Q and A for the Latin Mass Part II No. 5 - From the Pater Noster Until the Post Communion Ablutions and Prayers

Q and A for the Latin Mass Part II No. 5 - From the Pater Noster Until the Post Communion Ablutions and Prayers

NO. 5
C. Pater Noster Till Ablutions
25. The Pater Noster
26. Libera Nos and Fraction of Host
27. Mixture of Body and Blood
28. Agnus Dei
29. Prayers for Holy Communion
30. Communion of priest and faithful.
31. Prayers during ablutions
32. Communion-verse
33. Postcommunion Prayers

25. The Pater Noster

Is this in the Novus Ordo? Yes. 

Cues for the Laity:

• LOW MASS: Everyone will be kneeling for this part. Near the end, after "Et ne nos inducas in tentationem", in the Low Mass, the server will reply, ``Sed libera nos a Malo.``
• HIGH MASS: in the higher level Masses from Missa Cantata up, the laity stand. At the end of the priest`s recitation or the singing of the prayer, ALL reply, "Sed libera nos a Malo."
• In all levels of the Mass, the priest will say Amen after.

 

General Gist: The priest and the choirs at High Masses and higher, say and/or chant the Our Father in Latin. The priest raises his voice and recited the prayer aloud with his arms extended

Relevance: 

• This is, of course, the specific prayer that our Lord gave to the Apostles, as well as to all of us, to pray to his Holy Father in Heaven. We find this scripturally starting in Luke 11:1-2 when one of His disciples asked Christ to teach them how to pray.

• Further, it is used by the Church on all solemn occasions, and is our support. Before this, in the Latin, is contained mention that we are "instructed by Thy saving precepts", and that we "dare" to say (just like in the Novus Ordo) the prayer. We dare to speak it, because we rely on the very precept which we have received so to pray, a precept given us by our great Master for our salvation (169, The Holy Mass).

• In the Lord's prayer, the first three petitions (after: Pater noster, qui es in caelis:) regard God Himself: Hallowed be His name, may His kingdom come, and His will be done (169, ibid).
• May His name be hallowed (sanctificetur nomen tuum:), as it deserves the appropriate honour and respect it deserves, as it His very right.
• May his kingdom in Heaven come (adveniat refnum tuum:), that His reign be established in all and over all, as He is truly King.
• His will be done (fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo, et in terra.), by men on earth, as it is in Heaven by the Angels and the Blessed.

• Next in the prayer, come four petitions, for those things necessary for our salvation (169-170, ibid):
• Give us this day our daily bread (Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie): This is stated in daily intervals, because we cannot know what will lie ahead each day. We may die tomorrow. Hence daily bread. While we also need our daily physical nourishment, the "bread" is also in the sense of spiritual nourishment: The Eucharistic Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, on the Altar.
• And forgive us our trespasses (et dimitte nobis debita nostra,): Because we are sinners before God, to forgive whatever we have done against Him
• As we forgive those who trespass against us (sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris): we ourselves mark the measure of the pardon we ask of God by begging Him to forgive us as we forgive others who sin against us.
• And lead us not into temptation (Et ne nos inducas in tentationem,): That is to say, ward and defend us when we are tempted by our concupiscence, or the devil and his minions, to kill our grace with our God, or to wound our relationship with Him and disobey his will. Yes, God, in His designs, does allow us to experience temptation and be tried, in order to gain merit, we still ask Him for his aid because we are so weak and easily fail Him.

• We finally ask him to deliver us from evil in the response given by all at the Mass in Missa Cantata or higher ``Sed libera nos a Malo.`` In this response, we ask to be delivered from the evil one, who constantly seeks to sin and fall so that our souls are wounded or worse, separated permanently from God in the afterlife. Moreover, if we have committed such evil, we beg of God mercifully to withdraw us from its grasp. (171, ibid)

• It is after the prayer of the Our Father that the actual Communion of the Mass is considered to begin. (157, The Latin Mass Explained)

26. The Libera Nos and the Fraction of the Host and 27. The Mixing of the Body and Blood

 

Is this in the Novus Ordo: Yes, though reduced from what it is in the Extraordinary Form.

 

Cues for the Laity:

Low Mass: None. Remain sitting. The server gives the responses.

High Mass: At the end of `per Omnia saecula saeculorum`, ALL say: Amen. After Pax domini sit semper vobiscum, ALL reply ``et cum spiritu tuo.`` The laity kneel after this response.

 

General Gist: The priest takes the paten between the first and second finger and says the Libera Nos prayer. He uncovers the chalice, genuflects, takes the host, and breaks it in the middle over the chalice, saying another prayer. He breaks off a particle from the divided host, says `per Omnia saecula saeculorum` with a reply of Amen from the server/people. Then he makes the sign of the Cross (3x) with the particle over the chalice saying ``Pax domini sit semper vobiscum`` to which the server/people replies ``et cum spiritu tuo.`` The Host is broken in half and a particle is dropped into the Precious Blood.

Relevance:
The Libera Nos

• ".... Communion is the means taken by Our Lord to unite all men one with the other, so as to make of them all, one whole .... In order to express this union, Holy church wishes that the result of that charity which reigns amongst the faithful, should be the object of very special attention. So now, she is about to ask it, in the following Prayer; [the Libera Nos] ...." (171-172, The Holy Mass).

• The priest asks at the beginning of the prayer, from Libera nos to et futuris, to strengthen us, because our past evils have caused us to contract spiritual weakness, and we are as yet by convalescents. Deliver us from those temptations which weigh us down spiritually, and others sins we're guilty of, and what may seek to allow us to fail again in future (172-173, ibid).

• Next, it is asked by mercy and intercession of the Saints, including in particular our Holy Mother, Peter and Paul, and St. Andrew.
• Here, the priest makes the Sign of the Cross on the Paten. He does so because it was by the Cross that Christ became ``our peace`` by the shedding of His blood upon the Cross (cf. Ephesians 2:14). (158, The Latin Mass Explained).
• After kissing the paten, the Sacred Host is placed upon it. The paten with the Host then is placed to the right of the Chalice, to indicate that blood and water issued forth from the opened side of our Redeemer. (ibid)
• Why specific reference to St. Andrew? The Holy church has had a very special devotion to this apostle since early Christianity in Rome, because he was the brother of St. Peter. Also, St. Andrew is connected to peace because his martyrdom resembled very much the Passion of Christ, in virtue whereof, peace is given to us. (173, The Holy Mass; 158, The Latin Mass Explained.)

The Fractionation of the Host & The Mixing of Body and Blood

• After the Libera Nos, the Chalice is uncovered, and the Host is broken in the middle. A small particle goes into the chalice from one of the halves. The priest is also imitating our Divine Saviour, when he did the breaking of bread at the Passover Seder, (159, The Latin Mass Explained) instituting the Priesthood and Eucharist.

• The little particle is dropped into the Host, and the breaking of the Host, has symbolism (160-161, The Latin Mass Explained).
• The breaking in half, represents the breaking of his humanity (in his crucifixion and death).
• The Peace of the Lord, Christ merited for us though the Sacrifice on the Cross. The Host broken over the Chalice indicates the Precious Blood flowed from the bruised body of Christ.
• The particle dropped into the Precious Blood shows our Lord's Body is not without His Blood, nor vice versa. Because we see them as separate species with the accidents of bread and wine, we might not believe in the Real Presence, or that the Body and Blood do not co-exist. The co-mingling dispels this illusion, reminding us that under such appearance, the one, living Victim of the Cross is present.
• This part of the Mass also reminds one of the dual nature of Christ: Divine and human in his Incarnation.



28. The Agnus Dei



Is this in the Novus Ordo? Yes. And in certain Novus Ordo Churches ... you might even get to hear it sung in the original text, in Latin!

Cues for the Laity? The Laity remain kneeling.

General Gist? The Priest repeats the words of St. John the Baptist. "Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis." The priest covers the Chalice, genuflects and rises: then bowing down and strikes his breast each time he says the Agnus Dei. The altar servers should also have their heads slightly bowed as well.

Relevance:

• In this thrice repeated part of the Mass, the priest repeats the words of St. John the Baptist, who proclaimed the Messiah to the Jews. In the old laws of sacrifice in Judaism, an unblemished lamb was used to atone for sin (and also, don't forget, lamb's blood was used for the Passover to indicate Jewish houses to the Angel of Death in the Book of Exodus). In the New Law, the heavenly Lamb, takes away the sins of the world. (41, Latin-English Booklet Missal).

• Also in the repeating of this prayer, the Church wishes to teach us how ardently and fervently we should desire to pray for peace of the Lord, and remission of our sins and all punishment due to them (161-162, The Latin Mass Explained). The priest is also striking his breast like in the Confiteor as a physical sign of repentance to this effect.

• The third time, the last words in Latin are "Dona nobis pacem" and not "miserere nobis" as the Eucharist is the Sacrament of peace, by means of which all the faithful become united together. (177, The Holy Mass).

29. Prayers for Holy Communion

Is this in the Novus Ordo? Yes. The third edition of the Roman Missal has these prayers even closer to the original translation of the Latin. However, the first prayer in the EF, is said before the Agnus Dei as the prayer before the "Sign of Peace" in the Novus Ordo.

Cues for the Laity? At all levels of the Mass, you are still kneeling.

General Gist: The Priest, with his eyes toward the Blood and Body of Christ on the altar, prays the "Prayer for Peace and Fidelity," "The Prayer for Holiness", and the "Prayer for Grace". This is before his own communion. Should the Mass level be a Solemn Mass, then the clergy and highest ranking servers will do a "Pax," two specific members at a time. This is not the shanking of hands but as I coin it a "fraternal, light, bear hug" with each other, which is very cordial and reverent at once.

Relevance:

• The Prayer for Peace and Fidelity
• This is a humble petition for the blessing of peace for the Church. (164, The Latin Mass Explained)
• There is also the implication of peace with fellow man in this prayer (which takes from Romans 16:16), and in fact peace with man is done today in the form of the Pax in Solemn and Pontifical level Masses. In these Masses The priest gives the Pax to a deacon, who then gives it to the sub-deacon, who gives it to any priests in choir, who then pass it onto the highest ranking servers. (178, The Holy Mass)
• The priest will also kiss the Altar, in front of the Sacred Host, whereby the Lord gives him. (ibid)
• The Pax is NOT done in Requiem Masses, Maundy/Holy Thursday, and Holy Saturday. With Holy Thursday, it's a protest against Judas' kiss of betrayal to Christ. With Holy Saturday, it is omitted as it was not till Christ was Risen, when he greeted his disciples saying "Peace be with you, or Pax Vobis". (178-179, ibid)

• The Prayer for Holiness
• This prayer expands the final words of the Lord's Prayer and implores peace. (41, Latin English Booklet Missal)
• This is one of the two prayers for direct preparation for Holy Communion. The priest is about to receive Christ in the Eucharist, both his humanity and divinity and professes in the liveliest of faith: O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. (165, The Latin Mass Explained)
• He also professes in the redeeming of the Blood of Christ, asking of the Lord's Blood to "Deliver me by this Thy most sacred Body and Blood from all my iniquities." This prayer, though said silently and inaudible to the Laity (but can be read via a full 1962 missal,) reminds us that the work of the Redemption was accomplished by Christ "according to the will of the Father" and "though the co-operation of the holy ghost." (ibid; 180, The Holy Mass). We should also desire the same remission of our sins that the priest does in the Holy Eucharist as well, when we approach for communion. (180, The Holy Mass).

