SHOULDN’T MORE RESOURCES AND SUPERVISION BE PLACED ON HOW WELL THE NOVUS ORDO IS CELEBRATED RATHER THAN ON HUMONGOUS EUCHARISTC CONGRESSES?

I am not opposed, in principle, to mega Eucharistic Congresses as the USA recently had and others countries are having. 

I just don’t think it is going to improve the Novus Ordo Mass in rank and file parishes where irreverence, banality, chattiness and casualness reign and where music mimics secular ditties to set to religious words, sometimes referring only to the greatness of God’s people or a morality ditty rather than praising God from whom all blessings flow.

Bishops, local bishops, should be the ones supervising and requiring his priests to do the following:

1. Maintain silence in the church prior to Mass and anytime it is open for private prayer and devotions.

2. Chant or say the Scriptures which are the Introit, Offertory and Communion antiphons that are prescribed for the day (I am sure most bishops, God willing, would crack down on a parish where the Liturgy of the Word is substituted with poetry or other religious readings.)

3. Make sure that anthems and hymns are Catholic and are prayers not ballads. And make sure they don’t sound like secular ditties set to religious words.

4. While I think kneeling for Holy Communion and receiving on the tongue will do more to return Catholics to understand the reverence due to the Real Presence of Christ and enhance belief in transubstantiation, at least make sure that Holy Communion received in the hand is done so reverently and not on the run!

5. Institute the formal ministries of acolyte and lector for adults 21 and older. And make sure these are the ones chosen for Communion Ministers and Lectors and that they go through a formal process of formation prior to receiving these formal ministries which Pope Francis has expanded!

6. Do the red and read the black and don’t ad lib, be chatty or give more than one homily outside of the place where homilies are to be given and bishops must model this especially at their cathedral and when they travel for Mass in parishes!

DID PRESIDENT BIDEN DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ENDORSE PRESIDENT TRUMP?

 Perhaps this is what President Biden truly believes or subconsciously he is striking out at those democrats who overthrew him in an election year political Ouster.

Certainly it is an endorsement of the republican candidate, a try at an attempt to rally votes  against Harris in a political settling of scores:

I AM PUZZLED WHY THERE ARE SO MANY VIEWING MY BLOG IN HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE!

 I can’t figure it out; how about you?

This is today’s top three viewers with Hong Kong way out there at almost 40,000 views!

Hong Kong

39.6K

United States

2.48K

Singapore

2.12K

A LAYWOMAN’S TAKE ON POPE FRANCIS’ HIGH ALTITUDE PRESS CONFERENCE

This was a comment from a former parishioner of mine commenting on my Facebook post on this topic:

I’m a bit surprised to hear the Pope’s statements, to me it sounds unclear, as if the 2 issues are equivalent in gravity. I think the Catholic Catechism is pretty clear on this.

Abortion Catholic Catechism 2258, 2261, 2263, 2270-2274, 2322-2323 Abortion is never ok, no matter the reason.

Voting CC 2240 - must exercise the right to vote with educated decision

Immigration CC 2241 - migrants must follow laws of adopting country and country has right to support its own citizens and have laws regarding migration 

Also, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s 1974 “Declaration on Procured Abortion,” declared that “the first right of the human person is his life. He has other goods and some are more precious, but this one is fundamental —  the condition of all the others. Hence it must be protected above all others.”  https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19741118_declaration-abortion_en.html

DID POPE FRANCIS INDIRECTLY ENDORSE DONALD TRUMP FOR THE U.S. PRESIDENCY?

Maybe I am reading my own bias into the pope’s words, but when he says Catholic voters must choose the lesser of two evils, meaning the persons and policies of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, no one in the USA is advocating for the direct murder of migrants; they are advocating for legal immigration and the deportation of those who enter illegally. No one is advocating for the gunning down of illegal migrants to keep them out of the USA or to murder them once they are here. It might be cruel to send them back or keep them out depending on what they face in their country of origin, but it isn’t direct murder. 

Abortion is direct murder, not just sending the baby out into the cold to fend for herself in a hostile environment. 

Thus of the two evils the pope presents, direct murder is a greater evil than deportation or strict laws for immigration. In other words, the migration issue is the lesser of the two evils.

Indirectly, Pope Francis in advocating that US Catholics choose the lesser evil of the two presidential candidates, has endorsed Donald Trump as the lesser of two evils. 

POPE FRANCIS CALLS VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TWO EVILS AND AMERICAN CATHOLICS MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS…

Pope Francis calls abortion murder of the innocent unborn human being and throwing migrants out a mortal sin. Pope Francis said Catholics have a decision of conscience in the two candidates for US presidency in choosing between the lesser of two evils.

