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{]:¬)

Fr. Z remembers an old friend, Rev. Mr. Harold Hughesdon

Posted on 1 November 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

One of the influential figures in my conversion was a Englishman, a permanent deacon at my home parish of St. Agnes in St. Paul.

The late Rev. Mr. Harold Hughesdon, who died some years ago, had been in the Westminster Cathedral School in London in the 30’s, a pilot in the RAF in the war, a professor of physics, a VP of 3M. When he was in the RAF, he met an American girl. They married and settled in St. Paul. Among his accomplishments at St. Agnes was the training of the altar boys in the style of Westminster Cathedral. He also obtained permission from the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster to set up the first chapter of the Confraternity of St. Stephen, for altar boys, outside the Commonwealth. Here in Madison I’ve asked the present Cardinal Archbishop for the same and he said yes. That’s to come!

Today, in looking at my notes for All Saints – I have a Missa Cantata this evening – I found a recording of Harold reading the 2nd Reading for today, in the Novus Ordo, from 1 John – back in 2012.

Here it is:

I don’t know why I have this recording, but I am sure glad that I do.

His reading at the Vigil of Easter of “Chariots and charioteers” is legendary.

In your charity, in this time when we pray for the dead, please stop and say a prayer for my old friend Rev. Mr. Harold Hughesdon. He is greatly missed. Requiescat.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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ASK FATHER: Mass obligation and falling asleep during Mass

Posted on 1 November 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

This morning at Mass (All Saints), as I held a sleeping toddler and fought fatigue myself, I recalled the Holy Father’s recent words (echoing St. Therese of Lisieux) about not being too upset about falling asleep during prayer because we are like children falling asleep in the arms of our Father.

However, as an aspiring Unreconstructed Ossified Manualist, set aside such sentimental thoughts and asked myself:

If one is physically present, but asleep, at Mass, does one still
fulfill one’s Sunday obligation?

Thank you for your reference to Unreconstructed Ossified Manualism! We need it more than ever.

To your question.

A manualist will respond that to fulfill your obligation your body has to be there continually and morally, that is to say, for the whole Mass unless there is some grave reason why you have to absent yourself from part of it. Say, there are too many people and you have to stand outside the doors: you are morally present. Say you have to take your screaming toddler out for a bit, you were still morally present. If you show up half way through… sorry.

Do you have to hear and see everything that happens? No.

As for being mentally present, we can talk about internal and external presence. The first is when you with full will apply yourself to everything that is being said and done and are reaching for the content and mysteries they convey. External would be attention you give to those things that impede the former. You can still fulfill your obligation even with the later.

So, what if you are physically present, but asleep for part of it?

First, that could be the fault of the priest… the Lord knows how many preachers have tossed me into River Lethe. There are some preachers from whom God mercifully protects us by means of the grace of a brief snooze.

If you were asleep for the whole Mass, I’d say, sorry, you didn’t fulfill your obligation.

To a father who drifts off for a little while holding his sleeping child, I’d say….

… you get a pass on this one friend. Don’t worry.

I have little doubt that you fulfilled your obligation. And even if you didn’t, no one is held to the impossible.

Parents of children have a lot on their plates and you often have fatigue. Combine that with a rare moment in which you don’t have to hold down the toddler, with short hours of rest and perhaps a warm church with boring priests… yep… you get a pass.

So, next time… for the sake of your immortal soul and the removal of doubts about your obligations…

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged Mass Obligation, Unreconstructed Ossified Manualist
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ASK FATHER: Too much Precious Blood consecrated. Who should consume?

Posted on 1 November 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a seminarian…

QUAERITUR:

First and foremost I have to thank you immensely for this blog, which has greatly helped me and some of my brothers from our Seminary down here in Brazil (where stuff like those on Fishwrap are rather commonplace as well).

Now to the question… Father, I heard that somewhere not so far from here it’s been happening a situation I’m not so comfortable with but about which I have no arguments or explanations: after the faithful have received Communion, Father gives the Chalice to the EMHC or Master of Ceremonies (this one being a 16 years old boy) as he cannot consume of It himself because of illness or medication indult and only has the Communion from both kinds guaranteed by intinction. In any case, Father is the first to Communicate and the rest of the Mass is reverently and normally performed and this person has already communicated on due time.

