New Years Indulgences

If you don't know what an indulgence is or how to get one, please view my Indulgences post.

December 31 Indulgence: A PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted when the Te Deum is recited publicly on the last day of the year. Otherwise a partial indulgence is granted to those who recite the Te Deum in thanksgiving.

January 1 Indulgence: A PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted when the Veni, Creator Spiritus is recited on the first of January or Pentecost.

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Armistice Day: 89th Anniversary

The Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month at the Eleventh Hour...

Before Omaha Beach, D-Day (June 1944)

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England. There shall be

During World War I (1914 - 1918)

In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,

Funeral Mass (Date Unknown)

A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers blest by the suns of home.

Mass on the Battlefield (Date Unknown)

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thought by England given;

Mass on the Battlefield (Date Unknown)

Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English Heaven

Source: "The Soldier" by Rupert Brooke (1887 - 1915)

Image Sources: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Mission: Restore Eucharistic Reverence

Preface: All Scripture quotations are from the Douay-Rheims Bible, the English translation of the Latin Vulgate.

This post has been edited and written since the original version had erroneous information. The comments relating to the debate have been deleted; only comments on the general practice of Eucharistic Reverence remain. If anyone would like to debate the opinions expressed in this post, the comment box is again open. However, I implore all commenters to first read the comment policy and hear these words: "But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8)

I am certain that this post will undoubtedly be controversial again; however, I write this post simply to help restore needed reverence to our Eucharistic Lord. For that reason, I support whatever the Holy Catholic Church infallibly teaches, but I am free to disagree with any non-infallible practices. The fight to restore Eucharistic Reverence has caused debates, arguments, and even violence at various times in history. Jesus even referred to himself as a cause of division (Matthew 10:34), and because of the division, his servants will undoubtedly suffer persecution (Matthew 10:22). I pray that this post will help discourage the practice of Communion in the Hand, encourage reception of the Eucharist on the Tongue, and help discourage the practice of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.

According to the writings of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, one of the greatest mystics in the history of the Church, irreverence to Jesus in the Eucharist will cause Him great pain:

"My heavenly Bridegroom said to me, pointing round me as He spoke; 'See far more evil that befalls Me every day at the hands of many throughout the world.' And as I looked about me into the distance, many things came before my soul which were indeed still more dreadful than that sacrifice of children; for I saw Jesus Himself cruelly sacrificed on the Altar by unworthy and sinful celebrations of the Holy Mysteries. I saw how the blessed Host lay on the altar before unworthy degenerate priests like a living Child Jesus, whom they cut and terribly mutilated with the paten. Their sacrifice, though an efficacious celebration of the Holy Mysteries, appeared like a cruel murder" ("The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary", Chapter 1: Our Lady's Ancestors; the Vision of the Feast of Our Lady's Conception, page 68)

First and foremost, for non-Catholics reading this post, please first read my post on The Eucharist to understand its significance. As affirmed at various points in history, at several Councils (ex. Council of Trent's Thirteenth Session; Vatican II's Sacrosanctum Concilium 7), in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (ex. CCC 1373-1374, 1413), in the words of countless saints, and in the words of Christ Himself (Mt 26:26-28; cf. Mk 14:22-24, Lk 22:17-20, 1 Cor 11:23-25), the Eucharist - Holy Communion - is truly the Real Presence of Jesus Christ. It is not a metaphoric representation of Jesus - the Eucharist is Jesus Christ. Consequently, the Eucharist deserves the greatest degree of worship.

Topics

1. Communion in the Hand
2. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
3. Altar Rails

Communion in the Hand
 

Simply, Communion in the Hand is a practice that I do not support because it is a sacrilege; I only receive Holy Communion on the tongue. Through Communion in the Hand, it is far easier for particles of the Eucharist to fall to the ground. Such particles are still completely Christ (Council of Trent, Thirteenth Session, Canon 4)!

It remains true that the Church has allowed Communion in the Hand at various points in history including during the early Church. For example, St. Cyril of Jerusalem said, "When thou goest to receive communion go not with thy wrists extended, nor with thy fingers separated, but placing thy left hand as a throne for thy right, which is to receive so great a King, and in the hollow of the palm receive the body of Christ, saying, Amen" (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Cateches. Mystagog, V.1) However, it seems probable that few people in our modern world would receive Our Lord in the hand with such care and devotion to refer to it as making a "throne". Communion on the Tongue ensures that no particle is lost. Communion on the Tongue is allowed universally while Communion in the Hand is allowed only by indult. Clearly, Communion in the Hand is not an infallible dogma of the Faith. As Fr. Tim Finigan appropriately states:

There is a much-quoted text of Cyril of Jerusalem (d.387) speaking of the left hand as a throne for the right etc. (Mystagogical catechesis 5.21; PG 33.1125) This is often used as a justification for communion in the hand. The contemporary evidence of the correction of abuses shows that the text could equally be seen as an indication of the obvious need for a change in practice to ensure reverence. The insistence on Communion on the tongue was a natural next step.

According to J Bona in a 3-volume work entitled Rerum Liturgicarum (1747 AD) Communion in the hand most likely ceased before Pope St. Gregory the Great (d. 604). Even though Communion in the hand may have been allowed at some points in the early Church, it is not appropriate for our current era when irreverence and a lack of belief in the Real Presence is spreading.  Spain forbid it completely in the 400s and said that anyone who would stand and receive would receive excommunication. According to a Gallup Poll of 519 American Catholics, 18 years or older, conducted from December 10, 1991, to January 19, 1992, only 30% believe that they receive in Holy Communion the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ! This is shocking! By receiving Holy Communion on the Tongue, non-Catholics see Catholics professing the Faith in a unique and truly profound manner. Such a manner ensures that observers as well as Catholic understand they are not receiving ordinary bread.

According to statistics from the article Index of Catholicism's Decline, by Pat Buchanan, who cites Kenneth C. Jones's Index of Leading Catholic Indicators: The Church Since Vatican II, a shocking number - 70% - of Catholics between the ages of 18-44 do not believe in the Real Presence! We must work to increase belief and devotion to our Eucharistic Lord!! The same statistics illustrate annulments increased from 338 in 1968 to 50,000 in 2002. Also, teaching nuns, ordinations, seminarians, and Catholic marriages all declined. Let us work to counter these alarming statistics.

Following Vatican II, the introduction of Communion in the Hand began as an abuse. I agree with Fr. Tim Finigan that the introduction of Communion in the Hand was a mistake. As stated by Fr. Tim Finigan at The Hermeneutic of Continunity:

At the same time, in many parts of the world, especially in "Masses for special groups", there was a more or less open defiance of this instruction. As a result, Pope Paul VI gradually gave permission to one Bishops' Conference after another for the introduction of the practice of Holy Communion in the hand. Permission was granted in England on 6 March 1976. One widely used justification of the permission was that it would take away the scandal of disobedience. This did not work - people continued to be disobedient to other liturgical norms, witness the series of condemnations of liturgical abuses that have been published since then.

Below are the words of several saints and Church figures on the practice of Communion in the Hand. I pray that if you have been receiving Communion in the Hand, you will begin to receive our Lord exclusively on the tongue.

