Te Deum laudamus!

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

About that "Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex" blog I was following...

Last year, someone was kind enough to contact me to inform me that a blog I had in my Blogger follow list under my profile - Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex - seemed to have lapsed and was taken over by a steamy picture of a woman trying to sell something that ought not be sold (I won't be linking to it since someone pedaling sex has "parked" at the defunct site).

When an owner loses a website, sometimes because they cannot afford to pay the registration fee, or because it has a good credit card number, but an expired date on file, people with evil intentions wait to take it over. This is especially true if the original site was religious, and even more true if it was Catholic, Christian or speaking largely about moral issues. Pro-life sites may turn into abortion-promoting sites. I think you get the idea. I've seen it happen to people who didn't check on an old domain months or years later, and they had no idea. Once it was taken over, there was nothing they could do about it.

For this reason, parishes and others need to make sure there is a back-up plan and a team of people with access, lest it fall into the wrong hands after a period of dormancy when the only one with access ends up in a body cast for months on end.

I had intended to remove that particular site from my "follow" list after it suffered an unfortunate lapse, but got distracted and completely forgot about it (probably because I did not know how to get it off and had to set it aside for when I had more time to deal with it).

After spending a pain-staking 10-15 minutes tonight getting familiar with Blogger's new process for adding and removing websites for following (something that changed a long time ago, but I never dabbled with), the fake Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex blog is now gone from my list.

I removed it tonight after another kind reader emailed me rather concerned about it. It seems people were warning her about me and my credibility on the basis of what was in my follow list.

This judgment of me and my blog is sad on several accounts and I offer these questions for those who care to make use of reason:

Does it makes sense that a Catholic running a Catholic blog about Catholic topics would knowingly link or remain linked to a site pedaling immorality?
Which is more in line with the Gospel: Trashing me and my blog on the basis of the bad link, or going to my profile and sending me an email to bring it to my attention through a friendly inquiry?
How many more people could have been spared seeing that disgusting page had someone contacted me sooner rather than discussing the matter behind my back with other prospective followers as a means to discourage them from following me?

I think you get the idea.

Let me throw this out for thought. The "Follow List Litmus Test" does not work the way it did back many years ago when Catholics used to screen out good sites from bad by seeing who they were following. People these days - solid, orthodox Catholics included - do not just follow like-minded people and trustworthy sources; they follow those who put forth opposing arguments so they can track them and address things at times. How do you think Catholic bloggers and Catholics in social media like Twitter find content to object to if they aren't tracking things like, "Hell's Bible" (New York Times), or largely dissenting sites like the National Catholic Reporter (not to be confused with the National Catholic Register, owned by EWTN). I don't pay too much attention to what goes on at that dissenting rag, but John Allen, who writes for the Reporter is considered very solid on Vatican issues and he is read across the spectrum by orthodox and dissenting alike.

I need to discuss the blog in question, which went defunct, I think sometime in 2010.

The Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex website was the work of Dr. David Delaney. From the bottom of a guest-post at the Texas Nuns blog:

Dr. Delaney is Professor of Systematic Theology at the Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio, Texas. He previously wrote for the now defunct Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex blog.

I began following it at a time when there was much online debate about Christopher West and his presentation of Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body. Dr. Delaney had made some posts and I was interested in following the discussions.

The name of the blog can raise an eye-brow, but what was the blog about? The best answer I can give you, is to make use of the Wayback Machine (an internet archive system which archives websites) and go back to a snapshot in time when it was still active. Keep in mind, this is a snapshot so you can scroll and view, but clicking around will not work like a blog. You can view it in this link from 2010 and probably even find some of those discussions I was following: http://web.archive.org/web/20100802144212/http://cosmos-liturgy-sex.com/

Here is a snapshot I just created using the image in that link, which some of you might recall seeing in years past. Over to the right under the picture of Our Lady, you will get an idea of how the blog got it's name. It's a JPII thing. Either see it in the link above, or click this pic to hopefully enlarge.

With that, I end this post and hope you found it informative, whether you avoided this blog on the basis of that link in my follow list, or have been a long time reader.

For the sake of transparency, I am announcing here, that I not only removed the defunct Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex blog from my follow list, I have removed my follow list from public view. It is no longer visible in my profile. I felt the need to do this since some feel the need to judge me and my blog on what is in that list and I am purposely following some opposing sources of varying natures. I wouldn't want to scandalize anyone.

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, July 2, 2013

Ordination Photos of Rev. Francisco DeAngelis, ORC

On Saturday, June 29, 2013, Rev. Francisco DeAngelis, ORC was ordained to the holy priesthood at the hands of the Most Rev. Arturo Cepeda, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit at Assumption Grotto.

What follows is a sampling of the 158 photos from the ordination.

