HOSPITALITY, LITURGICAL AND OTHERWISE

I just return from Trani last night and thank my hosts Matt and Brandi Frolich for their marvelous hospitality. It was a great weekend.

Today, Monday, we have a very full day with morning and afternoon sessions with Father Craig Morrison, O.Carm of the Pontifical Biblical Institute teaching us "The Art of Reading the Bible for Preaching." Normally we have the afternoon completely free, but not for the next two days. I don't know if I can take it!

But let's talk about hospitality, liturgical and otherwise. Both are important, liturgical and otherwise.

I have prided myself over the years of having a relatively good RCIA process for those who seek to become Catholic. What I like the most about it is that we encourage all our parishioners to invite those they know who might be interested in the Catholic Church to attend our process. We always tell them that we don't make a hard sell, that we try to equip those who are seeking truth, meaning and purpose in their lives with enough of an experience of the Catholic Church and who we are and what we beleive so that in cooperation with the Holy Spirit they may discern God's calling in this regard. I think the RCIA is a wonderful part of the new evangelization and the RCIA's welcoming aspect.

Often, though when we think of "welcoming" we think of those greeters and ushers at the doors of the Church. While this ministry is helpful, it could confuse the majority of people that they are entering Walmart rather than the Church, meaning of course, that Walmart has or had greeters to welcome customers. Customers to greet other customers at Walmart to welcome them to the store only desingated people do that.

But we are not customers or consumers and the Church is our home and we should all be hospitable and welcoming of each other. It isn't just the greeters job or ministry. It's our house, not the priest's house. We are at home in God's Church as his beloved adopted children.

But we can "churchify" this welcoming to a Walmart experience, even if we are doing it in the liturgical context. We must be welcoming as a Catholic people, of the unborn, no matter the condition or reason for this baby, we must be welcoming of the elderly and the dying, no matter how much energy it takes from us to be so. We must be welcoming of the immigrant and those on the margins of society.

This is Catholic life at home, work and play and in our churches and in our poltical affliations. There is a connection between liturgy and life.

I like what Pope Francis said during one of his talks in Assisi last Friday. He spoke of his experience in Buenos Aires and one group of people that pained his heart the most. This group were Catholic in culture only and unlike cultural Catholics of old, this particular group had no sense of Catholic sensibilities at all. The Holy Father mentioned that the children did not even know how to make the "Sign of the Cross," something so simple and basic to our Catholic identity.

To the pope, this group of Catholics so far from the faith and our practices are people on the margins of the Church that we must re-evangelize. These are poor people, not in the material sense of the word, but in the spiritual and Catholic sense of the word.

The pope understands poverty to be both spiritual and material and that spiritual poverty is the most concerning.

So Pope Francis doesn't want us Catholics to have idols. Usually he means this in the monetary sense. But we can make idols of the Church and her liturgy. What good is it to give splendid glorioius worship to God if it does not motivate us to love God and neighbor as the greatest commandment? And Jesus' certainly expands who our neighbor is, anyone in need.

Make no mistake though. Pope Francis is teaching us a new way to be pro-life and hand on our pro-life teachings. It is based upon being a welcoming people who dialogue with each other. When he says welcoming, this means the unborn as well as others in what he calls our "throw away" society. These are powerful pro-life words. It can even be extended to artificial contraception. Isn't that the most unwelcoming drug there is?

THOSE WHO TWIST THE POPE'S WORDS AND THEOLOGY ARE CAPTURED IN THIS GREAT EDITORIAL !

THIS WEEKEND I AM IN TRANI, ITALY

I am visiting former parishioners whom I married Matt and Brandi Frolich who have a three year job contract in Trani,Italy. What a beautiful town that has Knight Templar churches and is on the Adriactic coast between San Giovanni Rotondo and Bari. This city has roots back ti the 9th century and of course they have some fine cuisine, wine and olive oil from this region. We visited a olive press, sampled oil and went to see St. Padre Pio. I have Mass at 11 today with my friends in their parish Church. They are good friends with their pastor Don Francesco who is allowing us to use his lovely church going back to the 14th century.

When I arrived on Friday with a train change in Barletta, a street procession in honor of Saint Francis went in front of the station, it was great! Enjoy the pictures, church is Trani's Cathedral.

THE ARROGANCE OF PROGRESSIVISM: PRAY FOR FATHER HANS KUNG, EX-THEOLOGIAN

Progressives push the envelope in making the Catholic Church into a post-Catholic institution. I think we can rightly blame them for the malaise in the Church and the indifference so many have toward the Church. The Last Judgement will reveal all their folly.

One of the most influential and destructive progressives in the Church, Father Hans Kung, has revealed that he has Parkinson's Disease and is considering assisted suicide because of it.

I can understand someone who is chronically sick desiring death. But Hans Kung knows his status as a liberal superstar in the Church and in his final days is using it to continue to promote his post-Catholic ideology. This is arrogance and mortal sin.

