Something to think about...

Could it be that the post-Vatican II suppression of the Tridentine Mass was providential, a God-permitted evil from which the Church could finally gain the kind of profundity of understanding and depth of gratitude for her liturgical treasure that she could never posses absent the experience of almost losing it? Would the level of devotion, richness, and depth of perspective regarding traditional Catholic liturgy and culture, evinced in the writings of this journal, have been possible absent the post-Vatican II crisis?

See the post, "Contemplating the past".

Adoration and Benediction

If you've never been to Adoration, you might be surprised at how enjoyable it is. Adoration is when the Consecrated Host is placed in a monstrance. The monstrance is placed on the altar and everyone is encouraged to sit in the pew and adore Him. It is very quiet, no conversations, no singing, no vocal prayers (the exception is during the Benediction which I'll cover in a bit).

People typically bring a book or two of devotional or spiritual reading or they may just sit and mentally converse with God.

I began doing this a month or so ago and now I am addicted. When I arrive, I feel like I'm in a hurry about something. It feels very strange then to just sit there and hear nothing and do nothing. But the calm/peace comes over me pretty quickly and I just let my mind wander, talking to God about this, that, or the other thing. The hour passes pretty quickly. You certainly don't need to stay for an hour but time flies!

By the way, when you enter, most people get down on both knees, i.e. they don't do a simple genuflection. I think after Vatican II it was changed (I know, I know) so that is no longer necessary but just because something is not necessary doesn't mean it isn't worth doing.

Then, about 15 minutes before the end of Adoration, the Benediction begins.

At our parish, we say the Divine Mercy Chaplet. If Father Carroll
leads the chaplet, we may get one of his wonderful homilies. Then, we sing Tantun Ergo (in Latin!!!)* and say the Divine Praises (in English)**. Then we sing "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name". Finally, the priest puts on a humeral veil and picks up the monstrance, turns to face those of us in the pews and blesses us by raising and lowering the monstrance 3 times (while a lay person incenses the monstrance).

After the blessing the priest replaces the blessed sacrament in the tabernacle (the Reposition) and genuflects.

The first time I attended the Benediction, I walked out in a daze. It
was so beautiful and holy. Now, I try to attend whenever possible.
It's on a Saturday at our church so it's a little challenging to get to sometimes...

* Tantum Ergo
Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.

Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et iubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio:
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio.
Amen.

** The Divine Praises
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints.

To Be A Priest

Several days ago, Curt Jester (Jeff Miller) blogged about vocations in
an entry called "Heed the Call". One of his readers posted the comment below and he (the commenter) gave me permission to post it here.

You might want to consider printing it out and sending it to your favorite (or even your not-so-favorite) priest.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think it is going to take more than appealing videos. We really need to resurrect the culture of the hero because that is exactly what priests are: heroes.

The primary job of the hero is to save people. This means saving
people from any danger from any source -- even if that means trying to save someone from themselves. The hero accomplishes this task through sacrifice. He will constantly cast aside any concern for his own well-being to do the right thing. Not the easy thing -- the RIGHT thing.

The main method of heroic sacrifice is: waiting. The hero must be constantly ready. He must wait for and wait on.

He waits for trouble. Much like your mother lion, Clark Kent, or policeman; the hero remains in a position of readiness so he may counter strike at any moment. The cool thing about being a priest is that his job is to counter strike evil itself. There are a lot of jobs in this world that involve taking on evil, but none so courageously direct than that of the priest. It is such a horrifically important burden. And that is exactly what makes it so darn cool.

The hero also waits on -- the poor, the afflicted, the victims of evil. What is the point of stopping bullets if you are not protecting those innocents who need your protection?

A lot of noise is made about the discipline of celibacy but the tomes of both pop culture and literature make it clear that when you marry the hero, you end the romance of adventure. Superman, Batman, Captain America and Spiderman are all unmarried (they try every now and then in comics but it totally kills the story), Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, and Aragorn are also all unmarried. This is not some logic of Catholicism imposed upon the story by force but the true nature of the universe shinning through the veil of fiction. Marriage is a different kind of adventure. The Priesthood is wild and free like a fire. But it is also focused and controlled like a lantern. Priests are a light unto the darkness.

