HE JUST MAKES TOO MUCH SENSE TO IGNORE HIS CONCERNS AND OBSERVATIONS

From the National Catholic Register:

Verona’s Faith and Culture Conference Focuses on Catholic Tradition

Posted by Sol�ne Tadi� on Saturday Dec 7th, 2019 at 10:46 PM

Msgr. Nicola Bux, a former collaborator of Benedict XVI, delivers an uncompromising diagnosis of the current situation of the Catholic Church and reaffirms the necessity to protect its traditions.

You strongly support maintaining tradition within the Church, especially with regard to liturgy. Why is it so important for you?

When we talk about tradition, we speak about the process of transmission of the faith, which started with Christ, with Revelation, and comes to us through the Apostles. Liturgy is one of these places of transmission of the faith. It is not something at our disposal, subject to whatever we can or want to do, because liturgy then would no longer be sacred. It would become our own liturgy, entertainment or something else.

So, this is why liturgy belongs to the driving [force behind] the transmission of the faith. So true is it that the Fathers of the Church used to say that the rule of the faith and the rule of prayer are interdependent. Today, I could say that I can understand what you believe from the way you pray. If the way you pray changes, it means that even the way you believe has changed.

Sacred liturgy is something very delicate. But we have been through a time of desecration in which it seems that the sacred dimension has been overshadowed by new fashionable dimensions. There is the prevailing impression that everything should be desecrated, secularized.

Young people seem more and more attracted to traditional liturgy nowadays. How do you explain that? 

Several studies confirm that. I see it all the time, especially among young men. And I also want to note that today the participants in this Fede e Cultura gathering [whose sensitivity is openly traditionalist] was mostly made of men — which does not diminish the female presence, of course.

But these tendencies are symptomatic. Because Christianity has a masculine liturgy. It is not feminine in the sense of a sentimental approach. However, nowadays liturgy is often reduced to emotions, to feelings. So, clearly, how could men recognize themselves in this?

Liturgy, by its very nature, is masculine, objective. Liturgy doesn’t fall within the ambit of emotions. Liturgy must gather objectively all the human beings’ states of mind, maintaining such feelings on a low level, because at this very moment, we are worshiping God, not ourselves.

You were a consultant in four different Vatican congregations during Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate. How have these congregations changed in the last few years? 

I believe they are affected by some of the new orientations that are being given to them … it is something I have noticed, especially at the Congregation for the Cause of Saints.

For example, recently, some processes were opened or even concluded with great ease, even though some of them were very questionable — something that wouldn’t have happened a few years ago. I think this was the case for Argentinian Enrique Angelelli, to name one. It ends up generating a great sense of confusion among the faithful.

Historically, the modalities for such processes have always been extremely rigorous. The Church always used to ask for miracles — two for beatification, and at least two others for canonization. This requirement means that the final declaration, even if it cannot be totally infallible, has a very limited margin of risk. But unfortunately, it has become relative.

Relativism has also reached this congregation in other ways too. I believe things have become more political now. We are trying to promote a “martyrdom of charity.” What does this mean? Martyrdom has always been suffered in odium fidei, which means that the person is killed because of Jesus’ name. When a priest or a lay person is killed because he showed solidarity, he certainly is a hero, but not a martyr. If he gets killed because his charity is a direct expression of the faith he professed, then he really is a martyr. But these things are no longer clear enough.

WHY I CAME AROUND TO THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM BUT WITH SOME HOPES THAT A LIVING EF MASS WILL ORGANICALLY DEVELOP

Many thanks to Mary Clark Rechtiene for these photos;

While I love a well celebrated Ordinary Form Mass and very much love the vernacular Mass, I have come to the conclusion that it places too much emphasis on the priest, his talents and looks and personality and tempts him to mold the Mass into his own image. And the vernacular divides parishes rather than unites them.

