Favors of the AntiChrist

Staying abreast of news on important Catholic blogs is easier with Google Reader that presents brief snippets of new posts. Once you scan each snippet (and are offered the opportunity to link to the complete post), you won't see it again on Google's Reader. It saves time, but it means Google keeps detailed track of your blog reading.

One of the Rorate Coeli posts that I had missed from March 30 discussed the Papally invited Lenten retreat by Cardinal Biffi to Pope Benedict XVI and the top members of the Vatican. The post is based on a LifeSiteNews article that states:

Cardinal Biffi is most well known, at least in the secular media, for his preaching on the Antichrist. In fact, the Times of London reported in 2004 that the Cardinal described the Antichrist as "walking among us."

In particular, the Rorate Coeli post states AntiChrist will promote pacifism, ecology, and ecumenism. I've already written of Google and their charitable foundation. Please read this post again to see my concerns. Google's power continues to grow. Some of their increasing suite of new applications can be reviewed here, including free replacement software for virtually everything that Microsoft (and every other major software developer) sells!

I noted to a friend that I was concerned about Google because my parents used to warn me that nothing is really free--everything has a cost. My friend responded with this very insightful comment about Google Apps:

Try this one- 'A penny for your thoughts'. Since there's no software or apps to download (and for you to use, OFFLINE), it makes all your actions and communications rather transparent to 'them', doesn't it? If I was a cynic (and I may well be), I wouldn't feel that they were doing me any real favors.

Can the devil read your mind? The Church says 'no'. But Google can--to a significant degree if you use their Apps or their lobbying software. Maybe Cardinal Biffi is on to something. BTW, the word 'google'--there's nothing similar to it in the English language, except googol (which is the name for the large number 10¹⁰⁰ that Google is named for). I'm also reminded of the words "Barney Google" and "gargoyle." You might want to read the Wikipedia articles on googol and gargoyles.

I've just tried to delete my Google Reader. Guess what? The only option is to delete all Google Account services--including this blog. I mustn't forget to look at changing my blog to WordPress, like the Cornell Society for a Good Time has done. That is, until Google decides to buy WordPress.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, KC, MO

Arguably the most beautiful Catholic Church in the Kansas City area is Redemptorist Church, with a capacity of over 2,000 people. It is staffed by Redemptorist priests and the true name is Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

The white and glorious main altar is flanked by two similar side altars, plus two other very large end altars with separate railings that are located in the cross-part of the church. The ceiling of the church is awesome, likely stretching to 60 feet or more above the floor. The sanctuary has a white front altar/table that is beautifully carved. Twenty-five magnificent and large stained glass windows rise along the sides and around the back of the sanctuary. A very large crucifix is mounted on a pillar on the right side of the sanctuary.

This is a church which represents the best construction work of prior generations in Kansas City. Fortunately it appears little if any interior art work has been damaged by reconstructionists of the past 40 years. Even most of the beautiful altar rail remains. Flowers were in abundance.

I attended Tuesday 11:00 am devotions to the Mother of Perpetual Help. An estimated 100 or more people attended the Novus Ordo Mass, some in their 30's and 40's, but most above the age of 50. Different races were present, with the majority older Caucasian. Several women wore head coverings and most of the people were dressed up for Mass and the devotions that followed.

The homily on St. Paul ended with the admonition that we have to choose whether we just sit back and "watch, or get into the action" with respect to acting on our faith. Afterwards, two women in their 30s who were scheduled for surgery the next day were anointed with holy oil said to be blessed by Bishop Finn. Their emotions seemed to indicate that their health problems were serious and they appeared to be consoled by their experience. I was surprised to see a weekday collection taken up, but likely the large church has a tremendous heating/cooling bill and needs all the resources it can obtain.

The Mystery of Faith acclamation, as standard practice in the Novus Ordo Mass, referred to Jesus coming again. This has always upset me because the words "Mystery of Faith" are very old and formerly referred to Christ's true presence after the consecration. After the liturgical revolution, the meaning of "Mystery of Faith" was changed to mean Christ's coming at the end of the world--just at the time when he becomes present in our midst.

Two priests distributed Holy Communion to people, mostly in the hand. Some bowed before reception; one genuflected before the Blessed Sacrament. Apparent recorded instrumental music was played during the communion time. After communion, there was a blessing with holy oil given to most of the church attendees who came in long lines to two priests.

Almost all the people stayed after Mass for the devotions to our Mother of Perpetual Help. After devotions, quite a few people stayed to pray in church, remaining in pews, but especially before the crucifix and two large end altars with candles--one of which had a painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

TV in the "Old Days"

"Death Valley Days" began as a radio program in 1930 and featured stories of the old West. I've looked for reruns of the popular TV series that appeared in the 50s and early 60s, but they never seem to be rebroadcast. Before he became Governor and then President, Ronald Reagan was host of the series and starred in eight episodes. The show is ranked as #3 of the longest running anthology series on TV.

The stories on "Death Valley Days" were all of a historical nature (a "true western adventure") and were sponsored by U.S. Borax (20 Mule Team Boraxo). [The borax mine in Nevada is now owned by Rio Tinto, and the Boraxo soap name is owned by Dial.

One program featured Ronald Reagan who played a Protestant minister who was asked by a widow to discipline her son. The minister hesitated, but finally agreed after the widow insisted that the 13-year old boy needed to be whipped for being very bad. After the boy had been beaten with the minister's belt, he cried and asked the minister "Who beats you when you're bad?" I've always remembered Reagan's slow and sorrowful answer, "When I'm bad, I beat myself."

I highly encourage readers to view an example "Death Valley Days" TV program by clicking on the sidebar, "Episode Webcasts". The half-hour free episode "Fifty Years a Mystery" gives a flavor of the many good TV programs we kids saw over 50 years ago.

In particular, look at the Boraxo commercials with Rosemary DeCamp and ask yourself if you would mind looking at this type of commercials again. Also note the number of commercial minutes in the program. You will ask yourself how our public airways became so fouled and with much, much longer commercials. You may want to point this out to the Federal Communications Commission which is supposed to protect the interests of American citizens--not the TV owners!

Disorder and the Man on a White Horse

Many years ago we were warned that if our country became libertine (as distinguished from exercising responsible freedom), disorder would come and the only solution would be a Man on a White Horse. The Man would justify taking away legitimate freedoms so (he would claim) to restore order to society.

One website describes the phrase "man on a white horse" as

referring to a politician who does nothing but appease the masses. The white-horse aspect refers to the fact that such a politician will 'ride in and rescue all the people from their sorrows'. The man-on-a-white-horse typically labels himself as a champion of the common man.

Order and disorder are addressed by Alice von Hildebrand in the April 2007 issue of This Rock magazine (usually quite good). She puts the issue into perspective, showing that order for its own sake can "become a straitjacket and can cause them [some people] gravely to offend charity."

Another kind of habit is genuinely good in and of itself. One only need read the Rule of St. Benedict to see that he orders his monks to follow a tight schedule: time for prayer, time for reading, time for work, time for sleep. In convents and monasteries, the bell rings to call the religious to certain duties. St. Benedict insists that as soon as it rings, the monk should immediately abandon whatever he is doing (relictis omnibus). This is not easy when one is very close to completing a task. Most of us would either get irritated, or cheat a tiny bit....

Following a schedule is a good habit; so is leading an ordered life. Some talented people accomplish very little because they lack discipline. Some people who have no exceptional talents nevertheless accomplish much because they organize their day. Discipline and order are praiseworthy. But they too can become illegitimate ties. We all know peopole who actually lose their temper when an object is misplaced. Moreover, charity demands that sometimes we should disrupt our schedule in an emergency. In such cases, charity should always be given precedence.

Mrs. Von Hildebrand concludes: "The saint, though, acquires a superb flexibility and indifference. One the one hand, he never allows his moods to disrupt his schedule; on the other he never hesitates to break it when charity demands it." Very good advice.

My own opinion is that societal disorder is so rampant that the firm practice of order should be encouraged. When I was growing up my elders all followed a regular pattern of life. Monday was wash day; Tuesday was ironing day.... Saturday was housecleaning day. Most importantly, Sunday was a very special day beginning with early Mass followed by breakfast, reading the paper, and refreshing our energy. On that day we were likely to visit with relatives. Sunday always ended with the family rosary. It's a good way to live life.

