Thought for the Day

Apologies for the unexpected hiatus.  Regular posting will resume soon.

In the meantime, here's a Thought for the Day regarding Vocations:

"Some think that because God knows whom to call and when to call, there is nothing more for us to do than to wait.  But they forget that the sovereign divine initiative does not dispense man from the task of responding to it."

-Bl. Pope John Paul II, "

Message for the 33rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations," 

August 15, 1995

Music In The Liturgy

An important piece on understanding music in the liturgy was recently posted on The Virtuous Pla.Net.  Here's the link:   Music In The Liturgy

Everyone go and read it.  For those who don't want to read through the whole text (which I highly recommend), a couple of money quotes:

Music at the Mass conveys what’s happening at the Mass; it comes from and points towards the events of the liturgy. Music in the Mass must be in harmony with what is being said in the Mass. Overtly happy-go-lucky songs are not in harmony with the gut-wrenching sacrifice of the altar. Thus, Oh, Happiness! by the David Crowder Band, for all it’s glory, does not belong in the Mass. Part of this is simply the choice of when to play a certain song; Communion songs for Holy Communion, songs of Thanksgiving for the recessional, etc. This is a mistake often made by the traditional music bunch; just because something is traditional does not mean it is automatically in due harmony with the events of the liturgy. Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow is off-putting as a Communion hymn. But the Mass as a whole also needs be considered.

...and...

So instead of taking subjective potshots at each other, let us truly consider whether a song is Good, whether it is True, and whether it is Beautiful, and of that Beauty, whether it is complete, in harmony with its message, and clear in its purpose, and argue on those objective grounds.

 Check it out.  It's something to think about...

Attending Mass When you Can't Receive Communion

An excellent piece by the indomitable Fr. Z.  Check out the original here.

From a reader:

Fr. Z I’m struggling to wrap my head around what the point of going to Mass if we’re not in the state of sanctifying grace.

My understanding is when we fall from grace, any good works we do merit us nothing. Also, it only takes one mortal sin to sever our relationship with God, so committing another one by not fulfilling my Sunday obligation wouldn’t really make a difference in regards of the state of my soul. And finally, I can’t receive communion, so I don’t receive any graces from that.

So in summation, I wouldn’t sever my relationship with God because it already is; I can’t merit any good works or graces from Mass because I’m not in the state of sanctifying grace, and finally, because my relationship with God is severed, he doesn’t care if I’m there or not.

So really, what’s the point of going to Mass when i’m in the state of mortal sin?

The attitude described in your question above, and I assuming you are presenting this as ahypothetical question, is dangerous.  Hypothetical it may be, but I will treat it seriously.

There is an image in Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited: the blow upon the bruise.

To commit a mortal sin is bad.  To commit another with the attitude that it doesn’t make any difference now that you have already committed one is dreadful.  It can lead to what we refer to as hardness of heart, the ingrained callousness about sin that ultimately ends in never seeking forgiveness and reconciliation.

Not to attend Mass, intentionally not to fulfill your obligation, is itself a mortal sin.

Purposely multiplying mortal sins with the attitude that it doesn’t make a difference or that it is pointless to do something good and indeed obligatory is foolish and dangerous.

The Lord Himself speaks about blasphemy, sins against the Holy Spirit, which are unpardonable.  This sin against the Holy Spirit can manifest in various ways, including impenitence and despair.

A few more things.

First, our obligation to attend Holy Mass on days of precept is a commandment of the Church rooted in the divine positive law given in the Ten Commandments.  Holy Church says you have to go to Mass because God says we are to give Him His due.  That is a good enough reason to go.

Second, while it is true that, being in the state of mortal sin you would not receive the graces that would come from reception of the Eucharist, there are other actual graces offered to sinners to help them return to the state of grace.  Just because you cannot go to Communion, that doesn’t mean that you cannot receive human formation and edification from the readings, sermons, probity and good example of the congregants, the ars celebrandi of the priest, the beauty of the windows, a waft of incense, etc.  God works in the small things, too, in the spaces between the signs, and in the silences.  It could very well be that something will penetrate which will help to bring about conversion and, thus, help drag the soul back from the ledge looming above the pit of eternal hell.

