"A journey marked by hope in eternity"

Catafalque - FSSP: Ss. Trinita | Photo Credit: NLM

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 2, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today at the general audience.

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Dear brothers and sisters,

After celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints, the Church today invites us to commemorate all the faithful departed, to turn our gaze to so many faces that have gone before us and that have completed their earthly journey. In today's Audience, then, I would like to offer a few simple thoughts on the reality of death, which for us as Christians is illumined by Christ's resurrection, in order to renew our faith in eternal life.

As I said at yesterday's Angelus, during these days we visit the cemetery to pray for our dear departed ones; we go to visit them, as it were, in order to express our affection for them once more, to feel them still close to us; and in so doing, we also remember an article of the Creed: In the communion of saints there is a close bond between us who still journey on this earth and so many brothers and sisters who have already reached eternity.

Man has always been concerned for his loved ones who have died, and he has sought to give them a kind of second life through his attention, care and affection. In a certain way, we want to hold on to their experience of life; and paradoxically, we discover how they lived, what they loved, what they feared, what they hoped in and what they hated precisely at their graves, which we crowd with mementos. They are, as it were, a mirror of their world.

Why is this? Because -- although death is often treated as an almost prohibited subject of discussion in our society, and there is a continual attempt to remove the mere thought of death from our minds -- it regards us all, it regards men of every time and in every place. And before this mystery we all, even unconsciously, seek something that invites us to hope, a sign that brings us consolation, that opens a horizon before us, that offers us a future. The road of death, in reality, is a way of hope -- and to visit our cemeteries, and to read the inscriptions on graves, is to make a journey marked by hope in eternity. 

But we ask ourselves: Why do we experience fear in the face of death? Why has humanity, to a large extent, never resigned itself to believing that beyond death there is only nothingness?  I would say that there are a variety of reasons: We fear death because we fear emptiness; we fear departing for something unfamiliar to us, for something unknown to us. And then, there is in us a sense of refusal, for we cannot accept that all the beauty and greatness realized during a lifetime is suddenly blotted out, that it is cast into the abyss of nothingness. Above all, we feel that love requires and asks for eternity -- and it is impossible to accept that love is destroyed by death in a single moment.

Again, we fear death because -- when we find ourselves approaching the end of life -- we perceive that there will be a judgment of our actions, of how we led our lives, especially of those shadowy points that we often skillfully know how to remove -- or attempt to remove -- from our consciences. I would say that the question of judgment is what often underlies the care men of all times have for the departed, and the attention a man gives to persons who were significant to him and who are no longer beside him on the journey of earthly life. In a certain sense, the acts of affection and love that surround the departed loved one are a way of protecting him -- in the belief that these acts are not without effect on judgment. We can see this in the majority of cultures, which make up human history.

Today the world has become, at least apparently, much more rational -- or better, there is a widespread tendency to think that every reality has to be confronted with the criteria of experimental science, and that we must respond even to the great question of death not so much with faith, but by departing from experiential, empirical knowledge. We do not sufficiently realize, however, that this way ends in falling into forms of spiritism in the attempt to have some contact with the world beyond death, imagining as it were that there exists a reality that in the end is a copy of the present one.

Dear friends, the Solemnity of All Saints and the Commemoration of the faithful departed tell us that only he who is able to recognize a great hope in death is able also to live a life that springs from hope. If we reduce man exclusively to his horizontal dimension, to what can be perceived empirically, life itself loses its profound meaning. Man needs eternity -- and every other hope, for him, is all too brief, is all too limited. Man is explainable only if there is a Love that overcomes all isolation -- even that of death -- in a totality that transcends even space and time. Man is explainable -- he finds his deepest meaning -- only if God is. And we know that God has gone forth from the distance and has made Himself close; He has entered into our lives and He tells us: "I am the Resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die" (John 11:25-26).

Let us think for a moment of the scene at Calvary and let us listen once again to the words that Jesus addressed on the Cross to the robber crucified at his right: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Let us think of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, when -- after having travelled a stretch of road with the Risen Jesus -- they recognize Him and quickly set out toward Jerusalem to announce the Lord's resurrection (cf. Luke 24:13-35). The Master's words come to mind with renewed clarity: "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" (John 14:1-2).

God has truly appeared; He has become accessible; He has so loved the world "that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16), and in the supreme act of love -- in the Cross -- plunging into the abyss of death, He conquered it, He rose and He opened the doors of eternity also to us. Christ sustains us through the night of death, which He himself traversed: He is the Good Shepherd, in whose guidance we can trust without any fear, since He knows well the road, even in obscurity.

Each Sunday, in reciting the Creed, we reaffirm this truth. And in visiting cemeteries to pray with affection and love for our dear departed ones, we are invited once again to renew with courage and with strength our faith in eternal life; indeed, we are invited to live out this great hope and to give witness to it in the world: Nothingness is not behind this present moment. And it is precisely faith in eternal life that gives the Christian the courage to love our world even more intensely, and to work to build a future for it, to give it a true and lasting hope. Thank you.

[Translation by Diane Montagna]

[The Holy Father then greeted the people in several languages. In English, he said:]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today, the day after the Solemnity of All Saints, the Church invites us to pray for the faithful departed. This yearly commemoration, often marked by visits to the cemetery, is an occasion to ponder the mystery of death and to renew our faith in the promise of eternal life held out to us by Christ's resurrection. As human beings, we have a natural fear of death and we rebel against its apparent finality. Faith teaches us that the fear of death is lightened by a great hope, the hope of eternity, which gives our lives their fullest meaning. The God who is love offers us the promise of eternal life through the death and resurrection of his Son. In Christ, death no longer appears as an abyss of emptiness, but rather a path to life which will never end. Christ is the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in him will never die. Each Sunday, in reciting the Creed, we reaffirm our faith in this mystery. As we remember our dear departed ones, united with them in the communion of the saints, may our faith inspire us to follow Christ more closely and to work in this world to build a future of hope.

