Real Catholic Blog

Deacon Keith Fournier is one of my favorites in all the clergy. He used to publish a column in The Catholic Virginian, the diocesan paper for the Diocese of Richmond, Va. He stopped writing for it and I lost track of him. Then, one day, he appeared at a church I attend for daily Mass (not my parish). As it turns out, he had moved to Richmond from the eastern part of the diocese for a year or two while commuting to Washington, D.C., to finish his Ph.D. those months were a blessing. His departure, a blow. But I learned I could continue to follow him through Catholic Online, one of the, if not the, best Web site for Catholic news and editorial comment.

Today, he unleashes a heartfelt editorial of optimism and grace on the very real possibility of the first steps toward the end of the Anglican split with the Church. News first arose of this in October (see our comment here) and continued for a while, then seemed to disappear. But now, there is actual movement toward establishing an Anglican ordinariate in America. Australia may follow very soon, as well.

Of course, Episcopals have moved into the Church here and there for a while. In August, 10 Episcopal nuns and a priest took steps to come into full communion with the Church. But with the release by Cardinal William Levada, of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Pope Benedict XVI of the historic Anglicanorum Coetibus, (Latin for “concerning groups of Anglicans”) last November, the stage is set for some 400,000 Anglicans to come into full communion with the Church.

As Deacon Fournier suggests, this has upset some traditional Catholics. It shouldn’t. He, as I, are pleased the Holy Spirit is working through the successor of Peter, Pope Benedict, to reunify the Holy Catholic Church. As the Deacon writes, a Church recovering from the scars of disunity can do so much to arrest the cultural and moral decline of the world. With Pope Benedict and many earnest leaders of the Eastern Orthodox Church in dialogue, we must pray for that schism to be repaired as well. 

As for the concerns of some, as long as the new ordinariate — which would be a rite within the universal Church, as certain Eastern rites are — accepts the teachings of the Church’s orthodoxy, there should be no cause for concern. The new Anglican rite would be structured like the Maronite or Maronite, which have patriarchs in Lebanon, but parishes all over the world as Lebanese emigrate, and which are loyal to Rome. Going to a Mass there, for example, fulfills one’s Sunday obligation.

Read Deacon Fournier’s editorial (”More Anglicans say Yes to Full Communion: The Restoration of the Church“) of hope and praise for the wonders of the Holy Spirit and the good it is working through those whose heartfelt desire is to come home to the One, True, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Let us know what you think.

One of the most under reported international stories is the continued persecution of Christians in the Middle East and in other Muslim countries as well as their continued persecution in communist countries. Sunday, following his Angelus, Pope Benedict XVI spoke out about this horrendous violation of human and religious rights, and individual freedom.

Pope Benedict expressed his special concern over the recent killings of Christians in Mosul, Iraq. The targeted killings in a once thriving Christian community that got along with their Muslim neighbors is especially disturbing.

We are called to prayer, fasting and sacrifice during Lent. As for prayer, what better way to pray than the Rosary. Even better, pray the Rosary at Eucharistic Adoration. There most likely is a parish or community in your area that has a constant, if not 24-hour, adoration. At the very least, many parishes offer adoration during Lent on Fridays after Stations of the Cross.

Since Lent is about drawing closer to Jesus and his redemption for our sins, praying the Rosary is a powerful way to reach out to our Lord — and the Blessed Mother. Doing so anywhere — by yourself, in a group, silent or out loud — is a very spiritual and tangible way of drawing near Jesus. Doing so at Eucharistic Adoration is especially spiritually fulfilling. There are five mysteries of the Rosary. I have found the Sorrowful Mysteries during Lent, as they are prayed on Fridays, particularly special as they instigate a self-inspection we all should put ourselves through.

