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. 

Quickpost: The Final decision for Fellay, will he bring doom to the SSPX, or will he Aid us in Renewing the Institutional Church and in the Latin Mass Efforts Worldwide?

Well gang, here it is. From the Vatican Insider, news that this IS the final showdown, the final offer, the last effort to reunite the SSPX under our Holy Father, Benedict XVI:

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/the-vatican/detail/articolo/lefebvriani-lefebvrians-lefebvrianos-16222/

The extra time allotted to the Ultimate Vatican Obliterati Sattelite Cannon is down to 5 ... 4.... 3...... will they launch the abort codes and help the Church they supposedly give allegiance to and acknowledge, or will Fellay be stubborn and full of pride and pull another 1988, possible excommunicating the WHOLE SSPX? I hope not. Please everyone, pray to St. Michael to ward off the Devil's slings and arrows of the Anger, and most importantly Pride of the SSPX so that Fellay can make this most crucial and important of decisions unbiased and in the true purview of the Theological and Cardinal virtues.

St. Michael the Archangel ... ora nobis!!!!!!!!

YCRCM.

Vatican Starts to Catch up with the Times and Seeks to Control an Internet Domain but Ignores the Youth/Bloggers

Hello Everyone.

So after the SSPX quickpost, I just caught a whiff of this, initially thanks to The Deacon's Bench at Patheos, but the original source is CNA (Catholic News Agency):

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1202470.htm

In summary of the article, The Pope has placed a bit to get the domain name (e.g. like .com, .gov, .org) "dot Catholic." Head of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Msgr. Tighe, quotes this in the article as to why the Vatican is taking this cool new step:

"Controlling the top-level domain "will be a way to authenticate the Catholic presence online," Msgr. Tighe said. The Vatican plans to allow "institutions and communities that have canonical recognition" to use the extension, "so people online -- Catholics and non-Catholics -- will know a site is authentically Catholic."

This I must say is  a very important step for the Vatican. Sadly, the majority of "Official" media for the Catholic Church, is still print publications like newspapers and such in dioceses. While the Vatican's website has been a great start, lately the biggest monster to hit the social communications atmosphere in the Church, is the work of websites, especially bloggers (including yours truly). Whether they be a little young (but old) soul like me writing anonymously, or a more powerful entity in the Catholic Blogosphere, like e.g. Rocco Palmo the "Church Whisperer" or Fr. Zuhlsdorf for the Traditional Catholic side of things, we collectively are having a powerful influence on the Faith.

Considering that this year is dubbed "the New Evangelization" and the next Bishop's Synod is devoted to it, plus web-based media is the thing now in terms of social communication, it is a great joy to see the Vatican under Benedict XVI taking an active role in doing so. 75 year mandatory updates isn't going to cut it anymore in our technologically fast-paced world that has a new Iphone every 1-2 years.

Further, speaking on behalf of my generation that are fatihful practising Catholics that actually care about our faith, the 3rd post Vatican II (and it's havoc that the "Spirit" of the council unleashed into the world), we have learnt (and/or are starting to learn) the True Catholic Faith and teachings. We've mostly encountered this not thanks to our watered-down school systems and our print media and our clergy (of whom the majority are infected with the "Spirit of Vatican II" that hold major positions of power, not the new young bucks of the JPII and B16 generations of seminarians) but rather we were smart enough to bypass them and get the majority of that truth from websites and blogs. Some prominent examples include: www.vatican.va/ containing all the documents of Vatican II, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, other writings of prior popes and the Roman Curia, etc.; www.catholic.com/ the world's largest online apologetics organization, and other YouTube channels for various dioceses (content variable in orthodoxy) or independent efforts like Fr. Barron's Word on Fire ministry. I am not alone in this journey or my means of coming back to my faith. My fellow Canadian blogger, Optimusmastro, also shared this *sentiment with regard to another issue in his diocese, but it pertains here, with my emphasis in bold:

".... We moved beyond VCR's to Tevo, beyond analog to digital, ...Its just the next logical step... From a personal standpoint, it was throught the online community that most of my generation who practice their Faith were introduced to actually learning it.  At times, the diocesan newspaper was nothing more than a mouthpiece for the 'spirit of VII' poltergeist promoting syrupy stories, a leftist agenda and absolutely no call to action.  As that little old lady from the commercials in the 80s used to say,..'Where's the beef?!?'  Sooo, the JPII generation when we wanted to be fed, by passed the out of date models and headed straight for the Vatican website, straight for Catholic Answers, EWTN, and recently Real Catholic TV...The internet and social media is now producing a generation of fervent believers, ready to defend the Church and ALL Her teachings!


Posting: http://prime1-marco.blogspot.ca/2012/06/social-media-divide.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ConfessionsOfAThirtySomethingCybertronian+(Confessions+of+a+Thirty+Something+Cybertronian)


So as a blogger myself, I am glad to see the Vatican taking a crucial step in this matter. This will especially help when it comes to the "wired" youth of my generation and the Millenials somewhat below me. Also, I do generally approve the concept of a regularized front of web sources monitored by a central governing/certifying body, because in our credential-sick world, nothing impresses people (and sadly on both sides of the spectrum including liberal "c"atholics) more than getting the Vatican's seal of approval to say "my stuff is valid and should be listened too."


HOWEVER, I have two MAJOR sticking points where I feel the Vaitcan is being stupid about this. These are BIG howevers. 


