Buffoonery

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

Notre Shame

This is what the Pope had to say to the folks from Notre Shame.

In my recent Apostolic Exhortation on the Joy of the Gospel, I stressed the missionary dimension of Christian discipleship, which needs to be evident in the lives of individuals and in the workings of each of the Church’s institutions. This commitment to “missionary discipleship” ought to be reflected in a special way in Catholic universities (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 132-134), which by their very nature are committed to demonstrating the harmony of faith and reason and the relevance of the Christian message for a full and authentically human life. Essential in this regard is the uncompromising witness of Catholic universities to the Church’s moral teaching, and the defense of her freedom, precisely in and through her institutions, to uphold that teaching as authoritatively proclaimed by the magisterium of her pastors. It is my hope that the University of Notre Dame will continue to offer unambiguous testimony to this aspect of its foundational Catholic identity, especially in the face of efforts, from whatever quarter, to dilute that indispensable witness. And this is important: its identity, as it was intended from the beginning. To defend it, to preserve it and to advance it!

Franciscus

Address to delegation of the University of Notre Dame du Lac

January 30, 2014

History will judge our beloved Papa!

History will judge, as will Our Lord; and the day will come in the not too distance future when Catholics around the world will come to the realisation that we were given a grace by God to be served by a man who is arguably the greatest intellect in the Catholic Church, if not the world, since St. Thomas Aquinas. Alas, we were unworthy.

Perhaps Father Allan J. McDonald has it right, shocking as it seems. I first discovered this man, our dear Papa, with the reading of The Ratzinger Report over twenty-five years ago. From then, he had me. His intellect was profound; yet, he would talk and teach as if he were always the kindly professor intent on not dumbing down his word but ensuring they were phrased that we simple folk could understand everything he said. 

Look at the photo below; look at he love in his eyes, on his face. I miss him; I miss him dearly. I am still in mourning. The fact is, we may never see one like you come our way again, not in many life times and certainly, not now. They can't hold a candle to you. 

May your enemies be confounded. May they be acursed - each and every filthy one of them. Every priest, bishop, cardinal whether in a parish, cathedral or the curia itself. Every teacher, liturgist, professor and layman. May they be held accountable for their evil, their treachery, their spite and their malice against you and the Church.

Papa Benedict, may our dear Lord comfort you and bless you; may you know how much you are loved and missed.

Vox Cantoris

Ecumaniacs

A picture speaks a thousand words.

Cardinal Taurans

Then Archbishop, soon to be Cardinal Nichols

Cardinal O'Malley

Brit Hume of Fox News on abortion

I was fortunate to have watched this live last evening.

Silencing of the lambs

Clearly, the people who March for Life need reminding because every year there are violent riots and blood in the streets of Washington.

Look at how the evil one has used these tweets to mock the Catholic faith and the cause for Life!

Some would like to see these lambs lead to the slaughter.

Like the One who did this, indeed, the True Lamb!

Who are the real Pharisees, today?

Perhaps, he should get off of Twitter.

“Whatever You Can Do to Stop Communion in the Hand Will be Blessed by God” ~ Fr. John Hardon S.J.

It has been my practice for many years now, when attending the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, and receiving Holy Communion, I neither approach a layperson, nor do I receive in the hand from a priest. I only go to a priest, or deacon; and I only receive on the tongue. I say this not to exalt myself in any way but to express my coming around to the grave error of receiving Our Blessed Lord in the hand. 

A priest friend on Facebook recently had a post about how to cause a war amongst Catholics and his comment referred to opening the debate on the topic. It was about communion in ht hand. There were hundreds of posts and it got heated. The ignorance of Catholic laity is mind-boggling. The deceit on how it was came to be is tragic.

It goes without saying that it was an abuse. It began in Belgium and Holland and rather than suppress it, Pope Paul VI allowed it where it had already occurred. From that point in 1969, it took nearly a decade for it to become a reality in the United States after the late Cardinal Bernardin was able to finally achieve his goal of seeing it come into force through manipulation and dissent from the wishes of Paul VI. Sadly, it become the norm in Canada in 1969 only days after South Africa which was the first country outside of Holland and Belgium to manipulate Memoriale Domini to permit this.

I want to be clear. This is not a judgement on my part of any priest who provides Communion in the hand to the faithful, nor to those who receive in that manner. The Law of the Church permits it. It cannot in any way be considered a sin on the part of the priest or the communicant as it is permitted by the Church. It is legal; but it is not right and that is a different matter.