Quæritur: who can Communicate from the Precious Blood after communion is over or proceed with purification of the Chalice?

Thank you again and may the Lord bless us all and especially this blog, you and my fellow readers.

GUEST PRIEST RESPONSE: Fr. Tim Ferguson

First rule in the seminary – as long as it doesn’t violate the moral law, do what your superiors tell you to do.

There are four Cardinal virtues – justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude. All are important, but in seminary formation, the virtue of prudence is truly the queen of all virtues, since it governs and guides the others. Prudence does not require violating one’s conscience, but prudence does require one to carefully select the battles one fights. Prudence, for a seminarian, often means swallowing some liturgical tomfoolery, because to fight against it in that situation is not the virtue of fortitude, but rather the vice of foolhardiness.

That said, Our Eucharistic Lord deserves all the respect we mere mortals can give.

Holy Communion should be received as devoutly as possible. The Church now permits the regular reception of Holy Communion under both species. There are many complications which come from the distribution of Holy Communion under both species. Some of these complications arise from the fact that the Precious Blood, unlike the Sacred Hosts, is not to be reserved after Mass – it should be wholly consumed.

If a priest consecrates too many Hosts, what happens? Ordinarily, the excess hosts are reserved in the tabernacle. If a priest consecrates too much Precious Blood, what happens? Here’s our dilemma.

All good seminarians, steeped in the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, know that consuming a larger portion of the Holy Eucharist does not avail themselves of more Christ, and neither does receiving the Holy Eucharist under both species. Christ is truly present in the Eucharist under both, or either forms, and as long as the elements retain sufficiently the appearance of bread and wine, Christ is sacramentally present. If one were to receive a whole host, and the next person in line were to receive only half a host, both receive the same Christ.

With these theological matters in mind, we can approach the question. Unfortunately, there is not currently in the Missal a “de defectibus Missae” section that outlines what is to be done in these situations, and since reception of the Precious Blood was not ordinarily done by anyone other than the priest in the older Missal, the “de defectibus” there does not enlighten us. So, what are the options?

1. The priest could consume the excess consecrated Blood.

2. The priest could ask another to consume the excess consecrated Blood.

3. The priest could dissolve the consecrated Blood with enough water so that it no longer retains the appearance and form of wine and respectfully dispose of the material down the sacrarium.

It seems as though this priest has, for various reasons, opted for option 2. That person has already received Holy Communion, and by assisting the priest, is not receiving “more” Communion, anymore so than if he had accidentally been given two Hosts at the altar rail.

The prudence of having a 16 year old be that person seems questionable, but there is no real liturgical norm being violated here. It should be an occasion for the priest to consider consecrating a smaller amount of wine at subsequent Masses.

Fr. Z adds:

To ALL SEMINARIANS… review HERE for the Rules of Seminary Survival. I believe that we are going to return in many places to something like the experience we vets had in the 80’s.

Also, speaking of not receiving “more Jesus” with a greater quantity of the Eucharist and speaking of the horrid hell hole that was the seminary I did hard time in…

We had “substantial bread”. I’ll spare you the details of how it was made, but it was often so inedible, so impenetrable with human teeth that we could barely get it down. In spite of its resistant qualities, it still left lots of crumbs. How happy Satan must have been. In any event, it was so tough that even the lib seminarians hated it and we all complained. The response we received back – I am not making this up – from a priest on the faculty was – again, I am not making this up – the more we chewed, the more of a sacrament it was.

What times were those.

However, doesn’t that sound a little like something that you might now, these days, hear again?

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged Precious Blood, seminary
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WDTPRS – All Saints: “Lift up your countenance to heaven, then.”

Posted on 1 November 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The Collect for today’s Mass for All Saints is the same in both forms of the Roman Rite. It it found already in the 8th century Liber sacramentorum Engolismensis. It was also, with variations in the Gelasian Sacramentary, among the prayers for Sts. Peter and Paul.

Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui nos ómnium Sanctórum tuórum mérita sub una tribuísti celebritáte venerári: qu?sumus; ut desiderátam nobis tuæ propitiatiónis abundántiam, multiplicátis intercessóribus, largiáris.

I like the separations of nos from venerari and, in the next section, desideratam from abundantiam. Note the assonance on “o” in the second line and “i” in the second. The third has strong alliteration and that whole second section hums with “m” and “n”. That last line has some thumping fine rhythms, and the final largiaris gives us a splendid clausula, or rhythmic closing: íntercessóribus lárgi-ÁH-REES. Wonderful to sing.

Our L&S says that celebritas, which looks an awful lot like an English word, is in the first place “a great number, a multitude, a large assembly, a numerous concourse or gathering, a crowd”. However, Cicero and Livy use it for “festal celebration, a solemnity” as in c. supremi diei, “a solemn procession for the dead”, appropriate for this time of year, for All Saints and All Souls. In the third place celebritas is “fame, renown”. But you might be able to hear how celebritas, while most naturally is in our prayer in the second sense of “solemnity”, can also bear that echo of “multitude” or even “throng” in our Latin ears and minds. Veneror is a deponent verb, and therefore has passive forms but active meanings. It means, “to reverence with religious awe, to worship, adore, revere, venerate” and “to ask reverently for any thing, to beseech, implore, beg, entreat, supplicate”.

Propitiatio, in our liturgical prayer, reflects propitiation in the sense of atonement, to be sure, but it is often rendered as “pardon, mercy, merciful indulgence”.

LITERAL REWORKING:

Almighty, eternal God, who granted us to venerate the merits of all Your saints under a single solemn festal celebration: we beseech You; that, our intercessors having been multiplied, You bestow upon us the longed for abundance of Your atoning mercy.

OBSOLETE ICEL (1973 translation of the 1970MR):

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,
today we rejoice in the holy men and women
of every time and place.
May their prayers bring us your
forgiveness and love.

This is the sort of thing that libs want to return to.

I like that image of the multiplication of intercessors. Remember the great scene in the movie Fantasia when Mickey Mouse is trying to stop the brooms from multiplying? They redouble and redouble and redouble, their numbers compounding. That’s how God’s glory is increased in heaven and how we received intercessory help before the throne of God. Each soul entering heaven massively increases joy by orders of magnitude. Each saint before the throne of God – in love for us and desire for us to join them – intercedes and and glorifies.

We, however, cannot for a moment think that we can be mere passive recipients of their loving intercession, any more than we can commit the errors of Lutherans and think that we are strictly passive in the reception of graces. We have to do our part. Concerning our brethren in the Church Triumphany, we of the Church Militant must beg for intercession from on high and pray and intercede for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.

We are all in this together.

We are together because of our common humanity and our baptism into Christ, from whom come and to whom go all things.

This perspective can help us get through all the vicissitudes of this life, the duties and challenges of our respective vocations… no matter what.

Are you frustrated in your life or what you see going on around you? Anxious? Angry or sad?

Let’s hear this prayer through the lens of the Imitation of Christ (3, 47):

THE VOICE OF CHRIST:

My child, do not let the labors which you have taken up for My sake break you, and do not let troubles, from whatever source, cast you down; but in everything let My promise strengthen and console you. I am able to reward you beyond all means and measure.

You will not labor here long, nor will you always be oppressed by sorrows. Wait a little while and you will see a speedy end of evils. The hour will come when all labor and trouble shall be no more. All that passes away with time is trivial.

What you do, do well. Work faithfully in My vineyard. I will be your reward. Write, read, sing, mourn, keep silence, pray, and bear hardships like a man. Eternal life is worth all these and greater battles. Peace will come on a day which is known to the Lord, and then there shall be no day or night as at present but perpetual light, infinite brightness, lasting peace, and safe repose. Then you will not say: “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” nor will you cry: “Woe is me, because my sojourn is prolonged.” For then death will be banished, and there will be health unfailing. There will be no anxiety then, but blessed joy and sweet, noble companionship.

