IT HAS MAFIA WRITTEN ALL OVER IT AND TO MAKE SURE PELL WENT TO PRISON IN AUSTRALIA

 There are those in high places in the Vatican who have criminal minds and God willing will be prosecuted for the grave injustice done to Cardinal Pell that screams to heaven for vengeance, I mean, justice:

This is nasty. It could be related to the defenestration of Becciu. That’s a lot of dollars and no one in the Vatican or the Australian Church knows where it went.

It was to fund the campaign against Cardinal Pell so that he would be removed from cleaning up Vatican Finances. Justice is sweet. 

I have it from a reliable source that more is breaking on Wednesday.

Report: Australia’s Church Leaders Were Unaware of $1.7 Billion Transferred From Vatican

The report by an Australian newspaper, which drew on documents from Australia’s financial crime regulator, did not detail where the money was dispersed. 

The timing of the fund transfers, and their increasing amounts, coincide with Australian Cardinal George Pell’s arrival as prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy in 2014, and his subsequent return to Australia in 2017 to face trial for sexual abuse charges.

THE GRAND SILENCE OF THE ROMAN CANON DURING THE ANCIENT LATIN MASS

 

The first time I celebrated the EF Mass as a priest, on September 14, 2007, I was more nervous about it than my First Mass (apart from priestly ordination) as a priest on June 8, 1980. What made me the most uncomfortable, though, was the very low voice or silently prayed Roman Canon. I felt self-conscience and feared those behind me might think I had forgotten what to do, or worse yet, it wasn’t important for them to hear this prayer as they offered it with me. Of course the latter fear is a mentality foisted upon priest and laity by ideologues of the “spirit of Vatican” and the dismantling of the contemplative aspect of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass experienced in the Grand Silence of adoration during the Roman Canon.

I had forgotten that it was prayed silently, although the Mass changed in my parish around 1966 when I was 13 years old. I think the 1965 Roman Missal allowed for a more audible Roman Canon. I don’t recall, but I do recall hearing it in Latin once the priest faced the congregation and there was a microphone on the altar. 

As the years have passed, I have come to appreciate the Grand Silence of the Roman Canon. It enables communal actual participation in the adoration of the Triune God. When the priest and congregation realize that the Roman Canon is the most intimate priestly prayer of the Mass, the silent Canon is like going to your Heavenly Father and praying to Him in private, as though in a closet, because your Heavenly Father hears what no one else hears. 

There is no need for the laity to follow verbatim the Roman Canon in a vernacular participation aid. All that is needed is a knowledge of the structure of the Roman Canon. But eyes should be wide open watching this intimacy between the High Priest and His Father (sacramentalized by the human priest whose face is unseen in his ad orientem posture before the laity). 

The movements of the priest and the Grand Silence, is the window of actual participation of the priestly people called the laity. The bows, kisses of the altar, the multiple signs of the Cross, it is all eloquent “sign language” understood by all as prayer, praise, contemplation and worship (sacrifice). 

The Grand Silence of the Roman Canon is the Western’s Rite’s iconostasis of the Eastern Rite. Far from distancing the laity from the Sacred Intimacy of the Mass, it draws them into the most intimate, personal experience any person can have with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and His Church. 

When the Roman Canon or any of the way too many Eucharistic Prayers are prayed in a loud “proclamation” voice and toward the laity, the priest looses the sense of communicating to God and pretends to be communicating to the congregation in voice and gestures. This is not prayer or adoration. It is a reenactment of the Last Supper under the pretense that the words of institution are directed to everyone not exclusively the apostles, the first ordained priests. It is not a reenactment of the Last Supper, but a “memorial” of what constitutes worship (sacrifice) in offering the Victim to the Heavenly Father for His acceptance of that Sacrifice. Not only is God accepting that One Sacrifice, He returns His Son, Priest and Victim to us, which both the ordained Priest and baptized and forgiven Congregation receive during the Rite of Holy Communion. It is appropriate only during the “Ecce Agnus Dei” for the priest to gesture to the congregation with the Host and Chalice as the Forgiven in Christ, are called to “eat and drink” the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ after declaring their unworthiness and plea for healing forgiveness from the Risen Lord. 

