Santa Casa di Loreto

Pope set for weekend visit to Loreto

Vatican, Aug. 31, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) will travel to Loreto, Italy this weekend for a gathering of young Italian Catholics.

The Holy Father will leave his summer residence on Saturday afternoon, September 1, traveling by helicopter to Loreto, on Italy's eastern coast. His weekend visit will include a question-and-answers session with the 800 participants in the "Agora" gathering, a time for private prayer in the Holy House of Loreto, and a Mass on Sunday morning. Pope Benedict will return to Castel Gandolfo on Sunday evening.

The "Agora" meeting is part of a 3-year campaign among Catholic youth, which in turn is the result of a pastoral-planning meeting among Italian Church leaders in 2006. The campaign, designed to reinvigorate the faith among young Italians, will continue through the World Youth Day observance in Sydney, Australia, in July 2008, and conclude with a final year of evangelization aimed at Italian youth.

Marian Shrine

The Holy House of Loreto is one of the most revered Marian shrines in the world. Since medieval times, the Holy House has been believed to be the very home in which the Virgin Mary lived, conceived and raised the young Jesus.

A large basilica has been built around the small shrine, and the sacred site attracts as many as 4 million Catholic pilgrims and visitors each year.

According to Catholic tradition, the Holy House came under threat during the turmoil of the Crusades, so in 1291, angels miraculously translated the house from its original location to a site in modern-day Croatia. An empty space was left in Nazareth, while a small house suddenly appeared in a field. The bewildered parish priest, brought to the scene by shepherds who discovered it, had a vision in which the Virgin Mary revealed it was her former house.

On December 10, 1294, the house was again moved by angels because of the Muslim invasion of Albania. It landed first in Recanti, Italy, but was shortly thereafter moved for a third time to its present location in Loreto.

The Holy House of Loreto, or Santa Casa di Loreto in Italian, has been venerated by pilgrims great and small, including many popes and saints, and numerous miracles and healings have been reported. Scientists are said to have confirmed the materials to be the same as those found in Nazareth and the house lacks normal foundations.

In 1469, a large basilica was built over the Holy House at Loreto, and still stands today. In 1507, a marble enclosure was constructed around the House inside the basilica, and in 1510, the site was officially approved for pilgrimages. Over the centuries, countless pilgrims have kneeled inside the basilica around the Holy House, wearing a trough in the hard rock.

The Basilica built over the Holy House has been rebuilt and repaired periodically since its construction in 1469, leaving it with a Renaissance exterior and a Gothic interior.

Inside the basilica, the Holy House is, of course, the main attraction. It is a small brick building, 13 x 31 feet. Inside the house is an altar with the Latin inscription Hic Verbum Caro Factum Est, "Here the Word was made flesh." A statue of the Virgin stands above the altar.

Snicker

The Catholic Restoration Continues

As More Resources Are Created

http://www.sanctamissa.org/EN/index.html

The Catholic Restoration Continues

As More Resources Are Created

http://www.thelatinmassnetwork.org/

Holy H2O

Holy water falls foul of French airport security

ROME (Reuters) - The real miracle would have been getting it past airport security.

Inspectors at Tarbes-Lourdes airport in France refused to give their blessing to holy water that passengers tried to bring on board the Vatican's new pilgrim flights this week, saying it was a security threat just like any other liquid.

The water, which is said to have miraculous healing powers, came from a sacred grotto where Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared in 1858.

Passenger Paola Saluzzi told Corriere della Sera newspaper she was carrying the water in eight small plastic bottles "in the shape of the little Madonna". But it was not allowed on board.

"If they gave preference to the water from Lourdes it would be an (irregularity) that would not guarantee the proper procedure," she acknowledged.

But the Vatican had foreseen such an eventuality and placed a small complimentary bottle of holy water on the seat of each pilgrim to drink on board, Saluzzi said.

