Metro Detroit Catholics brace themselves for news about parishes

Catholics in the Archdiocese of Detroit are not only in a period of expectation during Advent for Christmas, they are in a period of expectation for news about their parishes.

Archbishop Vigneron has been faced with too few priests for the number of parishes and it's only going to get worse in the years to come given the average age of priests, which is 62. I believe it will get better with time as more young men are heading to seminaries around the country, but it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Like many dioceses we are not only facing a shortage of priests, but a financial crunch. The Archdiocese has been making an effort to help parishes become more financially stable and to pay-off debt with a capital campaign under the banner of Changing Lives Together. I was involved in this campaign at Grotto for the past half-year along with a team of other parishioners. It's happening all across Detroit and Archbishop Vigneron allowed parishes to keep 70% of what they raised, which is far more generous than what is happening in some other dioceses where the split is 50/50, 60/40, etc. This region has been hit much harder than other parts of the country due to the deep job losses. These things also impact donations to parishes, dioceses and apostolates.

At the same time teams have been meeting to study a number of things in the archdiocese, taking into consideration a everything from demographics to services provided. Tonight or tomorrow, the Archdiocese of Detroit will share with the public what kind of recommendations are being sent to Archbishop Vigneron. These are not final. The Archbishop will study it and share his decisions in February.

When I see the information on the AoD's website, I will share the link here. You can also check aodonline.org to watch for updates.

In the meanwhile, here is local press coverage and related items in the news recently...

• Plans to realign Detroit-area Catholic parishes due tonight (Detroit Free Press)
• Building sale closes Archdiocese of Detroit soup-kitchen/warming center (Detroit News)
• Friar in Detroit puts soup-kitchen on wheels (Detroit News)

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Advent Parish Mission at Assumption Grotto December 1-4

Each year the ORC priests offer a parish mission during Advent. This year it is taking place December 1st - 4th. It begins Thursday with holy Mass an ends on Sunday.  It is open to all.

See details in the flyer for conference times and other events, such as opportunities for Confession and Adoration.

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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!

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Fr. Perrone: Greatest danger isn't attack from the world, but accommodation to it

As the world already celebrates it's secular "christmas", completely bi-passing Advent, Fr. Perrone encourages us to reflect on some spiritual realities that can easily be overlooked.  This is his homily for last Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent, and it was delivered at the 9:30 am Mass using the 1962 Missal.

1st Sunday of Advent 2011

Two words that define Advent appear and reappear in the liturgy of this Mass: the first is the verb ‘to await’ (expectare) and the second is the verb ‘to draw near’ (appropinquare). Advent is so short a season that we cannot afford to dillydally and slowly get ourselves acclimated to the season. Before you know it, it will be gone and it would be a shame and a great disadvantage to us if we were to forfeit its advantages. The Epistle is, in the literal sense, a wake up call, like the sounding of an alarm over someone asleep. The disturbance of being roused from slumber is for good purpose: the Lord is near (one of the two words I mentioned). In order for Advent to be especially useful to us we need to enter into its spirit in a way like that of Christians of the early times. They were not awaiting the day of Christmas with its holiday delights; they were awaiting the second coming of the Judge and Savior, Christ. Not only will He certainly come again but, in the liturgy, He is summoned to come soon: “stir up Your power”–we address Him thus in the Collect–“and come.” We are in the mode of ‘waiting’ (the other word of the day) for His arrival as the all-Just Rewarder and Punisher. Our living in anticipation of the final day of the world (that ‘awaiting’) can bring two different responses: one is waiting in hope for redemption and the other is the frightful anticipation of punishment. Both things are indeed coming, and the Church is trying to prepare us to meet them.

The nearness of the coming of Christ is often not taken with the urgency that we find expressed in the New Testament and in the Church’s liturgy. We don’t live ‘on the edge’ as if Christ might drop down upon us at any moment. And while we may rightly be amused over some Christian sects for their calculations and recalculations about the day of Christ’s return, we ought to admire and emulate them for the vigilance over themselves which ought to be the accompaniment of Christian hope. We are not meant so to settle ourselves in this world as to be made friends with it. We Catholic Christians are always in a precarious relationship to the world. It simply hates us and must do so necessarily since God’s word condemns its pursuits and purposes. The danger that we face every day is not so much the attack from the world (although this is happening ever more as the Church is being throttled by social pressures and by government strictures). The danger for us is accommodation to the world, that cozy alliance with the world whose spirit is antithetical, opposed and aggressive, towards Christ. The ‘nearness’ of Christ’s advent is not to be taken only in terms of time, of years, but of proximity of His Presence. It is our nearness to Him through decent living (the subject of the Epistle, that ‘sobriety’ mentioned by St. Paul) that should characterize our daily life. This is a manner of living in the world that keeps us distant from its charms and seductions. It’s a sequestering of ourselves from the noxiousness of sins which are indeed attractive. These are the concupiscences, the lusts, the “draws” of the world from which we must run away, close the eyes and ears and keep jealously enclosed within us our innocence. That’s what it means to be ‘expecting’ the coming of the Lord. It is a vigilance over ourselves, keeping guard over the movement of our senses, the curiosities of our lower nature. “No one who waits for You will be confounded” we say in this Mass. We need that wakefulness of mind, that quickness of recognition that there are dangers we have to avoid: first, by being keenly aware of their menace and their attractiveness. The moment we let down our guard, we are lost and the comforting bath of the world’s filth will find agreement with our lower nature.