• The Prayer for Grace
• While this prayer deals only with the Body of Christ, not the Blood, it nonetheless is important to both priests and laity. Holy Mother church is so completely occupied by the sacrifice on Calvary, that she recoils from renewing it on the altar. Therefore, She confines herself to partaking of the sacred mystery by communion. (182, The Holy Mass)
• In addition, this prayer can very appropriately be used by the faithful when about to communicate. (ibid). How so? It is quite similar in idea to the response at the Novus Ordo before the faithful communicating, but with more content.
• It claims us (the priest) as unworthy to receive and also includes judgement and condemnation as to consume the Eucharist unworthily, as proclaimed to us in Scripture in Paul's Epistles constitutes Mortal Sin: NRSV 1 Cor 11:28-29: "²⁸ Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For all who eat and drink^[a] without discerning the body,^[b] eat and drink judgment against themselves. "
• It is hoped that by the Lord's mercy, it becomes our safeguard and healing remedy of soul and body (of which the Eucharist is. It does have the ability to remit venial sin upon consumption, AND it is our spiritual "nourishment as it were. Further how many a time, and clergy member, has stated that by the sacraments we remain close to Christ and are able to deal with our spiritual struggles, especially spiritual combat?)

30. Communion of priest and faithful.

Is this in the Novus Ordo? Yes.

 

Cues for the Laity?

• You are to remain kneeling.
• After the priest reveals the host to you by turning around, saying "Ecce agnus dei ..." You, the altar servers on your behalf, or the priest alone, might reply back publically with "Domine Non Sum Dignus (DNSD) ut intres sub tectum meua: sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea" three times.
• When it is time to receive communion, you are to proceed and line up at the altar rails/makeshift rows using prie-deuxs, the first pew, etc. You receive the Eucharist on your tongue AND kneeling, but do not say "AMEN" after the priest speaks in Latin the words "Corpus Domini Nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam mean in vitam aeternam. Amen." 

General Gist:

• After the priest has said the communion prayers, he will then genuflect and take the host. He says a prayer in Latin that are a free rendering of Psalm 125 (182, The Holy Mass).
• While striking his breast, he says the response before self-communicating, which is in Latin what you would say in English in the Novus Ordo Masses with the 3rd translation of the Roman Missal. This prayer is, in Latin, the DNSD.
• He will then consume the Host, ensure minor particles are collected into the chalice, and then will self-communicate with the species of the Blood of Christ.
• If permitted, the altar servers will say a second Confiteor and the priest will repeat the prayers said in the first half of the Mass after the Confiteor. He then turns toward the people, elevates the host, and like in the Novus Ordo but in Latin, says "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him Who taketh away the sins of the world."
• You might be permitted to say the DNSD publically, but if not, then the altar servers might do that for you, or the priest alone. At the High/Solemn level Masses, the servers usually say this response publically.
• The priest then allows the servers to take Communion upon the altar, from right to left, with each server using the paten while receiving, and passing it along to the next server.
• The priest, with the server or left server at Low Mass, or the MC (+ Deacon) at the higher level Masses, will then take the paten(s) and serve communion to the Laity. The laity kneel and receive on the tongue at the designated altar rails or area, without replying Amen after the priest speaks.

Relevance:

• Well, this is obviously important as you are consuming the Body of Christ. Again, if you are not a baptized Catholic, or you are a Catholic who is NOT in the state of Sanctifying Grace/in the state of mortal sin (e.g. murder, excommunicated, masturbation with/without pornography, co-habitation before marriage or after re-marrying OUTSIDE of the Church [no annulment ...],) THEN DO NOT RECEIVE. In addition under the current Code of Canon Law (1983) of which is in force, communicants must abstain from food and drink (save water) for at least one hour before consuming the Eucharist.

• Should one not be able to receive the Eucharist due to not being a Catholic, being in the state of Mortal Sin, OR having broken the fasting rule, they can offer up a spiritual communion instead. Here is one for such a purpose:
• My Jesus, I believe that Thou are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I long for Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though Thou hast already come, I embrace Thee and unite myself entirely to Thee; never permit me to be separated from thee.

• When the priest takes the host before his DNSD, he refers to the Eucharist as the Bread of Heaven in his prayer. This is an allusion to the manna give to the Israelites in the desert, which was a figure/precursor/foreshadow of the Eucharist. He is also calling upon the Name of the Lord, which has its Scriptural Roots in the OT in Psalm 114:3-4 (167, The Latin Mass Explained).

• The DNSD prayer are the words relayed by the friends of the deathly ill centurion, who in Luke 7:6-7 felt unworthy to have Jesus heal him: (NRSV) "⁶ And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; ⁷ therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed."
• At the priest's utterings and thrice-fold repeats of this prayer, the altar server rings the bells, once per DNSD, though at a High/Solemn Mass, sometimes the number of rings increases by 1 each time. The bell ringing indicates this is an important part of the Mass and to excite your attention (168, The Latin Mass Explained).
• Implicit in this prayer is our own unworthiness to receive the Lord as he is the Word made Flesh, but we are sinful and of human frailty. (ibid).
• We say this prayer at Mass, because it is our own poor soul craving help for itself, and making use of these words, is a last appeal to God. We sorely need to be cured. As the Healer of all Healers, we must appeal to Him, and crave Him with true humility. (182-183, The Holy Mass).

• In the priest's saying to us before we communicate, the last few words of the Latin are in vitam aeternam, that is, in life everlasting. This is such, because One Communion would of itself be sufficient to preserve our soul unto Life Eternal, for such is the intrinsic efficacy of tis Divine Sacrament, provided for our wants by God. (184, The Holy Mass).

• While the priest is scraping the leftover particles of the Host into the Chalice, he asks himself what return he will make to the Lord for all He has given him? He can only reply that he will take the Chalice of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord.
• Again, with the name of the Lord, it refers to Psalm 125 Scripturally
• When the priests asks himself what to give for what God has given him, God in His infinite love has given an infinite gift in the Body and Blood of the Lord. God, in giving us the Lord Jesus, who sacrificed Himself for our sins, gave us everything in this act of infinite love.
• What can the priest give? God has no need for our goods (cf. Ps 15:2). All the priest can give in return is what he has been given, the Chalice of salvation, and so to God we can accept his gifts with kind and loving heart as sufficient thanks (170-171, The Latin Mass Explained.)
• The priest makes the Sign of the Cross over himself with the Chalice, to indicate again that it is from the Cross of Calvary that the redeeming grace of our Lord's blood flows upon us. The priest consumes under both species as he must consume the Sacrifice, which was offered up under the two species. "Do this in memory of me." (ibid)

 

 

31. Prayers During Ablutions

Is this in the Novus Ordo? Yes, there is one prayer said while purifying the chalice. For reasons unknown to me, wine is not used in the ablutions in the N.O., only water.



Cues for the Laity? You should be kneeling at this point, especially after having communicated. You are praying surely to the Lord after receiving him in the Eucharist while things are going on?

General Gist:

• After the priest places the remaining particles into the chalice from the patens used at communion, he will purify the chalice and cover it up.
• After the leftover hosts/ciboria are placed back in the tabernacle, the acolyte(s) will get up and pour some wine in to the chalice, the priest will drink it and say the Quod ore sumpsimus prayer, in what is the first ablution.
• Then the servers will pour wine and mostly water, over the priest's fingertips in the chalice. The priest drinks the remainder of liquid and wipes it clean, in what is the second ablution. He wipes his fingers with the purificator prior to consumption, and dries the chalice with the purificator.
• The servers/MC/deacon help to "rebuild" the chalice with the priest after the ablutions. In addition the MC/acolyte will transfer the missal back to the Epistle side.

Relevance

• In the first ablution, the priest is asking that our Communion is both physical and spiritual, that is, productive of grace in our souls, and that partaking in the Sacrament of the Eucharist in this life, may being eternal happiness in the next. (174, The Latin Mass Explained). Also in the prayer is reference to the Eucharist as temporali fiat, a temporal gift, as while God is eternal, this Communion is taking place at a specific point in time. By means of this temporal gift, Our Lord achieves the union of soul with Himself. The Lord uses this Singular Act as a remedy for our souls. (186, The Holy Mass).

• In the second ablution, we ask that we experience the efficacy of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. We ask it cleaves to its inmost parts of our soul, which are understanding, free will and memory, with cleaving meaning that it remains there for a long period of time. (175, The Latin Mass Explained). Also that it removes from us our sin (save lingering Mortal Sin, which is only removed upon Reconciliation). Also water is co-mingled with the wine, as the Blood of Our Lord is no longer there [as what the server poured in is unconsecrated wine.] (187, The Holy Mass).

• Why the ablutions anyways? It is mainly out of respect for the Holy Eucharist (175-176, The Latin Mass Explained).
• The wine and water are poured in and consumed to remove all existing traces of both species of Christ.
• Water is poured over his fingers to remove any trace particles of Eucharist from the priest's fingers. Until such time at the 2nd ablution, he remains with hands folded/fingers pinched at the forefingers so nothing is touched with those finger, where the priest used those fingers to handle the Sacred Host. He does not want any leftover parts of the Eucharist to be left on anything else.

32. Communion Verse

Is This in the Novus Ordo? Partially. The antiphon portion is present in the N.O., but only a "postcommunion" prayer is present. The antiphon is often ignored in the Novus Ordo (sadly.)

Cues for the Laity: Before the responses, you are kneeling, and continue to do so for the Low Mass. At the high Mass and higher, you will stand at the responses between Priest and server.  

General Gist: After the priest has finished the ablutions, he goes to the Epistle Side [where the Missal has been transferred since] and reads the communion verse/antiphon from the Missal. He then goes back to the middle of the altar saying "Dominus Vobiscum" with the reply being "Et cum spiritu tuo." The priest says "Oremus".

Relevance:

• When the priest says domunis vobiscum to the laity, he gives expression to his desire that the Lord Whom they have received, may always abide in them, according to His own promise in John 6:57: "He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me, and I in him."

33. Post Communion

Is This in the Novus Ordo? Yes. It also is a changing prayer for each day. It is tied with the Communion antiphon, but the prayer itself is simply titled, the ``Prayer after Communion.``



 

Cues for the Laity: If it is a Low Mass, you still are kneeling. If it is a High Mass or higher, you are still standing after the responses.

 

General Gist: The Priest returns to the Missal and prays once more. In number and subject the Post communion corresponds with the collect and the secret (178, The Latin Mass Explained). After the prayer, the server (sometimes laity) reply "Amen", and the D.V. and E.C.S.T. reply take place again.

