ACCESSIBLE CHURCH ART FOR HIGH TOUCH DEVOTIONAL PURPOSES

 Sometimes, liturgical/church art is placed in a manner that it can be seen but not touched. For devotional purposes, touching relics and art has always been a Catholic tradition as well as kissing it in the non-COVID age. 

When we restored the interior of the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Augusta in 1996, I was tempted to remove the life-size crucifix hanging on the congregation side of the church. You might as, though, “but Father, why in the name of God and all that is holy would you remove that crucifix?” Why? You ask? Because Vatican II taught (not) that you should not have a multiplicity of symbols in church buildings as it weakens the symbol. Just think of why all the “signs” of the Cross were eliminated in the Ordinary Form’s Roman Canon rubrics. Only one is needed and that makes it more powerful (not). 

So you see in the second photo below, that there is a crucifixion scene above the altar (painting original to the 1863 church, side panels added in the 1996 restoration). And there is a crucifix in the cupola of the altar. 

But then I thought to myself, self, I said, a lot of my parishioners go up to this life size crucifix, touch and kiss the foot of Jesus and embrace his legs. Accessibility is important to our devotional life. So it stayed.

By the way, we used this crucifix to veil for Passiontide and unveil and venerate on Good Friday. 

IF YOU LOVE LITURGICAL DANCE, THEN THE SOLEMN SUNG HIGH MASS IN THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM IS FOR YOU

 “Dance, dance, wherever you may be; I am the Lord of the Dance said he....”

The problem with liturgical dance in the Ordinary Form, which just so happens to be the problem of music in the Ordinary Form as well as silence, is that dance, music and silence have to be added to it as an application and somewhat disconnected from the Mass itself. It is external rather than internal. 

Not so with the EF Mass. The Mass is the dance! The Mass is the song! The Mass is the grand silence!

The Solemn Sung Mass with deacon, subdeacon, and the panoply of other liturgical ministers is the minuet par excellence. The “lesser solemn” forms of this Mass are a dance too in its choreography.

The Solemn High Mass and certainly the Pontifical High Mass are tightly choreographed and one can tell it is a dance by observing the movements of the priest, deacon and subdeacon. 

Thus if you love liturgical dance, you’ll love the EF Mass and its choreography:

TWO POPES OF THE ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH

 PRESS THIS SENTENCE TO SEE POPE FRANCIS GREETING THE VERY HEALTHY LOOKING POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT AND THE NEW CARDINALS GREETING THE POPE.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO RESTORE THE SAME TYPE OF REVERENCE TO THE ORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS WHICH THE ANCIENT FORM OF THE MASS ALWAYS HAS HAD?

 

Recently,  I had a Pharisaical sort of character try to trap me into responding to the that person’s question if I thought the Extraordinary Form of the Mass is superior to the Ordinary Form. I tried to be like Jesus and confound him with my answer so silly was the trap question.

But from my personal experience with the transitional phases of so-called “liturgical renewal” between 1965 to 1970, I can say that I loved the “new and improved” aspects of this renewal. For me as a teenager, shortening the Mass was a definite improvement (i.e. eliminating the long prayers at the foot of the altar and the thrice said, “Lord, I am not worthy”). 

I loved the vernacular too and I can still remember how excited I was when our pastor told us on a Sunday that next week a goodly portion of the Mass would be in English and we will provide worship aids to assist you in responding. That first Sunday is indelibly marked in my memory and I still have the worship aide for that and subsequent Sundays.

I started to turn sour on the renewal when “folk music”was introduced and choirs sang from the front as though entertaining us with their voices and antics. There was a lot of talking before and after Mass.

Much of the folk music was horrendous, musically and theologically. 

This ushered in a more casual experience during Mass. Then there was a loss of the choreography of the Mass and things simply becoming sloppy and thus irreverent. 

Can we recapture the reverence of the EF Mass into the OF Mass? Yes, I am counting on it. 