Slinking into this worldly and sensual life requires a seduction of the mind, that is to say, a deception. There must be a plausible, attractive invitation to abandon all one’s upbringing and training to convince one that it’s alright to be accommodating to the spirit of the age, to the lure of the times. It is in this regard that I want to read for you a few passages often overlooked in the New Testament epistles that are fair warning about these sly suggestions that would carry us away from Christ and from salvation.

The first Pope, Saint Peter, wrote his epistles with a view of tipping us off in regard to being duped. He tells us that in being Christians we have “fled a world corrupted by lust” so that we might share God’s nature. The difficulty is not only that there is this evil in the world, but that there are teachers in the Church those who ‘smuggle in’ false teachings. And the secret to their success in convincing people towards sin is this: “their lustful ways will lure many away.” Heresy, in other words, comes out of lustful passion and not from mere intellectual mistakes.

I continue to quote him: “Through these false teachers, the true ‘way’ will be subject to contempt. (That is to say, that Catholic truth will be ridiculed, and its followers will be belittled for holding to its truth.) Saint Peter is speaking about men who (quote) “live for the flesh in their desire for whatever corrupts and who despise authority. They pour abuse on things of which they are ignorant. They act like creatures of instinct, brute animals born to be caught and destroyed. They too will be destroyed, suffering the reward of their wickedness. Thinking daytime revelry a delight, they are a stain and defilement as they share in your feasts in a spirit of seduction...Theirs is a never-ending search for sin. They lure the weaker types. Their hearts are trained in greed. An accursed lot they are!These men are waterless springs, mists whipped up by the gale. The darkest gloom has been reserved for them. They talk empty bombast while baiting their hooks with passion, with the lustful ways of the flesh, to catch those who have just come free of a life of errors. They promise freedom though they themselves are slaves of corruption. .. When men have fled a polluted world by recognizing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then are caught up and overcome in pollution once more, their last condition is worse than their first. It would have been better for them not to have recognized the road to holiness than to have turned their backs on the holy law handed on to them, once they had known it. How well the proverb fits them: 'The dog returns to its vomit’ and ‘A sow bathes by wallowing in the mire.’”

This is all from the Second Epistle of Saint Peter. Though I have quoted him at some length, he is not yet finished speaking in this vein. Certainly you will have recognized how relevant his words are to us who have had to contend not only with our own weakness in being inclined towards sin, but have had the scandals of heresies and sin served to us by those in positions of authority, even in the holy Church of God, things which have tended to destablize us and make us questioning!

And so, the Apostle continues, so relevant to our day as to his: “In the last days, mocking, sneering men who are ruled by their passions will arrive on the scene. They will ask: ‘Where is that promised coming (the advent) of Christ? Everything stays just as it is.’ This point must not be overlooked... The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and on that day the heavens will vanish with a ro (an echo of our Lord words in today’s Gospel); the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its deeds will be made manifest. Since everything is to be destroyed in this way, what sort of men must you not be! How holy your conduct and devotion, looking for the coming of the day of God and trying to hasten it! So, while waiting for this, make every effort to be found without stain or defilement, and at peace in His sight. You are forewarned, beloved brothers. Be on your guard lest you be led astray by the error of the wicked, and forfeit the security you enjoy. Grow rather in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Better words could not be found for an Advent sermon than these by Saint Peter. They alert you to false guides in the Church, they show you how to identify them by their impure ways, and they goad you to keep on the original way of the Catholic faith in all its integrity. The Lord will come again and give everybody exactly what he deserves.

Two words: waiting and nearness. We are awaiting the justice of God while we are conscious of just how near He is.

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The end of a liturgical year and liberation from old translations in the Roman Missal

Today not only marks the end of a liturgical year and tomorrow the start of a new one; it marks the end of fluffy Roman Missal translations and the beginning of something much more true to the Latin, and to Scripture. While the Te Deum Laudamus is traditionally sung at the end of the year, it just seems fitting to sing it today.

I give you the opening movement to the Berlioz Te Deum. This is the Te Deum on steroids!

Here is another,one: Kodály - Budavári Te Deum - Conductor: Tamás Vásáry

Further reading:

Bishop Robert Vasa explains why this new translation is an opportunity to renew our sense of awe

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Fr. Perrone on the Dies Irae and divine wrath

Here is last week's homily heard at the 9:30 am Mass (1962 Missal). It's a theme rarely heard in this "tell me something good" era. While God's love and mercy are a reality, so is God's justice. Here, Fr. Perrone looks closer at the Dies Irae and divine wrath.

We've been told repeatedly how much God loves us. But ought we not love Him back and if so, how? Hold that thought...

