"Lawler on Card. Dolan’s upcoming appearance at the Democratic Abortion Convention"

Via Fr. Z. (WDTPRS, August 29, 2012): "Phil Lawler at CWN has some thoughts about the Card. Dolan’s upcoming appearance at the Dems’ Abortion Convention. He doesn’t so much consider whether Dolan should have offered to go or whether he should have accepted, but rather whether the DNC should have extended the invitation and what Dolan’s appearance at the convention might mean for them."

There is much that is interesting here, including the commentary by Fr. Z. Lawler's chief point however seems to be this (Lawler's words):

"One way or another—because he is treated rudely, as an enemy; or because he is treated politely, as a foreign dignitary—Cardinal Dolan’s appearance in Charlotte will help Catholic voters to notice that they are no longer 'at home' in the Democratic Party. Like the cardinal they may be accepted as guests, but as long as the Democratic Party embraces the culture of Death, Catholic Democrats will be operating on alien territory. "Cardinal Dolan offered to attend the convention if his presence was wanted. The truth is that he is not wanted. But the Democratic Party has chosen to pretend, and that is a serious tactical error." [emphasis Fr. Z.'s]

Fr. Z. asks: "Is Lawler on to something here?" I wish he were.

Abortion survivor in withering ad against Obama

[Hat tip to Matt Drudge]

“Judas could have left, as many of the disciples did; he would have left if he were honest.”

The Holy Father’s Angelus address from last Sunday, via Fr. Z.

The words of Pope Benedict:

"Instead he remained with Jesus. He did not remain because of faith, or because of love, but with the secret intention of taking vengeance on the Master. Why? Because Judas felt betrayed by Jesus, and decided that he in turn would betray Him. Judas was a Zealot, and wanted a triumphant Messiah, who would lead a revolt against the Romans. [Fr. Z: "He wanted to reduce the Lord and His mission to the worldly."] Jesus had disappointed those expectations. The problem is that Judas did not go away, and his most serious fault was falsehood, which is the mark of the devil. This is why Jesus said to the Twelve: “One of you is a devil” (John 6.70). We pray to the Virgin Mary, help us to believe in Jesus, as St. Peter did, and to always be sincere with Him and with all people."

Why do so many dissenters and revisionists presume to stay, I wonder?

Cardinal: Novus Ordo not the Mass of the Council

"Brandmüller: the Mass of Paul VI IS NOT the Mass of the Council -- Sacrosanctum Concilium never really implemented" (Rorate Caeli, August 28, 2012):

... I must emphasise that the form of the post-conciliar liturgy with all its distortions, is not attributable to the Council or to the Liturgy Constitution established during Vatican II which by the way has not really been implemented even to this day. The indiscriminate removal of Latin and Gregorian Chants from liturgical celebrations and the erection of numerous altars were absolutely not acts prescribed by the Council.

Read more >>

Lenoir-Rhyne University comes out of the closet

My friend Sean Fagan just sent me the link: "LTSS to Host Author of 'My Two Moms - Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family'" (LRU-LTSS website, announcing Sept. 10th event).

Oh how flippin' "TOUCHING"!! What a fabulous "witness" to the surrounding culture: to simply ECHO its most fashionable Hollywood sentiments to its loud applauding self-congratulation. Elton John must be slobbering up another gay song. Altogether now: blechhhhh. This is nothing less than the vision H.R. Niebuhr would categorize as the "Christ OF Culture," i.e., the Gospel OF THE CULTURE itself. In still other words, Christ has been swallowed up and replaced by a hell-bound culture of pandering narcissism and wallowing self-indulgence. Lovely. How sad. How pathetic. Chalk one up for the Devil.

Extraordinary community news

Tridentine Community News (August 26, 2012):

The Four Ends of Holy Mass

Holy Mother Church teaches that the Mass has four ends: 1) Adoration of God, 2) Atonement for sins committed, 3) Thanksgiving for favors received, and 4) Petition for favors to be granted. This is made amply evident in the precise form and prayers of the Traditional Latin Mass. For example, the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar at the beginning of Mass and the detailed Offertory prayers make quite clear the role of priest and faithful in the Holy Sacrifice, and what they are offering to and asking of Almighty God.


The Church provides a (formerly indulgenced) Prayer Before Mass which addresses all four of these ends and provides an eminently suitable preparation. As with so many of the best prayers, it condenses many theological concepts into just a few words. The translation from the 1963 Marian Missal is as follows:

“Eternal Father, I unite myself with the intentions and affections of our Lady of Sorrows on Calvary, and I offer Thee the Sacrifice which Thy beloved Son Jesus made of Himself on the Cross and which He now renews on this holy altar: 1. To adore Thee and give Thee the honor which is due to Thee, confessing Thy supreme dominion over all things, and the absolute dependence of everything upon Thee, Who art our one and last end. 2. To thank Thee for innumerable benefits received. 3. To appease Thy justice, aroused against us by so many sins, and to make satisfaction for them. 4. To implore grace and mercy for myself, for..., for all afflicted and sorrowing, for poor sinners, for all the world, and for the holy souls in purgatory.”

