English/Latin missals provided. Join us for coffee and donuts after mass downstairs in the St. Clair/Sunshine room, south exterior basement entrance.
Pastor of St. Anthony Parish:Fr. Ben Nguyen EFLR Celebrants: Fr. John Jirak, Fr Nicholas Voelker
Master of Ceremonies:Tony Strunk Choir Director:Bernie Dette
Continuing News
+To submit an article or if you have comments contact me, Mark, at bumpy187@gmail.com.
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Did You Know
Mass Propers, the readings that change everyday, can be found in the red missalettes at the entrance of church?
Fr. Nicholas Voelkercelebrates Low Mass Saturdays at 8:00 a.m., St. Mary's Catholic Church, 106 East 8th street, Newton. There is no mass this Saturday, January 30, 2016.
Hi folks and Merry Christmas. We at Venite Missa Est! are taking some much needed rest from the daily grind and will be back on the weekend of January 9th /10th.
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Please note that Father Eric Weldon will celebrate mass on Friday, January 1st at 9:00 a.m. Please note NINE O' CLOCK.
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Kudos to the choir for their tremendous performance at Midnight Mass. To use the common vernacular phrase: "You rock!"
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Midnight mass brought a small bit of pride.
Now I know the weather was bad and older and younger folks SHOULD have stayed home and sought mass elsewhere or at a different time. Weather conditions were harsh and for those driving in from outside the city, darn right dangerous.
But I felt a warm glow inside as I watched the local news and read the closing notices of Christmas and Christmas Eve church services. Very few notices were Catholic closings.
I knew that for those who could make it, there would be no doubt as to what had to be done. I mentioned this to a few friends and they said that they would have made it to midnight mass if they had to walk!
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We wish you a joyous new year and may the peace of the Lord be with all of us! See you next year!
Topics: Advent: Fourth Sunday...Octave before Christmas Eve: O Antiphons...Picture: Communion Rail...Video: Victoria,O Magnum Mysterium...James Spencer: Happy Thoughts... Michelangelo: “The Torment of St. Anthony”...Congratulations: Nuptial Mass at St. Anthony
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Midnight mass will be celebrated by Father Eric Weldon at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Second and Ohio, Wichita Kansas. Choral music by the St. Anthony choir (a treat unto itself) will start at 11:30 with mass starting at midnight. Get there early.
...and now the Necessaries
Please note: St. Anthony Catholic Church is one of two local churchs celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass (EFLR) in the Wichita area. Though this blog is loosely centered around this parish and it's members, Venite Missa Est! is by no means, in any way an official voice of, or for, St. Anthony Parish or the Diocese of Wichita. Venite Missa Est is strictly a private layman's endeavor.
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Fourth Sunday of Advent
The catholic liturgy reminds us, during these four weeks, of the time during which the world was without Jesus. This Mediator we now await, and since we can go to god only through Him, we implore Him to hasten his coming.._The New Marian Missal
The seven "O Antiphons" (also called the "Greater Antiphons" or "Major Antiphons") are prayers that come from the Breviary's Vespers during the Octave before Christmas Eve, a time which is called the "Golden Nights."
The exact origin of the “O Antiphons” is not known. Boethius (c. 480-524) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. At the Benedictine abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire), these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the “O Antiphons” was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, “Keep your O” and “The Great O Antiphons” were common parlance. One may thereby conclude that in some fashion the “O Antiphons” have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.
Each Antiphon begins with "O" and addresses Jesus with a unique title which comes from the prophecies of Isaias and Micheas (Micah), and whose initials, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow I come." Those titles for Christ are:
Sapientia (Wisdom, Isaias: 11:2-3, Isaias 28:29 )
Adonai (Lord of Israel: Isaias 11:4-5, Isaias 33:22)
Clavis David (Key of David: Isaias 22:22, Isaias 9:6)
Oriens (Radiant Dawn, Dayspring:Isaias 9:2)
Rex Gentium (King of all Nations, King of the Gentiles: Isaias 9:7, Isaias 2:4)
Emmanuel (God with us: Isaias 7:14)
December 17
Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!
Latin
O Sapientia, quæ ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiæ.
December 18
Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!
Latin
O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammæ rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.
December 19
Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.
Latin
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.
December 20
Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.
Latin
O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
December 21
O Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!
Latin
O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justitiæ: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
December 22
O King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof! O Corner-stone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!
Latin
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.
December 23
Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!
Latin
O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.
My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord / Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His Name. And His Mercy is from generation unto generations upon them that fear Him.
He hath shewed might in His arm, He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our Fathers, Abraham and His seed forever.
This is the Cappella Spada, dedicated to Santa Maria Liberatrice, at San Girolamo della Carita'.
This church had been the titular church of Pietro Card. Palazzini who died in the Holy Year 2000. But before his passing he arranged for Opus Dei to get the property and today it is one of their Rome chapels.
O Magnum Mysterium is a responsorial chant from the Matins of Christmas. A number of composers have reworked the chant into a contemporaneous setting; the settings by Byrd, Victoria, Gabrieli, Palestrina, Poulenc, Harbison, La Rocca, Messiaen, Mäntyjärvi, Pierre Villette and Lauridsen are notable.
Latin text
O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum.
Alleluia.
English translation
O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!
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Happy Thoughts
by James Spencer
A very few years ago, we in Wichita had EF Ma
sses only every other week, for a total of 26 per year. Now, by my count we have 97 per year. Here's a breakdown:
Sunday Masses: 52 per year
Holy Day Masses: 5 per year (Ascension Thursday has been moved to Sunday)
Monday Masses at Clonmel: 40 (Fr. Lies in at Clear Creek on the 1st Monday of each month.)
That's a total of 97 EF Masses per year, quite an increase from the 26 we had a few years ago. As the Introit for today's Mass (bloggers note: two weeks ago) (O.F. and E.F.) says: GAUDETE!
The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth has acquired what some scholars now say is the first known painting made by Michelangelo. And if he created it, he did so when he was only 12 or 13.
This latest research holds that Michelangelo painted “The Torment of St. Anthony” between 1487 and 1488. That would make it one of only
four known easel paintings by Michelangelo — another is in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and two unfinished ones are in the National Gallery of Art in London — and the first to enter an American museum.
The painting’s attribution has been the subject of ferocious debate among scholars for four and a half centuries. While experts, citing historical records, agreed that Michelangelo had made a painting of the saint, the question was, Is it this work?
But “The Torment of St. Anthony” — an oil and tempera on a wood panel, depicting the saint poised in midair and beaten by demons — has recently undergone conservation and technical research at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Keith Christiansen, a curator of European painting there, said he firmly believed that it was by the hand of the master.
But he acknowledges that others will disagree. “A lot of people still won’t accept it as Michelangelo,” Mr. Christiansen said.
Eric McCauley Lee, director of the Kimbell, said in a telephone interview: “It sounded ridiculous at first. But when I went to the Met and saw the painting, I was struck by its power as a work of art. It had been obscured by dirt and overpainting. And when you hear Keith Christiansen’s argument, you realize it’s enormously important.”
But as recently as July, some scholars had doubts. When it was offered at a Sotheby’s auction in London, it was cataloged only as “Workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio,” where the young Michelangelo had been a pupil.
“It’s quite a famous picture, and we knew Michelangelo had painted this composition, but we just didn’t have enough evidence at the time,” said Alexander Bell, head of Sotheby’s old master paintings department in London.
Michael Hirst, a leading Michelangelo scholar in London, said last year that he did not believe the work was by the artist. (Mr. Hirst was traveling and could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.) And when it was included in an exhibition of the young Michelangelo in Florence in 1999, it was also attributed to Ghirlandaio’s workshop.
