Rosicanism

See update below
There are a lot of "isms" out there and the ancient heresy of Pelagianism has been talked about a lot lately in the Church. So what exactly is it? 

Named after a British monk and condemned as heresy by the Council of Cathage in A.D. 431, Pelagianism views humanity as basically good and morally unaffected by the Fall of Adam and Eve; it denies the imputation of Adam's sin, original sin, total depravity and the need for the substitutionary blood atonement of Our Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time, man is fundamentally good and is in possession of free will and with regards to salvation, it teaches that man has the ability in and of himself and without divine aid to obey God and earn, on our account, eternal salvation. 

Do you attend or know someone who attends the traditional Latin liturgy of the Catholic Church - the Usus Antiquior, Vetus Ordo, Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Tridentine Rite, Traditional Latin Mass, whatever you wish to call it -- does that paragraph above describe you or the people whom you know? 

Well, Father Tom Rosica seems to think so. He has taken a rather out of context quote of Pope Francis (apparently against those who presented him with rosary counts) and he has used the expression in a sometimes angry speech, hosted on Salt + Light. He has accused people of only liking fanons and vestments and that those who attend or prefer in some way the traditional liturgy do not seek Christ. He does so in a raised voice and near angry tones when describing these people; you, me, whomever. He openly declares that these people are "divisive" aside from being Pelagians, which means that you, me, they are heretics.

Barona at Toronto Catholic Witness has transcribed the most telling parts. If you wish you can link from there to the actual video. I for one, won't be responsible for adding one hit to this less than adequate catholic apostolate.

What I wish to know is why is Father Tom Rosica so angry? What is his fear?

On any given Sunday in the Archdiocese of Toronto, no more than 700 souls, tops (and I include those at the Society of St. Pius X) attend this liturgy. In the Diocese of Hamilton, maybe 200, in the Diocese of London 150 between the Mass at Assumption in Windsor and Regina Mundi in London.

What on earth is possessing this priest, this university president that has turned Ontario's oldest Catholic university into a chaplaincy and sold off its heritage; this papal consultor on social communications -- this mocker of people calling them "Taliban Catholics" and "extremists" -- one who sues fellow Catholics and Tweets slander sheet newspapers such as Rolling Stone who whilst featuring a Pope on its cover, denigrates another inside to say nothing about distorting the words of the one on the cover; and he Tweets it, promotes it on his own feed as if we should be rejoicing over it. 

What is the problem? Why the reason for such hatred, yes; hatred and disdain over those few who seek after the liturgical "crumbs from the Master's table". 

Really? 700 in Toronto and including the FSSP in Ottawa and the odd mass in Kingston and Sudbury maybe 1000, give or take -- and maybe double that for across Canada; these few are Pelagians? These few are divisive? 

This so-called "division" is not created by these few people. No, it is a lie! This division is created by those who call these people names and have the temerity to equate them with heretics and question their spirituality, their devotion; they take their own personal issues out on the form of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which was codified in its present form by St. Pius V for the western Church but had been celebrated in that manner in Rome for over one thousand years before that.

I am not saved by my works. I am saved by the all redeeming blood of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary made present at Mass in either Form (when in accord with the rubrics, matter, form and intent of the Church) and the Father's mercy through the grace of the Holy Spirit and may I die in a state of grace so that I may be granted a stay in purgatory if I am not fit for heaven and that I excape Hell. Does this sound as if I am a Pelagian? Are you?

Let me say this; most people whom I know that attend the forma extraordinaria also attend the forma ordinaria; I certainly do and I chant in both, every weekend! So, let's get this division nonsense put to rest.

Who is this priest to say that what I believe or what you believe because you prefer or your friend prefers to worship God exclusively in the traditional liturgy is a Pelagian -- a heretic? 

The interview is full of half-truths and distortions and detraction and it is unbecoming of a Catholic priest and one with papal mandate. It's time to call it out for what it is and from whence it comes.

Really now; who is being divisive? 

It is hatred, pure and simple and the question needs to be asked, why?

UPDATE:

Salt + Light has removed the video.

The transcript, courtesy of Barona at Toronto Catholic Witness follow quoting Father Tom Roscia verbatim:

"The final ideological temptation, that the Pope has been speaking about; he refers to it as the Pelagian solution. The Pelagians, this group at the time of St. Augustine, believed that sanctity was the result of human effort without any assistance from God or the Spirit. This is the temptation of conservative Catholicism to a form of restorationism. "We gotta get back to what things were; the Council was wrong, this shouldn't have happened. We're gonna take you back to the real thing'"!

They seek a purely disciplinary solution to all of the Church's problems; through the restoration of outdated forms and manners, the usage of English [Latin?] language, incomprehensible to most of us who speak English. On a cultural level, it is no longer meaningful. We can see why Francis rejected the  grandiose Papal apparel. One of the things I felt very badly about (and I loved Pope Benedict), is the way that they dressed him up in these past years, and put vestments and things on him. And looking at some of the pictures; saying: this is not Pope Benedict. This is not this great theologian. And how many of us - hopefully not a lot of us here - loved Pope Benedict for the wrong reasons. And there's nothing worse than loving someone for the wrong reasons. 

