Quickpost: One of Fr. Z.'s best rants ever, and rightfully deserved.

Hi All.

Just haven't had the motivation or drive to do bigger posts on this blog for a while now. Might re-visit one I started on a week off I had, but not sure if I will.

In the meantime, Fr. Z lays this nugget in this post about the stupid post-Vatican II changes to Holy Days of Obligation. Post is here:

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/09/and-he-shall-make-all-both-little-and-great-rich-and-poor-freemen-and-bondmen-to-have-a-character-in-their-right-hand-or-on-their-foreheads/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wdtprs%2FDhFa+%28Fr.+Z%27s+Blog+-+What+Does+The+Prayer+Really+Say%3F%29

"Paul VI blew it when he changed the obligations for doing penance and abstaining on Fridays.    Sorry, that was a bad move.  Does anyone do penance now? FAIL. Our bishops blew it big time by intermittently repressing Holy Days of Obligation.   Now people don’t go to Mass when the obligation is not repressed.  They got the message: going to Mass isn’t very important after all.  FAIL.  Shortening the Eucharistic Fast to an hour before Communion? Another brilliant outcome, do you think?  Do people now pay attention to fasting at all?  Do they have a sense of participation in the Eucharist as involving sacrifice?  We creatures of body and soul need preparation that is both physical and spiritual, fasting and being in the state of grace. Is there any concept of mortification as salutary among the people of God?  Do lots of people really give deep consideration to what they do when receiving Communion?

Cf. 1 Corinthians 11:27. FAIL."

GO FR. Z! Nuff Said

Also, the commenter in the beginning of the post recommends an attendance sheet or stamp card for attendance. I've seen on the net/blogosphere this as a suggestion for the odd Confirmation/1st communion program. Personally, I'm all for it. However the card must be stamped, with two different stamps/colors, one for the beginning of the Mass up to 5 minutes before the Liturgy, and then another one post liturgy. Yes it won't prevent people who falsify emergencies or "bathroom" visits, but it would get people to stick around. As for who would do it? get more people to become ushers. 

While were at it, I think also that the Church could really help their money problems AND help ensure people do their obligations by doing what many Jewish synagogues do: Charge people for tickets on the high holidays. You don't have a regular membership/obligation? You pay for being a C & E Catholic. 

Now I don't know if one gets their high holiday tickets paid for if you are a regular Saturday-going member of a synagogue, but for the Catholic church I'd throw in the High holiday tickets for free with regular attendance (measured by an at least once a month to weekly donation in the envelopes, or a stamp card if you don't like to donate.). Also the front-most rows should be stauchened or blocked off, and only those with the front row tickets (a.k.a. regular attendees and/or regular weekly donations) allowed to have those seats with an Usher on each side to watch. Any disruptions, police get called or security to haul your all out.  Everyone else is first come first serve with tickets, but tickets must be bought regardless whether you get a seat or not. One final note, if all this enforcement were to take place, any people involved should receive some form of compensation for the sake of people who are just piss-pots. 

Sigh, no one will have the guts to do this though.

Pax, YCRCM. 

And Now For Something Completely Different ... My 5 pm Vigil Mass at my New Novus Ordo Parish

Hello Everyone.

Well, some SSPX die-hard didn`t like my post and already sent me a comment. Kay, I`ll repeat this again. (1) read my blog rules back in the first post, August 2011. (2) No anonymous posting. You have to at least give me a pseudoname if you even want moderation. (3) I warned you I would delete anything uncharitable from both sides (liberal and conservative, St. Joseph`s loving AND SSPX loving) if it was `stupid`. You want to rant, do it at the very least with some clarity, logic, reasoning, or even essay style with evidence to support your points. That comment was stupid and inflammatory in calling me ``obnoxious``, so I deleted it. This is my last and final warning to everyone who views my last post. You don`t like my house, go stink up someone else`s blog where they share your mind or your views on any/or one or more of: the SSPX, women wearing pants as a "sin", liturgical dance, the new creation theology espoused by sister pantsuit, etc.

And Now For Something Completely Different ........

So I just got back from the 5pm vigil Mass at my new parish in my area. I left my old one (save finishing up summer lectoring commitments) because it was spiritually choking my soul and I do not agree with the liberal, spiritual direction of the pastor and the youth minister. While some of my friends I met there are sticking it out, I can`t in good conscience and without souring my soul and disposition and speaking out. Mass generally was lovely. The pastor says the black and does the red. I received much needed confession prior to Mass to receive the Eucharist happily. And the homily was much needed and relevant (see below ...)