It is worth mentioning that the above prayer before Mass addresses different concepts than, and is not to be confused with, most Prayers Before Receiving Holy Communion. The above prayer is suitable and commendable even if you will not be receiving Communion at a given Mass. Every Mass has infinite value, and assisting at Mass is the source of countless graces, whether or not one receives Holy Communion.

Grammatical Note

You will occasionally see the expression “assisting at” Mass. This term refers to prayerfully attending Holy Mass. It does not mean physically doing something at Mass, such as singing or serving at the altar. Everyone who attends Mass with devotion is considered to “assist at” Holy Mass, even if you are simply silently following along in a back corner of the church.

Two Special Masses on September 9

In two weeks, on Sunday, September 9, there will be two special Masses in the Extraordinary Form: St. Albertus Church will hold a Mass at noon, and Holy Redeemer Church will hold its first Tridentine Mass in over 40 years at 2:00 PM.

You Can Help Arrange a Mass in an Historic Church

The special Masses that are taking place with increasing frequency at local historic churches are happening because individuals are taking the initiative to obtain the permission of pastors and coordinate the necessary logistics. This is an international phenomenon, not constrained to our corner of the world. Catholics who would rarely if ever venture outside their home parish are being exposed to the liturgical patrimony of the Church. New generations are being given the opportunity to appreciate better the reasons why certain features of their grand and glorious edifices were built. Pipe organs and choir lofts are being used once again for Gregorian Chant, the official music of the Sacred Liturgy. Catholics who already attend the Tridentine Mass are motivated to see some of the architectural gems of this region which they wouldn’t ordinarily visit. Plus these Masses provide a means to draw attention to our home parishes where the Tridentine Mass is offered every week. A win-win for all involved.

If you have connections to a certain historic church in the Archdiocese of Detroit, the Diocese of Lansing, or the Diocese of London, Ontario, consider asking whether they might be interested in hosting a one-time Mass in the Extraordinary Form. Our Detroit and Windsor volunteer team will be happy to assist you in bringing the idea to fruition, and we will guarantee that the event will be cash-positive for the parish. E-mail us at the address at the bottom of this page or call (248) 250-2740 for further information.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Mon. 08/27 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Josaphat (St. Joseph Calasancticus, Confessor)

Tue. 08/28 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Assumption-Windsor (St. Augustine, Bishop, Confessor, & Doctor)

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth" [Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@detroitlatinmass.org. Previous columns are available at http://www.detroitlatinmass.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Josaphat (Detroit) and Assumption (Windsor) bulletin inserts for August 26, 2012. Hat tip to A.B., author of the column.]

Ex-priest leads starts break-away church in NC

Michael Gordon, "'Leaving in Sorrow,' Catholics start new church ..." (Charlotte Observer, August 13, 2012): "Tom Sanford left the priesthood; now he’s back to lead a small congregation breaking away from the Diocese of Charlotte." "The small community of Catholics became unhappy with what they feel is a regression from progress made in recent decades." They meet in an old Lutheran (ELCA) church in Hickory, NC. Read more >>

I am acquainted with these folk and I am sorry to hear about this, though not entirely surprised. Mr. Sanford was invited by the chaplain of Lenoir-Rhyne University (ELCA Lutheran) to preach at the school chapel a number of times, ostensibly as a representative of area Catholic clergy in an "ecumenical" gesture. He always wore his clerical collar. He and his wife were also active in hosting catechetical programs in their home. His wife has apparently chosen not to leave the local Catholic church.

Paul Ryan's extremism

Carl E. Olson offers a remarkable exposé, in "Paul Ryan's radical beliefs about budgets, politics, and society" (Catholic World Report, August 16, 2012):

This is, without doubt, brazen and even radical stuff, full of the sort of triumphalistic, jingoistic, and greedy rhetoric you expect from Republicans and conservatives. Brace yourself:

"[We] will confidently proceed to unshackle American enterprise and to free American labor, industrial leadership, and capital, to create an abundance that will outstrip any other system.

"Free competitive enterprise is the most creative and productive form of economic order that the world has seen. The recent slow pace of American growth is due not to the failure of our free economy but to the failure of our national leadership. ...

"Economic growth is the means whereby we improve the American standard of living and produce added tax resources for national security and essential public services. ...

"The American free enterprise system is one of the great achievements of the human mind and spirit. It has developed by a combination of the energetic efforts of working men and women, bold private initiative, the profit motive and wise public policy, until it is now the productive marvel of mankind. ...

"We will seek further tax reduction—and in the process we need to remove inequities in our present tax laws. In particular we should carefully review all our excise taxes and eliminate those that are obsolete. Consideration should be given to the development of fiscal policies which would provide revenue sources to hard-pressed state and local governments to assist them with their responsibilities.

"Every penny of Federal spending must be accounted for in terms of the strictest economy, efficiency and integrity. We pledge to continue a frugal government, getting a dollar's value for a dollar spent, and a government worthy of the citizen's confidence.

"Our goal is a balanced budget in a balanced economy."

Wow. That Ayn Rand-worshiping Ryan fellow is crazy!