Anna Matranga (CBS News)

Your Holiness, you have always spoken in defence of the dignity of life. In Timor-Leste, which has a high birth rate, you said you felt life pulsing and exploding with so many children. In Singapore, you defended migrant workers. With the US elections coming up, what advice would you give a Catholic voter faced with a candidate who supports ending a pregnancy and another who wants to deport 11 million migrants?

Pope Francis:

Both are against life: the one that throws out migrants and the one that kills children. Both are against life. I can’t decide; I’m not American and won’t go to vote there. But let it be clear: denying migrants the ability to work and receive hospitality is a sin, a grave sin. The Old Testament speaks repeatedly of the orphan, the widow, and the stranger—migrants. These are the three that Israel must care for. Failing to care for migrants is a sin, a sin against life and humanity.

I celebrated Mass at the border, near the diocese of El Paso. There were many shoes from migrants, who ended poorly there. Today, there is a flow of migration within Central America, and many times they are treated like slaves because people take advantage of the situation. Migration is a right, and it was already present in Sacred Scripture and in the Old Testament. The stranger, the orphan, and the widow—do not forget this.

Then, abortion. Science says that at one month after conception, all the organs of a human being are present. Everything. Having an abortion is killing a human being. Whether you like the word or not, it’s murder. The Church is not closed-minded because it forbids abortion; the Church forbids abortion because it kills. It is murder; it is murder!

And we need to be clear about this: sending migrants away, not allowing them to grow, not letting them have life is something wrong, it is cruelty. Sending a child away from the womb of the mother is murder because there is life. And we must speak clearly about these things. “No, but however...” No “but however.” Both things are clear. The orphan, the stranger, and the widow—do not forget this.

CBS Reporter:

In your opinion, Your Holiness, are there circumstances in which it is morally permissible to vote for a candidate who is in favor of abortion?

Pope Francis:

In political morality, it is generally said that not voting is ugly, it's not good. One must vote. And one must choose the lesser evil. Which is the lesser evil? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know; each person must think and decide according to their own conscience.

SPLENDID SINGAPORE PAPAL MASS AND POPE FRANCIS ONCE AGAIN SNATCHES DEFEAT OUT OF A VICTORIOUS PAPAL APOSTOLIC JOURNEY BY CREATING UNNECESSARY CONTROVERSY OVER ISSUES SETTLED UNDER VATICAN II'S LUMEN GENTIUS AND THE PAPAL MAGISTERIUMS OF ST. POPE JOHN PAUL II AND POPE BENEDICT XVI...

Pope Francis Mass in Singapore on Thursday for the Memorial of the Holy Name of Mary:

This is a very nice Novus Ordo Mass. Although it is in Singapore, the Mass is in English and uses the chants for the Gloria, Sanctus, Mystery of Faith and Agnus Dei in English that are in the English Roman Missal and mimic the Latin Chants. It is nice to hear these and the sobriety of these English chants. 

Overall this papal trip has been a success as have been most of Pope Francis' apostolic journeys.  The pope seems to have been energized by getting out of the Vatican where His Holiness has created a mess. But this seems to be His Holiness modus operandi and even in East Timor he asked once again, has he did on his first apostolic journey to Brazil, that the young people go and make a mess. It must be a South American thing?

But, as usual, at the end of his papal voyage of two weeks, His Holiness creates another mess yet again! Pope Francis created more controversy on his last day in Singapore by promoting a kind of neo-universalism neo-heresy. He said all religions lead people to God.  This was said off-the-cuff and thus cannot be seen as a magisterial teachings and it does contradict the more formal teachings of Vatican II, of St. Pope John Paul II and of Pope Benedict. 

Vatican II actually states that God can be revealed in most religions when what they teach and believe is consistent with Catholic doctrine. Vatican II also teaches that Catholicism is the true Church but Protestants are in partial or more partial communion with the True Church when they teach and believe what the True Church teaches and believes. 

What Pope Francis said off the cuff can be described by saying "yes, but". But he doesn't describe the "but"! He doesn't give any nuanced teaching about his grotesque generalization. That is sad and I suspect someone will correct His Holiness by expanding on "yes, but" that the Holy Father failed to do. 

This is a more formal papal magisterial teaching by St. Pope John Paul II which you can read HERE, DOMINUS IESUS.

This is what Crux says the pope said off-the-cuff:

SINGAPORE – In a line that may once again stir reaction in more traditional Catholic quarters, Pope Francis on Friday wrapped up a three-day visit to Singapore, a country with large pockets of at least five different faiths, that “all religions are a path to God.”

“They are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all,” the pope said, who had set aside his prepared text and spoke largely off the cuff. “Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God.”

