The Remodeling of "L'Osservatore Romano"

"L'Osservatore Romano" Has Been Remodeled. Here Are All of the Changes
More interviews. More space given to women. Non-Catholic contributors. International news, and about the Churches and the religions. Major cultural topics. To prompt thought and discussion even outside of Catholic boundaries.
by Sandro Magister

ROMA, November 29, 2007 – To the cardinals gathered behind closed doors for their consistory with the pope, on Friday, November 23, Vatican secretary of state Tarcisio Bertone recommended one thing above all: that they read "L'Osservatore Romano." And he did the same thing with his fellow diners at a celebratory dinner for one of the new cardinals, the evening of Sunday, November 25....

Gospel for Thursday, 34th Week in Ordinary Time

Old Calendar: St. Saturninus, martyr

From: Luke 21:20-28

Discourse on the Destruction of Jerusalem
and the End of the World (Continuation)

(Jesus said to his disciples), [20] "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. [21] Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it; [22] for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. [23] Alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! For great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people; [24] they shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people; [24] they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

[25] "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, [26] men fainting with fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [27] And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
________________________

Commentary:

20-24. Jesus gives quite a detailed prophecy of the destruction of the Holy City. When the Christians living there saw the armies getting closer, they remembered this prophecy and fled to Transjordan (cf. Eusebius, "Ecclesiastical History," III, 5). Christ had advised them to flee as soon as possible because this is the time when God would punish Jerusalem for its sins, as the Old Testament predicted (Is 5:5-6).

Catholic tradition sees Israel as symbolizing the Church. In fact, in the Book of Revelation the Church triumphant is called the heavenly Jerusalem (cf. Rev 21:2). Therefore, by applying this passage to the Church, the sufferings the Holy City experiences can symbolize the contradictions the pilgrim Church will experience due to the sins of men, for "she herself takes her place among the creatures which groan and travail yet and await the revelation of the children of God" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 48).

24. "The times of the Gentiles" means the period in which the Gentiles, who do not belong to the Jewish people, will become menbers of the new people of God, the Church, until the Jews themselves are converted at the end of the world (cf. Rom 11:11-32).

25-26. Jesus refers to the dramatic changes in natural elements when the world is coming to an end. "The powers of the heavens will be shaken"; that is to say, the whole universe will tremble at the Lord's coming in power and glory.

27-28. Applying to himself the prophecy of Daniel (7:13-14), our Lord speaks of his coming in glory at the end of time. Mankind will see the power and glory of the Son of man, coming to judge the living and the dead. Christ will deliver this judgment in his human capacity. Sacred Scripture describes the solemnity of this event, when the sentence passed on each person in the particular judgment will be confirmed, and God's justice and mercy to men throughout history will shine out for all to see. "It was necessary not only that rewards should await the just and punishments the wicked, in the life to come, but that they should be awarded by a public and general judgment. Thus they will become better known and will be rendered more conspicuous to all, and a tribute of praise will be offered by all to the justice and providence of God" ("St Pius V Catechism", I, 8, 4).

This coming of the Lord is, then, a day of terror for evildoers and of joy for those who have remained faithful. The disciples should hold their heads high because their redemption is at hand. It is the day they will receive their reward. The victory won by Christ on the cross--victory over sin, over the devil and over death--will now be seen clearly, with all its implications. Therefore St Paul recommends that we be "awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Tit 2:13).

"He [Christ] ascended into heaven whence he will come again to judge the living and the dead, each according to his merits. Those who have responded to the love and compassion of God will go into eternal life. Those who have refused them to the end will be consigned to the fire that is never extinguished" (Paul VI, "Creed of the People of God", 12).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Just for Today, November 29

Lord, this is the work of a perfect man, never to let one's mind slacken from attending to heavenly things.
- Bk. III, ch. xxvi.
_____________________

"How do you manage always to be thinking about God?" Sœur Marie du Sacre-Cœur asked her.

"It is natural to think of those one loves; I find no difficulty in doing so."

"Are you then always consciously aware of His presence?"