St. Louis Church, Kansas City, MO

I visited St. Louis Church for a Saturday afternoon Mass. It is a fairly small church with predominantly black Catholic parishioners and is located on one of Kansas City's wide boulevards. St Louis parish seems to be a keystone of Catholic life in the local community with its Senior Center, Food Pantry, and Social Services and assistance office.

Only clear windows are seen from the exterior of the church, but inside there are six very large and beautiful pictures of saints that appear to be large stained glass windows. The sanctuary includes a large, wall-mounted crucifix at the back of the sanctuary. On a high platform (formerly high altar?) beneath the crucifix, chairs were occupied by the priest and deacon during much of the early part of Mass. An Easter candle was lit in the front of the sanctuary.

During the Mass, a choir of four older men and women who sat in the front left of the sanctuary sung several songs from "Lead Me, Guide Me," identified as an "African American Catholic Hymnal" from G.I.A. Publications. One song seemed quite appropriate for Mass: "Let us praise God together on our knees. Lord, have mercy on me." The refrain, "on our knees," was repeated many times.

The accompaniment was provided by an older gentleman who played the piano as well as anyone I've heard recently. Even though the style of music was very expressive and could not be considered as "Roman reverent," my personal judgment (take it for what it is worth!) was that God was pleased with the music in the Mass.

The priest, deacon, an altar girl, and others processed down the main aisle toward the sanctuary at the beginning of Mass. The deacon held the book of prayers raised high, with its bright colors on the cover. As the priest entered the sanctuary, he moved to the right and genuflected deeply to the Blessed Sacrament reserved in a tabernacle on the right side altar. The opening prayers included prayers for both Pope Benedict and Bishop Finn and these were repeated in the Eucharistic Prayer.

The priest spoke with a Spanish accent, yet I did not see any other Latinos at this Mass. Almost all of the 40 to 50 people at the Saturday afternoon Mass seemed older than 55 years old, with minor exceptions including two young black men in their 30s. Many of the people wore suits and dresses, as distinguished from casual clothes such as jeans, and a few black women wore hats.

Lay women read the scriptures and led the music. The deacon read the Gospel and the priest gave the homily that preached on death as a reality, the conquering of death by Christ, God's mercy, and the need for faith beyond the apostle, Thomas, who wanted a sign of Christ's resurrection. The priest reminded his listeners that "people who go to heaven will pray for us."

After the homily, the petitions were requested, with additional ones added from the parishioners. The prayers preceding and during the Preface were sung by the priest. It appeared that the sacred liturgy was precisely and reverently performed by the priest and deacon. A large beige circular host was used by the priest during the consecration. No bells were rung to remind the people of the consecration. Gold vessels were used for the Blessed Sacrament. The Great Amen reminded me of a reverent Negro spiritual.

Both species of the Eucharist were distributed to the parishioners. The priest and deacon distributed the Body of Christ, and lay persons distributed the Blood. Almost everyone in the church received Holy Communion. One old white woman knelt, but most people received communion standing and in the hand. The deacon cleansed the holy vessels after the distribution of Communion.

The meditation time after reception of Holy Communion was followed by several announcements by laypersons, including an announcement of the Dead Sea Scroll exhibition in Kansas City, and a 'thank you' from the altar girl for a relatively small amount of money contributed by parishioners to help her in a contest. The priest then announced that another Catholic community would begin joining them every Sunday. Daily Mass would be started, and monthly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament would be on First Fridays.

Fantasy Vatican

The NCR was trying to be funny, but Wolftracker achieved real hilarity. See his Kansas City Catholic piece here.

Sedevecantism

A lot of traditional Catholics in Kansas City recently received a letter advertising "Counterfeit Catholicism," a talk to be given by Gerry Matatics. Gerry used to accept the Pope, but now has retreated to the belief that no Pope has occupied the chair of Peter since Pope Pius XII who died in 1958--almost 50 years ago. As is pointed out by one of the three indult priests serving traditional Catholics in the Kansas City area, this requires one to believe the Papacy is now extinct because no Cardinals appointed by the last 'valid' Pope, Pius XII, are alive to elect the next Pope. Sedevecantists cannot objectively describe when and by whom the next Apostolic Primate will be elected, indicating a Papal vacancy could last until the end of time.

Some other observations on and objections to sedevecantism (two Latin words which mean “the Chair is vacant”) include:

1. To a large extent, this theological position is a deeply emotional response to the horrors in the Church in the past 40 years, something we can all understand.
   
2. Sedevecantism requires one to believe the visible and indefectible Church promised by Christ can exist without a successor to St. Peter for a very long time--generations--even though the longest time between the death of one Pope and the election of the next has been three years, with the Holy See providing a visible government in that short time period..
3. Past Popes have been heretics and have continued at the helm of the Church. For example, Pope Honorius (625-638) was condemned in 680 by the 3rd Council of Constantinople because he favored the Monothelite heresy.
4. Father Garrigou-Lagrange is one of several extremely well respected theologians who concluded in the past 500 years that a heretic Pope could still retain his jurisdiction if his heresies were not notorious and pertinacious. [And only a very few Catholics are acquainted with the charges that recent Popes were heretics.]
   
5. Jesus Christ instituted a visible Church with a visible leader. The Church was designed by Christ never to be a rudderless ship without a Captain--a successor of St. Peter.
6. Sedevecantism is reduced to the absurd (reductio ad absurdum) when one considers:
1. An imposter Pope would always act invalidly, eliminating the rule of obedience
   
2. All church laws and spiritual activities from Rome would be either evil or worthless
   
3. This malignant cancer would completely destroy the Church, contrary to Christ's promise
   
4. An imposter Pope would also be an false Bishop and could not legitimately consecrate other Bishops
5. No cardinals to elect the next Pope could be validly appointed by an imposter Pope

[The above items have been taken from a thorough examination of sedevecantism found here. Don't be surprised that this very detailed study was written by Rev. Dominique Boulet of the Society of St. Pius X. The SSPX has been in the forefront of opposing sedevecantism for many years.]

The terrible confusion in the Catholic churches today encourages poor understanding and judgment. Catholics find it difficult to explain how Popes can err in the governance of the Church, or approve 'new teachings' such as Limbo no longer exists. [Also see Fr. Brian Harrison's comments on Limbo.] Consequently, they turn their backs on the Church because the Captain can be an incompetent or unfaithful sailor.

My own opinion is that if St. Peter, the first Pope, could deny Christ three times, and even later had to be corrected by St. Paul for his error in compelling Gentiles to live as do the Jews (Gal. 2:11-15), then it isn't unusual to observe current Popes making mistakes--even very serious ones that lead to very critical damage in the Church. Yet the Church will continue to be led by a valid successor of St. Peter because Jesus promised Peter:

And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. (Matt 16:18-19)

The Church exists to bring men to holiness by the sacraments, the sacrifice of the Mass, and by transmitting the teachings of Jesus to future generations. It will not and cannot fail this mandate.

Our "Sunday Best"

This post continues the discussion of dressing up for Sunday Mass. To clarify, we are not talking about wearing our "Sunday Best" clothes for weekday Mass. People work during the week and often can attend Mass only if they wear their work clothes.

Millet's painting of peasants praying the Angelus shows the work clothes of European farmers of almost 200 years ago. These clothes might have been worn for daily Mass (probably after they washed their hands and the woman took off her dirty apron), yet the peasants would have worn their "Sunday Best" on God's Day.

A lot of time was required to dress in their "Sunday Best." My Grandma said that to obtain lye, she would filter water poured through wood ashes. She said the lye water would bleach the white shirts worn by the men to Sunday Mass. Washing was often done by hand using a washboard. [Does anyone even have one of those? I do, but now seldom use it.] Shoes were polished for Sunday. Regardless of how poor they were, everyone was expected to be dressed up, clean, and neat for Mass.

