The ultimate, ultimate in portable altars

There have been a few posts this week regarding portable altars...the sort that a priest might like to add to his baggage allowance to enable him to celebrate Mass in Machu Picchu or Ulan Bator or, wherever.

Fr Z has a natty little number that neatly counterbalances his Colt .45 on the other shoulder and, someone else (many apols. I seem to have lost it) featured one also.

But this one, this portable altar, is the ultimate.

It is, if you will pardon the expression, a real priest's altar.

It is not for the Novus Ordo priest, it is not, even, for the Novus Ordo Ad Orientem priest....

...it is an altar for a real ale, red wine, pistol packing Tridentine Latin Mass priest.....see for yourself

This is not for the faint of heart...this is for Extraordinary priests!

 In the church of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs and St Ignatius in the tiny hamlet of Chideock, Dorset, home to many fine English Martyrs, lies this 'portable' altar crafted out of finest English oak.

In the past, after the 1988 'excommunications' we had visiting priests in our part of Wales who celebrated Holy Mass on a wallpaper pasting table and that appears positively limp wristed when compared with what Fr Hugh Green and his confreres had to carry.

Incidentally, his fellow martyrs included Fr Thomas Pilchard, Thomas Salmon and William Pike, a fishy bunch, if ever...oof!

This church is undoubtedly the best in Britain (a proud boast) and it beats me why Joe Shaw and his merry men at the Latin Mass Society don't organise annual pilgrimages there...but then much of what goes on at the LMS these days is a bit of a ....OK, don't let's go there!

But please spare a thought and an intercessionary plea to these fine men who must have hefted this lump of an altar around the hills and combes of Dorset and its surrounding countryside.

They must have been a strong bunch, both physically and spiritually.

 Borne out by the fact that the executioner spent half an hour delving into Fr Green's body cavity in order to find his heart and afterwards, the soldiers played football with his severed head.

An account of his death is here at Supremacy and Survival blog.

Good news! Good news!

I am quite hopeful that Fr Z will be eagerly reading this post as he likes good news on a regular basis and, let's be frank (small 'f' please note) there ain't much of it around right now.

In fact, good news is about as abundant as.....as.....piety at a eucharistic service - ahem.

Well, my good news is that we have achieved a 100% increase in the number of altar servers able to serve the Latin Mass.

We've gone (in the whole of the Menevia Diocese) from altar server 'C' (who does sterling work on the sanctuary) to altar server 'J' who began his duties last Saturday at our Vigil Mass.

So what? You might well ask.

Well, I tell you why I am so pleased, it means that I am no longer the back stop server; in fact, I can hang up my cassock for good and my cotta is now surplus (?)

That is a cause for both sadness and rejoicing.

There is no greater joy than those precious moments on the altar when the server draws close to the celebrant, and close to Christ.

There is a wonderful intimacy, at various stages during the Mass; at the Offertory when one stands close to the bread and wine soon to be made Flesh and Blood.

At the Consecration, of course and, again, when accompanying the Lord to the altar rails and holding the plate lest any terrible accident may occur.

And what greater intimacy is there than when serving  Mass attended just by Mrs Linen in a private chapel early in the morning. Pure joy.

The rejoicing bit comes from the fact that I shall no longer have to creak and groan around the sanctuary (yes, I do know that I should offer it up but it does not make for a particularly attractive sight) and, anyway, I have always criticised altar servers of a certain age believing that this duty is best performed by boys and young men.

Now, I must also confess to a small sin of pride although, I do try to keep it under control.

This is my 65th year as a server (I did start rather precociously, at three months of age).

After 65 years of serving the servant of the Lord I think I am due a bit of a rest.

But, I still remember my brother Patrick, at the behest of Canon Musgrave, hauling me out of the family pew to be boat boy at Sunday Benediction   (remember Benediction?), and to service on the sanctuary for the first time.

And I vividly recall standing before Fr Steer in the Presbytery on a Saturday morning at the age of seven and reciting the responses of the Latin Mass.

This was a critical part of being an altar server; you could not serve alone until such time as you were word perfect, without the use of a missal.

That's a bit of mud in the eye for those who claim that Latin is elitist and beyond simple minds.

You could not get much simpler than my mind at the age of seven and, I'm sorry to say that Mrs L still harbours a belief that I have not progressed much past that stage.

Still, it would be good to know if 65 years as an altar server is a record (there's bound to be some LMS MC who is 105 and has notched up the century!).

Letter from the Ephesians

Well, here we are, in sunny Turkey, in an isolated spot on the western coast; internet connections are a bit hit and miss so, please forgive the lack of links and comment responses for the next 12 days or so.

What strikes me most is the total silence (well, total in regard of television sets, radios and traffic noise).

The only sound that we hear is the muezzin's call to prayer, five times a day. I grudgingly admire the Muslims for their adherence to a prayer pattern, if only we Catholics could do the same.

