Friday, July 27, 2007

The week in review (as of Friday, 27 July, 2007).

Feast days of the week 29 July - 4 August, A.D. 2007 (1962 liturgical calendar).
The Sneakers (a Catholic novella in weekly installments.) Chapter 1: Vicki.
The Week in Review: 22-28 July 2007

The Sneakers (a Catholic novella in weekly installments.)

Prologue: The Thrift Store

Chapter 1: Vicki.

Vicki Kelly felt the seconds ticking off as she stared into the tiny plastic well. Slowly the little blue cross on the white background became clearer, brighter. Vicki groaned.

"Charlie." No answer, though she could hear that the TV was on out in the living room. NASCAR. Charlie was asleep on the couch, mouth open. Vicki sat down next to him, clicking the TV off with the remote.

"Charlie." She gently kneaded his belly.

"Huhnnh?"

"Charlie, we need to talk."

"Is it time t' go t' work?" Charlie fumbled around for his watch.

"No. Sweetie, c'mon, set up for a minute. This is important."

Charlie rubbed his eyes, groaned, and sat up. He glanced at the blank TV screen with a quizzical, slightly irritated expression, and then glanced at his watch. He didn't have to go to work for two hours yet.

"OK," he grumped, "I'm up. Now what is it?"

Vicki took one of Charlie's hands in each of hers, held them gently, and looked into his eyes. "Charlie, I'm pregnant."

Charlie was silent, his face a blank.

"Charlie, did you hear me?"

More blank stare. Then his eyes began to focus slightly. "Uh huh. I heard you. Pregnant."

"Yeah. Pregnant."

Charlie's mind seemed to resume functioning. He looked at Vicki. "How do you know?"

"Well," Vicki said shyly, still holding Charlie's hands but staring at her knees, "I was, you know, a little late. So I got one of those drugstore test kits..."

"How good are those things?" Charlie seemed annoyed now, a bit frantic.

"Pretty good, I think," Vicki remained calm. "I mean, if they're positive, I think they're pretty good." Something caught Vicki's eye and she gazed out the window. Snow! It's starting to snow! And it's not even Thanksgiving! Vicki had loved the snow ever since she was a little child, and the first snowfall of the season always excited her. She had grown up in the coastal town of Potter's Cove, Maine, and could remember the days when it had been a hard, somewhat poor working town, it's waterfront littered with dead and dying chicken processing plants and the old Lighthouse Seafood factory. For all of it's decrepit waterfront, though, Potter's Cove was a town of great natural beauty, sloping steeply down to the body of water with the same name, which in turn immediately opened into the Penobscot Bay. About the time she was a teenager, this natural beauty was discovered by wealthy folks from away; magically the old chicken plants disappeared and million dollar homes sprang up in their place, raising property prices and taxes at the same time. Now, like most of the local kids who had entered young adulthood with only a high school diploma and a couple of courses at the community college, Vicki could no longer afford to live in the town of her childhood. So, she lived with her boyfriend Charlie in a dingy duplex a few miles outside of town, up on Route 116. It wasn't so bad; the building was off by itself, with some woods and fields around; now those fields were beginning to have the first tinge of white as the snow came down. Granted, by the time April came around and mud season finally staggered in she was usually a bit tired of snow, but that never detracted from the excitement of the first snowfall of the year. The momentary excitement of this first snowfall, though, was instantly doused by the reality of the positive home pregnancy test, and the look on Charlie's face.

Charlie shook his head like he was being bothered by a fly. "I thought... what about the stupid pill?" Now he was angry.

"The stupid pill didn't work, that's what about the stupid pill. It happens. I didn't forget to take it if that's what you mean!" Vicki was angry now, too. When the test had turned positive, Vicki's first emotion was joy. A baby! But the joy was evanescent; quickly suppressed like the joy about the snow by the immediate realization: Charlie isn't going to like this. Then, there was school to think about. If only we were married, the thought snuck out from somewhere in the back of her head, things would be different. Stupid pill.

"Don't you have to get a blood test or something?" Charlie was talking, and she hadn't even realized it. "Don't they do that at the crisis pregnancy clinic? Isn't that where y' go?"

"I think I just go t' my regular doctor. Charlie, this is new to me. I've never been pregnant before."

Vicki sat on the couch and looked at Charlie. Charlie, sitting on the opposite end, looked back. Here we are, thought Vicki, staring at each other. This could go on for awhile. I can see the gears turning inside his head, but what is he thinking? Vicki felt her stomach churning as conflicting emotions, things she couldn't name, bubbled around in there. She imagined a big pot, a kettle, boiling, bubbling, steaming as different things she could just barely see came to the surface and then dove back down into the roiling stew. One thing kept coming up to the surface time after time, and to it she could give a name. Fear. I'm afraid. Why? Vicki puzzled over this even though she knew she was afraid. It's not like I'm going to die or anything. I'm only a little bit pregnant. Vicki smiled to herself in spite of it all. An absurd situation, and an absurd response. Charlie was still staring at her: he rubbed his chin, and cleared his throat.

