Diary of a Parish Priest

New Missals For Latin Mass

We've ordered new missals for Sunday night Latin mass here at Holy Cross. For many years we have been using the leaflet missalettes along with photocopied propers. Especially as we prepare to periodically celebrate one of our weekly masses in song, it seemed a good idea to have a more beautiful and elegant way to help worshipers pray the mass.

The hymnal is durably bound, filled with color plates and printed with easy-to-read typeface. We'll begin using them as soon as they arrive from the publisher. 

 

Westminster (Kennel Club, that is) and the Resignation of a Pope

Who could anticipate that I would hear the news of Pope Benedict XVI resignation in ring right before I was to begin judging at this year's Westminster Kennel Club?

Despite the fact that he had written about the possibility more than once, somehow it hadn't seemed immiment although I had not been following most recent papal photos or watching videos of his public appearances. Weighty public office, including the Petrine ministry exacts a toll on those who hold it and photographers often note the appearance of gray hair and wrinkles or "worry lines" on presidents and popes alike.

In my view, the pope's resignation is just one of many courageous and prayerful actions he has taken for the good of the church and mirrors his prayerful and courageous acceptance of the ministry eight years ago.

Inevitably we are now being treated to insta-nalysis of his entire pontificate, of his place in history, of his effectiveness as a spiritual and temporal leader just as if he has already died.  

One of his most enduring gifts to the church will surely be the Latin Mass. Only this morning the parish staff and I were discussing the challenges in equipping our small chapel for worship during the renovation of the much larger church. Latin mass last evening was packed with parishioners and non-parishioners of all ages, including several families with small children. The fruits of this gift to the church will only be apparent many years from now - the ecclesiatical pundits should be prudent in their sweeping assessments of this deeply spiritual man's influence on the church.

 

Make Plans for Lent

Don't wait for Ash Wednesday (February 17) to plan a spiritual renewal for Lent. Our parish will host many opportunities for prayer and reflection and the Diocese will be announcing others. Watch our bulletin and this blog for specifics.

Of course the primary focus of our prayer should be Sunday worship, and if you are not consistent with faithful attendance at mass, no doubt about it, that should be a priority during Lent.

Wednesdays at Holy Cross offer another rich opportunity for communal worship. Morning mass with chanted morning prayer is followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until noon at which time the Blessed Sacrament is reposed and mass in the Extraordinary form is prayed. After mass, the Blessed Sacrament is again exposed for veneration until Evening Prayer at 5 PM. During Lent, there will be Adult Faith Formation sessions at 7 PM, this year using the Pope's reflections on the Church Fathers as a focal point for discussing theology, prayer and church history.

Remember that our church is open for prayer and visitation 24 hours / 7 days. Stopping for prayer on the way to work or on the way home, even for a few minutes or a quick visit during the day is a simple, but concrete way to enhance our prayerfulness during Lent. So many of us drive by the Church one or more times a day, if a brief stop is not possible, it is surely feasible to pray a short prayer or nod our head in reverence each time we pass the church.

Traditional Latin Mass - Did you know?

Only the priest's index finger and thumb are permitted to touch the consecrated host and after the consecration, they must touch only the consecrated host, so he holds his thumb and index finger together whenever he is not handling the Body of Christ. These two fingers are kept together until after they are washed following communion.

Did You Know - Traditional Latin Mass

Each time the priest turns and faces the people, he is instructed to do so with eyes downcast. This is to emphasize his role as priest acting in persona Christi and in humility to remove the focus from himself.

photo credit 

 

Gospel Proclaimed In English

Tonight we tried something different at our traditional Latin Mass. According to Summorum Pontificum  and its interpretation by the Ecclesia Dei Commission, it is permitted to proclaim the gospel in English only, as long as translations approved by the bishops are used.

In the past we tried reading the Scripture in Latin, and then English, and recently have been reading the Gospel in Latin only, since we are distributing English translations. Each option is permitted; which do you prefer?

Comments are open...

You Know More Latin Than You Think

From tonight's gospel in the Extraordinary Form 

in the "Latin You Already Know Department"

Quaerite ergo primum regnum Dei.

Ergo: we sometimes use "ergo" to conclude logical arguments to mean "therefore." Primum: prime meats, prime mover, prime time, choice, best, first. Regnum: reign, regnant, regal, region, kingdom. Dei: deity, divine, God. Quaerite: inquire, seek, ask. 

    "Therefore seek first the kingdom of God."

Nemo potest duobus dominis servire.

Nemo: we probably know at least two, a captain and a fish, strangely it means "no one" or "nobody." Potest: potent, power, potential, able. Duobus:duo, dual, two. Dominis: dominion, kingdom. Servire: serve.

    "No one can serve two masters."