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Thursday, July 26, 2012

WHO KNEW THE PRE-VATICAN II CHURCH WAS SO EXHUBERANT, SPONTANEOUS AND THAT POPE PIUS XII WAS SO CHARISMATIC?

Leave it to us Italians to make even the pre-Vatican II Church and papacy quite charismatic rivaling that of Pope John Paul II. This is a stunning film in its technicolor quality. Who knew Pope Pius XII was so charismatic! Thanks to YTC for sending it to me. We need this kind of triumphalism to lift our spirits! Honestly, I always thought Pius XII was rigid, aloof and stuffy. Obviously this is a movie, but the papal scene is Pius XII unless they had a great stand-in double.

And rare footage of the charismatic Pope John Paul I and his brief reign of one month in 1978!

10 comments:

rcg said...

My mother in law got angry with me once when I said that I thought Christ was charismatic. She thought I meant roll on the ground, Vat II charismatic. I wish I had known about this to show her.

Marc said...

First, Pope Pius XII needs to be canonized. Sancto subito!

Second, Fr. McDonald, maybe you could talk a little bit about the difference between kneeling for blessings and standing. Since learning that blessing were normally received kneeling, I have always felt compelled to kneel when receiving a priestly blessing, but normally the atmosphere is not conducive because everyone else is standing. I feel compelled because kneeling indicates we are receiving something from the priest (or bishop or Pope) that is specific to his state in life. I'm not only talking about at the end of the Mass, which is important, but during RCIA or after various parish events. I don't know - kneeling just seems more appropriate. But, still, everyone stands, so I don't want to make a spectacle of myself (and sin against modesty). What are your thoughts on this, Father? It seems somewhat minor, but perhaps it indicates quite a bit about the muddied waters between laity and clerics...

Gregorian Mass said...

Nice to see the Sedia. The lens of continuity can not be seen with it in the Vatican museum. Once in a while for Processions it would be nice to be seen. The film looks real. It took me a minute to realize it was indeed a film.

ytc said...

Marc, if you are in a situation in which it would be unseemly to kneel, then you can bow your head profoundly instead.

ytc said...

Gregorian, the footage of the Pope is real. Most of the footage of the audience is fake.

John Nolan said...

Marc, I attended an OF ordination and the bishop knelt to receive a blessing from the newly-ordained priest. In the EF the deacon kneels at the Jube domne benedicere but in the OF he is instructed to bow. For the blessing at the end of Mass, please yourself. One of the many annoying things about the NO is the tendency to regiment the congregation. I was once tapped on the shoulder by an officious sidesman to indicate that it was my 'turn' to go up for Communion. Quite apart from the fact that he had no idea whether or not I was in a state of grace, I was occupied in singing the Communion chant from the Graduale Romanum along with the choir, and told him to b****r off. This uncharitable remark meant that I could not in conscience receive the Sacrament.

After receiving Communion I like to wander off to a side altar to make my thanksgiving. In this way I am spared having to listen to the priest reading out the parish bulletin (presumably for the benefit of those who can't read) and also the 'second collection'. The latter is an impertinent attempt to extort money. The good Fathers of the London Oratory sometimes have a 'retiring collection' which is much more civilized.

Anonymous said...

The montage of real/faux footage is deceptive, and the sound is dubbed.

ytc said...

Of course it's deceptive, of course it's dubbed. Who cares? It's a movie. I didn't know this was court evidence.

Henry Edwards said...

At every OF ordination that I've observed personally, and at many whose photographs I've seen, the bishop has always knelt to receive the newly ordained's first priestly blessing. As is, of course, traditional for any others who want the special grace of a priest's first blessing. What has it come to, that such things must be said explicitly?

JeffC said...

There is some wonderful footage of Pope Pius XII preaching beginning at around the four minute mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3PR1_vb4To