Introducing Rorate Caeli: New Catholic's new blog

Taking his blog name from the opening words of the Vulgate text of Isaiah 45:8 -- "Rorate coeli desuper et nubes pluant justum: aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem" (Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior.) -- New Catholic's new blog, Rorate Caeli, is based on a text -- according to the Catholic Encyclopedia -- that is used frequently both at Mass and in the traditional Divine Office during Advent, giving exquisite poetic expression to the longings of Patriarchs and Prophets, and symbolically of the Church, for the coming of the Messiah. As New Catholic describes in the opening post on his new blog, the words quoted above come from the "first words of the Mass (Introit) of the day in which [the weblog] was established, the Fourth Sunday of Advent. It truly is one of the most beautiful of all Introits in the Liturgical Year."

Of special interest to readers of this blog will be the recent posts on two very special papal documents, (1) Pope St. Pius X's Sacra Tridentina Synodus, which made it clear that Catholics could and should receive frequent Holy Communion, changing what was the ordinary habit of most Catholics to rarely Communion only rarely, which New Catholic discusses in his post entitled "A Glorious Centennial" (Tuesday, December 20, 2005); and (2) Pope Pius XII's Musicae Sacrae Disciplina, on Sacred Music, which is addressed in his post entitled "The Discipline of Sacred Music - 50 years later - I" (also on Tuesday, December 20, 2005).

Also of interest are the posts: (1) "Vatican II at 40 - The Pope who will correct Vatican II?" and (2) "Vatican II at 40 - Continuity - II."

For those unfamiliar with "New Catholic," he is a relatively new convert to the Catholic Faith (one year), credits his conversion in signifiant measure to the influence of the Traditional Latin Mass, of which he is a stalwart proponent, and has a profound devotion to the Blessed Mother.

Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging and endless cut-throat competition for no pay, no respect, and the mixed blessing of dissident Irish commentators!