Josephy statue squeeness! 

So, I'm finally getting around to watching the video at Visit The Pope, and totally squeed when I saw this Josephy statue in the Pope's private chapel, where he celebrates morning Mass!! Ya rarely see ones of Joseph sittin' with lil' bebbeh Jesus in his lap. ::swoon::

Labels: artwork, joseph, pope, vatican, videos

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Lovely resource on Extraordinary Form of the Mass 

Holy cow, this is a lovely site and great resource on the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite: The Canons Regular of St. John Cantius have launched a new site, Sancta Missa, with online tutorials and guides for all the rubrics. "Future projects include extensive tutorials for leaning the Requiem Mass, Missa Cantata or High Mass, Solemn High Mass, and hopefully, Pontifical Solemn Mass, Baptism Rite, and other timeless treasures of the Catholic liturgy. Each new addition requires extensive research and hours of videotaping, audio recording, and photo taking."

Not only do I appreciate the aim of the site, but dang, it looks gooooood. Seriously, I can't remember the last time (or, frankly, if ever) I've seen such a well-designed Catholic web site. It positively oozes reverence thanks to the color scheme, fonts, and graphics. Stunning, absolutely stunning.

Impressive. Most impressive!

Labels: liturgy, magisterium, pope, vatican

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posted by Lisa, ofs | Permalink | 0 comments

How the humble have exhalted themselves 

That pretty much sums up this Franciscan reply to B16's Summorum Pontificum. Be sure to pop an antacid 'afore readin' -- it's pretty heartburn-inducing. Having an airsickness bag close by is also a good idea.

I tell ya, it's reading s*** like this that makes me despair for our Order. But reading Fr. Z.'s commentary on this Piece of Dreck helps, as do the wonderful thoughts from seculars and others in the comment box. :::hope lifting::: Do check it out.

Labels: dissent, franciscan, magisterium, pope, vatican

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posted by Lisa, ofs | Permalink | 1 comments

"Summorum Pontificum": What's NOT being reported 

As always, Sheila Liaugminas casts her perceptive eye on the mainstream media, this time on what it ISN'T saying about Summorum Pontificum.

SPLENDID stuff. Check it out.

Labels: liturgy, magisterium, pope, vatican

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Motu mirth: "This is not astrophysics" 

M'kay, so in addition to all the great commentary and resources out there on B16's Summorum Pontificum, there's an equally large amount of delightful humor and banter surrounding the document an' what it all means. My reactions to the following gems ranged from smirking to outright guffawing. Share and enjoy!

First up, Barbara Nicolosi does a hilarious job of eviscerating the predictable hand-wringing from Kumbaya Catholics in Isn't it hard for you to kick against the goad? I almost had a case of the hiccups when I finished readin' it. Also check out her post, Not a Motu too soon.... Her "PS" is a keeper:

"In: Smells and bells and lingua Latina, baby!
Out: Rubrics as suggestions.
So five minutes ago: The faith community as god.
Phrase to try and work into conversation this week: lex orandi needs to flow from lex credendi"

Second: Check out the following clip -- brilliant! (And I love all the B16 shots. :::happy sigh:::)



Third, I love the way Fr. John Zuhlsdorf takes on the whining of Cardinal Ricard of Bordeaux, line by line. This one's a humdinger:

"[Card. Ricard] 2. Not all priests are adequately prepared for this. They lack formation.
[Fr. Z.] Priests are smart. We can learn. I will teach any priest how to say the older Mass and help him with Latin. This is not astrophysics."

And last but definitely not least is Fr. Philip N. Powell's gut-splitting The Six Stages of Dissenting from the M.P., where he predicts the stages of behavior to expect from the Kumbaya Catholics:

"Stage Six: Conferences. Lots of conferences. With lots of famous Names. And Big Faces. All bleating from the podium about the death of the 'Spirit of Vatican Two.' Whining. Lots of whining. A few fits. The occasional tantrum. Probably a protest--before the collective Geritol starts to work. More whining. And dire predictions about the inevitable return of Evil Nuns with Rulers and ... GASP! ... a little beauty and reverence to the liturgy."

The world would be such a dreary place without them Dominicans!

Labels: hilarious, liturgy, magisterium, pope, vatican

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Welcome clarity re: Doctrine on the Church 

What an excellent read! The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church is a welcome beacon of clarity on Church teaching over what Lumen Gentium meant by saying that the Church of Christ "subsists in" the Catholic Church.

