Retreat, Wednesday

Abbot Marcel did a brilliant presentation of the Word as 1) information, 2) inspiration, and 3) communication of self. In the Mass we receive the word in these three ways. The importance of the Liturgy of the Word in the Mass should be ever-more clear to us. I wonder, however, how many realize that the proclamation of the Word is really Christ's communication of his very self, and therefore, a Real Presence in the assembly?

Yesterday it was hot and muggy. I'd forgotten how miserable the heat in the river valley can be at this time of the year. Even when it's hot and humid in Eldo, it's not as awful. It's still too hot for me, though. I should work in New Zealand in the summer.

News flash: the monks that were old yesterday, are even older today. Scientists are trying to account for this phenomenon.

Retreat, Tuesday

Abbot Marcel Rooney, former abbot of Conception Abbey in Missouri, and also former Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Order is our retreat master. He taught liturgy in Rome for many years and is a great speaker and teacher. I am enjoying his presentations immensely.

He is concentrating on the liturgy of the Mass, and giving us the background for it. He has drawn careful distinctions between the Roman-North African liturgical tradition and the Gallican. Interesting note: even though Charlemagne demanded the conversion of his empire to the Roman Liturgy vis-a-vis the Gallican in the 9th century, the last Gallican Mass was celebrated in Cologne in 1929. Emperors, kings, popes, councils and bishops all tried, but it took 1,200 years. Then there are some who wondery why the Tridentine Mass has hung on for so long. It's hard to kill a tradition---although many have tried.

The community seems reasonably happy, although getting older all the time. Father Aaron lost his little dog yesterday, but "Thor" was found caught in the parish hall this morning---disaster averted. The cool and humid weather of yesterday is leaving and hot and humid is the forecast. I hope that my garden and plants are being taken care of in Eldo. I'm off to the first morning conferenc for Wednesday.

Retreat Monday

Monday: I left Eldo at 11:30 and arrived at Subiaco around 3:15 in the afternoon. Somewhere around Mt. Petit Jean it started raining. Lots and lots of rain. After getting to the rectory of St. Benedict's Parish in Subiaco, where I'm staying with my confrere, Father Aaron, I got changed and went to the abbey across the highway for the annual jubilee Mass for our monks who are celebrating the anniversaries of their professions or ordinations. Father Hugh Assenmacher celebrates 50 years as a priest this year, and Father Brendan Miller celebrates 25 years also. Abbot Jerome presided at the Mass and preached.

This past year, we've lost three monks by death: Abbot Raphael, Father Harold, and Brother Martin. This month, two solemnly professed monks have received or are applying for dispensations from their vows and are leaving the community. One monk in temporary vows is also on the way out. This means that our community will have been reduced by six this year, with no new ones coming in. Such a situation cannot long obtain. We have to get more young men to come and to stay or else we will all be gone, sooner rather than later.

Guess Who's Watching

David Berlinski says in his book The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions:

What Hitler did not believe and what Stalin did not believe and what Mao did not believe and what the SS did not believe and what the Gestapo did not believe and what the NKVD did not believe and what the commissars, functionaries, swaggering executioners, Nazi doctors, Communist Party theoreticians, intellectuals, Brown Shirts, Black Shirts, gauleiters, and a thousand party hacks did not believe was that God was watching what they were doing.

Recent and Coming Events

Last weekend I was at Subiaco for the annual alumni reunion. It was my class' 40th anniversary of graduation. The abbot invited me to be the main celebrant and preach the Alumni Reunion Mass in the Abbey Church. It went off smoothly and everyone was edified.

This coming Monday I go back to Subiaco for the annual monastic retreat and chapter meetings. It is always good to go back and see the brethren and be released from the duties of pastoring. There are, however, several parishioners that are on death's door, and it is likely that one or another of them will die next week, so my plans are subject to change.

The third week of June will see me and our organist-choirmaster, Michael Odom, in Chicago for the Church Music Association of America's annual convention. This should be good for both of us.

There is a garage sale going on the old parish hall this morning. We are going to tear it down and build an education building in its place. This is something that we sorely need, as even with our new space that we've enjoyed for the past eight years, we have been out of room. While I don't believe that growth is automatically a sign of the Spirit at work, it is sometimes and indicator. I pray that this is so in this case.

Bishop of Rockville Centre forbids weekday Communion services

As we approach the feast of Corpus Xsti, it is interesting to see this development. I believe that this is the right approach. See the full article at Catholic News Service.

