Wanton Popery!

Laetabundus

2009-12-02T14:14:00.004-06:00

Well, good people, I'm lamenting the fact that it's December already, and that I have an "oral proficiency" exam to take for my French class tomorrow. That sounds stereotypically Frenchie and dirty, but it has to happen.

Today it looks like Mr. Richard Rice published a Gregorian setting of the "long-lost" Sequence of Christmas online: Laetabundus (click here to see the .pdf). Many of you are already aware that by the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, most feast days had great hymns called "sequences" sung in between the Alleluia and the Gospel at Mass. The 1570 Tridentine Missal of Saint Pius V (the foundation of the Tridentine Latin Mass) suppressed all of these for various reasons, except for four which the council fathers believed were the most beautiful and worthy of retaining: the Dies Irae, the Veni Sancte Spiritus, the Victimae Paschali Laudes, and the Lauda Sion.

Laetabundus got the sack, unfortunately.... but it continued to be used in the Dominican Rite for the Third Mass of Christmas (midday), as well as Candlemas. I've also read that it's sometimes used among Anglo-Catholic communities.

There are some interesting arguments as to whether or not the pre-Tridentine sequences can be used in the Ordinary Form Mass in their proper place, but it surely can at least be used as an extra Offertory or Communion hymn at any Mass.

Here's a translation. Lyrics attributed to Saint Bernard of Clairveaux.

Laetabundus exsultet fidelis chorus, alleluia, regem regum intactae profudit thorus, res miranda.		Joyfully the faithful chorus rejoices, alleluia, the King of Kings is brought forth from the womb of the immaculate one, a wondrous thing!
Angelus consilii natus est de virgine, sol de stella, sol occasum nesciens, stella semper rutilans, semper clarans.		The angel of counsel is born of a virgin, sun from a star, sun knowing no setting, star forever shining, forever bright.
Sicut sidus radium, profert virgo filium pari forma: neque sidus radio, neque mater filio, fit corrupta.		As the star its ray, the virgin brings forth the son in like manner: neither star by its ray nor mother by her son is blemished.
Cedrus alta Libani conformatur hysopo valle nostra; verbum mens altissimi, corporari passum est carne sumpta.		The tall cedar of Lebanon is likened to hyssop in our valley; the word, spirit of the most high, underwent incarnation, taking on flesh.
Isaias cecinit, synagoga meminit, numquam tamen desinit esse caeca si non suis vatibus, credat vel gentilibus sibyllinis versibus haec praedicta.		Isaiah sang it, the synagogue remembers, yet will never cease to be blind if it believes not its own prophecies, nor the those of the sayings of the sibyls.
Infelix propera crede vel vetera cur damnaberis, gens misera? Quem docet litera, natum considera; ipsum genuit puerpera. Amen.		Wretched one, believe the ancient truth, why would you be damned, miserable people? Consider the son, whom scripture teaches; the very one the childbearer bore. Amen.

No Internets

2009-11-24T14:38:00.001-06:00

I currently don't have the Internets at home, so I've been delinquent in blogging. Instead of making my planned post on Christmas traditions in France, therefore, I'm going to have to just relate my weird dream from two days ago:

So, in the dream, I was Batman, and the Joker had synthesized a nanovirus which caused all ants to grow five times their original size. Just imagine the havoc it would cause if your ants were bigger than your dog! At any rate, I defeated the Joker, created the antidote, and in return for my services, I was elected by popular acclaim as Archbishop of Gotham City (yes, early medieval-style). The Pope confirmed my election and I was installed in Gotham Cathedral with my episcopal vestments and pallium right over my Batman cape and cowl. It was delightfully absurd.

Thought for the day: Communion in both kinds

2009-11-16T20:41:00.003-06:00

You know, I've never really seen a convincing argument made by traditional Catholics against Communion in both kinds. Ever. I mean, aside from the obvious fact that it's not currently permitted by the rubrics of the EF Mass, but in terms of other forms or rites, or as an idea that could be re-introduced into the EF Mass, I just haven't heard one.

Possible argument 1.) Communion in both kinds needs EMHC's (that is, lay Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion).

Answer.) There is really no correlation between the two. The Chalice can easily be administered by another priest, or even better, a deacon. The deacon has historically been considered the guardian of the Chalice and has a special symbolic relationship to it.

The method of intinction (that is, dipping the Host into the Precious Blood) is one way of further simplifying things. The picture I posted above is of an intinction set, a sort of ciborium which has a mini-Chalice in the center for holding small amounts of the Blood. Thus you only need one sacred minister to administer both kinds. Intinction also appears to be the way Christ fed Judas at the Last Supper in the gospel.

Possible argument 2.) Communion in both kinds runs the risk of spilling the Precious Blood.

Answer.) There is a small risk, yes. But there is also a risk of dropping the Host. The Church, at this point in time, has decided that the risk is acceptable in order to bring the Sacrament to the people. But before the reform of Saint Pius X in 1903, it was typical for the faithful to only receive the Host once a year, during the Easter season. I'd say that if the risk of dropping or spilling is that much of a concern, it would be best to discontinue the people's Communion altogether.

Possible argument 3.) There's no point, since the Host is just as much the Body and Blood of Christ as the Chalice.

Answer.) That is true. But if there is "no point", then there was no point for Christ to institute two species in the first place. Yet the priest is required to consume both. In truth, Catholics aren't called to think about what's "needed" in the liturgy, as if it were an act of utilitarian worship. Catholics should always keep in mind what's ideal. This is why it can be definitively said that the solemn Mass is superior to the low Mass, even though both validly fulfill the Sunday obligation. In the same way, receiving Communion in both kinds is a fuller expression of the sacrament than one.