Third, some people are under the mistaken impression that attendance at Holy Mass automatically implies reception of Holy Communion.  When they go to Mass, they automatically receive whether they ought to or not.  Similarly, people could have the false idea that if they cannot receive Communion, then it is pointless to go to Mass.   It is good for people to receive Communion if they are properly disposed.  However, the Latin Church’s law requires reception of Communion once a year.  At the same time, the laws says that we must attend Mass on every day of precept, which of course includes all Sundays.  Going to Mass does not imply automatic Communion.  We go to Mass for many other reasons as well.

Finally, and I’m serious, spend a little while trying to imagine the first ten seconds of realization experienced by the soul who winds up in hell.

Imagine the shock of realization.  “This can’t be happening to me!”   Imagine the first ten seconds.  Imagine the surprise and panic and anger and fear and the growing understanding that it will never end.

I suggest avoiding the voluntary infliction of your own blow upon the bruise you already inflicted on yourself.  Don’t hurt yourself, at least because of the dread of the loss of heaven if not, at first, the love of God who made you in His image and desires your eternal happiness with Him in heaven.

Ask Father...The Truth about Annulments

A reader writes:

With many Anglicans entering the Catholic Church, I know quite a few who are undergoing the annulment process right now. In talking with them, I was surprised by two things that seem to have been, at least implicitly, communicated to them in their initial meeting with the tribunal: they all came away relatively assured of the final outcome of the inquiry, though they were disappointed as to the timeline; and secondly, they seemed to be under the impression that infidelity was grounds for an annulment. I can perhaps see infidelity as speaking to the intent and understanding of marriage or maybe the ability to contract marriage, especially if the infidelity was serial. Even then, that seems pretty weak. I'd like to find out what the standard really is for an annulment, on what grounds annulments have been granted or withheld. 

There's a lot here.  Hopefully I can answer this cogently.  [N.B. This is not intended to be exhaustive!]


First of all, we need to demythologize what an annulment is and is not.  This is probably one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented aspects of the Church.  Using the via negativa method, let's start by looking at what an annulment is not.  

• An annulment is NOT a decree by the Church which negates, nullifies, or renders void a marriage! 
• A Declaration of Nullity is NOT a Catholic divorce.
• It is NOT merely a "hoop" to be jumped through.
• It does NOT make children from a marriage illegitimate.
• It does NOT suggest, imply, or state--directly or indirectly--that the time the couple was married did somehow not exist (this is a very common misunderstanding--but no matter how we try, we cannot will away the past!).
• Just because a marriage doesn't "work" doesn't mean it was not Sacramentally valid.  (The fact is, there are many marriages which are Sacramentally valid, but people are not able to achieve harmony in married life.  This is unfortunate, but it is precisely why the Church requires six months of preparation and counseling prior to marriage!)

So, what exactly is the deal?  

To understand what we're dealing with, we first need to understand the basic mechanics of a Sacrament in general.  A Sacrament requires three things: matter, person, and form.  Matter is that which is being acted upon, the object.  Person is the one who is given the authority to perform the sacrament validly.  Form is the words and/or actions prescribed by the Church for confecting a Sacrament.  If any of these three criteria are not present, then the Sacrament is invalid.  For example, if a validly ordained priest (Person) says Mass using the proper words of Consecration for the Eucharist (Form), but uses cookies and milk instead of unleavened bread and natural wine (Matter), the Sacrament is invalid...the Eucharist is not present.

The same is true of Marriage.  In a marriage, the Matter and Person are one and the same--the individuals exchanging their consent.  And the Form is the marriage vows--the consent itself.  

There are a number of reasons that a marriage might not be valid--too many to list.  But there are some basics that can help one establish whether or not a marriage might be invalid.  Most invalid marriages are declared to be invalid by reason of a defect of consent--i.e., some problem with the marriage vows, which is what makes the marriage (canon 1057).  

When someone seeks a declaration of nullity, he or she (called the Petitioner) files a suit in which one alleges that the marriage was not sacramentally valid.  After an investigation by the competent Tribunal, the Church issues a decree stating whether or not the marriage was, in fact, a validly-confected Sacrament.  