It is up to each of us to stop this practice; but know this, it cannot come from the priest. Any priest who would refuse to give the Holy Eucharist in the hand would be violating the communicants right to determine how they receive and would incur the wrath of his bishop. It is however, within the power of the laity, you and me, to fix this. Think about it. You can change this practice which was never asked for by the faithful. You can change it for the whole Church. You, and you and you and you -- one person at a time. Remember the example of our beloved Benedict influenced to this no doubt by Bishop Athanasius Schneider Look even at the example of Pope Francis and the effort at St. Peter's to control the practice. 

The day is coming when it will be banned and recognised that it was nothing less than an abomination and condemned as an error in which the great majority of Catholics whom unbeknownst to them,  have taken part. May we be forgiven.  

There is this most excellent post by John Andrew Dorsey at Church Militant Blog and this from Catholic Insight which I encourage you to read. In the article by Dorsey, he comments about the middle-east tradition of placing a morsel of food in the mouth of the guest at dinner. He shows this iconography on the book cover to highlight the point. I can attest to this being of Lebanese ancestry. It was very common for our dear mother, particularly with that delicious raw Kibbeh, to call us to the kitchen and she would place a little morsel in our mouths before dinner. It is not far-fetched to conclude that Our Lord at the Last Supper may have indeed performed that same act of love. As an aside, if you followed that link to the Kibbeh, we always had a fresh sprig of mint and a cross formed in it as well!

Kitchener Ontario Pastor about to break Canon Law!

Invites protestant laywomen to preach at Mass!

Catholic priest to be warm-up act...

Kitchener - Father Joseph de Viveiros, C.R. is Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Kitchener, Ontario. This Sunday coming, January 18, two protestants are clearly listed in the bulletin as "preaching" during three Catholic Masses. When contacted by Vox and asked to comment about this clear breach of Canon Law, Father indicated in a hushed tone that "really a Catholic priest" would be delivering the homily and the protestant ministers would be providing a "reflection." 

One could suppose that this is a sneaky way to get around Canon Law. Homilies are to be delivered firstly by the celebrating priest or another priest whom he designates, or a deacon if necessary or of course, the bishop, if present in choir. A lay man or woman, even this corrupt Catholic, even a Seminarian installed as an Acolyte or Lector is simply not permitted to undertake this within the Mass.

When asked who would be allotted more time, the priest or the heretic, Father de Viveiros, politely replied, "this conversation has come to an end."

In an effort to confront this clericalism and an assault upon the faithful Pope Francis, referred to the creation of "little monsters" as an example of what happens with deformed formation. Is this what our Holy Father was referring to? 

Disobedience of Canon Law?

Insulting the parishioners deserving of sound doctrine and homilies? 

Dismissive of the concerns of a Catholic layman?

We really don't know what our Holy Father meant and so we are left to interpret from one day to the next what he means, but in the view of this writer, this kind of abuse comes pretty close to being "clericalism" as perpetuated by "little monsters."

However, this is not the future of the Diocese of Hamilton, this is its quickly fading past. I've met the future on numerous occasions and one be one they are a cause to rejoice. There will continue to be some bumps along the road, this being one; but make no mistake, this priest's example is one of a false ecumenism and a false hermeneutic and no matter what anyone thinks, that fact did not change with the election of Pope Francis.



From the bulletin...

WEEK of PRAYER for CHRISTIAN UNITY Jan. 18/19 – 25/26 We begin with a Prayer Service, with Taizé style songs, Sun. Jan. 19, 7:30pm at St. Anthony Daniel Parish. The week continues with a Pulpit Exchange for the Churches of Forest Hill on Jan 25/26:  Rev. Dianne Cunningham (Highland Baptist) will preach at our 5 pm Mass;  Rev. Katharine Edmonstone (Forest Hill United) will preach at our 9 & 11am Masses;  Fr. Joseph will preach at Forest Hill United Sun. at 10am. Join us at the Concluding Event on Sun. Jan. 26, 2pm at Forest Hill United. Members from Calvin Presbyterian, Forest Hill United, Highland Baptist and St. Francis Catholic churches will be involved in the service. Please join us to celebrate our similarities and differences with our Christian brothers and sisters. 

Canon Law is clear:

Canon law # 767 "§1. Among the forms of preaching, the homily, which is part of the liturgy itself and is reserved to a priest or deacon, is preeminent; in the homily the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian life are to be explained from the sacred text during the course of the liturgical year."