"Yes; I believe that I have never spent more than three minutes without thinking of Him."
- Sum.
__________________
For a List of Abbreviations, see this post.
Adapted from Just For Today(©1943 Burns & Oates)
Nihil Obstat: Reginaldus Phillips, S.T.L.,Censor deputatus
Imprimatur: Edwardus Myers, Vic. Cap.

Thoughts and Counsels - November 29

The reason why so many souls who apply them­selves to prayer are not inflamed with God's love is, that they neglect to carefully prepare them­selves for it.

- St. Teresa
_________________________
From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)

Meditation for November 29, Useless Worry

I am emotional and events, particularly painful events, create a profound, a prolonged and often a most exaggerated impression on me.

This is true not only in regard to occurrences which have really happened, but also events which perhaps will never occur or which might be remotely possible. I make mountains out of fancies, pic­turing the worst and worrying myself unduly over merely possible evils.

What I lack is a sense of the real, and a deep spirit of faith.

The Sense of the Real: One day a pilgrim met a fearful looking sorcerer; it was the Plague.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to Bagdad to kill five thousand persons."

Some days later the pilgrim met the sorcerer returning from Bagdad.

"But you killed fifty thousand victims!"

"Yes," responded the Plague, laughing. "I only killed five thou­sand of them; the other forty-five thousand died of fear."

Enough troubles come to me. I must not suffer a hundred times in advance from troubles which might happen, the greater number of which never arrive. I will strive to cultivate a deep spirit of faith by calling on the supernatural to correct my excessive appre­hension. It is good if I acquire a just view of things to avoid naivete. I must also learn to practice a joyous spirit of abandon­ment, nothing happens without the permission of God. The Most High protects the lilies of the fields. Am I less in His eyes than a lily of the fields?

I will spend my life in living and not in dying of fear.
_________________
Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)

A St Joseph Radio Catholic Lecture Series Update

Sharing an email with you from St Joseph Radio:

Please join us for these very special talks- Dec 8 & 9.

Our Lady of Guadalupe:
Her Role in Our Lives Today
The words that Our Lady spoke to Saint Juan Diego nearly 500 years ago are meant for us today as well. Come hear the message of truth, hope, love and mercy.

Christmas Miracles: Forgiveness, Apology & Reconciliation
Christmas time is a time for miracles. Make this Christmas a miraculous one for you and your family and friends.

Speaker: John LaBriola
John uses his professional experience as a business consultant and trainer to help Catholics of all ages deepen their love and knowledge of the one, true Church.
He can be heard on St Joseph Radio Presents, a worldwide radio program that helps Catholics spread the truth of the Catholic faith. He is the author of the books: Catholic Truth for Catholic Teens: A Guide to Embracing and Defending Your Faith, Christ Centered Selling: A Scripturally Based Guide to Principled, Profitable Persuasion, and has just completed his third book, Onward Christian Soldier: A Catholic Layman’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare.


Saint Margaret of Scotland: A Saint for Our Times

Speaker: Fr. John Paul Hopping

Fr. John-Paul Hopping received two years of Catholic elementary school education prior to attending public schools through high school and college, earning a degree in Business Administration. He believes this public school exposure gives him the ability to understand “regular” Catholics and converts who did not have
a Catholic education.

He studied at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California, and was ordained in 1985. For 21 years he served as associate pastor in mixed parishes, including one predominately Spanish and another Vietnamese, in the Diocese of Orange, California. He is now associate pastor at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in St. Charles, Missouri.
_______________________________

SATURDAY • DECEMBER 8, 2007 • 9:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.

Holy Mass at 11:30 a.m.

Historic Old St. Ferdinand Shrine • 1 Rue Saint Francois • Florissant, MO

Freewill Donations Appreciated! Reservations required for lunch – please call 636-244-0089

Sponsored by St. Joseph Radio and Friends of the Old St. Ferdinand Shrine
__________________________

John LaBriola will also be speaking at two other locations this weekend:
Saint Alban Roe Church, 2001 Shepard Road, Wildwood, MO: Saturday, December 8 at 7:00 p.m.

