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{]:¬)

WDTPRS The O Antiphons: 20 December – O Clavis David – The Key to everything

Posted on 20 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

We continue our look at the O Antiphons with today’s O Clavis David

Again we hear the theme of Christ as the Liberator.

LATIN: O clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel: qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris.

ENGLISH: O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: come, and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Scripture Reference:

Isaiah 22:22
Revelation 3:7

Relevant verse of Veni, Veni Emmanuel:

O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Do not fall into the trap of thinking that the we are dealing with events isolated solely in the past. Even taking just the image of the key in Scripture, we see how God’s plan is still in effect for us today, and we are all still players in his plan for salvation. The Old Testament reference from Isaiah helps us see this.

In Isaiah we read how the Lord said to Shebna, who was the master of the household of King Hezekiah:

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Helkias, and I will clothe him with thy robe, and will strengthen him with thy girdle, and will give thy power into his hand: and he shall be as a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Juda. And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father”.

God established in the House of David an office to be handed down through a succession, an office of jurisdiction. The vicar of the Davidic King would exercise the King’s authority.

This same language and image was used by our Lord when in Matthew 16 He conferred His own authority on Peter to exercise as a office to be handed down in a succession. The Lord, the David King Priest Messiah, gave His keys to Peter. His clear intent, clear from the David key image He used, was to establish an office with a succession.

In Revelation 3:7 the Lord is described as He who still wields David’s key. Even as Peter holds the keys on earth, it is the Lord’s own hand which holds Peter’s hand.

Truly the Lord who came to us at Bethlehem is with us always in His Church until His ultimate Coming at the end of the world. He is, in a real sense, the Key itself which Peter wields to open doors and to shut, to bind chains and to loose.

Let’s sing about the Key with the help of the terrific Benedictine monks of Le Barroux. NB: They don’t use the flat “ti”.

Posted in ADVENT, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, WDTPRS | Tagged Antiphonae Maiores, O Antiphons
1 Comment

ASK FATHER: Irritating fundraisers during Mass

Posted on 19 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

I was and still am a strong supporter of the EF, but after years of building and developing both personal and professional relationships, I fell away from my faith.

I have recently begun attending Sunday Mass after I finish work (7pm).

This means attending the parish closest to my work, as I go there right after my shift.

During the Holy Sacrifice this week the presiding priest read the Gospel, gave his homily (5-10 min), and then proceeded to give almost 25 minutes to a layperson (a chair of a fundraising committee), to:

1. Give information regarding the fundraising plan

2. Inform the congregation what the money was being used for (cosmetic reasons such as a new parking lot were mentioned before evangelization and building the faith)

3. Inform us all that we have pledge forms and pens at the end of every pew, and that everyone in attendance NEEDS to fill it out, regardless if we are pledging funds or not.

4. Proceeded to inform us that annual donations over 3 years were being taken, and that if we wanted to donate $9000 over 3 years, that would be great!

A reminder this was DURING Holy Mass. This occurred before Communion and after the Liturgy of the Word.

This is only the second time I attended this parish, but it worries me to return even though it is the only place I can participate in the Holy Sacrifice.

I felt this was extremely disrespectful to the True Presence of Jesus, and took away from what I came back to the church for.

This seems to be a Diocesan effort, not just parish based, as several parishes in the diocese were mentioned. What are my next steps?

Priests don’t like to have to bring money up from the pulpit. But it is necessary. That’s the moment when they reach the majority of people engaged in the life of the parish.

What’s the alternative? Wait until after Mass… when everyone is gone? Slate a meeting on a weekday… when nobody will come? We should explore methods of electronic giving, btw.

The alternative is to shut of the lights, lock the doors of the church, and slate it for closure.

Bills have to be paid.

Blame Even and Adam.

Also, pastors really don’t have a choice when it comes to diocesan programs.

If we want churches, we have to pay for them.

If you think that a new parking lot is “cosmetic” you perhaps haven’t heard the complaints, considered issues of snow removal on uneven surfaces, or considered what it would cost to let it get worse.