Coming back from Mass there has inspired me to write this post. I`ll get to the meaty part of this first. Here`s the Gospel for today from the NRSV-CE translation, 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sundays Year B, Novus Ordo Liturgical Calendar:

MARK 6:30-34
`The Apostles returned from their mission. They gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, `Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.` For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As Jesus went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and  he began to teach them many things.`

So, the pastor gave the homily. His greatest strength is his passion and his strong spirituality and devotion to the Catholic Faith. You can tell he really wants the best for us, even if there are other things the parishioners don`t like or perceive about him.  The homily reflected Jesus calling the disciples away for a much needed rest. For one, he reflected briefly about Mass being a spiritual rest in life with the Eucharist (didn`t get the full point cause I had bad luck being behind an off-duty EMHC/EMHE(ucharist) with his wife and noisy toddler). The bulk of his homily centred around how we in our lived today are constantly immersing ourselves in our computers and wireless technology and televisions. We are not giving ourselves a "spiritual" rest as it were, and we are totally ignoring the beautiful work of God found in his creation. [Creation by the way, is one of God's two direct ways of Revelation to us. The first is His Word (including Jesus as the Word made flesh), the other is creation.] So Go! Go out and have a rest! Go take your family to a park and revel in God's creation! Go out for a walk! Get away from immersing yourselves in those 200 e-mails a day!

Also, he commented that it's also plaguing the young. This was so true to say. I was privileged to be in a trial period for their EDGE ministry (decision still pending), and the few weeks I was there, I witnessed this with the young tweens to some degree. The largest degree was seen in the first young woman I was able to know by name. I constantly witnessed her on her blackberry a lot, rather doing that than the icebreaker activities and some other things at times. Don't worry though she came every week to EDGE so it's not like she wasn't wanting to be there. I did ask her if she wanted to participate (thinking maybe she was shy or we should be inclusive), but she wasn't interested. So Father is not making this up or speaking as "that old guy." He's speaking the truth.

Father's point is applicable to all ages that by immersing ourselves constantly in this virtual life with out technologies, we are becoming one unto ourselves, inward, and isolated and alone. It is implied that this is become selfish and self-centred and depriving one's self of being healthy, mentally and spiritually. Sadly, many of our youth are doing this and likely contributing to decreased language and conversation skills, and even behaviour too. I'll also sheepishly admit I do this quite a bit too. I'm more of an introspective person (so says my Myers-Briggs personality test) and I don't make friends easily. I got other things too, but I don't have a wide calendar of social events. So well computer stuff is one way I relieve my work-day stress but also do as my past time. I definitely need to, as well as others, need to take Father's message to heart and make sure that I make my life not totally self-centred via my electronics.

A Nice Little Side Note on Youth and Modesty
Now, we don't get a lot of young people at the 5pm mass, so the ones that do I'm thankful to see at my parish. Today, wow it was interesting! The young adults that came, male or female, were modestly dressed, especially the women!

I did not see one set of those short shorts I've been seeing on women on my way to work, nor tight miniskirts or skirts above the knee or crop tops (Why are they back in fashion? They should have stayed in the 80's-90's!). Not one women had exposed shoulders or a top that was way too tight on the torso, and even respectable shoes (no flip flops!). As for the men, including myself, we were wearing at least decent jeans and a non-inflammatory top, and one guy even was semi-business dressed. (I assume he and his three female companions were at or going to some semi-casual social event before or after Mass). This was a good change to see today at the Mass, giving respect to our Lord in the Mass. Now, I don't know whether it was just coincidence or it's this parish's influence, but to me, it's just another small sign that I am finally in the right parish for me for the Novus Ordo.

Hope you enjoyed my change for today. Pax. YCRCM.

More on the Canadian Seminarian Who's first Mass was the EF

Hello Everyone.

Man I've had a lot on my plate to devote time to the blog, save a few quickposts. However, a couple of weeks ago, something caught my eye on the liturgical, Traditional Catholic sites I read up frequently.

Do you remembered my Fr. Z filled nutty/celebration of this Canadian Priest's  first mass, SAID IN THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM???


http://ycrcm.blogspot.ca/2012/06/quickpost-canadian-newly-ordained-young.html

Well, Fr. Pablo Santa Maria from the Diocese of Vancouver is Back! This slick video was produced by the Archdiocese of Vancouver for vocations, and it was well done!

Now, after going through it, I'd like to comment and highlight why this was well done. Very real, very true, very HARDCORE CATHOLIC!!!! Blue text for this as I'm not doing a rant (well, mostly), but a positive tone type reflection.

