20 August 2007

God has a sense of humor

For so many years, if you tried to protest the innovations in the Mass, you could be severely reprimanded by Sister/Father/Bishop/whoever. "Vatican II required it."

Thanks to the Internet, cellphones with cameras, YouTube, blogs, etc., the truth about what Vatican II did, and did not, teach is out there.

Fr. Martin Fox is one of those serene and sane priests who is taking much of his valuable time to use the Internet as another way to teach.

He writes in his blog, Bonfire of the Vanities:
... this discussion raises a very significant question: have we got Vatican II right? If not, what would a proper celebration of the liturgy, in view of Vatican II, look like?

This really is the question facing us. This is why we’ve had so much activity, in recent years, focused on the Mass: revision in the Missal, revision of the translation, stricter norms from Rome and the bishops, a lot of re-evaluation of music and particular components of the liturgy, a greater emphasis in the seminaries on liturgy, the exhortation we’re studying, and a revival of questions about the old rite, the Mass of Pius V.

And if I haven’t piqued your interest enough already, let me do so with some more surprises, concerning what Mass according to Vatican II might look like:

Ø The Mass does not envision use of hymns as we know them. None.
Ø The Mass can be celebrated legitimately in Latin or the local language (i.e., English for us), but even where the vernacular is used, some Latin is expected.
Ø While communion under both species is encouraged, it is not required, and has some practical difficulties that may make not doing it all the time more appropriate. One of those concerns has to do with over-using "extraordinary ministers of holy communion." I.e., how "extraordinary" is a ministry if it is routine?
Ø There is nothing wrong with the "old" architecture.
Ø While the priest facing the people is a well known change since Vatican II, the Council did not require it nor even mention it! In fact, what happened was that 1964 document, from Rome, proposing implementation steps, merely said the following: "It is better for the main altar to be constructed away from the wall so that one can easily walk around the altar and celebrate facing the people" (Inter Oecumenici, 91).
Father points out to a commenter that this last was not from a document from the Council.

We are blessed to have the right to have reverent worship again ... whether in the ordinary or extraordinary form of the Latin rite.

06 August 2007

POD things

I'm probably the last person in the entire blogosphere to "get" this.

I knew this:

P.O.D. = pious and overly devotional

so what are PODCAzTS, if not something to foster P.O.D. ways? ;)

(Besides his clear thinking and excellent writing, Fr. Z has the most mellifluous voice... I'm a fan - and I usually avoid podcasts, much preferring to read than listen, tyvm.)

01 August 2007

Another new voice in the blogs

The Catholic Bibliophagist (bibliophagist, n.: a devourer of books) has set up shop on Blogger. I feel at home with her already, if only because the picture of her many full bookcases looks oh-so-familiar. However, her place is much tidier than mine, I'm afraid. :)

Alas, my linking to her will do nothing to improve her blog traffic, as my readership has (justly) dwindled to nothing since my dear one came back into my life after a 30-some-odd year absence.

However, while my distraction has been bad for the blog, it's been good for my life in general. I do so much more these days ... take care of myself better ... enjoy life in general. In fact, I'm reading again. In fact, as I type this, I have a stack of books at the end of the computer table, awaiting my attention. Here's a list, in ascending order of size (like I said: stacked), with a few notes about their provenance:

The Imitation of Christ, translated by Ronald Knox. Found at Barnes & Noble and bought with a gift card given to me by my sister for Christmas.

Elizabeth Peters, Guardian of the Horizon, paperback: Amelia Peabody is part of who I am by now, and I love the books. They are good mid-range interesting novels which delight and amuse without wearying.

The Ambassadors and The Aspern Papers and Other Stories, Henry James, in Konemann editions; A Portrait of a Lady is beside the recliner where I sit in the evening and read. All gotten some years ago at Vroman's, the excellent independent bookstore in the area.

Elizabeth Berg, We Are All Welcome Here. Got this at Borders through their three for two summer sale. Rather a remarkable novel... very enjoyable. (It's actually been read and needs to go back on the shelf.)

Picture Maker, Penina Keen Spinka - has a bookmark right in the middle. I must've put it down some months ago and utterly forgotten about it, although I remember the vivid scenes.

Lamb in Love, Carrie Brown. The cover was just so intriguing. Don't know if I'll like the story. From the Book Club, I think.

Hamlet's Dresser, Bob Smith. Same place as the previous - wherever it was.

The Iowa Review, 37/1, Spring 2007.

Glimmer Train Stories, issues 62 and 63.

The Missouri Review, Vol. 30 Number 1 2007.

The Penguin Book of Columnists, edited by Christopher Silvester. Also from Vroman's.

And that's just one miscellaneous stack collected during a puttering-through of the rest of the house the other day.

Like I said, my house isn't as tidy as the new gal's.

I don't have any Harry Potter anything. Completely off the radar so far as I'm concerned. Just not interested.

But then, like I said ... I'm just sort of coming back to myself. I might just buzz thru a H.P. someday, you never know.

Anyway, welcome to the new blogger!

How the Motu Proprio is different from what went before

Jimmy Akin reports on an article with an even-handed take on the Motu Proprio, including mostly accurate descriptions of the extraordinary form of the Latin mass.

Although it has caused a great deal of clucking in the liturgical henhouse, the Motu Proprio is actually a very mild, inoffensive thing. After all, if there is no call for the extraordinary form of the Mass, no priest will have to say it. It doesn't force anybody to do anything!

If the ordinary form of the Mass is what people want, the Motu Proprio will fade into history. No harm, no foul. I can't imagine what some people are so exercised about.

It isn't at all like what happened in the name of "The Spirit of Vatican Two." That was done forcefully and without options.

Of all the articles I've read, this is the one written by someone for whom I'd like to buy a cup of coffee and sit and talk for a while.
In my desire to return to church, I see the Latin Mass as an acceptable solution: With your back to the congregation and speaking in a dead language, you would find it difficult to tell me how to vote. Allow me to experience the joy of communion without the anguish of our modern-day differences. Bring back the Latin, and bring back an embattled believer.
I think maybe Pope Benedict has people like us in his heart.