To be a priest is to be a hero.

Amen.

We Finally Took the Christmas Tree Down!

We were late putting it up this year (December 21st) and it finally came down yesterday. There's only 2 days of the year that I hate having a real tree...the day we put it up and the day we take it down.

I've had real trees each Christmas for over 25 years, before my husband and I were even an item. I love the look and the smell of them. When I was growing up, we had real trees for a while (I think) but most of my childhood, I remember that ugly silver Christmas tree with the colorwheel that sat on the floor and shown colors on the tree. Because the tree was metal (aluminum!), we couldn't put electric lights on it.

Who knew! I just googled aluminum Christmas tree and sure enough, there's a website for them.

Isn't the Internet great?!

Finkelstein and Jesus

Jesus was wandering around Jerusalem when He decided that He really needed a new robe.

After looking around for a while, He saw a sign for Finkelstein, the Tailor. So, He went in and made the necessary arrangements to have Finkelstein prepare a new robe for Him.

A few days later, when the robe was finished, Jesus tried it on and it was a perfect fit!

He asked how much He owed. Finkelstein brushed him off: "No, no,no, for the Son of God ? There's no charge! However, may I ask for a small favor? Whenever You give a sermon, perhaps You could just mention that Your nice new robe was made by Finkelstein, the Tailor ? "

Jesus readily agreed and as promised, extolled the virtues of his Finkelstein robe whenever He spoke to the masses.

A few months later, while Jesus was again walking through Jerusalem, He happened to walk past Finkelstein's shop and noted a huge line of people waiting for Finkelstein's robes.

He pushed his way through the crowd to speak to him and as soon as Finkelstein spotted him he said: "Jesus, Jesus, look what You've done for my business! Would You consider a partnership?"

"Certainly," replied Jesus. "Jesus & Finkelstein it is."

"Oh, no, no," said Finkelstein. "Finkelstein & Jesus. After all, I am the craftsman." The two of them debated this for some time.

Their discussion was long and spirited, but ultimately fruitful and they finally came up with a mutually acceptable compromise.

A few days later, the new sign went up over Finkelstein's shop.

Can you guess what it read?

click here to see new sign

Overheard at Mass

A little old Italian man, after receiving Holy Communion and returning to the pew, was heard to say, "I love you".

Show About Benedict XVI on EWTN - 1/27/07

Actually, it's a two-part series on il Papa, beginning January 27th (60 minutes) on their EWTN Global Showcase program at 8:00 pm (EST).

Oh joy!

Ten Reasons Your Dog's Hair Cut Costs More Than Yours

10. Your hairdresser doesn't wash and clean your rear end.
9. You don't go for 8 weeks without washing or brushing your hair.
8. Your hairdresser doesn't have to give you a sanitary trim.
7. Your hairdresser doesn't have to clean your ears.
6. Your hairdresser doesn't have to clean boogies from your eyes.
5. You sit still for your hairdresser.
4. Your haircut doesn't include a manicure or pedicure.
3. Your hairdresser only washes and cuts the hair on your head.
2. You don't bite or scratch your hairdresser. (I hope not anyway).

And the Number 1 reason your dog's haircut costs more than yours...

1. The likelihood of you pooping or peeing while your hair is being cut is extremely slim.

Our Lady of America

Have you heard about Our Lady of America?

This statute was presented to the Bishops at the November 2006 Conference of USCCB by Archbishop Raymond Burke.

Our Lady of America
It was on the eve of the feast of the North American martyrs, September 25, 1956, that Our Lady appeared to Sr. Mary Ephrem. In 1938, Sister began to have what seem like mystical spiritual experiences. She thought little of them, presuming all religious have them. As these visits took on the nature of a specific program of devotion to Mary which Sister was asked to propagate, she then turned to Monsignor Paul F. Leibold. Monsignor Leibold, later Archbishop of the Cincinnati, Ohio Archdiocese, would be her spiritual director from many years until 1972, when he suddenly died due to an aneurysm. Archbishop Leibold had become so convinced of the authenticity of this message that he approved Sister's writings and placed his imprimatur on the design of the medal. Our Lady had asked Sister to have struck a medal that would bear the image of Our Lady of America on the front and the symbol of the Christian Family and the Blessed Trinity on the back.

