Canadian Newly Ordained Young Buck Goes EF For His First Solemn Mass and a Small Speckled Filled Nutty

Hi all.

Wow, this is AWESOME!!!!! This just gives more credence to the overall shift in attitude in terms of the liturgy and our desired true devotion to the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church and the non-watered down practice, catechesis, and witness of the Catholic Faith. We young people aren't interested in folk guitars and kumbaya and rainbow vestments darn it! Our newer priests .... aren't either.

Here's an example of a young diocesan priest who chose to celebrate his first Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite/Tridentine Latin Mass/1962 Mass. This is Father Pablo Santa Maria of the Diocese of Vancouver. And here's the link to pictures and a small description from our TCs/TPs friendly comrades over at New Liturgical Movement:

http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2012/06/first-ef-of-newly-ordained-priest-in.html

CATECHESIS TIME!!!!: 


BTW, those people who came to this priest's first Mass were truly blessed. Why? Because one can gain a plenary (full) indulgence for active participation in the Priest's first Mass after his ordination. In a nutshell with analogy, it's the abolishment of the temporal punishment for one's sins. You can get forgiven and be put back in the state of sanctifying grace post-confession, but think of an indulgence like getting one's charges completely dropped from their criminal record by the courts, instead of that lingering on one's "spiritual" record when they go to heaven.

And guess what? If you know someone who's newly ordained and they are celebrating their first Mass, GO TO IT! You too, whether it be an EF or NO priest, can benefit from it too! That is, providing you participate in this indulgence under the usual qualifying conditions of confession, communion, and praying for the Holy Father (simple: 1x Our Father, 1x Hail Mary, and likely 1x glory be as well) within 8 days of the indulgent action. From the Enchindron of Indulgences (easily found online in PDF or in book form):

43. First Mass of Newly Ordained Priests (Prima Missa neosacerdotum)

A plenary indulgence is granted to a priest on the occasion of the first Mass he celebrates with some solemnity and to the faithful who devoutly assist at the same Mass.

END CATECHESIS


Uh oh .... Fr. Z. rant time ...

The JPII and B16 generations are taking over, and the "Spirit of Vatican II" generations are dying out. It's the "social trend" as it were fellas. My generation is waking up, and if you are unwilling to accept the changes or be "tolerant" as it were, you'll find a lot of unnecessary conflict your way, and worse YOU will be directly responsible for these people's (and your friend's and family's) souls. Worse, when those of your generation die off, will there be lovely St. James on the Little Hill remaining? Likely not, because your liberal heterdoxy and failure to preach the True Gospel of Christ made people walk away from the Church and this will be reflected in your once dwindling, now DEAD, collections of parish income from donations. No bodies, no money, no parish and NO pastorship. Got it memorized?

And hey, before the Catholic, =3 F&G trolls (see Youtube for =3 and RWJ's depiction of the trolls) go crazy with their keyboards at me and calling me an "angry trad," I'm not totally anti-Novus Ordo like some of my confreres fighting it out in spirits of abuse, anger, and hatred in the EF camp. By God I hate it when I hear about Trads chastizing other Trads for not being sticklers in various regards, saying don't go to other EF masses, and shitting on Novus Ordo practices that produce GENUINE articles of the faith. You are entitled to your OPINIONS, but do not "SHIT" on other Catholics.  Same goes for liberal heterodox "c"atholics, lay students and theologians, teachers, priests, and bishops who HATE anything traditionally Catholic and think of it as "archaic" and devoid of Catholic value and joy. For both "traddies" and "Novus Ordo" Catholics, at the very least, tell me why you express X opinion and give me some sources so I can research this what you are saying and can come to a conclusion myself. One guy I know did just that with why he is only EF masses. That's what academics do BTW. They publish in academic journals, list their sources at the end of the document, and peers have the right to perform new experiments to disprove the paper or confirm the prior authors' works, or the peer review process with seek to critically evaluate the work (albeit peer review can be poisoned with bias). BUT DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT, publicly say things heterdox to the principles and tenets of the Catholic Faith or hate the Holy Father. You won't get my sympathy there from either camp.