24th Sunday after Pentecost, 2011

This lengthy, difficult and frightening Gospel is fittingly selected by Holy Church as its final word on the final Sunday of the liturgical year. “Doom” may be the right word to express its theme: the terrible day that is to come at the end of time. As a reference point for this, our Lord first spoke about a calamity that was more imminent: the fall of Jerusalem, the city sacred to the Jews. This event, here foretold, was a divine punishment inflicted upon the city for the Jews’ disbelief in Christ and for the underlying cause of their rejection of Him: the endemic perversity of the people of those times. The connection between vice and unbelief should be evident: indulging in sinful conduct leads to the denial of God if only as to hide oneself from His face.

After speaking about this approaching ravaging of the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, our Lord nearly imperceptibly shifts His discourse to the end of the world, an appropriate juxtaposition since both events manifest God’s wrath, that is, His just anger due to those who will not relinquish their sins and who will not repent of their erring ways.

The divine wrath is a subject unheard nowadays, the very silence of which may be a clue to our greater nearness to the end of time. Fashioning God according to our own wish has stripped Him of His justice and made Him appear weak, permissive and unconcerned over things He was once so bold as to forbid us from doing. This caricature of the Almighty is surely insulting to Him who has clearly revealed the truth about Himself. When so many blithely go about fooling themselves into believing in a non-judgmental deity and in their own immunity from punishments, I need to remind you parishioners from time to time not to be taken-in by the attractive parody of an impotent God. As an antidote to this religious virus, I’d like to read for you and comment upon verses of the hymn Dies iræ which the Church has for centuries used as the Sequence in the traditional funeral Mass. Its theme is very close to this Gospel and will clarify how the justice and the mercy of God is in reality rather than in an evasive fantasy.

This great hymn of the Dies Iræ opens with the evocation of the final day of wrath when the earth will be destroyed in ashes, the day on which the Judge will come, when the Angel will sound his trumpet announcing the judgment, when all tombs will be opened and everyone will stand astonished and trembling before God. The symbolic book will be brought forth and the divine Judge will be seated: nothing will be hidden from His scrutiny.

Following this accurate, biblical depiction of the final judgment, the poem shifts to the first person singular, the self-questioning ‘I.’ ’What shall I, a wretch, say then? Who will speak for me as an advocate, when scarcely a just man stands secure?’ Then follows an appeal to the Lord: “O King of tremendous majesty, save me, O Fountain of compassion! Remember, O compassionate Jesus, because I am the reason for your coming; remember, lest you lose me on that day. When seeking me, You sank down tired; You redeemed me in suffering the cross: May so great a labor not be in vain! (See here how the sinner attempts to broker with God by appealing to His Passion: a stratagem known to the saints.) And since we have not yet arrived at the judgment, it is wise to plead ahead of the time, anticipating the day: “Just Judge of vengeance, grant me the gift of forgiveness before the day of reckoning. Like a criminal, my face blushes with guilt; be sparing to this suppliant, O God. You who absolved Mary Magdalene and heard the thief on the cross: You have given me hope as well. My prayers are not worthy, but You, being good, kindly grant them, lest I burn in the eternal fire. Grant me a place among the sheep, and separate me from the goats, placing me at your right side. After confounding the accursed, condemning them to the lively flames, call me over to the Blessed.” And then, since all depends on how one will end his life, the sinner pleads: “I pray suppliantly, bowed down, my heart as if ashes: take care of the end of my life.”

To conclude, the text returns to its initial theme: ‘Tearful (lacrimosa) will be that infamous day when the guilty man will arise from the ashes to be judged: Be sparing to Him, O God!’The final stanza is the now-famous text of the Pie Jesu: “O Compassionate Jesus Lord, grant them rest. Amen.”


I have taken the trouble to quote this magnificent, if frightening, liturgical poem to you, on this last day of the Church year to have you realize that, admit it or not, you will someday see the very things described in this text. In presenting it to you, it’s not a matter of being negative, or showing a preference for fire and brimstone over sweetness and mercy, but it is a matter of truth. Should canonized saints be the only ones who always meditate on what we call the four last things (their own death and judgment, heaven and hell) while we, far more wicked than they, banish these subjects from our thoughts? Where’s the prudence in that? Of course, we know that there are people emotionally oversensitive to any mention of God’s judgments, and so we need to speak to such with a greater delicacy than to others of a lesser sensibility. But we need also admit that there are many people of an acute obtuseness who need to listen to the forecast of the dreadful future that will certainly and inevitably await them unless they grieve over their sins, beseech the mercy of God, confess them and be absolved. And who among us is so sure that we (those called ‘wretched’ in the Dies Iræ text) have nothing to be concerned about in regard to our own future existence when (again, from the poem) even the just man is scarcely secure?

We should emerge from this final day of the year somewhat chastened by the
warnings Christ uttered out of merciful pity for people of His own creating and redeeming. God does not want us to perish but to have eternal life. For this He admonishes, warns and–yes–threatens us to stay on the narrow way that leads to eternal life, lest we be lost. Let us not scorn these divine censures, scoldings, rebukes, reprimands, reproaches, but rather make prudent use of them to recondition and redirect our all-too facile tendency to exempt ourselves from them and invoke a factitious amnesty for our unrepentant ways.

