Ars Orandi Q&A

In case you are wondering what manner of heathen is responsible for this blog, the purpose of this blog, and questions central to this blog, here you go. Here are few questions that have been posed to me on FaceBook, and few more questions that I thought might be pertinent.

Is the author of this blog a sedevacantist?

No, the author of this blog is not a sedevacantist. I recognize that there is a pope, Benedict XVI, and I recognize the legitimacy of all the post-Vatican II popes. I'm not affiliated with any sedevacantist or semi-sedevacantist group.

Is the author of this blog a priest or former priest?

No, I'm neither a priest nor a former priest. I was, however, a seminarian who studied for the diocesan priesthood for six and half years, but left after I witnessed the deaconate ordination of an openly homosexual man. I didn't stick around for his priestly ordination. I'm proud to be a husband and father of four children (with more hopefully on the way soon), with a normal and very rewarding day job.

Is the author of this blog affiliated with the Society of St. Pius X? What is the author's position in regards to the SSPX?

No, I'm not affiliated with the SSPX in any way. I am sympathetic to the work of Archbishop Lefebvre and the positions he espoused. Also, I can understand why he did what he did given the situation in 1988. I knew first hand, as a seminarian at the time, the kind of hatred the liberals and modernists in power had for traditional Catholics and the Traditional Latin Mass. I am also sympathetic to the current position of Bishop Bernard Fellay of the SSPX. Since the excommunications have been lifted, there's no need to discuss that subject, and I pray for the day that the Society of St. Pius X will have full canonical recognition by the Holy See.

Currently I assist at a Mass offered by a priest of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter.

What does the author of this blog think about Bishop Williamson of the SSPX?

I don't.

Would the author of this blog attend a Mass offered by an SSPX priest? go to Confession to the same?

I would attend a Mass offered by a priest of the SSPX, especially if no other Traditional Latin Mass were available. This is a matter of licity. Such a Mass is offered illicitly, but I can't find a novus ordo Mass in my town that is licit either. All the novus ordo priests here say the wrong words or use leavened bread, or some other such abuse. If I'm going to have to attend an illicit Mass, it might as well be a Traditional Latin one.

I would not go to Confession to an SSPX priest until the SSPX has full canonical recognition.

What is the author's views regarding the Second Vatican Council?

My views are the same held by Pope Paul VI, the reigning pontiff at the close of the Second Vatican Council:

In view of the pastoral nature of the Council, it avoided any extraordinary statements of dogmas endowed with the note of infallibility, but it still provided its teaching with the authority of the Ordinary Magisterium which must be accepted with docility according to the mind of the Council concerning the nature and aims of each document. (General Audience of 12 January 1966)

As a pastoral Council, the Second Vatican Council was a watershed event, an utterly unique Ecumenical Council. No other Ecumenical Council ever claimed to be "pastoral" in nature, or to limit itself to the Ordinary Magisterium (as opposed to the Extraordinary Magisterium). This fact alone gives us some insight into why there is so much confusion regarding this Council. As Pope Benedict XVI stated, some people erroneously regard Vatican II as a super-dogma. I don't.

What makes you qualified to manage this blog?

Well, nothing really. I do hold a Master's in Dogmatic Theology, but that degree and a buck-fifty would get me a cup of coffee. Some people's opinions mean more than others, and unlike some other bloggers, I'll tell you mine don't mean much. I'm certainly no Fr. Z, especially since I don't have my own farm packed to the hilt with electronics, nor do I have dozens of people sending me free stuff. However, I love the Traditional Latin Mass and its commensurate spirituality, and the beauty that flourishes wherever the Immortal Mass flourishes.

What's the purpose of this blog?

Read this, please: About This Blog.

Why all the pictures?

I like pictures more than words.

What is a traditional Catholic?

A traditional Catholic is anyone who loves the Traditional Latin Mass and its commensurate spirituality.

This, of course, is an extremely broad definition, and admittedly includes sedevacantists, heretics and a plethora of other wackos, but I can say the same about mainstream, novus ordo Catholics. Let it be known, though, the vast majority of traditional Catholics are decent, faithful and orthodox people who live the hard sayings and teachings. Can we say that the vast majority of mainstream, novus ordo Catholics, are faithful or orthodox, and live the hard sayings and teachings? Need I bring up Humanae vitae?

It is also limited in that it refers only to the Roman or Latin Rite Church. Nothing against my Byzantine friends, but they can get their own blogs.

What is a Method of hearing Mass?

A method of hearing Mass is a set of meditations intended to help the faithful unite themselves to the intentions of the priest and the one Sacrifice of Christ, mystically re-presented at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. There are very many methods, each providing various meditations, themes and elements on which to focus. Some methods focus on offering adoration, other's thanksgiving and praise, others make intercession to grow in virtue and overcome vice, still others focus on making reparation. The goal is a mystical union with the offering of the priest, and Christ on Calvary, His Resurrection, and His Glorious Ascension into Heaven. These methods of hearing Mass give the faithful a spiritual treasure trove, and help them to worthily assist in such a way that their whole lives are transformed by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Unfortunately the Liturgical Movement of the 20th century all but buried these methods in the past, and it is one of the intentions of this blog to rediscover that traditional liturgical piety that had these methods at heart.

