Europe’s Oldest Intact Book Was Found in a St. Cuthbert’s Coffin

Posted on 29 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Here is a super cool story from JSTOR (which I’m sure you all follow):

Why Europe’s Oldest Intact Book Was Found in a Saint’s Coffin
The St. Cuthbert Gospel is the earliest surviving intact European book. Some time around 698, it was slipped into the coffin of a saint.

Saint Cuthbert’s fame grew following his death in 687. The hermit monk’s body, so the story goes, was found to be incorrupt over a decade after his passing in Northumbria (today’s border between England and Scotland). The miracle led to a cult around his remains. Offerings were placed at his tomb. Some time around 698, a small red book was slipped into his coffin.

This manuscript — known as the St. Cuthbert Gospel, or Stonyhurst Gospel (for Stonyhurst College where it was once held) — is the earliest surviving intact European book. It was removed from Cuthbert’s coffin in 1104, during a transfer of the saint’s remains to a new shrine in Durham Cathedral. “In an eyewitness account of the events surrounding the ceremony of Translation, which took place on Monday, August 29, 1104, [an] anonymous writer describes an investigatory opening of the coffin on the night of Thursday, August 25,” writes historian Calvin B. Kendall in The Journal of English and Germanic Philology. “After examining Cuthbert’s body for evidence of incorruption, the monks reclothed it with costly garments and restored it to the coffin, and ‘As soon as the body of the blessed Father was shut up in the coffin, they covered the coffin itself with linen cloth of a coarse texture, dipped in wax.’”

The book, however, was kept as a separate relic. Today the 1,300-year-old manuscript retains its original pages and binding. It was acquired by the British Library in 2012, and will be on view in the London institution’s Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, Word, War, opening October 19th.  [That settles it.  I have to go to London.  And there are two exhibits at the National Gallery that I want to see.]

“Its excellent state of preservation can be traced at the outset to the significance it held — a carefully prepared gospel text, which was transferred with the relics of St. Cuthbert to Durham in 1104,” writes scholar Robert D. Stevick in Artibus et Historiae. Because of this remarkable condition, it’s an important example of Insular art, which was created on the British Isles and Ireland between 600 and 900 CE. “There is interlace pattern in two panels on the front cover, step-pattern implying two crosses on the lower cover, a prominent double vine scroll at the center of the front cover—elements of this early art that have been well catalogued for their individual features as well as for their affinities to similar decorative elements in other artifacts,” notes Stevick.

Posted in Just Too Cool, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged ,
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Court case, Seal of Confession, and requiring priests to break the Seal

Posted on 28 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From Lexology:

A note about the Seal of Confession and requiring priests to break the Seal:

State Could Not Require Priest to Breach Confessional Without Satisfying RFRA

In Ronchi v. State, No. 5D18-194, 2018 WL 2988975 (Fla. 5th DCA June 15, 2018), the court of appeal held that a circuit court order granting a Catholic priest’s motion for protective order, in part, and denying the motion in part, after the priest was served with a witness subpoena requiring him to testify in a criminal case regarding certain communications that took place during confession contravened the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act (FRFRA). The trial court found that the communications between the priest and alleged victim of sexual abuse occurred within confession. It focused almost exclusively on the Florida Evidence Code in determining that the communications were privileged under section 90.505, the privilege could be asserted by both the priest and the victim, and the priest had partially waived the privilege during his conversation with the victim’s mother and her friend. As to whether the priest disclosed the abuse, the mother testified, “[N]ot directly, but it could be understood from the conversation.” The court of appeal ruled that FRFRA should control the case, rather than section 90.505, meaning that the state must establish that coercing the priest’s testimony furthers a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means to further that interest. The court ruled that it is undisputed that the state has a compelling governmental interest in prosecuting sex offenses perpetrated against children, but disagreed that the state met the second test because: (1) the priest’s testimony would, at most, be corroborative evidence; (2) the case does not involve a child victim who, because of his or her age, might be unable to adequately testify about the alleged sexual abuse; and (3) the state could seek to have the alleged victim testify about her purported prior disclosure of sexual abuse to the priest. The court quashed the trial court order. Concurring, Judge Richard Orfinger argued that the trial court also misinterpreted section 90.505 because while the clergy can assert the privilege, only the penitent can waive it.

There are a few troubling elements in this, as well as positive.  Positive: the privilege of the Seal is upheld.

However, the priest put himself and the Seal in danger by intimating to others what could have involved the content of a confession.

Also, even if a penitent says it’s okay to talk, you should keep your mouths shut.

Fathers… keep your mouths shut.

Keep your mouths shut.

Keep your mouths shut.