For over forty years, two of my aunts even dressed up in "church clothes" for early daily Mass (6:00 am), then changed into house and farm work clothes when they came home. It would have been unthinkable for both of them to wear their "everyday clothes" to church to greet God and receive the Eucharist.

The men who attended daily Mass were different because they had to wear their work clothes to church as most of them left Mass to go directly to work. Yet, work clothes were considered highly unsuitable to wear for Sunday Mass, unless the man had a job requiring him to leave Mass immediately to go to work on Sunday. Sunday jobs were not common (mostly firemen, a few policemen, and a small number of utility workers).

To give a feel for the effort to get ready for Sunday Mass, I remember my mother washing our shoe laces and restringing them, and polishing our white shoes on Saturday so that my siblings and I would look our best for Sunday Mass. We took weekly baths and washed our hair on Saturday, so that we would be our cleanest and smell nice for Sunday. Sunday was a much more special day then than it is now, and our appearance mattered because beauty, order, and cleanliness were highly valued. We believed God also valued these, and it was a common saying that "cleanliness (and neatness) is next to Godliness."

It may seem hard today to understand why these beliefs and practices were valued so highly when I was young. We believed that a person's Sunday appearance should reflect attention to beauty, order, and cleanliness. If it didn't, then it meant the person was sloppy or lazy and didn't take the time to prepare adequately for Sunday Mass.

Do I want the Church to enforce a "Sunday Best" clothes mandate? Of course not. I am also opposed to individuals posting themselves at the church doors believing God has authorized them to take on the role of "clothes police." Rather, the purpose of my posts is to encourage people (including myself!) to voluntarily prepare ourselves in our "Sunday Best" to meet our Lord, Jesus Christ, in the local Catholic church. And this means preparing ourselves both spiritually and physically for our great encounter with the Divine!

Casual Dress at Sunday Mass

My recent post "Should I Reconsider?" asked whether I should begin again to review Catholic church liturgies and their environments. The number of comments certainly exceeded my expectations, with the majority of people answering in the affirmative. Nevertheless, there is a significant opposition to my continuing to review Kansas City churches, especially to my descriptions of the church environment and people's casual dress at Sunday Mass. This post (and a future one) responds to those comments.

I did not advise on the suitability of people's dress and actions during Sunday Mass. I simply noted people most frequently dressed in a casual fashion (except for one traditional Latin Mass group where very few, if any, casual clothes were seen). I also noted whether a church had beautiful artifacts (e.g., stained glass windows, statues), altar girls, a crucifix, stations of the cross, etc. I attempted to describe those who attended Mass on Sunday. Only old people? Pregnant women? Children? Black, white, and Latino? Finally I tried to remember whether lay participants showed any outward signs of reverence, especially by silence or by staying after Mass to pray. I also commented on the special actions and prayers of the priest and others at Mass, such as kneeling for the introductory prayers of the Mass where the entire church asks God to forgive their sins.

I did not claim to see into people's hearts when I noted that many of the people at Sunday Mass wore jeans and almost all the women did not wear head coverings. I recognize these people came to Mass with the obviously good intention to fulfill God's solemn commandment to adore Him on the Sabbath (or on Sunday because of Christ's Resurrection). At a future point, I intended to discuss the suitability of casual clothes at Mass, and this post is that occasion.

My own experience shows that in the workplace, the visit of an important client or a key official means employees dress formally. Men continue to dress mostly in suits or sportcoats and dress slacks, and women typically wear dresses, nice blouses, or suits. Neither sex wears athletic shoes for the workplace visit of an important person. Yet these same people wear jeans and athletic shoes to Sunday Mass. In particular, some of the jeans I have seen at Sunday Masses I previously reviewed were well-worn, frayed, and had holes in them.

Let's put the issue of "dressing up" into perspective by returning to the World's Fair of 1939-40. More than 40 million people visited this Fair to see "The World of Tomorrow." A film projecting the lives of people in the future showed all of them were dressed up--just as they were when they went to public events in 1939 (and that continued for another ten or fifteen years. My Mother never went out of the home into the public without dressing up in those days, and she still keeps that habit. Most certainly Dad and Mom and their children never went to Mass on Sunday except in their "Sunday Best." In fact, our clean and pressed clothes were specially laid out the night before, and shoes were well polished.

So what happened? Fashions clearly slid downhill because it was easier, more comfortable, and often required less cost and time. Also people started doing alternative things on Sunday that they could not and would not have done before--such as shopping at the newly opened stores. Sunday dress became less important, and so did the worship of God. (to be continued)

A Dirty Pot Made Clean Again

When new palms are distributed at Palm Sunday Mass, I let mine dry in a flat position before placing them above a picture of Jesus or above a mirror associated with a small shelf used as an altar for veneration of sacred objects. Depending on the month, either a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary or a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is placed on the shelf. On May 1, my husband will replace our Sacred Heart statue with one of Mary, the Mother of God. In June, he'll do the reverse.

The old palms are taken down and burned but it is sometimes hard for them to catch a good fire. This year I decided to use a small "stainless" steel pot to burn the old palms and then distribute the ashes around our house or garden, asking God for protection from lightning, hail, and other bad weather events. BAD mistake! (That is, to use the stainless steel pot.) But I learned several good lessons from trying to clean the hard black carbon that stuck like glue to the inside of the pot.

First, the natural effect of sin is very difficult to remove, like the carbon that took about 15 minutes of scrubbing with a nylon pad and powder cleanser to get the pot clean again. Second, if I had been smart, I would have found it easier to spray the inside of the pot with oven cleaner and leave it within a black plastic bag in the sun (compare to prayers with indulgences). After a while, the black would have been easy to scrub off. Lastly, next time I'll use a clean disposable can for burning old palms!

Greatest Saints of All

Someone with the initials rllw responded to my last post about the forthcoming Motu Proprio with extensive comments. My own response ended with a reference to the greatest saints of all time predicted for the future by a number of past saints, such as St. Louis Marie de Montfort. Here are some of the factors that will make future saints the greatest saints of all:

1. Their lifetime will be a period of the greatest adversity in history for the Church and its members
2. The saints will not be just survivors, they will actually thrive in such an adverse age
3. They will have unwavering voices attracting others to the true Faith in Jesus Christ
   
4. They will bring a special beauty into that time
   
5. They will inspire many Christian sinners to follow a holy life
6. Occasionally, they will disappear into seclusion or imprisonment to be restored by Christ
7. They will have visions
   
8. The saints will be both servants of God and awesome warriors who fight His causes
9. They will be willing Simons and love their enemies, even to the point of risking their own own lives
   
10. They will convert heretics and pagans
11. At times, they will be condemned by both friends and foes
12. They will not resist saying 'yes' to God's every command as soon as He asks
    
13. Between the saints, there will be a special chain of friendships which will be very important to their successes--perhaps communication through a super entangled web
    
14. They will encounter and defeat the greatest temptations presented to mankind, both of faith and flesh
    
15. They will create order in disorder, charity within divisions, and hope among those who are fearful and helpless in apparent defeat
16. They will encourage small churches in Catholic homes
17. They will suffer much and become both dry and wet martyrs

Motu Proprio to be Issued in May

I'm going to stick my neck out and say the Motu Proprio is definitely to be published in May, the month of Mary the Virgin Mother of God. The blog, Rorate Coeli, has kept everyone abreast of all the promising news on the universal permission for the old Latin Mass.

Here's what Cardinal Bertone, Secretary of State in the Vatican, said in an April 2 interview in Le Figaro--(using a somewhat modified Babelfish translation, not too accurate, but you'll get the drift.)

The value of the conciliar reform is intact [not trying to undo Vatican II and the Novus Ordo]. But the great liturgical inheritance given by saint Pius V [the old Latin Mass] should not be lost, as the faithful want to attend Masses according to this rite, within the framework of the missal published in 1962 by the pope John XXIII. There is no valid reason not to give to the priests of the whole world the right to celebrate according to this form. The new authorization [of the old Latin Mass] by the sovereign pontiff obviously does not invalidate the rite of Paul VI [the Novus Ordo Mass]. The publication of the Motu Proprio specifying this authorization will take place, and it will be the Pope himself who will explain its motivations and the framework of its decision. The sovereign pontiff will personally give his vision of the use of the old missal to the Christian people, and in particular to the bishops.