 

Relevance:

• The prayer portion of this part always mentioned Communion that we have just received (188, The Holy Mass; 178, The Latin Mass Explained).
• This prayer is an act of thanksgiving and reminds one of Colossians 3:17: "All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." (178, The Latin Mass Explained).

 



Works Cited
1. Moorman, Msgr. G.J. The Latin Mass Explained. Tan Publishing: Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.A. 2010.

2. Gueranger, D.P. The Holy Mass. Baronius Press Limited: London, United Kingdom. 2005.

3. Coalition in Support of Ecclesia Dei. Latin-English Booklet Missal for Praying the Traditional Mass. Coalition in Support of Ecclesia Dei: Glenview, Illinois, USA. 2008.

4. The Ordinary of the Mass. The Daily Missal and Liturgical Missal with Vespers For Sundays and Feasts From the Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962 With Supplements Containing The Additional Masses for Englang and Wales, Scotland, United States and Australasia. Summorum Pontificum Edition. Baronius Press: London. 2009.

REMINDER: Latin Mass Serving Group Practice This Friday July 26, 2013 8pm at St. Lawrence

Hello Everyone.

This is just to remind you of the open, Latin Mass altar serving practice this Friday evening at St. Lawrence the Martyr, Scarbourough, at 8pm.

Please see further details here: http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/07/annoucement-july-26-2013-practice-for.html

If you are interested, though you are not on my usual mailing list, please send me an e-mail under the contact page ASAP.

Pax, Julian.

Off the Beaten Path: Raising a Large Catholic Family, Even Without the Latin Mass

UPDATE 23/07/2013

While on the theme of parenting and raising a well-adjusted family, this article popped in my Facebook news feed. Traditional Catholic culture and manliness do intersect in a number of occasions, and this is one of them:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/07/22/family-culture/

Once you read though this article, you can clearly see that the Catholic Traditional attitude and practice of raising a family, contains many of these principles and more, superseding material bounds and limitations. Still, even lukewarm Catholic parents to be and families could benefit from the advice in the article. It's not just a "trad" thing.

On a side note, Art of Manliness is an excellent site for learning about, and reclaiming, traditional men's culture, values, etc. Definitely look around.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Everyone.

On occasion, I do delve into things that are centered around Traditional Catholicism, but are not directly related to the Latin Mass, the culture if you will. Many posts ago I highlighted something on Catholic Parenting.

While I personally detest the hard line ``Mad Trad``/SSPX sympathies of this blog, Rorate Caeli does provide a source of online TLM news and often features Latin Masses that are done. In addition to when they are not allowing content that I detest, they produce a "diamond" on occasion. That "diamond" today, is in an account of a family who explains how they raised their kids Catholic, and how their kids KEPT the Catholic Faith. This is part of an ongoing request for large, Catholic, Traditional, homeschooling families to show it can be done in this messed up modern world.

The original link is here: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2013/07/guidance-for-young-parents-how-to-raise.html

Still, I am going to repost this in full. I think it's entirely important to do so, because it's an all encompassing post, and there is much needed into TRULY having a Catholic Family, not just one or two main things. Important points will be in bold and my commentary in square brackets.

The only reason I'm writing you is because young families DO need inspiration.

I thought I could add a tidbit to the "inspiration" because thanks be to God, our children turned out well, with no heartaches and a great spiritual "togetherness". The hardest part is letting go, but they belong to God in the first place, anyway.

We are a very private family (NOT outgoing) and we are NOT a large family (as you requested) NOR EVEN a homeschooling family (as you requested), so we don't fit the mold but it takes all kind of families to raise good children in good Catholic environments. 

We only had 5 children (we married late in life 30 and 33). 3 are priests with the FSSP, a married son with 7 children (they homeschool) and our daughter-in-law has 2 Catholic blogs and a married daughter with 6 children (they also homeschool). Son-in-law teaches at a Traditional Catholic Opus Dei boys school. They both graduated from TAC (Thomas Aquinas College in Ojai, Calif.) Some of these 13 grandchildren already talk of vocations. [As you can see, right of the bat, the parents were NOT of the traditional Catholic homeschooling, Latin Mass stereotype. There CAN be vocations even to the EF wings of the Catholic Church from ordinary Catholic families. continue on to see how they did it ...]

Since our engaged days my husband and I both agreed that only one thing mattered. Getting each other to heaven and getting our children (whatever children God sent us) to heaven.

 

The first outing for each of our children was going to Mass. They were baptized ASAP. [God and their souls first.]

They learned to kneel and bless themselves for nightly prayers before or at the same time that they learned to walk. They went to "Catholic" schools but we stressed that they were there for education and because they had more discipline than public schools. They were not there for catechism or to learn their Faith, this they would learn at home.

They learned their catechism at home from the Baltimore Catechism. They knew it better than the "Catholic" teachers and nuns, who more often than not only taught "social" messages. (Sandinistas, wishy-washy "Love", Church of "Nice"), while their orthodoxy was ridiculed or slighted before others, but they learned to endure and forgive though they suffered as the "odd man-out" in school. They learned "white martyrdom" at a very young age. 

The boys quit serving Mass when girls were introduced as altar girls, and a few other boys followed their lead. The girls were then delegated to helping set up the altar linens and other tasks. Some of their mothers complained but the boys came back. Unfortunately in later years, when our boys were long gone, this policy got re-established.

At Mass when very young, though they could not read, we let them hold the missalettes and pointed to where we were at that point in Mass. They behaved better than a lot of adults who wanted to Kootchi-Koo them and we would turn their heads to the front reminding them that Mass is in front not in the back or the people around them. Though we only had Novus Ordo Masses we taught them to fight the distractions. 
[Again. They did NOT have the TLM to help them. They did this all in the Novus Ordo Mass. The KEY difference is they taught even while young the emphasis of what was happening there, and not feeding them cheerios and toys and letting them run loose. They were disciplining them to worship our Lord in the Mass. They did NOT indulge their children's selfish whims.]

It wasn't until they were grown that they had the opportunity to attend the TLM Masses and they learned to really appreciate them.   

We looked upon them not so much as OUR children, but GOD'S children that had been confided to our care and we raised them as God's children. Its like they were a blank cassette (nowadays it would be CD or DVD) and they would pick up from us whatever they heard and saw.

We just raised them as Catholics are supposed to be raised. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Saying the Rosary, making visits to the Blessed Sacrament, dressing properly for Mass Sundays and occasional weekdays, regular confessions, morning and evening prayers.

But we were an ordinary family, Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, Piano, Guitar, various summer sports (swimming, baseball, tennis, soccer etc city-sponsored stuff) and picnics with trips to zoos etc., just our family with an occasional friend. Almost no TV: mostly "Mr. Rogers".  

They learned to discern at an early age and if I had the radio on because I could not hear the words only the tune, they themselves would turn it off and tell me "that's a bad song, mom". 

If we got angry with them when they misbehaved or went off the track, we would explain why we were angry and apologize but explain that it was our duty to teach them, their duty to learn and that only one thing mattered : "doing God's Will". 
[So Important!!!!! See my commentary in the bullet points below]

People at our Parish ask us "What did you do?" We can't really tell them except we're an ordinary family bringing up God's children the way God would expect us to. 

We saw our children as a grave responsibility and we only get one shot at bringing them up. Start guiding them from the day of their birth for as the sapling grows so grows the tree. 

I was frightened at the grave responsibility and when each was born I placed them in Mary's hands and asked her to help me bring them up. So it really is more her doing than my husband's or mine.

In summary, marriage is between 3 people, not 2, God being the head of the other 2.
------------------------------------------------------

In my evaluation, were I to give a bullet point list of what this family did right to raise their kids Catholic and KEEP THEM CATHOLIC, Here it is:

• They did not treat marriage as an everlasting bliss. They committed to their Marriage as a SACRAMENT, not a special occasion or milestone. "... marriage is between 3 people, not 2, God being the head of the other 2."

• They were open to life, as is supposed to be agreed to by the couple upon marriage in the Catholic Church. What is NOT SAID openly but implied, they did not abort, contracept with pills, condoms, etc., and had as many children as their biology allowed them to.

• They both AGREED in full, that their obligation to their children was to instill in them the virtues and habits necessary to get to Heaven. This was their number one priority with their children, NOT making them future doctors, lawyers, etc. with large money-making jobs, or seeing them as the next professional athlete, or whatever the kids want to their hearts content. "We saw our children as a grave responsibility and we only get one shot at bringing them up. Start guiding them from the day of their birth for as the sapling grows so grows the tree. "

• The majority of Catholic school education must NOT be trusted due to lukewarm Catholics being your teachers, warped by the same "Jesus loves everybody" garbage they were taught and most parents of today were fed in their schools. What must be taught to the kids is: "... they [are] there for education and because they had more discipline than public schools. They [are] not there for catechism or to learn their Faith, ..." If you are blessed with more money and possibly, private Catholic schools in your area or homeschool groups, then you could have your child in those if they are orthodox.

• Furthermore, your spouse MUST be 100% committed with you, in teaching the true, unaltered Catholic Faith to your kids as parents, at home. This is EVERYTHING from gestures of prayer (e.g. genuflection to the tabernacle entering and leaving the main body of the church) ... to the Major doctrines and dogmas of the faith (e.g. Scripture, abortion, contraception ...). If your husband/wife to be is NOT 100% committed to this, you will either have major problems with her/him or your kids. It would be highly best to NOT marry them, and let them have their way with a lukewarm Catholic partner or someone not Catholic. This does NOT mean your future partner in marriage needs to be a stereotypical "trad" who will homeschool, but they must be 100% committed to the Catholic Faith with you.

• You MUST prepare your children, and yourselves to undergo "white" martyrdom against your family, lukewarm friends, even their teachers, "role-models" and even certain CLERGY AND RELIGIOUS!!! You will be harassed, insulted, taunted, etc. by those who do not want to truly practice their Catholic faith or find your methods ``archaic`` for lack of a better word and have embraced the modern world and its parenting ideologies, and modern theologies.
• NRSV Matt 10:34-36: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶ and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
• The last of the Beatitudes in NRSV Matt 5:11-12: ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
• Basically, your family will be harassed and insulted for the Faith. If they are not prepared for the insults and harassment, you, collectively, will be too weak to withstand the teasing and will falter in your attempts, and maybe give up. This can be especially hurtful to the kids growing up, so they must be made strong while they are young.

• You MUST teach your children that the Mass is NOT an obligation to just attend and go. IT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PRAYER TO THE LORD, AND DEMANDS YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN's FULLEST ATTENTION! In addition, you must not let your kids be distracted from it by toys and cheerios and teach them that their whims are not important ... JESUS ON THE ALTAR IS IMPORTANT!!!