I also feel that the Latin Rite Mass should unite  Catholics and specifically Catholics in their own parish into a common language. Today parishes are rent into division over language. We find parishes and parish priests pushed to the brink of craziness trying to please all the language groups in their parish with Masses taylored to their language. This is in addition to trying to please everyone with a particular style of music they like and dividing parishes into various special interests groups, young, old and in between.

The Liturgy today is used as a tool to divide the Church rather than unite the Church especially on the parochial level.

I love the EF Mass because at this Mass I feel not like a conductor, not like an actor, not like a facilitator of lay ministries during the Mass, but rather I feel like a priest in the cultic sense. Isn't that the high calling of a priest? To celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? Preach the Word? Celebrate the other Sacraments and as a pastors to call the laity to do their apostolates in the world, in the public square? Helping the poor and caring for migrants and being open to welcoming sinners and calling them to repentance and conversion.

What would I like to see in the organic development of the EF Mass is to look at what the Council Fathers requested and in a very conservative sense. A little bit more vernacular, especially for the Scritpure Readings. A little bit more simplicity especially as it regards the Pontifical Solemn Masses, Solemn Sung Masses. And a way to encourage actual participation apart from the contemplative aspect, vocally.

What I find totally unacceptable is the animus that so many clerics have toward the EF that borders on a psychological rigidity especially given the outrageous abuses that take place regularly wth the OF Mass.

So there you have it.

WOW! DO YOU THINK THIS VIDEO IS WHY VENERABLE FULTON SHEEN'S BEATIFICATION IS BEING POSTPONED AND MAYBE PERMANENTLY?

In this 1970's video , Archbishop Sheen is reacting to 1970's enablement of evil behavior under the guise of mercy. More mercy is shown to criminals than to their victims. With the return of the 1970's mentality in the papal magisterium, do you think those who support the return of the 1970's fear that beatifying Venerable Fulton will give fuel to what these people call "Catholic fundamentalists?" In the 70's they called them "so pre-Vatican II" a kind of "n" word directed toward these suffering souls. Catholic Fundamentalists nomenclature  is a similar "n" word as used by many today.

But mercy gone berserk could be applied to 1960's, 70's and 80's bishops who showed more mercy to perverted priests and little to no mercy to victims and their families, and most of all potential victims by reassigning perverted priests to new parishes over and over again. The question is whether or not Venerable Fulton is guilty of the same thing he preaches against?

And do these new 1970's bishops today fear the wrath of the LGBTQ lobby because of how Venerable Sheen characterizes them in this video????? Is there no prophetic word coming from some in the Magisterium to challenge the enablement of immorality by the LGBTQ lobby?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS ART?

I expand this photo, one of the oldest of our Cathedral, to high light the crucifixion scene. This photo has to be an 1870's or so photo. I do not know if it is pre-fire or post-fire. But what do you think of the crucifixion scene with the "Our Savior" banner over it. The pieta is on the other side and still exists in the cathedral but elsewhere. The crucifix in this photo is now over the far right side altar and the other part, unfortunately elsewhere. I do not know why it was seperated and is quite a pity that it isn't in tact. This kind of artwork is historic kitch I believe. I don't mean that in a derogatory way.

HIGH ALTAR AT CATHEDRAL RISES FROM THE RUBBLE TODAY TO BECOME AN ALTAR AGAIN

When I was stationed at the Cathedral from 1985 to 1991 as the associate pastor, as we were called back then, rather than parochial vicar, I was not in favor of the return of the Latin Mass or even having some of the Mass in Latin. Bishop Lessard encouraged me to make sure we used the Jubilatio Deo Mass parts in Latin at the Cathedral's 10 AM Mass which featured the men's choir.

I told him no one sings it and we have so many tourists at Mass that they are perplexed too.

In addition to that, Bishop Lessard consulted with the chancery staff at the time, of which I was a part as Diocesan Director of Liturgy, if we should implement Pope John Paul's liberalization of the use of the Tridentine Mass. I was opposed to it. I said, why don't we just do the "new" Mass in Latin and ad orientem, wouldn't that be enough????

