I read this address by Paul VI, and, I must admit, I am still grappling with it. It presents a very interesting rationale for the Ordinary Form mass, and that is that it is primarily an innovation meant to be apostolic. The Ordinary Form ought to encourage each member of the congregation to pray the mass, not merely be a spectator. I think, at this point in Church history, we may be approaching an era where both the Extraordinary Form (EF) and the Ordinary Form (OF) may be offered side by side as both encouraging prayer. Certainly the error of rubricism in the EF and the error of de-sacralization in the OF are to be addressed, but, in any form, mass deserves to be done well, with the laity assisting the priest by prayerful participation. It is wonderful to see Summorum Pontificum and Universae Ecclesiae allowing greater freedom, and the new OF English translation: these moves by the Church give the form of a great liturgical renewal. However, it is up to all of us, lay and religious, to provide the spiritual substance for this form. The kitchy elements imposed upon the OF in certain places ought to be removed, so that the focus is not an individuals or on a false sense of participation, but that the focus may be directed, as are our Christian lives, towards God the Father, through Jesus, in the Spirit.
This is a brief summary of what I interpret to be the intended direction for the liturgy of the Roman Rite:
OF- Restoration of Sacrality, remove the kitchy, the campy, and promote true participation.
EF-Wider accessibility, both in terms of being more widely offered and being more widely understood.
Here is the Paul VI article...
http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P6691126.HTM
6/14/11
Traditional Genetics
Tradition is, in a sense, like our genes or genetic material; it is given to us from our predecessors, it helps to determine who we are and what we do, and we pass it on to our offspring. There are, of course, limitations to this analogy, but I think it captures something very important about how we understand Tradition. Tradition is the lived experience and world-view of community, so we cannot help but be born into a tradition. But what of Christian Tradition? With any lived experience and world-view, we can make the distinction between practices and beliefs. Christian Tradition, then, is the practices and beliefs that have been lived and passed on from one generation to another since the time of the Apostles. The beliefs we receive govern how we see the world and assign value, and the practices help us to manifest these beliefs in our everyday lives. Tradition, we can see, is not something static and vehemently forced upon us, but is something living and life-giving. We take tradition from our ancestors, we live it in our own time and place, and then pass it on to our children. We cannot abandon tradition just as we cannot abandon the fact that X is my mother and Y is my father. But, at the same time, in order for tradition to be alive, it must be lived within our own time, and must be expressed in our own culture. Traditionalism, then, is dangerous since it prevents the life of faith to continue. As Jaroslav Pelikan writes, "Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living."
What about change? Can we change tradition? Many people today are upset with the Church because it condemns sexual immorality (sodomy, contraception, cohabitation, fornication, masturbation, etc.) , and it doesn't allow women to be priests. Since these things are acceptable in the secular world, why can't the Church simply change its beliefs and adapt itself to the desires of society?
In a sense we cannot change tradition because by its nature, it is meant to be continuity in human experience. However, in the Church, we know that we can develop and define tradition. The early Christians spent centuries trying to explain the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. The celebration of the Eucharist has undergone many developments in both the East and the West. But still, in whatever we do, we must check ourselves with the original authorities of our faith: Sacred Scripture and Apostolic teaching. Our guarantee that we are authentic Christians comes from the fact that our practices and our believes are concomitant with the Scriptures and with the Apostolic traditions that are handed on by another very important part of tradition: the Magisterium.
We can turn to the Vatican II document Dei Verbum to learn more of this:
"Both scripture and tradition must be accepted and honored with equal devotion and reverence." #9
"The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This magisterium is not superior to the word of God, but rather its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it." #10
We cannot change tradition because it is not up to use to change it. We cannot abandon tradition because it is not ours to abandon. We receive what has been handed down and we hand it on with our lives. The Church does not have the authority to change tradition, because tradition has as its origin Jesus Christ and his teachings, who the Apostles saw with their own eyes and lived with, and spread that good news, the Gospel, that they experienced in the person of Christ, to all people. We are therefore responsible not only to know tradition, but to live in accordance with it, in our own times, and pass it on, since it is the authentic faith that comes to us from those who ate, prayed, and traveled with Jesus Christ.
We cannot allow sexual immorality, in any of its forms, we cannot ordain women to the priesthood, and we cannot succumb to the passing ideological whims of the majority (the dictatorship of relativism that Pope Benedict is fighting), because like Peter clinging to Christ while falling into the water, we must cling to the authentic Christian beliefs and practices, handed down from generation to generation, that allow us to claim the dignified title of "Christian".
What about change? Can we change tradition? Many people today are upset with the Church because it condemns sexual immorality (sodomy, contraception, cohabitation, fornication, masturbation, etc.) , and it doesn't allow women to be priests. Since these things are acceptable in the secular world, why can't the Church simply change its beliefs and adapt itself to the desires of society?
