Saturday, May 30, 2015

Full, official translation of Bishop Perić homily in Medjugorje available

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On May 15, just over 80 candidates received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Ratko Perić in Medjugorje. Soon after, English language, pro-Medjugorje sites circulated an excerpt or two, which was botched by an apparent Google translate.  When I put the Croatian text into that translator, I got nearly the same thing that I saw floating around. With the little Croatian that I can remember, it did not seem right.  I think people do the best they can, but when something sounds really bad, it's really better to wait for a more authentic translation so that the wrong words are not attributed to someone.  I would ask websites and blogs using the bad translation to offer the official translation.

Here is the paragraph in question. I've changed the text color to green, and underlined them in two places for followup comment.  I have them numbered in case that formatting doesn't appear in RSS feed readers.

     - And he makes us see that the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace is more important than any personal talent, more than untamable charisms, more than locutions in unknown tongues, more than falling on the ground (1), more than messages twice a month and more than tenfold secrets. Our faith is based on the foundation of the Bible and Tradition, interpreted by the living Magisterium of the Church, and not on private visions(2) that are all the more inauthentic, the more they claim to appear three times a day.

So, lets look at those two items:

  1. "Falling on the Ground."  A friend in Croatia, Marilena, explains: "...he means resting in Spirit, quite a common thing these days in Croatia too, charismatic priests laying hands on people and they fall on the floor taken by the Spirit
  2. "Private visions." Marilena notes here: [He] uses the word priviđenje which is more like seeing something, when something appears to you. It's not as hallucination nor as apparition, it [is] more negative than an apparition but not as negative as hallucinations. 


Bishop Perić gave an excellent homily, based on Sacred Scripture, and the theme was unity within the Church.  There is a great deal of stuff there, if you read carefully.

Without further delay, please read the entire homily in English for the proper translation and for full context.  For my Italian readers, here is the Italian.


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Sidenote: The CDF is continuing to clamp down on the activities of alleged visionaries in other countries, this time in Sestola, Italy.

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I'm looking forward to the Holy Father's trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina this coming Saturday.  I hope to blog on it then.  Medjugorje is not anticipated to factor into that and I pray that everyone focuses on the Pope, his message, and the needs of that country.

Related: Vatican reveals Pope's itinerary for Sarajevo visit (UK Catholic Herald).

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+Photo at top: "Ratko Perić" by Zvonimir Ćorić, The Catholic news agency of the Bishops' Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina - http://www.ktabkbih.net/info.asp?id=37741. Licensed under Attribution via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ratko_Peri%C4%87.jpg#/media/File:Ratko_Peri%C4%87.jpg



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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

- Diane M. Korzeniewski

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Monday, May 25, 2015

The Latest GrottoCast is out with Fr. Perrone's Pentecost Homily



See the latest post at GrottoCast to listen to Fr. Perrone's Pentecost homily online. The post also discusses other listening options and ways to follow GrottoCast, including a new Twitter account - @GrottoCast.


Image of SoundCloud Player for the Pentecost homily




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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Upcoming at Assumption Grotto for Pentecost, Memorial Day, Corpus Christi and more...


Pentecost and Corpus Christi in the Extraordinary Form


Two orchestral Masses are coming up:


Sunday, May 24 Pentecost  at 9:30 a.m. Mass (Extraordinary Form, Solemn High)
Sunday, June 7, Corpus Christi at the 12:00 Noon Mass (Extraordinary Form, external observance)

Note: on June 7th, the 9:30 a.m. Mass will be the new Mass in Latin. Only one Mass can be done in EF on Sundays and when there is an orchestral Mass at Noon, it is joined with the 1962 Missal.  The regular choir will not sing at the 9:30 on that day because they will be at the Noon Mass.  A Eucharistic Procession follows on the parish grounds, weather permitting. 


Music for these orchestral Masses are as follows:

  • Mozart's Coronation Mass complete
  • Mozart's Vespers for a Confessor (only two movements) "Confitebor"
  • and "Laudate Dominum" Confitebor (the second movement for the beginning)
  • Laudate Dominum (the second last movement).


Memorial Day Masses


I am trying to confirm that the usual, weekday 7:30 a.m. EF Mass is taking place Monday morning for those who want that form.  Many come to the 9:00 a.m. Flag Raising, followed by Mass (Fr. Perrone has done the new Mass mostly at this Mass, concelebrated in past years, but I will try to find out if he will follow suit this year).  Following Mass, there is a procession out to the war dead memorial where a brief, prayerful ceremony takes place. There are refreshments after that Mass with the veterans and families. All are welcome.


