Some Canadian bishops are in gross error!
I received a letter today from the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada regarding the issue of some bishops and priests forcing people to stand after Holy Communion. This has come about as misinterpretation of the GIRM (General Instruction on the Roman Missal) as it is in the Third Edition in force since the First Sunday of Advent past.
The Archbishop refers to my own provision of the evidence to him of the Dubium and Responsum to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops back in 2003. This fact has been well publicised and is readily available. The fact that some Canadian bishops and liturgists have taken a different view is unacceptable.
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| Vox Cantoris' letter received from the Apostolic Nuncio |
Question:
In many places during Holy Mass, some of the Christian faithful upon returning to their seats after receiving the Eucharist wish to remain in private prayer sitting or kneeling or standing. Is it the intent of the statute of the third Latin edition of the Roman Missal to stop this practice?
Response
Negative in our minds.
The mind of the Congregation is that by means of the provisions of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 43, on the one hand is intended to grant broad terms -- some uniformity of the habit of the Congregation for the various parts of the body in the celebration of Holy Mass; (Vox--as example, the Gloria, Offertory, or Lord's Prayer) and at the same time on the other side of the body, not to regulate the habit so rigorously in such a way that those who wish to stand or to sit or to be on their knees (after Holy Communion) were no longer free to do so.
This
is what Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider (50) of Astana in
Kazakhstan said at the end of October for the videosite 'gloria.tv'.Whether it was Friday (as it was for me in the EF) or Saturday night (as it was for me where I sang the Vigil Mass) or today if you worship in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, may you have a blessed Epiphany. For me, it is Holy Family today and let us pray that some day, Epiphany in Canada will be transferred back to January 6 and that we will also have a unified calendar between the OF and EF.
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| St. André Bessette of Montreal |
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| Édouard Cardinal Gagnon, P.S.S. |
In an earlier post, I linked to some wise words by Jeff Ostrowski of the Corpus Christi Watershed. Here is a video comparing some fairly well-worn Responsorial Psalms and a chant version from CCW.
What do you think?
Which do you think would foster greater participation amongst the faithful?
Oh my, I've been very lazy about blogging and most other things as we continue our Christmas celebration at the home of the Vox. Still on vacation until next Monday and basking in the glow of the still fresh Christmas Tree on this dark and cloudy morning, perhaps it is about time to post something at least.
The tree went up on the 23rd and after the branches fell nicely into form it was grandly decorated on Christmas Eve. That night, Vox was at the Toronto parish and with the help of Natale on the organ and a soprano who joined us we put on a lovely little service of Readings and Carols. I opened it with the powerful, This Is the Truth Sent From Above and she closed it with O Holy Night until all the congregation sang Of the Father's Love Begotten just prior to Mass. The weather was good for the 160km. drive to the bucolic countryside for the Traditional Latin Mass at Midnight and again the next day at noon. A lovely lunch on the priest's family farm and then back to Mississauga to my sister's for dinner. After a few days of recovery, Vox's Roast Turkey Christmas Dinner was held with much enjoyment by all including singing for over an hour after dinner as Natale regaled us with his accordion.
Now, what?
Well, there is so much to write about and comment on that I just don't know where to start.
Liturgical work extraordinaire: Here is a great column by Jeff Ostrowski on the New Liturgical Movement about the difference between the Antiphons in the Roman Missal and the Gradual. If you are not familiar with Mr. Ostrowski's wonderful work, then you must visit Corpus Christi Watershed and even consider his Vatican II Hymnal.
Crisis, what crisis? Well, if the His Disgrace Raymond Lahey trash was not enough, we should also consider some prayers, if it is not too late, for Karl Clemens, a suspended priest from the Archdiocese of Kingston who left the priesthood of Christ to slander the Church and live on the gay-track of "Church Street" in Toronto who when 70, "married" his 28 year-old lover, he died a few weeks back in December.. And let's not forget the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles and the people there who will now bear the cost of educating his "children!" Well, at least it was a woman!
Of course the RealProblem besetting the Church is Michael Voris and RealCatholicTV, right?
There will be no posts for a few days other than a Christmas page and some changes in the music and colours which I shall do late tomorrow afternoon. Vox will be pretty busy.
On Saturday at 7:30, we have organised a lovely little Service of Readings and Carols to precede Mass in the Ordinary Form at the church in Toronto where I am Cantor for the Vigil Mass. Here is what the program looks like:
The Huron Carol-All
This is the Truth Sent from Above-Vox
Book of Isaiah: "Comfort, yes, comfort My people. ..."
O Come Divine Messiah
St. Luke: "Now in the sixth month..."