At the bottom you will find a link to the full gallery of pictures taken that day. While it is possible to link directly to that photo gallery, I always appreciate a link to the respective photo blogpost. This allows people to get information that is not in the gallery (it tells the story), and it allows others to discover my blog, which I hope people will find useful to bookmark and check from time to time.

The Mass

Assumption Grotto is known for it's extraordinary form Masses (1962 Missal). This was a concelebrated Mass in the ordinary form, celebrated ad orientem, with the Eucharistic Prayer in Latin.

On Bishop Cepeda's right is Deacon Gerald Smigell, who is the grandfather of Fr. Francisco. Many know the deacon through Ss Cyril & Methodius, where he works; and through the local chapter of the Helpers of God's Precious Infants in which he is very active.

Deacon Francisco is seen in the front pew at the center aisle as Mass gets underway. In front of him is the chalice given to him by his parents, who are standing next to him.

Some of the concelebrating priests sitting on the bishop's side of the sanctuary.

Daniel Smigell, the father of Fr. Francisco served as lector.

The Rite of Ordination

After the Gospel was read by Deacon Smigell, the candidate is called forth where it is asked if he is worthy. Fr. Ludwig Oppl, ORC (sitting in the front row, next to Fr. Perrone), responded affirmatively. The bishop then issues the call to Holy Orders.

He then delivers the homily from the throne.

After the homily, the Rite of Ordination continues with the Promise of the Elect

Fr. Francisco making his promises. Also in this photo, kneeling and holding the book, is Br. Matthew Schuster, SJC - an Assumption Grotto parishioner working toward's priesthood with the Order of Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago.

What comes next is the Litany of Supplication (Litany of Saints), with Fr. Francisco laying prostrate.

Followed by the laying on of hands, first of the bishop....

Then, his religious order brother, Rev. Ludwig Oppl, ORC, Superior Delegatus

And another religious order brother present, Rev. Titus Keininger, ORC

Others can be seen in the photo gallery in the link at bottom.

Bishop Cepeda offers the prayers of ordination.

And, the newly ordained Fr. Francisco is vested.

Then, his hands are anointed with holy oil and the Veni Creator Spiritus is sung.

Fr. Francisco's paten and chalice are brought into the sanctuary by his brother and father, and are taken to the bishop.

The fraternal kiss is then given by bishop and priests present.

After the Rite of Ordination, the Mass continued with the Credo, and into the Offertory. After the schola chanted the "Constitutes eos," the choir sang Palestrina's Sicut Cervus. The newly ordained Fr. Francisco joins his brother priests. Here we see some of the other priests who were concelebrating.

And Fr. Francisco's chalice is seen on the altar during Offertory.

Brother Isaac, and the Sisters of the Holy Cross are seen here. Members of the Children of Mary were also in attendance (purple in habit).

Incensing...

Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon) was used, in Latin. Here, we see the Elevation of the Eucharist.

And, the Elevation of the Chalice

Fr. Francisco at the altar as a priest for the first time

As is customary at Assumption Grotto, holy Communion is received kneeling and on the tongue. Here, we see the altar boys receiving on a kneeler in the sanctuary that will later be used by Bishop Cepeda to receive his first blessing from the newly ordained Fr. Francisco.

Fr. Francisco distributes holy Communion to his family

It is not uncommon to see the Missionaries of Charity at ordinations (the order founded by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta). They have a local mission here in Detroit and I have seen them at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral for ordinations, and at Assumption Grotto for other events over the years.

The schola chanted the Tu es Petrus, then sang Psalm 150 by Cesar Franck. They sang the beautiful Missa Secunda by Hans Leo Hassler earlier, one of my favorite Masses. The choir was directed by Ruth Lapeyre. Pablo Gorin was the organist, and he finished the day with the organ postlude, Ite Misse Est, Op. 55, No. 5 and March in D Major, Op. 56, No. 2 by Alexander Guillmant.

Bishop Cepeda at prayer during the purification of vessels as the choir sang.

After the Post-Communion Prayer, Fr. DeAngelis consecrates his priesthood to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the side altar as the choir sang the Salve Regina by Paul Paray.

After Fr. Oppl offered acknowledgments and a few words, Bishop Cepeda received a First Blessing from Fr. Francisco DeAngelis, and kissed his newly consecrated hands.

The bishop and priests made their way outside where a group photograph was taken

After Mass, there was a reception in the gym. Fr. Francisco spent the next hour-and-a-half giving First Blessings, starting with his own family. It began with his mother and father.

Please keep Fr. Francisco DeAngelis, ORC in your prayers as he begins his priestly ministry.

EVEN MORE PHOTOS....

As I said at the beginning, there are many more photos in my Smugmug Gallery for this event. While it is possible to share that link, I appreciate links to this blogpost where people may get the full story. They too will find the full collection at the bottom of the post.