The Vatican's chartered Boeing 737 aims to serve 150,000 pilgrims a year. Beyond Lourdes, destinations will range from the shrine of Fatima in Portugal to Mount Sinai in Egypt, where Moses is said to have received the 10 Commandments from God.

Like the prophet Jeremias

Read this priest's lament.

I and other faithful Catholics
will understand completely.

(Luther would be pleased)

Sacred Order

Bishop Arthur Serratelli, chairman-elect of the USCCB BCL (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy) understands the loss of the sacred of the last 40 years. In a recent diocesan column he writes:

The anti-authoritarian prejudice that we have inherited from the social revolution of the '60s imprinted on many a deep mistrust not only of government but of Church...Some even reject the very idea of hierarchy (literally, 'a sacred origin') as a spiritual authority established by God. As a result, Church means, for some, simply the assembly of like-minded believers who organize themselves and make their own rules and dogmas. Thus, the Church's role in the spiritual realm is greatly eclipsed."

I have observed in many Catholic churches in the Southwest US, less-than-artistic remnants of the '60s, in liturgy/environment committee's banal attempts to "decorate" for the season. These committees dumb-down the "worship space" with bolts of fabric draping the sterile, warehouse-like walls. Self-proclaimed liturgists who have no sense of the sacred have foisted their awful definition of beauty upon the faithful. Sacred art is replaced by toddler finger painting.

The worst "artistic" expressions I have ever seen were several poster boards, mounted around a church, covered by a montage of magazine photos which was meant to convey a concrete message of the season of Advent. It was absolutely the worst "liturgical art" I ever experienced. Hey! Here's a thought...how about hope-filled expectation of the Incarnation of our Salvation through prayer, sacred music, and reflection on the persons and messages of Isaiah, the Baptist, and the Virgin Mary rather than photojournalist's images of a hummingbird?

Let us allow the Holy Spirit to work through those called to lead and guide us to salvation--the hierarchy (the Pope, bishops, and priests)--rather than those who cling with a desperate death grip onto those false ideologies of a by-gone (thanks be to God) anti-authoritarian era. Also, let us pray for Bishop Serratelli as he shares his insightful understanding of the Sacred Liturgy handed to the Church by God Himself.

Viva Cristo Rey!

Blessed Rev. Fr. Miguel A. Pro, S.J.
Martyr and Patron for all persecuted priests.

Born on January 13, 1891 in Guadalupe, Mexico, Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez was the eldest son of Miguel Pro and Josefa Juarez.

Miguelito, as his doting family called him, was, from an early age, intensely spiritual and equally intense in hi mischievousness, frequently exasperating his family with his humor and practical jokes. As a child, he had a daring precociousness that sometimes went too far, tossing him into near-death accidents and illnesses. On regaining consciousness after one of these episodes, young Miguel opened his eyes and blurted out to his frantic parents, "I want some cocol" (a colloquial term for his favorite sweet bread). "Cocol" became his nickname, which he would later adopt as a code name during this clandestine ministry.

Miguel was particularly close to his older sister and after she entered a cloistered convent, he came to recognize his own vocation to the priesthood. Although he was popular with the senoritas and had prospects of a lucrative career managing his father's thriving business concerns, Miguel renounced everything for Christ his King and entered the Jesuit novitiate in El Llano, Michoacan in 1911.

He studied in Mexico until 1914, when a tidal wave of anti-Catholicism crashed down upon Mexico, forcing the novitiate to disband and flee to the United States, where Miguel and his brother seminarians trekked through Texas and New Mexico before arriving at the Jesuit house in Los Gatos, California.

In 1915, Miguel was sent to a seminary in Spain, where he remained until 1924, when he went to Belgium for his ordination to the priesthood in 1925. Miguel suffered from a severe stomach problem and after three operations, when his health did not improve, his superiors, in 1926, allowed him to return to Mexico in spite of the grave religious persecution in that country.