Ascension Church, 230 Santa Maria Drive, Chesterfield, MO: Sunday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Three locations – three different talks!

Tune in to St. Joseph Radio Presents live every Saturday at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Shortwave, AM/ FM, Internet and Sirius Satellite Radio

Bishop calls immigration law immoral

Oklahoma's new immigration law is immoral and unjust, Roman Catholic Bishop Edward J. Slattery declared in a pastoral letter made public this week.

It is only the second pastoral letter Slattery has written in his 14 years as bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa.

In it, he said ministry will not be withheld from illegal immigrants.

Slattery said the letter is a teaching document.

"I don't give my personal opinion. You won't find anything in there that is not in Scripture," he said.

"It's not my teaching, it's Christ's teaching, and I'm one with him because I'm one with the pope and the college of bishops worldwide......"

The immigration law, House Bill 1804, which went into effect Nov. 1, makes it a felony to knowingly transport illegal immigrants, creates barriers to hiring them and restricts benefits they can receive from the government.

In the 22-page pastoral letter, Slattery said that since the intention of HB1804 is immoral, its effects will be an intolerable increase in suffering of il legal immigrants, and those who must enforce the law....

Some just can't handle the truth

Instead, they attack the messenger as in this Star Tribune hit piece on Archbishop Nienstedt:

John Nienstedt, Coadjutor Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, has been quoted as saying he believes homosexuality is the result of some kind of childhood trauma. Today, he is inflicting trauma of his own.

That's the opinion of many Catholic friends and relatives of gay and lesbian people in the Twin Cities. They say they have been wounded and angered by comments Nienstedt made about homosexuals in the Nov. 15 edition of The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the archdiocese.

The archbishop teaches courageously what the Church teaches so that men and women might cooperate in God's plan of salvation, yet so many reject the truth, blinded by their own love of sin.

"He's the only archbishop in the country to put this aggressive of a spin on Catholic teaching," says Mary Lynn Murphy of Catholic Rainbow Parents. "We knew he was very conservative, but people had hoped that he wanted to bring people together. Then, right out of the chute, he fired this cannon. It's extreme talk, and it gives license not just to homophobia but even to violence. This bishop says gays are 'evil.'"

Some are incapable of even telling the truth - the archbishop was quite clear in his statements - nowhere did he say that "'gays' were evil." Archbishop Nienstedt said previously:

Those who actively encourage or promote homosexual acts or such activity within a homosexual lifestyle formally cooperate in a grave evil and, if they do so knowingly and willingly, are guilty of mortal sin. They have broken communion with the church and are prohibited from receiving holy Communion until they have had a conversion of heart, expressed sorrow for their action and received sacramental absolution from a priest.

The act itself is a grave evil...But many times, those confused by sin, whose minds and intellects are clouded and darkened by sin, refuse to acknowledge the life preservers being thrown to them in efforts to save them from drowning...

This Sunday, they [homosexuality advocates] plan to hold a 2 p.m. vigil on the steps of the Cathedral of St. Paul to demonstrate against Nienstedt's comments, and to deliver an open letter to the Chancery, across Summit Avenue from the Cathedral.

Let's hope it's not a candlelight vigil...Not only will these people be demonstrating against the archbishop but also against the the natural moral law and Divinely revealed truth. Simply put, their demonstration is an act of rebellion against God, Himself! Homosexual activists wish to impose upon others a reprobate 'belief system' that their sickening acts of depravity are as normal and in accord with the natural law.

"It is a human right to express your sexuality," says Murphy, who met last week with Catholic parents of gays who were in tears over Nienstedt's statements on homosexuality.

One would hope that those tears were being shed for the eternal souls of their children rather than on a misunderstanding of the archbishop's remarks. But, many times, activists fan the flames of dissent and rebellion, while disregarding the truth and working others into a frenzied state.

The reporter, it seems, failed to ask Murphy if it's a "human right" for NAMBLA members and supporters to express their "sexuality." What about criminal pederasts and those priests, teachers, and others who engage in criminal sexual activity? What about all those who enjoy and seek other types of disordered expressions of sexual perversions?

