Housekeeping Issues: January 2008

With the start of another year I would like to outline my goals for this blog throughout the year. I will need some help in achieving some of them.

1. Post as often as possible. I can not post while I am in seminary, but I am allowed to post outside of the seminary building. So, if I do have time, I will try and visit a nearby library and post occasionally over the next few months.
2. Edit/Update Past Posts. I have a few thousand to edit because I want to have each spiritual reference link to the verse in the Douay Rheims Bible. I also want to put on each page about a saint the Collect from the 1962 Missal.
   
3. Find Hundreds of Photos of the Tridentine Mass. I have searched Google Images and have a collection of images, but I want to find new images of the Tridentine Mass. If you have some images and would allow me to use them for posts on my blog, please email me at acatholiclife[at]gmail.com
   

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Is the Usage of Graven Images Sinful?

St. Luke was a famous painter. He wrote one of the Gospels and painted a famous image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If making images of the saints were a sin, surely a Gospel writer would not have done so!

Scriptural References to counter the claim that making an image is sinful:

• Numbers 21:8 God commands Moses to make the bronze serpent which we learn is a symbol of Jesus Christ (John 3:14). It is only destroyed after it is worshiped (2 Kings 18:4), the making of it was not a sin.
• Numbers 8:4, 1 Kings 6:18 Images are carved
• 1 Kings 7:25,29 Images of lions and bulls are carved to support the base of the temple
• There were images of the cherubim angels in the temple (1 Kings 6:23-31) and God blessed the temple (1 Kings 9:3).
• Exodus 20:5 We are forbidden to worship images or serving them. But by praying in front of a statue of a saint or a crucifix, we do not pray or worship the image, our thoughts are gazed upwards from them towards God.

There are many other passages to counter the notion that our Divine God somehow prohibits the images of our Savior, the saints, et cetera.  This is not a new debate.  This debate first arose in the 7th century and was crushed as a heresy against the Christian religion.  

If you are sincerely seeking to understand the Catholic claims that images are not sinful, I ask for you to read the writings of the Early Church Father St. John Damascus.  His Three Treatises on the Divine Images (available also in a Kindle Version) is as useful today as it was back in the 7th century to show - using Sacred Scripture - why the use of images is permitted and blessed by God!

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Vatican Newspaper: Receive Communion on Tongue, Kneeling

As readers will remember from my past post, Mission: Restore Eucharistic Reverence, I encourage the reception of Holy Communion on the tongue as opposed to Communion in the Hand. My comments on this article are in the red brackets.

For those that are refused the ability to receive Communion on the Tongue while kneeling, I highly encourage you to write a formal letter of complaint to your bishop and/or Vatican officials. Some helpful pages may include Contacting Vatican Officials as well as Addressing Clergy.

Vatican Newspaper Article Says Catholics Should Receive Communion Kneeling and on the Tongue

Editorial by John-Henry Westen

Although it may seem a little strange, there is a definite battle being waged within the Catholic Church. It is the same "culture war" being waged by secular moderns against those who uphold traditional morality, it is pro-life vs. pro-choice. But within the Catholic Church the same battle is fought along liturgical lines, and the publication in the Vatican newspaper of an article calling for Catholics to receive Holy Communion kneeling and on the tongue is telling.

"If some nonbeliever arrived and observed such an act of adoration perhaps he, too, would 'fall down and worship God, declaring, God is really in your midst,'" explained Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Karaganda, Kazakhstan in the pages of L'Osservatore Romano. [Exactly - kneeling is a symbol for the whole world to help non-believers see that we believe the Eucharist truly is our God]

The Catholic News Service reports that in the January 8 edition of the Vatican paper, Bishop Schneider noted that the reverence and awe of Catholics who truly believe they are receiving Jesus in the Eucharist should lead them to kneel and receive Communion on their tongues. "The awareness of the greatness of the eucharistic mystery is demonstrated in a special way by the manner in which the body of the Lord is distributed and received," the bishop wrote. [Bishop Schneider's comments are well needed in an area when people continue to embrace heresies like consubstantiation]

Although in all likelihood most Catholics are oblivious to it, the decision to receive communion on the tongue, versus in the hand and the decision to receive communion standing rather than kneeling is a significant fault line in the culture war.

Modernizers who relentlessly work to have the Catholic Church move away from so-called 'archaic' positions on sexuality , (forbidding contraception, pre-marital sexual activity, homosexuality etc.) [Such actions are heresy] also rail against 'archaic' piety in worship.

However, the culture war at least in terms of liturgical issues was nearly lost in the West until the advent of Pope Benedict [Deo Gratias. Please remember to pray for the Holy Father daily. Thank God often for Summorum Pontificum].

In the United States for instance, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on the Liturgy wrote in its July 2002 newsletter: "Kneeling is not a licit posture for receiving Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States of America unless the bishop of a particular diocese has derogated from this norm in an individual and extraordinary circumstance."

The majority of the faithful have since adopted the practice of standing and receiving communion on the hand.

However, some traditional Catholics, often derisively referred to as "pre-Vatican II" Catholics have held to the practice of communion kneeling and on the tongue. Those same Catholics are often the most vociferous defenders of life and family within and without the Church.

While many valiant Catholic activists who work in the pro-life and pro-family battles receive communion in the common fashion, they nonetheless respect the right of those who wish to receive communion kneeling and on the tongue.

Not so for those within the Church seeking to get the Church in line with the times.

Certain Church leaders, priests and even bishops who are zealous in their attempts to modernize the Church have gone so far as to attempt to enforce modernism by refusing communion to those who kneel for communion. [Modernism has been declared the Synthesis of All Heresies by Pope St. Pius X]

One prominent example of such was Orange County Florida Bishop Tod Brown who was caught on video last year refusing communion to a woman who was kneeling. Brown is also known for refusing in 1994 to back an Idaho measure to deny homosexuals special privileges. Explaining his actions he said the law "would contribute to attitudes of intolerance and hostility in Idaho directed at homosexual citizens and is potentially discriminatory."

In Brown's diocese there has been considerable intolerance toward Catholics who kneel for communion and some traditional Catholics have been asked to leave the diocese.

Another prominent example was the denial of communion to Virginia House of Delegate member Richard Black by Arlington's St. Thomas More Cathedral Rector, Fr. Dominic Irace in 2002. Black was one of the strongest defenders of life in the legislature. As Delegate Black left the Cathedral, Fr. Irace loudly called him a "conservative idiot." (see coverage)

These types of situations caused the Vatican to react rather strongly in 2002. Jorge A. Cardinal Medina Estévez, the head of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which addresses liturgical matters, wrote a bishop about reports received of a priest denying communion to faithful because they were kneeling.

