"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).