The OF Mass will always be the Mass that the majority of Catholics will attend, always. But it can be improved even without changing its order or discarding the vernacular and vernacular hymns and propers. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the single most important way to return the OF Mass to pre-Vatican II reverence is to kneel for Holy Communion at the altar railing. It would have an organic effect on the rest of the Mass. 

THERE IS REASON FOR THE CLERGY AND THERE IS A REASON FOR THE LAITY AND THAT REASON IS VERY CLEAR IN THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL’S LUMEN GENTIUM

Archbishop Joseph Francis Rummell of New Orleans

3 Racists Excommunicated By Louisiana Archbishop; Perez, Mrs. Gaillot and Ricau Ousted for Opposition to School Integration --The Vatican Supports Ruling New Orleans Archbishop Excommunicates 3 Segregationists RACISTS OPPOSED SCHOOL DECISION Perez, Mrs. Gaillot, Ricau Vow Fight for Views-- Vatican Backs Ruling Picketed the Chancery Vatican Supports Move

By Claude Sitton Special To the New York Times.

• April 17, 1962

My comments on the Church’s current malaise that would scandalize Archbishop Joseph F. Rummell of New Orleans:

The Church certainly goes beyond its institutional confines. Wherever the laity are, they represent Catholicism to the extent that they live it. A well lived Catholicism of the clergy and laity is the way for the “new evangelization.” Poorly lived Catholicism is like hiding a lamp under a blanket. It happens both within the clergy and laity. 

For the most part, the role of bishops and priests is spiritual and moral and specifically saving souls from the fires of hell. Their (our) role isn’t necessarily political although the political realm can show or hide the spiritual and moral aspects of the Church.

The Catholic laity are to represent the Church in the social sphere or the public square. They can either shine or hide the Light of Christ by their actions and political choices if these are consistent with what the Head of the Church (Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord) teaches or inconsistent with our Savior. 

Let’s talk about Catholic politicians (not non Catholic ones as they are a different category and are not under the authority of the pope or bishops in union with the pope). 

Bishops and priests should be mostly concerned with the eternal salvation of the souls under their care. The worldly aspect of the Church is left to deacons, those in consecrated life and the laity who are well formed in the Deposit of Faith and the Church’s moral teachings which they are called to live and proclaim. 

When any Catholic, clergy, those in consecrated life or laity, diverges from the Teachings of the Risen Lord and in a public way, they are a “puss” or corruption on the Body of Christ. That carbuncle needs lancing which can be painful and disgustingly messy but ultimately therapeutic leading to healing. 

President Elect Biden by his mortal sin of promising to enshrine the right to choose an abortion through the 9th month and murdering a child following a botched abortion, to enshrine euthanasia and enshrine gender ideology is also leading others into perdition. 

If President Elect’s bishop in Delaware and eventually Washington and any geographical diocese the President Elect visits, the role of the bishop is to call him to repentance in the areas where he hides the light of Christ and jeopardizes the eternal salvation of his soul which could land him and others in hell. 

Yes, his bishops have a political game to play with him, but that is secondary and if that political game fails because President Elect Joe Biden ignores his bishops who call him to repentance, and deny him the sign of Full Communion with the Risen Lord and His Church, the reception of the Sacred Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, then so be it. 

Let’s take abortion off the table for a theoretical example. Let’s say a future Catholic politician is elected president. He advocates for racist policies such as segregation under the guise of “separate but equal” and he calls upon the nation to be pro-choice in this re-segregation of America by placing “whites only” or “blacks only” signs on their places of business, restrooms, restaurant tables and water fountains. He also calls for same race schools and institutions and men only in political office.

Would that deserve a rebuke to this theoretical president from their local bishops and shouldn’t the local bishops tell this theoretical president and the world that on race relations, this theoretical Catholic in name only president has broken communion with the Church and thus cannot receive Holy Communion although they want to work with him on other areas of common ground? 