 

Posted in GO TO CONFESSION, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Priests and Priesthood, The Coming Storm | Tagged
13 Comments

ASK FATHER: Sacraments and time travel

Posted on 28 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

I remember your posts about Space travel and Catholicism, but I’ve been wondering: what about time travel and our obligations? Specifically, what if someone were to be transported to a time before Christ and outside of Judaic influence? If the time-traveller were a priest, would he be able to administer the sacraments and say Mass? Would he have an obligation to preach the risen Christ, or act more like a prophet?

Finally, something important to write about!

Sure the priest time traveller has received the indelible mark of priesthood.  An ontological change has taken place.  He is a priest forever.  This forever suggests that, when he goes back in time, he is still just as much a priest of the new covenant as he was in his own time period.

Moreover, Christ the High Priest is the Alpha and Omega, He is eternal God.  For Him, yesterday, today and tomorrow are hardly to be distinguished as a Divine Person.   He was always High Priest and always will be.  He is High Priest even in the time to which Father travelled.

Preaching: I think that Father should be careful while in the past, that he not initiate one of those pesky chronoconundra that we find so tedious to clean up.   Sheesh!  Can’t people be more careful when they are in the past?!?   It’s just not fair to run about, la la la, creating temporal paradoxes.

And just who was Melchizedek anyway?

I’d better stop before I get worked up.

 

 

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box |
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Watching the #KavanaughHearings

Posted on 28 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Yesterday I watched the Kavanaugh Senate hearing.  There were some important moments, including the fact that Kavanaugh arrived wearing his game face and Sen. Graham gave the Dems a piece of his mind.   Turning points, both.

Amusing moments: Sen. Whitehouse walking into the “year book” sawblade.  Sen. Blumenthal, having fibbed about Vietnam, having the temerity to invoke (poorly): “Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus“.  Sen. DiFi’s bluster at the end about who leaked Ford’s letter.

What was particularly interesting was watching the testimony of Prof. Ford, as well as Kavanaugh’s, in the company of someone who would by all accounts considered an expert on sexual assault and related crimes and how they are investigated.

I am visiting my mother in Florida.  She was the 1st woman on the Minneapolis Police Department.  For 12 years of her time on the job, as a detective, she investigated “sex crimes”, which included rape and all the other disgusting things that happen.  She had some pointed insights during the proceedings, particularly about Prof. Ford’s time in the hearing and about how she was questioned.

In any event, a major step will be taken today.  We are moving to toward the end of this painful process.   I think Judge Kavanaugh will wind up as a SCOTUS Justice, but I will wait to believe it firmly when they have the group photo in the robes.  Even then, I suspect some ideological hacks will try to have him impeached.

I am genuinely worried about the state of political and cultural division in this country right now.   But, as Kavanaugh mentioned, we are reeping what has been sown over years and years.

Sadly, because of the long-term effects of dreadful declining quality and standards in education, the general public is more and more ignorant and distracted and incapable of grasping the basics of the issues today and the processes by which with work through them.   Hence, I am not strongly optimistic that we can turn this boat around any time soon.

Posted in The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged
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ASK FATHER: Am I excommunicated for desecrating the Eucharist?

Posted on 27 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

I have something in mind that has been troubling me. In my past, there has been an incidence where I dropped a host while receiving communion (I used to receive by hand, I no longer do), I may have dropped a crumb or crumbs (I went to a Jesuit college where they used a crumbly bread for the host. The incident was a long time ago and I don’t remember exactly what happened. I vaguely remember seeing the crumb, lowering my hand and then raising it back up once it dawned on me. I don’t remember if I got it or not.), and I vaguely remember once or twice accidentally letting a piece of “chewed” host come out of my mouth (I vaguely remember thinking I had something in my teeth and went to remove it. I don’t think I had malice in my heart to defame the Eucharist, but again, a long time ago and I don’t remember exactly). Did I incur latae sententiae? Help, I feel confused and concerned. I did talk to my priest (a good and holy priest) and he said that my circumstances seemed to not fit canon 1367 CIC. He said he would offer me absolution. Am I being paranoid or is there something I should worry about here.

First, be at ease.  From what you described, you DID NOT incur a censure.   In order to incur a censure you have to have committed a mortal sin and, from what it seems, you didn’t.  I can’t see how you knowingly and willingly violated can. 1367 so as to incur a censure.

I think you might be able to find a little fault in, at the time, a bit of carelessness in consumption of the Host.  Then again, we are human beings and a, say, cough can come suddenly, or a transient pain, etc.   Things happen even when we are being really careful.   But if they are unintentional you didn’t commit a sin and if you didn’t commit a sin, you didn’t incur an automatic censure.