Now, there are good things and movements and such that can be done within the Novus Ordo culture of the institutional Catholic Church today AS LONG AS They are rooted in the Gospels, the tenants and principles of the Catholic Faith which are outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and in a spirit of faith and moral obedience to our Holy Father in Rome, with an acceptable tolerance of that which is associated with Traditional Catholicism. Both sides, for example, have practices associated with Eucharistic Adoration, and the general consensus is that parishes/places with this practice have more faithful practicing Catholics, be they Novus Ordo or EF, and those places THRIVE overall in their communal aspects (and likely as a result, more donations in the parish collections.)

So what am I saying? NO HATING ON EACH OTHER FROM BOTH SIDES!! Else we are nothing but a bunch of Saducees and Pharisees, and Christ chastized them both in the Gospels. And Satan LOVESSSSS internal division in the Church. He`s probably had to change his adult diapers many a time as he`s cracking up so hard over this Trad/N.O. stuff and especially the Vatican Leaks of private letters from the Pope's Butler (unwillingly???? Smells like Sodano is being implicated as a power hungry prelate and is involved ....)

Pax, YCRCM.

Quickpost: Finally CCCB try to stay ahead of the Curve

Here's a quick post to acknowledge my bishop's conference actually doing something right:

http://www.cccb.ca/site/images/stories/pdf/Freedom_of_Conscience_and_Religion.pdf

This is a pastoral letter about freedom of conscience, inspired by Obama's reign of political enforcement on Catholic's consciences with the contraception issue. It's also going on here in various provinces, but most well known in Ontario with McGuinty proposing his anti-Catholic Bill 13 disguised in the form of an "anti-bullying" bill or should I say a selective protection/discrimination bill.

Anyways a small round of applause to the CCCB for TRYING. However two notes:
1) This is really "dead on arrival" like the other pastoral letter to young people on sexual mores. Unless this is talked about in Joe Catholic's church pulpit by his average to somewhat liberal minded/heterodox pastor, or distributed by the parishes, this will once again have no effect on the average Catholic.

2) Mixed blessing: Pro is that they are footnoting the key Vatican II documents and a lot of JPII and B16. The bad thing is that freedom of conscience and relations with the state and governments, as well as social doctrine, has already been covered in depth by prior popes and there is not one single reference to one of those pre Vatican II popes. CMON CCCB!!!! JPII and B16 are not the ONLY good popes out there to speak on this. Really. much better research could have been done.

Regardless, READ THE DOCUMENT!!!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!! Perhaps we, the Canadian Catholic Blogosphere can keep this thing alive a little more and put it on life support vs needing the crash cart and declaring this letter "clinically dead."

YCRCM.

Merry Christmas to Everyone! Cathechesis and some links.

Hello Everyone. Sorry I've been late with the big Catechesis post. I do have a working draft, it's just this blog is a side project and it's not the biggest priority in my life. I also have to sit down and spend time consulting other sources as I don't have fancy degrees or post-secondary theological education, so if I'm going farther than my commentary at face value, I'd better do my homework, so as not to say anything heretical. For my sources, I will need to spend time with the Cantea Aurea of Thomas Aquinas and also the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible with Scott Hahn for more scholarly content.

Now more importantly, I just wanted to wish you a joyful and blessed Merry Nativity of our Lord and a Happy Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

But before I depart, I shall give you all a wonderful Nativity gift: Catechesis. Here's catechesis for the Feast of the Nativity.

CHRISTMAS VIGIL & CHRISTMAS DAY!!! Also known as the Solemnity of the Nativity (Birth) of Our Lord/The Feast of the Nativity

When? – December 25 in both NO and EF, but one can go to Mass starting December 24^th in the Evening to satisfy the obligation.

What? – Like it says, this is the day in our liturgical year when we celebrate the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ’s birth. A good summary of this Holy feast is provided in Pope Benedict XVI’s recent speech prepared for a British BBC radio broadcast, “Thought of the Day”:

“ … God’s chosen people, the children of Israel, were living in intense expectation. They were waiting for the Messiah that God had promised to send … The child that was born in Bethlehem did indeed bring liberation, but not only for the people of that time and place – he was to be the Saviour of all people throughout the world and throughout history … Christ destroyed death forever and restored life by means of his shameful death on the Cross ...  he was none other than the Son of God. Out of love for us, he took upon himself our human condition, our fragility, our vulnerability and he opened up for us the path that leads to the fullness of life to a share in the life of God himself … let us joyfully proclaim to those around us the good news that God offers us freedom from whatever weighs us down: he gives us hope, he brings us life ....”