1) He starts out with this blurb: "I consider my vocation to be truly, very ordinary. There was no radical conversion ... I grew up in a practicing Catholic home, where the practice of the faith was a given ... the example of my paretnts ... I would also have to say my grandmother. She has been through many years, [a] very prayerful influence in my family ... especially my grandmother,  growing up, she would ensure that when we would visit her, we would go to daily mass with her. "

So, what encourages one to be a part of the Catholic faith in the first place? One's own family. It is there that the initial seeds of wisdom, knowledge, and Divine truths are planted in the Catholic child, and likewise mirrors that of the ultimate Divine familyship of Mary and Joseph with our Lord Jesus. Also, the Second Vatican Council highlights the utter importance of the family in one's faith education and nurturing: "Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators.(11) This role in education is so important that only with difficulty can it be supplied where it is lacking. Parents are the ones who must create a family atmosphere animated by love and respect for God and man, in which the well-rounded personal and social education of children is fostered. Hence the family is the first school of the social virtues that every society needs. It is particularly in the Christian family, enriched by the grace and office of the sacrament of matrimony, that children should be taught from their early years to have a knowledge of God according to the faith received in Baptism, to worship Him, and to love their neighbor. Here, too, they find their first experience of a wholesome human society and of the Church. Finally, it is through the family that they are gradually led to a companionship with their fellow men and with the people of God. Let parents, then, recognize the inestimable importance a truly Christian family has for the life and progress of God's own people.(12) " (3,  Gravissimum Educationis)

2) He goes further about his influences, that is amongst the clergy: "... there have been a number of priests that have been instrumental ... [in] guiding [me]... also here in Vancouver we have been fortunate to have a number of priests who were generally interested in promoting vocations. My pastor at that time was Bishop Monroe and Bishop Gagnon, both of them had a huge influence in me. I ... remember how happy Bishop Gagnon was. I was attracted to this joy ... there was a genuine joy to what he was doing ...``

Next to the family, the most important influence in this priest`s life was the clergy around him. The expression is that "it takes a village to raise a child" and in the Catholic village, priests and other clergy are also an essential part of it. When the priest is just another fixture to everything else in one's Catholic life or demoted in value by regular Catholics to a "sacrament dispenser," this totally undervalues Christ and His Church, as well as his flawed, but mostly loyal and hard-working servants, who strive every day to be that Alter Christus to us. Furthermore, people will not want to consider the priesthood as a VIABLE profession and vocation if they are not valued. Remember people, priests are made, not born (rarely ...) and when there are no vocations, they will not be there as you always think they are. Without good loyal priests, parishes close and it makes it that much harder for you to get your sacraments when of course you want them.


Now, there's another point to be made in this statement, The bolded lines in his statements are important, and two sides to the dimension of the priest and vocations. ONE: the clergy MUST desire to actively pursue vocations and helping others discern if they are called to the priesthood. If one does not actively seek to reach out to their people, via direct media fairs, getting involved in the community, and especially PRAYING for vocations, this won't come to fruition. If a priest just cares about doing his daily duties and not bothering with much else, likely very few young men my age, slightly older, and especially younger, will not come to think about the Lord. Many young men are too busy participating in the partying and hook-up culture, being fed secular value garbage by society and sadly well-meaning parents (a.k.a. "you need money to live and the priesthood makes no money [not true if you are diocesan or join an order that doesn't take a vow of poverty]), and being hooked onto their electronic devices and media. You have to get out there into the world and online and pursue vocations actively. In Pablo's case the priests and bishops around him were actively involved in helping men think about vocations to the priesthood and discerning those vocations. TWO: The clergy around him LOVED what they were doing. If clergy just go about their jobs like misers, or simply enjoy the benefits of their position, but do not care much for the laity and the Mass and treat it like a "daily job", others will see that lack of passion and desire, and like how Christ will be against the "lukewarm" spiritually, well people also do not like lukewarmness when it comes to their leaders. They want to be inspired to such careers/vocations and want to see people happy in their work. If you wanted to be a lawyer, and someone said "the job sucks" as a young person, would you consider law as a profession? Likely not, unless you had strong resolve. The same goes for the priesthood, and clearly Pablo's priests and bishops showed him truly what serving the Lord brings about in a person: unbridled joy, and the way, the truth, AND THE LIFE!!!