In a sense we cannot change tradition because by its nature, it is meant to be continuity in human experience. However, in the Church, we know that we can develop and define tradition. The early Christians spent centuries trying to explain the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. The celebration of the Eucharist has undergone many developments in both the East and the West. But still, in whatever we do, we must check ourselves with the original authorities of our faith: Sacred Scripture and Apostolic teaching. Our guarantee that we are authentic Christians comes from the fact that our practices and our believes are concomitant with the Scriptures and with the Apostolic traditions that are handed on by another very important part of tradition: the Magisterium.
We can turn to the Vatican II document Dei Verbum to learn more of this:
"Both scripture and tradition must be accepted and honored with equal devotion and reverence." #9
"The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This magisterium is not superior to the word of God, but rather its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it." #10
Yves Congar O.P., in his book The Meaning of Tradition writes,
"All Christians are collectively responsible for Christianity, just as, collectively, they all form a holy priesthood and spiritual fabric. They carry and transmit Christianity and the Gospel from generation to generation. Within the body of Christians, that is, the Church, the hierarchy, following the apostles, have received the mandate, authority and corresponding power to keep the apostolic deposit and Gospel and to explain them authentically. The mere transmission is one thing; at least in a certain way it concerns everyone; keeping, judging, and defining it with the authority of the Magisterium is another: it is the function of the hierarchy, comprising the college of bishops united to the Pope, who is the head of this college as Peter was head of the apostolic college. Collectively and organically the faithful and hierarchy form the subject of tradition."
We cannot change tradition because it is not up to use to change it. We cannot abandon tradition because it is not ours to abandon. We receive what has been handed down and we hand it on with our lives. The Church does not have the authority to change tradition, because tradition has as its origin Jesus Christ and his teachings, who the Apostles saw with their own eyes and lived with, and spread that good news, the Gospel, that they experienced in the person of Christ, to all people. We are therefore responsible not only to know tradition, but to live in accordance with it, in our own times, and pass it on, since it is the authentic faith that comes to us from those who ate, prayed, and traveled with Jesus Christ.
We cannot allow sexual immorality, in any of its forms, we cannot ordain women to the priesthood, and we cannot succumb to the passing ideological whims of the majority (the dictatorship of relativism that Pope Benedict is fighting), because like Peter clinging to Christ while falling into the water, we must cling to the authentic Christian beliefs and practices, handed down from generation to generation, that allow us to claim the dignified title of "Christian".
6/13/11
God come to my assistance
Every day throughout the world, men and women begin their day with the prayer, Domine, labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam (O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise) at the Invitatory psalm before the Liturgy of the Hours.
At all other hours, they being by saying Deus in adjutorium meum intende, Domine ad adjuvandum me festina (God come to my assistance, O Lord make haste to help me) while making the sign of the cross. After this, the minor Trinitarian doxology is spoken, Gloria Patri et Filio and Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum, amen (Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning and now, and forever amen). The first prayer comes from the great penitential Psalm 51, and the other comes from Psalm 70. The Doxology is a great hymn of prayer coming to us from the early Church.
It's very easy, over time, to simply mumble these prayers and wait until we get to the meaty part of the Liturgy of the Hours, the Psalms themselves. So why not just begin with the sign of the cross and get going? Well, let's take a look at the significance of each of these prayers.
1. O Lord, open my lips....
In his commentary on Psalm 51, Aquinas notes on this verse...
As we begin the Liturgy of the Hours, the prayer of the Church, we call upon God to instruct us in how we ought to pray, to guide us in our attempt to render Him praise. As the disciples found after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is the one who opens lips, and pours forth the glory of God from the mouths of men. It is just as Paul writes, "for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us"(Rom 8:26). Before we pray, we must ask God, through the movement of the Spirit, to inspire our prayer, so that what we wish to render God in our hearts, comes forth clearly with our mouths.
2. God come to my assistance...
In his commentary on this verse, St. Augustine notes...
At all other hours, they being by saying Deus in adjutorium meum intende, Domine ad adjuvandum me festina (God come to my assistance, O Lord make haste to help me) while making the sign of the cross. After this, the minor Trinitarian doxology is spoken, Gloria Patri et Filio and Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum, amen (Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning and now, and forever amen). The first prayer comes from the great penitential Psalm 51, and the other comes from Psalm 70. The Doxology is a great hymn of prayer coming to us from the early Church.
It's very easy, over time, to simply mumble these prayers and wait until we get to the meaty part of the Liturgy of the Hours, the Psalms themselves. So why not just begin with the sign of the cross and get going? Well, let's take a look at the significance of each of these prayers.
1. O Lord, open my lips....
In his commentary on Psalm 51, Aquinas notes on this verse...
"But it must be noted that in the opening of the mouth is understood the depth of instruction, wherever in the Scriptures is found the opening of the mouth; as in Job 3. "After this Job opened his mouth." And Mattthew 5. "Opening his mouth, Jesus." that is, in the depth of Scripture. And then my mouth shall declare thy praise; as if he were saying: What I hold in my heart, I shall confess with my mouth."