1. Who will play the role of "Big Brother?"
I am concerned for the majority of the Catholic web, more on the context of the old saying "who is watching the watchers?" See it's all good and well to have this official organization so to speak and bring governance to the Catholic web to reign in those nutjobs that make the faith look bad. However, as many of us who do traverse the Catholic web and blogosphere know, not all is well in the Vatican, and there is much politics and power playing a foot. Most of the current prelates .... do not seem to be on the side of the Holy Father. They are still sick with the "spirit of V-II". Slowly B16 is trying to bring back order to the hierarchy of the Church with prudent and wise elections of new prelates and bishops, but this is not always the case, and it is likely that he will die before the entirety of his generation does. And who knows who will take over? (I'm currently hoping and praying for Collins despite my last couple of postings, cause I still want Canada on the Catholic map lol!) 


Also, I don't know whether Tishe's leans pro-Benedict and pro-Tradition or if he's a spirit of Vatican II-er in disguise. Thus I ask, will be the central head of this domain? What will he do? I would feel more confident if the Holy Father or those known to be his allies were governing this. Why? Because what if one of those "liberals" becomes elected under Benedict's rule, while poor B16 is weak and tired and slowly declining in health and mental acuity. Everyone comes flodding in to be a part of the elite club of .catholic sites. However, say optimusmastro and I band together and form a hypothetical "young adult" online apostolate under their guidelines and is approved by his bishop in his Quebec diocese. Well, we're pro EF and we speak our minds. Mr. V-II spirit master and his horde of elected "yes men/women" decide we are not "fit" for the mandate of the .catholic club. But he lets in sister-reiki-pantsuit's religious order site and Fr.AverageNiceGuy's website for the diocese of AverageCatholic and on those sites, there is no Catechism references and the usual reflections with "jesus loves everyone" secular humanism garbage or more New Age garbage, of which is indicated in Vatican writings and the Catechism not in conformity with the Magisterial teachings of the Church. Thus, under the main body of authority in the institutional Church in the Vatican, once again, as usual, true faithful Catholic dioceses and organizations will be discriminated against through another form of social media so that like the pigs in Aminal Farm state "all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." And seeing as religious orders are part of it, what happens when the SSPX become canonized? Their stuff is already contested and somewhat anti-Novus Ordo Church on some of their regional websites. Even if they clean everything up post-canonization, will Tishe or whomever is "big brother" reject them, despite Ecclesia Dei or the Holy Father's canonical OK? 


So this is my first worry.


2. THE BLOODY BLOGGERS ARE BEING IGNORED!!!!!
My gosh, really Vatican? Why are you being so inept with this effort? Considering you just had a "blogmeet" to try and see the effect we Catholic Bloggers have on the internet and how to incorporate us (due to our major driving force amongst the Catholic laity, at least electronically), Why are you imposing this bloody restriction!!!!!!:


"The Vatican does not plan to allow individual bloggers or private Catholics to use ".catholic," Msgr. Tighe said. Use of the domain would be limited to those with a formal canonical recognition: dioceses, parishes and other territorial church jurisdictions; religious orders and other canonically recognized communities; and Catholic institutions such as universities, schools and hospitals."

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1202470.htm

This has got to be one of the stupidest moves they've made with regard to tackling the Blogosphere. Why? First, not all institutions that are "Catholic" act like their Catholic. Most Catholic institutions, be it a hospital or school, has rejected Catholic teachings and even official Vatican documents or binding principles (e.g. most Catholic schools do not abide by "The Mandatum", Catholic hospitals have abortions on site and likely even Catholic doctors perform them). So you guys are only going to further "OK" dissent against your own institution and the True One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church? What hypocrisy!  For crying out loud the CDF just had to BAN a textbook being promoted by a dissenting "religious" sister that WAS being used in classrooms in school (E.g. http://catholicnerdwriter.blogspot.ca/2012/06/from-someone-who-actually-read-book.html) and you want to give them OFFICIAL APPROVAL!!! Second, we bloggers are a crucial force to be reckoned with. We are likely to me more faithful to the Church's teachings, support the Holy Father in his efforts, and anything you want the Church to do, but fails at institutionally. Yes, we tend to not filter ourselves at times, but think of this way: Why should we be punished for obedience to the Church's teachings, and disobedience rewarded? This clearly makes no sense when you look at parents that have done so in their rearing of their children. By rewarding their children's selfish behaviour, they become self-serving individuals who place themselves either in financial or physical harms way after being brought up like that and pass it on to other people. So why are you excluding us from this golden opportunity? Third, the average Catholic or secular youth do not mostly give a rat's behind when it comes to dioceses, parishes, institutions and religious organizations. They will not be turned on by the faith when they view "St. regular's Catholic Church" and all the "services" we offer (unless there's a tempting offer to gain mandatory community service hours to graduate high school/Confirmation). Maybe they might clue into the youth ministry, but that's about it. Most youth and adults the New Evangelization seeks to reach don't even come to Mass post-Confirmation (at 13 years old), heck forget that, don't even come at all except for major Sacraments. So why would they be impressed by a website for their parishes. These people, even if they did come, don't even participate in parishes. And also, take a cursory look at most parishes' websites. How many of them are promoting Catechism teachings? Their dioceses' pastoral letters (certainly my dioceses' parishes arent!)? Sprirtual reflections that aren't "general fluff" or, dare I say, urgent action when our civil and religious liberties are threatened or a Q&A on a major moral/ethical issue? 

When you put the above, and our watered-down to non-existent "catholic" education in schools," all into perspective, It's the bloggers (in addition to major apologetics websites) that are doing the gruntwork in trying to teach youth and others the answers to their faith that have been solely lacking from the regular forms of education/Catholic social media. Leaving us out is a big mistake, unless the Vatican is following up separately on that conference from last year around this time. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, I'm happy that the Vatican is taking this crucial step to "get in with the times" when it comes to social media and communications. Think about it, when the printing press grew mainstream, books and print became huge and was everyone's source of main media. If people didn't adapt, they weren't listened to. Most people these days have their own smartphone/Iphone and are scanning the internet and web like no tomorrow. I've even witnessed children in elementary school having their own "Crack"berrys. If the Vatican doesn't get in the game, as well as dioceses, they will lose out on a crucial way to spread the Gospel and the True faith to many. And if they don't pick up on it, Satan and those who unwillingly/willingly do his work will. 

