For various reasons I had to demur, but at one point I was to be deacon for this.
This is how they do it in Minneapolis, friends.
Not too bad, all in all. A worthy observance of Gaudete Sunday.
I hate to send anyone to Facebook – blech – but there are more photos there.
You all know that I tend to bang on about Latin in our sacred liturgical worship.
Most of us belong to the Roman Catholic, Latin Church. The Latin Church.
Never using or hearing our language of prayer and teaching affects (defects) our identity as Catholics.
“But Father! But Father!”, some of you libs are snorkeling, “You’re just trying to perpetuate the oppression of the marginalized through your outmoded patriarchal tools of… of… oppression! It’s because of people like YOU that we have to put our guitars and tambourines down and sing the … the… that’s it … the Kyrie in Latin! Why? Because YOU HATE VATICAN II!”
You mean the Vatican II that required that our worship remain in Latin? That priests had to say their Office in Latin? That pastors had to teach people how to respond speaking and singing in Latin? THAT Vatican II?
Today at the increasingly valuable The Catholic Thing, Robert Royal has a piece which concerns the recent fluctus in simpulo about the translation of the Lord’s Prayer. In this insight piece he writes:
[…]
My far greater concern these days, however, is how much the English translations of prayers are sliding into what might be called a kind of emotional blur. [This is the age of sentimentality.] It happens at Mass. But I see it especially in Morning and Evening Prayer. You might not notice if you recite the Liturgy of the Hours in English. (I may be wrong about this, but I’m told there’s still no definitive translation.) [I believe it’s in production. Who knows when it will see the light of day. But… do I care? No, I do not. Guess why.]
Most days, I read those two Hours in Latin (again, just for personal reasons). But I’ll use the English when I’m pressed for time. The Universalis app is a convenient way to consult them both.
Going back and forth often brings you up short, because the Latin tends to speak concretely about sin, redemption, and mercy in a strikingly vertical way, much needed, in my view, at a time when much of our lives – even our religious worship – is markedly horizontal.
That’s very evident, especially in Advent. If any time of year reminds us that God “comes down,” metaphorically speaking, to become one of us while remaining the eternal second person of the Trinity, it’s now.
[…]
This blog began as my place to archive the articles on the translations of prayers for Holy Mass. Looking at the Latin and then seeing the poor excuse for the English that was foisted on the Church for so long, drove me to write the column “What Does The Prayer Really Say?” for many years at The Wanderer (bless them – give a gift subscription for Christmas). As the weeks and months and years of the column piled on, we saw the systematic removal of concepts not just from the horrific English ICEL versions of the Novus Ordo prayers, but from the Latin even before the loons got their paws on the originals.
Change the way we pray and, over time, what we believe will change. Lex orandi – Lex credendi. It is inevitable.
After decades of dreck, no wonder we are in the diminished, enervated state we’re in.
And.. NO… hearing an Agnus Dei sung at Mass every other month doesn’t cut it. Or, even better, having the Kyrie “in Latin” doesn’t do it either. That one never gets old.
Thank be to God we now also have Summorum Pontificum in force to act as both a rudder and a sea anchor in these stormy identity waters into which our barque has been purposely led by the steersmen.
There’s tinkeritis with liturgy and tinkeritis with creches. They seem to be symptoms of the same mental, spiritual malady. Is it hubris?
What is it with the desire to tinker with Nativity scenes?
I fully understand the desire and attempts of true artists to portray the mysteries of the Lord’s life in paint and sculpture. Our museums are full of these, some good, some great, some magnificent. And then there’s the gimicky and the unworthy.
From Church Militant and St Louis Post Dispatch:
Really?
Church Militant says:
An Illinois Catholic diocese is displaying a “Hipster Nativity” scene showing a skimpily clad Mary, with Joseph taking a selfie with the Baby Jesus.
The Nativity is one of about 60 on view in the “Nativities From Around the World” display in the Catholic Cathedral of St. Peter. The créches come to the Cathedral from the University of Dayton’s Marian Library, a Catholic college, which has collected more than 3,500 nativities from over 100 countries since 1998. The Hipster Nativity was built in 2016 and, in addition, showing the Holy Family as millennial caricatures, it also depicts the Three Wise Men on Segways holding Amazon Prime boxes and a “100 percent organic” cow eating gluten-free feed.