"They are being tormented by a church that is driving a wedge between parent and child," Murphy said. "They believe they are being asked to choose between loving their church and loving their child. And they are furious. For the most prominent religious leader in the state to use that kind of language, well, it brings shame on him."

This woman and others need prayers. It is either ignorance or wilful rejection of the truth which leads them to believe such lies. They are in bondage, slaves to sin, shackled and chained, refusing the truth which will set them free.

Gospel for Wednesday, 34th Week in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 21:12-19

Discourse on the Destruction of Jerusalem
and the End of the World (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples), [12] "But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for My name's sake. [13] This will be a time for you to bear testimony. [14] Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; [15] for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. [16] You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; [17] you will be hated by all for My name's sake. [18] But not a hair of your head will perish. [19] By your endurance you will gain your lives."
________________________

Commentary:

19. Jesus foretells all kinds of persecution. Persecution itself is something inevitable: "all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). His disciples will have need to remember the Lord's warning at the Last Supper: "A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you" (John 15:20). However, these persecutions are part of God's providence: they happen because He lets them happen, which He does in order to draw greater good out of them. Persecution provides Christians with an opportunity to bear witness to Christ; without it the blood of martyrs would not adorn the Church. Moreover, our Lord promises to give special help to those who suffer persecution, and He tells them not to be afraid: He will give them of His own wisdom to enable them to defend themselves; He will not permit a hair of their heads to perish, that is, even apparent misfortune and loss will be for them a beginning of Heaven.

From Jesus' words we can also deduce the obligation of every Christian to be ready to lose life rather than offend God. Only those will attain salvation who persevere until the end in faithfulness to the Lord. The three Synoptic Gospels locate His exhortation to perseverance in this discourse (cf. Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13) and St. Matthew gives it elsewhere (Matthew 10:22) as does St. Peter (1 Peter 5:9)--all of which underlines the importance for every Christian of this warning from our Lord.
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Just for Today, November 28

If thou wilt be exalted in heaven, humble thyself in this world: If thou wilt reign with Me, bear the cross with Me, for none but the servants of the Cross find the way of bliss and of true light.
- Bk. III, ch. lvi.
_________________________

How meek and humble of heart Thou dost appear, my beloved Saviour, when I look upon Thee hidden under the white Host! Thou couldst not stoop lower in order to teach me humility; I, therefore, in return for Thy love will put myself in the last place and share Thy humiliations, that I may have a part with Thee (John xiii, 8) in the kingdom of Heaven.

I beg of Thee to send me a humiliation every time I try to exalt myself above others.

- Pr.
__________________
For a List of Abbreviations, see this post.
Adapted from Just For Today(©1943 Burns & Oates)
Nihil Obstat: Reginaldus Phillips, S.T.L.,Censor deputatus
Imprimatur: Edwardus Myers, Vic. Cap.

Thoughts and Counsels - November 28

We should blush for shame to show so much resentment at what is done or said against us, knowing that so many injuries and affronts have been offered to our Redeemer and the saints.

-St. Teresa
_________________________
From Mary, Help of Christians
Part VI, Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
Compiled by Fr. Bonaventure Hammer, OFM (© 1909, Benziger Brothers)

Meditation for November 28, Living by Faith

If I am afraid sometimes at the thought of events which worry me, or at the prospect of possible physical suffering or failures in my apostolate, I am lacking in faith.

My faith in God is weak. I recite the Credo the same as any­one else, but I am far from giving to the phrases I recite their full implication. Instead of saying "I believe in God," I ought to say, if I were sincere, "I do not believe in God." It is not an absolute certitude with me that God has perfect mastery over individuals and circumstances; I reason about life like those for whom the Lord is not truly the Lord; I neglect to examine the things of earth in the light of eternity.

If I were entirely sincere, could I even say with sincere truth the first words of the Our Father? In affirming that God is our Father, do I not affirm that everything under any circumstances emanates from the all-powerful and paternal goodness of the Most High?

I forget the power of God.

I forget the Fatherhood of God.