Other


Men’s Discernment Retreat Friday May 29 - Sunday, May 31, 2015, hosted here at Assumption Grotto. Have you ever considered the priesthood or consecrated life? Do you think that God may be calling you to serve Him with “an undivided heart”? Such decisions are not always so easy to make and proper discernment with good spiritual reflection and guidance is necessary. What’s the best way to prepare yourself to know what is God’s will in your life? Why should you do God’s will? How do you conform your will to His? By making a retreat. All the great spiritual writers have always suggested this.

This discernment retreat is a time to get away from the daily routine and spend time with God in reflection and prayer. It’s a chance to focus and give absolute attention to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord with the assistance and love of The Sweetest Heart of Our Lady - and then make some decisions in order to redirect your life towards the one thing that truly matters - Heaven in union with the Blessed Trinity, Our Most Holy Mother, and all of the Saints forever! For more information , please contact vocations@littlemariansons.org or call Bro. Esteban at (313) 778-1498. There is a limited space and the deadline to register is Wednesday, May 27, 2015.

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Check AssumptionGrotto.com regularly for more updates and news about what is going on at the parish.


See the new GrottoCast website for audio  homilies and more


For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Assumption Grotto family in need as mother AND father deal with cancer



A GoFund Me account has been set up by a relative of Caroline DeLoca to help with expenses related to her recent diagnosis of cancer.  This comes just a few years after her husband, Peter, battled a cancerous tumor in his leg. As Caroline faces her own battle now, with stage 3 breast cancer, there are concerns that Peter's cancer may have returned.

This beautiful pro-life family with five children and, baby number six getting close to third trimester, belongs to Assumption Grotto and is known to many of us.  They have a loving, supportive family network.  But, as you can imagine, financial needs are many.

You can use the GoFund Me account set up by Caroline's aunt OR you can give money to the family directly if you know them.  Others who do not know them, please check back tonight or tomorrow and I will update this post with an alternate place to send checks so the family gets the money directly if that pans through.

Most of all, pray for this family.




See the new GrottoCast website for homilies and more


For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

GrottoCast has launched with today's homily by Fr. Perrone



It has taken us a while to get here, but with some help, we are recording Fr. Perrone's homilies, with his permission, weekly - God-willing. Other media, including video will be featured periodically, as well.

Please see this post at GrottoCast to hear today's homily via SoundCloud.  Fr. Perrone packs a lot into just over 10 minutes.

Bookmark the home page: http://grottocast.com






For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Pics from last Sunday at Assumption Grotto

May Crowning, First Holy Communion, and some grotto spring stock photos...

I am delayed getting these pictures up.  I did not take them all.  Parishioner Jeff W., who has helped me in my understanding of Canon EOS camera settings, and whose daughter was making her First Communion, sent me some of his photos at my request.  At Assumption Grotto, First Holy Communion and May Crowning take place on the same day.  It also happens to be Mother's Day.

First, the May Crowning. It had to take place indoors this year due to threat of rain.  It turned out quite nice, but you would not have known that when Mass was about to start.  I was hoping we would still be outdoors and took just my little GoPro hoping for some nice video footage. It has an option to capture video + pics and you can set the interval for photos.  In the right conditions it can capture some nice 12 megapixel snapshots.  I had that option running when I raised it on a an extender, but I was too far away to really see what was going on.  Here is one snapshot of Jeff raising his daughter Angelina who placed the crown on Mary.



Here are three pictures from Jeff, taken after Mass.  Fr. Perrone prohibits photography during distribution of First Holy Communion; even I honor this.  So, he has the children come to the altar rail after Mass and he uses un-consecrated hosts.  The parents come up and take pictures.


There were boys, but they were to the left.  Lots of girls this year.


Way down at the other end, you can see some boys.


A good spot for a First Holy Communion picture.



After Mass, the sun was out.  I took the GoPro down by the grotto area to take a few pictures now that the leaves were filling in and some light clouds were there for contrast against the deep blue sky.








For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Why does the Church not answer the question of Medjugorje? Some thoughts.



Matt C. Abbott, writing at Catholic Online, has a new piece out this morning on Medjugorje and in it, he has solicited the thoughts of John L. Allen of the Boston Glob and Crux. He also references a piece written in 2013 by Colin Donovan that is a propos.   He begins with the news I blogged on the other day concerning ecclesial intervention in stopping recent, public events by the alleged visionaries.  He then writes:


In recent days, a source informed me that the aforementioned Vatican commission has concluded that the alleged apparitions are false, "but because of the publicity surrounding [them] and the potential chaos that could result from the announcement, the authorities in Rome are sitting on it for now."