The churches were closed and priests went into hiding. Miguel spent the rest of his life in a secret ministry to the sturdy Mexican Catholics. In addition to fulfilling their spiritual needs, he also carried out the works of mercy by assisting the poor in Mexico City with their temporal needs. He adopted many interesting disguises in carrying out his secret ministry. He would come in the middle of the night dressed as a beggar to baptize infants, bless marriages and celebrate Mass. He would appear in jail dressed as a police officer to bring Holy Viaticum to condemned Catholics. When going to fashionable neighborhoods to procure for the poor, he would show up at the doorstep dressed as a fashionable businessman with a fresh flower on his lapel. His many exploits could rival those of the most daring spies. In all that he did, however, Fr. Pro remained obedient to his superiors and was filled with the joy of serving Christ, his King.

Falsely accused in the bombing attempt on a former Mexican president, Miguel became a wanted man. Betrayed to the police, he was sentenced to death without the benefit of any legal process.

On the day of his execution, Fr. Pro forgave his executtioners, prayed, bravely refused the blindfold and died proclaiming, "Viva Cristo Rey", "Long live Christ the King!"

The future of our Church

Thanks be to God!

Fr. Zuhlsdorf has posted (August 27) a wonderful note from a new seminarian at the North American College in Rome. Support this young man and all our seminarians in Rome by your prayers.

Baseball Heaven

In honor of Saint Charles Borromeo Parish at Chase Field Sunday afternoon. Arizona Diamondbacks (NL West Leaders @ .558) vs Chicago Cubs (NL Central Leaders at .520) ... Bishop Thomas Olmsted vs Cardinal Francis George ... hehehe

O Salutaris Hostia

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.

It can't be all peace, joy and pancakes

Benedict's brother: Criticism of pope signals 'good pontificate'

…"I'm mainly concerned that the new situation will work well for my brother in relation to his faith, and I can witness that he's fulfilling what the good Lord expects of him and also being understood by many people," Msgr. Georg Ratzinger said in an Aug. 17 interview with Bavaria's Passauer Neuen Presse daily.

He said he was aware of recent controversies, such as debate over the pope's July 7 document allowing wider use of the Tridentine Mass, the liturgy that predates the Second Vatican Council, and a July 10 Vatican declaration that the Catholic Church is the one, true church.

"These critical voices were to be expected – if everything went smoothly, it wouldn't be a good pontificate," Msgr. Ratzinger said. "A person active in God's kingdom has to expect resistance – just like our Lord, who also encountered enemies time and again. It can't all be peace, joy and pancakes."… -- Catholic News Service | 08/22/07

"Anyone can cook"

I spent a nice afternoon with lunch and a movie with my priest-brothers.

The Plot

Remy (the protagonist) is a rat, constantly risking life in an expensive French restaurant because of his love of good food, as well as a desire to become a chef. Yet, obviously, this is a rather tough dream for a rat. But opportunity knocks when a young boy—Alfredo Linguini (the deuteragonist)—who desperately needs to keep his job at the restaurant, despite his lack of cooking abilities, discovers and partners the young Remy. It’s up to the two of them to avoid the insane head chef, bring the rest of Remy's family up to his standards, win his partner a girl, and, of course, produce the finest Ratatouille in all of France.

A thought-provoking quote

“In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto: Anyone can cook. But I realize that only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more.” – The antagonist, food critic Anton Ego

What is "ratatouille"?

Ratatouille is a tasty French Provençal dish made from stewed vegetables. The dish is versatile and can be served with rice, potatoes, French bread or itself can be a side dish.

Its main basic ingredients consist of tomatoes, onions and zucchinis.

The name of the dish appears to derive from the French touiller, "to stir", although the root of the first element "rata" is slang from the French Army meaning "chunky stew".

BTW

I had spaghetti with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes with a thick garlic sauce for lunch.

View trailer at:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/trailers-screenplay-E33581-10-2

The Wisdom of Benedict

"…the peace of Jesus is the fruit of a constant struggle against evil. The battle that Jesus has decided to fight is not against men or human powers but against the enemy of God and man, Satan," the Pontiff emphasized.