Adam Williams, a New York dealer, saw the painting and said he was convinced it was a Michelangelo. So convinced that he bought it at the Sotheby’s auction for about $2 million. The painting did not get an export license until September, and when it arrived in New York, Mr. Williams took it straight to the Metropolitan to be examined.
“I had never seen it before,” Mr. Christiansen said. “I looked at it and said this is self-evidently Michelangelo. There’s a section of the rocks with cross-hatching. Nobody else did this kind of emphatic cross-hatching.”
Michael Gallagher, conservator of paintings at the Metropolitan, cleaned and studied the painting.
“It was incredibly dirty,” he said. “But once the centuries of varnish were removed, its true quality was evident.”
Claire M. Barry, the Kimbell’s chief curator, heard about the work and came to the Met to see it. She then contacted Mr. Lee, who also inspected it and persuaded his board to buy it. Although no one will disclose the price, experts in the field say they believe the figure was more than $6 million.
For centuries, art historians have known that Michelangelo copied an engraving of St. Anthony by the 15th-century German master Martin Schongauer for a painting. Michelangelo’s biographer and former student, Ascanio Condivi, said the young Michelangelo told him that while he was working on the painting, he had visited a local market to learn how to depict fish scales, a feature not found in the engraving.
A painting of St. Anthony is also mentioned in Giorgio Vasari’s chronicle of Michelangelo’s life, although Vasari at first ascribed the original engraving to Dürer. But after Michelangelo complained, Vasari changed his account, naming Schongauer.
Measuring 18 ½ inches by 13 1/4 inches, “The Torment of St. Anthony” is at least one-third larger than the engraving. It is also not an exact copy; Michelangelo took liberties. In addition to adding the fish scales, he depicted St. Anthony holding his head more erect and with an expression more detached than sad.
He also added a landscape to the bottom of the composition, and created monsters that are more dramatic than those in the engraving.
Mr. Christiansen said studying “The Torment of St. Anthony” with infrared reflectography had exposed layers of pentimenti, or under drawing, revealing what he called the master’s hand at work.
And once the centuries of varnish were removed, the colors suddenly came alive. There is eggplant, lavender, apple green and even a brilliant salmon, which was used to depict the scales of the spiny demons. The palette, Mr. Christiansen said, is a prelude to the colors chosen for the Sistine Chapel’s vault.
Asked why the Metropolitan didn’t try to buy the painting, Mr. Christiansen replied: “The timing wasn’t right. We had other acquisitions on the dock.”
The work will be on view at the Met from June through August. It will then go to the Kimbell, where it will be displayed along with the Schongauer print.
“It is now one of our greatest treasures,” Mr. Lee said. “And will receive pride of place in our collection.”
Bloggers Note: Although the ancient liturgy is nothing knew to us Catholics it is always good to see this kind of article in the public view. There is an accompanying video (sorry, I couldn't embed it). Please click on link to view the video.
TIM O’BRIEN, guest anchor: Catholics of a certain age grew up hearing the Mass only in Latin. But since the 1960s, priests have been allowed to say the Mass in Latin only with the permission of their bishop. The Vatican is now loosening those restrictions, so the Latin Mass — also called the Tridentine Mass — may soon become more widely available, although few of the world’s Catholics understand Latin. And yet over the years some Catholics have remained committed to a Mass they consider more historically authentic. At St. Mary Mother of God Parish in Washington, D.C., Monsignor Charles Pope says the Mass in Latin one Sunday a month, and it is well attended.
Monsignor CHARLES POPE (Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.): The Tridentine Mass is a form of the Mass that existed prior to 1962. Things began to change in the Catholic liturgy probably in the mid-1960s, and certainly by 1970 whatís known as the new Mass was fully in force.
There tends to be a religious tendency for the language used inside the churches to be more ancient, and I think that’s largely why Latin remained. It was the main language of the Church even after the Latin language had ceased to be spoken.
The priest always faced the altar. In fact, the priest and the people all face one direction. Some people say the priest had his back to the people. But the reality is that the priest and the people were all facing one direction, an eastward orientation — at least theoretically eastward — and everyone was looking for the risen Christ.
Tonight ís liturgy is referred to as a Solemn High Mass. There is a priest, a deacon, and a sub-deacon who all take part in the liturgy, and it adds solemnity to the liturgy. And they each have proper roles to fill. We also have a lot of extra servers. And itís just a more solemn form of the Mass, with an opening procession and, of course, the use of incense and so on, which is all unique to either the sung or the solemn high form of the Mass.
People of all age groups attend and that ís, I think, a little bit surprising. It was always thought that if we were to go back to the Latin it would mostly be the older folks. But one of the things that’s been discovered just about everywhere the Latin Mass is celebrated, there is a huge number of young people as well. And they didn’t grow up with the Latin, but there is something attractive about this ancient form of the liturgy — its dignity, and its sort of very just lofty quality, especially in some of its forms.
I’ve been saying this Mass for 18 years now, for all my years as a priest. There is a part of me that loves to sort of step back into time and to be part of something ancient that goes way, way back, all the way back hundreds and hundreds of years, even thousands of years, into the ancient past using an ancient language. This is a Mass that most of the saints knew.
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Congratulations
Mr. and Mrs. James Strunk
Congratulations to James Strunk and Krista Barnett, married Saturday, December 19 in the Extraordinary Form of Mass at St. Anthony, Fr. Jarrod Lies officiating. James is the son of Tony and Cathy Strunk, Krista the daughter of Pat and Sheri Barnett.
One fun note: The four groomsmen were the original servers for the revived Latin Mass (at St. Anthony) many years ago under the tutelage of Tony Strunk.
Topics: Third Sunday of Advent: The Coming of Jesus Approaches...Father Jarrod Lies: Not Goodbye, See Ya Later!....Once Upon a Time: Men Wore The Pants...Bishop Fulton J. Sheen:Possible Sainthood
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_With sadness we bid so long (for now) to Father Lies as he transitions back to St. John, Clonmel to tend to his parish there. I'm sure we will see him soon enough (I believe he will sit in at mass and fill in when needed), but I for one am saddened to see him go.
That being said let us open our hearts and offer prayers for Father Eric Weldon as he, for the first time, celebrates mass in The Extraordinary Form this Sunday December 13, 2009 at St. Anthony, Wichita.
_I can't believe that anyone in Kansas has not been reading about Father Emil Kapaun in the special section of the Wichita Eagle. If you've been in a foreign prison or hiding under a rock but are interested in reading about this extraordinary man, soldier and Priest go to kansas.com , the website of The Wichita Eagle newspaper.
...and now the Necessaries
Please note: St. Anthony Catholic Church is the only local church celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass (EFLR) in the Wichita area. Though this blog is loosely centered around this parish and it's members, Venite Missa Est! is by no means, in any way an official voice of, or for, St. Anthony Parish or the Diocese of Wichita. Venite Missa Est is strictly a private layman's endeavor.
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Third Sunday of Advent
On this day the Church urges us to gladness in the middle of this time of expectation and penitence; the coming of Jesus approaches more and more.
St. John, the holy precursor, announces to the Jews the coming of the Saviour. "The Saviour" he says to them, "lives already among us, though unknown. He will soon appear openly." Now is the time for fervent prayers an for imploring Jesus to remain with us by His mercy. Let us prepare the way for Him by repentance and penitence and by a worthy reception of the sacraments. All the prayers of this Mass are filled with that which the Church wishes our souls to be possessed at the approach of the Saviour._The New Marian Missal
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Father Jarrod Lies: Not Goodbye, See Ya Later!