"Will he, you know, the doctor, I mean. Will he do, you know... do an abortion?"

Vickie stared at Charlie. "Abortion?"

"Uh, yeah," Charlie became sarcastic. "Y' didn't think we were gonna keep it, did ya?" The sarcasm had turned to incredulity.

Tears were welling in her eyes. "Keep it? I... I don't know. Charlie..." She looked at him like he was a stranger, and suddenly realized that she had never felt so alone.

"Vicki, what are you thinking? You're twenty years old," Charlie was standing now, pacing. "What about school? You're th' one who wants t' go to law school. You can't have a baby and do all that! How're you gonna take care of it?"

"What's this you stuff, buster?" Vicki didn't know if she should cry or scream; she wanted to do both as her world, such as it was, began to unravel. "It's your baby too. It didn't just appear in there, y' know."

Charlie stopped pacing, and pointed a finger at Vicki. "Now you just wait a minute. You're the one who was taking the pills. You're the one who said you wouldn't get pregnant..."

"I never said that!"

"Everybody knows that's why ya take th' stupid birth control pills! T' not get pregnant!" Charlie was pacing again, glowering. Vicki thought smoke was going to come out of his ears. "Look. You have your whole life ahead of you. You can't mess that up with a baby."

A thought hit Vicki like a brick. She glowered back at Charlie. "This is all about you, isn't it? You could care less about me, or the baby. All this whole life ahead of you jazz, it's you you're talking about, not me. You have your whole life ahead of you. Well, buster, is it supposed to be with me, and this baby, or without us? Whadaya say, buddyboy?" Vicki was nearly frantic. Heck with the neighbors. Charlie looked shocked, but then so was Vicki. The thoughts, the words hade come out unexpectedly, without any prior thought on her part. Am I going to keep this baby? How?

Her whole life ahead of her, and at that moment a breath of clarity entered the kaleidoscope of confusion wheeling around in her head. A couple of basic facts stared at her from behind her eyes. First, she'd made a baby with a guy she shacked up with. Second, she'd never even thought about the possibility of getting married, of what they were doing living together, or anything else. She just did it because all her friends were doing it. And finally, now they'd made a baby, and the first thing the creep said was go get an abortion. Yaaah! Vicki jumped up off the couch, tears streaming down her cheeks, and ran out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Charlie could hear her steps as they echoed down the stairwell, and out the front door. Stupid pill.




Next week:
Chapter 3: Stupid pill.



Copyright 2007 Timothy P. Collins
All rights reserved.

Feast days of the week 29 July - 4 August, A.D. 2007 (1962 liturgical calendar).

SECOND PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE EASTER CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION).[1]
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST

Sunday, 29 July, 2007
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"God is our Helper, and He will always come to our aid: He will open the ears of His mercy to our prayers, and will not allow us to be tempted beyond our strength. Let us obey therefore with joy the precepts of the Lord, let us worthily attend the Mysteries of the holy Mass, and partake of the Body of the Lord, the manna of our souls."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 10:6-13.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 19:41-47.

St. Martha, Virgin (III)
"Martha, sister of Mary Magdalen and Lazarus, lived at Bethany a humble active life. She often gave hospitality to our Lord. According to one account they ended their days at Marseilles - St. Lazarus as Bishop, St. Mary Magdalene as anchoress, St. Martha as head of a small community of holy women."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 10:17-18; 11:1-2.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 10:38-42.

SS. Felix, Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrice, Martyrs (Comm.)
"This holy Pope (Felix) opposed the Arians, and was martyred under an heretical Emperor A.D. 492.
SS. Simplicius, Faustinus, and Beatrice their sister, suffered martyrdom at Rome under Diocletian A.D. 302."
Lesson: From the Book of Wisdom, 5:16-20.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 6:17-23.

Monday, 30 July, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 10:6-13.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 19:41-47.

SS. Abdon and Sennen, Martyrs (Comm.)
"Abdon and Sennen, natives of Persia, were arrested and brought to Rome. They suffered martyrdom under Decius A.D. 254."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 6:4-10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 5:1-12.

Tuesday, 31 July, 2007
St. Ignatius of Loyola, Confessor (III)
"Ignatius, courtier and knight, was wounded in the siege of Pamplona. During his long convalescence the reading of the lives of the Saints revealed to him that the Church militant needed and army of glorious soldiers to fight the forces combined against it: Pagans, Mohammedans, Protestants, etc. He founded the Society of Jesus and as the first General of this new spiritual chivalry he moved to the attack under the motto: 'Ad majorem Dei gloriam - To the greater glory of God!' He died with the Holy Name of Jesus on his lips A.D. 1556."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to Timothy, 2:8-10; 3:10-12.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 10:1-9.

Wednesday, 1 August, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 10:6-13.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 19:41-47.

The Holy Machabees, Martyrs (Comm.)
"These seven holy brothers suffered martyrdom under Antiochus in the second century before Christ."

