The votes are as high as an Elephant’s eye…

I’m once again rising to a beautiful day! How ’bout you?

Posted in Lighter fare |
21 Comments

For the “Sissy” File: CTU reacts to Trump’s victory

For your “Sissy” File….

The Catholic Theological Union in Chicago has been a theological byword for … awful… for decades.

An alumnus of the CTU sent this:

16_11_09_CTU_sissy

Talk about Self-Absorbed Promethean Neopelagians!

If you think that his name is familiar, Mark Francis, that you have read about him … HERE…  wasn’t he also the one who belittled Pope Benedict as not being a “trained liturgist”?  HERE

Meanwhile…

We must reclaim ad orientem worship!

Note that the graphic is very much like a certain political… well… never mind…

Posted in Liberals, Self-absorbed Promethean Neopelagians, Throwing a Nutty, You must be joking! | Tagged , ,
25 Comments

ASK FATHER: Should I be a permanent deacon?

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

Dear Father,

I am in my early/mid 30s, married with two children. I am considering the permanent diaconate- Our diocese is one where priests are overworked; at my grandmother’s funeral, no priest was available for the cemetery, but we were able to contact a deacon who, thankfully, was available. I believe I could be useful as a deacon, but hesitate because my wife and I are are still interested in future children and Ed Peters has a good argument for a continent diaconate (though the semi-official Vatican reply seems to reject this). Orthodox advice on this point is hard to come by and I wonder if I could trouble you for yours, even in brief.

Here is the response of my friend Fr. Tim Ferguson:

Should you pursue the permanent diaconate? Hmm, I suppose it really depends on one question: is God calling you to the diaconate? Of course, that’s a question that can only, truly be answered through discernment – both by you and by the bishop who may ordain you.
But, since you asked me, I suppose that laying out some ideas by way of advice is warranted.

Dr. Peters does indeed provide solid canonical reasoning supporting the tradition that all clerics are obliged to observe perpetual continence – and that the law currently in force does not exempt married deacons or priests from that obligation. While many in the hierarchy have chosen to ignore his arguments and look the other way, there has not been a serious counter-argument launched. The reply from Cardinal Coccopalmerio given in 2011 contains several points which have handily responded to by the selfsame Dr. Peters (HERE). Barring some further clarification, it seems clear to me that married clerics are still indeed bound by the obligation to observe perfect and perpetual continence.
Memorandum on Abp. Coccopalmerio’s second letter on Canon … HERE

If were in your shoes, and more children were being contemplated, I would delay pursuing the idea of the diaconate until such time as I could commit myself to a life of perfect and perpetual continence – and I would make sure that my wife was in agreement with this plan.

In the meantime, I would certainly pray for priestly vocations, so that the situation you describe with your grandmother’s funeral is not repeated. Deacons are not substitutes for priests – deacons have their own worth and dignity. Perhaps, if your pursuit of the diaconate is out of consideration, at least for the next several years, there are other ways you could help. Getting involved in the parish, offering what skills and talents (helping out in the office, unlocking/locking the church, visiting the sick and homebound, pulling weeds in the garden, sanding and staining the pews, manning the barricades, cleaning and sorting the parish arsenal, installing the priest hole and escape hatch – oh wait, the election turned out slightly differently than expected, didn’t it?) you have to the priest can perhaps alleviate many of his administrative burdens and allow him to spend more time and energy on those sacramental and pastoral areas where he, in virtue of his ordination, is uniquely capable.

The moderation queue is ON.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged
26 Comments

ACTION ITEM! 14 NOV – SOLEMN TLM at St. Patrick’s in NYC!

For all of you within striking distance of NYC, this is IMPORTANT.

Change whatever you have on your schedule in order to attend.  Bring family.  Bring friends.  Bring strangers.  Clone people and bring them too.

16_11_09_TLM_poster_NYC

From my correspondent:

For the first time in 20 years, the traditional Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Monday, November 14 at 7PM through the kind permission and with the blessing of His Eminence Cardinal Dolan.