Benedict XVI, Pope. Full text of Benedict XVI’s Thought for the Day. Online.  Available: [http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2010/12/24/full-text-of-benedict-xvis-thought-for-the-day/]. 25 Dec 2010.

 

Also from the Baronius Press 1962 Missal on Christmastide:

                “ During the season of Advent, we longed for the coming of Christ. In Christmastide, we experience the joy of His coming into the world. The Church is full of the Mystery of the Incarnation of Christ. Jesus as God, begotten of the substance of the Father before all the ages and born of the substance of His Mother in the world, is given to us. “And His Name shall be called the Angel of Great Counsel.” By the union of our souls with Jesus born to human life, we are born to the divine life. “As many as received Him He gave them power to be made Sons of God.” In the birth of Jesus we learn to know God as His Father: “All things are delivered to Me by My Father. And no one knoweth the Son but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father but the Son and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal Him.

                During Christmastide, the liturgy shows us the Messiah as the Son of God, clothed with humanity, glorified by the humble surprised shepherds, and adored by the Magi from the East. Let us fall down before the Child and bless God, for the birth of Jesus is the beginning of our Redemption through grace to the supernatural life.

                Christmas is the only day of the year, other than Easter, which keeps the old custom of celebrating its Feast at midnight. At this hour we called to mind that Mary in her spotless virginity gave to the world its Saviour. In the midst of darkness, the Light was born. Therefore the Church celebrates Christmas on December 25, the time of the year when the days begin to lengthen. The custom of having three Masses originated in Jerusalem. A Mass was said in Bethlehem at a very early hour in the morning. Later a second Mass was celebrated in the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. About midday a third Mass was celebrated. Each of the three Masses has its identifying characteristic. The Midnight Mass celebrates particularly the birth of Jesus, the Mass at Dawn commemorates the adoration of the shepherds, the daytime Mass celebrates the eternal generation of the Word and the dignity of the Son of God.

                Whereas Advent is the season of “absence of Jesus,” Christmastide is a season of great joy in our possession of the Savour. Eight days after Christmas the Church celebrates the Circumcision of Jesus. On January 6, she commemorates the adoration of Jesus by the Magi (Epiphany), which brings Christmastide to a close.”

Christmastide. The Daily Missal and Liturgical Missal with Vespers For Sundays and Feasts From the Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962 With Supplements Containing The Additional Masses for Englang and Wales, Scotland, United States and Australasia. Summorum Pontificum Edition. Baronius Press: London. 2009. pp.180-181.

Notes:

1. This is a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION in the entire world. You must go to Mass on this day regardless of what day of the week it falls under. If it does not fall on a Sunday, you are also obligated to go Christmas and that following Sunday. You can fulfill the Xmas obligation if you attend a Christmas Eve Vigil or Night mass. Also many people will go to an 11pm or Midnight Mass as a tradition.

Sources

SCRPITURAL READINGS

Extraordinary Form

The readings depend on which mass is said. There are a total of three masses.
(Night) First Mass – Titus 2: 11-15 and Luke 2:1-14
(Dawn) Second Mass – Titus 3:4-7 and Luke 2:15-20
(Day) Third Mass – Hebrews 1:1-12 and John 1:1-14

Novus Ordo

Night Mass – Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-16
Dawn Mass – Isaiah 62:11-12; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20
Day Mass – Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18

Other Readings from Scripture in the Holy Bible: Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:5-80 to Luke 2:1-7 (which also contains the Joyful mysteries of the Annunciation and the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth.)

Benedict XVI, Pope. Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Homily of His Holiness Benedict XVI Saint Peter’s Basilica, Friday, 24 December 2010. Online. Available:  [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20101224_christmas_en.html]. 25 Dec 2010.

 
Benedict XVI, Pope. Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Homily of His Holiness Benedict XVI Saint Peter’s Basilica, Friday, 24 December 2010. Online. Available:  [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20111224_christmas_en.html] 25 Dec 2011.