That is why I am no longer able to say the Our Father and Credo with perfect sincerity.

Yes, O my God, I wish to be able to say them with my whole soul by exercising all my faith. I have finished judging by appear­ances only. Now the words suffering, trials, difficulties, weariness, death take on a new meaning. All is controlled by Thy Infinite Power. All emanates from Thy Infinite Love.

Shall I fear with a God who is God, with a God who is my Father?
_________________
Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)

Dec 29-Cardinal George at Special Event at the Shrine of Christ the King

As noted at the Institute's Web Site:

On Saturday, Decemer 29th, His Eminence Francis Cardinal George will come to the Shrine of Christ the King to solemnly crown the statue of the Divine Infant King. This crowning will occur during a Solemn High Mass at which His Eminence will assist. The Mass, at 1:30 pm, will be celebrated inside the church building, which is under restoration. All are welcome to attend this moment of grace in the history of our Shrine.

The Press Release from the Institute of Christ the King provides more information:

(Chicago, November 26, 2007) A historic landmark church in Chicago, once on the road to demolition, will be the site of a rare ceremony following Christmas, on December 29th. During the course of a Solemn High Mass in the traditional Latin form, Francis Cardinal George will solemnly crown a statue of the Infant Jesus at the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, formerly known as St. Gelasius Church in south side Woodlawn. The antique wooden sculpture from southern Spain will be the central piece above the future high altar of the church that is now being restored.

The magnificent church building, designed by revivalist architect Henry Schlacks in the 1920s, was the center of much controversy when in 2003 it was slated to be razed but eventually was made a historic landmark of Chicago. Originally known as “St. Clara Carmelite Church,” it had been commissioned by Carmelite Friars of the Old Observance to replace a smaller structure of this parish founded by German immigrants in 1894. The church had the distinction of being the National Shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux, where weekly novena prayers were held beginning on the very day of her canonization in 1925 until the mid 1980s. Vicissitudes affecting the neighborhood, a fire in the 1970s, disrepair and a dwindling congregation eventually led to the church’s closure in 2002.

However, after its near brush with destruction, St. Clara/St. Gelasius Church was given new life when Cardinal George invited the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest to take charge of it. The Institute is a society of priests established in 1990 in Florence, Italy, under the Ecclesia Dei indult.

Priests of the Institute of Christ the King celebrate Mass and all the sacraments according to the 1962 liturgical books -- the traditional form of the Latin Rite recently given new impetus by Pope Benedict XVI in his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. The group’s experience in reforming and restoring church buildings to their former beauty, coupled with the track record of growth in the “Latin Mass” milieu, made the Institute of Christ the King a good fit for the task of transforming the gutted former St. Gelasius into a living church.

Indeed, since the Institute began regularly offering Mass in 2005 at their Chicago location using a provisional chapel in the adjacent rectory, the congregation has increased from not a single person to an ever growing group of faithful, which required that a second Mass be added on Sundays for lack of space. In June 2006, the church received its decree of erection as the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

The Cardinal’s ceremonial crowning of the Infant Jesus during Christmastide this year is of special significance for the church. The first Mass ever offered inside the building was on Christmas 1924, a few years prior to its completion. And 2007 marks the 80th anniversary of the dedication of the church, on May 15, 1927. Those who attend the Solemn High Mass at 1:30 pm on Saturday, December 29th, will be treated to what many describe as the “transcendent beauty” of the Latin Mass, with its ancient prayers chanted in Latin, studied and choreographed movements, moments of silent prayer, incense, traditional vessels and vestments, and timeless music. Members of the Chicago Chorale will sing William Byrd’s four-voice polyphonic setting of the Mass, as well as motets by Tomás Luis de Victoria and Josquin de Près. The Gregorian Chant will be provided by the Shrine’s own schola.

This Christmas season, the ever-growing congregation at the Shrine of Christ the King will be moved from the basement-chapel in the rectory to the historic church when regular Sunday Mass again returns to the once-shuttered building. On Christmas Eve, Mass will be at 11:00 pm. On Christmas Day there will be the traditional “Mass at Dawn” at 8:00 am (Low Mass) and the “Mass during the Day” at 10:00 am (High Mass). For more information call 773-363-7409.