Catholics Come Home explains more about the Rosary:

The Rosary is an ancient and powerful prayer that the faithful have been praying for over 800 years. In this video you will see the 20 Mysteries of the Rosary, which include events of the life of Christ and Mary that are meditated upon while reciting the prayers. Every believer in Jesus Christ should honor His mother by praying the Rosary, and in return she will bring you closer to her Son.

And if you object to the Rosary because you don’t think that the Hail Mary is a legitimate prayer, then watch my video “Every Christian should pray the Hail Mary,” and you will see the Biblical basis for the Hail Mary.

The Rosary is a powerful and special way to reach out to Jesus and seek His intercession as well as that of the Blessed Mother.

Faith does matter. During Lent, we are especially called to redouble our faith through prayer, fasting and sacrifice in order to draw closer to God. Here is an instructive video from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, about the Eucharist (EWTN).

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio speaks about the Eucharist.

Here is a wonderful homily by Father Bonaventure of Ave Maria, who preaches on today’s Gospel that tells us of the need to love God above all else because he knows what we need and we can love all others through Him. Lent is a time of self sacrifice that focuses our love for the Holy Trinity and the great gift of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who humbled himself not only to live among us, but to die for us. It is a short homily, but Father Bonaventure packs every word and sentence with powerful theology about our life on earth, love of God and receiving His Grace on earth that will reward us with life in Heaven, where we are ultimately meant to be.

That Grace we receive from Him is not a natural virtue. It must be acquired through patience and prayer.

Here’s an exciting event hosted by Father Frank Pavone of Priests For Life. It’s an election related conference call and it will feature Thomas Peters of American Papist and other prominent, traditionalist Catholics. It takes place tomorrow from 9:00-10:00 Eastern Time. Here is Father Pavone’s invite:

Friends,

I am inviting you to join me along with Tom Peters of Catholic Vote Action (www.catholicvoteaction.org) and other special guests, for an important election-related conference call on Thursday evening, February 25, from 9 to 10pm ET. This will be part of our “Vote Pro-life” Coalition, and we will continue to gear up for the elections of 2010. You will be able to listen to the call either by phone or by internet.

This call will not be the same as the January 25 call but rather a continuation of the discussion. Click here to listen to a replay of the January 25 call which featured David Barton of Wallbuilders, Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List, Brian Burch of Catholic Vote and Gary Bauer of American Values.

After you sign up, (click here) you will receive a letter via email with the details. If you do not receive the letter, be sure to check your spam folder. The letter will also appear on your computer screen and you can print it from there.

Now is the time to get started, and we need all hands on deck! Join us for an informative and inspiring call on February 25.

Thank you,

Fr. Frank Pavone

National Director, Priests For Life

What a coincidence! After yesterday’s post about the Vatican announcement that the use of the Latin Mass is acceptable under any condition, I received an article from Catholic Family News about the Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa, his Excellency, Edward J. Slattery. While he doesn’t celebrate the Mass in Latin (yet), he does celebrate it facing the Altar and not the congregation.

Bishop Slattery explained in his diocesan paper:

Christ’s sacrifice under the sacramental signs of bread and wine. … From ancient times, the position of the priest and the people reflected this understanding of the Mass since the people prayed, standing or kneeling, in the place that visibly corresponded to Our Lord’s Body, while the priest at the altar stood at the head as the Head, We formed the whole Christ — Head and members — both sacramentally by Baptism and visibly by our position and posture. Just as importantly, everyone — celebrant and congregation — faced the same direction, since they were united with Christ in offering to the Father Christ’s unique, unrepeatable and acceptable sacrifice.

More about Bishop Slattery is at the blog ad altare dei. A Bishop practicing this traditional form of celebration truly is exciting for the Church in America. Whether you prefer the “new Mass” or the traditional, one should respect the method of celebrating Holy Mass as the Church offering the options to attract as many people to Christ as possible.