3) Now for some real good stuff: Fr. Pablo starts to talk about the seminary and gives us a really good dose of reality:


"Well, going to seminary, doesn't mean one is going to become a priest ... sometimes people come in with a mentality that going to seminary, automatically means priest ... probably half of people that enter the seminary don't get ordained, even more, because the seminary first of all, is not a "priest-making machine" but It's a place of discernment ... in the seminary one goes, and one has to be first formed as a man, then as a Christian, then as a priest ... and that's why seminary can take somewhere from 6-8 years. It's a long formation, but it's a necessary formation because it's a serious call and one wants to be sure, and one may feel sure but it's for the Church to corroborate that."

Wow. This is probably the most frank and honest summary of the seminary I have heard from a priest. I never knew this fact, though I personally did get to serve with a person who after spiritual discernment in a seminary decided the priesthood was not his calling, yet still continues studies there to finish the degree or what not. And that ties nicely with the next sentences about the machine and the formation. Yes, people think it is a factory for churning out priests, and especially with our current worldwide decline or absence of a multitude or priests where they were once in abundance (and good orthodox priests not in the Spirit of Vatican II are sorely needed). However, like any profession, it is important to have dedicated, mature individuals as leaders working in those professions, whether it be as a teacher, a psychologist, a police officer etc. If a person is in it only as a money-maker or source of financial security and does not respect the foundations or the purpose for the career`s existence, they will be ineffective at their job, and their mis-intentions may be exemplified in poor examples capitalized by our bloodthirsty mainstream media. 


About the time period, most lengths of stay in the seminaries also provide a "clinical placement" of sorts where seminarians are sent to various parishes for one year of working alongside a priest to understand the diocesan structure and ways of life, and to give a taste of what will come to them as an assistant pastor or pastor of a diocesan parish. Also in that time frame, they learn a number of religious subjects such as theology, liturgy, homiletics, etc. as well as how to say the Mass in the appropriate rite. Finally, I bolded the last few words as this is truly important. A true vocation MUST be firmly grounded in the will of the Lord, via his Church. If it ain't there, it ain't there. Christ just might have another purpose for you if you aren't called. Heck he might even have you go out of seminary and switch 360 degrees and marry and start a family! I'm sure there's a few people you know who this has happened to. 


4) Now Fr. speaks about "The Duties of a Priest":
"As a vocation, I will ... God willing, become a saint, not a canonized saint, but someone who's in the company of God in Heaven. So, I am at the service of God and his Church. And as such, my duty, is really, to show others the Love of God, the Love of Christ. In a sense, to exemplify what the Eucharist is, and that God ... humbles himself to become the small host of the altar, gives everything, so that He can be in communion, in a relationship with God. And the priest is there to mediate that, to be able to facilitate that. It's a great example of God's love, that doesn't abandon us, that stays with us. He promised to be with us till the end of time ... what a best example we have, than the priesthood. So the duty of the priest, is really, to show others the love of God. How we do this? The Sacraments. The sacraments is the ministry of the priest, that is our battlefield, that`s where we are doing battle for souls.

Whoa! This is flooring me right now. It`s so direct and poignant and mighty I can`t add to much, but to comment somewhat on the boldface stuff. About Sainthood, it is not about being `perfect` or just limited to the clergy and religious. It`s about being ``holy`` and striving to orient one`s life as such so as to be in the company of God in Heaven. Laypeople can do this too and even get on the ladder to sainthood, like St. Gianna Molla, and Blessed Pier Frassati. On the mediation comment, yes, that`s what priests do. No other clergyman, layperson of either sex, can do so. Only he (and the higher levels like bishop) can do this. Finally the last sentence, YES!!!! This is so often disposed of in modern theology and even devalued by some (e.g. some devalue the sacrament of reconciliation to be a `cheap form or historcial form of talk therapy prior to the development of clinical psychology.` No, these sacraments also duel with the Devil and keep one`s soul disposed to Him. It`s our key means of doing such in the Church, albeit only the Priests can administer ALL of them. They are not just milestones of initiation people, these are vital life preservers for our souls to stay tethered to the barque of Peter as many of us in our daily lives are concupiscent and `go overboard`` when we venially and mortally sin, and we are never 100% perfect!