But with that said, I ask for your prayers for him, for his conversion and for his willingness to model soon-to-be Saint Pope John Paul II in terms of his heroic witness to suffering and the redemptive value of it.

Pray for Hans Kung that he experience an abundance of the Holy Spirit to help him to carry the cross.

TWO DAYS AGO, THE INQUISITION, YESTERDAY, NEW EVANGELIZATION, TODAY THE POPE'S MOTEL 6 AND DEACON ORDINATIONS AT SAINT PETER'S

What a glorious day. Today we walked to St. Peter's via the Vatican Motel Six where Pope Francis lives. These will be the first two photos below. His room is where the papal flag  is and his bedroom is to the left of it and shuttered. He only has two rooms, like I do at my rectory, but I bet his quarters are nicer!

The ordination was splendid, simply splendid! Now I know some of you will complain that I took photos during a Mass I was concelebrating. Dumb luck had me sitting right next to the altar! It is the altar directly behind the papal altar and is called the "Altar of the Chair" which you will see below! But a bishop seated directly in front of me took out is iPhone too and starting snapping pictures! What's good for the goose is good for the gander!

His Eminence James Cardinal Harvey, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul's outside the Walls was the celebrant.  Two other cardinals were present in choir dress, Their Eminences, Cardinals Law and O'Brien!

I re-introduced myself to Cardinal O'Brien whom I've met many times before. In the early 1970's when he was an army chaplain, he was stationed at Fort Gordon, Ga which is a part of Augusta, Georgia where I grew up and all I had to say was Augusta, Georgia to him and he knew who I was.

Cardinal Harvey gave a very good homily and even referenced the Extraordinary Form of the Mass in  terms of the "Prayers at the Foot of the Altar" and what the priest says, "I will go to the altar of God, the God of my youth!"

As you know, my clairvoyance tells me that in the near future, our Roman Missal will have in the appendix the option of "The Prayers at the Foot of the Altar" as well as the options of EF's "Offertory Prayers" and "The Last Gospel." It will also have rubrics similar to the EF for the Roman Canon and more details for ad orientem celebrations of the Mass.

But I digress. As you know the Pontifical North American College has more men studying for the priesthood then they have every had. 41 men were ordained out of the 4th year class.

The liturgy was splendid, the choir was great and congregational singing stunning. The official antiphons for the deacon ordination Mass were all chanted, including the Introit following the very, very long procession of those to be ordained, other deacons, priests, bishops and cardinals.

The Mass was Mass VIII--Missa de angelis, but apart from that it was all in English. I think this is what should be mandated, the parts of the Mass in Latin and the vernacular for all else.

Enjoy the photos!

THE ANTIPATHY THAT TRADITIONAL CATHOLICS HAVE TOWARD POPE FRANCIS IS MISPLACED!

Usually it is or was progressive Catholics who have been whining about the pope ever since Pope John Paul II was elected. They didn't like this, that or the other about the popes, especially poor, old Pope Benedict!

Now we see how much in common traditional Catholics have with their perverted sided, the progressives. They now are the ones whining about poor, old Pope Francis when in fact they have nothing really to whine about.

This pope calls it like it is. He constantly refers to himself, other cardinals, bishops and priests, not to mention the laity at sinners! How many have heard homilies in their local churches on sin and the need to go to confession frequently? How can we appreciate Jesus Christ and the salvation He himself has earned for us and given to us as a pure gift, if we don't understand our miserable state prior to this gift? And that without His Sacrifice on the Cross and glorious resurrection we would burn in hell for eternity. If that doesn't make you grateful, then what will?

But even after the Cross and Resurrection, we remain sinners even after baptism, thus the need to continually seek the renewal ofGod's forgiveness in Confession, the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation. This pope has made that very abundantly clear. Get it?

But on top of that, this pope is also speaking about heresies in the Church and heretics. In a way it is a throw back to the mean old Church of pre-Vatican II times when anathemas were hurled at heretics, but Pope Francis does it in a gentle way.

Just yesterday at his Wednesday general audience, with almost 100,000 there again, the pope spoke of heresy! This is what he said:

"The Church is not without sin because it is made up of sinners. Priests, sisters, bishops, cardinals and even Popes are sinners. Pope Francis warned us not to believe the misconception that the Church is filled only with the “pure” and that all others are to be “removed”. “This is not true!” he exclaimed. “This is heresy!”

The pope of course has spoken several times about the heresies of Gnosticism and Pelagianism. You'd think traditional Catholics would be grateful for this, but no, they whine, whine, whine! 

The pope also calls for fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church, the pope and bishops in union with him. He has called the Council of 8 Cardinals to advise him, but make no mistake, this authoritarian pope, as he self-describes himself as a past reality, but we know that it isn't just a past reality, is going to make the final decisions and decrees. You'd think traditional Catholics would be dancing in the streets over the authority this pope throws around. But, no! 

The pope says that he is humble enough to carry out his agenda. Well, of course we know that he is far from humble and a push over, simply because a person who says they are humble isn't! 