As we begin the Liturgy of the Hours, the prayer of the Church, we call upon God to instruct us in how we ought to pray, to guide us in our attempt to render Him praise. As the disciples found after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is the one who opens lips, and pours forth the glory of God from the mouths of men. It is just as Paul writes, "for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us"(Rom 8:26). Before we pray, we must ask God, through the movement of the Spirit, to inspire our prayer, so that what we wish to render God in our hearts, comes forth clearly with our mouths.
2. God come to my assistance...
In his commentary on this verse, St. Augustine notes...
"For we have need for an eternal aid in this world. But when have we not? Now however being in tribulation, let us especially say, “O God, to my aid make speed."
This call for divine assistance is necessary for all Christians, because daily we are involved in the competition of faith, as Paul writes,
"Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand... Pray at all times in the Spirit [O Lord open my lips], with all prayer and supplication." (Eph 6:10-13, 17)
Calling upon the Lord at the beginning of prayer while making the sign of the cross is marking ourselves as Christians, setting us apart and preparing us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, to run so as to win. As Christians, we require divine assistance in all we do, so that we may glorify God, become sanctified, and edify our brothers and sisters. No wonder, then, we make this prayer as we begin the Liturgy of the Hours!
3. Glory to the Father...
We read in the Catholic encyclopedia that a doxology is typically used at the end of a rite or a hymn. Why do we say a doxology after praying, "God come to my assistance"? Doxologies are used to praise God (the etymology of Doxology is "glory" and "saying") so it is no wonder that, after invoking the divine assistance, we give praise to the Trinity, by whom we receive assistance and the ability and dignity to pray.
4. All together....
So let's put everything together. At the beginning of the Liturgy of the Hours, a great exchange is committed: we receive assistance, the Holy Spirit, from God, and in return we offer praise. Herein lies the essence of prayer! Aquinas notes that prayer is a speech act (cf. II-II.83ff), as does Von Balthasar, and countless other theologians and mystics. In a speech act, or in any form of communication, there involves a giving and a receiving. We speak to someone, and then we listen to them. What we are doing at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Hours is not some simple ritual, but a great expression of Christian prayer. We receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit who opens our lips to pray and who is our advocate against evil, and in return, we can do nothing but offer a simple hymn of praise to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. Moved by the Spirit, contemplating the Word for the Glory of the Father, we then proceed to pray the Psalms, the Fifth Gospel. Is that awesome or what!
6/12/11
Pentecawesome
What an awesome day Pentecost is! The celebration of the Lord and Giver of Life (Dominum et Vivificantem) entering the hearts of the faithful for the continued salvific work of Christ, of bringing all men to God. Below I am posting a whole bunch of quotes about the Holy Spirit. Enjoy!
"Jesus is the way and the Spirit is the guide who enables man to gor forward on that way."-Swete
"Pentecost was and is a paschal feast. There is one single liturigcal cycle, which is Christological and paschal. What is celebrated [on Pentecost] is the making present, through faith and the sacrament and in praise and thanksgiving, of the Christian mystery as such."-Congar
"The Spirit makes it possible for us to know, recognize and experience Christ. This is not simply a doctinral statement. It is an existential reality which comes from a gift and involves us in our lives."-Congar
"The Spirit-Breath is first and foremost what causes man to act so that God's plan in history may be fulfilled."-Congar
"The Holy Spirit comes after him [Jesus] and because of hium, in order to continue in the world, through the Church, the work of the Good News of salvation."-JPII
"The supreme and most complete revelation of God to humanity is Jesus Christ himself, and the witness of the Spirit inspires, guarentees and convalidates the faithful transmission of this revelation in the preaching and writing of the Apostles..."-JPII
"The Holy Spirit, then, will ensure that in the Church there will always continue the same truth which the Apostles heard from their Master."-JPII
"He is Person-Love. He is Person-Gift."-JPII
"On that day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was sent to sanctify the Church forever, so that believers might have access to the Father through Christ in the Spirit."-JPII
"The Holy Spirit is the gift that comes into man's heart together with prayer. In prayer he manifests himself first of all and above as the gift that 'helps us in our weakness.'"-JPII
"At Pentecost everyone understood each other because they had forgotten about themselves."-Cantalamessa
"The Church has always demonstrated its greatest strength and vitality when it has acted on this charismatic and pnuematice level, that is, when it has performed actions that have the explicit mark of the Spirit."-Cantalamessa
"All day long, and even all through the hours when consciousness is asleep, the Holy Spirit is speaking to us in many ways."-Jarrett
"The perfection of a soul is measured by its docility to the movement of the Spirit, by the promptitude and fidelity with which its strings produce the divine notes of the song of love."-Martinez
"The Holy Spirit brings to our souls the fruitfulness of the Father and binds us lovingly to the Son."-Martinez