St. Thomas Aquinas: "Out of reverence towards this Sacrament, nothing touches it but when it is consecrated" - Summa, Pt III Q, Q2 Art. 3

Holy Scripture: In the Old Testament, it is recorded that only Levite priests were allowed to carry the Ark of the Covenent (1 Chronicles 13:2), and when a non-Levite priest touched the Ark of the Covenent he was struck dead (1 Chronicles 13:9). Today the Holy Eucharist is the Holy of Holiess, and only those who have been consecrated to touch the Eucharist (Summa, Pt III Q, Q2 Art. 3) should touch it.

Pope Paul VI: Memoriale Domini, a 1969 document, recognized that communion on the tongue was conducive to faith, reverence and humility. Specifically, the document states, "With regard to the manner of administering the sacrament, one may follow the traditional method, which emphasized the ministerial function of the priest or deacon, in having them place the host in the hand of the communicant." In the same document it is also written, "To preserve and defend the reverence, dignity and holiness due to the greatest treasure in the Church, only kneeling, not standing, to receive Holy Communion, always on the tongue, was allowed." Thus, the document not only allows Communion on the Hand but also Communion in the Hand. However, due to irreverence and a disbelief in the Real Presence in recent times as well as the common error of receiving Our Lord simply "out of habit", I urge fellow Catholics to receive the Eucharist joyfully on the tongue. Below is my final excerpt from the document:

A change in a matter of such moment, based on a most ancient and venerable tradition, does not merely affect discipline. It carries certain dangers with it which may arise from the new manner of administering holy communion: the danger of a loss of reverence for the august sacrament of the altar, of profanation, of adulterating the true doctrine.

Pope John II: He only gave Holy Communion on tongue during private Masses in the Vatican. Concelebrating priests were told to do the same. Pope John Paul II said, "I do not revoke what one of my predecessors has said about this... ... here, my dear priests and my dear brothers and sisters, only Communion on the tongue and kneeling is allowed. I say this to you as your bishop!" (Sermon, March 1, 1989, Church of SS. Nome Di Maria)

When the wife of the President of France, Madame Giscard d'Estaing came before the Holy Father with outstretched hands, Pope John Paul II placed the host in her mouth. (Homiletic & Pastoral Review, March 1997 pg 24). He did likewise for a canon lawyer who was present at the 1981 Papal Mass in Chicago.

Pope John Paul II wrote, "To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained, one which indicates an active participation in the ministry of the Eucharist. It is obvious that the Church can grant this faculty to those who are neither priests nor deacons, as is the case with acolytes in the exercise of their ministry, especially if they are destined for future ordination, or with other lay people who are chosen for this to meet a just need, but always after an adequate preparation." (Dominicae Cenae, 1980, end of paragraph 11). Thus, Pope John Paul II is acknowledging laypeople may touch the Holy Eucharist in a situation of "just need" but only after "adequate preparation". Yet, he does start by affirming that the distribution of Holy Communion is reserved principally to the ordained. However, as I discuss below under the topic of extraordinary ministers, there is usually not a "just need" to warrant the use of extraordinary ministers.

Fr. John Hardon, S.J.: Whatever you can do to stop Communion in the hand will be blessed by God.” (November 1st, 1997 Call to Holiness Conference, Detroit, Michigan, panel discussion.)

Dietrich von Hildebrand: "Is it believable that instead of applying the most scrupulous care to protect the most sacred consecrated host, which is truly the Body of Christ, the God-man, from all such possible abuses, there are those who wish to expose it to this possibility? Have we forgotten the existence of the devil who wanders about seeking whom he may devour'? Is his work in the world and in the Church not all too visible today? What entitles us to assume that abuses to the consecrated host will not take place?" (Communion in the hand should be rejected)

Blessed Mother Teresa: Blessed Mother Teresa said, "Further it is the custom in our Society, and my known wish, that the Sisters receive Holy Communion on the tongue, which to my knowledge they are doing everywhere" (Mother Theresa, India 1995; Athi Thoothan Editor, Aquinas, p. 13, Vol 2, No 1 March 2000).

"Not very long ago I said Mass and preached for their Mother, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and after breakfast we spent quite a long time talking in a little room. Suddenly, I found myself asking her -- don't know why -- 'Mother, what do you think is the worst problem in the world today?' She more than anyone could name any number of candidates: famine, plague, disease, the breakdown of the family, rebellion against God, the corruption of the media, world debt, nuclear threat, and so on.

"Without pausing a second she said, 'Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand.'"

(Father George William Rutler, Good Friday, 1989 in St. Agnes Church, New York City, a precise transcript taken from a tape of his talk available from St. Agnes Church. Note: Fr. Emerson of the Fraternity of St. Peter was also a witness to this statement by Blessed Mother Teresa)

Bishop Juan Laise of San Luis of Argentina: He warns that, "with Communion in the hand, a miracle would be required during each distribution of Communion to avoid some particles from falling to the ground or remaining in the hand of the faithful." (Communion in the Hand: Document and History). He also has reportedly said, “It would be to deceive the faithful to make them think that receiving Communion in the hand would identify them more with the spirit of the primitive Church”

Pope Pius XII:

“In the same way, actually that baptism is the distinctive mark of all Christians, and serves to differentiate them from those who have not been cleansed in this purifying stream and consequently are not members of Christ, the sacrament of holy orders sets the priest apart from the rest of the faithful who have not received this consecration. For they alone, in answer to an inward supernatural call, have entered the august ministry, where they are assigned to service in the sanctuary and become, as it were, the instruments God uses to communicate supernatural life from on high to the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. Add to this, as We have noted above, the fact that they alone have been marked with the indelible sign ‘conforming’ them to Christ the Priest, and that their hands alone have been consecrated ‘in order that whatever they bless may be blessed, whatever they consecrate may become sacred and holy, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ [Roman Pontifical, Ordination of a priest: anointing of hands].” (Mediator Dei, #43)

Council of Saragozza (380 AD) and of Toledo (400 AD): Declared that the Eucharist host must be consumed before the communicant left the Church. It was a practice in the early Church to have Holy Communion taken to the sick, but the practice was corrected because of the abuses that resulted from it. Similarly, abuses are occuring to the Holy Eucharist.

Council of Rouen (650 AD): "Do not put the Eucharist in the hands of any layperson, but only in their mouths"

Council of Constantinople (695 AD): The council prohibited the faithful from giving Communion to themelves. It decreed an excommunication of one week's duration for those who would do so in the presence of a bishop, priest or deacon.

Council of Trent: "To priests alone have been given power to consecrate and administer the Holy Eucharist. That the unvarying practice of the Church has also been, that the faithful receive the Sacrament from the hand of the priest" (Council of Trent, Session 13, Chapter 8)

Fr. Robert Altier:

"In the first reading today Saint Paul, in his Letter to the Colossians, talks about how, in Christ, is hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge. This is because He is almighty God; He is the Creator of the universe; He is the Savior of the world; He is God, absolute and perfect. Saint Paul says at the beginning of the reading that he makes up in his flesh for what is lacking in the
suffering of Christ, for the sake of Christ's body, the Church.