So while Pope Benedict clothed himself in the majesty of the papacy, he was truly humble as a person, which his resignation is the apex sign of this humility. Whereas the Pope Francis who doesn't use any of the trappings of majestic monarchy as it concerns the papacy, is in reality wearing it without doing so by his actions and egoism. But this will ultimately benefit the Church by bringing the progressives back to some semblance of reason and orthodoxy. Just remember, those who complain the most about this, that, or the other, like the pope complaining that the trappings of the court is the leprosy of the papacy, are the ones most inclined to buy into and actually do what they complain about the most!

Oh, and did I forget to mention that Pope Francis has approved a very, very traditional model for the Anglican Ordinariate Mass which includes in the appendix of their version of the Roman Missal the options of the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, the traditional Offertory Prayers and the Last Gospel, not to mention rubrics that are more in line with the Extraordinary Form of the Mass? You'd think traditionalists would be rocketing into space over their joy on this one, but no, they remain with faces that look like pickled peppers.

And now, because of this pope, the agnostic President Barack Obama is taking a look at what this pope is saying, which may well be the first stirrings of the "inquiry" phase of the RCIA for him. If this isn't the new evangelization, I don't know what is. Shouldn't we be praying for President Obama's conversion which only the Holy Spirit can bring about and shouldn't we welcome that sinner, and the president like all of us are, into the fold of Holy Mother Church, where God will make him holy? Why would traditional Catholics be opposed to the Holy Spirit converting Barack Obama on his pilgrimage or walk toward the light?

It's enough to make this recovering progressive rethink his conversion.

VATICAN CLARIFIES POPE'S INTERVIEWS!

Just as I have been saying, the Pope's interviews are not Magisterial! Got that?

Listen to Vatican Radios story on the Pope's meeting with the Council of 8 Cardinals by PRESSING HERE.

THE PREFECT FOR THE CONGREGATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH OFFERS KEEN AND POSITIVE INSIGHTS INTO POPE FRANCIS

Texts in full copied from THE TABLET Don't get your hopes too high, warns the Prefect of the Church's doctrine office But Archbishop Müller notes ‘Francis manages to turn doctrine into an encounter’26 September 2013, 9:00 The German Catholic News Agency interviewed the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, in Rome on 21 September, the day he was confirmed in office. Below is a verbatim translation of that interview. KNA: Are you relieved that you've been able to keep your job, Archbishop? Archbishop Müller: That's been clear for quite a long time now. I haven't been in Rome that long [Müller was appointed CDF Prefect in July 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI]. I was already appointed by Pope Benedict because as a professor of dogmatics I am well versed in this field and also because I'd had ten years' experience as a bishop. And Pope Francis, moreover, comes from Latin America, where I've spent a lot of time. KNA: You speak Spanish like the Pope. Did that play a role? Archbishop Müller: I don't know. When there is a change of Pope the prefects are generally always confirmed in office, with a few exceptions, that is, but in my case that was never under discussion. KNA: Can former liberation theologians who have been reprimanded (by Rome) now hope to be rehabilitated? Archbishop Müller: (laughing) I myself haven't reprimanded any! Contrary to widespread popular opinion, the two instructions of 1984 and 1986 were not a big 'No' to liberation theology. They merely discussed certain aspects of it. Its most important representatives have developed their thinking in a positive way. One should be glad if tensions are not exacerbated and perpetuated. It is also the task of our Congregation to contribute towards reconciliation. There must be no rival camps in the Church. When occasionally there is a hardening of attitudes, we must overcome them and lead everyone back to the fundamentals of the faith. KNA: Your Congregation is often seen as a censor's office for undesirable theologians, especially in Germany. After the Pope's most recent interview (inCiviltà Cattolica) one could get the impression that Pope Francis wanted to change that image. Archbishop Müller: The image exists but it is incorrect. Of the 4,000 or so bishops and theologians appointed, you get perhaps ten cases where the nihil obstat(nothing stands in the way) cannot be given. Then, of course, there's a huge echo and the positive things we do to promote the faith go under. Thus the International Theological Commission and the Pontifical Biblical Commission, both of which are assigned to our Congregation, do great deal of development work. False teachings, however, must be rejected. Whether Jesus is the Son of God or was just a good person who paved the way for today's party-political social programmes is not immaterial. Healthy doctrine, the correct practice and eternal salvation belong inextricably together. KNA: Up to now the Pope has not proclaimed any new doctrine. He obviously wants to set different priorities as far as the way the Church approaches people is concerned. Less dogmatically and less moralising and more pastorally, instead. Would you say that that is what is at the heart of his concern or how do you interpret what he has said? Archbishop Müller: It's not as if other bishops or Pope Benedict had constantly spoken about abortion, sexual morals or euthanasia. And pastoral work is not a therapeutic game. It wants to serve people with the Word of God. That is why juxtaposing doctrinal and moral teaching against pastoral work is not in the mind of the inventor. The former is the source of the latter. KNA: What does that mean? Archbishop Müller: If Jesus Christ is not the Son of God who became Man, then he cannot be the Good Shepherd. Pope Francis has that special charism of being able to translate the Church's doctrine of the faith, which he adheres to unconditionally as he never tires of emphasising, into a personal encounter with people. As Pope he behaves like a local pastor. KNA: If I've understood Pope Francis correctly, then he wants national bishops' conferences to take on more responsibility - also in controversial issues, and Roman authorities to function in a more subsidiary way as service providers. Will this affect the CDF in your opinion? Archbishop Müller: The CDF is responsible for the whole world in the interests of the papal Magisterium. Bishops lead local Churches. The papal and the episcopal office are legitimised by divine law. That is something that bishops' conferences are not. They are work groups but do not have a competence to teach of their own over and above that of an individual bishop's mandate. So they are not a third authority between the Pope and bishops. I don't think, therefore, that we'll see a sort of federalist reform similar to that in the Federal Republic [of Germany] where key competences are relayed from the central state to the individual [German] states. That is not how the Church is constituted. According to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, the Church consists in and of the local Churches. KNA: You'll stay in Rome and get your red hat soon, that's a certainty. Or will the Pope perhaps also abolish the title of cardinal? Archbishop Müller: (laughing) I don't think so, although we're only concerned with a man-made law here. Cardinals originated from priests in the Roman Church who advised the Pope. But they are not an intermediary authority between the Pope and the bishops either. The German Catholic Press Agency, KNA, interviewed Archbishop Müller on 21 September 2013. Translation by Christa Pongratz-Lippitt. Photo: CNS ^ Back to top