Oh, wait. My apologies; the quotes above were all taken from the 1960 and 1964 Democratic Party Platforms. [emphasis added]

Read more >>
[Hat tip to Mark Latkovic]

Great "Culture of Life" Posture!

[Hat tip to Matthew Hood]

2016: Love him, hate him: you don't know him

This movie started out as a small independent film showing in only ten theatres in Texas. Defying all predictions, it is now showing in theatres all across the country and has risen to fourth place in the top-grossing films. Curious.

Moloch worship in senate chambers

In 2001, then IL state Sen. Obama for the 2nd year in a row was the sole senator opposing Born Alive Infant bills on state senate floor.

Let me translate: Obama was arguing for infanticide.


See Fr. Z's commentary HERE.

For the record: PCED response to two "dubia" about "legitimacy" in Universae Ecclesiae

The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei has issued a response to two "dubia" favorable to those of a traditionalist bent.

Based on a report in the August 23, 2012, PDF copy of The Wanderer, Fr. Zuhlsdorf offers a detailed analysis HERE concerning something he describes as "pretty important."

Fr. Z's concluding summary:

By this response, the PCED is clarifying that those who want the older form of Mass do NOT have to admit that practices such as Communion in the hand, or altar girls, or EMHCs, etc., are good. They might be legal, but they might also be abominations in the sight of God ... depending on your point of view. Furthermore, a priest or a bishop cannot say “Because your group, over there at St. Cunigunda’s in Frostbite Falls, denies the ‘legitimacy’ of altar girls, you therefore do not quality as a stable group that can ask for the Extraordinary Form.”

Memorial Mass for "Day of the Freemason"???

From "Missa pelo “Dia do Maçom” na Diocese de Pesqueira, Pernambuco" (Fratres in Unum.com) via New Catholic (August 25, 2012).

Does this require a comment, or is it just beyond weird, like Black Panthers relaxing at High Tea with the KKK?

Funeral for annual March for Life's founder

Nellie Gray, founder of the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., was buried yesterday following a funeral at St. Mary, Mother of God Parish in the nation's capital. See the announcement at the parish website: "Nellie Gray's Funeral mass will be a Traditional Missa Cantata Requiem."

Coming out of gay life

Some of you may remember our earlier post, "Lesbian quits gay community after 30 years, comes out Catholic" (Musings, July 12, 2012).

Robin Teresa Beck, convert from 30 years in gay life, was interviewed by Teresa Tomeo today (Thursday, August 23, 2012) in the 3rd and 4th segments of the Catholic Connection. LISTEN HERE (the interview begins at 32 minutes and 20 seconds).

The miracle of Obama as president

I've commented before on the sense of inevitability animating Barack Obama's rise to prominence and successful bid for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. Perhaps it's divine providence in the sense of God's permissive will to allow a nation complicit in four decades of child sacrifice, narcissistic materialism, and wholesale apostasy to implode morally and economically upon itself. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said during his exile in the United States: "We have forgotten God." But you have to admit, there is something altogether unlikely about this fellow rising to such prominence, almost as unlikely as that obscure son of Alois Schicklgruber who took the world by storm in the 1930s. As Bill Whittle says, "IT'S A MIRACLE!" (VIDEO on Afterburner)

I would sincerely like, however, to see an abrupt end to God's 'gift' of these kinds of miracles.


Of course, Mr. Obama could be altogether correct, depending on what he means by his plan having "worked." Depending on his aims, it might be altogether true.

Extraordinary community news

Tridentine Community News (August 19, 2012):

Jackson Mass Draws Crowd


Though only 100 were expected, over 300 people turned out for a special Mass in the Extraordinary Form held at Jackson’s St. Mary Star of the Sea Church this past Tuesday, August 14. Only the second Tridentine Mass held there since Vatican II, St. Mary’s was a perfect site for the classic liturgy. The church is well maintained and gleams from cleanliness; air conditioning will even be added soon. The stained glass is particularly breathtaking. Thanks are due to Jackson Tridentine Mass coordinator Jon Ferguson for organizing and publicizing this special event, and to St. Mary’s pastor Fr. Timothy Nelson for his gracious hospitality. Fr. Nelson appreciates the appropriateness of St. Mary’s for the Traditional Mass and envisages additional EF Masses to be held there in the future. [Photos by ___________________]

Detroit’s Holy Redeemer Church to Hold Special Mass


We are pleased to report that a third historic church will be joining the ranks of those holding a special Mass for the first time in over 40 years: Holy Redeemer Church, at 1721 Junction Street, just north of I-75 near the Ambassador Bridge. On Sunday, September 9 at 2:00 PM, Fr. Clement Suhy, OSB will celebrate a sung Tridentine Mass; music will be provided by the St. Joseph Mens’ Schola.

Holy Redeemer was long the local home of the Redemptorist order of priests. A grand church with an expansive campus encompassing an elementary school and Cristo Rey High School, the church gained some fame as the site for the filming of the 1987 mystery movie The Rosary Murders, based on a book by Detroit novelist William X. Kienzle. In recent years Holy Redeemer has become the largest parish in metro Detroit serving the Hispanic community. The parish was recently given over to the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. The SOLT order now send its seminarians to Sacred Heart Seminary; 14 seminarians are presently in residence at Holy Redeemer.