I'm going to take this opportunity to point out that Assumption Grotto will be having a 4 day mission for Advent on December 1-4.  Thursday and Friday it will be held in the parish church following the 7:00 pm Mass. Saturday and Sunday it will be in the lounge.  More to follow.

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Report: New Vatican commission to crack down on church architecture

It's hard to believe this is a Catholic church building.  It is Église Sainte-Bernadette du Banlay, in Nevers.  It was designed in the 60's and 70's (no surprise).  Source

Vatican journalist, Andrea Tornielli, is reporting that the Holy See is about to form a commission under the Congregation for Design Worship to assist dioceses with their architectural plans.  It seems that the Holy Father has seen enough cubes, space eggs, and "garage churches", among  other oddities.  Tornielli writes (emphasis mine in bold; comments in red):

A team has been set up, to put a stop to garage style churches, boldly shaped structures that risk denaturing modern places for Catholic worship. Its task is also to promote singing that really helps the celebration of mass. The “Liturgical art and sacred music commission” will be established by the Congregation for Divine Worship over the coming weeks [It can't come fast enough]. This will not be just any office, but a true and proper team, whose task will be to collaborate with the commissions in charge of evaluating construction projects for churches of various dioceses. The team will also be responsible for the further study of music and singing that accompany the celebration of mass. [Deo gratias!]




Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Benedict XVI, consider this work as “very urgent”. The reality is staring everyone in the eyes: in recent decades, churches have been substituted by buildings that resemble multi purpose halls [and space eggs, space ships or just "worship spaces" - a word I refuse to use in reference to a Catholic Church where the Sacrifice of the Mass takes place]. Too often, architects, even the more famous ones, do not use the Catholic liturgy as a starting point and thus end up producing avant-garde constructions that look like anything but a church. These buildings composed of cement cubes, glass boxes, crazy shapes and confused spaces, remind people of anything but the mystery and sacredness of a church. [Bingo!] Tabernacles are semi hidden, leading faithful on a real treasure hunt and sacred images are almost inexistent. [In the geographical parish I grew up in, there were green blobs that were suppose to represent Mary and Joseph, and the tabernacle looked like something worthy of the Borg, complete with a 1970's pukey green door.  Thankfully, the new pastor, some years ago, replaced them with some real treasures he obtained from closing parishes and Our Lord is housed in a beautiful gold tabernacle]. The new commission’s regulations will be written up over the next few days and will give precise instructions to dioceses. It will only be responsible for liturgical art, not for sacred art in general; and this also goes for liturgical music and singing too [I hope guidelines are used for mega-Masses for youth and other large venues.  Pope Benedict XVI and his MC, Msgr. Guido Marini, have restored some dignity, but you can see that not everyone is getting the message]. The judicial powers of the Congregation for Divine Worship will have the power to act.

Well, that last sentence basically says it won't be a commission full of wall-flowers.

Keep in mind, this is just a report.  We've had reports like these only to have, "the Vatican" refute them days later.  I'll believe it when I see the press release from the Holy See.
But, for the pure pleasureful thought.... Continue reading Tornielli's report...

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Video: Down syndrome community in France shows value for life

A veil-tip to Dcn Greg Kandra who tweeted his post on this a short time ago. This is absolutely beautiful.

Consider that, as Catholics, we believe that God created us to know Him, love Him, and serve Him. People are encouraged by professionals to abort their babies who are shown to have Down Syndrome. I know of couples who have gone through this and am grateful to say that they chose life.

Watch how the beautiful souls in this community of Down Syndrome young men give glory to God.  May this video go viral!!!

If you go to his blogpost on this, you will find a link to the  community's website.

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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!

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Medjugorje and Situational Collegiality Among Bishops

In light of the scheduled, televised, and highly advertised "apparition" with Medjugorje visionaries taking place in the Vienna Cathedral Cathedral tomorrow (Nov 17), I thought I would just raise a few questions and offer some thoughts.  It's all happening with the explicit approval of Cardinal Schonborn, who will be participating to some extent.  So, I ask, is this yet another slap from Vienna for the Bishop of Mostar, and his brother bishops in Bosnia & Herzegovina, as well as Croatia, who do not permit the Medjugorje visionaries to have "apparitions" on church property?


Just to clarify: I commonly put the word, apparition, in quotes when discussing Medjugorje because at this point, they are merely alleged apparitions.

Setting aside any question of authenticity of Medjugorje, which is currently in the care of Cardinal Ruini and his commission, I would like to focus on a peripheral issue: Church hierarchy hosting, in their parishes and cathedrals, visionaries of apparitions not yet deemed worthy of belief at any level of the Church.