The Vatican continues to send signals, clearer all the time, that normal Sunday Mass may be celebrated in the “Extraordinary” or Tridentine (Latin) form. In November, it sent priests instructional videos on presiding over such a Mass. According to CathNews Asia, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei made the recent ruling ”that parishes may replace a normal Sunday Mass with one celebrated in the ‘Extraordinary’ or Tridentine form,” in response to questions from the Polish Diocese of Rzeszow.

Here is the summary of the Vatican’s responses promulgated to the Diocese of Rzeszow, and which are applicable universally:

1. If there is no other possibility, because for instance in all churches of a diocese the liturgies of the Sacred Triduum are already being celebrated in the Ordinary Form, the liturgies of the Sacred Triduum may, in the same church in which they are already celebrated in the Ordinary Form, be additionally celebrated in the Extraordinary Form, if the local ordinary allows.

2. A Mass in the usus antiquior may replace a regularly scheduled Mass in the Ordinary Form. The question contextualizes that in many churches Sunday Masses are more or less scheduled continually, leaving free only very inconvenient mid afternoon slots, but this is merely context, the question posed being general. The answer leaves the matter to the prudent judgement of the parish priest, and emphasises the right of a stable group to assist at Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

3. A parish priest may schedule a public Mass in the Extraordinary Form on his own accord (i.e. without the request of a group of faithful) for the benefit of the faithful including those unfamiliar with the usus antiquior. The response of the Commission here is identical to no. 2.

4. The calendar, readings or prefaces of the 1970 Missale Romanum may not be substituted for those of the 1962 Missale Romanum in Masses in the Extraordinary Form.

5. While the liturgical readings (Epistle and Gospel) themselves have to be read by the priest (or deacon/subdeacon) as foreseen by the rubrics, a translation to the vernacular may afterwards be read also by a layman.

RealCatholicTV.com founder Michael Voris continues his series on the corruption of the Faith by those who would use the Church in America as an extension of a political party or movement. Rather than focus on souls and Biblical Truths, too often we find Church leaders involved in social justice issues to “accommodate” the secular world.

That is the exact path taken by many protestant liturgical denominations, such as the Episcopal Church, which suffered a schism in North America last year (in one of the most important and under reported events of the decade). It happened primarily because it ceased to stand for the Truth and allowed “truth” to become relative among its dioceses, its parishes and even unto its parishioners. Truly, card or bowling clubs are more grounded in principle than some denominations.

But the Faith isn’t about accommodation. It’s about Truth and spreading it for the salvation of souls. “Social justice” is great, but there are several ways to achieve solutions to secular social issues — not the one-size-fits-all-big-government “fixes” unfortunately adopted by too many Church leaders. Not that they should even take sides. Besides, how is “global warming” a social justice issue?

If our Bishops only stayed quiet on these types of matters it would go a long way to furthering the Truth in that they could focus on the issues that have only one solution, such as protecting the unborn and traditional marriage. These are the Scriptural Truths we are called to defend.

Mr. Voris doesn’t mince words. He is on, and to, the point. He is worth listening to. What do you think?

Michael Voris doesn’t hold back. The leadership of the American Catholic Church runs the risk of emulating the disintegrating protestant liturgical denominations.

Pope Benedict XVI today poetically explained the Ritual of Ash Wednesday Ashes at his general audience. He also firmly explained conversion and how Lent is a time to discipline oneself to convert. Believing is one thing. Acting it out is another, a true conversion away from the evil of moral relativism.

This is a great message to begin the holiest of seasons, Lent. The discipline it asks for prepares us for the greatest love of all, our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice — his death on a cross — and Resurrection for our salvation. It’s a message that prepares us to make Lent a season that truly draws us closer to Him.

The Holy Father said:

Conversion is to go against the flow, where the “flow” is a lifestyle that is superficial, incoherent and illusory, which often drags us in, dominates us and makes us slaves of evil or at least prisoners of moral mediocrity.

Pope Benedict asks us to convert ourselves during Lent. Doing so makes us “A precious dust for God.”