Alleluia!

"The Congregation for Divine Worship reports 'no little satisfaction in arriving at this juncture.'" And the feeling is mutual for many of the laity. It has many of the hot button changes that have been sore spots for those who desired a more authentic translation.
Vatican approves new English translation for Mass

* At the Consecration, the priest will refer to Christ's blood which is "poured out for you and for many"-- an accurate translation of pro multis-- rather than "for all" in the current translation.

* In the Nicene Creed the opening word, Credo, will be correctly translated as "I believe" rather than "we believe."

* When the priest says, "The Lord be with you," the faithful respond, "And with your spirit," rather than simply, "And also with you."

* In the preferred form of the penitential rite, the faithful will acknowledge that they have sinned "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.

Of course it will still take time for the implementation. But progress is progress.

Ad=insert your line here

With Pope Benedict celebrating the Mass “ad orientem” in the Sistine Chapel, we get plenty of Ad (your own line here) type of articles. Even the CNA falls victim of the dizzyness created when a priest turns around.

Vatican City, Jan 15, 2008 / 04:22 am (CNA).- Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass on Sunday in the Sistine Chapel, using the church’s original altar beneath Michelangelo’s depiction of the Last Judgment instead of the removable altar used by Pope John Paul II.

The Vatican’s office for liturgical celebrations issued a statement saying the decision to use the old altar was used to respect "the beauty and the harmony of this architectural jewel."

Using the old altar meant that Pope Benedict occasionally celebrated the liturgy with his back to the people, a posture called “ad orientem” or “towards the east” in the traditional phrasing. It was the first time Mass had been celebrated in the Chapel in such a way since the Second Vatican Council, which took place between 1962 and 1965.

The choice echoes part of the Pope’s reintroduction of traditional liturgical practices, some of which were phased out by the Second Vatican Council. The Pope has also encouraged the revival of Gregorian chant, a centuries-old style of liturgical music.

During the Mass at the Sistine Chapel, the Pope baptized 13 babies.

I have yet to see a document that speaks of "ad orientem" without mentioning the "back to the people" line. Would it be so hard to edit that phrase to say, "facing East while leading his flock in worship" or merely "facing East with the people"?

So it leads me to a meme of sorts. With all the dizziness experienced by the media in reporting this phenomenon, what comes to your mind when you read an article on "Ad Orientum"? The Curt Jester has already added his with "Ad Entertainer" or I might edit "Ad Entertaineum". For me it would be "Ad Nauseam" in reference to the ongoing dizziness of the media.

What would you add?

Good and bad

The good; Approval of English Missal Closer.

The bad; closer means fall 2008? or later.

Hijacked

Just wondering how many readers out there had their Epiphany hijacked by the US Bishops deciding this would be a good week to foist the "migration week" theme on us? 

Our priest was halfway through a good homily on the readings when he switched gears to the politically motivated-one sided slant on how we are all migrants, and just like the "wise people" the migrants deserve....  I can't remember what came next because it was like those videos you are supposed to watch closely and then Wham! someone jumps into the screen and scares you.  The whole train of though just slammed into the proverbial wall.

First, how lame is it hitching the "migrant week" to the visit of the Magi?  The Magi were traveling to a foreign land to adore the King of Kings, God made incarnate, not trying to subvert the laws and perhaps a whole nation.  And lest anyone forget, the Magi went home when their visas expired.  You could make the case that Herod wasn't exactly friendly to the travelers, but comparing Duncan Hunter or even Tom Tancredo to Herod is quite a reach.

Second, it isn't migration that concerns people.  I am a migrant.  I moved from one part of the country to another.  But I am not an immigrant.

someone who leaves their country or origin to take up permanent residence in another country

Thirdly and most importantly, it was Mass.  And major feast day. Which they chose to hijack for their political purpose.  They are Bishops, and they of all people should know better.

The lucky ones

Considering the quality of music in many parishes, I might consider deafness to be desirable rather than a handicap.  But I digress (without even getting started no less). 

Back on the topic, Jimmy Akin and Ed Peters give some thought and advice to Fr. McNamara's liturgy column on deafness, liturgy and priesthood.  I particularly like Jimmy's considerations of language

The problem is: Giving deaf people captions written in English is not giving them captioning in their own language.