My birthday present to myself...

2009-11-12T20:58:00.003-06:00

... was this massive remodeling of my room at home. I had in mind to remake it in the style of a medieval Gothic painted church, but it arguably ended up more like a French whorehouse. Well, you live and learn.

Here's the guided tour.

What you see when you first walk in:

Next to the foot of the bed is my personal altar, which conveniently faces East. The frontal was made with vestment fabric that I cut up and sewed various things onto. To be honest, this red/black Normandy cross combo is probably not used by any Catholic clergy out there (maybe it goes on some Protestant "bishop's" cassock), but it looks cool.

The phrase is my personal motto, which means "the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up".

This was before I pinned the super-frontal, but it shows the framed picture of the murder of Saint Thomas Becket to the right.

Directly above the bookstand is a print of Saint Thomas More by Hans Holbein, and the right of him is the legendary sword Narsil, shattered by Sauron until it was reforged by Aragorn.

I hung a dungeon-ish lamp above the lightswitch, but it's pretty easy for people to hit their heads on it. I have to fix about 132 more fleur-de-lis plaster moldings to cover the entire ceiling. I can only cast maybe 2 per hour. Argh.

Also note the Rev. Father Donald Kloster having marked the blessing of the "three kings" (Kaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar) over the door.

The very mundane doors for the closet have been replaced by sliding mirrors, to make the room appear much bigger than it really is. It's also handy for shaving and dressing.

My Norman coasters, incense burner, and handy books for schola practice which immediately preceded this photo.

A friend of mine's brother-in-law made this sweet Victorianesque frame and pedestal for my computer monitor. The lamp is supported by the "Three Knights of Courage".

Another view of the monitor.

Fromt he back, you can see the cross and grille, in the event that I ever turn the monitor versus populum.

I would be remiss if I didn't explain this grandiose oil painting of yours truly. I got a photo of myself taken, then emailed it to a company in China to turn it into a giant painting. The frame actually cost more than the painting itself.

This is probably a better view of the painting.

I purchased another picture, which I'm still trying to figure out how to hang, of Dicksee's "The Two Crowns". It features a medieval king processing in glory with women adoring him all around, but in the corner of his eye he sees another King with a crown, suspended on the cross. A good reminder of how all worldly glory passes.

A picture from my birthday party, including my faithful hound, Lord Snugglesworth.

This last photo wraps up today's presentation. Happy birthday, me.

After-action review: the White Mass

2009-11-07T21:11:00.002-06:00

Today marked several "firsts" for the schola. It was the first time we sang at the cathedral; the first time we sang at a Mass with the archbishop; and the first time we sang on live TV! Hopefully this'll be a great boon for the great chant crusade here in SA-town.

Some quick thoughts on today's liturgy:

-The best thing about Mass with the archbishop is Archbishop Gomez himself. He's pretty straightforward and by-the-book. I've actually attended Mass at my parish where he's celebrated the OF entirely in Latin.

-The liturgy planning committee gave the schola a fairly wide latitude as far as what we could or couldn't sing. The two big restrictions were that we had to use a cheesy vernacular Ordinary setting, and use a Responsorial Psalm. Otherwise, we sang full Gregorian Propers, plus the solemn tone of the Salve Regina as a Communion hymn.

-Unfortunately, it seems the cathedral ceremonies are very poorly planned. There was apparently a shortage of servers (how is that even possible for a cathedral church?), so incense was omitted at the last minute.... even though there was a deacon and three concelebrants.

-The worst mistake was that as soon as the processional hymn was done, His Grace began with "In the name of the Father..." before we could start the Introit; therefore, we had to just skip it. If it was an ordinary priest celebrating, I would have suggested to the schola that we just start singing, anyway.... but cutting the Archbishop off mid-sentence is surely a recipe for disaster, plus I'm sure it was just an accident. Next time we sing at the cathedral, I think I'm going to strongly recommend that there be no processional hymn, and that the schola just start with the Introit as the ministers process down the nave, medieval-style.

Nevertheless, today was a great victory for the liturgical movement and, I dare say, Our Lord Himself. May we continue to sing His praises in a manner which pleases Him the most.

On a side note, does anyone else think that San Fernando's stained glass windows are too small? The one above the altar is a pathetic excuse for a rose window, if you ask me. I know it's the thought that counts and all, but come on....

Apparently I still have readers

2009-11-04T17:39:00.003-06:00

I was just getting out of the FastFrame custom framing store near Northwoods Theater when a kind lady who introduced herself as "Mrs. Thrillkill" (I'm sure I misspelled the name, but it sounds exactly like that) just randomly asked me, "are you the Wanton Papist!?"

The ensuing discussion on the status of Gregorian chant in this city and various other ecclesiastical subjects mentioned on this blog made me late for school, but it's reassuring to know that there are actually people out there reading. So, thanks a lot. For those of you out there who are local, please write to St. Pius X parish in support of the Gregorian chant program.

Also, "Mrs. Thrillkill", I'll teach all your kids how to sing Gregorian chant if you help pay for the picture I needed to get framed but couldn't afford.

Religion in the Golden Age of Piracy

2009-11-02T06:34:00.002-06:00

I was recently reading this essay for someone's senior thesis about the role that religion played among the pirates of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Eyes on God and Gold: The Importance of Religion during the Golden Age of Caribbean Piracy, by Emily Collins.

