There's likely more than this number...



Five Ways to Ruin the Mass

A Catholic musician more Catholic than the Pope, an expert on Liturgy, and, of course, on the younger side of 40 (or so he appears). The saddest thing I note about a lot of people who write articles like this is that they, of all people, forget how old the Church is and how it has always remained on the correct path. It seems that they forget this and fear that the Church is going off the deep end despite the relatively short time since Vatican II.

*Sigh*

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Are you interested

in how the Church is responding to the traditionalist Society of Saint Pius X?

Vatican newspaper addresses traditionalist concerns

"Essay examines questions about Vatican II, authority, and assent"

A well-written article by an essayist and Catholic apologist I really enjoy reading...

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In order to reclaim the position of temporal power

that the Catholic Church once enjoyed, these people would totally disregard scientific findings since the middle ages.

A few Catholics still insist Galileo was wrong

"They say Earth is the center of the universe, embracing church teachings of four centuries ago."

And their evidence? The Bible. So they're really no different than the text-proofing Protestants they often criticize and condemn...

(Oh, and the earth is flat, too...)

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A valid concern

The return of the Tridentine Mass – Why?

While the Pope may want to avoid conflict between Novus Ordo and Tridentine supporters in the church, it has been my experience that those who prefer the Mass in the vernacular and the newer rite simply say that (for the most part, that is), while those who follow the Tridentine rite and Latin Mass, at least in discussions on the issue, tend to be virulently anti-Novus Ordo (again, for the most part), to the point where I don't even read their comments or articles on the intertubes. One group seems fine with living with the other, but the second group wants to see the end of the newer rite completely. I fear those separations and that animosity that the Pope wishes to avoid already exists in some ways...

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Following a link

in an article from the ever-interesting Catholic and Enjoying It!, takes you to

Sedevacantist Singles,

a website for Traditionalist Catholic singles looking for true love. There's a website specifically for everyone these days. (Sedevacantists are Traditional Catholics who believe that the Chair of Peter in Rome has been vacant since the death of Pope Pius XII, and that none of the Popes since that time have really been Pope.)

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Radical-ness


For These Young Nuns, Habits Are The New Radical

In searching for meaning and a way to love God and serve God, I think the radical nature of the more traditional religious orders have come back into vogue. The traditional habits and cloister require someone to make a radical commitment. I think that's why these orders of men and women are finding more success in vocations than the orders that have 'changed with the times'. And I think this is a very good thing...

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It's not the first time I've heard of this


High Like a Hasid

"Big hats, good money, ecstatic pills."

People are just people. Our images if what they should be is what surprises and disappoints us. People are simply people...

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That greatest of all sports


Public in-fighting...

The Ave Maria University, Tom Golisano controversy: Deal Hudson, Keith Fournier vs. 'The Wanderer'

Oh, to be perfect, like so many other people...

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An editorial writer,


whom I've noticed in previous articles is quite traditional in his Catholicism, really does sneer at this particular church...

Why Catholic churches are like shabby department stores

I'm sure this poor church would be happy to replace the "highly coloured cheap chasubles (also polyester)" with beautiful, expensive vestments, if only they could afford them. Perhaps a large-ish donation from a Telegraph editorial writer could help them out?

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Well... oops!

German prosecutors act against Holocaust-denying bishop

"German prosecutors have filed a complaint against a British bishop, Richard Williamson, for inciting racial hatred after he said that "not one Jew" was killed in Nazi gas chambers."

Sometimes defying conventual wisdom, common sense, and accurate, accepted reality can lead to trouble. Believing in flying saucers is one thing, and hurts no one. Denying the holocaust, particularly when you're in a position of some authority? Well, it will be interesting to watch...

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They're making it difficult

to further relations with the Vatican...


Fundamentalist Catholics defy Vatican to ordain three priests

...as much as the Pope is reaching out to them. They're doing it intentionally, too...

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Here's the website

that the article below this one links to. I thought it deserved it's own link.

Church Music Association of America

You'll note by their articles at almost exactly what point in past history church music had evolved to its most pure form and how everything past that, and not in Latin, is c-r-r-a-a-... ummm, not good liturgical music. It's too bad, really. Some really good music has surfaced in recent years...

I can empathize

with the reader who left the comment about "doing your best to sing the horrendous music until the notes get too high for male accompaniment or the music gets too operatic for any normal congregation to follow".

Sing Like a Catholic

While the article has touched a chord (heh) with the more traditional element (those who likely read the column anyway), I think there has been some serious degeneration in liturgical music in the past few decades. That doesn't mean, as the commentors would have us think, that all the music is bad. Like most people of the traditional stripe, they likely believe anything that occured in the Church after 1964 is bad, and I don't think that's true. I do think that Catholic liturgical music really could make some changes, though. (The first one would be to write music that one doesn't have to be a soprano or tenor to sing!)

I'm somewhat in sympathy

with those who love the extraordinary form of the Mass. I've always enjoyed the smells and bells, and I appreciate the ability to take time to worship God during the Mass, and it would be good to take part in this form.

More Catholics embrace traditions

At the same time I'm also familiar with the Latin Mass and the Latin used in the Mass, so I may be at an advantage over some people. I wouldn't likely be one of those whose fingers would be moving on their rosary beads throughout Mass...

So

they're no longer excommunicated, but they still don't believe anything the Church teaches later than Pope Pius XII. That's a terrific step towards unity...

Traditionalist order not ready to accept Vatican II, superior says

I wonder how lenient the Pope would be with a liberal group? Food for though...

I truly wish

that one could read something on the 'net that spoke objectively about the negative aspects of the pre-Vatican II Liturgy and which acknowledges that there were things that were not always good.

Responding to the Tablet

In each of the articles I read it seems to focus on a small number of older people and a large number of young people who could never have known pre-Vatican II days. They seem to be looking for that wonderful golden age, when all was right with the Church. As if it ever existed. They really need to read some Church history.

If the idea is to bring back the earlier liturgy and correct the problems that were attached to it (and admit there were problems in the first place) then I say fine. Each time a fan of the extraordinary rite talks about the Novus Ordo though, they pick on the abuses of some people and don't discuss the many, many liturgies that are life-giving and worshipful. They don't seem to acknowlege that that's even possible. And touch someone else at the sign of peace and acknowledge that I'm not in this Mass by myself with God? How horrible!

Bah! One side is as bad as the other...

Something I mentioned the other day...


Pope provocateur

"No doubt Pope Benedict XVI has had some harsh words for his advisers, who let him down badly in the handling of this episode."

He was badly advised on this issue, but the results may be positive. 'Everything works for good...' etc, etc.

But he's the Pope!


Pope didn't know bishop had denied Holocaust: Vatican

Sure, he's not omniscient, but he has to have enough people around him to know all this stuff ahead of time. The various Vatican offices are known for their thoroughness.

Sure. OK.


Pontiff Tells Why He's Reaching Out to Lefebvrists: Points to Unity as "Explicit Duty" of a Pastor

I'll wait to see how many other separated groups he invites back...

At least

the SSPX has done something, which is pretty much all that could be done, I guess...

Holocaust-Denying Bishop Silenced