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I offer a warm welcome to the priests from the United States taking part in the Institute for Continuing Theological Education at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. My greeting also goes to the pilgrimage group from Saint Paul's High School in Tokyo, Japan. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at today's Audience, especially those from Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Japan and the United States, I invoke God's blessings of joy and peace!

© Copyright 2011 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Lastly, I desire to greet young people, the sick and newlyweds. The day after tomorrow we will celebrate the liturgical memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, distinguished bishop of the Diocese of Milan, who, animated by the ardent love of Christ, was an untiring teacher and guide for his brothers. May his example help you, dear young people, to allow yourselves to be led by Christ in your choices, so that you may fearlessly follow Him; may he encourage you, dear sick, to offer your sufferings for the Pastors of the Church and the salvation of souls; and may he support you, dear newlyweds, in the generous service of life.

[The Holy Father then made this appeal:]

This Nov. 3 and 4 -- tomorrow and the day after tomorrow -- the Heads of State and Government for the G-20 will meet in Cannes to examine the main problems connected with the global economy. It is my hope that the meeting might help to overcome the difficulties that, on a global level, are blocking the promotion of an integral and authentically human development.

[Translation by Diane Montagna]

•Link

•··(Hat Tip: V - Sancte Pater)

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Following, or not, the Pope

Kevin and Jen at Quodcumque Dixerit Vobis Facite are talking about Altar arrangements. Their take is that the Pope's Masses look a certain way and you would think that local priests would try and copy that... especially in light of his Catechesis on the matter. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case... and they ask the very valid: "Why not?" follow up.

"Up to our own times, it has been the constant concern of supreme pontiffs to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy ritual to the Divine Majesty, 'to the praise and glory of His name,' and 'to the benefit of all His Holy Church' " - Pope Benedict XVI, Summorum Pontificum

In attempting to ensure the Church offers this ritual that is "worthy....of divine majesty", the Holy Father has set up his Papal altar with a renewed emphasis on the sacredness of our ancient liturgy: with the Crucifix in the center with the candles positioned on the altar:

Is your altar at your parish set up like the Supreme Pontiff's? If not, we need to ask ourselves why; does a local ordinary or priest know better than the Successor of Peter, who is the Vicar of Christ and the Supreme Pontiff who has both the authority and responsibility "...to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy ritual to the Divine Majesty, 'to the praise and glory of His name,' and 'to the benefit of all His Holy Church?'

This may seem like a small matter, but it seems to us that the small things are exactly what adds up to problems through misunderstandings, bad feelings and a spirit of deviancy. So say the altar, in your parish, is set up differently. What does this say? That the Holy Father is just giving us a passive suggestion rather than a meaningful example? Where else am I allowed to stray from his example?

When we accept these small differences, we detract from the authority of the Chair of Peter and we take away from the rich meaning and tradition that guide his practices. We understand that not every parish is St. Peter's Basilica in Rome with ten-foot-high candlesticks and unmatched splendor, but candlesticks and a crucifix should be pretty standard church fare. The emphasis, as Pope Benedict XVI constantly reminds us, must be on Christ, not on his priests or anyone else, and this altar (the altar set up in the way of the Supreme Pontiff) points us always to Him.

 What should a local priest take from the Pope in terms of Altar arrangement? What about other things the Pope says or does? Are they suggestions? Should we expect our priests to try and follow suit? What are we to think when we see him doing one thing, or teaching a certain aspect of the faith only to see or hear something directly contrary at our own parish? Is the Pope simply some old guy in Rome that is an aspirational influence on the Church?

It is unfortunate that the, arguably, greatest theologian and liturgist of our time is ignored by so many priests in this country. Yes, I understand there are norms and multiple ways of doing things, but I think it would say a lot for unity, continuity, and community, if more priests took strides to align themselves with the teachings and actions of our pontiff.

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The Seduction and Deception of Me

One bite won't hurt...

In Pope Benedict's book "Jesus of Nazareth" the second chapter is titled: The Temptations of Jesus. In the "book" of my life that second chapter, more properly the first, would be titled: The Seduction and Deception of Joseph. I am no Jesus, and I sin. The devil is crafty and I find myself seduced and succumbing to his deceptions all the time. Just as Benedict points out, the devil does not sell blatant evil, but coaxes us: he seduces wryly. He could not crack Jesus... but he definitely cracks me, my sin is a product of falling for the temptations - hence, seduction and deception.

Jesus' temptations occur in the Gospel narratives where he goes out in the desert to be tempted, fasts, becomes hungry, and then is confronted by the devil. Looking at Matthew 4:1-11[1], we see that the temptations are about his power as God, or proof thereof. For us though as Pope Benedict puts it, temptation for us is about what matters to us:

"At the heart of all temptations... is the act of pushing God aside because we perceive him as secondary, if not actually superfluous and annoying in comparison with all the apparently far more urgent matters that fill our lives.
...
Moral posturing is part and parcel of temptation. It does not invite us directly to do evil – no, that would be far too blatant. It pretends to show us a better way, where we finally abandon our illusions and throw ourselves into the work of actually making the world a better place. It claims, moreover, to speak for true realism: What's real is what is right there in front of us - power and bread. By comparison, the things of God fade into unreality, into a secondary world that no one really needs.
...
What must the Savior of the World do, or not do? That is the question that the temptations of Jesus are about."

command that these stones become bread...

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The first temptation for Jesus, in Matthew's account, is to satisfy his hunger. It is for him to prove that He is God, by removing his own hunger by turning stones into loaves of bread. The devil is trying to subdue Jesus, by making him prove that He is God.