"§2. A homily must be given at all Masses on Sundays and holy days of obligation which are celebrated with a congregation, and it cannot be omitted except for a grave cause."

"§3. It is strongly recommended that if there is a sufficient congregation, a homily is to be given even at Masses celebrated during the week, especially during the time of Advent and Lent or on the occasion of some feast day or a sorrowful event."

"§4. It is for the pastor or rector of a church to take care that these prescripts are observed conscientiously."

For more information, please review the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) where it states:

“The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person. In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate.” (GIRM 66)

At the request of Pope John Paul II, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacrament in Rome issued the document, Redemptionis Sacramentum (RS), for the purpose of stopping liturgical abuses. Regarding the preaching of the homily, the document reiterates GIRM 66 and adds the following:

“It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the Eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon [law]. This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom.” (RS 65)

“If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after the Priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the homily, nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account.” (RS 74)

Non-Catholic ministers who are invited to "speak" on the Sunday of Christian Unity, in the spirit of ecumenism, does not enjoy an exemption to the above instructions. His/her speach cannot be confused with the homily, nor be a substitute for the homily that the priest is obligated to present to the faithful.

“As was already noted above, the homily on account of its importance and its nature is reserved to the Priest or Deacon during Mass. As regards other forms of preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of law. This may be done only on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the advancement of the laity. All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to the local Ordinary, and this as regards individual instances; this permission is not the competence of anyone else, even if they are Priests or Deacons.” (RS 161)

The document goes on to explain that abuses such as this “are not to be considered of little account” and are to be "carefully avoided and corrected.” (RS 174)

“Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christ’s faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff. It is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that the report or complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity.” (RS 184)

Redemptionis Sacramentum reiterates GIRM 66 and adds the following:

• It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon [law]. This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom. (RS 65)
• If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after the priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the homily, nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account. (RS 74)
• As was already noted above, the homily on account of its importance and its nature is reserved to the priest or deacon during Mass. As regards other forms of preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of law. This may be done only on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the advancement of the laity. All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to the local ordinary [bishop], and this as regards individual instances; this permission is not the competence of anyone else, even if they are priests or deacons. (RS 161)

The document goes on to explain that abuses such as this "are not to be considered of little account" and are to be "carefully avoided and corrected." (RS 174)

The Pastor with the Sheep

Nota Bene: It is a sad state when someone with a computer can take the article below from Rorate and Da Porta and interpret something that is not there and then use it for one's own self-serving satisfaction that does nothing but bring disrepute upon themselves and perpetuate a myth in many Chanceries that "traditional" Catholics are everything from unstable to just plain weird. To label those who wrote the articles below as engaging in "idol worship" is simply repugnant and to state it publicly causing slander to good people simply for reporting on an event and the respect arising from it to a particular Cardinal is nonsensical. Anyone who would interpret the article in such a manner cannot be taken seriously. There will be no link to it here, lest we feed the bear. This kind of behaviour is indicative of the spiritual and emotional state of those who would do such a thing, it says nothing of Catholics who support tradition in the use of the Vetus Ordo or who desire a more solemn celebration of the Novus Ordo. What this kind of public commentary does is to make those who are the enemies of tradition dance with glee and it must be condemned. It says more about the writers of such drivel than it does about anyone else. The sowing of this kind of division displays at the least the puerile hypocrisy and at the worst, a dangerous display of spiritual deformation. It is done by little bloggers with few readers and nationally syndicated bloggers. Let us pray that these brothers and sisters in Christ will seek the spiritual and emotional support necessary to move forward in life, freed from their ills and demons and learn to be productive members of the Catholic community rather than engage in that which they purport to condemn. This division and slander has nothing to do with the movement of those supporting the Traditional Mass and has everything to do with the despair to which those that would promote such scandal, have sunk. Vox.

From our good friends at Rorate Caeli blog originating at Da Porta Sant' Anna 

In the anomalous current trend to avoid clear positions on anything and to play down even the memory of the rituals associated with the Church in favor of dramatic, dialectical, and combative statements about poverty, no one finds the time to go down into the street and give living witness as asked for by the Pope in a loud voice during the Chrism Mass of March 28, 2013.  The words of Pope Frances echo in our hearts:  “…I ask this of you: be pastors who smell of the ‘smell of your sheep’.  May you hear these words!”  To this we say: Would that these words were heard! Would that these pastors were seen!

