RECENT POST OF INTEREST and NEWS

Posted on 12 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Some recent posts of interest:

In the meantime, I received new webcams for the Z-Cam from WH.  They are 11 megapixel cams for about $9. Many thanks!  Anyone who ever looks at the birds over the Z-Cam can say a prayer for WH.

I am pleased to have received today a great chinois from BD!  Thanks! 

I now have two more volumes of translations of St. Augustine’s Sermones thanks to a kind reader, TS.  I can read the Latin, of course, but for the sake of research the translation helps things move along.

Quite a few people annoyed a liberal by sending a donation through the coffee cup icon on some of the posts in which I drill into dissenters.  Your help, and their irritation, are greatly appreciated.  I do not fail to pray pro benefactoribus, and I consider anyone who sends things or donations as benefactors.

In my own news: I am feeling truly dreadful and I am facing the possibility of a long car trip.  If I do not improve soon, I will not be going anywhere.  Prayers please.

ALSO, and this is fairly important, I have pretty much zeroed in on a new template/look for the blog.  More soon.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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WDTPRS POLL: Your internet connection

Posted on 12 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I was having a conversation with a friend who is creating a blog, discussing image/photo sizes and how fast they download, etc.

I am curious…

{democracy:76}

Posted in POLLS | Tagged ,
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A parish priest on Sunday Mass obligation and attendance

Posted on 12 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Bill Baer, a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, former rector of St. John Vianney Minor Seminary (which he turned around in a Herculean labor) and now parish priest of Transfiguration in Oakdale, MN, has intelligent observations about Catholics and Sunday Mass attendance.

Some salient points from Fr. Baer in my arrangement but with links back to his parish blog:

1. A "Good" Parish: A Parish Where the Parishioners Go to Mass

The first of the seven "Precepts of the Church" is this: "To attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and to rest from servile works."

[…]

2. Reason #1: A Distaste for Obligation

"When I was young, I went to Mass because I had to.  Now, I go to Mass because I want to." 

It is rare these days to hear a pastor declare, "You must go to Mass."  Actually, it is rare these days to hear a pastor declare that you must do just about anything.

[…]

3. Reason #2: If We Just Ignore that Nasty Little Statistic, Perhaps It Will Go Away Recent studies have determined that between 25% and 30% of American Catholics are at Mass on any given Sunday.  (Statistics on Sunday Mass attendance vary a great deal by region: Catholics in western Kentucky and the Dakotas, for example, have been clocked at 75% – 80%.  At the other end would be the Archdiocese of Boston, which reports attendance rates of 12% – 15%.)

Imagine truancy rates such as these in our schools.

[…]

4. Reason #3: The Third Commandment in Slow Dissolve

The decline in Sunday Mass attendance among Catholics is part of a larger phenomenon: the decline in Sunday itself.  A couple of generations ago, many rural and big-city Catholics had small closets in their bedrooms, containing two hooks: one to hold their working clothes, the other to hold their "good" clothes, their Sunday clothes.  Two hooks, two parts of the week.  Nowadays, Catholics get dressed up for work, and dress down for Sunday.

[…]

WDTPRS kudos to Fr. Baer.  I hope he continues his series.

Pastors of souls are just that… pastors of souls.  They have the responsibility to see the the care of souls of their parishioners.

Getting them to Mass on Sunday, so they don’t risk their souls, is a good start.

From there, you can take them along a sound pastoral path.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Fr. Z KUDOS | Tagged ,
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vatican.va redesign

Posted on 12 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From CNA:

Vatican City, Aug 11, 2010 / 01:53 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The director of the Vatican’s website, Msgr. Lucio Adrian Ruiz explained this week in an interview that the site is going through an extensive redesign to improve the Church’s evangelization efforts.

The website can be viewed at: www.vatican.va.

In an interview with L’Osservatore Romano, the Argentinean priest said the Vatican’s website aims to make the Church’s message known to everyone, especially because of the importance Benedict XVI has given to evangelization through the media.

He also said that soon each Vatican dicastery will have its own website and that the general site is undergoing an upgrade, “which will be a long process because vatican.va has 500,000 internal pages …”

The restructuring efforts will focus on two goals, Msgr. Ruiz continued. First, to make the Petrine ministry more present in the digital era; and second, to increase the Vatican’s understanding of the internet, its language and its culture, in order to respond more adequately, as called for by Pope Benedict XVI in his message for World Communications Day 2010.

The Argentinean priest added that his staff will also create a new video section on the website that will include not only clips of Pope Benedict XVI, but also video footage of previous Popes. The site will also have a more extensive and complete papal documents section.

The redesign will also include a section on the diplomatic activities of the Holy See.