Thursday, 2 August, 2007
St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori, Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church (III)
"This Neopolitan nobleman renounced all earthly things. He established the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) to preach the Gospel to the poor. Illustrious by his preaching and writings, he was made to accept the bishopric of St. Agatha, in Southern Italy. He returned to his Congregation and died A.D. 1787."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to Timothy, 2:1-7.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 19:41-47.

St. Stephen I, Pope, Martyr (Comm.)
"St. Stephen was beheaded by his persecutors towards the end of the Mass he was celebrating, while he sat in his Episcopal chair in the Catacombs A.D. 257."

Friday, 3 August, 2007
First Friday
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 10:6-13.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 19:41-47.

Saturday, 4 August, 2007
First Saturday
St. Dominic, Confessor (III)
"Dominic Guzman, born in Spain, opposed the errors of the Albigenses. He founded the Order of the Friars Preachers, contributing to devotion to the Rosary, saving the Western Church from heresy and anarchy. He died A.D. 1221."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:35-40.

[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)

The Week in Review: 22-28 July 2007


Saturday, July 21, 2007

The Sneakers (A Catholic novella in weekly installments)

Prologue: The Thrift Store.

"Man, it is sum kinda' hot outside," EZ popped the top of his Moxie and chugged half of it down in one long gulp, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand when he was finished.

"Now Ezekiel, don't you be such a slob. Hep me get this stuff up here an' go through it."
Ezekiel's real name was Ezekiel NMI (for No Middle Initial) Zook, but everybody had called him EZ for as long as he could remember, his whole life, probably. Everybody, that is, except his Great Aunt Theodosia, who ran the World Famous Downtown Thrift Shop in Bangor, Maine with an iron hand, employing her nephew to do the heavy work. She called him Ezekiel. EZ hated this. However, even though EZ towered over his great aunt he never, not even once for only an instant, considered asking her not to. Plus, times were a little tough, and Theodosia paid him good gas money to run his truck all over town, picking up stuff for the thrift store. EZ loved driving his truck.
"Aw, c'mon, auntie, it a hunnert degrees outside." EZ began heaving boxes up on the counter while his aunt pulled them open and rapidly began unpacking them.

"Ezekial, it's not that hot. Quit gripin'." Actually, it was in the mid 90's, and the shop, like many older buildings in central Maine, had no air conditioning. However, the really hot weather generally only lasted for a couple of weeks in mid summer, and it always cooled down in the evenings.

"Lotta junk," she mumbled to herself as she screened the contents of the first box. "This is garbage." She tossed a tattered shirt into the waiting trash receptacle without a second glance.

"Laundry." A pile of clothes flew over the old lady's shoulder into a large laundry hamper, saved from the fate of the first shirt.

"Yes'm." EZ nudged a couple of pieces of clothing which had landed on the edge of the hamper with his foot, so that they fell all the way in.

"Kay. That's it for this box." She deftly swiped at the sides of the box with a box cutter, and it collapsed obediently into a flat pile of cardboard. "Recycle." Swish, the stack of flat cardboard slid off the counter apparently of it's own volition into a waiting hand truck. "What'cha got here?" Theodosia gazed at the line of boxes and bins EZ was heaving up off the floor onto the counter. "Pull yoor pants up, Ezekiel Zook!"

EZ snapped to attention, simultaneously pulling his dirty jeans up over his generous belly, and hitching up his thick leather belt with the cowboy hat buckle. They didn't have too many cowboys in Penobscot County, of course, but EZ liked the belt which he'd found in a box he brought to the shop. Besides, it helped with his pants. Those pants, they tended to ride a little low in back when a man was workin' hard. Auntie just didn't understand...

"We need some shoes, we're short on 'em. Gimme a shoe box, Ezekiel."

EZ heaved a bin full of shoes up on the counter, being careful about the arrangement of his clothing.

"Work boots. Good shape, kinda' dirty though..." the old lady looked them over carefully, peering inside and sticking her hand in all the way to the toebox, feeling around with her fingers. She nodded, satisfied. "Steel toe guards. I like that. Laundry." The boots sailed into the hamper on top of the clothes. EZ groaned inwardly, because footwear had to be cleaned off by hand.

"Wingtips?" Theodosia turned the black and white leather shoes round and round, over and over, studying them inside and out. She repeated the interior examination with her fingers, and checked the stiff laces. Then, she took a careful sniff, and made a face. "These things must be fifty years old. Somebody cleanin' th' attic, I suppose."

"They's nice, though, auntie. Put 'em on th' shelf. Sumbody'll want 'em."

Theodosia eyed the shoes doubtfully. "Perhaps. We'll let 'em set up there for awhile an' see what happens."

EZ rooted through the bin. "Look. Here's baby shoes."

"Toddler shoes," Theodosia corrected. "Look, they're little sneakers. Aren't they cute?"

The shoes were little blue cloth sneakers with white soles and broad, flat white cloth laces. Perfectly matched, each sneaker had on it's side over the ankle a little red sailboat in a round white background. They looked as if they had never been worn.

"Practically new. For a little boy. A little baby boy, mebbe a year or so." Theodosia looked the sneakers over carefully, inside and out.