One way to avoid this would be to find out ahead of time from the priest how much money is needed and then write him a check for the full amount so that he doesn’t have to make the irritating announcements.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, The future and our choices | Tagged collections
36 Comments

WDTPRS The O Antiphons: 19 December – O Radix Iesse

Posted on 19 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Here is the O Antiphon for 19 December: O Radix Iesse

Again Our Lord is presented as the Liberator.

LATIN: O Radix Iesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.

ENGLISH: O Root of Jesse, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: come, to deliver us, and tarry not.

Scripture References:

Isaiah 11:10
Romans 15:12
Revelation 5:5

Relevant verse of Veni, Veni Emmanuel:

O come, O Rod of Jesse free,
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.

What urgency there is in this antiphon.

Our Lewis & Short says that radix is “a root, ground, basis, foundation, origin, source”.

Ironically, roots are underground and invisible, but standards, ensigns are raised high in the air.

Something that lies below the earth (a root) stands high into the heavens like a banner!

Vexilia Regis Prodeunt we sing in Lent. The little root of Advent becomes by Lent grows into the Tree of our salvation.

The one from above takes our mortal clay into an indestructible bond. He raises us to the heavens.

Isaiah 11:10 gives us imagery for our reflection today.

The great prophet of Advent tells us that the kingdom of David would be destroyed, but not entirely destroyed. A root would remain. Jesse is David’s father. David is Jesse’s root. David leads to Christ. Christ is the David King Messiah Priest.

After the destruction there remains a root.

No matter what the exigencies of life present to us or how turbulent the vicissitudes of the passing world may be, when we cling to the root we are sure to be victorious in the end. The root bears up on high to the heavens.

Per aspera ad astra. Succisa virescit.

Life includes patterns of destruction and rebuilding, pruning and regrowth, transplantation and rerooting. So long as we are grafted into the Root, we survive and grow.

Exitus. Conversio. Reditus.

Let’s hear the wonderful community at Le Barroux sing this antiphon with the Magnificat.

Posted in ADVENT, WDTPRS | Tagged O Antiphons
1 Comment

GARUM WATCH! Ancient factory found in Israel

Posted on 19 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Garum.

I occasionally write of garum.

The ancient Romans eagerly doused their foods and used as a cooking ingredient a fermented fish sauce: garum. The preparation of garum is described by Pliny. Modern Vietnamese fish sauce and modern S. Italian colatura are modern analogies. I’ve had colatura on my wish list periodically… thanks readers, especially FGZ!

There is a direct connection between the production of sauces such as ketchup, Worchestershire, other fish-based steak sauces.

Today a reader sent an article that a garum factory was discovered in Israel. HERE

It is one of the very few garum factories found in the eastern Mediterranean, despite the Romans’ long presence in the area and the premium they put on the pungent fermented sauce.

Most surviving examples are to be found in the Iberian Peninsula and southern Italy.

“We have something really unusual here,” Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist Dr Tali Erickson-Gini told The Times of Israel, as the Romans added garum to almost all their dishes to give them a salty savoury kick.

“It’s said that making garum produced such a stench that cetariae were located some distance from the towns they served, and in this case the factory is about two kilometres from ancient Ashkelon,” Dr Tali Erickson-Gini said, according to Kan.

Read the description of the preparation of garum by Pliny and you will know why the area must have smelled pretty bad. But I suppose most of the ancient world smelled pretty bad.

Some of the most famous garum of the ancient Roman world was made in Pompeii. It’s factories have been explored.

I may have to act on this news. Sometimes you just have to have some of this stuff.

Here is a recipe which I like.

