakefield was in the congregation when Astarita preached the sermon and said his comments were “offensive,” and that the priest is teaching horrible thoughts.

“He’s losing parishioners,” said Lakefield, a member since 1970, who is strongly considering leaving the church.  [Same ol’ same ol’…]

St. Joseph members say the church has traditionally been liberal, but the pastor is “ultra-conservative.”  [blah blah blah]

The parish was once led by the Rev. Mychal Judge, chaplain of the New York Fire Department who was the first confirmed death of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. In the years since his death, it has been widely reported that Judge was a celibate gay priest.

Russell said the church has been run by the Franciscan order for the past 99 years. But the order gave up the church in July due to low staffing numbers and the archdiocese took over in July, he said. Astarita joined the church after the change.

Russell said his last day will be Sept. 30.

“I felt his words were an attack on my integrity and I felt it was hostile and it was harassment.”

E-mail: hampton@northjersey.com

Rather PC, no?  Lot’s of twists and turns to that twisty turny piece.

Posted in Biased Media Coverage, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, The Last Acceptable Prejudice, Throwing a Nutty | Tagged ,
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QUAERITUR: What to say if confessing to a bishop, cardinal, pope?

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

If you were confessing to a Bishop or a Cardinal or even the Holy
Father would you say “Bless me Bishop” or “Bless me your Eminence” etc
etc?

Sure.  You could do it that way.  If would be proper.  But you could always stick with “Bless me, Father…”.  There is no title which is more appreciated than that.

I know of few bishops who regularly hear confessions in their cathedral churches.  The best example I know of is His Excellency Most Rev. Robert Finn, Bishops of Kansas City-St. Joseph.   From the times I have met and spoken with him, I have a sense that he would be an outstanding confessor.  He has his name on one of the confessionals in the Cathedral in Kansas City.

Perhaps you readers have some edifying information of which I know naught.

Would that bishops and cardinals put on the purple stole and heard confessions regularly.  I’ll bet most of them would like to.  One might object with some practical reasons why that wouldn’t be feasible on a regular basis… but I am not sure how good those reasons would be when placed in the balance of the great need in the Church today to revive the Sacrament of Penance and give a good example to priests.

20110915-122736.jpg

UPDATE:

Remember: Except in the case of the lifting of some censures, you are not more forgiven when you receive absolution from Pope Sixtus the Sixth in St. John Lateran than you are from receiving it from Fr. Joe Bagofdoughnuts at St. Ipsidipsy in Tall Tree Circle.

You are not more married if a bishop does the nuptials.

You don’t receive more Jesus if a cardinal says the Mass.

You aren’t more anointed if a monsignor, or canon, or bishop or other great prelate does it.

You might be more buried if the bishop does the graveside … gotta think about that one.  But the grace wouldn’t be more blessed if blessed by the bishop rather than the assistant at your parish.

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“What advice would you give to a newly appointed bishop?” Phil Lawler opines.

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

All of us have, from time to time, thought that we would do a better job at role “X” in the Church.  “If I were Pope… if I were bishop… if I were pastor… if I were sacristan…  youth group leader… usher… choir director…”.

That said, sometimes people really do have good suggestions, acute insights, which when offered with respect form part of what we are supposed to do as members of Holy Church.  We have the right to offer our observations, so long as we do so with the proper decorum… and I might add thought.  Not everyone thinks before hitting the send button.

My friend Phil Lawler of Catholic Culture did think before hitting the send button.  He has a tour de force for bishops today.

Click here.

Here is how he leads off.

The first reading at today’s Mass, in which St. Paul offers his advice on the selection of bishops, reminded me of a conversation with friends several years ago. As the Church was still reeling from the effects of scandal, we asked each other: What advice would you give to a newly appointed bishop? Herewith the results of that conversation.

[Premise:] The new bishop is young and energetic, fully orthodox, and filled with apostolic zeal. He is taking control of an average American diocese. [Not sure what “average” is… but let’s let that pass.] What assumptions should he make? What should he expect? What should he do?