• "We looked upon them not so much as OUR children, but GOD'S children that had been confided to our care and we raised them as God's children. Its like they were a blank cassette (nowadays it would be CD or DVD) and they would pick up from us whatever they heard and saw." You must understand YOUR actions will affect your child's faith life and their conduct in the world. You are their primary educators and teachers of morals, the Catholic faith, etc. You cannot just leave others to teach your kids. YOU ARE THEIR BEST TEACHER AND ROLE MODEL and must have this idea of the "Tabula Rusa" in mind. You are the one with the stylus writing on their "tablets".

• In terms of the parenting and their children's exposure/interests:
• They did NOT allow their children to be exposed to the multitude of sinful, immoral programming and entertainment on the TV, Movies, etc.
• They only went out with other trusted families or friends. Not mentioned: clearly, those who did not have similar ideas with regards to parenting, the faith, etc. or children with bad influences. They ensured that positive peers/role models with the utmost attentiveness to the Catholic Faith were allowed to be with their kids.
• They allowed their children to pursue interests that would help them mature and develop their natural, God-given/Holy Spirit-given talents and abilities. They were not allowed to pursue those that would not do so.
• They were allowed to pursue other interests in their spare time, period. They were not always having a constant infusion of Religion and faith 24/7 to the point of denying them even basic interests/friends/outings, etc. In other words, the parents were not extremely authoritarian.

• "If we got angry with them when they misbehaved or went off the track, we would explain why we were angry and apologize but explain that it was our duty to teach them, their duty to learn and that only one thing mattered : "doing God's Will". This is important:
• Parents are the earthly expression of God/Jesus' love for us. We get our understanding and our reflection of God through them. If the parents in general are not doing such, we will have a poor understanding of the Lord.
• Children do need discipline to be able to not become selfish miscreants. The world doesn't 100% work that way. It has many a vice and means for being selfish and sinful/serving the devil while being a part of it, but it will not allow extremes such as wanton crime and murder, or anarchy. Without discipline, a person will have to learn the "ways of the world" the hard way, or "sink or swim". Not a good prospect.
• On the opposite hand, if the child does not understand the discipline of the parents, or find it just to be for their selfish desires, they will rebel against the parents who did not discipline out of love, but out of cruelty or their selfish emotions.
• I can personally attest to this. Growing up, I was made to dress up for Mass, was made to sit up straight in the pew, be quiet, etc. I was also disciplined through yelling and sharp comments upon immediate violation of rules or something that my parent's didn't like. I received no explanation for the actions (until recently as an adult). I only viewed what they wanted of me as following orders. I did not understand why to do all that for Mass, and they did not tell me what the Mass was truly all about. Their focus was also more on materialism in terms of jobs, success, etc. Is it no wonder when I went away partially to university (home on weekends) I didn't care as much about my studies and rebelled against my Faith? And if they do ever see this someday. I am 100% unapologetic for writing this. I came back and reverted to my faith, understood what the Mass was all about, dress up more and attend Mass willingly on my own, by doing this all myself, with support from youth ministries. My reversion was not of my parent's hands. And as for "well we gave you the basics so of course you came back", it sure didn't keep me there. I had to re-discover the Faith and choose this all on my own. The "training" failed.

And there you go. Enjoy the post and the bullet points.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

Reflection and a Highlight: Current Online Activity on Catholic "Trad" Blogosphere as of 19/07/2013

Hello Everyone,

There has been much activity going on in the "Trad" blogosphere as of late, and much commentary has been flying around with regards to a number of issues, all with a common thread. The issues are:

1) Criticism of a lay professor, Dr. Tracey Rowland from Australia, after she gave a speech on what from the perspective of the layperson, prevents others from attending the Latin Mass and why the Latin Mass should be valued. I currently posted a highlight from another blog who put the main points of her Sacra Liturgia 2013 lecture online, here.

2) Catholic Answers recently hosted a show called ``Radical Traditionalists``, which receive very heated action, likely from the very people the show was trying to address. They have since posted a reflection piece AND will be revisiting this topic in future on their ITunes Podcast radio show to give those people a chance to rebuttal or speak out on them.

3) I have noticed in and around my diocese, as of late, a lot of postings on the issue of sanctuaries and desecration thanks to concerts in the church body (including sanctuaries), coupled with modesty. Unfortunately, not all has been positive surrounding this discussion and the amount of posts are increasing in number as the days go by from the initial event that sparked all this.

4) That with (1) - (3), the central link binding all of these posts, seems to be, once again, the radical or reactionary replies by certain members of the traditionalist communities to all these events, and the refusal to stop giving stereotypical examples of what the church views Traditional Catholics as, via their actions.

I was going to go through these issues step by step, and really lay on things in a two-part post I initially created. However upon reflection, I have decided that it is better to be shorter about everything with some reflection and shorter commentary, and to pour my feelings/heart out a little.

On the first issue, the professor, whose main points from Sacra Liturgia Rome 2013, I highlighted here, states some barriers from the perspective of the average lay-person that are preventing them or intimidating them with regards to the Latin Mass. Some blogs have taken issue with what she said because it was perceived another attack on trads everywhere, or dismiss her concerns as hogwash. However, not all traditional blogs are agreeing with the attacking parties. Some are viewing the speech for what it's worth, such as this highlight I have indicated in the left side of my blog as a "Defender against Rad Trads", Mary Victrix. Please see this Holy Priest's commentary on the issue here.

On the second issue, while highlighting the radical traditionalist groups who express a willful disobedience from the Holy Mother Church a.k.a. "Rome", a number of people took to the caller lines and e-mails and fired off again, perceiving another "attack on the trads." Because of this, Catholic Answers now has identified another group amongst them, one who I have reflected upon here on occasion under different descriptors: The "Mad Trads" as they now call them. These Mad Trads are inside the canonical laws and legalities of the Church, as in they aren`t adherents of the radical societies e.g. SSPX, attending valid and licit diocesan Latin masses, and are defined by the following, anti-Catholic behaviours:
" ... if you accept the norms of the Second Vatican Council, to a Mad-Trad you’re a "Neo-Catholic," a misguided liberal; you know, like Mother Angelica and Blessed John Paul II. The main Mad-Trad hobbyhorse is strident resistance to the Second Vatican Council and all its pomps and all its works. The Catholic charismatic renewal is frequently singled out for tarring and feathering, despite (or because of?) strong papal support of that movement since the late '60s. Further, in addition to a strange attraction to conspiracy theories involving Jews and Masons, Mad-Trads tend invariably to reject the position of the Catholic Church regarding the 1984 consecration to Russia by Blessed Pope John Paul II as requested in 1917 by our Lady of Fatima. In the face of repeated affirmations by the Holy See to the contrary, Mad-Trads say that consecration didn’t “take” because her request was not fulfilled...."

Catholic Answers` reflection on the bombardment of hate mail and commentary is here. By the way, they are giving another chance for people to vent their criticisms in a second upcoming Catholic Answers Live radio broadcast, so they aren't being close minded.

Sadly, the third issue just won`t die. Not to mention I found another traditionalist blog, in another diocese outside but neighbouring Toronto`s, that has joined the fray on this issue. While I get the whole issue of sacredness of the Church, the loss of the concept from the public, and proper dress and decorum, the ``dead horse keeps getting kicked``, along with cries of non-repentance and continual persistence, even on events that have happened more than a year or so ago. The one that keeps getting touted was the cabaret concert in St. Michael`s cathedral with an ``Angelica.`` Worse, additional negative mention of the Archdiocese of Toronto and it`s office, and my Eminence, ++Collins, are also featured in one entry, because ++Collins mentioned to the youth at a pub night I attended at the Duke of York in Toronto, what exactly destroys Catholic discipleship: elitist, close minded communities who `take it upon themselves as their own magisteriums` [my words], and act as if they are more ``C``atholic than others. The link is further below in this posting.

This leads me to reflect and comment on the final tie in issue: More criticism, reluctance to accept feedback, and un-charity that has been expressed online from SOME elements of the ``Mad Trad``/radicals/whatever-you-want-to-call-them, etc.

What really sickens me, spiritually and to my heart, as someone who altar serves within the EF of the Roman Rite and is a part of these communities, is the sheer reluctance of these bloggers and other members of such communities, to truly listen to valid arguments and criticism, and to keep on mis-representing those who attend the EF or are "Traditionally Catholic". I am not the only one saying this. Fr Angelo at Mary Victrix, says this with regard to Prof. Rowland's video, but also encompasses what I've witnessed flying around the blogosphere in the past few weeks:

".... I would have suggested a fourth reason why there are people who might otherwise attend the EF who don not: 4) that the EF movement shows a habitual resistance to the most respectfully delivered critique, even when it comes from a sympathetic source. It seems to go largely unnoticed that Dr. Rowland is simply pointing out a fact that any fair-minded person with experience in the matter can verify.  There are a significant number of people who stay away from the EF, not because they have an aversion to the liturgical form of 1962, but for the reasons which Dr. Rowland mentions...."

For that matter, it seems that you cannot critique, or even say anything out of Catholic fraternal love at all to these types. All you seem to get at the end is more defiance, bitterness, and sharp and bitter rebuttals, laced with anger, with possible harassing phone calls, e-mails, even threats. Such reactionas are ironic. Often a time, the Conservative/Trad Catholics online, and in person, criticize liberals for having that same reaction when anything pre-Vatican II, proper theology, catechesis, etc. is presented to them. Yet, these online examples, show these Mad Trads as C.A. calls them, that they are over-reacting in destructive ways, no different from their `peers` on the left.

Worse, one post I read, even addressed issue 1) above, and in reply, it's the CATHOLIC LAITY who are to blame for not coming to the Latin Mass! Yes, it's their fault ENTIRELY for being resilient to the Latin Mass! Wow, that is just disappointing, and quite hurtful at first glance. I am sure that kind of deduction and mention will encourage many of the Novus Ordo people to come and explore such beautiful worship.

This above is not the proper approach to take to attract more Catholic to the Latin Mass. What we should be doing instead, is educating the people, and encourage them (and even go with them) to attend the Mass. That is why, at the very start of this blog, I created a Q and A posting, which you can find under my Latin Mass serving stuff at the right side page link of this blog. It's the Part 1 of the Q and A, but for your convenience, I've linked it here. Further, what ever happened to realizing that our fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ are sinners, and weak as humans? We need to assist them in their spiritual journey, and help them come to the Lord. Even our own Lord told those who were seeking the Truth to simply, "Come and See," amongst other things in the Gospel.

And this brings me to the reflection portion of this post. Once again, my heart dips with sorrow and doubt at being part of the EF/Traditional Catholic community.

As a young Catholic, practicing male, I hate to wake up in the morning, encountering anywhere from every week to even daily, another EF blog criticizing another Catholic or wrong practice, without solid argumentation, reasoning, etc. because they do not fit the "profile" or desires of these Mad Trads. I hate to see yet more calls of defiance, stating I/we will continue to blog about this till kingdom come. How prideful!