_____________________________

Contact: M. Cristina Borges, Development Director
Tel 773 363 7409
Fax 773 363 7824
cborges [at] institute-christ-king.org

Fear of allowing people to see what abortion really is

Abortion is a reality which is so horrific that words alone can never convey its meaning. [-Priests for Life]

Georgia Cops Impound Anti-Abortion Billboard Truck, Jail Driver
Police action an egregious abuse of power

Atlanta, Georgia – Bob Roethlisberger was arrested and jailed over Thanksgiving weekend in a northern suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, on the charge of “Disorderly Conduct” for driving Operation Rescue’s Truth Truck bearing signs with photos of aborted babies. The Truth Truck was impounded.

Gwinnett County Police Department officers arrested Roethlisberger Saturday after telling him that signage on the Truth Truck was “vulgar and obscene.” Officers ransacked the back of the Truth Truck without a warrant and ordered Roethlisberger to change or remove the signs. When he refused, he was arrested and incarcerated for three days before being released on $1,000 bond.

The Truth Truck was released from impound late Monday, however both the signs and the mounting hardware on the truck were damaged when police forcibly ripped the signs off the sides of the truck. Monetary damage to the property is estimated to be in the thousands of dollars....

The Truth Truck was in Georgia because of a recently introduced Human Life Amendment that is scheduled to be considered by the State Legislature in January. The Truth Truck’s mission was to help draw the attention of Georgians to the reality that abortion brutally takes an innocent human life, and emphasize the need to ban the grisly procedure.

So these Georgia cops abuse their power and authority by infringing on others' First Amendment rights, for starters.

Instead of upholding the law they are sworn to uphold, they break it and in so doing, they deserve to be fired from their jobs, at least for incompetence, and sued for damages and for violating Roethlisberger's civil rights.

Operation Rescue asks:

Please contact the Gwinnett County Police Chief and ask for:
* The immediate dismissal of charges against Roethlisberger
* The immediate reimbursement for damages to the Truth Truck
* An apology

Chief of Police Charles M. Walters
770-513-5000
Charles.Walters@gwinnettcounty.com

Young Catholics Are Leading a Resurgence of the Traditional Mass

Parts of it are 1,500 years old, it's difficult to understand, and it's even more challenging to watch. And it's catching on among young Catholics.

It's the traditional Latin Mass, a formal worship service that is making a comeback after more than 40 years of moldering in the Vatican basement.

In September, Pope Benedict XVI relaxed restrictions on celebrating Latin Mass, frequently called the Tridentine Mass, citing "a new and renewed" interest in the ancient Latin liturgy, especially among younger Catholics.

Spoken or sung entirely in sometimes inaudible Latin by priests who face the altar instead of the congregation, it is a radical departure for most Catholics, who grew up attending a more informal Mass celebrated in their native tongue.

"It's the opposite of the cacophony that comes with the [modern] Mass," said Ken Wolfe, 34, a federal government worker who goes to up to four Latin Masses a week in the Washington area. "There's no guitars and handshaking and breaks in the Mass where people talk to each other. It's a very serious liturgy."

And it is a hit with younger priests and their parishioners....

Beginning Nov 29-Novena to the Immaculate Conception

St. Francis de Sales Oratory
Saint Louis, Missouri 63118
314-771-3100
sfds@institute-christ-king.org

Daily Masses, Sermons and Devotions
------------------------------
Thursday, November 29 7pm:
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Rev. Edward Richard, M.S., Prof. of Moral Theology, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary

Friday, November 30 7pm:
Our Lady of Consolation
Rev. Philip Bené, Judge at the Metropolitan Tribunal, Archdiocese of St. Louis

Saturday, December 1 8am:
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Rev. Joseph Begue C.M., Vincentian Press, Confessor at the Oratory

Sunday, December 2 10am:
First Sunday of Advent
Very Rev. Msgr. Vernon Gardin, Vicar General Archdiocese of St. Louis

Monday, December 3 7pm:
Mother of Divine Shepherd
Rev. Msgr. Theodor Wojcicki, President-Rector, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary

Tuesday, December 4 7pm:
Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Rev. Gregory Lockwood, Lect. of Systematic Theology, Kenrick-Glennon Sem.