"To enjoy the Holy Spirit is to love; to enjoy the Word is to know. But just as the divine Persons are inseparable, those divine joys are also intimately bound together. Intimate knowledge produces love; profound love is a source of light."-Martinez
"The Holy Spirit takes us to Jesis; He makes us Jesus by transforming us into Him. This is His work; nobody can be conformed to Jesus except in the unity of the Holy Spirit."-Martinez
"When a temple is consecrated to God, it is a place set apart for Him alone...Every Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit; every Christian is consecrated to Him; and nothing else may be done in that temple in which God dwells except that which will give glory to Him."-Martinez
"To be a devotee of the Holy Spirit is to comprehend the august dignity of the Christian, his holy mission, and his arduous duties that are sweetened by love. It is to establish oneself in truth, to be faithful to the sacred promises of Baptism, to be what one ought to be, and then to strive for that perfection to which every Christian should aspire."-Martinez
"He [Holy Spirit] is said to be our Comforter in trouble and our Advocate in blessings."-Aquinas
"The Holy Spirit is the author of all grace, since He is the first in Whome all gifts are given gratis"-Aquinas
"The soul's life is union with God, inasmuch as God is the life of the soul. Now, the Holy Spirit unites us to God by love, for He is Himself God's love, which is why He gives life."-Aquinas
"Charity is not something created in the soul, but is the Holy Spirit Himself dwelling in the mind."-Aquinas
"Jesus is the way and the Spirit is the guide who enables man to gor forward on that way."-Swete
"Pentecost was and is a paschal feast. There is one single liturigcal cycle, which is Christological and paschal. What is celebrated [on Pentecost] is the making present, through faith and the sacrament and in praise and thanksgiving, of the Christian mystery as such."-Congar
"The Spirit makes it possible for us to know, recognize and experience Christ. This is not simply a doctinral statement. It is an existential reality which comes from a gift and involves us in our lives."-Congar
"The Spirit-Breath is first and foremost what causes man to act so that God's plan in history may be fulfilled."-Congar
"The Holy Spirit comes after him [Jesus] and because of hium, in order to continue in the world, through the Church, the work of the Good News of salvation."-JPII
"The supreme and most complete revelation of God to humanity is Jesus Christ himself, and the witness of the Spirit inspires, guarentees and convalidates the faithful transmission of this revelation in the preaching and writing of the Apostles..."-JPII
"The Holy Spirit, then, will ensure that in the Church there will always continue the same truth which the Apostles heard from their Master."-JPII
"He is Person-Love. He is Person-Gift."-JPII
"On that day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was sent to sanctify the Church forever, so that believers might have access to the Father through Christ in the Spirit."-JPII
"The Holy Spirit is the gift that comes into man's heart together with prayer. In prayer he manifests himself first of all and above as the gift that 'helps us in our weakness.'"-JPII
"At Pentecost everyone understood each other because they had forgotten about themselves."-Cantalamessa
"The Church has always demonstrated its greatest strength and vitality when it has acted on this charismatic and pnuematice level, that is, when it has performed actions that have the explicit mark of the Spirit."-Cantalamessa
"All day long, and even all through the hours when consciousness is asleep, the Holy Spirit is speaking to us in many ways."-Jarrett
"The perfection of a soul is measured by its docility to the movement of the Spirit, by the promptitude and fidelity with which its strings produce the divine notes of the song of love."-Martinez
"The Holy Spirit brings to our souls the fruitfulness of the Father and binds us lovingly to the Son."-Martinez
"To enjoy the Holy Spirit is to love; to enjoy the Word is to know. But just as the divine Persons are inseparable, those divine joys are also intimately bound together. Intimate knowledge produces love; profound love is a source of light."-Martinez
"The Holy Spirit takes us to Jesis; He makes us Jesus by transforming us into Him. This is His work; nobody can be conformed to Jesus except in the unity of the Holy Spirit."-Martinez
"When a temple is consecrated to God, it is a place set apart for Him alone...Every Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit; every Christian is consecrated to Him; and nothing else may be done in that temple in which God dwells except that which will give glory to Him."-Martinez
"To be a devotee of the Holy Spirit is to comprehend the august dignity of the Christian, his holy mission, and his arduous duties that are sweetened by love. It is to establish oneself in truth, to be faithful to the sacred promises of Baptism, to be what one ought to be, and then to strive for that perfection to which every Christian should aspire."-Martinez
"He [Holy Spirit] is said to be our Comforter in trouble and our Advocate in blessings."-Aquinas
"The Holy Spirit is the author of all grace, since He is the first in Whome all gifts are given gratis"-Aquinas
"The soul's life is union with God, inasmuch as God is the life of the soul. Now, the Holy Spirit unites us to God by love, for He is Himself God's love, which is why He gives life."-Aquinas
"Charity is not something created in the soul, but is the Holy Spirit Himself dwelling in the mind."-Aquinas
6/11/11
New Mass Translation Videos
Are you ready for when the (awesome) new mass translation drops on the first Sunday of Advent?