However, keeping this to just major bodies and institutions is a crucial mistake on the Vatican's part. Our major institutional bodies are sick and ill with heterodoxy, and many of them will not be True to the Church's teachings, or are so ill equipped to even perform that role. Further, who will be letting people in and kicking people/organizations out? Who will investigate each organization's institution? Worse, because they may not listen to "those bloggers," they are often times missing out crucial information on the institution/organization's anti-Church stance, and once they are in, they are in and are extremely hard to kick out. Plus they are undervaluing our role in the Faith. Wasn't there some kind of emphasis post-Vatican II on EVERYONE in the Church participating in the roles of "Priest, Prophet, and King?" Properly taken, everyone is responsible for the proper and true dissemination of the Catholic Faith to the world. I just wish the Vatican was considering this more deeply. 

If anyone has any crucial information to this effect, please fill me in! I'll update this post for sure. 

Pax Tibi Christi, YCRCM. 


* I differ from my colleague, in that 
1) I consider myself part of the B16 generation, as I didn't think JPII was that great overall and had an active impact. To me he was more intellectual as a pope with his Catechism and Theology of the Body. Also I disapprove of his greater allowance of other cultures and religions pervading Catholic religious Masses and other Vatican things e.g. Assisi I and II. Also I reverted to my faith during the reign of B16 and I prefer people who have a balance of action and intellectual writings when it comes to my Church Saints and political figures. 


[EDITED: June 12, 2012, 223PM.]
2) I will not promote actively RealCatholicTV- Now to be named ChurchMilitant.TV (due to the diocese of Detroit's disgust with them.)  The awesome Optimusmastro has filled me in a bit more. It's not Bishop Vingeron (?) that's the culprit, it's the fools running the chancery! Boo laypeople in power, boo!!! While Voris does say what needs to be said at times, overall I've found with my experiences with him online led me to a spirit of anti-Vatican and anti-Clergy, especially any non-traditional bishops and the majority of the Novus Ordo Church (think along the lines of the sheep in Animal Farm: "Vatican II and Novus Ordo bad, EF and pre-vatican II good!" "All  Vatican II clergy bad, all Ef clergy good!") The approach I've had to take with his stuff is caution: Watching what is necessary or intriguing when needed, and avoiding what I know will trigger my other 1/2, so as to keep my spirit in a state of theological Charity. However, obviously this is my personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect those who have had close contact with Voris, or work under him at ChruchMilitant.TV. Also as a side note, THANK GOD for Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa. 

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. 

Study in America Magazine: Why People Leave the Catholic Church and What They Want

Hello All.

Still need to get myself to hunker down and change the posting on the SSPX part II. Unfortunately it won't be until a bit later this week. I just finished 4 straight days of shifts and 3 of them are night shift (booooo!!!) and I got only a brief respite till tommorow's night shift. Those just kill me and I sleep in for 5-6 hours immediately after the following day. I might as well conisder the whole day lost.

Anyways I was scouring the blogs I usually read last week, and I found this link from a friend of mine on another Catholic blog (sorry, can't reveal the blog else it's obvious who I am. I don't think he knows I blog under a pseudoname, but I want to keep it that way):

http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=13347

This article has a bishop who did a study in his American diocese in Trenton, New Jersey, from fallen away parishoners. Hopefully he asked a lot more people than the Jersey Shore Snookis and Situations out there. lol! ok it was a corny Jersey Shore joke. Then again, maybe it would be interesting to ask each of them about their collapsed faith lives. We do know Snooki a.k.a. Nicole Polizzi was an altar server as in a Youtube Video on her personal channel, she said she "used to hold the candles and the book for the priest."

But I digress. While reading the article above, I couldn't help but read the articles featured reasons as to why they fall away from a few direct statements in the survey. There were many more items to break apart in the 2nd half of the article with regard to what people want in the Church, but I chose to focus this post on the first 1/2 with reasons why those people left the church, and my commentary in blue text. As always, this is from the viewpoint of a young adult, Roman Catholic, male layperson in Canada who received a private Catholic high school education (more truer to Magisteriam Teaching) and has been a Catholic revert for 2.5 years now.

Reason 1: The Church hierarchy is corrupt and evil!

".... One respondent wrote: “I separated my family from the Catholic Church and turned to an alternate religion for a while and then returned knowing I had the right religion but the wrong people running it.” Several chose to specify that they separated themselves from “the hierarchy....”

Alright, here we have a case of "I left the Church cause the idiots running the show are corrupt." First let's get the rough stuff out of the way. Yes, the instiutional Church has screwed up, as you have seen some occasions here on YCRCMB. What I meant by the institutional church is: the liberal or weakly-catechized teachers of Catholic schools, the numerous lax or liberal priests, the religious brothers and sisters (Fr. Z. will sometimes refer to the sisters and the "Magisterium of Nuns"), your parents, etc. Many people in the wake of the "Spirit of"/misapplication of Vatican II" took all sorts of liberties with their positions in power. Furthermore, yes we've seen priests in financial and even sexual scandal or bishops who have failed to uphold even Canon Law. Disgraced and likely lacized Raymond Lahey is the most recent example to mind here in Canada. So sorry if you sadly got one of these priests, teachers, or even your parents, who failed to teach you the authentic true tenets of the Catholic Faith.