What is most important is to remember that all marriages enjoy the favor of the law (canon 1060).  That is to say, every marriage is presumed valid until proven otherwise.  So no Tribunal or other office should EVER, under ANY circumstances, suggest, hint, intimate, or otherwise propose that a person's marriage will be declared null by the Church without having seen the proofs of the case.  To do so is a gross miscarriage of justice.  It is unfair to the individuals involved, and it smacks of disrespect for the very favor of the law which protects marriage against undue prosecution.

With regard to infidelity--and again, without going into specifics--a history of serial infidelity on the part of one of the parties is sometimes an indication of a person's defect of consent or an intention to "simulate" the Sacrament.  But it is not a guarantee.  We must never lose sight of the value of Sacramental grace, nor of the possibility of a person's conversion.  Therefore, the evidence in a particular case is extremely important.  Infidelity itself is not a grounds for nullity (this is a misinterpretation of Matthew 19, which I'll try to post on later).  Infidelity may, however, be symptomatic of something which may have prevented the Sacrament from taking place.  It is a subtle, but extremely important, distinction.

As far as a universal standard for a Declaration of Matrimonial Nullity goes, it's difficult to pinpoint.  What is most important--and very commonly misunderstood--is that any defect in a person's consent must be present BEFORE and AT THE MOMENT OF consent.  What happens afterward cannot affect it--it can only give evidence to it!  

So what is this thing that people call "an annulment"?  It is nothing more than a Declaration by the Church certifying that which was already true--that the Sacrament of Marriage did not take place due to a pre-existing defect at the moment that consent was exchanged (with some exceptions, but I won't go into them).  

For anyone who has a marriage case before a Tribunal, a couple of things: NEVER presume that a Declaration of Nullity will be granted just because you apply for it.  It is not a rubber stamp, it is not pro forma, it is not guaranteed!  So those people who go ahead and make plans to be remarried before the Tribunal has issued a decision in their case are only doing themselves a grave disservice (and yet, it's always the Church's fault in their minds!).  

Second, try not to get discouraged.  As divorce rates have increased over the years, Tribunals have been inundated with requests for investigating marriages.  Investigations take time--especially when Tribunals are given little or no evidence.  NO ONE has a right to have their marriage declared null.  A person only has a right to petition a Tribunal to investigate his/her marriage.  Even then, there is no guarantee that a Tribunal will necessarily accept the case for trial.

Over the years, innumerable volumes have been written about Marriage--its Sacramental nature, what is necessary for it to be valid, etc.  And yet, it is by far the most misunderstood and abused of the Sacraments.  Many people see Marriage as something that can be bought and sold, a free pass to tax deductions, a chance to get dressed up and throw a great party.  But Marriage is a solemn covenant that exists until death.  It is the solemn union of man and woman that "they might become one flesh" in the procreative act, and that they might share a harmonious life together.  Marriage is a right according to the natural law--but what a grave disservice we do to ourselves when we misuse it and seek to subordinate it to our own whims and ends!


[As an aside, I think it's really great the number of Anglican clergy who are coming into full communion with the Catholic Church.  However, the Holy See has been abundantly clear that Tribunals are not to water-down the process of marital investigation or in any way "sweep things under the rug."  To do so would be a grave abuse of the tremendous responsibility that Tribunals have to serving the cause of Truth.]

St. Anthony's Facebook Page

Hey, everyone!  Don't forget to go to St. Anthony's Facebook Page and "Like" us!  We're also on Twitter: @stanthonyfwv

No homily this weekend, but a couple new editions of "Ask Father..." will be forthcoming.  Stay tuned...

September 14: The Exultation of the Cross - a brief homily

"Ave Crux, spes unica!"

Today, Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of the Exultation of the Cross, a Feast which is, for all intents and purposes, an extension of the great Solemn Feast of the Crucifixion of Our Lord, Good Friday.  Indeed, the magnitude of Good Friday is such that a single day cannot fully encapsulate the totality of that which the Church celebrates, and so today we celebrate the very instrument by which our salvation was won, the Holy Cross of Christ!

The legend of the Cross begins with Adam himself.  It is said that Adam preserved from the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil a single seed, which, as he lay dying, he entrusted to his son Seth (whom Eve believed God sent to replace Abel, after his murder at the hands of Cain--cf. Genesis 4:25).  When Adam died, Seth placed the seed in Adam's mouth.  At Adam's burial, the seed sprouted, and from it grew a large tree.  