The Cardinal called such denial "a grave violation of one of the most basic rights of the Christian faithful," and directed the bishop to investigate the case. The letter said that the Vatican regards such abuses of the faithful as very grave. The letter said, the Congregation, if such actions are verified, "will regard future complaints of this nature with great seriousness, and if they are verified, it intends to seek disciplinary action consonant with the gravity of the pastoral abuse."
(see the letter)

Despite this letter from the Vatican, the suppression of kneeling remains strong.

The article in the Vatican newspaper advocating kneeling however signals a sea change.

Those who kneel have a champion in Pope Benedict who prior to his elevation to the pontificate wrote of kneeling and its tie to culture in his book 'The Spirit of the Liturgy" (Ignatius Press, 2000) "There are groups, of no small influence, who are trying to talk us out of kneeling," wrote then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. "'It doesn't suit our culture', they say (which culture?) 'It's not right for a grown man to do this -- he should face God on his feet'."

Cardinal Ratzinger continued: "The kneeling of Christians is not a form of inculturation into existing customs. It is quite the opposite, an expression of Christian culture, which transforms the existing culture through a new and deeper knowledge and experience of God.

Kneeling does not come from any culture -- it comes from the Bible and its knowledge of God . . . The Christian Liturgy is a cosmic Liturgy precisely because it bends the knee before the crucified and exalted Lord. Here is the center of authentic culture - the culture of truth. The humble gesture by which we fall at the feet of the Lord inserts us into the true path of life of the cosmos." [Excellent words on which to meditate]

Source: LifeSiteNews

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Beatification of Cardinal Newman and St. Therese's Parents Nears

From Catholic News Agency:

Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Cause of the Saints, has announced that the beatification of the great British convert and scholar, Cardinal John Henry Newman, is "imminent."

In an interview to be published on Wednesday in the daily Italian edition of L'Osservatore Romano, Cardinal Saraiva said that among the most important personalities to be beatified "soon" is "the case of Cardinal Newman, a relevant intellectual, and an emblematic figure of conversion from Anglicanism to Catholicism."

"Personally, I wish his beatification to happen very soon because it would be very important at this moment for the path of ecumenical dialogue,” Cardinal Martins said.

Cardinal Saraiva Martins also revealed the beatification, latter this year, of the parents of St, Therese of Lisieux, Louis Martin and Azelia Guérin. The heroic virtues of the parents of St. Therese, who is now one of the most popular saints in the Catholic Church and a Doctor of the Church, were proclaimed on March 26, 1944.

Source: Catholic News Agency

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Catholic Converts Blog

I have just joined the Catholic Converts Blogroll! If you have not visited this blog, I encourage you to visit. In addition, please pray for all of the people in the sidebar of the Converts Blog under the RCIA List. Anyone that is preparing to enter the Church this year needs our prayers.

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Pope Benedict XVI Attracts 3 Million Pilgrims in 2007

As evident by the above photo taken in recent months, Pope Benedict XVI is reviving many traditions. In July 2007, by the grace of God, Summorum Pontificum asserted that the Tridentine Mass was never abrogated, and the Holy Father allowed for all priests in the world to celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. He continues to revive tradition, evident by his choice in miters, copes, and thrones such as at the Christmas 2007 Urbi et Orbi Address. Therefore, the news of millions of pilgrims journeying to see the Holy Father in 2007 does not surprise me.

Vatican City, Jan 8, 2008 / 10:22 am (CNA).- Recently released figures reveal that pilgrims continue to come to Rome in significant numbers under Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate.

Nearly 3 million people came to Rome in 2007 to hear the Pope speak at his weekly audiences and Sunday addresses. The number, slightly lower than 2006, compares favorably with the numbers of Vatican visitors who heard Pope John Paul II in person.

Some observers believe that the increase of visitors as compared to John Paul II is connected to the decrease in Pope Benedict’s world travels. Since people reason that they are less likely to see the Pope while he travels, they visit him at the Vatican.

Pope Benedict’s writings have also attracted attention. His book Jesus of Nazareth has sold two million copies, while his second encyclical Spe Salvi has sold 1.5 million copies in Italy alone.

''It seemed impossible to imagine a successor to John Paul II who could approach the media success that the 'great' Karol Wojtyla had, but the shy and discreet Ratzinger has done it,'' commented the Italian paper Corriere della Sera.

The Pope is expected to write two more encyclicals and the second volume of Jesus of Nazareth in 2008. He has scheduled two more trips within Italy and three trips abroad, including a visit to New York City and to World Youth Day events in Sydney.

Source: Catholic News Agency

Image Source: Copyright Holder Unknown, Found via Hallowedground

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St. John the Baptist Church in Costa Mesa California

As of February 2008 St. John the Baptist Church in Costa Mesa California will have a Sunday Tridentine Latin Mass (High Mass) at 12:30 PM. This means that in Orange County, California there will be four parishes holding the traditional Mass!

Image Source: Christopher Wagner / Daily Pilot (Fair Use)

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St. Theresa Church in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston

It is always such a pleasure to see the transformation of a parish church from the barren product of past decades to a house of prayer properly adorned for the worship of the one, true God. With the permission of the pastor, here are a few images of St. Theresa Church, which has undergone a profound transformation. Notice the details in the after image including a crucifix and additional candles on the altar.

Before


After



Image Source: Photos Reprinted with the Permission of Fr. Stephen B. Reynolds, Pastor

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Restoration of St Anne's Cathedral in Leeds

For more excellent photos of the restored St Anne's Cathedral in Leeds, please visit The New Liturgical Movement

Image Source: Via New Liturgical Movement

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Crusade in Cyberspace

I posted this tonight on Fish Eaters Forum. Would anyone visiting my blog be interested in joining the project and try to help evangelize through the Internet? Please help spread the word about this idea. If someone is interested, please tell them to email me.

As some people know, I am home from seminary for Christmas break and I have spent a lot of time online. I usually try to evangelize and spread the Gospel on forums and sites like Yahoo Answers and Askville. However, it is becoming more and more clear to me that the Internet is in disarray. Is this the time of the Great Apostacy? Ever site that I use I will either encounter pagans, Wiccans, Muslims, or atheists attacking Christianity. If not them, then I encounter Protestants, usually evangelicals and fundamentalists, who are so anti-Catholic that it is sickening. Much of the reason that there is a poor opinion by atheists of Christianity is based upon their encounters with Protestants. It all very sad and distressing.