Flash forward to 2007 and I am all in favor of the EF Mass being celebrated has Pope Benedict indicated in Summorum Pontificum.

Flash forward to 2016 and I start celebrating the Cathedral's EF Mass once a month on a rotating basis.

Flash forward to December 8, 2019 and I am the priest-celebrant of the Solemn Form of the EF Mass with deacon and subdeaon and using the Cathedral's high altar for it, which hasn't been used for Mass in about 50 years or so.

The high altar, unfortunately, has become a flower and decoration pedestal and reredos for the new altar which is beautifully crafted and is exactly the same design and facade of the old high altar.

I will remember all those Cathedral bishops and priests who celebrated Mass at this high altar since the late 1800's. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord. Requiem eternam.

A SERIOUS QUESTION FOR CANON LAWYERS

When a Catholic wants to marry in the Church, we ask both parties if they have had any previous marriages.

If the Catholic had an illicit marriage outside the Church they must fill out a “lack of form” case that requires two witnesses.

Let’s say that either the female or the male contracted a “same sex civil marriage” but decided that they were actually heterosexual and divorced.

Now they present themselves for a Catholic marriage. Does the Catholic party have to fill out the “lack of form” paperwork to clear up any questionable and/or invalid marriage?

Inquiring minds want to know.

BEFORE AND AFTER, I JUST DON’T KNOW

Before and After: St. Francis of Assisi in Grapevine, Texas

by Shawn Tribeon November 25, 2019

St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Grapevine, Texas

Gardiner-Hall Associates

BEFORE:

AFTER:

A closer look at the altars:

ALL REHEARSED AND READY FOR THE SOLEMN SUNG TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1960’S, AT THE SAVANNAH CATHEDRAL’S HIGH ALTAR

SOLEMN SUNG MASS FOR THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, 1 PM AT THE CATHEDRAL IN DOWNTOWN SAVANNAH, DECEMBER 8TH, 2019.

PROPER ORATIONS FOR THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Collect

Deus, qui per immaculátam Vírginis Conceptiónem dignum Fílio tuo habitáculum præparásti: quǽsumus; ut, qui ex morte eiúsdem Filii tui prævísa eam ab omni labe præservásti, nos quoque mundos eius intercessióne ad te perveníre concédas.

O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin didst prepare a fitting habitation for thy Son; grant, we beseech thee, that as thou preservedst her from all stain through the death foreseen of the same thy Son, so we too may through her intercession be purified and come to thee.

Secret

Salutárem hóstiam, quam in sollemnitáte immaculátæ Conceptiónis beátæ Vírginis Maríæ tibi, Dómine, offérimus, súscipe et præsta: ut, sicut illam tua grátia præveniénte ab omni labe immúnem profitémur; ita eius intercessióne a culpis ómnibus liberémur.

Receive, O Lord, the saving victim which we offer to thee in the festival of the Immaculate Conception of the blessed Virgin Mary : and grant that, even as we proclaim her to have been preserved by thy grace from every stain, so may we be delivered, by her intercession, from all our sins.

Postcommunion

Sacraménta quæ súmpsimus, Dómine, Deus noster: illíus in nobis culpæ vúlnera réparent; a qua immaculátam beátæ Maríæ Conceptiónem singuláriter præservásti.

May the sacraments which we have received, O Lord our God, heal in us the wounds of that sin from which thou didst by a singular privilege preserve the Immaculate Conception of the blessed Mary.

The Trinity and the Immaculate Conception, by Benvenuto Tisi da Garofalo, 1528-36. Prominent among the Doctors of the Church to either side of the Virgin Mary are Ss Augustine and Bernard on the left, Ss Ambrose and Jerome on the right.

COMMEMORATION OF THE 2^ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

This means that Sunday’s Mass will include two collects, two secrets, and two postcommunion prayers--the first (above) from the Mass of the Immaculate Conception, the second (below) from the Mass of the 2^nd Sunday of Advent (e.g., Angelus 143, Baronius 149, Campion 5). [So we sit for the Epistle only after the second collect.] Hence those with daily hand missals should set ribbons at both these Masses.