Years later, the tree was cut down, and its wood was used to construct a bridge.  One day, the Queen of Sheba, as she attempted to cross the bridge, was alerted to the wood's significance by a voice from heaven, telling her that this wood would be used to kill the world's savior.  At once, she began to venerate the wood.  Upon telling King Solomon of this, he ordered the bridge be dismantled and the wood be hidden, so as to ensure that such a terrible fate would not befall the world's savior.

However, the wood was later found, and was fashioned into the Cross on which Jesus was crucified.  The Romans, to prevent the Apostles from procuring and venerating the Cross, hid the cross, and later constructed over it a temple to the goddess Venus.  

There it lay for 300 years, until Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine, discovered it.

And so this Cross came full circle.  The progeny of that tree that plunged humanity into the depths of sin and darkness became the means by which man was redeemed and returned to the light!  The life which Adam destroyed through his disobedience was restored by the death of the "new Adam," Jesus Christ, who was "obedient even unto death, death on a cross!"  

Our salvation rests on the wood of the Cross.  And while so many other kings have for themselves thrones of silver and gold, our great King reigns from a throne of wood--the wood of the Cross, which is the sign, the symbol, and the actuality of our hope of life eternal!

Hail to thee, O Cross, our singular hope!

The Other September 11th...

My friend Hilary posted this, and I found it thought-provoking...  Be sure to see the original here.

The other 9-11,
September 11, 1683
when King Jan Sobieski of Poland arrived at the Siege of Vienna, raised the Cross of Christ and routed the Ottoman Turk barbarian, who had raped, pillaged and burned their way across the eastern half of Europe, enslaving Christians and forcing "conversions" at sword-point.

XXIV Sunday of Ordinary Time: "Memento Mori Aeris!!!"

His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,as I had pity on you?'Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturersuntil he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you,unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.  (Matthew 18:32-35)

St. Thomas More

There's a story about St. Thomas More from when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.  Whether or not it's true, I cannot say, but it was told to me by Fr. Reggie Foster, chief Latinist at the Vatican for several decades.  So, at least the Latin is accurate!  Anyway, the story is that while More was imprisoned, a man who owed him money stopped by his cell to jeer at him and antagonize him.  He pointed at More and said in Latin, "Memento morieris" [Remember, you will die!].  To this, More--somewhat of a master of Latin pun--quipped "Memento Mori aeris" [Remember More's money!].  [FYI, the pronunciations are extremely similar.]

In the Gospel today, we have a scene where a king wishes to settle accounts with the servants who owe him money.  This one servant owes him "a huge amount," as St. Matthew says.  Other Gospel accounts specify the amount as being 10,000 talents.  One talent was the equivalent of 10,000 silver Roman denarii, and one Roman denarius was roughly the average daily wage.  So, this servant effectively owed the king 100 million days' wages!  Begging for more time to repay the loan, the king does something remarkable--he forgives the loan entirely!  

The next thing we know, we see a parallel scene where this same servant begins to choke and beat a fellow servant of his for owing him a significantly smaller amount (other Gospel accounts estimate it at around 100 talents--still not exactly pocket change!).  When the king finds out, he becomes understandably angry and hands the servant over to the torturers for his unwillingness to extend to his fellow servant the same forgiveness that he himself had received from the king.

Our Jewish brethren have a practice on Yom Kippur (the highest of their High Holy Days), whereby each one stands up and publicly confesses their sins to one another, that they might received forgiveness from each other.  It is only after they have received forgiveness from one another that they can ask forgiveness of God.  

This practice implies a fundamental understanding of human nature.  We were not created to be isolationists.  God created man that he might live in communion with others.  We are called, therefore, to be a part of the human family, our community, our society.  But, as they say, "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link."  When we sin, we weaken ourselves spiritually.  And this affects the well-being of the entire community--whether we realize it or not!  There is no such thing as a "private" sin!  

And so receiving forgiveness for our sins is more complicated than merely asking for God's forgiveness.  Our very nature compels us to seek the forgiveness of our brothers and sisters, and to offer freely that forgiveness to others.