I occasionally post on Phatmass and they have a Crusade. It is an organized project where several members work together (it is in a locked forum) and coordinate efforts to evangelize the Internet. They may have a four specific forms to evangelize and have 6 people working on each one. Do you think that sometime, even in the future, Fish Eaters could do this? I love this forum - it is a relief in the midst of a desert. This is my oasis. I am thankful for this forum and I think that we could not only evangelize non-believers but help spread the truth about modernism to fellow Catholics.

Any opinions on this idea?

PS: Please realize that this is not a full-time responsibility. I also have a lot of obligations (seminary, college classes, family life, etc). For those that are interested, I am just asking for a commitment to help whenever possible.

If you are interested in doing this, please let me know and comment below. We need as many people as possible before we split up into squads.

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Founder of LifeTeen Leaves Priesthood

Update (Dec. 2008): The founder of LifeTeen has been excommunicated.

The following news story is from AP/AZ Central. As a Traditional Catholic, I have never supported the Life Teen Movement since, in my experience, liturgies involving LifeTeen commonly foster a lack of piety and Catholicity through liberal, modernistic tendencies.

Above all, though, this news about founder of LifeTeen leaving the priesthood and the Catholic Church in order to offer "services" at a nondenominational Praise and Worship Center is highly disheartening. I encourage all people to pray for him.

The former pastor at a Mesa Catholic church who faces seven misdemeanor charges of sexual misconduct has started a new worship center and conducted his first services.

More than 500 worshippers gathered to hear Dale Fushek conduct a service at a Mesa hotel Thursday.

Known as "Monsignor Dale" during his 20 years at St. Timothy's, Fushek co-founded the national Life Teen program and served as vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.

But all that came tumbling down in late 2005, when he was arrested on one count of assault, five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of indecent exposure. He is accused of engaging in sexually related discussions with teenagers during confessions and exposing himself to teens as he got into his hot tub.

Fushek was suspended by the diocese and is now resigning from the priesthood. He is tying to win the right to a jury trial on the charges and a hearing is pending on that issue before the Arizona Supreme Court.

On Thanksgiving Day, he said he was happy to be back before a group of worshippers.

"I feel alive again," he said after the two-hour morning service. "This was inspiring and beautiful. I thought there was a really good spirit among the people here."

Fushek said he started the nondenominational Praise and Worship Center as a place where people can come to worship between regular services, not as competition for the Catholic Church.

"This is not a church. It is not intended to draw people away from their denominations," he said.

People in attendance at the first service waited in long lines to personally thank Fushek for starting the center.

The following story is from Catholic World News:

Phoenix, Jan. 4, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Church leaders in Phoenix, Arizona, are discouraging Catholics from attending non-denominational services conducted by a suspended priest, the Arizona Republic reports.

Msgr. Dale Fushek, who has been suspended from public ministry by the Phoenix diocese, continues to lead services at the Mesa Convention Center, drawing several hundred participants, the newspaper reports. The flamboyant priest, who gained national prominence as the founder of the LifeTeen program, risks further disciplinary action by defying the terms of his suspension to preach at "Praise and Worship" services.

Fushek, who was once the vicar general of the Phoenix diocese, was suspended after he was accused of molesting a boy in his Arizona parish. Although the diocese settled the lawsuit based on that charge, Fushek still faces several other criminal charges involving sexual relations with teenage boys.

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The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Double of the I Class (1954 Calendar): January 6

First Class (1962 Calendar): January 6

For the traditional readings and prayers at Mass on the Epiphany, please click here.

The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated each year by the Church on January 6, after having just concluded the 12 days of Christmas. On this day, and for the next seven days, we remember the three manifestations of our Lord:

1. To the Magi who, guided by the great and mysterious Star of Bethlehem, came to visit Him when He was a Baby (Matthew 2:1-19)
2. Through His Baptism by St. John, when "the Spirit of God descending as a dove" came upon Him and there was heard a voice from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, John 1), and all Three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity were manifest (Note: the Baptism of Our Lord is also commemorated by a special Gospel reading on the 13th of January, traditionally the Octave Day of the Epiphany)
3. Through His first public miracle -- that of the wedding at Cana when Our Lord turned water into wine at the request of His Mother (John 2). Just as God's first miracle before the Egyptian pharaoh, through Moses, was turning the waters of the Nile into blood, Our Lord's first miracle was turning water into wine.

The Feast of the Epiphany is a culmination for the Christmas season and one of the major Christian feastdays in the entire Church year. It was a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States until 1885.

The Importance of the Epiphany

As John Rotondi noted, "The Epiphany of Our Lord is the central feast of the Incarnation cycle, which runs from the First Sunday of Advent to Candlemas. Epiphany is not the end, but the apex of this cycle; it brings to full fruition the expectation of Advent’s “Veni, Domine.” Epiphany fulfills Christmas; Our Lord was born in the stillness of the night and manifested His birth only to a few; the Epiphany recounts Our Lord manifesting Himself, human and divine, to the whole world, from which point, His salvific mission begins.:

And Restore the 54 similarly states, "The Epiphany celebrates singularly and simultaneously, and continuously over all eight days, the three great manifestations of Our Lord's Incarnation - the adoration of the Magi, Our Lord's Baptism in the Jordan, and His first miracle at Cana. The Magnificat antiphon at Second Vespers explicitly bears this out. It's not just about the 'Three Kings' or some little afterthought to 'end' Christmas. Epiphany is the greatest feast of the Incarnation Cycle." 

Octave of the Epiphany

Today is the beginning of the Octave of the Epiphany which is kept in the 1954 Calendar. This season of Epiphanytide will last after the completion of the Octave Day on January 13th until the season of Septuagesima begins.

Epiphany Day Customs

Today is the ideal day to use blessed chalk and bless your homes. 

Collect:

O God, who by the direction of a star didst this day manifest thy only Son to the Gentiles: mercifully grant that we, who now know thee by faith, may come at length to see the glory of thy Majesty. Through the same, etc.