He continued: “Those who desire to resist this enemy, remaining faithful to God and the good, must necessarily deal with misunderstandings and sometimes very real persecution.

“Thus, those who intend to follow Jesus and commit themselves without compromises to the truth must know that they will face opposition and will become, despite themselves, a sign of division among persons, even within their own families.” -- 08.19.07

Thank you Holy Father. I needed to hear that.

I am of Christ. What about you?

Saint Paul on the “Cult of Personality”

First Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Chapter 1 | Verses 11-15

For it hath been signified unto me, my brethren, of you, by them that are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith: I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I am of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul then crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I give God thanks, that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Caius; Lest any should say that you were baptized in my name. -- Douay-Rheims

Participatio Actuosa

The assertion that the Mass must employ "the full and active participation" of the people is an open-ended declaration that, lacking specifics, has led to every form of excess and abuse…

Christ mandated: "My house (churches) shall be called the house of prayer to all nations." Yet, what do we witness today in far too many of our churches. In such settings, a surrounding conducive to individual prayer, devotion and reflection is practically non-existent. The so-called dictate of "the full and active participation of all the people," has transformed the "house of prayer" with its holy, reverent, solemn and prayerful environment to that of "gathering" halls with its attendant accruements of welcoming, introductions, hand shaking and hugs, conversation and worldliness with some ritual inserted to assure meeting the Sunday obligation.

The holy sanctuary set aside and prominent, incorporating the altar of Christ's sacrifice and the tabernacle preserving His real presence, has always rightfully been revered and treated as a holy space (read Moses before God in the burning bush). Now we witness the sanctuary and sacristy, before and during Mass, as the "people’s activity center" with men, women and children, in every form of profane dress, flowing to and fro, all "actively participating" in "ministry," of course.

Most all of this extraordinary lay activity is neither mandated by the Church nor essential to the Mass. Indeed, it detracts from the sacred Liturgy by the fact that such activity obstructs attentiveness on Christ whose adoration and beseeching should be our first and paramount intention at any Mass. For the Modernist, however, whose priorities are to the world and thus the divination of man, the call for "the full and active participation by all the people," in the absence of specificity, presents itself as a tool for asserting lay participations in the Liturgy far in excess of the original intent of the framers of the Vatican II documents. Moreover, this is precisely what has been done. -- Seattle Catholic | Erven Park | Toledo, WA | 1/16/2002

...how great is my anguish...

El Señor sabe bien que la división existe entre sus seguidores. He platicado con muchas personas quienes estan entristezidas por situaciones familiares donde hay diferentes puntos de vista sobre la religión. Yo creo que debemos de reconocer la realidad de diferentes expresiones de espiritualidad para poder comenzar a comprender un poquito más a nuestros amigos y familiares. Hay tantas espiritualidades como hay personas.

Los seres humanos son cautelosos cuando se trata de lo desconocido, así que son extremamente precabidos al hablar acerca de la religión en situaciones sociales. Entre compañeros no queremos ofender y mejor callamos lo que creemos. Pero escuchen de nuevo a Jesús: “He venido a traer fuego a la tierra ¡y cuánto desearía que ya estuviera ardiendo! Tengo que recibir un bautismo ¡y cómo me angustio mientras llega! El no fue precabido. El expresó una y otra vez Su misión. El sabe que no todos recibiran su mensaje.

A través de los siglos, la Iglesia Católica ha tomado muy en serio su reponsabilidad de continuar haciendo las obras del Señor. Nuestra jerarquía, las instituciones, y el culto se han desarrollado para que Su mensaje pueda llegar hasta los confines de la tierra. Por sus esfuerzos, billones de espiritualidades han sido unidas por medio de las enseñanzas y la guia de la Iglesia. Y aún así, la discordia existe.