With a nave reminiscent of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Holy Redeemer sports a high altar surmounted by a baldacchino. With a high pulpit, Communion Rail, side altars, and devotional shrines, Holy Redeemer is an ideal site for the traditional Liturgy. Juventútem leader Paul Schultz will be providing a Latin/Spanish Propers Handout in addition to the usual Latin/English handout to assist members of the parish. Many thanks to Sandra Geromette for organizing this Mass and Holy Redeemer pastor Fr. Dennis Walsh for welcoming the effort.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Mon. 08/20 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Josaphat (St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot & Doctor)

Tue. 08/21 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Assumption-Windsor (St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Widow)

Wed. 08/22 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Josaphat (Immaculate Heart of Mary)

Fri. 08/24 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Josaphat (St. Bartholomew, Apostle)

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth" [Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@detroitlatinmass.org. Previous columns are available at http://www.detroitlatinmass.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Josaphat (Detroit) and Assumption (Windsor) bulletin inserts for August 19, 2012. Hat tip to A.B., author of the column.]

Nice and funny

What if Dan Cathy had been a Muslim named Abdul Shakem Jabar?

What is Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy had been a Muslim named Abdul Shakem Jabar and had stated simply in an interview that his views on same-sex relationships were shaped by his Muslim tradition in accordance with the Qur'an and Hadith? Would the mayors of Chicago, Boston and San Francisco have banned the business from their cities and thousands of LGBT throngs have descended with hate-speech graffiti and opprobrium upon the chicken-sandwich-vending restaurant? What do you think, and why?

Cardinal Dolan reflects on first meeting with Paul Ryan

You may have seen THIS already, or maybe not, but it has some interesting tidbits, such as that Ryan held forth in a commencement speech for an impressive nine minutes on ... St. Thomas Aquinas.

[Hat tip to J.M.]

Catholic ex-lesbian to be interviewed by Teresa Tomeo

I just received this email from a friend in the area:

"On September 5, during the 8-10am Teresa Tomeo radio show (in our [Metro-Detroit] area at 990am or online at Ave Maria Radio) my dear friend Robin Beck will be speaking about her journey from gay life back to the Catholic Church. The show will be broadcast on her 3rd anniversary of leaving gay life. She will be speaking about her personal journey, the joy of returning to a fully faithful Catholic life, and the struggles of the past years. You won't regret listening, or reading her book, I Just Came For Ashes,which you can pick up on Amazon.

"Hope you have a chance to listen in, and pray for her mission to reach out to those currently in gay life, and looking for the truth of Christ."

Readers may remember our previous post on Robin Teresa Beck and her book, "Lesbian quits gay community after 30 years, comes out Catholic" (Musings, July 12, 2012). The book is worth reading; and the interview will surely be worth hearing. If you have any contacts you would like to hear the interview, please contact them. It's rare these days to find somebody willing to stand up and testify to the truth about gay life, let alone air their story on Catholic radio. Pray for Robin and Teresa and their interview on September 5th.

[Hat tip to D.R.-E.]

Related: Robin Beck was interviewed by Teresa Tomeo on Thursday, August 23, 2012, in the 3rd and 4th segments of the Catholic Connection. LISTEN HERE (the interview begins at 32 minutes and 20 seconds).

Catholics have a double standard too

But the problem is that most so-called Catholics already are!.
There are two problems here: (1) The Obama administration's HHS Mandate runs rough shod over the freedom of Catholics to practice their religion, which includes -- for those Catholics who give a fig about Church teaching -- abstaining from complicity in the sins of abortion and sterilization ... all of which flies in the face of Democratic principles of individual liberty and freedom of conscience; and (2) most nominal Catholics, and even many that go to Mass more often than Easter and Christmas, don't find anything wrong with Obama's HHS Mandate, because they already support a "woman's right to choose" and covertly (or sometimes not-so-covertly) practice contraception themselves.

Is there a message here the Church leadership can take to heart about the consequences of neglecting to offer a clear catechesis and stalwart defense of Church teaching?

Co-chair of Obama's budget-deficit commission, Erskine Bowles' endorsement of ... Paul Ryan

That is, he came out with this ringing endorsement of him in 2011:

Absolutely hilarious Onion article on Paul Ryan

[Advisory: some off-color language] The remarkable thing about this article is that although intended to mock Ryan (I think), at face value, it's nearly all factually accurate. As Christopher Blosser, who sent the link to me said: "You can just imagine Obama reading this": READ IT HERE >>

Urgent prayers requested

... for a special intention of consequence to my family, today through Friday of this week.

Kind regards, P.B.

President proposes pushing Grandma over cliff

• "Obama proposes cuts to Social Security" (Political Hotsheet)
  
• "Obama Campaign Defends President's $700 Billion Cuts to Medicare" (Weekly Standard, August 12, 2012).
  
• "National Review's Rich Lowry Puts MSNBC's Rachel Maddow in the hot seat over Obama SS cuts on Meet the Press" (MRCTV, August 12, 2012).