I fondly imagine loudspeakers attached to every church tower and steeple broadcasting the Salve Regina or The Angelus throughout the length and breadth of Wales and England.
What a triumph that would be.
 A return to the condition that we were once in that prompted the visiting Erasmus to pronounce that "England is the holiest country in Europe" because, all who laboured stopped in their tracks at midday, to say the Angelus, marked by the bells of the nearest church or priory.

How the dreaming spires of Oxford would echo to the sound and would it not be poetic to hear the Veni, Creator Spiritus resounding throughout Luton and Bradford?

And now, late to the feast; my take on the third meeting of the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma.

How great it was to witness the coming together of a group of people united only, perhaps by their Faith. Strangers for a few seconds and friends thereafter.

And, where is Charlie J when you need him?

As the old saying goes: "In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king". As such, it fell to my lot by default,  to serve the EF Mass celebrated by Fr Rupert McHardy.
I thought wistfully of Charlie J's skills and youth and wished he was at the London Oratory to spare my knees and joints from the pains that are part of an aged altar server's lot.

To add to my woes, the Chapel of Our Lady of sorrows is very small and left me little room to manoeuvre my stiff joints.

And then the glass like surface of the marble floor was overlaid by a carpet so that one skidded from point A to point B. It must have appeared comical to those in the congregation but it was life and death for me.

When it came to kneeling, it appeared as if some Oratorian penitential practice was being enforced and that the sacristan had scattered marbles underneath the carpet so that, when one knelt, an excrutiating pain would spread from kneecap to thigh.


It's a wonder that we struggled through the Mass as we did; thanks to Fr Rupert for his patience.

Chesterton in one corner and Belloc in the other

After Mass and after Fr R's interesting address we retired to the Hour Glass in the Brompton Road.

I have to thank A Reluctant Sinner for his generosity in providing baskets of chips (french fries) and potato wedges for the assembly. We all fell to on this before ordering individual meals (and before arteries turned to stone).

I flitted from table to table and the snippets of conversation were a joy to hear.

They ranged from learned (of course) debates about Satan and how one should not ever say the longer version of the 'Michael Prayer' (yes, really, don't ever do it).

And then on to the spread of sinister Islamic practices in erstwhile British towns and cities and, of course, the horrors of abortion and the planned 40 Days for Life campaign.

If one had looked around the bar it would not have been surprising to see GKC holding forth in one corner and HB in the other.

To cap it all we had two of the most famous priest bloggers with us. Fr Tim and Fr Z
obligingly hamming it up for a photo when the "T" word was mentioned, not nice in Catholic society.

And, the following day.......Mass at St James's Spanish Place.

But more of Sunday's shenanigans later.

Keep the pledges coming (please)

The plan to provide Fr John Zuhsldorf with funds to buy his airline ticket so that he may join the Guild of Blessed Titus Catholic Bloggers Mass, meeting and blognic, is working!

We have already received pledges totalling £135.00, only £465.00 to go.

With your aid we can make it.

                                          There is also an incentive scheme for pledges

Why is this important?  Don't we have a goodly supply of blogging priests in this country?

Indeed we do and we are blessed to have several as members of the Guild (Fr Medley and Fr Boyle - I think that's all, always room for more) and we have the great Fr Tim Finigan as our Chaplain.

But we are the Church in England, not the Church of England and we are Universal! We are Catholic!

So that means it doesn't matter if you come from Honolulu or Haverfordwest, whether you are black or slightly off-white, or all shades in between - we are one!

And to have such a great blogging priest as Fr Z at our Blognic would be both a joy and a privilege - and, by the way, any other priest reading this is more than welcome to join us and the same applies to lay bloggers, commentators and new technology users.

Now the moment you have been waiting for (roll of drums)......you may still contribute by making a payment, no matter how small (or large) on Fr Z's site...here it is WDTPRS - the  'Donate' button is on the rh side (I'm not clever enough to link direct).

But...please remember to let me know the amount you send so that we can keep tabs on how near or far we have to strive. Drop me a line on r.collinsassoc@btinternet.com and keep it as anonymous as you wish, no use will be made of names or contacts.

Time to invest in action?

If you have read this blog over the last week or so you will have noticed a certain preoccupation with the frustration of not moving forward fast enough.

In the last five years, since Summorum Pontificum we have seen some improvements but they, for the most part, fall into the "rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic" category.

In fact, I did notice a statistic on someone's blog (sorry, can't recall whose it was) recently that, according to Fr Z, something like only 470 EF Masses are celebrated each Sunday, globally. I hope I have got that right, please correct me if I'm wrong.

470 Masses is nothing. It is a statistic that would barely merit a mention on the final print-out.

Average is not good enough!

In England and Wales we have one bishop (out of about 26) who has shown courage and responsiveness in answering the Holy Father's call.

And what of the Holy Father? How does he feel about the response to SP so far?

I can fantasise about a meeting with some of the key Cardinals and the Holy Father during which Pope Benedict says:

"Could someone please give me a quick breakdown as to how things have changed since 2007?"

Silence.

Holy Father: "Anyone  please?"