Then on April 7, a nasty editorial was published in the French national daily, Le Monde, entitled "The Church in Retreat" which lamented the Papal decision to further expand the old Latin Mass. Some of my favorites of the 30 comments on the Rorate Coeli post on the nasty Le Monde editorial included:

"Weeping and gnashing of teeth."
"This is one of the most ludicrous editorials that I have read in some time. Given the howls of indignation the Pope is right on target with the motu proprio."
"More drivel brought to us from the authors of the French Revolution and secular humanism."
" Sore loosers"
" Militants of ancient tradition, unite! Thank you, Le Monde, for reminding us that our instincts are correct."

Finally, the Italian daily Il Tempo published an unsigned article on April 10 claiming in the headline that the Motu Proprio will be issued next Monday, 16 April, after the celebration of the Holy Father’s 80th Birthday. [Thanks to Father Z for this information.]

New Traditional Catholic Bloggers in KC

I've been negligent reading the local Catholic bloggers. Guess what, there's more of them than I thought! Take a look at Christopher's blog, Lost Lambs. Chris identifies himself as a 22-year old "lost lamb" with two children. I highly recommend his personal story where he describes how the death of his grandmother led him to the old Latin Mass.

Kansasopolitanus is another new traditional Catholic blog offered by Daniel, who attends the old Latin Mass in Kansas City, MO. Based on comments from others, he's a doer!

Traditional Catholic Mom is written by Augusta, a 24-year old stay-at-home mother and convert whose husband introduced her to the old Latin Mass. I've got to try her taco soup recipe. Augusta has a brother-in-law who is a novice at St. Benedict's in Atchison.

Indulterer X is a fourth new traditional Catholic blogger from Kansas City. He's a good writer and should compose more posts (but perhaps less about shoes and the mall!).

There's also a new guy who is very excited about being accepted at Conception Abbey. See Pater Noster Benedict.

[I just checked Wolftracker and he already has listed most of them! You're ahead of me, WT!]

John C. Wright, Again....

I am continuing to read John C. Wright' Journal, the atheist writer of science fiction who converted to Christianity a few years ago. Here is a sample of his recent and extended discussion with atheists. Pray for him.

It is the failure of modern systems, after Kant, to explain synthetic a priori reasoning which has led to the foolishness (e.g. Marx) and triviality (e.g. Wittgenstein) and wickedness (e.g. Nietzsche) of modern philosophers. The moderns no longer believe the mind of man can deduce truths about the universe and know right from wrong. Without an assumption that reason tells us real things about the real universe, we are left with three possibilities: philosophy is an intellectual superstructure or rationalization imprinted on our false consciousness by the mechanics of the inanimate forces of history around us (Marx); or philosophy is just a word-game (Wittgenstein); or philosophy, especially moral philosophy, is an arbitrary convention of the small minded that the great should shrug aside during their triumphant march into the superhuman (Nietzsche)

At no point did I say that a man could reason himself to a belief in God. At most, philosophy can argue that the Unmoved Mover of Aristotle or the Absolute of Hegel exists: but this God of the Philosophers does not have the character and personality of the God in the Bible (even though the God in the Bible, oddly enough, does have the character of the God of the Philosophers). I do not think anyone can believe in God unless he is inspired or suffers a revelation, or accepts the testimony of someone else who is or has. Theology, reasoning about God, is defensive, not persuasive. I cannot possibly talk you into belief in God: all I can do is show you why, once I have accepted such a belief, my ideas are rational and cohere each with their axioms and conclusions.
........................

Christianity is the default position for several reasons: its age proves it has stood the test of time; it is a mature and a beautiful view of the world; it has a salutary effect; it has no serious rivals.

Keep in mind that during its 2000 year history, Christianity has been opposed by many rivals. Only Islam has any staying power, and, frankly, Islam copies many of the best features of the Judo-Christian tradition, but leave out some specific humanizing elements and beatitudes that gives this sad copycat religion the barbaric backwardness so much on display today.

Everything else has flourished and faded. Is communism still a viable rival for the affection of the intellectuals and common man? What about Logical Positivism? Deism? Theosophy? Albigensianism? Donatism? Montanism? Gnosticism? Right now, the only contender on the field is a type of naïve materialism that can't even explain itself, much less the universe, and offers no reason or meaning to life.

The historical dominance of the belief does not necessarily show that it is right; but it does show that every generation was sufficiently convinced of its verity to pass it along to the next, and each new generation was sufficiently impressed to accept the learning and add to it. The jury has been sitting for two thousand years, and a single nay vote of one generation would kill it as dead as Thor-worship.

Small Dollars to Change the World

Have you ever thought about starting your own very small charitable foundation? I have because then I could decide exactly what my money would be used for. I've found that the most effective charity starts at home and in our church and local communities. If you look, you can find all kinds of ways to work privately for good. You won't be able to take a tax deduction, but you will do your small part to change the world.

Most of the time, only a few dollars are needed to make a huge difference in what happens to people in their future lives. Here are some gifts people have given me or that I have learned about from others:

1. Buy a subscription to a good Catholic magazine or newspaper for someone special. It really can be a lifelong gift.
   
2. Volunteer to take someone's little kids so the couple can see a movie like "Into Great Silence." Pay their way.
3. Give the altar boy who won't get a nice present for Confirmation (because his family can't afford it) a special gift.
4. Pay for a small ad in a local paper (either Catholic or secular), volunteering to send a person a free small catechism of the Catholic Church.
   
5. Design a contest to draw out the best in Catholic students. Mail an announcement to schools, or ask a Catholic newspaper or church bulletin for free publicity. Give small money prizes.
6. Pay for a Catholic Information booth at the county fair. Ask the Legion of Mary or another parish organization to staff it with materials and people.
   
7. Invite a person to go with you to a Catholic movie, conference, monastery, or shrine and treat them to lunch or dinner. You'll enjoy it more than they will!
   
8. Keep your eyes open to help someone with a special need; often it won't cost much.

Now, it's your turn to suggest ideas of where to spend "Small Dollars to Change the World."

Should I Reconsider?

I've heard from several people who believe that dusty's reviews of Catholic churches in the Greater KC area should not have stopped--(see sidebar for relevant posts on different churches). Our oldest daughter gave me a 'hard' time on Easter Sunday because she believed the series is a good historical record of rapidly changing conditions in Novus Ordo parishes. She believes, as do I, that the imminent future in Catholic parishes will be like the late '60s when the Mass and other aspects of Catholic practice changed dramatically in a short time. Yet there is little documention of what actually happened in individual Catholic churches during that very important time period.

Do readers have comments on whether to proceed with the series? And if so, how, and under what conditions?

Divine Mercy Sunday and Catholic Printing Houses

Next Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday with its great opportunity for a plenary indulgence. I've ordered some holy cards with this icon image because my Mother is particularly attached to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Icons are a wonderful substitution for the poor religious art of the past 40+ years!

When Mother and I are driving together, we try to say the full rosary or the chaplet together. More information on the Divine Mercy devotion and this icon image are available at the Printery House of Conception Abbey in northwestern Missouri. I won't vouch for all their products, but the selection has improved over the past several years. [I still like the Angelus Press the best however, because their books feed the soul.]

For a long time, I would not touch anything from Conception Abbey (and its associated printing house) in the Kansas City diocese because they appeared to have lost their faith. A friend of mine liked to visit seminaries and he told me about ten years ago, that his new visit to Conception showed the seminarians had changed from being primarily effeminate to now being mostly true men. [I'm only repeating what a good man with a lot of experience visiting religious houses around the world told me.] With Bishop Robert Finn now in charge, I have ever higher hopes that Conception's destiny is full of hope and promise.

Catholic Schooldays--1950

What was Catholic gradeschool like back in the late 40's and early 50's? Here are some memories.

1. Tuition at the Catholic grade school was $1 per month, with a lower cost for families with 3 or more children. One family in our school had 18 children.
   