The pontiff made his remarks during a interreligious meeting with young people held at a Catholic junior college, just prior to departing Singapore for his return flight to Rome.

Such rhetoric has stirred controversy in the path among more conservative Catholics who fear that it calls into question Catholic doctrine on Christ as the lone savior of the world and also undercuts missionary efforts to bring people to the faith.

WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY, IS GOING ON WITH HONG KONG????

 My most recent statistics! Even Indonesia reads my most humble blog!

Hong Kong	9,080
United States	2,892
Singapore	596
Canada	213
Ireland	123
United Kingdom	72
Indonesia	70
Australia	64
Germany	43
Japan	26
Czechia	23
Russia	22
Netherlands	20
Israel	16
France	7
Philippines	5
South Korea	4
Austria	3
Cyprus	3
Other	770

Hong Kong

9.08K

United States

2.89K

Singapore

596

Canada

213

Ireland

123

United Kingdom

72

Indonesia

70

Australia

64

Germany

43

Japan

26

Czechia

23

Russia

22

Netherlands

20

Israel

16

France

7

Philippines

5

South Korea

4

Austria

3

Cyprus

3

Other

770

IF I COULD BUILD A CHURCH THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, THIS WOULD BE IT AND YES, THIS IS A NEW CHURCH!

 The Inmaculata Church in the USA of the SSPX!

What do you think? Please note how clean it is, in terms of not being over decorated with plants, flowers, banners and other nonsense like candles placed in weird places. Also please note, how beautiful the altar cloth is and that it is correctly placed and doesn’t look like someone slept on it or trying to mimic a tablecloth on a kitchen table. 

The Novus Ordo Mass could be celebrated in this church without changing one single thing. If only, if only, if only, the Novus Ordo Mass when manufactured by a papal committee with an agenda, had not had that agenda, but stated that the Novus Ordo should be celebrated in churches with no changes to the sanctuary, meaning that the Liturgy of the Eucharist would be ad orientem, even if the Introductory and Concluding Rites would be from the chair and the Liturgy of the Word as it is done in the Novus Ordo. 

What a shame that that the Novus Ordo liturgical theologians destroyed the sanctuaries and entire naves of churches in the 70’s creating such resentment and anger and the loss of Catholics fed up with the iconoclasm going on in their parishes. This accounts, in large part, to the decline of the number of Catholics who actually attend Mass today! 

A BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR PAPAL MASS IN EAST TIMOR…

 Does anyone know what language is spoken in East Timor? I suspect there is more than one. But the Eucharistic Prayer seems to me to be in Portuguese as I can understand some of it with a combination of Spanish, Italian and Latin sounds but with a distinct accent by the celebrant that almost sounds Slavic. 

The hymns are of their culture I presume, but the parts of the Mass are exuberantly chanted by all with the traditional Greek Kyrie and Latin Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. These are quite beautifully sung and remind us of the universality of the Roman Rite when Greek and Latin are used for these parts. I felt at home with these people in East Timor with the Latin Chants, although their other music was foreign to me and a bit jarring from my perspective.

OUR BLESSED MOTHER’S BIRTHDAY AND THE 16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST AT SACRED HEART CHURCH IN SAVANNAH

 The genius of the TLM is that when a feast day falls on a Sunday or is of such importance, that it would be “right and just and helpful for our salvation” to celebrate both on a Sunday, is something the Modern Mass would do will to recover.

At Savannah’s TLM for the 16TH Sunday after Pentecost, I was able to prayer not just the Collect for the 16TH Sunday, but also the Collect for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is also extended to the Post Communion Prayer.

Also, feasts like the Immaculate Conception or others celebrated earlier in the week can be celebrated again in the same fashion at the following Sunday Mass as an external feast. 

Here are some photos from the Nativity of the Blessed Mother on the 16TH Sunday after Pentecost, yours truly celebrant:

WOW! DINING HALL TO A CHAPEL AND OF COURSE, A TRADITIONAL SANCTUARY MAKES IT SPECTACULARLY BEAUTIFUL!

 Could you imagine how horrible this would look with a post-Vatican II iconoclastic ethos?

Before (Dining Hall):

AFTER!!!!!

Read about it HERE!

A REMAKE OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S “VERTIGO”?

 This photo was taken at Atlanta’s West End St. Anthony’s Church. My brother, sister and I attended school there in the late 1950’s, early 1960. Went to the Ancient Latin Mass there very often. Of course it was the only Mass.

I LIKE IT! I LIKE IT! I LIKE IT!

 Saint James the Less Church in Savannah’s “new” church build, which replaced a 1950’s a-frame building, was completed in the late 1980’s.

This is its current look:

They are embarking on a major capital campaign to renovate both their “new” church and their aging school building. Their goal is $15 million dollars with over $9 Million already pledged. 