5) Ooooh, here comes the bomb, ``the Liturgy ....``
"In the seminary, they really stress this to us: The Church subsists to as liturgy, in the liturgy ... there wouldn't be the Church without liturgy ... it is very important a priest ... has a great knowledge of what the liturgy is, and how to live the liturgy, but a great love of the liturgy ... a liturgy done reverently and well .... love for the traditions of the Church, in terms of liturgy, in that we are not afraid of chant for instance ... that's the great Patrimony, that it is not something relegated to the concert hall, but it`s something for today. The liturgy, is really where everybody comes to meet God. It is they duty of the priest to do a good job, to do what the Church asks, and to do it faithfully, but above all, to do it prayerfully. The Liturgy is, first and foremost, ``prayer``. And ... the priest is there to preside the liturgy and to lead people in that great prayer, especially the Mass with sacraments and liturgy of the hours. The priest, needs to be praying in the liturgy, to be able to lead others to pray, and have a real encounter with God, an encounter that develops into a genuine and lasting relationship.   

And once again, Fr. hits a grand slam out of the ballpark. The liturgy is, prayer. Not just any prayer, but THE MOST POWERFUL form of prayer that exists in this finite life. Yes, the priest must know and do the liturgy well, not just as an exercise in seminary studies, no, he must make it a lifelong duty to truly and reverently celebrate this prayer. The priest must not forget, that the Mass with its sacraments contain the most powerful ties to our Lord. And it is also right to consider a relationship developing out of the Mass. Why do you think Christ instituted the priesthood and Eucharist on that Passover Seder? just  for kicks. No, he wanted a full and genuine relationship with us, and provided for us a key way to keep with him until our deaths. That's right, Jesus was reaching out to all of us, for the continuum of time. The Mass with the Eucharist is where we come to further solidify our relationship with Christ. 


Further, about the chant comment, it's not just some show piece of the Museum of the Church. No, Chant, the Latin Mass etc. are all meant to further glorify our Lord and enable the Mass to reach its fullest potential in achieving that goal of that relationship with Christ in the Mass. Sorry to be somewhat negative, but those folk choirs, props and jollies and stupid Easter bunny costumes, and those snazzy tunes are not leading souls to heaven. And the ones that do like them, you have to ask are they TRULY going to Mass because they long to be nourished and fed our Lord and learn His truths, or are they there for the feel-good entertainment that priest and parish is providing? To put it short, they JUST DON'T WORK. Further, they are but reflections of the overall attitude taken by that priest with regards to the Liturgy. Were a priest actually doing as Fr. says, his liturgies would actually fulfil the goals listed and not turn people away from the Church. 


Finally, Fr. makes an awesome point about the priest LIVING THE LITURGY. It does not do well enough to just do your daily Mass and just leave it for 9-10AM daily. No, the liturgy, the teachings in Scripture, and everything else MUST stem from the Liturgy. Otherwise, the Mass is simply just another obligation, and the laity become personally lost in the politics of either Fr. socialite priest or Fr. `king of the parish`` and totally miss what the Mass is about. They will even dis-consider the Lord because the priest acts like a hypocrite outside his role as a ``sacramental dispenser`` in the Mass (of which he is not, but his actions outside the Mass cause him to become). When a priest truly does as Fr. alludes to, that is becoming a living embodiment of the Mass and what Christ has taught us, he will be the light of the world and the salt of the earth to his parishioners, and the Mass will contain more meaning personally to those laity, and they in turn will have a fuller relationship with Christ and even actually come back for weekly Mass. It will not be a joke to them. 


Well, that`s my take on this awesome video. It`s things like this that gives me hope in my own generation and in the future institutional Church. If more of these kind of priests are able to participate in the life of the Church and to influence their peers, we`ll finally be able t the level of Joe Catholic laity, to re-instill value and meaning in the Church and it won`t be just an ``option`` in one`s daily life. More of them will finally get what Jesus came to do and what the Church is about in one`s life.

One Final Note: Please share, forward, send, mention etc. this video to everyone you can think of that should see this. This video is easily found on YouTube with a search.

Pax Tibi Christi, YCRCM.

Quickpost: SSPX decision Today???

Since the original post is long down the line in history, I'm making a new one for this. Here's what I just found making it's rounds on the blogosphere:

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/06/rome-sspx-important-popes-response-to.html

Vatican Sattelite Canon armed at Econe, Switzerland. Clavis Petrus et Clavis Paulus activated. Launching Papal obliteration beam in 10 ... 9..... 8......

SSPX will you launch the abort codes? Or will it be a great obliterati? Only time will tell.

Let's pray that the TLM/EF Calvary will arrive! I don't know how much longer the Fellowship of the Ring can hold out at Helm's Deep against the orcish (cough Liberal cough) forces  ......

YCRCM.