Church Militant spoke with Msgr. John Myler, rector of the Cathedral, about the modern créche, who justified it by insisting that “most nativities will have the flavor and or the costume or the culture of the people.”
Bob Baker, a parishioner, spoke to Church Militant, mentioning his “conversations with the Chancery office and the statements from Msgr. Myler,” who explained that the purpose of the Nativity “was to make it relevant to the school children.”
What makes that “relevant”?
And there’s the really strange nativity scene this year in St. Peter’s Square.
Apart from the controversy about the naked guy at the right side, who thought that this composition was in any way coherent? First… find the Holy Family. Okay… got them yet? The other figures are suppose to portray corporal works of mercy. Got it? Merrrrrrrcy. The addition of “bury the dead” was especially appropriate for the Nativity scene.
Clever, right? It’s soooo profound.
And relevant!
However, I don’t believe that the spiritual works of mercy were included.
You remember, those, right?
I am not sure that all of these are in vogue any more.
Quite a few people have asked for suggestions about things to get for their priests for Christmas.
This topic comes up once in a while, as in ordination season and for the brethren’s birthdays and anniversaries.
I can approach this in a couple ways, and I am entirely aware of the self-interest involved. Having wishlists makes this an easier question in my regard. I will, nevertheless, advance.
Here are a few things which might be helpful.
First, since this is the age of the “gift card”, how about gift cards to some place or outlet that Father might appreciate? Does Father go fishing? A card for some fishing gear place. Does Father build AR-15s? A card for some parts outlet and ammo cans of 5.56 would help. Does Father use Amazon? Amazon cards! I know that when I get an Amazon gift card, my life is a little easier that day: I order, inter alia, household essentials. Does Father occasionally eat? How about some card or gift certificate for a local restaurant (which he likes), perhaps large enough so he an a priest friend can go together.
Some airlines have gift cards.
Also, I was just made aware that some airlines have gift cards, too. It might be good to give a priest some travel/airfare cards, so that he might be able to visit parents or grandparents if he is in a place where he didn’t grow up, or maybe to attend a classmate’s jubilees or other event, or even just have a vacation somewhere.
There’s a gift card for just about everything now.
Another option is to work with him to get vestments or liturgical books or training that he might looking for (especially if that involves the Extraordinary Form). I know that a lot of younger priests are interested in this. Going back to the gift card idea, perhaps they could order something from Leaflet Missal (who handle the Biretta Project – talk to John in Church Goods).
There is, of course, the ultimate. The portable altar. Since I already have one, I could use a Bugatti Chiron to haul it around.
I think that most priests would be honored to have a charitable donations made in their name either to a particular project of your church or to an organization he supports. For example, I have my favorite projects, such as the tax-deductible Tridentine Mass Society of the Diocese of Madison and Our Lady of Hope Clinic (which has a matching grant to the end of the year).
In the Christmas cards I receive, many people say that they have enrolled me in novenas of Masses or they send spiritual bouquets. That’s really nice and much appreciated.
Remember, too, that some priests are quite alone, and times like Christmas can be hard for them. Check up on them without being pushy. Ask if there is anything that they need or that you can do for them. Also, keep in mind that priests can’t and shouldn’t accept every possible invitation. Don’t be bent out of shape if Father doesn’t accept.
Some priests really like the 8th dozen of Christmas cookies. Some, might not need the 2nd dozen… or the first. I am among the later group. I share them out if I can.
I think that priests don’t, in general, expect very much. They know that something is going to come their way, of course. They are happy when something comes along, but that’s not way they got into the fray. Each man will have different interests. However, being cheerful and helpful in the parish and supportive in projects can go a long way to making spirits bright, as it were.
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
Hello Father. I recently asked my Pastor if he would ever celebrate the Ordinary Form of the Mass ad orientem. He replied that a dispensation is required from our Bishop. I’ve never heard such a thing. Could this be true? Thanks very much.
No, that is not true.
A “dispensation” implies that there is a law. A diocesan bishop cannot establish a law in contradiction to the Church’s universal laws. Holy Mass can be celebrated ad orientem at the choice of the priest. No permissions are need according to the law. As a matter of fact, the rubrics in the Missal, read properly, assume that the priest is celebrating ad orientem: the indicate when he turns to face the people.