First, GET SOME COLATURA: (there are several varieties with varying prices) HERE

in a large bowl put finely minced garlic, a few tablespoons of colatura, finely minced fresh or crushed dry pepperoncino, and a dab of really good olive oil
cook, drain and cool in cold water thin spaghetti, even the so-called “angel hair” – HINT: DRAIN WELL even by tossing paper towels through it
add the spaghetti to the bowl with the macerating garlic, pepperoncino, colatura, and mix well.
garnish with freshly chopped parsley (flat leaf is best) – chop immediately before serving

Adjust as needed with more colatura and oil. It wouldn’t hurt to grind black pepper over it. Ancient Romans loved black pepper.

Posted in Fr. Z's Kitchen | Tagged colatura, garum
14 Comments

ASK FATHER: Peter’s Pence these days. Alternatives?

Posted on 19 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

I read an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about how the Peter’s Pence collection largely funds the Vatican deficit. I am a stickler for finance and am forced to run a very lean household (single income in a high cost of living area) and expect that charitable groups and the Church should do the same. Is it acceptable to tithe to other religious orders or charities in place of the Church?

Yes. Contribution to Peter’s Pence is entirely voluntary. You can contribute to the good of the Church in other ways.

I will mention that, in justice, it is important to support the church where you receive services. That’s only fair.

As far as other entities are concerned, you can choose as you please. I hope it pleases you to choose also the TMSM. I also like Military Chaplains. I wouldn’t mind something thrown in my direction, either!

As far as Peter’s Pence is concerned, this gives us a chance to bone up on what it is.

The Supreme Pontiff can use the money that comes from the faithful for whatever reasons he desires. I believe that it has mostly been used by Popes for poverty or disaster stricken groups or evangelization. I supposed that the details are usually dealt with by the Papal Almoner and by the IOR (“Vatican bank”).

The Vatican’s description is HERE.

Here is an interesting drop down menu.

Interesting. None of those are investments in movies about infamous homosexual Elton John. Nor are they about investment in real estate in Chelsea, London. I guess they lost money on that. I have to ask: How to you lose money on real estate in London?

Some people are noticing this Peter’s Pence thing. Note below.

The Wikipedia article says:

In 1871, Pope Pius IX formalized the practice of lay members of Church and “other persons of good will” – providing financial support directly to the Roman See. In general, contributions go to the local parish or diocese, who then provide contributions to support higher level offices. Collections for Peter’s Pence go directly to Rome. Pius IX approved this practice in the encyclical Saepe venerabilis, issued on 5 August 1871. The money collected is today used by the pope for philanthropic purposes.

At present, this collection is taken each year on the Sunday closest to 29 June, the Solemnity of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in the liturgical calendar. As of 2012, the United States has donated the largest amounts, giving some 28% of the total, followed by Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Brazil and South Korea. US donations totaled $75.8 million in 2008, $82,529,417 in 2009, $67,704,416.41 in 2010 and $69,711,722.76 in 2011.

I understand that Peter’s Pence is way down now. The Wall Street Journal says: “The assets of Peter’s Pence now total about €600 million, down from about €700 million early in the current pontificate, largely on account of unsuccessful investments, said the people familiar with the funds’ use.” And, …

“But for at least the past five years, only about 10% of the money collected—more than €50 million was raised in 2018—has gone to the sort of charitable causes featured in advertising for the collection, according to people familiar with the matter.

Meanwhile, about two-thirds of the money has been used to help cover the budget deficit at the Holy See, these people said. The Holy See consists of the central administration of the Catholic Church and the papal diplomatic network around the world. In 2018, the budget deficit reached roughly €70 million on total spending of about €300 million, reflecting chronic inefficiencies, rising wage costs and hits to investment income.

Donations to Peter’s Pence have dropped notably in recent years, to over €50 million in 2018 from over €60 million in 2017, these people said.“

This is a rather grim situation.

We are obliged to support the Church and her work with material means. However, contributions to Peter’s Pence are always voluntary.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, The Drill | Tagged Peter's Pence
6 Comments

ASK FATHER: Frustrated by a lack of reverence, liturgical discipline. Am I in the right church? Is this Really God’s house?