Tomemos por ejemplo el documento del Papa Benedicto del 7 de Julio del 2007, Summorum Pontificum, donde claramente habla del derecho del sacerdote de celebrar la Misa del Beato Papa Juan XXII del 1962 y/o la Misa del Papa Pablo VI de 1969. Y aún, muchos desde obispos hasta laicos, estan molestos. Algunos la ven como un regreso no deseado al pasado. Otros piensan que es simplemente nostalgia. Mientras que otros desean el misterio y la belleza de la Misa antigua. Otros reconozen que han ocurrido abusos litúrgicos en la Misa estos últimos 30 años.

¿Recuerdan mi reflección de la semana pasada? Dije, “Cada Misa debe manifestar bellamente esta doctrina Católica por medio de sus oraciones y rituales. La litúrgia auténtica debe darle honor y gloria a Dios, debe servir para el arrepentimiento del pecado del hombre, y para darle gracias a Dios por las gracias que le ha concedido al mundo. Aquí es donde encontramos la unidad; nuestras espiritualidades, culturas, y etnicas variadas incados al pié de la cruz de Jesús. Nuestro Santo Padre dice: “la sagrada litúrgia celebrada de acuerdo con el uso Romano, enriqueció no únicamente la fe y la piedad pero también la cultura de mucha gente. Se sabe, de hecho, que la litúrgia en Latin de la Iglesia en sus varias formas, en cada siglo de la era cristiana ha sido un estímulo a la vida espirituál de muchos santos, ha reforzado a muchas personas en la virtud de la religión y . . .piedad”.

Es mi sincera creencia que la manera en que celebramos el Santo Sacrificio de la Misa aquí en San Carlos Borromeo es apropiada para nuestro tiempo y mezcla de culturas. Continuemos purificando la expresión de nuestra fe en la manera que decimos, escuchamos, y oramos la Misa. Al hacerlo nos preparamos para encontrarnos cara-a-cara con el Señor, habiendo sido sumergidos en Su bautismo.

English translation

The Lord knows well that division exists among His followers. I have spoken with many people who are saddened by family situations in which there are differing views on religion. I believe that we have to acknowledge the reality of different expressions of spirituality in order to begin understanding—a bit more—our friends and family members. There are as many spiritualities as there are people.

Human beings are wary of the unknown; thus, the extreme caution in talking about religion in social situations. In polite company, we desire not to offend, so we often become quiet about our beliefs. But listen again to Jesus: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” He was not cautious. He expressed time and time again His mission. He knows not all will receive His message.

The Catholic Church over the centuries has taken seriously its responsibility to continue the Lord’s work. Our hierarchy, institutions, and worship have developed so that His message may go out to all the ends-of-the-earth. Because of her efforts, billions of souls have turned toward the Lord. The billions of spiritualities have been united through the teaching and guidance of the Church. Even so, discord exists.

Let us take, for an example, Pope Benedict’s document of July 7, 2007, Summorum Pontificum, where he very clearly states a priest’s right to celebrate the Mass of Blessed Pope John XXIII of 1962 and/or the Mass of Pope Paul VI of 1969. Yet, many people from bishops to lay people are upset. Some see it as an unwanted return to the past. Others think it is simply nostalgia. While others desire the mystery and beauty of the old Mass. Others, recognize that abuses have occurred in the Mass these last thirty years.

Remember my reflection of last week? I said, “Each Mass should beautifully manifest this Catholic doctrine through its prayers and rituals. Authentic liturgy should honor and glorify God, atone for man’s sins, and thank God for the graces He has bestowed on the world.” This is where we find unity; our varied spiritualities, cultures, and ethnicities kneeling at the foot of the cross of Jesus. Our Holy Father states in the document: “the sacred liturgy, celebrated according to the Roman use, enriched not only the faith and piety but also the culture of many peoples. It is known, in fact, that the Latin liturgy of the Church in its various forms, in each century of the Christian era, has been a spur to the spiritual life of many saints, has reinforced many peoples in the virtue of religion and…piety.”