Now, does this mean that the whole Church is bad???? No. As a whole, Christ in Matthew 16:18 vowed to Peter when he infomred him he would have His teaching authority (knowing he would die on the Cross), that ``the gates of Hell shall not prevail against [the Church] when it comes to providing us the means of spirtual salvation. Further when we look at the individuals in the Church in positions of power, when they screw up or are corrupt all the way to the Popes themselves (e.g. the Medici line of popes), the Church will still be there for us and theologically and spiritually remain intact till His Second Coming (a.k.a. the end of all existence). If it has survived corruption before, it will continue to survive, and be the spiritual link to our salvation despite what happens in its physical walls and organization.

In addition, all throughout our salvation history including the Old Testament, God (and Jesus once the Word Made Flesh existed) used ordinary, sinful men, to carry out God's love and desire for our selves to unify us with him. In the OT, think of for example, king David, whom was one of the most, if not the greatest, king(s) of Israel of all time. He sent poor Uriah to die in battle to claim his wife for himself (Uh David? hello? I think there is a commandment of those big 10 about coveting your neighbour's goods???). Once a prophet came and chided him did he finally realize "Oh no!!!!". Yes even this great king was flawed. And look at the Apostles themselves. They were all sinners, heck Matthew was even a reviled tax collector, and they were the big 12 who carried out Christ's authority and began what is the awesome Catholic Church. Also don't forget, of those sinful apostles, two of the four Gospels were written by a member each, including that reviled tax collector.

Reason 2a, b, c: Female roles, Peer involvement, and Spiritual Mentorship

" One 23-year-old woman said: I felt deceived and undervalued by the church. I didn’t understand certain things and found no mentors within the church. I just stopped going because my community of friends and family were no longer in the church ... 

2A, "DEPRECIATION OF WOMAN": Man, this is a much larger kettle of fish when you deal with the Church and feminism. I won't tackle the ideaology in depth, other than to say that thanks to 2nd wave radical feminism, it has misled both sexes (incl. men in supporting this) to believe in more than just human rights and true equality for women, including misandry (man-hating) and a passion to rule the world and punish all men or those who won't go along with their agenda. Now this woman is by no means shown to be a radical feminist, or a feminist at all for that matter, but I have to adress her deception and undervaluing. I also am sorry for this young woman, that with the liberal wave of the "Spirit of Vatican II" came a lie in the form of women infiltrating every crevice of the Church and taking over it like a rebellion, and the poor examples of conduct shown by her role models of both sexes. Maybe even being told of things like womynpriests and even a woman pope.That was not the truth and you should have not been even led to believe such a thing. Blame our stupid higher ups and the "Magisterium of [pantsuit] Nuns" for that one, and us laity for just going along with that.

I will say, however, that the Church does have many positive roles for women. One of the better fruits of Vatican II was the opening of liturgical "ministries" once held by minor orders to the Laity. This young woman, and yourselves too any female readers, can actively get involved in the Liturgy. Because of an indult (indults are supposed to be "special priviledges" not the norm in the Church) that got widespread to a point, Pope John Paul II had to be prudent and for the sake of civility, he made altar serving available to women in Churches and dioceses that allow it (some bishop's don't or pastors in their parishes don't and the bishop OKs this.) So one could be a female altar server. There are other lay ministries in the Mass, like extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, and lectors that PROCLAIM the Word of God. Also there are female sacristans, directors of religious education/catechists, and even pastoral associates. If you want to be somewnat more valued as a young person in the Church, show them you mean business!!!! Turn the tides and show them you love your Mother Church and the Holy Father and Want to make a good, positive, orthodox difference in your parish and keep it alive! Also as a side note, there have been many female saints and some powerful writers such as St. Joan of Arc, St. Hildegard of Bingen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen),  Mother Theresa, and Alice Von Hildebrand who've made their mark so to speak on the Church's history as key figures (and Saints!). A modern day Catholic phenom or example is Dr. Janet Smith. Also, John Paul II has adressed this modern state of Women in the Church in a very heartfelt letter here: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_29061995_women_en.html

2B, "No Mentors": I partially disagree with the respondent on this one. Where I disagree is that there are many good mentors in the Church, even if they are not in traditional roles. We tend to think of mentors as simply the priests, bishops, or nuns. While laity cannot provide traditional spiritual direction or deep counselling (high school and hospital chapliancy seems different from that,) mentors or role models in the church can extend to people we don't think of normally: the sacristan, the head of a ministry such as lectoring, the youth minister, maybe even the parish secretary or humble Ms. Lumen Christi who goes to her weekly Mass, prays the Rosary daily, and has her wits about her with regards to the true teachings of the Catholic faith while looking after her children and grandchildren in her spare time! Just because there aren't a lot of clergy to look up to, or a lack of clergy who are traditional and don't espouse worldly values, it doesn't mean there are a lack or good mentors out there. Also if its true Church knowledge you are looking for, there's laypeople doing apologetics and teaching it right (e.g. Catholic Answers, Fr. Z) on the Internet, and maybe even your own diocese (though that can WIDELY vary according to what your bishop ``allows`.`) If it really is that bad, then thanks to today's technologies, go out there and find out the Truth for yourself! Thanks to the marvels of the Internet and other technology and cheap printing, the true Catholic faith in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium or other good solid literature is one Amazon.com order away, or one is just a click away from the Vatican's/Popes of present and pasts' major writings on www.vatican.va/. Also, you are not alone. There are lonesome good faithful Catholic youngsters out there too if you know where to look. They are also amonst the pews.  I'm sure they'd love a friend like you too and also to feel not alone out there. That's what I did myself to revert, though a youth ministry helped me start to get there. And if you have the guts, go be that mentor! Go get the training and form that youth minsitry (a lot of hard work required though, so be firm in commitment!) Change the outlook on things! Finally, there are more traditional orders of nuns and priests springing up in correlation with the New Evangelization, and even the average seminarian or priest of the John Paul II and Benedict XVI generations is becoming more sound and reliable as spiritual mentors. Why if your local seminary allows contact with those seminarians outside of the parish in their practicum year, maybe a seminarian could be your mentor! They are relatively young too!