Check out these videos from the USCCB.
Check out these videos from the USCCB.
The Mysterious Antiphon
Did you know that hymns are the last option for music at a Catholic mass?! When you read Church documents, you find that when a series of options are given, it is always in sequential order of preference, from most preferable to least preferable. If you look at documents such as the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), you will find that the antiphons are the most preferable option for all the musical parts of mass, while hymns are the last. For example, you can look at #48 in the GIRM, here, and see that the antiphon is the first preference.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!", you might say to me, "my parish only uses hymns, that's what I'm familiar and comfortable with. What is all of this antiphon mumbo jumbo?"
Good question, I would reply.
What is all of this antiphon mumbo jumbo? The word "antiphone" comes from the Greek "anti"=in return + "phone"=sound. So an antiphon is to "sound in return". This is because antiphons are sung in a verse and response format, and this can be done between cantor and choir, cantor and people, choir and people, or any other option you can think of. Antiphons, therefore, are a great way for full and active participation since it involves both listening and responding! And a congregation that listens and responds is a congregation that will grow together as a community in the prayer of the mass.
"Well that's nice, but antiphons seem like some pre-Vatican II institution that is cold and outdated" you might say.
Rubbish! I would respond with fervor and vigor. Every single mass has its own set of antiphons that are proper to it (that is why they are called mass "Propers") and they are all based on scriptures, or from the great prayers of the Church! How many times do we have to recycle the same old hymns when each mass deserves to be celebrated with its own special music! What's more, hymns can often be based on scripture, but will often end up simply being poems set to music, which is nice, but how much more awesome is it to sing the word of God! Not only that, but for centuries, dating back to the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries, Christians sang antiphons for their worship. When we sing antiphons, we not only become full and active participants at mass, not only do we grow closer as a community, not only do we make each mass a special celebration, not only to we sing the word of God, but we also grow closer to the greater Christian community of all the men and women, saints and sinners, throughout the ups and downs of history, in an unending song of praise to God in the great prayer of the mass! Whoa!!!
At this point, you will say, "OK, I am sold. But I have such an expensive contract with a diabolical money-grabbing music factory, where can I find antiphons for my parish?"
"The internet!" I would respond. There are so many good options available for singing antiphons!
If you want to sing the Proper antiphons in English FOR FREE(!!!!!!) you can look at this site
http://musicasacra.com/simple-propers-of-the-mass-ordinary-form/
if you want an easy choir setting, you can use this site,
http://www.musicasacra.com/books/simplechoralgradual.pdf
If you get tired of printing these out, they are available on Amazon.
If you want to sing the Proper antiphons in Latin (oooooooohhh) FOR FREE(!!!!!!) you can look at this site
http://www.institute-christ-king.org/latin-mass-resources/sacred-music/
this site
http://isaacjogues.org/chants/
this site
the Gregorian Missal
or you can just order this book.
"Wow! Not only is it liturgically correct and spiritually awesome to use antiphons, but I can also save money!" you would say.
"Huzzah!" I would respond.
Cantate Domino Canticum Novum!
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!", you might say to me, "my parish only uses hymns, that's what I'm familiar and comfortable with. What is all of this antiphon mumbo jumbo?"
Good question, I would reply.
What is all of this antiphon mumbo jumbo? The word "antiphone" comes from the Greek "anti"=in return + "phone"=sound. So an antiphon is to "sound in return". This is because antiphons are sung in a verse and response format, and this can be done between cantor and choir, cantor and people, choir and people, or any other option you can think of. Antiphons, therefore, are a great way for full and active participation since it involves both listening and responding! And a congregation that listens and responds is a congregation that will grow together as a community in the prayer of the mass.
"Well that's nice, but antiphons seem like some pre-Vatican II institution that is cold and outdated" you might say.
Rubbish! I would respond with fervor and vigor. Every single mass has its own set of antiphons that are proper to it (that is why they are called mass "Propers") and they are all based on scriptures, or from the great prayers of the Church! How many times do we have to recycle the same old hymns when each mass deserves to be celebrated with its own special music! What's more, hymns can often be based on scripture, but will often end up simply being poems set to music, which is nice, but how much more awesome is it to sing the word of God! Not only that, but for centuries, dating back to the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries, Christians sang antiphons for their worship. When we sing antiphons, we not only become full and active participants at mass, not only do we grow closer as a community, not only do we make each mass a special celebration, not only to we sing the word of God, but we also grow closer to the greater Christian community of all the men and women, saints and sinners, throughout the ups and downs of history, in an unending song of praise to God in the great prayer of the mass! Whoa!!!
At this point, you will say, "OK, I am sold. But I have such an expensive contract with a diabolical money-grabbing music factory, where can I find antiphons for my parish?"