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The Saints of the Epiphany

According to the Tradition of the Catholic Church, the three Kings (Wise men) mentioned in Matthew 2:1-9 represent the three ages and three "radical types" of man, each wise man further representing one of Noah's descendants (Sem, Cham, and Japheth). According to the Tradition of the Catholic Church, there truly were three Wise Men: St. Caspar, St. Melchior, and St. Balthasar. St. Casper is traditionally described as young, beardless and the descendant of Ham who brought frankincense to the Child Christ. St. Melchior was old and had a white-colored beard; he was the descendant of Sam who brought gold to Jesus. And finally, St. Balthasar was a bearded, black descendant of Japheth, in the prime of his life, who brought myrrh. These are all related from the words of the Venerable Bede.

As Fish Eaters website states, "Tradition also has it that the kings were baptized by St. Thomas, and they are considered Saints of the Church. Though their feasts aren't celebrated liturgically, the dates given for them in the martyrology are as follows: St. Caspar on 1 January; St. Melchior on 6 January; and St. Balthasar on 11 January."

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Age of Martyrs Continues: 2007

Please remember in your prayers these missionaries who died for the sake of the Gospel of Christ in 2007 AD. The following is from CWNEWS:

Rome, Jan. 2, 2008 (CWNews.com) - In a year-end account of missionary deaths, the Fides news service has named 21 Church workers who died for the faith in 2007.

The Fides report lists the priests, religious, and seminarians who were killed during the year. The report notes that the number is slightly down from the 24 who died in 2006, and the 25 in 2005.

Because the circumstances of their deaths were different-- and in several cases unclear-- Fides does not refer to the 21 people who died as "martyrs." But the report notes that each of them "without a doubt made a radical decision: to be witnesses of God's Love often in situations of violence, degradation, material and spiritual poverty, total disrespect for the dignity and rights of the human person."

Asia saw the deaths of 8 missionaries in 2007: 4 priests, 3 deacons, and a seminarian. In Latin America there were 7 deaths: 6 priests and one religious brother. More surprisingly, 2 priests were killed in their homes in Spain.

Acknowledging that there are many others who die for the faith and remain unrecognized, Fides has asked readers to supply any information that could supplement the annual count.

The Christian missionaries who were slain in 2007 are:

• Father Mario Bianco, an Italian Consolata missionary, who died in Colombia on February 15.
• Father Martin Addai, a Ghanaian White Father, who died in Kenya on March 10.
• Father José Luis Camacho Cepeda, a Peruvian, who died in Colombia on March 11.
• Father Fransiskus Madhu, an Indonesian Divine Word missionary, who died in the Philippines on April 1.
• Sister Anne Thole, a Franciscan from Swaziland, who died in South Africa on April 1.
• Father Richard Bimeriki, a Congolese priest, who died in Rwanda on March 12.
• Father Wolfgang Hermann, a German Fidei Donum missionary, who died in Brazil on April 10.
• Father Salvador Herandez Seller, a Spanish priest, who died in Spain on April 11.
• Father Humberto Macias Rosales, a Mexican priest, who died there on May 1.
• Father Raghiid Ganni, a Chaldean Catholic priest, who died in Iraq on June 3 along with 3 deacons (below).
• Rev. Basman Yousef Daoud, a Chaldean deacon, who also died in Mosul on June 3.
• Rev. Ghasan Bidawid, a Chaldean deacon, who also died in Mosul on June 3.
• Rev. Wahid Hanna, a Chaldean deacon, who also died in Mosul on June 3.
• Justin Daniel Bataclan, a Filipino seminarian, who died on June 7 in Quezon City.
• Brother Enrique Alberto Olano Merino, a Little Brother of Mary from El Salvador, who died in Guatemala on June 9.
• Father Tomas Perez, a Spanish priest, who died in Spain on July 16.
• Father Fernando Sanchez Duran, a Mexican priest, who died there on July 22.
• Father Ricardo Junious, an American Oblate of Mary Immaculate missionary, who died in Mexico on July 29.
• Father Florante Rigonan, a Filipino priest, who died there on August 27.
• Father Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith, a Sri Lankan priest, who died there on Septemerb 26.
• Father Allard Msheyene, a South African Oblate of Mary Immaculate missionary, who died in South Africa on October 6.
  

Did anyone reading this post know of any of these missionaries and/or have photographs of them?

Prayer for Missionaries

O Almighty God, Lord of the harvest of souls, we ask You to guide and bless all who have gone forth to preach the gospel. Endow them with the gifts of generosity and concern. Send your Holy Spirit on them, that He may strengthen them in weakness, comfort them in trials and direct their efforts. May He open the hearts of their hearers to receive Your message. Let Your revelation enlighten all minds for the salvation of souls, and let Your love heal every heart and body for the happiness of each person. May all people consciously acknowledge You and serve You by living the teachings of Your Son. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Pray the Repose of the Soul of Monsignor Mejak

Published December 28, 2007
By KEVIN MURPHY and ALAN BAVLEY
The Kansas City Star
Republished with Permission

On Aug. 1, 1944, Heliodore Mejak said his first Mass at Holy Family Church in Kansas City, Kan. Sixty-three years later, the church is looking for a new priest.

Mejak, 98, died Christmas Day, ending perhaps the longest tenure of a priest at a U.S. parish. Monsignor Mejak may also have been the country’s oldest active priest, according to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

“To be that old and to continue to function and to care for the community, that certainly shows his dedication and his love for his people,” said Thomas Tank, vicar general of the archdiocese. Mejak became a priest in 1935 and served under seven popes.

He will be remembered not only for his longevity but for his staunchly traditional Catholicism and his devotion to his parish, where he was also the church handyman, lawn cutter, financial manager and compiler of the weekly bulletin.

“He was a stellar priest,” said Mary Ann Grelinger, a former parishioner at Holy Family who wrote a 2006 biography on Mejak for a priests’ magazine called Homiletic & Pastoral Review. “He said Mass every day. He never took a day off or a vacation. Most priests do. He didn’t.”

Mejak celebrated Mass until about a week before he died, even though he had become progressively weaker, was losing his vision and used a walker.

“He couldn’t see,” said Kevin Fogarty, a Wyandotte County firefighter who has been attending Holy Family Church regularly for about 10 years. “He wore ‘welding goggles’ with huge magnifiers. When he said Mass, it was obvious he was reciting from memory. He couldn’t read it at all.”

Mejak may be best known for his resistance to changes in the church. Holy Family, a Slovenian parish, drew people who believed as he did. He was the last priest in the archdiocese to stop celebrating Mass in Latin in the wake of the Vatican II church reforms approved in the 1960s.