"It should of been louder.........". Those were the words that Father Jarrod Lies once started a homily with, proclaiming the birth of Christ. He was speaking about the sheer magnitude and meaning of the birth of The Messiah on that certain night some 2000 years ago there in the humblest of settings amongst the lowliest of creatures. Indeed such a universe jarring phenomena should of been louder, it should of reverberated around the world in an instant, trumpets blaring, voices rejoicing but it didn't...God chose to slip into this human realm quietly and humbly.
It should of been louder. Our love, appreciation and fondness for Father Jarrod Lies, at his last mass at St. Anthony, should have been proclaimed louder with more handshakes, fervor, cheers and thanks but alas in those awkward and emotional moments when one loses something dear, we are at a loss for words.
Father Lies' said his goodbyes and thanks on Tuesday December 8th, The Feast of the Immaculate Conception....and that mortal man, that dear priest, slipped away quietly and humbly.
Father Lies,
Thank you for your leadership, thank you for your Priesthood and thank you for your manhood. You are one heckuva instrument in God's hands.
Father Lies will be around and we'll see him soon so lets not say goodbye but rather: "See ya later!"
Blogger's note: This appeared on The Remnant website. It is a Levis dockers ad. They're trying to sell pants but it sure does strike a cord. As an older"untraditional student" I often reflect , with bemusement and sadness, on young men with matching earrings, purses (ok "men's bags") letting doors slam into young ladies faces, and wonder what lessons they will teach their sons.
Now I know that this is only the product of an ad agencies' copy writer....but I bet I would like this guy.
ONCE UPON A TIME, MEN WORE THE PANTS, AND WORE THEM WELL. WOMEN RARELY HAD TO OPEN DOORS AND LITTLE OLD LADIES NEVER CROSSED THE STREET ALONE.MEN TOOK CHARGE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DID. BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, THE WORLD DECIDED IT NO LONGER NEEDED MEN.DISCO BY DISCO, LATTE BY FOAMY NON-FAT LATTE, MEN WERE STRIPPED OF THEIR KHAKIS AND LEFT STRANDED ON THE ROAD BETWEEN BOYHOOD AND ANDROGYNY.BUT TODAY, THERE ARE QUESTIONS OUR GENDERLESS SOCIETY HAS NO ANSWERS FOR.THE WORLD SITS IDLY BY AS CITIES CRUMBLE, CHILDREN MISBEHAVE AND THOSE LITTLE OLD LADIES REMAIN ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET.FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE BAD GUYS, WE NEED HEROES.WE NEED GROWN-UPS.WE NEED MEN TO PUT DOWN THE PLASTIC FORK, STEP AWAY FROM THE SALAD BAR AND UNTIE THE WORLD FROM THE TRACKS OF COMPLACENCY.IT'S TIME TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY.IT’S TIME TO ANSWER THE CALL OF MANHOOD.IT'S TIME TO WEAR THE PANTS.
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Remembrance, and Maybe Sainthood, for Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
To a Catholic boy like Tim Dolan, growing up in the heartland when Protestant neighbors still made casual jokes about the “papists” next door, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen rode into town in the 1950s on the new main street of the United States, the television set, like a true-blue American hero.
“He showed the broad American public that the truths of our faith were consonant with the highest values of the society: patriotism, God, family and the struggle against Communism,” said that boy, now known as Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York.
Archbishop Dolan led a memorial Mass on Wednesday evening at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of Bishop Sheen. An auxiliary bishop of the New York Archdiocese from 1951 to 1965, the man whom the Rev. Billy Graham called “the greatest communicator of the 20th century” is buried in a crypt under the cathedral altar, which was open for public viewing before the Mass.
In a way, the event — which attracted Roman Catholic dignitaries, parishioners from across the country and two great-great nieces of the bishop — served unofficially as promotion for a little-noticed campaign to make Bishop Sheen, the first and greatest Catholic televangelist, a saint of the church.
After 20 years in radio, Bishop Sheen scored a hit with his first weekly TV show, “Life is Worth Living,” on the DuMont network. The program drew tens of millions of viewers on Tuesday nights from 1951 to 1957, though it appeared opposite giants of early television likeLucille Ball and Milton Berle (who once quipped that the bishop was pretty good for a guy who “uses old material”).
In those broadcasts, and a similar show syndicated from 1961 to 1968, the bishop, an Illinois farmer’s son who wrote his doctoral dissertation on Marxism, used a polished extemporaneous style to comment on topics of the day, whether movies, Broadway plays or international politics. Among his most famous half-hour commentaries was a 1953 denunciation of Joseph Stalin.
“When he came upon the scene, there was still wavering doubt about whether Catholics were truly American,” said John L. Allen Jr., an author of books about Catholicism and senior correspondent for The National Catholic Reporter, an independent newspaper. “Sheen clinched the deal with the general public, showing that you could be completely Catholic and completely American.”
Some scholars credit the popularity of his broadcast with making possible the 1960 election of the country’s first and only Catholic president, John F. Kennedy.
Unlike the other famous Catholic broadcaster of the 20th century, the Rev. Charles E. Coughlin, who blended harsh attacks on PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt with anti-Semitism, Bishop Sheen combined his vigorous anti-Communism with an almost equally strong anti-racist message that placed him well ahead of the curve as an advocate for civil rights in the 1950s. In 1967, he also became a vocal opponent of the war in Vietnam.
For Archbishop Dolan, 59, who grew up in suburban St. Louis, the unabashed Catholicism of the red cape and crucifix worn by Bishop Sheen during all his broadcasts — though risky in its time — proved that the core beliefs of a Catholic “could be expressed by a person who was well-educated, down to earth and not threatening in the least,” he said.
Bishop Sheen’s great crossover appeal was made evident one night when the future archbishop’s father walked in the door and recounted what had just happened while he was taking out the garbage.
“We had a neighbor named Norm who used to always kid my dad about being Catholic,” Archbishop Dolan said in an interview on Tuesday. “And one evening he meets my dad at the curb and says: ‘Bob, I was watching that bishop of yours. Sheen. He’s not a bad guy. He makes a lot of sense.’ ”
The neighbor’s gibes were never particularly mean-spirited, and Bob Dolan was not a particularly observant Catholic. But the father’s response to the neighbor’s comment was memorable. “He came into the house, beaming, bursting with pride,” the archbishop said. “ ‘You’ll never guess what Norm just said,’ he tells us all.”
Since 2002, the effort to canonize Bishop Sheen has been led by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of the Diocese of Peoria, Ill., where the Sheen family raised their four sons and where Bishop Sheen was ordained in 1919.
The Rev. Andrew Apostoli, a Franciscan friar who is gathering evidence of miracles attributed to Bishop Sheen’s intercession since his death in 1979, said the bishop had been designated by the Vatican as a “Servant of God,” the first step toward sainthood.
Two months ago, Father Apostoli said, evidence of two miracles, including affidavits signed by doctors and witnesses to medical recoveries “unexplainable by science,” were submitted to the Vatican for verification. If accepted, the bishop would be beatified, or made a “Blessed Person,” and after verification of a third miracle, made a saint.
It is customary, he said, for the bishops in the places where saints are born to seek the return of their remains. In Bishop Sheen’s case, that would mean removal from the crypt at St. Patrick’s and reburial at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria.
Really? he was asked.
“Well, yes, but it is a very sensitive point, so I don’t want to say anything further about that,” Father Apostoli said.
Archbishop Dolan said he knew about the custom. “Bishop Jenky is a good friend of mine, and I appreciate that he would dream that someday the remains of Bishop Sheen would be returned to Peoria,” he said. “He even kids me about it: ‘You know, Tim, when he becomes a saint, we’re going to try and get him.’ ”
He paused. “But, you know, Bishop Sheen only spent a few years in Peoria.”