And we today have seen and heard only Cardinal Burke, a true pastor down among his sheep.

Nota Bene: It is a sad state when someone with a computer can take this article at Rorate and Da Porta and refer to them as "Idol Worshippers" and publicly state it causing slander to good people simply for the respect that is shown to this Cardinal. Anyone who would interpret this in such a manner cannot be taken seriously. This kind of behaviour is indicative of the spiritual and emotional state of those who would do such a thing, it says nothing of Catholics who support tradition in the use of the Vetus Ordo or who desire a more solemn celebration of the Novus Ordo. What this kind of public commentary does is to make those who are the enemies of tradition dance with glee and it must be condemned. The sowing of this kind of division shows at the least hypocrisy and at the worst, a dangerous display of spiritual deformation. It is done by little bloggers with few readers and nationally syndicated bloggers and you know who you are and you have been called out.

Canada's Primate named Cardinal

At today's Angelus in Rome, Pope Francis announced the new cardinals to be installed at the next consistory and included is the Primate of Canada, the 24th successor of François de Laval, Canada's first resident prelate, Archbishop Gérald Cyprien Lacroix . Cardinal Lacroix

Pictured upon his installation as Archbishop with Marc Cardinal Ouellet, he met Pope Francis in July and when finding out he was Archbishop of Quebec, the Pope said, He said when he introduced himself as the archbishop of Quebec, "the Pope replied, 'Ah, Quebec! Land of missions, a land that has known many great missionaries!'"

Archbishop Lacroix said he indicated to the Pope that Quebec wants to continue in the footsteps of the great missionaries, and the Pope responded, "Quebec must rise again."

"He would like us Quebecers to find again our faith that gave us life and that built our country," Archbishop Lacroix said. "We have to find again our roots of faith, rise again as Christians and find once again the Gospel in our lives."

The 56 year old prelate was named Archbishop nearly three years ago and was an Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec only two years before that. Canada has  been blest twice this week, with the appointment of the new Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa and now our new Cardinal. Both these men are solidly faithful and are at the forefront to lead the new evangelisation in Quebec and all of Canada.

God bless Cardinal Lacroix.

God bless Canada.

St. Joseph, St. Andre, St. Margurite, Blessed Francois Laval, pray for Canada.

Canada's newest bishop

How wonderful that on the feast day of the wonder-worker of Canada, St. Andre of Montreal, that the Church in Canasda would receive a son of that city as a new Bishop. Pope Francis has appointed Father Christian Riesbeck, CC (Companion of the Cross) as Titular Bishop of Tipasa in Numidia and Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa. Bishop-elect Riesbeck served in parishes staffed by the Companions in Kingston, Hawkesbury, Pendleton, Brockville and was Houston in Texas. He was ordained in Ottawa on October 12, 1996 and was educated at St. Augustine's Seminary in Toronto (M.Div.) and Licentiate in Canon Law from St. Paul's University in Ottawa.

It may seem minor, but when I see the pectoral cross worn in the traditional way, over the heart, it sends a clear message. Friends, at age 43, this bishop is the future. He will be an Archbishop some day, perhaps of Ottawa itself. This is the future, not the weak, ineffectual episcopacy which thinks that water bottles are the greatest threat to mankind. To paraphrase Msgr. Bux, may the Patron Saint of Canada and the wonder-worker of Montreal pour out grace from heaven to open the eyes of all bishops to have the zeal for life as this one, or close them as heaven might see fit.

The Fathers of the Companions of the Cross founded in Ottawa by the late Father Bob Bedard and are filled with zeal for Christ. Below is a speech given by Bishop-elect Riesbeck at the Ottawa 40 Days for Life. We have been blest and we don't deserve it.

Let us pray for this young bishop and for the future of the Church in Canada.

Thank you St. Joseph!

Thank you St. Andre!

Epiphany of the LORD - Masses on January 6

While technically speaking, in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Epiphany of the Lord falls on January 6, it is most often transferred to the Sunday nearest, thus we have the great Solemnity as early as January 2 and as late as January 7; absurd. 

Happily, in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, it is on January 6. This year in Toronto there are three Masses on Epiphany. The usual churches of St.Lawrence the Martyr at 11:00 AM and Holy Family at 11:30AM will offer the Read Mass for Epiphany (Low Mass). In the evening, a Sung Mass will be held at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church on  Yonge Street in Richmond Hill at 7:30PM.