I do the same thing all the time. "God, I know you are there (sort of, I think) please do this thing... because you are God." I turn God into a self-proving theorem. No longer do I want to have faith or trust, but instead in my fear and weakness I try and use God, against Himself. I want Him to prove Himself to me, not only to satisfy my hunger for the truth and reality of God, but also to give me whatever it is I want. It is about wanting God and my life on my terms. I give into the hunger. I feel a pang somewhere in my belly for something, and I want it now. McDonald's serves billions of burgers not because they are the best, biggest, or healthiest. They are successful because they are fast and easy. We wouldn't pay $20 for them at a sit-down restaurant  where we had to wait 45 minutes for them. At least not to the tune of "99 billion served." Likewise, we want God to fix the world to our liking. He needs to fix world hunger, poverty, sickness, evil, pain, suffering, and definitely "global warming" if He is any sort of God at all.

I know that Jesus resisted this temptation, although hungry, by digging in and quoting Deuteronomy[2] saying that, "One does not live by bread alone." He is the Bread of Life. He gives us how to resist this temptation with His answer. His answer works for us too, except we are too lazy, scared, weak, foolish, greedy, self-absorbed or apathetic to use it. When the Devil tells me to grab the reins of life, to make bread from stones, all I have to do is say, "Nope, don't care if I am hungry, I don't need bread... I have THE BREAD OF LIFE."  But instead, I end up saying, "Oh man, yeah, I know I have God and all, but clearly he isn't interested in showing himself, so I guess I will put him second since He is making me second." Obedience and trust are necessary. As Benedict puts it, our obedience to God's word is necessary to allow our hearts to resist the "delusions and false prophecies" and to accept that we "don't live by bread alone."

putting God to the test...

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The second temptation is a "theological debate between Jesus and the devil." First the devil quotes scripture[3] as if he is some authority on it. Jesus again responds simply with His own scripture recitation. He tells the devil that the Lord should not be put to test. Simple, true, and easy. Well, maybe for Jesus. But what about me?

How do I even know God is there? Of course He doesn't want to be tested, He wants undying loyalty and belief without any effort on his part doesnt he? Well I can do that, I can believe... except what about that doubt. What if I "jump" and he doesn't catch me? What if something BIG happens and I really need Him to be there and He isn't? So I test him, I make some demands. Not always big demands, but similar to what devil is asking for, "Give me what I want, because you are God and can and should." This isn't such a big demand, right? I got Him now, this will secure in my mind and heart that He is God. The first temptation was silly, it was parlor tricks at best, so what if He doesn't satisfy my every hunger, this is about the power and ability of God. The devil invokes Psalm 91:11-12, pretty much a scriptural guarantee that God, via His angels, will never let us come to harm or even a stub of our toe. That means unemployment, sickness, despair, divorce, infidelity, addiction, debt, and all the other big dangers in life will be swept away by God, and if they aren't, well then there obviously isn't the God I thought there was, is there?

What a fool I am when I do this. Tricked again, seduced and deceived. What I don't realize is that this guarantee comes on the heels of ultimate trust in God. It isn't a pre-requisite for trusting in God, but the other way around. God isn't mine to "experiment" on or test. I am not above Him, I am not in a position to demand anything of Him. God loves me, and with love comes the fact of love that requires freedom and not compulsion. God loves us and wants to be loved in return. Submitting to our demands would negate that freedom required in a loving relationship. It is only when I let go, trust, and throw myself, not from the top of the temple, but onto the Cross, can God embrace me. This isn't a limit to His power but a just element of His love.

the kingdoms... of earth and heaven

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No way I would mistake one for the other, right?

The third is the worst temptation. It seems when I read it that I would never give in to such a blatant temptation against God. Worship satan, worship evil? Jesus is so fierce and says, "Get away Satan!" Of course I would do the same, especially in the face of such ridiculous requirements. Sure I can be tricked through fear and doubt, but out and out worship of the devil? No way!

But wait, what about all this great stuff in life. Jobs, money, fame, vacations, houses, cars, women, clothes, watches, sporting events, flat screen TV's, new rifles, Under Armor Hunting gear, a boat, a new snowmachine, and the other necessities of a good life. Surely I don't have to push those aside just to love and follow God right? I mean lots of good people have these things, they can't all be bad people so I can surely have them. God wants me to have them, doesn't he? If He doesn't, why not? No, I wont sell my soul to satan for them, but cmon. There has to be some middle ground here, between selling my soul, and going overboard with the whole God in heaven thing. Can't God have his "place as a private concern" and let me live my life in the day-to-day?

I mean the world is right there, in my face, day to day. Jesus doesn't want me to be some freak, that lives in a little house with 13 kids, no tv, and drives a beat up old truck right? It isn't like the devil invented jet boats and moisture wicking base layers right? God made a life to be lived and to be good, so with the option of two entities, I am going to go with the one that provides happiness now. That doesn't sound like picking the devil, does it? Does it? [CRUCIFY HIM!]

Benedict puts it this way:

"What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has He brought?
The Answer is very simple: God. He has brought God."

Woops! I guess I chose to free Barabbas. I was like Peter, said I would never deny Him, and I dropped him at the first sign of something new and shiny. Of course I didn't really want to, but it sure shows where my priorities are huh? It is funny, because I know that we should "Let the dead bury their dead" and that our task is to "proclaim the Kingdom of God." I also know that earthly things are not heavenly things - especially kingdoms. How could I be so stupid, so foolish, so .... easily... seduced and deceived. 