Repeating a point I made in my opener: There is not a diocese you can go to in the whole of Bosnia & Herzegovina, or anywhere in the former Yugoslavia, and observe the visionaries of Medjugorje having "apparitions" on Church property. Yet, you can go to Vienna, Chicago, Boston, and a number of other cities throughout the world where cardinals and bishops are bringing, or permitting, public manifestations of unapproved "apparitions" to take place in parishes and the diocesan cathedrals. While sometimes noting that the phenomena of Medjugorje are still be examined, websites for parishes and cathedrals hosting these events feature advertisements referring to the lady of Medjugorje as the Blessed Virgin Mary.   Diocesan staff, including vocations directors are actively participating, offering their own testimonies on church property, lending further credibility to the unapproved apparition. 

The event being publicized for November 17th at the cathedral in Vienna features the following (emphasis mine in bold):

4:00 PM Vienna (10:00 AM USA-EST): Testimonies, including Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, founder of MARY's MEALS
5:00 PM Vienna (11:00 AM USA-EST): Ivan's Testimony6:00 PM Vienna (12:00 PM USA-EST): Rosary
6:40 PM Vienna (12:40 PM USA-EST): Apparition

7:00 PM Vienna (1:00 PM USA-EST): Holy Mass - Presider and Homilist, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn

8:00 PM Vienna (2:00 PM USA-EST): Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
9:00 PM Vienna (3:00 PM USA-EST): Adoration ends

The Archdiocese of Vienna website has the above on it's official website, but omits 6:40 pm SAT (Standard Apparition Time).  The testimony of Ivan is publicized.


There are some other oddities with this event. For example, from Medjugorje Today in an article entitled: "Mary will bless apparition viewers online"

“Ivan told us that those connected through the internet are prayed over by Our Lady the same as those kneeling right next to him during the apparition. And the religious items they have with them that they would like Our Lady to bless are blessed the same as the religious items placed right in front of her during the apparition” MaryTV President Denis Nolan recalls

I'm so dumb-founded that such things are taking place in a diocesan cathedral, especially ahead of the question of authenticity being answered, I got off track.....


What does this say about collegiality when a bishops permit visionaries from another diocese to do things they are not permitted to do in their home diocese, and what are it's fruits?   What message does it convey to the faithful, if not to create confusion and pit one bishop against another, if only in their hearts?  What feelings does it cause towards the local ordinary, if not contempt and disdain because he does not permit these things?  He, and the other bishops of the region are following the 1991 Zadar Declaration, which remains in effect until a new pronouncement is made.  In part, it states (emphasis mine in bold; added emphasis underlined):

Yet the gathering of the faithful from various parts of the world to Medjugorje, inspired by reasons of faith or other motives, require the pastoral attention and care, first of all, of the local Bishop and then of the other bishops with him, so that in Medjugorje and all connected with it, a healthy devotion towards the Blessed Virgin Mary according to the teachings of the Church may be promoted. The Bishops will also provide special liturgical and pastoral directives corresponding to this aim. At the same time, they will continue to study all the events of Medjugorje through the commissions.

Let me re-quote: ".... and then of the other bishops with him,"


Are the other bishops with him when they let these visionaries have apparitions in their cathedrals and give their testimonies on church property?


Even if a bishop disagrees with Bishop Peric of Mostar - and his predecessor, Bishop Zanic - there is a certain level of episcopal etiquette that has caused bishops throughout the history of the Church to not lend credibility to any phenomena from another diocese where it does not enjoy, at the least, the lowest level of approval.  Medjugorje has never been given ecclesial approval at any level.


How can I possibly reconcile the thought that the Blessed Virgin Mary would cooperate with other bishops in the world by appearing to visionaries in their cathedrals when those visionaries are not permitted to do so by their own bishops in the diocese or country of origin?   In fact, that this behavior takes place at all flies in the face of authenticity.  Pardon me for mentioning that when I said I would set it aside, but it is a very difficult thing to grasp. I regret if my words sound redundant in this post, but I'm trying to drive a point home: Disagreement between bishops doesn't belong in the public domain, in words or in deed. 


It is understandable that a bishop is overjoyed to see hundreds or thousands pack a parish or cathedral for an evening of spiritual devotion.  But, this raises another question for those permitting this:  Do the people come truly for the devotions, or do they come to see the side show - the advertised "apparitions"?  Here is a simple test:  Schedule an evening with all of the same things - the Mass, the Rosary, the Adoration - and get the head of the diocese to lead it, and offer his personal testimony about the faith.   Give it the same level of advertisement.  Would they come by the thousands, or would just a handful show up?  Would Mary TV stream it live to the world on the internet; or, is that just for pre-announced, unapproved "apparitions"?


Something is terribly wrong with the approach to bringing back devotion or increasing vocations when an unapproved apparition is used as a crutch to do so.  That is what makes it situation dependent.  A bishop believes Medjugorje is bringing vocations and devotion to his local Church, so he proceeds as if it is already approved, doing what historically was only done to signal approval!  That's right... for visionaries to be allowed on Church property to promote their private revelations and apparitions by the responsible authorities is seen as a sign of approval.  The highest sign of approval is when it involves the Holy Father, such as when Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI visited Fatima.