Msgr. Ruiz said the Vatican site receives three million visits per day, with the greatest number of visits coming from the United States, followed by Italy, Spain, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Canada, France and China.

He also noted that the site has occasionally been the target of hackers and cyber attacks, but that the staff works closely with Italian online security officials to keep a close eye on their systems.

“Like all large systems, we are an appealing target for professional hackers.  We must always be on alert and continue to develop our online security,” he said.

Msgr. Ruiz said his staff includes 21 employees who are split into two groups—one that deals with the technical side, the other with content management. He explained that his staff members “are aware that they are part of one body, and this unity creates a strong synergy of not only mutual help but also of study and comprehension of the enormous mission the Church must fulfill.”

UPDATE:  The UK’s best Catholic weekly, The Catholic Herald, has 5 suggestions about how to improve the Vatican website.

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The Tears of St. Lawrence are still flowing

Posted on 12 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Did you know that the annual Perseid Meteor Shower is nicknamed "The Tears of St. Lawrence"?  The shower occurs every year around the feast of the grate … great Saint as Mother Earth zooms through a cloud of debris deposited in the wake of the comet Swift-Tuttle.  The shower is called the "Perseids" because the meteors appear to be stabbing out from the constellation Perseus.

The Tears peak tonight. 

If you have children, even if you have to get them out of bed, take them out (with bug spray if necessary) and show them the meteors.  There can be up to 60 per hour at the peak, so you won’t have to wait long.

One of the great memories of my childhood was being roused in the dead of night – in the even deader bleak midwinter – and lead out onto a frozen lake in northern Minnesota. Following my father’s pointing finger, I aw for the first time a bright comet hanging in motionless in the sky about three feet, it appeared, over my head.

One time I watched the Lagrime di San Lorenzo while lying on my back on a terrace of a villa overlooking the amphitheatre of ancient Cumae.  And a few years ago, I watched the shower for a while with my mother, who was visiting. 

Here is a note about the Perseids from the invaluable Spaceweather.

Spaceweather says you can even listen to the meteors and fireballs live, and even keep count of the meteors as they fry in the earth’s atmosphere.

Furthermore:

If you go outside a little early on Thursday evening, around sunset, you’ll see a beautiful gathering of planets in the sunset sky–Venus, Mars, Saturn and the crescent Moon.  It’s a nice way to start a meteor watch.  Sky maps may be found at http://spaceweather.com.

BTW… you might try an old PODCAzT about St. Lawrence.  Inspired by the Roman deacon, St. Augustine gives a real barn-burner. St. Augustine on St. Lawrence and how to be a Christian

Posted in Just Too Cool, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged , ,
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Notes on Sr. Chittister’s talk to LCWR, and then there is a Presbyterian

Posted on 12 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

As you know, the National Catholic Reporter has chosen to flood their paper and website with all manner of articles which dissent from the clear teaching of the Church, especially concerning the ordination of women.

I have of late drilled into articles by Sr. Theresa Kane and Rosemary Radford Reuther.

Now I see that that doyenne of dissent Sr. Joan Chittister, who still hasn’t commented on why the Leadership Conference of Women Religious has straight-armed SNAP in their attempts at dialogue, has a talk published in NCR. 

I am not going to bother drilling into Sr. Joan’s essay for two reasons.  First, she doesn’t say anything new.  Second, the old things she says are not especially well expressed. You will find all the bizarre rereading of Scripture and self-righteousness you have come to expect, but expressed in an even more turgid manner than usual.  She simply and openly calls on these nuns to defy the Church…. yawn.

But here are a few things you might think about when you look at her talk to the LCWR for yourselves.

In her talk, Sr. Joan doesn’t include in her litany of all the good works nuns do in their nunhood:

  • abortion counseling as supporting a woman’s right to choose,
  • active support of pro-choice candidates for political offices,
  • the decline of vocations to their institutes,
  • their self-examination concerning child abuse,
  • and other acts which manifestly set them apart from the Catholic Church.

BTW… is SNAP carrying protest signs outside of where the LCWR is meeting?   Give us a photo. No… there is one already.

Finally, on another note, there is also a article in favor of women’s ordination by a Presbyterian elder.

Ummm… when did Presbyterians think anyone should be ordained a priest?  When did Presbyterians start valuing Mass celebrated by priests?  Does he now believe in the sacrament of penance?

I think he is really concerned about liturgical preaching.  But if he thinks women don’t do things in the Church, he’s poorly informed.

Thanks, however, for the advice.

Posted in The Drill | Tagged ,
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WARNING! ROVING VERDI FLASH MOB!

Posted on 11 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I got this from His Hermeneuticalness.

I don’t know about you, but I think this would be really fun.