Posted on 19 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

This is my first letter to you. I am old and grew up with the old Mass. I have tolerated the NO for years and years. But it has grown steadily worse. Today’s Sunday Mass (in England) was like a protestant Sunday school. The priest is from Africa. He is very jolly but lacks the gravitas at Holy Mass. There is a big focus on little children. There is a reading out of parish lottery results there is clapping. The sermon is unintelligible due to his African accent. It is mostly full of platitudes that could be heard in any protestant church. I kneel before I receive Holy Communion , everyone else receives on the hand standing. I feel frustrated and unfulfilled by a lack of reverence. By a lack of liturgical discipline. I wonder if I as a Catholic am in the right church? Is this Really God’s house.? Is His sacrifice truly acknowledged on the altar?. Does Christ really act through the priest? I know that He does but there is no sense in the priest or the people of these realities. Should I stop going to Sunday Mass for the benefit of my Faith? Or should I suffer in silence? I pray to God to bring back the Latin Mass And the preaching that went with it.

Your frustration is palpable. I’m frustrated just reading about it.

This is part of the problem with the Novus Ordo, I’m afraid. There are so many options, too many opportunities for the priest to impose himself on the Mass. At the same time, the priest is in a tough spot because the Novus Ordo pretty much requires him to perform. Add to that the versus populum altar and you have massive potential problems.

Some men do better with that pressure than others.

At the same time, I’ve heard an awful lot of platitudes and cliches come out of priests who say the Traditional Mass.

Let’s put it into perspective. Yes, it is God’s house. I am sure that the Masses are valid, and His Sacrifice is renewed on that altar, though it doesn’t seem as if it is being acknowledged. Yes, Christ really acts through the priest, though the priest may not act like it.

Consider that last point.

What an amazing proof of the love of Christ that He permits Himself to be commanded and manipulated, called and handled, by the crass and the clever, the holy and impious, the negligent and the scrupulous.

Pray for your priest. Ask his and your Guardian Angels to gang up on him and nudge him in the right direction. It is probable that this is what he was taught to do and doesn’t know better.

Don’t stop going to Mass. You don’t have to go there exclusively. You can also go elsewhere.

Suffering in silence is commendable. Offering your pain in reparation for sins against Our Lord and Our Lady is meritorious.

You can also make your concerns known, in charity and with tact.

You can give yourself a break and go somewhere else, too. You can do that.

Finally, many people here in these USA also have problems understanding the priests from other countries. It seems to me that some of these priests are probably really frustrated with themselves! They must know that they are hard to understand. It could be that some of these men would do well to seek some help with “accent reduction / improvement training”. Yes, that it is a real thing. I know what it is like to live in another country and have the pressure of preaching in a language that isn’t my native tongue. I worked on my pronunciation.

I am reminded of how England became Christian in the first place. St. Augustine of Canterbury was born and raised in Rome. So daunting was his mission that on the way to England he turned around and begged Pope Gregory to recall him. No dice. Augustine arrived in Kent and was, probably, pretty hard to understand by the average Kentish denizens. With the highborn, he could probably use Latin, but not so with Hengest the fuller. I’ll bet they were pretty frustrated with each other for a while. Eventually, it worked out.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged accent reduction
19 Comments

ASK FATHER: A blessing for guns

Posted on 18 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

One of our parishioners posted this image on his facebook page and I commented, “Hey, if you have guns you want blessed, let me know.” Low and behold he took me up on the offer. That is why I asked if there was a blessing of guns.

This is great!

There are blessings for all sort of tools and a gun is just a tool. They are, in themselves, morally indifferent. They can be blessed. We can ask God to be especially mindful of their safekeeping, for their proper function, that they not be used for evil purposes, and, in the case of your guns, bows, trebuchets, etc., that each projectile fired with them may find your intended marks.

There is no specific blessing in the Roman Ritual for blessing guns. However there is a blessing “for all things”.