"The internet!" I would respond. There are so many good options available for singing antiphons!
If you want to sing the Proper antiphons in English FOR FREE(!!!!!!) you can look at this site
http://musicasacra.com/simple-propers-of-the-mass-ordinary-form/
if you want an easy choir setting, you can use this site,
http://www.musicasacra.com/books/simplechoralgradual.pdf
If you get tired of printing these out, they are available on Amazon.
If you want to sing the Proper antiphons in Latin (oooooooohhh) FOR FREE(!!!!!!) you can look at this site
http://www.institute-christ-king.org/latin-mass-resources/sacred-music/
this site
http://isaacjogues.org/chants/
this site
the Gregorian Missal
or you can just order this book.
"Wow! Not only is it liturgically correct and spiritually awesome to use antiphons, but I can also save money!" you would say.
"Huzzah!" I would respond.
Cantate Domino Canticum Novum!
6/5/11
Ascension
For those of you that don't have/pray the liturgy of the hours, I am posting the 2nd reading from the Office of Readings for today. If you would like to pray the liturgy of the hours, but don't want to dish out for the 4 volume set this website works really well...
| From a sermon by Saint Augustine |
|---|
| No one has ever ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven |
|---|
Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascend with him. Listen to the words of the Apostle: If you have risen with Christ, set your hearts on the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth. For just as he remained with us even after his ascension, so we too are already in heaven with him, even though what is promised us has not yet been fulfilled in our bodies.
Christ is now exalted above the heavens, but he still suffers on earth all the pain that we, the members of his body, have to bear. He showed this when he cried out from above: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? and when he said: I was hungry and you gave me food.
Why do we on earth not strive to find rest with him in heaven even now, through the faith, hope and love that unites us to him? While in heaven he is also with us; and we while on earth are with him. He is here with us by his divinity, his power and his love. We cannot be in heaven, as he is on earth, by divinity, but in him, we can be there by love.
He did not leave heaven when he came down to us; nor did he withdraw from us when he went up again into heaven. The fact that he was in heaven even while he was on earth is borne out by his own statement: No one has ever ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
These words are explained by our oneness with Christ, for he is our head and we are his body. No one ascended into heaven except Christ because we also are Christ: he is the Son of Man by his union with us, and we by our union with him are the sons of God. So the Apostle says: Just as the human body, which has many members, is a unity, because all the different members make one body, so is it also with Christ. He too has many members, but one body.
Out of compassion for us he descended from heaven, and although he ascended alone, we also ascend, because we are in him by grace. Thus, no one but Christ descended and no one but Christ ascended; not because there is no distinction between the head and the body, but because the body as a unity cannot be separated from the head
New Mass Translation
For many Catholics, the new mass translation will bring confusion, mainly due to the slow pace at which parishes are making preparations. This is too bad since the translation is an incredible improvement; it brings English-speaking Catholics closer to brothers and sisters of different languages, it follows much more carefully the beautiful Latin of the ordinary form, and brings out the scriptural content of the mass, and it is more adaptable to chant. Many people, even ones in favor of the translation, however, are unaware of specifically why this translation is being brought about... The answer lies in a pretty awesome document called Liturgicam Authenticam, which hit the stands in 2001. Because of this document, we are seeing, and will see in the future (the Liturgy of the Hours e.g.) much better translating being done for English-speaking nations.
If you have a few minutes, take a look at this document.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20010507_liturgiam-authenticam_en.html
If you have a few minutes, take a look at this document.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20010507_liturgiam-authenticam_en.html
Universae Ecclesiae
For those of you interested in the Liturgical Renewal that is blossoming under Pope Benedict, you might find it useful to read the latest awesome-bomb from the Vatican concerning the Extraordinary Form of the Mass....
http://www.romereports.com/palio/Instruction-Universae-Ecclesiae-on-the-implementation-of-the-Motu-Proprio-Summorum-Pontificum-Full-Text-english-4123.html (the video is dorky)
This document clarifies this document....
http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/b16summorumpontificum.htm
http://www.romereports.com/palio/Instruction-Universae-Ecclesiae-on-the-implementation-of-the-Motu-Proprio-Summorum-Pontificum-Full-Text-english-4123.html (the video is dorky)
This document clarifies this document....
http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/b16summorumpontificum.htm
LOOONG TIME
Well, it has been many moons since I last posted. Since then I have been accepted to the Western Province Dominicans! Huzzah!
