I know that this is not a political blog, and I am not intending to make it such, but the results of Saturday's primary in South Carolina are definitely worthy of comment in any case, so comment I will.
First, I will state that I am now and have been since day one of this campaign a Mike Huckabee supporter. I am not fanatical about it, and I understand and admit that there are certain positions that he has taken, both now and in the past, that I am not exactly in agreement with. In other words, he is not "perfect" in my eyes. However, unlike some other (influential) conservatives, I am not ignorant enough to let that get in the way of my appreciating that he is the best, most well-rounded, most electable candidate in the field - in either party.
It is that ignorance, that myopic intrasigence, in deadly combination with selective memory and misinterpretation, that has made this fight for the nomination so absurd, and so frustrating. There are many in the media (most notably Rush Limbaugh), in concert with many "conservatives" who have made it their mission in life to aggressively try to discredit and disparage any candidate who does not fit into their contorted concept of what a conservative is. The logic goes like this: Ronald Reagan snd his conservatism made this party and this country great - that is the "Reagan Legacy". ANY candidate who tries to claim the leadership of this party and is not 100% in the "Reagan mold" is not a "true conservative" and will lead therefore lead the party to ruin. Huckabee (and Romney and McCain for that matter) are not "true conservatives" and therefore will bring the party to ruin. Therefore they must be destroyed at all costs. At ALL costs. These people would much rather see another eight years of Clintonia than see Huckabee in the White House.
The main problem in that lies in the premise. The iconic image of Ronald Reagan is a dominating force in conservative politics. In a sense that is a good thing. It helps to remember how yougot where you are. The problem is the Reagan the remember is one who never existed. Yes, he was for smaller government, less taxes, and a dtrong defense - but so are Huckabee and McCain. BUT Reagan was also for a government that works. A government that is on the side of the people - not business interests. The deregulation that was driven through by Reagan was not intended to enrich corporate america, it was meant to (and DID bya and large) enrich the average Joe - The Working Man.
The Working Man has become the forgotten man NOT because of Reagan and his efforts, but because the results of those efforts were co-opted by the spawn of the old Country Club Republicans. The old stuffy pipe-smoking Republican has been replaced by the BlackBerry wielding MBA republican. Fully convinced of his manifest destiny to control and define conservatism - and AMericanism for that matter. The rest of us in the party are looked upon as useful idiots who didn't go to the right schools and dont' "network" with the right people.
How have so many seemingly intelligent people forgotten the one phrase that brought Ronald Reagan to power in 1980:
"Just ask yourself: Are you better off than you were four years ago?"
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
GREENSBORO TLM
Yesterday, January 13, 2008, marked a great day for tradition loving catholics in North Carolina. A 1962 Rite traditional High Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Grace Church. The celebrant was Father Ferguson, for the FSSP, and in attendance (observing from the loft, I think) there the priests of the Diocese of Charlotte who are learing to celebrate the Mass of Blessed John XXIII. The church was filled to capacity, both by traditional-loving catholics from around the state, and by many many local catholics who were interested in the mass. I was there, along with my dear wife and mother-in-law. And it was awesome. Got a bit hot in there at one point and I shed my jacket, but wow. The only downside was that, in my excitement, I left my glasses at home, rendering my new Missal useless (at least to me).
Our local paper, the News & Record, has a large article and a very well done multimedia presentation. Here is some of the article:
Latin Mass fills pews By Nancy McLaughlin
Staff Writer
Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 3:00 am
The pews quickly filled at Our Lady of Grace on Sunday for this special worship service, with many women wearing head scarves for the first time in decades and the priest speaking in Latin, an ancient language not spoken routinely in Catholic congregations since the 1960s.
"It's as if your grandmother celebrated Christmas a certain way and your mother never did it the same way, and this is grandmother's way," said parishioner Janet Morrison, who was wearing a scarf for the first time since 1963, when she was a teenager. "It's bringing something back from my childhood, and it's wonderful."