When the Holy Father answers the question of Medjugorje, I hope it comes with a number of guidelines, including notes for how bishops should treat phenomena originating from other dioceses before approval.  Prior to Medjugorje it seemed like reason prevailed and such things were not necessary.  Now, some bishops, carried away by the wave of enthusiasm, seem to set aside reason and generations of tradition. This is what makes collegiality situational or, or perhaps relativistic (I'm ok; you're ok).  Why wait for the Church when you can do your own thing, regardless of how bishops in the diocese and country of origin treat the matter.  They don't give visionaries of the unapproved apparitions of Medjugorje a platform, but bishops in other parts of the world do give them a platform.  Go figure.


It's just disappointing to observe all the way around: The lack of respect for brother bishops; and, the potential to lead people into deeper belief in a phenomena that has no guarantee of ever being approved, and could still be condemned as not supernatural.


UPDATES:

Catholic Culture news service now has an article up on this: Cardinal Schönborn again hosts Medjugorje 'seers' in Vienna cathedral


Father Z discusses this news and his combox is always quite lively.


In a related matter, Kevin Symonds looks at Vicka, Public Ministry & Profane Novelty of Words

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Sidenote: I have some other "Medjugorje" items on my plate to clear, but they will have to wait for another day. This post, and comments moderated will be limited in scope to what is discussed here.

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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!

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Full "Catholicism" series to air on EWTN - Wednesday

Some of you have seen Fr. Robert Barron's new "Catholicism" on PBS recently. Did you know that PBS only agreed to air some of the episodes? That's still good, but if you want to see all of the episodes, on EWTN. Read and follow the links below. It begins tomorrow.

From EWTN:

Irondale, AL – It’s almost here! “Catholicism” Week starts Wednesday, Nov. 16 and continues through Saturday, Nov. 19 – exclusively on EWTN! You won’t want to miss a single episode of Father Robert Barron’s lavishly-produced multimillion dollar series of faith and history, which was filmed at more than 50 locations in 16 different countries. Catholic Commentator George Weigel calls this series "the most important media project in the history of the Catholic Church in America." For an episode list with times, dates and more, please click here: http://www.ewtn.com/series/shows/catholicism/index.asp. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.


Catholic Commentator George Weigel calls Fr. Robert Barron’s “Catholicism,” "the most important media project in the history of the Catholic Church in America." See it this week – exclusively on EWTN! For an episode list with times and dates and more information, please click here: http://www.ewtn.com/series/shows/catholicism/index.asp. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.


Don’t miss Father Mitch Pacwa’s interview with Robert Barron about his epic series, “Catholicism.” Airs on “EWTN Live” at 8 p.m. ET – exclusively on EWTN. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.

Here's a promo clip:

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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!

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USCCB Fall General Assembly is underway

It's been a favorite pastime of many Catholic bloggers: The USCCB Fall General Assembly.

The bishops of the US are meeting in Baltimore right now. Many are watching with interest.

I'm stuck on a netbook while my main computer is in for repair and I can't deal with how slow the clicks are taking online. Therefore, while i have a day off, I will not be tweeting and taking notes throughout.

If you are interested, I would encourage you to turn on EWTN right now if you have it. It is also being streamed online, and the USCCB is live-tweeting and on Facebook. Go here to see the many ways you can follow what the bishops are discussing. You can also see what is being voted on and how those turn out.

Here is the schedule:


Monday, November 14 Schedule
■Morning Session - 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (EST)

■Press Conference - 12:30 - 1 p.m. (EST



■Afternoon Session: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. (EST)

■Press Conference - 5 - 5:30 p.m. (EST)



Tuesday, November 15 Schedule
■Morning Session - 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (EST)

■Press Conference - 10:30 - 11 a.m. (EST

■Afternoon Session: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. (EST)

■Press Conference - 5 - 5:30 p.m. (EST)

NOTE: All times are approximations, times may vary slightly from schedule.


COVERAGE ON TWITTER

Some are watching and tweeting important points. In fact, Bishop Christopher Coyne of Indianapolis has been live tweeting from the meeting itself. Below are some twitter feeds you might check on. If you have a Twitter account, just follow them. They are re-tweeting what others are offering, as well (rather funny to see the USCCB feed re-tweeting Bishop Coyne's tweets.  They can't keep up with this bishop who is a regular on Twitter, whom I recommend following for what he puts out each morning. 

• USCCB-Live
• Bishop Christopher Coyne
• Father Z
• Kathy Schiffer
• Rocco Palmo
• Greg Erlandson (OSV)

Bloggers will have varying interests.  I recommend watching some major portals and visiting blogs that are highlighted there:

• New Advent
• National Catholic Register (not the "Reporter")
• Patheos (Catholic section)
• Our Sunday Visitor

I thought Bishop Dolan had a very strong opening address.  There were some things I would like to revisit later and if I can find those points tweeted, I will re-tweet them, so look at my feed.

http://twitter.com/TeDeumBlog


UPDATES:

- Here is the full text of Archbishop Dolan's opening address at the blog of Rocco Palmo.  I'm not sure why the USCCB's page for this does not have a documents section where such things are uploaded once they are given.  http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2011/11/kings-speech.html

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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!

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

Main computer is in the shop...