Mejak did not want laypeople to serve communion and said the host should only be served directly from a priest’s hand, rather than placing it in the hand of the recipient. He wanted people to kneel rather than stand for communion.

When Vatican II called on people to shake hands or hug as a sign of peace during Mass, Mejak ignored it.

“He said the presence of Jesus Christ on the alter should be the focus, not each other,” Grelinger said. “A sign of peace was something that distracted from the Eucharist.”

Kirk Kramer, an editor of the Digital Library of the Catholic Reformation in Virginia, attended Holy Family Church in the 1980s while a student at the University of Kansas. He recalled Mejak’s church as a refuge for Catholic traditionalists.

“His parish, his church was a haven of holiness,” Kramer said. “There was a sense of the sacred and the mysterious and the beautiful at a time when you had to look for that. When you went to Holy Family, you got the Mass of the church, authentic Catholic doctrine and not theological opinion.”

Charles Andalikiewicz, 77, had known Mejak since he was a boy growing up in the neighborhood of the church. Andalikiewicz is priest of Immaculate Conception Church in Louisburg, Kan.

“He was very humble, very loyal and a gentle man,” Andalikiewicz said. “He was also very scholarly.”

Mejak was a train buff who built electric trains in the church basement that he liked to show children, Grelinger recalled. He built the trains using old pictures and drawings as a guide.

Mejak graduated from what now is Bishop Ward High School in 1927. He went to St. Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan., and Catholic University in Washington and became a priest in 1935.

He served several churches in Kansas before being assigned to the Holy Family, where he had to learn the Slovenian language.

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2008 Saint for the Year Devotion

In both 2006 and 2007 I have helped facilitate a Saint for the Year Devotion, by which participants have a saint chosen for them for the year. It is a devotional activity and each person is asked to pray to the saint in a special way throughout the year. For more information on this devotion, which even St. Faustina participated in, please visit my 2007 Saint for the Year Post. This year I was chosen by St. Julius, feast day on April 12!

This year, however, since I am in seminary, I do not have the time to continue the Saint for the Year Devotion. I hope to resume this devotion in later years.

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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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Catholic Resolutions 2008

As the year 2007 AD ends this evening, I would like to reflect on my 2007 Catholic Resolutions. The year 2007 was a year of both great joys and great sorrows including my graduation and a week-trip to St. Augustine, Florida along with events such as the death of my great-grandmother, Lucille. This year, 2007, was also the year that I was officially accepted as a seminarian and began to study at seminary. It was the year that I began to make daily Holy hours and I was able to attend Daily Mass. My prayer life has greatly improved - I pray certain prayers daily - prayers that I keep with me in prayer cards. In 2007 I also bought my first cassock and surplice. Yet, in 2007, many of my family members suffered through various illness, some had to spend time in the hospital. So, reflecting on this past year, it was a year of both great positives and great negatives. But, above all, we must be thankful for the gifts of this past year.

2007 Catholic Resolutions:

1) Finish my application process to enter a seminary, get accepted by my diocese, and start at a college seminary in the fall of 2007.
2) Pray the 15 Prayers of St. Bridget each day or as often as possible
3) Find and purchase a Traditional Catholic Prayer Book and a 1962 Roman Missal
4) Attend my first Tridentine Mass
5) Seek to grow spiritually and avoid all of the sins that I have committed often in the past
6) Read classic spirituality books including "Story of a Soul" by St. Therese of Lisieux
7) Read all of the New Testament

2007 Resolution Results:

1) I was accepted by my diocese and began college seminary in August 2007. Yet, I am still seriously discerning a vocation with a Traditional Order like the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. This 2007 Resolution was a complete success

2) Unfortunately, the Prayers of St. Bridget are very long and I did not succeed in praying the prayers daily. I will try again but I think that sometime in the future would be better than now.

3) I have greatly succeeded at this Resolution. I have three pre-Vatican II brevaries (two in English and one in Latin) as well as an Angelus Press Missal. I also now have a Douay Rheims Bible and the rubrics of the Tridentine Mass. These are just a few of the excellent books that I have found in 2007.

4) In September 2007 I attended my first Tridentine Mass on a Sunday and since then I believe that I have attended four other Tridentine Masses - one on the First Friday of December, one on the Immaculate Conception, and one on Lætare Sunday. I also attended one in November. This is all very exciting since I love the Tridentine Mass and would love, one day as a priest, to exclusively celebrate the Tridentine Mass. I hope to continue attending the Tridentine Mass as often as possible while I am at seminary. This resolution was a success.

5) A person can always work to grow more spiritually and reject more sins. I will keep working more on this resolution this year and continue my progress.

6) I have read a few books including St. Augustine's Confessions. But I did not have a chance to yet read The Story of a Soul.

7) I did not succeed in reading all of the New Testament - I was able to read the Gospels but not the Epistles of St. Paul.

2008 Catholic Resolutions:

1) Read the entire Bible in 1 year
2) Continue to pray the Rosary daily along with Lauds, Vespers, and Compline
3) Continue to frequently attend the Tridentine Mass
4) Purchase my first biretta
5) Purchase many different books and build up my Catholic library. I would specifically like to buy the Liber Usualis, the Liber Hymnarius, a Summa Theologica, the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel, the Catechism of the Council of Trent, My Catholic Faith by Angelus Press, How Christ Said the First Mass by Meagher, The Holy Mass by Dom Prosper, Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre by Davies, and the Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco, all in Latin if possible
6) Continue to discern a vocation with a Traditional Order and try to save up more money so that, if I am called, I may more easily join one
7) Update "A Catholic Life", specifically include more prayers from the 1962 Missal on each saint's page.
8) Seek to grow spiritually and avoid all of the sins that I have committed often in the past

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Pray for the Repose of the Soul of Angel Montoto

I ask your prayers for the repose of the soul of Angel Montoto, who died August 3, 2004.

Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.

Image Source: Photo of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity

Note: The feasts of the Comites (i.e. St. Stephen, St. John the Apostle, and the Holy Innocents), in addition to St. Thomas Becket, would take precedence over the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity until the 1960 reform of the Missal. In that case, if the Sunday after Christmas is December 26, 27, 28, or 29, the Sunday within the Mass and Office for Octave of Christmas is transferred to December 30th. In the 1962 Missal, the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity displaces any of the saints feastdays and the Comites are reduced to a mere Commemoration, even though their feasts used to be in times past Holy Days of Obligation.