After all, bishops need to save their souls too, as well as priests. 

THIS IS BOTH HILARIOUS AND PROFOUND AND HE HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD

 Listen to the entire video with its various images.

By the way, I have two cameo appearances in it. Can you pick them out?

I recently attended my first Latin Mass. It didn’t go well. Here’s what happened...

Matt Archbold: “My first Latin Mass gave me much to think about, and laugh about.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL. THANKSGIVING DAY MASS FROM SAINT ANNE'S IN RICHMOND HILL, GEORGIA

I JUST HEARD THIS ON XM RADIO'S SIXTY'S CHANNEL, MY FAVORITE, AND IT IS GREAT!

I had not heard this wonderful Christmas song in such a long time. It is great for Thanksgiving today and the Advent/Christmas Season.

Just as a side note, and I blush when I say this, the Amen part of this song was frequently sung as the Great Amen of the Mass in many places. And yes, I did sing, "sing over again"! Oh, well....

The Impressions, 1964, Amen! 

THANK GOD FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NOMINATION OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AMY CONY BARRETT!

 

From the Deacon’s Bench:

SCOTUS BLOCKS CUOMO’S COVID RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGIOUS WORSHIP

November 26th, 2020|Categories: COVID-19, News

This is a big win from the Diocese of Brooklyn — and shows the impact of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Read More

POPE FRANCIS STUNNING WORDS ON HIRING HITMEN TO KILL BABIES IN THE WOMB AND BY IMPLICATION PRESIDENTS AND OTHER POLITICIANS WHO ENABLE THESE HIT MEN TO BE HIRED

Press title for complete Crux article:

Pope Francis weighs in on Argentina’s abortion debate

• Inés San Martín
  Nov 26, 2020

ROSARIO, Argentina – Pope Francis got himself involved with the ongoing debate over the decriminalization of abortion in his Argentinian homeland, sending a handwritten letter to a group of women from Buenos Aires’ slums asking,

 “Is it fair to hire a hitman to resolve a problem?”

I have tried to link the ex-cardinal McCarrick and the President Elect together as a symbol of how abuse of people, whatever kind of abuse of power there is, are linked together in the Church.

McCarrick was a nice, civil, congenial character. The press loved him for that. He was a middle of the road, but slightly to the left Catholic. In other words, he was considered open minded by the press and progressive Catholics. But despite this, he abused his power in an immoral, mortal sin fashion with his disordered “pathological” passions. 

President-Elect Biden too is a nice, civil, congenial character. The press loves him for that and half of America, Catholic or Protestant or Jewish or nothing. In other words, he is considered open minded by the press and others, especially ultra progressive Catholics on the far left who love his social justice stances fully in accord with Church teaching in terms of helping the poor, the immigrants and women and their health. However, he allows and encourages through law, enabling the big business of abortion, allowing women to hire hit men to kill their unborn babies even up to the 9th month and afterwards. He favors euthanasia and enshrining it in law, allowing us to hire a hit man to kill the vulnerable or those who can’t do it for themselves. 

At least McCarrick didn’t kill his victims directly. They can sue him and the Catholic institution that allowed him to do so for so long. Babies, even those murdered immediately after birth have no such recourse. And if the statutes of limitation had not run out, McCarrick could be in prison right now. There are no such laws for mothers or fathers or abortion providers. And if dead babies could sue the president, the legislatures, the judicial courts—wow! No such justice for them. 

This is what Pope Francis has just on Sunday written to women in Argentina where there is a political battle to decriminalize abortion:

In his Nov. 22 letter, Francis argued that the issue of abortion “is not primarily a religious matter but a matter of human ethics, preceding any religious confession.”

“And it’s good for us to ask two questions,” he wrote. “Is it fair to eliminate a human life to resolve a problem? Is it fair to hire a hitman to resolve a problem?”