Aren't the old Methods of Hearing Mass private devotions that we should avoid at Mass?

Not at all. There is nothing private about a devotion intended to unite an individual with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the public worship of the Church. Uniting oneself to the public worship of the Church is to act publicly, not privately. The nature of the question reveals a two-dimensional understanding of "active participation" that includes only vocal communal prayer. To meditate on the Passion of Christ, re-presented in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is something done internally, but it is an activity that mystically joins the individual to the public action of Christ on a much deeper and meaningful level than mere vocal prayers.

Are you saying that one shouldn't follow along in their missals during the Traditional Latin Mass?

No. Following along in the missal, paying close attention to the actions of the priest, reading each of the priest's vocal prayers, is a legitimate method of hearing the Mass. It is even recommended by St. Leonard of Port-Maurice, as posted on this blog here:

The first method of hearing holy Mass is used by those who, book in hand, accompany with the utmost attention all the actions of the priest, repeat at each of these a vocal prayer, as laid down in the book, and thus pass the whole of Mass reading; and there is no doubt that if this be united with a right consideration of the sacred mysteries, it is a most excellent method of assisting at the holy sacrifice, and of great spiritual fruit.

However, as St. Leonard points out, "few persevere in this method" because our minds "become wearied under the necessity of reflecting on the great variety of acts gone through by the priest at the altar." St. Leonard goes on to explain that there is an alternative to this method.

Many traditional Catholics, who love the reverence, mystery and beauty of the Traditional Latin Mass simply do not know that there are different methods of hearing the Mass than just this one method of slavishly following along in the hand missal.

Are you against the "dialogue Mass"?

Well, I'll tell you what I am against in this regard. I'm against people who don't know Latin slaughtering the poor language without mercy while others in earshot are trying to unite themselves by prayer and mediation to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Likewise, I'm against people drowning out the choir while they attempt to say the altar boy's responses (especially annoying when "dialogue" is being done during a Missa cantata). So, I guess I'm of the position that it's a rude practice.

And let's admit it: the dialogue Mass is an early product of the 20th century liturgical movement, and as such, it was an important step in the evolution of the novus ordo. I think it's interesting that the dialogue Mass is still around, but the German congregational choral Masses, wherein the congregation would sing hymns the whole time that the priest offered the Sacrifice of the Mass, wouldn't even be dreamed of today. I think this demonstrates how the litrugical movement's thought about "liturgical piety" as acting like ministers at the altar has permeated even traditional Catholic circles.

I would not recommend the "dialogue Mass" as a particularly fruitful method of hearing the Mass, though I'm willing to discuss this further. Right now, I'm of the opinion that the altar boys should be only people at the Traditional Latin Mass having a dialogue Mass.

Computer Tragedy

My computer it would appear is completely fried. It was murdered by gravity... or the affect of hitting the floor due to gravity.

Without the data on that computer's hard drive, it will be very difficult to keep this blog updated from my wife's computer, aside from doing what I can for the Collect of the Day. It may take a while to save up for a new system. Please feel free to use the donate button if you would like to help out.

Urgent! For those of you who are snowed in on Christmas

... or perhaps stuck in an airport terminal.

The following is an adaptation I have made from the Key of Heaven (copyright 1943) for spiritually hearing Mass and making a Spiritual Communion when one can not attend Mass. This isn't the best method, and I ought to work on it, but it will do in a pinch.

You will need your 1962 hand missal.


HEARING MASS SPIRITUALLY


Predatory Prayer: I believe, Lord Jesus, that in the Last Supper Thou didst offer up a true sacrifice; I believe it because Thou hast made it known to us through the Catholic Church, which from apostolic times has constantly taught the same to us. Since Thou didst command the Apostles and the priests ordained by them to do the same until the end of time, I, therefore, offer to Thee with the priest this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (which I believe to be one with that offered on Mount Calvary) to Thy honor and glory, in acknowledgment of my most bounden service, in thanksgiving for the innumerable benefits which Thou hast conferred upon me and upon the whole world, in satisfaction for my sins and the sins of all mankind, and for obtaining the grace of perfect contrition for my sins. I also offer to Thee this Holy Mass for my friends and benefactors, and for those to whom I am bound, and for whom Thou wilt me to pray. I also offer it for my enemies, that they may be converted, for all the faithful departed, particularly for my parents and relatives and for the welfare of all Christendom.


The Sign of the Cross


Pray the Judica Me (Ps. 42) from the missal.


