Can't believe this ... broke 10K pageviews

As of yesterday, I broke 10K pageviews. Wow. Never thought of this in less than a year. I do have to give some credit to Mark Shea who gave me a temporary boost a few weeks ago though. Thanks to everyone who has visited this blog, be you frequently, or just for a specific topic. Hope to continue on in future, God willing.

Pax, Julian.

His Eminence ++Collins and a Pastoral Letter on Gambling

Hello Everyone,

Those of you who are media saavy, or at least watching your 6 O'clock news at dinner hour, are aware that currently City Hall is in talks to add another major Las-Vegas sized Casino to the city. One location which is still possible, is the now closed Ontario Place to become the site for such a casino. Although it is looking like there are more opponents in City Hall against a proposed casino, it might still get passed for the sake of revenue and job creation as well as increasing the overall "value" of the city.

With a growing concern, the Archdiocese has released a pastoral letter with regard to the issue of gambling and how a Catholic should approach the issue, and why the Archdiocese of Toronto is against as a whole the idea, despite the Catechism's allowance of moderate, minor acceptance of games of chance. In a nutshell, the sins and potential for evil outweigh the financial benefits that the Casino can provide the city.
In addition, the Archdiocese draws upon specific and relevant information from a recent report from the Medical Officer of Health for Ontario, and experience from Catholic Family Services and Catholic Charities that work with the Office of the Archdiocese. In other words, there's practical realities and dire damage to the Faith of the individual, and/or the parents of the young ones being reared in the faith from parental neglect, abuse, and forcing the kids into poverty by spending family income.

The link to the page and the diocesan letter is here: http://www.archtoronto.org/gaming/index.html

I also first picked this entry up through a posting from our Archdiocesan co-ordinator of communications, Marlena, on the Archdiocesan blog. We young ones with your blogs, eh? If you are not signed up on the blog, please do so and add it to your blogger feeds here: http://archdioceseoftoronto.blogspot.ca/.

Please view what is a relevant and decently constructed pastoral document that should be passed on and stuck in bulletins NOW.

Pax, Julian Barkin.

P.S. In case you are asking what my opinion is, it's NO to the casino. I stand with the reasons listed in the letter, particularly: " ... that marriages and families will be hurt or even destroyed through greater ease of access to gambling through the construction of yet another large casino. The health of families is a constant concern of our Catholic Family Services and of Catholic Charities member agencies throughout the archdiocese.  In our parishes as well we seek to strengthen families, and we directly deal with the suffering which gambling addiction causes to individuals and families. We seek to heal, and are concerned by the expansion of the capacity to harm."

Not to mention I see more potential for children and adults who will be caught up in the gambling directly or indirectly, to become consumed by such a demon as to be lost to the Catholic Faith in this society of decreasing morals, catechesis, and assaults to the family unit. Even one child damaged by this all or one lukewarm or wayward young person/adult who becomes addicted and turns away from Christ is one too many. 

Freyr's Been Rescued! Comes Back with Full Vengenace Against his Hippie Captors with First New Post!

Hey Everyone.

So the crack team of Britain's finest G.K. Chesterton commandos infiltrated the hippie hideout where Freyr was being held and rescued him! Yea! FREYR IS BACK ON TORONTO CATHOLIC WITNESS BLOG!!!

As a little payback for the awful conditions, force-feeding of tofu and liberal 70's hymns from the Gather Hymnal down his throat, Freyr comes back hard! This, friends, is his first post back, and HOLY! It's Pope Francis' laying the smack down on the Roman Curia! This is one Game of Thrones that our Holy Father will not be playing when it comes to the Faith and the Vatican! And you know what else Freyr implies: Like Goldilocks and porridge, he's not to soft, not to hard, rather he's perfectly balanced in the Faith (despite views on his handling of the EF Mass in his former diocese). He is the Pope we need right now and he's not going to go ultra-liberal, nor ultra-radical and traditionalist, doctrinally/dogmatically speaking. Christ wasn't either by the way.

So, welcome back Freyr! Just a hint of advice if you read this, you might want to buy a few copies of the Catechism, or even more deadly, some Baronius Press 1962 missals as self defense next time against those hippies. Throw the book(s) at them! Just the mere sight of "In nomine Patris, et Filli, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen.`` will make them scream in agony!

Pax, Julian.

Youth Listen Up! LifeTeen Gives the Message: Be a Joyful Happy Catholic. not a Pharisee or a RadTrad

Hello Everyone.

While viewing my Facebook Feed, I came across a snipit from one of my "likes", which is LifeTeen International. For those who've never heard of it, LifeTeen is a structured Catholic Youth Ministry Program aimed at young teens in grades 9-12, to give them a slew of more in-depth teaching Catholic teaching on sacraments, and in addition to cover the controversial or hard topics in our faith, such as sin, right to life, etc.

The program was started in the United States in the 80's and has been constantly evolving to reach the spiritual needs of today's teens, even in certain circumstances when they are not being fed through their "Catholic" education. There is also a corresponding middle school program called EDGE for grades 6-8. These programs are in a number of parishes in North America, and often one will find both the EDGE and LIFETEEN in a parish. While the only caveat to my knowledge is that the youth Masses can have praise and worship or rock-based bands doing the music in the liturgy, this isn't all parishes (my home parish, for instance, just does the program and the youth attend the parish's regular Masses), and for the most part, these youth are getting much needed supplements to their schooling.

So back to the posting, it led me to this webpage with the citations for the Novus Ordo readings, as well as a podcast lecture from Mark Hart, who is currently one of the head organizers for LifeTeen in North America. The link is here: http://lifeteen.com/sunday-sunday-sunday-04212013/.

The podcast to accompany this week's reading gives a reflection on, primarily the first reading, when Paul and Barnabas were trying to spread the Good News to one of the Jewish towns, Antioch. Those of you Church history buffs may remember this as the area of origin where the term "Christian" first came into existence ~50 or so AD.  In summary, as more and more people are becoming Christians, the Jewish officials and the others didn't like them welcoming more people to Christ's teaching, especially the outcasted Gentiles! and so, "... they were filled with jealousy; and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul ..."

The LifeTeen speaker, Mark, connects this to a disgusting experience he had on Easter Sunday. I am sure some of you have, or had, this sentiment on that day, when many of your fellow "Christmans and Easter" Catholics that you never see regularly come to Mass. You come to Mass every week faithfully as our Church Law tells us, and you really do love Jesus and love the Mass with your family. And then ... they show up, take your coveted 4th row from the front pew (uh news flash, only special events get reserved seating e.g. Baptisms and Confirmations). Unfortunately, in Mark's parish, the usual pious, high and mighty "Pharisees" were speaking loudly enough to shame the C&E Catholics for their lax of Mass attendance, and likely questioned why they were coming in the first place.

So where this crosses over into the EF is that a common sin or stereotype that gets passed around about us is we are cold-hearted miscreants who act as liturgical police. And for the even more poorly educated, that Catholics are hypocrites. Now look, we shouldn't be tolerating such rejection of their Sunday obligation to attend Mass under penalty of Mortal Sin and therefore, eternal damnation upon death. Also, by the same token, there are those of the EF community who continue to reinforce those stereotypes, to the detriment of all those in the Catholic faith. The more important point though, is that all of us shouldn't be a bunch of hypocrites and be chastizing them, especially in ear shot. Their faith is already not as solid as yours to start. By being a Pharisee or RadTrad, you are cutting off those young people of your generation, and other Catholics off from the Gospel of the Lord with your gossip or detraction, something which in fact our Holy Father in his fervorinos within his Masses has been speaking out against as of late.

Instead of being a Pharisee or a RadTrad by saying things like that in person/online, be it blogging or Facebook chats to your friends, how about posting something that attracts others to the Faith instead of your usual clergy/diocesan bashing? How about posting on something positive about the Catholic Faith and why to be Catholic, be it generally or specifically for the Latin Mass/EF, or showing good examples of the faith in action, despite hypocrisy? In person, how about actually shutting up and not saying that snarky comment about someone's absence from weekly Mass, but expressing genuine concern for your C & E Catholic friends and figuring out why they only come for the "big ones" only when they are truly missing out on the greatest form of prayer in their lives and likely, don't even know about their obligation? In fact, there is likely A LOT they haven't been taught about their faith, despite their "education" in the separate/Catholic system. Why I bet they don't even know what the Catechism is. Perhaps you can take the call of the Holy Fathers Benedict XVI and Francis and be a foot soldier for the New Evangelization on the ground.