Mr. Lawler, a long-time observer of and lover of and member of the Church, offers bullet-points.  Lots of bullet-points.  They are in these categories:

  • Assumptions
  • Settling in: new ideas
  • Building community in the new-look chancery
  • Collaborating with the laity
  • Thinking in new paradigms
  • Consultation and dialog
  • Networking and team ministry
  • Ongoing processes

Each categories has bullet-points beneath.   A lot of thought went into these lists.  And some of them are pretty funny, while remaining serious.  A few examples (from various categories and in no special order):

  • Having informed him of your wishes on the matter, dock the diocesan paper editor a day’s pay every time your photo appears. The diocese is not about YOU.
  • Catechesis is in bad shape, suffering from all the usual problems. Religious-education directors have been recruited through the National Catholic Reporter.
  • Upon arrival, get rid of all paper shredders at the chancery and insist that no work be taken home in briefcases. Make friends with the maintenance man and the wash lady.
  • Get to know some state troopers. Buy them a round of beer. Tell them that you want to hear about trouble from them, not from the press. Tell them it is a moral obligation to arrest wrong-doers. Ask them to pass the word.
  • Cultivate a reputation for enjoying candor. When people give you a “nice” answer to your questions, press them: “You don’t really think that, do you?”
  • Put the religious orders on notice. Maybe throw out one of the smaller ones just as a warning shot.
  • Like Archbishop Pell of Sydney, Australia, get a secretary who’s married with several children. Break the daisy-chain.
  • Skip a meeting of the USCCB and delay paying the annual assessment, just for the hell of it.

Some are serious… well, more obviously serious.   Against from various categories and in no special order:

  • About 20-30% of the priests are leftist ideologues, outright heretics, historically encouraged by previous bishops who either feared them or sympathized with them. The most corrupt and liberal priests are the most likely to try to cozy up to the new bishop with flattery. The conservatives are either too busy in their parishes or find such flattery repugnant.
  • Let every person know, whether he (or she) wishes you well or ill, that you shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to ensure the survival and success of the confessional. In other words, expunge general absolution, ensure confessionals are screened, and see to a climate of orthodox confessional practice. Make it clear that you’ll be watching and act swiftly when someone brings you bad news.
  • Open your own mail. You can farm out the projects later.
  • Spend a lot of time at the seminary. Arrive unannounced frequently.
  • Having found a few priests you can trust absolutely, spend some long late evenings going over personnel files with them.

There is a great deal more.

Enjoy them over there!

That said… I am sooooo glad I will never never never ever ever be a bishop.  I don’t envy these men.  They carry terrible burdens.  Imagine how complicated it it to be a bishop these days.

Pray for bishops.  The devil hates bishops.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, HONORED GUESTS, Just Too Cool, Lighter fare, The Drill | Tagged
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Budgeting your money and your time

Posted on 15 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said that time is money.  There are times when my time is worthy more than my money.

For example, while running errands I stopped a two stores yesterday looking, inter alia, for a refill for the thing I use to wash the outside of windows of the house.  No joy.  Using my amazon app on my phone I found the same product available for slightly more than the price that was on the empty slot on the shelf at the store.  Since I have an amazon “Prime” account (o how that has saved money over the year!) which gives you free shipping on most things, standing there in the store where the product should have been, I hit the button on the phone and ordered it.  It cost slightly more than it would have had the stores had it in stock, but I wasn’t going to go to a third store and waste more time and gas for the difference in price, or come back to find it another day.  My time is worth more than my money when it comes to certain things. Now it will come to my door within a day or so and I don’t have to think about it anymore.

So, when I saw this cartoon, I thought I would share the observations.

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The Feeder Feed: highly annoying squeaky-toy edition

Posted on 14 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It is definitely fall.  You know this because the world sounds right now like a squeaky-toy quality testing facility staffed by dozens of sugar-amp’d three year olds.

I am referring to the most annoying bird of the season, baby Goldfinches.

Goldfinches are not your most intelligent of winged-critters.  They hurl themselves at just about every window of the house, for example.  But the babies… have a relentless squeak in the relentless pursuit of their parents.

The baby is perched on top, squeaking at dad, below.

Dumb, but not silent.  And very single-minded, does junior harass the parent.

When dad is in range, junior hunkers down and flutters his wings.

This one almost needs a caption call.

“An an an andthenIdid THIS! an an an look! an… then… an… I did THIS!….!”

The Goldfinches were very successful nesters this year.  The air is full of this incessant squeaky-toy sound right now.  Enough to drive you nuts.

In the meantime, the last of the Grosbeaks have moved through.

There are all sorts of other flying critters as well.

And this Nuthatch has a really nice seed!   They have been getting a bit feisty.

The birds, not the seeds.

The Nuthatches and the Chickadees will soon band together for the winter.

I haven’t seen many Chickadees lately.  I think this is the time of year they go on a Mediterranean cruise.

But they’ll be back.

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Sermon of Archbp. Nichols at consecration of Bp. Sherrington in Westminster Cathedral

Posted on 14 September 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today in Westminster Cathedral in London, His Grace Archbishop Vicent Nichols consecrated a new auxiliary bishop, Most Rev. John Sherrington. Archbp. Nichols sermon is online. Pretty good. Give it a listen. You can got to the website of the Diocese of Westminster or listen here.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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