UPDATE JUNE 13, 2012 2:19PM EST


This from Rorate:

[1950 Rome time - Update] "The response of Benedict XVI to the 'Lefebvrists' not to be known before the weekend." "Bp. Fellay will have some days to put his signature on the text"  (SSPX spokesman Fr. Lorans, to Agence France Presse -LB2S Twitter feed (La Croix religion journalist) Lorans added that "it will be a week-10 days before further moves, today was just a step in the process" (A.Speciale Twitter feed)


AW NUTS! Really!!! C'mon Stop making us wait! I hope to heck this is NOT a repeat of 1988. I'll seriously be on the verge of becoming uncharitable if this is repeated again in history. 


Sounds like the SSPX bought more time and the satellite counter is now increased to 30 ..... 29 ..... 28 .... and counting down again. Push the ABORT button Fellay, PLEASE!!!. 


YCRCM. 


 UPDATE JUNE 14, 2012 3:37 PM EST
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/06/communique-of-general-house-of-society.html
Their Side

Communiqué of the General House of the Society of Saint Pius X (June 14, 2011) 

On Wednesday, June 13, 2012, Bp. Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X, joined by the First Assistant General, Father Niklaus Pfluger, was received by Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who delivered to him the evaluation of his dicastery of the Doctrinal declaration presented by the Fraternity on April 15, 2012, in response to the Doctrinal Preamble submitted by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on September 14, 2011.


In the course of this meeting, Bp. Fellay listened to the explanations and details presented by Cardinal Levada, to whom he presented the situation of the Society of Saint Pius X and exposed the doctrinal difficulties posed by the Second Vatican Council and the Novus Ordo Missae. The desire for supplementary clarifications could lead to a new phase of discussions.[Emphasis added]

At the end of this long audience of over 2 hours, Bp. Fellay received a project of a document proposing a Personal Prelature, in the case of an eventual canonical recognition of the Society of Saint Pius X. In the course of the meeting, the matter of the situation of the three other bishops of the Society was not discussed. 


At the end of this meeting, it was desired that the dialogue will be pursued that will allow the reaching of a solution for the good of the Church and of souls.

Menzingen, June 14, 2012. 

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/06/holy-see-press-office-communique.html
The Holy father's Side

Holy See Press Office communiqué

On the afternoon of Wednesday 13 June, Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and president of the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei', met with Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X who was accompanied by an assistant. Also present at the encounter were Archbishop Luis Ladaria S.J., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Msgr. Guido Pozzo, secretary of the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei'.

The purpose of the meeting was to present the Holy See's evaluation of the text submitted in April by the Society of St. Pius X in response to the Doctrinal Preamble which the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith had presented to the Society on 14 September 2011. The subsequent discussion offered an opportunity the provide the appropriate explanations and clarifications. For his part, Bishop Fellay illustrated the current situation of the Society of St. Pius X and promised to make his response known within a reasonable lapse of time.

Also during the meeting, a draft document was submitted proposing a Personal Prelature as the most appropriate instrument for any future canonical recognition of the Society. 

As was stated in the communique released on 16 May 2012, the situation of the other three bishops of the Society of St. Pius X will be dealt with separately and singularly. 

At the end of the meeting the hope was expressed that this additional opportunity for reflection would also contribute to reaching full communion between the Society of St. Pius X and the Apostolic See.

Just as a fun pick apart exercise. Let's see what each side is saying:

SSPX: After meeting with that guy about my evaluation of their proposal, and withstanding OVER 2 GRUELING HOURS where I came out a hero saying the Novus Ordo church and Vatican II is bull crap, we`re gonna continue plowing through! See how we`re leading the way people for the sake of the Church? Hey so I'm getting that personal prelature after all ... IF I sign with them (of course in a second I could pull a Lefevbre and walk away, screw them saying I'm excommuncated again cause I'll be like Nya Nya Nya Nya Nya!). At the end of this we're feeding the sick Church its well needed medicine!

VATICAN: All parties met in accord with the appropriate Roman Curial councils being represented in this matter. This is the purpose of the meeting, and we are allowing feedback and criticism of that contract they need to sign for canonical recognition. Fellay did his usual worn out "necessity" spiel again about why the heck they want to keep being themselves and will do the usual "churning out every part in excrutiating time" thing SSPX always does to forestall the inevitable. Yeah just like them we gotta do something about the pisspot three ruining the whole process. We're hoping they'll come back (cause secretly, we need them to make our rebellous laity to get back in spiritual shape and darn it to show those hypocrite priests who the heck is boss around here .... ROME!

YCRCM's take: Vatican, stop playing games with the laity's souls here and these stupid politicians and force and ultimatum or do a grand excommunication on the whole society AND their laity too if they don't want to co-operate or stall you further.