DECIPHERING THE POPE AND DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PAPAL TEACHINGS

Pope Benedict XVI wrote several books on Jesus while he was pope. In each book he had a disclaimer that these writing were not on par with papal teachings and thus readers, especially academic readers could critique and disagree with what he wrote if what he wrote wasn't definitively taught by the Church.

Pope Francis loves to talk as any good Italian worth his or her salt does! The Italians love Pope Francis because, well, he is so Italian especially how he speaks Italian and frames his subjects. His Italian is spoken as Italians speak it and he inserts humor in what he says as we Italians love to do also.

I have decided not to try to interpret this pope's remarks which he makes off-the-cuff any longer. I simply refer you to what he says and remind you that off-the-cuff remarks, especially those that leave open a wide interpretation, must be interpreted in light of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other official teachings of the Magisterium and not independent of these. There are no new revelations to be transmitted to the Church.

This pope has given three interviews thus far and each of them has caused controversy, glee, angst and other reactions. But let us be clear, off-the-cuff remarks made in an interview are not papal teachings. These, like the books Pope Benedict wrote, can be critiqued and one may well disagree with what is said.

The highest form of papal teachings are those which are written by the pope himself, not by others. These can be a homily, a papal exhortation or some other well-written eleoqution. The highest form of a papal teaching is an encylical. Pope Francis has written only one, the one on Faith which was a collaborative encylical with Pope Benedict. Catholics may not dissent from an encylical. We can dissent from a papal interview and his off-the-cuff remarks, especially when those remarks are open to a variety of interpretations or misplace what is truly important to the Church and the preaching of the Gospel, especially the crisis facing culture today and the crisis of the Church too.

What is clear about Pope Francis is that he keeps referring us back to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. So, when we listen to him bolviate in an interview or at other times, we have to filter what we hear through the Church's teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He has told us he is a son of the Church and accepts all those teachings as we should also!

What is clear though and Pope Francis knows this, is that the Vatican bureacracy needs to be reformed and he has put those who work in the Vatican on notice that the Vatican can't be self-serving but must serve the needs of the Church worldwide, especially local Churches and their bishops.

All governments can be dysfunctional. I have read that you Americans are having a government shut-down right now so dsyfunctional is your government. The same can be said of the government coming from the Vatican bureaucrats. This pope wants to reform the Vatican way of doing things. Can he do it? I think he has a will and will make a way! He won't make many friends in the Vatican because of it and thus he had better watch his back and recall the painting over the altar in the chapel of the Office of the Inquisition!

JUST GOT BACK FROM THE OFFICE OF THE INQUISITION

Today it is called the Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith. This office collaborated with the Office for Divine Worship in developing the Anglican Ordinariate liturgies for funerals, weddings and now their Mass.

I asked the priest giving the tour if the EF options allowed the AO, such as TPATFOTA, EF Offertory Prayers and Last Gospel might also be extended to the Normative Form of the Latin Rite. He said it could be possible with the right advocates seeking this and going through the proper channels!

The art work above the CDF's altar in its chapel depicts St. Pope Pius V who was a great reformer like Pope Francis will be. Pius V made many enemies because of this.

He dad a devotion of kissing the feet of Jesus on a large crucifix in his palace before going to bed. An enemy of the Pope had smeared a deadly poison on the feet of Jesus in order to kill the Pope.