It is my heartfelt belief that the manner in which we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass here at St. Charles Borromeo is appropriate for our time and blending of our cultures. Let us continue to refine the expression of our faith in the way we say, hear, and pray the Mass. In doing such, we ready ourselves to meet the Lord face-to-face, having been immersed into His baptism.

Media Advisory

EWTN to Televise Live Tridentine Mass Celebrated by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter

DENTON, Nebraska – AUGUST 17, 2007 – For the first time in its 26 year history, Mother Angelica’s Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) will be broadcasting a live Solemn High Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama on September 14, 2007 at 8:00AM EST. EWTN has asked for the assistance of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, an international Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right, to help celebrate this "extraordinary" form.

This past July 7th, Pope Benedict XVI affirmed the beauty and importance of the Tridentine Mass by issuing Summorum Pontificum, a papal document encouraging and confirming the right of all Latin Rite priests to use this more ancient use of the Mass starting September 14th. The Tridentine Mass was the normative liturgy experienced by Latin Rite Catholics prior to the Second Vatican Council.

"Most Catholics have not seen this heavenly celebration in over 40 years," said Father Calvin Goodwin, a professor at the Society’s international English-speaking seminary located in Denton, Nebraska. "We are very excited to help EWTN and to support the Holy Father’s call for a wider presence of this form of the Mass. This is a cause for great joy."

Priests and seminarians from Denton, Nebraska will travel to Alabama and provide the celebrant, deacon, subdeacon, preacher, master of ceremonies and altar servers

Toddler reads in Latin

We all scream

The Apostolic Palace at Castel Gandolfo is surrounded by a lake and mountains. It’s the Pope’s summer residence.

During the month of August, Benedict XVI is taking advantage of the freshness of the landscape. And he can’t pass by the ice cream shop near his residence without having one himself, like anyone else.

That’s why Alfredo Carosi, the owner of the store, started a tradition that’s repeated every summer: “We have a tradition of inviting the Pope to enjoy some of our ice cream on August 15 every year”, he says. “We send 15 cups to the palace for his colleagues as well.”

The ice cream parlour has many flavours including cherry, vanilla and whipped cream, topped with chocolate and caramel – all favourites of Benedict.

This bar founded in 1897 holds many of the Pope’s gastronomic secrets. Apart from ice cream, the owner made two breakfasts for John Paul II. “He had breakfast here”, says Carosi, “a fruit salad, cheese, rosetta, a typical kind of bread, and ham. He was such a human person, so uncomplicated and he didn’t try to keep a distance.”

Rejoice in the Lord

Let all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a festival day in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for whose Assumption the Angels rejoice and give praise to the Son of God (Ps. 44: 2) My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the King. v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. -- Introit | Assumption of the BVM

Dominus providebit

The parish staff celebrated three birthdays today with a luncheon at a nearby buffet. We spent nearly 1 ½ hours in the middle-of-the-day enjoying a fine repast and pleasant repartee. This is most certainly the best parish staff I have ever enjoyed working with. Each person realizes that they are—as our Holy Father has expressed—co-workers in the Vineyard of the Lord. They are not back-biting, back-stabbing hypocrites (as found in many office situations). Instead, they all are accepting, caring, and loving; true Christians in word and deed. Additionally, and most importantly, they are faithful and faith-filled Catholics. They are faithful to the Magisterium and the Church’s dogma, doctrine, and discipline. They are not Roman Protestants. They are Roman Catholics! The Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is their strength, and the One True God is their all. I thank the Lord everyday for putting this team together.

Tempus fugit

The Vatican is bringing the faithful nearer to heaven - by setting up its own charter airline to fly pilgrims to shrines and holy sites across the world.

The planes will be leased Boeing 737s painted in the Vatican colours of yellow, blue and white, and will have the slogan: "Looking for your face, Lord" painted on the fuselage.