Thoughts?

Stuff for Your iPods

For those of you who got an iPod for Christmas, you can get Greg and Jennifer Wilits of Rosary Army saying the 4 sets of Rosary Mysteries (Glorious, Luminous, Joyful and Sorrowful). They are dated October 5, 2005 in the archive. Download them, import them into iTunes and put them on your iPod. They have a beautiful scripture for each of the 20 mysteries.

A Fantasy Bulletin Notice

I love our pastor and our parochial vicar, both hard-working orthodox priests. Every parish could use a little tightening up, though, and so I am tempted to adapt this to my church and put these in the bulletins some week.

In an attempt to restore the sacredness to the Holy Mass, and piety to the people, the following changes will be implemented immediately at [insert name here] Parish:

Sacred Silence is prescribed for 15 minutes before and after every Mass. Please refrain from socializing in front of the Blessed Sacrament. You are encouraged to spend this time in prayer, in preparation for the Mass and in thanksgiving to God.

Effective immediately, [insert name here] Parish will no longer be allowing girls to altar serve. Since altar serving is traditionally a stepping stone to the priesthood, only boys will be encouraged to serve.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are no longer required. The priest will be distributing Communion, and even though this may take a few moments longer, your cooperation is requested.

Applause is not encouraged, nor will it be tolerated during the Mass. If you wish to acknowledge another person's achievements, please do so privately after Mass.

Please refrain from visiting the sacristy prior to Mass, as the priest needs to spend some moments in prayer as he vests for the Mass.

Parishioners will notice a change to the choir in the coming weeks. We will be singing more Latin hymns, with special emphasis on sacred songs that reflect the Divine Mysteries of the Mass. Only an organ will be used for musical accompaniment. Anyone wishing to learn Gregorian Chant, please see the choir director after Mass.

We are looking for volunteers to re-install the communion rails and the kneelers. If you can help with this, please see Father to sign up.

hat tip to Salve Regina...

Celebrating Justice (Saddam Hussein)

From the excellent blog, Iraq the Model, an excerpt...

Executing the dictator renews the hopes of not only Iraqis but also of other oppressed peoples in the world in having a better future where they enjoy freedom. It's time for other tyrants to learn from this lesson and realize that a similar fate is on the way if they refuse to change.
Yes, it was the people though their elected government who put Saddam on trial and who says otherwise should go back and learn about how Saddam humiliated, murdered and tortured Iraqis and plundered their fortunes in his stupid adventures.

Stem Cell Quiz

I found this quiz on another site. I'll credit the blogger if I can remember where I found it...

Test your knowledge while finding out current information on stem cell research and how to get involved in human trials ASAP

My Prayer Journal

I went to Barnes & Noble, looking for a calendar or two but found a beautiful journal which I will use for my prayer journal. I'm hoping this will inspire me to pray more.

Worth Repeating

I love a good quote, which is one of the many reasons that I love the Happy Catholic blog. Here's another collection of good quotes I stumbled across the other day...

Sometimes people can hunger for more than bread. It is possible that our children, our husband, our wife, do not hunger for bread, do not need clothes, do not lack a house. But are we equally sure that none of them feels alone, abandoned, neglected, needing some affection? That, too, is poverty. --Mother Teresa

(F)eminists' ideological effort to free women from families rather than strengthen their ties to them reveals a breathtaking disregard for the principal cause of poor women's poverty. --Elizabeth Fox-Genovese

Go read the rest!

Heresies in Homilies

In researching the Navarre Study Bible, I found this article in a back issue of This Rock. It startled me because this was so similar to the theme of the homily I heard at my church this morning (sigh). Don't worry, it was a visiting priest. Just goes to prove, there are no new heresies...just wish we didn't hear them in homilies.

Marcionism

How could the God who commanded adulterers to be stoned be reconciled with the God who let them go free? This was overcome by postulating the existence of two gods. Marcion concluded that the tyrannical Creator-God of the Old Testament, Yahweh, was in opposition to the merciful and loving God of the New Testament.