Though Pope Francis has often spoken against abortion – even asking those two questions – this is the first time he has directly addresses the pro-abortion campaign in his home country.

IS IT FAIR TO HIRE A HITMAN TO KILL BABIES? 

CARDINAL DESIGNATE GREGORY PLEASE WRITE A LETTER TO PRESIDENT ELECT BIDEN SIMILAR TO POPE FRANCIS’ LETTER TO ARGENTINA AND ITS PEOPLE, ASKING THE SAME QUESTION:

IS IT FAIR TO HIRE A HITMAN TO RESOLVE A PROBLEM (OF PREGNANCY)? 

And I would ask is it fair to give both an ex Cardinal and a current President-elect a pass because unlike President Trump, they are nice, genial, kind people on the surface, but beneath it all lies a grave corruption; they are like whited Sepulchers. 

VIDEO TOUR OF THE CHURCH OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY IN AUGUSTA, MY FORMER PARISH FROM 1991 TO 2004

 By chance, I happened upon this video by accident. There are a couple of mistakes outside. The building  they call the original church isn’t. That was torn down in the late 1800’s. What they are looking at is St. Francis Hall built in the late 1970 by Father William Simmons.

There is a lot of noise which was reminiscent of all the noise during the major restoration we had beginning around 1996 I think. I have no idea where that noise is coming from as there seems to be no construction in the Church.

The “new” church was begun in 1857 and consecrated in April of 1863. The original church on this property goes back to 1810, although Mass was said in the downtown area in the late 1700’s for primarily French Catholics in Augusta. 

The parish was integrated with slaves and freemen prior to and during the Civil War. There are numerous baptisms of slaves in the parish’s baptismal registries.

With the closing of the all black Immaculate Conception Church about six blocks away and Sacred Heart Church about six blocks away in 1970, Most Holy Trinity once again was integrated with blacks in the majority at that time. Demographic changes in Augusta and the Catholic population shifted that well into the 1990’s and to this day, but there is still a very strong African American presence in the parish. 

I still can’t believe how good the church looks as though no time has passed since its restoration in 1996. 

I often wonder if I did not make a mistake agreeing to be transferred away in 2004. But that’s life!

A GREAT THANKSGIVING APERITIF!

 

DIALOGUE OR APPEASEMENT?

 

Crux has these two titles side by side in today’s edition. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand the Church has to work with political leaders that do not embrace everything that the Catholic Church teaches in the areas of morality. And certainly Mussolini and Hitler might both have had some common ground with what the Catholic Church holds important on one or two issues, but....

Biden can be supported by Catholics on what he promotes that is consistent with what the Church teaches, but his promotion of abortion, euthanasia, and gender ideology deserves sanctions, such as, do not receive Holy Communion when you attend Mass. But certainly keep dialogue open with him on that which he upholds that is consistent with Church teaching, but since he is a Catholic, call him to repentance on abortion, euthanasia and gender ideology promotion and national and international enablement of these mortal sins. Dialogue with him on repentance while withholding communion from him until there are clear signs of repentance. Isn’t that one of the prophetic roles of bishops and priests who are their delegates????

Those in Spain advocating for burning priests to death (not too different than abortion) must have other things in common with what the Church teaches despite their chilling advocacy for burning priests. Biden advocates for abortion, is that not even more chilling????????

Push Crux titles for articles:

D.C. cardinal says Church, Biden have common ground on immigration, race relations

Firestorm on Twitter in Spain after trending topic calls for burning priests

FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME A POPE TELLS THE CHURCH WOMAN CANNOT BE ORDAINED PRIESTS! THE NATIONAL CHISMATIC REPORTER TYPES GO BALISTIC OVER THIS POPE AND HIS INTRANSIGENCE IN NOT MAKING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH LIKE THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION

 These types will be apoplectic about Pope Francis' recent "NO, NO, NO!" concerning ordaining women to Holy Orders and they are seeing red:

 Pope Paul VI reiterated during the last year of His Holiness pontificate that women could not be ordained to Holy Orders because Jesus, the founder of the Catholic Church, knowing all things, past, present and future, did not choose women to be apostles (the 12 apostles, the first priests and bishops of the Church).