2. Only sisters in full habit taught in the school, and most seemed quite young.
   
3. The sisters lived in a convent house owned by the parish and they cooked their own meals, often with food donated by parishioners. Finally, they needed another house because so many nuns came, and they rented one across the street. One or two nuns had to crawl up the ladder and sleep on mattresses in the attic because no other sleeping space was available.
   
4. The sisters had no car and they did not drive, so they relied on a volunteer woman driver (one of my aunts) to take two of them to the grocery store and the department store once a week. I got to go along at least once and it was lots of fun being with the sisters in the crowded car.
   
5. A lot of the sisters were good artists in that they painted holy cards, signs for the classroom with wonderful script, and made decorations with Easter palms. [Later, I once borrowed some of their handmade script patterns to make pro-life signs.]
   
6. We girls were especially interested in whether the nuns had blonde, brown, or black hair. Only rarely did a wisp of hair peeking out from under her headpiece reveal the actual color. One day we were astonished to learn that our teacher had a sunburn on her arms because she rolled up her sleeves to to wash her clothes.
   
7. Handwriting was a very important skill to practice and learn.
8. The English textbooks with stories and associated artwork had already changed from the Misericordia readers series by the Sisters of Mercy to English readers that were not nearly as good. [Perhaps the influence of John Dewey and his friends.]
   
9. Occasionally, we were allowed to buy candy and gum during school from a Sister who made money for the nuns by selling a candy bar or a pack of gum for 5 cents each.
10. We had three recesses each day, 15-min ones during the morning and afternoons and an hour-long recess at noon. We ate our lunch rapidly so we could go outside and play. Softball, tag, volleyball, and other games were typically non-structured.
    
11. School started only after Labor Day and we were finished by about May 20.
    
12. Organ music was played in church--only from the balcony to the rear.
13. The kneelers in church had no padding and we knelt on wood. Our church, like almost all, had no air conditioning during the summer, so early Sunday Masses at 6:00 am or 8:00 a.m. were best. No microphone either, the priest was expected to preach loud enough to hear.
14. On First Fridays, the mothers fixed us hot chocolate and doughnuts after Mass. That morning, the school water faucets were covered with brown paper bags because we were not allowed to drink water after midnight if we wanted to receive communion.
    
15. Father X always passed out the report cards--looking carefully at each one and making us very nervous because he saw our grades first.
16. The Baltimore Catechism and a small gray Bible history were our religion textbooks. And we memorized the answers.
    
17. We students especially looked forward to the color comic book that came once a month, Treasure Chest.
    
18. I was confronted during a visit to the Blessed Sacrament during recess by the pastor who asked why I wasn't wearing something on my head. I responded it was recess and the visit was unplanned. I remember asking the priest whether it was better not to make a visit if I didn't have a head covering. He responded by leaving me to pray alone in the silent church.
    
19. I knew only one child of divorced parents during my entire time in grade school.
    

Complaining About a Complaint Free World

I've been noticing signs advertising the "complaint free world," a program developed by Christ Church Unity in Kansas City that believes in "celebrate[ing] the divinity and God's diversity in all." The minister says he initiated the program because people whined about his choice of worship music. He then asked people to stop complaining and criticizing for three weeks, using purple rubber bracelets that are switched to alternate wrists every time a person complains.

What's right with complaining? When is it a virtue? A person forcefully COMPLAINING about injustice seems to reflect the beatitude, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill." Frankly, unless my neighbors had not loudly complained about a 2+ year old problem in our neighborhood, the city would never have fixed it.

Jesus' parable about the complaining widow reflects the occasional necessity of complaining to a superior who can make things right:

Luke 18:1 And he spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint, 2 Saying: There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, nor regarded man. 3 And there was a certain widow in that city, and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of my adversary. 4 And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said within himself: Although I fear not God, nor regard man, 5 Yet because this widow is troublesome to me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me.

Complaining about little things distracts from real problems, but not complaining when vital things are clearly wrong is a vice. A good Christian cannot ignore evil. If he ignores evil, he is compliant with evil. When no one complains about abortion, or an unjust war, or divorce, or any of a host of evil situations, then I know the people have lost their soul. If nothing is worth complaining about, then nothing is worth fighting for, and people have lost their capacity for righteous indignation.

St. Lawrence Center at KU

A Catholic friend is very enthusiastic about the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas. She described the recent surge in the numbers of potential vocations to the religious life, stating that the increase is approximately 400 percent over the past five years--from about 15 students to about 60 who are considering a religious vocation. I don't know if the numbers are valid, but if so the figures likely represent a real revival for the Catholic Church among young adults.

Tom Burke, Knight of Life

The 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) law makes it a federal crime to block access to abortion clinics to save babies. If a FACE-type law had been in place 40+ years ago, it would have strangled the Civil Rights movement. The Operation Save America website compares the two movements quite clearly.

Tom Burke of Kansas City, KS is a Catholic man who has been arrested (40+ times) for attempting to save babies from being killed in abortion clinics by "blocking access." This time it appears the government will sentence Tom to federal prison for a year and a half for his trying to save babies. Tom's recent pro-life work is described in the last paragraph of Congressman Jerry's Moran's report.

I spoke with Tom a few months ago and he said, "If people understood the great happiness that comes with doing this work, there would be many others who would join me in getting arrested." Tom was joyous when he said this, as he knows he has chosen a very special and rewarding way to serve God.

Tom's thoughts about the special vocation of non-violent resistance to abortion are described in his published letter to Joe Scheidler, founder of the Pro-Life Action League and another long-time whipping boy of pro-abortionists. [Joe will be speaking in Kansas City this fall.]

Dear Joe,

May the Lord give you peace. Thank you for being a committed and faithful pro-life activist. Please extend my thanks to your wife, Ann, your son Eric, and your daughter, Annie, too. I am very grateful for the love and concern your family shows for all children who are or were in danger of abortion and for their mothers.

Thank you for praying for the conversion of your enemies each day. God hears your prayers, especially when they are presented before the throne by the Blessed Virgin Mary.

God bless you all. Love and prayers,

Brother Tom Burke, Kansas City, KS

Please pray for Tom Burke as he sacrifices himself again for his smallest brothers and sisters.

How to Please God?

It may be as simple as praying more, and keeping promises. I've certainly made promises when I've asked God for special favors in my life. He always fulfilled His part of my self-initiated bargain. Now it's time for me to fulfill my end of the contract.

How about you? What promises to God have you made to solicit His gifts?

Mother's Count vs. Dad's Count

A family email from a daughter alerts everyone to the Homeschooling Conference to be held in Kansas City late this spring:

"I did not know if anyone would be interested in this conference....most topics could be applied whether you homeschool or not. This will be held the same time the National Right to Life Convention is in Kansas City."

[Attachment] I thought I would share with you information about our Kansas City Conference for Catholic Homeschoolers, June 15th and 16th. Our main speakers are Mary Ann Budnick, Cay Gibson, Maureen Wittman, and Kelly and Bob Roper.

The registration fee is $20.00 for an individual or $25 for a couple postmarked by May 15th. After May 15th registration will only be taken at the door and the costs are $30/$35.

Our oldest son, a numbers person, decided to check out the Homeschooling Conference agenda and speakers, and noted this humorous incongruity:

I looked at the profiles of the speakers.....

"Kelly Roper serves as a consultant ... Kelly shares nine children with her husband, Bob. Bob Roper is a member of .... Bob and his wife, Kelly, share eight children,..."

Maybe it IS possible to lose count....

Humorously, [Our Son]

My own thought is, "Is Kelly trying to tell Bob something?"

Wanted: Student Priests

An interesting collaboration has developed between Una Voce America (UVA) and the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). They are co-sponsoring three weeks of training in the offering of the old Latin Mass to take place near Lincoln, Nebraska during June 2007. See complete information at Rorate Caeli.

China--Hope and Frustration

The Chinese government says it needs more Catholic priests because "Catholicism encourages love and tolerance for others, which can help promote the building of a harmonious society in the country." The China Daily article can be read from the perspective of Hope and the perspective of Frustration.