"I wonder why they ended up here," EZ mused. Now, EZ wasn't given to musing in general, but there was something about the little blue sneakers which struck him. Somehow, they seemed like they had a story.

"Y' never know," Theodosia said quietly as she placed the little shoes side by side on the edge of the counter. "Y' just never know."


Next week:
Chapter 1: Vicki.
Copyright 2007 Timothy P. Collins
All rights reserved

A little prayer for Pope Benedict.

Lord God heavenly King,
I pray for Your servant Benedict, Vicar of Christ, head of Your Church,
That he would have the courage, the strength, the wisdom and the will
to begin of the tremendous task of guiding Your Church out of the mire in which she has wallowed these past forty years.
Oh Lord, You alone understand the mystery of our time
but You also know that now, more than ever before,
the world needs to see Your Church,
guiding brightly and clearly
all mankind
to You.
Amen.

Friday, July 20, 2007

The Week in Review: 15-21 July 2007

The Vatican City State Website (via rorate Caeli)

The Summorum Pontificorum Contact Database

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH RESPONSES TO SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE DOCTRINE ON THE CHURCH (In Latin, English, and other languages)

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH COMMENTARY ON THE DOCUMENT "Responses to some questions regarding
certain aspects of the doctrine on the Church"


'Kill the pope!'(WorldNetDaily)
----
Experts: Credit Romney for homosexual marriage (WorldNetDaily)
----
New Birth Control Pill Threatens to Once Again Dupe Women into Abusing Their Bodies, but Fertility Expert Shows it Doesn’t Have to be This Way (via LifeSite)

Highest Court of South Korea: Fetus is "Not A human Person" Until Labor
----
L.A. Archdiocese to Pay $600M to Victims (via Drudge)


Love is never having to say you're sorry...
LA cardinal apologizes to plaintiffs
----

A couple so obsessed with the Internet and video games that they left their babies starving and suffering... (via Drudge)

Feast days of the week 22-28 July, A.D. 2007 (1962 liturgical calendar).

SECOND PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE EASTER CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION).[1]
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST

Sunday, 22 July, 2007
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"We have received the mercy of God and we are children of God, since we may say in all truth: Our Father. God has given us life, therefore we must do His holy Will."
Epistle: Bl. Paul to the Romans, 8:12-17.
Gospel: St. Luke, 16:1-9.

St. Mary Magdalen, Penitent (III)
"St. Mary Magdalen, of Magdala in Galilee, was the sister of St. Martha and St. Lazarus. First a sinner, she was converted by our Lord, who raised Lazarus at her prayer. She stood at the Cross 'till our Lord sent forth His Spirit'. After His Victory, Christ showed Himself to Magdalen and made her His messenger to announce His Resurrection to the Apostles."
Lesson: Canticle of Canticles, 3:2-5; 8:6-7.
Gospel: St. Luke, 7:36-50.

Monday, 23 July, 2007
St. Apollinaris, Bishop, Martyr (III)
"St. Apollinaris, a disciple of St. Peter, came with the latter from Antioch to Rome. He was consecrated Bishop of Ravenna and preached the Gospel of Christ amidst many persecutions, including prison and exile. The Apostle of Ravenna was beaten to death A.D. 79."
Epistle: First Letter of Blessed Peter the Apostle, 5:1-11.
Gospel: St. Luke, 22:24-30.

St. Liborius, Bishop, Confessor (Comm.)
"St. Liborius, a Gaul, was Bishop of Le Mans in France and died A.D. 395."
Lesson: Ecclesiasticus, 44:16-27; 45:3-20.
Gospel: St. Matthew 25:14-23.

Tuesday, 24 July, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: Bl. Paul to the Romans, 8:12-17.
Gospel: St. Luke, 16:1-9.

St. Christina, Virgin, Martyr (Comm.)
"St. Christina of Tuscany was martyred at the age of ten under Diocletian, A.D. 300."

Wednesday, 25 July, 2007
St. James, Apostle (III)
"St. James, called the Greater, preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria and Spain. On his return to Jerusalem, Herod condemned him to death; he was beheaded A.D. 42. His body was conveyed to Compostella in Spain, and is venerated by many pilgrims."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 4:9-15.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 20:17-38.

St. Christopher, Martyr (Comm.)
"The name Christopher means 'Christ-bearer'. He suffered martyrdom at Lycia, in Asia Minor, under Decius A.D. 250."

Thursday, 26 July, 2007
St. Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (III)
"St. Anne, the spouse of Joachim, was the mother of Our Lady and the grandmother of Our Lord. Devotion to St. Anne has increased very much in the whole Church. She is highly venerated as the Patron of Brittany."
Lesson: Proverbs, 31:10-31.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 19:3-12.

Friday, 27 July, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: Bl. Paul to the Romans, 8:12-17.
Gospel: St. Luke, 16:1-9.

St. Pantaleon, Martyr (Comm)
"St. Pantaleon, a medical doctor at Nicomedia, and patron of doctors, was martyred during the persecution of Diocletian A.D. 303."