And for those of you who venture into the Novus Ordo, or choose to reach out to our Brothers and Sisters who do not participate in the EF, smile a bit at Mass, say Hello, and yes, even reach out that hand at the sign of peace despite its innovation into the modern Catholic litrugy (as always, I prefer the EF sign of peace of a fraternal bear hug. HUZZAH! Seeing that makes me feel manly! But I do extend my hand out at Novus Ordo Masses frequently, albeit with our hypersensitivity to bacterial contamination, it can be confusing what people want to do.)

So, actually read that first reading from the Novus Ordo, reflect on what Mark has to say, and if there is a young Teen out there in need of the Lord, you might want to pass on this website to them, and wherever possible, have them discover Youth Ministry. Better yet, be that Youth Minister to them. Hopefully, Christ willing, I might in future be able to pursue that ministry.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian.

New Serving Post!!! Boat and Cross Bearer in the Latin Mass

Finally! Back to doing what I initially intended to do with this blog. Without further ado, the release of my Boat Bearer and Cross bearer position post!

http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/04/latin-mass-serving-roles-boat-bearer.html

Enjoy. Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

Latin Mass Serving Roles: The Boat Bearer AND the Cross Bearer

Latin Mass Serving Roles: The Cross Bearer and the Boat Bearer

Introduction: The Cross Bearer

From Sanctamissa.org

Brief Statistics

Plays a Role in What Level Masses? High Mass/Missa Cantata and Higher Levels. Possibly Requiem Mass if more than 2 servers. 

How Many? One.

What parts of the Mass? The entrance procession, the exit procession, and any Eucharistic processions.

Relative time to master the role? not much. 

The Cross Bearer Role in Detail

For those of you who are thinking about crossing over to the EF, or about to go to one, this role will seem quite familiar to you, and act in exactly the same capacity as the cross bearer at Novus Ordo Masses. In a nutshell, the Cross bearer processes with the Crucifix (NOT A RESUREFFIX!) in the entrance procession, the exit procession, and Eucharistic processions. While there is not much to the practical parts of the role, I will at least explain the symbolic/historical/theological parts of the role, so at least you appreciate what the Cb does, or as a server, your role is not a wasted effort.

The History of the Crucifix/Cross-Bearer
Crucifix
In his book, Cross and Crucifix, C.E.Pocknee explains some of the history surrounding the development of the Crucifix:

• Around the mid-fourth century (~ 400AD), Crosses with themes of the Resurrection, and early depictions of the Crucifixion can be present in marble etchings (e.g. sarcographa) and on certain other items (e.g. the door of the Church of Santa Sabina, Rome). (38-39, Cross and Crucifix). 

• The desire to depict the Crucifix continued into the later centuries, and in the middle of the seventh century, about this time crosses with the Agnus Dei in the central motif or medallion in Western Church architecture and depictions. (39)

• However it is in the East where depiction of the Crucifixion really gains it theological impetus, especially thanks to the 6th oecumenical council in Constantinople in 681. A heresy from Monothelites arose, where the divinity of Christ was emphasized to the exclusion of his humanity. At that 6th council, it was that Monothelitism was condemned and `That instead of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus christ shall be shown hereafter in His human form in the images; so that without forgetting the height from which the Divine Word stooped to us, we shall be led to remember His mortal life, His Passion and His Death, which paid the ransom for mankind. (41)

• The depiction of Christ on the Cross though, lends itself to early depictions that came out of response to the progenitor for monothelitism, which was monophysitism, agitating Eastern Christendom in the 5th and 6th centuries. To counter it, the Rabula Gospels were written in 586, and the earliest depictions of the Crucifix (corpus on cross) came out of them, as it contained elements of realism that underlined Christ`s sufferings through His human nature. (41). 

• While other features of depictions of the Crucifixion and crucifix have evolved and come about over time, it is these parts above which seem to have the historical origin for the Crucifix according to Pocknee. 

Crucifix or Processional Cross in Liturgy
Historically, it is possible that the processional cross originated from what is the Roman standard, specifically the Labarum, related to the Emperor Constantine in the Church's history. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labarum. I found this from a poster at Catholic Answers Forum: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?p=10533978

C.E. Pocknee also devotes a chapter to the historical development of processional and altar crosses in Cross and Crucifix:

• The first reference to the use of a cross in a religious procession, actually comes from reports from a Greek lawyer, Socrates (~439 AD) about St. John Crysostom (YES that St. John, the one who gets attributed the road to hell with Skulls of bishops comment!). To combat hymn-singing Arians who had nocturnal processions, he instituted his own processions, where there were silver crosses with lighted wax tapers, which was carried by an empress. (71, Cross and Crucifix). 

• This continued in the 5th century where processional crosses were used in Tours on which mounted candles were contained. (71).

• A special kind of processional cross is carried before bishops and Metropolitans, and can be traced back to the time of St. Gregory the Great (died 604 a.d.) (77). However, this seems like special usage and not mainstream or regular use of processional crosses/crucifixes. 

• There are other mentions of processions where crosses were used, such as one with St. Augustine in 597, a litany procession in Rome in 750 with a wooden cross and others with lighted candles, and in 1140 when a Feast of Candlemas/purification procession in Rome had a stational cross from the altar kissed by all before being carried in procession before the Holy Father. (71-72).

• When processional crosses were used in the late medieval and renaissance periods, many had no figure of Christ Crucified upon them. The Crucifix as we know it with corpus, for processional and/or altar crosses, only became de rigueur after 1746 in the Roman Rite. (72). However, in some parts/dioceses of England in the 13th century, processional crosses are essential (though they would have likely been without the corpus of Christ). 

The symbolism of the Cross-Bearer Role

The Cross bearer holds an essential part of the liturgy. A crucifix MUST be part of the Mass in some form, be it a processional crucifix, or an altar crucifix if only a processional cross is used.

Regardless of possible or true history, the crucifix is present in every Mass, be it on the altar or in procession, to remind us that every Mass is a representation of Christ's sacrifice (11, 101 questions about the Mass), by coming down as the Word made flesh to die for our sins, and to give us the opportunity for eternal salvation.

Another symbolism of the Crucifix is that we lift high the cross for all the world to see, and like Christ we carry our own crosses with him as followers of Christ. We are also reminded not just of the Lord's sacrifice, but those of the martyrs of the Church's history, who under the tyranny and oppression of their "cross" of following our Lord, were killed for His sake (Surinder S. Mundra, March 2013).

Scriptural symbolism,
Finally, one should look to the challenge that Christ gave not only to his disciples, but to us for the rest of time in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, with the main focus on the cross repeated exactly verbatim in both:

Matthew 16:24-25 (NRSV-CE): "Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Mark 8:34-35 (NRSV-CE): "And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."

Introduction: The Boat Bearer

(He's the short young man in the middle. The boat is in his hands). 

Brief Statistics

Plays a Role in What Level Masses? High Mass/Missa Cantata and Higher Levels

How Many? One.

What parts of the Mass? The entrance procession, The first incensation of the altar, the incensation of the at the offertory, the incensation of the people, the exit procession, any Eucharistic processions.

Relative time to master the role? not much. 

The Boat Bearer Role in Detail

Unlike the cross bearer role, this role might be unfamiliar to you, as those of you who are about to experience or cross over into the EF, will likely not have ever experienced seeing incense at a Novus Ordo Mass. Therefore, you have never experienced seeing a boat bearer in action before if such is the case. 

Details of Boat Bearer/Symbolism

Details
In a nutshell, the boat bearer, carries a small metal container, which normally looks like a "boat," full of incense grains. He hands it over to the priest in High mass, or the deacon in the Solemn Mass, to have incense blessed and placed into the thurible, held open by the thurifer. Once the incense in placed into the thurible, the boat is given back to the boat bearer, and he retreats from the main altar area in the sanctuary. Also to note, in processing and in seating, you and the thurifer are a pair.

