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{]:¬)

Pope Benedict on keeping vigil this Triduum

Posted on 20 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Excerpts from the Holy Father’s Wednesday Audience via the site of Vatican Radio:

Today there is “a certain callousness of the soul towards the power of evil, an insensitivity to all the evil in the world: we do not want to be disturbed by these things, we want to forget, perhaps, we think, it is not important. It is not only insensitivity to evil, but also insensitivity to God”, said Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday as he dedicated his last catechesis before Easter to the Holy Week Triduum.

He said “Dear Brothers and Sisters, Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum, the three days in which the Church commemorates the mystery of the Lord’s passion, death and resurrection. The liturgies of these days invite us to ponder the loving obedience of Christ who, having become like us in all things but sin, resisted temptation and freely surrendered himself to the Father’s will. Tomorrow, at the Chrism Mass, priests renew their ordination promises, the sacred oils are blessed, and we celebrate the grace of the crucified and risen Lord which comes to us through the Church’s sacramental life. On the evening of Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper begins the actual Triduum and recalls the institution of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Holy Orders”.

Reflecting more specifically on the episode of Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, in comments in Italian the Pope noted that – not unlike the apostles who failed to hold vigil with Christ and were overcome by a “sleepiness” – “It ‘s our very sleepiness to the presence of God that renders us insensitive to evil: we don’t hear God because we don’t want to be disturbed, and so we remain indifferent to evil” [Though isn’t it interesting that so much of our entertainment in the form of TV or movies or video games, and new reporting, is relentlessly filled with evil actions and images? Desensitizing, isn’t it?]

Pope Benedict said that “Jesus experienced great anguish, such suffering as to sweat blood, aware of his imminent death on the cross”, but chooses to keep watch. This is “a matter of great importance for the Church” said Pope Benedict: “Jesus says to his disciples ‘stay here and keep vigil’, and this appeal to be vigilant concerns precisely this moment of anguish, of threat, but it also covers the entire history of the Church, it is a permanent message for all time because the disciples’ sleepiness is not a problem of that one moment, rather of the whole of history, “the sleepiness” is ours, of those of us who do not want to see the full force of evil and do not want to enter into his Passion”.

He concluded “The Liturgy of Good Friday invites us to share in Christ’s sufferings through penance and fasting, and to receive the gift of God’s love flowing from the Lord’s pierced Heart. The Easter Vigil joyfully proclaims Christ’s resurrection from the dead and the new life received in Baptism. By your prayers and our sharing in these liturgies, let us resolve to imitate Christ’s loving obedience to the Father’s saving plan, which is the source of authentic freedom and the path of eternal life”.

Posted in Pope of Christian Unity | Tagged evil, liturgy, Pope Benedict XVI, Triduum, Vatican Radio, vigilance, Wednesday Audience
3 Comments

AP Story on the Roman Station Churches

Posted on 20 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Speaking of my LENTCAzTs, which always spend a moment looking at the Roman Station church for the day….

Once upon a time I would be the celebrant for Lenten Station Masses in Rome for a confraternity dedicated to the Roman Martyrs, and therefore keeping alive the Roman Station tradition, called the Collegio Cultorum Martyrum. Great experiences. Their Masses were always in the afternoons. It was all very Italian, though many of the Masses (when I was celebrant) were in Latin.

But everyone knew that in the mornings, those churches belonged to the seminarians of the North American College.

Nicole Winfield of the AP has a story about the perennial practice of the priests and seminarians of the NAC going to these station churches every day during Lent.

Rome’s station churches revive ancient tradition

By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Nicole Winfield, Associated Press – Thu Apr 14, 10:58 am ET

ROME – Every morning during the 40 days of Lent, a band of worshippers walk literally in the footsteps of early, persecuted Christians, visiting some of the world’s oldest churches in preparation for the most solemn week on the church calendar.