2C: Peer Involvement: I 100% support this woman's statement on it. For high schoolers, and even more so young adults who aren't married, the institutional Church overall, sucks, when it comes to reaching this age group. It seems still the big focus is: Getting those sacraments pumped into kids` spiritual veins like some sort of vaccine up to Confirmation age, Marriage, and seniors. They are the institutional Church`s biggest "clients/consumers" to use crude business terminology. Sadly this approach makes it much harder for youth to appreciate the Church, and when their parishes or communities (including univerisities) have nothing to offer or what is offered is rather POOR and uninviting like my univeristy years were, it`s either tackle the world alone with whatever little Catholic Faith you got, or ``join the party`` of the secular, amoral, hedonist culture of the world and do whatever you want (and hopefully nothing serious will befall you .... ). However, there are efforts being made to incorporate youth into the Church`s daily life again. In the wake of declining parish populations and a slow but steady revival of Church theological and spiritual orthodoxy, parishes and dioceses are waking up to realize this group needs to be sought out as they are LOSING the youth to the world, flesh, and the Devil (if priests even acknolwedge his existence to begin with). Numerous parishes are even getting in there and dealing with pre-teens as, to paraphrase the EDGE (TM) youth ministry program that deals with Gr. 6-8 pre-teens: These kids are at a precous stage in their physical, mental, and especially spritual development as young Catholics. They are metaphorically ``on the edge`` and if we don`t reach out to them in this ever increasigly aggresive secular world, we may lose them forever and they won`t remain in the Catholic Church .... and likely never desire to come back. This idea even extends to the teenage years and especally for young adults prior to marriage years. Even good young Catholic men and women like myself, can fall after that stage, even if they got a `better upbringing` in their youth and teens. Once they hit university, if they aren`t strong enough to hit the wall of secularism that smacks them in the face, or stay within a supportive Catholic parish/community, well you get the picture. Therefore, youth ministries of varying degrees are emerging. Now, not all ministries are equal. Some are organized programs like LIFETEEN(TM) and EDGE (TM) needing large bodies of people in a core team (priest, youth minister, leaders), while others are one to few person gigs with a less structured focus meeting less frequently. Also, not all ministers are theologically conservative, depending on their background, personality, and even what they are studying in their post-secondary Catholic school. This is where you gotta do your research and find one that will help you to love the Church (including its teachings) and also enhance your personal spirituality. However, for this survey respondent in particular, it was even much harder for her, as those people she looked up to bought into the secular culture of the world and gave her poor example to live up to as a Catholic. Sometimes, you just gotta bite the bullet and go against the grain of those you know, and YOU be the shining example of the faith, that ``light of the world, the salt of the Earth`` to your family and friends. You be the catechist, you be the ``New Evangelization`` in your actions and knowledge of the faith and maybe you will call your friends and family back to the spiritual arms of Mother Church (she is a mother in a sense, the ``Bride of Christ.``). As a last note, do look around your city and parish for youth ministries and even singles communities of Catholics, or even Catholic dating services, if you are seriously considering marriage yourself. Just be careful which one you use. Ì recommend the one promoted on Catholic Answers, www.catholicmatch.com/ as that one is not a secular dating site, nor is it geared towards extreme ultra/rad-trad Catholics either.

Reason 3: THE LITURGY!!!!!!: ``“I tried different Catholic churches in the area because I just didn’t seem to be getting anything out of the Mass, especially the homily.” Another person said, “I stopped going regularly because the homilies were so empty. And whenever the church wanted to raise money, they dropped the homily and talked money.” There were many complaints about the quality of homilies as well as about poor music at Mass.`` [My text is now red colour as I'm going into Fr.Z rant mode]

Homiletics/Catechesis
AHHHHHH!!!!! If there is any one thing that ticks me off as to making people leave parishes, it's this. Priests and higher clergy (Deacons included), the homily is not the time to express your wishy-washy liberal sentiments or to promote social justice causes. It is also not "me" time to say something that makes you feel good nor joke around (though I'd make an exception for using it as a literary device to introduce your topic of necessity). The homily is the time to make sense of the Liturgy of the Word's readings to the congregation, to tell "the moral of the story" as it were from the mouth of Christ himself, and even to relate Christ's teachings to modern day life, and that may include reiterating Catholic teachings (yes, of THAT CATECHISM) and even apologetics as well. People crave those good, solid homilies they can take home, even just one nugget of spiritual umph to nourish their souls and minds, geared towards the objective truth of the Lord. They also are in a world of constant flux and are relying on YOU to tackle those issues, like that YouTube kid who says he loves Jesus but hates organized religion. We hate when you abuse the message of Christ to promote your latest church fundraizing campaign DURING THE MASS (unless you also teach us a theological lesson about the necessity of a parish building and its centrality to our faith) or even replace the homily with a "guest speaker" from the local diocesan charity that also deals out money to pro-abortion side arm divisions (knowingly or unknowingly). If you have to announce this stuff due to the commands from the bishops (an every Mass this Sunday kind of thing), the proper place in the Ordinary Form is before the dismissal, and in the EF prior to the "continuation of the Gospel" before the Homily. However you could also have people optionally listen after a Mass, and you don`t waste time with the uninterested early self-dismissal people either.