This might be a bit of a shock to you as a server, or even a Novus Ordo attendee who is used to "active" participation at Mass, but the boat bearer is not essential in the actual Mass. In fact, it is an "extra" that is permissible, but not the liturgical norm for High Masses and higher. When I construct the Thurifer post, I will go in much more detail about incense with that role. 

Symbolism/Importance
As you could tell from the "Details" part, the boat bearer is not essential to the Liturgy of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. However, it is allowed to be present in the liturgy according to the clergy/instructors of that Mass.The most recent edition of Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described, by Fortescue, O'Connell, and Reid, states:

• "In some churches it is usual to employ another server as "boat-bearer." There is no provision for such a server in any official book; nor do the authors of books on ceremonies say anything about him. Now is he in any way useful - often the reverse. If he is employed the boat-bearer will stand or kneel at the thurifer's left, and will always hand him the boat before he approaches the celebrant and he himself will stand aside." (footnote on p.48)
• However, other rubricians have allowed for a boat-bearer, e.g. On the Caeramoniale Episcoporum, I, xxiii, 1. A rubrician, Merati allows for a boat-bearer. (112, Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described).  

Therefore, it will depend on your parish/instructor for Latin Mass serving whether one is allowed. Usually for a Solemn Mass with a plethora of servers, a younger or less experienced server will be assigned this role, to gain experience in higher level Mass serving. This experience can also be specifically used to train for thurifer, as the boat-bearer and thurifer are paired servers, and so the boat-bearer will know when the Thurifer (with him by his side) will be needed.

As to the symbolism of the boat bearer? The boat bearer has two main symbol-isms in his role, in the item that he carries, and the incense contained within.

• The Boat: The container that you hold the incense grains is, is normally shaped like a boat. The boat is symbolic in the Catholic Faith, as one of the titles of the Catholic Church is the "Barque/ark of Peter." (http://www.blessedsacramentcc.org/Ministries/AltarServers/BSCC%20Altar%20Server%20Training%20Manual.pdf).
• In addition, one other possible symbolism of the boat bearer is, that bearing incense, you bring up gifts in procession to the altar, like the Wisemen who brought up among their gifts frankencense. The gift of frankencense is also part of burial, and was part of the burial of Jesus after he was taken down from the Cross. (Surinder S. Mundra, March 2013).  

• The Incense. Only a short explanation will be given here. In short, when the incense in the boat is burnt in the censer, it represents the prayers of the faithful and the clergy going up to the Saints, Angels, and the Trinity in Heaven. Also historically, the Jews used incense in their worship rituals as well, another "historical nod" to the Jewish Faith. In addition, as with many of the elements of the Catholic Mass, it owes its Scriptural origins to the Book of Revelation/Apocalypse: 
• SCRIPTURAL: Revelation/Apocalypse 5:8: "And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; ...."

The ``What`s of the Role``

So, here are the items that you will use as a Cross Bearer or Boat Bearer:

Processional Cross/Crucifix

    

Some standard types of Processional Crosses from www.catholictothemax.com/ and www.lumberjocks.com/. The 2nd one also shows the base, which you put the processional Cross on. 

Ahhh, now this is more like it! www.susanmaria.com/. Needless to say parishes will vary in whether you use this kind of ornate and beautiful processional crucifix, or a simpler one as above. 

Incense Boats

http://www.luzarvestments.co.uk/thuribles.htm - This is a Traditional Incense Boat. Notice the resemblence to the Hull or main body of a boat?

From Broughton's Church Supply. A simple boat. This is more common to parishes and likely what you will have to work with if you don't bring your own thurible/boat set. Notice also featured is the little spoon which is used by the priest/deacon to put incense into the thurible. 

To do the roles of Cross/Boat bearer, all you need is your serving role and these items. The only things to keep in mind are these:

• Remember your rules for carrying an object in your hand. Always keep it in your right, and your left hand is flat across your chest. 
• You will perform Solita oscula (kissing of the item) only if necessary during the High Mass, when you are giving the item directly to the Celebrant (e.g. if no MC is present for the High Mass due to lack of servers). You do not perform this with the deacon in a Solemn Mass, even if he is a priest.
• The Cross bearer is carrying an object with two hands, He does not genuflect at those times or bows his head when other servers must do so.

Doing the Roles of the Cross Bearer and Boat Bearer in the High and Solemn Masses

There are not very many parts here in doing the Cross and Boat Bearer Roles in the Mass. As for cues and verbal responses, please see "Starter points 2 part III" of my series or the Torch Bearer role posting for cues for the 1st half of the Mass. I'll just bring up what is necessary and mention when each role needs to do something. 

Prior to Mass

The usual actions occur for the servers. They assist where needed, they say their Vesting Prayers before they don each of their serving robes (See Starter points 2 part III for those prayers), and they ensure that they have their items. In addition for the boat bearer, he should check his boat is filled with incense and there is a spoon in it. They line up as usual before the Crucifix, or their priest, and the priest will say the entrance procession prayer before exiting the sacristy with the servers in procession. 

(SUNDAY - ASPERGES)

Should there be an Asperges ceremony before the Mass, then the procession is as follows in a High Mass/Missa Cantata:

2nd Acolyte        Cross Bearer       1st/primary Acolyte

Boat-bearer

Torch bearers in pairs

[Clergy in Choir Walking in Pairs]

Thurifer     Priest in Cope     M.C.

As for the Solemn Mass, The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Describes this for the Solemn Mass: "... if the celebrant [wears] the cope, then the ministers walk on either side of him, the deacon at his right, the subdeacon at his left, holding the cope. The sacred ministers are covered; those in choir carry their biretta when inside the church." (Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described, 109). 

For the purposes of your roles, Cross and Boat Bearers only need to know where they are in their procession, and to do below as they would do in a non-Asperges Mass. The Asperges will be covered more in depth in the Thurifer and MC posts in future.  

Standard Entrance Procession

The cross bearer and the boat bearer will be in procession as follows:

Figure 1: Order of Procession in High/Solemn Latin Mass with guide from my Religious Notebook #1

Arrow - Direction of the procession train.

BB - Boat Bearer (if present)

Th - Thurifer with censer/thurible

Ac - Acolyte 1 and 2 (arbitrary numbers were jotted in my notebook only. "2nd" acolyte is to the left, "primary/1st" acolyte is to the right of Cb)

Cb - Cross Bearer

Tb - Torch Bearers (in groups of two) 

MC - Master of Ceremonies

SD - Sub deacon

D - Deacon

P - Priest/Celebrant

The deacon and sub-deacon are not present in the procession for the High Mass. The boat bearer will be at the front of the procession alongside the thurifer. Consider yourself his "left-hand man." Your role closely aligns with the thurifer. The cross bearer or crucifer is next in procession, with the acolytes at his left and right side, with him in the center.

When the boat bearer and thurifer reach the steps to the sanctuary, they do a single genuflection in unison, and then proceed to their positions in choir, often the right (Epistle) side.


When the cross bearer with acolytes approach the steps before the altar, he does not genuflect or bow with his head when his acolytes do so. This is due to the fact he is carrying an object with two hands, which is heavy. Once the acolytes have genuflected, he will proceed to the stand to place the cross on it, with the corpus (Christ) facing the laity. His seat is most likely on the left side of the sanctuary (the Gospel side) next to the stand for the processional cross. He might also sit in the choir pews on the Gospel side of the altar.

The Mass of the Catechumens

Throughout the duration of the first part of the Mass, the Cross bearer plays no additional role in the liturgy. He is to follow the mass, stand, sit, and kneel when appropriate, does the proper genuflections and bows when needed as the other servers do or in accordance to the priests, and may follow along with his missal/the Propers and Ordo of the Mass should he have them with him on the altar (if permitted by his priest/organization).

As for the boat bearer, he is to do the same as the Cross bearer, however he will be needed at the following parts during the Mass of the Catechumens, jointly with the thurifer.