If you could see the everlasting crowns of the saints in heaven, and the great glory wherein they now rejoice – they who were once considered contemptible in this world and, as it were, unworthy of life itself – you would certainly humble yourself at once to the very earth, and seek to be subject to all rather than to command even one. Nor would you desire the pleasant days of this life, but rather be glad to suffer for God, considering it your greatest gain to be counted as nothing among men.

Oh, if these things appealed to you and penetrated deeply into your heart, how could you dare to complain even once? Ought not all trials be borne for the sake of everlasting life? In truth, the loss or gain of God’s kingdom is no small matter.

Lift up your countenance to heaven, then. Behold Me, and with Me all My saints. They had great trials in this life, but now they rejoice. They are consoled. Now they are safe and at rest. And they shall abide with Me for all eternity in the kingdom of My Father.

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Saints: Stories & Symbols, WDTPRS | Tagged All Saints, Imitation of Christ, proptiation, Thomas a Kempis
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UPDATES: Former theologian of US Bishops Doctrine Committee on Church under Pope Francis

Posted on 1 November 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATE:

Fr. Thomas Weinandy has been fired by the @USCCB https://t.co/ip0CdkWtJW pic.twitter.com/fqeuNh8oB2

— Matthew Schmitz (@matthewschmitz) November 1, 2017

More updates to come… look below.

Originally Published on: Nov 1, 2017 @ 11:38

Read at Crux, the piece about Fr. Thomas Weinandy comments on what is happening under Pope Francis. Weinandy is the former head for the staff of the U.S. Bishops Committee on Doctrine and is a current member of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission. Inter alia:

While expressing loyalty to Francis as the “Vicar of Christ on earth, the shepherd of his flock,” Capuchin Father Thomas Weinandy nevertheless charges that the pope is:
Fostering “chronic confusion.”
“Demeaning” the importance of doctrine.
Appointing bishops who “scandalize” believers with dubious “teaching and pastoral practice.”
Giving prelates who object the impression they’ll be “marginalized or worse” if they speak out.
Causing faithful Catholics to “lose confidence in their supreme shepherd.”
“In recognizing this darkness, the Church will humbly need to renew itself, and so continue to grow in holiness,” Weinandy wrote in the letter, which is dated July 31, the feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the pope’s Jesuit order.

There is quite a bit more. Read it there.

UPDATE:

Sandro Magistero has Fr. Weinandy’s explanation:

“There was no longer any doubt that Jesus wanted me to write…”

by Thomas G. Weinandy

Last May I was in Rome for an International Theological Commission meeting. I was staying at Domus Sanctae Marthae, and since I arrived early, I spent most of the Sunday afternoon prior to the meeting on Monday in Saint Peter’s praying in the Eucharistic Chapel.

I was praying about the present state of the Church and the anxieties I had about the present Pontificate. I was beseeching Jesus and Mary, St. Peter and all of the saintly popes who are buried there to do something to rectify the confusion and turmoil within the Church today, a chaos and an uncertainty that I felt Pope Francis had himself caused. I was also pondering whether or not I should write and publish something expressing my concerns and anxiety.

On the following Wednesday afternoon, at the conclusion of my meeting, I went again to St. Peter’s and prayed in the same manner. That night I could not get to sleep, which is very unusual for me. It was due to all that was on my mind pertaining to the Church and Pope Francis.

At 1:15 AM I got up and went outside for short time. When I went back to my room, I said to the Lord: “If you want me to write something, you have to give me a clear sign. This is what the sign must be. Tomorrow morning I am going to Saint Mary Major’s to pray and then I am going to Saint John Lateran. After that I am coming back to Saint Peter’s to have lunch with a seminary friend of mine. During that interval, I must meet someone that I know but have not seen in a very long time and would never expect to see in Rome at this time. That person cannot be from the United States, Canada or Great Britain. Moreover, that person has to say to me in the course of our conversation, ‘Keep up the good writing’.”

The next morning I did all of the above and by the time I met my seminarian friend for lunch what I had asked the Lord the following night was no longer in the forefront of my mind.