While that argument is valid, I believe it has more to do with gender dogma that only a man can be a bridegroom and Jesus is the Bridegroom of the Church and in a sacramental way, especially during the Eucharistic Prayer and specifically at the consecration, the ordained priest acts in "Persona Christi" as well as the head of the Church to make clear that Jesus is the High Priest (not priestess) and Bridegroom of the Church which is His bride. 

Of course Pope Saint John Paul II raised the all male Holy Orders to the level of the Ordinary Magisterium of the Church, and thus an infallible dogma. 

Pope Benedict XVI reinforced this teaching and now Pope Francis has done so throughout his papacy but in a more nuts and bolts sort of way, not clericalizing women. 

Women need not be priests to lead church, Francis says in new book

by Joshua J. McElwee, National Chismatic Retorter

Nov 23, 2020

 

 Excerpt:

The pontiff brings up the issue of women serving in the church as part of a six-page reflection on the "leading role" that women have played during the pandemic. He says that countries with women at the helm "have on the whole reacted better and more quickly than others, making decisions swiftly and communicating them with empathy."

The pope's words about women in the church are striking, as they seem to be the first time the pope has directly addressed critics who say he has not done enough to promote women to positions of authority. 

Francis says he has tried to "create spaces where women can lead, but in ways that allow them to shape the culture, ensuring they are valued, respected, and recognized."

The pope says he has also focused on naming women as consultors to several Vatican congregations, "so that they can influence the Vatican while preserving their independence from it."

"Changing institutional culture is an organic process which calls for integrating, without clericalizing, the viewpoints of women," states the pope.

 My Comments: On the parish level, woman are the majority on paid staffs and volunteer organizations. It is a joke to say women do not have roles in decision making. Most Catholic schools have women as principals. Parishes have women as DRE's and CRE's and most of the catechists are women. On diocesan levels, women way out number the men in paid positions.

THE CATHEDRAL BASILICA’S EF MASS THIS PAST SUNDAY

 I don’t know which is worse, the back of my head or the front:

POWERFUL COMMENTS FROM POPE FRANCIS WHICH TIE IN POWERFULLY WITH THE CLERGY/LAITY CORRUPTION IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: THINK MCCARRICK/BIDEN, BOTH PRACTICING PROGRESSIVE CATHOLICS

 

New book sketches Pope’s dream for a post-COVID world

• Inés San Martín
  Nov 23, 2020
  ROME BUREAU CHIEF

Excerpts from the Crux report:

The pope argued that the root of the sin of abuse is “failing to respect the value of a person.”

“I cannot stay silent over 30 to 40 million unborn lives cast aside every year through abortion,” the pope said. “It is painful to behold how in many regions that see themselves as developed the practice is often urged because the children to come are disabled, or unplanned. Human life is never a burden.”

The pope argued that the root of the sin of abuse is “failing to respect the value of a person.” Here, Francis connects the dots to “another abuse of power”

“A mindset has been exposed: if they can have all they want, when they want it, why not take advantage sexually of vulnerable young women? The sins of the powerful are almost always sins of entitlement, committed by people whose lack of shame and brazen arrogance are stunning.” (My comment: Think of those who enable abortion, i.e. Biden and those who have abortions and who in any way provide them).

My greatest criticism of what the Holy Father says, is this quote from the interview because I can’t imagine that it applies to either McCarrick or Biden and it betrays Pope Francis Uber-progressive mentality that fails to call out the corruption that has entered liberal/progressive movements in the Church destroying religious life, especially that of women and brings about a decline in priestly vocations. Liberalism in the Church or progressivism allows a toleration of McCarrick/Biden types and for a very long time they are enabled despite their corruption and neither are rigid types, to say the least. THUS THIS STATEMENT FROM THE HOLY FATHER IS RIDICULOUSLY SKEWED AND HE SAYS IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN:

Among other points, Francis also reiterates his familiar criticism of movements within the Church that he calls “too rigid.” Through out the history of the Church, Francis said, “groups that have ended up in heresy because of this temptation to a pride that made them feel superior to the Body of Christ.”