I need to realize that giving into these temptations don't prove God, they place Him on the Cross. God wants our hearts to be inline with His and all I have to do is follow His word. I need to be stronger, I need to be able to resist temptations. Like anything in life that can seduce or deceive me, I need to keep away from those things. I am smart enough to know I will succumb to the tempting and trickery, so I need to guard my heart by placing it in the hands of God. God needs to be primary, I have to trust that He is there and will be there, and that the second I grab control I have denied God the ability to act as He can. The way to prevent myself from being seduced and deceived is to love God so fully and intimately that I dont give myself the opportunity to be entrapped by the devils deception or seduction.

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[1]: See also, Luke 4:1-13
[2]: Deuteronomy 8:3
[3]: Psalm 91:11-12

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Thinking about youth ministry...

The idea of 'instructing the youth' in the faith has been on my mind and heart a lot recently. It was actually the impetus for the creation of We Are Catholic. 


While doing some background "research" in this area, I cam across a recent post by Amy Welborn discussing comments made by Pope Benedict at World Youth Day. Her column: Pope Benedict's Guide to Youth Ministry, is a really good take on the way we should approach speaking to teens about the Faith.

It really is a must read for anyone in the field. I want to comment about the article, and youth ministry in general, but I want the article to sink in a bit.

My biggest question is always:  "how do we present the faith in an authentic way to teens without watering it down, trying to "make it relevant", or do it in a way that isn't patronizing?" I know that many youth leaders struggle with these same questions, and it seems like the Pope may give us some pretty good answers.

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"May No Adversity Paralyze You."

Dear young people, do not be satisfied with anything less than Truth and Love,
 do not be content with anything less than Christ.

Yes, dear friends, God loves us. This is the great truth of our life; it is what makes everything else meaningful. We are not the product of blind chance or absurdity; instead our life originates as part of a loving plan of God. To abide in his love, then, means living a life rooted in faith, since faith is more than the mere acceptance of certain abstract truths: it is an intimate relationship with Christ, who enables us to open our hearts to this mystery of love and to live as men and women conscious of being loved by God.

If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true happiness and joy. Faith does not run counter to your highest ideals; on the contrary, it elevates and perfects those ideals. Dear young people, do not be satisfied with anything less than Truth and Love, do not be content with anything less than Christ.

Nowadays, although the dominant culture of relativism all around us has given up on the search for truth, even if it is the highest aspiration of the human spirit, we need to speak with courage and humility of the universal significance of Christ as the Saviour of humanity and the source of hope for our lives. He who took upon himself our afflictions, is well acquainted with the mystery of human suffering and manifests his loving presence in those who suffer. They in their turn, united to the passion of Christ, share closely in his work of redemption. Furthermore, our disinterested attention towards the sick and the forgotten will always be a humble and warm testimony of God’s compassionate regard.

Dear friends, may no adversity paralyze you. Be afraid neither of the world, nor of the future, nor of your weakness. The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment of history so that, by your faith, his name will continue to resound throughout the world. 

-Pope Benedict XVI; PRAYER VIGIL WITH YOUNG PEOPLE - Saturday, 20 August 2011

"During the storm he was asked twice whether he thought that he should leave and instead said:
 ‘No, I am staying. We are staying.'"

"We have lived together an adventure. Strengthened by your faith in Christ, you have resisted the rain. Before leaving I wish you all good night. Have a good rest. I thank you for the sacrifice that you are making and I have no doubt that you will offer it generously to the Lord. We shall see one another tomorrow, God willing, in the celebration of the Eucharist. I am expecting all of you. I thank you for the fine example that you have given. As happened tonight, you can always, with Christ, endure the trials of life. Do not forget this. I thank you all."

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Papa!

Father Acervo's Homily on Yesterday's Gospel:

First of all, the pope is a father. He’s the Holy Father. The word pope means father. Papa. And as a father and the pastor of the whole Church, he guides and feeds us with great love. Like children, some of us don’t always understand what he does for us, but hopefully as we mature in our faith, we will come to realize what he has done for us as the Holy Father.

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Finally, it’s important for us to love the pope. As the young pilgrims at World Youth Day have taught us, we should see Christ in the pope, and as we love Him, we must love the pope as our Holy Father.

The pope is a great gift to us. When we look upon him, we see proof that God will never abandon us, that not even the gates of hell will ever prevail against the Church even despite our many weaknesses. May God bless him with faith, hope, and love that he may lead us into greater union with God.

Read the whole thing: Father Acervo's Corner- Homilies 

We must read his wisdom. Anything by him is a treasure, so go to your local Catholic Bookstore and buy something of his and read it. Following him, our shepherd, will lead us to Christ.

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Bread For All

The Pope lead a prayer vigil that was interrupted by some nasty weather last night for the pilgrims at World Youth Day. He eventually continued and after the vigil there was Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament through the night.

The thought of that many young Catholics worshiping in Adoration the TRUE PRESENCE OF CHRIST moved me to tears. Honestly. How amazing is that scene? The news media is ignoring this because... well there are all sorts of reasons I am sure, but honestly, think about these kids standing in the rain after melting all day long - tell me that WYD isn't a powerful thing! They are in the TRUE PRESENCE of CHRIST, this will form and shape their souls forever, and it will change the Church. They are the new Church Militant.

There have been those that have said that WYD is a "waste of money" or that the cost could be better used to help the poor and needy. While this argument strikes at our core, it fails to recognize the proper order of need for the Church and for the world. People "do not live on bread alone" instead, we need something more. So before we can feed others we must be able to be fed ourselves, we must be nourished, we must be healthy - so that we may care for others.

Pope Benedict says in his book, "Jesus of Nazareth" that: 

"Jesus is not indifferent toward men's hunger, their bodily needs, but he places these things in the proper context and proper order."

Benedict goes on to quote a German Jesuit, Alfred Delp, that explains the hierarchy of needs for humanity:

"Bread is important, freedom is more important, but most important of all is unbroken fidelity and faithful adoration."