The Angel Gabriel
Book of Micha: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,..."
Once in Royal David's City
St. Matthew: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:..."
O Holy Night-Soprano Solo
St. John: "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son..."
Of the Father's Love Begotten
Mass will begin with the new ICEL text of the Christmas Proclamation sung in its traditional tone and then O Come All Ye Faithful, the Propers from Simple English Propers and the Missa de Angelis. At Offertory, a two part with organ setting of Tu Scendi Dalle Stella (we have quite a few Italians) and Silent Night at Communion with Hark the Herald Angels Sing as the Recessional.
Then at about 9:15, I shall dash to the sleigh and call on Rudolph to lead me 160km to sing the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite at Midnight in Kinkora and again at Noon on Sunday. Please say an Ave for good roads and strong coffee.
It has been quite the year friends.
Finally, ten years after its issue we have the Third Edition of the Roman Missal for the Ordinary Form despite some hiccups in Canada and games being played. It is not enough but it is a beginning. If we could only celebrate it as it was intended, sung, ad orientem, with incense and solemnity and we would make a big mark on the "reform of the reform."
The Usus Antiquior continues to gain attention and in Toronto, Una Voce has been working hard to promote and sponsor the Mass. A new Una Voce Chapter has started in the Diocese of London, Sudbury now has the Mass as does Winnipeg and the Bishop of St. Catharines has raised the FSSP Apostolate to Personal Parish status and given them a property; God bless Bishop Bergie.
Serra House in Toronto is full to capacity and while next year will only see one diocesan ordination in Toronto, things are looking much better. The Archbishop and the Vocations Office are doing the right things.
On the cultural front, we continue to battle. The Catholic-In-Name-Only Premier of Ontario continues to "bully" Catholics as he himself succumbs to the homo-fascists and this battle has only just begun. On this fight, the Bishops of Ontario have let us down.
Friends, this blog has been saucy and a little irreverent at times. One person wrote that it is an "occasion of sin" and one of my bigger "fans" has been very harsh too, but I suspect that I will never hear from him again now. I have tried to stand up and fight for the Church, the truth and our culture. Sometimes I have succeeded and sometimes I have failed. Next year will be better but the battle for the truth and the liturgy and an end to abuses will go on.
On a personal note, it has been very busy. Work has been demanding and fruitful and I've been enjoying a relaxing break due to many, many vacation carryovers. Despite a detractor a few weeks ago on this blog who really acted inappropriatly, much was accomplished and I engineered the largest budget and program for my portfolio in over 20 years. My staff performed admirably and I thank them.
On the liturgical front, I am extremely fortunate to work in both Forms of the Roman Rite and with full support from the Pastors. I am truly blest and I thank them both.
May God bless you, Dear Reader this Christmas and always.
May you be happy and joyous. May you be blest with your families and friends. If you are alone, remember that you really never are alone. The LORD and His Mother love you and are with you. At the worst times, the darkest times of sin my life, no matter what my circumstance or my sin, they were there. God came for you and me, for all of us. He humbled Himself to be born of amongst us as a man to save us from sin, from ourselves and to show us the way to Him. Let us remember this truth always.
God love you.
Merry Christmas.
David Anthony Domet
I was going to post little this week and generally stay away from controversial issues, but this has caused me to rethink that. Instead of his putrid defense and his waxing about renewing his past "homosexual" relationships, he should be accepting his sentence with no defense and spending after that civil penalty a life or prayer and penance in a monastery for his crimes against the Church, children and his own soul.
Well, he lives on in CBWIII, another reason to rid our churches of that wretched little book of his handiwork. Imagine, he was wrecking our liturgy whilst being a sodomite in bishops clothing and looking at little boys, naked, in sexual positions on his computer.
You know, this guy and Mr. Weakland really show how the buggery committed by these sodomies really darkens the conscience.
Perhaps Salt + Light might want to think this post that this man is "a kind and gentle pastor, particularly sensitive to the needs of those who have suffered the scourge of sexual abuse."
Seraphic is equally disgusted and has kept her cool, I will write no more, I cannot keep my cool.
At the risk of committing a sin, I will refrain from writing anything else on this except for this:
I don't often post on matters of the SSPX, but I do think that this is important and I have lifted it here from Rorate Caeli blog. No doubt, for those who have been following the issues for the last while can pretty well confirm that the difficult point is indeed what Bishop Fellay says below; “Yes, you can criticize the Council, but on one condition: it is necessary to accept it first.”