This is a rendering of the remodeled “new” church. I like it! I like it! I like it! For Saint James Church in Savannah, more is the Less!

Of course, this is only a rendering. I like the reredos with the tabernacle, but it looks like it has an attached altar to it and a new freestanding altar in front of it and lower. I hope they will reconsider the double altars! The free standing altar must appear to be the only altar. There should not be double altars one in front of the other. Now is the time to rectify that. That’s just my most humble opinion and actual directives from our bishops for churches. 

WOULDN'T A LITTLE LESS REGIDITY FROM PROGRESSIVE CATHOLICS GO A LONG WAY IN BUILDING UNITY AND GOOD WILL WITH LESS RIGID CONSERVATIVE CATHOLICS?

Intinction, common chalice, low glutton hosts, no chalice, no intinction, EF Mass, no EF Mass, ad orientem or no ad orientem,  kneeling for Holy Communion, receiving only on the tongue or not and standing for Holy Communion or not standing for Holy Communion, can't we have it all? Why limit God's possibilities for his liturgical people?

As everyone knows, Catholic unity today is based not are rigid progressive uniformity, but rather on conservative flexibility. And as Vatican II solemnly taught, our unity is in diversity. 

Makes sense to me!

YOU HAVE TO HAND IT TO POPE FRANCIS AND GOD’S GIFT OF FORTITUDE…

 87 year old Pope Francis with a number of debilitating illnesses and side effects of aging, has set out for a grueling two week trip to a variety of countries, some with high temperature. I suspect, too, that Pope Francis is dying to get out of the Vatican!

Often, when we age, especially in the late 80’s, the person who is aging does not realize his limitations. i had a parishioner who was 87 years old buy a bike and promptly fall off of it breaking his hip. It was downhill from there.

Perhaps Pope Francis wants to end his papacy with his therapeutic shoes on, walking to the peripheries and ending it with missionary fervor. 

You have to hand it to him and the Sacrament of Confirmation’s gift of fortitude.

MORE THOUGHTS ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION AND THE THREATS TO LITURGY AND HEALTH

 

Contagious threats to our physical health:

We already know that those liturgists, back in the day, late 60's early 70's, reminded reluctant Catholic communicants that there was no threat to their health from drinking from the Common Chalice shared with up to 20 or more communicants. They reasoned, based upon their science, that the alcohol content of the wine, and wiping the rim of the chalice and turning the "cup" as it was called, back in the day, would prevent communicants from getting a disease of some kind, like oral herpes. 

Sterling silver or pure gold chalices would reduce the threat, but what parishes can afford up to 10 chalices like that? Most use cheap materials or materials that help spread contagion!

Of course, these liturgists, who in most things are proven wrong, were and are proven wrong today. We learned that when there was an epidemic of a particular kind of flu several years ago, prior to Covid. Because the common chalice and shaking of hands at Mass could exacerbate the epidemic, usually in the winter time, bishops demanded that the handshake of peace and the common chalice be eliminated. Good for them and common sense. 

But, the Orthodox Churches and Eastern Rite equivalents, have always provided both the Species of Holy Communion to their lay communicants. Differing rites use differing methods, although none that I know of have several communicants drinking from the same "cup." Usually a spoon or even a glass straw are used. But the same problem of spreading germs and contagion exist. 

Theologically, I agree that the laity receiving both Species of Holy Communion at Mass is beneficial for the communicant. I think the best way in the Latin Rite is through the proper used of intinction, where the minister of Holy Communion intincts the Host for those receiving, not the communicant. 

I am thrilled that because of Covid, when priests concelebrate Mass, especially with their bishop, that the concelebrants now intinct their Host rather than drinking from the Common Chalice. When this change occurred, due to Covid, in my diocese our bishop intincted his Host too. I thought that was wrong. That the celebrant of the Mass must drink from his chalice and not share it with anyone else. Other chalices should be available for the concelebrants to intinct their Host. 

Contagious threats to the Liturgy in the Latin Rite:

Having the common chalice available means multiple more Communion Ministers. At a parish where I assist that means 12 Eucharistic Ministers ascend to the altar at the Lamb of God. It is confusing as to who is the Host Minister and Who are the chalice ministers. And sometimes someone doesn't show up and there is a chalice or ciborium left with no communion minister to take it!

It is liturgical chaos at what should be a very solemn moment! That is a threat to the Latin Rite Liturgy and the reverence due to it!

Then after Communion, only a priest or a deacon or an officially installed acolyte are allowed to purify the vessels. They must drink the ablutions. Doing this at Mass takes an inordinate amount of time. This is another threat to the Latin Rite Liturgy.