A Blessed and Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. YCRCM.

Catechesis: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hello Everyone,

I couldn't let another feast day go by without giving you a little edu-ma-cation. Without further-ado, Catechesis on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I highly advise you to read this before you go to Mass, unless other factors prevent you otherwize:

When? Usually the 2^nd Week of Advent, December the 8^th annually in both the NO and the EF calendars.

Whom? Mary Blessed Mother of Jesus, St. Anne (Mary’s Mother who birthed her), and St. Joachim, Mary's father.

What?

Here's what the Catechism of the Church says on the matter.

The Immaculate Conception

490 To become the mother of the Saviour, Mary “was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.”¹³² The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as “full of grace”.¹³³ In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God’s grace.

491 Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God,¹³⁴ was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.¹³⁵

492 The “splendour of an entirely unique holiness” by which Mary is “enriched from the first instant of her conception” comes wholly from Christ: she is “redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son”.¹³⁶ The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” and chose her “in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love”.¹³⁷

493 The Fathers of the Eastern tradition call the Mother of God “the All-Holy” (Panagia), and celebrate her as “free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature”.¹³⁸ By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.
“Let it be done to me according to your word. . .”

494 At the announcement that she would give birth to “the Son of the Most High” without knowing man, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary responded with the obedience of faith, certain that “with God nothing will be impossible”: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be [done] to me according to your word.”¹³⁹ Thus, giving her consent to God’s word, Mary becomes the mother of Jesus. Espousing the divine will for salvation wholeheartedly, without a single sin to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person and to the work of her Son; she did so in order to serve the mystery of redemption with him and dependent on him, by God’s grace:¹⁴⁰

As St. Irenaeus says, “Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.”¹⁴¹ Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert. . .: “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.”¹⁴² Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary “the Mother of the living” and frequently claim: “Death through Eve, life through Mary.”¹⁴³ (1)

That's a lot eh? Maybe a shorter, better explanation will be more suitable for you. Here's the introduction taken from the variable prayers and passages that fit the Extraordinary Form mass of that day in the 1962 Roman Missal for the Laity:

“ I will put enmities between thee and the woman.” In these words the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was announced to the first parents. It was to be the reversal of the friendship with the serpent contracted by Eve, when she listened to his voice and fell under his power. The second Eve was never to be under the power of the devil; the enmity between them was to admit of no possible exception. This involved the grace of being conceived immaculate. Mary’s Immaculate Conception was the foundation of all her graces. The absence of any stain or spot of sin distinguished her from all the rest of mankind. It distinguished her from holiest of the Saints, since they, one and all, were sinners. Her perfect sinlessness was the source of all her glory and all her majesty; it was this which opened the door to the unlimited graces that she received from God; it was this that qualified her for her divine maternity and raised her to her throne as Queen of heaven. “O Queen, conceive without original sin, pray for us, who have recourse to thee.” “(2)

Key Points And Notes on the Matter

Key Points
1. THIS IS ONE OF THE TWO OCCASIONS IN THE CHURCH’s HISTORY THAT THE CHURCH HAS USED ITS INFALLIBILITY EX CATHEDRA IN A MATTER OF DOGMA!!!!!
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9ineff.htm – Ineffabilis Deus, Pope Pius IX on Dec 8, 1854.

The only other instance of ex cathedra use of the power of infallibility is for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, this ex Cathedra announcement means a binding consequence amongst Roman Catholics: This is dogma pronounced publically and therefore MUST BE OBEYED by all practicing Catholics. To publically dissent from this means you are NOT Catholic and can get you excommunicated via apostasy (giving up the Christian Faith) though it could possibly be heresy (beliefs contrary to dogma of the faith, though usually clergy or high level people get this title), that is if you want to go about things rashly and proclaim denial to everyone and anyone you meet. Sure there are Catholics who don’t believe this and you probably know them, but hopefully they keep this to themselves and don’t try to encourage others to dis-believe. But if clergy do not believe this, you have every right as a Catholic by canon law to report this up the chain of command.