Collect

Excita, Dómine, corda nostra ad præparándas Unigéniti tui vias: ut, per eius advéntum, purificátis tibi méntibus servíre mereámur.

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the ways of thine only-begotten Son : that through his coming we may be worthy to serve thee with purified minds.

Secret

Placáre, quǽsumus, Dómine, humilitátis nostræ précibus et hóstiis: et, ubi nulla suppétunt suffrágia meritórum, tuis nobis succúrre præsídiis.

Be appeased, we beseech thee, O Lord, by the prayers and sacrifices of our lowliness : and since we cannot plead any merits of our own, help us with thy protection.

Postcommunion

Repléti cibo spirituális alimóniæ, súpplices te, Dómine, deprecámur: ut, huius participatióne mystérii, dóceas nos terréna despícere et amáre cœléstia.

Replenished with the bread of spiritual nourishment, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord, that through our participation in this mystery thou wouldst teach us to despise the things of earth and to love those of heaven.

JUST WHAT CAN WE LICITLY GET AWAY WITH IN “RE-ENCHANTING” THE DEFORMED ASPECTS OF THE REFORMED MASS?

Praytell loves calling the Extraordinary Form Mass the unreformed Mass. But the Ordinary Form Mass has experienced some additional reforms and more might come even if, as progressives like, it has to take place from the grassroots level. Then we could call the reformed Mass as it is mostly celebrated the unreformed Mass too when others reform it for the better.

What can we licitly do? Fr. Fox and John Nolan have a give and take and I like what John Nolan will experience on Sunday in London.

In addition to what John Nolan will experience, couldn’t the priest and ministers also include in their procession to the altar the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar whilst the processional hymn is chanted or even the longer, traditional form of the Introit. What would be wrong with that? Absolutely nothing!

——-

 Fr Martin Fox said...

John Nolan:

If more elements of the older tradition find their way into the ordinary form of the Mass and sacraments and other rituals, I will be very happy. But I grew up in a time when so many priests took it upon themselves to re-work the the rubrics as they saw fit. I do not want to emulate them. So I await these things coming down a more licit path.

December 5, 2019 at 1:16 PM

 

 John Nolan said...

Fr Fox

That's understandable, but you will be waiting a long time. 'Elements of the older tradition' won't mysteriously find their way into the Novus Ordo; they have to be put there as a result of choice, and choice is almost a defining feature of Paul VI's Mass.

The Solemn Mass I shall attend tomorrow will be in the new Rite, but, as on every Sunday, will take the following form. All the choices are entirely licit.
a) It is sung in Latin, with the traditional orientation (ad apsidem). The three Scripture readings and the Bidding Prayers are in English.
b) The celebrant is assisted by two sacred ministers who take the roles of deacon and 'subdeacon'.
c) The Mass is preceded by the Asperges in its older form, with the traditional versicles, responses and oratio.
d) The first option for the Penitential Act is invariably used. Although the opening and concluding rites are at the chair, the sedilia are arranged traditionally (not in front of the altar or tabernacle, and not facing the people).
e) The Gregorian Propers from the 1974 Graduale Romanum (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Communio) are used.
f) The Roman Canon is invariably used, recited audibly and following the Novus Ordo rubrics.
g) There is a simple chant setting of the Agnus Dei at the Fraction; the polyphonic Agnus is sung during the people's Communion.
h) Communion is kneeling at the rail, in one kind only.
i) There is a recessional hymn, but the congregation 'say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them'. This includes the responses, the Confiteor, the Credo and the Pater Noster.

The first reading is done by a lay person, but there are no EMHC and service at the altar is reserved to males.

In a sense, the most traditional element in this form of Mass is the fact that although the Propers change, the Ordinary by and large does not.