Latin was the language of the church for centuries, before the Second Vatican Council of leadership suggested the liturgy of the Catholic Church be reformed to increase the participation of the people. Those reforms included a reduction of the number of blessings and prayers that were spoken, the loss of age-old customs and that Mass be celebrated in the common language of the people. More recently, Pope Benedict XVI loosened restrictions of the Latin rite, referred to as the Tridentine Mass, allowing parishes to celebrate in that way if it is the desire of the faithful. Some churches have slowly added Latin Mass as an option. Most remain in English and Spanish.
Fourteen priests from the Diocese of Charlotte, which includes Greensboro, recently studied the rituals of the prayers in Latin with the Rev. Robert Ferguson, who led the Mass at Our Lady of Grace — partly as a demonstration model for them.
Those in the pews came from across the state.
"Some of these people have been waiting for a long time," said Sister Sheila Richardson of Sacred Heart Mission Church in Wadesboro. She traveled the hour and a half drive with eight others. Some of those who showed up at Our Lady of Grace were too young to have witnessed a Mass in Latin, but said they were there to connect with the roots of their faith.
"My father sent me a videotape of a Latin Mass and it was so beautiful," said 32-year-old Jennifer Carter of Huntersville, who only five years ago joined the religion of her father. "The old prayers are so beautiful, so rich."...
To help those in the pews, ushers passed out programs containing the Latin and English versions of the Mass — even instruction on when to stand and when to kneel...
Some things were more familiar for Banks and the others, ranging from contemplative worship to the use of incense as a symbol of prayers wafting to God...
The sacred songs were in Latin but there also was Gregorian chanting.
In the more modern Mass, for example, the altar is placed in a central location in the sanctuary, allowing the priest to face the congregation during Eucharistic prayers. In the Latin Mass, the altar was placed against the wall at the back of the sanctuary, which meant the priest had to have his back to the congregation. [Actually, the original, marble high altar was used. the wooden table altar was nowhere to be seen]
Like those around her, Tina Witt of Charlotte knelt at the altar rail, which symbolized the gate to Heaven, and received communion on the tongue from the priest. Communion is given in many ways using the more modern Mass, including "by hand" to each parishioner.
"This is something we never should have gotten away from," Witt said of the customs surrounding the service.
The complete original article can be seen here.
And if you follow the link, there is a highly impressive multimedia presentation as well.
Deo Gratias!
Our local paper, the News & Record, has a large article and a very well done multimedia presentation. Here is some of the article:
Latin Mass fills pews By Nancy McLaughlin
Staff Writer
Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 3:00 am
The pews quickly filled at Our Lady of Grace on Sunday for this special worship service, with many women wearing head scarves for the first time in decades and the priest speaking in Latin, an ancient language not spoken routinely in Catholic congregations since the 1960s.
"It's as if your grandmother celebrated Christmas a certain way and your mother never did it the same way, and this is grandmother's way," said parishioner Janet Morrison, who was wearing a scarf for the first time since 1963, when she was a teenager. "It's bringing something back from my childhood, and it's wonderful."
Latin was the language of the church for centuries, before the Second Vatican Council of leadership suggested the liturgy of the Catholic Church be reformed to increase the participation of the people. Those reforms included a reduction of the number of blessings and prayers that were spoken, the loss of age-old customs and that Mass be celebrated in the common language of the people. More recently, Pope Benedict XVI loosened restrictions of the Latin rite, referred to as the Tridentine Mass, allowing parishes to celebrate in that way if it is the desire of the faithful. Some churches have slowly added Latin Mass as an option. Most remain in English and Spanish.
Fourteen priests from the Diocese of Charlotte, which includes Greensboro, recently studied the rituals of the prayers in Latin with the Rev. Robert Ferguson, who led the Mass at Our Lady of Grace — partly as a demonstration model for them.
Those in the pews came from across the state.
"Some of these people have been waiting for a long time," said Sister Sheila Richardson of Sacred Heart Mission Church in Wadesboro. She traveled the hour and a half drive with eight others. Some of those who showed up at Our Lady of Grace were too young to have witnessed a Mass in Latin, but said they were there to connect with the roots of their faith.
"My father sent me a videotape of a Latin Mass and it was so beautiful," said 32-year-old Jennifer Carter of Huntersville, who only five years ago joined the religion of her father. "The old prayers are so beautiful, so rich."...