American Sign Language, despite its use in America, is not English. It has different grammar and different vocabulary. It may have certain loan elements from English, just as English has loan elements from French and German and Latin and Greek, but it is not English any more than English is one of its cognate languages.

and whether a deaf-mute man could be a priest since the sacraments involve the spoken word.

Ed touches on the subject of ministering to the deaf, which touches close to home here.  I have (unsuccessfully) lobbied for some "changes" to the Mass for my blind son.  I asked the liturgy committee if the bell could be rung during the consecration (yes I also had ulterior motives) so the blind would be drawn to the moment of consecration.    I was rebuffed with the explanation that my son was sharp enough to know that from hearing the words of consecration.  Sadly I can say with both the sense of sight and hearing, I still can struggle to focus during that time.  I can only imagine how difficult it would be for those lacking the visual of the body and blood being raised.

There is not going to be perfection in this fallen world, but I can't help but think if the Mass were celebrated as the Church has put forth, it would be about as close to perfection as our humanity could attain (that may seem like a no-brainer to most, but go with the thought here.)  With the spoken word, the tolling of the chimes, the elevation of the body and blood and the genuflection; even those with limited senses could still understand the significance of the moment of consecration.

Man, woman and all of us

When you're trying to focus your attention, there's nothing worse than silly, needless distractions. Today at Mass, during the recitation of the Creed I could hear, amidst the unison of worshippers in attendance the dissenting voice of a lone woman who decided to replace every masculine pronoun in the Creed that referred to God with the word, "God." So, for instance, instead of "Through Him all things were made." She would say, "Through God all things were made." And instead of "And with the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified", in reference to the Holy Spirit, she said, "And with the Father and the Son God is worshipped and glorified". And so on. It was so distracting.[emphasis added]

Source article

I know I can relate.   It is difficult enough to focus while minding the children and keeping the mind from wandering without someone trying to make a point by being different.

Where does this end? It's all so absurd. But as bad as it's been in the past, my experience today raised things to a new level of inanity. I've never heard such a stubborn and methodic insistence to surgically remove every masculine pronoun in a prayer or profession as I encountered today with this woman. I couldn't help glancing over my shoulder to get a look at the offender, and in the process probably providing her with the attention she sought. I expected to see a 1960's type (you know what I mean), but much to my surprise, there sat an elderly woman, with a cute handkerchief wrapped neatly over her white hair. How on earth, I wondered, did this nice old lady become so smitten with the insanity that is the political correctness movement in America?

I am not so surprised.  I have noticed the elderly are especially susceptible to the political correctness run amok.  Why, I don't know.  Seems to fly in the face of the wisdom of the elderly.  Could be the "Wisdom Works" seminars that target the elderly and find it easy to confuse them.  Sort of how the scam artist target them also.

Sad when one considers the elderly as they near the end of their life.  As my wife has said, at that time of life, one needs the unvarnished truth.  Not some happy-happy-joy-joy mumbo jumbo.  One closing quote that sums it up.

The trend today, to include a "he or she", or "humankind", is not only patronizing but it's deeply distracting, even from a literary point of view because it is superfluous.

Sour grapes

Lookes like the former Archbishop Marini isn't happy he got demoted. Archbishop's book tells of battles over control of liturgical reform

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a new book, a Vatican archbishop has chronicled the birth pangs of the liturgical reform generated by the Second Vatican Council and warned of a Roman Curia tendency to return to a "preconciliar mindset."

The book, "A Challenging Reform," was written by Archbishop Piero Marini, who recently ended a 20-year tenure as papal liturgist. His Vatican career began in 1965 in the office charged with implementing liturgical renewal.

Perhaps he should take note that it isn't all about him. Perhaps the Mass is greater than all of us.

I think Bear said it best: Man who was once important but is now irrelevant is unhappy with the change.

Where have I been

And why haven't haven't I watched this podcast before.

Cardinal Arinze rocks. He keeps it interesting with his humor, but there is no waffle in this five course meal. He answers questions on Adoration during retreats, if liturgical dance is acceptable in some cultures (hint, not in ours) and what is acceptable during Mass (it has to do with ACTS).