He paused again, as if searching for words. “And he loved New York.”
Bishop Jenky, who attended Wednesday’s Mass, could not be reached for comment.
Ravi Somaiya contributed reporting.
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And Joseph Slept
What we can learn from Joseph's holy slumber
Columbia
The Magazine of the Knights of Columbus
by Brian Caulfield
"Why is St. Joseph sleeping?" asked my 9-year-old son.
We were in the Holy family Chapel at the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council headquarters in New Haven, Conn., looking at the colorful mosaic that depicts Mary tending to her newborn son while Joseph nods off in the radiant presence of the redeemer.
Continue to article in this online presentation of Columbia by clicking on the image below. Page 9.
Topics: Second Sunday of Advent: Father Steadman Missal...Monsignor Joseph F. Steadman: 1896-1946 ...Sign Post: First Clear Creek Monk Dies...The City of San Francisco: Fines Archdiocese $14.4 Million...YouTube: My Religion is True, Yours a Mistake!...Bishop of Calgary: Shuts Down Fraternity of St. Peter Mass...Preserving Christian Publications: Newsletter; Catalog, Second Hand Books...Venite Missa Est! Re-Run: Book Review; Islam at the Gates...Feast Day: St. Nicholas...Course at Spiritual Life Center: Introduction to Church History....Obit:Leading Authority on Church Bells and Bell-Ringing Dies
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_Well it's finals week for this "oldest student in the class" and I feel fine. Lots of intersting stuff in the Catholic World but not much of our local parish...forgive me, it is a busy week.
_Totally unrelated to Catholicism and/or St. Anthony: I watched a very entertaining movie today that is family friendly and adventurous. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World starring Russell Crowe (2003). The film takes place in 1805, during the Napoleonic Wars. Europe has fallen to Napoleon, and only the Royal Navy stands in his way to total victory. Off the cost of South America, a new conflict is brewing. The HMS Surprise is under orders to sink or capture the French privateer Acheron, which has been deployed to the region.
I think you probably get the gist of the movie, action packed, full of swashbuckling adventure....it's generally a great family film (warning: there are fighting scenes).
...and now the Necessaries
Please note: St. Anthony Catholic Church is the only local church celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass (EFLR) in the Wichita area. Though this blog is loosely centered around this parish and it's members, Venite Missa Est! is by no means, in any way an official voice of, or for, St. Anthony Parish or the Diocese of Wichita. Venite Missa Est is strictly a private layman's endeavor.
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Second Sunday of Advent
Mass Theme Explained
My Sunday Missal
Confraternity of the Precious Blood
(Father Stedman Missal 1941)
Bloggers note: Stedman is spelled as such in the actual missal but spelled as Steadman elsewhere.
John the Baptist "had heard in prison of the works of Christ. He sent two of his disciples to say to Him, 'art Thou He Who is to come, or shall we look for another' " (Gospel).
Jesus referred to John as "My messenger" who prepared the "way". John now wanted his disciples to realize that they, too, must follow Christ, the long expected Saviour, will the "blind" of soul "see," the "lame" of character "walk" the "lepers" of sin become "cleansed;" the "poor" become rich with a new Gospel.
The Epistle points to these interior and social aspects of the "Christ" way: interiorly, by prayer, to "glorify" the Fatherhood of God; socially, by our actions, to "receive one another" in the Brotherhood of man, "even as Christ has received you".
Observe how the entire Mass, from Introit to Postcommunion, repeats the same pre-Christmas reminder of the need of serving Christ and neighbor. Why"look for another" way?
In the course of his life, Monsignor Steadman served as a chaplain, directed three churches in Queens and Brooklyn and wrote several religious missals (books containing the readings and prayers for each Roman Catholic Mass or prayer service) still in use throughout the world.
Joseph Steadman, one of five children, was born to Joseph and Ellen Steadman in Brooklyn, New York. In his youth, he attended St. Joseph’s Parochial School and then went on to high school at the St. Francis Preparatory School. Receiving his diploma, Steadman entered St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, but left after his junior year to enter the St. John’s Seminary in Brooklyn. Graduating an ordained Roman Catholic priest in 1921, Father Steadman was assigned to Holy Child Jesus Parish in Richmond Hill, Queens, where he served from 1921-1925. Father Steadman then became the Chaplain of the Precious Blood Monastery where he held a series of spiritual discussions. He also founded and directed the Confraternity of the Precious Blood.
Father Steadman was elevated to Monsignor in 1944. Involved in military religious affairs, Msgr. Steadman gave rosaries to active members of the military during World War II and played an active role in veteran’s affairs. After the end of World War II (1939-1945) a Catholic Veterans Post was founded in his honor. In addition, Msgr. Steadman wrote three missals: My Sunday Missal, My Lenten Missal, and My Military Missal. My Sunday Missal, the most famous of the three, is used throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland, England, Australia, and South Africa. It has been translated into French, Polish, Chinese, Dutch, Italian, and some Native American languages. Msgr. Steadman also wrote the Jesus, Mary, Joseph Novena Manual. Msgr. Steadman remained the Chaplain of Precious Blood until his death of a brain tumor in 1946. He was 50 years of age.Joseph Steadman, one of five children, was born to Joseph and Ellen Steadman in Brooklyn, New York. In his youth, he attended St. Joseph’s Parochial School and then went on to high school at the St. Francis Preparatory School. Receiving his diploma, Steadman entered St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, but left after his junior year to enter the St. John’s Seminary in Brooklyn. Graduating an ordained Roman Catholic priest in 1921, Father Steadman was assigned to Holy Child Jesus Parish in Richmond Hill, Queens, where he served from 1921-1925. Father Steadman then became the Chaplain of the Precious Blood Monastery where he held a series of spiritual discussions. He also founded and directed the Confraternity of the Precious Blood.
Father Steadman was elevated to Monsignor in 1944. Involved in military religious affairs, Msgr. Steadman gave rosaries to active members of the military during World War II and played an active role in veteran’s affairs. After the end of World War II (1939-1945) a Catholic Veterans Post was founded in his honor. In addition, Msgr. Steadman wrote three missals: My Sunday Missal, My Lenten Missal, and My Military Missal. My Sunday Missal, the most famous of the three, is used throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland, England, Australia, and South Africa. It has been translated into French, Polish, Chinese, Dutch, Italian, and some Native American languages. Msgr. Steadman also wrote the Jesus, Mary, Joseph Novena Manual. Msgr. Steadman remained the Chaplain of Precious Blood until his death of a brain tumor in 1946. He was 50 years of age.
An edited version of this story appeared in the Tahlequah (Oklahoma) Daily Press on Wednesday 25 November.
Clear Creek Monastery near Lost City was founded 10 years ago by 13 monks from an ancient abbey in France. Last Tuesday, in a solemn Roman Catholic requiem Mass, one of the founders, Father Francois de Feydeau, a Frenchman, was laid to rest in a grove of pine trees he had
planted himself a few years ago, near the new monastery whose construction he helped bring about.
Fr. de Feydeau was the "sub-prior" of the Benedictine community - second in command, the faithful lieutenant of the monastery's prior, or head man in charge, Father Philip Anderson. After suffering from cancer for six months, Fr. de Feydeau died at the monastery on Nov. 15. He was the first monk to die there.
Cathy Costello of Edmond has been a friend of the Clear Creek monks for many years. She described Fr. de Feydeau's feelings about his home in Cherokee County, and the community here he belonged to.