But wait ... there's more! Now the President wants to repeat his bailouts with every other ailing industry! In Pueblo, CO, the President declared (Politico 44, August 9, 2012):

“Now I want to do the same thing with manufacturing jobs, not just in the auto industry, but in every industry."

Step in line, CEO's! Let the Fed ramp up those printing presses and print more dollars! It's funny money time!

The other side of the story in Syria

Patsy McGarry, "Media coverage of Syrian violence partial and untrue, says nun" (The Irish Times, August 13, 2012). Excerpts:

A NUN who has been superior at a Syrian monastery for the past 18 years has warned that media coverage of ongoing violence in that country has been “partial and untrue”. It is “a fake”, Mother Agnes Mariam said, which “hides atrocities committed in the name of liberty and democracy”.

... When it was put to her this suggested the whole world was out of step except for Syria, Russia and China, she protested: “No, no, there are 20 countries, including some in Latin America” of the same view.

... Christians make up about 10 per cent of Syria’s population, dispersed throughout the country, she said. The Assad regime “does not favour Christians”, she said. “It is a secular regime based on equality for all, even though in the constitution it says the Koran is the source of legislation.”

But “Christians are less put aside [in Syria] than in other Islamic countries, for example Saudi Arabia,” she said. “The social fabric of Syria is very diverse, so Christians live in peace.”

The “Arab insurrection” under way in that country included “sectarian factions which promote fundamentalist Islam, which is not genuine Islam”, she said.

The majority of Muslims in Syria are moderate and open to other cultural and interfaith elements, she said. “Wahhabism (a fundamentalist branch of Islam) is not open,” she added.

[Hat tip to New Catholic]

Card. Burke: Summorum Pontificum & worship as key to reform

On his own blog, Fr. Z. comments that Cardinal Burke here touches on something that he (Fr. Z.) has been "harping on incessantly" for years:

I have been saying that we must revitalize our Catholic identity. We cannot do that if we don’t know who we are. We cannot know who we are or be who we are called to be without a proper liturgical worship of God. For there to be any renewal of the Church, a new evangelization – call it what you will – we must first of all revitalize our worship of God. This is why Summorum Pontificum was such a great gift. We cannot revitalize our worship without striving to reestablish continuity with how Catholic have always worshiped and brought petitions to God.

What is "Traditionalism"? CNS interviews John Rao

Professor John Rao, president of the Roman Forum, is interviewed by the USCCB Catholic News Service (CNS) about the Church today, Tradition, and the Roman Forum, an organization founded by the eminent Catholic philosopher, Dietrich von Hildebrand, in 1968 -- full playlist below (just play and all parts will load automatically):

If the sequels to Part I do not load automatically, you can continue your viewing of those parts at YouTube or Rorate Caeli.

[Hat tip to Rorate Caeli, August 10, 2012)]

Extraordinary Community News

Tridentine Community News (August 12, 2012):

Treasures of the Roman Ritual: The Blessing for Wedding Anniversaries

The 1961 Colléctio Rítuum contains blessings for 25th and 50th wedding anniversaries. These are to be prayed in Latin after Mass, immediately after the Last Gospel. Optional exhortations, or short homilies, and English prayers may be added before and after the ceremony. Below is the 25th Anniversary version; the 50th is similar. An adapted, non-formalized version in English is also provided in the Colléctio for other anniversaries. These and other blessings from the Extraordinary Form Roman Ritual are available to you by prior arrangement with a priest.

Ant. Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.

Psalm 127

Happy are you who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork: happy shall you be, and favored.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants around your table.
Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.
The Lord bless you from Sion: May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life;
May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Ant. Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.

V. Send them help, O Lord, from Your sanctuary.
R. And sustain them from Sion.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto You.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.


Let us pray. O Lord, we implore You, extend to Your faithful servants the right hand of Your divine assistance, so that they may seek You with their whole hearts and receive from You whatever they ask for that is right.
R. Amen.

Let us pray. Almighty, everlasting God, look with kindness upon these Your servants, who are with gladness approaching Your holy temple to give thanks, and grant that after this life they may (with their children) attain to the joys of eternal happiness. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Te Deum

We praise You, God; we acclaim You Lord of all creation.
Everlasting Father, all the world bows down before You.
All the Angels, all the Hosts of heaven, and the myriad Powers;
All the Cherubim and Seraphim call out with tireless voices:
Holy, holy, holy: the Lord God of heavenly Hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled with Your majesty and glory.
Your praises are proclaimed by the illustrious Apostles;
And by all the prophets, Your most admirable heralds;
By the white-robed army who shed their blood for You.
And throughout the world holy Church attests Her faith in You:
The heavenly Father, Whose Majesty is boundless; the true and only Son, Whom we adore;
And likewise the Holy Spirit, sent to be our Advocate.
You, O Christ, are the King of glory!
Only You, O Christ are the Father’s everlasting Son.
In taking flesh and becoming mankind’s Savior, You did not disdain the Virgin’s womb.
In destroying by Your might the sting of death, You opened up to believers the kingdom of heaven.
Now You sit at God’s right hand, in the Father’s glory.
And so we firmly believe that You are the Judge Who is to come.
(Kneel for the following verse:) We therefore implore You to save Your servants whom Your Precious Blood redeemed.
(Then stand again.)Add them to the number of Your Saints in everlasting glory.
Save Your faithful people, Lord; bless all who belong to You.
Be their Shepherd and rule over them, and exalt them forever and ever.
Day by day we praise You, and never cease to worship You.
We will continue to praise Your holy Name, in time and in eternity.
In Your great mercy, Lord, keep us today from all sin.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
May Your mercy, Lord, remain with us always, for we put our whole trust in You.
My hope is in You alone, O Lord; may I never be disappointed.

V. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
R. Let us praise him and exalt him above all forever.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to You.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.

Let us pray. O God, Your mercy is unlimited and Your goodness is inexhaustible. We thank You for all that You in Your loving Majesty have given us, ever asking that You, who always answer those who ask, may in Your mercy not abandon them, but prepare them to receive eternal rewards.

God, who instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, guide us by Your Spirit to desire only what is good and so always to find joy in His comfort.

God, You allow no one who trusts in You to be afflicted beyond measure, but give a hearing to the pleas of Your fervent petitioners; thus we give You thanks for having heard our requests and prayers, and we continue to call on Your loving kindness to protect us ever from all adversities. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

The priest sprinkles the couple with holy water.

V. May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you forever.
R. Amen.
V. Go in peace, and may the Lord be with you.
R. Amen.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Mon. 08/13 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Josaphat (Daily Mass for the Dead [Requiem Mass with Absolution at the Catafalque])

Tue. 08/14 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Assumption-Windsor (Vigil of the Assumption)

Tue. 08/14 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson, Michigan (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary [anticipated])

Wed. 08/15 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Josaphat (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

Sun. 08/19 Noon: High Mass at St. Albertus (Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost)

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth" [Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@detroitlatinmass.org. Previous columns are available at http://www.detroitlatinmass.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Josaphat (Detroit) and Assumption (Windsor) bulletin inserts for August 12, 2012. Hat tip to A.B., author of the column.]

Why Romney picked Ryan

Watch the President's eyes from the first frame and tell me what he's thinking as Ryan takes apart his fiscal policy in 6 minutes:


Now, tell me, does it really make sense to suppose that Grandma in her wheelchair will be SAVED from being pushed over the cliff by the President's fiscal policy?

Political spin: an illustration

1. A pro-Obama poster showing a smiling president and states:

"Imagine if a Republican President:

• Pulled us out of the worst recession in over 80 years
• Produced over 2 straight years of private sector job growth
• Created over 4 million jobs
• Saved the American auto industry
• Killed Osama Bin Ladin
• Aided in helping kill Gaddafi without a single American casualty
• Ended the war in Iraq
• Championed the lowest taxes in decades

"He'd be considered a conservative legend. Instead it was a mixed-race Democrat. So that means he's a socialist, anti-American foreign born Muslim who hates Christians and wants to destroy capitalism. Funny how that works."

2. A recent appeal by Sen. Rick Santorum notes by contrast:

Since Obama took office, we've had:

• 41 months of unemployment greater than 8 percent. 
• 23 million Americans struggling to find work.
• 1 in 6 Americans in poverty. 
• 1 in 4 children on food stamps.
• Our national debt has grown by over $5.2 trillion to $16 trillion.
• We have had 4 consecutive years of deficits exceeding $1 trillion. 
• Gas prices have increased an average of $1.65 a gallon, at a time when real wages are stagnant.
• On President Obama's watch, 5.7 million residential mortgages are either 30 days delinquent or in foreclosure. 
• President Obama has put us at a disadvantage versus China. In the last year alone, China has increased its manufacturing base by 18 percent and grown its economy by $2 trillion.

Of course, this only scratches the political surface of spin. Draw your conclusions.

Book Notice: Origin's Doctrine of the Soul

A comprehensive analysis of the
theological anthropology of one of
the early church's finest theologians

Become Like the Angels
Origin's Doctrine of the Soul

Benjamin P. Blosser

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185-245), a catechist, presbyter, and confessor of the ancient Church was a foundational figure in the establishment of early Christian theology. Today he is commonly referred to as "the first Christian theologian" and is widely known as a master of biblical exegesis, rational inquiry, and spiritual formation. Yet his legacy remains somewhat ambiguous in part because of the posthumous condemnation of certain propositions from his works. Become Like the Angels explores Origen's legacy and, in particular, his teachings about the origin, nature, and destiny of the human person. By way of a historical critical approach, Benjamin P. Blosser discusses the influence of Middle Platonic philosophy on the human soul and then compares it with Origen's teaching.

This study finds that, while Origen was highly aware of Middle Platonic speculations on the soul and does borrow extensively from their vocabulary, he never accepts their underlying, philosophical assumptions and is in fact subtly critical of Middle Platonic theories of the soul. His anthropology remains from first to last a biblical, Christian, and even mystical one, the fruit of a remarkable effort to synthesize faith and reason in the ancient Church.

“An ambitious and very well researched book on the way in which Origen deals with a fundamental issue in ancient philosophy—the position, state, and function of the soul in a living being. It is a topic at the core of all anthropological and cosmological thinking in Late Antiquity. In elegant, lucid prose, Blosser takes the reader gently through the minefield of previous scholarship and presents a very clear and skillful exposition of Origen as religious philosopher.”

