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Showing posts from March, 2024

25 New Incense Blends For Catholic Parishes

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AI generated image. Can there be such a thing as too much incense? Some blends might catch on. Yes? No? Maybe? The James Martin Blend ... produces a rainbow coloured cloud that induces a bacchanalian fervour in Mass-attendees. The JM Blend tends to exacerbate a misplaced sense of entitlement. The Bergoglio Blend ... is competition for The James Martin Blend, with additional negative ecumenical side-effects. The Müller Blend ... is a traditional blend known for an ability to inspire clear thinking and to expose heterodoxy. The Big Pulpit Blend ... reaches those thirsty for truth, goodness and beauty. The SSPX Blend ... is an engaging array of scents with an angry finish. The Anglicanorum Coetibus Ordinariate Blend ... is heaven on earth! The Biden Blend ... is known to induce confusion, chaos and scandal, even in small amounts. The Pelosi Blend ... is the blend of choice for Democrat funerals that tends to attract an unwanted rodent commonly associated with the bubonic plague. The Atha

20 Additional Signs You Might Just Be In A(n) Heterodox Parish

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AI generated image. Prompt: Female minister dancing on altar with incense. The Sign of Peace becomes the Dance of Peace. The tabernacle is not anywhere to be seen. There's no business like show business like no business I know. Everything about it is appealing, everything the pastor will allow. Nowhere could you get that happy feeling when you are stealing that extra bow. Blessings of couples in irregular unions doesn't even come close to describing the oddities going on. The altar doubles as a billiard table that is used during meetings of the Knights of Columbus . Unsanctioned modifications to the Mass include they/them pronouns for God and the saints. The statues of Mary and Joseph have been replaced with Murray and Joseph. Traditional liturgical colors have been replaced with an alphabet soup of washed-out tints carefully selected by the Parish Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Council. The favoured incense is Social Justice Blend... for "High" Mass. Votive and al

The Basilica Is Silent

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G'AIP24MARCH2024 Purification of the Church Basilica tacet; fremuerunt gentes; gladius caeli findit caelum et descendit ignis sanctus. Angelorum multitudo; templum repetiit. The basilica is silent; the nations rage; a sword of heaven cleaves the sky and a holy fire descends. A multitude of angels: the temple reclaimed.

20 Oddities Discontinued In The Converting Catholic Parish

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EMDHC with Chalice The Thurible Toss. An annual fundraiser and competition to audition potential thurifers. An opportunity for parishes and/or altar servers to one-up each other. Chips & Dip. Communion hosts and salsa. Wrong! Just wrong! The Puppet Show. Click on the following link... if you dare.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_nqtp3VrU The Sung Homily. A (deleted) scene from "Mass - the Musical". The Waterproof Chapel Veil . A stylish plastic tarp for those drenching moments when the priest casts a torrent of rain during the Asperges . Liturgical Binoculars ... to enable parishioners to zoom in on the liturgical actions. Unfortunately, they were often used to admire fellow parishioners. The Liturgical Straw . Once-upon-a-time there actually was a straw used during Mass!  The fistula (variously called calamo, cannula, arundo, calamus, pipa, pugillaris, sipho or sumptorium) is a metal drinking straw used in the Roman Rite to receive the Blood of Christ in Holy Commu

Gaudium Traditionis: Crisis, Identity, Confidence

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The joy of Tradition is an integral part of the Catholic faith. The Second Council of Nicaea emphasizes the importance of holding fast to the traditions received from the apostles and the holy Fathers. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that Tradition is the handing on of what the apostles received from Jesus' teaching and example, as well as what they learned from the Holy Spirit. It further distinguishes between the Tradition of faith and the various theological, disciplinary, liturgical, or devotional traditions that have developed over time. The tradition of Christian prayer is a significant aspect of the joy of Tradition. Through the contemplation and study of believers, who treasure in their hearts the events and words of the economy of salvation, the Tradition of faith takes shape and grows.  The festive character of the Sunday Eucharist expresses the joy that Christ communicates to his Church through the gift of the Spirit. Tradition is not a stagnant museum but

Biden The Uncivilized

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Uncle Joe by Gilbert A president who...  during a state-of-the-union address, no less, decries a national court for its correction of a previous court's egregious decision that violated the dignity of life and which has led to tens of millions of deaths of unborn children; creates a mess of a national border and contributes to the ills of society by allowing innumerable ne'er-do-wells to enter a country to assault and rape young women; enables violent immigrants to go on murderous rampages that fracture families and impose misery on communities; enables lazy non-citizens to abuse social programs while homeless citizens starve in the street; is incompetent in ways that undermine order and good government; is condescending and hostile toward those who hold traditional commonsensical values; is a habitual liar and routinely pays mere lip service to issues of justice; has ruined a national economy; ... might well be called a son of perdition. Such a man can hardly be called a faith

Liturgical Committees. Why?