Your story, however, is a great example of why we should, why we must …

  1. eliminate Communion in the hand.
  2. eliminate “substantial’ bread or hosts that are not well made.

 

 

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Canon Law, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged
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#ViganoTestimony – THE SEQUEL

Posted on 27 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

At LifeSite we see that Archbp. Viganò has released another statement.

ROME, September 27, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) — Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has today issued a new extraordinary testimony, responding to Pope Francis’ refusal to answer the charge that he knew of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s sexual abuse, yet made McCarrick “one of his principal agents in governing the Church.”

In the four-page document, the former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States also responds to the Pope’s recent homilies which seem to cast himself in the role of Christ and Viganò as the diabolical “Great Accuser.”

“Has Christ perhaps become invisible to his vicar? Perhaps is he being tempted to try to act as a substitute of our only Master and Lord?” Archbishop Viganò asks in the new statement, sent to LifeSiteNews today.

[…]

The PDF is HERE.

Here is a taste from Archbp. Viganò:

[…]

If [the Pope] had said: “Viganò lied,” he would have challenged my credibility while trying to affirm his own. In so doing he would have intensified the demand of the people of God and the world for the documentation needed to determine who has told the truth. Instead, he put in place a subtle slander against me — slander being an offense he has often compared to the gravity of murder. Indeed, he did it repeatedly, in the context of the [short daily St. Martha sermons during] celebration of the most Holy Sacrament, the Eucharist, where he runs no risk of being challenged by journalists. When he did speak to journalists, he asked them to exercise their professional maturity and draw their own conclusions. But how can journalists discover and know the truth if those directly involved with a matter refuse to answer any questions or to release any documents? The pope’s unwillingness to respond to my charges and his deafness to the appeals by the faithful for accountability are hardly consistent with his calls for transparency and bridge building.

Moreover, the pope’s cover-up of McCarrick was clearly not an isolated mistake. Many more instances have recently been documented in the press, showing that Pope Francis has defended homosexual clergy who committed serious sexual abuses against minors or adults. These include his role in the case of Fr. Julio Grassi in Buenos Aires, his reinstatement of Fr. Mauro Inzoli after Pope Benedict had removed him from ministry (until he went to prison, at which point Pope Francis laicized him), and his halting of the investigation of sex abuse allegations against Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor.

[…]

The plot very much thickens as the heat is applied.

Posted in The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged ,
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A story about St. Luke’s: “I have seen wonderful moments of grace there; priests and Religious who limped in, who left healed.”

Posted on 27 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The other day I posted about how bishops have used “psychological evaluation” as a weapon against conservative and traditional priests. At the time I acknowledged that some priests really do need help. Along with the horror stories I have received about “treatment”, I have received more positive stories from priests as well.

Here is one of them.

In fairness we have to hear of these as well.

Dear Father:

As always, I am following your excellent posts, which are such an education to us and such a service to the Church. This might be a useful bit of background.

I am an alumnus of Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring, MD; my presenting issue was abuse of alcohol. I was vividly aware of the lurid reputation of the place from the Father Peterson days (frankly, and I think you’ll understand this, I was rather pleased to get the chance to see for myself what goes on there!).

The place does an awful lot of good. That there are a strong representation of young conservative clergy is true — but younger priests tend to be conservative (as they understand the Tradition) today. I met really fine, solid, wonderful priests and brothers and nuns who needed a break and to learn to care for themselves. It was a privilege to live with them. I was truly edified. They created among themselves a caring, supportive community; a number of Religious (Brothers and Sisters) told me that they had experienced the deepest level of community life they had ever known. I think that is a tribute to priests and Religious who found themselves in an unexpected place and did the best they could, and did very well.

I saw three problems at Saint Luke which I would mention:

1. The first problem: the abuse of these places by some members of the episcopate is certainly real: I think of one Bishop who seems to send ANY of his priests or deacons there if they get into trouble, and there is no path back: they never get readmitted to ministry, despite promises, regardless of the severity of the problem. It is a treatment center; he uses it to park a problem while he figures out how to get rid of him. I think perhaps he is too distracted by the building of his great vanity project, his Cathedral, and he forgets that each of his priests and deacons are Temples of the Holy Ghost. The sunlight off the crystal must distract him, I suppose.

2. The second is like unto it: you have used the word, “conflict of interest.” There is a fundamental conflict of interest in Saint Luke’s in that the client in the therapy is not the priest or religious; the client is the Diocese or Religious Order. It is paying the bills. It’s not conceivable that decisions made by staff do not take into account the fact that they do not want to hack off the Bishops who pay the bills and decide to send the next client.

