In his homily, the Anglican leader also focused on the “challenge of unity in diversity” and the call to be “an inclusive community in which there’s space for each and everyone.”

A priest who visited our blog recently and was so kind as to leave a comment wondered at the subtitle of our RSS feed, “Unity in charity, diversity in truth” given the concern I expressed that Leo XIII and Pius IX might not have understood the Holy Father’s recent “best wishes” for the Anglican so-called communion. I suppose that “Bishop” Duleep de Chickera of Colombo, Sri Lanka has now upped the ante - we’d better modify our RSS feed title to reflect our desire to be an inclusive community in which, but of course, there’s space for each and everyone.

Let’s remember to smile and laugh, at least on occasion! After all, those ninnies meeting at Lambeth are truly laughable folks. But if we must sound a serious note, let it be sounded by the aged St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (this was our very first post on this blog):

The world is full of schismatics, heretics, Turks, pagans. God gave me a great consolation this morning: He showed me the happiness of having been born in the Church. Ah! Lord Jesus, how can I thank Thee enough for this grace! Poor sinner that I am, I have done nothing to deserve it, and Thou has granted it to me out of pure mercy. I hope to thank Thee for it for all eternity. Let us pray for unhappy souls deprived of the gift of faith, and ask Our Lord to enlighten them.

The official photographs from yesterday’s Pontifical Solemn High Mass offered by His Eminence Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos are now up here. Feast your eyes and give thanks to God! (Many thanks to Vernon Quaintance for letting us know that the photographs had been posted.)

I have a few questions about what is happening and who is shown in some of the photographs: Continue reading

This was great - Damian Thompson left a further note about the reporters’ meeting with Cardinal Castrillon at Fr. Z’s blog last evening. I repost it here:

There were four journalists at the press conference – Anna Arco of the Herald, a Catholic guy from Reuters, Elena Curti from the Tablet and me from the Telegraph. I was sceptical that the Cardinal really envisaged the arrival of the Gregorian Rite (his term) in “many ordinary Catholic parishes” and my jaw dropped – and heart leapt – when he said: “Not many – all.” Twice. Elena bristled and started talking about going backwards and said something along the lines of “but we [the laity] are now priests, kings and prophets”. At which point I told the Cardinal that I wanted to dissociate myself from her comments, that young people were increasingly delighted by the opportunity to experience the TLM and were very grateful for his efforts.”

As we left, three out of the four journalists kissed the Cardinal’s ring. Guess which one didn’t – but then I suppose she’s already a priest, king and prophet or whatever.

I love it!

A description of the Cardinal Castrillon’s entrance for the Pontifical Solemn High Mass today at Westminster Cathedral. It sounds as though it was magnificent!

The sanctuary was at its most beautiful - with the focus of Bentley’s magnificently designed high altar with baldaccino uninterrupted. The vestments were the finest in the Cathedral, with coped ministers. The Cardinal in full cappa magna was met at the West Door by the robed clergy in attendance - there were diocesan deacons, priests and monsignori, religious, priests of traditional orders, the Provost of the Westminster Chapter, and the Administrator of Westminster Cathedral - all in full regalia. Various Knights of Malta were also on hand to greet the Cardinal. Diocesan priests, religious sisters, and seminarians were also among the congregation. All genuflected as the Cardinal processed up to the Blessed Sacrament chapel accompanied to the Elgar’s glorious Ecce Sacerdos Magnus.

The Doctor and I are in a mad dash to pack up our house by the time our movers get here, so my “column” this Thursday is pretty much going to be a cop-out. But I thought I would insert this random gripe… how is it possible that we receive so much mail these days? We’ve seen the grim effects of this excess of mail in exaggerated form the last few days, because the Doctor pretty much hasn’t dealt with any of his junk mail for the last several years. That is, he’ll pitch certain things in the trash, but the ones that need to be shredded normally get dropped somewhere to be “dealt with later.” So this week we’ve felt as though we must be in a Mail Nightmare… every box or closet or drawer we open seems to be filled with papers that need to be shredded. He’s spent literally hours doing this, and taken out multiple trash bags filled with the shreddings. I joked that, if our neighbors notice this, they’re sure to conclude that we’re laundering money or something.

There’s got to be a way to blame this on modernism somehow!

Sorry, that’s all for tonight. Here’s me officially signing out for the last time from my home in Tennessee.