ACTS is Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Watch the video and tell me you aren't impressed.

via Alive and Young

Overdue and under duress

I am writing this using the beta of Windows Live Writer, so bear with me if it comes out looking funny.  But it is much overdue.

Here in North Idaho, we have an annual Catholic men's retreat.  Usually very inspiring, spiritually uplifting and even when the retreat master is less than wonderful, three Masses and confession more that makes it worthwhile.  And then there is the evening festivities involving great Catholic male conversation and usually libations.

Sad to say, this year was different.  I actually came home spiritually depressed.  In a much worse mood than I when I left.  It really bothered me to be struggling spiritually after what many describe as a weekend to recharge the spiritual batteries.  I felt like I had gone away and someone had left the the lights on.  My battery was drained.  So what was the problem?

Well, first off; I didn't have the usual suspects there with me.   Plenty of men I knew and I had good conversations with many, but none of the core group was there.  None of my fellow Maccabeen warriors. But as I said, there was plenty of men, 83 I think, there and how can one not enjoy spiritual conversations with fellow Catholic men?

The first talk on Friday was inspiring and got me fired up.  So even though the retreat master wasn't great as the weekend went on, it wasn't an issue of a poor topic, poor presentation or general malaise on my part.

The problem was much deeper than all this.  I was the victim of a bigger scam.  Many on St. Blog's have been offended with their priest dressing up as a clown for Mass.  I (tongue in cheek here) witnessed a clown dressed up as a priest. 

Anyone familiar with this site know about issues I take with poor liturgy.  The Mass does not belong to any one person, even the priest and therefore should not be treated as private property.  No inventing stuff, no changing the script to suit personal tastes or omitting certain prayers.  There are options that are offered.  But inventing your own Mass is forbidden. 

Anyway, this priest could give a great homily.  He believes in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  And in many ways he would pass as a rock solid priest.  But as I try to lighten up on the liturgical policing role, for my own good I can overlook many things.  But what completely ruined the weekend for me was doing what he knew was wrong, commenting on it during Mass and acting like it was a joke.  If Catholics truly believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, would we really treat the Mass (where Jesus comes TO us, in OUR place, in OUR time) as a stand-up comedy routine?

Anymore Catholics will hardly notice a deviation from the script.  There are four options for the opening prayer, and not too many of us have all four memorized.  But to add his own, then comment how he felt it wouldn't be a big deal to add a fifth, drag that into a comment about him bringing a fifth (of spirits) elsewhere and then joking how he hoped no one would turn him into the bishop.  Many complaints have been heard about the monotony or repetition in  Mass, but this was about the only repeated line I remember from the weekend, about not being turned into the bishop.  Perhaps he was begging for someone to do just that.

The best thing I can take away from this weekend is a new appreciation for how mundane and ordinary our Sunday Mass at our church is.  Hardly perfect, poor music, bad hymns and questionable homilies from the deacons; but at least they don't joke about how bad they are.  And for that I am very thankful. 

I have come to a compromise with anyone who likes the liturgical goofiness.  I won't whine and complain about the little stuff anymore if you promise not to flaunt it.  It is so juvenile and could ruin a perfectly good weekend.

Quick like a glacier

Glaciers are relatively speedy compared to the movements of the Catholic Church. But of course one doesn't last 2000 years by hopping on the latest fad. Still, I am anxiously awaiting the New English translation of Missal

The International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) has completed a draft of its English translation of the Roman Missal.

The ICEL draft, which was unveiled on November 1, will now be submitted to the bishops' conferences of the English-speaking world. Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds, England, explained that ICEL will solicit comments on the draft, make appropriate changes, and hopes to complete the English translation by the end of 2008.

The ICEL draft is a translation of the Latin that appears in the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal. That official Latin version was released in 2002.

So we get our hopes up and then we wait some more. It will be interesting to make us think about what we pray during Mass. A subtle change causes us to pause and consider the words more carefully.

Q&A

Zenit's liturgy column poses an interesting question today. Arriving After the Gospel: No Communion?

Two Marinis

In a move that will likely be applauded by fellow blogger JD Carriere the Vatican's top liturgical liberal steps down.