Here is a flash mob with a difference. Over 30 members of the The Opera Company of Philadelphia burst into the “Brindisi” of La Traviata at the Reading Terminal Market Italian Festival. A fun video for a summer afternoon.

Can you imagine?

And try this one from the market in Valencia.  Again… La Traviata.

What is it about this opera that lends itself to markets?

And here it is again in of all places … Detroit?

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ8KvGP7yDY]

Posted in Just Too Cool, Lighter fare, SESSIUNCULA | Tagged
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QUAERITUR: Exposition of Host during Mass before continuing Mass

Posted on 11 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

Someone asked me today.. "what if after consecrating the bread the priest put it in a monstrance and had 30minutes of adoration before continuing with the mass?"

Every part of me wants to say this shouldn’t be done but I can;t really think of any reasons why… it would seem legitimate because the priest plans to continue with Mass after.. but I don’t know I haven’t really looked into it very far.

Nooooo.

First, you create a serious problem about the two-fold consecration, which is essential for Mass to be Mass.

Mass is Mass and Exposition is Expostion.  We need both (pace McBrien),but they should not be confused.

On the other hand there was something called Mass coram Sanctissimo, Mass in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament Exposed.   This was usually done in the context of Forty Hours Devotion.  If the older rites of Forty Hours are to be used, it seems that a Mass coram Sanctissimo could be celebrated.  Authors are divided, but it seems to be so, for Forty Hours was the only time this form of Mass could be used.

But this would be a Mass which begins with the Host already exposed in the monstrance before Mass would begin.

Posted in ASK FATHER Question Box |
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QUAERITUR: Is Latin chant forbidden unless congregation can sing?

Posted on 11 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

A reader asks:

My priest recently mentioned that there is a document (he does not remember what it is called) that forbids the use of choir lofts and the singing of Latin chants unless the congregation is able to sing along. Do you know of any such document? It can’t possibly be so…

No.  It cannot be so.  It isn’t.  That would be absurd.

The priest’s fundamental problem here is that the priest thinks that "active participation" means that everyone has to be able to sing everything.  Listening is somehow not "active participation".   That is the priests fundamental error.

I suspect you won’t get him out of his mindset, especially if he is over, say, 60.

But you might ask Father to read aloud and then explain the following paragraphs from the Second Vatican Council’s liturgy constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium:

36. 1. Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites. …

54. In Masses which are celebrated with the people, a suitable place may be allotted to their mother tongue. This is to apply in the first place to the readings and "the common prayer," but also, as local conditions may warrant, to those parts which pertain to the people, according to tho norm laid down in Art. 36 of this Constitution.

Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.

…

116. The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.

But other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded from liturgical celebrations, so long as they accord with the spirit of the liturgical action, as laid down in Art. 30.

Why isn’t he obeying the Second Vatican Council?  Why can his congregation sing Gregorian chant?

Posted in ASK FATHER Question Box |
21 Comments

QUAERITUR: Are priests, bishops ordained after 1969 validly ordained?

Posted on 11 August 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:

I realize this must be a sensitive topic for anyone especially a priest ordained after 1969 but please know we are just seeking an objective answer. We have done our "homework" on this but who can we ask? There are very few places where we would actually get a straight answer.

Plainly asked are priests and bishops ordained after 1969 valid priests and bishops?

I have included a few links for you but don’t want to overwhelm you either. The formal answer of the Church today must be that they are priests and bishops because the form according to Pope Paul VI is still used and not the form according to Pope Pius XII.

We just came across documents and information this last weekend August 8th 2010 and before getting crazy thought we would email a few priests we know as well as you because we value your opinion on Catholic issues. Our faith is the most important part of our lives, please do not be mistaken – we are not kooks – but we would like an objective answer not skewed one way or the other because of a priests background. we could ask the SSPX priests all day and know their answer already but would like to hear this from someone we trust.

Plainly answered, YES, those ordained in the normal way with the post-Conciliar rites of ordination are validly ordained.

People who say they aren’t are deeply confused and dead wrong.

For a good book which criticizes the post-Conciliar rite of ordination, but comes down on the correct side when he gets to the bottom line, look at Michael Davies book Order of Melchisedech: Defence of the Catholic Priesthood.

The general line of the book is that the ordination rites after the Council were compromised because they did not adequately express explicitly what the Church says a priest is and what a priest does.   What saves the rite is the knowledge the bishop has of what the rite means.   Davies says that were the bishop to have an insufficient understanding of the Church’s teaching on priesthood, then there would be trouble.   But we are not to that point.  

Furthermore, the book of the rites of ordination was redone by Pope John Paul II in 1990. He put back into the rite some explicit language which helps to clarify what is being done.

In any event, a Pope is not going to promulgate and then use an invalid rite of ordinations of priests and bishops.

Posted in ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged , ,
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