After the usual introduction, the blessing prayer is…

Deus, cujus verbo sanctificántur ómnia, bene+dictiónem tuam effúnde super creatúram istam (creatúras istas – PLURAL, of course); et præsta, ut quisquis ea (eis) secúndum legem et voluntátem tuam cum gratiárum actióne usus fúerit, per invocatiónem sanctíssimi nóminis tui, córporis sanitátem, et ánimæ tutélam, te auctóre, percípiat. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Going Ballistic | Tagged blessings, guns
6 Comments

WDTPRS: O Antiphons – 18 December – O Adonai

Posted on 18 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The O Antiphons: 18 December – O Adonai

LATIN: O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

ENGLISH: O Lord and Ruler the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: come, and redeem us with outstretched arms.

Scripture References:
Exodus 3
Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:6

Relevant verse of Veni, Veni Emmanuel:

O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty, and awe.

“Adonai” is “LORD.” It was the Hebrew word that the Jews used when they found the four-lettered word for God’s name which they held to be too sacred to pronounce aloud. The four letter word for God’s Name, the Tetragrammaton, is still venerated by us to the point that Holy Church asks us not to use it in liturgical song.

Christ is Lord, Lord of Creation. We sang this yesterday in the antiphon “O Sapientia“. Christ is also Lord of the Covenant with the People He chose.

The Lord made covenants with Noah, Abraham, and Moses. He guided them and all the People. He gave them Law. He protected and feed them. The Lord delivered them from bondage to Pharaoh and unending slavery. He went before them with arm outstretched.

This was all a pre-figuring of the great work of redemption that Christ would work on the Cross. He redeemed us His People from Satan and the eternal damnation of hell.

He once appeared clothed in the burning bush that was not consumed by fire.

He is about to appear again clothed in flesh in our liturgical celebration of Christmas.

He will appear again one day in the future to judge the living and the dead.

He appears to us each day in the person of our neighbor.

What amazing contrasts we find in our Lord! He came in thunder and lightening to give the Law on Mt. Sinai. He comes now in swaddling clothes. He will come again in glory. He comes humbly in the appearance of Bread and Wine.

He still goes before us with outstretched arm and our foes are put to flight at the sight of His banner!

Shall we hear the Benedictines of Le Barroux sing the O Antiphon and Magnificat?

Posted in ADVENT, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, WDTPRS | Tagged O Antiphons
2 Comments

Read every word of this.

Posted on 18 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

[…]

[Teresa] Piccola [wife, mother, pro-life activist] would undergo the solemn rite of exorcism once per week for more than 18 months, in sessions lasting up to three hours. On those days, she and the deliverance team (which included the clinical psychologist and a group of laymen who were there to pray and support — at times, physically — the exorcist in his work) would always begin by going to Mass. After Mass, they would pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Piccola said she was unable to pray this prayer, and the inability to do this would grate on her — the demonic seeking to drive her to despair before the rite of exorcism would even begin.

After additional prayers of protection for the group, the exorcist would lead them in the Litany of the Saints. It was here, Terese said, that the demons that possessed her would begin to manifest themselves. Later, they were to learn that such manifestations would indicate which saint would come to assist her during the rite.

“When sessions first started, I was in and out of awareness,” Piccola continued. “It’s hard to explain, but I was not actually unconscious. I think the closest thing to compare it to is when you take a medication before a surgical procedure and it puts you in a twilight state.”

“During sessions, when the demons would manifest, I exhibited strength beyond my capabilities, my eyes rolled back, my voice changed — these are all accurate depictions in the movies,” she said. “I would often feel or hear these things happening, but the demons would have control over my body and I couldn’t stop things from happening.”

“I felt trapped inside myself, and that was terrifying,” Piccola said. “In the very beginning, I was frightened by it, but then I realized nothing was happening that God didn’t allow, so this gave me peace. I learned how to keep my thoughts hidden so I could pray to Jesus, Mary and the saints during my sessions.”

Piccola said God allowed her to participate in the spiritual battle in a limited way.

“I only remember bits and pieces of the first few sessions,” she said. “Then it shifted, and I noticed I had much more awareness of things. Once prayers began, I had no ability to move or respond except when father spoke directly to me, but I could hear and see things. As my relationship with the Lord grew, and I surrendered more intentionally, I had more control over my movements and words, even exposing things that I could sense with the demons.”