I hate to continue to witness my archbishop, being criticized and assaulted when clearly he is better than most bishops that are in their positions in the Catholic Church, all because he rightly called out what he knows to be divisive elements in our Church working against the Body of Christ [See from 13:20 onward] and the Works of the Lord. And these elements do not just stay in the EF realm or the OF realm, but attack both areas of the Roman Rite. In fact, my bishop should NOT have to warn the young people to avoid these types. There should not be 'elitists' in the Catholic Church at all, even within our archdiocese. Sadly, he must .... he clearly knows about these bloggers' actions online and these groups, and the damage they do to the faithful.

++Collins also mentioned that he personally detests being an authoritarian, and only when needed, to bring his crosier down. He has only done it once. I shudder to think one day he might have to swing his "crosier down." I hope to God this does not happen because of the actions of a few. It would be a depressing blow for the Church and a great treasure would be lost to the archdiocese if the Latin Mass was banned from Toronto, or at least from its properties they take place in (a.k.a. the actual Churches, shrines, chapels, etc), and the Latin Mass is forced back to hotel conference rooms in secret, despite Summorum Pontificum and Ecclesiae Unitatem. By the time the letters would be written to Ecclesia Dei in Rome, it would be too late.

Personally, it saddens me to think what other young people are possibly thinking about the Latin Mass when they go exploring on the Internet in our diocese. We are the "wired" generations who use the "Google(TM) machine" as our first source of searchable info. When the main "spokespeople" for the EF with their blogs or their societies like the SSPX, outnumber voices like mine, what will they conclude? Will they want to explore the Latin Mass, or will they find those extremist voices and groups? Further, I hate doing this, but I now confess I have to tell my fellow friends, and warn them about, the said groups Collins refers to. I have to tell them to avoid certain EF offerings/ groups, or if they do go to them, only to go for the Latin Mass and to worship our Lord, but not get heavily involved to avoid all the politics and darkness. This sadly includes altar serving in those areas. I hate doing this, and harming the Latin Mass in any way, but I must protect those I care about and who care about me. I cannot in good conscience, allow for the loss of any more friends or allies to these elements in the Church, and possibly to the Devil's darkest sin of pride mixed with religious scrupulosity.

I tell you. One of these days, I would like to wake up to a day, even a week, where I see all the Latin Mass blogs talk about positive growth. I would love to see them not dishing it out on the latest target, what liturgical law or code they have broken (save those of the UTTER MOST NECESSITY e.g. pedophile priests, attacks on our Holy Father ...), and should commentary be done, that it is done in a firm, yet Charity-filled matter. I would love to see instead of Latin Mass groups, societies, bloggers, etc. attacking someone who discussed problems with the rite, suggesting solutions to the problems mentioned by those such as Prof. Rowland.

But for now, I guess like Christ, I will have to suffer more a the moment as one who partakes in the EF of the Roman Rite. Perhaps, everyone, would you say some extra prayers for the Latin Mass communities, for those who need to become more skilled at the ability of proper, Catholic, fraternal correction, and for those who are wrongly at the receiving end of such actions? Finally, also for our Holy Mother Church. It would be appreciated.

Sadly, but Pax tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

ANNOUCEMENT: July 26, 2013 Practice for Latin Mass Serving Group

Hello Everyone,

After the Latin Mass for Sacred Heart, with a little relaxation now that high school graduations are over, it's time to get back to keeping up our serving skills. The open serving group is back on.

We will be having a group practice on Friday, July 26, 2013 at 8pm at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church, Scarborough, ON.  

Where: St. Lawrence the Martyr, 2210 Lawrence Ave. E, Scarborough, ON. It is closest to St. Lawrence Ave. E + Kennedy Rd. TTC access via Kennedy Station 43/43B bus and a 10 min walk west on L.A.E.

After evaluation of the serving done for the Sacred Heart Mass, it is decided that areas to be covered in this practice will include serving basics e.g. Postures, genuflections, basic operations throughout the Latin Mass.

The serving group is always looking for new servers! If you are an adult or young man who wants to start serving, please come to the practice and send me your contact information, both an e-mail AND a cell or home phone number (or that of your parents in addition to your own if you are a minor under 18) to torontotlmservers@gmail.com. . 

Also there is now an additional notice for all group members. You must now confirm with me whether you will be attending or not. This is to keep track of attendance and to contact members to discuss attendance issues if conflicts arise.

In addition, if you want to do serving outside of the group, via a Latin Mass parish and/or a Solemn Latin Mass choir in the diocese as well, I will forward your information onto the organizers, or give you information for one of the Latin Mass parishes in the diocese. Please submit all information by e-mail, not by comment boxes (more for your privacy).

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

Off the Beaten Path .... but IMPORTANT: Walk in Ajax to End Human Trafficking August 17, 2013

Hello Everyone,

This request is a little unusual for my blog, but I have been asked to pass this on by a holy, reverent, and Catholic priest I know in the Archdiocese. I hope some of you will consider this and pass on the word.

A business, called CandlePledge that operates out of Ajax, Ontario, makes beeswax bricks and candles. It can be found at www.candlepledge.org. Considering beeswax candles are the true candle preferred for the Latin Mass, it might be worthwhile to stop by (hint, hint). In seriousness, this business is sponsoring a walk that covers a serious sin of the Culture of Death in our world today, and wants to aid in combatting it.

CandlePledge is sponsoring a walk in Ajax, Ontario, that is called the "Walk for Children: Raising funds to rehabilitate child sex trafficking victims." It takes place Saturday August 17, 2013 at Rotary Park in Ajax. They plan to donate all proceeds to the Somaly Mam Foundation, that aids and empowers victims of sex trafficking.

One can find a poster for the event here on the Somaly Mam website: http://www.somaly.org/event/walk-children. In order to get a pledge form, it is best to contact by phone or to email CandlePledge directly on their site by e-mail here: http://www.candlepledge.org/contact-us/. Unfortunately, I cannot post the pdfs of the pledge form or the poster here in the blog so please use the links provided to get the poster and obtain a pledge form from CandlePledge.

Please consider this as an act of Catholic Charity and solidarity, in line with our current's Holy Father's encouragement and Papacy.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

Interesting Wanderer Interview From an FSSP Priest Post 1988 Illegal SSPX Consecrations

Hello Everyone,

I added a blog to my blogger feed from someone who is a young adult male in the USA doing Latin Mass serving and made an entry or two about altar serving. The blog is "Real Roman Catholic."

Interestingly enough, the author found an old 1990`s article from a Traditional Catholic newspaper, the Wanderer, whereby an FSSP priest, Fr. John Emerson, was interviewed at the time of the Econe illegal consecrations of the SSPX that resulted in the formation of the Institute of the Pontifical Right, the Fraternal Society of St. Peter. The original article also says he studied at the Econe seminary pre-1988 consecrations and was ordained by (then validly AND LICIT) Archbishop Lefebvre in 1981. He then left the midst of Lefebvre/SSPX and joined the FSSP when it was formed.

This is quite an interesting article as it delves into the attitudes and mindset of the FSSP/SSPX and the noted differences. Of note, the biggest revelation I got from the article, is even then, Rome actually cares about the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Bonus: The rumour of Summorum Pontificum existed as far back as before the year 2000, under the pontificate of John Paul II!

The original article in PDF is here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2014278/WandererArticle_merged.pdf
Some possibly cleaner text, and the source blog is here:
http://realromancatholic.com/2013/07/14/fr-john-emerson-fssp-speaks-on-the-original-sspx-break-with-rome/

Enjoy the Reading! A great find indeed! Julian.

HIghlight: Lay Professor from Sacra Liturgia Rome 2013 Has all the Right Ideas about the Latin Mass!!!

Hello Everyone,

I found this after going down a rabbit hole. This comes from Fr. Ray Blake's blog here:

http://marymagdalen.blogspot.ca/

The article is the majority of the text from a lay-woman, a professor from Australia who discusses problems with spreading the Latin Mass and what we must to do increase positive spreading of it, as well as some of the theo-political factors as to why we had the Novus Ordo replace it (or at least the thinking behind it that lie-berals used to make radical change post Vatican II).
http://marymagdalen.blogspot.ca/2013/06/the-usus-antiquior-and-new.html

I am copying and pasting the full text here, because there are important things to be highlighted by yours truly. The boldfaced text should be considered highly important, and a wake-up call as to how to help the Latin Mass grow, and my commentary in the squared brackets.

“I want to argue that the usus antiquior is an antidote to the ruthless attacks on memory and tradition and high culture, typical of the culture of modernity, and that it satisfies the desire of the post-modern generations to be embedded within a coherent, non-fragmented tradition that is open to the transcendent.”

“The project of the 1960s generation was one of transposing a high sacral language into the vernacular of a low mundane culture, with the result that something sacred became more mundane, and when the sacred becomes mundane, it becomes boring.”
“In wrapping the faith in the forms of the contemporary culture and generally correlating the liturgy to the norms of the mass culture, the 1960s generation of pastoral strategists unwittingly fostered a crisis in liturgical theory and practice.”
“[The 1960s generation] dismantled a high Catholic culture by removing its cornerstone and they left subsequent generations of Catholics in a state of cultural poverty, confusion and boredom.”
“A Catholic who is ignorant of [the usus antiquior] is like a student who majors in English literature but is unfamiliar with Shakespeare.”
“It may be argued that [the] usus antiquior was the one thing that could bring the warring European tribes [of the 20th century] together.”
“[Benedict XVI] compared the pastoral strategy of bringing God down to the level of the people with the Hebrew’s worship of the golden calf and he described this practice as nothing less than a form of apostasy.”
“It would be a major advance if those responsible for liturgical decisions could at least get the message that modernity has not been fashionable since the 1960s.”
“Elements of Catholic culture which were suppressed by the 1960s generation of pastoral leaders are being rediscovered by younger Catholics who treat them like treasures found in their grandmother’s attic.” [That's so right! More and more, step by step, young people of my generation and the one below, are seeking out and wanting to go to the Latin Mass. Where there is a positive and supportive community with clergy and lay leaders who respect the Tradition, practices and teachings of the Catholic Faith, without spiritually damaging negativity and liturgical/theological politics, these communities are growing steady, even so much as to require larger worship spaces for their communities!!!]
“Catholics of the post-modern generations want to know how the Church looked, how the faith was practiced, when there was a coherent Catholic culture.”
“The whole structure of the usus antiquior engenders a deeper sense that there is a sacrifice, not a mere meal… There is really no greater antidote to secularism and what Pope Francis calls a ‘self-referential Christianity’ than a reflection on martyrdom and the sacrifice of Calvary and the Roman Canon sustains a person’s reflection on this reality.”
"In an era when globalisation is regarded as a good thing and governments spend millions of dollars of tax-payers’ money to keep alive the memory of minority languages and pre-modern social practices like Morris dancing, the Church should not be ashamed of her own cultural treasures.”
“The usus antiquior should be a standard element of the cultural capital of all Latin Rite Catholics since is so effectively resists secularism and satisfies the post-modern hunger for coherent order, beauty and an experience of self-transcendence.”
“I believe that the proponents of the usus antiquior are often their own worst enemies and foster practices and attitudes which deter many Catholics from attending Masses according to this Form.” [She is definitely hitting on something here. e.g. SSPX and other known proponents online for the Latin Mass ...]
“The obsession with dissecting every minute detail of the event is a symptom of what Joseph Ratzinger called the problem of aestheticism.”
“If pastoral pragmatism and its inherent philistinism is a problem at one end of the spectrum, aestheticism seems to be the problem at the other end of the spectrum.”
“Ordinary Catholics do not want to feel as though in attending the usus antiquior they are making a political stand against the Second Vatican Council.”
“The more [ordinary] people feel as though a whole raft of theo-political baggage comes with attendance at the usus antiquior Masses, the less likely they are to avail themselves of the opportunity to attend them.” [These stereotypes of Latin Mass communities and attendees must be broken by people on both sides! On the attendee side, those who partake in these communities must go in a spirit of joy and not in protest, and be cognoscente of those who are beginning to discover this Treasure of our Catholic Faith. On the other hand, the people who are coming over from outside the Church or from the Novus Ordo, must be willing to forsake the lies told to them by family, friends, and clergy, and enter with a clean slate while not being deterred from the few poor examples that do not represent the majority of Latin Mass goers.]
“To evangelise post-modern people [the Christian narrative] has to appear to be something starkly different from the secular culture they imbibe which is a culture parasitic upon the Christian tradition but completely decadent.” [Exactly! It must not be the same feel-good, self-centered goop that society has, just in a different venue (e.g. your "regular" Catholic parish), but also not be giving the same dark consequences of the culture (e.g. self-depreciation, horrible sins ...) It must be different and provide the joy, love, and hope that our Holy Fathers have been proclaiming about the Gospel, and tried their best to be examples of in their Papacies. It doesn't matter whether your parish is Novus Ordo or Latin Mass. This must be key in the hearts and minds of every lay member and clergy member of that parish.]