This has long been a sore spot for many good Catholics, a point of contention for some, a blemish on Pope John Paul II's good name and at the least, something of a large elephant in the sanctuary.

In a noteworthy change of personnel, if not of surname, the Vatican announced today that Monsignor Guido Marini will replace Archbishop Piero Marini as the pope’s Master of Ceremonies, meaning the official in charge of how the pope celebrates the Mass and the other rites of the church.

The outgoing Marini was long seen as a more permissive counterpart to the strong traditionalism at the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Vatican’s policy-setting agency on liturgical matters. Experts have noted the irony that large-scale papal liturgies organized on Marini’s watch are sometimes more innovative than a strict reading of official policy might permit.

One of the many stumbling blocks was the frequency of liturgical dancers in papal Masses.

The Congregation for Divine Worship officially frowns on dance in the liturgy. In 1975 it issued a document titled Dance in the Liturgy, which concluded, “[Dance] cannot be introduced into liturgical celebrations of any kind whatever. That would be to inject into the liturgy one of the most desacralized and desacralizing elements; and so it would be equivalent to creating an atmosphere of profaneness which would easily recall to those present and to the participants in the celebration worldly places and situations.”

In 1998, the congregation wrote to the bishop of Honolulu to ban the use of hula dancing in any liturgical context, a custom that had become common among Catholics in Hawaii. Yet when John Paul visited Brussels in 1995 for the beatification of Father Damien DeVeuster, the famous saint of the Hawaiian lepers, a hula dance was performed smack in the middle of the ceremony.

Not sure that the official frowning is an official function of the Congregation for Divine Worship, but it was difficult to defend the good Pope against traditionalists whenever this topic would arise. So quietly, yet surely, Pope Benedict is cleaning up one of the neglected areas of his predecessor.

And I rather like the quiet method. Rather than throwing around anathemas and excommunications, the gentle reproofs and cleaning up one's own house first wins more souls in the long run.

a fine cure

Anthony at Mere Comments has a fine cure for the poor music choices in the Glory and Praise hymnals.

What's missing from the hymnal? Oh, music, poetry -- and one thing above all: the Cross. The Cross sure does seem a fine cure for narcissism. In all our arguments about ordination and (in the Catholic church) lay "ministry," nobody ever says, "I want the right to be ordained a priest because I demand to be crucified!"

He has quite a list of what is wrong with the songs too, including my (least) favorites

-- the blithe arrogation of God's words to ourselves, speaking in the first person
-- the arrogation of God's grace and majesty to ourselves: "We are the Bread, we are the Body"

via The Curt Jester

lacking flexiblity

Not much on the Motu mania from me, I prefer the Novus Ordo (having been to a Tridentine Mass or two), but I couldn't help but enjoy this comment on CNW's Off the Record, A blow to Anglo-Saxons

Latin lacks that dynamic malleability which permitted the ICEL texts creatively to split infinitives and change males to females and use sentences in which nouns and verbs do not agree. If the Latin types have their way, we may soon have Masses at which Anglo-Saxons speak the same way as the chaps who threatened civilization with the Spanish Armada.

Not even a golf clap?

As Di over at CWN says, it is okay to break into applause while reading The Recovery of the Sacred, as it is likely you aren't reading it at Mass.

Observing the norms of the Liturgy helps to create a profound sense of the sacred in each of us at Mass. Celebrating Mass and observing liturgical norms also makes us visibly one with the entire Church to which we belong. “Priests who faithfully celebrate Mass according to the liturgical norms, and communities which conform to those norms, quietly but eloquently demonstrate their love for the Church” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 52).

Today it has become commonplace at the end of the Liturgy to recite a litany of gratitude for all those who, in some way or another, have made the celebration beautiful. No doubt there is a way to express gratitude at the end of Mass. But is it possible that each time applause breaks out in the Liturgy at the end of the Mass for someone’s contribution, we lapse into seeing the Mass as a human achievement? Sometimes even during the Mass after someone has sung a beautiful hymn, there is spontaneous applause. At such a moment, does not the real meaning of Liturgy lapse into some kind human entertainment?

Sadly, clapping is commonplace in our local church. Often invited, sometimes just spontaneously reacting to the "solo" instrumental. It grates on me, not as much as it used to because I try to stay more positive about Mass now. But how goofy to drag down our worship of God by pretending we are the givers instead of the receivers of the gift.