"When Fr. de Feydeau was diagnosed with cancer, Fr. Anderson asked him if he wanted to go back to France to the monastery there," said Mrs. Costello. "He told Fr. Anderson he was already with his family, and wanted to die at Clear Creek with them.
"Fr. de Feydeau was the first monk to see Clear Creek," Mrs. Costello said, referring to the fact that he headed the small advance guard who arrived a month before most of the monks. "And he is the first Clear Creek monk to see heaven."
Fr. de Feydeau wore several hats at Clear Creek. Besides serving as sub-prior, he also held the job of "cellarer," or the monk in charge of business matters. Before becoming a monk, he had been an officer in the French Navy. He also was in charge of the studies of the young monks preparing to become priests (the original band of 13 has grown to nearly 40). And he was closely involved in the design and construction of the new buildings that are rising on the monastery land, adjacent to Fort Gibson Lake north of Hulbert.
Dan Doyle of Tulsa, the son of the former owner of the 1200-acre property now owned by the monks, has for several years been the organizer of an annual work day at the monastery, when as many as 400 volunteers, Catholic and Protestant, from Oklahoma and elsewhere, have gathered to help the monks clear brush and build fences and cut timber and do some of the other chores required to maintain a large farming and ranching operation (the monks try to be self-sustaining as much as possible). Mr. Doyle worked closely with Fr. de Feydeau during the work days and on other occasions.
"My image is of Fr. de Feydeau in the monk robe with most of it trailing behind because of his constant forward momentum," said Mr. Doyle. "The only time it would fall evenly was as he was preparing to step into the Bobcat, put on his mouse ear protectors and begin his self-imposed 43 minute time allotment to work on the mill or the cloister wall or whatever priority he had determined for the day between all the other tasks he performed. He would get on the Bobcat - pushing, pulling, lifting and digging - making a little progress every day, sticking on task over months to accomplish his vision. The work on the Bobcat was the most tangible representation of what he was doing for the monastery, supporting the abbot, the ceremony and the other monks."
Mr. Doyle was impressed by de Feydeau's decision to be buried in Oklahoma.
"I always thought he would go back to France to be an abbot in his home country," Mr. Doyle said. "It would have been hard for me to leave for another country not knowing if I would ever come back. Being buried here versus France is a huge commitment. Not that he would be proud, not that it would be a sacrifice in his mind, but the duty to be the first of the monks to be buried at the monastery is symbolic of his dedication."
Thomas Gordon Smith, a professor of architecture at Notre Dame University, also worked closely with de Feydeau over the last several years. Fr. de Feydeau had a profound influence on Mr. Smith's design for the new church and monastery at Clear Creek, an influence based on Fr. de Feydeau's deep knowledge of the distinctively monastic styles of architecture employed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Mr. Smith himself is a leader in the renaissance of traditional approaches to architecture, of which Notre Dame is a center.
"Father de Feydeau was insistent that the model for the new monastery at Clear Creek be the distinctive Cistercian branch, a severe and geometrical version of the Romanesque style," said Mr. Smith. "I was prejudiced against Cistercian building because it was promoted by the influential modernist architect Le Corbusier. Fr. de Feydeau, on the other hand, saw that Cistercian could represent a radical return to basic Benedictine principles today, because the 12th-century development of the style emanated from spiritual and disciplinary reform. Fr. de Feydeau's insight caused me to convert my resistance to understanding. He helped me to make Cistercian the prime font for Clear Creek Monastery's architectural design.
"It is extremely rare in today's Catholic Church for leaders like Fr. Anderson and the late Fr. de Feydeau to be acutely aware that architectural expression can reflect the deep renaissance occuring at Fontgombault and Clear Creek."
While Fr. de Feydeau had a connoisseur's knowledge of mediaeval architecture, he was also fascinated by the history and culture of his adopted home in Cherokee County. In 1999, a few months before Fr. de Feydeau and his fellow monks left France, friends here sent them a history of Tahlequah. Fr. de Feydeau delighted to tell the story of how the town acquired its name, when a Cherokee chief uttered the word to express his approval of the site. In his inimitable French accent, Fr. de Feydeau would give the English translation of the word Tahlequah: "It'll do." He also would tell the alternative version of the story, which ends with the phrase, "Two is enough."
Fr. de Feydeau was an accomplished artist. As an officer in the French Navy, he served on a battleship, the "Jeanne d'Arc," that sailed around the world. Fr. de Feydeau planned to take his own personal camera on the cruise, but it was stolen just before the ship left. So instead of taking pictures on the trip, he made drawings of the sights he saw at the various ports of call.
Friends have suggested that an exhibit of his drawings should appear in a gallery at the Gilcrease Museum or Northeastern State University in Tahlequah or elsewhere.
Cathy Costello recalled Fr. de Feydeau's teaching during a class on painting - or in the phrase of the Christian East, "writing" - icons.
"My daughter Anna Marie and I had the good fortune to write an icon with him.
Fr. de Fedeau would move into the room like an angel flying. He sat next to me, would look at what I was doing, then take a tiny drop of paint and begin to do more with that drop of paint in five minutes than I did with a quarter cup in five hours! Then the bell would ring for the divine office and he would fly out as quickly as he had arrived. "
Lyle Cooney-Pead, an Australian visitor staying in the monastery guesthouse recently, spoke of the life of prayer and contemplation led by de Feydeau and his brother monks.
"They offer their lives as a witness to the fact that God exists and that he loves us and has sent his son to save us," said Mr. Cooney-Pead. "Their whole life is a testimony, a sign-post reminding us the real purpose of our existence, which is to glorify God in this life and forever in heaven."
In remarks addressed to a funeral congregation of 200 last Tuesday, Fr. Anderson, the head of the monastery, echoed those thoughts.
"As we prepare to commit the mortal remains of a beloved monk to the earth, we do well not to forget the luminous path traced by so many saints who have illumined the world and transfigured the experience of death," said Fr. Anderson in his sermon. "Above all we must not forget what Our Lord said about the need for the grain of wheat to die, in order that it not remain sterile but produce much fruit. If we cannot help feeling the bitter grief of seeing a father and brother stolen away from the visible plane of our existence, we must not act like the pagans of yesterday and today, who live without real love in this world and without hope for the next."
Cathy Costello was among the congregation at de Feydeau's funeral.
"The funeral was so beautiful and simple," she said. "The monks built him a simple box out of beautiful cedar found on their property. His open casket was set on the floor of the sanctuary, between the choir stalls of the monks, surrounded by six candles. At the end of the mass, with the monks chanting the 'In paradisum,' they slowly picked up the open casket, placing it on the shoulders of six monks and we all walked out to the grave. It was so beautiful watching this family carry their French brother. They set him on the ground, and after more incense, holy water and prayers, placed the wooden lid on top of the coffin. They lowered his body in the ground with ropes, and every member of the monastery and the lay community looked into the ground and blessed his casket with holy water. Some monks were crying. It was cloudy, and damp, and bitterly cold. Somehow it seemed fitting."
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City Fines Archdiocese of San Francisco $14.4 Million
The City of San Francisco is hard up for cash, so they’ve decided to steal it from the Archdiocese of San Francisco because they can – nakedly, in broad daylight, without the slightest plausible legal pretense. The Church is openly hated and condemned in San Francisco for its support of Proposition 8 and its defense of human sexual morality in general. The City can steal from the Archdiocese because the City needs the money and because it makes the citizenry happy to stick it to the evil Catholic Church.
Here’s some backstory from a previous post: When you sell a piece of property in many California jurisdictions, including San Francisco, the seller must pay a rather exhorbitant tax for the privilege which is based upon the value of the property. It is akin to a sales tax on a home or commercial property.