Saturday, 28 July 2007
Sts. Nazarius & Celsus, Martyrs,
St. Victor I, Pope, Martyr,
St. Innocent I, Pope, Confessor (III)
"Nazarius and his disciple Celcus are two Milanese martyrs. They were beheaded A.D. 67.

St. Victor, successor of St. Eleutherius, was martyred under Septimus Servius A.D. 199.

Having, like his contemporaries St. Jerome and St. Augustine, fought with his pen and his eloquence for the teaching of Christ, St. Innocent, the successor of St. Anastasius, died A.D. 417."
Lesson: Book of Wisdom, 10:17-20.
Gospel: St. Luke, 21:9-19.

[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)

Sunday, July 15, 2007

The Most Necessary Prayers (English and Latin)

The Most Necessary Prayers (English and Latin)[i]

The Sign of the Cross

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Pater noster, qui es in coelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentotianum: sed libera nos a malo. Amen.

The Angelical Salutation (a.k.a. Hail Mary)

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

The Apostle's Creed

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into Hell, the third day He rose again from the dead, He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Credo in Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem coeli et terrae. Et in Jesum Christum, Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum; qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine; passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus: descendit ad infernos; tertia die resurrexit a mortuis: ascendit ad coelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis; inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctum Ecclesiam catholicam, Sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.

The "Gloria Patri"

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R/. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in secula saeculorem. Amen.

The "Confiteor"

I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever a Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed (strike your breast thrice in token of contrition), through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievious fault. Therefore I ask the blessed Mary ever a Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me. Amen.

Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Michaeli Archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistae, sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, omnibus Sanctis, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo et opere, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Michaelem Archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptisam, sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum. Amen.

[i] Prayers and translations are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Feast days of the week 15-21 July, A.D. 2007 (1962 liturgical calendar).

SECOND PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE EASTER CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION).[1]
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST

Sunday, 15 July, 2007
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"Almighty God, through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is Wisdom itself, attracts all souls, for His divine providence is unerring in the ordering of His divine plans. The words of Ps. 46 (Introit) exhort all nations to come and praise their God."
Epistle: Bl. Paul to the Romans, 6:19-23.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 7:15-21.

St. Henry, Emperor, Confessor (III)
"St. Henry, Duke of Bavaria and Emperor of Germany, used his power to extend the kingdom of God. By agreement with his spouse, he preserved virginity in marriage. He died A.D. 1024."
Lesson: Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: St. Luke, 12:35-40.

Monday, 16 July, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: Bl. Paul to the Romans, 6:19-23.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 7:15-21.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Comm.)
"Today are commemorated the favours granted to the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, successors to those early Christians who built a chapel in her honour on Mount Carmel. The institution and habit of the Carmelite Order as now known are due to Our Lady's instructions first to St. Simon Stock and later to Pope Honorius III. She promised special protection in life and after death to all who adopted the Tertiary's rule of life and wore her habit."
Lesson: Ecclesiasticus, 24:23-31.
Gospel: St. Luke, 11:27-28.

Tuesday, 17 July, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: Bl. Paul to the Romans, 6:19-23.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 7:15-21.

St. Alexius, Confessor (Comm.)
"St. Alexius, the son of Senator Euphemian, renounced all earthly things and departed as a pilgrim to Palestine. He returned after seven years and in his father's house was taken for an indigent beggar. There he died unknown, A.D. 404."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to Timothy, 6:6-12.
Gospel: St. Luke, 12:35-40.

Wednesday, 18 July, 2007
St. Camillus de Lellis, Confessor (III)
"Of the noble family of Lellis, St. Camillus, when still a young priest, consecrated his life to the service of the sick, even those stricken with the plague. He founded an Order of Hospitallers which bears his name, and died a victim of his charity A.D. 1614."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. John the Apostle, 3:13-18.
Gospel: St. John, 15:12-16.

St. Symphorosa and her Seven Sons, Martyrs (Comm.)
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, 11:33-39.
Gospel: St. Luke, 12:1-8.

Thursday, 19 July, 2007
St. Vincent de Paul, Confessor (III)
"Leo XIII proclaimed St. Vincent the patron of all charitable associations. He was the founder of the Lazarists or the Priests of the Mission, and of the Sisters of Charity. He died A.D. 1660."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 4:9-14.
Gospel: St. Luke, 12:32-34.

Friday, 20 July, 2007
St. Jerome Aemiliani, Confessor (III)
"St. Jerome, of the noble Venetian family of Emiliani, left everything and became the Father of the orphans and the poor. He founded the Order of Somascha for the education of children. He died a victim of the plague A.D. 1537."
Lesson: Isaias, 58:7-11.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 19:13-21.

St. Margaret, Virgin, Martyr (Comm)
Lesson: Ecclesiasticus, 51:13-17.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 13:44-52.