“Rigidity is the sign of the bad spirit concealing something,” he says in the book. “What is hidden might not be revealed for a long time, until some scandal erupts.” There have been a fair share of these groups in recent years, “movements almost always marked by their rigidity and authoritarianism,” that presented themselves as restorers of Church doctrine, but “sooner or later there’ll be some shocking revelation involving sex, money, or mind control.”

READ THE REST AT CRUX

ROCCO PALMA SAYS +WINSKI OF MIAMI RIPS INTRA CHURCH FIGHTS OVER BIDEN’S CATHOLICITY—SEEMS TO ME ROCCO READS +WINSKI’S LETTER THROUGH A CORRUPT CATHOLIC LENS

 

My comment first: Not to call out Catholic corruption, wherever it is, think McCarrick/Biden, leads the Church to many McCarrick/Biden moments in the Church. Catholics living or promoting sex abuse/abuse of power/infanticide need to be called out and called to repentance. Corruption is a mortal sin.

Catholic teachings can bridge our Archbishop Wenski's column for November 2020 edition of the Florida Catholic

The Irish novelist, James Joyce, once described the Catholic Church as “here comes everybody” — he didn’t mean it as a compliment. But the Church does welcome everybody — saint and sinner, rich and poor, the learned and the unlettered. As Catholics we should not get caught up in internecine arguments about “who is too Catholic” and “who is not Catholic enough.” In any case, Jesus will sort it out on Judgment Day. In the meantime, every baptized Catholic can call himself or herself a “practicing Catholic” because this life is our one chance to practice the faith until we get it right. And, because we all are sinners, we all must practice very hard.

Read the rest here

ONCE A CATHOLIC ALWAYS A CATHOLIC! BUT NOT ALWAYS A GOOD CATHOLIC; THE PRESUMED PRESIDENT ELECT JOE BIDEN, WHILE A CATHOLIC, IS NOT A GOOD CATHOLIC AND THUS NO ROLE MODEL FOR ANY CATHOLIC, PERIOD!

As a child, I can remember some Catholics who might come to Mass once or twice a year, at Christmas and Easter, acknowledge to their friends that they were Catholic, but not good Catholics. That’s a humble recognition of the truth and that person isn’t leading other Catholics astray by saying they are good Catholics even though they don’t attend Mass or don’t believe everything the Catholic Church teaches. 

Remember, once a Catholic, always a Catholic. But some Catholics are tepid, cold or excommunicated. But they are still Catholic.

Today, we are facing a presumed President-Elect, Joseph Biden who claims that he is a “good Catholic” or a Catholic in good standing, yet he rejects non-negotiable moral teachings of the Catholic Church. He advocates for laws that allow unborn children to be murdered prior to birth and all the way up to birth and in some cases after birth, all of which are infanticide. He advocates for euthanasia and assisted suicide for the vulnerable and laws to protect that choice. He advocates for gender ideologies and the redefinition of the institution of marriage. He has presided in a legal way at a civil union ceremony of two men, euphemistically called marriage, when he was Vice President.

The presumed President Elect is not a good Catholic. In fact many are advocating that he be refused the reception of Holy Communion when he attends Mass. Just as Catholics once prayed for the conversion of Russia, we must now pray for the “reconversion” of Joe Biden. He is not a good Catholic any claims by him notwithstanding. He cannot be allowed to create more moral division in the Catholic Church, a further loss of a true Catholic identity or to divide and conquer the Catholic Church for his political gain.