If you read this blog, you probably tend to agree that there are issues with the implementation and interpretation of the documents of the Second Vatican Council, at least as a minimum. The Holy Father has worked unceasingly to ensure the correct "hermeneuitic of continuity." Bishop Fellay and the SSPX are actually doing all of us a favour because they are forcing the Vatican to address the matters. On the other hand, they are also displaying a prideful and strident stance that is also disconcerting. Who is right? Can we blindly say that the SSPX is wrong because we follow Rome? Can the Vatican be right on all of this and the SSPX is in fact, schismatic and disobedient? Where does the truth lay?
Clearly, the Holy Father wants this matter solved and formal unity established and he has gone a long way towards this. Summorum Pontificum, the lifting of the Excommunications, and the Doctrinal Talks and this latest Preamble prove this. What has the SSPX given?
Will the Pope go one step further, or maybe two? Can he, will he simply lift all priestly suspensions and recognise all marriages and jurisdictional matter of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or as some would prefer, Penance. What if he grants them a Personal Prelature and global diocese?
This whole matter is frustrating and going on far too long. It must be solved and soon, positions are hardening. If these talks to do not succeed, if there is not suitable good will and charity around all parties then the risk is that nothing further will happen and eventually, they will Consecrate another priest as bishop. If that happens, then it would seem that at this point, the Pope would be deeply hurt and left with no alternative but to declare that it is in fact, a formal schism.
Let us hope and pray that pride is reduced and charity abounds and that truth prevails.
From the sermon delivered by the Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX), Bp. Bernard Fellay, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. These are the latest words of that Fraternity on the ongoing discussions with the Apostolic See.
You have all heard that there was a proposal from Rome, a proposal that said, “We are ready to recognize you [canonically].” The problem is that there is always a condition. This condition may have varied a bit in its formulation, but basically it is always the same. This condition is: you must accept the Council. One could sum up the current situation by saying: “Yes, you can criticize the Council, but on one condition: it is necessary to accept it first.” Which leaves us saying, “What can we criticize afterwards?”I think that this is an honest summary of the present situation. And it is not difficult to describe for you our response.Obviously, the formulas are more and more interesting, closer and closer to what we say. We have arrived by now at a point that clearly shows the depth of the problem. In that famous proposal this is what they tell us: “You commit yourselves to acknowledging that with regard to points from the Council that cause difficulties, the only way to understand those points is to understand them in light of the continuous, perpetual Tradition, in light of the preceding Magisterium.” The light of Tradition is the only way by which one can understand the dubious points. They even go further: “Any proposition and any interpretation of the dubious texts that was opposed to that perpetual Magisterium, that continual Magisterium of the Church must be rejected.” That is what we have always said. But there is a tiny little incidental clause that adds, “as the New Catechism says”. Now the New Catechism adopts the Council.In other words, concerning the principle we can only agree. As for the application, it is completely the opposite. They claim that they are applying the principle by saying: everything that was done at the Council is faithful to Tradition, is consistent with Tradition, whether it be ecumenism or religious liberty. That shows you the seriousness of the problem. There is a problem somewhere. It is not possible otherwise. The problem is based on the understanding of certain words. And these words are of course “Tradition” and “Magisterium”. Their way of understanding these words is subjective. Certainly there are cases in which one can understand “tradition” in the sense of “transmit”: the act of transmitting is a transmission. But the usual way of understanding this word has bearing on its content. What is transmitted? What is transmitted from generation to generation? The classical definition of Tradition is “that which has always been believed by all, everywhere and at all times” (Commonitorium by St. Vincent of Lerins). Here the expression “That which” designates the object. But nowadays, it is as though we went from the object to the subject, so as to consider only the one who transmits.That is why they talk to you about “living tradition”, because the one who transmits, when he transmits, is alive. Now life moves, it changes. The popes change… and therefore tradition changes, but it remains tradition. It is the same tradition, but one that changes. The Church has also taken this sense into consideration, but in an altogether secondary way. That is not what she is talking about when she talks about Tradition; what we call the deposit of the faith, the set of truths that the Good Lord has entrusted to the Church so that she might transmit it from generation to generation, so that souls might be saved. This content is what she means. And this is the reason why, with the definition of infallibility at the First Vatican Council, the Church teaches that the Holy Ghost has effectively been promised to St. Peter and to his successors, therefore to the popes. But He was not promised in such a way that the popes might teach something new by a new revelation. He was promised so that, with the help of the Holy Ghost, Saint Peter and the popes might preserve holily and transmit faithfully that which does not change, the revealed deposit.That is where we are. That is what we are trying to do, since there is in fact a gesture made by Rome toward us, we must recognize it, a