Pax, Julian.

Small Personal Altar Serving News and Developments on S.U.D.

Hello Everyone.

Just a couple of quick notes.

As of Wednesday, June 10, I started to do a bit of Low Mass serving again with St. Lawrence the Martyr in Scarborough. It'll be once a week, maybe twice a week if I am lucky to get 4 or more day stretches without work between weekends.

I was a bit rusty from my last Solemn Mass so I think it's time to beef up on the basics and become proficient, as well as gain experience on my spiritual mission to become proficient in the Latin Mass as a Master of Ceremonies. Further, such experience will allow me to, hopefully, in future, be able to teach the TLM from a serving perspective (and maybe clerical if I must understand the priest parts???). Right now in my Archdiocese, it seems that MCs are having to teach the TLM to servers and priests, and the Archdiocese has no established EF division. As for VALID AND LICIT EF preaching organizations, the FSSP are in Thorold, Ontario, which is somewhat far from the core of the Archdiocese of Toronto.

In addition, I am working on the 5th part of my Q and A series about the parts of the Latin Mass. You can find the first 4 parts in the right hand side of the page in my "Latin Mass serving posts" area. It's about 1/2 way done. I also want to finish the 6th and final part of it. Then .... we get back to actual serving ... with the Thurifer posting.

Things are underway here at Servimus Unum Deum. Pax, Julian.

Deconstructing a Liberal Lie ... The Mass is Only Done in Fancy Churches and with Elaborate stuff.

Hello Everyone.

Just a quick "cool" post as it were. Liberal enemies might complain that the Old Mass can't be said anywhere, everywhere, or must be said in a Church. In other words, the Latin Mass isn't as "accessible" to the people as the Novus Ordo and is too elaborate and majestic, displaying narcissism.

Look, the normal place for the Mass IS the literal building of the Church. Having it anywhere else is NOT the standard. That INCLUDES the Novus Ordo. However, enemies of the Church associate pomp and glory and fancy things with the Latin Mass, and the general "inaccessibility" of it for the common laity.

Well, guess what .... the Latin Mass HAS (e.g. World War II), and has continued to be said anywhere, and everywhere, without too much glitz and glamour. When normal circumstances do not permit the Mass to be said in a normal church, chapel, Catholic shrine, or oratory. Here's proof:



This comes courtesy of http://www.lmschairman.org/2013/07/loftus-attacks-st-basil.html. This is a simple, Missa Lecta/Low Mass with one priest in vestments and two young altar boys. "Here is Low Mass in a basketball court - because there was nowhere else to have it, in Oxford, back in 2004. Celebrated by Fr Andrew Southwell, with the permission of the then Archbishop of Birmingham, Vincent Nichols."

So the next time that someone accuses the Latin Mass of being only elaborate and majestic and not able to reach the common Catholic Laity, or to be done outside of glorious churches, you now know that this is an outright lie.

Pax, Julian.

A Multitude of Events Today From the Vatican: Consecration of the Vatican State, New Encyclical Lumen Fidei, and Sainting of John XXIII and John Paul II

Hello Everyone,

I awoke late today with a nice weekend off ahead of me from work, only to find a number of great events happening today through our "Motherland", the Vatican State. These three major happenings are going around the Catholic Blogosphere like wild fires!

1) The Holy Father, alongside our Holiness Emeritus Benedict XVI, decided to consecrate the Vatican State to my favourite saint of all, the almighty angel warrior and commander of the armies of angels, St. Michael the Archangel!!! Considering the spiritual assault that the Evil One is launching on our souls and world in increasing intensity, it is highly appropriate to invoke the intercession of the very warrior who bested the traitor in war, banished to the depths of Hell in defeat. Beato Micaheli Archangelo, Ora Pro Nobis!!!

Coverage here: http://www.news.va/en/news/benedict-xvi-joins-pope-francis-in-consecrating-va

2) Pope Francis decided to consecrate two Vatican II popes today: John Paul II and John XXIII, the latter being the one who declared the council and oversaw its first year. Personally, I am not pleased at certain aspects of this move, and think this is a political move by the purely-Vatican II Pope with regards to worshipping the council (vs. respecting the council), not to mention that John XXIII only has one miracle, not two having the state of ``Blessed``. However, the Pope CAN declare sainthood without the requisite two miracles. Now, may you turn your attention to the excellent and precise commentary of the situation below, by Traditionalist icon and online priest, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf of WDTPRS, for the most Catholic interpretation of the events. (Psssst ..... take his word over mine)

Coverage here: http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-signs-canonization-decrees-for-john-x
Fr. Z`s insightful analysis here: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/07/wherein-fr-z-explains-what-is-really-going-on-with-the-canonizations-of-john-xxii-and-john-paul-ii/
3) Now, saving the best for last, The NEW ENCYCLICAL, CLOSING OFF THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUE SERIES OF BENEDICT XVI IS HERE!!!! LUMEN FIDEI IS RELEASED!!!!!! Definitely going to read it. The four hands of the two Popes, Benedict Emeritus XVI and Francis, penned this encyclical.

Coverage here: http://www.news.va/en/news/the-light-of-faith
THE ENCYCLICAL!!! http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20130629_enciclica-lumen-fidei_en.html
Some key points already highlighted on News.VA: http://www.news.va/en/news/the-light-of-faith-points-to-ponder

Happy reading. Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

New Altar Serving Related Items on Servimus July 2 2013

Hello Everyone!

My, it's been a while since I've done anything related to the primary focus of this blog. Life sometimes diverts you in certain ways.

So for the altar-serving hungry, here's two items for you:

1) Eucharistic Adoration at St. Lawrence the Martyr - http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/07/more-from-st-lawrence-martyr.html
The new addition is a video taken near the end when "Holy God We Praise Thy Name" is done. In addition, did you know that this is an Extraordinary Form Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction???

2) Post Latin Mass Report, St. Joseph's June 29, 2013 Solemn Latin Mass - http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/07/post-latin-mass-report-june-29-solemn.html
Thanks to one of the altar servers, Andrew R, we have ourselves a report!

Enjoy the new serving-related content. Speaking of which, I should work on that 5th part of the step by step Latin Mass Q and A. It's been a while since I've covered Latin Mass serving-related stuff ...

Pax, Julian.

Post Latin Mass Report: June 29 Solemn Latin Mass at St. Joseph's Parish "Streetsville" Mississauga

Hello Everyone.

I did put out an open invitation on my mentions of the Solemn Latin Mass this past Saturday, for anyone attending to give a report on how it went. The Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph's "Streetsville," Missisauga at 11am for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

One of the altar servers for this mass has graciously sent me a report of the Mass, to be placed here on this blog.

*****
Hi Julian, I'm one of the altar servers who assisted at the Mass of June 29th, 2013 at St. Joseph Parish in Streetsville (Mississauga).  Here follows an anecdotal account of my own experience in assisting, noting that I'm not a parishioner of St. Joseph's and that I do not speak directly on its behalf.

I was contacted directly by St. Joseph's associate pastor, Fr. Kim D'Souza, about helping out for this Mass: to that end we held a practice for five altar boys from the parish on the preceding Wednesday, going over the ceremony in general and specifically their functioning as torchbearers and the roles of Acolyte/Thurifer for the fifth server (who served as Second Acolyte on Saturday).  To my knowledge the Toronto Traditional Mass Society (TTMS) *may* have provided the high altar cards (though I would have to confirm such a detail for myself), but I gather that literally everything else (sacred music, vestments and vesture, instruments e.g. torches, thurible, candles, etc., etc.) came from within the Parish itself, alongside two sacred ministers and four altar boys recruited from other Archdiocesan parishes (recruited directly by the Parish) who generously donated their time and services for this occasion.

(And yes, this might mean the use of the term "to host" by the Toronto Catholic Witness blog was singularly incorrect - again, any desired clarification on this point ought to be sought directly from St. Joseph Parish and/or the TTMS, I think.)

The Mass itself went off without a hitch, from my perspective at least: the sacred music went very well, with a schola of around a dozen strong (expanded from four cantors in their previous Mass of Corpus Christi Thursday); the in-house sacristans were very generous with their time and expertise, and the parish has virtually everything on hand to confect future ceremonies handily; the Parish's altar boys did very well (even though the four torchbearers had no prior experience in the Traditional Latin Mass, they hit all their marks and served in a mature and dignified manner); the sermon was likewise worthy of the Feast, being preached by a priest of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Canada who was edified by the beauty of the Traditional Roman Liturgy, noting this in the sermon itself as well as in the sacristy after Mass.

So, it's onwards and upwards for St. Joseph Parish as it continues to autonomize its grounding in confecting the Traditional Roman Liturgy, and I for one look forward to the days when there will be as many Traditional Latin Masses being celebrated in the Archdiocese of Toronto as there are stars in the sky!  Christe eleison.

Pax, Andrew R.

© 2013 Andrew Rivera. All Rights Reserved.
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****
So there is development going on at St. Joseph's in terms of a Latin Mass program. This could be quite interesting. Regardless this is a good contribution here on Servimus. Thank you for your report Andrew.

Pax, Julian.