The following excerpt is based on the memoirs of a Father Pere Labat, a Dominican priest who ministered to pirates:

Labat’s memoirs describe an instance when Captain Daniels and his crew kidnapped and ransomed a group of settlers, including Pere Lucien, a cure of Saints (i.e. a person of spiritual faith). Daniels did not wish harm to his captives. He only ransomed them in order to obtain food for him and his men. Once he obtained food and drink for his vessel, Daniels requested the cure to say Mass for them. The request of Mass alone illustrates Daniels’ religious nature, yet what happened after Mass continues to confirm the importance of Christ to the captain.

If there were more men like Captain Daniels in this world, I'm afraid few priests would be alive today.

Back-to-back holiness

2009-11-02T06:20:00.002-06:00

Yesterday on All Saints, also a Sunday, I got to assist in two back-to-back Masses. I started serving at the chapel Mass with Father Kloster at University Hospital, then drove straight to the Atonement church to begin working on chants for the Mass of All Saints in the evening.

The hospital chapel is, as you might imagine, a bit of a postmodern travesty. But it was a very reverent and humble low Mass; or as low as one can get with the Ordinary Form. It was very strange to see Father Kloster, who up until now I've only seen celebrate the Tridentine/EF Mass (he's one of two priests who regularly says the TLM at St. Pius X parish), say the OF; but it worked out. Somehow he gets away with saying it ad Orientem with a fiddleback chasuble and maniple, and even uses a little Latin here and there. Very cool; though I imagine if someone complained, it's not like anyone could do anything about it. Unfortunately, even as the sole acolyte, I had absolutely nothing to do except bring the cruets for the offertory, lavabo and ablutions. Pretty lame. Hopefully next time I'll have a bell to ring.

Altar cards for the OF? They're here

2009-11-01T05:47:00.002-06:00

Myriad Creative Concepts, a little group which specializes in altar cards, has just announced their newest product: an altar card for the Latin Ordinary Form Mass. Here's the link.

Obviously, there aren't matching framed cards for the Last Gospel and Lavabo like in the Extraordinary Form/Tridentine, though the site is selling a separate laminated card for the mixing of the wine and washing of fingers. I guess this could lay flat on the altar or be held by an acolyte. Though I wonder if it is possible for the priest to habitually pray the Last Gospel as a devotion immediately following the OF Mass, as it was so often done by priests in the era before it was officially codified by Pope Pius V in the Missal of 1570. In the culture of medieval piety, it was popular for the faithful to ask a priest to read the Last Gospel over them as a blessing. Eventually, priests apparently got the idea to knock a lot of birds down with one stone by just reading it over everyone at the conclusion of Mass. There is no reason, then, why priests saying the OF Mass couldn't resume this practice today. And by extension, you could, in fact, see three framed cards resting on the altar during an OF Mass. HMMMM.....

In any case, this is an interesting development, although I'm told that certain churches such as the Brompton Oratory in London have already used altar cards in the OF Mass for a long time. I've also heard that a few were made back when the Novus Ordo was first rolled out in 1970, when certain liturgists were naively under the impression that Latin and ad Orientem were still going to be the norm for the new Mass. LOLZ.

Patronizing the arts

2009-11-01T04:53:00.002-06:00

One of the things I like about my parish church is its role in promoting fine sacred music. Every year, Our Lady of the Atonement has a "music series" typically consisting of several organ recitals, a Service of nine Lessons and Carols, a Palm Sunday concert, an orchestral Requiem, and similar events. I attended an organ recital last Friday evening, featuring a Mr. Clive Driskill-Smith (see his website here). As he explained to me during the reception afterward, he is the "Sub-organist" of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. In reality, this means he actually plays the organ while the official "Organist" directs the choir.

If you look at the banner on top of Christ Church Cathedral's website, you'll notice a coat of arms with a cardinal's galero over it. The shield bears, among other symbols, the rose of Lancaster and the lion of Pope Leo X. This is indeed the coat of arms of Thomas Cardinal Wolsey. He was the founder of the college, centuries ago when it was called "Cardinal College". After his fall from the King's grace, the school's name was changed to King's College, and then Christ Church... but the coat of arms remained. The musical program of the cathedral also operates under the same statutes as it did in Wolsey's time. The first Organist of Christ Church was John Taverner, the most prominent composer in England until Thomas Tallis. And no, I don't know why every guy in Tudor England was named either John or Thomas.

Back to the subject of my parish's music series program, there's a little blurb on one of the pamphlets for the series which says:

"The Church of Our Lady of the Atonement is pleased to announce its Music Series for the coming season. Now in its third year, the Music Series has hosted artists of local, national and international distinction. It represents an important apostolate of Our Lady of the Atonement Church, placing this parish among those religious institutions that, for centuries, have placed the arts under their patronage. The historical linkage between art and religion is unmistakable. It can be found in the paintings of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, and in the music of Palestrina. The rich treasury of sacred music is a witness to the way in which the Chrisian faith promotes culture. It is a reflection of the Church's primary role in preserving and promoting art which lifts the human soul in praise of the Triune God."

I don't know who wrote that, but it's pretty spot-on. I don't know why all parishes don't do the same thing. My only complaint is that I was one of very few people who showed up to this event, who didn't have grey hair. Actually, I have a sneaking suspicion that most people who attend these events are actually elderly members of the surrounding Episcopal churches who naturally have that good old high church Anglican taste, but whose churches have fallen victim to Common Worship or something. That's cool, but I hope it doesn't mean that (non-Anglo-) Catholics are troglodytes.

Joe Pesci: Fidei Defensor

2009-10-28T13:17:00.003-06:00

Pretty darn old news, but I was reading about Joe Pesci recently and saw that after that most unfortunate debacle with Sinead O'Connor having torn up a picture of His Holiness John Paul II on Saturday Night Live way back when, Joe Pesci hosted the very next episode and presented a fixed version of the picture. I guess that makes him a Defender of the Faith.... or at least Papal Champion.