Finally, your homily might be ALL the Catechesis that a kid or adult will get in their whole week. No, you CANNOT TRUST the separate school systems as they are under the thumb of the government who gives them most of their funding or teachers who teach under the guise of ``tolerance`` and ``anti-bullying.``  They must obey whatever the government dictates or suffer financially, and that might include promoting social justice causes that contradict Church teaching. Worse, not all your teachers that work in those systems are Catholic. And the ones that are? I dare you to quiz them on their basics: What is the Trinity? What is the Mass? What is the Eucharist? What are the 7 Sacraments? Do they know what Sin is? Is there such a thing as Sin? Many would not be able to give a straight answer I'd bet you. Also, if the school administration and teachers are brainwashed socially and liberally beyond reasoning, the minute you step foot and mention SIN of any kind or a teaching on the big issues like papal infallability, abortion, euthanasia etc. I guarantee you will likely not be let back in to that school. Therefore clergy, you got only one shot a week to teach these people something about the true Faith. If you don't want to and espouse a "Jesus loves everybody" message, they'll find NOTHING UNIQUE about the Catholic faith vs. the other faiths out there, or worse will think you aren't serious about your position and are just "sucking on the power teat" as it were. Now if they like that kinda "lukewarm" thing, fine, but maybe you should look ahead to the future 10-20 years down the road when your donating parishoners die and the collection baskets thin out because the next generation isn't giving a lot and not having enough children (or none if they are contracepting), and the next two generations are leaving/have left the parishes after Confirmation. Just saying!

In fact, I'm personally switching my parish for the Novus Ordo, as this above is one of the reasons. At least at the new N.O. parish I'm seeking has priests that give good traditionally-minded hiomilies, one of them leaning more on solid catechesis and spirituality while another excels at applying the Gospel and LOTW to the modern world. That's the stuff I crave baby!!! And it seems this young woman does too.

The Liturgical Music
Now to tackle music. Music's purpose in the liturgy is outlined here in the Papal Instruction Liturgicam Sacram " 5. Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when it is celebrated in song, with the ministers of each degree fulfilling their ministry and the people participating in it" (I, 5). In other words, it is used as an accompanyment to help lift your soul and help you be in a prayerful mood for the Mass and be able to particilate in it more fully. This document, BTW, was issued by the Vatican II pope, Paul VI. Let's look further into this document: "60. The new melodies for the vernacular texts certainly need to undergo a period of experimentation in order that they may attain a sufficient maturity and perfection. However, anything done in churches, even if only for experimental purposes, which is unbecoming to the holiness of the place, the dignity of the liturgy and the devotion of the faithful, must be avoided." (V, 60) I post this with regard to that fodangled new pop-ish stuff and those tunes of the 60's and 70's in your parents' days where pop hits were turned into Churchy songs (or in the worst cases even used) as well as some of the new genres like "praise and worship." What can we take from this? Look, there is leeway for experiementation and development of new sacred music in Church history. But that does not give you the right to incorporate whatever music you like in the liturgy, just to be "in with the times." If we want secular garbage we'll get that off YouTube and we don't need it elsewhere. We young people can't stand when adults try to "cramp our style" so to speak.

Also accompanying that paragraph is this: " .... Musical instruments can be very useful in sacred celebrations, whether they accompany the singing or whether they are played as solo instruments. "The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem in the Latin Church, since it is its traditional instrument, the sound of which can add a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lift up men's minds to God and higher things." "The use of other instruments may also be admitted in divine worship, given the decision and consent of the competent territorial authority, provided that the instruments are suitable for sacred use, or can be adapted to it, that they are in keeping with the dignity of the temple, and truly contribute to the edification of the faithful."[43]" (VI, 62) Secular instruments and elements might be okay, but have to be assessed as to whether they are or are not geared to the liturgy. Also, just by their sound/nature, some instruments are clearly poorly suited or not at all for the liturgy (e.g. drums, electric guitar when it's not electrically changed by an amp to sound acoustic, and even acoustic guitars to some extent) should be either cautiously used or not at all. The Church, the choir loft, and especially the sanctuary, is not suitable for a rock concert! Sadly there's that territorial authority thing  (cough, bishops, cough) so em if you get a liberal one, well don't be suprized to find the aging hippie band or the folk choir with a guitar at the parish. As for the LIFETEEN/EDGE rock group bands, well I'm mixed. I say the best thing is, well fine let them have their band playing P and W music (if they have to have a band at all for those Masses) but do introduce them to Gregorian Chant and other better Church music to see the gamut of "allowable" music and read to the youth the document above, as well as some of the Vatican II stuff that also speaks with regard to the liturgy. Practically, Is there a schola or a choir school/cathedral they can take a day/eve trip to see? Maybe a secular choir that performs classical/baroque pieces out of musical respect or reverence?

Now you might say, what about the corny music that passes for liturgical ``hymns``? Well likely they got by thanks to your bishop cause of this: "54. In preparing popular versions of those parts which will be set to melodies, and especially of the Psalter, experts should take care that fidelity to the Latin text is suitably harmonized with applicability of the vernacular text to musical settings. The nature and laws of each language must be respected, and the features and special characteristics of each people must be taken into consideration: all this, together with the laws of sacred music, should be carefully considered by musicians in the preparation of the new melodies. The competent territorial authority will therefore ensure that in the commission entrusted with the composition of versions for the people, there are experts in the subjects already mentioned as well as in Latin and the vernacular; from the outset of the work, they must combine their efforts." (V, 54). So in a nutshell, if the bishop is lax and lets this stuff by, well too bad if your pastor okays it use. This is where you have to let your bishop and pastor know you don't like what they do. If they don't listen, you have every right to walk and register at another parish that does respect the Church's liturgical tradition and has music that elevates your soul in the liturgy of the Mass. You also have the right to take your money and put it into the hands of competent musical ministers or choirmasters, and withhold it if your parish is screwing with your ability to truly worship Christ in the Mass in a proper, liturgically correct, manner. It is your hard earned money after all. Also one can protest with their feet: The Church CANNOT deny you your sacraments as long as you are not excommunicated (with exception to reconciliation likely at the hands of the bishop), so you can go to any Catholic Church and attend their Mass, including ones with all the smells and bells and Gregorian Chant if your home parish keeps singing "Gather us In" from that Gather hymnal and "Send down the fire".