The San Francisco Archdiocese owns hundreds of lots in San Mateo, Marin and San Francisco counties. The exceedingly vast majority of these properties are the lots which make up a parish plant, i.e., church, school, parish hall, parking lot, rectory. . .
The Archdiocese has historically held title to these properties under two names - The Roman Catholic Welfare Corporation and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco, a Corporation Sole.
In December, 2007, San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer announced a corporate restructuring within the archdiocese and by May 2008, almost all properties in question had been consolidated under the title of the Archdiocese of San Francisco Parish and School Juridic Persons Juridic Property Support Corp.
Since this is not a sale or transfer to a different organization or person, no transfer tax is invoked and no transfer tax has ever been invoked in the history of the state for such a transaction. That is, until City Assessor Phil Ting gauged the likely public reaction to an outright theft from the Prop. 8 supporting Catholic Church and realized it would not only be profitable, but popular. Last year Ting, unlike assessors in Marin and San Mateo Counties, decided to charge the Archdiocese a transfer tax on all Archdiocesan properties in San Francisco. This includes properties such as Mission Dolores, which have been owned by the Church since before there was a State of California or a taxing authority in San Francisco.
They are still owned by the Church. No money changed hands. Yet, the City is charging the Archdiocese the second largest real estate transfer tax in history, as if the Archdiocese were a real estate investor selling a profitable high-rise office building.
The Archdiocese appealed Ting’s decision to an appeal board which yesterday agreed to take $14.4 million from the Church. The Archdiocese will now take the issue to court. Archdiocesan spokesperson Maury Healy told the San Francisco Chronicle:
“The board members, all of whom are City Hall administrators rather than members of the judiciary, apparently faced tremendous pressure in view of the city's desperate need for revenue . . . We are glad that having exhausted the required administrative process we can finally proceed to a formal, neutral civil court forum . . . We trust that the civil court will carefully consider the applicable law, devoid of the sensationalism and politics that the archdiocese thus far has faced.”
Pray for the persecuted Church in San Francisco. This is just one of many assaults the Church has suffered there recently. Hat Tip to A Shepherd’s Voice who has more background here and especially here.
The world's most popular Islamic scholar Dr. Zakir Naik explains that Islam is correct while all other religions are mistakes.
While philosopher Daniel Dennett proposes that school curriculum includes the study of all major religions, religious leaders continue to resist such ungodly secularism.
Due to concern over spread of H1N1, the Bishop of Calgary has ordered all parishes to suspend communion on the tongue. The local FSSP parish has rightly refused and are now suspended from offering Mass until further notice. A concerned Cathlic wrote to Bishop Henry informing him that the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in late July stated that it is not licit to deny reception of communion on the tongue, despite the current threat of H1N1. Bishop Henry replied, "I am well aware of what the Congregation decided but quite frankly, it is not their call. It is mine."
Full email chain follows:
Sent: November 30, 2009 10:09 AM
To: bishopfh@rcdiocese....
Subject: Calgary's Saint Anthony Parish: forbidden to have Mass if communion in the hand is not offered?
Dear Bishop Henry,
On the front page of your diocese's website, I see there is a letter in which you are forbidding the distribution of communion on the tongue due to H1N1 concerns. Separately, I have heard that you have forbidden the Parish of Saint Anthony's in Calgary, which is serviced by priests of the Fraternity of Saint Peter, to offer Mass using the Missal of 1962 because that Rite of Mass is incompatible with communion given in the hand.
Is this true?
Michael C.
***
From: Bishop F.B. Henry bishopfh@rcdiocese....
Date: Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Subject: RE: Calgary's Saint Anthony Parish: forbidden to have Mass if communion in the hand is not offered?
Dear Michael
The Fraternity has informed me that they are unable to comply with the directives in my pastoral letter re reception of communion. Therefore, the Latin Mass will be suspended until the temporary sanctions have been lifted as recommended by the Medical Officer of Health.
Peace, Bishop Henry
****
Letter to St. Anthony's Parish
November 25, 2009
Rev. C. Blust, FSSP
St. Anthony’s Parish
5340 4th St. SW
Calgary, AB, T2V 0Z5
Dear Fr. Blust and My Brothers and Sisters of the Latin Mass Community of St. Anthony’s
The sacraments (and sacramentals – like holy water) are entrusted by Christ to the church which is responsible for determining through regulation the manner of their proper celebration. The bishop is the chief liturgist in the local church or diocese. In the event of a pandemic, we ought to try to reduce the possibility of transmission of a virus and protect the faithful – also the body of Christ. Our current liturgical restrictions in Calgary aim to do precisely that . This is a difficulty for some but we must remember that a Catholic spirituality is not an individual affair but communitarian from the get-go. For the love of our brothers and sisters we have mandated the sacrificing of a personal preference in the manner of Eucharistic reception for a temporary period.
Receiving communion on the tongue is not a dogma of faith. Nor is it an absolute. Since the Eucharistic Celebration is the Paschal Banquet, it is desirable that in keeping with the Lord's command, his Body and Blood should be received by the faithful who are properly disposed as spiritual food. In the Diocese of Calgary, all the faithful may receive communion on the tongue or in the hand - this also applies to the faithful who choose to celebrate the Eucharist with the Latin Mass community at St. Anthony’s, Calgary and St. Patrick’s, Medicine Hat. However, due to the current N1H1 pandemic and in accordance with recommendations received from the Medical Officer of Health, communion on the tongue is temporarily suspended.
I want to be perfectly clear: no one is to be denied the Eucharist, what is at issue is the manner of reception.
Participation in the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice is a source and means of grace even apart from the actual reception of Holy Communion. It has also been long understood that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy communion during mass, it is possible to make a spiritual communion that is also a source of grace. Spiritual communion means uniting oneself in prayer with Christ’s sacrifice and worshiping him present in his Body and Blood.
Nevertheless, the current pandemic circumstances do not warrant the non-reception of the Body and Blood of the Lord in favour of a spiritual communion.
Wishing you all the best, I remain,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
+ F. B. Henry
Bishop of Calgary.
***
To: Bishop F.B. Henry
Subject: Re: Calgary's Saint Anthony Parish: forbidden to have Mass if communion in the hand is not offered?
Your excellency,
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), on 24 July 2009, stated that it is not licit to deny reception of communion on the tongue, despite the current threat of H1N1. Attached is a scan of the CDF's letter on this matter.
"I am well aware of what the Congregation decided but quite frankly, it is not their call. It is mine."
More information will be posted as it is made available - jv
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Preserving Christian Publications
Newsletter, Catalog, Second hand Books
Dear Friends,
Our new secondhand and out-of-print PDF CATALOG for December 2009 is now available on our website via our HOME and PDF CATALOG pages.
Please note, we recommend that you refresh (reload) your browser upon arriving at our site, to ensure that you are looking at the newest version, and not a cached one.
Also, we would like to bring to your attention 3 new reprint titles now available:
2010 ORDO: Indispensable for the clergy and laity alike who follow the traditional (1962) Roman Missal and Breviary. For every day of the year, the Ordo implements the rubrics that regulate the liturgical calendar. Of course, it is also a must for every sacristy! 180 pages, soft cover, #55716. $15.00 (plus shipping)
CAEREMONIALE IN MISSA, PRIVATA ET SOLEMNI by C. Callewaert: Though this Flemish liturgist was frequently cited by 20th century rubricians, his books have been nearly impossible to obtain for many years. Fellow rubricists had this to say of his CAEREMONIALE: "This is perhaps the clearest description of all ordinary ceremonies and is written by an outstanding authority. ... Callewaert is unusual for his depth of treatment. He gives the meaning and reason behind ceremonies whenever useful and always lists carefully his sources. ...We recommend it without reservation..."