However, towards the end of the meal an archbishop appeared between two parked cars right in front of our table (we were sitting outside). I had not seen him for over twenty years, long before he became an archbishop. We recognized one another immediately. What made his appearance even more unusual was that, because of his recent personal circumstances, I would never have expected to see him in Rome or anywhere else, other than in his own archdiocese. (He was from none of the above mentioned countries.) We spoke about his coming to Rome and caught up on what we were doing. I then introduced him to my seminarian friend. He said to my friend that we had met a long time ago and that he had, at that time, just finished reading my book on the immutability of God and the Incarnation. He told my friend that it was an excellent book, that it helped him sort out the issue, and that my friend should read the book. Then he turned to me and said: “Keep up the good writing.”

I could hardly believe that this just happened in a matter of a few minutes. But there was no longer any doubt in my mind that Jesus wanted me to write something. I also think it significant that it was an Archbishop that Jesus used. I considered it an apostolic mandate.

So giving it considerable thought and after writing many drafts, I decided to write Pope Francis directly about my concerns. However, I always intended to make it public since I felt many of my concerns were the same concerns that others had, especially among the laity, and so I publicly wanted to give voice to their concerns as well.

UPDATE 1 Nov:

The USCCB issued a statement

HERE

My emphases and comments:

U.S. Conference Of Catholic Bishops President On Dialogue Within The Church

November 1, 2017
WASHINGTON—Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has issued the following statement on the nature of dialogue within the Church today.

Full statement follows:

“The departure today of Fr. Thomas Weinandy, O.F.M., Cap., as a consultant to the Committee on Doctrine and the publication of his letter to Pope Francis gives us an opportunity to reflect on the nature of dialogue within the Church. Throughout the history of the Church, ministers, theologians and the laity all have debated and have held personal opinions on a variety of theological and pastoral issues. [However, personal opinions can be shown to be in keeping or out of keeping with the Church’s teachings. Pastoral issues are another matter, since they often deal with contingent situations that allow more than one solution.] In more recent times, these debates have made their way into the popular press. That is to be expected and is often good. However, these reports are often expressed in terms of opposition, as political – conservative vs. liberal, left vs. right, pre-Vatican II vs Vatican II. These distinctions are not always very helpful. [Look. This statement clearly concerns what Fr. Weinandy wrote. However, I read the letter Fr. Weinandy wrote. HERE. There is nothing “political” in Weinandy’s letter. Why bring in “pre-Vatican II vs Vatican II?” That is irresponsible. Are we to conclude that the statement is also a kind “declaration”… of something?]

Christian charity needs to be exercised by all involved. [Yes… all involved… which means the writers of statements.] In saying this, we all must acknowledge that legitimate differences exist, and that it is the work of the Church, the entire body of Christ, to work towards an ever-growing understanding of God’s truth.

As Bishops, we recognize the need for honest and humble discussions around theological and pastoral issues. We must always keep in mind St. Ignatius of Loyola’s “presupposition” to his Spiritual Exercises: “…that it should be presumed that every good Christian ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it.” This presupposition should be afforded all the more to the teaching of Our Holy Father. [And… what about to Fr. Weinandy?]

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a collegial body of bishops working towards that goal. As Pastors and Teachers of the Faith, therefore, let me assert that we always stand in strong unity with and loyalty to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, who “is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful” (LG, no. 23).”

####

Puzzling.

Posted in Francis | Tagged Thomas G. Weinandy
24 Comments

Terror Attack in NYC and YOU. Si vis pacem, para bellum.

Posted on 31 October 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The people of New York City has experienced another terror attack. The perp ran people down with a rented truck. When he got out of the truck, he shouted “Allahu akbar”. He was eventually shot and taken alive. In his car he left hand written notes pledging allegiance to ISIS and an image of the flag of the same.

However, gosh… perhaps it’s too early to determine why he killed those people. (You can hear the libs now.)

This is going to happen more often. It is inexpensive and hard to predict and to stop. It can happen anywhere.

This attack took place near a high school as the students were getting out for the day.

This can happen where YOU are.

I heard four things in the news coverage about this that were excellent points.