On Thursday as the sun rose over the cupolas and rooftops of Rome, fresh-faced American seminarians made their pilgrimage over the Tiber river and through the alleyways of Rome’s historic center to revive this ancient tradition that today draws ambassadors, college kids and ordinary folk alike.

They were heading to Sant’Apollinare, [Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent – really bad cold when I did that LENTCAzT – perhaps that is why I included a bit on the “prayers for the dying” from the Rituale Romanum.] one of the “station churches” of Rome, the nearly 40 ancient churches that centuries ago were designated to hold a rotating daily Mass during Lent, the period leading to Holy Week and Easter when the faithful mark the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The dawn processions take place every morning, a different church slated for worship each day.

At a time when most churches in Italy are empty — evidence of the dwindling Catholic faith in much of Europe [that and the fact that it is pretty early…] — the seminarians of the Pontifical North American College pack these 7 a.m. English services on a regular basis.

Starting in the mid-1970s, they began reviving the tradition and making a daily pilgrimage to each church on the Lenten circuit, paying tribute to early Christians who risked their lives to worship. [Don’t forget the Collegio Cultorum Martyrum!]

The tradition caught on with a wider group. And today, the Masses are often standing room only events.

“You think: ‘on this day for 1,300 years Christians have been going to this church on this day,'” said Deacon Riley Williams, of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, who is in his fourth year at the North American College. “Going to this place where the saints died, it joins us to Christ.” [And he isn’t kidding. Many of these churches were built where saints died.]

[…]

Author and commentator George Weigel was in church as well, as he has been every day this Lent; he’s writing a book on the station churches due out in 2013. [Okay.]

“I think the whole notion of Lent as itself a pilgrimage is embodied in this walk through these historic churches, where you can touch the origins of Christianity in the West,” he said. [As LENTCAzT listeners know by this point in Lent. This tradition must be revived!]

Faith aside, [? Well… it’s AP.] the 40-day itinerary is a great way to see Rome, with daily pre-dawn walks through the Eternal City’s silent streets to visit some of the world’s oldest and most beautiful places of Christian worship, some of which aren’t open except on their station days.

[…]

Audrey Anderson, a 20-year-old from Stillwater, Minnesota [Minnesota! OOH-RAH!] on a study abroad program, did her own pilgrimage to get there, walking nearly an hour, but said she wouldn’t miss it.

“This trumps everything,” she said. “Thousands of people have been coming here for hundreds of years, [Yes. But … it was essentially thrown away and withheld from a couple generations.] and the one thing that unites us is our Lord. It boggles my mind.”

If you liked that, Miss Anderson, try the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite with the whole nine yards.

It is good to have MSM focus on the Roman Stations.

Posted in Just Too Cool, LENT, LENTCAzT, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill | Tagged NAC, Nicole Winfield, North American College, Roman Stations
6 Comments

QUAERUNTUR: Of several issues, personal and other, with a few rants

Posted on 19 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I have far too many emails in my box about several points. I hope with this I can put them to rest.

The resignation of Amb. Kmiec. What do I think?

I think what I wrote before about the poor Ambassador:

Qui cum canibus concumbunt, surgent cum pulicibus. The man who lies downs with dogs, gets up with fleas.

Things didn’t go so well working as a Catholic in the Obama Administration?

I’m shocked!

I wonder if the Ambassador still thinks he can square being a Catholic with Pres. Obama’s aggressively pro-abortion agenda.

I really don’t know what the Ambassador was thinking, but he should have kept better company.

Did the sisters hammer that into the skulls of children? Avoid the company of bad friends?

But, I am sure the Ambassador will land on his feet.

Why aren’t you going to the Vatican blogger meeting? Will you be at the beatification?

No. Why? I didn’t apply. And, No. Why? I have done the big beatification thing more than once.

Even if I am in Rome at the same time, I will probably not go to the beatification.

Look… I’ve been to Vatican conferences. I would, however, make an effort to go to the Robber Council Blogger Meet (aka blognic). Sounds great!