DON’T PUT YOUR DANG CHRISTMAS TREE UP BEFORE DECEMBER 16 AND DON’T TAKE DOWN YOUR DANG CHRISTMAS TREE OR SACRED CRÈCHES UNTIL FEBRUARY 2! GOT IT?????

 I saw this photo on Facebook:

Yes, because of Covid-19 depression, the retail season and Lifetime and other media’s playing of Christmas music, Christmas movies and people are encouraged to put up their Christmas decorations early in November if not in October. What bunk! It’s a dang shame!

I have a novel idea that bucks this dictatorship:

PUT YOUR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS UP GRADUALLY DURING ADVENT, WAITING TO PUT YOUR TREE UP UNTIL THE VIGIL OF THE “O ANTIPHONS” WHICH WOULD BE SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS VIGIL, DECEMBER 16.

AND EVEN MORE NOVEL, EXCEPT FOR UBER TRADITIONAL CATHOLICS, KEEP YOUR DECORATIONS UP UNTIL THE TRADITIONAL DATE OF EPIPHANY, JANUARY 6TH AND THEN ONLY GRADUALLY TAKE THEM DOWN COMPLETING THAT TRANSITION BY FEBRUARY 2ND, THE FEAST OF THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY/THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD IN THE TEMPLE/CANDLEMAS. 

HOW GOOD WOULD THAT BE?

AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION ABOUT CONVERTS AND THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM MASS

 

I was speaking this morning about how many young converts to Catholicism are gravitating to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. And it is  quite true in this neck of the woods. I just recently received into the Church a young man of 20 years old who attended the EF Mass primarily and that is was won him over.

And it dawned on me how many converts Catholicism was making in the period prior to the Second Vatican Council and the great drop off afterwards which eventually recovered until recently. 

But I think back to our numerous African American parishes in our diocese each of them having a parish school and the number of black converts and primarily due to exposure to the Latin Mass and its sobriety compared to the more exuberant and emotion based forms of black Protestant worship.  

My parish in Augusta which combined with an all black parish there had a number of these converts, older blacks who missed the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass. They would tell me they converted because they had grown tired of all the emotionalism of black Protestant churches. 

Today, most of these black parishes and their schools are closed or merged with larger parishes and not one of the once all black schools exist for the purpose of outreach to the black community exclusively. Their mission has changed.

YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP! ANOTHER BRILLIANT EXAMPLE OF VATICAN II’S NEW SPRINGTIME FOR THE CHURCH AND ITS SUPERB NEW EVANGELIZATION TO THE PERIPHERIES

 

The Italian newspaper being sued by this post Vatican II, kind of cardinal, is the paper Sandro Magister offers a commentary which I often post.

This is from the Deacon’s Bench:

CARDINAL SUES MAGAZINE, CLAIMING IT RUINED HIS CHANCES OF BECOMING POPE

November 19th, 2020|Categories: Popes, Vatican

No, it's not from the Babylon Bee or The Onion. From The AP:  The Vatican cardinal sacked by Pope Francis

Read More

Comments

ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTER, NICOLE WINFIELD, DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB REPORTING ON POPE FRANCIS ACHILLES TENDON

 Press for news article:

‘Who am I to judge?’ helps explain pope’s view

• Nov 18

By Nicole Winfield

IF THIS ISN’T A TEAR JERKER, THEN YOU AREN’T HUMAN: FROM MY HOMETOWN AND FROM A NORMALLY STOIC GOLFER

 

A THRONE IN THE SIDE! MORE ON THE PLACEMENT OF THE BISHOP’S THRONE AND THE PRIEST’S CHAIR!

 In our current Cathedral’s set up, you can see how things were turned upside down with the placement of the new free standing post Vatican II altar. Look at the bishop’s throne, which was not adjusted in any way since Vatican II and look at the old high altar. The high altar is one step higher than the bishop’s cathedra. From the sanctuary floor, it is four steps up. The cathedra is three steps up. 