A little blurb on the news from New York Times circa 1992:

Remember that photo of POPE JOHN PAUL II that the singer SINEAD O'CONNOR ripped up on "Saturday Night Live" a week ago? It's back together again, at the request of last Saturday's host, the actor JOE PESCI.

"Sinead O'Connor tore up a picture of the Pope and I thought that was wrong," Mr. Pesci said at the start of the show. He held up the patched-up photo, to the audience's applause.

The singer said she was protesting religious oppression. Mr. Pesci said that if it had been his show, "I would have gave her such a smack."

And of course by the word "smack", Mr. Pesci meant "whack".

And on that subject, surely I'm not the only one who's thought that our current Holy Father, Benedict XVI, looked like Joe Pesci when he was younger?

L is for Labour... L is for Lice

2009-10-28T11:38:00.003-06:00

This little video describes exactly what's wrong with the Labour Party.

Of course, it was most likely intended to be a parody of early 20th century conservative attitudes, but in light of this article I recently came across, there are some real sickos in charge of "Great" Britain's immigration policy.

The UK Telegraph: "Labour wanted mass immigration to make UK more multicultural, says former adviser".

In the words of former Labour policy advisor Andrew Neather:

"I remember coming away from some discussions with the clear sense that the policy was intended – even if this wasn't its main purpose – to rub the Right's nose in diversity and render their arguments out of date."

Norms for guest choirs at St. Peter's Basilica

2009-10-28T11:30:00.002-06:00

Via the New Liturgical Movement blog, I've been made aware of the current standards imposed on guest choirs when singing at Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

If you click here, you can access the document in full.

Many of the points therein, which were unimaginable under the John Paul II reign, are now just common sense; for example, the point which states that "Gregorian chant has first place". It's such a relief to now that that's a no-brainer.

Of particular interest was the list which stipulates which settings of the Ordinary are to be used, based on the season or feast. Most Latin-using churches are only aware of Mass VIII, aka the Missa de Angelis. But it's so sing-songy and late in composition that some argue it's not even real Gregorian chant; it's certainly not medieval in any case.

Sundays of Advent: Missa XVII Credo IV
Sundays of Christmas: Missa IX Credo IV
Sundays of Lent: Missa XVII Credo IV
Sundays of Easter: Missa I Credo III
Sundays of Ordinary Time: Missa XI Credo I
Feasts of Ordinary Time: Missa VIII Credo III
Feasts of the B.V. Mary: Missa IX Credo IV
Feasts of the Apostles: Missa IV Credo III

I really hope my parish implements this for our Latin Mass. I don't know how everyone couldn't be sick of the same old Gloria and Credo every single time. The Vatican Kyriale has 18 or so different options for the former, and 4 for the latter.

A visit to the local Anglo-Catholic church

2009-10-25T23:38:00.002-06:00

With the goal of better understanding the traditional Anglican movements, I visited the local Anglo-Catholic church here in SA-town; a quaint little place called Saint Edward the Confessor "Catholic Church Western Rite" (website here). Don't let the established Internet presence fool you, though. There were about seven people total in the pews this morning. It's an extremely small congregation, about half of which are very elderly women.

This church probably confuses most casual Catholics who happen to pass by and visit, since nowhere on the premises does it actually say "Anglo-Catholic" or anything of the sort. I believe in reality, the church is part of a communion of Western-rite Orthodox bishops. I can't say for sure, though. I noticed a Hispanic couple that came in late (sometime during the homily) and seemed to be confused by the order of Mass, but venerated the statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe afterward and probably assumed it was like any other Catholic church!

One thing I learned today based on this visit is that St. Edward's is a "missal church". In the Anglican world, that means a church which uses a missal (like the Anglican Missal, English Missal or Knott Missal; or even the pre-Reformation Sarum Missal) instead of the Book of Common Prayer or its modern derivatives. From what I could tell, the order of Mass was pretty much exactly like the Tridentine Mass, except in Elizabethan English. Prayers at the foot of the altar, last gospel, and so forth. I couldn't think of any deviations, except that the rector, the Rev. Father Arthur Barrymore, added some general intercessions after the announcements.

I also confirmed that my pastor, the Rev. Father Phillips, was formerly associated with this community before he came all the way to Rome. Therefore, Father Phillips must have had some experience with using this missal and, if the upcoming revisions to the Anglican use's liturgy allow it, we might actually see a "vernacular Tridentine Mass" at Atonement. Just my wild speculation; I meant to ask Father this evening after Mass and forgot. And now that I'm training to serve at the local Tridentine Mass, I might be pretty useful around the parish if a vernacular version of the same comes around.

Father Barrymore was a pleasant old British priest to chat with afterward. He couldn't stop telling me the history of the various church furnishings, most of which were salvaged from the post-Vatican II worldwide wreckovations; including an electric organ from San Fernando Cathedral, and an altar from an Italian convent with the relics of a 5th century or so martyr inside. I hope that he sees how the water's fine and it's quite safe to cross the Tiber.

A Sample chant from His Grace... straight to your heart

2009-10-25T23:36:00.002-06:00

This is a practice recording of an Alleluia chant that struck me as especially medieval and cool, made in my room earlier this morning. It will be used at the upcoming White Mass, which I mentioned in my previous post.

Finally, an update

2009-10-20T09:14:00.002-06:00

Yes, it is finally time for an update!

Here's what's going on in the wide world of James "Harlequin King" Griffin these days, ecclesiastically speaking:

1.) At the parish... My parish (Our Lady of the Atonement) is celebrating the fact that we have a new deacon. The Rev. Mr. Jeffery Moore, who has been a regular lector at the evening Latin Mass I sing at, was ordained to the diaconate last Saturday. As a former Anglican priest, he's on his way to the sacred priesthood in a few months despite being a married Latin-rite Catholic. See Father Phillips' blog.