The Incensation of the Altar at High or Solemn Mass
Upon ascending the predella of the Altar and saying aufer a nobis, etc., the celebrant kisses the middle of the altar, and turns to the right with the deacon. After this, the priest will need to incense the altar. His approach to the altar is your primary visual cue to get your boat as boat bearer. Keep your eye on the Master of Ceremonies, as he might give you the cue to get your items and/or approach the altar at a specific time. Together, the thurifer and the boat bearer, working as a pair, will come toward the lowest step of the predella with thurible and the boat.

In a High Mass, the boat bearer will present the boat to the M.C. If there is no M.C. present at the Mass, then you will present this to the priest directly, kissing the boat at the spoon, then the Celebrant`s hand,  before presenting the open boat to the Celebrant (Review Solita Oscula in Starter Points 2 part I). In the Solemn Mass the boat is presented to the deacon.

The priest will have the boat opened with the spoon facing him. He places the incense into the thurible, which was opened and presented to waist height by the thurifer. After the priest has placed incense into the thurible and blessed the incense, the thurifer closes the thurible. Together, the thurifer and boat bearer bow to the priest (with MC). The boat bearer then descends the predella of the altar (without turning his back to the tabernacle!) and then proceeds back to his designated spot, as well as placing the boat back onto the credence table, or the thurible stand if there is a place to put the boat on it.

The Preparations for the Gospel
After the Celebrant has finished reading the gradual and other prayers, this will be the time for the duo of Th and BB to get their items again. The priest will move to the center while the subdeacon is moving the missal and the deacon lays the evangelaruim on the altar. There will be another incensing in the Mass. You will do as you did the first time the Th and BB were needed to provide incense and the thurible. As always, look to your MC for a cue. Again, Th and the BB, working as a pair, will come toward the lowest step of the predella with thurible and the boat. You will do the same procedure as before, the BB handing the boat to the deacon. Once the incensing is complete, you and the thurifer will bow with the deacon, and BB will retreat back to his position. The Th will not retreat with you as he will enter into formation with the MC, SD and D, as well as the ACs, to go to the area left of the sanctuary for the proclamation of the Gospel.

Post-Gospel, the boat-bearer and thurifer will not be needed in the liturgy. However, should the thurifer decide to re-stock the thurible with coals and/or need assistance, you might need to follow and help him. You should. You guys are partnered for the liturgy, remember?

The Mass of the Canons

The Offertory
As always, your role as BB is tied to the Th. Once the acolytes go up to the predella with the cruets, this is your cue with Th to go and get your boat, and Th the thurible (which should be charged with new hot coals at this point). You do the same as the previous two times. Once the incensing is complete and you receive the boat back, bow with the deacon, and retreat back to your spot. The Th will not retreat with you, as he will now be doing his incensations after the deacon incenses certain clergy and servers.

It is as this point that the BB has completed his role in the liturgy. He is needed no more. You are not to simply do the appropriate actions like bowing, genuflections, kneeling, etc. with the other servers. If there are specific actions you'll do needing mentioning they are below. Otherwise, there is nothing else necessary to your role in the liturgy.

Incensation of altar servers and the people
When the Th comes to you, you bow at the same time he does. He will incense the servers lower than MC rank as a group of servers usually with a single swing, or can do as an alternate swing according to rubrics, a center, right, then left swing for a group of servers. You bow with the Th after.

Communion with the Altar Servers  (taken from my Torch Bearer Post)

There are two possible spots I have encountered/marked in my notes where the torches will switch their position on the altar or steps, in order to make way for servers who will be lining up for communion. 

1) After the ``Nobis quoque peccatoribus`` prayer (of which those exact words are said aloud), the priest will uncover the chalice and make 5 signs of the cross. After, he says ``Per omnia saecula saeculorim`` which you will reply, ``Amen.`` OR

2) After the priest consumes the Sacred Eucharist, and then says the "Sanguis Domini nostri ..." prayer and consumes the Precious Blood. This is the most commonly agreed upon time for servers to form the communion line, in most serving guides. 

At this point, whatever it is, the other servers will get up to line for communion. Where you line up will depend on what your MC/instructor suggests, though usually you will be paired, as always with the Thurifer. he will have come back by this point in the liturgy. You will say the (2nd) Confiteor with the other servers and also the "Domine non sum dignus." Memorize these two prayers since you will not have the benefit of the missal/prayer card/Ordo in front of you.

Exit Procession
The CB's second and final role in the liturgy will occur here, and of course the other servers are involved here.

During the Last Gospel, at the cue of your MC or a designated line, the servers will gather their necessary materials (e.g. acolyte candles, boat, thurible ...) including the Cross bearer and his cross, and will process down the center aisle a number of steps. If this cue is after the "et incarnatus est ..." then you will genuflect in your choir pews/spots first, then gather your items. If this is quite earlier, you will genuflect on the floor area, center aisle, if you are NOT the Cb.

Boat and Th are to go first ahead of everyone else, followed by acolytes with Cb in the middle, then the torches. After the process a certain number of steps, they stop and then turn around and face the altar. Once the Celebrant has concluded the Last Gospel, the Celebrant, MC, and other clergy if in a Solemn Mass, proceed down from the sanctuary, and they will turn and genuflect to the altar. The servers genuflect with them as well, save the Cb. Everyone turns around and processes back to the sacristy.

EST FINIS. 2013/06/18 version 2.0. Next Position to Cover: The Thurifer. 

Works Cited
Thy Kingdom Come. 101 Questions about the Mass. Online. 2007. <http://www.catholicmass.org/101_Questions_About%20_The%20_Mass.pdf>. Retrieved Apr 17, 2013.

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Altar Servers Manual. Alexandria, VA, USA. Online. 2010. <http://www.blessedsacramentcc.org/Ministries/AltarServers/BSCC%20Altar%
20Server%20Training%20Manual.pdf>. Retrieved Apr 17, 2013.

Fortescue, A., O'Connell, J.B., and Reid, A. The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described. Fifteenth Edition. Burn & Oates: London, U.K. 2009.

Surinder S. Mundra. Personal communication, March 2013.

Pocknee, C.E., Cross and Crucifix in christian Worship and Devotion. A.R. Mowbray & Co.: Oxford, United Kingdom. 1962.

Oh Man! Francis Once Again Hits a Homiletic Home Run! Monday's Mass Homily about Calumny

Hello Everyone.

Wow. Just a month into his papacy and Pope Francis is starting to hit the homiletics hard! While he hasn't gotten to fire and brimstone homilies just yet, these recent homilies of his are becoming quite in line with what Benedict XVI has proclaimed, and even more curt I say.

This past Monday, in Mass with the Vatican telecommunications office staff, he gave a "fervorino," an Italian term for a small, but passionate homily. The coverage of the summary of his homily is here on the Vatican's online news service, news.va: http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-calumny-destroys-the-work-of-god-in-people. Considering it was the telecommunications office, they got a well-needed homily appropriate to their jobs.

Besides focusing on the account of the Church's first recorded martyr, St. Stephen, he then proceeded to attack one of the most egregious "social" sins in my opinion plaguing our post-modern society, of which has been attacking the Church from all quarters, calumny. The first reading of Monday's Novus Ordo allowed him to open up into this, as he states, " ... Stephen was a victim of calumny. He is accused of “false witness” but it is not a “fair fight, a fight between good men” ... Stephen’s enemies chose the path of a dirty fight, “the path of calumny ....”

Now this is where I really got interested in what Francis had to say: ".... Calumny he continued is worse than sin - it is the direct expression of Satan."

WHAT!!!!???? ANOTHER MENTION OF THE EVIL ONE????? I swear, already I have seen two homilies from this Pope mentioning the Devil and his false works. Wow! Once again the Pope is courageous enough to call a spade a spade. If this trend continues, we might have a historical first post-Vatican II as the Pope who mentioned the Devil in his homily the most times!!! At least you can't say Francis is soft on the spiritual war we undertake as Church militant. If this is what he has to offer in his first few weeks as Pope perhaps a year from now he'll churn out something big.