surprising gesture after these doctrinal discussions in which we determined that we were not in agreement. In effect it is a situation similar to that of two persons who meet, discuss something and arrive at the conclusion that they do not agree. What do you do then? Rome tells us: “You accept nevertheless!” And we reply: “It is not possible.” And so what we decide to do, besides answering that it is not possible, is to tell them: Wouldn’t you like to look at things a bit differently? Wouldn’t you like to try to understand that the Society is not the one that is a problem. There is indeed a problem in the Church, but it is not the Society; we are not a problem because we are saying that there is a problem. Then we ask them to deal with the real problem. We are ready; we want only one thing and it is precisely to attack the real problem.You understand very well that humanly speaking there is no great hope that they will agree to change such a position. Maybe the disappointments that the Church has experienced will move them? The fact that currently the disaster, the sterility is more clearly evident: there are no more vocations. It is frightening. I saw, a few moments ago, the statistics for the Sisters of Charity, the nuns who used to be everywhere in France: between thirty and forty years of age I think that there are still three left in all of France. Between the ages of 40 and 50, likewise three. The majority, in other words almost 200, are between 70 and 80 or between 80 and 90. Some of them are more than 100 years old, and they are more numerous than those who are 20, 30, 40 or 50 years old. If you take the ones from 20 to 50 years of age, you have one more than the group of those who are 100 years old or more: 9 as opposed to 8. Those nuns who used to do all sorts of charitable works in all the rural areas!And it is over. That is one example among thousands. Take the priests. Take instances from whatever area you want: it is a Church that is dying, disappearing. Nevertheless that ought to make people reflect. We think, we hope that some are beginning to reflect. People do get the impression that that is just not enough. Of course, grace is needed. It is necessary to pray.Pray! Pray that the Good Lord will truly deliver the Church, that the Blessed Virgin will do something. She is the one who promised that her Immaculate Heart would triumph at the end to get the Church out of this disaster. For us who are involved in this great battle for the Church, it is an extraordinary honor to be able to be members of this Society today. And so let us ask the Most Blessed Virgin Mary that we might be worthy members of this Society. Let us live faithfully according to its statutes. Follow the seminary rules, as it is expected of you, with all your heart, while practicing the great charity that the Statutes of the Society require of us. Let us request it from the Most Blessed Virgin Mary so that really, every day, we might please God, that we might sanctify ourselves and thereby might be able to win souls for the Good Lord, those souls that are entrusted to us, for the greater glory of God, for the honor of the Most Blessed Virgin and that of the Church. Amen.
The Internet has brought many resources to those interested in the Liturgy of the Church in all its Forms.
Here is a website which has the daily Mass according to the Roman Missal of 1962 and even the Divine Office from the ancient Monastic, to Trent to the Rubrics and New Calendar of 1962.
What an enormous work and to give due credit to the founder, let us read from their page.
This website was created and designed by the late Laszlo Kiss. Mr. Kiss, longtime resident of Forrest Lake, Illinois, died suddenly at his home on Monday, 11 July 2011, shortly after returning from a walk with his wife Marta. He was three days shy of his 73rd birthday. Mr. Kiss was born in Budapest, Hungary, on 14 July 1938, and married Marta Noske on 31 January 1968. He worked in Budapest as a computer engineer until emigrating to the United States of America in 1982. In 1983, he developed "Image," one of the first computer-controlled manufacturing systems in the world (still in use to this day). He retired in 2000, and, among other things, selflessly devoted hundreds of hours to creating the website divinumofficium.com, which provides free access to many different versions of the Divine Office (orbreviary ), the traditional daily prayer book of the Roman Catholic Church. His funeral was held at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Volo, Illinois, on the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (16 July). Mr. Kiss is survived by three brothers in Hungary, and in the States by his loving wife Marta (of forty-three years), their two sons Zoltan and Chaba, and their two grandchildren Sophie and Ryan.
On Monday, August 15, 2011, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady, The Divinum Officium Project was founded, with the permission of Laszlo's son Chaba, to preserve and further Laszlo's work and to promote the worship of the Triune God through the Divine Office. Currently, The Divinum Officium Project consists of a diocesan priest as well as three software developers who maintain the site and ensure its accuracy.
T.A.D.M.N.
A Facebook friend posted a column by Father Raymond J. de Souza in the Catholic Register. In a manner we've come to appreciate from Father Z, Father de Souza remnds us what the prayer really says.
This coming Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Advent has a very special Collect in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Roman Rite
Last year and for the forty-one years before, in the Novus Ordo Missae, this is what we heard:
Lord,
Fill our hearts with your love,
and as you revealed to us by an angel
the coming of your Son as man,
so lead us through His suffering and death
to the glory of His resurrection,
for He lives and reigns…
This Sunday coming, we will hear this:
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may by His Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of the Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns…
Does it sound familiar?