2.) Also, in Anglican-related news, something quite monumental happened just this morning... see the news article "Pope Benedict approves structure for admitting large groups of Anglicans into Catholic Church". Yep. Now we can see entire Anglican parishes hop across the Tiber and join forces with Rome. Some are speculating Father Phillips could be made the Ordinary of some new cross-country "diocese" for Anglican use parishes, similar to the Diocese of the Armed Forces. Probably not gonna happen, but it would be awesome. Much to his chagrin, I'm sure.

3.) With the Extraordinary Form Mass at St. Pius X... not quite so well at all. Pretty much every attempt at re-establishing a Gregorian schola at this parish has been mercilessly shot down by internal parish politics, namely the fear of certain members of the existing choir that our insistence on a male-only schola will force them out. I could rant about this all day, but I'm sure someone will use it against me, so I won't. I often also complain about how Atonement doesn't use its schola to its full potential (it's been at least a month since we've actually practiced anything that's not for the Mass coming up in less than 40 minutes)... but at least Atonement realizes the benefits of having an all-male schola, and even allows us to wear choir dress (that is, the cassock and surplice).

However, even before I discovered the Atonement church, I discovered the EF Latin Mass back when it was tucked away in that awful little chapel behind the St. Francis nursing home... so I hope I can divide my time to show more devotion for the traditional Mass which I love so much. Today I called in to ask about being an occasional server, first for the low Mass and working my way up from there. Perhaps I can go all the way up to "straw subdeacon", if we ever get solemn high Masses around here.

4.) There's also San Antonio's first-ever "White Mass", a votive Mass for doctors and other healthcare workers. The idea seems to have been based on the traditional Red Mass for the legal community, which has been customary for some 500 years. I've become sort of the de facto music manager; not because I actually have any expertise, but simply because I have more free time to devote to it than anyone else. So, the schola is set to sing four out of five Gregorian Propers, and it'll even be broadcast on CTSA (the local version of EWTN). Unfortunately, the Ordinary is going to be the "Heritage Mass". *groan* I simply couldn't change anyone's minds about that. Right now, I'm also having difficulty finding an organist.

So much to do, so little time to do it.....

Helio Castroneves wins! (for the third time)

2009-05-24T14:45:00.003-06:00

I don't normally watch racing, but I took some time to watch this year's Indianapolis 500 after I decided I wanted to do more than play video games on Memorial Day weekend and read a little bit about its opening ceremonies.

There are a number of patriotic rites that begin the race, including a flyover, a three-volley salute, and renditions of all the big sappy patriotic hymns or anthems out there. It's also worth noting that the invocation is customarily given by the Catholic Archbishop of Indianapolis. The race, therefore, seems to merit a spot on this blog due to its dash of wanton popery!.

I watched the event online on Indycar.com, and it had a neat little system where you can place drivers' cameras side-by-side along with all their statistics. It was much funner than watching it on regular old television. This screenshot is from the final minute or two of the race. I was keeping tabs on Helio Castroneves and Danica Patrick.

GUNS!

2009-05-24T12:33:00.003-06:00

If one possibly needed yet another reason for why Texas is awesome, here:

Houston Chronicle: Texas Senate OK's guns on college campus bill

Excerpt:

AUSTIN — A bill to allow college students and employees to carry their concealed handguns on campus won final passage today on a 19-12 vote in the Senate.
The bill would allow college students who are at least 21 years old and licensed to carry concealed handguns to bring those weapons into state campus buildings. University hospitals and athletic facilities would remain off limits to guns.

It applies to all universities and colleges in the state, but private institutions would be able to opt out.

Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, said he introduced the bill because of the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech, where he said victims were “picked off like sitting ducks.”

“I would feel personally guilty if I woke up one morning and read that something similar had occurred on a Texas campus,” he said.
Read More...

Of course, the bill is not final, but it's cause for hope.

"Two pictures say it all"

2009-05-21T17:54:00.002-06:00

Two interesting images juxtaposed by the author of Voices Carry:

That basically sums up the whole Notre Dame affair. Which medal is more honourable in the long run: the one bearing Notre Dame's emblem, or the jail tag?

Interestingly, according to some reports, Norma McCorvey ("Jane Roe") was one of the 39 pro-life activists arrested on the campus grounds for trespassing.

President Obama's commencement speech.

Nightwish

2009-05-16T16:27:00.003-06:00

It's worth mentioning that last Monday, I was privileged to see one of the most excellent symphonic metal bands EVAR, Nightwish, live in concert. Actually, I made a sort of pilgrimage to Corpus Christi with Joseph (the city of my birth, I should add) there, since apparently San Antonio isn't cool enough for them to perform here. (But why Corpus? WHY?)

To my surprise, most of the songs performed were from the Tarja Turunen era, and the new lead singer, Anette Olzon, did a good job.

Speaking of my beloved Tarja, I had attempted to pay a tribute to her by covering one of her songs with Nightwish, but I chose Sleeping Sun. Considering that is perhaps her most operatic song in the whole band's discography, it wasn't a good idea and I'm afraid it isn't anywhere close to the quality of the real deal. But I did it, so I feel obliged to post it now.

(I had to ad lib the notes of the last refrain with something else because otherwise, it would've been out of my range and just sound like screeching.)