SSPX, stop being prideful jerks and sign the damn thing cause you know we need you to kick the pants off of sister pantsuit spiritually, and DARN BE IT!!! WE NEED MORE REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE LATIN MASS!!! STOP HOLDING OUT ON THE GOODS OR THE EF WILL CRASH AND BURN!!!!!! But I guess you truly only care about your own little shaved headed boys and timid little mantilla girls and NOT the majority of us diocesan, average Catholics or the bulk of us TRYING to be trads, but are getting our arses kicked every step of the way going it solo. DAMMIT JUST SIGN IT AND GET THE RECOGNITION, SO THE CHURCH IS FORCED TO LISTEN TO YOUR VOICE. And then, do your trad thing, cause like a slow cancer, you can re-infect the Church and kill of the spirit of Vatican II. And believe me gentlemen, society's attack on religious liberties will continue to increase. It doesn't matter whether you are holed up in your little non-canonicalized chapel and your little tradie communities, the secular law enforcers will eventually come for you and your isolation from the Vatican will not protect you. Ever watch or read Lord of the Rings by Tolkein? If you even allow such a novel to be read by your societal inheritants? Even Mordor and the Orcs eventually found their way to the Shire, forcing the Hobbits to get involved in the war for Middle Earth. Evil doesn't care if you are the "True Church" and you aren't under Rome, or you are back on board the Barque of Peter. The Devil will attack you as "collateral" damage in its assault of Jesus. Worse, who will protect you when you are a band of "outsiders?" With us, you stand a better chance of surviving what's to come. You will, however, have more allies to your causes under us, and there are priests, laity and others, who will accept you and know the institutional church is screwing things up. Heck even a high raking prelate wants his seminary in your hands!!! 3 seminaries sounds mighty good eh? You know, traditional priests are secretly in high demand .... but the production line is pretty low right now and the orders are too many.


Alright. Praying for a quick resolution here. YCRCM.

REALLY COOL UPDATE JUNE 26, 2012 10:56 PM EST
Check this our at Rorate Caeli, the SSPX symapthetic (Extreme uber traddie commenter warning! Proceed with Caution) website with traditional Catholicism news:

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/06/for-record-confidentiality-like-water.html

WHOA!!!! Hold On did I just read this? Yup! Fellay is cleaning house to make way for reconciliation with the Church:

" ... Furthermore, I inform all members of the Chapter that, in virtue of Canon 2331 § 1 and 2 [of the revoked 1917 Code of Canon Law] (nc [Code of Canon Law in force] 1373), the Superior General has deprived Bp. Williamson from the position of capitulary due to his stand calling to rebellion and for continually repeated disobedience. He has also been forbidden to come to Écône for the ordinations ...."

HOLY SCHNIKEES!!!!! I can't believe this. Fellay actually manned up and took control of the situation with that anti-Semite. GOOD FOR HIM!!! SSPX does not need his hatred towards the Jews as dead weight to ruin things further. Plus he was a big old miser too to boot in his posts, and very sede-vacantist. Good for Fellay. Keep those prayers coming guys. Fellay is inching closer to giving us that much needed boost to TLM efforts worldwide. 

However there's just one stupid little hurdle left:

" .... On June 13, 2012, Cardinal Levada delivered to our Superior General text from last April, but amended in such a way that it now reintroduces, substantially, the propositions of September 2011. Bp. Fellay immediately informed him that he could not sign this new document, clearly unacceptable. The next [General] Chapter will allow for an appraisal of the complete dossier ...."

Really Guys! Suck in that damn pride of yours! You know that it's obvious that more people know the institutional Church is crumbling without you  and we need your help, it's pretty obvious. But darn it if you keep wanting the moon and sun and stars, you will not get your acceptance!!!! Stop being selfish and full of pride, sign the thing for expediency sake, and then when you are in the club make your demands!

UGH! I wish this political garbage would stop. Really. Vatican and SSPX, you guys are really starting to anger laity about this with your tardiness, of us who care. 

YCRCM. 

Quickpost: Same Vein, Different Poster

Hello everyone.

Here`s something from RENEGADE TRAD, an interesting Traditional Catholic Poster who hails now from Toronto. He`s one of those new found Young Gun trads, the ones who aren't such sticklers and actually contemplate and think about issues with tradition. While I'm a giant shotgun, this guy is a sniper rifle in his postings and commentary. He just recently did a posting about a forum from an extremist trad site, Fisheaters (I do not endorse it!).  Sane vein as my previous rant in the EF ordination post, but on a different part of the EF liturgy. See here, comment, or enjoy, and go spike his stats. YCRCM.

http://renegadetrad.blogspot.ca/2012/06/state-of-trad-dom.html

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.