Pray: God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, almighty Source of all things, my best Father, my merciful Redeemer, the Fountain of my sanctification and happiness, I, Thy most unworthy creature, venture to appear before Thee, to show Thee, my true God and Creator, all honor, adoration, and trustful submission; to thank Thee for the innumerable benefits which I have received from Thee, to praise Thee for Thy glory (for I am created for Thy praise); to implore Thy mercies; and to appease Thy justice, because I have so often and so grievously sinned against Thee. All this I cannot do in a worthier and more perfect manner than by hearing, with faith and devotion, Holy Mass. For in that Holy Sacrifice is offered to Thee the most sublime Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, the most efficacious sacrifice of supplication and propitiation, the most worthy Sacrifice of salvation for the living and dead. But because I cannot this day be present bodily at Holy Mass, I will, at least in spirit, place myself before the altar where Jesus Christ, in an unbloody manner, offers Himself, O Heavenly Father, to Thee. With this glorious Sacrifice I unite my present prayer; I fervently desire, united with the Son of God, in the strongest manner to praise, love, supplicate Thee, O Heavenly Father, to repair all the wrong and shame that I have wrought, and completely to accomplish all that can be accomplished by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. To this end give me Thy divine grace, and grant that I may perform all this with sincere devotion. Amen.


Pray the Confiteor, make a brief examination of conscience, and then pray an act of contrition.

Pray the Introit for the day and the Kyrie from the missal.

Pray the Collect of the Day.

Read from the missal the day’s lesson or epistle, and the Gospel. (Please consult Haydock's biblical commentary or a trusted priest/spiritual adviser regarding questions concerning Holy Writ.) St. Jerome recommended lectio divina as a method of spiritually receiving Our Blessed Lord's Body and Blood.


Recite the Offertory verse.


Pray: O most holy Jesus, before Thee the heavenly choirs kneel and adore; with them I lift up my voice and cry: Holy, holy, holy, art Thou, O Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy grace and glory. Thou art present, O Jesus, under the appearance of bread and wine. Hear, O hear my prayer! I strike my breast and confess my unworthiness, but with firm confidence I implore Thee, O Jesus, be merciful to me! O most benign Jesus, forgive me my sins! O holy Blood, wash me from my sins! O precious Blood of Jesus, O Blood of Jesus, rich in grace, cry out to heaven for mercy upon me! Most holy God, receive this precious Blood, together with the love through which it was shed; receive it as an offering of my love and thankfulness, for the forgiveness of my sins; in satisfaction of the punishments that I have deserved; for the washing away of the stains of my guilt, as reparation for all my neglects, and as amendment for all the sins which I have committed through ignorance or frailty; receive it also as a sacrifice for the consolation of the afflicted; for the conversion of sinners; for the recovery of the sick and suffering; for the strengthening of those who draw near to death; for the refreshment, purification, and deliverance of the souls of the departed in Purgatory. Amen.


To Thee, O most benign Jesus, I lift up my eyes and my heart. Oh, turn upon me Thy gracious countenance and Thy true love. Behold, O Lord, my manifest need, and the great danger of my soul. Receive me, O Thou Who art my only true mediator and helper! Be Thou, through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, my salvation, and obtain for me the entire remission of my sins. Oh, represent to Thy Father how cruelly Thou wast scourged, crowned, crucified, and put to death for us, and thereby reconcile with the strict justice of God me, a miserable sinner. Amen.


Pray the Pater Noster


Pray: O Lamb of God, Who didst suffer for us, miserable sinners, have mercy upon me, and offer up to the Father Thy Passion for the forgiveness of my sins! O Lamb of God, Who didst die for us, miserable sinners, have mercy upon me, and offer up to God Thy death in satisfaction for my sins! O Lamb of God, Who didst sacrifice Thyself for us, miserable sinners, have mercy upon me, and offer up Thy holy Blood to the Father for the cleansing of my soul!


Heavenly Father, I offer up to Thee, this precious and most worthy oblation. My sins are more in number than the hairs of my head, but, O just and merciful God, lay this precious offering in the one scale and my sins in the other, and that will far outweigh my guilt. O merciful, O holy God, give me Thy blessing before I end my prayer, and through this blessing let me obtain grace at once to begin to amend my life, and renounce whatever is sinful and displeasing to Thee. Support me in my weakness, strengthen me when temptations assail me, and let me never forget that Thou art near me.


O precious day! but perhaps the last of my life! O happy day! if it shall make me better! Holy Mother of God, Mary, holy Angels and friends of God, pray for me and lead me in the way of truth. O God, grant Thy love to the living and Thy peace to the dead. Amen.


Pray an Ave Maria, and ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to possess you of her Immaculate Heart so that she might prepare a place in your soul for her Son as once she prepared the stable at Bethlehem, and that the presence of her Immaculate Heart might make a fitting reception for the King of kings.


Make a spiritual Communion with the following prayer: My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though Thou wert already there, I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee; permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee. (By St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori)


Send a moment in silent contemplation.


End with the Sign of the Cross and read the Last Gospel from the missal.

Pope's Comments About African Liturgy Raise Eyebrows

Fr. Z provides a translation of the Holy Father's recent comments about African liturgy here. Assuming that the translation is accurate (no link is provided to the original), the Holy Father says among other things:

From this there does not come fear or inhibition, nor even an exterior obedience to the rubrics and even less a putting of oneself on display to others or a shouting in an undisciplined way. There is rather what which the Fathers called "sobria ebrietas": being filled up with a joy that nevertheless remains sober and orderly, which unites persons from within, leading them in common praise of God, a praise which at the same time arouses love of neighbor, reciprocal responsibility.