The bad news is - the hard drive on my main computer was on it's way out; the good news is - I discovered when I took it to Micro Center that it was still covered under the service warranty I purchased.  I consider myself lucky.  Most people do not get such warnings before a hard drive goes.  It was subtle, and it's a good thing I paid attention and ran diagnostics after my Acronis True Home Image software told me it could not read certain sectors.  Diagnostics failed repeatedly on the SMART short self test and check disk would not complete due to problems with some sectors.  Everything else was working fine, with only periodic slowness, and one incident which left me unable to get into the system a few weeks ago, for over 24 hours.  Then it started working fine, Acronis was backing up normally, HP diagnostics was fine, etc.... until late last week.

There's more bad news.... my netbook is about as fast as a sloth on a sunny day. The good news - I may actually get some needed work done around my house.

I took some photos yesterday during 40 Hours devotion, with Mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus side altar (62 Missal). However, I cannot process them until around Thanksgiving when I hope to have my computer back. I like to use Adobe Lightroom for some post-processing. It will have to be re-loaded along with other software.

I will be blogging, but it will be light through Thanksgiving.  However, Twitter works quite fast on my iPhone, so watch for news items and re-tweets in my Twitter Feed: http://twitter.com/TeDeumBlog. 

40 Hours Devotion will close immediately following the noon Mass and the ushers are extending their pancake breakfast for those who will remain for the closing.

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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!

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For our war veterans....

While this may be more fitting for Memorial Day, it's a reminder of what our veterans have risked, witnessed, and survived.

Prayers for all veterans today, and a heartfelt thanks for your service. Likewise to those currently serving.

Here's a shoutout to my readers at the various U.S. military bases around the nation and the world (Sitemeter doesn't tell me who you are, but it lets me know when a hit is coming from a U.S. military installation, some of them in far off places I won't even mention. Know you are in my prayers. I ask all other readers to stop and say a prayer for their safe return)

Just a sidenote: 40 Hours Devotion begins this morning at Assumption Grotto and concludes after the noon Mass on Sunday.  Read more here.

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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!

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

Oops... I think I toggled comments back on!

I had turned comments off while I was on retreat and thought I had turned them back on. Apparently, I missed a toggle.

Someone test it and see if it's working now. Try this post, and perhaps one made within the past week.

I still have moderation on to prevent manual spamming.

Blogging will still be light as I prepare my computer for the shop. It's still working... for now. The hard drive could go any time. Gotta replace it. I have a netbook to use in the meanwhile, but it is a little more cumbersome to work with. And, I have a load of work to do around my house, so I will take advantage of the break.

See my last post on 40 Hours Devotion, which I updated.  It begins tomorrow morning following the 7:30 am Mass.  On Saturday, Exposition begins at 6:30 am, and Mass will be celebrated at the side altar at 7:30 am (Extraordinary Form)

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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!

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

Fr. Perrone on Forty Hours Devotion at Assumption Grotto this weekend

Update:  I learned at choir rehearsal this week that Fr. Perrone is having the closing ceremony after the conclusion of the Noon Mass.  There will be no break after the Noon Mass before the closing as in years past. 
This weekend Assumption Grotto will offer 40 Hours Devotion, which is rarely seen these days.  It begins after the 7:30 am Mass on Friday and runs through closing which will happen Sunday afternoon.  The ushers are hosting their pancake breakfast to hold people over after the Masses. 

Here is Fr. Perrone writing about it in the Grotto News this past weekend:

Next weekend is that period of parochial grace known as The Forty Hours, the observance of which has passed into near oblivion in post-conciliar (i.e., Vatican II) days. The proffered reason for this falling off of Eucharistic piety, unexpected and unintended, was to allow for a greater flexibility for parishes in choosing the manner, time and frequency of Eucharistic adoration. The result of the change was disastrous, at least in so far as its said purpose was a failure. But there was something positive that emerged from those dark days, from the grass roots up, and that was the opening of Eucharistic chapels for adoration, and even for perpetual adoration in various places. This was a popular effort, not having been initiated by the higher ups of the Church and yet it was highly commended by the Church officially when it did begin to flourish.

Every parish is, even now, supposed to set aside a time each year for Eucharistic adoration. We have elected to retain the practice of the Forty Hours because of its longer extension than the Eucharistic day and because of its time-honored usage.

Accordingly, we will open the devotion this coming Friday morning at the 7:30 a.m. Mass with the Eucharistic procession and litany following the Mass. Saturday will open with Exposition at 6:30 a.m. and the 7:30 a.m. Tridentine Mass will take place at the side altar. Friday and Saturday adoration will end at 9:00 p.m. Sunday morning begins with adoration at 6:00 a.m. The Sunday Masses are held at their usual times with moments of adoration in between. Note that the 9:30 Mass next week will be a simple Latin Mass in the new rite; the solemn closing Mass will be in the Tridentine form at noon with the closing procession and prayers following it. Booklets for this will be provided. Thus the Forty Hours Devotion will end Sunday afternoon, around 2:00 p.m. There will not be, as there was in recent years, a later afternoon closing ceremony. Take note!