2a. I know I said just three problems, but how can I resist this: the Bishops are the fly in the ointment, the bride at every funeral and the corpse at every wake. The turd in the punch bowl…

3. The embrace of the professional counseling standards by Saint Luke is undoubtedly necessary from their point of view. They need to maintain professional standing and accreditation. This is just how we lost our Catholic colleges and universities and seminaries. A priest who, for example, has experienced same-sex attraction, and — probably linked — drug- alcohol- social problems, is counseled from the perspective of, Are you comfortable in your own skin, rather than “Let us look at your same sex attraction from the perspective of the Church’s teaching.” The problem becomes, “are you comfortable with this,” and that does not address the moral issue, nor does it treat of how you live (the ministry, the Religious life, your Christian life) fruitfully.

In other words, the standards St Luke Institute adopts are the professional standards expected by its peers in evaluation. That will always be a problem. But I have seen wonderful moments of grace there; priests and Religious who limped in, who left healed. This is the other side of the story.

I am very glad for Father’s story, especially because I have known men admitted to St. Luke’s and I know that others whom I know may have to go there as well.

There are inevitably two sides to these coins we toss about.   It is important to pay attention to the reverse of the medal.

Posted in Priests and Priesthood, The Drill | Tagged , ,
8 Comments

Oppressed priests and portable altars and true emergency conditions

Posted on 26 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

St. Joseph’s Apprentice has made beautiful, practical portable altars for me and for many priests.

I have called his portable altars “the ultimate gift for a priest”.  I have one that I can travel with, using a Pelican case, that houses also travel vestments which you have all seen (thanks to a few readers for donations!) and everything else.  When it is all set up, it is grand and reverent.  Then back into the milspec case it goes.  That’s just my over the top solution, but the “travel altar” could go into a backpack, as it was designed to do.

In light of the horrors that some priests are subjected to right now these altars may be more and more important.

I received a note from the wonderful man who is “St. Joseph’s Apprentice”:

We (my wife and I) were so glad you did a post on the persecuted priests who are being forced into psych wards. We have been asked to build two altars so far for such priests. Fr. ___ even posted one on Twitter. This is a picture of his “Altar of Repose” he set up in his psychiatric hospital room on Holy Thursday. We used to be able to “google” this priest’s name but now he is no longer found on the Internet.  [I’m being targeted too.]

Your idea to start some respite [redoubt! Different.] for them in Montana sounded great. Something definitely should be done for these priests.

We had the idea that if you think it advisable, we could start a “GOFUNDME” account for altars for these priests. I definitely do not need the extra business as I am working 2-3 months out, but would like to be of help to these priests in whatever way possible. We also could find a safe haven up here in the Idaho woods for a priest or two. Keep us in mind. My nephew (a recent business grad from Univ. of Dallas and a good Catholic man) has offered to manage the gofundme account as I definite can’t manage that at this time. – Rick

Since I have been posting on the troubles of priests, people have poured notes into my email about their willingness to take them even into their homes.

Folks, this is very moving.

The GoFundMe account isn’t a bad idea.   Heck, we made it work with Leaflet Missal and the birettas, right?

At the same time, I think you know that in 90% of circumstances priests can’t stay in the homes of people whom they don’t know well.  Of course emergencies are emergencies.

All of this makes me think and think hard, but without losing a sense of humor (I hope).

Imagine a whole bunch of priests with checkered pasts, some maybe with real issues, descending on a home or town. The first scenes of the Hobbit movie with all the dwarves arriving comes to mind.  Imagine that these various and very different men find a kind of haven, a sort of “island of broken toys” and manage to form a new priestly community or society.  I think I would dust off my old plan to found “The Rubricians”.   Or maybe it would be more like, “The Dream Team”?

Posted in Be The Maquis, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged , ,
8 Comments

A story about St. Luke’s: “you are totally in their power – you are utterly at their mercy.”

Posted on 26 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The horror stories are pouring in from priests who have been through The Psych Strike Gambit by their bishops or superiors.   Here is one, with some detail, which I have permission to post and which I have anonymized.  His is a fairly recent experience, under the new, not ancient, regime of St. Luke’s.  It’s current.

My emphases and comments.

I am a solemnly professed religious (not a cleric) in what is regarded as a very orthodox community. As one of your comments mentioned, sometimes these things are not ideologically motivated, it’s just a way of dealing with someone who stepped out of line/ might need help. That was my case.  [I’ve also mentioned that there, truly, some priests and religious who really do need help.] (Nonetheless, I saw and experienced many in the ideologically motivated position you spoke of.)