Saturday, 21 July 2007
St. Laurence of Brindisi, Confessor, Doctor of the Church (III)
"Laurence of Brindisi, a Capuchin friar who for some years ruled his whole Order, acquired great fame for learning and eloquence, and laboured with remarkable success in most parts of Europe preaching to Catholics, to Protestants, and to Jews. When 80,000 Turks invaded Hungary in 1605, he it was who inspired the united Christian armies of 18,000 men to the attack and himself led them to complete victory riding before them bearing a large cross. He died in Lisbon in 1611."
Epistle: Second Letter of Blessed Paul the Apostle to Timothy, 4:1-8.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 5:13-19.

St. Praxedes, Virgin (Comm)
"St. Praxedes, a daughter of the Roman Senator Pudens and a sister of St. Pudentiana, consecrated her virginity to God and distributed all her wealth to the poor. She died A.D. 164."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 7:25-34.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 13:44-52.

[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)

Saturday, July 07, 2007

The Mass of All Time: The Motu Proprio SUMMORUM PONTIFICORUM

Today, 7 July 2007, the long awaited Apostolic Letter SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM of the Supreme Pontiff BENEDICT XVI was given MOTU PROPRIO. The full text is available at here at RORATE CAELI and, following their usual thorough and complete practice, the Papal Explanatory Letter is available here, and a summary of all the RORATE CAELI links is here. I did, however, take the liberty of pasting the text of the Motu Proprio below.

On a personal note, I have prayed for this, and I continue to pray for this. I believe, as I wrote here awhile back, that the Church, in order to find her way out of the desert in which she has found herself, must, first and foremost, return to the Mass of All Time. This Apostolic Letter is not, to borrow a phrase from Winston Churchill, the end of the current troubles, nor is the beginning of the end, but it may be the end of the beginning.

Deo Gratias

TPC


APOSTOLIC LETTER SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM OF THE SUPREME PONTIFFBENEDICT XVI GIVEN MOTU PROPRIO

[INTRODUCTION: Unofficial Vatican Information Service Translation, amended where needed]

It has been the constant concern of the Supreme Pontiffs, and up to the present time, to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy worship to the Divine Majesty, 'to the praise and glory of His name,' and 'to the benefit of all His Holy Church.'

Since time immemorial it has been necessary - as it is also for the future - to maintain the principle according to which 'each particular Church must concur with the universal Church, not only as regards the doctrine of the faith and the sacramental signs, but also as regards the usages universally accepted by uninterrupted apostolic tradition, which must be observed not only to avoid errors but also to transmit the integrity of the faith, because the Church's law of prayer corresponds to her law of faith.' (1)

Among the pontiffs who showed that requisite concern, particularly outstanding is the name of St. Gregory the Great, who made every effort to ensure that the new peoples of Europe received both the Catholic faith and the treasures of worship and culture that had been accumulated by the Romans in preceding centuries. He commanded that the form of the sacred liturgy as celebrated in Rome (concerning both the Sacrifice of Mass and the Divine Office) be conserved. He took great concern to ensure the dissemination of monks and nuns who, following the Rule of St. Benedict, together with the announcement of the Gospel illustrated with their lives the wise provision of their Rule that 'nothing should be placed before the work of God.' In this way the sacred liturgy, celebrated according to the Roman use, enriched not only the faith and piety but also the culture of many peoples. It is known, in fact, that the Latin liturgy of the Church in its various forms, in each century of the Christian era, has been a spur to the spiritual life of many saints, has reinforced many peoples in the virtue of religion and fecundated their piety.

Many other Roman pontiffs, in the course of the centuries, showed particular solicitude in ensuring that the sacred liturgy accomplished this task more effectively. Outstanding among them is St. Pius V who, sustained by great pastoral zeal and following the exhortations of the Council of Trent, renewed the entire liturgy of the Church, oversaw the publication of liturgical books amended and 'renewed in accordance with the norms of the Fathers,' and provided them for the use of the Latin Church.

One of the liturgical books of the Roman rite is the Roman Missal, which developed in the city of Rome and, with the passing of the centuries, little by little took forms very similar to that it has had in recent times.

'It was towards this same goal that succeeding Roman Pontiffs directed their energies during the subsequent centuries in order to ensure that the rites and liturgical books were brought up to date and when necessary clarified. From the beginning of this century they undertook a more general reform.' (2) Thus our predecessors Clement VIII, Urban VIII, St. Pius X (3), Benedict XV, Pius XII and Blessed John XXIII all played a part.

In more recent times, Vatican Council II expressed a desire that the respectful reverence due to divine worship should be renewed and adapted to the needs of our time. Moved by this desire our predecessor, the Supreme Pontiff Paul VI, approved, in 1970, reformed and partly renewed liturgical books for the Latin Church. These, translated into the various languages of the world, were willingly accepted by bishops, priests and faithful. John Paul II amended the third typical edition of the Roman Missal. Thus Roman pontiffs have operated to ensure that 'this kind of liturgical edifice ... should again appear resplendent for its dignity and harmony.' (4)

But in some regions, no small numbers of faithful adhered and continue to adhere with great love and affection to the earlier liturgical forms. These had so deeply marked their culture and their spirit that in 1984 the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, moved by a concern for the pastoral care of these faithful, with the special indult 'Quattuor abhinc anno," issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship, granted permission to use the Roman Missal published by Blessed John XXIII in the year 1962. Later, in the year 1988, John Paul II with the Apostolic Letter given as Motu Proprio, 'Ecclesia Dei,' exhorted bishops to make generous use of this power in favor of all the faithful who so desired.