The new altar in its awkward placement, is three steps lower than the cathedra. The new and rather oversized ambo, the brown blob, is also three steps higher than the new altar. I get nose bleeds using it. 

Houston we have a problem. Vatican II sanctuary design is the wild, Wild West. Whereas the pre-Vatican II sanctuary design had specific rules to follow in the placement of the altar, ambo and sedalia or cathedra:

I understand that in the Basilica Floor plan, the throne placement is reserved ( I hope) for an abbot or bishop. But at the Collegeville St. John Abbey Church, the throne is 9 steps higher than the altar. You have to have a very non humble bishop, abbot or priest who loves that and in the fabricated new liturgy he sits there pontificating in a royal way as the little people do readings, etc. It was an organic development and quite a marvelous one at that, when the altar was placed at the highest point and the cathedra on the side wall of the sanctuary’s Gospel side and a step(s) lower. At our Cathedral Basilica, the old high altar is one step higher than the Bishop’s throne. The new free standing altar is thee steps lower than the throne and ambo. That is corrupt!

The problem with the post-Vatican II ideology of “resourcement” there is no taking account of organic development and actually new and improved developments in the liturgy and liturgical placement of altar, ambo and chair (sedalia). Going back to the early Church is more absurd than going back 50 years and looking at what was thrown out and shown not have been given historic organic development, not fabricated wishful thinking that the early Church was/is so much better than what was occurring in the Church up until about 1965. 

WHEREIN I AGREE WITH THE NATIONAL CHISMATIC REPORTER’S FATHER THOMAS REESE; AND WHERIN I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THE DISTINCTLY NON CATHOLIC, SCHISMATIC MICHAL SEAN WINTERS

 Press title for complete article:

McCarrick scandal shows why popes, like John Paul, should not be canonized

BY THOMAS REESE, RELIGION NEWS SERVICE

NOV 17, 2020

The recent report detailing the Vatican’s response to the scandal surrounding ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick shows why it’s a mistake to canonize popes (or anyone) quickly after their deaths.

COLUMN | DISTINCTLY non CATHOLIC and most chismatic

Gomez's lack of leadership is on full display with statement on Biden

BY MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS

NOV 17, 2020

THE PRIEST CHAIR MAKES THE PRIEST THE BISHOP OF THE MASS

 In the post-Vatican II Church, the priest’s chair becomes throne like, bishop-like and elevates the priest over all, even our Lord when the tabernacle is displaced in its central location with the priest’s chair. Here are two examples of pretentious presiding chairs:

This is St.John Abbey’s Church built prior to Vatican II but anticipating the elevation of the priest after Vatican II, placing him, not the altar, at the apex or highest level of the church:

And here’s a chair some priests might contemplate purchasing for their church:

When I was growing up, prior to Vatican II, we knew the bishop was coming to our parish when the pastor erected a bishop’s “throne” and on the Gospel side of the sanctuary. It had a canopy and bunting. Even if we didn’t see the bishop, only those at the Confirmation Liturgy would see him, we knew he was coming.

In the pre-Vatican II Church, the priest’s chair was to the side on the Epistle side of the sanctuary. He did not preside from his chair for any prayers, it was the place he rested while the choir completed the Gloria or Credo. In the Low Mass, the priest never sits. 

In the pontifical Mass of the pre-Vatican II Mass, now called in the post-Vatican II era, the Extraordinary Form, the bishop does preside at the throne and after the Prayers at the foot of the altar, for the Gloria, Collect and Credo.

Today’s Ordinary Form Mass has no differences for how a bishop celebrates a Mass and a lowly priest does. Both use the same chair in a parish church, although a lowly priest celebrating Mass in the Cathedral would not use the bishop’s throne, everrr, unless he wants to push the envelope. 

Is it a good idea for the priest’s chair to be throne-like as though the priest is the bishop of his parish/Mass? I ask; you answer.