NB: I have great affection for the late Pope, who ordained me and with whom I had the chance to speak many times. I served Mass for him more than once, even as a deacon. When he was healthier he even recalled who I was and which seminary I was from.

Story: One day I was to be deacon for a Mass in St. Peter’s. Having vested at the altar under the Pietà, I – at the direction of the MC – took the thurible into the small vesting room nearby to have John Paul put in the incense. With his good-natured grandfatherly charm he kidded around. “You again! What is your seminary?” He knew full well, of course, and he knew I already worked in an office around the place as well. “The John Paul the Second Seminary, Santità”, quoth I. “Terrible! Terrible!”, quoth Peter’s Successor. Then, leaning in nearly nose to nose, the Vicar of Christ stabbed me hard in the chest several times with his finger and said, “Tu… devi essere serio… You… have to be serious.”

Makes you think.

But, no. Even if I am in Rome, and I don’t yet rule that out, I probably won’t be at the beatification of John Paul II. I am happy to watch it on TV. I would rather go a little later, frankly, for that great conference to be held about Summorum Pontificum. Donations will decide the issue.

Finally, I do like the fact that my term “blognic” is getting some mileage out there!

At my parish I saw X – Y – Z during the Passion on Palm Sunday … are these things permitted?

Let me issue a blanket knee-jerk response first: Not in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite they aren’t! And they probably aren’t in the Ordinary Form either!

Except when they are.

And if it is permitted in the Ordinary Form, and you are scratching your head about it, there might be something wrong with the option.

If you have a real problem with what you saw, and you can’t talk to your priest, ask your local chancery to explain what happened.

And, NO, women cannot read the Gospel at Mass. Please stop asking.

Will you translate this Latin (or English thing into Latin) for me? It won’t take you long.

No. And yes, it did take a long time. It took 30 years of reading and writing Latin, as a matter of fact.

LENTCAzTs…

Thank you to people who have sent notes of gratitude for the LENTCAzTs. The numbers of listeners started fairly high and then, as I figured they might, dropped off. While I was at home they were easier to make. I should have made them ahead of time, before I left. But I didn’t and so they are a pain to make. I was pretty frustrated Sunday and Monday, partly because I felt as dumb as a box of hammers. Change of season? Not sleeping well? Who knows. Sirens don’t help when making podcasts, by the way.

I’ll offer it up… which was part of the point of making them in the first place, now that I think about it.

I had also thought working within a template might give me a way to make more frequent audio podcasts and maybe even video.

Should I do PASCHALCAzTs? I am groping for motivation. Is it a good use of my time in proportion to the number of listeners? Dunno.

What do you say to John L. Allen’s latest commentary on “zones of friendship”?

I think the first and most important “zone of friendship” is the confessional.

If “friendship” is lacking, start there.

The Spanish priest who blesses homosexual “unions” and who paid for two abortions. What do you think?

Read it here.

I’m shocked and appalled. And I am not being facetious.

That said, if his case really was examined by the CDF in Rome, and the CDF determined that he did not incur a censure and no censure should be imposed, then I can only assume there were aspects of the case and mitigating circumstances that were not made public knowledge. I know some of the people who work for the CDF and they are serious men who don’t fool around with these matters. I can’t speak for most of the their superiors, but, those I know personally are very solid. I can’t imagine that the MSM would report this case in any way than to make it sound even more horrible than it may have been.

Still, I am shocked and appalled.

Furthermore, the fact that this is coming out into the mainstream media before Easter and before the beatification of John Paul II cannot be helpful. Furthermore, in Spain there has been an uptick in physical attacks, vandalism of churches, the latest being arson at Sagrada Familia. Pope Benedict is going to go to Spain for World Youth Day. The trend in Spain is alarming.

I don’t want to think that the priest’s archdiocese and the CDF were easy on the priest in question so as not to provoke more violence and create more ill-will against the Church in the lead up to the Pope’s trip, but I find I have become rather jaded.

Did I mention? I am shocked and appalled.

