I myself was actually present at the Mass with the bishop and the girl with the hat, serving at the altar, and visibly cringed at when he place the mitre on the girl's head. Despite his more modern habits (such as when he visited our church we had to remove our temporary altar rail), a ray of hope does seem to shine through, for his homilies, although usually shrouded in roundabout and strange ways of getting to points, are generally underpinned with a more surprisingly forceful calls to stronger faith. I just wish we could see that in other aspects of his work. God bless.
I am sure in his own way he is serious about the Faith, but he is probably the victim of a terrible (mal)formation in seminary and beyond, and he does't seem to see the connection between faith and tradition, between the interior and the "externals."
Apropros bad bishops and a bad Pope: I had a most disconcerting experience this week whilst reading Fr Hardon's Catholic Dictionary. Coming across the entry 'ACCLAMATION', I almost fainted thinking our illustrious Pope might revive the old practice, then remembered he had ready done so by other means.
You're right that the laity have no business governing priests, at least in matters that pertain to priests alone. But in spiritual matters that concern the laity as well such as the liturgy where corrupt priests have done so much harm to all of us the laity need someone or some group to act like the tribune in the Roman Senate who can veto whatever garbage is coming out of your local chancery or the Vatican.
Yes, I tend to agree. But I see this as a manifestation of the baptismal and confirmation characters, of the sensus fidelium, and of the prophetic charism that is at work in the entire body of the faithful. That is, not a special office for some layman (imagine how quickly whacked THAT could become), but just how the laity respond to garbage by rejecting it, protesting it, witholding donations, and the like. Basically, how the trad movement has been operating for 60 years now, and with a bit of success against a very stubborn hierarchy.
You're right. I suppose that you're correct in that ultimately where the laity has the most impact is simply where and when they vote with their feet. That said I do kind of wish sometimes that we had another Charles V who could take his army and sack the Vatican, or at the very least scare the begeezes out of them
Agreed. I have to think that even somebody as worldly to the bone as Louis XIV would have laughed at Paul VI if he tried to disturb the peace of his realm by messing with the Mass
Thank you for yet another marvelous compilation of news and views! The Bridgettines' Little Office of the Holy Ghost reminds us of the Church's traditional devotion to the Holy Ghost, and of the neglect to which the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity is subjected in modern spirituality (even traditional communities nowadays often celebrate Pentecost with a disconcerting lack of emphasis and festal solemnity). In any case, for those who are interested, I wanted to share links to a couple examples of medieval Offices of the Holy Spirit, contained in prayer books intended for the laity:
This one has attractive decorations, and it has a relatively legible script if you want to try to follow the prayers. You might notice, for example, the "emitte spiritum tuum et creabuntur" on fol. 206v.
This one begins with a charming illustration of Pentecost, with Our Lady front and center. The marginal decorations are delightful (and rather strange...), and the script is again relatively legible. It begins with the "Domine labia mea aperies..." and the "Deus in adiutorium meum intende...," then the "Gloria Patri," then the invitatory with the antiphon "Spiritus domini replevit orbem terrarum, venite adoremus, alleluia" and Psalm 94, then the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, then Psalm 1 ("Beatus vir qui non abiit..."), and so forth.
I myself was actually present at the Mass with the bishop and the girl with the hat, serving at the altar, and visibly cringed at when he place the mitre on the girl's head. Despite his more modern habits (such as when he visited our church we had to remove our temporary altar rail), a ray of hope does seem to shine through, for his homilies, although usually shrouded in roundabout and strange ways of getting to points, are generally underpinned with a more surprisingly forceful calls to stronger faith. I just wish we could see that in other aspects of his work. God bless.
Thank you for coming here and leaving a comment!
I am sure in his own way he is serious about the Faith, but he is probably the victim of a terrible (mal)formation in seminary and beyond, and he does't seem to see the connection between faith and tradition, between the interior and the "externals."
Apropros bad bishops and a bad Pope: I had a most disconcerting experience this week whilst reading Fr Hardon's Catholic Dictionary. Coming across the entry 'ACCLAMATION', I almost fainted thinking our illustrious Pope might revive the old practice, then remembered he had ready done so by other means.
You're right that the laity have no business governing priests, at least in matters that pertain to priests alone. But in spiritual matters that concern the laity as well such as the liturgy where corrupt priests have done so much harm to all of us the laity need someone or some group to act like the tribune in the Roman Senate who can veto whatever garbage is coming out of your local chancery or the Vatican.
Yes, I tend to agree. But I see this as a manifestation of the baptismal and confirmation characters, of the sensus fidelium, and of the prophetic charism that is at work in the entire body of the faithful. That is, not a special office for some layman (imagine how quickly whacked THAT could become), but just how the laity respond to garbage by rejecting it, protesting it, witholding donations, and the like. Basically, how the trad movement has been operating for 60 years now, and with a bit of success against a very stubborn hierarchy.
You're right. I suppose that you're correct in that ultimately where the laity has the most impact is simply where and when they vote with their feet. That said I do kind of wish sometimes that we had another Charles V who could take his army and sack the Vatican, or at the very least scare the begeezes out of them
At least until we have a proper "secular arm" again!
It was wonderful when you had emperors who could say to popes: "Clean up your act, or I'll come into Rome and kick butt."
Can you imagine?
Pope Francis wouldn't have lasted a week if we still had Christian kings.
Agreed. I have to think that even somebody as worldly to the bone as Louis XIV would have laughed at Paul VI if he tried to disturb the peace of his realm by messing with the Mass
Thank you for yet another marvelous compilation of news and views! The Bridgettines' Little Office of the Holy Ghost reminds us of the Church's traditional devotion to the Holy Ghost, and of the neglect to which the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity is subjected in modern spirituality (even traditional communities nowadays often celebrate Pentecost with a disconcerting lack of emphasis and festal solemnity). In any case, for those who are interested, I wanted to share links to a couple examples of medieval Offices of the Holy Spirit, contained in prayer books intended for the laity:
https://manuscripts.thewalters.org/viewer.php?id=W.177#page/414/mode/1up
This one has attractive decorations, and it has a relatively legible script if you want to try to follow the prayers. You might notice, for example, the "emitte spiritum tuum et creabuntur" on fol. 206v.
https://manuscripts.thewalters.org/viewer.php?id=W.90#page/273/mode/1up
This one begins with a charming illustration of Pentecost, with Our Lady front and center. The marginal decorations are delightful (and rather strange...), and the script is again relatively legible. It begins with the "Domine labia mea aperies..." and the "Deus in adiutorium meum intende...," then the "Gloria Patri," then the invitatory with the antiphon "Spiritus domini replevit orbem terrarum, venite adoremus, alleluia" and Psalm 94, then the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, then Psalm 1 ("Beatus vir qui non abiit..."), and so forth.
Wonderful! Thank you, Robert, for these links!
I wrote something once at 1P5 called "Did the Church ‘Forget’ the Holy Spirit until the ’60s?"
https://onepeterfive.com/forget-holy-spirit/
If the pointed miter symbolizes the Spirit's tongues of fire maybe she was the one who had it just then.