Note per Dom Gueranger: If December 30 falls on a Saturday, it is called the Sixth Day within the Octave, and the third Mass of Christmas Day, page 202, is repeated, except for the Epistle and Gospel, which are taken from the second Mass, pages 191, 192, the extra prayers are given on page 415, and in this case the Office of the Sunday in the Octave is said on December 31, with a commemoration of St Silvester. But if December 30 falls on any other day of the week, the Office is of the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas.

Traditional Propers:

INTROIT Wisdom 18:14-15 While all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her course, Thine almighty Word, O Lord, leaped down from heaven from Thy royal throne. -- (Ps.92. 1). The Lord hath reigned, He is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded Himself. V.: Glory be to the Father . . . -- While all things were in quiet silence . . .

COLLECT - O almighty and everlasting God, direct our actions according to Thy good pleasure; that in the Name of Thy beloved Son we may deserve to abound in good works: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost...

EPISTLE 1 Galatians 4: 1-7 Brethren, as long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all: but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father: so we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that He might redeem them who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father. Therefore now he is not a servant, but a son; and if a son, an heir also through God.

GRADUAL Psalms. 44: 3, 2 Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in Thy lips. V.: My heart hath uttered a good word, I speak my words to the king: my tongue is the pen of a scrivener, that writeth swiftly.

Alleluia, alleluia. V.: The Lord hath reigned, He is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded Himself. Alleluia

GOSPEL Luke 2:33-40

At that time Joseph and Mary the mother of Jesus were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His Mother: Behold, this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel: and for a sign which shall be contradicted: and thine own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed. And there was one Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow until fourscore and four years: who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord: and spoke of Him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel. And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth. And the Child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom: and the grace of God was in Him.

OFFERTORY Psalm 92:1,2 God hath establised the world, which shall not be moved: Thy throne, O God, is prepared from of old, Thou art from everlasting.

SECRET - Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the offering made in the sight of Thy Majesty may obtain for us the grace of loving devotion, and the reward of a blessed eternity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost...

PREFACE (Preface of the Nativity) - It it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, for through the Mystery of the Word made flesh, the new light of Thy glory hath shone upon the eyes of our mind, so that while we acknowledge God in visible form, we may through Him be drawn to the love of things invisible. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Throne and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying:

SPECIAL FORM OF COMMUNICANTES (Communicantes for Christmas) - Communicating, and keeping this most holy day, on which the spotless virginity of blessed Mary brought forth a Savior to this world; and also reverencing the memory first of the same glorious Mary, ever Virgin, Mother of the same our God and Lord Jesus Christ: as also...

COMMUNION Matthew 2:20 Take the Child and His Mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the life of the Child.

POST COMMUNION - By the working of this Mystery, O Lord, may our vices be cleansed, and our just desires fulfilled. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost.

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Trinitarian Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Feastday for the Newly Beatified Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War

At the Rite of Beatification held on October 28, 2007, in St. Peter’s Square, Cardinal José Savaira Martins – Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints – announced that 6 November has been established as the feastday for the Trinitarian Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) as well as for the other 488 martyrs beatified on October 28. This is the largest mass beatification in the history of the Church!

Prayer to Martyrs:

O God, Who dost gladden us by the annual feast of Thy holy Martyrs, mercifully grant that we who rejoice in their merits may be inspired by their example. Through our Lord

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

Novena to the Magi

Today is the beginning of the Novena to the Magi, in anticipation for the Epiphany of the Lord.

28 December:
O holy Magi! You were living in continual expectation of the rising of the Star of Jacob, which would announce the birth of the true Sun of justice; obtain for us an increase of faith and charity, and the grace to live in continual hope of beholding one day the light of heavenly glory and eternal joy. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

29 December:
O holy Magi! who at the first appearance of the wondrous star left your native country to go and seek the newborn King of the Jews; obtain for us the grace of corresponding with alacrity to every divine inspiration. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

30 December:
O holy Magi! who regarded neither the severity of the season, nor the inconveniences of the journey that you might find the newborn Messiah; obtain for us the grace not to allow ourselves to be discouraged by any of the difficulties which may meet us on the way of salvation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

31 December:
O holy Magi, who, when deserted by the star in the city of Jerusalem, sought humbly, and without human respect, from the rulers of the Church, the place where you might discover the object of your journey; obtain for us grace to have recourse, in faith and humility, in all our doubts and perplexities to the counsel of our superiors, who hold the place of God on earth. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

1 January:
O holy Magi, who were gladdened by the reappearance of the star which led you to Bethlehem; obtain for us from God the grace, that, remaining always faithful to Him in afflictions, we may be consoled in time by His grace, and in eternity by His glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

2 January:
O holy Magi, who, entering full of faith into the stable of Bethlehem, prostrated yourselves on the earth, to adore the newborn King of the Jews, though he was surrounded only by signs of poverty and weakness; obtain from the Lord for us a lively faith in the real presence of Jesus in the blessed Sacrament, the true spirit of poverty, and a Christ-like charity for the poor and suffering. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

3 January:
O holy Magi, who offered to Jesus Christ gold, incense, and myrrh, thereby recognizing Him to be at once King, God, and Man; obtain from the Lord for us the grace never to present ourselves before Him with empty hands; but that we may continually offer to Him the gold of charity, the incense of prayer, and the myrrh of penance and mortification. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

4 January:
O holy Magi, who, when warned by an angel not to return to Herd, traveled back to your country be another road; obtain for us from the Lord, the grace that, after having found Him in true repentance, we may avoid all danger of losing Him again. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

5 January:
O holy Magi, who were first among the Gentiles called to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and who persevered in the faith till your deaths, obtain for us of the Lord the grace of living always in conformity to our baptismal vows, ever leading to a life of faith; that like you we may attain to the beatific vision of that God Who now is the object of our faith. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end..

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Christmas 2007: Urbi et Orbi

Here is the text of Pope Benedict XVI's 2007 Urbi et Orbi Address for Christmas:

“A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come you nations and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.”
(Day Mass of Christmas, Gospel Acclamation)

Dear Brothers and Sisters! “A holy day has dawned upon us.” A day of great hope: today the Saviour of mankind is born. The birth of a child normally brings a light of hope to those who are waiting anxiously. When Jesus was born in the stable at Bethlehem, a “great light” appeared on earth; a great hope entered the hearts of those who awaited him: in the words of today’s Christmas liturgy, “lux magna”. Admittedly it was not “great” in the manner of this world, because the first to see it were only Mary, Joseph and some shepherds, then the Magi, the old man Simeon, the prophetess Anna: those whom God had chosen. Yet, in the shadows and silence of that holy night, a great and inextinguishable light shone forth for every man; the great hope that brings happiness entered into the world: “the Word was made flesh and we saw his glory” (Jn 1:14).