To help those in the pews, ushers passed out programs containing the Latin and English versions of the Mass — even instruction on when to stand and when to kneel...
Some things were more familiar for Banks and the others, ranging from contemplative worship to the use of incense as a symbol of prayers wafting to God...
The sacred songs were in Latin but there also was Gregorian chanting.
In the more modern Mass, for example, the altar is placed in a central location in the sanctuary, allowing the priest to face the congregation during Eucharistic prayers. In the Latin Mass, the altar was placed against the wall at the back of the sanctuary, which meant the priest had to have his back to the congregation. [Actually, the original, marble high altar was used. the wooden table altar was nowhere to be seen]
Like those around her, Tina Witt of Charlotte knelt at the altar rail, which symbolized the gate to Heaven, and received communion on the tongue from the priest. Communion is given in many ways using the more modern Mass, including "by hand" to each parishioner.
"This is something we never should have gotten away from," Witt said of the customs surrounding the service.
The complete original article can be seen here.
And if you follow the link, there is a highly impressive multimedia presentation as well.
Deo Gratias!
Friday, December 21, 2007
BREAKING NEWS: TLM COMING TO CHARLOTTE DIOCESE
© The Catholic News & Herald, Dec. 21, 2007
Traditional celebration Extraordinary form of Mass to be offered in diocese by KAREN A. EVANS staff writer
CHARLOTTE — Older Catholics wanting to re-experience the Catholic Mass as they remember it pre-1962, or young people curious about the “old Mass” will soon be able to attend such Masses in various churches throughout the Diocese of Charlotte.
In July 2007, in the long-awaited and much-debated document ‘Summorum Pontificum,’ the pope relaxed restrictions on the use of the Latin-language liturgy that predates the Second Vatican Council.
The pope said that Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal should be made available in every church where groups of the faithful desire it. The Mass from the Roman Missal, in use since 1970, remains the ordinary form of the Mass, while celebration according to the 1962 missal is the extraordinary form.
“The main benefit of Pope Benedict’s document is two-fold,” Bishop Peter J. Jugis said. “It recognizes the beauty and legitimacy of the extraordinary form of the Mass and promotes the unity of the faithful because, as Pope Benedict has noted, there are people devoted to this form of the Mass.”
“Both forms of the Mass are legitimate means of worship; we don’t want to hurt or leave people behind because of their devotion to earlier liturgical forms,” said Bishop Jugis.
“We’ve had a good response from our priests wanting to celebrate using the 1962 missal,” said Bishop Jugis. “However, many of them need to learn the rubrics and details of the 1962 missal.”
Therefore, 14 priests from the Diocese of Charlotte participated in a five-day training session on the 1962 missal in Hickory Dec 17-21. They studied the rituals of the missal and the prayers, which are recited in Latin.
But diocesan priests won’t be the only ones brushing up on their Latin.
“Catechesis will be necessary for parishioners, as well, to fully appreciate the Mass of the 1962 missal,” said Bishop Jugis.
“The major differences between the ordinary and extraordinary forms of the Mass you’ll notice are the priests’ orientation during the liturgy and the use of Latin prayers,” said the bishop.
In the extraordinary form, the priest and the people face the same direction in worship, as the priest leads his flock in prayer.
Prior to the Second Vatican Council, a church’s altar was placed against the wall at the back of the sanctuary. During the consecration of the Eucharist, the priest therefore faced away from the congregation.
The Second Vatican Council decreed that a church’s altar should be placed in a central location in the sanctuary, allowing a priest to face the congregation during the consecration.
Bishop Jugis said that a priest celebrating the extraordinary form of the Mass will now stand in front of the altar, between it and the congregation.
The extraordinary form of the Mass will be offered in certain churches beginning in 2008. Catholics interested in attending a Mass should contact the office of their vicar forane — a priest who coordinates pastoral activities among groups of churches — to find out Mass times and locations.
“It will be up to each individual priest to determine when he is comfortable celebrating the Mass,” Bishop Jugis said.
Since his ordination four years ago, the bishop said he has received letters from all areas of the Diocese of Charlotte requesting the extraordinary form of the Mass. “These are individuals who are grateful that Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged the wider use of the 1962 missal,” he said.