It should as it is commonly known as the Angelus Prayer said three times a day.
What the translators at ICEL did to the Mass in English and us was a crime and a pretty blatant one at that, too!
That Blessed John Paul II rectified this not only with the Third Typical Edtion of the Roman Missal but more importantly, Liturgiam Authenticum and the Vox Clara Commission is one more reason why he his Blessed.
How many more nice surprises in the new Roman Missal are in store for us?
One post below is the evidence of liturgical abuse of the Holy Mass in the new Roman Missal translation by the Superior General of the Scarboro Foreign Missions, once known as the China Mission" a Society of Apostolic Life in the Archdiocese of Toronto.
Based on their infamous "Golden Rule" poster where Catholicism is just one of a number of options, what else can we expect?
I wonder what Monsignor Fraser would think?
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| "The Golden Rule" poster promulgated by the Scarboro Foreign Missions |
While this blog has often been critical of many actions in the liturgy particularly the manner in which the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is often celebrated, this time my attention is going to be turned in a different direction.
Do we go to Mass to worship and pray or do we go to make a fuss to others about little things?
Many of us have been bothered by liturgical abuse in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The correct response is to note it and deal with it after
However, this little column is going to be a little different from what is usually posted here because it needs to be said and that is liturgical abuse by the laity in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. But first, let me rant a little more so you get the picture of where I am coming from.
Some people who attend the Traditional Latin Mass can try ones patience.
Now, I have never considered myself a "Trad" or a "Traditionalist," someone has even had the temerity to label me a "Neo-Cath." Another labelled me as having "modernistic tendencies." Other have said that I am a "Trad" and other that I am not "Trad" enough.
Well, they can think whatever they want, I am a Catholic.
But while these labels are rather unfortunate, I'm going to nevertheless, use one.
"Trads" can be a nasty group and give the cause a bad name.
Last night in Toronto a beautiful Mass was held for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was a Missa Solemnis at St. Lawrence the Martyr in Toronto. The three Sacred Ministers were joined by three priests "in choro." The Servers were excellent as usual and the organist and choir were splendid.
It's the cranks that show up that are the problem.
So, let me rant because this is my blog.
1. Look friends, many people that come to these Masses are first timers. If they don't read the note in the liturgical handout about not singing the Pater Noster and they sing it, so what? But when you "trads" all go sssshhhhhh what you did was actually a vile intrusion on the Holy Mass. They acted in singing out of innocent ignorance, you acted out of rudeness, malice and what you did was a debasement of the liturgy. Stop it! What you "trads" did was a liturgical abuse.
2. Gothic Vestments are NOT NOVUS ORDO. They are called "Gothic" for a reason. In fact, the conical style "Novus Ordo" vestment as you refer it is actually of more ancient use than the "Roman" or "Fiddleback." Now, stop the whining about these little things and smarten up.
3. Artwork that shows the Blessed Virgin Mary's hair in paintings of the Immaculate Conception are not "Vatican II" and do not indicate that I am a "modernist." Until the puritanical Victorian 19th century with its feminine featured Jesus and its burka clad young Virgin and the über-puritanical attitude of you 21st century "Trads" the Immaculate Conception was portrayed as a pre-pubescent girl, a young virgin and without a veil as in the post two below this one which is a more recent rendition of the style of the many in the same style from the 15th century onward.
4. A Read Mass (Missa Lecta) with Dialogue is not a "Novus Ordo" invention. Nor is standing for the Pater Noster and the Postcommunion a "Novus Ordo" invention. The Church has desired that the people respond to the priest even though you have your preference for absolute silence. This is not where we are now or where the restoration will be. So you can drop this paranoia about NovusOrdoIsms. This is not a liturgical experiment or innovation. Read the rubrics!
A few weeks ago, I posted an article about changes at the Cathedral in Toronto over some unfortunate tinkering to the sacred music program provided by St. Michael's Choir School. Dorothy Cummings Maclean has written a feature in the Catholic Register on the Cathedral and the Choir School. (N.B. the picture embedded in the online edition is an error and is actually of Notre Dame Basilica Cathedral, Ottawa.)
An ancient treasure chest of music
Written by Dorothy Cummings McLean
Living as I do across the Atlantic Ocean, I still manage to keep abreast of events in Toronto. The Internet is like a seashell, sighing in my ear.The most recent news is that St. Michael’s Cathedral is altering the order of its famous music, provided since 1937 by St. Michael’s Choir School.
A Solemn High Mass (Missa Solemnis) will be held in Toronto on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary this Thursday, December 8 at 7:30PM.