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The Sacred Liturgy is accompanied by necessary rules born of centuries of prayerful consideration of the necessary ritual actions, the practical and spiritual attributes, of the Mass. Those rules include prescriptions in aid of beautiful reverent service, acknowledgement of legitimate variations in custom, and directions that preserve the validity of a Mass. Those who are familiar with the older form of the Mass, i.e., the Mass conducted according to the 1962 Missal, habitually think in terms of consulting reliable guides ( The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described by Fortescue ; Book of Ceremonies  by O'Connell) in order to effectively operate the liturgical machinery. Prior to mastery, anything less than a regular investigation and implementation of liturgical principles would be irresponsible. The Lord deserves our best efforts, and the people deserve to 'see' the Lord without the distractions of shabby attitudes that manifest as strange and awkward behaviours. Minds el

Father Bux calls out "a shameless falsification".

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Fr. Nicola Bux, former consulter to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, weighs in on the Fiducia fiasco and the incremental attempts to insert confused teaching into the Church. Readers should take note of the clarity of Father Bux's challenge. Such precision and faithfulness to Tradition is an example that all Catholic clergy should practice. All clergy - from priests to popes. - - - Excerpt from: http://www.ilpensierocattolico.it/new/nicola-bux-non-esistono-benedizioni-non-liturgiche/ Infine, conviene affermare che la benedizione, in ebraico berakah , quale atto spirituale e sacro, fa memoria, loda la presenza di Dio e intercede, affinché la sua potenza discenda sulla persona o sull’oggetto e li santifichi; presenza e discesa possono essere ricondotte rispettivamente a Cristo e allo Spirito Santo: come, nei sacramenti, l’anamnesi e l’epiclesi. La benedizione nutre ed esprime la fede, attraverso il segno di croce e l’aspersione dell’acqua benedetta. La benedizione è un sa

Giving Up Pseudo-liturgical Habits of Mind And Body

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It's not about what we do in the liturgy; it's about what God does in and through the Mass. 'It' being God's invitation to communion with Him. The last six decades or thereabouts has seen a massive induction of egotism into the liturgical hall of fame, the realm of the sacred that we call the Mass. Fame, i.e., the glory and honour due to God in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the source and summit of the Christian life. (SC #10; CCC 1324). The surreptitious and at times not-so subtle actions of liturgical revolutionaries, having no foundation for their distortion of the ars celebrandi , have so successfully created a stench of strange and corrosive liturgical practices that are so foreign to authentic worship that we find ourselves as Catholics often beating our heads against a tower of human ignorance and vapid conditions entrenched in parishes and parochial schools. The task of reorientation seems almost impossible given the pandemic of lukewarm faith amo

20 Top Catholic Sites

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Sites/individuals that embody: Catholicity: faithfulness to Sacred Tradition, i.e., the Magisterium and the Bible; lex orandi lex credendi lex vivendi Intelligence: orthodox, informed, insightful;  sentire cum ecclesia Mission: the salvation of souls;  salus animarum lex maxima Ecclesiae Truth, goodness, beauty and holiness; veritas, bonitas, pulchritudo, sanctitas Daily Morning and Evening Prayer  | The Divine Office Bishop Robert Barron at Word On Fire  | Theologian and author Monsignor Charles Pope  | Preacher and commentator Fr. Raymond de Souza  | Priest, professor, commentator Fr Mike Schmitz at Ascension  | Catholic perspectives on cultural and societal issues Fr. John Hunwicke  | History, liturgics, language, culture Dr. Edward Feser  | Catholic philosopher Dr. Peter Kreeft  | Catholic philosopher Eva Vlaardingerbroeck  | Catholic political philosopher David Torkington | Spiritual theologian Catholic Answers  | Apologetics & Evangelization Big Pulpit | Catholic News &
The opinions expressed herein are largely those of the blog author. Every effort is made to conform to Church teaching. Comments are welcome.