Puerilely Fr. Zuhlsdorf adds, "I suspect some of you will find his comments a little challenging."

Traditional Catholics hardly find these comments challenging. Rather, these comments rank with a plethora of other comments over the years that are mixtures of hesitancy with truth, and a staunch refusal on the part of our Church leaders to remove the rose colored glasses. Which is it? Is outward disobedience to the rubrics, set down by the Church, something to be avoided or something pleasing to God? Such is just another example of the confused conundrums of the novus ordo, mainstream Church. The Holy Father is now in a situation wherein he knows he can do little, if anything, more than mere damage control regarding a liturgy gone mad. Therefore, he attempts to find a silver lining, grasping at whatever quote from a Church Father that seems to support said silver lining, no matter how badly out of context that quote must be taken.

Pope Benedict XVI is a good man, a good pope and a friend of Tradition. However, he remains a child of his age, a distinctive product of that troubled post-war generation. Fully realizing this fact, traditional Catholics will continue to applaud the good, lament the bad, and remain fixed on the certain amid the confusion of our times.

The only challenge here, dear Fr. Z, is the challenge to pray ever more fervently for the Holy Father.

God Smiles on the Usus Antiquior

From Mr. John Sonnen at Orbus Catholicus Secundus. Click here and here and here for some really great images from the Gesu e Maria.

Blog List Updates

The blog list in the side bar has been updated.

I've added some new ones, and taken others out. I removed WDTPRS mainly because I'm fed up with internet clericalism, and everyone already knows about Fr. Z anyway. I want to add and highlight others that are more targeted toward traditional Catholics and haven't gotten a lot of exposure.

Please note that even though I read these blogs on a frequent basis, and I think these blogs contain content that would be of interest to traditional Catholics, the presence of any given blog is not an endorsement of the opinions or information that may be found there. Use common sense.

If you would like me to add your blog to my blog list, please drop me an email (davidtrad@sbcglobal.net) for my consideration. Cross linking is always appreciated.

Several Excellent Methods: Nine

Printable version now available.

Download a printable, fold-able brochure here, and take Lady Lucy's method of hearing Mass to Mass!

Several Excellent Methods of Hearing Mass
by Lady Lucy Herbert

A Method for hearing Mass according to the four Intentions for which Christ instituted it, and our Holy Mother the Church offers it.

From the beginning of the Mass till the Gospel employ yourself in making acts of repentance for your manifold sins committed against God, considered as your God, your King, and your Father.


From the Gospel till the Sanctus bestow in acts of thanksgiving for the many great benefits you have received; especially for that of communicating himself to you in the adorable Sacrament.


From the Sanctus till after the last Elevation bestow in oblation of this dreadful Sacrifice, saying, "great God receive this holy Sacrifice in which your Son offers himself, and is offered by the priest to render you due homage and worthy thanks for all your benefits. Receive here also the entire Sacrifice which I make of myself; of my body, of my soul, and of all that I am: which I have united with that of your dear Son, for whose sake receive me, and the promises made for me at Baptism, together with those I made at my profession, which I here renew, and beg by the precious blood of Christ, which I adore on the Altar, grace to fulfill them perfectly."


From that time till the Agnus Dei, make petitions for all you want, and first ask to be freed from the evils that may be a hindrance to your salvation; and which you have reason to fear, both during life and at your death.

Then beg, through the merits of Christ, all that may conduce to God’s glory, and your own good; as pardon of your sins, the gifts of faith, hope, and charity, and perfect conformity to God’s will. A pure intention in all you do; a pious life, and a happy death.

Pray for your friends, and for each one of the family you are in, that God will please to bring them to that degree of sanctity and perfection, which his mercies have designed them; and keep them all united in perfect peace and charity.

Offer your requests for our holy Mother the Church; beg her exaltation, and the extirpation of heresy; true repentance for sinners, a happy death for those that are near or in their agonies; and release from purgatory for the faithful departed, especially ___________.


From the Agnus Dei till the last blessing, employ in preparing for, and making your spiritual communion. Produce the proper acts, to wit, humility, contrition, and a great desire of receiving your Divine Saviour. For which you may use these or the like affections:

“My sweet and amiable Jesus, I am not worthy that you should think of me, and you not only think of me, but also offer yourself to me in the Holy Eucharist, having an ardent desire to enter my heart, and to remain for ever with me. How great and admirable are your mercies! how excessive is your goodness! what is there in me capable to invite you? or rather, what is there not in me to disgust you from coming to me? you can find nothing in me but crimes, infidelities to your grace, tepidities in your service, and yet you desire to lodge in my heart!

“Come then, dear Jesus, come, for I truly desire you; come into my heart, and form it according to yours. Annihilate that pride, self-love and self-will, which you find in it, and all other evil inclinations which displease you: and in place of them establish your humility, meekness, obedience, zeal, and whatever may render me agreeable to your eyes. Grant me the grace to seek no other happiness but the accomplishment of your will; and your greater glory in myself, and those under my care, that so I may express my love to you. By your precious Blood I beg this grace, and that I may suppress all self-seeking, and interest which may anyways oppose the same.”