Indeed, the Congregation for Divine Worship ruled on this question in 2000. HERE
Some bishops have – wrongly – made reference to GIRM 299 in their attempts to snuff out or prevent ad orientem worship. Rather, surely some underlings of the bishops have done that, since no bishop would be so foolish as to ignore the CDWs ruling. Nor would they be unaware of the mistranslation of the Latin of GIRM 299 which distorts the meaning of the paragraph.
Sometimes you will see letters of bishops – no doubt penned by underlings – which seem to forbid ad orientem worship for all manner of reasons such as a chimeric “unity” (supremely ironic given the variety of practices and unchecked abuses going on all around them). They may even openly say, “Don’t say Mass ad orientem without my permission”, which doesn’t have any juridical basis at all. However, a careful reading of such letters reveals that they do not establish any policy or legislate anything. They convey the bishop’s wish. Sometimes that wish is couched in fancy language, but that’s what it winds up being: “I don’t like it. I don’t want it. But I can’t make a law against it. So, here’s an ominous legal-sounding letter with subtle threats.”
So, priests are free to celebrate ad orientem.
However, given the fact that a bishop can crucify a priest in a thousand unpleasant ways, many priests aren’t going to opt for ad orientem even though they would be open to it or want to do it. Their rights mean little to nothing in the face of power turned against them.
This is the sad reality.
Hence, in your dealings with this priest, be a little compassionate. Depending on your diocese, it could be that he, personally, would like to accommodate you, but in the background he has concerns with “downtown”, as it were.
I’m off for a quick trip to Manhattan.
The primary mission on this trip is to attend an annual “O Antiphon” Dinner which has – in part – a motive of appreciation for priests who have helped at Holy Innocents, indeed, helped to keep it open when there was a strong possibility that it might be closed. Quite a few were involved in that effort and some close bonds were formed.
I will also have the pleasure of meeting up with good friends during this short jaunt.
A “Manhattan” may be involved at some point.
UPDATE
Upgrade. A good way to start.
UPDATE
Bumpy ride followed by soft landing.
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
I attended a lecture today and it was about Ecclesiology
The author said that those who are outside the Catholic Church can be saved because of the overflow of graces via Ecclesia Supplet. Provided they have lived good lives and have not in any way gone against the Church who is the bearer of Truth and Salvation.
GUEST PRIEST RESPONSE: Fr. Tim Ferguson
Ah, our old, frequently misused friend, Ecclesia supplet. Hauled out on a regular basis to cover up the faults and foibles of the all-too-human elements in the Church. Once again, used improperly. It’s probably better to get used to using the full phrase – ecclesia supplet facultatem. The Church supplies the faculty. The Church supplies jurisdiction. In certain situations when a minister of the Church acts improperly, the Church can supply the faculty that the minister was supposed to have.
The Church does not supply grace where grace is lacking.
The Church does not supply faith where faith is lacking.
The Church does not supply salvation where salvation is lacking.
The Church, despite having a divine foundation and divine guidance, is not God.
Are those outside of the Church saved? Was Boniface VIII wrong when he infallibly declared that outside of the Church there is no salvation? Was Our Lord joking when he said “Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life within you” (John 6:53)? When he said, “No one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless He be born again of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5) was he kidding around?
Certainly not. There is no salvation outside of the Church, and no one who is not a baptized member of the Church can be saved. That’s clearly the message of the Gospel, of Jesus Christ, and of the Church.
Yet, the same Jesus, who taught these things, turned to the thief on the Cross next to Him – the thief who had not been baptized of water and the Spirit, who had not eaten of the flesh of the Son of Man, nor drank of His blood – turned to this selfsame thief and said to him, “This day you will be with me in paradise.”
How does that square?
Remember that teacher in high school, or maybe college? A really tough teacher, of a difficult subject. But a good teacher. He told you at the beginning of the semester what you needed to read, what you needed to study, and what you needed to do to pass his class. He gave out good, detailed study guides for his tests. He was exacting, but fair. Remember him?