I asked some of my friends who are very upset with the simplicity of Pope Francis; I said: what were you upset about; what are you upset about? "We loved Benedict! We loved the clothes, we loved the fanon". We loved all these exotic things from museum cupboards"! But I said: did you remember Pope Benedict's homily on Christmas Midnight Mass, do you remember what he said on Holy Thursday, do you remember what he said at the Stations of the Cross at the colosseum? "No! I liked the clothing". 

As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Maria Bergoglio was never a fan of the Tridentine Mass, andhe only allowed it when it was mandated by Pope Benedict for the entire Church.There is nothing wrong with the Tridentine Mass; it was a very beautiful attempt of Pope Benedict to make peace in the Church. But for adherents of that Mass who wish to use it as a weapon of division, as a denial of the Council, as a mean spirited force; no liturgy in the name of Jesus Christ is meant to do that. Whether one celebrates the New Rite, the Extraordinary Form, the Rite of Paul VI, or whatever, it is ultimately about Jesus Christ and his life giving action in that celebration."

The not so friendly ghost

Watch it friends, be very careful and pay close attention. Casper it not such a friendly ghost. The "Council of the Media" which our beloved Benedict warned us about is back. As one who was divorced and waited upon the Church for her decision regarding an annulment I deeply resent these German bishops and the rest of this stinking liberals who wish to debase the truth of the Faith!

No, I say! This is not acceptable! There will be no change in doctrine because there cannot be a change in doctrine. Anyone who thinks that there can be and those who speculate and promote it are deceiving you. 

I repeat, the Pope will not change the doctrine on divorce and remarriage, contraception, same-sex so-called marriage, sodomy, or the reception of Holy Communion by divorced and remarried Catholics. Pastoral matters on how to treat and counsel these people are another matter, but the Pope will not change doctrine! 

Read it the rest of the manipulation here.

The Two Synods, Real and of the Media

The upcoming synod on the family is being shaped by the same phenomenon that influenced Vatican II. But this time the duplication appears intentional, with all of the risks that it involves

by Sandro Magister

ROME, February 26, 2014 – In the first consistory of his pontificate, Jorge Mario Bergoglio has not been tender with the caste of the cardinals.

At the opening of the assembly, he charged them with "rivalry, envy, factions." And in the closing homily, with "intrigues, gossip, cliques, favoritism, preferential treatment."

And yet it is to this hardly esteemed college of cardinals that Francis has entrusted the first important high-level discussion on the topic of the upcoming synod of bishops, the family, at a time like the present - the pope said - in which it "is despised, is mistreated."

More on Maria Divine Mercy Fraud

This update continues what was previously posted here, that this woman and her machine is a complete fraud and the empire is collapsing around her. The quote of the day comes from our friends at Creative Minority Report, "The Divine justice waiting for those willingly perpetrate fraud on believers makes me shudder."

*Critical Updates

MARTIN ROTH SPEAKS!  

‘Visionary’s’ business partner ‘goes ballistic.’ Confesses: Mary Carberry IS Maria Divine Mercy!

Posted Feb. 17, 2014

An Irish ‘visionary’s’ empire is dismantling.  On Feb. 4, Heinrich Martin Roth, German business partner of the ‘visionary’ Maria Divine Mercy, posted a 30-page ‘rant’ on his website reacting to a flier distributed by German Catholic publishers Miriam-Verlag.

Mary McGovern-Carberry in April 2009, from Irish Independent Online article announcing new PR venture, Eighty Twenty PR. Today a company spokesman says, “We are no longer associated with Mary McGovern.”

While defending ‘Maria Divine Mercy’ and attempting to support the authenticity of her ‘messages from heaven,’ Roth, writing in German, provides embarrassing details exposing the ‘visionary’s’ identity and history. He admits:  Ireland resident Mary Carberry is Maria Divine Mercy!

Are Carberry and Irish business partner Breffni Cully aware what Roth has done?

The Miriam-Verlag two-page flier – the object of Roth’s bizarre document – was edited by a priest working in Switzerland and his affiliated group.  The flier exposes the MDM fraud primarily using information authored by Michael Hesemann posted at the popular German Catholic website Kath.net.  Roth also reacts to an article at MidwayStreet.wordpress.com that represents the work of international researchers exploring the identity of the Internet ‘visionary.’ 

Ordinariate Anniversary Mass

Tu modo, qui sequitur te! (You fashion follower you!)

On behalf of Abbe Joseph, (Seminarian JH), Thank you!

Dear Friends,

A few months ago, I launched a fundraising campaign here for a young man from the rural north of the Archdiocese of Toronto studying for the priesthood in Italy. Abbe Joseph H., is at the Institute of Christ the King in Griciliano, Italy and comes from a wonderful home-schooled family. 

Please let me take this opportunity on his behalf to say "thank you and God bless you." 

Your generosity has been greatly appreciated. You sent cheques directly to the Toronto Traditional Mass Society on his behalf and donated through CanadaHelps. The goal was met and even yesterday, more funds came in.

Abbe Joseph's needs have been met for this year and he has a nest egg to begin next year.