Going back to the topic on calumny, how right of him to call the Devil out on this, and the disgusting filth of this sin. Calumny is exactly what it is: Lying! Lying by debasement of one`s character to inflict intentional damage of any sort to a person, or persons.  And the Devil? Traditional Catholics/Priests know him by another title: "THE FATHER OF LIES". Between the Devil being depicted by Dante in the farthest, deepest circle of hell with its main sin of Pride, and his big lie in the Fall of Adam and Eve, I am not surprised for His Holiness to call this sin out for what it is and it's connection to the works of the Devil.

Back to his homily, ""We are all sinners; all of us. We all commit sins. But calumny is something else. It is of course a sin, too, but it is something more. Calumny aims to destroy the work of God, and calumny comes from a very evil thing: it is born of hatred. AND HATE IS THE WORK OF SATAN. Calumny destroys the work of God in people, in their souls. Calumny uses lies to get ahead. And let us be in no doubt, eh?: Where there is calumny, there is Satan himself. "

(Mouth is dropped for 5 seconds ...). This is incredible. This was blunt, direct, and intentional for the sake of our spiritual salvation. Further, in our media saturated world, both the secular and Catholic media of both sides, Traditional and "liberal/Cafeteria" Catholic, have been attacking other faithful, spiritual and episcopal offices, and the Holy Father with slander. Social media has only intensified this vile sin of calumny, under the guise of "telling the TRUTH"/what they refuses to tell you, or as weapons of control and order for selfish purposes, all the while disregarding the humanity and spiritual soul of the person(s) at the receiving end of the calumnist's lies. These liars fail to realize their actions can damage the recipients permanently, to the point of translating into self-harm, even suicide. Look at young men and women in middle and high school who are bullied into suicide, when the calumnists call them anything from fat to implying loose sexual mores, or disposing entirely of their human dignity for any reason. Even saying anything as simple as the classic "you are a loser" is an example of calumny and participating in the Evil One's works.

Further, the Pope discussed the accused, Stephen, with regard to his martyrship, but had these words to say to us ... all of us, especially Catholics: "But the age of martyrs is not yet over, even today we can say, in truth, that the Church has more martyrs now than during the first centuries. The Church has many men and women who are maligned through calumny, who are persecuted, who are killed in hatred of Jesus, in hatred of the faith: some are killed because they teach the catechism, others are killed because they wear the cross ... Today, in many countries, they are maligned, they are persecuted ... they are our brothers and sisters who are suffering today, in this age of the martyrs".

That`s right. Our Christian/Catholic brethen in some European/Middle Eastern countries or ones with predominantly militant theocracies (e.g. Muslim extremism in Egypt) are being persecuted. Don't however think that we are so fortunate in a "Western" or "democratic" nation. Quickly, yet in small steps, our freedom of religion is being eroded, and our education systems are being attacked by our secular governments at the regional/provincial levels and even federally. E.g. Obama and mandatory contraception provisions, McGuinty/Broten/Wynne and the sex education curriculum in schools + Bill 13 "anti-bullying law" that was passed in Ontario law recently.

Between politicians who at the least will not even pass bills on legislating the right to life, to those who maliciously enforce what can be taught in the education systems of our schools which violates the ethos and central goal of Catholic education, and the promotion of sexual and moral indecencies (with accompanying increases in legal statuses in such favour or for liberal supporters), we in future, or in your childrens' future, may be looking at persecution even in these developed, democratic nations. We are talking permanent jail time at the least, with possible militant force (just wait for a martial law/emergency law/reinstatement of death penalty edict, and this might even come about somehow from "conservatives" ...).

And so, the Pope called out this disgusting work of the Devil, which has especially been plaguing Traditional Catholic blogs as of late, and gave us sharp words of warning. I do hope you, and others who see this, will take heed and spiritual stock of themselves and turn to Him, who is Lord.

Pax Tibi Christi. Julian.

Better Late than Never, but cool! St. Lawrence the Martyr Altar Rails Complete!!!

Hello Everyone.

So I have some good news for those who like the Latin Mass ...

The Altar Rails at St. Lawrence the Matryr, Scarborough, are now Complete!!!

Turns out they were complete a day or two after our Solemn Latin Mass for St. Joseph on March 19, 2013. I was just waiting on pictures of the completed rails. They are beautiful, dark green marble rails. While I haven't revisited the parish since my Solemn Mass, I can't wait to receive the Eucharist there and see how the rails feel while doing so.

Anyways, the pictures I have aren't the greatest of the final product, but that's only because they are from a friend's Facebook page (Credit to Robin Cheung, Veteran server of St. Lawrence the Martyr) and at a distance, but at least you know they are done. And so, from start to finish, the new rails in a series of pictures:

BEFORE: Sanctuary of St. Lawrence the Martyr before major renovation, 1960's

 2013: From Robin Cheung, Altar posts with main surface pieces being installed week before St. Joseph's Mass, March 2013

Picture of Altar with completed posts and kneeling cushions at St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir St. Joseph's Missa Solemnis, March 19, 2013

Pictures Taken by Robin Cheung end of March and April 13, 2013. You can see the altar rails in the distance. The surface is laid and they are useable. 

THE FINISHED PRODUCT UP CLOSE!!!! Picture Taken and posted to Facebook by Robin Cheung, April 26, 2013

Well I'm smiling all the way. If you go to the parish, or will visit for the Latin Mass, or just visit regardless, please use the altar rails to show utmost reverence to the Lord in receiving the Eucharist at Mass (on the tongue of course). And don't be shy to do this during the Novus Ordo Masses. The clergy are quite friendly to receiving in that manner (especially Fr. Steven being the Latin Mass Chaplain!). 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian. 

Brief Update on Serving Posts

Hello Everyone,

I pretty much have the Boat and Cross bearer post complete. I am just waiting for a reply from 2 contacts, and another contact is looking up the info I was searching for on symbolism. If however I don't hear back by the end of this up coming week, I'll have to release an early draft of the post, and I'll just have to update the symbolism later on.

Pax, Julian.

Whoa! Never expected this .... Thank you Mark Shea

Hello everyone,

So, in the last day or so, the Catholic Blogosphere has come to the defense of true traditional Catholics out there, and I covered that in my last post. A number of bloggers came to call out a great moral evil and sad trait of a fair number of RadTrads: anti-semitism, particularly connected to a Rorate Caeli post involving a reporter from Argentina on the Latin Mass situation and Pope Francis. I was thankful to all those in my coverage post who are helping traditional Catholicism.

So I get up this morning and find something on one of my blog feeds and an e-mail ... http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markshea/2013/04/excellent-julian-barkin.html

What!!!!! NO WAY!!!! 

Wow. This was totally unwarranted from Mark Shea. I didn't mind thanking them but this is too much. Thanks to this I got the hugest amount of hits to my site and its still ongoing. Once again thank you Mark Shea. Really. As for those of you, I hope you will continue to delve into my prior posts, especially those on the Altar Serving, which was my initial primary focus on Servimus. I will still continue to keep on fighting against RadTrad-ism, and posting and doing my best to be that positive Glad Trad example of what being a Traditional Catholic is all about. 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin. 

P.S. Don't forget to also view Mark Shea's blog, whether you are just a good ol' Novus Ordo attendee or EF attendee, or somewhere in between. Did I forget to mention Mark has done great work with Catholic Answers (www.catholic.com/)? 

Pope Francis Mentions the Devil in his Homily??? Wow. Not Afraid at All ...

To all the naysayers about our Holy Father ..... Whoa ....

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-the-struggle-to-reject-gossip

Let Me highlight the key part, as Fr. Z has done on his blog:

"Pope Francis further developed this reflection. “When we prefer to gossip, gossip about others, criticize others- these are everyday things that happen to everyone, including me – these are the temptations of the evil one who does not want the Spirit to come to us and bring about peace and meekness in the Christian community”. “These struggles always exist” in the parish, in the family, in the neighborhood, among friends”. Instead through the Spirit we are born into a new life, he makes us “meek, charitable.”"

