WORDS TO THE WHYS

The truth will make you odd. Flannery O’Connor

About

A Treasure To Be Shared is a celebration of the true, the good, and the beautiful.

This blog is informed by the intellectual, artistic, musical, and liturgical traditions of the English Patrimony, as embraced in the Personal Ordinariates established under the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI.

This blog highlights the sacraments as celebrated in the Personal Ordinariates, especially: the Venerable English Mass, i.e., Divine Worship, a magnificent expression of the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church; the Office, i.e., Mattins, Evensong, and Compline; traditional devotions to Our Lady of Walsingham; and other cherished spiritual practices unique to the English Patrimony.

Explore... .
  • temporal and spiritual topics.
  • opinions, facts, and beliefs.
  • trustworthy Catholic resources.
Hither, Thither and Everywhither

Daily Features
    1. Ordinariate news and events.
    2. Liturgical insights and the arts.
    3. News from Catholic Canadian organizations.
    4. News on evangelization.
    5. Reports about the persecution of Christians.
    6. Catholic global perspectives on current issues.

Hence, Thence and Whence

Extended Features

    1. Monthly theme, e.g., August is the month of the Immaculate Heart.
    2. Articles from the Blog archive.
    3. Liturgical catechism, to promote liturgical literacy.
    4. An Ordinariate parish, to raise awareness among all Catholics where Ordinariate communities are present and to build communion.
    5. Peter's Barque, an apostolate featuring music videos that present the Catholic Faith in a faithful contemporary voice.
    6. PWPN Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network: the intentions of the Holy Father.
Readers are invited to think critically, avoid snap judgments, and comment responsibly.

Popular Posts

Syro-Malabar Church: The Ad Orientem and Versus Populum Debate

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The Syro-Malabar Church (SMC), an  Eastern Catholic Major Archiepiscopal Church based in Kerala, India, is visiting the issue of the orientation of the altar. That is, the orientation of the priest at the altar. The question they are visiting: should the priest face in the direction of the liturgical east (ad orientem), or versus populum (toward the people)? The SMC is an autonomous ( sui iuris ) particular church in full communion with the Pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. [Wikipedia] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/syro-malabar-synod-may-take-up-liturgy-alteration-laity-meet-today/articleshow/73062622.cms Times of India reports that the issue pertains to the difference in conducting masses in dioceses under the Syro-Malabar Church (SMC). In Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese (and most other dioceses to the north of Ernakulam), the celebrant faces the laity during the mass. H...
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Divine Worship | Form One of The Offertory

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Divine Worship: the Missal, the Missal of the Personal Ordinariates, retains the older set of offertory prayers (in the vernacular) and also includes in a separate section the shorter offertory prayers (Form II) found in the Novus Ordo Missal of Pope Saint Paul VI. The longer offertory prayers capture the sacrificial nature of the Mass. Our sacrifice - offerings of bread and wine that represent us - our hopes, our needs, our lives - is joined to the prayer of Jesus to the Father in the Holy Spirit. The bread and wine are accepted by Jesus and become by the power of the Holy Ghost the very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. See article :  https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/transubstantiation-for-beginners The one sacrifice of Christ on Calvary is made present in every valid Mass. Time and eternity meet. The congregation becomes present to the banquet of Jesus and the Apostles when Jesus established the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Holy Or...
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You know you're a REAL altar server when... .

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In a movie theatre, you genuflect before entering the aisle to take a seat. Riding a bus, sitting in class or at the doctor's office, and/or when watching TV, you rest your hands palms down on your thighs, finger tips at your knees. You can identify each and every variety of incense used in the Mass simply by its scent. You habitually wear black socks and black dress shoes... even when wearing shorts for gym class or at the beach. You turn a perfect right angle when entering a building. You have nightmares about serving Mass at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. You hear a bicycle bell ring and you drop to your knees. You can't resist the urge to lift a curtain from the bottom. You have a copy of Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described by Adrian Fortescue on your smartphone for recreational reading. You have a copy of Ritual Notes (11th Edition) on your smartphone for recreational reading. As a torchbearer, you can carry a processional candle without spilling one dr...
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Apostles' Creed Ordinariate Style

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Members of the Personal Ordinariate are familiar with the following version of the Apostles' Creed. The Creed is here ordered into twelve articles, which is a common thing to do. I believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth: and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead ; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead . I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints; the Forgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. CCC194 The Apostles' Creed is so called because it is rightly considered to be a faithful summary of the apostles' faith. It is the ancient baptismal symbol o...
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Sharing The Beauty Of Evensong In The Catholic Church

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DURANDUS | NLM Evensong is a liturgy of the Daily Office where psalms and other biblical passages are sung or said, usually close to sunset. The Latin word vesperas was rendered as aefensang  by Old English speakers, and this became "evensong" in modern English. https://singtheoffice.com/  | Music companion for chanting the Office. Variable audio support available. A very useful site! Structure The office of Vespers normally includes psalms, the Magnificat , a hymn, and other prayers. By the Early Middle Ages, it became common for secular clergy to combine Vespers and Compline . By the sixteenth century, worshippers in western Europe conceived 'evensong' as Vespers and Compline performed without break. Modern Byzantine services advertised as 'vespers' often similarly conclude with Compline . Background The Anglican archbishop Thomas Cranmer created choral evensong as a component of the Book of Common Prayer (1549) during the Edwardian Reformation, drawing on t...
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Who is Brian Holdsworth? And Why You Should Watch His Videos.

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Are you thirsty for solid Catholic content? Do you seek to raise your children in a vibrant Catholic culture that helps them become faithful adults? Are your hungry for truth, goodness and beauty? Are you tired of parish programs that waste resources and do little to feed the soul? Are you seeking to learn how you can help build up the Body of Christ? Introducing Brian Holdsworth. If you haven't watched this articulate, insightful and faithful fellow share a thoroughly Catholic understanding of the Faith, then you are invited to start by watching one of his videos. Visit Mr. Holdsworth's main site at:  https://www.brianholdsworth.ca/ Brian Holdsworth, a Catholic convert, resides in Edmonton, Alberta, with his wife and seven children. His videos are rich with genuine Catholic content, revealing a deep faith. Far from being just another "influencer" or social media personality, he is a true man of God, passionately advocating for truth, goodness, and beauty within the C...
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POPE LEO XIV Magnifica Humanitas

Even in the darkest nights, the Lord raises up men and women who refuse to give up, who persevere in doing good, who protect the vulnerable and open pathways to reconciliation. The memory of the saints, righteous people and the oft-forgotten peacemakers, show us that grace does not magically eliminate conflict, but instead it inspires active resistance to evil and an astonishing creativity in doing good” (paragraph 211).

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

I doubt not then but innocence shall make false accusation blush, and tyranny tremble at patience.

BLAISE PASCAL

Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.