Wednesday, December 5 7pm:
The Purity of Our Lady
Rev. Randy Soto, Assoc. Prof. Sacred Scripture, Kennrick-Glennon, Seminary

Thursday December 6 7pm:
The Humility of Our Lady
Rev. Bede Price, O.S.B., Rector-St. Gregory, and St. Augustine Oratory

Friday, December 7 7pm:
Conclusion of the Novena
His Excellency, The Most Rev. Robert Hermann, Auxiliary Bishop in St. Louis
_____________________________
Saturday, December 8
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Patroness of the United States of America

8am: Low Mass
12pm: Solemn High Mass with Procession and Dedication to the Immaculate Conception, followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

6pm: Benediction and Reposition


Confessions daily, 30mins. before all Masses

Cardinal McCarrick's scandal becomes bishops' scandal

From Catholic Insight:

Washington—Theodore Cardinal McCarrick is no longer archbishop of Washington, but even in retirement, he is holding to his position of accommodation with “pro-choice” Catholic politicians. Furthermore, he is always ready and willing to enunciate his views in this regard to the secular media.

In a late October interview with the Associated Press, the Cardinal criticized statements by the Archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond Burke, who stated as long as five years ago that priests should not give Holy Communion to Catholics who publicly support abortion. Recently, Burke repeated this stand with respect to Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, on the grounds that the politician is “a Catholic who has been publicly espousing positions contrary to the moral law and … knows it.”

McCarrick opposes Burke’s position based on a vague rule of his own; namely, “that no elected official will ever perfectly fall in line with every policy position the Church takes” (LifeSiteNews, Oct. 16, 2007). McCarrick mentioned euthanasia and the death penalty. (Editor: The latter indicates his confusion: opposition to the death penalty is a prudential option, not a mandatory teaching of the Church.)...

I don't believe it's as much confusion on the part of the retired (thankfully) cardinal as it is a misguided and seemingly wilful attempt to blur the issues and refuse to abide by the discipline of the Church or the Code of Canon Law.

After all, did not McCarrick withhold (some would say, deliberately) from the body of bishops the contents of Cardinal Ratzinger's memorandum, "Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion - General Principles" when they discussed the issue in Denver in 2004?

An MAHC Update on Cloning and Stem Cell Reseach

From Missourians Against Human Cloning:

...on Saturday, November 17 the UK based Telegraph announced the scientist who cloned Dolly the Sheep was abandoning human cloning research in favor of more promising stem cell research.

This important announcement by Ian Wilmut, one of the most respected pioneers in cloning research, was quickly followed by even more exciting news. On Tuesday, November 20 two teams of researchers, one in Japan and one in Wisconsin, reported success in "reprogramming" ordinary skin cells to take on the pluripotent capabilities of embryonic stem cells. Experts and reporters around the world grappled with the right words to explain such a significant breakthroughs....

This staggering breakthrough was actually reported quite accurately by many media sources. However, the two largest newspapers in Missouri, the Kansas City Star and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch scrambled to minimize the news and reiterate the need to continue human cloning research. Predictably biased editorials appeared over the weekend in both papers. I find it fascinating that the same journalists who have hailed every fantastic claim made by the cloning proponents are now urging caution regarding the prospects of direct reprogramming. And while the Post-Dispatch still used the ridiculously inaccurate term "very early fertilized eggs", the KC Star was forced to finally use the term embryonic stem cell research. It must have nearly choked them.

These lies, decptions and falsehoods should be expected. The public and the citizens of Missouri were deceived by lies and deceptions propagated by the supporters and promoters of Amendment 2. News like this should serve as a death knell to public funding of human cloning and the killing and destruction of innocent human life.