DISCLAIMER: If someone does not believe in the immaculate conception, do keep in mind that a number of Catholics today are poorly educated by the developed world's current cathechesis programs, youth ministries, RCIA programs etc. Most parishes outside of RCIA for converts do not focus on any form of Catholic faith education past Confirmation age. If any education is granted it is usually through a separate/Catholic publically (a.k.a. secular government) funded system which can interdict its authority into what is taught, and rarely will a high schooler get a decent chance at Catholic education via private Catholic school. Do be wary of this and try to get to the bottom of the persons disbelief first before tightening your grip alright? 

 2.       IN CANADA, This is unfortunately not a holy day of obligation. However, as always the Catechism says …

The Sunday Eucharist

2177 The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life. “Sunday is the day on which the paschal mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church.”¹¹⁰

“Also to be observed are the day of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension of Christ, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christi, the feast of Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, the feast of Saint Joseph, the feast of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul, and the feast of All Saints.”¹¹¹ (3)

3.     I would consider this the most important point to tell people today: Many people think that this day refers to Jesus being conceived without original sin. THIS IS WRONG. This day refers to Mary being conceived into the world without original sin so as to be an appropriate vessel to birth our God as the Word Made Flesh, as Jesus.

So, as a final note, I encourage everyone to attend Mass today if they can do it. While in many countries it is not a day of obligation (thanks to their Bishop's Conferences) do go to a Mass today. It will be that more spiritually rewarding to the Lord as you are going on your own free will and not cause an authority dictated you to go. EF parishes everywhere (and lay associations that set up EFs) will always have some mass on a feast day. As for Novus Ordos, some will likely have an evening Mass after work to go to. Worst case scenario, try to get to the morning mass, especially if its before work (if you can make it, and usually weekday NO's are shorter than Sunday. That or priests tend not to "pull out all the stops" as it were on the weekdays").

YCRCM.

Sources

SCRPITURAL READINGS
Extraordinary Form
Proverbs 8:22-35 and Matthew 5:1-12

Novus Ordo

Genesis 3:9-15,20, Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38

Other Sources for your Interest:
Holweck, Frederick. "Immaculate Conception." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 9 Dec. 2010 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07674d.htm>.

Catholic Answers. “Immaculate Conception and Assumption.” Online. Available:

<http://www.catholic.com/library/Immaculate_Conception_and_Assum.asp>. 9 Dec 2010.

Works Cited according to the MLA Sytle Manual, 5th Ed.:
(1) "The Immaculate Conception." The Catechism of the Catholic Church. LIBERIA EDITRICE VATICANA, 1994, for the English translation in Canada. 1994.

(2) "December 8, The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The Daily Missal and Liturgical Missal with Vespers For Sundays and Feasts From the Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962 With Supplements Containing The Additional Masses for Englang and Wales, Scotland, United States and Australasia. Summorum Pontificum Edition. 2009.

(3) "The Sunday Eucharist." The Catechism of the Catholic Church. LIBERIA EDITRICE VATICANA, 1994, for the English translation in Canada. 1994.

Quickpost: After the fact of the New Translation Novus Ordo and update on Catechesis

Hello Everyone. Just a quick post.

1) As per my Catechesis, it's going slower than I've expected. It didn't help that my sleep got screwed up thanks to Night shifts the weekend before and I kept waking up at 330am each day, not able to get back to sleep till 6am and sleep in till late. ugh. I only reclaimed my sleep thanks to a willed effort plus some help from melatonin. You can buy that at a regular drug store under name brands. However I am deciding to start with the Gospels, reading through each. I've found a few quotes for Part 1 as well as a couple for part 2 in dealing with others of specific religions, and even one's own "brother and sister" Catholics (including clergy). When I get through Matthew, I might consider letting you guys see what I have so far ...

2) So, by now everyone's been to a Mass with the New Translation of the Roman Missal, 3rd edition. Unless of course you solely do the TLM. Well, this is how I felt about it and I've been posting on other blogs about this. Do you share the same opinion? Disagree? Agree? Feel mixed? let me know. Also, remember my blog rules? Don't remember them? go to my first posting back in August or September. I don't want virtual firebombs being launched here.