DENZINGER'S SOURCES OF CATHOLIC DOGMA: In this age of doctrinal latitude and speculative innovation there is a pressing need for a comprehensive source on authentic Catholic dogma anchored upon the Church’s magisterium. Solution: We offer Fr. Denzinger’s practical yet concise reference book. 720 pages, cloth hardbound, #55712. $32.00 (plus shipping)
Until next, please help our apostolic work and let your friends know about our new PDF catalog and our e-mail list. God bless from the PCP Staff!
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call us toll-free at 866-241-2762
or email us at: info@pcpbooks.com
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Venite Missa Est! Re-Run from Sometime Last Year
Book Review
Reviewed by Jim Spencer
Islam at the Gates: How Christendom Defeated the Ottoman Turks, by Dr. Diane Moczar (published in 2008 by Sophia Institute Press, Box 5284, Manchester, NH 03108; 1-(800) 888-9344; www.sophiainstitute.com. ISBN 978-1-933184-25-8. Softcover, 8.5” X 5.5”, 243 pages. $17.95 plus s&h.)
Although history, and well-written history at that, this book offers much more than history to 21st century readers. It offers a clear and most unsettling picture of what we face if the Muslims of today launch an all-out offensive as their ancestors did against Eastern and Western Christendom from the seventh through the seventeenth centuries. Dr. Moczar presents this offensive as a “Drama in Five Acts.” She summarizes the pre-Ottoman centuries as Acts One through Three in her Prologue, and then devotes Chapters One through Nine to the almost successful onslaught of the Ottoman Turks from the fourteenth through the seventeenth centuries. In her final Chapter, “Islam at the Gates Once More,” she assesses our situation today relative to the once again rising power and ambition of Islam.
The Story
The Ottoman Turks started as an almost insignificant band of nomads. However, beginning with their leader, Osman (hence the name “Ottoman”), in the fourteenth century, they benefitted from a long series of outstanding leaders who gradually made them dominant throughout Islam. Once in control of Islam, these Ottoman Turk leaders launched successful jihad after successful jihad against Christendom, starting of course in the east and working ever westward. They conquered Constantinople in 1453. Then they swept through the Balkans, conquering the rest of Greece, Serbia, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia. By 1552 they had conquered all of Hungary and were moving toward Vienna, the gateway to Europe.
The Turks belatedly developed sea power, but during the 16th century they came to dominate the Mediterranean Sea.
One major reason for Turkish success through these ten centuries conquest was that various countries of Europe failed to cooperate for their mutual defense. They were often too busy squabbling with one another to present a united front. More than one country went so far as to side with the Turks against another European country. One Italian State even provided oceanic transportation for Muslim soldiers and the Muslim slave trade!
Of course, we’re all familiar with the story of Pope St. Pius V and the victory of Don Juan of Austria in the sea battle of Lepanto in 1571. We’re also familiar with the story of the Polish King, John Sobieski’s successful defense of Vienna in 1683, when he routed the Turkish army, which retreated in disarray, never to return.
The Consequences
Following every successful jihad, the Ottoman Turks inflicted a savagery beyond imagination on their victims. First, they brutally slaughtered enough men to get the full attention of the conquered people. Then, they gathered as many slaves, men and women, as they felt they needed and shipped them to other parts of the Ottoman Empire. The men became common slaves, while the women were either delivered into the clutches of amorous soldiers or put into various harems. Through these centuries, countless millions of Christians men and women were thusly enslaved. The conquering Turks also took as many young boys as they felt they needed as Devsirme and Icoglan. The Devsirme, 14 to 20 years old, were converted to Islam and trained, most as elite infantrymen for the Janissary Corp, while some were trained for diplomatic service. The Icoglan, six to ten years old, were converted to Islam and trained for fourteen years for service in various positions in the Sultan’s administration. It was also a custom to require conquered people to supply some annual number of slaves as well as Devsirme, and Icoglan. It has been estimated that about one-fifth of the young males in these conquered lands were thusly taken from their parents.
Forced conversions were common under such a terrorist regime. But what about those who refused to convert? They, the dhimmi, were taxed heavily but allowed to live, provided they recognized themselves as “subdued.” They had to wear identifying clothes, step aside with visible humility to allow any Muslim to pass, and so forth. Any dhimmi who failed to act properly subdued could be (and usually was) summarily killed.
The Future
In her final chapter, Dr. Moczar sounds a wake-up call for those who feel this could never happen again. She makes an interesting comparison between Islamic occupation and Communist occupation, a comparison that rings our collective chimes because we’re so familiar with the horrors of Communist occupation.
Overall, this is a very timely book, It’s also a very well organized and a very well written book.
End
Copyright, 2008, by James B. Spencer. First Serial Rights
St. Nicholas is the Saint better known as "Santa Claus" (Sinterklaas in the Dutch whence "Santa Claus" comes). His image in America has been mixed up with a lot of traits and imagery from sources as disparate as the poetry of Clement Moore, pagan Norse mythology, and American advertising. In real life, though, St. Nicholas was a beloved and wonderful Bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey). He was born in Asia Minor in A.D. 260 and orphaned at an early age.
As a young man, he made a pilgrimage to Palestine and Egypt, becoming a Bishop upon his r
eturn. He was imprisoned during the persecutions of Diocletian, but was released after
Constantine came to rule. According to legend, he was present at the Council of Nicaea and became so incensed at Arius -- the heretical Bishop whose denial of the two natures of Christ spread through the Church -- that he slapped him across the face. He intervened twice in cases
in which innocent men were accused of crimes they did not commit, once appearing to Constantine and the local prefect in a dream, encouraging them to do the right thing in their
regard.
Many stories about his life indicate his kindness and reveal miracles. The Golden Legend, written in A.D. 1275 by Jacobus de Voragine, Archbishop of Genoa, tells us how the Saint threw bags of gold coins to a man in order to provide dowries for the man's daughters and save them from lives of lechery:
And it was so that one, his neighbour, had then three daughters, virgins, and he was a nobleman: but for the poverty of them together, they were constrained, and in very purpose to abandon them to the sin of lechery, so that by the gain and winning of their infamy they might be sustained. And when the holy man Nicholas knew hereof he had great horror of this villainy, and
threw by night secretly into the house of the man a mass of gold wrapped in a cloth. And when the man arose in the morning, he found this mass of gold, and rendered to God therefor great thankings, and therewith he married his oldest daughter.
And a little while after this holy servant of God threw in another mass of gold, which the man found, and thanked God, and purposed to wake, for to know him that so had aided him in his poverty. And after a few days Nicholas doubled the mass of gold, and cast it into the house of this man. He awoke by the sound of the gold, and followed Nicholas, which fled from him, and he said to him: Sir, flee not away so but that I may see and know thee.
Then he ran after him more hastily, and knew that it was Nicholas; and anon he kneeled down,
and would have kissed his feet, but the holy man would not, but required him not to tell nor discover this thing as long as he lived.
Customs
Today is, for many Catholics, the day for gift-giving (some do this on Christmas, some do this on the Feast of the Epiphany in memory of the gifts the 3 Kings gave to Baby Jesus, and some spread the gift-giving out on all these days). In some places, especially in the Eastern Catholic churches, "St. Nicholas," dressed as a Bishop, will show up and hand out presents to the little ones, and children put their shoes in front of the fireplace to be filled with candy and presents by
morning. Because coins are one of the many symbols of St. Nicholas, chocolate coins are a perfect thing to put in the childrens' shoes. One can use Christmas stockings instead of shoes, or one can buy adult-sized wooden shoes, paint and decorate them, and bring them out for use just on St. Nicholas's Day.