So, don’t write to me about this guy anymore. Please… just don’t.

There… I have ranted a bit, and I feel better.

This is part of what blogs are for, after all.

Posted in ASK FATHER Question Box, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged abortion, beatification, CDF, Doug Kmiec, John Allen, LENTCAzT, podcasts, Spain
Comments Off

QUAERITUR: Using the new, corrected translation before Advent in private concelebration.

Posted on 19 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a priest:

Dear Fr. Z, I’d be interested in your thoughts on this: The new translation of the 3rd Edition of the Roman Missal (Ordinary Form) becomes the official text for Mass in the United States on the first Sunday of Advent this year. However, it is now possible to find the complete text of this new Missal online. Do you think it would be wrong (disobedient, sinful) to use the new translation in Masses celebrated privately (sine populo)? My own preference would be to use the Extraordinary Form whenever possible. But next month I will be traveling with two priests who are not familiar with the TLM, and, for the sake of fraternity, thought we might concelebrate using the new translation of the Ordinary Form.

Good question!

First, I am glad that you are interested in the TLM. I know that travel with brother priests isn’t always the best time for work, but if they are interested in learning… I’m just sayin’….

Second, when you are traveling with priests you don’t want to spend most of your morning serving one Mass after another (though I have also done that). Concelebration allows you to have a smaller Mass kit and save time. This is one of those situations when my adage that “Concelebration: Safe, Legal, and Rare.” is best applied.

Third, I am a Say The Black – Do The Red fellow, and I know you are too, if you are interested in the TLM. The new translation officially becomes The Black (in the USA at least, for the Ordinary and Proper) on the vigil of the 1st Sunday of Advent.

However… after deep reflection…. (tick… tick…. there, that’s enough)…. I say just use it.

If you are concelebrating privately with only priests present, I would say go ahead and use it.

“But Father! But Father!”, you Say The Blackers Do The Reders are now howling in confusion and dismay. “Haven’t you just undermined everything you have been saying all this time? Wouldn’t that be illicit?”

tick… tick… tick… tick….

Yahhhhhh, I guess so ….. I can live with that, in this instance. Illicit schmillicit.

The preparation time before the implementation of the new translation is important. I suspect a lot of priests haven’t put 10 minutes of their own time into working on the new texts. Priests quite simply must get this new text into their heads and onto their tongues before Advent. They simply have to do this. They must start practicing the saying texts aloud in a meaningful way.

A few priests concelebrating Mass privately (no lay people present) could be one way to do that, particularly because you are going to be praying with that much more attention by the fact that it is Mass and not just private session at the shaving mirror or an impromptu, or even organized, workshop.

Then you guys can discuss the text at breakfast or in the car to your next destination.

Saying this, I acknowledge and respect those priests who disagree with my answer. It is surely proper also to say, stick with the official text and then find other ways to practice the new, corrected translation. I’ll so stipulate.

But… would it be sinful? No, I doubt it.

Would it be disobedient? No, I doubt it, so long as you stick to the Black and Red in the new, corrected text.

If in doubt, ask your bishop or religious superior for an opinion.

Posted in "But Father! But Father!", "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box |
12 Comments

The Feeder Feed: unhappy edition (with a REQUEST… and some useful Latin)

Posted on 19 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This is not my shot. I found it on the Twitter feed of Glacier National Park via Disputations.

Behold, Sialia pissedofftica, aka the Bluebird of Unhappiness.

It is the winter that will not end.

With that… if you use Twitter and you don’t already follow my feed… would you please follow my feed? Thanks!

I am especially grateful to those who retweet tweets about my blog entries.

By the way, Latin has various words for tweeting and tweets. For example, pipo, pipare and pipio, pipire are both useful verbs for “to chirp, tweet”. A pipatio (from pipo) is “a piping, chirping, whimpering” (which can be used to describe what people do, too). Even better is pipatus, us, m., one of those fun 4th declension nouns like senatus, meaning “a peeping, piping, chirping”. Then there are pipilum, i, n. and pipilus,i, m., both meaning “a peeping, piping, chirping” and hence, “whimpering, crying” and therefore, “an outcry, upbraiding”. Both of these are pretty good, considering how Twitter is often used.