"In Christ, now, there is no suffering, but only in the Mystical Body. But there is one place, which I would like to address this morning, where I believe that Our Lord is truly grieved. I want to challenge you in that area: That is, the manner by which we receive Holy Communion.

"The Church is very clear in Her documents that she desires that we would receive Holy Communion on the tongue and not in the hand.

"The bishops of America, as well as a few other countries in the world, have allowed Communion in the hand as a dispensation. But the Church is very, very clear that She does not want us receiving Communion in the hand.

"Let me explain a little as to why. First of all, to receive is something that is passive. The priest takes Holy Communion because the priest is the one who offers the Victim in sacrifice. Therefore, the one who offers the Victim must also take part in that Victim. But the people of God are to receive Holy Communion. To take the Host from your hand and put It into your own mouth is to take Communion, not to receive Communion; and so it is an active thing, not a passive thing. The Lord desires to give Himself to you as a gift, not to be taken by you. We need to be very careful that we do not lose the symbolism of what is happening in the Blessed Sacrament.

"Also, if you will notice, during Mass after the Consecration, my fingers remain together because of the particles of the Host that are there. When we take Holy Communion in the hand, there are particles of Our Lord that are on our hands and on our fingers. That is why, after Communion, the priest will purify his fingers - because of the particles of the Host. But how often the people of God, after receiving Holy Communion, simply brush the particles onto the ground and walk on Our Lord. Or they put their hands in their pockets, and Our Lord is right there on their clothing. The abuses that this opens them up to are very grave. Not that anyone is intentionally doing that, but I think it is something that we need to consider exceedingly carefully.

"What I always tell people is that you can look forward to the Day of Judgment and ask yourself how you intend to approach Our Lord, because He is your Judge. The same Lord you approach in Holy Communion is the same One you will approach on the Day of Judgment. Do you assume that you will put your hand out to Our Blessed Lord on the Day of Judgment?

"Is your view of judgment that you will shake Our Lord's hand and tell Him how wonderful it is to see Him? Or is your view that you will do great reverence to Our Blessed Lord? My view is that I will be flat on my face - not shaking His hand.

"We do not put out our hand to God. Scripture says that God holds us in the palm of His hand. We should not be holding God in the palm of ours. He created us; He made us in His image and likeness. He is the Creator; we are the creature. We must approach Him with the greatest reverence, the greatest respect.

"If we simply look at the fruit that has been borne by Holy Communion being taken in the hand, it is not good: the loss of reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, the familiarity.

"Thankfully it is not happening here, but go to most churches and ask yourself if you see people praying before Mass or if they are chatting, goofing around, and talking.

"We have lost the reverence for the Real Presence because Jesus is just "our buddy" when we put our hand out to Him; He is not our God when we do that. So we need to be very careful.

"But beyond that, we can look also at what has happened spiritually to the people of God. Since we have been receiving Communion in the hand, we have lost sight of the idea of going to Confession, of our own sinfulness, of the reverence we must have for Our Lord. We have made Communion so easy a thing and so nonchalant a thing that people have lost that sense of reverence, of awe, and of respect in the Presence of Our Lord.

"I challenge you to think very seriously about this issue. The bishops, like I say, have allowed it; it is not a sin if you receive Holy Communion in the hand. In some places in the early Church they did that; Saint Justin talks about it. But the Church stopped it because of the abuses against the Blessed Sacrament that were occurring. I ask you to really pray about that.

"Look at Jesus in the Eucharist and ask yourself, "Do I really, truly believe that this is God? That this is my Creator and my Redeemer? How, then, do I desire to approach Him?" I really believe, if you pray that through, that there is only one conclusion to which you can come.

"Then, I beg you, do not remain silent about it. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Bring that word to others because all those good people out there, I do not think that they are willfully trying to do anything that would grieve Our Lord; they are doing what they have been told to do.

"But again, look at what has happened in the last forty years of this particular practice and ask yourself if the fruit it has borne has been good. Obviously, you love Our Lord: You are here at daily Mass; you are here every morning. The love of Our Lord is evident in you. Bring that love of Jesus out from here. The love that is in your heart, proclaim it to others and ask them in the same way to consider their actions toward Our Lord.

"Let us bring the reverence to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament back so that we can give Him fitting worship and praise because He is God, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are contained."

The Beauty and Spirituality of the Traditional Latin Mass by David Joyce, Latin Mass Society of England and Wales:

"...when the faithful themselves receive Communion, they receive It kneeling at the altar rail, and directly onto their tongue. This is very significant. Receiving Communion whilst kneeling means that the faithful line up in a row before the sanctuary, and thus have time to prepare themselves for this most sacred of events: coming into spiritual and substantial union with Christ Himself. The communicant kneels down, and whilst he waits for the priest to make his way around, he can settle himself, concentrate on the upcoming Communion with our Lord praying intensely. When it is his turn, the priest says the prayer: "May the body of Our Lord Jesus Christ keep your soul until life everlasting. Amen". This means, besides the beauty and the significance of the words themselves, that the priest says the word "Amen" so that the communicant need not invoke his voice to receive the King of Kings, allowing a constant stream of prayer and thanksgiving to flow from soul to Saviour. The communicant simply needs to expose his tongue, and his side of the proceedings is complete. Upon receiving Christ, he can continue praying for a little while, and only then does he need to return to his seat, leaving room for the next communicant. Moreover, having the priest come over to the communicant signifies that Christ comes to us, feeds us with His own divine life, whilst we wait kneeling and unmoving like little children totally dependent on His love, mercy and compassion. This is the message of the Gospel: to become like little children, submitting our wills to His and depending totally on Him for everything. We cannot even feed ourselves without Christ's help, and the action of Communion in the traditional manner demonstrates this in a very vivid manner."

For more on this topic, I would like to highly recommend "Dominus Est - It is the Lord" by His Excellency Athanasius Schneider on this very topic.


Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Connected with the topic of Communion in the Hand is the use of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. While I used to serve in this "ministry" I am glad to have resigned after receiving a few emails from readers and reading the above writings. It remains clear that only the hands of the priest or deacon are consecrated to touch the Holy Eucharist (St. Thomas Aquinas). Traditionally, lay people including altar servers were also forbidden to touch the sacred vessels including the Chalice. If they had to touch the paten they would hold it with a purificator. Likewise, they were only to carry the Chalice by touching the chalice veil covering it. They could absolutely never touch the precious metal of the Chalice. It is still a pious practice and one that I support.

For the most part, the practice of extraordinary ministers has grown into a liturgical abuse. As stated in INSTRUCTION ON CERTAIN QUESTIONS REGARDING THE COLLABORATION OF THE NON-ORDAINED FAITHFUL IN THE SACRED MINISTRY OF PRIEST, "Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at Eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly unable to distribute Holy Communion (99). They may also exercise this function at Eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion" (100). A similar statement can be found in GIRM 162.