“Going forward, Pope Benedict said we’re not going to leave anyone behind,” the bishop said. “We’re all going forward together.”
Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.
Traditional celebration Extraordinary form of Mass to be offered in diocese by KAREN A. EVANS staff writer
CHARLOTTE — Older Catholics wanting to re-experience the Catholic Mass as they remember it pre-1962, or young people curious about the “old Mass” will soon be able to attend such Masses in various churches throughout the Diocese of Charlotte.
In July 2007, in the long-awaited and much-debated document ‘Summorum Pontificum,’ the pope relaxed restrictions on the use of the Latin-language liturgy that predates the Second Vatican Council.
The pope said that Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal should be made available in every church where groups of the faithful desire it. The Mass from the Roman Missal, in use since 1970, remains the ordinary form of the Mass, while celebration according to the 1962 missal is the extraordinary form.
“The main benefit of Pope Benedict’s document is two-fold,” Bishop Peter J. Jugis said. “It recognizes the beauty and legitimacy of the extraordinary form of the Mass and promotes the unity of the faithful because, as Pope Benedict has noted, there are people devoted to this form of the Mass.”
“Both forms of the Mass are legitimate means of worship; we don’t want to hurt or leave people behind because of their devotion to earlier liturgical forms,” said Bishop Jugis.
“We’ve had a good response from our priests wanting to celebrate using the 1962 missal,” said Bishop Jugis. “However, many of them need to learn the rubrics and details of the 1962 missal.”
Therefore, 14 priests from the Diocese of Charlotte participated in a five-day training session on the 1962 missal in Hickory Dec 17-21. They studied the rituals of the missal and the prayers, which are recited in Latin.
But diocesan priests won’t be the only ones brushing up on their Latin.
“Catechesis will be necessary for parishioners, as well, to fully appreciate the Mass of the 1962 missal,” said Bishop Jugis.
“The major differences between the ordinary and extraordinary forms of the Mass you’ll notice are the priests’ orientation during the liturgy and the use of Latin prayers,” said the bishop.
In the extraordinary form, the priest and the people face the same direction in worship, as the priest leads his flock in prayer.
Prior to the Second Vatican Council, a church’s altar was placed against the wall at the back of the sanctuary. During the consecration of the Eucharist, the priest therefore faced away from the congregation.
The Second Vatican Council decreed that a church’s altar should be placed in a central location in the sanctuary, allowing a priest to face the congregation during the consecration.
Bishop Jugis said that a priest celebrating the extraordinary form of the Mass will now stand in front of the altar, between it and the congregation.
The extraordinary form of the Mass will be offered in certain churches beginning in 2008. Catholics interested in attending a Mass should contact the office of their vicar forane — a priest who coordinates pastoral activities among groups of churches — to find out Mass times and locations.
“It will be up to each individual priest to determine when he is comfortable celebrating the Mass,” Bishop Jugis said.
Since his ordination four years ago, the bishop said he has received letters from all areas of the Diocese of Charlotte requesting the extraordinary form of the Mass. “These are individuals who are grateful that Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged the wider use of the 1962 missal,” he said.
“Going forward, Pope Benedict said we’re not going to leave anyone behind,” the bishop said. “We’re all going forward together.”
Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Ad Orientem Revisited
A few months ago, I posted on the significance of posture in the liturgy. I have been thinking about this more and more and have come to this conclusion.
No Mass can ever be truly moving, truly focused, with a Priest facing the people across a table. Period.
Don't tell me about St. Peters. The table altar there, while having the same effect, is so big, so high, and masses there are such a production, that it doesn't count. That would be like comparing a bottle rocket to the space shuttle.
I have come to this conclusion by watching closely the masses I attend every week. Unlike the horrible liturgies I hear and read about, both of the churches I attend here in Greensboro, Saint Benedict's and Our Lady of Grace, have very traditional, by-the-book masses. No funny stuff, no clapping, dancing, etc. After watching the masses and the celebrants so closely, I conclude that these (novus ordo) masses are about as proper and reverent as you can get. The celebrants are VERY meticulous and caring and reverent and proper. I have never seen one be more so. As the old beer commercials said - it doesn't get any better than this.