My point is, well, the lady has a valid point! Not all this kind of modern stuff is liked by our generation, and we do like the traditional uplifting Church music. We want music that lifts our souls to participate more fully in the Mass, and if you aren't doing it parish X, we have the right and we will go to parish Y that has that unless we are, like "whatever." though we likely won't come back for a long time or never if we have that attitude. You can't deny us our sacraments and kick us out for our liturgical musical preferences. Furthermore, not everyone is moved by your type of music (though not everyone, even some faithful young Roman Catholics, are moved by Gregorian Chant and actually are moved by Praise and Worship or other forms of liturgical music). My point is, move with your feet and your wallet if you can't stand the bandstand.

Alright rant mode OFF. Unfortunately the liberal/mainstream media has made a mess in the minds of many average people with this one, Reason # 4: ".... The scandal surrounding the sexual abuse of minors by clergy was mentioned often. One man said that what did it for him was “the bishop’s refusal to list pedophile priests on the diocesan Web site and his non-support of the effort to lift the statute of limitations for bringing sexual abuses cases forward in the courts"

Well I cannot stand for this person's diocese. However, generally, those priests and bishops who have done anything like this, you've made the Church worse and you deserve the criminal and civil and Church penalties you get. Even Canada is not immune. It is generally known that some of the nuns and priests who took care of Native Canadian reserve school and residences, treated the Natives with abuse of multiple kinds. Also, recently a bishop from the Maritimes, Raymond Lahey, was found with pornography with his computer in 2009. So there's no shortage of stories even for Canada. However, generally, as a whole, the majority of Church clergy do not engage in this kind of activity. In fact this can be applied to every major profession in modern society. The expression is "a few rotten apples spoil the bunch". Now, I will not perform apologeitcs on the Church sex crisis in this post in detail as it's been extensively covered by other Internet and media apologists. For Canadians, the best arguments I can recommend are found in the works of Michael Coren of Sun Media TV, especially "Why the Catholic Church is Right." He tackles the issue with a whole chapter RIGHT FROM THE START of his book. As for the rest of you viewers you can also view Michael Voris' video series on this matter in his little 6-10 min daily faith blurb called "The Vortex" on youtube. Search for Michael Voris, Vortex, and sex scandal or crisis in Catholic Church. I believe he did the weeklong series at the beginning of September in 2010 when the 2nd wave of the crisis hit or was still at high tide?

And this is where I will retire. I could spend many a day on this portion of the survey and more, but this mind has other things he'd like to devote his time to. Enjoy the read, and as always, my blog rules are in effect, so think before posting.

Pax Tibi Christi, YCRCM.

Quickpost: Wow Cardinal Collins Quotes Humanae Vitae in Interview with Vatican Radio Just after being Red Hatted

Score one for Canada!!!! Anyone think maybe, just maybe, Cardinal Collins will be the next Pope of the Church?

Here's the post by an Ontario group of Catholic bloggers: http://torontocatholicwitness.blogspot.com/2012/02/cardinal-collins-on-humanae-vitae.html

Here's the interview from Vatican Radio: http://www.news.va/en/news/cardinal-collins-families-need-to-be-strong

Don't forget to read the important (but sadly controversial and now well-ignored) Encyclical Humanae Vitae here: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html

BTW, I went to a Solemn Latin Mass at a parish in my city for Ash Wednesday case you were wondering. (Only 1 meal, no meat). YCRCM.

Quick Post: Commenter Centristian's Reply on the Hot Topic of Assisi III

Hello everyone,

So currently, as it has happened this past week, one of the current hot blogging topics is Assisi III. In a nutshell, this is a worldwide interfaith gathering of leaders of many of the world's religions, hosted by the Pope. The first event was in 1986, with Assisi II in 2002. This started with Pope John Paul II and has continued with our current pope, Benedict XVI. Benedict did attend Assisi II at Pope John Paul II's request, but skipped Assisi I.

However, these interfaith events have not been without very heated criticism, and even sacreligious practices surrounding it. One of the most touted examples is the "Buhdda statue incidient" as touted by Cardinal Oddi of Assisi I in 1983:

“On that day ... I walked through Assisi ... And I saw real profanations in some places of prayer. I saw Buddhists dancing around the altar upon which they placed Buddha in the place of Christ and then incensed it and showed it reverence. A Benedictine protested and the police took him away ... There was obvious confusion in the faces of the Catholics who were assisting at the ceremony.”(1)

I'll admit that's pretty poor taste and they shouldn't have had such free reign to do that. Fast forward to 2011 where now Benedict is in the hot seat as Pope and he has to do what his predecessor did. Once again the criticism flies, saying how dare he compromize the Catholic faith and promote the very thing he warned he would not do, syncretism (amalgamation of conflicting faiths). I can see the SSPX blowing a nutty over this and threating to reject the premable. Still, even with Benedict's refusal to do much of what was done at prior Assisi gatherings, and just having a moment of silence in unison vs. praying with other faiths, an "incident" occured that has made this Assisi gathering seem like some kind of syncretic event, where some African pagan minister chanted to his pagan God I've never heard of, Olokun.