When the Pope went to kiss the Feet, the feet moved out of the way so as to prevent the Pope from doing so! This miracle is depicted here:

WHAT AN EXCITING TIME IN ROME! POPE FRANCIS HAS ANOTHER INTERVIEW WITH THE ATHEIST AT LA REPULICA, ONE OF ROME'S MAJOR NEWSPAPERS LIKE THE NEW YORK TIMES--THIS POPE HAS A NEW, REFRESHING STYLE!

UPDATE! UPDATE! THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW IN ENGLISH FROM ITALY'S LA REPPUBLICA NEWSPAPER! PRESS HERE! I THINK WE CAN RIGHTLY CALL THIS A BOMBSELL! PRESS HERE! PRESS HERE!



I copy the following from Whispers in the Loggia! He got it from the Italian Daily Paper, which like The New York Times is politically left-leaning and critical of the Church, Pope Francis personally called the reporter and arranged for the interview. We don't have the complete interview translated into English. You can see the La Republica headline and story in Italian HERE!

MY COMMENT FIRST: The most explosive comment comes at the end about women in the Church. However, we know the Holy Father has excluded women's ordination. But I suspect he will name women to high Vatican offices and as Prefects. He might even grant them the title of "Cardinal" as one need not be a priest to receive this title. But I don't know. The Holy Father has constantly referred to the Church as Holy Mother and sees the Blessed Virgin Mary as our Mother and the Mother of the Church. He highlights the feminine in a traditional way in this regard and he doesn't want to masculinize the role of women in the Church. The truly feminine is perfectly acceptable as it regards Holy Mother Church, the Bride of Christ which the Church is and our Holy Mother, Mary most holy. I can tell you, if any pope had spoken this way when I was in the seminary in the 1970's that pope would be rediculed. But not this Pope, which tells me he has won over the progressives in the Church like the Trojan Horse! I would caution traditionalists not to become like progressives who disdained Pope Benedict. Don't be like them in your attitude toward our current Holy Father. The Holy Spirit has placed him as pope and for a reason that will become quite clear in time.

But let's face it folks, on the parish and diocesan levels women out number men in leadership roles. I will describe my parish staff. Our school principal, all of our teachers except for one, our Director of Religious Education, our Youth Director are all full time paid "ministers" and this includes also our full time Director of Music! Our administrative staff is primarily women. The only men who are full time paid staff are our school's coach, our parish's Director of Parish Administration, and the three priests! We are outnumbered! We also have two deacons, but they are not paid full time staff members but have other jobs.

This is Rocco Palma's take:

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2013

"I Am the Pope" – In Fresh Interview, Francis On Church's New "Beginning"

In the latest proof of his desire to reach out from behind the walls – and along the way, remind the Establishment he inherited who's Boss – today's cover of Italy's largest-circulation daily indeed blared a second major interview in 12 days with the Pope, this time given to one of the country's most prominent atheists.

As Eugenio Scalfari tells the story, the pontiff called the La Repubblica founder out of the blue to arrange a meeting as a follow-up to their exchange of letters over the summer. With Francis going over his schedule in front of him – "I can't on Wednesday, Monday either; would Tuesday work for you?" – the Pope booked the Domus sit-down on his own.

Saying he had no idea how to end a call with the Pope, when Scalfari asked if he could "hug [Francis] through the phone," Papa Bergoglio replied "Sure, I'm hugging you too. Then we'll do it in person. See you soon." Once they came together – with jokes about trying to convert each other as they first met – the 4,600-word extravaganza that ensued touched on everything from the journalist's non-belief to movie picks, politics and a "court" mentality in the church which Francis termed "the leprosy of the papacy," admitting that church leaders were "often... narcissistic, flattered and badly excited by their courtiers."

Even as the first meeting of his new "Council of Cardinals" opens this morning, though, the pontiff's first concern lay elsewhere. "The gravest of the evils that afflict the world in our time are the unemployment of the young and the loneliness in which the elderly are left," Francis said, reprising a theme he's frequently addressed in other contexts. "The old need care and company; the young need work and hope, but they don't have each other, and the problem is that they don't seek each other out anymore.

The young are "shackled in the present," the Pope said. "But tell me: can one live shackled in the present? Without a memory of the past and without the desire to throw oneself into the future....? Is it possible to continue like this? This, for me, is the most urgent problem that the church has in front of it.... It's not the only problem, but the most urgent and the most dramatic."

Asked about secular politics, the pontiff turned stronger still: "Why are you asking me about that? I have already said that the church will not occupy itself with politics."

Explaining that he was obliged to address himself "not just to Catholics, but all people of goodwill," Francis – who reportedly never voted in Argentinian elections as a bishop – explained thus: "I've said that politics is the first among civil activities and has its own arena of action which is not that of religion. Political institutions are secular [laiche – lay] by definition and work in an independent sphere. All of my predecessors have said this, at least for many years, albeit with different accents. I believe that Catholics tasked with political life must keep the values of their religion before them, but with a mature conscience and competence to realize them. The church will never go beyond its task of expressing and publicizing its values, at least for as long as I'm here."