However, nearly all Catholic churches see an "army" of extraordinary ministers at Sunday Mass when they are gravely unnecessary. As in the pre-Vatican II era, the priest today could easily distribute Holy Communion to a large congregation. The additional time in the distribution of Holy Communion would be beneficial for the Faithful since they could kneel longer in contemplation and thanksgiving for receiving the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

The sanctuary remains the location of the Holy of Holies - God himself. Too often people wearing jeans, shorts, or even strap-less shirts are allowed into the sanctuary nowadays. The loss of reverence to the Eucharistic Lord is at an all-time high. Only ordained ministers and altar servers should enter the Sanctuary.

I never encourage the use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and I hope that the ministry will eventually be ended by the Church. Already many of these people incorrectly refer to themselves as "Eucharistic ministers," “Special ministers of Holy Communion,” and “extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist” in violation of paragraphs 154-156 of Redemptionis Sacramentum. Please, if you are an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, I suggest that you to resign from the ministry as I previously did. In the writings of many of the saints, it is clear that the practice of the laity touching the Eucharist with their hands should never be encouraged unless necessity requires it.

Altar Rails
 
Before I discuss the use of altar rails, I would first like to encourage the practice of genuflection. Most people still genuflect, however, few people bow their head at the necessary times during prayer at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I strongly encourage my readers to look at my post On Genuflecting and Bowing for more information.

Concerning Communion Rails, Institutio Generalis Romani Missalis 2000, the most recent document by the Vatican on the matter, states that there is no requirement in liturgical law necessitating the removal of altar rails from historic churches and nothing prohibiting their erection in new ones. Fr. Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University, states: "...no document explicitly mandates or even suggests that the removal of altar rails is required by the liturgical reform".

For those reasons I hope and pray that more churches bring back altar rails. Following Vatican II, many churches destroyed beautiful marble, hand-carved altar rails. Altar rails are gravely important because they allow more of the Faithful to receive the Holy Eucharist on the tongue while kneeling. Thankfully Catholic Church and chapels that offer the Tridentine Latin Mass are some of the places where the use of altar rails has been retained.

Future Updates

If you have any comments or suggestions on this post, I highly welcome comments below. I am going to add this post in my sidebar links and keep it as a reference. I will certainly edit this in the future with more topics that coincide with the Mission to Restore Eucharistic Reverence.

Again, I pray that this post will not be a source of controversy and discord but one filled with ideas on how to encourage Eucharistic Reverence.

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The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Double of the I Class (1955 Calendar): July 1

Today, according to the Traditional Catholic Calendars of 1962 and previous, is the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This Feast, like so many others, has fallen victim to the post-Vatican II Church's novelties.

After Vatican II, this Feast was combined with Corpus Christi.  In the USA, this Feast is known as the "Body and Blood of Christ". The term "Body and Blood of Christ" is strictly an American usage. The official name in England is now "The Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion," another awful mouthful. The official name of the feast in Latin remains Corpus Christi, and not "Corpus et Sanguis Christi." The change in title in the U.S. came about in the early 1990's.

The feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord, formerly on 1 July, was suppressed in the New Calendar when the new calendar was promulgated in 1969, and not twenty-plus years later when Corpus Christi was renamed in the USA. The reason for its suppression was indeed the promotion of the understanding of Corpus Christi in terms of both Sacred Species. However, this was unfortunate because the feast of the Precious Blood (still observed at all Masses said according to the Liturgical Books of 1962 or previously) was not, strictly speaking, eucharistic in nature, but theological/devotional, and referred more to the Sacred Wounds of Our Lord and the hypostatic union of Our Lord's divine and human natures.

Traditional Catholics of course still celebrate this Feast.  Today we remember His blood spilled not only on the Cross but also in the Circumcision, Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, Scourging at the Pillar of Flagellation, and the Crowning with Thorns.

See my post: Devotions for the Precious Blood for more information.

+ The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ +

Today we celebrate the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This feast was instituted in 1849 by Pope Pius IX and was raised to the rank of a double of the first class by Pius XI on the occasion of the nineteenth centenary of our Savior's death.

We are reminded of the scene of Calvary and of the blow from the lance which pierced our Savior's side. The liturgy today is at pains to emphasize the meaning and tremendous significance of this fact in relation with our salvation. The Gospel and the Epistle are concerned with our Redemption, affected by the Blood and the love of our Savior.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. The Son's love was so great that He gave His very life. No greater love is there than to give one's very life for the ones that he loves.

Not only did our Lord sacrifice His very life, but He so arranged that this sacrifice would continue to the end of time. He daily offers Himself up in an un-bloody manner in the Sacrifice of the Mass.

Here upon the holy altar Our Lord makes Himself present under the appearances of bread and wine through the miracle of transubstantiation. Here too the sacrifice is complete. Christ is made present and then destroyed for our salvation.

St. Paul to the Corinthians says: "The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?"

We were not present to witness the awesome bloody sacrifice of God in atonement for our sins. We did not stand beneath the cross to receive the last drops of His precious blood upon our souls. Yet, we are still able to receive these same graces. We are able to follow our Lord spiritually to Calvary every time we assist at Mass.

It took great courage, conviction, and even more so, love to follow our Lord to Calvary. There were not many who had this love, conviction or courage. The majority of the Apostles were found wanting in this area. They had much to fear from a worldly point of view. They did not wish to receive the same fate as their Master. We have a much easier path to follow. Our Lord remains hidden, but is present nonetheless. He invites us to participate in this sacrifice, and we now have nothing to fear from the world. Perhaps the worst that we will receive today from the world is mockery, ridicule and scorn; but even this is rare in the worldly indifference of today.

Not only is our path easier to follow because we do not have to fear the physical persecution of the world, but it is also much more intimate. In the Sacrifice of the Mass, we are able to unite our sacrifices with Christ's and we are able to receive Him into our own bodies and souls.

He comes to us the living Christ (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity). He comes to us in a manner that will not frighten or shock us, hidden under the appearance of bread and wine. He makes Himself very docile to us and allows us not only to approach Him but even to consume Him. In this manner, we are able to unite ourselves with Him, and He with us.

This is the most precious time -- the time of Communion. The all powerful and all merciful God becomes the guest of our very bodies and souls. Here is the point where Heaven and earth meet, and all that is in disorder is easily righted.

Christ is truly our guest, but we are the beneficiaries of His benevolence. He wishes for us to receive Him so that He may give to us. The words of St. Francis ring most truly in Holy Communion: "It is in giving that we receive."

May we truly realize the words from today's Post-communion: "We have been admitted, Lord to the Holy Table, and we have drawn water with joy from the fountains of the Savior; may His Blood be for us, we pray, a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. Who being God lives and reigns."

Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, Who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son to be Redeemer of the world, and dist vouchsafe to be appeased by His Blood: grant, we beseech Thee, that (by our solemn service), we may so venerate the Price of our redemption, and by its power be so defended from the evils of this present life on earth, that we may enjoy its fruit for evermore in heaven. Through the same our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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World Day of Prayer for Priests

Today is not only the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, but also the World Day of Prayer for Priests. The priest is more than just a social worker or a therapist. Above all, the priest is a doctor of souls, whose sole purpose is to work for the salvation of the people of God.