YOURS TRULY, 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, SAVANNAH’S ANCIENT LATIN MASS

 

SAVANNAH’S CATHEDRAL BASILICA ANNOUNCES THAT THE VATICAN WILL LOAN THIS YEAR’S CRÈCHE TO SAVANNAH FOR NEXT YEAR’S SAVANNAH’S CRÈCHE! —NOT!

 This year’s Savannah’s Cathedral Basilica’s Crèche:

WHEN I HEAR THE HOLY FATHER POINTING A FINGER AT OTHERS, I CAN’T HELP BUT THINK OF THE IMAGE I PRINT BELOW

 The Holy Father gives another Christmas gift to the Curia which is always His Holiness’ pointing a finger at them or others, but three are turned toward the Holy Father:

Press title for article:

Francis (points a finger at the Curia and) warns Vatican officials their conflicts polarize Catholic Church

BY JOSHUA J. MCELWEE

DEC 21, 2020

IN THE MIDST OF A SPIKE IN THE PANDEMIC, THE ANCIENT LATIN MASS I CELEBRATED AT OUR CATHEDRAL BASILICA ON SUNDAY FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT HAD THE MOST PEOPLE I HAVE SEEN SINCE I STARTED MY REGULAR CELEBRATION OF IT IN 2016!

 Yes, you read the headline right. The EF Mass at the Cathedral Basilica in Savannah had the most people in attendance since I have been celebrating it beginning in 2016, pandemic or not.

The schola, as usual, was exquisite. They chant a cappella. And my chanting wasn’t bad either. The only glitch that I overcame without a blip was that the MC turned the Missal’s page to the wrong version of the Preface of the Holy Trinity, the ferialis one, not the solemn one. I don’t know the simpler one and I realized it was the wrong one as I chanted the Preface Dialogue and what was coming out of my mouth wasn’t the notes written on the page. I quickly changed pages finding the right Solemn tone on the first flip!

There were a huge number of 20 somethings in attendance. After Mass, young something 20’s men as they greeted me as they departed the cathedral stated to me this was “awesome!” “I’ve never experienced a Mass like this!” Men don’t normally make such comments let alone young men. 

You can see why so many men were interested in the priesthood under the pre-Vatican II ethos of the Church, prior to the so-called renewal of the Church, its supposed new springtime! Such arrogance!

No one, that I know of took photos of the Mass. The Cathedral has elaborate Christmas decoration and Crèche. So all was in place as it is a major effort to place all the decorations in the cathedral.

These photos are of the Advent/Christmas Concert that takes place yearly at the Cathedral on the 4th Sunday of Advent, only a couple of hours after the EF Mass. You get some idea of the decorations from these photos. Normally there are far more in the choir and tightly grouped and the cathedral packed. But the pandemic changed all that and only 200 were allowed to attend.

SOME CATHEDRAL BATHROOM HUMOR

This is in the Cathedral Basilica rectory’s powder room:

IS THERE OBJECTIVE LITURGICAL CRITERIA FOR MAKING A SELECTION OF ONE OF THESE FOUR "PATER NOSTERS?"

 Any objective criteria for choosing music for Mass or is it completely subjective and based upon personal, highly individualistic, tastes? What to choose? What to choose? O! What are we to choose????

 Is this one liturgically appropriate besides the fact that the musical criteria is excellent for a performance:

 

 What about this one? 

  

 And then we have this one to choose: 

  

Or perhaps this one?

A PLEA FOR SOME REVISION OF THE EF MASS FOR THE MINISTRY OF LECTOR AND THE VERNACULAR FOR THE CHANGING PARTS OF THE MASS AND THE SCRIPTURES

 

I have had numerous conversations with parishioners who love the EF Mass but are frustrated that they can’t follow it or don’t know what is being prayed and when it is being prayed. 

I have asked this before and I continue to promote it. Here it goes:

At both our Cathedral Basilica and my parish, a lay lector simultaneously reads the Epistle and Gospel at the ambo as the priest reads it at the altar in Latin but in low, very low, voice. Why in the name of God and all that is holy, could there be installed “readers” vested in alb or cassock and surplice who read the Epistle at the ambo, while the priest sits at the sedelia for it and the Gradual/Alleluia without having to read these at the altar while a lector reads the Epistle and the schola chants the Gradual/Alleluia?

Why can’t a permanent deacon assist and a Missa Cantata as he would in the Ordinary Form and read the Gospel at the Ambo as the celebrant stands at his sedelia? Why can’t the rubrics be adjusted for the use of a deacon at a non-solemn sung Mass?