``Yes, Lord: You know that I love you`.` Reflection on a Gospel from a Novus Ordo Mass for Friday, Seventh Week of Easter Cycle 1/Year 1 at Lunchtime

Hello Everyone.

It's kind of exciting that I'm getting 20-50 page-views per day now. Gives me a little hope now as things aren't exactly peachy keen in my personal life.

Any ways, I decided to go on my lunch break Friday to a parish that is a 5-minute walk from my workplace. The best part is that because it is a parish whose priestly order has a charism that focuses on redemption and the offering of sacraments that was contrary to the challenges in the Church at the time of its foundation. So They offer confession before almost all their major masses and every one on Sunday (Thank the Lord! Here's an order and a parish that knows about the worthy redemption of the Sacrament of the Eucharist!!!!!).

So obviously I went for confession, but also I stayed for Mass because I wanted to offer prayers and my spiritual work of being there to the Lord concerning an  intention in a minor, but personal important spiritual conflict I am having, and feel that I know what the outcome will be based on a key statement.

The homily was given by the chaplain from my workplace. The Gospel reading for Friday, May 25 in the Novus Ordo from the CCCB lectionary for Canada, was from John 21:15-19. Nutshell version: Jesus wants Peter to be a leader and step up and spread the mission of His Church but also he hints that he will die not by his own hands or naturally (that is he will undergo the Passion, Death and Resurrection). He does a well-known reversal of when Peter denies Christ 3 times in the Passion: Christ asks him 3 times ``Do you love me?" and of course Peter says yes, but Christ replies "Feed my lambs."

The chaplain decided to focus on this famous reversal, speaking about the theme of Love. His ending on the topic was a little weak, and personally I felt that the priest could have gone a bit more into explaining about the virtue of Charity (which is also called Love) or explaining more about the highest level of Love which the trinity expressed perfectly: Divine Love, or Caritas. You can read Pope Benedict's Encyclical on that Caritas in Veritate (Love in Truth) with regard to that.

However, what struck me from that day's homily, was that he likely used a recent tragedy as a literary device in order to emphasize a point about the Love of Christ. The summation is that  a young man, who fell in love with a woman, was rejected. He then proceeded with a firearm to her, threatens her or someone else, and in the end he shot himself. I thought I heard "students" or "student" in the homily so after an internet search, this is the story that matched the most times in links. The news item is from India and it is fairly recent, having happened last week involving young university students:

http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/man-shoots-self-in-girls-hostel-after-being-rejected-by-woman-211348

After relating the story, the priest said that yes, the man "loved" the woman, but is this really love? That question, got me thinking a bit, and I can conclude that, no it's not. Love should not end in a person shooting one's self, and further love cannot be present in forcing another person to do one's bidding or express emotions not there. Instead, all that is present is submission to a more dominant person, fear, and unhappiness. The main point that I remember the priest speaking from this, is that the love of the Trinity has to be present at the core of us as Catholics (I think he used the Holy Spirit. It would make sense as some priests and a doctoral student I know has said that the Holy Spirit is Love.). If our actions are devoid of true, Christian love, well .... I cannot remember what the priest said about that, but I can say that obviously if faith without works is dead, the reverse can also be (and in Catholicism must be,) true. If part of our faith is that our Trinity expresses the most perfect form of love, Caritas, and we ourselves are vessels for the Holy Spirit from Baptism and must carry out God/Christ's Love as part of our Catholic life, then yes, Love/the Theological Virtue of Charity/Caritas must be at the very core of what we do as Catholics (how we do it, though, and how this teaching has been misapplied, is another kettle of fish).

It was a nice little piece of mind that day, concerning that conflict I had and still do on my mind. I pray and hope in that conflict that the Theological virtue of Love will be present. It was definitely my verbal spiritual nourishment, in addition to the ULTIMATE spiritual nourishment found in the Eucharist of our Blessed Lord as his Glorified body present on Earth.

Hoped you enjoyed what I have shared, Pax. YCRCM.

Quickpost: Fr. Z. on the Sacrament of Reconciliation Formula. PRIESTS PLEASE READ.

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/05/quaeritur-you-are-absolved-of-your-sins-instead-of-i-absolve-you/

Cause I am anti-liturgical and anti-sacramental abuse. "Say the black and do the red" please, for the sake of our souls.

YCRCM.