This is disgusting (PDF warning). Incidentally, where was Joseph Bottum when they needed him? Surely, First Things and its wealthy, dangerously left of right of center patrons had enough money to fly in J. Bottum to do some counseling with the four dissenting justices on the United States Supreme Court! How was it that the Chief Justice and Justices Alito, Scalia, and Thomas failed to see that the death penalty - at least in the case of such a mild, humdrum offense as the rape of an 8 year old girl, which sent her to the emergency room for reconstructive surgery - is not in accord with “the evolving standards of decency which mark the progress of a maturing society” (Justice Anthony Kennedy, for the majority)?

Bottum’s pernicious position is based on the same gravely mistaken principle which, apparently, has guided the five justices of the majority in Kennedy vs. Louisiana. In Iota Unum (1985), the philosophical charter of the Catholic traditionalist movement, Romano Amerio wrote: “opposition [to the death penalty] can also stem from the notion that every person is inviolable inasmuch as he is a self-conscious subject living out his life in the world; as if temporal life were an end in and of itself that could not be suppressed without frustrating the purpose of human existence” (430).
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*Reparation* for sin. *Restoration* by grace. *Reform* of life.

Join the 13th annual “Pilgrimage for Restoration” to the Shrine of Our Lady of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville, New York.

September 24 - 27, 2008

Check it out here.

Walk, sing, pray along the paths, the actual places where the North American Saints lived and died for Christ, for their persecutors, and for you. Join one day or four - for 7 miles or 70. Transportation for weary pilgrims provided throughout. “Modified pilgrimage” for parents with young children, and for seniors. *Traditional* Latin Mass & confessions daily; plenary indulgence.
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Update: J.P. Sonnen has a more accurate report about Reggie’s accident and his current condition here.

Of your charity for the teaching of the Latin language (and for a priest and fellow human being), would you please say a prayer for Reggie? Apparently, he had a little fall and is in the hospital. Via the Reggie listserve from Paulina Cantabrigiensis:

Nothing dreadful, but Reggie is in hospital: fell in the street last week. Friends who are in Rome and visited him yesterday say he is ok and cheerful. I’ll be in Rome on Tuesday: somebody or myself will let all know when he’s better.

Heh. It’s really great when you post something like the below, and then immediately go online and find things like this.

Pray for the SSPX anyway. There’s no way they don’t need it. God help them.

Note: I began a post on this topic before Iosephus posted his. Since it was already begun, I thought I might as well post my thoughts also, with a few adaptations in response to what he wrote. Our readers can compare. Most importantly, though, I think we can all agree that we should join together in praying for Bishop Fellay, and for the reconciliation of the SSPX to Rome.

I’ve been thinking all this week about how delightful it would/will be if the SSPX were reconciled to Rome. I think my first celebratory act would be to go to the website of Angelus Press and buy something, to commemorate the happy occasion and to offer my support to the SSPX. Together with these happy daydreams, I’ve also felt a sense of foreboding… like Iosephus, I have a creeping suspicion that the likelihood of Fellay’s agreeing to these terms is not high. Unlike Iosephus, though, I don’t think this specifically has to do with religious freedom, or any other substantive “line in the sand” that cannot be negotiated. I’ll explain why in a moment, but for now let me just say: I think this has to do with courage and humility. The Vatican’s terms are eminently reasonable — so reasonable, in fact, that it almost seems an insult that they should need to be set out as “terms” in the first place. Therein lies the rub. Signing them may feel too much like an apology, or an admission that some of the words and actions of SSPX leaders have been inappropriate. It will take real humility to make that gesture, and genuine courage to stand up to that group of detractors who will inevitably hurl abuse at Fellay if he does agree. Now, truly, is the pivotal moment in the story of Bernard Fellay. Now we will see what kind of man he truly is.

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More good stuff from Damian Thompson. Really, while we’re praying for the leadership of the SSPX, we ought not to forget the leadership of the Anglicans around the world. Even if our prayers don’t appear to be answered vis-a-vis the Society of St. Pius X, God may well find another way to answer them with even greater fruit.