"Bishop William Murphy has issued a pastoral letter restricting the practice of Communion services at parishes and schools in his diocese. He said the ban on Communion services would bring the diocese into conformity with the liturgical norms of the Church.
Writing in an eight-page letter sent on Friday, Bishop Murphy reflected on the importance of the Eucharist. "The Eucharist is the greatest gift Jesus left us… The celebration of the Eucharist gives us our identity as well as our life,” he said.
The bishop said that Communion services, in practice, often sever what he called “the connection between receiving the Sacrament and celebrating the sacrifice. The two go hand-in-hand,” he continued. “Receiving the Sacrament is the culmination of participating in the sacrifice. There is an inherent interconnection between sacrifice, Real Presence, and Communion,” Bishop Murphy said.
“In the popular mind, all too often the purpose of Mass is still seen as an action simply to consecrate hosts; some people think their participation in the Eucharistic Prayer is all about watching the priest and then receiving Holy Communion,” he wrote.
Bishop Murphy said that the internal “offering” of ourselves both differentiates a Mass from a Communion Service and provides context for the laity’s “full, conscious, and active” participation in the Mass.
He ordered the Communion services in the diocese to end by July 1. Bishop Murphy explained in his letter that the Communion services were originally intended for use on Sundays only in remote, missionary parishes where priests could rarely visit."

Ad Orientem

I have done something that has been gnawing at me for months. I have read several books on church architecture that have concentrated on the concept of "relative space." The prevailing philosophy or our day is Relativism. Since all things are relative, then all things are equal.

In relative space, all spaces are equal, and no one place within a building is more important or sacred than another. Yet, despite all attempts to relativize liturgical space, Catholics still have an appreciation for the "sanctuary" or "chancel" as a particularly sacred and focus-worthy area. The "thrust-stage" arrangement of the altars of most churches, where the priest faces the people is conducive to gathering around and celebrating a sacred meal, but I wonder if that juxtaposition is conducive to reverence and, ultimately, faith. Given the great lack of faith that I've encountered in the course of my ministry I wonder if familiarity has not bred contempt rather than the theological virtues.

For a period of discernment that will be for I-do-not-know how long, we will celebrate the daily Mass ad Orientem. This is not for the purpose of making some statement against "the Spirit of Vatican II," nor is it an exercise in antiquarianism.

For most of the centuries of the Church, the Sacred Liturgy was celebrated facing East. Even where altars were set up so that they were free-standing, nevertheless the direction of the priest and people was toward the East (or to "liturgical" East where a church was not built on an eastern axis).

I found this so in Bethlehem, when I was on pilgrimage in 2006, and attended a baptism at the Syrian Orthodox church there. It was also the direction of the liturgy when I was a youth, before Vatican II.

The idea of the priest, standing at the head of the people and offering the sacrifice of Christ for himself, for them, and for the world, is an idea that we've lost by having the liturgy facing the people. I have found that so far I like this "new" way for these reasons:

1. I am addressing prayers to God and not looking at people while I'm doing so. (This has always been a problem with Mass versus populi.) I have always been very careful about this anyway, when I celebrate facing the people. I try, unless I have to read the prayers directly from the Sacramentary, to direct my eye "Godwards," i.e., upwards, except for the prayer for peace that comes after the Lord's Prayer and which is directed (unlike the Eucharistic prayer and the collects that are addressed to the Father) to Christ. I look at the sacramental elements on the altar during that prayer as I've always tried to practice custody of the "liturgical" eye.
2. The people don't have to be distracted by looking at me, and I don't have to be distracted by looking at them.
3. It makes the chapel bigger by cutting down on the "footprint." In a small room this can be a great advantage, and I was able to relegate the original processional cross that was made for the chapel to be the p-c for Lent, and now use the original altar cross from the church.
4. There is something ineffable about it that I experience as I offer the Mass in this way.

Of course, I turn toward the people and address them at the proper times. Not gonna just say "The Lord be with you." glancing back over my shoulder.

This will not in any way affect the arrangement in the church of the altar for Sunday and Holy Day Masses (the only days we use the church anyway).

Let us see . . .

The First Novena

The descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Church after the Ascension of Jesus to the right hand of the Father, represented the culmination of nine days of prayer and expectation. It is the source of the devotion called a "novena." While other novenas have come to be, directed to the honor of some saint, or for some spiritual purpose, yet the original novena started at the Ascension and completed at Pentecost is till the Ur-novena from which all take their name.

The readings of the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Hours in these days are replete with the most wonderful and expectant writings of the New Testament and the Holy Fathers. May the annual celebration of that original outpouring of the Spirit form our hearts more and more into the dwelling place of Christ.

O Magnum Mysterium by Martin Lauridsen

I just heard this on Kent State classical streaming radio. The performance by the UST alumni singers is marred by the poor recording and gratuitous camera flashes, but the piece and their singing are magnificent! It moves me to tears as I listen to it. How wonderful it would be if our choir could do it for Christmas eve.

O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum. Alleluia!

O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
Christ the Lord. Alleluia!