Burn em

From the Roving Medievalist comes The Insignia of the Militant and Just Bloody Rotten Order of the Torch

The details of the Order can be found HERE. Plenty of space left, if you want to join.

And just what is the order about? Well the motto sums it completely. "The 70's are over, burn the felt Banners!"

Count me in. I am a sucker for any noble cause that invokes knighthood. Plus I have been distracted by those ugly banners way too long. I'll have to capture a picture of the banner with a sail boat on a lake that will likely show up again this summer.

via the Curt Jester.

Glad I wasn't a lector this Sunday

Not being a Bible Christian, yes that is sarcasm, I didn't notice the omission from the Second Reading last Sunday. But as Carson Webber points out, Omissions Can Be Deadly via The Curt Jester

I often find it amusing to see how the readings are affected by the regular omissions made by those who prepare the Biblical texts for the liturgy, but this instance is even a bit scary!

Feast not

Curious to see it any readers had a potpourri of readings this last Sunday? We had the proper 1st reading and Psalm, then the second reading and Gospel were taken from next week! Probably because Ascension Thursday has become Ascension Sunday in the US.

But that is a big issue for me. Not only do we lose the last Sunday of Easter because people "can't" find the time for Mass on Thursday, but it is ruined for those that choose to go on Thursday. There aren't any Masses for the Ascension on Thursday. I went to a daily Mass last year and it was just a simple daily Mass.

If it is so important of a Holy Day that we move the feast to Sunday so the majority of church going Catholics will participate, why isn't it just gladly proclaimed as a Holy Day of Obligation? Is it not our duty to assist at Mass on Sunday's and Holy Days of obligation? So we are asked to go to a whole 8 holy days throughout the year, unless of course the holy day falls on a Monday or Saturday or is just too inconvenient for people.

Roman Protestant

Via the Spirit's Sword, Roman Protestants: The Lair of the Catholic Cavemen

If you're unsure if the phrase "Roman Protestant" pertains to you, here are a few well aimed questions that may help. Here we go ~

If you categorize yourself as a Catholic, plus....

1. If you consider the Eucharist to be a mere symbol of Jesus, you're a Roman Protestant.

2. If you consider the primary purpose of the Mass to be that of a communal meal/gathering, you're a Roman Protestant.

3. If you purposfully dress-down for Mass (shorts, flip-flops, a Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy t-shirt), and you present yourself more like your on your way to either the beach or a barbecue vice God's House, you're not necessarily a Roman Protestant. You're just a disrespectful slob.

4. If you hold/raise your hands during the Our Father because you consider doing such "the primary a sign of unity for Catholics", you obviously don't know what the purpose of the Eucharist is. And guess what? You're a Roman Protestant.

5. If you purposfully don't go to Confession, but go to Communion every Sunday... and your rationale is "I'm basically a good person. I don't commit any REALLY bad sins, and besides, I know God loves me just the way I am", you're a Roman Protestant.

6. If you stand during the Consecration instead of kneel because standing displays "fuller participation", that doesn't mean you're a Roman Protestant. But it does mean you should consider doing calisthenics during the Consecration. Could you even imagine how "full" your participation would be then?

7. If you think that Purgatory is just something that The Church invented during The Middle Ages to bring in money, you're a Roman Protestant.

8. If you prefer On Eagle's Wings over Hail Holy Queen, that doesn't make you a Roman Protestant. That just means that you have really, really bad taste in music.

9. If you think that the pope is nothing more than just another bishop, you're a Roman Protestant.

10. [I'll leave #10 for those following the link. I don't disagree, but in charity...]

In closing, to those who call themselves "Progressive Catholics" or "Reformed Catholics", let me tell you that Catholicism already has a word for folks like that... they're called Protestants.

A broken clock?

During the Creed today, I wondered something about the new translation. So I looked it up once at home. Our parish makes a point of excluding the the "men" from "For us men and our salvation". I think it was more along the lines of getting rid of the mention of the masculine rather than a prophetic knowledge of the proper translation.

But here is the line from the new ICEL translation from, The hermeneutic of continuity:

For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,