"Coming up to the new mass, I was filled with excitement and curiosity. I’ve seen countdowns for the new translation and read many interesting things from blogs on the blogosphere (Fr Z’s, Catholic Knight, Vox Cantoris, …), got a series of handouts from the internet from my archdiocese that explained the translations, an app from Cale Clarke called “The New Mass” for Iphone (which has a more biblical explanation of the changes for Why’s), and a pew card for the new responses. Fr. Z’s blog especially gave me more to look forward to wordwize as he has masterfully shown how pitiful the 1973 ICEL translation is and how it butchers many of the collects into wimpy feel good “prayers.”

So what happened when I got to my parish? The same old usual. Same old procession, same old 4 sandwich hymns from our current Parish only hymnal (not Gather thankfully!), Homily, consecration, etc. Though it was cool to hear the new eucharistic prayer and collect. Reflecting on the Mass, I didn’t feel at all elevated in soul and body. I felt like it didn’t do what it was being touted to do by everyone, the blogosphere, the diocese, etc. Even with a Catholic colleague at work we agreed the effect wasn’t pronounced as it should have been. Were it not for my lectoring and a decent homily by my priest who usually goes far out into academia land (as he was/is involved in teaching and committees in the Church so that’s his audience 85% of the time), it would have been even more saddening. Mind you my parish isn’t as bad as many of these other parishes when it comes to liturgical abuses post vatican II. The most “out there” things we’ve done is have poor quality sermons and the replacement of the Crucifix on our headstone on the altar be replaced with an Icon of Christ blessed by an archbishop of the Diocese. So maybe since there wasn’t radical changes, maybe there was nothing to notice?

There is a few small gems of hope though out of it today. I helped an older lady in her 40's once with the responses using the pew card. I saw a young elementary school boy and his mother do a simple/moderate bow before receiving the Eucharist. Also, I gained an even further appreciation for the TLM, for even a simple low Mass would have seemed better for me today. While I do acknowledge that as a whole, this is a good start to correcting the damage done to the laity of the Church over the last 40+ years, personally the New Translation was a letdown for me this Sunday and ineffective. That or maybe I should considering transferring to my Mother’s new parish for Novus Ordo things (where there are good traditionally minded Novus Ordo priests)."

Catechesis: Suggestion Taken

Hello Everyone,

So it's been a few days since my last posting, where I was asking for people to help out in providing an idea for a catechesis post. One person, KatyLamb, came forward with a suggestion: How does one go about "conducting themselves with people in the world?" Considering our world has become increasing secular and morally relativist, with many people just living their lives out, and with increasing attacks in democratic nations on the Catholic world from others with alternative lifestyles/dispositions or just pure Catholic hate (like out Christian brothers in Middle Eastern nations), that's a very good question to ask. Hatred is clearly not the answer as "violence begets violence." But what is the answer?

Unless someone else comes up with another idea for catechesis, I'll take this idea forward. It will take good time though as there is much content to cover, even at a brief glance. I'll decide to break it down into two main parts. If this gets really big I might even break up the parts into sub-postings (which will also give you items to chew on.) Also if this drags on into December, I will add on a Catechesis post on the Feast day of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary also. So here's my general breakdown of what I want to cover to answer KatyLamb's queries:

Part I: What Scripture, Catechism, the Writings of the Holy Fathers say in general, the virtues.
Part II: Brief overviews as to specific groups: Generally with people, those of other religions, non-believers, alternative lifestyles using Church teachings and other sources from forums and groups that deal with ecumenism or specific non-Catholic groups.

This is briefly my gameplan. If there's something to expand upon then say so. Thanks, YCRCM.

Catechesis: Call out for help: What shall I write about?

Hello everyone.

First and foremost, I will now give proper thank you's to all those who have signed up here at YCRCM: Estase, KatyLamb, laura kuschel, and our newest joinee, Irenaeus G. Saintonge. Thank you for joining up on this little humble blog. Clearly this isn't a wasted effort thanks to you guys/gal(s).

Now to business. I did say I was hoping in my last post to produce something. Well I've been having a bit of a struggle. Between having a small case of doldrums and not anything striking from other blogs to comment on, I haven't got a sure lead to my next post. All I know is I want to do a Catechesis post, but I'm not sure what. So everyone, the 4 of you that is, I've decided to ask for your help: What shall YCRCM write about in a Catechesis post, or another type of post?