More from St. Lawrence the Martyr Extraordinary Form Eucharistic Adoration

Hello Everyone,

If you recall months back, St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Scarborough decided to add a weekly Eucharistic Adoration hour to their parish schedule.

I featured this new addition to the Extraordinary Form community in this posting back in February:
http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/02/extraordinary-form-eucharistic.html. However, to jot your memory ...

The weekly Eucharistic Adoration for St. Lawrence the Martyr, takes place on Sundays at 6pm to 7pm, before the Novus Ordo evening Mass. The benediction and adoration is done in the Extraordinary Form (in Latin) by the residing Latin Mass Chaplain, Fr. Steven Szakaczki.

The primary server for this weekly adoration, mentioned frequently here, Robin Cheung, has posted  videos taken by a parishioner of the Adoration on his YouTube(tm) channel.

The first portion with Benediction taken in the last portion of Adoration and Benediction, is here. Everyone is singing "Tantum Ergo Sacramentum", the last two verses of Pange Lingua, traditionally sung in both Ordinary Form and Extraordinary Form Eucharistic Adoration. Also, The priest gives the following response:

P: Panem de caelo praestitisti eis (Alleluia) --> "Thou hast given them bread from Heaven (alleluia.)
People: Omne delectamentum in se habentem (alleluia) --> Having all sweetness within it (alleluia.)
P: Oremus. Deus, qui nobis sub Sacramento .....



The second Video is in this link for your viewing pleasure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeslmyTV39Y. Because Robin didn't give it a unique title, Blogger cannot bring it up in a search for instant pasting into posts.



At this point in the second video, it is almost complete, with the traditional ending hymn (used both in the Novus Ordo and the Extraordinary Form,) "Holy God We Praise Thy Name". However you can tell it is Extraordinary Form as Robin bows when the Priest does, and his right hand is on his breast while carrying the thurible.

Pax, Julian.




Update on Current Rad Trad Situation in Archdiocese of Toronto: New Developments

Warning: as stated at the top of the ``Initial posting`` below, do not harass me or my friends, or the people mentioned in this posting. You will be listed for your harassment, the communications archived and unreleased, and my lawyer will be contacted. In other words, don`t try anything stupid. An no anonymous posters will be allowed.

Hello Everyone.

This is an update to the situation that is currently sweeping our diocese with some bloggers harassing a young startlet in Catholic entertainment.

The initial post I did to cover the shameful situation happening in our diocese was here:
http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/06/radtrads-once-again-stir-up-storm-of.html

I followed up yesterday with an appropriate, and (not???) coincidental highlight of a posting on Team Orthodoxy considering proper fraternal correction. The poster knew exactly what was right and wrong in these situations, with words from Holy Father Emeritus Benedict XVI and Scripture. The highlight posting is here: http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/06/highlight-not-coincidental-team.html

However, the in-fighting and the disgusting examples of these bloggers, and their close allies, continues. Some new developments have occurred:

1) A close ally of the first blogger in the initial covering post, decided to admonish the "sinners" of the sister, the starlet, and David Wang, using the sister's FB page when the sister posted a conversation in defense of her beloved family member. The ally incessantly continued to harass the family in both Facebook and messages to David Wang`s private email address(es?). The ally's manner of addressing the issue was no different than the first blogger, and highly uncharitable, lacking proper virtue. David Wang has now had to block the `warrior` of the first poster and is considering legal counsel. I, Julian of Servimus, also decided to contribute to the conversation and make known who these attackers are, as I know who this ally and the first blogger are.

At this time I will not elaborate here. All I will say is thank God I saw the light, and only took maybe a couple of sips of their brand of ``TruCath`` Kool-Aid and did not drink the whole glass.

2) The second blogger in the initial post, has made one today on decorum in churches, using the example of St. Peter`s Basilica in Rome. I know that this is related to these affairs currently happening in the Catholic blogosphere and Facebook. I do not disagree with the underlying message. In fact in my first posting, I said this with regard to the situation:

``.... 1) In a nutshell, yes, perhaps a little more clothing (e.g. a shawl or a super-lightweight long sleeve sweater) could have been worn, and the sandals/shoes kept on in the video for the sake of proper decorum. For that type of song, perhaps another venue could have been used or a soundstage/green-screen used to "mimic" a church with a disclaimer if needed. We as a whole, Catholic society, need to reclaim the sense of the sacred and that the Catholic Church is a "House of God." If concerts and the like must be done in a Church, may they adhere to Canon Law, Archdiocesan guidelines, and whatever other Vatican documents cover this topic. That is not to say people will intentionally ignore these laws, but as it seems, the artist and her team did go through lengths to secure permission with the proper authorities in the Church to do the video .... ``

However, it is not the underlying message. Were this posting done without the current events hanging around, it would have been credible and valid standing alone. However, because of the events, and what the second blogger has been doing to aid the first, this post is a passive-aggressive form of harassment online to ``shove it in the person`s`` face as it were. You can dress it in sugar and spice, but those of us following along, know it is facetiously nice.

I pray that through our Lord Jesus Christ, may the virtue of justice be restored here amongst all those who have been unfairly victimized, and the injustices committed in this situation by all parties involved, rectified by His Holy Will. May this rectification come about through prayer, repentance, sacrifices, etc. in whatever we can accomplish with His graces, and the rest from the Divine Power and Will of our Lord. Amen.

Pax, Julian.

Highlight: Not Coincidental, Team Orthdoxy Reflects on St. Peter and Paul and Fraternal Correction. Perfect in Light of the Recent RadTrad Stuff

Hello Everyone,

Well things have been are really heating up on Facebook and the Blogosphere with regard to my events spoken about in my posting here: http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/06/radtrads-once-again-stir-up-storm-of.html

So I decide to pull up my blogger feed today, and I get a fun read from Team Orthodoxy on today`s (Saturday Day, not vigil)`s Feast Day in both the Novus Ordo and the Extraordinary Form Calendars, The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.

You may view the work of this team of young, Glad Trad, Soldiers for Christ here: http://orthodoxcatholicism.com/

One writer has reflected on the Feast of St. Peter and Paul, of which contains the topic of fraternal correction. On the topic, the poster writes in reflection of the Feast Day and readings:

``There is a rich tradition of admonishment in the Church beginning with Christ and the Apostles. The Church has, in her wisdom, included admonishment, also known an Fraternal Correction, to the list of the Spiritual Works of Mercy. This spiritual work, however, tends to fly in the face of the world’s standards. Sadly, the world’s standards have affected many of us, and so, like myself in the story above, we struggle with being corrected. The world encourages us to be our own measure of right and wrong, and so when someone corrects us, if we have even a small amount of the sin of pride, our defences go up and we want to fight or run the other way. Have we seen this in our own lives? How many of us tend to let things slide instead of dealing with our brother or sister in Christ? In Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s Message for Lent in 2012, he spoke on this very fact stating that, “It is important to recover this dimension of Christian charity. We must not remain silent before evil. I am thinking of all those Christians who, out of human regard or purely personal convenience, adapt to the prevailing mentality, rather than warning their brothers and sisters against ways of thinking and acting that are contrary to the truth and that do not follow the path of goodness.”

Those are some mighty words. Yes, many people, including your lukewarm ``c``atolic friends live life not as Catholics but as if they were secular atheists with a sprinkling of Jesus at Chrsitmas and Easter. Many will not correct their friends or family when it comes to moral and ethical issues, many of them usual being sexual stuff (e.g. contraception, abortion, homsexuality, etc.). Worse, as implied, society forces upon us the adoption of relativism, where you are ok and I am ok with our values as long as we do nothing. Tough beans. If you are a practicing Catholic, the world will hate you, and your very way of life is offensive to others.

Now some of you are likely thinking in the back of your minds `Yes I can chastise my hedonistic friends and liturgical violating idiots in my life!!!! NO WAY!!!! FRATERNAL CORRECTION IS NOT MEANT TO BE BULLYING, HARASSMENT, OR A LICENSE TO SLANDER AND DETRACT OTHERS. In fact, the author continues, knowing that the opposite extreme of vices exist:

`` .... There are those who use the concept of “Christian Admonishment”, and beat people into the ground with their words. This is not what Christian Admonishment is at all. Pope Emeritus ... said, “Christian admonishment, for its part, is never motivated by a spirit of accusation or recrimination. It is always moved by love and mercy, and springs from genuine concern for the good of the other.” If this is not the case, we need to shut our mouths. The bloggersphere is a breeding ground for unhealthy conversation and public humiliation. Our Blessed Lord, however, set the standard for how to deal with one another.  He states:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matt 18:15-17).

Whoa! That is quite a lot. Unfortunately, there are but one too many examples of this happening daily in the Catholic Blogosphere, and sadly the bulk is done by a minority of self-governing authorities and bloggers who are the ``mouthpieces`` of Traditional Catholicism and the Latin Mass.  They embarrass us, and give our enemies in the world and the institutional Church good reason to hate anything Traditionally Catholic, believing in the lies of the ``Spirit of Vatican II.`` Over these past few days I have seen a number of anonymous bloggers with a few, notoriously known ringleaders in my Archdiocese rip apart a family involved in Catholic entertainment. Because David Wang, famous frontman of the Catholic rock band, Critical Mass, led the charge to defend a young female artist of the likes of Kathleen Dunn, Chris Bray, and others, the primary culprits who have refused to put the words of Scripture above and these messages of the Holy Father Emeritus to Heart, haved named all those who side with the artist, ``Wang`s Warriors``. (Though in honest credit, there is no racial slurs there in the statement, with the racial slur being the connection of someone being Asian and knowing martial arts. Rather this was just a moniker thrown at the young woman`s defenders).

The main point is: Fraternal Correction must be done with love for the person`s being and eternal salvation. When it is done out of a manner of liturgical, moral, etc. enforcement, it is done as a hateful control mechanism which debases the person`s dignity, a la Judge Frollo of the Disney Co. rendition of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or, as has been quoted by a couple of people, General Javert in Les Miserables (with Russell Crowe doing a marvelous job portraying the merciless and legal-obsessed captain in the recent remake). Further, one should logically, and rationally, do it in the manner dictated by Christ in his Gospels. That`s what a normal person does, going up the Chain of command. And yes, that does including trusting (to a certain extent) in Church authority in governing spiritual Matter. Ever heard of the Pastor, Bishop, Nuncio, then Vatican (Pope, congregations)???

Finally, the author of this post on Team Orthodoxy, leaves off with this:
"Catholic communities need to be built upon charity. This is obvious. You can really tell the spiritual maturity of a Catholic Community by how well the members bridle their tongue and speak in truth and charity. Our wonderful Pope Emeritus reminds us that, “the Lord’s disciples, united with him through the Eucharist, live in a fellowship that binds them one to another as members of a single body. This means that the other is part of me, and that his or her life, his or her salvation, concern my own life and salvation.” In the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis, Cain turned against Abel and killed him in cold blood. When God asked where Abel was after Cain murdered him, Cain responded, “I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?”(Genesis 4:9) "

So go spike the stats of Team Orthodoxy, and have a Happy and Holy Weekend. Go to Mass, especially the Extraordinary Form if you can attend in your diocese.