Remember earning whatever grade you got in his class – maybe an A, more likely a B, or even a C – and being grateful that you got that grade, but knowing that you got what you deserved, insofar as you followed his study guide and turned in well-written papers on time? Remember that one guy in class, who didn’t seem to follow the rules, who slacked off, and who failed? Remember that other guy who didn’t seem to get things right, turned in sloppy-looking work, and was always the last one in the room struggling with the exam, but who somehow managed to get a passing grade?
What was up with that guy? Did the professor relax his standards to let this guy through? Did he give him favors, or maybe find a way to give him extra credit that he didn’t give to others? Remember asking, and being told – it really isn’t any of your business?
I think it’s kind of like that with God. He’s given us a clear path to heaven. He’s told us what we need to do. Be born again of water and the Spirit, eat His Body, drink His blood, follow the commandments, be faithful to the Church, believe and trust in Him, and spread His Word, in season and out of season. Take up our cross and follow Him. It’s all there, laid out for us. That’s what we need to know.
And, He makes it clear that we are to strive to make sure that everyone else around us knows this too. If we want to see our friends in heaven, we have to do everything we can to make this message clear to them.
Are there those who are unbaptized who get into heaven? Well, we know of one – the Good Thief. Is he the only one? Honestly, I don’t know, but I would suspect he’s not. Is there, therefore, salvation outside of the Church? No, the Church has infallibly defined that dogma. How does this square?
Short answer, that’s not really my business. God is free to grant salvation as He chooses. I know what’s He’s said through His Gospel, through His Church. I can certainly hope that there is salvation for those who, through no fault of their own, don’t know Him. That would certainly square with my understanding of a loving and fair God. I also know that if other’s don’t know Him because I’ve failed in my duty to proclaim the Gospel to them, my own salvation is in grave jeopardy. Does the glimmer of a possibility of salvation being granted in ways other than the ordinary way Christ laid out give me the excuse to slack off on my missionary mandate to preach the Gospel? Pardon my English, but hell no!
Longer answer – about 20 centuries of theological speculation by minds much better than mine. Happy reading.
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
I’ve never looked up any documents about “communion services”. Other than the obvious occassions where Holy Communion is distributed outside of Mass (viaticum, Good Friday, etc.), what’s the story with “Communion services”? Are they allowed? We have one weekly on the priest’s day off from the parish. I avoid them.
Yes, they are allowed.
But it is too bad that you have to have them in your parish at all.
A priest should have some time for himself. However, it is unfortunate that there isn’t a way for another priest to cover a Mass on that day. I’m sure that the pastor has tried.
You are completely free to avoid them if you wish.
On that note, some people don’t think that a priest should have any time off, ever, because he has to be exactly where you expect him to be when you want him to be there.
I am reminded of the older circular letter…
The Perfect Priest
The results of a computerized survey indicate the perfect priest preaches exactly fifteen minutes. He condemns sins but never upsets anyone. He works from 8:00 AM until midnight and is also a janitor. He makes $50 a week, wears good clothes, buys good books, drives a good car, and gives about $50 weekly to the poor. He is 28 years old and has preached 30 years. He has a burning desire to work with teenagers and spends all of his time with senior citizens.
The perfect priest smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his work. He makes 15 calls daily on parish families, shut-ins and the hospitalized, and is always in his office when needed.
If your priest does not measure up, simply send this letter to six other churches that are tired of their priest, too. Then bundle up your priest and send him to the church on the top of the list. In one week, you will receive 1,643 priests and one of them will be perfect. Have faith in this procedure.
One parish broke the chain and got its old priest back in less than three weeks.
Some news from the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. I often feature music from their great discs in my podcasts.
They have a lot of their income from their music discs.
The sisters need urgent help.
This news came:
Dear Friends in Christ,
As we make final preparations in our homes and in our hearts for the coming of our Savior, we want to send our love and prayers to all of you. We thank you for your past support, knowing that we couldn’t live our lives of prayer without your generous assistance.
If you are still in need of Christmas gifts, we have all of our CDs in stock, and are offering them right now for just $12 each!
Any orders placed before 9am(CST) today will be shipped today, and orders placed by 9am Monday will be shipped on Monday.