A custom which we have retained on this day is the Pancake Breakfast hosted by our ushers after the 9:30 and noon Masses, even after the 2:00 p.m. closing ceremony.

My annual exhortation is to urge your participation in the prayers and a personal time of adoration in the period of these three days. You owe it–literally–to your Lord to give Him adoration and praise, let alone to make time for presenting your needs material and spiritual in His presence.

What is Forty Hours Devotion?  I can find no better write-up than the one done by Fr. William Saunders.  It is broken up into two parts at the Catholic Education Resource Center (CERC). 

• Forty Hours with Jesus Christ (Part 1)
• Forty Hours with Jesus Christ (Part 2)

The closing of Forty Hours Devotion is quite ceremonial.  In fact, in an old moral theology book I recently purchased, I found this tucked inside:

I wrote more on the invite here: Dear Father: You are cordially invited...

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UPDATE on my computer status...

My main workhorse, desktop computer is still working, but I continue to see indicators that the hard drive is about to go.  It cannot complete a check disk without failing about 90% through and failed the SMART short self test.  I can no longer complete a full backup on my Acronis Home Image - again pointing to problems at certain sectors.  Virus check is up to date and nothing is being found.  There really isn't anything else happening, other than the things I mentioned. 

I have some stories in the pipeline I want to pass along, but they will have to wait.  I have very little time at home and I've been spending it getting my "computer affairs" in order so I can get the hard drive replaced.   It may still be under an extended warranty I believe I purchased. 

In the meanwhile, I would encourage you to keep up to date on news by checking in regularly on a variety of Catholic sources, a few of which are here:

• New Advent
• Catholic Culture
• Vatican News
• Father Z
• National Catholic Regsiter (note - this is not the N.C. Reporter - aka, NCR)
• Patheos (Catholic Blogs Section)

Also, check my Twitter Feed to see what news and comments I'm retweeting there: https://twitter.com/#!/TeDeumBlog

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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!

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

Ugh... computer problems

Stuff happens.  I've had intermittent slowness with my HP Pavillion Elite which is probably just under 2 years old. This is my workhorse (1TB of hard drive and 8 GB RAM).  I need to have some time home and call in for more serious diagnostics than I can do on my own.  I keep getting a failure in the "SMART short self test".  From all that I've read this may be an early indicator that my hard drive could fail.  I usually get the extended warranty, so when I'm home for a few hours, I'll make contact with HP and see if they will send me a new hard drive, if that is the problem. 

I use Carbonite backup, so I'm not worried about losing data.  I also bought Acronis True Image about 6 months ago when I thought something was up and pretty much cloned my hard drive, so I have my valuable stuff backed up.  

I'm hoping the problem will go into remission long enough for me to finish some processing I'm doing on some photos.  If the hard drive crashes, I won't lose it, but it is just creating a delay. 

At the moment, it seems to be working fine.  I hope that is the case when I sit down tomorrow to resume my editing. 

I hope to be back blogging soon. 

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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!

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

Photos: Solemn High Mass on All Souls Day at Assumption Grotto

The catafalque is seen in the foreground.  It is a structure much like a casket, used on All Souls in the Traditional Latin Mass

The pews at Assumption Grotto parish were about 2/3 full for the 7:00 pm All Souls Day Mass (Solemn High Mass; 1962 Misal), which featured an orchestra Mass, conducted by Fr. Perrone.  It was the Faure Requiem.

Here are a few shots from the evening. 

Sisters in deep prayer at the Mass

The celebrant listens to the Gospel

Elevation of the Body of Christ

Elevation of the Precious Blood

This young man sang a solo for the first time during Communion.  He had good teachers in his family and in Fr. Perrone

The Mass ended, and the prayers at the catafalque began.  The catafalque is basically a structure or empty casket which reminds us of the souls in purgatory.

More pics can be seen in my smugmug gallery: http://te-deum.smugmug.com/2011Liturgy/Feast-Days/2011-11-02-All-Souls/19881936_V3mnXP#1564262802_CJ6sCnw


Last night I took photos of Fr. Perrone conducting during the dress rehearsal.    Here is one such photo:

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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!

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

Photos: Fr. Perrone conducting at Dress Rehearsal for All Souls Day Solemn High Mass

After the 7 pm Mass for All Saints at Assumption Grotto, Fr. Perrone held dress rehearsal for the choir and orchestra on the Faure Requiem which will be heard Wednesday evening for All Souls. There is a little surpise in the form of a pint-sized soloist.    It begins with a Solemn  High Mass (1962 Missal) at 7:00 pm, and there will be a catafalque.  Read Fr. Perrone's column from this past Sunday in a previous post.

Here are a few pics of Fr. Perrone conducting.  Usually I am singing and cannot take photos.  However, I did not rejoin the choir until this was well underway and decided to sit it out.  These photos will lack clarity and/or look grainy because it was dark and I didn't dare distract anyone with flash.  I had to go all the way to 1600 ISO.  I did not bring my tripod in with me.  The lights were on for the first few photos, and in the last one, the whole front of the church was dark.

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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!

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