I will now list a ton of links that I find extremely pertinent....
http://musicasacra.com/simple-propers-of-the-mass-ordinary-form/
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/
http://www.neatorama.com/
http://www.stjosephmonastery.com/newsletter_forms/orientem.pdf
Catholic Culture : News Features
A Catholic Life: Bishop Slattery of Tulsa: Ad Orientem Novus Ordo
Dominican Rite Low Mass (Commentary) A1 Prep Book
Pope upholds primacy of Gregorian chant :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)
I will now list a ton of links that I find extremely pertinent....
http://musicasacra.com/simple-propers-of-the-mass-ordinary-form/
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/
http://www.neatorama.com/
http://www.stjosephmonastery.com/newsletter_forms/orientem.pdf
Catholic Culture : News Features
A Catholic Life: Bishop Slattery of Tulsa: Ad Orientem Novus Ordo
Dominican Rite Low Mass (Commentary) A1 Prep Book
Pope upholds primacy of Gregorian chant :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)
4/20/11
Homosexuality and Catholicism.
For those of you interested, this is an article that was posted in Gonzaga's newspaper last week. Please read it, and then read by following response, here. Veritas Bomb!
3/29/11
Monologues
Sorry it's been a while gang! Here is a letter I wrote to the editor of the Gonzaga Bulletin regarding the Vagina Monologues
In her letter explaining her decision to allow the performance of the "Vagina Monologues," Academic Vice President Dr. Patricia Killen cites the Church document, "Ex Corde Ecclesiae," which is the official document concerning Catholic Universities. The section she cites (section 7) says that Catholic Universities have the character of impartially searching for the truth. I would, first of all, like to thank Dr. Killen for attempting to make Gonzaga more Catholic by following the directives of "Ex Corde Ecclesiae." I would, however, strongly disagree that, under this document, and any other official Church document, provisions are made that would support the performance of the "Vagina Monologues."
In her letter explaining her decision to allow the performance of the "Vagina Monologues," Academic Vice President Dr. Patricia Killen cites the Church document, "Ex Corde Ecclesiae," which is the official document concerning Catholic Universities. The section she cites (section 7) says that Catholic Universities have the character of impartially searching for the truth. I would, first of all, like to thank Dr. Killen for attempting to make Gonzaga more Catholic by following the directives of "Ex Corde Ecclesiae." I would, however, strongly disagree that, under this document, and any other official Church document, provisions are made that would support the performance of the "Vagina Monologues."
What Catholics and those supporting the Monologues have in agreement is the dignity of women. What they disagree about, however, is how this dignity is realized, and how it is lived. Upon further reading of "Ex Corde Ecclesiae," beyond the generalized introduction, it says that Catholic Universities must follow the teachings of the Church: "One consequence of its essential relationship to the Church is that the institutionalfidelity of the University to the Christian message includes a recognition of and adherence to the teaching authority of the Church in matters of faith and morals. Catholic members of the university community are also called to a personal fidelity to the Church with all that this implies. Non-Catholic members are required to respect the Catholic character of the University, while the University in turn respects their religious liberty," (27), So the issue now is, what does the Church say about faith and morals?
In the Monologues, as can be either read online, or seen on YouTube, there is, in a sense, the glorification of masturbation, of sexual relations outside of marriage and of other such activities. There are even sections where "Cunt Power!" is chanted. We can see clearly in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is the official compilation of the teachings of the Church regarding faith and morals, that masturbation (CCC 2352), fornication (CCC 2353), and the identification of people as mere sexual objects (cf. CCC 2337 through 2350), are contrary to the faith and morals of Catholics. We read further on in "Ex Corde Ecclesiae," that, "the education of students is to combine academic and professional development with formation in moral and religious principles and the social teachings of the Church." (50) We can see, clearly, that the content of the Monologues is contrary to the moral and doctrinal teachings of the Church. The Monologues, therefore, do not have a place in a Catholic institution or in the education of its students.
This does not mean, however, that we cannot have discussion about the dignity, respect, and vocation of women, which is a part of the Catholic commitment to truth. Pope John Paul II wrote an incredible document called, "On the Dignity and Vocation of Women." He also treats human sexuality in his "Theology of the Body" writings. The Catechism, especially in sections 2331 through 2336, as well as the Vatican II constitutions "Gaudium et Spes" and "Lumen Gentium," all speak of the equality of men and women, and the inherent dignity of humanity and sexual identity. Instead of having performances of controversial plays or other events that polemically divide more than they unite, why can't we simply have speakers, lectures, and events based around these documents that truly represent the Catholic position? Events like these are already planned, I believe, and present a more reasonable, Catholic approach toward dialogue with the truth. These events would also be more agreeable to students and faculty regardless of political or ideological affiliation. They would also affirm the commitment that Gonzaga has to its Catholic identity, and to the Jesuit identity, which, itself, is still subordinate to the directives of the Catholic Church. We at Gonzaga should, first, read, and be able to cite, the official documents of the Church regarding these issues, otherwise we have no way of saying whether or not an opinion is Catholic.
There is no question about the dignity, respect, and vocation of women. The Monologues, however, present such issues in a way contrary to the doctrinal and moral teachings of the Church (recall "Ex Corde Ecclesiae,"27, above). To allow, even unofficially, its performance on a Catholic campus, is to throw into doubt Gonzaga's commitment to "Ex Corde Ecclesiae" and the teachings of the Church.