You hear that? He's like Harry Potter calling Voldemort for what he is (oooh another traddie violation. This time it's 80 lashes for me!). No fear in our Holy Father. 

Further, the topic was on GOSSIP, something, as evidenced by my last post (which was laced with Anti-Semitism), seems to be one of those nagging strands of poison that have affected some in the EF blogosphere/Traditional Catholic communities. 

Still ... If calling out against the work of the Devil is a warm up, what more is to come of this Papacy? ... I think we haven't seen his trump cards yet ....

Pax, Julian. 

Highlight: RadTrads once again make EF look bad over anti-semitism. GladTrads and Heroes Come to the Rescue

Note: For those who are wondering, "Highlight" is where I feature another conservative/Pro-EF Catholic blogger's work and link to it, highlighting them as well as the issue at hand they are blogging about. If it wasn't important or what they wrote wasn't it important, why highlight it?

Hello Everyone,

Well, I'm late once again to the game, but hey, I finally got two days off between shifts and now had the time to really surf through the Catholic blogosphere. Unfortunately, I went down another rabbit hole again into dark trady-ville ... thankfully coming out unscathed, but I feel that it's important to bring this to light.

The "rabbit hole's" entry came in thanks to the blogging of Catholic Apologist (who has been associated in past with Catholic Answers or had his works featured in their online store) Dave Armstrong. David is a blogger I follow, as in past I've read his articles for the purpose of archiving for apologetics, but also because recently, he too, has become fed up with the radical traditionalist wing of Catholicism. Today, he featured a post on a truly sad vein of poison that permeates the Rad Trads and misrepresents Traditional Catholicism and the EF Mass: Anti-Semitism.

For those who follow the SSPX-Vatican conflict/negotiations/whatever the state of things is at this point, this is no new thing. Ex-"bishop", Williamson, was expelled from the SSPX for his holocaust denial and gross under-exaggeration of the amount of Jews killed in gas chambers. However, it didn't last long as Fellay, the head of the Society, came to my neck of the woods and unleashed an anti-Semetic comment in his "New Hamburg" speech at the end of December 2012, showing it was still prominent in the SSPX despite kicking Williamson. You could say that it's always lingered, but only dealt with recently (to save face for the SSPX) because it went public.

For those who don't get the connection between Anti-Semitis and Rad Trads, David's post here highlights this pertinent problem that does considerable damage to the EF communities, as it makes us all look like Jew-hating hypocrites of our faith. This post also ties to a prominent post on the SSPX featuring, often dark ultra-right wing blog known as Rorate Caeli, whom I won't link to here. The post was a report, from an ally in Argentina about Pope Francis and his approach to the Latin Mass. Overall: The Latin Mass is not big in Argentina, or the Pope's formal diocese, Buenos Aires, and was mis-labeled (or bungled up depending on your take) by the church/priest assigned to do it, which was really a Latin Novus Ordo.

The Caeli post came from a Marcelo González. While it's great to have coverage from the ground, David reveals the reporter's extreme bias in his posting as well as his, at least, allowance of Anti-Semitic sentiments and comments, and most, support or blatant acceptance of Anti-Semitism, thereby discrediting him as a reliable source for reporting on Traditional Catholic Issues. Furthermore, David accounts other bloggers who have come to defend both true Glad Trads as well as the Holy Father on the internet, and combat this vitriol from that fringe with its powerful online presence, such as Dawn Even, Mark Shea, (also here) and Dr. Taylor Marshall (A great EF supporter and excellent find for me! He's on my feed now.). Connecting to my title, Dawn Eden's post is important, especially as 1) She reveals Gonzalez's bias as a Rad Trad AND also Anti-Semitic and 2) She is HIGHLY qualified by her education, and more importantly, as a Jewish convert to Catholicism who attends FREQUENTLY (not occasionally as lied to us, by Gonzalez) THE EF MASS. In addition, after posting of said article, the comment boxes became filled with hatred, the very thing that all these commentators are striking out against, which only supports what these bloggers and myself are working so hard to fight against. Finally, David also posts how Rorate Caeli has responded to the whole fiasco, and it has been as constantly termed in David's coverage, a "non-apology apology".

I say once again, read the coverage here of David's article, and the links within it. Let this serve as a highly important lesson in journalism, extreme Rad-Tradism, and this, which I here as S.U.D. had already incorporated as part of my goals, and agree with Dave Armstrong:

"It's high time for mainstream "traditionalists" (if they are to gain the respect they so (almost desperately) desire, to speak out loud and clear and often about this horrendous garbage that keeps appearing in its fringes.

If they don't do their own housecleaning, then we regular old [orthodox, magisterial] "Catholics" (cynically known by many other names in "trad" and radtrad circles) -- who actually have a great degree of sympathy for many aspects of mainstream "traditionalism" (wide access to the Tridentine Mass, high concern for orthodoxy, traditional morality, liturgical propriety, and reverence, detestation of liturgical abuses, etc.) will have to do it for them."

That's what we must do. We must do it by Two main means:

1) LEAD BY EXAMPLE: We "traditionalists" (NOT RAD TRADS) must do it by participating in the life of both the Ordinary Form AND the Extraordinary Form rites, be they regular parishes, our dioceses (including working with officials), Catholic organizations in theological and practical orthodoxy with the Catholic Church and its teachings, etc. If that means dividing our time between the two rites, so be it. Our contributions must not only be joyous and positive, they must have impact. Don`t like the catechesis being given? Go out, get the credentials (e.g. diocesan programs and certificates or if you are a professional teacher ...), and become the parish catechists. Don't like the music at mass, get a group of you Chant/Classic/Baroque-loving friends and start your own choir or get into an existing choir, and start performing special events for the parish. They might like you enough to want you in Masses! Liturgical or pastoral deficiencies? Stop being a whiner and get on the Liturgical/Pastoral councils! Further, and most importantly (but not alone), show your parishes and diocesan organizations that being a trad is fun, charitable, and positive to the life of the Church. I believe that there was this thing called "servant leadership" which floored the disciples on Holy Thursday with the washing of their own feet?

And hey, I do realize that some people's strengths are more on the knowledge side of the faith than the practical doing side, especially among Traditional Catholics. So concentrate on your strengths, but throw in a practical thing to balance you out. Do give your gifts and talents to the area you are skilled at.

2) KICK THE MONEYCHANGERS OUT OF THE TEMPLE: No, I am not advocating a full blown Cristeros war with guns and a war general. What I mean is like these Catholic Bloggers mentioned above, we `Glad trads` and/or solid, "Orthodox" Catholics, should be adamant in our pursuit of proper justice for the EF communities, and what will help is by denouncing those actions that are of great spiritual harm or misrepresentation of who Traditional Catholics are. David, Dawn, Mark (with his trademark snarkiness), and Dr. Marshall, have given us examples of calling out of such volatile members of the RadTrad community who have misrepresented Tradtitional Catholicism/The EF. Likewise we should be making every effort possible online AND in person to do so as well, so that the rest of the Church, especially the hierarchy, can see that administering to our needs is a true, positive, and charitable pastoral concern of each diocese, and should be given its due attention. We must make the Traditional/EF community a "Glad Trad/RadTrad-free" zone.

It will only be that much harder, despite Summorum Pontificum and Ecclesiae Unitatem, to convince prelates to allow full-blown parishes to operate focused on Traditional Catholicism, or to support clergy/organizations administering the EF, when its "champions" or "big-name" bloggers are proponents or spoil sports for the rest of us, and this even includes those who are doing "doublespeak" as famously coined by the George Orwell novel, 1984 (You MUST read this book!).

"This guy is a typical radtrad: he talks out of both sides of his mouth. It's sort of "Clinton-speak" or Orwellian doublespeak: the ability to say contradictory things simultaneously, so that if ever called on the bad stuff, one can say, "oh but you're wrong, cuz over here I said x . . . " 

Unfortunately, Pope Francis, does not seem to concerned with the EF and grand liturgy like Benedict XVI was currently, so more lukewarm/liberal minded clergy have an easy way out by saying "well Francis doesn't care, so why should we?" Benedict's abdication of the See of Peter meant losing an additional layer of support for the EF, because it was then easy to say :"Look what Pope Benedict is doing! And See, he released SP for the EF Mass." This is why we absolutely must fight against detractors, slanderers, and two-faced RadTrads who make the rest of us look like Pharisees.