[…]

As I mentioned, I did an evaluation at St. Luke’s. Before I even got there, I was given the strong impression that my vocation depended completely on going. Once there, the impression of the power of that place over my future was overwhelming. You clearly know that you and your whole future in your vocation depends upon getting a good report from these people. I saw and heard that same fear in the others I met there. I was surprised by the number of younger men, especially those who were amenable to tradition, etc. Also, what you said about lack of communication and total lack of privacy is completely correct. You have to sign disclosures immediately upon arrival.
Specifically, one of the doctors evaluating me mentioned how strange is was that I was not sexually active during high school and had not experimented with homosexual acts. He said that such behavior was a normal part of development. Thus, on top of everything, I was deemed sexually immature, even though I had had no problems with chastity. As far as I could tell, the vast majority of people there were on a lot of meds. Thankfully, I avoided that.
Now, for the six months in St. Louis. Again, you know that you are totally in their power and that everything depends upon getting a good report. The St. Louis Consultation Center (now the St. Luke’s Consultation Center, it was recently acquired by St. Luke’s) is an outpatient program, which makes it much less intense and provides more individual freedom because there is no residential aspect to the program. What I saw and heard over the course of six-months: I was personally encouraged to masturbate (that was normal, and I know that others were likewise encouraged)/ I was told that if I went on a “leave of absence” I could explore dating and “see where that went”/ I saw other priests and religious in the program whose struggles surrounded homosexuality freely encouraged to fully identify as gay/ praying the Liturgy of Hours/ going to Mass daily, etc. was considered “rigid.” The sanctity of vows or one’s vocation was not taken seriously. Eg. Priests who were otherwise totally capable of being good priests (and had been for many years) were totally unchallenged in “discerning” out of the priesthood. Finally, one priest who became a good friend of mine was sent there for preaching against contraception.
Also, a note. At both of these places, your stay can be extended beyond six-months at the behest of your bishop/superior or the staff.  [Sweet Mother of God, Queen of the Clergy, save these men!]
I think you get the drift. [NB] It’s too bad, because for those who need psychological/ emotional help, they do that part very well. There is a lot to gain for those who need it. It’s just not reinforced with the Church’s teaching, or free from the atmosphere of pressure and coercion. In that respect, it was all disheartening and confusing.
The main thing I would emphasize is that you are utterly at their mercy. Further, bishops/ superiors can use your time at these programs as justification to do whatever they want with you/ to you for the rest of your life. Whenever they want, the simple fact that you were there can come back to haunt you (often completely outside the bounds of Canon Law). As you said, they never forget who is paying the bills. Unfortunately, I would know about this, since, after going through all of that, I have been treated very unjustly (not just according to me) and now have to be represented by a canon lawyer.
Please pray for me. Know of my prayers for you and your very good work.

Story after story, friends.

Take away… and this is consistent with other things I have heard.  They can do a good job with priests and religious who need real help.  I’ve heard that they can do that well.  However, they also can be the arm of the bishop.

It seems that they will do anything for money, good job, hit job, whatever.

Mary, Queen of the Clergy, intercede for us with Your Son the High Priest.

UPDATE:

For a POSITIVE take… HERE

Posted in Priests and Priesthood | Tagged , ,
15 Comments

Fr. Z thanks readers who want to help priests.

Posted on 26 September 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It doesn’t surprise me even as it surprised me.   I am ever amazed at the response I get from readers in certain circumstances, even as I have, over time, learned to expect it.

Since I posted about Fr. Kalchik, and since I wrote about a dream in which there was a haven for priests in a Western state, and especially since I posted about how some (not all!) bishops deal with troublesome priests – The Psych Strike Gambit – quite a few of you have written to offer help to priests who are under fire.

  • Some of you have offered your homes.
  • Some of you have offered to set priests up somewhere.
  • Some of you have in a generic way said that they are praying hard.
  • Some of you, quite a few, have told me that you know priests in these situation.
  • Some PRIESTS have written about their own experience with The Psych Strike Gambit played by their bishops (or religious with superiors).

Is this something that has to go somewhere?

I don’t know what that would be, exactly.

I had a glimpse, as mentioned elsewhere, of a community set up almost like the Camaldolese, wherein each man has his own “cabin” but there is more of a community life than in a Carthusian set up.

If suddenly some wealthy guy in the mountains of Montana or Idaho or Wyoming sends photos of this sort of place already built and ready to go…

… wouldn’t that be interesting?

You never know.  Providence works mysteriously.

I think it is fascinating that the new Gower Abbey church was fully consecrated in the traditional rite.  Those Benedictines have the apostolate of praying for bishops and priests.

Timely.

 

Posted in Priests and Priesthood, Si vis pacem para bellum!, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged
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