DON'T HANG OUT YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY

One of the hallmarks or perhaps little "t" traditions of the Catholic Church was/is "not giving scandal." The Church did not want people to be scandalized by the bad actions of others, be they clergy or laity.

Today, this concern for keeping deeds of darkness secret in order not to give scandal to others is called "cover-up."

We live in the information age and the age of fake-news because information flows so freely and news is now, more or less, gossip, innuendo and what ifs.

As it concerns clergy scandals, yes, the criteria was to keep people quiet so as not to scandalize the faithful and damage their faith. Unfortunately, this lack of transparency led to serial abuse by some of the most criminal minds in the clergy.

What was your experience within your own family about giving public bad example or spreading news about scandalous behavior of family members and others and your own thoughts on not airing your dirty laundry in families as well as the Church?

MORE SPECULATION AND MORE CHURCH POLITICS AND RANK AND FILE CLERGY AND LAITY TWIST AND TURN

Wouldn’t it be better for the Vatican to come clean on its canonization processes today?

And what is the point of a beatification? And why are these now local rather than at the Vatican? Why not just skip beatification after one is named venerable and go directly to canonization and at the Vatican?

PRESS TITLE FOR ARTICLE:

While Embarrassing, Sheen Beatification Delay Could Turn Out Well

Father Raymond J. de Souza

This presentation by Venerable Sheen tells us much about the Church of the 1970 and her issues then. These same issues have arisen again from a nostalgia for the 70’s by very aging clergy whose heyday was then.

After warming up his audience with some humor. Venerable Sheen offers an excellent presentation on the diabolical:

FROM THE JUST TOO KOOL FILE AND A MODERN DAY BELIEVE IT OR NOT!

An eight foot alligator 🐊 in Bluffton, SC, the community before Hilton Head Island, stole a young man’s iPhone and as he went back in the water, took a photograph of his victim standing on the bank of the lagoon watching the thief escape, a photographer alligator!!!!

Eventually the alligator let the iPhone go, the guy scared the alligator away and retrieved his phone. He discovered a total of four photos the alligator had taken from his mouth showing the world what it is like being swallowed by an alligator and the last thing the victim sees! Kool, no?

.

JUST WHAT IS WRONG WITH KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE AT AN EXTRAORDINARY FORM SOLEMN SUNG MASS ON DECEMBER 8TH, THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AS WELL AS THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT?

On December 8th, yours truly will be the celebrant for the Cathedral's EF 1 PM Mass which will celebrate, praise God, both the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Second Sunday of Advent.

What will be extraordinarily special about this Mass is that it will be the first (as far as I know, and I should be corrected by those in the know) Solemn Sung Mass since the mandated reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the late 1960's.

In addition to this, the Cathedral's High Altar will be used which I don't think has been used for any Mass since the faux altar was installed around 1966, a horrid wooden structure below the high altar, in front which I was ordained in 1980 with two others.

The Deacon for the Mass will be Father Jean-Luke OSB and the Sub-Deacon will be Father Patrick May, newly ordained priest for our diocese. I suggested to him that he would make a great below par deacon. Dr. Felix Maher will be the MC.

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE, LAFAYETTE SQUARE THAT IS.

THERE’S GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY TO GET RID OF MALIGNANT BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS AND TRANSPARENCY IS THY NAME

Buffalo’s bishop resigned today after more than a year of complete turmoil in his diocese and the form of clericalism that allows a bishop to remain while this turmoil is ongoing.

Since there is absolutely no local (diocesan or parish) mechanism to have a set board that would evaluate a situation that has become untenable, others fill the void and create even more chaos.

While I am not in favor of Congregationalist way of hiring and firing pastors, perhaps the Church would do well to examine how Episcopalians and Methodists do it in this country. In the Episcopal Church, there is a Vestry that has some legitimate power in dealing with their rectors and asking the bishop to remove him.

Perhaps the same is needed on the Diocesan level, that a vestry of sorts meets to decide the fate of a divisive bishop or submitting their recommendation to the Pope through the papal nuncio. Of course there must be canons governing all of this and ways to avoid the politicalization the the clergy verses the laity.