The Roman Catholic Church has the sole privilege of possessing the four marks of the Church of God: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. Because of the connection to the apostles, the Roman Catholic Church still has a valid priesthood along with the Eastern Orthodox Church. No protestant church has a valid priesthood.

Jesus came to destroy sin, satan, and death. He gathered twelve disciples to replace the twelve tribes of Israel - forming a new covenant with His people. These twelve disciples were the only ones allowed to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass, instituted at the Last Supper. These twelve were the only ones given the power to forgive sins and celebrate the Eucharist, which is passed down only through the ordained priesthood (CCC 1411). The apostles - meaning those sent by Christ - were given the full power of authority by Christ: "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." The sacred power of the priesthood is passed down at the ordination ceremony by the laying on of hands.

And at the Last Supper, Our Savior's words, "Take and eat, this is my body... take and drink this is my blood" (Matthew 26:26-28) truly transformed the bread and wine into His Body and Blood. In yet another act of humility, Christ gave Himself to us through this Sacrament - the Holy Eucharist. The apostles alone were given this power passed down through apostolic succession.

Our priests today have this same power to stand at the altar on account of their ordination. Our same priests have the power to forgive sins (John 20:21-23) and baptize (Matthew 28:19). Only the hands of the priest are consecrated to touch the Most Holy Eucharist; lay people should never touch the Eucharist. Only deacons and priests are truly allowed to touch the sacred vessels including the chalice and paten. Even though few parishes teach thus: servers, subdeacons, and even acolytes should only touch the sacred vessels using a chalice veil or a purificator.

Jesus Christ is the invisible head of the Church (CCC 792), but He chose to build His Church on St. Peter (CCC 552). And through the Church's history, priests have received the heavenly gift of ordination, mystically turning them into an "alter Christi". The priest stands in the person of Jesus Christ at the Mass and in ministering the Sacraments. In the "Catechism on the Priesthood" by St. John Vianney, St. John Vianney writes, "If I were to meet a priest and an angel, I should salute the priest before I saluted the angel. The latter is the friend of God; but the priest holds His place. Saint Teresa kissed the ground where a priest had passed." I highly recommend reading the Catechism on the Priesthood.

Of all the accounts of the Last Supper and the Institution of the Priesthood, which took place there, I am most fond of the account in The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. From pages 76-88, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich recounts a vision of the Institution of the Eucharist. In pages 89-93, she recounts the Institution of the Priesthood using holy oils. It is a wonderful section of the book to read - especially today.

The Theme for the World Day Of Prayer for the Santification of Priests (2007) (.pdf) is available on the Internet. To conclude, I ask my readers to pray for priests not only today but at least once a week, preferably on Thursday, the day that the priesthood began. Please also pray for more priests - more holy, traditional priests. Several prayers and a reflection are available at my post on the 44th World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

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Our Sunday Visitor: May 27, 2007

In the "Our Sunday Visitor" from May 27, 2007, my blog is mentioned in regards to an article on priestly celibacy (page 12). A few weeks ago the author of the article emailed me and asked my opinion on three questions. I replied to him, but he was only able to include a little amount of my words due to limited space. Here is what is written:

"Two seminarian bloggers - Matthew (acatholiclife.blogspot.com)... said that the abuse scandal is often put forward as an argument against priestly celibacy." The article goes on to refute arguments that attack the practice of mandatory priestly celibacy.

Below is a copy of his questions to me and my response. Although these were not published in the periodical, they are still something that I want to share.

1. In his recent apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict XVI confirmed that priestly celibacy remains obligatory in the Latin tradition (no. 24). What are the most common objections you have encountered to obligatory priestly celibacy, and how might you answer those objections?

First and foremost, as a Roman Catholic Seminarian preparing to enroll at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Minnesota, I am honored to be part of group of a holy and reverent seminarians upholding the Traditions of the Church. Priestly celibacy is a gift from God. If a man is truly called to the priesthood, he is not called to the married life. If priests did marry, they would be unable to provide adequate time and devotion to either the family or the congregation. Both vocations - marriage and the priesthood - require full-time attention and devotion. I am proud to go to a seminary with Catholics who hold similar opinions.

However, some Catholics do prescribe to the ideology that priestly celibacy is harmful to the Church. One of the most common reasons cited to end the ancient practice of mandatory priestly celibacy is that it would stop the sexual abuse of minors. Firstly, I must state that the abuse of minors by members of the clergy is not only mortally sinful but repulsively disgusting and scandalous. However, removing the requirement for priestly celibacy will not improve the situation. Statistically, the number one abusers of children are not priests but rather parents. After considering the number of married men and non-Catholic ministers that have committed the grievous sin of molesting children, the argument against celibacy is negated.

Some people claim that mandatory priestly celibacy burdens a priest with unrepressable sexual energy. However, if a man is called to the priesthood, wouldn't God give him the ability to respond to the call and fulfill the obligations established by the Church? Of course - a man truly called to the priesthood would have the ability to forsake marriage and love celibacy by the grace of God. As St. Paul affirmed in the midst of trial and persecution: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). And priests can do all things through the grace of Christ. Relaxing requirements would only allow more doctrinal and theological room for error. The Catholic Faith does not principally flourish in areas where the priest does whatever he wants. Rather, the Faith flourishes in the midst of intense obligations and requirements. Since the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s, modernism and liberalism have spread around the globe, and a decline in not only vocations to the priesthood but also to the married life has taken place. There are more and more divorces. According to statistics, 1 in 2 families experienced divorce in the 1990s compared to 1 in 7 in the 1950s. The current crisis in our world is simply a crisis in commitment and removing mandatory priestly celibacy would not correct the crisis.

Some people claim that with the implementation of mandatory priestly celibacy men will become fearful of women. This again is unfounded. By learning and internalizing the teachings of the Church through the centuries, man can communicate with women without difficulties. I see this all of the time with priests. I have never met a priest or a seminarian scared to talk with women. Celibacy is a gift, and if a man is truly called to the priesthood, the gift will not be a burden but rather a blessing.

2. What, in your judgment, is the single most compelling objection to obligatory priestly celibacy, and how might you answer that objection?

I believe it is the argument against the sexual abuse of minors, and I previously addressed that.

3. Do you have any additional, more general reflections on priestly celibacy that you might wish to share with Our Sunday Visitor readers?

We must remember the words of Our Savior: "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it" (Matthew 19: 11,12). Similarly, St. Paul remained celibate for the safe of the Kingdom of God and his words formulate the essential reply to critics of mandatory celibacy: '' I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord" (1 Cor 32-35)

To follow Jesus as a priest requires commitment and commitment is the answer to the current crisis in commitment in our society. By remaining celibate and following the words of Jesus and St. Paul in the New Testament, a priest places all of his trust in Jesus and renounces Himself for the Gospel (Luke 9:23). By living a life of Sacrifice, the priest becomes more and more like Christ, which is gravely important since the priest is an "alter Christi" at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Just as the habit is a symbol of faith in the midst of a secular world, celibacy is a sign that a priestly soul is entirely dedicated to furthering the Kingdom of God.