I asked veteran Catholic journalist John L. Allen Jr., associate editor at The Boston Globe and Crux, if he could verify what I was told by my source.

Mr. Allen responded:

"What you describe has actually been the case for a while, reaching back at least to the time when [Cardinal Tarcisio] Bertone was in the [Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]. The dilemma is wanting to back up the local bishops versus not wanting to impugn the legitimate spiritual fruits."

I too have heard that which Matt describes, but it remains hearsay regardless.  However, I personally believe this is the case. But, I think the Holy Father's reasons for holding back go deeper than what Mr. Allen suggests. Hold that thought for a moment.

He then quotes the last section of this 2013 document by Colin Donovan of EWTN:


"These 2013 letters [from Church officials regarding the alleged seers of Medjugorje] clearly represent a change of pastoral attitude on the part of the Holy See, one which began before the end of the pontificate of Pope Benedict and which has now been affirmed by Pope Francis.

An attitude of seeming tolerance has been replaced with a firm call for acceptance of the ecclesiastical judgments made to date, or at least publicly acting in accordance with them. Whether this is simply to dispose all parties (pro and con) to accept the final judgment of the Church when the pope issues it, whatever that judgment may be, or, in view of a decision of the same character as the previous ones, remains to be seen..

From the most recent statements of ecclesiastical authority it is clear that no Catholic may participate in events which presume the authenticity of Medjugorje. The older statements emphasized only the prohibition of those holding an office in the Church (bishop, pastor, rector, chaplain or other) who would, by virtue of that office, tend to lend official sanction to Medjugorje, and thus contradict the decisions of the competent local authorities.

Those earlier statements proscribed pilgrimages organized under official auspices; however, common sense suggests that a conference or other activity sponsored by a diocese, parish or other Catholic institution was also prohibited."

Colin's assessment here is accurate, and there has been a change in tone - even more so after that was written with additional  interventions, the latest being in Italy where Medjugorje has a great following given it's close proximity.  Even I was surprised to see this because the alleged visionaries pretty much had freedom, if not by bishops inviting them outright, then by bishops turning a blind eye to their visits.  I say this because it flies in the face of episcopal etiquette for a diocese to host visionaries from another diocese,  enabling them to engage in public activities that are forbidden in the original diocese.  That they could give testimony, especially on Church property in Italy when no bishop in Bosnia-Herzegovina would permit it is further injury.

Why would the Holy Father hold back?


Speculation alert: This is only speculation, and it's only as good or as bad as anyone else's speculation.

Let's look past the low-hanging fruit.  To avoid making a decision known publicly on the basis that it will be unpopular flies in the face of Church history.  Similarly, to keep that decision hidden out of deference to the good spiritual fruits, is to dismiss negative spiritual fruits.  Moreover, it would mean the Church acts on the notion that the ends justifies the means or that truth could somehow be sacrificed for the sake of good fruits.  These popular opinions are what have scandalized so many faithful Catholics when it comes to Medjugorje.  I have not been scandalized because I believe there are alternate explanations as to why the Church has not pronounced what it knows publicly.

No matter how many reasons people can come up with as to why the Church took so long to get involved in what was once a local ecclesial matter, what is often missed are some simple facts.

First, the last full commission ended, if memory serves, in April of 1991, with the judgment that it cannot be affirmed there is anything supernatural in the alleged apparitions.  In a matter of weeks after that, the former Yugoslavia was in the midst of a full blown civil war.  I've often wondered if the Zadar Declaration would have read the same way if the bishops back then didn't have to be concerned with what was about to befall them all very quickly. Perhaps in time we will learn from the bishops how deteriorating conditions back then led to a rapid close of that commission and the present status of the Zadar Declaration.  It was said that the bishops were planning to reconvene, but of course, the country disintegrated and ultimately led to Medjugorje being contained in the tiny country of Bosnia-Herzegovina.  They dropped from about 20 bishops down to just four.  Medjugorje had spread well beyond the boundaries and all throughout the world by 1995-96 when the war had ended. Few would accept a declaration on a matter that impacted Catholics well past their boundaries.

People in other countries expected a new Commission, or the intervention of the Holy See, but often through a lens that gave no consideration for the devastation those bishops were faced with at the time.  I believe both the Bishops Conference of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the Holy See, were more concerned with a great humanitarian crisis that befell people in that region.  It's difficult to justify making Medjugorje a focus while people dealt with death all around them, and others trying to get by without limbs, and the lack of shelter, food, jobs, a multitude of orphans, and ongoing political and ethnic tensions.  Is it any wonder that it took just over 10 years for the Holy See to form the international commission with intent to answer the question of Medjugorje?  The timing was about right as people there, bishops included, were emerging from the fallout of war, albeit still suffering in many ways.