Don't be shy, it can be the most basic thing one should of learnt in Catholic School like: What is the Trinity? or perhaps something a little more daring like something in moral theology. Just remember I'm no graduate degree theologian, just a young Canadian Roman Catholic male with some books lying around his study. some things from his Roman Catholic private school, and a computer with Internet at his hands, so if you are looking for something like a graduate thesis, I'd recommend you seek out the master Catholic bloggers/apologists.

So, maybe you don't know what to suggest? Here are some general directions:
1) An up and coming Saint or Holy Feast day: e.g. Dec 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
2) Maybe something you came across in the Catechism, the YouCat, an encyclical, or want revealed from those sources, etc.
3) The New Translation of the Mass (I have a couple of resources, but I'm sure your parishes are covering this in some detail)
4) The Latin Mass/TC's and TP's (if you ask nicely ... though if there is something specific, say it)
5) Only if at least two of you ask for it, the 2nd part of the SSPX post. I'd rather do it on consensus, because it will take me good time to do it, and I know it will ruffle some feathers. There are certain things in the realm of "trad-dom" I do not agree with.

By the way, I just got 2 new resources for my personal home library: Jesus Christ, Revelation of the Unknown God by Fr. Robinson, an St. Phillip Oratory priest, and Sun TV Michael Coren's Why Catholics are Right.

So go ahead and spill for me some ideas. and also be patient. It takes time to do good posts with citations.

YCRCM.

Feast Day: St Michael the Archangel (and other Archangels)



Picture from Una Voce Orange County California Handout/Bulletin Insert for guests to the EF, Michaelmas

Hello Everyone.

Yeah we all know Christmas and Easter are big days in the Church, but did you know that there are many other "Big days" in the Church? There's many more feast days. That's right, Feasts. And they pop up annually in the Church Calendar, be it Novus Ordo or Extraordinary Form/TLM. So, what are these feast days?

According to the Revised and Updated Catholic Encyclopedia, edited by Broderick, feast days in the Church calendar are: "... the sequence of festivals to commemorate a teaching or event or religious improtance, or saints' days .... Feasts are celebrated within the limits of a natural day ..." (1)

So, on this day, September 29th, the Church commemorates a Saint's feast day, an event of religious importance, and indirectly teaching of an event. Today is the feast of the Archangels Sts. Michael, Raphael and Gabriel. These are the only angels that are named in the Bible (that is known to us by name). St. Michael is principally who is celebrated today, though all 3 are implied. So what's up with these three big head honchos cause they aren't just angels. Their bigger.

What is an angel? Again I turn to the Catholic Encyclopedia (2):

"... angels are spiritual beings, created by God, and superior in nature to man. They are immortal beings whose role is to minister to God and to do thw will of God in obedience. They are bodiless, spiritual intelligences who have their knowledge, not as man who acquires knowledge through his senses, but by intuition. Thus they do not arrive at conclusions following upon principles by a process of reason but immediately know the principles as truth ...."

Also, there are 9 "choirs" of angels in descending order: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Archangels, and Angels (2). Now, that's a nice nutshell definiton for you, but what about the three I mentioned? Let's save the popular one, St. Michael, for last, and let's get Gabriel and Raphael out of the way.

Gabriel
Gabriel means "Man of God/God has shown Himself Mighty." This angel announced to Daniel the prophecy of the 70 weeks in Daniel 9:21-27 and also appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth of St. John the Baptist (Luke 1:11). Finally, he announced to Mary she'd bear Christ who'd be conceived by the Holy Spirit and well, save the world (Luke 1:26) This is the famous angel who is named in the Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, the Annunciation. (3)

Raphael
Means "God has healed." Appears in the Book of Tobit as a guide to Tobiah. Raphael also bings the demon Asasel in the desert of Egypt in the book ot Tobit, helps Tobiah find a wife and recover his debt, and heals Tobit from blindness. He also reveals his identity directly in the book of Tobit. (3)