And, in case you were wondering, here is the original letter sent out by Dr. Killen.
Memorandum
TO: Gonzaga Faculty, Staff and Students
FROM: Patricia O’Connell Killen, Academic Vice President
RE: Upcoming Programming on Women, Violence, and Catholic Teaching
DATE: March 17, 2011
Each year, the Gonzaga community hosts a series of events focused on increasing awareness about, and eliminating acts of violence against, women. Incidents of violence against women are an issue for college campuses in particular; Gonzaga has this year put focus on these behaviors and the situations that give rise to them through activities such as the Green Dot program.
During the week of April 4-10, 2011, the Women & Gender Studies Program, the English Department, the Sociology Department, the Honors Program, and the Institute for Hate Studies are together sponsoring an academic series entitled: “({Monologues, Dialogues, & Stories}): An Interdisciplinary Academic Discussion on Women’s Narratives, Catholic Theologies, Violence Against Women and ‘The Vagina Monologues’.”
The week will include three interrelated events: (1) a panel presentation and discussion entitled “Voices on ‘The Vagina Monologues’, Catholic Tradition, and Jesuit Identity” [April 4]; (2) “Learning to Speak: the Power of Narratives” -- an exploration of the power of storytelling and the place of stories in movements toward social justice [April 6]; and, (3) a reader’s theatre presentation of “The Vagina Monologues” followed by a faculty-moderated “talk back” with cast and crew [April 10]. More information about the three events, including auditions for the story slam that follows “Learning to Speak” and roles in “The Vagina Monologues” will be available by week’s end.
It is widely acknowledged that “The Vagina Monologues” is considered by many a provocative, if not controversial, play. This reader’s theatre presentation of “The Vagina Monologues” will not be a public event. The play is being performed in the context of an interdisciplinary academic exploration, using a model of mutual learning by doing and reflecting that is employed regularly in classrooms at the university. This performance of “The Vagina Monologues” is exclusively by and for Gonzaga students, faculty and staff. Attendance at this event, as with each of those planned, is entirely voluntary.
“The Vagina Monologues” contains raw language and explicit descriptions of sexual behavior. The particular monologues in the play are composites developed from experiences of actual women. They are, for many, disturbing. As is the case for much activist art, significant numbers of people have found the subject matter and language to be offensive. The faculty and students who have organized this week view the play as an opportunity to engage in a cultural dialogue that explores women’s experiences of identity, sexual assault, the role of power in relationships and the social structures and attitudes that affect and shape all of these, and the place of disruptive art in movements for social justice.
The seriousness of the issue the week highlights -- violence against women, and Gonzaga’s responsibility as a Jesuit, Catholic university to engage critically at the boundaries of culture where “the burning exigencies of humanity and the perceived message of the Gospel” are joined -- led to my decision to support this project (Address of Pope Benedict to General Congregation 35). If, as Ex Corde Ecclesiae (“From the Heart of the Church”) states, “ . . . by its Catholic character, a University is made more capable of conducting an impartial search for truth, a search that is neither subordinated to nor conditioned by particular interest of any kind,” then faculty, staff and students at Gonzaga are called to attend to and reflect on their own assumptions and presuppositions, and to engage in discourse about experiences of sexual violence, controversial art, ideas and events with scholarly charity (Ex Corde Ecclesiae, Introduction, Section 7). Difficult and unpleasant human experiences cannot be denied in a Catholic university’s engagement with the larger culture.
This week of programming is focused primarily on narrative and voice as a means for exploring issues of violence against women. Equally important to understanding the issue of violence against women are the themes of Catholic theologies of the body and Catholic teaching on sexuality. These will be explored by a series of speakers later this spring and in the fall. The first of these presenters, moral theologian Dr. James Halstead, O.S.A., chair of the Department of Religious Studies at DePaul University, will be at Gonzaga on Monday, April 18, speaking on Catholic perspectives on violence and broken bodies. More information on his lecture and on subsequent speakers will be forthcoming.
The presentation of “The Vagina Monologues” on campus in no way implies that the University condones or supports particular values and behaviors expressed in the play or by its author. However, it is not in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education to avoid ideas or attitudes that are different from our own, but instead to critically engage them in respectful dialogue so that everyone may come to a deeper understanding of the truth. It is in this spirit that the faculty have chosen to evaluate issues of women’s violence and empowerment through this series of events. Thank you.
3/11/11
The Pope on Lent
Here is a very nice article from Zenit (a primo Catholic news site) about Lent.
http://www.zenit.org/article-31981?l=english
http://www.zenit.org/article-31981?l=english
3/9/11
On the lighter side....
Here is a fun/interesting/crazy/intriguing way of going about fasting during Lent. It's giving me some ideas.....
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2011/03/09/man-vows-to-fast-on-beer-during-lent/
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2011/03/09/man-vows-to-fast-on-beer-during-lent/
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