Considering with the eyes of faith Jesus Christ in you by his Divine Spirit, return him your most grateful thanks, saying:

“O Jesus, with my whole heart, I most humbly thank you for all your favours and mercies to me; and above all, for the frequent visits you have made me in this adorable Sacrament: and for descending this day from your throne of glory to our altar, to be the food and nourishment of my soul, which I beseech you to take full possession of, and dwell for ever in my heart.”

At the last blessing, beg the Father to bless you, the Son to protect you, and the Holy Ghost to sanctify you. “May the blessing of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be upon me, and all I shall do; and remain so for ever, Amen.”

During the Last Gospel, give thanks for the favour granted you of assisting at Holy Mass, saying:

“My Lord, God, and Saviour, I praise and thank you, and desire that all the Saints and Angels may bless and glorify you in my behalf, for those amorous thoughts you had for me from all eternity, and for all the graces you have bestowed on me by means of this great Sacrifice; and for granting me the favour of being present at it. Increase in me your love and grace, and grant that during this day I may pass no hour without elevating my heart and thoughts to you, as a grateful return for so great a blessing. Take possession of my heart, for it belongs to you alone.”


We may very much enrich ourselves if every morning, and every hour of the day, we offer all the Masses that are said that day and night throughout the whole world for the four ends for which it was instituted, and is offered; for so we shall render ourselves partakers of the fruit of them all. And there is no hour of the day or night in which Mass is not said in some part of the world.

Whenever we have any thing to ask of God, the best means to obtain it, is to request it in consideration of the Masses that are said upon earth, and in respect of the merits of the Son of God, which are applied to us by means of them.

Note from Lady Lucy Herbert:

Whoever makes use of these Methods for Holy Mass, I beg they will have the charity, for God’s sake, to join me with themselves, and my necessities with theirs: that in their act of repentance for their sins, they will deplore and beg pardon for mine: in their thanksgiving, that they will render thanks to God his mercies to me: in their oblation, offer my heart and soul to God: and in their petition be for me what they request for themselves, especially the divine grace and love. And as I hope the use of these methods will be in vigour when I am dead, I entreat their charity to be mindful of my poor soul in time of Holy Mass.

****
Eternal rest, grant unto her, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon her.

(Images, courtesy Godzdogz, The Oxford Martyr's Mass at Blackfriars, Oxford, 25 October, 2008.)

The Whitewash Continues Unabated

Logic escapes the purveyors of political correctness:

Some Catholic leaders have contended that because 80 percent of the abuse victims were male, the crisis must have been caused by gay priests acting out. But Dr. Terry said she found that abusers were confused about their sexuality and had poor social skills, but had no clear pattern of homosexual behavior.

She believes that they abused boys mainly because they had access to boys. "Even though there was sexual abuse of many boys, that doesn't necessarily mean that the person had a homosexual identity," she said.

So, just in case you were wondering, men who have sex with teenage boys or other men aren't homosexual. They just have access to teenage boys and other men. So can we safely conclude that men who have sex with women really aren't heterosexual? They just have access to women.

Someday common sense will catch up with these people, and they will be really embarrassed.

I wonder if our bishops will listen to the these pseudo-scientists yet again. Yeah... conventional wisdom says they will. So until common sense catches up with them, we'll play it safe and keep our children away from priests.

Athanasius Contra Mundum, contra George Weigel

This is worth reading: Social Modernism.

Well said, Athanasius!

Yet Another USCCB Scandal

If it weren't enough that faithful Catholic's contributions have been going to anti-Catholic organizations, funneled by official USCCB affiliates, now this from Catholic News Agency: Connection between USCCB and gay rights activist sparks controversy.

The last line of Henry's SEIU bio reads, “She and her partner, Paula Macchello, have been together for 20 years.”

Henry is listed on the USCCB website as a member of the Subcommittee on Justice, Peace, and Human Development who helped produce the working paper, “A Fair and Just Workplace: Principles and Practices for Catholic Health Care.”

This is another example of the bloated and expensive bureaucracy of the USCCB that stands at odds with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

It is time to dismantle the USCCB!

Child Sexual Abuse and the Numbers Game

And he said to his disciples: It is impossible that scandals should not come: but woe to him through whom they come. It were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should scandalize one of these little ones.

-- Luke 17. 1-2

What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go to seek that which is gone astray?

-- Matthew 18. 12

After seven years it still strikes me as utterly incredible how complicit Catholic bishops were in regards to sex abuse of minors perpetuated by priests in the Church, and for the most part these bishops have been allowed to continue serving in their capacity of shepherds of souls.

The New York Times has ran an article (here) about Edward Cardinal Egan’s depositions in the recently released documents from the Diocese of Bridgeport that was made public on Tuesday regarding the sex abuse lawsuits filed against the diocese. Egan’s responses reveal not so much incompetence, but, for whatever reason, complicity in perpetuating a cover up and child endangerment.