If we take the image of the cross in its most basic form, we have one vertical bar, and one horizontal bar.  This is so very symbolic of our relationality as human beings.  We are in relationship with God (vertical) and with others (horizontal).  And so, receiving forgiveness for our sins requires both!  This is the beauty of the Sacrament of Confession.  When we confess our sins in this all-important Sacrament, we receive the absolution of the priest who functions in two capacities at once: in the Person of Christ, he offers the forgiveness of God; and as a representative of the community, he offers the forgiveness of our brethren!  

What Jesus tells us today--and what we know from the First Reading from the Book of Sirach--is that our own forgiveness is contingent upon our willingness to forgive others.  Take, for example, the Lord's Prayer--the most perfect prayer we have.  "...and forgive us our trespasses (debts/sins/etc.), as we forgive those who trespass (incur debt/sin/etc.) against us..."  We cannot receive the forgiveness of God if we are not willing to forgive others, nor if we are unwilling to seek the forgiveness of others for those sins which we have committed!  

And what a sad sight it would be if, on the day of our judgment, we stand before God's throne are are presented with our own Thomas Mores...poor souls looking out at us from behind bars saying to us, "Memento More aeris!"...saying, You owe me!  Where is my money?  Where is my forgiveness?  You are in my debt!

My friends, how embarrassing it would be for us to stand before the Throne of God on that day and be found to be so lacking in charity!  Let it never be said that a good, true Christian would find himself in such a situation that anyone who asked for his forgiveness did not receive it, nor that he would pass from this life in debt to another, still needing the grace to ask the forgiveness of one to whom he was in debt.  

For, we all shall die!  God forbid that this happens without our accounts being settled!

St. Thomas More, pray for us!

Prayer on September 11th

Matthew Archbold, over at Creative Minority Report, has posted the prayer that was prayed by Pope Benedict XVI at Ground Zero on April 20, 2008, during his Pastoral Visit to the United States.  

Here it is:

O God of love, compassion, and healing,look on us, people of many different faithsand traditions,who gather today at this site,the scene of incredible violence and pain.We ask you in your goodnessto give eternal light and peaceto all who died here—the heroic first-responders:our fire fighters, police officers,emergency service workers, andPort Authority personnel,along with all the innocent men and womenwho were victims of this tragedysimply because their work or servicebrought them here on September 11, 2001. 

We ask you, in your compassionto bring healing to thosewho, because of their presence here that day,suffer from injuries and illness.Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving familiesand all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.Give them strength to continue their liveswith courage and hope.
We are mindful as wellof those who suffered death, injury, and losson the same day at the Pentagon and inShanksville, Pennsylvania.Our hearts are one with theirsas our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.
God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:peace in the hearts of all men and womenand peace among the nations of the earth. 

Turn to your way of lovethose whose hearts and mindsare consumed with hatred.God of understanding,overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,we seek your light and guidanceas we confront such terrible events.Grant that those whose lives were sparedmay live so that the lives lost heremay not have been lost in vain. 

Comfort and console us,strengthen us in hope,and give us the wisdom and courageto work tirelessly for a worldwhere true peace and love reignamong nations and in the hearts of all.

AMEN!

New Twitter Feed!

Follow St. Anthony's parish on our new Twitter feed: @stanthonyfwv

RIP: Rev. Harold "Dinty" Moore (+2002)

A personal note:  on September 8, 2002, our Diocese lost an incredible priest, Fr. Harold "Dinty" Moore--a "happy, happy" priest of God who made an impression wherever he ministered, and whose praises are still sung by his parishioners.  He was a tremendous example of sanctity and a good mix of Gospel charity and uncompromising Faith, and was largely responsible for my own priestly vocation.  

He was also pastor here at St. Anthony's in Follansbee from 1964 to 1973.

(At left: Fr. Moore giving me my diploma at 8th Grade Graduation in 1994.  I often wonder if he knew the seeds he planted that would blossom into a priestly vocation...)

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.  May he rest in peace.  And may his soul, and the souls of all the Faithful Departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

Mass Tonight in Honor of Our Lady

For those wanting to attend this Holy Day of Opportunity in honor of the Blessed Virgin, a solemn Mass will be celebrated here at St. Anthony's in Follansbee at 6:00 p.m.  Come out and wish Our Lady a Happy Birthday!

Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary

September 8

The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today, Holy Mother Church celebrates the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin, and born into the world this day, that she might become the Mother of God, giving birth to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

In celebrating this Feast, Christians begin to anticipate the coming of Christ's own Nativity, as we observe those mysterious events that led up to the Mystery of the Incarnation!