Hope:

1. New Chinese priests likely will learn Catholic doctrine, even in state-controlled seminaries, to pass on to new converts
   
2. New converts to Catholicism will likely increase because of more priests and churches
3. A respect for Catholic principles, even though adulterated, may favorably influence some Chinese leaders
   
4. Catholics will become more active and respected in Chinese society, sponsoring schools, orphanages, and medical clinics
   

Frustration:

1. Chinese patriotic priests may never be able to preach their faith without communist adulteration--such as compromising with abortion-- which means they can never be reconciled with Rome
2. "Catholic" medical clinics and schools will justify moral evils--including the "end justifies the means"--resulting in a caricature of the Catholic religion
   
3. New converts are likely not to acknowledge the Pope's leadership of the Church or Christian principles that conflict with Chinese government policy
4. The schismatic Patriotic Church will continue to be given favors by China, which seem to be tied to the increasing suppression of the underground church loyal to the Pope.

Deleted Post--"Way of Life"

When I started writing this blog at the beginning of last summer, I chose a pen name that was intended to remind me of what I am - dust. Several comments on "Way of Life" have caused me to regret writing that post describing a Saturday evening Mass at an unnamed church in Kansas City and it has been deleted. The critical comments were well-deserved. Even though my post is deleted, I am attaching the reader comments to the "Way of Life."

Readers noted that I misinterpreted "way of life" in the Eucharistic Prayer to include a homosexual way of life. I also typed "Latin" instead of "Greek" in reference to Kyrie Eleison. I focused on people's dress (jeans, in particular) that seemed to indicate a lack of reverence in church, and I admit this judgment does not consider what is in a person's heart and intention before God. My post did refer to administering the Sacrament of the Sick to most of the people in the church, including those not yet 40 years old, and I am still concerned about that. The almost exclusive white race in churches that I visited is also still a concern to me.

Some of the reviewer comments also apply to my other posts on churches that I have visited in the past month. I will leave these posts up, and welcome any other criticisms. For the deleted post that aroused righteous indignation, I admit my faults and sins.

C.S. Lewis on the Web

The most interesting and profitable moral and historical discussions on the web are found at John C. Wright's Live Journal. I keep thinking I'm reading and hearing another C.S. Lewis! However, I have scanned his Orphans of Chaos and cannot recommend it. It was written before his conversion.

God and God-Like

An old friend, Mrs. V and I had lunch together recently and we've decided to keep in contact more regularly. We discussed the 'every-man-is-God' heresy that seems to tempt so many Christians today. The error has many variations.

1. A person believes he can make his own ethical and moral rules by which to live--according to his own viewpoint and needs
   
2. A person does not commit grave (mortal) sins and thus does not need Christ's redemption
   
3. The Divine nature of Jesus Christ is confused with God's power keeping human beings in existence
   
4. The nature of Godhood (e.g., omniscient, timeless, unchanging) is distorted
5. A person believing he is God has a difficult time practicing humility
   
6. A person denies he is sinful and makes excuses for sins

The natural outcome of "every-man-is God" tends to cultism, such as the Mormon belief in 'As man is, God once was; as God is, man may be.' [The Mormon God can change because he exists within time--thus He cannot be God who created time.]

A good alternative to "every-man-is-God" is to unite our will completely with God's will. As Jesus recommended, strive to be perfect like His heavenly Father (Matt. 5:48). The Imitation of Christ is a traditional Catholic work advising a Christian how to pursue holiness and communion with God.

Quote - by John C. Wright

Everything in paganism from which the civilized mind recoils, as slavery, infanticide, polygamy, sodomy, had been defeated by Christianity, and made a recurrence only when and where Christianity retreats. [From his conversion story. I was fascinated.]

The Traditional Latin Mass in Pittsburgh --Fr. Kenneth Myers

The March 2007 issue of Homiletic & Pastoral Review, the oldest Catholic priests' magazine in the U.S., has an article on the traditional Latin Mass by a diocesan priest who celebrates regularly both the Old Latin Mass and the New English Mass. Fr. Kenneth E. Myers describes why the beauty, sacredness and solemnity of the traditional Latin Mass helps people pray and worship God. Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J. concurs in his magazine editorial, "Reflections on the traditional Latin Mass."

One of the frank quotes of Fr. Kenneth E. Myers who was ordained in 1980:

Some people reading this article may make the accusation that traditional-minded Catholics are attacking the new rite of Mass. I tried for the longest time never to say anything negative about the Mass of Pope Paul VI. In fact, I offer it almost every day because I cannot offer the traditional Mass. I never doubt its validity and I always offer it with as much devotion as I can muster. However, I am not blind. I can make comparisons between the new and the old, and I can see the theological and spiritual shortcomings of the new rite: its failure to express the fullness of Catholic Faith about the Eucharist and the priesthood, its inability to raise up heart and mind from the profane to the supernatural, its confusion on the role of the priest, and its unfaithful and banal translations of the original Latin text. How do we hold on to what we believe in without making these negative comparisons? It is a difficult task.

Fr. Myers is described in the HPR article as a "parish priest permitted by my bishop to offer this rite of Mass and serve a community of over 800 people who are devoted to the Traditional Latin Mass. [He is] chaplain of the Pittsburgh Latin Mass Community, the largest diocesan Latin Mass community in the United States."

Pornography and the Archbishop

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, KS has initiated an important program aimed at fostering the virtue of chastity and building awareness of the evil effects of pornography, including suggesting ways Catholics can protect their families from its influence and counseling persons caught in this sin. [Although, the best help I personally can think of is to make a good confession that will supply God's grace to avoid the near occasions of sins.]

Every parish was required to show a movie of the Archbishop announcing As for Me and My House at all weekend Masses. As people left the churches they were handed material to take home, including a good checklist for a spiritually healthy family. The Archbishop's newspaper, The Leaven, also provided an important article on pornography. [I can vouch for the problem of pornography within the workplace--several years ago we had to discharge a good employee. He was warned, but continued his pornographic viewing anyway.]

What is missing from As for Me and My House? I don't see a recommendation that parents install and use filters on their internet and cable service. One internet filter that can be highly recommended is found here. Other filters are described and rated here.

St. Peter's Cathedral, Kansas City, KS

I traveled to St. Peter's Cathedral where 13 people had arrived early on Saturday morning to say the rosary before the 8:30 a.m. Mass. The side chapel has no visible tabernacle, so I left through a side door to visit the Blessed Sacrament in the main part of this beautiful Cathedral structure which seems to have been preserved from most of the ravages of the past 40 years.

The front of the chapel has a panel of Our Lady of Guadalupe and a statue of St. Joseph holding the baby Jesus. In the center alcove is a crucifix that is surrounded by green plants (perhaps artificial).

About 60 persons were present when Mass began, including one large extended family with small children that swelled the assembly in the small chapel with younger people, including two or three men in their 20s. Most people were older and white, and three or four Latinos were seen, but no blacks. The priest was assisted by an altar girl and an altar boy. A white-haired older woman in jeans was the reader.

As with other churches visited, the clothing worn was casual, informal, mostly jeans for people less than about 45 (including very torn jeans on one woman), and even one low-cut cleavage blouse.

The priest seemed deliberately slow and reverent in the prayers of the Mass, and appeared to be completely faithful to the rubrics required by the Church. He gave a short homily on how God has selected us, more than we have chosen Him.

The Mass was over within a short time, and I felt sad because people left so quickly after receiving Holy Communion--perhaps without adequate understanding of the Sacrament that remains with us for an estimated 10 to 15 minutes after reception (as long as the forms of bread and wine are distinguishable).

Sacred Heart Church -- Shawnee, KS

Part III of Church Visits

The first Sunday morning Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Shawnee showed small signs of the restoration of the Church in the 21st century. The modern round church structure is somewhat similar to St. Mark's in Independence, MO which was described in an earlier post, but without the intricate crossbeam ceiling of St. Mark's. The vestibule of the Church is quite large and has a beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The front of Sacred Heart Church features stained glass windows of the four evangelists, but quite a few windows remain of clear glass--as if awaiting special donations of the parishioners. The altar table was draped in purple cloths. The purple of Lent also covered the podiums/lecterns used by the priest, readers, and choir members who stood off the right side and were accompanied by piano. The tabernacle is not centered but is to the immediate right of the altar table on which Mass is offered. A circular stained glass window of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is above the altar table and a large crucifix is immediately below. Frescoes of saints are embedded in the rear wall on each side. Above the altar-table on the ceiling is a mosaic with a dove in a blue sky--representing the Holy Spirit.

Along the curved back wall of the church are stands of candles by two statues, plus a small shrine to the Infant Jesus of Prague. One of the two statues was of our Lady and the baby Jesus. The back of the church also had other stained glass windows, including the one pictured. Stations of the Cross are placed on the outside wall.

At the 8:00 am Mass, I did not expect to see many children, but I did more than a few. I listened to the wonderful noise of about a dozen babies in arms (this is a new parish built in the middle of many new houses). Most families at the early Mass appeared to have only one or two children. [The second Sunday Mass quickly followed and there were many more children than at the 8:00 am Mass.]

The priest processed into church with altar girls and an altar boy in white surplices, together with four or five others including the person who carried the book of readings. Everyone was asked to greet his neighbor before Mass started, and I was delighted that the welcoming period had been moved forward (so I thought) from between the Consecration and the Communion.

The average age of parishioners in attendance at the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass seemed to be mid- to late 30's. A few Latinos were observed, with the rest of the parishioners white. Almost no teenagers were seen (although as noted in the post comment on St. Mark's, this age group may attend other Masses). A couple of women appeared pregnant out of several hundred parishioners in attendance. Both men and women wore pants, and most of those under 45 years wore jeans. Women did not wear head coverings.

I was quite surprised that parishioners knelt for the introductory prayers confessing our sins. Heaven, hell, and the need for repentence were noted by the priest. The Latin hymn, Kyrie Eleison, was led by a young choir director whose masculine voice was a clear asset to the music in the Mass. The music was unfamiliar to me as it seemed relatively new. [I consider 'new' to be within the past 40 years!]

Before the readings began, about ten little children (4 to 6 years old) came to the front of the church to hear a very short talk by the priest. The children left the church in a procession carrying two wooden crosses, to eventually return to their parents after the homily. I assume there was special Catholic instruction in the adjacent school for pre-First Communion age children.

The first reader at the podium was a woman, followed by the responsorial psalm led by the male choir director. The next reader was also a woman. More women than men were also apparent in the lay distributors of Communion.

The homily given by the priest who had descended to the level of the people started out by touching on the Gospel where the Apostles saw a glimpse of God's glory. He noted God doesn't make junk; we make junk and the junk is called SIN. The priest then mentioned the religions of Abraham--Jewish, Christian, and Muslim, but I failed to note the context. The priest continued with "putting aside our junk" (sins) and keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus in His Body and Blood that gives us the unity that Christ wishes for all of us. Embrace our passion, our sufferings, our cross...

The gifts were brought to the priest by several youth and young adults, with the priest being accompanied by the altar servers as he accepted the gifts. Most of the time, the altar servers sat in chairs at the front of church, and seemed to have little to do.

The main part of the Mass won't be described here, except for those parts that caught my eye, including the re-shaking of hands that had already occurred at the beginning of Mass. The Agnus Dei hymm was sung in Latin and was followed by ten lay distributors of communion advancing to the high platform where they were given the Sacred Species to distribute to the parishioners. The majority of lay distributors were women in pants. Some of the distributors bowed toward the Eucharist before receiving it themselves.

While the priest purified the holy vessels after communion, the entire congregation knelt in thanksgiving. Parish announcements were then made by ladies who ascended to the speaker's podium, including noting the time of weekly Stations of the Cross. After extensive announcements, everyone left to depart the church. I did not see anyone stay to pray in the pews, although one young man was observed to be kneeling in front of the Infant Jesus of Prague statue in the rear of the church, and other people lit candles by two other statues.

A New Book by Colleen Drippe'

A few days ago I drove west and had a delightful lunch with Colleen Drippe', the editor of Hereditas Magazine and the author of a new children's book that reminds me of one of the Hardy Boys series. In addition to authoring a previous set of children's books, Colleen writes science-fiction (see two of her stories in the new INFINITE SPACE, INFINITE GOD sci-fi anthology mentioned in a previous post). She is also the author of GODCOUNTRY, an imaginative Catholic sci-fi novel that I'm currently reading. Colleen has over 200 published works to her credit, including quite a few articles on home-schooling. I asked Colleen several questions about her new book, and her answers appear below.

What was your purpose in writing MYSTERY AT MINER’S CREEK?

You asked a big question there. I have written a mystery/suspense novel for young readers, but the book is more than that. I have provided an alternative, however small, to the corpus of corrupting and enervating writing so often presented to modern children. This is a Catholic book. While it is recreational reading, MYSTERY AT MINER’S CREEK is also a teaching book – not explicitly (or boringly) but in its very story line and in its assumptions. And this book is part of my campaign (shared by an increasing number of other Catholic writers) to retake the field of fiction writing for the Faith.

How are you qualified to write this book?

As the mother of four grown children (taught at home for most of their school years) I write what I know. In recent years, I have also been a teacher in a Catholic school and have come to know a good many well-brought up Catholic children. I write what I see, remember, imagine, and would like to see.

Is MYSTERY AT MINER’S CREEK for a particular age level? For boys? For girls?

I have aimed this book at the fifth grade through maybe ninth or higher. The main characters are boys – but after all, girls like a good adventure story too. They’ve got brothers, haven’t they? I think this will appeal to homeschoolers but also to those in school. My earlier books did.

What is the framework of the story? The storyline?

This is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Steiner and their seven children who take possession of a run down desert ranch where, Mr. Steiner tells them, his children can grow up straight and strong. He is a magazine illustrator and can live where he pleases – and this is where he pleases.

From the beginning, there is both mystery and adventure. Much work must be done on the antiquated adobe house and at first there are no amenities. A further complication arises in the presence of the children’s city cousin, Ryan. Ryan’s parents are away on a business trip and he is to live with the family for several months. Conflict arises immediately.

Strange happenings follow – signs of a prowler, a stray dog and an elusive Mexican boy who warns them not to stay, odd accusations from the local sheriff, footprints, trails – but I don’t want to spoil things for the reader.

Enough to say, the mystery unravels, the threads are tied properly, and the main character, Peter Steiner, learns more than he bargained for. So does Ryan.

What lessons will students learn from reading MYSTERY AT MINER’S CREEK?

This is a story of family life. It is a realistic story. Most of us have relatives who do not live as we do, whose children are different from ours. And we are all tempted to judge others from time to time. This is a story about a rash judgment (more than one). It is also the story of competent parents who trust and guide their children – including the nephew who does not fit in. It is not a story of helpless grownups and wise children. The lessons here are both old and true. I am showing how family life works when you do it right.

Do you have any other books planned in this series?

Yes, I am working on the next Steiner family mystery now. It is called THE DESERT FATHER MYSTERY. Ryan is back and the boys have been given the opportunity to help a real archaeologist on a dig. But of course things do not go smoothly –

Where can MYSTERY AT MINER’S CREEK be purchased?

This book, along with another book of mine (for younger children) called CHRISTMAS AT THE LITTLE BLUE HOUSE, is available from Little Flowers Family publishers.
Or you may write for a catalog of other books at:
Little Flowers Family Apostolates
RR1 McDonalds Corners
Ontario KOG1M0
CANADA

Colleen Drippe' is a very imaginative and busy lady and you may want to check out her web sites here and here.

Temptations before Death

Mrs. M has died. About two weeks before she passed away, we talked at length in the nursing home. She had decided all her sexual sins of the past were normal, that God would understand and was not offended, and that her actions of many years ago were really not sins, etc. I knew Mrs. M's health was rapidly deteriorating and her erroneous conjectures caused me great concern.

In the past year, Mrs. M had three temptations of the faith that she shared with me. Each temptation came from reading books against the faith given to her by other residents of the home. The first resulted in her dalliance with a belief in reincarnation. The second was when she announced that she was sure that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had twins--a boy and a girl! The third was her attempt to excuse past sexual sins.

The error of reincarnation was met by finding applicable verses from the Bible and obtaining other Christian teaching found on the internet. The 'twins of Jesus' error was met by giving Mrs. M a well documented book on Mary Magdalene. The third error in which Mrs. M excused her own sins was probably the easiest to meet.

God allowed Mrs. M to be humiliated in many ways throughout her life. This humility allowed her to listen and understand that making excuses for a sin is worse than the sin. Why? Because pride tempts a sinner to not humble himself and ask for forgiveness. Jesus came to save sinners, and we must admit we are sinners before Jesus, our Saviour. When she heard my comments, Mrs. M shook her head yes. That is my last memory of the black lady who was such a strong pro-lifer. May God have mercy on the soul of Mrs. M.

Are Your Taxes Just?

My brother sent me a link to the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. Normally I am not enthralled by economics and public policy, but this article discusses Switzerland "which has become the target of angry protests by European Union officials and sundry European politicians." Why? Because Switzerland has lower tax rates than other European states.

The most interesting part of the article, to me, discusses the morality and justice of taxes. The author, Samuel Gregg, went back to 16th century Spain to find a

rigorous discussion of the morality of tax-rates. This was sparked by rising taxation, currency debasements, and official state bankruptcies initiated by King Philip II as he struggled to suppress rebellion in the Netherlands and ward off threats to Spain’s world-wide empire.

The article continues:

Reacting to Spain’s subsequent impoverishment, Spanish theologians such as Pedro de Navarra insisted that it was not enough for governments to legislate a tax for it to be considered just. Tax-laws, they argued, must meet other criteria of justice. Was there a genuine need for a new tax? Were the proposed taxes proportionate and equitable? Were they moderate or excessive? The same scholars claimed that imposing taxes to support wasteful government expenditures was immoral, even tyrannical. In some cases, they added, people could rightly refuse to pay, especially when taxes were taking nations to the edge of financial ruin.

I remember some years ago a discussion on whether it was right for a Italian citizen not to pay his full taxes if the average taxpayer in the nation paid only 40, 50, or 60 percent of their total taxes. One Church moralist concluded that if the truthful taxpayer paid 100 percent when most other citizens paid only 50 percent on the average, then the noble taxpayer was being unfairly assessed his share of the tax burden. I don't remember how the debate ended, but the argument seemed logical to me.

Some will note that two wrongs don't make a right, even when it means honest people pay an inordinate share of taxes because of others' lies about their actual incomes. However, I believe the burden should be on the state to justly assess and then rightfully enforce the collection of taxes, rather than allowing some people to avoid paying what is due.

Or much better, the state should first reduce the tax rates before beginning real enforcement. Recovering the annual tax gap of over 300 billion dollars in the U.S. would mean that everyone would be assessed a fair share and most if not all of the budget deficit would disappear. [Of course, that would never happen because Congress is notorious for always looking at new ways to spend more money!]

Some years ago I served on a jury that decided on the merits of a civil lawsuit. The jury determined the plaintiff had exaggerated his claims. Moreover, evidence showed that he made significantly more money than he reported on his income tax form--leaving jurors wondering how much they could trust him (that and a few other things he said!) The jury finally recommended a settlement equivalent to what the insurance company had previously offered the plaintiff. In this case, the man's lies did not create an advantage for him and a disadvantage to the insurance company (and to insurance holders who would have had to pay higher rates). But the man cheated on his tax return, meaning the rest of us paid an unfair share of the total tax burden.

Since that time a burgeoning underground economy has arisen in which workers do not pay income taxes, mostly because they are paid in cash and do not report their income which is estimated at 1 trillion dollars a year. A recent and thorough analysis of the size and characteristics of the underground economy is found in a New Jersey news article published here. The article recognizes that the underground economy is firmly rooted in illegal immigration, yet presents a sympathetic view of the immigrants themselves. My own sympathy is with taxpayers who pay their 100 percent when others cheat and pay nothing. The increasing rate of non-compliance is very bad news for the future of our country, especially when combined with immoral assessment of taxes--as was discussed by the Spanish moralists of the 16th century.

St. Mark's Church -- Independence, MO

[This is the second post in a series to describe Masses celebrated in Catholic churches in Kansas City (both dioceses). The purpose is to assess the state of the Church in a variety of parishes with respect to the liturgy as it will be revised in the early 21st century. I will hold most of my comments until a later post.]

The facilities of St. Mark's Catholic Church are new and the semi-circular church is attached to a long hallway with very nice and spacious meeting rooms. In the front of the church, a large crucifix is mounted on the stone wall behind a white covered table. The tabernacle is located to the right against another wall, and the microphones for the musicians are located to the left side of the Church. The ceiling is a mixture of high cross beams at various angles, and perhaps distracted me from noticing whether there were any religious statues or pictures. Along the rear wall were small stations of the cross.

I estimated the church to be about 60 percent full at the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, with about 350 people in attendance. The parish consists of 2,200 families and is served by a single priest who celebrates four weekend Masses. The attendees were virtually all white at the Mass I attended, with over half the people over 50 years old. Less than 20 children (14 and under) were present, and no babies in arms (< 18 months) were seen. A single large family with five children was observed in a front pew, but was the exception because other families had only one or two children. Most women wore pants and two women were observed to wear head coverings. Among those who were less than 50, blue jeans were common.

The 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass began with an elderly woman in a medium pink pant suit leading the singing of a song with multiple refrains of "Mercy" to piano accompaniment. Her fine voice was also to lead other parts of the sung liturgy. An elderly man read the Scriptures during Mass.

The older priest (I was later told he was a visitor) was assisted by two altar boys dressed in white cassocks, who sat to the right side of the white covered table but seemed to have few responsibilities. When the Mass began, the priest in his own words continued the call for mercy, but without saying the words "sin" or "God." The typical opening prayers appeared to be truncated, followed quickly by the prayer, "Lord, have mercy."

The devil's three temptations of Christ was the Gospel reading. The priest's homily began with a small joke, then quickly referred to temptation, sin, grace, and especially the need for repentance. The penances required by the old Church were mentioned, and were said not to get to the real meaning of Lent. The priest emphasized that it was REpentance that was needed. Except for necessary Catholic practices of becoming more generous and kind ("Ask your spouse what changes are needed!"), specific Catholic truths were not taught in the homily.

At the consecration of the wine into the Blood of Jesus, the priest used the words "for all," as the new revision to "for many" has yet to be implemented (to correspond with all extant translations of the Gospel). A very large circular white host was consecrated by the priest. A number of gold bowl-shaped vessels and chalices were on the table during the consecration, and were used by the lay distributors of communion.

People moved to shake hands with each other after the consecration, followed by nine people advancing to near the white covered table. These were the distributors of communion--six older women in pantsuits and three elderly men. After receiving communion from the priest, each lay distributor went to a planned station to distribute communion in the hand to the parishioners. Then a quiet time of about three minutes was provided to sit and meditate.

Following the meditation period, the pastor arrived in a black suit to make a significant number of announcements from the podium, including a request for new nominations to the parish council and to recruit more lectors and communion servers. New members of the parish council were asked to be "open-minded" and "listening" persons. The pastor was very personable and told a number of jokes during his announcements, including a story of having BBQ on the prior Friday during Lent (which made a fair number of parishioners gasp). The pastor continued and said he had been taught by another priest to bless the meat and convert it to fish. He ended by saying his meal was the best "fish" he had ever eaten (but the priest did not clarify whether this was a joke or not).

After Mass, almost all the people quickly left the church after Mass, but a few stayed to talk with each other, even though the outside hallway is very spacious. Two people appeared to stay to pray. The 8-page bulletin reveals that St. Mark's Catholic Church received contributions of $128K during the month of January 2007, with expenditures of $133K. These large collections indicate the older people in the parish are very generous. But when these people die, it appears collections will decline precipitously because there are so few children and young people who attend Sunday Mass.

The Principal is WRONG!

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- A Catholic school principal has organized sensitivity training for students who shouted, ''We love Jesus,'' at a basketball game against a school with Jewish students.... See the rest of the story here.

When someone shouts "We love Jesus" to anyone but other Catholics, then confront them with their disordered minds and brainwash them into being silent by "sensitivity training." Religious free speech in the U.S.? It no longer exists.