The final blow?

The AP is apparently ecstatic. They believe that Pope Francis' foot washing of females is "the final blow for traditionalists."

They forget...the catacombs.

An interesting comment

Fr. Z's is the blog to keep up with. In his recent post "Liberals will soon turn on Pope Francis," one comment stands out:

Traductora says:

17 March 2013 at 3:17 pm

Orthodox Chick, don’t worry. I think Pope Francis is very sound, I think he’s a somewhat unusual person (which would probably have been necessary to have survived as a Jesuit for so long!), and I think he will broaden his understanding of the role that has suddenly and probably unexpectedly fallen to him. If you speak or understand Spanish, go to the link I posted above (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ1ZczyyKwM).
But I think traditionalists have to do something, too. Why not have some big public mass of thanksgiving somewhere, celebrated in the traditional form? Why not lead a procession through some miserable part of town and preach to the people. I can tell you, if anybody in the Church in my town cared about the wretched (morally and materially) black population and went out and showed it, those people would be at mass tomorrow, despite the traditional Protestant-instilled hostility of African Americans to Catholicism. Traditional rite people have been in a ghetto, talking only to each other, for way too many years and perhaps now it’s time to go out and show how beauty and splendor, coupled with moral and theological orthodoxy, really can attract and convert people.

Something to think about...

The Holy Spirit is Working

This is the Year of Faith. Let us express it!

Pope Francis promotes Summorum Pontificum of Pope Benedict XVI

God bless our Pope.

Gold and more gold!

Check out this chasuble-in-progress. The local Latin Mass Society is busy sewing vestments for upcoming masses in the Extraordinary Form at All Saints Parish. Since 2007, when Pope Benedict XVI issued his Summorum Pontificum, an apostolic letter supporting the Traditional Latin Mass, many faithful have rejoiced. In our own parish, the Chant Schola formed and parishioners can hear them at the 7:30 a.m. mass on the first Sunday of each month. Additionally, on Ash Wednesday, the Schola will participate at the 10 a.m. mass at St. Mary's.

According to Summorum Pontificum:

Art. 5. § 1 In parishes, where there is a stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition, the pastor should willingly accept their requests to celebrate the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962, and ensure that the welfare of these faithful harmonises with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the guidance of the bishop in accordance with canon 392, avoiding discord and favouring the unity of the whole Church.

Thus, mass in the Extraordinary Form brings continuity with the Universal Church to parishes who celebrate the two forms of the Latin Rite, the Ordinary and the Extraordinary.

Unfortunately, there is at times, a resistance by some to the truth that both forms are eminently desired. In fact, in his letter to the bishops regarding Summorum Pontifcum, the Holy Father wrote:

In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church’s faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place. Needless to say, in order to experience full communion, the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to the new books. The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness.

Here the Holy Father lovingly supports a continuity with the Universal Church (past, present, and future), thus avoiding ruptures with the faithful, no matter which form of the mass is celebrated. Both are valid and to be desired as authentic expressions of Catholic worship.

(Cross-posted at Saving Our Parish.)

Vestments: A new series

Everything about the Mass has a purpose. Everything. A hat tip to Cleansing Fire.

Chant! Chant! Chant!

 “To recover the great treasure which the Tradition of the Church gave to us, it is necessary to begin with Gregorian chant, which is capable of communicating to the people of God the sense of Catholicity and to guide it towards a correct inculturation."

So saith Benedictine Abbot Michael Zielinski, the new appointee to the new office on liturgical arts at the Vatican.

Read about it here.

Laudamus Te -- Rejoice!

Look what Fr. Z has found:

Laudamus Te: The Magazine of the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Liturgy of the Roman Rite.

Here you can find a nice review of it with pictures.

The workers in this vineyard are few, as of yet. Please support them.

"We don't care..."

It's quite alright to be disliked. Really, it is. ;-)

From the article:

"The Extraordinary Form will help renew our focus on God also in the Ordinary Form.  I think also that the Extraordinary Form draws men more powerfully than Ordinary Form." -- Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

All Are Welcome

A Day With Mary

A day of instruction, devotion, and intercession based on the message given at Fatima in 1917

Our Lady to Lucia, June 13, 1917: 

“Jesus wishes to establish in the world devotion 
to my Immaculate Heart.”

 

Saturday, November 17, 2012
Saint Mary’s Church
All Saints Parish
155 State St, Corning, NY
(607) 936-4689

9 a.m.          Fatima Video Presentation (All Saints Academy Gym)

10:10 a.m.   Procession of Our Lady into St. Mary’s Church accompanied by a Devotional Crowning, Angelus, sung Litany and the Five Joyful Mysteries

10:40 a.m.   Missa Cantata (Latin Mass) in Honor of Our Lady

12:25 a.m.   Lunch Break in All Saints Academy Gym (please bring your own bag lunch)

1:25 a.m.     Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, Conferences on Our Lady and the Blessed Sacrament, Act of Consecration, Benediction, Enrollment in the Brown Scapular and Conferment of the Miraculous Medal

3 p.m.          Day ends

 Priests available all day for confessions

 For more information about A Day with Mary, contact Brother Michael at (607) 797-8057

On Sacred Music

Here is an excellent article on the purpose of sacred music, what constitutes it, and what quality means when we speak of sacred music. (H/t Fr. Z, of course.)

Here's a snippet from the article:
In many parishes, the modern piano has supplanted the pipe organ. As a secular keyboard instrument, the piano delivers such an idiosyncratic tone that it is excluded from the symphony orchestra because it overpowers the sounds of other instruments. The modern piano succeeded the harpsichord and clavichord to support the heavy touch created by nineteenth-century compositions. With its percussive and sensual tone, sustained by the pedal, the piano functions best in a secular ambiance and has no place in the liturgy. Is all this sung prayer?

Avant et Après

Here is a before-and-after video of what an altar looks like for an EF Mass. Unfortunately, the advertisement before the video is for a contraceptive product, but such are the times we are living in. Enjoy! (H/t to Fr. Z's loyal posters).
La métamorphose d'un autel by CHRIST-REDEMPTEUR

Cardinal Burke on Summorum Pontificum

Listen to this succinct interview with Cardinal Burke on why the liturgy's 'Reform of the reform' makes so much sense.

Thanks once more, Fr. Z!

If wishes were horses beggars would ride

There is an upcoming pilgrimage of the Tridentine Latin Rite in Rome.

The Saving Power of Gregorian Chant

Wherein Father Z 'rants': Restoring spiritual sense

More Excellent Instruction!

These videos are highly instructive to anyone who wishes to better understand the rubrics of the EF Mass. (H/t Barnhardt.biz).

FSSP Instructional Videos

Hey, we can watch, too! (H/t Fr. Z)

Extraordinary Form Workshops

Out of the mouths of babes

The Extraordinary Form of the Mass...a perspective from a younger person (H/t Fr. Z):

Praise and Worship Music

From Fr. Christopher Smith's mouth to our parish music director's ears:

Why Praise and Worship Music is Praise, But Not Worship

Five years on

The release of the text

(H/t Fr. Z)

Mass in the Extraordinary Form in Corning

There will be a Traditional Latin Mass:

Where: St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church in Corning
When:  Sunday, June 3 at 1:30 p.m.
Address:  222 Dodge Ave., Corning, NY 14830