Indeed, it was on the internals of church governance where the Jesuit Pope struck his most determined notes – or, as he described his governing style, his utmost "firmness and tenacity." Francis said that the formation of his unprecedented "Gang of Eight" – which he termed "my council" – marked "the beginning of a church with an organization that's not only vertical but also horizontal." While that's yet another reference to the concept of synodality as the core of the impending Curial reform, in this instance Francis stretched the boundary even further.

Saying that the "defect" of the Roman Curia is that it's "Vatican-centric" and "cares for [its own] interests which are also, in large part, temporal interests," Francis declared that he "doesn't share this vision and will do everything to change it.

"The church is, or must return to being, a community of the People of God," the Pope said, "and the priests, pastors, bishops with the care of souls, are at the service of the People of God.

"This is the church, a word that's a different case from the Holy See, which has an important function but is at the service of the church."

Referring to his late confrere, the progressive Milanese Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, the Pope said that when the prelate spoke of "the accent of Councils and Synods, he knew well that it'd be a long, difficult path to proceed in this direction." Stacking himself against the saint whose name he took – whose tomb he'll visit on Friday – Francis preceded the comment by saying that he "certainly [isn't] not Francis of Assisi and I don't have his strength or his holiness, but I am the Bishop of Rome and the Pope of Catholicism." Eight hundred years since the original Francis, however, Bergoglio returned to one of his pontificate's first expressed thread, noting that the Poverello's "ideal of a missionary and poor church remains more than valid.

"This is consistently the church that Jesus and his disciples preached," Francis said.

As for the church's role in the modern world, the pontiff – the first bishop of Rome to be ordained a priest after Vatican II – underscored his adherence to the path charted out by the Council, but only after "personally" embracing his predecessor's contentious thought that "to be a minority [church] could even be a strength."

"We must be a leaven of life and of love," Francis said, "and the leaven is infinitely smaller than the mass of fruit, of flowers and trees that grow thanks to it.... [O]ur objective isn't proselytism but listening to [people's] needs, desires, disappointments, desperations and hopes. We must restore hope to the young, aid the old, open ourselves to the future, spread love. [We must be] the poor among the poor. We must include the excluded and preach peace. Vatican II, inspired by Pope John and Paul VI, decided to look to the future with a modern spirit and to open [the church] to modern culture. The Council fathers knew that opening to modern culture meant religious ecumenism and dialogue with non believers. After then very little was done in that direction. I have the humility and ambition to want to do it."

While walking his visitor to the door of the Vatican guesthouse, in a sudden aside the Pope told Scalfari that his reforms "will also speak of the role of women in the church," reminding the interviewer that "the church is feminine." He didn't specify his intended result.

More to come.

-30-

IS THIS AN OPTION POPE FRANCIS WILL APPROVE FOR THE ORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS AS HE HAS APPROVED FOR THE ANGLICAN ORDINARIATE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE AT A PARISH NEAR YOU? I DON'T THINK ONE NEED BE CLAIRVOYANT TO SAY YES!

We don't know if the topic of the Liturgy is on the agenda of Pope Francis as he meets today (October 1) for the first time with the Council of Cardinals, aka, The Gang of 8! I would suspect that it will be. When I watch Pope Francis celebrate the Mass, it is obvious that he has changed the direction of papal Masses and of course of the papal style in general. However, his manner of celebrating the Mass is very austere, very sober which is a major characteristic of the Latin Rite Mass, even the EF. Flamboyance in terms of the manner in which the Mass is prayed by the priest is not a part of our tradition but rather a corruption of it. I've said it before and I'll write it again, Pope Francis celebrates the Mass facing the congregation in an "ad orientem" sort of way. Pope Benedict did so likewise!
The press is here in town in full force. I'm excited that today, part of our program is to go to the "Sacred Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith." I hope will be able to meet the Prefect there or at least others who are high up and ask questions. I hope reporters to mob us. 
The options that our Holy Father Francis has allowed for the Anglican Ordinariate Mass is truly radical. I am surprised that more bloggers haven't noticed it and commented on it. There should be dancing in the streets. But no one seems to have noticed except the Praytell blog and even there, there is no comment about who it is that ultimately approved this Mass with respect to the Elizabethan English but also the EF's Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, Offertory Prayers and EF rubrics for the Roman Canon and the Last Gospel. This is radical because Pope Francis did not stop it and he could have if he so desired. I think with time we will see, not the Elizabethan language, but who knows, but the EF elements restored to the OF Mass but as options, to be found in the Appendix of the Roman Missal. This is indeed good news.
So I print below what this option would look like for our Ordinary Form Mass. There is no change to the current Roman Missal either in Latin or English, but the addition of these options with more specific rubrics. This is directly from the Pope Francis approved Mass for the Anglican Ordinariate: 
This is what I would suggest to the Council of Cardinals and the Holy Father who are meeting this week to discuss in terms of the Liturgy of the Church and its ongoing revision, the normative liturgy and to make the following options for any priest in the world so that Pope Francis, on his own authority, may extend this privilege to all Latin Rite Catholics for the normative Mass, what is sometimes called the Novous Ordo or the Ordinary Form.
The Introductory Rite (option to what is already prescribed)
 After the Priest and Deacons have vested, the following prayers may be said in preparation for Holy Mass, either in the sacristy or at the foot of the altar. If the following is prayed at the foot of the altar, and if the People join in saying the responses and praying the Confiteor, this form may replace the usual Penitential Rite.
Priest  In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Servers Amen.
Priest I will go unto the altar of God.
Servers Even unto the God of my joy and gladness.
At Masses for the Dead and during Passiontide, the following Psalm is omitted.
Psalm 43. Judica me, Deus.
Priest Give sentence with me, O God, and defend my cause against the ungodly people; O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.
 Servers For thou art the God of my strength, why hast thou put me from thee? and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?