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Music for the Soul

General Links:

1. Cantica Nova: Traditional Music for the Contemporary Church
2. Catholic Doors
3. Choral Wiki
4. DoveSong (mp3) - A lot of Gregorian Chant
5. Henry Purcell (17th century) - Thou Knowest Lord the Secrets of our Hearts
6. Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest - Chants for each week in the Church's Liturgical Year for the Traditional Latin Mass
   
7. MusicaSacra
8. Princeton Gregorian Chant Page
9. Sacred Heart Choir - Great, Up-to-date collection of music for Mass
   
10. Sontius Sanctus - Large collection of mp3 downloads including numerous Latin hymns
11. St. John Cantius Parish - This Chicago parish of the Society of St. John Cantius has world renown music.
    

For Particular Occasions:

Christmas:

1. Candlemas Sequence
2. Christmas Carols - Includes In dulci jubilo, Once in Royal David's City, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing
3. Christmas Day Chants 
4. O Antiphons
   

Requiem:

1. Dies Irae
2. Requiem in Honor for the Requiem of His Royal Highness, King Louis XVI
3. In Paradisium
   

Marian:

1. Regina Coeli

St. Peter/Pope:

1. Tu es Petrus - St. Peter's Choir of Nottingham singing Tu es Petrus by Palestrina
2. Introit for Sts. Peter and Paul

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Updates with Amnesty International

It appears that Amnesty International may have adopted an overall pro-abortion stance. For this and other updates see my main post: Amnesty International and Abortion.

Below is an email that I found on the blog Kyrie Eleison. It is certainly time for us to sever our membership with Amnesty International.

To: All those who signed the petition asking Amnesty International not to take a stand on decriminalizing abortion and pushing governments to allow access in certain circumstances.

From: Rachel MacNair, Vice-President, Consistent Life

The petition was hand-delivered to the hands of each member of the Board of Directors of the U. S. chapter of Amnesty International on March 23, 2007.

I am sorry to report that AI has indeed decided to take this step. You can get more information at http://www.consistent-life.org/ai.html and a good editorial on this at http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=719.

The decision was made despite polling of members in the UK that went against it, despite a vote of US members the results of which were never reported, and included explicit censorship of someone wishing to leaflet at the U.S. national conference. Those of us AI supporters who are heartsick about this no longer have a voice, inasmuch as it can be said we ever did.

We encourage all US members of AI to telephone them at (212) 807-8400 and ask for the membership department. We have been told that they are keeping track of what this abortion policy decision does to their membership; they anticipate that losses may be offset by gains, so knowing of losses is important.

We also suggest the following organizations for those who wish to re-direct their human-rights donation budget:

Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC)
4121 Harewood Road NE ~ Suite B
Washington, DC 20017
Phone: (202) 529-2991
www.tassc.org
info@tassc.org

National Religious Campaign Against Torture
c/o CCTPP
4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
Phone: (202) 885-8648
www.nrcat.org
campaign@nrcat.org

Human Rights First
333 Seventh Avenue, 13th Floor
New York, NY 10001-5108
Phone: (212) 845 5200
www.humanrightsfirst.org/
feedback@humanrightsfirst.org

Friends Committee on National Legislation (Issues of Torture and Civil Liberties)
245 Second St., NE
Washington DC 20002-5795

It would be good to include a note to let these groups know that they are getting funds re-directed from AI and why, to make it less likely that they will move in a pro-abortion direction in the future.

Student groups who no longer wish to affiliate with AI but would like to continue their good work might consider setting themselves up as independent organizations, and using informational research from AI along with other human rights groups in order to continue acting and educating on these important issues.

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44th World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Today is the 44th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, and Pope Benedict XVI's message for today is available on the Vatican's website. For me, this is day especially important since I am now an official Roman Catholic Seminarian. Over the past year, I have heard the call of the Lord to leave the offerings of the world and follow after the things of eternity. It is no secret that Holy Catholic Church needs vocations. According to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the number of religious sisters at the end of 2006 was 55,500 and the average age was 70 with 73% being 65 and older. But, as in most areas, quality is better than quantity even in vocations.

The Church does not need thousands of women entering religious life, who refuse to practice celibacy or who refuse to wear the traditional habit as an expression of faith. As I stated in my post Nuns Should Wear the Habit, traditional orders are growing, liberal and modernistic ones are thankfully dying away. So, let us pray to Our Lord and God for a greater amount of holy, reverent women to enter religious life and become brides of Christ. In my post Nuns Should Wear the Habit, I listed several religious orders that are faithful and holy, which have not fallen into the grasp of modernism. These holy order are following the requirement set forth in the current Code of Canon Law: "Religious are to wear the habit of the institute determined according to the norm of proper law as a sign of their consecration and as a testimony of poverty" (Canon 669, 1).

Similarly, the Church needs vocations of holy, reverent men to the priesthood as well as the religious life as monks. Speaking as a Roman Catholic Seminarian, men who promote heresy or heterodox ideas - including the need to ordain women, the need to allow homosexuals to be ordained, and the need to abandon priestly celibacy - are not the answer to the Church's prayers. The Church needs holy men who feel called to rise up in the midst of the world in order to defend the Real Presence, defend Marian doctrine, encourage weekly Confession, and promote Traditional practices including women's veils, altar rails, and the Tridentine Mass. As Fr. Pat Stratford stated in his article "Why the Church must continue to uphold priestly celibacy", priestly celibacy must be retained in the Catholic Church, and the Church does not need another modern priest attack this Church doctrine. People who promote the ordination of women remain oppose to the firm teachings of the Church in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, and they only perform great dishonor to Christ and His Church.

If you have not previously read it, I strongly suggest reading my article The Priestly Vocation today where I share a beautiful metaphor pertaining to the vocation to the priesthood.  In this past year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) finally published a 98-page Program of Priestly Formation document (.pdf), the fifth of its kind, which thankfully states, "A candidate must be prepared to accept wholeheartedly the Church's teaching on sexuality in its entirety."

Let us remember to fast, prayer, and give alms not just in Lent but year round. By practicing such virtues and living in the state of grace, we can hear the words of Christ: “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men!” (Mk 1: 17; cf. Mt 4: 19). I heard the calling of Christ to serve the people of God and offer the Mass and the Sacraments.  Just a few days ago, a friend of DilexitPrior, the blogger at Letters from a Young Catholic, entered the Poor Clares.

The Church is very much alive and vocations are sprouting! Let us continue to pray for holy, reverent men and women to answer the call of Christ. Let us also pray for the conversion of those who promote heresy, heterodox ideas, or have not remained faithful to their vows. And let us pray for the growth of traditional religious orders.

Prayer for Vocations:

O Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church, To You We Commend our Young People, In Particular Those Called to Closely Follow Your Son. You Know the difficulties, the Struggles, the Obstacles They Must Face. Assist Them to Answer "YES!" to the Divine Call, As You Did at the Invitation of the Angel. Draw them near to your heart So that They Can Understand the Beauty and the Joy that Awaits Them When the Lord Jesus Calls Them Into His Intimacy, To Be Witness of His Love in the World.