Many reporters can tell you about Medjugorje; very few can tell you off the top of their heads what the bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina's greatest concerns are.   Perhaps some worthy reporters will speak to the bishops there ahead of the visit by Pope Francis and dig into that question.  I believe all the bishops speak fluent Italian.

If you want to know why I think we have not heard the Holy See or Pope Francis make a definitive pronouncement on Medjugorje, it's because I believe no one wants Medjugorje to overshadow the Holy Father's visit to the small country this June.  Catholics in that country need a shot in the arm, to be lifted up by Holy Mother Church and by Catholics around the world.  What they don't need is a lopsided focus on Medjugorje.

Might we hear something from Pope Francis on Medjugorje after that visit?  Perhaps.  And, perhaps he might find it prudent to make us all wait a little longer.  I don't think the Church is intending to avoid conflict by not answering the question publicly about Medjugorje; I think the Church knows what kind of chaos might follow and is choosing a more proper time to share it with us.

Cardinal Puljic stated recently that the Holy Father's visit had nothing to do with Medjugorje at the end of a recent report at the website for the news agency of the BiH Bishops' Conference (see translation of relevant paragraph here).  He urged journalists to create a positive climate.  There's so much more to Bosnia-Herzegovina than Medjugorje.  I hope we can all take the time to listen and learn.

That's my 0.02.

Note: This post was edited for clarity. 




For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Medjugorje Fallout - More Cancellations



It's becoming clearer, at least in a public way, where the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stands while the case of Medjugorje remains with the Holy Father, with no indication we will hear his final discernment any time soon.

Two english language Medjugorje-promoting websites are reporting ecclesial intervention in Padova, Italy, bringing about a cancellation of an event by alleged visionary, Ivan Dragičević. 

Medjugorje Today reports, in part:

For the second time in 2015, an arrangement with visionary Ivan Dragicevic has been cancelled by the local Ordinary. Ivan was scheduled on May 22 near Padova, Italy, whose Archbishop explains that he is complying to the directives issued by the Vatican’s doctrinal office. Arrangements with Medjugorje visionaries are increasingly being cancelled. One day after Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic’s late May visit to Brazil was called off by organizers, visionary Ivan Dragicvic’s May 22 testimony and public apparition in Mestrino near Padova, Italy, was also cancelled. Whereas it is still uncertain if Vicka keeps from Brazil because the… [you have to pay $19/month to read the rest]

In a note on it's sidebar, the Crown of Stars blog says there were cancellations in South America of Marija's tour.

Another Medjugorje seer cancelled her visit to South America in January. Marija Pavlovic had been invited to witness in Nicaragua, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela but organisers gave notice that the seer had cancelled “due to personal reasons”.
Since Medjugorje sites like these rarely cite any references or link to online sources, I usually do a search, sometimes in other languages to find the material.  This time, I could find nothing.  However, looking at the search list, I noticed this from Ivan's 206 Tours page (note the "Missing: padova")





The 'apparition industry' is doing well when Ivan can book 8 tours from May 17 through November 8, with a minimum booking fee of $899 per person. May 17 is wait listed.  It's interesting that in the United States, the alleged visionaries of Medjugorje have been stopped, even at venues not on Church property, yet Ivan continues to give witness in the area surrounding Medjugorje, off Church property. Nothing short of a public statement, at least from the CDF will stop these things in the Medjugorje area, and elsewhere.  These tours would not survive if they did not come with an 'apparition' (even if no longer stated in the online site) and giving testimony that the Blessed Virgin Mary appears to them, when the Church has not made any such declaration.  This is presumption - the kind Bernadette avoided in Lourdes when she referred to the woman she saw as, "the  lady."  At the very least, she did not earn a living or even cover expenses through her apparitions.

Response to Wayne Weible's "Open Letter to the Papal Nuncio"


My friend, Kevin Symonds has taken the time to respond to an open letter published online by Wayne Weible, addressed to the Papal Nuncio about his letter to U.S. Bishops.

Go read Kevin's detailed response at Catholic Stand.

Blogging Update


I regret not having been blogging much in the past year, but I hope to be back at it soon enough, and with something new.  When I have time later this week, I plan to edit a short video I took during the May Crowning, and provide some photos sent by a fellow parishioner following First Holy Communion.





For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.