"The present Feast forms a link between the New and the Old Testament. It shows that Truth succeeds symbols and figures and that the New Covenant replaces the Old. Hence, all creation sings with joy, exults, and participates in the joy of this day.... This is, in fact, the day on which the Creator of the world constructed His temple; today is the day on which by a stupendous project a creature becomes the preferred dwelling of the Creator." (St. Andrew of Crete)

The Divine Office this morning presents to us the following hymn in honor of the Feast:

Thy birth, O Virgin Mother of God,
heralded joy to all the world.
For from thou hast risen the Sun of justice,
Christ our God.

Destroying the curse, He gave blessing;
and damning death, He bestowed on us
life everlasting.

Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
For from thou hast risen of Sun of justice,
Christ our God.

May Our Lady, whose birth we celebrate this day, continue to watch over her children and, by her prayers, win for us the grace of God in our lives to know, love, and do the will of our Heavenly Father!

O Mary, conceived without sin, Pray for us who have recourse unto thee!

The Papal Farm - Labor Day Edition

Here's a neat little piece from Catholic News Service on the Papal Farm at Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father's summer residence.   On this Labor Day, let us remember all who work on the farms that give our own tables the food we eat!

Papal table features produce from pope's farm at Castel Gandolfo
By Cindy WoodenCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- On any given day, the papal table may feature extra-virgin olive oil, lightly pasteurized milk, fresh eggs, free-range chicken, honey, apricots and peaches -- all straight from the farm at the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo.

A worker gives hay to cows on the papal farm at Castel Gandolfo. (CNS/L'Osservatore Romano)

"The pope's farm, even if it is similar to many others, still gives rise to curiosity," said the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.
Part of the curiosity comes from the fact that, for years, the only media allowed on the farm have been the writers and photographers who work for the Vatican newspaper. L'Osservatore wrote about and published photos from the farm in its Aug. 31 edition.

The farm, which covers just under 50 acres, is home to an olive grove, fruit trees and greenhouses used to raise flowers and plants that often are used to decorate the papal apartments and meeting rooms, the newspaper said.

Each day, 25 cows produce more than 150 gallons of milk, and more than 200 eggs are collected from some 300 hens. In addition, about 60 chickens are raised for meat.

What the pope and his aides do not use is sold to Vatican employees and retirees at their discount supermarket.

L'Osservatore said the farm took shape in the 1930s under the pontificate of Pope Pius XI, who saw it "as a model of a genuine lifestyle, the same he was able to enjoy as a youth."

Saverio Petrillo, director of the papal villa, told the Vatican newspaper that the farm once hosted two wild boars that had been given to Pope Paul VI, but they were a bit rowdy.

"The gazelles of Pius XI were more tranquil," Petrillo said. "They were given to the pope by the apostolic delegate in Egypt, and the pope had great affection for those beasts; he would go visit them" every time he went to Castel Gandolfo, and he always went with some treat to feed them.

"People often say that he would carry around the smaller of the two," Petrillo said.
Unfortunately, the story had a tragic end, he said.

"One day, frightened by a group of young Hungarian scouts who came to visit the pope, they jumped the fence," and were hit by a car "to Pius XI's great sorrow."

The article did not mention whether Pope Benedict XVI visits the farm while at Castel Gandolfo, although he is known to walk daily through the villa's gardens.

The link to the original story may be found here.

What sacred music is NOT...

I plan to post more on what makes music Catholic, sacred, and fit for Divine Worship in the future.

For right now, a simple caveat.

If you can do this with a song, it's not sacred music...religious music, maybe, but not sacred:

(Yeah, I already know I'm gonna catch flack for this.  Vox clamans in deserto...)

(N.B., I don't know Bishop Clark, and I don't endorse the fact that this video seems to be aimed at him.  I didn't make the video, I didn't publish it.  Frankly, I don't like publicly excoriating bishops in this way.  But, it makes my point...and it's funny, I don't care who you are!)

Great Video for Evangelization...just needs better music!

A friend posted this on Facebook, and I couldn't resist.  What a tremendous witness (even if the music is a bit odd...).  It really strikes at the heart of being Catholic.  It's not just a denomination.  It's an identity!