—John A. McGuckin, professor of Byzantine church history, Columbia University, and editor of The Westminster Handbook to Origen of Alexandria

Benjamin P. Blosser is associate professor of theology at Benedictine College where he teaches courses in church history, ecclesiology, and New Testament studies.  He received his Ph.D. in historical theology from the Catholic University of America.

But wait ... there's more!!! Benjamin, a.k.a. Jamie, is also a fitness nut case, and here is a photo of him in a 450 lb. raw hex-bar deadlift at an amateur Dumb Ox Gym strongman competition on July 30, 2012. Look Dad: no neck! What an Origen scholar! What a man! That's my boy!

Extraordinary Community News

Tridentine Community News (August 5, 2012):

Treasures of the Roman Ritual: The Rite of Betrothal

We continue our occasional series on excerpts from the Extraordinary Form Roman Ritual with a rite not often mentioned: The Rite of Betrothal, or engagement, of a couple. This optional ceremony speaks beautifully of God’s plan for the man and the woman. Interestingly, the Rite of Betrothal is slightly lengthier than the actual Rite of Matrimony.

1. The priest (vested in surplice and white stole) with his assistants (vested in surplice) awaits the couple at the altar rail. At hand are the stoup with holy water and the altar missal. As the man and woman come forward with the two witnesses they have chosen, the following antiphon and psalm are sung on the eighth psalm tone: Antiphon: To the Lord I will tender my promise: in the presence of all His people.

Psalm 126
Unless the house be of the Lord’s building, in vain do the builders labor. Unless the Lord be the guard of the city, 'tis in vain the guard keeps his sentry. It is futile that you rise before daybreak, to be astir in the midst of darkness, Ye that eat the bread of hard labor; for He deals bountifully to His beloved while they are sleeping.

Behold, offspring result from God’s giving, a fruitful womb the regard of His blessing. Like arrows in the hand of the warrior, are children begotten of a youthful father. Happy the man who has filled therewith his quiver; they shall uphold him in contending at the gate with his rival. Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and forever, through endless ages. Amen. Antiphon: To the Lord I will tender my promise: in the presence of all His people.

2. The priest now addresses them:

Allocution
Beloved of Christ: It is in the dispensation of Divine Providence that you are called to the holy vocation of marriage. For this reason, you present yourselves today before Christ and His Church, before His sacred minister and the devout people of God, to ratify in solemn manner the engagement bespoken between you. At the same time you entreat the blessing of the Church upon your proposal, as well as the earnest supplications of the faithful here present, since you fully realize that what has been inspired and guided by the will of your heavenly Father requires equally His grace to be brought to a happy fulfillment. We are confident that you have given serious and prayerful deliberation to your pledge of wedlock; moreover, that you have sought counsel from the superiors whom God has placed over you. In the time that intervenes, you will prepare for the sacrament of matrimony by a period of virtuous courtship, so that when the happy and blessed day arrives for you to give yourselves irrevocably to each other, you will have laid a sound spiritual foundation for long years of godly prosperity on earth and eventual blessedness together in the life to come. May the union you purpose one day to consummate as man and wife be found worthy to be in all truth a sacramental image and reality of the union of Christ and His beloved Bride, the Church. This grant, Thou Who livest and reignest, God, forever and evermore. R. Amen.

3. The priest now bids the couple to join their right hands, while they repeat after him the following:

The man:

In the name of our Lord, I, N.N., promise that I will one day take thee, N.N., as my wife, according to the ordinances of God and holy Church. I will love thee even as myself. I will keep faith and loyalty to thee, and so in thine necessities aid and comfort thee; which things and all that a man ought to do unto his espoused I promise to do unto thee and to keep by the faith that is in me.

The woman:

In the name of our Lord, I, N.N., in the form and manner wherein thou hast promised thyself unto me, do declare and affirm that I will one day bind and oblige myself unto thee, and will take thee, N.N., as my husband. And all that thou hast pledged unto me I promise to do and keep unto thee, by the faith that is in me.

4. Then the priest takes the two ends of his stole and in the form of a cross places them over the clasped hands of the couple. Holding the stole in place with his left hand, he says: I bear witness of your solemn proposal and I declare you betrothed. In the name of the Father, and of the Son,  and of the Holy Spirit.

R. Amen.

As he pronounces the last words, he sprinkles them with holy water in the form of a cross.

5. Thereupon he blesses the engagement ring:

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord. R. Who made heaven and earth. V. O Lord, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come unto Thee. V. The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray. O God almighty, Creator and Preserver of the human race, and the Giver of everlasting salvation, deign to allow the Holy Spirit, the Consoler, to come with His blessing upon this ring. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for endless ages.

R. Amen.

The ring is sprinkled with holy water.

6. The man takes the ring and places it first on the index finger of the left hand of the woman, saying: In the name of the Father, (then on the middle finger, adding): and of the Son; (finally placing and leaving it on the ring finger, he concludes): and of the Holy Spirit.

7. The priest opens the missal at the beginning of the Canon, and presents the page imprinted with the crucifixion to be kissed first by the man and then by the woman.