Take, for example, this exchange recorded in the above mentioned NYT article:

“Incidentally,” he said, “these things don’t happen, and we are talking about ifs.”

“Forgive me, Father — Bishop,” replied one lawyer, Cindy Robinson. “But these things do happen because that’s the reason why we’re seated here today.”

She had been asking about two priests with long records of abuse allegations, whom Bishop Egan had sought to remove from the priesthood, though both continued working.

“These things happen in such small numbers,” the bishop said.

The number game continues here:

Near the end of the long questioning, Bishop Egan and a plaintiff’s lawyer came to loggerheads over the meaning of numbers.

“Bishop Egan, the fact that 19 individuals have come forward and made claims,” Ms. Robinson asked about Father Pcolka’s case. “You don’t consider that to be a significant number of individuals?”

The bishop waited while his lawyer quibbled over the number 19, then answered that considering there were 360,911 registered Catholics in the diocese, “I do not consider that a significant segment or factor.”

“Would you agree with me, Bishop Egan,” the lawyer pressed, “that if one person, one individual, has been affected by the sexual abuse of a clergy member, when that person was a child, that that’s far too much to accept in any diocese?”

“It would not be a significant portion of the diocese,” he replied. “Your question was ‘a significant portion of the diocese.’ ”

The lawyers were arguing again when the bishop interrupted to clarify his point: “However, were even one person to have been abused sexually, while that one person could not numerically be categorized as a significant portion,” he said, “the activity would be significant and more.”

At that point, both sides agreed to take a break.

Knowing how modern progressive bishops use the numbers game is important for understanding how they think. It reveals a pattern of thought that goes a long way in providing insight into the ideological mindset of these bishops.

Allow for a brief digression to help illustrate this point.

Those familiar with the struggle of establishing the Traditional Latin Mass in parishes and dioceses, and those who are familiar with the responses to the wording “stable group” in Summorum Pontificum, will recognize this numbers game. In fact it is eerily recognizable. In this former case, if the numbers don’t justify providing the Traditional Latin Mass, bishops consider themselves justified in ignoring requests. However, there are a few people in the Church who saw right through this.

For example, I used to work with Catholic missions in the Appalachian Mountains. Appalachian dioceses, often the poorest dioceses in the United States, will rightly bend over backwards to provide liturgical and charitable ministry to communities numbering as few as twenty, even ten, people. It’s hard to believe that poor dioceses can maintain these missions for such small numbers of people, but larger and wealthier dioceses across the country can not provide for the liturgical and pastoral needs of traditional Catholic communities that number in the hundreds.

At base the numbers game is a tool of manipulation. The numbers are never too small for projects that have the ideological backing of the progressive bishop, and the numbers are never significant in regards to projects (or problems) with which the progressive bishop ideologically disagrees. It plays on modern society’s opinion poll mentality. By just saying that the number is insignificant, the bishop plants the thought that the whole notion is insignificant. Not only does it justify the bishop’s antipathy, but it also seeks to turn public opinion. These methods reveal a kind of Americanism that has never really been completely rooted out of the American episcopate, especially among the more progressive bishops. The values of the majority of American Catholics are either used or manipulated by the numbers game to trump what the Church has always taught. This tactic is sly, but it can be used to good purpose by sincere Catholics: one can always know a progressive bishop's ideology by what he quantifies as significant.

Progressive bishops used this tactic with impunity until they finally came face to face with a situation in which it would not, and will never work: child sexual abuse. In the case of child abuse, an act so heinous in the minds of the American public, the argument that “it isn’t a significant number” rings not only hollow, but sadistic. Time after time, ever since 2002, and even before, bishop after bishop, made the excuse that it was such a small number of priests, and not just bishops! Catholic apologists, and not a few neo-conservatives, still, even to this day, insist on throwing out the argument that it is an insignificant (“small”, “minor”, whatever) number of priests, and thus the Church is being treated unfairly. Even the argument that child sexual abuse is more prevalent in the public school system, as true as the claim is, doesn’t seem to succeed in exonerating the bishops or the Church in the realm of public opinion. And for good reason!

The numbers game meets reality and is completely crushed by the truth that one case of child sexual abuse is significant, no matter what the bishops or their apologists try to spin. The indisputable nature of the truth that child sexual abuse is inherently evil is something glaringly obvious to the public, so in this case the bishops weren’t able to get away with their Americanism tactic of the numbers game.

However, the bishops and the modernists still don’t get it. Take for example the revelations provided by the John Jay study on priestly sexual abuse at the recent USCCB meeting. While the study revealed a predominate connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, a surge in child sexual abuse in the years following the Second Vatican Council, and a connection with moral laxity in rectories, seminaries and religious communities, the obvious conclusion is being ignored. The changes in the Church in the years following the Second Vatican Council, not the least of which is the acceptance of homosexuality and moral laxity among priests and religious, played a significant role in the perpetuation of child sexual abuse. This fact is met with antipathy by all the bishops. Apparently the evidence isn’t significant enough to warrant their concern.