Mistral Air plans to shuttle Catholic pilgrims around the globe to holy sites, including the shrine of Fatima in Portugal and the shrine of the Madonna of Guadalupe in Mexico.

"The spirit of this new initiative is to meet the growing demand by pilgrims to visit the most important sites for the faith," Father Cesare Atuire at the Vatican pilgrimage office, the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi, told La Repubblica.

The aircraft will be operated by Italy's postal service.

The debut charter flight later this month will be to the shrine of Lourdes in France.

Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini

I had quite a number of calls today asking me to schedule a daily Traditional Mass. Good and faithful Catholics are well aware of Pope Benedict's recent Motu Proprio. Gentlemen: Anyone interested in serving at a regularly scheduled Low Mass? I am seriously considering a Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. Mass. Please pray for me as I discern the answer to this pastoral need.

Catholic Vigilance

“Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.”

How do Catholics wait vigilantly for the Lord?

The answer is simple; we wait in prayer. And, the greatest prayer we have is the Holy Sacrifice of Mass. The Mass is the Sacrifice of Jesus on the cross offered up continually under appearances of bread and wine. It is the final perfect sacrifice. The Catholic Mass is the age-old representation of the ultimate salvific act of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sacrifice of the Cross. Each Mass should beautifully manifest this Catholic doctrine through its prayers and rituals. Authentic liturgy should honor and glorify God, atone for man’s sins, and thank God for the graces He has bestowed on the world.

When we attend Mass we enter a world that is partly visible and partly invisible. A world of symbols and rituals, through which we remember Christ’s saving deeds and renew His Sacrifice. It is a world so full of meaning that even the holiest and wisest never stop wondering at its mystery.

In March I offered at all Masses an outline of Pope Benedict’s Apostolic Exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis where he speaks of ars celebrandi — that is, the art of celebrating [the Mass]. The Holy Father says, “…everything – texts, music, execution – ought to correspond to the meaning of the mystery being celebrated…”

We are at the Foot of the Cross at each Mass. This place is not Peoria, AZ. Today is not August 12, 2007. This place is Mount Calvary. Today is Good Friday. Envision yourself there.

At His feet we plea: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

The Kyrie is the only short prayer in Mass rite in Greek. The Kyrie eleison nine times addresses fervent petitions for mercy to the triune God. The Kyrie is a cry for help of touching humility and simplicity, one proceeding naturally and directly from the heart.

The ninefold signification of the Kyrie is devoutly thought to refer to the nine kinds of sins and wants, or it has been said that thereby we express our desire of union with the nine choirs of angels.

At His feet we sing: Gregorian chant was developed from Hebrew chants. Gregorian chant has been for centuries the music of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the most notable contribution of the Catholic church to the musical tradition of the west. Chant is an important part of the history and tradition of the Catholic Church.

Gregorian chant belongs in the Catholic liturgy today. The Vatican II document, Sacrosanctum Concilium states that "the Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy; therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services."

The organ amplifies our prayer. The pipe organ is the instrument named by the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council as the traditional instrument for our worship. Choirs were to be led by the most suitable instrument to lead a congregation:

“... the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man's mind to God and to higher things.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 1963)

Pope Paul VI's 1967 Instruction Musicam Sacram repeats this. And in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, once again the pipe organ is reaffirmed as the instrument to be afforded first place. And "it is appropriate that.... the organ be blessed according to the Roman Rituale" So important a part of the church is the organ that the instrument has its own special blessing rite!

Prayer and music; two important aspects of Catholic worship.

Let us pray our beliefs well, so that we may live this day’s gospel: “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.”

St Lawrence Martyr

Pray for me

08 | 10 | 85

Bro. Loren Gonzales, OSM
First Profession of Vows in the
Order of Friars Servants of Mary

KC News

A Fr. McGivney stained glass window--which will be installed by the end of the month--has been sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council at St. Charles Borromeo, so the following news is appropriate:

Cardinal says he'll personally work on cause of Knights' founder | by Andy Telli | Catholic News Service

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) -- Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the second highest ranking official at the Vatican, told members of the Knights of Columbus that he is taking a personal interest in the beatification process for the order's founder, Father Michael McGivney.