Merry Christmas!

Catholic Devotions Meme

My first meme! I was memed today by Jayne of So Many Devotions So Little Time.

CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS MEME

1. Favorite devotion or prayer to Jesus?
I just recently started saying the Divine Mercy Chaplet but the one I say most often is the Litany of Humility (it's the one I need the most).

2. Favorite Marian devotion or prayer?
I love the Memorare but I still don't have it memorized.

3. Do you wear a scapular or medal?
Yes, the Brown Scapular (Our Lady of Mount Carmel). The one I bought came with the Miraculous Medal.

4. Do you have holy water in your home?
As a general rule - no. But I brought some home from church to bless the Advent Wreath. I want to buy at least one font soon.

5. Do you 'offer up' your sufferings?
When I think of it, yes.

6. Do you observe First Fridays and First Saturdays?
I just started the First Friday devotion in December. We'll see how I do!

7. Do you go to Eucharistic Adoration? How frequently?
Yes, my parish has it weekly on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 2:45 pm but I've only been able to get there once a month or so...

8. Are you a Saturday evening Mass person or Sunday morning Mass person?
I go to the 7:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday.

9. Do you say prayers at mealtime?
No unfortunately. I'm going to try and change this in 2007.

10. Favorite Saint(s)?
Padre Pio

11. Can you recite the Apostles Creed by heart?
Not yet!

12. Do you usually say short prayers (aspirations) during the course of the day?
Sometimes, not often enough but when I do it's usually "Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner".

13. Bonus Question: When you pass by a automobile accident or other serious mishap, do you say a quick prayer for the folks involved?
Yes, I say a Hail Mary for them.

Thanks Jayne for forcing me to post another entry! I hope to blog more in 2007 (I'm already putting a lot of pressure on myself for next year, aren't I?)

I shall pass the meme baton to Dom of Bettnet, Kelly of The Lady in the Pew and Jen of Jenny Sais Quoi.

Pumpkin Egg Nog?!

Who knew? I had to try it. It's delicious. (limited time only by Hood)

The Blessing of the Thorns

I received this via an email list I belong to.   I had to pass it on...

 

------------------------------------------------------------

 

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes as she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door.

Her life had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole that from her.

During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough, her husband's company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come for the holiday.

Then Sandra's friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. She has no idea what I'm feeling, thought Sandra with a shudder.

Thanksgiving? Thankful for what? She wondered. For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life but took that of her child?

"Good afternoon, can I help you?" The shop clerk's approach startled her.

"I....I need an arrangement, " stammered Sandra.

"For Thanksgiving? Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the Thanksgiving "Special?" asked the shop clerk. "I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this thanksgiving? "

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong."

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the shop clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Just then the shop door's small bell rang, and the shop clerk said,
"Hi, Barbara...let me get your order." She politely excused herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny roses.
Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.

"Want this in a box?" asked the clerk.

Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.

"Yes, please," Barbara, replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd
think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she said as she gently tapped her chest. And she left with her order.

"Uh," stammered Sandra, "that lady just left with, uh....she just left with no flowers!

"Right, said the clerk, "I cut off the flowers. That's the Special. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."

"Oh, come on, you can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra.

"Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling much like you feel
today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing major surgery."

"That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk, "and for
the first time in my life, had just spent the holidays alone. I had no
children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow
any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.

"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and never
questioned the good things that happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask questions! It took time for me to learn that dark times are important. I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life, but
it took thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."

Sandra sucked in her breath as she thought about the very thing her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."
Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" shouted the
clerk to the balding, rotund man.
"My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving Special....12 thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.
"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind me asking why she wants something that looks like that?"

"No...I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we slogged through problem after problem. He rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she learned from "thorny" times, and that was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us."

As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"
"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said. "It's all too...fresh. "
"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns."Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.
"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a
minute."
"Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

It read: "My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."
Praise Him for your roses; thank him for your thorns!
-- Author Unknown

They're Back!

The Catholic Answer forums are back! Jimmy Akin explains what happened.