Perhaps pipila can be used for angry tweets and pipatus for happier tweets. There’s subtlety for you.

Posted in Lighter fare, The Feeder Feed | Tagged Bluebirds, Latin, Twitter, winter
10 Comments

6 years ago… where were you?

Posted on 19 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Six years ago today, Joseph Card. Ratzinger was elected as Bishop of Rome and he took the name Benedict, sixteenth of that name.

Where were you? What were your thoughts at the time?

I was in Rome on an uncomfortable chair with an earpiece in my ear and extremely bright lights in my eyes in front of cameras for Fox News, covering the election with Chris Wallace and Greg Burke.

When the Cardinal Deacon said “Josephum”, I almost wrenched Greg Burke’s arm out of its socket.

Here is a photo of the TV screen someone shot and sent me at the time… it is really unflattering (my hairline is receding, but hasn’t been quite that routed yet… not that that matters much), but… well… it’s what I have and the smile was real.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted in Linking Back | Tagged Benedict XVI, Chris Wallace, Fox News, Greg Burke, papal election
102 Comments

Royal Wedding preview

Posted on 18 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Do you remember the dancing wedding … entrance… ummm… procession?

[wp_youtube]4-94JhLEiN0[/wp_youtube]

Here is a rehearsal for the entrance procession for the upcoming royal wedding.

[wp_youtube]Kav0FEhtLug[/wp_youtube]

Yes… we need Summorum Pontificum.

o{];¬)

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged royal wedding
45 Comments

QUAERITUR: Eucharistic Prayer for Masses with Kiddies

Posted on 18 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

Masses at our local Catholic grade school use Eucharistic Prayer II
for Masses with Children, in which many congregational responses are added, even during the Institution Narrative! Please tell us these are going away with the new translation.

Okay.

They are going away.

There. I said it.

Apropos that link, above, fear not.

Just as those who don’t want to use the new translations should register their displeasure but refusing to use, and just use Latin instead, so too those who will miss the Children’s Mass things in the new book should protest vehemently by the same means: just use Latin.

And kids, they’re so cute when they’re small, take to new things so easily!

C’mon. It’ll be great!

(Slightly edited to remove extraneous frivolity from the original):