As a final note, generally, my generation and the millenials below me have been lost to "teh Interwebz." That's where they are spending much time today, among the Twitter(TM)-verse, Facebook(TM), Instagram (TM. for pictures), YouTube(TM), blogs, etc. If you want to reach the youth of my and the generation below me, you must get them where they are online. Unfortunately, if those of us who promote the EF, do so in a negative or uncharitable way as RadTrads, one of two things will happen:

1) They will abhor religion in general, their Catholic Faith, or at the least the EF and believe the lies that liberals have taught them, including their parents/grandparents with regard to the EF. They will see the RadTrad example and hate it. Not to mention that proponents of other faiths, and even agnosticism/atheism, or just plain hate of religious organizations are all vying for your youths' attentions.

2) They will become the new generation of RadTrads and spread the hate and the Anti-Semitism, or like some of my fallen-away friends, will become part of RadTrad societies, who can be cut off from the life of the Church, canonically and/or schismatically, without the graces and blessings of TRUE, VALID AND LICIT SACRAMENTS.

Do you seriously want our youth to drift away from the faith in an already turmoil-filled society, or to practice radical religious extremism contrary to the Spirit, Life, and even Docrtrine/Canon Laws of the Church, or to become haters of the EF? NO! 

In summary, Mark Shea describes the behaviour of these radicals and their allies as, " ... in the most exact sense of the word, scandalous.  It brings the faith into disrepute, it causes honest and good people to stumble when they might enter in, it harms innocents like Dawn, and, worst of all, it even tempts new Catholics who think they are embracing “hard truths” but are, in fact, embracing ancient evil to become twice the sons of hell that the Trad anti-semite is.  It is pure filth and every Catholic, but most especially every lover of the EF, should smash it flat ...." 

Therefore everyone of the EF, readers of my blog, and even those who are pondering the EF or don't know two sides from what comes, please give Dave's article and the links here and within a thorough read. We must change the direction that things are going in the EF online and in person, should we ever want to see the full effects of the New Evangelization come to true effect.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

P.S. I have found through other com-boxes and other postings on other blogs online, that Rorate Caeli and others, have been personally messaging people to redact their statements or make modifications on things they post about them. Let this be a message to them that regardless of how charitable the message is, I will not by any means change this posting on any request you make. Your message/e-mail will be archived for my purposes, your comments not posted, and anything in future will not be posted. Based on what I have seen, it is "saving face" or trying to keep your "reputation" intact, which I will not be a part of. I would rather the truth of your stance be known and I will not cover up the truths revealed by these other bloggers, nor compromise myself at your request. In addition should you use other bloggers or allies to do your business on your behalf, I will ban them from posting too, keep their communications, and if necessary, seek legal/police counsel on the matter. The same treatment will apply to non-associated "heroes" or "allies" of yours who abuse my email or comment here. Go do your business in your own backyard. 

P.P.S. I would like to link to this account of one woman who is now ex-SSPX. She was even part of their convent in Vichy, France. This post was quite interesting and ties into the title of this one: http://pjmedia.com/blog/toxic-activism-is-politics-your-drug-of-choice/?singlepage=true

Update April 13, 2013
1) On Dave Armstrong's post that is the focus of this article, he had revealed that it seems Rorate Caeli, from main moderator/author, New Catholic, still displays a reluctance to retract their support for the author. They pin down the criticisms of Rorate Caeli`s RadTrad stances, on Vatican II types wanting to sell books (cough, Dave and Mark Shea, cough cough).

2) I just found this in my blogger feed as of checking it 7:17pm today:
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2013/04/comments-registered.html. They are now moving to a registered comments policy, that is now only if you have an associated Blogger, Disque, etc. profile you can comment on Rorate. they state:

``The main reason for this is that, because of the huge number of comments we had been receiving lately (hundreds daily), the moderators had not been able to exercise reasonable and timely control, and many unworthy comments ended up being approved, and good comments ended up being deleted by accident. We apologize for any inconvenience. We will see how this works in the next few days.``

Look, I have moderator control on my blog but at least I`ve had that from the beginning of S.U.D, knowing that there are internet/RadTrad trolls out there so I want to make sure that appropriate comments are displayed, and the trash is thrown out. However, seeing as they've done it recently and the boldfaced portion of the post above, my two questions: 1) You don't do this suddenly unless you are being trolled or want to tighten your control on your blog, and 2) Which comments were "unworthy" and which ones were "good comments ... deleted by accident?" Sorry but I can't see this recent move without explanation/apology, being devoid of specific motivations. 

Off the Beaten Path: A blog author I liked disappears ... Freyr.

Hello Everyone.

I just caught something online that saddens me a little, unfortunate, but these things do happen on the blogosphere when multiple bloggers share one domain for publishing.

One of the blogs I keep up with is Toronto Catholic WITNESS, a group of formerly 4, now three men, who post on traditional Catholic issues on their blog and operate in my archdiocese. They used to apparently have an apostolate that was active in some sort of lectures or something. One of the Latin Mass attendees who has come to the St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir Masses I serve, does remember when they were more active in their apostolate, and this was before I started any serving period in October 2011, so it must be true. They might have a book group or something at St. Vincent de Paul too. I think the last time I was there, I saw some Saturday morning 1x/month group led by them on a bulletin board??? Please verify this for me someone. Comment or e-mail, simple and sweet.

Anyways, I am looking on their site, and what used to be 4, is now three men. In their entry at the top of their page, I was like, ``Where did Freyr go?". I had to see if this was just stupidity or true, so I scroll down to the contributor page, and sure enough, Freyr has been deleted. As for his posts, thankfully they are still in the dustbins of the archives, however, they might disappear in future of me writing this. The last post that this author wrote is here.

Now, why am I even bothering to care or write about this? I mean, internet spats and author booting happens all the time, even on Catholic web portals/blogs. In fact last year, I got to witness this first hand on a blog I used to read frequently, Vox Nova. There used to be an author, Henry Karlson, and some other guy who was more mild mannered, but they got into nasty bickerfests that were viewable in public comments as well as the "back rooms" of the blog so to speak. Eventually, Vox Nova's collective authors decided to kick the both of them off the page, their posts likely removed, or hard to search for now. So it's no new thing to me.

So while this kind of behaviour is nothing new to me, I am a little bit disappointed because I did enjoy that particular author of the four. Yes, its quite a controversy to pick your name after a Norse Fertility God and post on a traditional catholic blog, but of the four authors, he had the most balanced posts I'd say. In addition, he was clear he wasn't an EF preferring individual of the four, in fact he preferred the Novus Ordo Mass (gasp! you're thinking: Julian you hypocrite! You should be flogged with 40 lashes by the EF liturgical police for violating the trad code!). It was great to balance out the other posters liturgically in that manner. Also for the most part, his commentary was insightful, and not piss-potty. Not to mention I liked certain things in his profile: Anime! (Yes!) , Lord of the Rings (you score +40 in my good books if you love that!). Also, when Pope Francis was elected to the See of Peter, he immediately came out with a correct analysis of the situation. And finally, I am glad to see that he likewise shares my disdain with the hypocrisy exhibited by those on both far right and left sides of the spectrum in the institutional church, as seen here.

And maybe all those things I've mentioned were why he has disappeared from the blog. Sadly, there was no notice of retirement from the blog, or a reason ... coupled with some of the content of his postings and certain "comments" in the posting comboxes, maybe he just wasn't a "good fit" and left. Then again his profile shows he's "retired" so maybe he just wants to get away from the computer and I dunno, read a few more good books or do whatever retirees do, and leave the computer blogging to some young bucks like myself. I can hope its the latter. Regardless, it's too bad Freyr is gone from WITNESS. Your posts were excellent.