Sleeping Sun - Nightwish (Cover by The Harlequin King)

The "real deal", by the way, is here:

"Roe" comes out against President on Notre Dame

2009-05-16T15:52:00.002-06:00

From the blog of Damian Thompson on the UK Telegraph: 'Jane Roe' of Roe v Wade attacks Notre Dame decision to honour pro-abortion Obama

Excerpt:

The woman whose pregnancy provoked the Roe v Wade court case that legalised abortion in the United States in 1973 has condemned the decision by Notre Dame University to invite the fiercely pro-abortion Barack Obama to deliver its commencement address on May 17.

Norma McCorvey - the "Jane Roe" of Roe v Wade - is now a Catholic pro-life campaigner. And she has joined 60 Catholic bishops in condemning the university 's decision to honour the most "pro-choice" politician ever to sit in Congress.
Read More...

Dextera Domini: The Declaration on the Pastoral Care of Left-Handed Persons

2009-05-16T11:26:00.001-06:00

DEXTERA DOMINI

The Declaration
on the Pastoral Care
of Left-Handed Persons

THE RIGHT HAND of the Lord
has adorned his spotless bride, the Church, with many wondrous gifts, not the least of which is the supreme ministry of defending the arsenal of Christian truth. Through the wisdom of a provident God, this congregation, the watchdog of the household of faith, exercises diligent custody over the sacred deposit of doctrine, guarding it like a talent buried in the sand (Matt. 25:25). To this richly satisfying task it brings the feral instincts of a lioness protecting her cubs and the dispassionate zeal of a raptor pursuing its prey, so that the pearl of great price may be safely gathered up with the wheat and deposited in the nets of Peter's bark (Matt. 13:46; 13:30; John 21:6). Wherefore it seeks to infiltrate the entire Catholic world, like leaven mixed into a lump of dough (Matt. 13:33), and so, like yeast, to ferment the pilgrim Church with its viscid and fungal spores so that the entire mass may swell into a frothy, pulsating, gelatinous ooze of faith. Thus, like a prudent householder, it may bring forth from its storeroom both the true and the old (Matt. 13:52).
Having already disposed of other perversions, it becomes necessary to speak out with the profound disgust regarding yet another aberration which, like the pulling of a polyester fiber, threatens to unravel the seamless garment of faith.
This particular menace has been propagated by those who, basing their opinions on spurious sophisms of the psychological and behavioral pseudo-sciences, claim that it is acceptable, or even normal, to use the left hand when engaging in manual activities. In the face of tradition and right reason, they point to a small but vocal minority of individuals who primarily use their left hands or purport to be bimanual. With callous disregard for the natural order they judge indulgently, and even excuse completely, sinistral behavior, that is, the indiscriminate use of the left hand in the place of the right. Such an insidious abuse is defended as though there were no difference between right or left, Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free (Gal. 3:28).
For while it is neither possible nor desirable at present to decide whether this disorder is genetic in origin or merely the result of repeated nasty thoughts, in either case one may never argue that left-handedness is compulsive and therefore excusable. It is, of course, necessary to take note of the distinction between the sinistral condition and the individual left-handed actions, which are intrinsically disordered and utterly wrong.
And although the particular inclination of the left-handed person is not necessarily a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil, and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder. Therefore, both the condition and all acts flowing from it are to be condemned, as are all those who suffer from it or engage in it, and everyone who thinks like them or defends them or befriends them, into everlasting torments in the lowest pit of hell where the lake of fire is never quenched and the worm dies not (Mark 9:48).

I. General Principles

INDEED, CATHOLIC TRADITION has constantly taught
that only the right hand may properly engage in manual activities. The left hand must remain curbed and passive or, at most, ancillary and subservient to the right hand, analogous to the function of a palette in respect to an artist, or the operation of a dustpan to a broom, or the role of a wife in relation to her husband. Hence, the use of the left hand, either principally or indiscriminately along with the right, has always been held to be an abuse, a sin against nature, and intrinsically disordered as an unnatural vice.
Right reason itself argues for this arrangement. For reason is properly called right reason inasmuch as it emanates from or tends toward the right. Hence, in all things reasonable, the right is right and is to preferred, with the sole exception of the wearing of earrings of men, wherein, left is right and right is wrong.
The very use of language, even in pagan times, confirms that what is on the left side in unfavorable and perverse. It is no linguistic accident, but rather a natural manifestation of the divine will, that the Latin word for "left" (sinister) has come to connote evil, malevolence and villainy, while in common speech a left-handed compliment is no compliment at all.
The aesthetic argument, to be sure, further reveals the uselessness of left-handed activity. For who can gaze upon the handwriting attempted with the left hand without sensing that it is tilted the wrong way, that is, as if blown off course by a malign east wind (Exod. 10:13; John 4:8). In the nearly unanimous estimation of humanity such scrawling is a cause of wonderment and no little aesthetic scandal.
Moreover, the Scriptures themselves amply attest to the preeminence of the right hand and the depravity of the left. Thus the right hand confers blessing and signifies strength, while the left hand is treacherous and deadly (Gen. 48:13-20; Exod. 15:6; Eze. 21:22; Rev. 1:16-17; Judg. 3:15, 20:16; 2 Sam. 20:9-10). A place at one's right hand is the seat of honor and dignity (1 Kings 2:19; Ps. 45:9, 110:1). Sagely does Qoheleth teach that "a wise man's heart inclines him toward the right, but a fool's heart toward the left" (Eccles. 10:2). In like manner, both the passivity and the inferiority of the left hand are apparent in the solemn injunction forbidding us to let our left hands know what our right hands are doing (Luke 22:50). And it is by no accident that the elect are to stand like innocent sheep at the right hand of the Eternal Judge, while the reprobates cower and whimper like noisome and tick-infested goats on His left, awaiting their dizzying descent into sulfurous fumes and unfathomable miseries in the mind-bending agonies of eternal damnation (Matt 25:31-46).
In a similar vein, the Fathers of the Church eloquently denounce sinistral behaviour in many and varied texts. Thus, Origen writes that "the perverse, because of their sinister deeds, tend toward the left," while Augustine unambiguously teaches that "the Lord strongly forbids the left hand alone to work in us" (Origen, In Matth. 23,70; Augustine, Serm in Mont. ii,2,9). A multitude of other Fathers and Doctors would have written in like manner had the thought occurred to them.
But by far the strongest and most persuasive argument for the Church's position is drawn from the so-called "teleological proof," wherein it is demonstrated that the purpose of having hands is twofold. The lesser and secondary use of hands is to handle things, or, within limits, people. The greater, or primary, end is to reflect the divine activity itself. Thus manual endeavor is said to be "procreative" in that it mirrors the creative work of God. And God, as is obvious, uses only His right hand, as Scripture clearly teaches (Exod. 16:6-12; Deut. 33:2; Ps. 17:7, 18:34, 74:11, 110:1, 139:10; Is. 48:13, 62:8, Lam. 2:3; et al.) In fact, this congregation, privy as it is to the intimacies of the Godhead, is presently studying this very matter and intends to issue a definitive determination regarding the exact number of fingers on the Deity's right hand and how they are adorned.
Therefore, it is obvious that left-handed activity, or sinistrality, lacks an essential and indispensable finality. Such a deficiency marks each and every sinistral act, rendering it defective and incomplete. In short, sinistral behavior, like contraceptive sex and theological dissent, is about as useful as mammary glands on a male bovine [Tr. note: the typica is somewhat more graphic].
Let it not be said, moreover, that left-handed activity is fundamentally private or harmless to society. In a world where the common cold is spread principally by manual contact, such arguments are patently groundless and futile. Manual activity is always social in nature, that is, oriented toward and affecting the lives of others. In view of this, the following practical applications are presented for the religious submission of the minds and hearts of the faithful.