“God is light”, says Saint John, “and in him is no darkness at all” (1 Jn 1:5). In the Book of Genesis we read that when the universe was created, “the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Gen 1:2-3). The creative Word of God is Light, the source of life. All things were made through the Logos, not one thing had its being but through him (cf. Jn 1:3). That is why all creatures are fundamentally good and bear within themselves the stamp of God, a spark of his light. Nevertheless, when Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, the Light himself came into the world: in the words of the Creed, “God from God, Light from Light”. In Jesus, God assumed what he was not, while remaining what he was: “omnipotence entered an infant’s body and did not cease to govern the universe” (cf. Saint Augustine, Sermo 184, No. 1 on Christmas). The Creator of man became man in order to bring peace to the world. For this reason, during Christmas night, the hosts of angels sing: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to those whom he loves” (Lk 2:14).

“Today a great light has come upon the earth”. The Light of Christ is the bearer of peace. At Midnight Mass, the Eucharistic liturgy begins with this very chant: “Today true peace has come down to us from heaven” (Entrance Antiphon). Indeed, it is only the “great” light manifested in Christ that can give “true” peace to men: that is why every generation is called to welcome it, to welcome the God who in Bethlehem became one of us.

This is Christmas – the historical event and the mystery of love, which for more than two thousand years has spoken to men and women of every era and every place. It is the holy day on which the “great light” of Christ shines forth, bearing peace! Certainly, if we are to recognize it, if we are to receive it, faith is needed and humility is needed. The humility of Mary, who believed in the word of the Lord and, bending low over the manger, was the first to adore the fruit of her womb; the humility of Joseph, the just man, who had the courage of faith and preferred to obey God rather than to protect his own reputation; the humility of the shepherds, the poor and anonymous shepherds, who received the proclamation of the heavenly messenger and hastened towards the stable, where they found the new-born child and worshipped him, full of astonishment, praising God (cf. Lk 2:15-20). The little ones, the poor in spirit: they are the key figures of Christmas, in the past and in the present; they have always been the key figures of God’s history, the indefatigable builders of his Kingdom of justice, love and peace.

In the silence of that night in Bethlehem, Jesus was born and lovingly welcomed. And now, on this Christmas Day, when the joyful news of his saving birth continues to resound, who is ready to open the doors of his heart to the holy child? Men and women of this modern age, Christ comes also to us bringing his light, he comes also to us granting peace! But who is watching, in the night of doubt and uncertainty, with a vigilant, praying heart? Who is waiting for the dawn of the new day, keeping alight the flame of faith? Who has time to listen to his word and to become enfolded and entranced by his love? Yes! His message of peace is for everyone; he comes to offer himself to all people as sure hope for salvation.

Finally, may the light of Christ, which comes to enlighten every human being, shine forth and bring consolation to those who live in the darkness of poverty, injustice and war; to those who are still denied their legitimate aspirations for a more secure existence, for health, education, stable employment, for fuller participation in civil and political responsibilities, free from oppression and protected from conditions that offend against human dignity. It is the most vulnerable members of society – women, children, the elderly – who are so often the victims of brutal armed conflicts, terrorism and violence of every kind, which inflict such terrible sufferings on entire populations. At the same time, ethnic, religious and political tensions, instability, rivalry, disagreements, and all forms of injustice and discrimination are destroying the internal fabric of many countries and embittering international relations. Throughout the world the number of migrants, refugees and evacuees is also increasing because of frequent natural disasters, often caused by alarming environmental upheavals.

On this day of peace, my thoughts turn especially to those places where the grim sound of arms continues to reverberate; to the tortured regions of Darfur, Somalia, the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia; to the whole of the Middle East – especially Iraq, Lebanon and the Holy Land; to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, to the Balkans and to many other crisis situations that unfortunately are frequently forgotten. May the Child Jesus bring relief to those who are suffering and may he bestow upon political leaders the wisdom and courage to seek and find humane, just and lasting solutions. To the thirst for meaning and value so characteristic of today’s world, to the search for prosperity and peace that marks the lives of all mankind, to the hopes of the poor: Christ – true God and true Man – responds with his Nativity. Neither individuals nor nations should be afraid to recognize and welcome him: with Him “a shining light” brightens the horizon of humanity; in him “a holy day” dawns that knows no sunset. May this Christmas truly be for all people a day of joy, hope and peace!

“Come you nations and adore the Lord.” With Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, with the Magi and the countless host of humble worshippers of the new-born Child, who down the centuries have welcomed the mystery of Christmas, let us too, brothers and sisters from every continent, allow the light of this day to spread everywhere: may it enter our hearts, may it brighten and warm our homes, may it bring serenity and hope to our cities, and may it give peace to the world. This is my earnest wish for you who are listening. A wish that grows into a humble and trustful prayer to the Child Jesus, that his light will dispel all darkness from your lives and fill you with love and peace. May the Lord, who has made his merciful face to shine in Christ, fill you with his happiness and make you messengers of his goodness. Happy Christmas!

© Copyright 2007 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Image Source: AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino
Second Image Source: AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, HO
Third Image: CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters

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Holy Christmas Carols

Hark the Herald Angels Sing



Glory to God



Once in Royal David's City

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Back After a Long Absence: The Traditional Latin Mass in Mexico City

Published: December 5, 2007
California Catholic Daily
Republished with Permission

"For first time in more than 40 years, traditional Latin Mass celebrated at Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral; extraordinary form now to be offered once a week

"For more than 400 years, the Tridentine Latin Mass was celebrated at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City -- until 1965, when all masses in this and all the other Catholic churches around the world began to be celebrated in their respective vernacular languages as part of the Vatican II liturgical reforms. Forty-two years later, on the morning of Nov. 29, on the high altar of the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Latin Mass was once again celebrated at the most important Catholic house of worship in Mexico.

"The traditional mass, which thousands of Catholics in Mexico still long for, was celebrated by Msgr. Rudolf Michael Schmitz, Vicar General and Superior of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, according to the weekly publication of the Archdiocese of Mexico City, Desde la Fe (“From the Faith”).