[ONLY LEGAL ARTICLES OFFICIALLY PROVIDED BY THE HOLY SEE]

Our predecessor John Paul II having already considered the insistent petitions of these faithful, having listened to the views of the Cardinal Fathers of the Consistory of 22 March 2006, having reflected deeply upon all aspects of the question, invoked the Holy Spirit and trusting in the help of God, with these Apostolic Letters We establish the following:

Art. 1

The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the Lex orandi (Law of prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. Nonetheless, the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued by Bl. John XXIII is to be considered as an extraordinary expression of that same Lex orandi, and must be given due honour for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church’s Lex orandi will in no any way lead to a division in the Church’s Lex credendi (Law of belief). They are, in fact two usages of the one Roman rite.

It is, therefore, permissible to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Bl. John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Church. The conditions for the use of this Missal as laid down by earlier documents Quattuor abhinc annis and Ecclesia Dei, are substituted as follows:

Art. 2

In Masses celebrated without the people, each Catholic priest of the Latin rite, whether secular or regular, may use the Roman Missal published by Bl. Pope John XXIII in 1962, or the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970, and may do so on any day with the exception of the Easter Triduum. For such celebrations, with either one Missal or the other, the priest has no need for permission from the Apostolic See or from his Ordinary.

Art. 3

Communities of Institutes of consecrated life and of Societies of apostolic life, of either pontifical or diocesan right, wishing to celebrate Mass in accordance with the edition of the Roman Missal promulgated in 1962, for conventual or “community” celebration in their oratories, may do so. If an individual community or an entire Institute or Society wishes to undertake such celebrations often, habitually or permanently, the decision must be taken by the Superiors Major, in accordance with the law and following their own specific decrees and statutes.

Art. 4

Celebrations of Mass as mentioned above in art. 2 may – observing all the norms of law – also be attended by faithful who, of their own free will, ask to be admitted.

Art. 5

§ 1 In parishes, where there is a stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition, the pastor should willingly accept their requests to celebrate the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962, and ensure that the welfare of these faithful harmonises with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the guidance of the bishop in accordance with canon 392, avoiding discord and favouring the unity of the whole Church.

§ 2 Celebration in accordance with the Missal of Bl. John XXIII may take place on working days; while on Sundays and feast days one such celebration may also be held.

§ 3 For faithful and priests who request it, the pastor should also allow celebrations in this extraordinary form for special circumstances such as marriages, funerals or occasional celebrations, e.g. pilgrimages.

§ 4 Priests who use the Missal of Bl. John XXIII must be qualified to do so [in good standing] and not juridically impeded.

§ 5 In churches that are not parish or conventual churches, it is the duty of the Rector of the church to grant the above permission.

Art. 6

In Masses celebrated in the presence of the people in accordance with the Missal of Bl. John XXIII, the readings may be given in the vernacular, using editions recognised by the Apostolic See.

Art. 7

If a group of lay faithful, as mentioned in art. 5 § 1, has not obtained satisfaction to their requests from the pastor, they should inform the diocesan bishop. The bishop is strongly requested to satisfy their wishes. If he cannot arrange for such celebration to take place, the matter should be referred to the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”.

Art. 8

A bishop who, desirous of satisfying such requests, but who for various reasons is unable to do so, may refer the problem to the Commission “Ecclesia Dei” to obtain counsel and assistance.

Art. 9

§ 1 The pastor, having attentively examined all aspects, may also grant permission to use the earlier ritual for the administration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, Penance, and the Anointing of the Sick, if the good of souls would seem to require it.

§ 2 Ordinaries are given the right to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation using the earlier Roman Pontifical, if the good of souls would seem to require it.

§ 2 Clerics ordained “in sacris constitutis” may use the Roman Breviary promulgated by Bl. John XXIII in 1962.

Art. 10 The ordinary of a particular place, if he feels it appropriate, may erect a personal parish in accordance with can. 518 for celebrations following the ancient form of the Roman rite, or appoint a chaplain, while observing all the norms of law.

Art. 11 The Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei” (5) , erected by John Paul II in 1988, continues to exercise its function. Said Commission will have the form, duties and norms that the Roman Pontiff wishes to assign it.

Art. 12 This Commission, apart from the powers it enjoys, will exercise the authority of the Holy See, supervising the observance and application of these dispositions.

We order that everything We have established with these Apostolic Letters issued as Motu Proprio be considered as “established and decreed”, and to be observed from 14 September of this year, Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, whatever there may be to the contrary.

From Rome, at St. Peter’s, 7 July 2007, third year of Our Pontificate.