And this is the most important. Why in the name of God can’t the changing parts of the Mass be prayed in the vernacular and these specially, the Collect, the Secret (and prayed out loud) the Preface (thus allowing for the richness of prefaces from the OF Mass) and the Post Communion Prayer?

If these minor adjustments to the Ancient Latin Mass were made, I guarantee you that more priests would offer this Mass in their parish and more Catholics would attend. No doubt about it!

WELL FORMED CATHOLICS FROM A POST VATICAN II CHURCH AND LITURGY

 

Every post Vatican II well formed Catholic continues to scratch his head over the fact that President-Elect Joe Biden claims to be a good practicing Catholic and sees no moral disconnect between what the Catholic Church teaches, believes and proclaims, to be revealed by God and his personal promotion of an abortion, euthanasia and gender bending ideology which include the murder of babies born after a botch partial birth abortion, itself a heinous crime crying to God for vengeance. 

Is it because he was formed in the pre-Vatican II minimalist tradition that if you show up for Mass (fulfill the obligation) and have some piety, that you are a good Catholic? Of course, in the pre-Vatican II Church Catholics were obliged to attend Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation Masses and encouraged to attend during the week as often as possible if so inclined. But, and this is a big but, a Catholic was not allowed to receive Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin or if they broke the vigorous fast before Mass. 

After Vatican II the rigorous fast was tossed out and today the hour before Holy Communion (not Mass) is so minimalist as to be useless. And for being in a state of mortal sin and not receiving, most post-Vatican II Catholics think that no longer applies, it’s just something you do when, even if only once or twice a year, you do when you attend Mass. No big deal.

Yet, in my more than 40 years of being a priest, I have seen so many truly post-Vatican II Catholics formed in its true orthodoxy and it’s post-Vatican II Mass on fire for the Lord and His truth and they are examples of putting their faith into practice embracing not only all of the Church’s pro-life teachings, including Pope John Paul II’s lead in condemning even the death penalty, but they are concerned about the poor and social justice when that social justice in no way leads people into mortal sin or diminishes their human worth and dignity by treating them as wards of the state.

They receive Holy Communion in a state of grace, go to Confession regularly, have their favorite popular devotions, attend adoration and Benediction and pray the Rosary, Stations of the Cross or belong to prayer groups, even charismatic ones.

They love the vernacular Mass, attend the Latin Mass and are graced by both.

Some stand for Holy Communion, receive in the hand are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at Mass and for the home bound. Others kneel to receive, even on the hard floor and more introverted in their public expression of faith and actual participation.

They are well informed in the Catholic Faith, like the Baltimore Catechism but make post-Vatican II adjustments for some of its commentary. 

There are many very well formed Post Vatican II Catholics in the Church today and they are the hope for the Church of tomorrow, post the Biden, Bergolio and Ratzinger era. 

RORATE CAELI! YOURS TRULY CELEBRANT FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT AT SAVANNAH'S CATHEDRAL BASILICA'S ANCIENT LATIN MASS AT 1 PM! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE, LAFAYETTE SQUARE THAT IS!

 Advent Friday's Mass in the Third Week of Advent, December 18th:

And one more potshot at the Vatican's Nativity, but this one with a brilliant sense of humor:   Traditional Propers for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Vestments:  Violet

INTROIT  Isaias 45: 8 (Roráte cæli désupe) Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior. -- (Ps. 18. 2). The heavens show forth the glory of God: and the firmament declareth the work of His hands. V.: Glory to the Father . . . -- Drop down dew, ye heavens . . .

COLLECT - O Lord, we beseech Thee, stir up Thy power, and come, and with great might succor us: that by the help of Thy grace that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by Thy merciful forgiveness. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost . . .

EPISTLE 1 Corinthians 4: 1-5 Brethren, Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. Here now it is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful. But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you or by man's day: but neither do I judge my own self. For I am not conscious to myself of anything: yet am I not hereby justified, by He that judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge not before the time, until the Lord come: Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise from God.