In any case, an icon -- even a nice Holy Card -- of St. Nicholas should be visible today if at all
possible. Surround it with greenery and candles, and tell your children the story of the Saint Nicholas behind the "Santa Claus."
On St. Nicholas's Feast Day, it is customary to serve Speculaas cookies, a spicy Dutch cookie, cut into shapes relevant to the life of St. Nicholas (coins, mitres, ships, balls, money bags), and painted with colorful icing:
Speculaas Cookies
(makes 3 dozen depending on size)
Cookie:
1 Cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, at room temperature
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Icing:
Powdered sugar
Water
Lemon juice
A little beaten egg white for consistency, if desired
Food coloring
In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the lemon rind. Sift the spices and salt with the flour and baking powder, and stir gradually into the butter mixture. Wrap in waxed paper or
plastic wrap and chill for several hours or overnight. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch, or for larger figures to about 1/4 inch. Cut into shapes (Bishop, Bishop's staff, Bishop's mitre, ship, coins, etc.) and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned (don't overbake). When cool, mix together icing ingredients and paint cookies as desired.
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Introduction to Church History
Catholics Should Know Their Own Story, Says Local Church Scholar Jeri Holladay
Course Entitled “Introduction to Church History” at the Spiritual Life Center
For 2000 years the Roman Catholic Church stood the test of time, ushering in an era of faith, salvation, culture formation and the idea that each and every person – made in the image and likeness of God – has personal dignity.
While no one denies mistakes have been made (the Church is made up of imperfect men and women), many of these imperfections have been grossly distorted or in some cases made up in an effort to attack the Catholic Faith. That is why a solid understanding of Catholic Church history is essential to believers today.
“Knowing our own story as Catholics helps us to know who we are,” says Jerrilyn Holladay, an instructor of Church history and moral theology who is teaching a course entitled “Introduction to Church History” at the Spiritual Life Center in January. “Much attention is given to the Reformation and Inquisition, and we examine these events as well. But we also explore the compelling story of the Church and the role of the Church in building Western Civilization.”
Ms. Holladay’s course is part of the newly reconstructed Religious Studies Program of the Diocese of Wichita. This is a two-part course that will meet beginning Saturday, Jan. 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the concluding session set for Saturday, Feb. 13.
Jeri Holladay served 10 years as director of Adult Education at the Spiritual Life Center and continues to teach moral theology and church history while writing part-time. Prior to that, Holladay was associate professor of theology, chairman of the Theology Department and founding director of the Bishop Eugene J. Gerber Institute of Catholic Studies at Newman University.
The recommended textbook for the course is by Martha Rasmussen, “The Catholic Church: The First 2000 Years: A Popular Survey and Study Guide to Church History.” (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2003; ISBN 0-89870-969-5).
Sign up by Dec. 28 for a discount
There is an earlybird discount rate of $55 for the course available now through Dec. 28,. After that date the cost is $60. Registration for the course is now underway and can be made online at WWW.SLCWichita.org, or by calling the Center at (316) 744-0167. The final deadline for registration is Jan. 5.
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Leading Authority on Church Bells and Bell-Ringing Dies
London Telegraph
OBITUARIES
Paul Cattermole
28 August 2009
Paul Cattermole, who died on July 31 aged 67, was a leading authority on church bells and bell-ringing; he demonstrated that the sound of bells was as characteristic and evocative of everyday life in medieval England as is the call of the muezzin of Cairo or Istanbul.
His Norfolk roots were important, for it was in the eastern counties that "scientific" change ringing is thought to have developed, and the county boasts a rich heritage of medieval churches and associated documentary material which enabled Cattermole to build up a picture of the function of bells, the technical development of church towers and bell frames and the links between bell ringers and local communities.
Cattermole, who could read (and speak) fluent medieval Latin, was the author of several studies of church bells, most importantly Church Bells and Bell-Ringing: a Norfolk Profile, a major work of reference published in 1990 after he had visited and inspected the bells in some 400 Norfolk churches.
In a contribution to a recent book on the history of Norwich Cathedral, Cattermole described the central place of bells in monastic and parish life: The Norwich Customary (circa 1260) shows that the bells of Norwich Cathedral were used to summon the Benedictine monks of Norwich Priory to chapter meetings and services, while lay servants relied on the bells to tell them when to return to the Priory for meals and other domestic occasions.
A pair of small bells was usually rung before the daily offices, and bells were rung at significant moments in the liturgy. The ringing of bells for the dead was important, both on the day of the funeral and at intervals afterwards.
Festivals, Cattermole noted, were marked by special styles of ringing. On solemn occasions, such as Maundy Thursday, a single large bell might be used before the hour of absolution.
Three small bells were rung for vespers on feast days. More elaborate ringing is suggested by an instruction to sound "all the bells" before services on the principal festivals, when the ringing was sometimes "festive" (joyful) and at other times the bells were to be rung ut classicus (like a war trumpet), suggesting that they were clashed together, rather than rung as a sequence.
Such a complicated schedule, Cattermole found, required a team of specialists. The sacrist was responsible for providing and maintaining the bells; sacrists' rolls detail all the paraphernalia of bell-ringing – oil, rope, ironwork headstocks and so on.
At Norwich Cathedral the "campanarius" appears to have been a significant figure, responsible for organising and training the bell ringers, who, it seems probable, were paid.
Much of the medieval heritage of bell-ringing survived the Reformation, but notable casualties included the small sacring bells which had been rung at the elevation of the Host during the Mass.
Very few such bells survive, though Cattermole identified three significant examples in the west Norfolk churches of Thornham, Heacham and Snettisham, of which the bell at Thornham, still secured to a timber headstock by means of nailed bands, may date back to the 12th century.
Paul David Cattermole was born at New Buckenham, Norfolk, on August 15 1941 and educated at Norwich School, where he excelled in Latin. He left the school when his family moved to the Suffolk village of Beccles, where he attended Sir John Leman's School before moving on to Bromsgrove High School.
It was at Beccles that he first became interested in bell-ringing, inspired by Gilbert Thurlow, a precentor of Norwich Cathedral and church historian who published a history of Norwich bells in 1947 and taught Cattermole the techniques of bell-ringing at Beccles parish church.
Despite his interest in church architecture and languages, Cattermole read Mathematics at King's College London, and took a teaching diploma at Oxford. He then taught for 10 years at King's School, Worcester, before returning to Norwich in 1974 as head of Mathematics at Norwich School, where he remained until his retirement and co-authored a definitive history of the school, published in 1991.
Alongside his school duties, Cattermole was a regular bell-ringer at Tasburgh and Tharston churches, but he travelled widely round the country and completed more than 200 peals in Norfolk alone.
In 2007, however, he expressed disappointment when a new "ring of 10" rehung in the church of St Margaret's, King's Lynn, had to be silenced two hours into a celebratory peal when the metal bell frame was found to be insecurely anchored to the walls of the tower.
Cattermole, who had worked on the original plans for the refurbishment, complained that a new architect had changed the plans without his being consulted: "If I had been there I would have noticed that the wrong grout mix was being used." It was, he concluded, "a shambles".
Cattermole's other publications include The Church Bells of Norwich (2005), a comprehensive guide to the city's rich heritage of bells which includes a full account of the development of bell frames in towers. He also edited a 309-page history of Wymondham Abbey to mark its 900th anniversary in 2007.
He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 2004.
Paul Cattermole is survived by his wife, Barbara, and their two daughters.