Of course canon law states the “rights” of pastors and bishops. This would seem to help safeguard purely evil intentions of vestries.

One other note concerning transparency. Why in the name of God and all that is holy didn’t the papal nuncio or even the pope himself state why Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s beatification has been postponed some 17 days before it was to occur in Peoria?

The Vatican needs to come clean on this, tell us who voiced concerns and what these concerns are as all of this is going to come out one way or another. The Vatican needs to be on top of this and nip speculation and gossip in the bud by being TRANSPARENT!

And while they are working at transparency, let’s also see the secret file on Mr. McCarrick and his enablers in this country and elsewhere even if it goes to the Bishop of Rome, whichever one you wish to choose. 

IN ADDITION TO ALL THE SILLY HETERODOX THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CHURCH THESE PAST SIX YEARS, AN IDEOLOGY OF PASTORAL THEOLOGY THAT PANDERS TO CULTURAL MOVEMENTS WILL ALSO BE A PART OF THE MIX OF A NEW GREAT SCHISM IN THE CHURCH

Pastoral theology that panders to various great cultural movements that oppose Catholic morality as well as natural law, is but one more ingredient in the on-going schism between orthodox Catholicism and Heterodox Catholicism. Let's just call it for now, The Great Catholic Polarization.

This LifeSite news article with Archbishop Vigano's take on a recent Austrian event in its storied Vienna Cathedral, illustrates pastoral pandering of the heterodox that drives orthodox Catholics to the brink:

Abp Viganò condemns pro-‘LGBT’ concert in Vienna cathedral as ‘blasphemous’

Dec 1, 4:39 pm

THANK GOD FOR THE INTERNET BECAUSE HOW ELSE CAN WE GET NEWS LIKE THIS?

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE IMPOSITION OF THE ORDINARY FORM AND THE SUPPRESSION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM

The lack of sound seems to be a Vatican glitch as there is no sound at the Vatican YouTube station for this video? Maybe showing a preference for a quiet low voice Mass?

THIS IS RATHER BIZARRE, NO?

Dispute ideas, pope tells theologians, but don’t confuse the faithful

• Cindy Wooden
  Nov 30, 2019
  CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY - Theologians must explore and debate disputed questions, at times even taking “risks” with what they propose, but those discussions should take place within the academy so as not to confuse the faithful, Pope Francis said.

“Theology must move forward,” the pope told members of the International Theological Commission. “It must face things that are not clear and take risks in discussion. However, this is among theologians.”

“You must give the solid food of faith to the people of God, not feed the people of God disputed questions,” because that could confuse them and cause them to lose their faith, the pope told the group Nov. 29 during a meeting celebrating the commission’s 50th anniversary.

Read the rest at Crux. What do you make of it?

IF YOU THINK THE PAST 50 YEARS IN THE CHURCH AND HER LITURGICAL LIFE HAS BEEN A SUCCESS STORY OR A NEW SPRINGTIME OF RENEWAL, I WOULD HATE TO SEE WHAT AN UNSUCESSFUL WINTERTIME WOULD LOOK LIKE

This is copied from Rorate Caeli who copies it from the New York Daily News who had a Rorate Caeli contributer write it, but I digress:

NY Daily News Op-Ed -Pining for the Latin Mass: Reflecting on major changes to the Catholic liturgy, 50 years later

By our own contributor Kenneth Wolfe:

Pining for the Latin Mass: Reflecting on major changes to the Catholic liturgy, 50 years later

By KENNETH J. WOLFE

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

NOV 30, 2019 | 5:00 AM

Fifty years ago this weekend, the Catholic Church debuted a new version of Mass following reforms made by the 1960s’ Second Vatican Council. From the use of vernacular language instead of Latin, to the priest facing the people instead of the tabernacle, the changes became mandatory at all parishes on the First Sunday of Advent 1969.

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