It's all very Catholic.  It's just missing Catholic music.  And I'm not talking about this:

I'm talking something TRULY Catholic and Universal, that drips with a sense of the sacred and timeless, as if you can see the countless members of Christ's Faithful who have sung it throughout the ages (no, not "On Eagle's Wings" *gag*).  Something like this:

Can we PLEASE have some Catholic music that wouldn't scandalize, frighten, or confuse 2,000 years worth of Catholics who have come before us?!  PLEASE?!

Funny or Just Ironic: You Decide

I came across this comic this morning, and it made me laugh. I'm not sure why, but it does raise an interesting question:

Obviously, "Get Fuzzy" is, on some level, trivializing the liturgical vesture of the Vicar of Christ.  Yeah, I get that.  And notice how no one ever makes fun of other religions for their liturgical headgear.  Take, for instance, the Pope next to the Patriarch of Moscow:

  vs.

It occurs to me that perhaps people find it more amusing to make fun of the Holy Father because he is a target worth aiming at.  He is relevant.  He is outspoken.  And he rarely says things that please the vocal, but misguided, social Left.  All in all, perhaps it's not bad that people will stoop even to making fun of his vesture, which has existed since well-before the New York Times, CNN, or even "Get Fuzzy."

For my own part, I've read "Get Fuzzy" for years, and I'll continue to do so, because I don't believe that it's satirizing our Faith to criticize it, nor does it advocate extreme social or moral positions which stand in opposition to the Church.  But I had to laugh, because it is an interesting question.  Is the Pope's hat actually funny, or is it just ironic?  It's hard to say.  But this much is true...the Holy Father could always wear a less ironic or funny hat, and really give the Left something to cry about:

Spiritual Works of Mercy as True Christian Love: XXIII Sunday of Time throughout the Year

If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die, "and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,the wicked shall die for his guilt,but I will hold you responsible for his death.But if you warn the wicked,trying to turn him from his way,and he refuses to turn from his way,he shall die for his guilt,but you shall save yourself.   (Ez 33:8-9)

These words from Ezekiel fit so well this week with St. Paul instruction to love our neighbor (Rm 13:8-10), as well as Our Lord's instruction (Mt 18:15-20) for how properly to admonish one's brother.  It seems only too logical to view these teachings in light of the set of precepts commonly referred to as The Spiritual Works of Mercy.  These spiritual works of mercy, are, as some may recall, juxtaposed to the corporal works of mercy, which focus on caring for the physical well-being of one's neighbor.

For the sake of reference, the two lists are as follows:


The Corporal Works of Mercy:

• Feed the hungry
• Clothe the naked
• Give drink to the thirsty
• Shelter the homeless
• Visit the sick
• Ransom the captive
• Bury the dead

The Spiritual Works of Mercy:

• Instruct the ignorant
• Counsel the doubtful
• Admonish the sinner
• Bear wrongs patiently
• Forgive offenses willingly
• Comfort the afflicted
• Pray for the living and the dead

In the context of our reflection, we focus mainly on the spiritual works of mercy, which are not quite as self-evident as the corporal works of mercy.  The above passage of Ezekiel, when read in light of Jesus and St. Paul, paints a very clear picture of the Christian's moral duty to do all things possible to prevent the damnation of one's neighbor.  Indeed, it is a moral necessity to admonish one whom you know to be in error.  To fail in this task--according to Isaiah--forfeits one's own salvation.  

To look at this in a broader perspective, we examine the need to admonish sinners and to instruct the ignorant in light of the Gospel mandate to love one's neighbor.  Contrary to the modernistic paradigm in which criticism of another's beliefs--no matter how misguided--is seen as bigoted and wrong, fidelity to the Truth of Jesus Christ obliges every Christian not merely to stand idly by and observe his neighbor proceed down the path of heresy and death, but rather to step in and correct the error.  The refusal to take up this charge would, in effect, make the individual culpable for his own neighbor's demise.  

But any such admonition is not to be made out of self-righteous indignation or puffed-up arrogance.  To correct one's neighbor must be a supreme act of love--not the modernist permissiveness that is veiled in a poorly-disguised sentiment that calls itself love, but the true love of God--a love that is parental in nature, and which chastises as much as it comforts.  The love of neighbor requires more than merely extending platitudes in the name of secularist "tolerance."  