Prayer for Priestly Vocations:

O Lord, God of power and majesty, you said that the harvest is great but the laborers are few. Send forth, we beseech thee, laborers into your vineyard to forgive sins, celebrate the Eucharist, baptize, and above all make us a people worthy of thee. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

Parent's Prayer for Vocations:

Dear Heavenly Father, You Have Blessed Us With Children. We Sometimes Forget that They are Not Ours, But Yours, And that You Have Asked Us to Bring Them Up in Your Ways. 0 Gracious and Loving God, We Pray that Our Children Will Discover And Respond Enthusiastically To Your Desire for Them Whether It Be to the Vocation of Consecrated Religious or Single, Sacramental Marriage, or Ordained Life. Please Help Our Children To Have Open Hearts and Minds to Your Call. Help Us to Support and Encourage Our Children To Seek Your will in Choosing a Vocation. We Offer this Prayer in the Name of Jesus through the Power and Grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Photo #1 Source: Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation

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Text Of The New Icel Translation

Yes, an unofficial version of the New Translation of the Roman Missal is available in English. It appeared over on the blog of Fr. Finigan. Unfortunately, it seems to still be flawed in numerous areas, but it is certainly at least a step in the right direction. See The Hermeneutic of Continuity by Fr. Finigan for more information. There are some good improvements from the current English version. Here is one below:

For information please see The New Translation of the Roman Missal: A Guide and Explanation

Latin text
Supra quae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris; et accepta habere, sicuti accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui justi Abel, et sacrificium patriarchae nostri Abrahae, et quod tibi obtulit summus sacerdos tuus Melchisedech, sanctum sacrificium, immaculatam hostiam.

Old ICEL
Look with favor on these offerings and accept them as once you accepted the gifts of your servant Abel, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchizedek.

New ICEL
Be pleased to look upon them, with a serene and kindly gaze, and to accept them as you were pleased to accept the gifts of your just servant Abel, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.

Also below:

Latin text
accipens et hunc praeclarum calicem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas

Old ICEL
he took the cup

New ICEL
he took this precious chalice into his holy and venerable hands,

For information please see The New Translation of the Roman Missal: A Guide and Explanation

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The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Last night I finally finished my Lenten reading, "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ" according to the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich. The pain and torture inflicted upon Our Lord in this book was more graphically described than in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". Yet, this book was the perfect Lenten reading. The private revelation of Blessed Emmerich is approved as authentic by the Holy Catholic Church.

I read most of it on Good Friday and the account of the Resurrection on Holy Saturday. It is one of the most spiritually edifying books that I have ever read. I recommend it that everyone reads this book during Lent. It certainly deserves a 10/10. Below are a few comments that I have written on it before:

"The account I just finished reading of the Last Supper was so poignant and incredibly detailed. I did not know that the Supper Room of Jesus at one time housed the Ark of the New Covenant! Plus, the home was set up so that in the most inner part, Jesus and the 12 disciples ate the Last Supper, while being separated from the other areas by a veil. It is symbolic of the Temple veil! And, the Holy Grail was originally owned by Abraham and even used by Melchizedek!"

I strongly am suggesting this book should be read during Lent. If you don't or can't get a physical copy, you can read The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ online.

Private Revelation

Like all private revelation since the time of the Bible, these visions and promises do not have to be believed by anyone. The Church, in her authority, declares them worthy of belief, but a Catholic does not have to believe them in order to remain a Catholic.

Pope Benedict XV said: "The approbation of such revelations implies nothing more than, after mature examination, it is permissible to publish them for the unit of the faithful. Though they don't merit the same credence as the truths of religion, one can, however, believe them out of human faith, conforming to the rules of prudence by which they are probable, and supported by sufficient motives that one might believe in them piously."

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The Council of Trent: Part 1

I have recently purchased a copy of the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent on CD-ROM. In addition, I have obtained a copy of "The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent" translated and introduced by Reverend H.J. Schroeder, O.P. Since no decrees of a Council may ever be contradicted, and since the Council of Trent has profoundly impacted the Church, I feel it is proper to study the anathemas issued by the Council.

First and foremost, "anathema" is defined thusly

"After the time of the apostolic church, the term anathema has come to mean a form of extreme religious sanction beyond excommunication, known as major excommunication. The earliest recorded instance of the form is in the Council of Elvira (c. 306), and thereafter it became the common method of cutting off heretics. Cyril of Alexandria issued twelve anathemas against Nestorius in 431. In the fifth century, a formal distinction between anathema and excommunication evolved, where excommunication entailed cutting off a person or group from the rite of Eucharist and attendance at worship, while anathema meant a complete separation of the subject from the Church."

Background:

The Council of Trent convened three times between December 13, 1545 and December 4, 1563 in the city of Trent, Italy. It opened primarily as a response to the theological errors by the Protestant Reformation and to clearly specify Catholic doctrines on such subjects as salvation, the Seven Sacraments, the Biblical canon, and the standardizing of the Mass.

The following is the first set of anathemas to come out of the Council. These come from the Fifth Session celebrated on June 17, 1546, which dealt with the topic of original sin. Additional posts will follow as this will be a regular series on my blog. It is important that we believe exactly what the Catholic Church teaches, so it is important to study the anathemas issued by the Council.

Fifth Session:

1. If any one does not confess that the first man, Adam, when he had transgressed the commandment of God in Paradise, immediately lost the holiness and justice wherein he had been constituted; and that he incurred, through the offence of that prevarication, the wrath and indignation of God, and consequently death, with which God had previously threatened him, and, together with death, captivity under his power who thenceforth had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil, and that the entire Adam, through that offence of prevarication, was changed, in body and soul, for the worse; let him be anathema.

2. If any one asserts, that the prevarication of Adam injured himself alone, and not his posterity; and that the holiness and justice, received of God, which he lost, he lost for himself alone, and not for us also; or that he, being defiled by the sin of disobedience, has only transfused death, and pains of the body, into the whole human race, but not sin also, which is the death of the soul; let him be anathema:--whereas he contradicts the apostle who says; By one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death, and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.

3. If any one asserts, that this sin of Adam,--which in its origin is one, and being transfused into all by propogation, not by imitation, is in each one as his own, --is taken away either by the powers of human nature, or by any other remedy than the merit of the one mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath reconciled us to God in his own blood, made unto us justice, santification, and redemption; or if he denies that the said merit of Jesus Christ is applied, both to adults and to infants, by the sacrament of baptism rightly administered in the form of the church; let him be anathema: For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved. Whence that voice; Behold the lamb of God behold him who taketh away the sins of the world; and that other; As many as have been baptized, have put on Christ.

