I think that this vestment is very, very cool. The fact that it is worn by only four bishops in the world only adds to its lustre, in my mind. I wonder why the new Archbishop of Krakow decided it would be a fitting addition to his episcopal wardrobe? Maybe he felt a little short-changed after his time in Rome when Marini wouldn’t let his boss wear any cool vestments? Just a guess. My thanks to Dappled Photos for the pictures of the rationale.

According to a ZENIT report, at his general audience address on Wednesday, the Holy Father overturned the dogma of extra ecclesiam nulla salus, declaring that those with the spark and a commitment to peace and social justice will be saved. Okay, okay, that’s an unfair paraphrase, but come on, look at the ZENIT story yourself, which carries this headline: “Nonbelievers Too Can Be Saved, Says Pope.”

I don’t think, however, that the ZENIT report is entirely accurate about the import of the pope’s words. You can read the text of his address here. Instead of saying that nonbelievers can be saved, I think that the Holy Father is pointing towards a teaching of the Church which Blessed Pope Pius IX nicely expressed more than a century ago. Continue reading

Its that time again boys and girls, its time for a bible study with the church fathers. We are concerned about the passages of Luke ch 16 verses 1-8. Here is what the fathers have to say about it from the Catena Aurea compiled by St. Thomas Aquinas:

PSEUDO-CHRYSOSTOM: There is a certain erroneous opinion inherent in mankind, which increases evil and lessens good. It is the feeling that all the good things we possess in the course of our life we possess as lords over them, and accordingly we seize them as our especial goods. But it is quite the contrary. For we are placed in this life not as lords in our own house but as guests and strangers, led whither we would not, and a time we think not of. He who is now rich, suddenly becomes a beggar. Therefore whoever thou are, know thyself to be a dispenser of the things of others, and that the privileges granted thee are for a brief and passing use. Cast away then from thy soul the pride of power , and put on the humility and modesty of a steward.
Continue reading

Not a bad lookin’ chapel, eh?

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Tota pulchra es, Maria,

Et macula originalis non est in te.

Tu gloria Ierusalem,

Tu laetitia Israel,

Tu honorificentia populi nostri,

Tu advocata peccatorum.

O Maria,

O Maria,

Virgo prudentissima,

Mater clementissima,

Ora pro nobis,

Intercede pro nobis ad Dominum Iesum Christum.

For those who are interested Continue reading

No one knows how to do it quite like the Institute of Christ the King. (I wish that one of their liturgical directors would take over for Archbishop Marini; then we’d have a show!) Here, His Grace, the Archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond Leo Burke, is seen entering St. Francis de Sales Oratory in St. Louis, his first official visit to the same, for the purpose of conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation. Just look at that canopy! Whose ever seen such a thing!

Since I’ve only been a Catholic for a short time, I often don’t know when I’ve come across something which would strike others as new and interesting. I think many would agree with me, though, that there is a whole lot more in the Summa Theologica than at first one would guess.

While watching a little movie last night, I heard the following section of the Summa referenced, and I was impressed by what I read. So if this material is old hat for our visitors, I apologize, but it is certainly new for the Catholic students at Cornell University.

Whether dispensing of the Blessed Sacrament belongs to a priest alone? Continue reading

Pope Pius XII saying Mass in his private chapel, St. Peter’s. (This photo is from the Catholic Monarchist, who has several other nice ones.) Notice how, though he is facing the people (as is the tradition of the Roman basilicas), he is also facing the crucifix which is planted squarely between him and the people. Cardinal Ratzinger discusses this very thing in The Spirit of the Liturgy and counsels a return to it. We are waiting, papa!

While attending an inane Novus Ordo Mass at Immaculate Conception (the pictures at the link tell you all you need to know) in Ithaca, NY this morning, and all the while praying the Penitential Psalms from the Breviarium Romanum in reparation for the abuses there against the Blessed Sacrament, my mind turned to reflect again on Veterum Sapientia, the unenforced Apostolic Constitution of Blessed Pope John XXIII.

At the eve of the Second Vatican Council, Veterum Sapientia, a document with the highest authority, called for the restoration and reinvigoration of Latin studies throughout the Church. In particular, it mandated that seminary instruction take place in the Latin language. For this to be practicable, the seminarians themselves would have to be competent Latinists. Continue reading

To continue a discussion which we were having here, and because Iacobus and I don’t post nearly often enough about Romano Amerio, that genius of Iota Unum fame, I have excerpted here some sections from Amerio’s chapter on the Sacrament of Matrimony. This might also be a good time to put out a public plea on the web: Would someone please translate for us Romano Amerio’s Stat Veritas? (Stat Veritas is Amerio’s commentary on Pope John Paul II’s Tertio Millenio Adveniente.)

Chapter XXXIX

The Sacrament of Matrimony

–New Concept of conjugal love and marriage Continue reading