Many get this, they understand the proper order of things. The cries that WYD was too expensive are misguided because what they fail to realize is that without a love of Christ, without a deep-seeded love and desire to worship and adore God, there is little hope in helping or feeding the poor; the youth would instead be scouring the earth for something to replace the God-Shaped-Hole in their hearts.

Likewise we cant expect to reverse the order explained by Delp, and expect that Catholics will be spiritually healthy. God must be the center of our lives. He must be central to all that we do, especially within the context of our Catholic faith. But when we are encouraged to focus more on one another and community, we will lose God in the pursuit a community centered on him. He becomes the guest of honor that no one cares about because they are more concerned with making it a good party. 


Benedict explains happens when we reverse the proper order of caring for ourselves and others:

"When this ordering of goods is no longer respected, but turned on its head, the result is not justice or concern for human suffering. The result is rather ruin and destruction even of material goods themselves. When God is regarded as a secondary matter that can be set aside temporarily or permanently on account of more important things, it is precisely these suppoosedly more important things that come to nothing."

We must put God in his proper place - first in all that we do. When they young Catholics return from Madrid, we must let them lead the way, we must let them teach us how to place God first so that he can be our Bread, so that we may go out and feed others.

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Kneeling & Communion: Cardinal Canizares Llovera, Voris & Akin

There has been a lot of talk about "Kneeling for Communion" and it all happened while I was "away" for a few days. I am someone that has knelt for Communion most of my time as a reverted Catholic.[1] I would guess that during the past 5 years I have knelt for Communion about 85%-95% of the time. There was a period at the beginning and a few periods of questioning and discernment in there where I was trying to figure out why I was kneeling and what the mind of the Church was regarding it. This process was very difficult for me and is in major part why I am writing this post.

What brought this subject into the Catholic Blogosphere, again, was a comment by Spanish Cardinal Canizares Llovera, in an article by the Catholic News Agency that quoted him in somewhat awkward way. The reason this got attention is that Cardinal Canizares Llovera is the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which in simpler terms is the Vatican's Department of the Liturgy & Liturgical Practices. So in other words, you have the guy at the Vatican charged with overseeing the Liturgy talking about the reception of communion, not the first time this happened but the first by a Pope Benedict appointed prefect.[2]

The Cardinal's discussion as reported by Catholic News Agency:

The cardinal’s remarks came in response to a question on whether Catholics should receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue.

He recommended that Catholics “receive Communion on the tongue and while kneeling.”

Receiving Communion in this way, the cardinal continued, “is the sign of adoration that needs to be recovered. I think the entire Church needs to receive Communion while kneeling.”

“In fact,” he added, “if one receives while standing, a genuflection or profound bow should be made, and this is not happening.”

“If we trivialize Communion, we trivialize everything, and we cannot lose a moment as important as that of receiving Communion, of recognizing the real presence of Christ there, of the God who is the love above all loves, as we sing in a hymn in Spanish.”

Now this statement isn't that ground-breaking or revolutionary, as the Prefect before him, Cardinal Arinze, made similar comments.[3] The reason that these comments have garnered such attention is three-fold:

1. Pope Benedict XVI has been advocating, and requiring in some instances, the reception of Communion on the tongue while kneeling. This has been in effect for over 3 years now.[4] The statement by Cardinal Canizares Llovera seems to have solidified this idea as a central one of Pope Benedict's pontificate regarding the liturgy.[5]
2. Michael Voris and Jimmy Akin both produced media clips surrounding this statement. Voris painted the statement as saying a tad more than it seemingly did, and also somewhat stretching the situation here in the United States, while Akin tried to reel in what Voris said and probably pulled things back a tad further than necessary. If nothing else, these clips have gotten people to talk and think about the issue.
3. As we approach the new Missal translation, the portion of the GIRM that deals with the reception of Communion will have a new wording and will therefore have a new understanding as it relates to the norm in this country for the reception of Communion.[6]

When this statement came out, it got a lot of play on the blogs. What made it even more heavily discussed was the video Michael Voris put out in his Vortex series:


This program is from RealCatholicTV.com

[You can read the script here: Script Link]

As you know, I am supportive of Voris and the Vortex.  I think his commentary is usually pretty on target and he is needed voice in the American Church; this is especially true in places like where I live and others that have faced years and decades of liturgical abuse, oppressive lay parish regimes, and modernist heterodox chanceries. At the same time, I know his presentation is not everyone's cup of tea, that he sometimes paints with a broad-brush, and he (like everyone else in this world) makes mistakes. That being said, I would gladly take a few over-statements by someone driving towards orthodoxy as opposed to silence and watered down theology from those attempting to make the Church more "inclusive" and "accessible" for the sake of those not accepting of the Church's teachings.

All that being said, I do think that there were one or two over-statements and possibly even an incorrect statement in Voris' video. Yet, if you listen to the actual words of Voris (or better yet, read them) what you get is his message that for the past few years there has been a campaign by some priests and bishops against the practices of "on the tongue" and "kneeling" reception of Communion.[7] Voris has made several other videos touching on this subject, and taken together a viewer will hear a message that closely aligns with what the Cardinal said in the CNA article, as well as the message being conveyed by Cardinal Arinze, the Pope, Msgr. Marini, and others. In the end, I do think that Voris took an extra liberty or two, and maybe appealed a little too much to emotion and preached to "the choir" and thereby overstated his case a bit.