Please know that on a daily basis, he offers Mass and prayers for all of his benefactors.

May God bless you.

Edmonton Archbishop bans Holy Communion on the tongue

Reminiscent of the false flag of H1N1 when many bishops in Canada had the temerity to bow to public health officials and alter liturgical norms and practises. Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton has banned Holy Communion on the tongue -- a norm, a law in fact, over which he has no power to affect.

In a January 6 letter to priests, due to the apparent "escalation in influenza" various "temporary" measures were enacted in addition to the banning of the Body of Christ on the tongue including the elimination of the distribution of the Precious Blood, emptying of Holy Water fonts and the practice of shaking hands at the Peace.

The reception of Holy Communion at Mass by the people is not mandatory, only the priest celebrant is required to complete the Sacrifice. If the influenza was so serious, then all should have refrained on order of the Archbishop and made a Spiritual Communion which would have come under his authority.  The banning of distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue is not within the Archbishop's purview. The Law of the Church provides that it is the norm and it is communion in the hand that is the indult, the exception.

During H1N1, Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary also bowed to secular authorities and went so far as to suspend the Holy Mass by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter after they asked the people to make a "Spiritual Communion" so that the priests would not be forced to violate Church Law, disobey the bishop or their consciences. The actions of Bishop Henry came to an abrupt halt after intervention from the Vatican. In a response to a letter to Bishop Henry by this writer, he responded by twisting the words of Pope Benedict XVI's letter accompanying Summorum Pontificum to elevate his authority over the Vetus Ordo beyond what the letter or motu proprio actually stated.

This matter was clearly dealt with previously.

In Toronto, Holy Communion was also banned on the tongue during the H1N1 scam, though the FSSP which was here at the time did not follow it and three months later, they departed Toronto. In Ottawa and Vancouver for example, no ban on the reception of Holy Communion on the tongue was demanded in the either Form of the Roman Rite.

What is most shocking to this writer, beyond the arrogance of the Archbishop of Edmonton to flaunt the Law of the Church, is that after nearly a month, this word has finally become known. Are the Catholics of Edmonton that careless about what their role is when bishops act in error and restrict their rights or are there just so few that receive the Lord in the traditional manner? Do any of them even know their rights or do they even care?

There has never been a study with any hard data that the distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue, properly administered, leads to any proliferation of influenza. Not even during the Spanish Flu epidemic a century ago, when all received on the tongue, was such a measure taken.

Ironically, as reported in the Catholic Register, whilst President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Smith, urged Canadian Catholics to "stand up for their religious rights" and he worried about the "erosion" of religious rights.

Except perhaps when the erosion is from within.

From a historical point-of-view, may I refer you to this letter from 98 year old Msgr. Vincent Foy who will soon celebrate his 75th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood.

Well, Edmonton Catholics, what do you say?

Pastoral Scene

Influenza Precautions Announced

Posted in [Archdiocesan News] By Lorraine

In light of the recent escalation in influenza cases in Alberta, Archbishop Richard Smith has directed that parishes in the Archdiocese implement a number of temporary measures to guard against the spread of disease. These include:

• Discontinue the reception of the Precious Blood as part of any public celebration of the Eucharist.
• Limit the reception of the Body of Christ to the hands only.
• Suspend the practice of shaking hands during the Sign of Peace. This can be replaced by a bow or an intentional nod of the head toward those around you.
• Empty all holy water fonts.
• Be mindful of the importance of basic health measures. For example, thorough hand washing is an effective means of preventing the transmission of infectious material (nasal secretions, saliva, etc.) from soiled hands. Make alcohol-based hand sanitizing solution or tissues available in the church entrance.
• Encourage all parishioners to remain home at the first sign of illness, especially a cough or fever, out of respect for their brothers and sisters. Those who stay home can view a televised Mass onSalt+Light Television, on EWTN Television, or online at www.canadiandailymass.com. They can also make a Spiritual Communion; instructions for this are posted on our Divine Worship page. 
• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should sanitize their hands immediately before receiving Communion themselves and avoid touching their face or other surfaces such as handrails before distributing Communion. Rub hand sanitizer over the hands until completely dry. (The sanitizer must evaporate or stay on the skin for 10 seconds to achieve any antibacterial/antiviral effect.)
• Pastoral care team members who bring the Blessed Sacrament to shut-ins should not attend any homes where influenza is known or suspected to be present.
• All pastoral care visitors to hospitals and nursing homes, whether clergy or lay volunteers, must observe all posted infection control procedures at these institutions (e.g. hand sanitizing, gowning, masking.)

“Please note that the decision to impose restrictions on the liturgy was not made lightly,” Archbishop Smith wrote in a January 8th letter to priests. “It was based on prayer, reflection and consultation with Alberta Health Services, the agency which is in the best position to assess local conditions and risk. It is my intention to lift the restrictions as soon as the provincial health authorities assure us that the risk of influenza infection has dropped substantially. “

Archbishop Smith also asks that we pray for the comfort and healing of all those afflicted by the illness, those who have died, and for those who are caring for the sick.

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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.