Our hearty congratulations!

There is an old joke that goes,
You know how at an Episcopal Ordination, the three participating Bishops stand behind the ordinand? Do you know what they're doing? They're removing his spine.
Congratulations are in order for several Bishops who have managed, by the grace of God, either to avoid that part of the rite, or have managed to grow their spines back. One by one, or as is the case in Dallas/Fort Worth two, they have come out with statements about the need to vote like Catholics.

• Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City/St Joseph MO
• Bishops Kevin Farrell (Dallas) and Kevin Vann (Fort Worth), TX
• Bishop Joseph Martino, of Scranton, PA
• Justin Cardinal Rigali and Bishop William Murphy, speaking as chairmen of the committees (USCCB) of pro-life activities, and Domestic Justice and Human Development, respectively, released this today.
• Bishop Robert Hermann, the Archdiocesan Administrator or St Louis
• Archbishop Charles Chaput, Denver, CO -- in a statement in which he speaks as a private citizen -- was able to remove the gloves.

These Bishops are teaching clearly about how to form our consciences. At last they are responding to the argument that there are other issues, so we can't be single-issue voters. All of this is true, but some issues do take precedence over others. The Son of Man, when he comes, will not ask us how our vote helped the economy.

Why???

I just don't get it. How can a man spend years in the seminary and then within months of leaving be involved in a relationship? Not just involved, but intimate. I truly see the diabolical here. When a man is preparing himself for the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, he becomes the target of Satan's wrath.
I have seen it time and again. Someone leaves the seminary and the next thing you know, he's taking trips with his girlfriend, and acting like a wild dog. One would think that the normal course of action is that you leave the seminary and spend the rest of your days as a much better Catholic than when you entered. Instead, it seems the powers of Hell are unleashed upon the man.
We can only pray for grace for the men in the seminary. We can only pray that they will not fall to the prowling lion, as St Peter describes him.
On the other hand, perhaps some just need to experience the Snipping Rite created by Fr P.

Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine!

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the passing of the great Pope Pius XII. Truly he was a holy man, who continues to inspire many by the life he lived, and the lives he saved.
He became an example of Christian virtue in so many ways. Let us not forget that he saved an estimated 860,000 Jews from extinction by the Nazis. He refused to have the papal apartments heated while the rest of the people in his diocese did without. He stood against the excesses of the liturgical movement, many of which later became par for the course. At the same time he laid down rules for modern scholarship of Sacred Scripture.
May God raise him to the Altars soon!

40 Days for Life

Today is day three. It is also the Feast of Ss Cosmas and Damian. I remembered this morning that in the EF, they are also commemorated on Thursday of the third week of Lent (just passed the halfway point). In fact, the collect used today in the OF is from Lent, not from Sept 27 (their Feast in the EF). Their heavenly intercession (as physicians) is requested to help us persevere in the fast. Remember, this election is crucial for the pro-life movement. It also occurs, as was read in the Gospel as we began this campaign (Ember Wednesday) -- this kind may only be cast out by prayer and fasting. Pray, pray, pray.
I truly don't think we have ever had a more important electoral cycle. We have a man running for president who thinks that botched abortions should be given a second chance -- at death. Didn't they used to let convicts go if, in the process of hanging them, the rope broke? Even convicted murders were let free, or at least not re-hanged, if their death sentence was unsuccessfully carried out. This man, however, thinks that innocent children, whose death sentence is unsuccessfully prosecuted should be left to die. In the words of the Church Lady "Could it be......Satan?" Abortion is truly diabolical. It must stop. This kind of evil can only be cast out by prayer and fasting. You know what you have to do.

Fiat Lux?

Well, I just watched the introductory video to Oakland's new Cathedral of Christ the Light, which is posted on Rocco's page. I don't know if I could actually stand it in person. Let the be light (Fiat lux)? Perhaps Fiant tenebrae would be better. I think I'd want to gouge my eyes out if I lived in Oakland! Where to start?

• They point out that the cross was used as a form form many Cathedrals in the past. They then go on to say they are using an even more ancient symbol -- the fish (ichthys). True, this is more ancient, but to my knowledge, it has never been used as the shape of a building before.
• People can come by and visit during the day -- even dine in the Cathedral Cafe. Are you kidding? Isn't bad enough that the Rogmahall has a Starbucks? It's supposed to be a cathedral for heaven's sake!
  
• They tell you want the wood panels symbolize. Frankly, I don't see the symbolism even after being told. Art is supposed to communicate without words. If you have to tell me what it means, it ain't art!
• In fairness, I must say the architecture would be quite nice for a modern art museum, airport or bus station. It shows that this is the architect's first church. I wish I could say that he still hadn't designed a church, but now it has been consecrated and Mass has been celebrated their. That sound you heard was the Baby Jesus sobbing. I wonder if they used EP II, just to make Him cry more.
• I feel truly sorry for the next Bishop of Oakland, who will have to call this monstrosity his Cathedral. If you think Bishop Bruskewitz and his predecessor (who was forced to dedicate it) have had to suffer, take a look at Oakland. On the bright side, your Excellency, there are now two Cathedrals in the US that are FAR uglier than the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln. No offense, your Excellency, but I hope you don't move any further up the scale!
  

There you have it. Oh, the thing is supposed to be earthquake proof. Perhaps we could get the someone to say "God Himself couldn't sink her."

He came not to call the just, but sinners

For the Feast of St Matthew, which is celebrated today in the EF in the Canonical Circumscription in which I find myself, we see the Call of St Matthew. Our Lord tells the pharisees that he came not to call the just, but sinners.
It occurs to me that this is not something that was written to point out how snotty the pharisees were, but rather to warn Christians that they should not get their own noses in the air. There are horror stories from the Protestant world of people gasping as a man answers the altar call while toting cigarettes in his pocket (a sure sign that he couldn't be saved). Then we experience the charming love of many of our own as they begin to judge others in the Church. Some who are the most liturgically pious can be the most pharisaical when it comes to others. Hmmm. Weren't the pharisees the traddies of their day? Anyway, I digress.
It is a warning again and again to us not to be like those pharisees. Our liturgical piety should be forming us to make Christ present in the world. If it does not, than, I'd dare say, it is empty piety. Remember "Misericordiam volo et non sacrificium."

I bet he prefers the Extraordinary Form

As I had the great pleasure of celebrating Mass according to the Extraordinary Form yesterday, it occurred to me that St Joseph of Cupertino was probably smiling. Here is a great and powerful saint, who worked many miracles this side of the veil. He was known for his ecstatic visions and for levitating. While he was not known for being the most brilliant of men in his life time, does this really matter? He knew the One who is most important to know!
I pray that his feast will one day be recognized in the universal Church, in the Ordinary Form. Then again, perhaps he will simply intercede for the growth of the Extraordinary Form instead! May he, and St Philomena, St Christopher, and all the Saints pray for the expansion of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass of the Roman Rite. As the EF grows, the OF will become better and better.
There is cross pollination occurring already. As Priests celebrate according to venerable custom, they begin to apply the hermeneutic of continuity to their celebration of the Ordinary Form. Can't celebrate the Mass oriented? Why not venerate the Altar on the Occidental side? Why not start the incensation there? Arrange the presider's chair to be where the sedillio always was. Then turn toward the people for the Dominus Vobiscum, and Oremus -- then face the altar, and bow toward the Cross at the per Dominum. Exercise your option to pray the post-communion prayer at the altar. Slowly the pendulum is swinging back -- but there is nothing saying we can't get behind it a bit!