Therefore, I will admit that taken on its own, this video does have some loose ends that seem to over-state Voris' position and he conveys a message that conflates what the Church ultimately teaches regarding the reception of Communion in this country. Jimmy Akin felt the same way and felt compelled to put out a quick "PodCast" to explain his point of view. I think he did a good job, as he always does, but like Voris, I think he is guilty of over-stating his case and pulls back too hard on Voris' comments. Ultimately I think the truth lies somewhere between what the two men said. Therefore, I think you should likewise listen to what Akin has to say:

Jimmy Akin - Podcasts

Ultimately I think that what we have is a disagreement about what Voris meant and what he is trying to argue. Kneeling for Communion has been opposed by some bishops and priests in this country for years, if not decades. You can see, just in the changes and development of the GIRM alone as well as letters coming from the Vatican, that there has been a tension between what the Vatican desires and what the USCCB and priests in this country think is best. Now, that might be an overstatement there on my behalf, but I think the line of demarcation is fair to draw between the US and the Vatican and that the two sides have historically been on opposite sides of this issue. As Msgr. Marini explained though, when the Holy Father instituted the norm of kneeling to receive at Papal liturgies, the idea that hand reception is the 'norm' in the US is an exemption from the universal requirement of the Church

When you take the Pope's statements and the Cardinals' together, you have a continuity of thought that desires for the Church to receive Communion while kneeling, for various reasons. So why not just mandate it? Well, because the Church doesn't work that way, and because of the respect for the wishes of the bishops in this country who originally requested the indult.  As we move into the new Missal translation we do take a step closer to a return to kneeling and tongue reception. For someone such as myself who has tried to follow the lead in Rome and at the same time remain obedient to my bishop and local bishops conference I feel some what at ease with the change in wording. Not only that, but I can now more easily explain and advocate my practice to others.

What I have found is that kneeling draws me into an understanding and reverence of the TRUE PRESENCE. It doesn't make me better, holier, or make my Adoration more than those that stand. Instead, what it does for me personally and for God is to show my understanding, and write that understanding more easily on my heart. As Marini explained:

Kneeling and receiving Communion on the tongue highlights "the truth of the real presence (of Christ) in the Eucharist, helps the devotion of the faithful and introduces the sense of mystery more easily."

 To me, the Eucharist is the source and summit of my life. One of those periods where I didn't kneel, to receive was shortly after graduating from Ave Maria (where we knelt always for reception) and moving to Alaska where no one knelt. I thought I was being disobedient, and I was confused as to what the who "pastoral" climate was here. I started to worry that folks were looking at me, judging me, or that I was making a "statement" during a time when we should be as "dead to self" as possible. Then I realized that what I did at Mass wasn't about me, but about God. Anything I did that could be seen by others needed to be a reflection not of me, but of how I felt about God and what the Mass meant objectively. So I returned to kneeling. I also was moved greatly once, shortly after my return to this practice when someone knelt right beside me to receive Communion, and that person was wearing a chapel veil. There was smile on the face of one of the EMHC's that told me that how we acted had an effect on others and that it was important that effect lead folks towards a belief in the real presence. Again, not that I think I am better because I kneel, but it does have an effect on those that choose to worship in that way. Maybe it is a change from the 'norm' or maybe there is something intrinsic about it. Regardless, I do agree that the Church should return to this practice and that it would ultimately lead to more Catholics believing and accepting the True Presence in the Eucharist.

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NOTES:

1. People have asked what I mean by "Revert"; what I mean is that I was Baptized Catholic as an infant, but never practiced the Faith or received the other Sacraments of Initiation. I became "Active" and received First Communion and Confirmation on Easter 2006. 
2. The previous Prefect for CDW&DS was Cardinal Francis Arinze. He too made statements about kneeling and communion reception but many discounted his statements because he was not American and for other more political reasons having to deal with Pope John Paul II and the USCCB. Cardinal Arinze was appointed by Pope John Paul in 2002. 
3. See Note [2]; See also, Cardinal Arinze Video.
4. CNS: Vatican - Receiving Eucharist while kneeling will be norm at papal liturgies, 2008. 
5. NB: In the above mentioned news article, Msgr. Marini explained that the decision by the Pope "aims to highlight the force of the valid norm for the whole church."
6. For a discussion the changed wording of GIRM 160 please see: Father Z - GIRM 160 (2011 ed.)
7. The progression of language in the GIRM, and the various developments in acceptence regarding these practices show a tension between D.C. and Rome regarding both tongue and kneeling reception. At one point denial of Communion occurred for many attempting to receive while kneeling. The fact that it is considered an 'exemption' comes from Msgr. Marini and not myself, see Note [4].

Pope: Churches are meant to be beautiful

AP | BBC

Benedict XVI says that beautiful cathedrals and abbeys are "striking signs" of God's presence on earth, and he is inviting the faithful to share the ideal of those who built them.

"Be attentive in allowing yourselves to be swept up by the beautiful ideal that inspired the builders of cathedrals and abbeys, when they built these striking signs of the presence of God on our earth. May that ideal become yours and may the Holy Spirit, who sees the depth of hearts, inspire you to pray in these places, rendering thanks and interceding for humanity of the third millennium!"

•Link: Zenit

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The Liturgy for What It Is

The Cosmic & Universal Dimension of Liturgy

There has been a lot of talk on some of my favorite Blogs about liturgy and what should and shouldn't occur at Mass. While some may take these postings and statements as opinion, I know these bloggers well enough to know that they aren't concerned with their preference for things as much as they are concerned with the Mass and all liturgical celebration being an authentic and orthodox expression of the worship of God.