Priest O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me, and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.
Servers And that I may go unto the altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness; and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God, my God.
Priest Why art thou so heavy, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me?
Servers O put thy trust in God; for I will yet give him thanks, which is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Priest Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; Servers As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world
without end. Amen.
Priest I will go unto the altar of God.
Servers Even unto the God of my joy and gladness. Priest Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
Servers Who hath made heaven and earth. ___________
At the discretion of the Priest, the following forms of the Confiteor may be omitted, and the Preparatory Prayers may continue then with the versicle, Wilt thou not turn again.
Priest I confess to Almighty God, to Blessed Mary ever-Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, deed; [he strikes his breast thrice] by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault. Wherefore I beg Blessed Mary ever- Virgin, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brethren, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Servers May almighty God have mercy upon thee, forgive thee thy sins, and bring thee to everlasting life.
Priest Amen.
 Servers I confess to Almighty God, to Blessed Mary ever-Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to thee, Father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, deed; [they strike their breast thrice] by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault. Wherefore I beg Blessed Mary ever- Virgin, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Angels and Saints, and thee, Father, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Priest May almighty God have mercy upon you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to everlasting life.
Servers Amen.
Priest The almighty and merciful Lord grant unto us pardon,  absolution, and remission of our sins.
Servers Amen. ___________
Priest Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us, O God? Servers That thy people may rejoice in thee.
Priest O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.
Servers And grant us thy salvation.
Priest O Lord, hear my prayer. Servers And let my cry come unto thee.
If the Preparation is prayed in the sacristy, the Priest says:
Priest The Lord be with you. Servers And with thy spirit. Priest Let us pray.
Most gracious God, incline thy merciful ears unto our prayers, and enlighten our hearts by the grace of the Holy Spirit: that we may be found meet to serve thy holy Mysteries; and worthy to love thee with eternal charity; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Or if prayed at the foot of the altar, the Introit follows. The Priest ascends to the altar and venerates it with a kiss and, if appropriate to the dignity of the celebration, he censes the altar and cross. Mass continues with the Collect for Purity. 
Then the Kyrie, Gloria and Collect are prayed, with "The Lord be with you" prior to the collect. The Gloria allows for the priest to make the Sign of the Cross at the conclusion of the Gloria.
The Liturgy of the Word remains as is from the revised lectionary with the option of the Gradual in place of the Responsorial Psalm.
The Credo has the option of kneeling at the words of the "incarnation." 
The Intercessions follow and then the offertory collection and procession of offerings by the laity to the altar.
The option of the EF Offertory Prayers:

The Offertory (Form I)
Having prepared sufficient bread for communion, the Priest takes the paten with the bread and holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice:
Receive, O holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, this spotless host, which I, thine unworthy servant, now offer unto thee, my living and true God, for my numberless sins, offences, and negligences; for all here present; as also for the faithful in Christ, both the quick and the dead, that it may avail for their salvation and mine, unto life everlasting. Amen.
Then making a cross with the paten, he places the paten with the bread upon the corporal. The Deacon pours wine and a little water into the chalice, the Priest first blessing with the sign of the cross the water to be mixed in the chalice, saying:
O God , who didst wondrously create, and yet more wondrously renew thedignity of man’s nature: Grant that by the mystery of this water and wine we may be made partakers of his divinity, as he vouchsafed to become partaker of our humanity, even Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Then he takes the chalice, and offers it, slightly elevating it and saying in a low voice:
We offer unto thee, O Lord, the chalice of salvation, beseeching thy mercy, that it may ascend in the sight of thy divine majesty as a sweet smelling savour for our salvation, and for that of the whole world. Amen.
He makes the sign of the cross with the chalice and places it upon the corporal, and covers it with the pall. Then with hands joined upon the altar, bowing he says:
In a humble spirit, and with a contrite heart, may we be accepted of thee, O Lord, and so let our sacrifice be offered in thy sight this day, that it may be pleasing unto thee, O Lord our God.
Standing upright, he extends his hands, raises them and joins them, and lifting his eyes to heaven and then lowering them, says:
Come, thou O sanctifier, almighty, everlasting God, and  bless this sacrifice, made ready for thy holy Name.
 If incense is used, he blesses it saying:

