Woe Canada

Daddy, Daddy, beat me some more. Harder, harder. Thank you for giving me some more gruel.

Francis is dead

May he have repented for 12 years of horror, and may God have mercy on his soul.  

This Joyful Eastertide - King's College Cambridge.

The Triduum for we and not for thee

 

On November 16, 1955, Pope Pius XII issued Maxima Redemptionis Nostrae Mysteria on the reform of Holy Week and the Triduum. Those attending the Holy Triduum according to the Pian reforms of 1955 experience an abridged liturgy. Having undertaken the music and liturgical planning for both, there is no doubt, at least in my opinion, that the structural reforms were unnecessary and represent a significant loss and disconnect. What was necessary, in my view, was a restoration of the hours so that the liturgical action coincided with that of the LORD's suffering and ancient practice and shedding the ridiculous practice of Holy Thursday in the morning and the Vigil eliminated on Holy Saturday to a morning service for the very reasons the Pope described in the above linked document. Further, the structure of society was changing, and the faithful could no longer attend these sacred services. They became the realm of clericalists.

The current Pope, Francis, granted permission for the pre-55 Holy Week to be used on an experimental basis for three years by the FSSP. The ICRSS has, for many years, conducted the services according to the older books. This experimental permission was not granted to diocesan priests. However, both of these used the prior liturgical books, but with the new hours as evidenced here:

If the FSSP and ICRSS can adapt the pre-55 liturgy to the new hours, how is it possible for others to outright refuse to follow the liturgical rubrics? How is this any different from some modernist deciding for himself in the new rite? The fact is, there is no difference!

The very idea that in 2025 a Holy Thursday Mass and procession is held after noon at 3 o'clock or Good Friday at 8 o'clock at night is a direct contradiction of Pope Pius XII and every pope that has come after. It is an insult to the liturgy and to the people who cannot attend these hours. It is completely in defiance of Pope Pius XII and the rubrical law for either the Missal of Pius XII, John XXIII or Paul VI. Interpreting liturgical rubrics of prostration meant for clerics to the people forcing people who may not be able to get down or get up to prostrate to kiss and venerate the cross, is an abomination to human dignity, weight, age, even back-braces don't matter. The blatant passing on the requirement to "name" the present Pope in the public prayers is completely and utterly reprehensible within the Roman Catholic liturgy, no matter what one may think of the actions of any current Pontiff and reveals a serious deficiency in thinking.

Sadly, clericalism and fetishism have both invaded the traditional movement.

A letter of gratitude from Andrew Rivera

Dear Vox Cantoris readers:

Two years ago today we were in Easter week of 2023. A good friend of ours and someone familiar with most of the Latin Mass communities of Toronto, both diocesan and SSPX, was struck ill. From that week, the financial appeal above was posted here. You and others have come through in two years to just under the goal of $50,000.00. Andrew has asked me to publish this letter in gracious thanksgiving for your kindness. Andrew is not asking, but I am, please click here or on the above and bring us well over $50,000.00. 

God bless you all.   

Dear friends, 

It's been two years, almost to the day since I fell into a life-threatening illness and bearing a new burden after the more significant cross of widowerhood two years previous.  Amidst all this, the support offered to our child and family is beyond human measure and continues in our lives as we claw back from the brink of the abyss: the never-ending battle! 

In the wake of my more recent hospitalisation this past autumn, the blessings in my own life are still more than I can count with so many reasons to be grateful for what I have been freely given by God and the intercession of neighbours: a spirit of Charity not outdone in generosity!  This informal group of prayer, penances, and almsgiving rallying around our family continues to amaze and humble me. Hence, the bud of a new Apostolate of Gratitude has taken root and expression in a modest Devotion flourishing within our home amidst these latter-day calamities. 

This Apostolate of Gratitude has one purpose: the giving of thanks to the Triune God, nothing more or less or besides. (1 Tim. 2:1)  The giving of Thanks, the handmaiden of Adoration and Contrition and steward of Supplication, runs contrary to our troubled modern times: a worldly spirit seeking instant and transitory satiation, ever-prowling and ravenous upon the sterile and malnourished. 

The Method of this Devotion is found in the venerable Laudate Psalms - 148, 149, 150 - as prayed by Our Lord in the Temple during His earthly life. 

The Laudate Psalms as defined here contain all that needs to be prayed for this intention, offered by the Church throughout the ages in public and private prayer.  So long as an individual has access to a Psalter or Bible of sufficiently faithful translation, with uniform copies for group prayer, the Devotion may be prayed intact without worry of any obstacle. 

The Devotion would ideally be prayed in a church or before an altar of Sacrifice, after the model of Our Lord Himself.

Promulgating the Devotion was brought to the attention of my Parish this past January 10th; upon Parish encouragement, a proposal was then drafted and sent for review to our national Deanery and has since been vetted for refinement and submission to the General Council of my Diocese for consideration and discernment of next steps to follow. 

In the meantime, I'm compelled to foster the seedling beyond submission to my Bishop and my own daily personal practice with a proposal to those who have exercised heroic Charity to my family, and possibly expanding that prayer circle: a Novena of Gratitude, wherein the Devotion would be prayed for nine days in honour of the Holy Ghost and in union with the Nine Choirs of Angels.  The Novena would start on Palm Sunday and carry us through Easter Monday, walking us through the grandest and greatest time of the Church's year and if compelled possibly beyond these exalted days to come. 

To that end a modest and minimal structure is linked, emphasizing a gentle touch at most: 

English Version (from the Douay-Rheims - Challoner Revision): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dy5jY364UbpZwGZognz_cCXdDZLd7Oe7SctXuj8jlCk/edit?usp=sharing 

Proto-Typical Edition (Clementine Vulgate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-RKRtBaWhcOYFTblxr-mCefSiplW6PYHCbvSad5TmeU/edit?usp=sharing 

I'm really not sure where this present sharing of our Devotion will lead - I don't have clarity of vision to see if this little Devotion and Novena will "go" anywhere beyond daily practice in my own prayer life and possibly that of the one small but mighty soul under my care.  But, I am compelled to transmit this presently even if the "right" words are being drawn out of me kicking and screaming.  I welcome any advice and as always, prayers!      

Oremus pro invicem.                                                                                                               

Andrew Rivera      

Pope St. Leo, pray for us!