Father (vested in Roman planeta) Dóminus vobíscum.
Kiddies (sitting on the carpet in front of the altar) Et cum spíritu tuo.
Father (big smile and dramatic sweep of the hands) Sursum corda.
Kiddies (chorus-like, and with a similar sweeping movement prompted by the teacher over on the side) Habémus ad Dóminum.
Father (has to check the text for this sentence, so looses eye-contact) Grátias agámus Dómino Deo nostro.
Kiddies (loudly because they can remember this bit) Dignum et iustum est.
Father then launches into the prayer, pronouncing his Latin very slowly:
Vere, amantíssime Pater, hoc gáudium nobis praebétur, ut tibi grátias agámus et una cum Iesu Christo in Ecclésia tua exsultémus. Sic nos dilexísti, ut pro nobis cónderes hunc mundum imménsum et pulchrum.
Kiddies ( firmly convinced of the immensity and pulchritudinicity of the world) Glória tibi, Dómine, qui nos hómines amas.
Father: Sic nos díligis, ut nobis des Iesum Fílium tuum, qui ad te nos addúcat.
Kiddies (a little uncertain as to who Des is) Glória tibi, Dómine, qui nos hómines amas.
Father: Sic nos díligis, ut in Christo nos cóngreges, et per Spíritum adoptiónis uníus famíliae fílios nos fácias.
Kiddies (losing interest now that it’s the third repetition) Glória tibi, Dómine, qui nos hómines amas.
Father (putting a bit more animation into his delivery) Pro tanti amóris dono tibi grátias ágimus cum Angelis et Sanctis, qui te adórant, canéntes:
Kiddies (using “Orbis factor”, which they rather prefer to “Cunctipotens genitor Deus”, even though it is the feast of an apostle) Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dóminus Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra glória tua. Hosánna in excélsis. Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini. Hosánna in excélsis.
Father (continuing) Vere benedíctus sit Iesus, missus a te, amícus parvulórum et páuperum. Ipse venit, ut nos docéret, te, Pater noster, et nosmet ipsos ad ínvicem dilígere. Ipse venit, ut a córdibus hóminum peccátum et malum auférret, quod amicítiam ímpedit, et ódium, quod non sinit esse felíces. Ipse promísit Spíritum Sanctum cunctis diébus nobis adfutúrum, ut de tua vita tamquam fílii viverémus.
Kiddies (again with “Orbis factor”) Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini. Hosánna in excélsis.
Father (checking his place) Te Deum, Patrem nostrum, rogámus mitte Spíritum tuum, ut haec dona panis et vini Corpus et Sanguis fiant Iesu Christi, Dómini nostri. Qui prídie quam paterétur infinítum tuum manifestávit amórem, in cena enim cum discípulis discúmbens, accépit panem, grátias egit, fregit dedítque eis dicens:ACCÍPITE ET MANDUCÁTE EX HOC OMNES: HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM, QUOD PRO VOBIS TRADÉTUR.
Kiddies (unsure of whether to look at the Host or the words on the screen) Iesus Christus pro nobis tráditus. (At this point one of the kiddies gives the large sanctuary gong a good whack)
Father: Item accépit cálicem vino replétum, orávit tibi, grátias agens, et porréxit eis cálicem, dicens: ACCÍPITE ET BÍBITE EX EO OMNES: HIC EST ENIM CALIX SÁNGUINIS MEI NOVI ET AETÉRNI TESTAMÉNTI, QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDÉTUR IN REMISSIÓNEM PECCATÓRUM.
Kiddies (more confidently this time): Iesus Christus pro nobis tráditus.

(One of the kiddies raises the striker to ring the gong again, but her brighter neighbor hisses “WAIT!!” as Father continues)

Deínde dixit ad eos: Hoc fácite in meam commemoratiónem.

(Asserting her authority the gong-girl now bashes it so hard that her neighbour glares disapprovingly)

Et cetera.

Hey… it’s all about the future and our choices.

Make your choice now.

Just. Use. Latin.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, The future and our choices |
14 Comments

A monastery with falling numbers trying to find more men

Posted on 18 April 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today’s number of the New York Times in the Media and Advertising section there is a story about the Benedictine Abbey at Portsmouth, RI, which is, essentially, aging to death. I have a sincere hope they can turn the place around.

They are few and they are old and they have no vocations.

12 monks. 5 over 80. The youngest, 50.

They are working on strategies to bring some attention and interest to the abbey.

The article focuses on the gimmicky things, such as a mention of having “taken to the Internet with an elaborate ad campaign featuring videos, a blog and even a Gregorian chant ringtone.” Of course the NYT is going to focus on the techniques more than the content, as if the “medium is the message”.

Great. That is interesting. But it is not the essential thing that will bring in young people.

How about this for an idea.

Of course a new generation of men will use the new tools out there.

Switch back to Latin worship and the Extraordinary Form and then start admitting postulants to train in the old style of Benedictine monastic life.

The monasteries which do this have more vocations than they have room.

Give young men something more than the mere challenge of having to live without a car, or to go along to get along.

And to any young men out there. Form a group and apply to be novices. The monks there are not young.

You’ll have the whole shooting match in no time.

I sincerely hope the monks at Portsmouth can turn the numbers around. We don’t know everything they are doing from that one article. But I suspect they are not going to accomplish their goals with the same ol’ same ol. Let it be the real ol, the new ol’, the tested and true ol’.