Scott Hahn in The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth, describes the Mass as such:

"Liturgy is Parousia [Christ's second coming in physical presence], the 'already' entering our 'not yet,' wrote [then] Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. When Jesus comes again at the end of time, He will not have a single drop more glory than He has right now upon the altars and in the tabernacles of our churches. God dwells among mankind, right now, because the Mass is heaven on earth." [1]

Hahn then quotes one of my favorite paragraphs from the Catechism which explains what the Mass IS:

"In the earthly liturgy we share in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle. With all the warriors of the heavenly army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of the saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them..." (No. 1090) [2]

In today's American Catholic Church, we often find a type of presentation or entertainment Liturgy that purports to be the Mass. In actuality, the Mass is something that is received and not something we create or make. We don't get together in parish councils or committees and design a liturgical celebration or create a Mass to be celebrated. The Mass is already something - as Hahn puts it, a little bit of Heaven on earth. This isn't my idea either, this is the Church's and the Pope's. In his book Feast of Faith the Pope, writing then as Cardinal Ratzinger explains these concepts further:

"...it follows that liturgy has a cosmic and universal dimension. The community does not become a community by mutual interaction. It receives its being as a gift from an already existing completeness, totality, and in return gives itself back to this totality... this is why liturgy cannot be "made". This is why it has to be simply received as a given reality and continually revitalized. This is why universality is expressed in a form binding on the whole Church, committed to the local congregation in the form of the "rite". [3]

"...On earth as IT IS in Heaven."

So then, we see that liturgy is something which pre-exists us as a Church or a community. That communities in Christ, or parishes, do not exist because of what they do or their mutual interaction but because of something that already exists: The Eucharist, the True Presence. Ratzinger continues:

As "feast", liturgy goes beyond the realm of what can be made and manipulated; it introduces us to the realm of given, living reality, which communicates itself to us. That is why, at all time and in all religions, the fundamental law of liturgy has been the law of organic growth within the universality of the common tradition... In this sense liturgy has always imposed an obligatory form on the indiviual congregation and the individual celebrant. It is a gurantee, testifying to the fact that something greater is taking place here than can be brought about by any individual community or group of people. [4]

When we discuss the Mass, and liturgy in general, we are talking about something cosmic and fixed. Not fixed as in permanently one way, as some very rigid traditionalists would argue, but fixed in the sense that the Mass always is the same thing, even if organically it grows in some elements. What can never happen to the Mass though, is for a group, community, or congregation to 'make' the Mass their "own" and somehow personalize it to themselves. If they do that, it most likely stops being the Mass and some personal liturgical something-or-other. The Pope continues:

"Christian liturgy is cosmic liturgy, as Saint Paul tells us in the Letter to the Philippians. It must never renounce this dignity, however attractive it may seem to work with small groups and construct homemade liturgies. What is exciting about Christian liturgy is that it lifts us up out of our narrow sphere and lets us share in the truth." [5]

So what we see is that we aren't doing something or creating, but instead receiving. Writing almost 20 years later in The Spirit of the Liturgy, Cardinal Ratzinger explained further what liturgy is in terms of its relation between heaven and earth:

"We do indeed participate in the heavenly liturgy, but this participation is mediated to us through earthly signs, which the Redeemer has shown to us as the place where His reality is to be found. In liturgical celebration there is a kind of turning around of exitus to reditus, of departure to return, of God's descent to our ascent. The liturgy is the means by which earthly time is inserted into the time of Jesus Christ and into its present. It is the turning point in the process of redemption. The Shepherd takes the lost sheep onto his shoulders and carries it home." [6]

The takeaway from all of this is that we shouldn't think that what we do at Mass is somehow creative of the Mass itself. Instead, we are participating in the cosmic liturgy that is already preexisting.  Therefore, things like clapping for human achievement, spontaneous creative elements, and personal subjective alteration of what the Mass is supposed to be doesn't change the Mass, but instead is a misunderstanding of what the liturgy is. For a long time before my reversion, I wanted a more relevant Mass. What I misunderstood was that it wasn't the Mass that was irrelevant to me as a person living in today's world, but instead it was that my thinking was irrelevant to what the Mass is in the cosmic reality of time. The best thing we can do as Catholics is to learn and understand to accept the liturgy for what it is. Then and only then can we fully appreciate, and I would even argue participate, in the Mass in its universal dimension.

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Notes:
[1] Scott Hahn; The Lamb's Supper - The Mass as Heaven on Earth, p. 116.
[2] CCC: 1090
[3] Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger; The Feast of Faith, p. 66.
[4] Ibid, p. 66-67.
[5] Ibid, p. 75.
[6]Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger; The Spirit of the Liturgy, p. 61.

==============================

See generally, other blogs:

The Crescat: "in the end it was the Children's Mass that drove me away"

Ibid: "Catholic Magpies"

Creative Minority Report: "Stop Clapping at Mass"

The Anchoress: "The Applause at Mass has to Stop"

Pope Benedict & Archbishop Dolan on the Today Show

This Thursday the Pope and Archbishop Dolan will be featured on the Today show, with Matt Lauer reporting from the Vatican. Here is more from <blech> the HuffPost:

In its first visit to the papal state since the death of Pope John Paul II, NBC’s "Today" show will broadcast live from Vatican City on Thursday in an hour-long show that will include behind-the-scenes footage of Pope Benedict XVI and a wide-ranging interview with New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan.

The show, which is being taped Wednesday and Thursday at the Vatican, comes on the heels of the the first meeting of a new Vatican council to promote the church in the face of rising secularism in the West.

A "Today" show producer said the archbishop, who is also the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, will discuss topics including the church’s sexual abuse scandals, the decline in church attendance in Europe, changes in church demographics in the United States, his journey to priesthood and his time as a Roman Catholic university professor in Rome in the 1990s.

How come I just found out that this was going to happen this week? Was it just announced? Not only that but I found out via the HuffPost.

Seriously... Catholic Blogosphere you dropped the ball on this one. Oh wait. Hehe, I guess that's me!

This is a cool thing. Say what you will about Lauer or the Today show, as long as it isn't a hit piece this helps Catholicism and the Holy Father. What is odd though is that it is this THURSDAY, Ascension Thursday, in Rome. I guess moving feast days around in the U.S. has some advantages, as the report says that they have been trying to do this for a while and this is the first opening in the Archbishops schedule. I can't find a whole lot of mention of this event except on Archbishop Dolan's blog.