GRADUAL Psalms. 144: 18, 21 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him: to all that call upon Him in truth. V.: My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His Holy Name. Alleluia, alleluia. V.: Come, O Lord, and tarry not: forgive the sins of Thy people Israel. Alleluia

GOSPEL Luke  3: 1-6

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina, under the high priests Annas and Caiphas: the word of the Lord was made unto John, the son of Zachary, in the desert. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins, as it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight His paths: every valley shall be filled: and every mountain shall be made straight, and the rough ways plain: and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

OFFERTORY Luke 1: 28, 42 Hail Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

SECRET - O Lord, we beseech Thee, look down favorably upon these present Sacrifices: that they may profit us both unto devotion and salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth . . .

PREFACE (Preface of the Most Holy Trinity) - It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God; Who, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, art one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For what we believe by Thy revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty may be adored. Which the Angels and Archangels, the Cherubim also and Seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out, with one voice saying:

COMMUNION Isaias 7: 14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son: and His name shall be called Emmanuel.

POST COMMUNION - Having received Thy gifts, we beseech Thee, O Lord: that as we frequent this Mystery, so the world of our salvation may advance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God . . .

AN EXPERT ON THE CRITERIA OF JUDGING ARTISTIC BEAUTY

 

“Since the 1960s and all the rest, we have a new kind of art which is repudiating beauty and putting ugliness in its place. I’d say it’s an ‘art of desecration’” which looks to “desecrate the human form” - the late Sir Roger Scruton 

READ THE OBJECTIVE TRUTH ON BEAUTY HERE!

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT...

At least the Holy Father has good tastes in his office area for nativities. Nothing offensive here:

 

A Nativity scene is pictured as Pope Francis leads his general audience in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Dec. 16, 2020. (Credit: CNS photo/Vatican Media.)

KALAMAZOO’S BEFORE BEFORE, AFTER, AFTER AFTER

 I found more photos of St. Augustine’s Cathedral’s transformation, with the coveted, before:

After:

After after:

I have to say the first after wasn’t horrible but the after after is wonderful with two caveats. I don’t think the baldacchino was necessary and tends to clutter the sanctuary and confine the altar, although the new altar and tabernacle placement is an improvement over the before, before (original). I think things as they are without the baldacchino would have been perfect.

The second caveat is the bishop’s throne or cathedra. I like it except it is a bit to severe or big, especially its reredos. That could have been simpler. The ambo is a vast improvement and for cathedral’s  in the correct side of the sanctuary (it was on the opposite side in the first after. I also love the “corona” over it. Splendid.

Here are even more photos of the renovation:

Before and After: St. Augustine's Cathedral in Kalamazoo, Michigan

by Shawn Tribeon December 16, 2020Architecture

St. Augustine's Cathedral in Kalamazoo, Michigan, working in collaboration with the architectural firm of Duncan Stroik , recently completed the first phase of a renovation of that cathedral with the re-consecration/dedication of the cathedral taking place this past Gaud…

READ MORE

EVEN MORE BALDERDASH: BLAME THE VICTIMS FOR NOT LIKING THE INSULTING NATIVITY IN FRONT OF ST. PETER'S

 Press title for full AP story:

• 

  Away with the manger? Nativity scene at Vatican generates controversy16 Dec

  By Cindy Wooden

   

  Excerpt where the victims of this trash are blamed by those who know art:

   

  Many of the negative reactions are simply the result of not understanding the Nativity scene, Angelo Bottone said. Others thought “this was something that Pope Francis commissioned. And obviously, the whole anti-Francis brigade went berserk.”

  “It’s important for people to know that this was made by teenagers in 1965; it was not made today by some mad artists,” he said. “If people don’t like it, that’s fine. It’s a piece of art, and we have different tastes.”

  Whether St. Peter’s Square was the best place to exhibit the Nativity scene is another question, he said. “But I’m not seeing any effort to go beyond the first reaction and try to express a more charitable judgment.”