General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 3rd ed., 2002, no. 397.
John Paul II, Apostolic Letter "Vicesimus quintus annus," 4 December 1988, 3: AAS 81 (1989), 899.
Ibid.
St. Pius X, Apostolic Letter Motu propio data, "Abhinc duos annos," 23 October 1913: AAS 5 (1913), 449-450; cf John Paul II, Apostolic Letter "Vicesimus quintus annus," no. 3: AAS 81 (1989), 899.
Cf John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Motu proprio data "Ecclesia Dei," 2 July 1988, 6: AAS 80 (1988), 1498.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Feast days of the week 8-14 July, A.D. 2007 (1962 liturgical calendar).

SECOND PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE EASTER CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION).[1]
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST

Sunday, 8 July, 2007
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"Holy Church reminds us today of the effects of the two great Sacraments: Baptism and the Eucharist, which she has conferred at Easter and Pentecost."
Epistle: Bl. Paul to the Romans, 6:3-11.
Gospel: St. Mark, 8:1-9.

St. Elizabeth, Queen, Widow (III)
"The daughter of the King of Aragon and the grandniece of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Elizabeth married Denis, King of Portugal. Becoming a widow, she entered the order of the Poor Clares and died A.D. 1336."
Lesson: Proverbs, 31:10-31.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 13:44-52.

Monday, 9 July, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: Bl. Paul to the Romans, 6:3-11.
Gospel: St. Mark, 8:1-9.

Tuesday, 10 July, 2007
The Seven Holy Brothers, Martyrs
SS. Rufina and Secunda, Virgins, Martyrs (III)
"The seven brothers, sons of St. Felicity, were all martyred on the same day before their mother's eyes, A.D. 150.
The two sisters, Rufina and Secunda, rather than lose their virginity, became martyrs A.D. 257."
Lesson: Proverbs, 31:10-31.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 12:46-50.

Wednesday, 11 July, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Romans, 6:3-11.
Gospel: St. Mark, 8:1-9.

St. Pius I, Pope, Martyr (Comm.)
"This holy Pope ordered that the Feast of Easter should be kept only on a Sunday. He transformed into a Church the house of the converted senator Pudens. He was martyred A.D. 157."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Peter the Apostle, 5:1-4;10-11.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 16:13-19.

Thursday, 12 July, 2007
St. John Gualbert, Abbot (III)
"John Gualbert, a noble military knight, met the murderer of his brother, Hugh, on a Good Friday. He was about to slay him when the assassin begged his pardon for the sake of Christ crucified. Changed by God's grace, he embraced him as a brother in Christ, became a monk, and founded the Congregation of Vallombrosa, affiliated with the order of St. Benedict. He died A.D. 1073."
Lesson: Ecclesiasticus, 45:1-6.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 5:43-48; 6:1-4.

SS. Nabor and Felix, Martyrs (Comm.)
“SS. Nabor and Felix were famous martyrs of Milan under Diocletian A.D. 303.”
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews 10:32-38.
Gospel: St. Luke 12:1-8.

Friday, 13 July, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Romans, 6:3-11.
Gospel: St. Mark, 8:1-9.

Saturday, 14 July 2007
St. Bonaventure, Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church (III)
"St. Bonaventure entered the Franciscan Order. He lectured with immediate and lasting success at the University of Paris, where he was intimately acquainted with St. Thomas Aquinas. Known as the Seraphic Doctor, he became General of the Franciscan Order and Cardinal of Albano. He died A.D. 1274."
Epistle: Second Letter of Blessed Paul the Apostle to Timothy, 4:1-8.
Gospel: St. Matthew, 5:13-19.

[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Resumption of CMW

Well, now that we have moved into our new home and are more or less settled for the next year, I am going to resume CMW in a very limited way, by continuing the Feast Days of the Week posted, as before, on Friday evening or Saturday. I learn something from doing Feast Days, and it helps keep my weak and flagging spirituality alive. It will also help me keep this CMW site alive, in the hope of building and expanding it in the future. For now, though, most of my attention must go towards my studies and CMW shall be kept merely warm, at the back of the stove.

TPC

Notes from the Roman Missal (1962): Season after Pentecost (The Easter Cycle)

SECOND PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE EASTER CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION).[i]

III. SEASON AFTER PENTECOST

"This season begins with the Feast of the Blessed Trinity and is the longest of the Liturgical Year. It may comprise from twenty-four to twenty-eight weeks and differs considerably from the other liturgical seasons.

In the Liturgical Year there is a historical progression, beginning in Advent with the waiting for the coming of the Messias, followed by His birth at Christmas. During the Sundays after Epiphany, the Holy Childhood is commemorated, while during Lent we are reminded of the fasting in the desert and the Passion of Our Lord. The sacred cycle is completed at Eastertide, when we celebrate the Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord and the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles.

In this last part of the ecclesiastical year, the Church, guided by the Holy Ghost, continues the work of the Redemption, realised during the preceding part of the Liturgical year.

'The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind whatsoever I have said to you.'

This last season of the Liturgical Year is filled with feats of major importance: those of the Blessed trinity, Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart, the Assumption and Nativity of Our Lady, All Saints and All Souls."

[i] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)