Why? Ideology, and that is still trumping the truth. This goes to prove almost all bishops, even the ones that aren't in the progressive camp, are willing to use the numbers game when Vatican II is put on the table.

And the cycle continues.

In all fairness

Back in August I took issue with Mr. Stuart Reid and Mr. Thaddeus Kozinski for having misapplied the term "Gnosticism" to certain traditional Catholics. Kozinski defined Gnosticism as "the attitude that leads one to believe he possesses an irrefutable insight into the truth of matters of great importance, whether natural or supernatural." I countered:

This definition of Gnosticism, however, is utterly preposterous. This isn’t Gnosticism. On the contrary, Gnosticism was a many faceted heresy in the early Church, characterized by a dualistic cosmology wherein human souls are trapped in a material world that was created by the inferior god of the Old Testament. The Gnostic, through a process of mystical experiences, gained secret knowledge that would ultimately liberate his soul from the material world…

...And what of Kozinski’s definition? Well, if you think about it, his definition would have to include any person of faith. A man for example, who holds by faith that there is a God, indeed, has an irrefutable insight, for he holds it by faith, into a truth that relates to a matter of great import. What is more important than God? It is the same with every other truth that Holy Mother Church proposes for our belief by faith. His definition also would have to include anyone who believes anything. By Kozinski’s definition every religious person is a Gnostic.

In all fairness, a misapplication of the word recurs here, in an article by Christopher A. Ferrara, George Weigel and the People Who Know. I’m just as opposed to calling neo-conservatives like George Weigel Gnostics as I'm opposed to Thaddeus Kozinski calling traditional Catholics the same. Ferrara’s definition, like Kozinski’s, is woefully inadequate. Ferrara writes:

The gnostics of the early Christian era were, as the Catholic Encyclopedia puts it, “the people who knew,” the people who possessed the gnosis, an ineffable spiritual insight, inaccessible and incommunicable to others, which “constituted them a superior class of beings, whose present and future status was essentially different from that of those who, for whatever reason, did not know.”

The Catholic Encyclopedia also says a lot more, and in all fairness, Weigel and other neo-cons simply don’t fit the rest of the definition. While they are indeed an insufferable lot, their error isn’t Gnosticism, but something entirely different. Their error lies in a flawed understanding of the nature of Vatican II, and as such their error is completely unique and without historic precedent. The Second Vatican Council was a watershed event. Never before has there been an Ecumenical Council that was "pastoral" and not intended to be doctrinal or dogmatic. The very concept, itself, is questionable. For that reason, we can expect this kind of confusion, to a degree, but that's all the quarter I'm willing to give to the neo-cons.

That being said, there is much to Ferrara’s article that rings true, and it is well worth reading. Ferrara gets to the heart of the matter when he writes:

But Weigel is clearly worried that the Pope has instituted the Vatican-SSPX discussions on account of the very problem the conciliar illuminati do such a poor job of concealing. It is the problem identified by the former Cardinal Ratzinger when he was speaking to the Chilean bishops in 1988 about precisely the situation of the Society: that Vatican II has been treated as “an end of Tradition, a new start from zero,” when “[t]he truth is that this particular Council defined no dogma at all, and deliberately chose to remain on a modest level, as a merely pastoral council; and yet many treat it as though it had made itself into a sort of super-dogma which takes away the importance of all the rest.”

Those many include the insufferable Mr. Weigel and his collaborators in the project of protecting the conciliar gnosis from the dissolvent effects of forthright answers to simple questions—questions like those posed here, and no doubt being posed in the discussions the Pope has convoked. Hence Weigel dreads the discussions, for they threaten the very existence of his religion, which begins and ends with an illusory “reform of Catholic thought” when Teilhard was king of the theologians and men wore bell-bottom pants. Weigel, I believe, fears that the way things are going, the gnosis that constitutes his super-dogma could become as passé as the Sixties from which it emerged. The great progressive is afraid of progress in the Church. How sweetly ironic it is.

Neo-cons like Weigel refuse to heed the clear statements from the Magisterium that Vatican II taught nothing new. As Ferrara points out in the article, Weigel insists that Vatican II taught something new, which all Catholics must “accept”. The fact that this “something new” is necessarily ambiguous (that's because it really isn’t there, but in the neo-conservative interpretations) makes his ilk seem like people in the know, Gnostic in a way, granted. However, what it really is, is unparalleled intellectual arrogance coupled by being just plain wrong.

Several Excellent Methods: Eight

Several Excellent Methods of Hearing Mass
By Lady Lucy Herbert

Motives to raise our Esteem of Holy Mass, and to dispose us to profit by it.

Mass is the golden key of heaven, God the Father gives it to you, and with it we may have all other blessings if we will. If then we find ourselves poor in virtue the fault must be ours, for God, by this key, opens his treasures to us, and would liberally bestow them upon, did we not hinder him by not disposing ourselves to receive them. If we draw but little advantage from Holy Mass, it is our own fault; if our debts are still great, it is a sign we do not take care to pay them by the means God has so bountifully furnished us with.