   

BEFORE: AUGUSTA'S SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH; AFTER: AUGUSTA'S SACRED HEART CULTURAL CENTER

 Before:

I just came across these photos of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Augusta, well before Vatican II and when the Jesuits staffed it. I have never seen these before as there are few to be found on the internet of its interior when it was a Catholic Church. It is a May procession with kids from Sacred Heart Elementary School next to the church. It gives you an idea of how it looked as a Catholic Church. I remember going there for Mass in the 1960's and it was exactly like this with the pulpit where it is in these photos. After Vatican II, no changes were made except for a free standing "ironing board" wooden altar in front of the magnificent main altar.  It makes you scratch your head:

After (as a cultural center):

The Knox family restored Sacred Heart. Having been vacant for more than 15 years, both the interior and exterior were in terrible condition and looked as though it needed to be torn down. They respected all aspects of this building. They took out the altar railing which has been vandalized by homeless people who made the interior their home (as well as the huge rectory attached to the back of the church). Most Holy Trinity six blocks away received the pews and the Last Supper scene in the facade of the high altar as well as a few of the nicer statues.  You can't see it in these two photos, but the pulpit with the shell is still there and can be rolled out for use! It is hard to see in the first photo below but the pulpit is by the far right side of the right side, side altar.

THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY THE LAITY ARE DISENGAGED FROM THE INSTITUTIONAL ASPECT OF THE CHURCH--THIS IS BUT JUST ONE!

On my Facebook feed I get:

I'm fed up with ugly churches,

which offers a goodly number of beautiful and ugly churches. 

But this post caught my attention. Why would any bishop aggravate and alienate not only the Catholics in his diocese but the entire city in which this beautiful church was located. It could have been repurposed or simply given to a lay board of Catholic trustees to make into a shrine which they would maintain, not the diocese. Oh well...

 

David Matuszek

I'm fed up with ugly churches

·

This was my church growing up. Mater Dolorosa in Holyoke, MA. Despite three building inspectors saying the building was fine and the Polish Consulate General of the United States calling it the best example of Polish Liturgical Art outside of Poland, and the City of Holyoke attempting to buy it, the Bishop of Springfield, MA had it demolished 2 years ago.

BEE WILL BE PLEASED TO SEE THAT HER PARISH, SAINT JOHN CANTIUS IN CHICAGO, IS FEATURE IN LITURGICAL ARTS JOURNAL

Yes, Bee, your new Rose vestments are the talk of Liturgical Arts Journal. All of them are featured in their blog's recent posting (press title for the article and all the photos):

A New Solemn Rose Set for St. John Cantius

by Shawn Tribe on December 15, 2020 Vestments

 

Recently the folks at Altarworthy, a vestment making firm located on the American West Coast, shared with LAJ a rose set they made for the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago. The set includes the usual pieces required for a Solemn Mass in the usus antiquior, as w…

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I prefer the Gothic chasuble to the Roman, but I am glad they have both! By the way, their priests are striking in looks!

BEFORE AND AFTERS BUT WITH NO AFTER AFTERS YET.....

 Before:

After:

Before:

After:

DO YOU THINK? ROMANS ARE OUTRAGED AND HURT AND THE VATICAN IS MUTE WHILE OFFERING NO WORLDWIDE APOLOGY FOR BEING PASTORALLY INSENSITIVE

Post-Modern Vatican Nativity Scene Provokes Wave of Criticism

‘I haven’t seen anyone say they feel more Christian because they’ve seen it,’ art historian Elizabeth Lev said of the controversial display.

Edward Pentin Blogs

WOW! STUNNING BEFORE AND DUNCAN STROIK AFTER!

St. Augustine Cathedral in Kalamazoo, Michigan, before and after sanctuary renovation:

Miserable before:

Glorious after:

ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME IS NOT PINK

 The glory of rose colored glasses and vestments:

THIS YEAR’S VATICAN’S “NATIVITY” WAS CREATED BY REBELLIOUS CHILDREN BETWEEN 1965 AND 1975, THE TEN YEARS THAT THE CURRENT AGING POLITBURO OF CATHOLIC LEADERS LOVED AND ARE TRYING TO RECAPTURE

Ugliness symbolizing the Church of 1965-1975, one of the worst periods of Church history :

John Allen of Crux has an interesting article on the absurd nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square. Here is a brief excerpt:

The presepe currently standing in St. Peter’s Square features rather abstract pillar-shaped figures crafted by a high school class in the Abruzzo region of Italy sometime between 1965 and 1975 (oddly, no one seems to remember precisely when). Terms such as “hideous” and “absurd” have figured prominently in online reaction.

Here are a couple of the kinder reactions on the Vatican’s Facebook page.

“It makes me cry, but it’s consistent with the ridiculous nonsense creeping in more or less everywhere … infinite sadness.”