Pax, Julian.

RadTrads Once Again Stir up a Storm of Vitriol in Traddie Land and Harass a Family to Boot

BIG BOLDED WARNING!: I AM BEING THE MOST CURT I HAVE EVEN BEEN IN THIS POST, AND I KNOW "SPIES" WATCH MY BLOG AND HAVE SYMPATHY FOR RADICAL TRADITIONALIST GROUPS AND OTHERS WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER CONDUCT AS TRADITIONAL ROMAN CATHOLICS. SHOULD YOU REPORT BACK TO YOUR MASTERS AND YOU OR THEY, OR OTHERS INVOLVED, DARE TO SEND ME OR MY FRIENDS THREATENING E-MAILS OR ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS, I WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH SAID FRIENDS, AND ESPECIALLY MY LAWYER AND MAYBE THE POLICE! CAN'T REMAIN IN CONTROL? CLICK ON AND MOVE ON. ITS A "FREE" COUNTRY ON THE INTERNET. I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY REQUESTS TO REMOVE MATERIAL. 

IN ADDITION, READ MY BLOG RULES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BEFORE POSTING. NO ANONYMOUS PEOPLE, AND IF YOU COMMITT THE CRIMES STATED, I WILL NAME YOU PUBLICALLY FOR YOUR INFRACTION, I WILL NOT POST YOUR COMMENT, AND IF IT IS BY EMAIL, IT WILL BE ARCHIVED AND A COPY SENT TO MY LAWYER.


Hello Everyone.

You just can't seem to escape Radical Traditionalism on the Internet. Just when you think that things calm down, another torrent of stereotypical Rad Trad problems affect the Body of Christ. This time, it decided to cross over into the Novus Ordo, in the harassment of a devout Catholic family involved in providing Catholic Christian Music.

On June 26, 2013, a certain blogger who has affiliations with the Extraordinary Form, decided that he had an issue with a certain music video of a young aspiring artist. The artist is rising up there with the likes of Kathleen Dunn of Dunn Media, Chris Bray, and David Wang and his Catholic band, Critical Mass.

After viewing the video, it was not enough for the blogger to discuss the loss of the sense of the sacredness of the sacred space of Catholic Churches and appropriate decorum and clothes, etc. There are ways to talk about such a topic with Catholic charity, and if needed, necessary fraternal correction, NOT EXCEEDING VIRTUE AND SPIRALLING INTO EMOTIONALLY ANGER AND VITRIOL.

The video in question is here. Blogger can`t find this video with the insert function, so use the link in purple.

 





Further, there were implications thrown around that the video was sexual in some scenes with a focus on the bare feet of the artist. In addition, one of the blogger's friends, who produced the video, became a target of said blogger's wrath. The sad irony in this, is that the producer made a video for the blogger about the beauty of Chant and the Latin Mass. This video is somewhere on the video network, Vimeo.

As the day went on, numerous ``allies`` of the blogger came to say, `Good job` to embarrassing and harassing the young woman publically on his internet blog for the sake of all things holy in the Church. There were valiant defenders who came to the woman`s aid over the past two days, even David Wang himself came out to support his fellow Catholic artist, but since then, those defense comments were removed from the blog and now, that blogger has put comment moderation on everything, with no anonymous comments, period. In past he has deleted comments he didn`t like and even taken down entire posts after confrontation online, so it`s no new thing. Plus I moderate my stuff anyways, knowing there`s people who don`t like me either right? .....

But that doesn`t stop there. The blogger, in continuing insistence, posted today, the 28th June, 2013, ``An Open Letter to ...`` the producer and David Wang, because they were in the wrong in this blogger`s eyes for their actions/defense, and not giving this blogger the time of day. If that was not enough, another blogger who goes under a pseudo-name, with a certain group of men who are EF supporting/Traditional Catholics, decided to support the first with his own posting. The posting starts out as a nice spiritual reflection on the hypocrisy of "c"atholics but turned into a slam fest on the Archdiocese for a concert at their Cathedral a year ago and then attacks the young artist once more.

Again, were these postings true and genuine in their approach, and the language appropriate of someone doing honest fraternal correction as Catholics, there would be no problem.

HOWEVER, once again, these individuals have taken it upon themselves in their actions, to embarrass and misrepresent the Extraordinary Form community. They have acted as elitists in their own power with no order or official mandate of the Church, who act as our Eminence ++ Collins put it in this talk to us young people at the Duke of York pub, starting at 13:10 at this video, as these ``purer Catholics``. In other words, these individuals and their supporters in their comments have functioned as Rad Trads. They have taken it upon themselves, to act as the Archdiocesan and worldwide Church liturgical police, who use detraction, slander, and calumny, to harass their `guilty parties`, which does not discriminate based on age, sex, creed, etc. Even their best friends are targets when they cause an infraction, and being an 18 year old devout Catholic female also does not protect you from their chastisements. Even certain clergy and offices (of the Archdiocese) are not immune to their attacks.

As the sole author of Servimus Unum Deum, of which my fourth major goal of this blog is, reposted from my about page:
``4) Because I am sick and tired of the insults thrown at Traditional/Latin Mass Catholics/practising Catholics: cold-hearted, nasty, radical, hypocritical, hyper-critical of clergy and other Catholics not in line with Traditional Catholicism or the EF Mass, etc. These stereotypes are lies and insults meant to slander and detract us, making us 2nd-class citizens in the Church, both by mis-educated and unwilling critics of the laity and clergy. What a social injustice!!! Even Pope Francis has called such actions (lies) the work of the Devil, under its more formal name: Slander. Our Holy Father has also told us that as Catholics we must be joyful and glad about our faith, without those "long-faces." Unfortunately, like all stereotypes, they are perpetuated by some select people and organizations. They tend to be the most "popular" mouthpieces that are active on the Internet and in dioceses, whether they are diocesan or canonically valid/invalid/in good standing as Catholics. They have provided poor examples to their fellow EF/Traditional or practising Catholics and further perpetuate the stereotypes mentioned above.

I, Julian, here with my blog, Servimus Unum Deum, hope to serve as a counter-example to those aforementioned examples, speaking with as much charity and proper fraternal correction as possible on such matters, though I will not hesitate to "call a spade a spade" when absolutely warranted. More importantly, may I and my blog serve to show that truly, most EF/Traditional Catholics are sinners who do their best to express faith, hope, and charity, while attempting to follow the Catholic faith in their fullness and put it in practice in their daily lives.

Major Messages:
Therefore, I will now say what is necessary on this matter which has caused damage to this young artist and her family, her producer, and has once again brought undeserved (for the majority,) shame and condemnation of the EF/Latin Mass/Solid and Orthodox Catholic Community.

1) In a nutshell, yes, perhaps a little more clothing (e.g. a shawl or a super-lightweight long sleeve sweater) could have been worn, and the sandals/shoes kept on in the video for the sake of proper decorum. For that type of song, perhaps another venue could have been used or a soundstage/green-screen used to "mimic" a church with a disclaimer if needed. We as a whole, Catholic society, need to reclaim the sense of the sacred and that the Catholic Church is a "House of God." If concerts and the like must be done in a Church, may they adhere to Canon Law, Archdiocesan guidelines, and whatever other Vatican documents cover this topic. That is not to say people will intentionally ignore these laws, but as it seems, the artist and her team did go through lengths to secure permission with the proper authorities in the Church to do the video.

2) However, in light of (1), the greater and more devious, even Satanic sins here were committed by members of, or who associate with the Extraordinary Form community. They have used their social media and communications to publically humiliate and harass the young artist and her family and the producer. This behaviour is stereotypical of Rad Trads, and IT IS PREPOSTEROUS!!! We are working so hard to help carry out Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's "reform of the reform" and the New Evangelization, and you go an ruin it with actions like this!!! And this is not your only occasion this has occurred! These bloggers also damage relations within the EF community in the Archdiocese of Toronto, and even criticise in a manner of insult and detraction the Office of the Archdiocese of Toronto on numerous occasions in a "We are more Catholic than you" manner. And you wonder why ++Collins has to tell the young people to watch out for types like this.

3) The only justice I can see here, would be the complete removal of the published postings on the blogs, and a formal, written apology by both bloggers, that is not general for the specific actions committed against the performer, her family, and her producer. That apology would need to remain permanent and fixed, unedited, and never deleted, for all time as long as those blogs stand.


There. I have spoken on this matter. The sad part is if they keep this up, they might just destroy the Latin Mass in my Archdiocese for good. They are not stupid and with this age of internet reporting, some people, perhaps those who had, or do associate with these individuals, will turn on them and do the same thing they are doing. And the rest of us will suffer in the politics of it all.

Why cannot we all just love one another as Christ loved us, and follow His example in the Gospels when matters of the soul absolutely had to be dealt with?

Pax Tibi Christ, Julian Barkin.

Update 0729pm
It seems that ties have been severed between the first blogger and producer of the young artist`s video. It`s a shame really. It`s as if there is no such thing as philios or the love of friendship anymore, not even in Traditional Catholicism.

Sad, but Not Unexpected .... SSPX Continues to Swell up With Pride and Closes Further Discussion with Vatican

Hello Everyone.

This just popped up in my blog feed thanks to Deacon Greg Kandra's blog:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/traditionalists-announce-definitive-break-with-catholic-church/

These paragraph say it all, which describe part of their main message on the 25th anniversary of their "ordinations":

"The traditionalist bishops announce that, in practice, the dialogue with the Vatican is over and that from now on, they will wait “either when Rome returns to Tradition and to the Faith of all time – which would re-establish order in the Church.”

Or, “when she explicitly acknowledges our right to profess integrally the Faith and to reject the errors which oppose it, with the right and the duty for us to oppose publicly the errors and the proponents of these errors, whoever they may be – which would allow the beginning of a re-establishing of order.”

Meanwhile “we persevere in the defense of Catholic Tradition and our hope remains entire,” the statement concludes."

Well, based on their actions throughout the whole thing, and Fellay's 360 degree turn around to becoming super RadTrad once again to keep the organization "together", I am not surprized they would puff up with pride again and reject Holy Mother Church once more.

When will these people and others in the Church get it? When you are not in union with "Rome" or the Church, you cannot truly do the full works of the Lord and bring salvation to others. This is especially true in their sacraments. They STILL AND NOW HAVE, Only one possible sacrament in the Eucharist as they have Valid, but ILLICIT priests (which is highly controversial), and all their other sacraments are fakes and have no validity as the SSPX does not operate under their diocesan ordinaries in the world (save rumoured and extremely rare cases).

Shame. Absolute same. The world is becoming a more hellish place, Catholicism is being eroded by all forces at the orchestration of Satan, and these guys have such planks in their eyes to help us spiritually fight evil and help restore traditional Catholic worship and practice, and save souls.

Nice going guys. Satan is truly laughing downstairs in the last layer of hell.

Oh well, pax.