2007 June archive at Cornell Society for a Good Time

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Archive for June, 2007

Sandro Magister’s latest gives us some reason to reflect on this great pontifical feast of SS Peter and Paul. In “Roman Curia: The Reform that Isn’t There“, Magister makes plain that Benedict has put the reform of the curia, long anticipated and a job for which Benedict seemed well-qualified, on the back burner. After some early promising moves, such as collapsing the congregation or whatever-it-was for Interreligious Dialogue into the Pontifical Council or whatever-it-is for Culture, Benedict didn’t go much farther and has now even reversed course, bringing the Interreligious Dialogue losers back to life. The most positive spin on Benedict’s “progress” at reform thus far is that Benedict is biding his time, a tactic he learned from many years in the Curia. The less optimistic outlook is that Benedict isn’t going to expend his limited time (and, perhaps, political capital) on such an effort.

Some choice bits from Magister’s column: Continue reading

Published by Iosephus June 29th, 2007 8 Comments

Martino gets cute again

File this one under the category of “true things that nonetheless cannot be taken seriously when explained in this way.” A (non-Catholic) friend forwarded me this list of “Ten Commandments for Drivers” put out by Cardinal Martino and the Vatican’s office for migrants and itinerant people. The list is part of a 36-page document entitled “Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road,” and it gives pastoral suggestions for how we might all better exercise Christian virtue in our driving.

I hate to seem cynical, and I don’t doubt that moral virtues can be relevant to many aspects of driving. (Indeed, road rage is one failing for which I sometimes chastise the good Doctor, who is of a somewhat more choleric temperament than I.) But in this case the presentation defies serious treatment. The second Driver’s Commandment, stating that “The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm” cannot help but bring a smirk. Communion between people? Must driving to work be a social or religious experience? I’m not even sure who the people in question are – other drivers, or people you might be going to visit in your automobile? It’s sheer silliness.
Continue reading

Published by Clara June 28th, 2007 4 Comments

New Institute Priest for West Orange

New Jersey is now home to yet another full old rite parish. The F.S.S.P. is in Pequannock, in the Diocese of Paterson. The Institute of Christ the King has joined the party: They now have a home in the Archdiocese of Newark. (Also, not at a great distance, depending on where you live in the Archdiocese of Newark, is the Mater Ecclesiae parish in Berlin, NJ, in the Diocese of Camden.)

If Levada becomes the next Archbishop of New York, as some anticipate, will he finally allow an old rite parish in the City itself?

Published by Iosephus June 27th, 2007 5 Comments

Latin Mass Society Oxford Pilgrimage

Dr. Joseph Shaw (read our interview with him here) has a report and pictures up about this past weekend’s procession through the streets of Oxford following “the route taken by the four martyrs of 1589 – the seminary priests Richard Yaxley and George Nichols, their gentleman helper Thomas Belson, and a Catholic inn servant, Humphrey Prichard – from the Bocardo prison in Cornmarket to the town gallows where thy were hanged, drawn and quartered.” Follow the links for the full report and pictures.

Published by Iosephus June 26th, 2007 0 Comments

“Frank and Frosty”

I don’t think that the Catholic Church is the right faith community for Tony Blair. (Clara’s thoughts here.) From the sounds of it, he’s a very good protestant. “Last month Father Michael Seed, a Westminster priest close to the Blairs, predicted that Mr Blair would become a Catholic. But he later told The Times he did not know if Mr Blair would ever be received ‘formally’ into the Roman Catholic Church.” Will never “formally” be received into the Church? I don’t know what his plan is, but it sounds fishy. Apparently, Benedict wasn’t overly impressed with Blair’s plan for Great Britain over these past ten years; abortion, gay adoption and stem cell research highlighted the discussion between the two men, reports the London Times.

But this was an interesting part of the Times‘ article: Continue reading

Published by Iosephus June 25th, 2007 7 Comments

All these books are mine!

At least that would be my greedy, bibliophile reaction. : ) I liked this picture of Papa perusing one of many wonderful books in one of the most wonderful libraries in the world (probably the most wonderful), the Vatican Library. This photo is in connection with this story.

Published by Iosephus June 25th, 2007 0 Comments

Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

Today is the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, one of only three Nativity feasts celebrated by the Church — since St. John the Baptist is one of only three people in history who left the womb without the burden of Original Sin (his having been cleansed by our Lord’s presence at the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin to St. Elizabeth).

There are two other notable things about today. First is that pictured in the chant above — the hymn from the Second Vespers of this feast is the origin of the note-names for the Solfege system, the famous Ut (later Do)-Re-Mi naming of notes, immortalized in that favorite film of a certain, slightly unbalanced, bishop of some uncertain amount of schismatism. For the full text of the hymn to St. John the Baptist from which the notes come, click here. Sing it today for the Forerunner!

Finally, today is traditionally known as Midsummer’s day, since starting today (actually, a couple of days ago), the days of the year start getting shorter — an echo in the natural world of the Baptist’s saying, Illum oportet crescere, me autem minui, He must increase, and I must decrease.

Published by Ambrosius June 24th, 2007 7 Comments

Jesus of Nazareth

I’ve just finished reading — or, actually, listening to the audible audio version — of Pope Benedict XVI’s new book, Jesus of Nazareth: what a great service he has done for us all in writing it! It is a fine, orthodox, compelling, and densely packed invitation to get to know Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, the Second person of the Holy Trinity, better, in the way He wishes us to know Him. What could be better?

There’s too much in the book to summarize its contents usefully, and since I have only the audio version thus far (I plan on buying the book itself soon), it is hard for me to pull direct quotes. In brief, the book’s goal is to expose Jesus to us as He — God — presented Himself to us. That is to say, through the mediation of scripture, tradition, and the Church. The pope early on dismisses most tracts concerned with the so-called “historical” Jesus as being mere portraits of their authors and their authors’ preconceptions, rather than giving any insight into the real Jesus.