We have much to be thankful for with this exciting scientific breakthrough but our work is far from done. Did the so-called Coalition for Lifesaving Cures herald this newest development which could provide real cures and therapies for those suffering? Nope. In fact, they are going to need our tax dollars now more than ever to pursue their cloning agenda as private research funds will target the more promising reprogramming technology.

This has been one of my longer emails but the ramifications of this breakthrough are so critical. I encourage you to also read the articles posted on our web site for more information. Armed with the facts, I urge you to write letters, hundreds of letters to the editors of every paper in the state (especially the STL Post-Dispatch and the KC Star). I simply cannot think of a better time to show the voters of Missouri why it is imperative to close the cloning loopholes in our constitution. We don't want human cloning, we don't need human cloning and we really don't want to pay for it!

Jaci Winship
Executive Director

Gospel for Tuesday, 34th and Final Week in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 21:5-11

Discourse on the Destruction of Jerusalem and the End of the World
[5] And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, He (Jesus) said, [6] "As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." [7] And they asked Him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?" [8] And He said, "Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. [9] And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once."

[10] Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; [11] there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven."
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Commentary:

5-36. The disciples are in awe of the magnificence of the temple, and Jesus uses the occasion to give a long discourse, known as the "eschatological discourse" because it has to do with the last days of the world. The account given here is very similar to those in the other Synoptic Gospels (cf. Mt 24:1-51; Mk 13:1-37). The discourse deals with three inter-connected subjects--the destruction of Jerusalem (which took place some forty years later), the end of the world, andthe second coming of Christ in glory and majesty. Jesus, who also predicts here the persecution of the Church will experience, exhorts His disciples to be patient, to pray and be watchful.

Our Lord speaks here in the style and language of prophecy, using images taken from the Old Testament; also, in this discourse prophecies which are going to be fulfilled very soon are mixed in with others which have to do with the end of the world. It is not our Lord's intention to satisfy people's curiosity about future events, but to protect them from being discouraged and scandalized about what is going to happen in the days immediately ahead. This explains why He exhorts them: "Take heed that you are not led astray" (v. 8); "do not be tempted" (v. 9); "watch at all times" (v. 34).

8. On hearing that Jerusalem is going to be destroyed, the disciples ask what sign will be given as a warning of these events (vv. 5-7). Jesus answers by telling them "not to be led astray," that is to say, not to expect any warning; not to be misled by false prophets; to stay faithful to Him. These false prophets will come along claiming to be the Messiah ("I am He!"). Our Lord's reply in fact refers to two events which in the Jewish mind were interrelated--the destruction of the Holy City and the end of the world. This is why He goes on to speak of both events and implies that there will be a long gap between the two; the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem are a kind of sign or symbol of the catastrophes which will mark the end of the world.

9-11. Our Lord does not want His disciples to confuse just any catastrophe--famine, earthquake, war--or even persecution with the signals of the end of the world. He exhorts them quite clearly: "Do not be tempted," because although all these has to happen, "the end will not be at once;" in spite of the difficulties of all kinds the Gospel will spread to the ends of the earth. Difficulties should not paralyze the preaching of the faith.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Just for Today, November 27

He that loves God with his whole heart neither fears death, nor punishment, nor judgement, nor hell; because perfect love gives secure access to God.
- Bk. I, ch. xxiv.
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"What would you do if you had to begin your religious life over again?"

"I think I should do just as I have done."

"Then you do not share the feelings of the hermit who said: "No matter how many years I have spent in penance, as long as I have quarter of an hour of life left, and breath in my body, I should be afraid of damnation"?

"No, I do not feel like that, I am too little to be damned; little children do not go to hell."

"You always try to remain as a little child, but tell us how to obtain the spirit of childhood; what does it mean to remain little?"

"It means acknowledging our own nothingness, and looking to God for everything, just as a little child relies entirely on its father. It means not worrying about anything, nor amassing a fortune."

- C.
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For a List of Abbreviations, see this post.
Adapted from Just For Today(©1943 Burns & Oates)
Nihil Obstat: Reginaldus Phillips, S.T.L.,Censor deputatus
Imprimatur: Edwardus Myers, Vic. Cap.