The (traditional) Councils of the Knights of Columbus – the Regina Coeli Council that meets at the Church of the Holy Innocents & the Agnus Dei Council – received a generous permission from Cardinal Dolan to have a pilgrimage and a (traditional) Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral before the end of the Year of Mercy.

This will be the first time since Summorum Pontificum that a traditional Mass will be celebrated publicly at the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of New York! It is very significant because St. Patrick’s Cathedral would join the list of Cathedrals that have allowed the traditional Mass: St. James Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY; Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark, NJ; and the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

The musical setting for this Mass will be Orlando de Lassus’ Missa Bell’ Amfitrit’ altera (c. 1540/1532-1594)

Please spread the word about this wonderful event.

UPDATE:

One of my sources wrote to say that a “significant number of seminarians” have said that they want to attend the Mass.  However, “too many watchful eyes, too many cameras, etc.”

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, ACTION ITEM!, Brick by Brick, Events, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM, The Campus Telephone Pole | Tagged
9 Comments

NEW MUSIC DISC FROM BENEDICTINE NUNS!

I’m doing my Christmas shopping now, so that Advent can be Advent.  I will certainly get things from the Wyoming Coffee Carmelites and the Summit Soap Sisters.

I just received from the wonderful Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles in Missouri, a brand new disc of music.

Caroling at Ephesus!

US HERE UK HERE

Here are some tastes…

 

And remember

Advent at Ephesus

US HERE UK HERE

 

 

Posted in The Campus Telephone Pole | Tagged , ,
1 Comment

What are we Catholic Americans to do?

fishwrapYou might trot over to Fishwrap (aka National Schismatic Reporter) and read the epitome of a spittle-flecked nutty.

Michael Sean Winters (aka Wile E. Coyote of contemporary liberal Catholicism) is unhinged on this first full day on which we called Donald Trump “President-Elect” and Hillary Clinton “Loser”.

Look.  I might have preferred the election of a different candidate, but when it came down to the actual choices, … well… I’ve spoken my piece about the criminal Party of Death candidate.

Here is a sample from the Fishwrap Fainting Couch.  Make popcorn and watch the meltdown.  Mind you, my motive here is more than mere delectatio morosa:

Shock. It is the emotional reaction that has accompanied Donald Trump’s campaign from its start and it reached its climax last night. The country has administered a severe disaster to itself. The trappings of democracy cannot obscure the moral enormity, nor ameliorate the sense of disgust: This is a dreadful thing that has happened to America, but it did not happen the way an earthquake happens or a tornado happens. This self-inflicted wound was chosen.

It is futile to try and predict what a Trump presidency will look like. The thought of Attorney General Rudy Giuliani sends a shudder down one’s spine. I am not a psychologist but I don’t need to be: Mr. Trump has advertised his preference for unpredictability. The man who claimed he knew “more than the generals” about ISIS now looks at the landscape of American politics and media and has received the self-assurance that he knew more than all of them, he knew he would win. This will not diminish his sense of self-importance nor induce a sense of restraint. He will not now suddenly learn the human necessity of declining to cross the bounds of decency.

If the country had elected Jeb Bush tonight, or Paul Ryan, I would be worried about certain public policies I think are important. In both cases I would also rejoice about the improved prospects of other policies. This is different. Part of the difference comes from the knowledge that a foreign power, no, a foreign adversary, played a conspicuous role in this election. This fact did not receive the attention it deserved, a worrying sign that we have already begun to become accustomed to the shock.

The president-elect delivered a conciliatory and even gracious speech last night. Do not be fooled. He rode to victory by stoking many of the worst sentiments in human nature and he awakened a beast. The beast will continue to want to be fed and when his advisors tell him not to continue agitating those base sentiments, he will scorn them. It is no secret that he already despises the Republican establishment as much or more than he despised Hillary Clinton.

[…]

For my part, I await comments on the election from ACTON INSTITUTE.

Meanwhile, look at Hell’s Bible (aka New York Times) on the exit polls.