St. Chrysostom says that the angels are so well acquainted with the efficacy of the Mass, that they are in expectation till it begins, judging it the most favourable opportunity to obtain favours for us of Almighty God.

All the value and efficacy which was originally in the bloody sacrifice on the corss is entirely translated to the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass, by which sacrifice the former is applied.

Though our sins are forgiven by absolution, there commonly remains some temporal punishemnt to be undergone either here or in Purgatory. Holy Mass, if well made use of, is abundant satisfaction to the Divine Justice for our debts, though ever so great. What a comfort ought this to be to those who, by reason of their natural constitution, are not able to practice many or great austerities; and what return should we make to our Saviour for the same.

If our devotion, in assisting at Mass be great our advantage will be also great; if little, it will be but little. We may gain more by hearing one Mass devoutly than by twenty without devotion.

The Sacrifice of Holy Mass is but the general and particular means to give ourselves entirely to God, and to ask and receive from him all sort of graces. Endeavour daily to assist thereat; first, that you may worthily hounour and adore God in all the extent of his divine perfections, and him for all the graces and favours his mercies have, and do daily bestow upon all his creatures; particularly on yourself and all that relates to you, as each one of his family, and to satisfy his justice for all your own sins, and to obtain of his goodness those gifts and graces necessary not only for yourself, but for all those for whom he has shed his most precious blood.

The reason why we profit so little by Holy Mass is, because we go to it with so little sense of the immense treasures which are communicated to us by means of it: as f the blood of a God were a thing of small account to merit us heaven, to obtain us pardon for our sins, to appease the Divine Justice, and to acknowledge worthily the favours God hath done us, and his love for us in the most blessed Sacrament; all which is performed by the means of Holy Mass.

That you may reap the intended profit for your soul, you must prepare yourself daily for hearing Mass, as if if you were to communicate; that is, with as great purity as you can; and beg our Lord, who instituted this great Sacrifice, to renew the memory of his death and passion, and the efficacy fo it, to grant you the grace, not only to assist at it, but also to partake of this divine mystery according to his merciful designs.

And to partake more fully of the efficacy of Holy Mass, when we consider it as a Sacrifice of propitiation for our sins, we must make acts of sorrow for them.

And when offer it as an impetratory Sacrifice, we must actually request something in general or particular; otherways we let the credit of the Son of God, which is communicated to us, remain useless and unprofitable. For as we all want merits which might find credit with God, we must not omit to offer those which Christ gained by the Sacrifice he offered on the Cross, which he has given to us, and they are applied and communicated to us by the Sacrifice of the Altar.

Whenever we have any thing to ask of Almighty God, the true and best means to obtain it is to request it in consideration of the Masses that are said upon earth, and in respect of the merits of the Son of God, which are applied to us by means of them.

An Oblation of the Sacrifice of Holy Mass, to be made before Mass.

My God, I acknowledge that I merit not so much as the least of your favours, and that I have nothing which can move you to unlock your treasures, or bestow upon me what I stand in need of. But since Jesus my Saviour has made me heir of all the merits of his life and death, and applies them to me by the Sacrifice of Holy Mass; I offer them to you, and by them beg that you will please to grant me all that is necessary for my Sanctification, and the perfection you require of me; together with a perfect contrition which may wash away all my sins; also your love, in which I may live and die; and all virtues that are suitable to my vocation, and those natural and supernatural talents necessary for the amplification of your honour and glory; and the comforts of this life in such a degree as may be necessary for my Salvation.

I also beg the conversion of sinners, the perseverance of the Just, the Sanctification of those that are under my care, the exaltation of our Holy Mother the Church, the extirpation of heresies; the consolation of the afflicted, the prosperity of my parents and relations; the pardon of my enemies: and that you will please to shower down your blessings upon our holy Father the Pope, and all Christian Princes; especially upon our King, Queen, and Prince: and grant that England, and all misbelieving kingdoms, may be converted to the true faith. ‘Tis through the merits of all the Masses that will this day be offered throughout the whole world, that I beg the grant of these my requests. Look not on my unworthiness, but on the merits of your well-beloved Son, which sufficient to render the most unworthy most deserving of your favours.

Shew therefore, O Eternal Father, in this occasion, both your justice, and the efficacy of your Son’s merits: give him that due recompense, which I do not deserve; I ask it in his name, and behold him coming upon this Altar to join his prayers with my petition, therefore your honour is engaged to hear him, and to render yourself favourable to those whom he commands to ask in his name, and to whom he communicates his merits and credit. Behold I am one them: honour him therefore, I beseech you, by granting me what both he and I most earnestly beg of your Divine Majesty, which is my salvation, and all the aforesaid requests, as far as they may conduce to your greater glory.

An Oblation of the Circumstances of Holy Mass, which are the prayers and ceremonies that we may partake thereof.

My God, I unite myself with the priest whom your Church sends as Ambassador to your Divine Majesty; I join myself to all the praises he shall give you, and to all the adorations he shall render you, and prayers he shall address to you; and to all the good desires he shall conceive. And I beg to partake of the spiritual food his is to receive.