8. If Mass does not follow (or even if Mass is to follow, if he deems it opportune), the priest may read the following passages from Sacred Scripture:

Tobias 7: 8
Tobias said: I will not eat nor drink here this day, unless thou first grant me my petition, and promise to give me Sara thy daughter… The angel said to Raguel: Be not afraid to give her to this man, for to him who feareth God is thy daughter due to be his wife; therefore another could not have her… And Raguel taking the right hand of his daughter, he gave it into the right hand of Tobias, saying: The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob be with you, and may He join you together, and fulfill His blessing in you. And taking paper they made a writing of the marriage. And afterwards they made merry, blessing God… Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and said to her: Sara, arise, and let us pray to God today, and tomorrow, and the next day; because for these three nights we are joined to God; and when the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock. For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God. So they both arose, and prayed earnestly both together that health might be given them.

R. Thanks be to God.

John 15: 4-12
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you the branches. He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If any one abide not in Me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done unto you. In this is My Father glorified; that you bring forth very much fruit, and become my disciples. As the Father hath loved Me, I also have loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; as I also have kept my Father’s commandments, and do abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled. This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.

R. Praise be to Thee, O Christ!

9. Lastly, the priest extends his hands over the heads of the couple and says:

May God bless your bodies and your souls. May He shed His blessing upon you as He blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. May the hand of the Lord be upon you, may He send His holy Angel to guard you all the days of your life. Amen. Go in peace!

10. Before leaving the church, the betrothed couple as well as the witnesses will affix their signatures to the document previously prepared for this purpose. [The Ritual goes on to provide an example document.]

11. If Mass does not follow immediately, it would be appropriate to sing at this time the seasonal anthem of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
Mon. 08/06 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Josaphat (Transfiguration of Our Lord)

Tue. 08/07 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Assumption-Windsor (St. Cajetan, Confessor)

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth" [Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@detroitlatinmass.org. Previous columns are available at http://www.detroitlatinmass.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Josaphat (Detroit) and Assumption (Windsor) bulletin inserts for August 5, 2012. Hat tip to A.B.]

"VIDEO: Craven, narcissistic, bullying slubberdegullion liberal (redundant, I know) harasses Chick-fil-A employee"

"Cowardly liberal berates young woman at Chick-Fil-A" (CMR, August 2, 2012). Disgusting. Via WDTPRS.

"Exec Bullies Chick-Fil-A Worker, Then Promptly Gets Fired For It" (Business Insider, August 2, 2012).

"Chick-fil-A 'kiss' day marred by 'Tastes like hate' graffiti" (L.A. Now, August 2, 2012)

Who is guilty of hate speech here? Who? This is classic. Those who cry "Hate speech!" of course. Another face of the culture of death.

"Archbishop Wenski: acquiescence to threats to religious liberty is 'not an option'"

From EWTN (August 1, 2012):

In a homily preached to state Catholic conference directors, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami contrasted the "healthy secularity" of America's founding documents with the "radical" and "reductive secularism" that threatens religious liberty today.

"For much of our nation's history, Catholics were regarded by many of their neighbors with suspicion if not with hostility because of the prevailing prejudice towards the Catholic faith in a predominantly Protestant America," he preached in his July 31 homily. "Yet because of a healthy secularity promoted by our civil order and the Bill of Rights' first freedom, the freedom of religion, Catholics were able to prosper in America: We built parishes, schools, hospitals, orphanages and other charitable institutions; we started businesses; we served honorably in our nations wars and held public office."

"Today, that healthy secularity that provided for the separation of Church and State but not of religion from society, that healthy secularity that guaranteed the freedom of people of faith to serve the common good, is increasingly under siege in America," he continued. "A radical secularism has emerged that seeks to reduce religious belief to just a "subjective opinion" and to privatize faith by denying it any public expression ... These efforts to restrict religious liberty are seemingly founded in a reductive secularism that has more in common with the French Revolution than with America's founding."

Archbishop Wenski added:

To acquiesce is not an option. To adapt to the prevailing mentality, out of human respect or convenience, to fail to warn our brothers and sisters against ways of thinking or acting that are contrary to truth and right conduct, is to fail in the charity that we owe them.

Spirituality in our Catholic tradition is more than just narcissistic navel-gazing or an over-simplified sentimentalism that reduces spirituality to a one-time acceptance of Jesus. It is not a self-absorbed seeking after self-fulfillment found through esoteric teachings or practices. Christianity's invitation is to look outwardly and beyond. The heart of Christian life is "charity" ...

Most of you, I suppose, were involved in one way or another in the various observances of the Fortnight of Freedom called for by the US bishops ... It reminded us, in this election year, that religious freedom is under threat for the first time in American history employers will be forced to provide services they consider morally objectionable.

"We bishops have not told anyone who to vote for nor should we; nor will we," he concluded. "We are, however, seeking to form consciences, and seeking to protect our right to do so ...The stakes are high. Separation of Church and State does not require the exclusion of religion from society. To exclude people of faith from making their contributions and their proposals in the public square would impoverish us all."

[Hat tip to C.G.-Z.]