“Horrible … why ceramic products, which can’t help but represent modern ugliness? … Where’s the sense of the beautiful, of good taste, of harmony of forms!?! A nativity set should make you dream, should immerse you in contemplation of the Mystery!”

And, naturally, in the 21^st century, reactions to Vatican nativity sets also have become politicized. Here’s another disgruntled commentator:

“This ugliness perfectly incarnates the decadence of a certain kind of Catholicism in words and deeds.”

My comments:  Ever since 3/3/13, my visceral reaction to the climax of the day’s event was one of dread, a feeling of a return to the ugliness of the 1965-1975 period of ugly iconoclasm of the Catholic Faith. 

I think we can think “art” in terms of this iconoclasm, especially what was done to beautiful churches and cathedrals in drastic reckovations, many documented here. Just as Pope Benedict began a restoration of the beauty of the papacy and Catholicism, so too did parishes and cathedrals begin a movement of the “after, after” renovation of their reckovated churches, restoring beauty and tradition.

From the vesture of Pope Francis to the current nativity in St. Peter’s Square, we see the last rally of that aging group opposed to the other aging group symbolized by Pope Benedict, of restoring ugliness to the Church, blahness and “singing a new “church” into being, one where the periphery of doctrine is made central and what is central is sent to the periphery and the faithful are pushed aside to the periphery and replaced with those who could care less for the Church of the Ages made central. 

But this battle between the two schools of Vatican II thoughts symbolized by Bergolio and Ratzinger is just the last hurrah of the one that will lose, Bergolio’s school. But we have to wait it out. I find it fascinating that the protagonists of the two schools, only 10 years apart in age are still living and coexisting as the two theologies of the Church are doing in the present. It has to be Divine Providence along with modern medical care. What a fascinating historical time for the Church we are experiencing, almost apocalyptic. 

The last critique from John Allen’s commentary sums it up: “This ugliness perfectly incarnates the decadence of a certain kind of Catholicism in words and deeds.”

I was heartened by John Allen’s commentary as Italians are outraged by the outrage in St. Peter’s Square. John Allen points out that Italy is where the “Nativity” scenes originated and each region of Italy has its own spectacular recreations of it.

Naples is the place today which has the most elaborate recreations. Those from Naples have had the strongest negative reaction to the Vatican’s outdoor scene this year. I am from Naples and that explains my reaction. 

BOMBSHELL! ALL ARE WELCOME IS NOT WELCOMED AT MASS—USCCB!!!

This was a very popular hymn for Mass at my 1970's seminary. I wonder is it is welcomed or not? One verse has "we are each others bread and wine!" Isn't that kosher?

 Press title for story:

'All are Welcome' not a welcomed hymn at Mass, USCCB committee says

Examples of hymns that offend the presentation of Eucharistic doctrine, they said, include “God is Here! As We His People”; “Now in This Banquet”; “Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees”; and “All Are Welcome”. 

 

Hymns with poor presentation of Trinitarian doctrine include “The Play of the Godhead” and “Led by the Spirit”, while the bishops said that “God Beyond All Names” is a hymn that “fails to respect God’s transcendence.”

Those that erroneously see the Church as a human construct include “Sing a New Church” and “As a Fire is Meant for Burning“.

The bishops wrote that hymns “that imply that the Jews as a people are collectively responsible for the death of Christ” would be ruled out, naming in particular “The Lord of the Dance” and “O Crucified Messiah”.

The document on hymns said that “Canticle of the Sun” “teaches that death is natural and necessary for our life to have something at stake and thus be ‘real.’ In fact, it is the Resurrection of Christ that makes our life ‘real,’ restoring what we had lost in Adam, and it is the Passion of Christ, not death per se, that ‘helps us to feel.’ Death is not a necessary part of human nature.”

 

I TEND TO AGREE WITH CARDINAL MUELLER--I ALSO WONDER WHAT HIS THOUGHTS ARE ON THE NEW VATICAN NATIVITY?

 

NOT ALL AFTER AFTERS ARE GREAT; THERE ARE FAILED ATTEMPTS—NOT THAT THIS IS, BUT YOU DECIDE

 Befores:

Even the befores need help, no?

