Canadian Implementation of new Roman Missal

As reported earlier and in a continuing series here on Vox Cantoris, the new Roman Missal in Canada is finally approved for use after a long wait.

Here for your consumption is this with my comment:

Your Eminences, Your Excellencies,

Our Conference has now received recognitio for all sections of the English translation of the revised Roman Missal for use in Canada. (This was granted at the end of February and the CCCB's own website indicates that they would only "approve" the GIRM for use once a French version was complete. Rome thinks otherwise!) The Executive Committee, in consultation with the Permanent Council, has selected the first Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011, as the date for the official implementation of the English translation of the Missal. (Our sources indicate that Rome told the CCCB that Advent I was the date, they did not select it and were given no opportunity to delay it any further) The official decree for this date has not yet been published, because our Conference is still involved in discussions with the Congregation for Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments about the exact wording of one of the requested adaptations for Canada. (What adaptation? Is this the desire to canonize three different kneeling postures including only at the Consecration which goes against the GIRM for the United States and Great Britain. Canada needs MORE kneeling, not less! Again, the Canadian Proper of Saints cannot be that compicated and since it is part of the Missal and "all sections" have been approved, it must be something else. Note that there is one change and that is that the people are to stand at the beginning of the Orate Fratres--Pray Brethren-or Pray Brothers and Sisters)

These discussions with the Congregation will not in any way slow down the preparation of the English translation of the revised Missal. Both the National Liturgy Office and the CCCB Publications Department are busy preparing the new book and their work is proceeding on schedule.

As well, the English Sector National Liturgy Office is preparing to start the launching of the catechetical material it has already prepared. The resource Celebrate and Song, which contains the parts of the Mass spoken by the people, as well as three newly composed Mass settings and the ICEL chants, is now finished and will be available for distribution during the first half of April. This resource also contains the texts of Eucharistic Prayers I-IV and 40 hymns (Propers, where are the Propers?) not currently found in the Catholic Book of Worship III. (The ICEL chants are exceptionally well done; I have not yet seen the three new settings.)

Starting the first week of April, the National Liturgy Office will begin posting texts and power-point slides to be used for workshops at the local level – including workshops dealing with the theology of Eucharist, (I really wish they would stop referring to the liturgy as "Eucharist" instead of the Mass or Holy Sacrifice of the Mass) the process of translation and revision, and the history of the Eucharist.

We had not been able to proceed with the production of the DVDs with Salt and Light TV until the matter of Canadian adaptations was resolved (so the questions are resolved and it is now only wording? What are the questions that were resolved? Why is it not revealed?) and recognitio received. We can now proceed with the DVDs. National Liturgy Office Director Father Bill Burke and CCCB Publications Director Dr. Glenn Byer have met with Salt and Light CEO Father Thomas Rosica, C.S.B. The scripts to be used are completed. Salt and Light will do filming in May and June and then, after editing and production, the two DVDs will be ready for distribution by the end of August. (The United States has been preparing for over a year already) The first will be a two-hour presentation on the theological emphases of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. The second will be an hour-long presentation with a teaching DVD on the structure of the Mass and the meaning of each part of the Mass. The National Liturgy Office will provide a packet of material including suggested workshop formats and questions for discussion at the parish level.

Finally, early in September, we will have CDs ready with a cantor singing a dozen or so of the new prefaces to assist priests who do not read music but would like to sing the prefaces. (This is good, any priest wishing private lessons may contact me at voxcantoris (at) rogers (dot) com for the Prefaces, Gospel, Exultet, Proclamation of the Moveable Feasts on Epiphany, etc.).

If you have any questions or concerns about the implementation of the English translation of the revised Missal for use in Canada, or about the catechetical materials being planned for its implementation, please do not hesitate to call me.

With every good and prayerful wish on our Lenten journey, I remain,
Sincerely yours in Christ Our Lord,

(Rev. Msgr.) Patrick Powers, P.H.
General Secretary

Better late than never.

It remains to be seen what "adaption" is approved for Canada and if this is simply the Canadian Proper of Saints or if it is the desire of the CCCB to see various kneeling postures implemented. To refresh you on this matter see here.