I found Jeff Mirus' commentary on the document especially helpful, particularly the following:

"Essentially, the Church teaches, and has always taught, that the Church of Christ is fully present only in the Catholic Church, and truly identifiable only with the Catholic Church, but that: (1) Some of the various goods characteristic of Christ's Church, while properly belonging only to the Catholic Church, are also found at work elsewhere, scattered among other bodies; and (2) Some persons who are beyond visible, juridical membership in the Catholic Church can, by virtue of these operative goods (including the action of the Holy Spirit), actually be joined to the Catholic Church in a mysterious way." Read the full article.

Also check out the Vatican's commentary on the document.

This analysis from Inside the Vatican is great:

"In our view, this is part of a continuing series of decisions and initiatives, beginning with the liturgy motu proprio on July 7, 2007, to increase the sense of Roman Catholic identity in the face of many challenges posed by the modern world. The Pope's intent, it seems clear, is to lessen confusion in the Church, and at the same time to reinforce the sense of Catholic identity over against a type of exaggerated ecumenism in which all Christian communities are increasingly, in practice, regarded as equally valid expressions of Christian faith." Read the full article.

Aaaaaannnd Against the Grain has a great colleciton o' resource on the whole dealio. I chortled out loud at the quote included from George Weigel's summary:

"There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NEW in this document. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a theological illiterate who equates ecumenism with political correctness. Period."

Ah, how I love straight-shootin'. :-D

Labels: magisterium, vatican

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posted by Lisa, ofs | Permalink | 0 comments

Good commentary on "Summorum Pontificum" 

Lots of great commentary out there on Summorum Pontificum, in which the Pope broadens the use of 1962 Roman Missal! (Unoffical English translation; official translation pending.) Of all the good stuff, the following two are my faves (so far).

First, author and blogger Amy Welborn has this great tip sheet on what the Summorum Pontificum does and does NOT say. Because, of course, the mainstream media always majorly mucks this stuff up, and their coverage this time is no exception.

Second is Phil Lawler's splendid analysis of the Summorum Pontificum. His explanation that "there are not two different rites, but two different forms of the Roman rite: the ordinary form, according to the current Roman Missal, and the extraordinary form, which uses the Missal that was in universal use prior to the liturgical changes that followed the Second Vatican Council" is particularly helpful. (B16's writing is pretty clear on this point, but Lawler's wording makes it especially so.)

Also: "In the long term, one suspects, the Pope sees a convergence of the two forms, bringing about the true organic reform of the liturgy that Vatican II envisioned."

And Lawler's observation on the current tension between those preferring different forms of the rite is spot-on:

"To be fair one must acknowledge that although many bishops have shown themselves unfriendly toward tradition-minded Catholics-- despite the pleas of John Paul II in Ecclesia Dei -- some traditionalists have been every bit as unfriendly in their attitude toward their bishops. Some traditionalists pounce on any opportunity to criticize the new liturgy, and a few -- a minority, certainly, but a very outspoken and divisive minority -- question whether the Novus Ordo liturgy is valid. The response to Summorum Pontificum in traditionalist circles will be another key test. If the motu proprio is warmly welcomed, that positive response might encourage bishops toward a generous implementation; if traditionalists fall into a pattern of carping criticism, bishops will feel that their hostility is justified."

Frankly, I've always found it jarring in the blogosphere (and in live conversation) when folks hurl around the terms "Novus Ordo" and "TLM" like hand grenades. Way too often, both terms have devolved into bitter "us-versus-them" connotations (I swear, with some folks, you can practically see the disdain when they write "Novus Ordo" or "TLM"), and that's just plain wrong.

I sincerely hope that with the allowances made for both forms of the Roman rite, we begin to see the unity and healing B16's trying to bring about.

Labels: liturgy, magisterium, pope, vatican

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posted by Lisa, ofs | Permalink | 1 comments

CFotD: Documenta Catholica Omnia 

Holy smackers, this site is an awesome resource!

Cool Find of the Day: Documenta Catholica Omnia

"Documenta Catholica Omnia is the official site of the Cooperatorum Veritas Societas, a people's Membership who have voluntarily and privately promised obedience to the Holy Father, in order to spread the official versions of each and every written document belonging to the Holy Christian Church, Catholic, Apostolic and Roman, in their original language and in faithful translations as well. ... Cooperatorum Veritas Societas is not a money oriented membership, but its goals are strictly of pastoral, cultural and propaganda fide nature, all of them are thought for the Truth's full respect."

Labels: cfotd, magisterium, pope, vatican

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posted by Lisa, ofs | Permalink | 1 comments