Michael (the Big Shatoonah, and my personal favourite Angel)
Clearly you have heard of this angel. Really? No? Well those named Michael have a mane meaning "Who is Like God" which is translated in Latin as "Quis et Deus". You may have seen that expression on some coats of arms or symbols dedicated to Michael. I could tell the story of Michael in a Nutshell, but I found a good summary via the ArchBishop of Ottawa, Ontario, Cannada, +Prendergast's blog: http://archbishopterry.blogspot.com/2011/09/archangels-michael-gabriel-raphael.html. The summary was taken from The Catholic Herald Newspaper in the UK at: http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/spirituallife/saintoftheweek/2011/09/22/the-saint-who-threw-satan-out-of-heaven/ . Here it is in full text:

"The Archangel Michael is honoured as the leader of the heavenly host which threw Satan and his fellow rebels out of heaven.
Today, the Catechism of the Catholic Church stoutly maintains the existence of angels as “true of faith”: “The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of tradition.”
Angels, the Catechism elucidates, “are servants and messengers of God. Because they ‘always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven’ (Mt 18:10) they are ‘the mighty ones who do his word’ (Ps 103:20).
“The whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of the angels. From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.”
This is a development of Jewish tradition. In the Old Testament there are copious references to angels, although Michael’s status is not precisely clear. In the Book of Daniel, written c 550 BC, he is “the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people”.
Jesus Christ speaks (Mt 26:53) of having “more than 12 legions of angels” potentially at his side. And although the term “archangel” does not appear in the Bible, the reference in Revelation (12:7) to “Michael and his angels” suggests his supremacy.
In Hebrew the name Michael actually means “Who is like unto God?” The implication, which the rebellious angels learned to their cost, is that no one possibly could be like God.
In Catholic tradition, Michael serves four distinct roles. Just as he had defeated Satan in celestial combat, so he provides aid in the spiritual struggle fought in every human soul.
“With me,” the worldly Bishop Blougram explains in Browning’s poem:

faith means perpetual unbelief
Kept quiet like the snake ’neath Michael’s foot
Who stands calm just because he feels it writhe.

Secondly, Michael is present at every deathbed, offering the hope of redemption.
Thirdly, he weighs the merits of the soul after death.
Fourthly, he stands forth as the guarantor of Christ’s promise to the Church that it will endure to the end of time.
The cult of Michael developed in Byzantine Christianity, though stories of his apparition on Monte Gargano (southern Italy) in the late fifth century helped to spread his fame in western Europe.
Around 495 a vision of the archangel in Cornwall apparently led to the naming of St Michael’s Mount. By the end of the Middle Ages nearly 700 churches in England (many of them on high ground) bore Michael’s name. His feast was even retained in the ultra-Protestant Prayer Book of 1549.
Since 1969 the Catholic Church has combined his feast day with those of Gabriel, Raphael “and all angels”. Michael, though, is still in control of the army." (4)

So that's what this feast day is all about in the Catholic Church. For those interested in the Scriptural Readings for today's masses, here they are for both forms:

Extraordiary Form/Tridentine Latin Mass (1962): Apocalypse (a.k.a. Revelation) 1:1-5 And Matthew 18:1-10

Novus Ordo (1962): Revelation 12:7-12a, Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 and John 1:47:51

Also, as to more about the fall of the traitor angels and the Devil (a.k.a. Satan, Lucifer, prior to the fall) with regard to St. Michael, check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 391 to 395. I am referring you for now, but as always, I could do a catechesis session in future on the fall of the traitor angels, the spiritual war,etc. in future.

Sources (cited according to MLA Style Maual, 5th Ed.)
(1) Broderick, Robert C., Thomas, Ed."Feasts of the Church" Revised and Updated Catholic Encyclopedia. 1987.
(2) Broderick, Robert C., Thomas, Ed."Angel" Revised and Updated Catholic Encyclopedia. 1987.
(3) "Sept. 29. Saints Michael, Gabriel, Raphael" Lives of the Saints For Every Day of the Year. New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1977. 396-398.
(4) "The Saint Who Threw Satan Out of Heaven." The Catholic Herald. 29 Sept 2011. <http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/spirituallife/saintoftheweek/2011/09/22/the-saint-who-threw-satan-out-of-heaven/>