Let us hope that the CCCB and those responsible at Salt + Light for the training materials and will include some liturgical discipline in their instruction. There is some justified cynicism that the new translation won't stop some priests from changing the words once again.

[22.3.] Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority. Sacrosanctam Concilium

[52.]...I (Pope John Paul II) consider it my duty, therefore to appeal urgently that the liturgical norms for the celebration of the Eucharist be observed with great fidelity. These norms are a concrete expression of the authentically ecclesial nature of the Eucharist; this is their deepest meaning. Liturgy is never anyone's private property, be it of the celebrant or of the community in which the mysteries are celebrated. Ecclesia de Eucharistia

[59.] The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy. Redemptionis Sacramentum

There are questions worth asking by all John and Mary Catholics; not just by this "untrained liturgist."

Pay no attention...

Well, I've been told off. By whom you ask? Tom Rosica.

I am not a "bishop" and I do not have any "theological formation." My "keyboard and monitor do not make me a liturgist!" I am a "victim" and my "vision of the Church will not help (me) to grow." I need to "get the chip off (my) shoulder." I'm told that I "follow the crowd." I am asked a rhetorical question and given a psychological diagnosis because "what is really eating away at (me) regarding the liturgy(?)" obviously "says much about (me)." Further, I am accused of "hiding behind the rubrics of the liturgy" and have been lumped in with the "Father Corapis, Euteneuers, and the Voris' " of the world (all of whom I expect are lesser sinners than this wretched sinner). The saddest slur is the "sure" accusation that I "would have difficulty with her (Our Lady's) response to the angel, and her Son’s response to the sinners with whom he kept company."

Not bad for a week's insult, keep them coming, I need the humility especially when it comes from someone in a collar.

Nowhere on what some consider to be this now "less than innocent blog" will you find me professing to be a theologian or a liturgist. I'm just a regular Catholic guy. I've never professed to be anything more than that. These accusations and insults are such typical, liberal elitist tactics. Not once, in this ranting series of emails, was there ever a debate. No argument, no debate; only petty little schoolyard insults and ad hominem attacks in so typical a manner as experienced by other hard-working and faithful Catholics who speak out on the conditions in the Church and culture.

On the same day that these putrid, judgmental, and scandalous emails to this Catholic layman arrived a different tone was put forth on the writer's own blog. Some have been fortunate enough and privileged enough to have the opportunity to have invested years in these studies in places like Rome or even Jerusalem. That is wonderful and good, but they think, therefore, that only they have a right to comment, the right to an opinion; the rest of us have no rights. Yet, these are some of the same theologians and liturgists who have torn down the faith and set in place the destruction of the Catholic culture and faith. I don't need to prove that last sentence, just look around you; you know it to be true. They want diversity, only when it suits them. They want dialogue but only when it is what they wish to dialogue about. They have run amok in the Church and the jig is up and they know it.

God gave me and He gave you a brain. Through the ingenuity of man, He gave us the Internet and the ability to be educated and aware of the truth in ways we were never able to do just a few short years ago. Do you think that our parents and grandparents would have stood by and allowed them to tear down the Church and Her liturgy nearly a half-century ago if they knew the truth? These so-called "professional liturgists" and "theologians" were liars. They lied about what the Council said and our parents, in their intelligent ignorance, God bless them, believed it. It is this same clericalism and elitism that perpetuated the crisis of sexual and physical abuse and the cover-up by certain bishops. Then when it happens to a high profile cleric they like, they wax on about how hard it is to understand because he was known to be so "kind" and to be even such a "gentle pastor" and that they were particularly "sensitive" to the needs of victims. Of course, when it is one they don't like (as to the allegations against the two above) it is a different story; no sympathy there, right?

It seems to me that these elitists who are losing their power and influence are at heart, fascists!

They are the all-knowing and all-powerful Oz in clerical collars. They simply can't stand it when we think for ourselves. They profess to know what is best for "John and Mary Catholic," as they like to refer to us as simple folk, and they profess to want us to be educated. When we question what they say or what they do they challenge our right to do so because we are not "theologically formed" and we are not "professional liturgists." They only want us to speak out if it supports their worldview. They publicly profess to detest clericalism yet they are the greatest of clericalists. They insult an honest and genuine open hand of understanding and an offer to reason over food and wine. They refuse to take up the debate but instead, issue little snippets of cruel sarcasm and insult and psychological analysis for which they are unqualified and which is unbecoming of their state in life.

Some will say, that these words are too harsh, not loving, not charitable, not in a manner of what Jesus would say or do or expect. Well, the Jesus of Nazareth whom I know was not a wimp and he was not a liar. He made a whip out of cords and beat those who would defile the Temple and he overturned their tables. He called the Pharisees "hypocrites" and referred to them as a "brood of vipers." He came not to bring "peace but a sword" and to set one against another. He expects each of us to love His Church to stand up for Her and to speak out to defend Her, even from those within. The lukewarm He will "vomit" out of His mouth. Perhaps it was the 600 plus John and Mary Catholics in Kitchener last Saturday; maybe that is what has them so riled up. They have seen the future and it is not a future based on their failed praxis.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
.

First Anglican Divine Worship in Toronto!

History being made...

Tomorrow evening, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the LORD, will be the first time in the Archdiocese of Toronto and all of Canada that the Holy Mass will be celebrated according to the Anglican Use Missal. The Mass, not only authorized, but requested by Archbishop Thomas Collins will be celebrated at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mississauga as part of the Anglicanorum Coetibus in Canada Conference being held t his weekend. Archbishop Collins is Delegate of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for Anglicanorum Coetibus in Canada. Father Christopher Phillips, Pastor, Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas is the Celebrant. He is the founding pastor of the first Anglican Use parish, erected in 1983 under the terms of the Pastoral Provision. Together with Archbishop Collins and Father Phillips, the other Keynote Speaker is Father Aidan Nichols, O.P. Father Nichols has the honorary status of Affiliated Lecturer in the University of Cambridge. He has also taught at the Pontifical University of St Thomas, Rome; St Mary’s College, Oscott; and Blackfriars Hall, Oxford. He has published some thirty books, and over seventy articles.

The Anglican Use Missal is the approved Missal by the Holy See for those Anglicans entering the Church under the Pastoral Provision of Pope John Paul II. The Pastoral Provision was initiated for married Episcopalian clergy to become ordained as Catholic priests who with their parishes chose to come into union with the one true Church. The provision has been only for the United States and was never applied to Canada. This provision is specific and those church communities under the Traditional Anglican Communion are not part of it. Though, clearly a new strucuture for all Anglicans is being established under Anglicanorum Coetibus.

The Missal is beautiful. Also known as the Book of Divine Worship, the Anglican Use Missal is based on the Book of Common Prayer, itself a protestant version of the Mass in England at the time of the break under Henry VIII and based upon what would have been the Sarum Rite, its protestantism stripped away and parts of it brought into conformity with the Missa Normative (Novus Ordo liturgy) specifically the Offertory and the Mystery of Faith. Fortunately, they will be able to correct the 1970 ICEL language in these parts. The final Missal or Missals to be used by the Anglican Ordinariates are not yet known.

St. Joseph's Parish in Mississauga hosted a chant conference recently with Father Samuel Weber, Director of the Institute of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis in the United States.

George Wass, Requiescat in pace

George Wass is dead.

UPDATE: An autopsy has been performed and the cause of death has been declared "blunt force trauma." George was murdered!

He died today (March 21, 2011) no doubt succumbing from the stress of his injuries as a result of a brutal beating last Friday morning whilst he was having a cigarette on the porch of the home in which he lived with others suffering from various developmental or mental health problems.

George was one of the regular characters in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood and friends, he was a regular at The Oratory Church of the Holy Family. He was loved by all and held in great affection; him and Karen. How many days I would arrive before Saturday morning Mass and George and Karen would be seated beside the garden catching the early morning sun. George would come into Church and stay for a moment, wave and smile to everyone. He loved the children from the "T" family and the boys always showed him kindness and respect so ingrained in them by their parents. George would go to movies with the Brother from The Oratory and Father D.U. will no doubt take this particularly hard; people would hand him their change; he always had boots and coats and people around the Oratory cared about him and loved him.

George was 62 and lived a hard life suffering from developmental disability probably more than mental illness and he had the capacity of a young boy. I did not know much about George but he was a lovable character and he often cried.

His dad passed away about two years ago and he wept quite a bit after that.

He was like a little boy at times; maybe 8 or 10 and he was alone except for Karen, his best friend whom he was rarely without. He cried wanting his father after he passed away. The Toronto Star today says that he called the cook at the home his "mother" because he wanted someone to be his new mother after she died.

George would cry at times and was afraid saying "he's going to beat me up!"

Somebody did.

Somebody murdered him.

The hospital released him; should he not have been kept for observation?

O LORD, Father of heaven and earth, have mercy on the soul of George Wass and welcome him into the bright palace washed in the blood of Christ; may he enjoy forever the peace and love of you O heavenly Father so denied him in this world. May the soul of our friend George Wass and those of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace, Amen.

And may the LORD have mercy on his murderer!

New Roman Missal: Musical Training in Toronto

As first reported here on Vox Cantoris, the corrected translation of the 2000 Roman Missal will be implemented in Canada on the First Sunday of Advent, 2011. After a long delay the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments acting in the name of the Holy Father granted the recognitio to the Canadian Proper which includes the Saints days and Mass texts not in the universal Missal and only celebrated in Canada. The General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM) has not yet been made available, to confirm whether Rome has canonised the disparity of kneeling posture in Canada as sought by Canada's bishops.

Kneeling in Canada ranges from non-existent (other than for physical limitations) to only at the Consecration and a longer version from the end of the Sanctus (Holy) to the end of the Memorial Acclamation to the more traditional and "laudable practice" used throughout most of Ontario where kneeling continues to the end of the Doxology and Great Amen and again after the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). This "laudable practice" is what has been approved for the United States and Great Britain.

As a senior Consultor to the Congregation was told after the breaking of the CCCB grey book posture request on Vox Cantoris, "Canada needs more kneeling, not less!" It was just over two weeks after the information on this blog as to the continued delay and the possible reasons for it was made available on this blog, that the recognitio was granted.

The Archdiocese of Toronto has established a Roman Missal page and this is good news. Announced there, is a training program for Church Musicians (can we please eliminate the phrase, "music ministers") on Saturday, May 28 from 9:00 - 3:30 at a yet to be determined location. The agenda will include the three Mass Settings commissioned by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to be published in the Catholic Book of Worship Supplement as well as the Chant settings in the Missal itself. I've not yet had an opportunity to review the commissioned works but the Chant settings published by ICEL are very good and the chant is well adapted to English.

For superior information and catechetical materials please visit the web site of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops which was established over a year ago. You can also find resources here from the Bishops of England and Wales where the Roman Missal will be implemented in September.

The latest update from the Canadian bishops continues to be from September 2010.

Alberta Catholic Bishops boycott March for Life!

---

From: Vox Cantoris
Sent: March 17, 2011 6:29 PM
To: 'archdiocese@caedm.ca'; 'bishop.henry@calgarydiocese.ca'; 'gpettipas@serbernet.com'; 'diospaul@mcsnet.ca'
Subject: The Golden Tongue

Dear Your Graces and Your Excellencies,

It is with great shock that I have read on LifeSiteNews and the blog of Archbishop Smith that none of you will be participating in the Alberta March for Life because the organisers cannot guarantee that some participants might hold signs having graphic images of babies murdered through abortion.

These pictures are indeed horrific. They are offensive and they are deeply disturbing. Indeed, the torture and execution through crucifixion of Our LORD and Saviour was also horrific, offensive and deeply disturbing. Perhaps this is the reason that in many of our churches there is no longer a crucified Christ on the cross but a resurrected One for we seem afraid to face the truth of what our sins did to Him then and what abortion does now. I am not for one moment suggesting that any of you are not in favour of life; but I cannot accept that you would refuse to participate in this for this or any other reason. Frankly, I find it horrific, offensive and deeply disturbing that you would take such a position. I also find it one of cowardice and I fear that you are bowing down to political correctness that you will pay for in more ways than you now know.

Please ponder for a moment the Golden Tongue—St. John Chrysostom’s quote; “The road to Hell is paved with the bones of priests and monks, and the skulls of bishops are the lamp posts that light the path”

I urge you to reverse this mistaken decision.

In Christ

Ireland, Ireland; Return unto the LORD thy God!

A priest friend now working in the Vatican likes to say, "There are three kinds of people in the world; those who are Irish, those who wish they were Irish and those who have no ambition."

For those with and without ambition:

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

(you will want to turn the player off on the left to listen)

Recognitio for Roman Missal in Canada Confirmed!

At the end of February, representatives of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops were in Rome to meet with various Vatican dicasteries including officials at the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

It is confirmed that the Recognitio for Canada has been granted and that the Congregation is "insisting" that the Missal be implemented on Advent I.

The actual formal decrees will take place and the announcement through the regular channels is to be made shortly.

I have opined here, based on irrefutable sources, that the delay has been due to the CCCB desire to have Rome canonise their disparate kneeling postures across Canada and to force many of the rest ofus off of our knees.

It remains to be seen if Rome has agreed to this request in the GIRM; we will know soon enough.

It is normal that each national bishops conference would submit adaptations. Some Saints may only be on a national calendar and the liturgies for these days would need their own Proper, separate and distinct from each other. This was common as well in the usus antiquior Missal as any perusal in the back will usually contain a supplement for the United States, Canada, Great Britain and even specfic dioceses. The delay, however, seems to indicate that the Canada's bishops have asked for something more controversial or else, logic would indicate that the approval would have come last year, around the same time as the recognitio for Great Britain and the United States.

I could be wrong, but my opinion is that the CCCB got the smack-down on this and that the definitive English language General Instruction on the Roman Missal is the one approved for the United States and that the priests and bishops who have eliminated or reduced the traditional form of kneeling are in for a surprise.

The other fact; notwithstanding their own posturing, the CCCB will not be able to delay the GIRM or Missal in English while awaiting for its Quebecois equivalent.

(For more on this topic, click on the Roman Missal medallion to the left.)

Shahbaz Bhatti, Requiescat in pace

Shabaz Bhatti was a federal Minister of Minorities in the Government of Pakistan. He was murdered by Islamo-fascists who would have that failed state descend into the depravity of Taliban Afghanistan. Below is his writing.

May he rest in peace.

I was offered high positions in government and I was asked to give up my battle, but I always refused, even at the risk of my life. My answer was always the same: "No, I want to serve Jesus as a common man."

This devotion makes me happy. I do not look for popularity, I do not want positions of power. I just want a place at the feet of Jesus. I want my life, my character, my actions to speak for me and to say that I am following Jesus Christ. This desire is so strong in me that I consider myself privileged if - in my effort and my struggle to help the needy, the poor, the persecuted Christians of Pakistan - Jesus would accept the sacrifice of my life. I want to live for Christ and for Him I wish to die. I feel no fear in this country.

Many times, the extremists tried to kill me and imprison me, I have been threatened, persecuted and my family has been terrorized. The extremists, a few years ago, even asked my parents, my mother and my father, to dissuade me from continuing my mission to help Christians and those in need, otherwise I would be lost. But my father always encouraged me. I say that, as long as I live, until my last breath, I will continue to serve Jesus and this poor, suffering, mankind, Christians, the needy, and the poor.

I want to tell you that I find much inspiration in the Holy Bible and the life of Jesus Christ. The more I read the New and the Old Testament, Bible verses, and the word of the Lord, the stronger are my strength and my will. When I reflect on the fact that Jesus Christ sacrificed everything, that God sent His own Son for our redemption and our salvation, I wonder how I can follow the way of Calvary. Our Lord said, "Come with me, take up your cross and follow me." The words I love most of the Bible state: "I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothed me, ill and you visited me, in prison and you came to me." So when I see the poor and needy, I think that, under their appearance, Jesus is the one to meet me.

So I always try to be helpful, along with my colleagues, to give assistance to the needy, the hungry, the thirsty.

[Shahbaz Bhatti, Cristiani in Pakistan. Nelle prove la speranza (Christians in Pakistan: hope in tribulation), Marcianum Press, Venice, 2008 (p. 39-43)]

Reprinted from Regina Caeli and OASIS