Piccola described, again, how helpless she felt at times, when her body was no longer under her control.

“The demons would seize my body and voice to manifest,” she said. “No matter how hard I tried to regain control, I would just exhaust myself. My voice would change as certain demons manifested, and I could feel it change in my vocal chords.”

“Sometimes it was so painful as the force to expel sound was great,” she said. “I often knew when some major movement was about to happen. I could somehow sense it and would try so hard to fight against it, but then suddenly I would thrust up or my head would shake back and forth aggressively. There were times when I thought my body would just break apart.”

[…]

Dear readers, certain sins attract the attachment of demons. This is real.

That was an excerpt.

Read every single word of THIS.

Stop. Go. Now.

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism | Tagged exorcism, possession
7 Comments

Head of Pontifical Academy FOR LIFE would hold the hand of person committing suicide. FAIL

Posted on 18 December 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I read with horror the other day that the head of the Pontifical Council for Life, Archbp. Vincenzo Paglia, said that he would hold the hand of a person committing suicide. This is the same Archbp. Paglia who is behind, and included within, the infamous homoerotic fresco in the cathedral of Terni, Italy, where he was once the bishop.

From the Catholic Herald:

Answering a question about assisted suicide and whether a Catholic or a Catholic priest can be present at someone’s death by assisted suicide, Paglia told a small group of journalists that he would be willing to do so, because “the Lord never abandons anyone.”

“In this sense, to accompany, to hold the hand of someone who is dying, is, I think a great duty every believer should promote,” he said, adding that believers should also provide a contrast to the culture of assisted suicide.

“I believe from our perspective, no one can be abandoned, even if we are against assisted suicide because we do not want to do death’s dirty work,” he said.

Sure, we hope that no one feel abandoned, unless perhaps it is by the permissive will of God that the person make in that state a great act of faith, hope and love. In our human perspective, in charity, we should, yes, accompany people. But we don’t accompany them to sin mortally. We can’t condone their choice of homicide. Suicide is a subcategory of homicide.

Willelm Card. Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht took Paglia’s position to pieces at CNA. Eijk is an expert on the issue of euthanasia.

Cardinal Eijk also addressed the issue of an eventual funeral for people who opted for assisted suicide or euthanasia.

“If a patient asks the priest to administer him the sacraments (confession or anointing of the sick) and plans a funeral before the doctor ends his life upon his request or he commits suicide, the priest cannot do so,” Eijk said.

He added that there are three reasons for this prohibition.

The first one is that “a person can receive the sacraments only when he is in a good disposition, and this is not the case when a person wants to oppose the order of creation, violating the intrinsic value of his life.”

The second reason is that the person “who receives the sacraments puts his life in the merciful hands of God. However, who wants to personally end his life wants to take his life in his hands.”

The third reason is that “if the priest administers the sacraments or plans a funeral in these cases, the priest is guilty of a scandal, since his actions might suggest that suicide or euthanasia are permitted in certain circumstances.”

Eijk also explained that a priest can celebrate the funeral of a person who died by assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia in only some circumstances, though suicide is always illicit.

“Since ancient times, the priests accepted to celebrate funerals of people who committed suicide or asked for euthanasia in cases of depression of any other psychiatric diseases. In these cases, because of their disease, the freedom of the people is diminished, and so ending the life cannot be considered a mortal sin,” Cardinal Eijk sais.

He adds that the priest must “prudently judge whether he is in front of a case of diminished freedom. If so, he can celebrate the funeral.”

To combat the pro-euthanasia trend, the Church must “announce that God made the human being in his image in his totality, soul, and body. The Second Vatican Council constitution Gaudium et Spes described the human being as ‘a unity of soul and body.’ This means that the body is an essential dimension of the human being and is part of the intrinsic value of the human being. So, it is not licit to sacrifice human life to end the pain.”

[…]