II. Pastoral Norms

SINISTRALS, THAT IS left-handed people,
should always be made to feel the depth of compassion that the Church wishes to extend to all contemptible deviates.
It is deplorable that sinistral persons have been the object of malice, prejudice and bigotry in the past; the dignity of each person must always be respected in word, in action and in law.
Having amply touched upon this point, however, it is necessary to add that at times good Christians can and ought to regard such persons with aversion and abhorrence as cheap, vulgar, degenerate, perverse, errant, depraved, vile, warped and base, and totally undeserving of opportunities belonging to right-handed people. Some, of course, may erroneously object that the Church's position could tend to encourage feelings of animosity and intolerance against such maggots. Special care must thus be taken to point out the finely nuanced distinctions operative in this situation. It is, for example, quite possible to love people while simultaneously hating everything about them, including the fact of their existence, just as it is possible to uphold and defend the dignity of an ant while in the very act of crushing it underfoot. History is replete with many sterling examples of this Christian principle in action. (See, for example, the decrees of Gregory IX and Sixtus IV establishing, respectively, the Roman and Spanish Inquisitions.)
On a practical level, the faithful may legitimately deem it necessary, and even laudable, to discriminate against sinistrals in the following areas, among others:

the adoption of children and the employment of teachers and coaches, lest, by work and example, the impressionable young be exposed to shockingly offensive manual options;

housing, since it would offend Christian piety that innocent people, who rightfully protect their homes against vermin and pests, should have to live next door to such human debris;

the military, for in conformity with the intention of our warrior God, who trains for battle (Exod. 15:3; Ps. 18:34) morally correct guns and weapons of war are fittingly designed only for the right-handed lifestyle;

the workplace, given sinistrals' well-known tendencies to proselytize, overtly or covertly, and to warp the unwary into a left-handed lifestyle;

life in general, since the sufferance of sinistral behavior, like a contagious disease, is both a menace to the right ordering of the cosmos and a deterrent to universally accepted natural activities like handshakes and manual transmission driving.

WHEREFORE, BISHOPS ARE to be especially concerned
to defend and champion authentic morality, not only in family life and in the prompt transmittance of the Peter's Pence, but also in the regulation of manual activity. While promoting the joy of virtue for its own sake, let them not disdain other effective means to coerce proper manual behaviors among the faithful. Such might well include the occasional homiletic reflections upon an afterlife in company with grotesque fiends, as well as richly detailed accounts of unimaginable torment, excruciating heat and unrelenting pain and putrefaction amid rock-rending shrieks of anguished despair in the bottomless chasm of Gehenna. Above all, they are to remind sinistrals that manual activity may be undertaken only by right-handed people within the context of a lifelong commitment to right-handedness.
Therefore, let sinistral and bimanual individuals be instructed to disguise their sinistrality by keeping it repressed, although under no circumstances are they to keep their left hands in their pockets. For a vice that is truly repressed is no vice at all. To this end, hypnosis and mind-altering pharmaceuticals may be licitly administered so as to render their left hands useless.
If such individuals are indeed incapable of being cured of this disorder so as to properly use the left hand only in a secondary role, if at all, they must refrain from all manual activity with either hand. For God, who is bountiful to his loved ones in sleep, has blessed inactivity for the sake of the kingdom (Ps. 127:2; Matt. 19:12).
Additionally, insofar as these sinistrals still lack the capacity for, or obdurately resist a lifelong commitment to right-handedness, they are to take more urgent measures to be cured. In this connection, it is altogether licit and harmonious with the principle of double effect to resort to the therapeutic use of amputation in accord with Scripture: "If your [left] hand causes you to sin, cut it off, for it is better to enter the kingdom maimed" (Matt. 18:9), etc.
Finally, all sinistrals, to whom bishops and pastors of souls offer the solace of holy religion, should be assured that despite their best efforts they will probably go to hell anyway for thinking left-handed thoughts. Let them thus be encouraged to know that, after a life in which they have basically considered themselves worthless, they will at last find themselves entirely worthy of something; to wit, eternal damnation in the slime-infested miseries of the abyss, where horribly disfigured imps and little red demons with pitchforks and tridents will perform unremitting acupuncture upon their most sensitive bodily parts as they roast in the searing embers of hell. About which, most assuredly, this Congregation will happily have more to say in the future.