4. If any one denies, that infants, newly born from their mothers' wombs, even though they be sprung from baptized parents, are to be baptized; or says that they are baptized indeed for the remission of sins, but that they derive nothing of original sin from Adam, which has need of being expiated by the laver of regeneration for the obtaining life everlasting,--whence it follows as a consequence, that in them the form of baptism, for the remission of sins, is understood to be not true, but false, --let him be anathema. For that which the apostle has said, By one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death, and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned, is not to be understood otherwise than as the Catholic Church spread everywhere hath always understood it. For, by reason of this rule of faith, from a tradition of the apostles, even infants, who could not as yet commit any sin of themselves, are for this cause truly baptized for the remission of sins, that in them that may be cleansed away by regeneration, which they have contracted by generation. For, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

5. If any one denies, that, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is conferred in baptism, the guilt of original sin is remitted; or even asserts that the whole of that which has the true and proper nature of sin is not taken away; but says that it is only rased, or not imputed; let him be anathema. For, in those who are born again, there is nothing that God hates; because, There is no condemnation to those who are truly buried together with Christ by baptism into death; who walk not according to the flesh, but, putting off the old man, and putting on the new who is created according to God, are made innocent, immaculate, pure, harmless, and beloved of God, heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ; so that there is nothing whatever to retard their entrance into heaven. But this holy synod confesses and is sensible, that in the baptized there remains concupiscence, or an incentive (to sin); which, whereas it is left for our exercise, cannot injure those who consent not, but resist manfully by the grace of Jesus Christ; yea, he who shall have striven lawfully shall be crowned. This concupiscence, which the apostle sometimes calls sin, the holy Synod declares that the Catholic Church has never understood it to be called sin, as being truly and properly sin in those born again, but because it is of sin, and inclines to sin.

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Nuns Should Wear the Habit

After reviewing A Nuns Habit, which lists poorly devised reasons for not wearing the habit, I feel encouraged to write on the subject. In short, my opinion remains that all religious sisters and nuns should wear the habit of their respective orders. No longer should these women, who have given their lives to the service of God and the Church, be dressing like laypeople. It is time to return to the ancient practice of wearing a distinct habit - this is not fulfilled by wearing laypeople's clothing!

The habit inspires women to leave their lives and gives themselves to God. The same is true for men who are inspired by the garments worn by priests and monks. To enter a religious order, one does not just experience a change of heart and soul, rather, there is also a change in the physical realm. For example, many religious orders require the women to adopt a new name when they become a nun in addition to wearing the habit.

Over the past 30 years, the number of women in Catholic religious orders has decreased by around 50 percent. There remains 85,412 religious sisters in the United States, and the average age is 68. The religious orders actually seeing growth are the ones that wear a traditional habit including The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia and Mother Teresa's religious order. The fact is that the habit is truly a spiritual treasure. The key to increasing the number of religious sisters and nuns in the world is to again bring back the mandatory habit. No longer should nuns be allowed to live in apartments and wear laypeoples' clothing; rather, they should be living in a monastery to praise and serve God.

Code of Canon Law: "Religious are to wear the habit of the institute determined according to the norm of proper law as a sign of their consecration and as a testimony of poverty" (Canon 669, 1).
Wearing laypeoples' clothing does not serve as a "sign of their consecration". I hope and pray that more orders will again adopt the traditional habit. As for me, it is always inspiring to see a nun out in public because she is out there living her life for Jesus. Having nuns wear habits brings God to others. And those that live today in doubt or fear can be comforted by the sight of a nun, who is prayerfully serving the Lord.

Here is a list of some religious orders that wear a habit. This is a list of some of the groups that I will publicly support, though their listing here does not necessarily mean that I support everything done and/or said by each particular community.

• Abbey of Regina Laudis, Bethlehem, CT
• All Saints Sisters of the Poor, Catsonville, MD
• Benedictine Nuns, Virginia Dale, CO
• Benedictine Nuns, Abiquiu, NM
• Benedictine Nuns, Greensburg, PA
• Benedictine Nuns, Westfield, VT
• Benedictine Nuns, Ashford, CT
• Benedictine Nuns of Mary, Queen of the Apostles, Kansas City, MO
• Benedictine Nuns, Oxfordshire, UK
• Benedictine Nuns, Le Barroux, France
• Canonesses Regular of the Mother of God, Lagrasse, France
• Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth, Williamsport, PA
• Carmelite Nuns of the Ancient Observance, Allentown, PA
• Carmelite Nuns of the Ancient Observance, Wahpeton, ND
• Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus
• Children of Mary
• Cistercian Nuns
• Congregation of The Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
• The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious
• Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope, Tulsa, OK
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Ada Parnell, MI
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Alexandria, SD
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Brooklyn, NY
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Buffalo, NY
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Dallas, TX
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Denmark, WI
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Des Plaines, IL
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Erie, PA
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Flemington, NJ
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Georgetown, CA
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Iron Mountain, MI
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Lake Elmo, MN
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Littleton, CO
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Terre Haute, IN
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns (Carmel of the Holy Trinity Convent), Spokane, WA
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Traverse City, MI
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Valparaiso, NE
• Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Seremban, Malaysia
• Discalced Carmelites of the Byzantine Catholic Church, Sugarloaf, PA
• Dominican Nuns, Marbury, AL
• Dominican Nuns, Bronx, NY
• Dominican Nuns, Buffalo, NY
• Dominican Nuns, Lockport, LA
• Dominican Nuns, Summit, NJ
• Dominican Sisters, Hawthorne, NY
• Dominican Sisters, Ann Arbor MI
• Dominican Sisters, Nashville, TN
• Dominican Sisters, Post Falls, ID
• Little Sisters of St. Francis
• Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd, France
• Little Sisters of the Poor
• Franciscan Minims of the Perpetual Help of Mary
• Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity
• Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate
• Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal
• Franciscan Sisters of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother
• Handmaids of the Precious Blood
• Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, Philadelphia, PA
• Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, St. Louis, MO
• Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd
• Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln
• Mary Queen of Heaven Missionaries, Cebu, Philippines
• Missionaries of Charity
• Norbertine Canonesses, Tehachapi, CA
• Oblates of Jesus the Priest, USA
• Passionist Nuns, St. Louis, MO
• Passionist Nuns, Whitesville, KY
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Black Canyon City, AZ
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Cleveland, OH
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Hanceville, AL
• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, Portsmouth, OH
• Poor Clare Colettines, Barhamsville, VA
• Poor Clare Colettines, Belleville, IL
• Poor Clare Colettines, Cleveland, OH
• Poor Clare Colettines, Los Altos Hills, CA
• Poor Clare Colettines, Minooka, IL
• Poor Clare Colettines, Palos Park, IL
• Poor Clare Colettines, Rockford, IL
• Religious Sisters of Mercy, Alma, MI
• Reparatrix Society of Our Lady of the Cloister (Cloisterites)
• School Sisters of Christ the King
• Sister Servants of the Eternal Word
• Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood, Watertown, NY
• Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ, Italy
• Sisters of Carmel
• Sisters of Life
• Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church, Spokane, WA
• Sisters of the Passion and Cross (Traditional Franciscan Contemplatives), New Middletown, OH
• Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate, Guelph, Ontario
• Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Sioux Falls, SD
• Sisters of Reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
• Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George
• Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration
• Sisters of St. Rita
• Sisters of the Holy Spirit, Garfield Heights, OH
• Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity, Euclid, OH
• Slaves of the Blessed Sacrament, Cuenca, Spain
• Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
• Society of St. Pius X (SSPX)
• St. Joseph's Association of OCD Nuns
• Victim Adorers of the Holy Face of Jesus
• Victim Nuns of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Examples of the beauty, simplicity, and witness to the Faith when a habit is worn:

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