Yet still, the sight of them looking at me across a table makes the whole process seem more like a cafeteria than a mass. It isn't them, it isn't the setting. In fact Saint Benedict's is strikingly beautiful and modest sized, and about 110 years old. And Our lady of Grace is, I sincerely believe, the most architecturally impressive church in the United States. It isn't the congregations, as they are both quiet and reverent.
The inescapable conclusion is that it is the altar. Turn the priest around the way he was for at least a thousand years, and EVERYTHING else will change.
No Mass can ever be truly moving, truly focused, with a Priest facing the people across a table. Period.
Don't tell me about St. Peters. The table altar there, while having the same effect, is so big, so high, and masses there are such a production, that it doesn't count. That would be like comparing a bottle rocket to the space shuttle.
I have come to this conclusion by watching closely the masses I attend every week. Unlike the horrible liturgies I hear and read about, both of the churches I attend here in Greensboro, Saint Benedict's and Our Lady of Grace, have very traditional, by-the-book masses. No funny stuff, no clapping, dancing, etc. After watching the masses and the celebrants so closely, I conclude that these (novus ordo) masses are about as proper and reverent as you can get. The celebrants are VERY meticulous and caring and reverent and proper. I have never seen one be more so. As the old beer commercials said - it doesn't get any better than this.
Yet still, the sight of them looking at me across a table makes the whole process seem more like a cafeteria than a mass. It isn't them, it isn't the setting. In fact Saint Benedict's is strikingly beautiful and modest sized, and about 110 years old. And Our lady of Grace is, I sincerely believe, the most architecturally impressive church in the United States. It isn't the congregations, as they are both quiet and reverent.
The inescapable conclusion is that it is the altar. Turn the priest around the way he was for at least a thousand years, and EVERYTHING else will change.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
A Good One
Several weeks ago, the pastor at my "second" parish began using his "From the Pastor's Desk" column in the Sunday Bulletin to address the issue of reverence at mass and the behavior of the congregation. Not in a chastising or nasty way at all, but in the sense of simply laying out what the proper way to behave. Each week he addresses a different topic.
Amazingly enough (at least to me) it already seems to be working. Last Sunday night, the church filled up more quietly that I ever remember. No chit-chat, no loud greetings, etc. People just filed in, prayed, and waited for mass to start. Now keep in mind that this church is usually reasonably reverent, but this was an improvement over the usual.
It makes me think about catechesis, human nature, and how to progress to ad-orientem and the TLM.
People generally WANT to behave properly. They want to fit in, and they want to understand. If a priest, ANY priest, want to lead his flock toward a more reverent, more traditional mass, given proper instruction, they will follow. Small steps, followed with plenty of guidance, and it can be done. Obviously, this will be a much tougher task in some parishes and places, but still doable. There will be bitchers, of course, but there always are. But most people will go along with it. As evidence of this I look to Father Fox, who has been doing this with his two churches in Ohio, and his gradual progression to a much more traditionally Catholic mass celebration.
I have a feeling that this latest trend that the pastor is taking is just the beginning. I still think it's a shame that the most beautiful church in the South, with the most beautiful high altar in the south, has a table-altar in front, leaving the high altar forlornly in the background. Someday... Someday...
Amazingly enough (at least to me) it already seems to be working. Last Sunday night, the church filled up more quietly that I ever remember. No chit-chat, no loud greetings, etc. People just filed in, prayed, and waited for mass to start. Now keep in mind that this church is usually reasonably reverent, but this was an improvement over the usual.
It makes me think about catechesis, human nature, and how to progress to ad-orientem and the TLM.
People generally WANT to behave properly. They want to fit in, and they want to understand. If a priest, ANY priest, want to lead his flock toward a more reverent, more traditional mass, given proper instruction, they will follow. Small steps, followed with plenty of guidance, and it can be done. Obviously, this will be a much tougher task in some parishes and places, but still doable. There will be bitchers, of course, but there always are. But most people will go along with it. As evidence of this I look to Father Fox, who has been doing this with his two churches in Ohio, and his gradual progression to a much more traditionally Catholic mass celebration.