"I hope this recognition (of sanctity) will arrive soon, and I'll personally work on this, so that this day will come soon," Cardinal Bertone said during his homily, delivered in Italian, at the Aug. 7 opening Mass of the Knights of Columbus' 125th annual national convention at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

Cardinal Bertone's comments on the sainthood cause of Father McGivney were met with applause from the Knights attending the Mass…

Reform of the Reform

November conference scheduled to discuss current state of Catholic liturgy

“Reform of the Reform?” What does this phrase mean, and what progress is being made? To explore these key questions on the current state of Catholic liturgy, the Adoremus Society for the Renewal of the Sacred Liturgy is sponsoring a one-day conference on Saturday, Nov. 3, at St. Mary’s Church in Escondido.

Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, auxiliary bishop of San Diego and a canon lawyer who was a member of the Vatican court, the Apostolic Signatura, before returning to his native city in 2002, will be a featured presenter at the conference.

Other presenters include Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ, Helen Hull Hitchcock, and Fr. Jerry Pokorsky.

The day's events will also include a Gregorian chant workshop, Mass with Bishop Cordileone as principal celebrant and homilist, and singing by Our Lady of the Rosary Schola. An afternoon panel discussion will include a question-and-answer session.

The Transfiguration

An underappreciated element in the Rite of Baptism, of both adults and infants, is being clothed in white. It is often done in a perfunctory way, simply because the ritual order calls for it, but with little catechesis. As you pray about the story of the transfiguration, consider how the white garment in which you were dressed at your Baptism links you to the “dazzling white” garment that the disciples saw when Jesus was transfigured before them. As members of the church, we are still wedded into the body of Christ as we were on that first day of baptism. We change some of our habits and values not to earn God’s love, but to enable us to be more ready to recognize God’s love in the many and sometimes odd ways it is made known. As the voice in the cloud said of Jesus, so does God say of you, united to the body of Christ at baptism: “This is my daughter,” “This is my son.” -- Martin Connell, Asst. Professor, School of Theology, Saint John's University

The Transfiguration appears in all three Synoptics, but Mark is the least complicated, textually. In modern scholarship, there has been controversy whether or not the Transfiguration was a post-resurrection occurrence which was transferred to this point, but most people do not subscribe to that theory. Elijah (prophet from the Messianic Age) and Moses (Law) are both strong presences in the story. The Transfiguration in Mark, as well as in the other two Synoptics, functions as a manifestation of Jesus’ divine nature following Peter’s declaration of Jesus’ Messiahship (8:29). That the Transfiguration occurs after Jesus predicts his passion (8:31) and after Jesus’ rebuke of Peter for interpreting Jesus’ mission from a human angle (8:32-33) undergirds the scene as a foreshadowing of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection. -- Excerpt from The Committee on Illumination and Text Theological Briefs, The Saint John's Bible, Saint John's University

A three-legged dog walks into a bar and says "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw."

Saint Michael the Archangel

Defend Us in Battle

Creativity = Mimes = Deformation

“Many people who clearly accepted the binding character of the Second Vatican Council, and were faithful to the Pope and the Bishops, nonetheless also desired to recover the form of the sacred liturgy that was dear to them. This occurred above all because in many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal, but the latter actually was understood as authorizing or even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy which were hard to bear. I am speaking from experience, since I too lived through that period with all its hopes and its confusion. And I have seen how arbitrary deformations of the liturgy caused deep pain to individuals totally rooted in the faith of the Church.” – from the Letter of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the Bishops on the Occasion of the Publication of the Apostolic Letter “Motu Proprio Data” Summorum Pontificum on the Use of the Roman Liturgy Prior to the Reform of 1970

Novelty of Novelties

Novus Ordo redefines "moments of silence."