"The same day, Msgr. Schmitz celebrated Latin masses in three other Mexico City churches of historical and religious significance. The first was at La Profesa, an educational and religious center of the Society of Jesus since 1574. From La Profesa, some of the most daring and fruitful missionary enterprises of Mexico’s evangelization were launched, including into the then-remote areas of Baja California and Sonora. La Profesa was also the center of the famous “La Profesa Conspiracy,” which led to the final victory for Mexico’s independence in 1821.

"Two other Latin masses were celebrated at the Ville de Guadalupe -- one at El Pocito chapel, built in the 17th century on the site where the image of the Virgin Mary was miraculously stamped on Juan Diego’s tunic; the other in one of the lateral chapels inside the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"For the celebration, Msgr. Schmitz wore the traditional biretta, rochet and cassock. At the altar were six processional candlesticks, with all the sacred ornaments necessary for the Eucharistic consecration.

"At the end of the celebration, Msgr. Schmitz thanked the faithful for their warm welcome, as well as authorities from the Archdiocese of Mexico for making available the high altar of the Metropolitan Cathedral for the celebration.

"As the gestures and forms of the extraordinary form of the Mass differ from the present day liturgy, for many faithful the Tridentine Mass was a little complicated to follow. Msgr. Schmitz explained, “The Mass cannot be completely understood because it is a mystery of faith; but the faithful do not need to understand each and every Latin word to take part in the Mass. Instead they have to get used to the rite, and live it with respect. The Mass, prayed in Latin, has helped in the conversion of many people, especially youth.”

"Rev. Francisco Beccerra, major sacristan of the Metropolitan Cathedral, announced that the traditional Latin Mass will now be celebrated once a week at the cathedral.

"Celebration of the traditional Latin Mass came just two weeks after archdiocesan authorities had indefinitely closed the Metropolitan Cathedral following an attack by a left-wing mob during a Sunday Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Mexico, Cardinal Norberto Rivera.

"The cathedral reopened on Nov. 24 following assurances from Mexico City authorities that they would beef up security around the cathedral. Mexico City police chief Joel Ortega said 46 police officers will be present at the cathedral and four police cars will patrol the surrounding area during Masses. People entering the cathedral are also subject to police searches of any bags they are carrying."

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Pray on Christmas for the Souls in Purgatory

Please pray for the souls in Purgatory on Christmas Day and throughout the Octave of Christmas! For more information, visit my post Pray for the Souls in Purgatory.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus Christ, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

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Christmas Proclamation

On this holy night, I wish all of my readers a blessed Christmas as the penitential time of Advent closes. Gaudete! This night we celebrate the birth of the only-begotten Son of the Father, Our Lord Jesus Christ!!

For information on customs this day and for all days in Christmastide, please visit Fish Eaters.

Luke 2:10-14:

"And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will."

The Christmas Proclamation:

* The twenty-fifth day of December.

* In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year of the creation of the world from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth;

* the two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seventh year after the flood;

* the two thousand and fifteenth year from the birth of Abraham;

* the one thousand five hundred and tenth year from Moses and the going forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;

* the one thousand and thirty-second year from David's being anointed king;

* in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;

* in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;

* the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome;

* the forty second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;

* the whole world being at peace,

* in the sixth age of the world,

* Jesus Christ the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception,

* was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary, being made flesh.

* The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

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New Cardinals Named in October 2007

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has named the following Cardinals on October 17, 2007.

* John Patrick Foley, Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy
Sepulchre (USA)
* Daniel Nicholas DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston (USA)
* Giovanni Lajolo, Governor of the Vatican City-State (Italy)
* Paul-Josef Cordes, president, Pontifical Council Cor Unum (Germany)
* Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St Peter's Basilica (Italy)
* Stanislaw Rylko, president, Pontifical Council for the Laity (Poland)
* Raffaele Farina SDB, top archivist (Italy)
* Agustin Garcia-Gasco y Vicente, archbishop of Valencia (Spain)
* Sean Brady, archbishop of Armagh, "Primate of All Ireland"
* Jose Lluis Sistach, archbishop of Barcelona
* Andre Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris
* Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa
* Francisco Lopez Ortega, archbishop of Monterrey (Mexico)
* Leonardo Sandri, prefect, Congregation for the Oriental Churches (Argentina)
* Odilio Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo
* John Njue, archbishop of Nairobi
* Theodore-Adrien Sarr, archbishop of Dakar
* Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay

And the honorary cardinals over the age of 80:

Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylonia of the Chaldeans (Iraq)
Abp. Giovanni Coppa, (retired) apostolic nuncio (Italy)
Abp. Esteban Karlic, of Parana, Argentina (ret.)
Fr. Umberto Betti, OFM, rector-emeritus of the Pontifical Lateran University
Fr. Urbano Navarrete, SJ, rector-emeritus of the Pontifical Gregorian University

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Msgr. Michael Hoeppner Appointed Bishop of Crookston

On September 28, 2007, the blogger at Whispers in the Loggia wrote, "As intimated last night (see next post), Crookston's day has arrived. This morning, the Pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Victor Balke, who turns 76 tomorrow, naming in his stead Msgr Michael Hoeppner, heretofore vicar-general of Winona. A native Minnesotan, the 58 year-old bishop-elect comes with a background steeped both in parish work and administration, and with a good bit of teaching ministry, to boot. An alum of the Pontifical North American College, Hoeppner is yet another member of the class of 29 June 1975 -- when Pope Paul VI ordained 359 priests to mark the Holy Year -- to be elevated to the episcopacy, and the second US appointee this year to come from the group..."

I know little about the life or beliefs of His Excellency Michael Hoeppner. I particularly would like to hear opinions from my readers in regards to his position towards Traditionalism.

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Pembroke Bishop Michael Mulhall

PEMBROKE, ON, September 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Immediately after his ordination today as the new bishop of the Catholic diocese of Pembroke, a small diocese in Canada's Ottawa Valley district, Bishop Michael Mulhall emphasized that the pro-life issue is a very high priority for him.

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Tridentine Mass Celebrated in Vienna

Here is a Pontifical High Mass from September 2007, where the celebrant was the Apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Edmond Farhat. The music was by Joseph Haydn, and the Mass took place at Franziskanerkirche, Vienna. All photos are from the The Cafeteria is Closed [Blog is now defunct]. These particular photos are of superior quality and capture the mystery, reverence, and holiness that permeates the Tridentine Latin Mass. 

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Solemn Vespers for the First Sunday of Advent

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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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