One fellow, an expert on terror and security, among other things said that when we go out, we have to be aware of our surroundings and we should have the “tools to defend ourselves and fix ourselves”. This is one of the reason why I advocate that people have necessary supplies for things like first aid and some training and… other things as well, with lots of training. Especially I want everyone to practice situational awareness. This isn’t for yourself only. Be aware also for the zombies around you who aren’t!
Several of the experts on TV, including a former NYPD Commissioner, said that we have to wake up from the political correctness that has paralyzed us.
Also, one guy said that we have to focus not just at shooting the terrorists or cleaning up afterward, we have to destroy their brand and work to change the conditions in which these people become radicalized beasts.
We can’t rely only on electronic intelligence gathering. We have to have more human source, HUMINT, people on the ground who know and talk to people.

On that last point, I remind the readership of the superb book by Sebastian Gorka, who addresses precisely the need to destroy the brand of radical Islamism aimed at killing us.

Everyone, please read…

Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War by Sebastian Gorka.

US HERE – UK HERE

Peter Kwasniewski: “Can anyone deny that there is a de facto schism in the Church?”

Posted on 31 October 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

St. John Paul, Pope and Prayer Warrior, with one of the most powerful weapons of spiritual warfare.

ME! ME! ME!

I! I! I!

MINE! MINE! MINE!

We are living in an age when many people think they can do whatever the hell they want and there should be no consequences for them.

DO whatever they want? HAH! If only. They think they can BE anything they want, despite the obvious.

The only think that can’t be allowed is for someone else to disagree with them or point to the obvious.

Okay… whew. That felt good.

What set this off?

Peter Kwasniewski offered something at LifeSite which touches on the above.

He points out several seriously corrosive efforts underway, chief among them the systematic attack on the magisterium of Pope St. John Paul II.

He points to the absurdity of the divided situation where the divorced and remarried in Poland may not be admitted to Communion, but step over the border into Germany and they can be. Ridiculous, right? It is a symptom.

He writes:

The unfolding of events has brought a welcome clarity: Belial hath no concord with Christ, the faithful with the unbeliever (cf. 2 Cor 6:15). Can anyone deny that there is a de facto schism in the Church?

Posted in The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged John Paul II, Peter Kwasniewski
7 Comments

D. Worcester – Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary granted canonical status

Posted on 31 October 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

My friend Fr. Jay Finelli let me know a while ago that Bishop of Worcester has granted canonical status to the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Still River, MA. He has this on his site:

Congratulations to my dear friends, The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Still River, Massachusetts. On 27 October, the Most Rev. Robert J. McManus granted them canonical status as a Public Association of the Faithful. Check out the decree below.

Posted in Just Too Cool | Tagged D. Worcester, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
3 Comments

All Saints 2017 – 1 Nov- Holy Day of Obligation – Deliberately fail? Grave sin!

Posted on 31 October 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In these United States, be sure to check your parish schedules for Masses.

Wednesday 1 November 2017 is a Holy Day of OBLIGATION.

For our part, there will be a Missa Cantata at St. Mary’s in Pine Bluff, WI, in the Extraordinary Form

Remember that the Church can determine out obligations in this regard. It is a Commandment of the Church that we are to fulfill our obligation on Sundays and other Holy Days of obligation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains our obligation in the section about the Third Commandment of the Decalogue:

2180 The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.” “The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.”

2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

Canon Law

So, do check your schedules.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged All Saints, Holy Day of Holy Obligation
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PODCAzT 159: Catholics and Lutherans about Justification

Posted on 31 October 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

On this 500th anniversary of the legendary nailing up of theses by Martin Luther, that spark the revolt that tore Christendom apart, and on this anniversary of the signing of the Joint

Today we will hear Avery Card. Dulles 1999 essay in First Things about the Joint Declaration On The Doctrine Of Justification by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church.

This essay is really helpful in understanding the differences of belief between Catholics and Lutheran about justification, which means, what we believe about how we are saved. As Dulles puts it from the start:

One of the central themes of the New Testament, if not the central theme, is the way to obtain salvation. To be on the right road is, in New Testament terminology, to be justified. The corollary is that unless we are justified we are unrighteous and are on the road to final perdition. In other words, justification, as a right relationship with God, is a matter of eternal life or death. If it is not important, nothing is.