At least one Church of England bishop will defect to Rome soon after the Lambeth Conference, I gather from Anglo-Catholic sources. And there could be more to follow.

I can’t tell you much more than that at the moment, because the negotiations with Rome are so sensitive - and the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, who distrust Anglican traditionalists, are quite capable of throwing a spanner in the works.

It’s shaming to have to admit that the bishops of my own Church are the chief obstacle to a significant move of Anglo-Catholic clergy and lay people into full communion with the Holy See - but that’s the way it was last time, in the early 1990s, and it’s still the case today.
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A story one would like to know more about, no?

Beginning July 4, the Pigo Catholic Cemetery Chapel/Mausoleum will begin traditional requiem Masses, according to a news release from the Archdiocese of Agana. Every first Friday at 6:30 p.m., Fr. Eric Forbes will preside over the requiem Mass, or Mass for the dead, which will be said in the Tridentine Rite, or in Latin. The decision was made in light of the July 7, 2007, apostolic letter under the title Summorum Pontificum, through which Pope Benedict XVI allows for and promotes a wider use of the Church’s liturgical books enforced in 1962, the news release stated. Masses said in Latin are remembered fondly by Guam’s faithful and present an opportunity for younger generations to experience this timeless liturgical form, the news release added.

Only requiem Masses? Or will all the Masses for the burial of the dead now be old Masses? What is this about?

This is the prayer that my wife and I have been using over the past few days, addressed to “one of the most remarkable men of all times” - and I’m not talking about Pope St. Gregory I.

O invincible defender of Holy Church’s freedom, Saint Gregory of great renown, by that firmness thou didst show in maintaining the Church’s rights against all her enemies, stretch forth from Heaven thy mighty arm, we beseech thee, to comfort her and defend her in the fearful battle she must ever wage with the powers of darkness. Do thou, in an especial manner, give strength in this dread conflict to the venerable Pontiff who has fallen heir not only to thy throne, but likewise to the fearlessness of thy mighty heart; obtain for him the joy of beholding his holy endeavors crowned by the triumph of the Church and the return of the lost sheep into the right path. Grant, finally, that all may understand how vain it is to strive against that Faith which has always conquered and is destined always to conquer: “this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith.” This is the prayer that we raise to thee with one accord; and we are confident, that, after thou hast heard our prayers on earth, thou wilt one day call us to stand with thee in Heaven, before the eternal High Priest, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen.

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I’m passing along an invitation that I received from Greg Lloyd from the National Coalition of Clergy and Laity. This looks like a very nice event for those of you in the greater NYC area.

Dear Fellow Catholic,

You, your family and friends are heartily invited to make retreat, as is the custom, in conjunction with this year’s Pilgrimage for Restoration. The Rev. Father Andreas Hellmann, Institute of Christ the King, will direct the day-long retreat on First Saturday, 5 July, at St. Anthony of Padua Chapel in West Orange, NJ.

The schedule, et al., appears below. There is no fee for the retreat, however a free-will collection will be taken up for use of facilities. The retreat is open to all, so please spread the word. To confirm or decline your participation, you may print the attached Word document and mail or fax the Retreat RSVP. Or, simply reply to coalition - a t - fast.net, making sure to enter the needed information into the Retreat RSVP - *below*.
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I was just reading the news story from the Ephemeris column about Valley Catholics and the Latin Mass, and I had a little thought. This was one of those silly news stories that mostly goes on about how normal people don’t want the traditional Mass because it’s boring and confusing, with the strong implication that old people are the only ones who care about it. (Obviously these reporters don’t trouble to actually go to a traditional Mass before writing about it, or they’d know that the traditional movement is not merely a refuge for nostalgic old timers. It was even more clear that this reporter didn’t go to a Mass, because she included a somewhat hilarious comment from a New-Norm parishioner who was concerned that she wouldn’t be able to understand the homily if it was in Latin!)

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