I will update further once I can get some more time and information. Until then we will have to deal with the HuffPo article.

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Universæ Ecclesiæ & Alaska

Currently, in the Archdiocese of Anchorage, there exists only one Mass that is celebrated in, what some call, the Tridentine Rite also called the "Extraordinary Form" or "TLM". (It is also sometimes referred to as the 'Latin Mass' but this is confusing as the Ordinary Form or Novus Ordo can also be said in Latin.) This Mass is Friday mornings at 9am in Eagle River at St. Andrew's Church. The celebrant is Father Thomas Brundage. To my knowledge the only Sacrament celebrated in the Tridentine Rite is the Mass. To be clear, the Mass is celebrated in the usus antiquior in a second parish within the Archdiocese.  This Mass is in the Dominican Rite and is celebrated Saturday afternoons at Holy Family Cathedral at 4pm. (It used to be a TLM as well, before switching to the Dominican Rite since the Cathedral is overseen by Dominicans.)

This is something very difficult for someone like me, because I originally come from an area that not only had several TLMs in my Archdiocese, but had daily ones, as well as the opportunity to celebrate all the Sacraments according to the usus antiquior. In fact, my first Child celebrated her first Mass and Baptism in the Extraordinary Form. So being here in Alaska, where I no longer get to attend Mass in that form makes me long for a time when it might be available. Even more difficult is seeing various Sacraments like Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation occur with all sorts of Liturgical abuses and modernist silliness.

Universæ Ecclesiæ

» •••••†••••• «

This Friday though, there may be some hope on the horizon. You see, I know in our area there have been two requests for the Tridentine Mass down on the Kenai. Now, according to the Motu Proprio: Summorum Pontificum, this should be more than enough to get a Mass in the usus antiquior here, but apparently not. So the word coming out of the Vatican today gives some definite hope:

Friday 13 May 2011 the Holy See Press Office will make public the Instruction Universæ Ecclesiæ by the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei about the implementation of the Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" Summorum Pontificum of H. H. Benedict XVI. The Instruction will be published in the afternoon edition of the Osservatore Romano, dated 14 May.

The text of the Instruction - in Latin, Italian, French, English, German, Spanish and Portoguese - will be at the disposal of accredited journalists from 10 a.m. on Friday 13 May, being under embargo until noon. Together with the text of the Instruction, an editorial note will be provided.

From what I have read on other big blogs, especially one fairly well known Priest-Blogger, we should expect to celebrate in a certain manner once this instruction comes out. He explains via picture. I pray that this isn't just wishful thinking. Hopefully this instruction will clear up and strengthen the ability for those desiring access to the Extraordinary Form. If the instruction is as many claim it will be, there will be a call and reason for rejoicing come Friday. As for me, I will save the Veuve Clicquot until I attend a TLM here on the Kenai. When that happens, you can be assured there will be much rejoicing by many.

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Rowan and Joseph make a funny

Found this over at Onward to Holiness, and had to post it. I guess this is one of those ... "I have no original thoughts of my own" days. Oh well, it is funny:

Click to Englarge

Love the smirk. 

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The People at Mass

Pope Benedict XVI, writing as then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, wrote in his seminal book, The Spirit of the Liturgy, this regarding applause:

Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attractiveness fades quickly--it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.

He went on further to say:

Liturgy can only attract people when it looks, not at itself, but at God, when it allows him to enter and act. Then something truly unique happens, beyond competition, and people have a sense that more has taken place than a recreational activity.

So the question becomes why ever would we applause during a Mass? I could even argue against my beloved Pope and say that there could be times, times where we honor God through our cultural norm, the applause. But then I think back to these quotes and wonder if it ever could be appropriate and I think it not to be so. What really solidifies this in my heart is the following regarding our actions at Mass even in the context of proper actions:

Of course, external actions--reading, singing, the bringing up of the gifts--can be distributed in a sensible way. By the same token, participation in the Liturgy of the Word (reading, singing) is to be distinguished from the sacramental celebration proper. We should be clearly aware that external actions are quite secondary here. Doing really must stop when we come to the heart of the matter: the oratio. It must be plainly evident that the oratio is the heart of the matter, but that it is important precisely because it provides a space for the actio of God. Anyone who grasps this will easily see that it is not now a matter of looking at or toward the priest, but of looking together toward the Lord and going out to meet him. The almost theatrical entrance of different players into the liturgy, which is so common today, especially during the Preparation of the Gifts, quite simply misses the point. If the various external actions (as a matter of fact, there are not very many of them, though they are being artificially multiplied) become the essential in the liturgy, if the liturgy degenerates into general activity, then we have radically misunderstood the "theo-drama" of the liturgy and lapsed almost into parody. True liturgical education cannot consist in learning and experimenting with external activities. Instead one must be led toward the essential actio that makes the liturgy what it is, toward the transforming power of God, who wants, through what happens in the liturgy, to transform us and the world. In this respect, liturgical education today, of both priests and laity, is deficient to a deplorable extent. Much remains to be done here.

At Mass this weekend, applause not only "broke out" but was asked for by the priest at 3 or 4 different points in the Mass. On top of that, the Preparation of the Gifts was more of a "Parade of Things" and took quite a while. All done for the sake of making this particular Mass more meaningful than it already was. This to me seems quite paradoxical, at least so far as the meaning that was sought was an internal meaning of those in attendance.

I am fearful that at my parish we have lost the importance of the Mass and as a "community" we have degenerated into an assembly of "believers" that comes together for unity's sake and not for the worship and devotion to God.

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The humble gesture

“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.” – Pope Benedict XVI

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