So what does Pope Benedict give instead? Continue reading

Published by Ambrosius June 22nd, 2007 3 Comments

Why red?

Would someone who knows something about these sorts of things tell me why the Pope and the assisting cardinals are vested in red at a funeral - dare I call it a “requiem” - Mass? I know, of course, that they can no longer wear black because such a color insufficiently expresses the hope and joy of the People of God as they contemplate the face of the Risen Christ. But isn’t red the color appropriate for a martyr? Cardinal Felici may have been many things, but he wasn’t a martyr. Another article here.

(Updated 6/22): “Papa luget in rubro.” Thanks, Scott!

Published by Iosephus June 21st, 2007 6 Comments

Deacon Blair?

Since we’ve been talking a bit about issues of church and state, I thought it might be interesting to discuss Tony Blair and the possibility of his becoming a Catholic deacon.

I like Tony Blair. He’s always seemed to me to be both intelligent and, in his own way, principled. I should modestly add here that I don’t follow British politics all that closely, and someone may respond to this with a report about Blair opening an abortion clinic with his own personal money, or somesuch thing. But even in the Clinton days, I always thought it was funny how Clinton and Blair were so often discussed in the same breath, because (and this came to seem even more true in later years) their personalities really aren’t much alike. Clinton was a political animal; what he wanted above all was to be large and in charge. I honestly don’t think he cared very much what did or didn’t get accomplished while he was in office, so long as he ended up with his name etched into a monument somewhere. Blair is a creature of his time, and no doubt he’s a modernist and confused about many things, but in one respect he is exactly what Aristotle thought political leaders ought to be. He is a public servant. I think Blair feels the weight of his political responsibilities very keenly, and at times engages in serious soul-searching as he deliberates about which course is best for his country. I see in him an echo (faint, perhaps, but still vaguely discernible) of the brave and stalwart nation that Great Britain used to be, choosing her own course and standing against the tide when necessary. He strengthens this image by hinting that he may soon do what all the noblest Britons have done: convert to Roman Catholicism.
Continue reading

Published by Clara June 21st, 2007 5 Comments

Bishop Jin Luxian, Hero of Chinese Catholics?

I would call to our readers’ attention an article in the July/August issue of the Atlantic about Bishop Jin Luxian of Shanghai. The article is an extremely favorable portrait of Bishop Jin, who languished in prison for many years, like Cardinal Kung, but then after his release, began to cooperate with the Communist government and became a member of the Communist-approved episcopal hierarchy. The rationale for this collaboration with the Communists, which the author, Adam Minter, seems to have swallowed hook, line, and sinker, was that millions of Chinese Catholics were in need of the sacraments, a need which the underground Church could never hope to meet. Thus, even though it meant disobedience to Rome and, as far as I can see, latae sententiae excommunication, Bishop Jin agreed to the Communists’ terms and carried on his episcopal ministry.

Published by Iosephus June 20th, 2007 67 Comments

A Very Catholic Film

In keeping with our recent military theme, I thought I would mention that the Doctor and I just watched The Great Raid and found it to be, not only an enjoyable movie, but also delightfully Catholic. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s the story of the 6th Ranger Battalion in WWII, and their mission to rescue 500 American soldiers from the Cabanatuan POW camp in the Philippines.

We like military films (the Doctor has something of an interest in military history), and that’s what induced us to rent it, but we were pleased to find that it was extremely pro-Catholic. Some soldiers devoutly cross themselves before being executed; others kiss a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe before going into combat; priests bravely put themselves in harm’s way to stand up for innocent people. It’s a straightforwardly patriotic movie about men who want to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. The subject matter is a little too heavy for it to properly be called a “family movie” but I would certainly endorse it for Catholic teenagers or adults.

Finally, if I may add a word to Simplex Sacerdos: being somewhat occupied with personal matters last week, I was unable to comment on the interview you so generously offered us. So I wanted to mention here, where you’re more likely to see it, that I think your work is very admirable, and I will keep you and your men in my prayers.

Published by Clara June 19th, 2007 1 Comment

Tocqueville’s Europe: Nothing New Under the Sun

Sometimes, between reading Mark Steyn or Theodore Dalrymple on Europe’s decay, one begins to suspect that today’s malaise is some new evil, never yet seen in the world. And in some ways, with its ties, inter alia, to Modernism, it no doubt is. But reading Democracy in America last night, I came upon this intriguing passage, wherein Tocqueville is contrasting the somewhat chaotic, but indubitably public spirited, American style of local administration to the European tendency towards centralization, with its concomitant enervation of the feelings of responsibility among citizens:
Continue reading

Published by Ambrosius June 19th, 2007 2 Comments

Let the man resign

Many of us are tempted to chide the Pope for his slowness in, for example, issuing the motu proprio to free the old rite of the Mass. Of course, little do we know the bureaucratic difficulties - not to mention political difficulties - which such a document must overcome before it can be published. As long as it comes eventually and brings a genuine improvement, I’m content to wait! But there is still the perception that Benedict really takes his time with things - maybe too much time. He also seems to be slow about the appointment of new bishops. Now forget the motu proprio - when I read this story, I thought: What gives? Cardinal Keeler went through a horrible car accident last year, which resulted in the death of the priest who was driving him, and yet his resignation hasn’t been accepted? Can’t the Vatican speed things along even for a man who ought legitimately to be given a rest? A traditionalist would be happy if Cardinal Keeler had been given a “rest” years ago! But doesn’t the fact that he is both over the canonical age and still suffering from this awful accident prompt anyone in Rome to unwonted haste?