As befits a Prince of the Church, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos will be welcomed at the Cathedral west door in full cappa magna before processing to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel to pray; he will then vest in the sanctuary whilst the Cathedral choir sings. Pontifical High Mass will then be celebrated at the High Altar with all the breathtaking ceremony and music integral to the Traditional Rite. Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos will also preach.

This from the website of the Latin Mass Society of England & Wales. Their excitement is palpable, I think, and no doubt it ought to be! I suppose that there are rather few Masses of this liturgical caliber in the world each year; add to that the location, and you have a very special Mass. I put into bold those parts of the text which caught my eye - notice how the fact of his preaching is almost an afterthought (’also’) in comparison with the magnificence and splendour set to attend his entrance into the cathedral? I’m looking forward to seeing the pictures. Classy, also, I thought, how they managed to use the word ‘integral’ - wouldn’t be an integral traditionalist announcement otherwise!

The USCCB has a very informative website dedicated to the Pope’s upcoming visit to the United States (he arrives on Tuesday night, at Andrews Air Force base). This is the link for his itinerary. The itinerary is surprisingly detailed (at least I thought so); details like “The Pope kneels before a pool of water and candle, offering a silent prayer” (in connection with his visit to Ground Zero) are included. (That one struck me as a little too detailed, which is partly why I used it as an example.)

There will, of course, be one interreligious gathering and one ecumenical prayer service while the Pope is here. Now the visit’s “theme” or “title” is “CHRIST OUR HOPE”. But what is the theme or title for the interreligious meeting next Thursday? “PEACE OUR HOPE”. So who’s it gonna be, Christ or Peace? This kind of thing disgusts me. It’s the message of freemasonry: believe what you will in your own homes, but when you come out into public, remember that our ultimate goal is peace; peace is at the top of the pyramid, not Christ.

Here’s the description of the event - no surprise that it’s taking place at the John Paul II Cultural Center, is it? :)

6:30 p.m. - Interreligious Gathering at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
The Pope will meet with representatives of other religions on the theme “Peace Our Hope.” Construction on the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center began in 1997 on 12 acres adjacent to the Catholic University of America. Since its dedication in 2000, the Center has been the site of many interreligious discussions and events.
Continue reading

I realize that most of you (obviously) aren’t in the Detroit area; but I figured that all of you would appreciate the traditionalist class of this event:

Especially for those of you in the NYC area - this looks like lots of fun:

Roman Forum Spring Ball
to honor
THE BIRTHDAY OF ROME: 753 B.C.-2008 A.D.

Saturday, April 26th, 2008, 7:00 P.M. through Midnight
Feast translated from April 21

7 Piece Rich Siegel Ballroom Orchestra
Grand Imperial Buffet and Dessert
BYOB

Well Done Roma! Festivities and Spontaneous Outburst of Joy 10:00 P.M.

On Rome’s Birthday (April 21, 753 B.C.) and the Parilia
Continue reading

This sounds so lovely that I wanted to pass it along. Unfortunately, I can’t be there - but if you’re in the mid-Michigan area, do make an effort at some point to get to Detroit and at least visit these churches, if you cannot attend Mass at them. St. Joseph’s is completely untouched, no wreckovation, and no Novus table to be seen anywhere; it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Josaphat’s, a very short distance (by car) away, is the location of the regular weekly Tridentine. So this is also a nice announcement because, at least on this one Sunday, there will be a wealth of old rite Masses (relatively speaking) in downtown Detroit. (I wonder if there is any particular occasion for this event?) This is a wonderful thing for an archdiocese that, at least in the past, wasn’t favorable to the old Mass - and, in general, the bishops in the whole of the state haven’t been too supportive.

One of our cluster parishes, St. Joseph will be having a Solemn High TLM with orchestra this Sunday.

Mass in G - Franz Schubert

Benediction: 3:00 PM, Mass: 3:15 PM

Celebrant: Fr. Bloomfield, Deacon: Deacon Bloomfield, Subdeacon: Fr. Hrytsyk. Fr. Mark will probably be hearing confessions.

St. Joseph’s Church is at
1828 Jay St.
Detroit, MI 48207

This is a beautiful church, and they have a very nice website at www.saint-joseph-detroit.org

As always St. Josaphat will be having a TLM 9:30am this Sunday.