After:

At least it has been decluttered and Jesus is dethroned so that the priest and altar servers can be given the pride of place at their throne:

After after:

This seems to be a fine attempt gone wild. Now, this opinion, which is tainted by my particular tastes, sees the new altars as too dark, colors too dark and highlights too gaudy and all the statuary on the new altar too much. It is a refinement of the cluttered original sanctuary but cluttered in a different, ugly way. In other words, I don’t like it. But you know what, if those who did this, like it, then it is theirs to own and love:

Read the story and see all the pictures pressing the title:

Before and After: Blessed Sacrament in Lawton, Oklahoma

by Shawn Tribeon December 11, 2020Architecture

Continuing on with our 'Before and After' series, we turn today to another parish, Blessed Sacrament in Lawton, Oklahoma . They say that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and the parish in question was able to take advantage of the restrictions on public …

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YOU CAN MAKE THINGS UP AS A KIND OF APOLOGETIC

 Maybe in a science fiction museum of art this could be appreciated before a laser vaporizes it? Vatican News puts  💄 on a 🐷! But what makes me laugh is that way back in the 80’s when I started teaching RCIA classes on papal teachings and infallibility, I taught there are always parameters to papal authority. For example, if a pope were to teach that Jesus was delivered to earth by alien astronauts, Catholics had a moral obligation to dismiss the pope’s teaching as ludicrous. O my......

And please note that the Vatican reporter refuses to attach his name to this report or 💄!

Lighting of the Nativity scene in Saint Peter's Square  (Vatican Media)

POPE

• POPE FRANCIS
• CHRISTMAS
• ADVENT
• ART

Pope: Artists “transmit truth and beauty” through artistic creativity

Artists have a lofty and demanding calling, especially at a time when the pandemic has made shadows grow deeper, Pope Francis said on Saturday morning as he met with artists taking part in this year’s Christmas concert. The beauty of art, he told them, can inspire hope, harmony, and peace.

By Vatican News staff reporter

In this critical historical moment, in which humanity is rediscovering our dependence on one another due to the pandemic, art has a crucial role to play, Pope Francis said on Saturday.

Speaking with artists who will be performing at this year’s Christmas concert, the Holy Father shared “a few thoughts on art and its role at this critical moment in history.”

From art to empathy

Artistic creation, the “perception and contemplation of beauty,” can be understood “in terms of three movements,” the Pope said: the wonder and amazement produced in the senses; the deeper appreciation that “touches the depths of our heart and soul” awaking memories, images and emotions; and “the sense of hope that can light up our world” which is generated by art.

These “outer and inner movements merge and in turn affect our way of relating to those all around us,” the Pope said. “They generate empathy, the ability to understand others, with whom we have so much in common.  We sense a bond with them, a bond no longer vague, but real and shared.”

Harmony, beauty, goodness

“This three-fold movement of wonder, personal discovery, and sharing produces a feeling of peace,” said Pope Francis, which “frees us from the desire to dominate others, makes us sensitive to their difficulties, and prompts us to live in harmony with all.” This harmony, he added, is “deeply associated with beauty and goodness.”

Generating light in a time of pandemic

The bond between harmony, beauty, and goodness, can be seen even in the book of Genesis, where, the Pope explains, the adjective “good” can be broadly translated as “harmonious.” From the beauty of Creation, we can also understand, “in the face of that grandeur, our own place in the world,” the Pope said.

Artists understand this, he continued. They are the ones who, “as St John Paul II wrote, ‘perceive in themselves a kind of divine spark’” and feel called to put it at the service of humanity; the ones who, in the words of St Paul VI, are “lovers of beauty,” whom the world needs so as not to sink into despair.

Even “amid the anxiety provoked by the pandemic,” Pope Francis told artists, “your creativity can be a source of light.” He continued, “The crisis has made even denser the ‘dark clouds over a closed world,’ and this might seem to obscure the light of the divine, the eternal.  Let us not yield to that illusion, but seek the light of Christmas, which dispels the darkness of sorrow and pain.”

Called to transmit truth and beauty

At the close of his address, the Holy Father appealed to artists as “guardians of beauty in our world,” whose “lofty and demanding calling” is to transmit truth and beauty with “pure and dispassionate hands”:

For these instil joy in human hearts and are, in fact, ‘a precious fruit that endures through time, unites generations and makes them share in a sense of wonder.’ Today, as always, that beauty appears to us in the lowliness of the Christmas crèche. Today, as always, we celebrate that beauty with hearts full of hope.