So I begin to read the combox at Fr. Z's WDTPRS and see a lot of vitrol (I'm exaggerating) and "how dare B16 destroy the faith and be a hypocrite" comments. And then this gem shows up from Centristian, who tends to just floor you with his/her prospective on issues. You just read along, and all of a sudden he/she comes with the greatest insight of the day. Here's Centristian's insight on the Assisi issue and B16's actions. He/She doesn't agree with the event either, but he tackles the whole "your Church is corrupt and hypocritical in history, and is therefore the Whore of Babylon" thing beautifully, my emphasis in bold with slight italics:

Centristian says:

29 October 2011 at 10:56 am

@Neal:
“If this is true (and if I’ve missed something I’m sure someone will let me know), is it fair to assume that silence in the face of this scandal is the price of full communion?”

Perhaps it is the case that it is hard to be anything but silent in the face of something so bewildering. I watched broadcasts of the event, and I could not see that there was any point to the event at all. It seemed like a completely empty and totally meaningless affair (at best). It was strange to see the Pope preside over all of this orchestrated meaningless…and it was not edifying, I am afraid, which I say with all due respect to the Holy Father. But finally, I just do not understand what it actually was. And if certain voices are not vocalizing condemnation, I imagine it is because they aren’t even sure what exactly happened. That is better, I think, than the voices who will harshly, now, condemn the Pope, having just as little understanding, themselves, of what actually happened.

I don’t really know what to do but walk away from it and forget about it. It isn’t the first time, of course, that the actions of popes have left the faithful shaking their heads and wondering what to make of things. Think of the stellar example of the warrior Pope Julius II, or of the publicly scandalous behaviour of Pope Alexander VI (and others like him from the same era). Think of the powerful Italian families and patrician Roman woman using the papacy as their own property for the political and economic advancement of themselves and their families. The good Christfaithful of such times aware of such papal disappointments must have been sickened to the point of wanting to walk right out the door. But where were they to go? Many did run away from it all, of course, into the household of Protestant heresy and schism, confused, shaken and angry; a lamentable but very understandable reaction. So scandalized were they by Christ’s wounded Body, they could only think to flee rather than stay behind and care for it. Fortunately, many Veronicas stayed by and wiped the Face of our disfigured Church with their own personal holiness, witness, and examples.

I think its also helpful to recognize that Christians of one era would potentially be scandalized by the Church of another, so much has the Church changed over the centuries of her existence. Many readers of this blog, for example, in today’s Church, would glory in the sight of, say, Pope St. Pius X, borne aloft on a throne on the shoulders of courtiers, surrounded by ostrich feathers and imperially crowned with the papal tiara. “Magnificent!” we would exclaim. Would a first century Christian feel the same way, however? Might he not be horrified and repulsed by the sight? “Our blessed Peter is arrayed as Pharaoh?!”

I have to put myself in the company of Christians, who, when faced with bewildering actions on the part of a pope or other church leaders will simply sigh, say a prayer, and continue to go about living their own lives of faith, confident that they will not ever have to answer for what a pope does, in any case. That’s all I can do: leave it behind, let God and the Pope sort this one out between them, and carry on in faith, day by day.

Let us not neglect to pray for the Pope. The popes aren’t always supermen. They’re seldom supermen, in fact; often they are quite the opposite. Some past popes have said and done silly and even horrific things. Just look at Peter, himself, who actually denied Jesus Christ three times. Christ chose his apostles knowing that they were all weak and apt to stumble and fall…what else did he have to choose from? We’re all that way. And when one of us rises to the Chair of Peter, that brother of ours remains what he began as: dust. That’s all any of us are. That’s all the pope is, too. So love him and pray for him. He is no better than us, and he is no worse.

Some will watch this and conclude “see: this is not a true pope and that is not a true Church. This is ‘Newchurch’, the false Roman Catholic Church. We must find, somewhere, the true remnant of the true Church and separate ourselves from ‘Newrome’. We will save the Church!” Don’t fall into that trap, however. Don’t flee the establishment of the hierarchical Church because you worry that it isn’t as pure and indefectible as it ought to be. Of course it isn’t; it never was. Its many imperfections give no group the right to establish its own authority, however.

We do not save the Church. The Church saves us. The Church is Christ’s own Body. Christ has promised us that the gates of Hell will not prevail against his Church [edit: Found in Matthew 16:18], therefore those faithful to Christ need have no fear or great trouble over the mistakes (or apparent mistakes) of erroneous hierarchs and prelates. We don’t answer for any of what they do. When we die, God isn’t going to ask, “What is your position on Assisi III?” and then say to us, “Ah-ha! You’re wrong. Buh-bye!” if we’ve misunderstood it all. Don’t be scandalized, therefore, by those who aren’t commenting on something that , for some of us, simply leaves us speechless. (2)

Will someone please give this person a medal and an instant ticket to the seminary or a job at Catholic Answers? This was so powerful and conveyed so lovingly of the Church and those in it. And I wish you a happy 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), or Feast of Christ the King for our Extraordiary Form compatriots.

YCRCM.


References:
(1) “Confisses de um Cardeal,” Interview granted by Cardinal Oddi to Tommasco Ricci, 30 Dias, November 1990, p. 64. Cited from Quo Vadis Petre? by Atila Sinke Guimaraes (Tradition in Action, Los Angeles, 1999), pp. 5-6
(2) "Centristian" in Fr. John Zuhlsdorf. What does the Prayer Really Say? 29 Nov 2011. <http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/10/pagan-chant-to-the-deity-olokun-in-the-basilica-of-st-francis-during-assisi-iii/#comments>