Now, I know that a number of you are searching for me specifically in my search word hits. Further, I know a number of you report to each other about what I post in my blog. So I'm going to make this clear. If a member of the current WITNESS troupe desires to contact me, I will accept one communication to my e-mail from any of them, and they can use an alternate e-mail address to conceal their true identities, to, if they choose, explain the departure of my admired blogging author charitably. Something as simple as "It just didn't work out between us" or "He just didn't fit with our goals and mandate" or "he's retired and wants more than just a computer screen" will suffice, and I will be as happy as a kite at that. Freyr also, should he choose, can happily write to me at my blog address, and I would be glad to keep in touch with him. Oh ... and read my blog rules. Come to think of it ... I think I will move that to become a main page at the right side of my main blog page. So it's clearer to everyone.

Pax, Julian.

UPDATE April 10, 2013

NOOOOOO!!! My beloved Freyr is being held hostage by ultra-liberals! And they are vegan hippies to boot. See here: http://torontocatholicwitness.blogspot.ca/2013/04/news-flash-freyr-being-held-captive.html
Someone should alert the Vatican authorities!

Pope Francis History: Ostracism of Pope Francis by his Own Order and Bishop who is a CONFESSOR!

Hello Everyone,

It seems the more time our Holy Father is spending in his office of the Chair of Peter, Bishop of Rome, the more interesting, holy, and beautiful facts are coming out about his past ecclesial life, be it priesthood or his episcopacy. Here's two more.

1) While this is not my favourite site, one I'd only say to observe to keep in the know of things, it yielded an interesting facet of our Holy Father.

Turns out, Pope Francis in his early tenure was treated quite harshly for not cow-towing to the radical liberalism line with Liberal Theology in the Jesuits. He got punished for it by one of his own! Of course they deny the letter sent out about his ostracization. Protect your own face for your organization right?

The account of this is here: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2013/04/father-bergoglio-in-disgrace-for-20.html.

2) While bishop of Buenos Aires, if there was a dire need for a confession, he was not afraid to go out and do it himself! See here: http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=17512

In a sense, I kind of hope that more of this kind of history comes out. It will dispel much rumours and negativity about our Holy Father from the radical right. And it makes me want to come to really trust him that much more.

Pax, Julian.

Off the Beaten Path: Late but Still Great The 2013 Palm Sunday Procession with Novus Ordo Mass Celebrated by ++Collins

Hello Everyone,

For Saturday, March 23, the Vigil of Palm Sunday, I was with my Novus Ordo/Home parish young adult ministry, attending the diocesan Palm Sunday procession with the WYD 2002 Cross, Novus Ordo Mass, and a speech for the youth to follow. This event was hosted by Ontario Catholic Youth (OCY), an office associated with the Archdiocese of Toronto, responsible for working with other parishes with regard to youth and young adult ministry, and holds youth ministry events of their own as well.

The procession was preceded by Eucharistic Adoration at St. Paul's Basilica (a beautifully restored church with fresco-like paintings in it, reminiscent of a mini-Sistine Chapel in Toronto), followed by the Palm Sunday procession to the Cathedral. With many priests concelebrating and a plethora of servers, I'd say this is a "Missa Solemnis Novus Ordo"

While the Mass was a Novus Ordo, I will say, there were many elements in this Mass that were quite riveting to see at the Cathedral, besides His Eminence, Cardinal Thomas Collins as celebrant. Here's what we were treated to:

• A talented, young Man, playing the main organ in the Cathedral
• The choir for the Mass was courtesy of the Solidarity of the Anglican Ordinate (from the Sacre-Coeur Anglican Rite Mass?), who have their own blog/web coverage and have been featured on other Latin Mass blogs.
• That very choir sang all the responsory parts in Latin in the Liturgy of the Eucharist! (e.g. The Sanctus, the Agnus Dei, ...)
• Numerous altar servers in varying positions as if it were a Missa Cantata/Solemn Mass! A cross-bearer with the Cathedral's gilded crucifix, four torch-bearers with processional/acolyte candles, of which two servers were acolytes, a thurifer, and even two Master of Ceremonies! Here's the proof, albeit my camera isn't a professional one that can reduce/eliminate motion. So the pictures are really bad .... 

Thurifer with boat and two Acolytes (and/or front torch bearers)

Cross in the Center, and two rear torch bearers

Master(s) of Ceremonies

This image, however, was taken by their professional photographer with high-powered camera able to take pictures despite motion. It is only available on the Facebook page of OCY until the pictures are uploaded to the OCY website. 

• When the servers were processing to and fro around the altar with nothing in hand, they were in the orans prayer position! Even the lectors proceeded up and down to/from the ambo with hands in orans position!
• At Communion, All the ministers were ordinary ministers of the Eucharist (Priests!) and even the Cardinal himself handed out our Lord to us in the main aisle, left side (I, unfortunately did not get that pleasure as I was on the right side :( )

As for the homily, the Cardinal focused on the fact that our life is a marathon, a journey .... but with one key point for us to keep in mind. He reflected back to his time in the Conclave, being in front every day of Michaelangelo's "Divine Judgement" fresco. While on this journey, we will be judged in the end, like the parable of the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25. You cannot just wheeze by on this journey. You must be active in your faith life, both in faith and works. And at the end of this journey, you will be judged by Him. 

The youth were blessed with this Novus Ordo Liturgy. This liturgy was evidence that it can be done!

Post retreat, we were treated to excellent refreshments (gourmet Italian-style pizzas! Though I think they were courtesy of Pickle Barrel catering) and another riveting speech from the Cardinal. I must say for a jet-lagged prelate, he sure was quite lively. Some of the lighter points was interjecting J.R.R. Tolkien into his speech (Yes! +1 with me) and doing tasteful jokes (Collins vs. Bergoglio for final vote .... NOT! [Author: You in the peanut gallery, be silent!]) and non-secretive insights about the Conclave (believe it or not, they DID know about "Adopt a Cardinal" which is awesome! The cardinals really could feel and know you were all praying for them! They also knew about some "media buzz" ranking system, and get this, Pope Francis (Bergoglio) was NOT high ranking!). As for the big gist of his speech, he wanted to get the message to all of us youth, that reflecting on the new Pope, Francis, carrying out our faith actively is of utmost necessity for the New Evangelization. We should be doing such according to 3 H's: Hands, Heart and Mind. 

This, believe it or not, you traditional readers should know. See, Cardinal Collins, as he told us, was educated in his early catechesis using a certain catechism. He didn't say which, but between being question and simple answer style, being in his mid sixties, and telling us the question about our purpose in life was to "Know, love, and serve God," I would bet highly that our good Cardinal was taught with the Baltimore Catechism! Even my nonno and my other senior relatives know that one! With regard to the three H's: Knowing = Head, that is, KNOW THE FAITH! Know the Church's teachings on theology and moral issues, straight from the Catechism and the Vatican documents. Loving = Heart, that is believe and have your faith intact, worship our Lord in the Holy Mass and Eucharist and love it! Do not hide your Faith or discount it! And then, Serve = Hands. Go out and DO the faith. 

Come to think of it, our triumvirate of recent popes post-Vatican II, as one commentator on Fr. Z alluded to,  each has one element of this purpose of ours a major demonstration of their pontificate. John Paul II gave us the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1993) and updated/amended Canon Law (1983), as well as published a number of Encyclicals and the audiences that compose the Theology of the Body. Benedict XVI gave us fewer writings in his 8-year pontificate, but they were nonetheless important Papal writings on the Faith, and by becoming Pope, the world was opened to a treasury of his theological works as Cardinal Ratzinger, and who could forget he "freed" the Latin Mass, as well as made his own Masses more orthodox in praxis and liturgy. And as for Pope Francis, his pontificate has barely started, but already in his externals and his past actions/conduct as Cardinal Bergoglio, he is demonstrating carrying out the Faith to the world, the doing part. 

Anyways, back to the main event, I can say that this event was a great spiritual benefit to the youth who attended and received a solid Novus Ordo liturgy with worthwhile catechesis, and I hope that those of us who went will take this forward in our faith lives. 

For those of you with Facebook, more pictures of the event can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151510031886382.1073741830.27666276381&type=1

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian.