A corporal work of mercy.

A corporal work of mercy.
Click on photo for this corporal work of mercy!

Wednesday 29 February 2012

The Marxist President


My American friends,

You must rebel against this Catholic-hating Marxist in the Whitehouse!


Tuesday 21 February 2012

Quadragesimae MMXII

It has been a while since I have blogged. For over six weeks now, I've been suffering a pinched nerve which has caused a disruption of sleep and a lot of pain from my neck to my shoulder down my arm and to my wrist. I'm working through it with therapy and I've not missed any of my singing duties but it has limited my desire or ability to do much typing.

There is much on which to comment but y'all know what is going on.

And while you contemplate the Suffering Servant enjoy the new music, particularly the De Profundis by Arvo Pärt which I had the pleasure of singing many times during my tenure with The Victoria Scholars.

Monday 6 February 2012

Apostolic Nuncio to Canada on Kneeling after Communion

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 from a Dubium and Responsum involving the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops back in 2003 and Cardinal George. 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.

Vox Cantoris' letter received from the Apostolic Nuncio
You, dear Catholic friend, have the right to know the truth and to know when you are being misled.

What is important about the enclosure accompanying His Grace's letter is that it is taken directly from the bulletin, Notitiae, published by the Congregation. What is most notable about its content is that neither the dubium nor the responsum refers to the question coming from the USCCB. It is generic and in fact refers to "multis in locibus christefidelis"-- "Christians in many places." 

Therefore, with clarity the intent is universal. It did not specify the United States.

Let us be very clear. Paragraph 43 of the new General Instruction on the Roman Missal in Canada and elsewhere does not force you to stand after receiving Holy Communion.

It follows then that any bishop or priest in Canada ordering you to stand after receiving Holy Communion is in error and by doing so, they have exceeded their authority.

Let me repeat again.

The bishops, priests and liturgists who have forced you to stand after Holy Communion and to remain standing until all have received are wrong. Read that again. THEY ARE WRONG AND IN ERROR.

NOW, YOU ARE ARMED.

GET TO WORK, YOU'RE A GROWN-UP CATHOLIC NOW!

Here then is my translation of that pictured below from the September/October 2003 issue of Notitiae, the Bulletin of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments:
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 according to our thoughts.

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.