I wonder how this broke down between Catholics and catholics.

16_11_09_exit_polls_01

Let’s go back to Fishwrap, where there is an editorial.

They ask an important question.

We’ve come through the most bitter, toxic and demoralizing presidential campaign in modern history. Though the votes have been cast and a winner declared, the republic has been seriously wounded, divisions have deepened and widened, large swaths of the country have drunk deeply of the toxic brew of intolerance and hate, or dismissiveness and denigration.

[NB]What are we Catholic Americans to do?

The divisive issues, tensions and attitudes that were magnified on the campaign trail will not dissipate soon. The key to Donald Trump’s victory was his promise to bring change to Washington, to blow up the status quo. Nothing in his campaign leads us to believe that he can bring disparate parties together. Trump won the campaign, but unknown is how he can govern. He does not even have the full support of the Republican congressional leadership. Republicans, now in control of the White House and both houses of Congress, will have to act much more responsibly than they have in recent years when their sole agenda was to oppose President Barack Obama. What the next four years will bring cannot be predicted.

Our one hope is the belief that our Constitution and the American people are strong enough to weather this storm. This country has at critical times in its history rallied together, overlooked differences and pulled through crises as bad and even worse than what we face now. And to be clear, the crisis we face is not the election of Trump, per se, but a broken political system and a divided nation.

We would like to say that as Catholics — a church with nearly equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans but many common agendas because of our social justice tradition — could play an important role bringing healing to society, but regrettably, Catholics seem as divided as society in general.

[…]

HEY FISHWRAP! LOOK IN THE MIRROR!

The Fishwrap is one of the reasons for the division among Catholics!   They peddle constant dissent and confusion.  They foment disaffection and disunity.

What are Catholic Americans to do?

First, let’s not whine.

I suggest that we must renew our Catholic identity through a constant review of the content of our Faith from sure sources, through a revitalization of our sacred liturgical worship in harmony with our tradition, through deeper personal conversion, examination of conscience and use of the Sacrament of Penance, through unwavering dedication to our vocations.

What are we to do?

Let us be Catholic, not catholic.

Let us be faithful and courageous in the public square and in our private spheres.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and rekindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Posted in Liberals, The Drill, Throwing a Nutty | Tagged , , ,
49 Comments

TRUMP

The corpse of Millard Fillmore can rest in peace for another 4 years.

And now let us continue to pray for these USA and also roll up our sleeves and, with grace, work hard for holiness according to our vocations.

And of course….

GO TO CONFESSION!

I suspect quite a few need to do so after this ordeal.

16_11_09_results

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
35 Comments

When you vote WATCH THE MACHINE!

From CBS Pittsburgh:

Voting Issues: Some Trump Voters Reporting Ballots Switching To Clinton

CLINTON TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – Today is Election Day and for the most part, voting has been smooth.

Many areas are already seeing long lines with some officials saying they wouldn’t be surprised if voter turnout topped 80 percent.

However, there have been some scattered issues where voters are encountering problems.

Election judges in Clinton Township, Butler County confirmed there were issues with two of their eight automated voting machines. Most of the issues came when people tried to vote straight party ticket.

However, other said they specifically wanted to vote for Republican Donald Trump only to see their vote switched before their eyes to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

“I went back, pressed Trump again. Three times I did this, so then I called one of the women that were working the polls over. And she said you must be doing it wrong. She did it three times and it defaulted to Hillary every time,” Bobbie Lee Hawranko said.

[…]

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
36 Comments

The Lost Beatitude

Today, I am determined to be upbeat.

I have in mind that beatitude that didn’t get into the Gospel, but which has been handed down through tradition.

Beati qui non exspectant, quia non disappointabuntur.

Posted in Lighter fare |
10 Comments

Card. Burke’s Election Day Prayer – ACTION ITEM!

Biretta tip to Badger Catholic: o{]:¬)

Card Burke Election Day Prayer

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, ACTION ITEM! | Tagged ,
6 Comments