St. Pius V and my Baptism Day

Michele Ghisleri (Pope Pius V) was born 17 Jan., 1504 elected 7 Jan., 1566; died 1 May, 1572. His family was poor, and he was taken in by the Dominicans and trained in theology and ordained. He was made a bishop and then a cardinal. He was noted as the Inquisitor General for all Christendom, and was particularly active against the Prods and the Turks. His real claim to fame is his support of the Christian league against the Turks, and assisted in various ways to the defeat of the Turkish navy at the battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571.

From the New Catholic Encyclopedia: The original title of the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary. On Sunday 7 Ocotber 1571 the combined Christian fleets under Don John of Austria achieved a significant naval victory over the Turks in the Straits of Lepanto. Thousands of Christians were liberated, the Turkish fleet was destroyed, and they suffered their first great defeat at sea. In gratitude to God and Our Lady, Pope St. Pius V ordered an annual commemoration to be made of Our Lady of Victory. Pope Gregory XIII transferred the feast to the first Sunday of October with the title Most Holy Rosary since it victory was won through invocation of Our Lady of the Rosary In the reform of the liturgy the feast was returned to its original day.

The reason why I commemorate him as a patron is because on this day in 1950 I was baptized by Fr. Joseph Quinn at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas. My parents and godparents were of course present: Paul, and Mary Elizabeth Sherrey, Charles, my father (all gone to their eternal reward, and my mother, Darleen.

St. Louis of France once said that of all the cathedrals and churches of his realm, he prized above all the church of his baptism. As the church of our baptism is the place where we entered into eternal life, we should all hold that place and those persons who brought us to the font in great esteem.

The Epitome of Priestly Narcissism

Where have I been?

From the Fifth Sunday of Lent until now, I have been whelmed with the cares and liturgies of the Church. H0ly Week was a time of great grace and beauty. At the Easter Vigil I baptized an infant, a child, and an adult. I confirmed seven. On Easter Sunday I baptized an infant at the English Mass and three infants at the Spanish Mass. There were baptisms at the Spanish Mass last Sunday, too.

This Sunday (Emmaus Sunday) is our first communion Sunday. There will be a group at each of the Masses.

Last night I was in Little Rock for the section meeting of the members of the Diocese of Little Rock who are in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. We are planning for the Southwest Lieutenancy meeting that will be held in the see city in October. I was also drumming up participants in the pilgrimage that I am leading to the Holy Land and Rome in November.

On top of everything, I came down with a cold a few days ago, and am only now getting over it.

The insurance assessor was here last week and informed us of many stupid things that we have to do, like Plexiglas beneath the vigil light stands, and velcro-ing the statutes to their plinths. It was unbelievable.

Can you imagine? Some Mohammedans in the world got their feelings hurt by the baptism of a former member of their cult by B16. Poor things.

And my little dog, Butch is doing well, and is with me here in the office as I type. He says hell0 to all of you and prays that you had and will have a blessed Easter season.

Patron Saint of the (new) New Age

Here's John Hagee and a wonderful example of Christian Zionism and why we should hate it

Snow in El Dorado

It is very unusual to get snow of any quantity down here in the sunny south where the Gulf of Mexico is usually our big weather maker. A combination of a cold front from the north and moist air from the south have combined to create quite a snow for us. Everybody is quitting work and going home. The schools got out at noon after the snow started coming down. I have a wake tonight and a funeral tomorrow. I just hope the musicians will be there. Our organist-choirmaster is stuck in Louisville, KY where he was attending the ACDA convention (American Choral Directors Association). Anyway, we'll enjoy this snow while it lasts.

Now I'm a mandarin

I'm a Mandarin!

You're an intellectual, and you've worked hard to get where you are now. You're a strong believer in education, and you think many of the world's problems could be solved if people were more informed and more rational. You have no tolerance for sloppy or lazy thinking. It frustrates you when people who are ignorant or dishonest rise to positions of power. You believe that people can make a difference in the world, and you're determined to try.

Talent: 51%
Lifer: 28%
Mandarin: 59%

Take the Talent, Lifer, or Mandarin quiz.

What kind of sports car are you?

I'm a Lamborghini Murcielago!

You're not subtle, but you don't want to be. Fast, loud, and dramatic, you want people to notice you, and then get out of the way. In a world full of sheep, you're a raging bull.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Amazing!

Finally, someone!

Bedlam in the Spirit

In 18th century London, an Sunday afternoon's recreation might consist in going to the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem (shortened to "Bedlam" from where we get the word) to watch the poor, insane, inmates roll, scream, and jump around. Such gazing on the insane was later judged unseemly, and the hospital was eventually turned into the Imperial War Museum (trading one insanity for another). Watching this video of a group on Indian pentecostals is almost as sick. Of course the people who produced it thought it was something beautiful for God. That's sick, too.