I have a feeling that this latest trend that the pastor is taking is just the beginning. I still think it's a shame that the most beautiful church in the South, with the most beautiful high altar in the south, has a table-altar in front, leaving the high altar forlornly in the background. Someday... Someday...
Perspective on the Mass
I had an interesting conversation with my sister the other day.
I don't get to talk to her much, and have no idea whether or when she goes to mass. But the other day, I had a conversation with her about the old mass, relating a bit about Summorum Pontificum. And she said something that was so clear, and so to the point, that it should be shared.
She said "You know, people talked about the Latin and not being able to understand. The thing is, we can't really understand what is going on anyway. Who really, really, understands it? It's supposed to be a mystery. So you sat, and you prayed, and the music carried you away."
I was struck by the simple truth and beauty of that statement.
I still am.
I don't get to talk to her much, and have no idea whether or when she goes to mass. But the other day, I had a conversation with her about the old mass, relating a bit about Summorum Pontificum. And she said something that was so clear, and so to the point, that it should be shared.
She said "You know, people talked about the Latin and not being able to understand. The thing is, we can't really understand what is going on anyway. Who really, really, understands it? It's supposed to be a mystery. So you sat, and you prayed, and the music carried you away."
I was struck by the simple truth and beauty of that statement.
I still am.
Up To Speed
It occurs to me looking at my Blog that it has been over a month since I posted anything.
In the intervening weeks much has happened, both at work and at home, which has demanded a lot of time and energy. My wife being quite sick, along with various sick child maladies and demands kind of monopolized my time and energy. Work has been being quite demanding of my time as well. Having lost my assistant I am left doing all of the drafting myself, which, while not difficult, and enjoyable to some extent, is still a time demand.
In addition to the lack of Blogging for the past month, I have also been unable to attend the Mass in the Extraordinary Form which is being said on a pretty regular basis in Winston Salem now. I had it all worked out last Sunday. I was going to get ready while my wife was at mass with our daughter, and leave as soon has they got home. That was not to be, however. While she was at mass (leaving me home with the 1 and 2 year olds) I managed to get myself locked in the garage. I tried for several minutes to dismantle the lock to gain entry, but that was taking some time and frustration. Then, my daughter started called me, worried because she was alone. That was all it took. Two slams of the shoulder, the door frame gave way, and I was in! BUT, that necessitated me taking the nest several hours to try to reconstruct the door frame. Hence the missing of the TLM.
It all worked out okay, though. I went to 7:00 PM mass at Our Lady of Grace, and it was beautiful. Feast of Christ the King! The "Big Six" candles lit on the high altar, the vestments were gorgeous, and there was a matching chalice veil! Praise God! It actually felt like church.
There is more to talk about that has happened in the intervening weeks, but I'll drop it at this right now. The rest of the stuff is more particular, and best covered in individual posts.
In the intervening weeks much has happened, both at work and at home, which has demanded a lot of time and energy. My wife being quite sick, along with various sick child maladies and demands kind of monopolized my time and energy. Work has been being quite demanding of my time as well. Having lost my assistant I am left doing all of the drafting myself, which, while not difficult, and enjoyable to some extent, is still a time demand.
In addition to the lack of Blogging for the past month, I have also been unable to attend the Mass in the Extraordinary Form which is being said on a pretty regular basis in Winston Salem now. I had it all worked out last Sunday. I was going to get ready while my wife was at mass with our daughter, and leave as soon has they got home. That was not to be, however. While she was at mass (leaving me home with the 1 and 2 year olds) I managed to get myself locked in the garage. I tried for several minutes to dismantle the lock to gain entry, but that was taking some time and frustration. Then, my daughter started called me, worried because she was alone. That was all it took. Two slams of the shoulder, the door frame gave way, and I was in! BUT, that necessitated me taking the nest several hours to try to reconstruct the door frame. Hence the missing of the TLM.
It all worked out okay, though. I went to 7:00 PM mass at Our Lady of Grace, and it was beautiful. Feast of Christ the King! The "Big Six" candles lit on the high altar, the vestments were gorgeous, and there was a matching chalice veil! Praise God! It actually felt like church.
There is more to talk about that has happened in the intervening weeks, but I'll drop it at this right now. The rest of the stuff is more particular, and best covered in individual posts.
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