True Christian love must be firmly rooted in the Truth that is the love of Jesus Christ--a love which is inherently antithetical to the postmodern mentality, wherein relativism poisons the mind into thinking that all opinions are equal.  We know, in fact, that to be Christian is to live a life that is directly opposed to that--to live a life that is firmly rooted in absolute and objective Truths that are not subject to the whims of social convention and fad, but are rooted in the Divine-Natural Law, most especially as it has been revealed to us in Christ Jesus.  

Truly to love one's neighbor, one must be willing to go beyond what may be socially acceptable protocol for interaction.  Our obligation as Christians stretches far beyond the mundane relationality of modernist society in which neighbors has only superficial concern for each other.  To be a Christian to is to seek intimacy with others, as we are all spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ.  The spiritual relationship we have with our neighbors is fostered, cultivated, and nurtured by our willingness to engage in mutual spiritual works of mercy.  In this way, our hearts are opened up to one another, and the love of God which resides in us is able to permeate all those around us.  This sharing of God's love becomes the conduit through which all virtues are shared within a society.  Thus we seek to better each other by making ourselves accountable not just to God, but to each other as true communal beings.  And it is in this accountability that we help ourselves, and others, to grow in holiness, to grow in our love of God and of His Holy Church.  

May the love of God, which surpasses all understanding, help us to grow closer to our neighbors, to seek the good of all those who have been led astray, and to draw us all closer to one another in true Christian love and charity through a mutual sharing of grace and through the Spiritual Works of Mercy carried out in that same spirit of Love.

September 3: The Coronation of Pope St. Gregory the Great

Today, according to the calendar of 1970, the Church celebrates the Feast of Pope St. Gregory the Great. His original feast--March 12, the day of his death--was transferred so as not to coincide with the Season of Lent.  Thus, September 3 was chosen, as it was the date at which Gregory acceded to the Throne of St. Peter.  

In honor of this feast, I re-post a segment of a homily from St. Gregory as it appeared in the Office of Readings today:

‘Son of man, I have appointed you as watchman to the house of Israel.’ Note that Ezekiel, whom the Lord sent to preach his word, is described as a watchman. Now a watchman always takes up his position on the heights so that he can see from a distance whatever approaches. Likewise whoever is appointed watchman to a people should live a life on the heights so that he can help them by taking a wide survey.

These words are hard to utter, for when I speak it is myself that I am reproaching. I do not preach as I should nor does my life follow the principles I preach so inadequately.

I do not deny that I am guilty, for I see my torpor and my negligence. Perhaps my very recognition of failure will win me pardon from a sympathetic judge. When I lived in a monastic community I was able to keep my tongue from idle topics and to devote my mind almost continually to the discipline of prayer. Since taking on my shoulders the burden of pastoral care, I have been unable to keep steadily recollected because my mind is distracted by many responsibilities.

I am forced to consider questions affecting churches and monasteries and often 1 must judge the lives and actions of individuals; at one moment I am forced to take part in certain civil affairs, next I must worry over the incursions of barbarians and fear the wolves who menace the flock entrusted to my care; now I must accept political responsibility in order to give support to those who preserve the rule of law; now I must bear patiently the villainies of brigands, and then I must confront them, yet in all charity.

My mind is sundered and torn to pieces by the many and serious things I have to think about. When I try to concentrate and gather all my intellectual resources for preaching, how can I do justice to the sacred ministry of the word? I am often compelled by the nature of my position to associate with men of the world and sometimes I relax the discipline of my speech. If I preserved the rigorously inflexible mode of utterance that my conscience dictates, I know that the weaker sort of men would recoil from me and that I could never attract them to the goal I desire for them. So I must frequently listen patiently to their aimless chatter. Because I am weak myself I am drawn gradually into idle talk and I find myself saying the kind of thing that I didn’t even care to listen to before. I enjoy lying back where I once was loath to stumble.

Who am I — what kind of watchman am I? I do not stand on the pinnacle of achievement, I languish rather in the depths of my weakness. And yet the creator and redeemer of mankind can give me, unworthy though I be, the grace to see life whole and power to speak effectively of it. It is for love of him that I do not spare myself in preaching him.

St. Gregory the Great, pray for us!