Alan Keyes arrested

2009-05-16T10:52:00.003-06:00

As predicted, Dr. Alan Keyes was arrested on the grounds of Notre Dame for "trespassing". Well, he along with Father Norman Weslin, who also was taken down by police while.... singing. Hmm. Well, hopefully this will be the birth of a new civil rights era. And kudos to Dr. Keyes, who proverbially puts his money where his mouth his.

Evangelii Praecones: Heralds of the Gospel

2009-05-16T09:20:00.004-06:00

I was perusing the New Liturgical Movement blog as usual and saw some fascinating pictures of a Eucharistic procession with Archbishop Raymond Burke and some unusual fellows in tabards bearing my favourite cross: the Cross of Santiago (St. James) de Compostela.

After doing a bit of research, I found out that these fellows are members of a group called the Heralds of the Gospel. According to their website, they are an "international association of pontifical right". To be honest, I'm not sure exactly what that means, but most members are celibate and live in community like a religious order, but without taking solemn vows.

Website of the Heralds of the Gospel (U.S.)

The Heralds were established in 1999 in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Their founder, Monsignor João Dia, said that: "The Heralds of the Gospel is a private association of faithful with a very special charism based essentially on three points: the Eucharist, Mary and the Pope." The emblem of the society appropriately has a monstrance, an image of the Virgin, and a set of papal keys. The EP stands for the name of the group in Latin: Evangelii Praecones.

Monsignor Dia also said: "Our main goal is to bring back beauty to the face of the earth." One of their big things is organizing musical events and dramas in churches, schools, prisons, and wherever else. They have a premier symphonic band and choir which, as far as I know, actually plays music within the liturgy (probably to the chagrin of choral purists).

The distinctive habit, as I said, bears the Cross of St. James. It was the famous emblem of the Knights of Santiago, a military order based in Spain, contemporary with the Templars and Hospitallers. The Heralds, as soldiers of Christ, have a distinctly militaristic flavour about them, so the cross (as well as their black combat boots!) seems appropriate. White for purity, red for martyrdom.

This entry from the NLM last year has some images of the Heralds at the Easter Triduum last year. Again, very militaristic with their uniforms and saucer caps. Some people in the comment boxes don't much like their chivalric and over-dramatic style, but I think it's awesome.

And with that said, I've decided to request to join the Heralds as a Companion. From what I can tell, the Companions are somewhat analagous to a third order, in that you still live your day-to-day life in the world, but you take on some of the obligations that a full Herald has: the daily Rosary, consecration to Our Lord, and a daily prayer for the Holy Father; as well as, of course, a lifelong devotion to the Eucharist, the Virgin, and the Pontiff. I figure that every Christian ought to be doing this anyway, so perhaps by taking on a rule, I'll have more motivation to actually do my duties.

I found this in a .pdf booklet about the Companions:

To belong to a true ecclesial vanguard, in order to, at the dawn of the Third Millennium, contribute toward the re-Christianization of society and the establishment of the Reign of Christ, is the ardent desire of each herald of the Gospel, who has confidence in the victory of the Church of Christ.

“We do not know what the new millennium has in store for us”, stated Pope John Paul II, “but we are certain that it is safe in the hands of Christ, the ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’” (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 35). They want to contribute towards bringing about the consecratio mundi, in other words, the Christianization of the temporal order to which John XXIII referred (Cf. Mater et Magistra, 214), a most important task of the laity in the New Evangelization.

In order to fulfill this mission, they spare no efforts, placing all their resources at the service of the Church, applying their intelligence and imagination to the most diverse activities, proclaiming the Gospel to all social classes, being active in parishes, homes and schools, in professional, cultural and sportive ambiences, on television and radio, in slums, hospitals, asylums and prisons, anywhere it is possible to bring a word of consolation, encouragement or hope.

Inasmuch as his duties and way of life permit, the Apostle or Companion, also takes part in these activities, led by those whom the superiors designate. At the same time, like any herald of the Gospel, they know that all their efforts will be useless, if their hearts are not intimately united to Jesus and Mary, for the interior life is the soul of the apostolate.

I can drink to that.

The Heralds at my parish's sister church, Our Lady of Walsingham in Houston (another Anglican use parish)

Procession at St. Patrick's Church, New Orleans

Video of the consecration of the Heralds' mother church in Brazil. The ceremony is really over the top, like something out of a royal Victorian re-imagining of medieval pageantry (or, should I just say, something out of an Edmund Blair Leighton painting)... but I love it.

Americans becoming more pro-life

2009-05-16T09:12:00.003-06:00

There's an interesting new poll posted on Gallup.com. According to the poll, 51% of Americans identify themselves now as pro-life, and 42% are pro-choice; thus making pro-lifers the majority for the first time since Gallup conducted polls on this question in 1995.

Gallup: More Americans "Pro-Life" Than "Pro-Choice" for First Time

As you can see, there's a sharp rise in the pro-life/drop in the pro-choice sides just within the last year. I wonder why... perhaps it has something to do with the new Presidential administration.