[NB] Amazon inexplicably stopped selling our Caroling at Ephesus CD early last week, so we unfortunately lost a tremendous number of sales. So we reach out to you now, hoping that through your kindness, we might make up for this loss, which will help us to raise the last $150,000 needed to make our final construction payment of the year.
We would be most grateful if you could spread the word by any means, near and far! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your goodness and continued support!
In the Divine Infant,
Mother Cecilia & Sisters
p.s. After many requests, we’ve finally made our first wall calendar, available soon. Please check our website mid-week if you are interested!
Everyone… click
>HERE<<
These sisters pray for priests in a special way. They are the real deal. They have the Extraordinary Form and so many vocations that they need, soon, to make a foundation.
Help them? Please?
Let them know that Fr. Z sent you.
If you have a blog, give them a lift.
Our rose set for Sung Masses on Gaudete and Laetare when we have an Asperges. DONATE
We are coming to the 3rd Sunday of Advent, also nicknamed Gaudete…. the plural imperative of gaudeo, “Rejoice!”, the first word of the Introit chant.
This Sunday there is a relaxation of the penitential aspect of Advent, just Laetare Sunday does during Lent.
Yes, Advent is a penitential time, though not so much as Lent. Advent is a time for joyful penance or penitential joy.
Remember: Real priests wear rosacea.
In the first week of Advent we begged God for the grace of the proper approach and will for our preparation.
In the second week, we ask God for help and protection in facing the obstacles the world raises against us. This Sunday we have a glimpse of the joy that is coming in our rose colored (rosacea) vestments, some use of the organ, flowers. Christmas is ever nearer at hand.
COLLECT – (2002MR)
Deus, qui conspicis populum tuum nativitatis dominicae festivitatem fideliter exspectare, praesta, quaesumus, ut valeamus ad tantae salutis gaudia pervenire, et ea votis sollemnibus alacri laetitia celebrare.
The infinitives in our Collect (expectare… pervenire… celebrare) give it a grand sound and also sum up what we are doing in Advent. L&S informs us that conspicio means, “to look at attentively, to get sight of, to descry, perceive, observe.” Alacer is, “lively, brisk, quick, eager, active; glad, happy, cheerful” and it is put in an unlikely combination with laetitia, “joy, especially unrestrained joyfulness”.
At the same time we also have votis sollemnibus. Votum signifies first of all, “a solemn promise made to some deity” (we have all made baptismal vows!) and also “wish, desire, longing, prayer”.
There is a powerful sentiment of longing in this prayer, God’s as well as ours.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that expecto is from ex- + pecto (pecto, “to comb”). Exspecto is “look forward to, await, long for, dread” in your L&S. You can also comb through your copy of the etymological dictionary of Latin by 
Ernout and Meillet which says it is from ex– + *specio, spexi, spectum or ex- + spicio. Therefore, it is a cousin of conspicio: God “watches” over us and we “look” back at… er um… forward to Him. This word play is clever.
Furthermore, sollemnis, related to sollus, i.e. “totus-annus“, points to something that takes place every year. So, it basically means “yearly, annual”. Thus, by extension it means something that takes place at appointed times, such as rites of a religious character and that which is does by custom.
LITERAL TRANSLATION:
O God, who attentively watch Your people look forward faithfully to the feast of the Lord’s birth, grant, we entreat, that we may be able to attain the to joys of so great a salvation and celebrate them with eager jubilation in solemn annual festive rites.
OBSOLETE ICEL (1973):
Lord God, may we, your people, who look forward to the birthday of Christ experience the joy of salvation and celebrate that feast with love and thanksgiving.
You decide.
Rose vestments from the days of Fr. Finigan in Blackfen. Then came the regime change….
With the last two week’s of “rushing” in our prayers and doing good works, we have now the added image of eager and unrestrained joy, an almost childlike dash towards a long-desired thing.
Have earthly fathers watched this scene all of a Christmas morning?
Even so should we be in our eager joy to perform good works under the gaze of a Father who watches us, a Father with a plan.
The obsolete ICEL version captures little of the impact of the Latin prayer, that is, God the Father is patiently watching his people as we go about the Advent business of doing penance and just works in joyful anticipation Christ’s coming.
NEW CORRECTED ICEL (2011):
O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation, land to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
A Daily Prayer for Priests
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