Through the intercession of blessed Michael the Archangel standing at the right hand of the altar of incense, and of all his elect, may the Lord vouchsafe to bless this incense, and to receive it for a sweet smelling savour; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
And receiving the thurible, he censes the Oblations, in the customary manner.
Then he censes the altar and returns the thurible to the Deacon or server. Then the Priest is censed by the Deacon or server, and afterwards the others in order. Meanwhile, the Priest, standing at the side of the altar, washes his hands, saying in a low voice:
I will wash my hands in innocency, O Lord; and so will I go to thine altar; That I may show the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth. O shut not up my soul with the sinners, nor my life with the blood-thirsty; In whose hands is wickedness, and their right hand is full of gifts. But as for me, I will walk innocently: O deliver me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth right; I will praise the Lord in the congregations. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Psalm 26:6-12
Then bowing in the middle of the altar, with hands joined upon it, he says in a low voice:
Receive, O holy Trinity, this oblation which we offer unto thee in memory of the passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ; in honour of blessed Mary ever-virgin, of blessed John the Baptist, of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, that it may be to their honour, and for our salvation; and that like as we remember them on earth, so in heaven they may plead for us. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Priest kisses the altar and, turning towards the People, extending and then joining his hands, says:
Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable unto God, the Father almighty.
 The People stand and respond:

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at thy hands, for the praise and glory of his Name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church. 
The Mass continues as usual with the option of the Roman Canon prayed in an EF style with its rubrics, but aloud or in a quiet voice, chanted or spoken:

The People kneel. The Priest, with hands extended says; or, extending, raising, and then joining his hands whilst raising his eyes to  and immediately lowering them, bows deeply before the altar, and with his hands resting on it, says:
[Celebrant alone]
THEREFORE, most merciful Father, we humbly pray thee, through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
He may kiss the altar. Making then the sign of the cross over the bread and chalice together he says:
and we ask, that thou accept and bless these  gifts, these offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices.
With hands extended, he continues:
WE offer them unto thee, first, for thy holy Catholic Church: that thou vouchsafe to keep her in peace, to guard, unite, and govern her throughout the whole world; together with thy servant N. our Pope, [N., our Ordinary,] or [N., our Bishop,] and all the faithful guardians of the catholic and apostolic faith.
Commemoration of the Living
[Celebrant or one concelebrant] REMEMBER, O Lord, thy servants and handmaids [N. and N.]
The Priest joins his hands and prays briefly for those for whom he intends to pray; then with hands extended, he continues:
and all who here around us stand, whose faith is known unto thee and their steadfastness manifest, on whose behalf we offer unto thee, or who themselves offer unto thee this sacrifice of praise; for themselves, and for all who are theirs; for the redemption of their souls, for the hope of their health and well-being; and who offer their prayers unto thee, the eternal God, the living and the true... 
The Rite of Holy Communion through the end of the Mass is as usual. 
The Option of the Last Gospel:

The Priest may recite this Gospel after Mass (except on Christmas Day when this is the Gospel of the Mass).
After the Blessing and Dismissal the Priest goes to the Gospel corner of the altar and reads the Last Gospel as follows, all standing. Having said The Lord be with you, he makes the sign of the cross with his right thumb on the altar table or on the book, and then on his own forehead, lips, and breast. Everyone genuflects at the words And the Word was made flesh.
V. The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.
 The Beginning of the Holy Gospel according to John. R. Glory be to thee, O Lord.
IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [He genuflects, saying] And the Word was made flesh, [and rising continues] and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
The People respond: Thanks be to God. 

IF YOU HAVE READ WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN ON MARRIAGE, HAVEN'T I WRITTEN THIS ALL ALONG?

This is from Catholic World News:

Catholics in Scotland may need tow marriage ceremonies, one secular, one religious, is a law recognizing same sex marriage is enacted, the newly installed Archbishop of Edinburgh has said.

Archbishop Leo Cushley told an interviewer that it is "not impossible to imagine" a situation in Scotland similar to that of France where Catholic couples have one ceremony at a town hall and another completely separate church wedding. "We would always bless Christian marriages," the archbishop said. "It's whether or not we would bless them in conjunction with the state."

Scottish law currently allows for aCatholic priest to act as an "authorized person," witnessing a marriage for the state. Priests may no longer be able to serve in that role if government agents are expected to officiate at same-sex unions.

MY COMMENTS: I have said this too. Why should I act as a government agent and sign government documents stating someone is legally married by me? When the government respects religion that might be okay. But as we are seeing, the government doesn't respect religion and wants to establish itself as the religion of the land.

Living here in Rome, we know how secular rulers of the past began a cult of worship surrounding themselves and their court. Nothing is new under the sun.

So let the state do the legal thing and the Church do the religious sacrament or union. Keep it separate. Then no president or state governor can tell a minister or priest that they, as an agent for the state, must perform same sex unions or not be allowed to do any weddings. In fact, now that I write that, if they did tell us that, that would solve the problem. We could still convaldiate marriages of one man and one woman in the Church.