Shuffling of feet and clearing of throats and then:

"Well, your Holiness, not much has changed in fact; there are one or two more Latin Masses in Europe, possibly a few more in the USA, not much happening outside of Campos in South America and the rest, well, you know its a nul pointer really"

Holy Father: "Hmmm......seems I was wrong in my thought processes but, at least we have given them the chance. So, from now on it's full steam ahead on the Ordinary Form, pity but no one seems to have smelt the incense" (sigh)

There has been comment made on Una Voce and their role in hosting, if that is the correct word, a forthcoming traditional pilgrimage this Autumn. Now, I do not know much about this organisation so it would be wrong to take it to task but it has had 45 years in which to increase the spread of the 1962 Missal throughout the world. EF Pastor has asked that I remember the good works of this group and, I am sure they are there but, in 45 years a potent group should have a better success rate, if that is how success is quantified.

But, enough of carping about others, what positive action could be started to get things moving, not just on the Latin Mass front but also on Education, Morals and Social teachings - what can be done to inform and educate the largely misinformed laity?

Well, I do believe that we are blessed with an astute and holy man in our Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Mennini.

For a start, and it is only a start, I would hope that perhaps we could look at developing a Rosary Bouquet to be presented to him, say early in 2013.
Why so long? Because, it would be good if we could present as many as possible to him and, if 500 of us could pledge five Rosaries a week between now and then, it would result in a bouquet of over 50,000.

And, to accompany the bouquet, a polite request for Rome to consider the four points placed before the Archbishop.

That is:-

Catholic Education
Moral Guidance - IVF, Euthanasia, Abortion, Contraception etc
Catholic Social Teaching
Response by Diocese to the faithful's requests following Summorum Pontificum

There is much, much more to be done but, it's a start (perhaps I should state that several notable Catholics have emailed me to say that they would be prepared to join a suitable initiative. It could work and if you think that the concept has legs, please let me know either via the comment box or by email to: r.collinsassoc@btinternet.com

Alternatively, if you think that I am barking mad, please offer up an Ave on my behalf.

A message from the Lord....

.....Michael Lord of the LMS, that is.....an event not to be missed, ask for it to be placed on your parish notice board and............................duck!

LMS One-Day Conference - Saturday, 9 June 2012

Fr Tim Finigan

Fr John Zuhlsdorf

John Hunwicke

Dr John Rao



      VENUE: Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London W1C 2DJ

(opposite BHS, less than 5 minutes’ walk from Oxford Circus)
This is the first time the LMS has organised a one-day conference, and we have some excellent speakers lined up for you. The conference is aimed principally at ordinary LMS members, although non-members are very welcome to join us. The Conference timetable is as follows:
9am Low Mass at St James's, Spanish Place.
10am Doors open.
10am -11am Registration. Stalls in the Conference Hall will be available to browse
11am - 11.50am 1st talk: Dr John Rao (Roman Forum)
12 noon - 12.50pm 2nd talk: Stuart McCullough (Good Counsel Network)
Lunch
2pm - 2.50pm 3rd talk: Fr John Zuhlsdorf (Fr Z)
3pm - 3.50pm 4th talk: Fr Tim Finigan (columnist and blogger)
4pm - 4.50pm 5th talk: John Hunwicke (of the Ordinariate)
5pm - 6pm Panel discussion
6pm Close
BOOKING INFORMATION:

Admission is by ticket only.

Ticket prices:

LMS Members £15

Non-LMS Members £20

(includes morning and afternoon refreshments)

Optional: Buffet lunch including drinks £9 supplement 

You can buy your ticket by phoning the LMS office on 020 7404 7284, sending a cheque (payable to 'LMS') to LMS, 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH or online here:



Welcome to hell - have a nice eternity!

You're enjoying your life, you are successful, have plenty of money, a fast car, house in the stockbroker belt, 3 children and a beautiful wife...pretty damn good eh?

Only trouble is, you no longer practice your faith (well you do go to Midnight Mass at Christmas and you do give the children Easter Eggs) and, to cap it all you have had an affair at the office (over now, of course) and you did have to stick the knife in on Johnson in Marketing  so that he got the push and you got his job - but then, that's business isn't it?
Confession is just a distant memory and the reception of Holy Communion, likewise.

And then, just as you are en route to a meeting that could result in a massive bonus for you - Wham! Crash! Bang! - you have just stepped out in front of an eight ton London Transport Bus and you are mutton, deceased, dead as a parrot.

Now you are coming to...aaargh! blinded by a bright light and then the vision and then...ten seconds later........you are in HELL!

Come on in, things are just hotting up!

Reality begins to set in....you are here for eternity, like forever....longer than forever...and there's no get out of jail card, no plea bargaining, no time off for good behaviour...just eternal fire, demons, souls in agony, torments, tortures....pain, humiliation, degradation, no day or night just sheer hell.

H/T to Fr Z for his one liner on the subject that set my mind racing.
Like most people, my faith is a bit of a struggle at times but I have never wavered from the fear of the prospect of eternal damnation brought down on my own head by my own deeds.

I have weighed up the various options (like missing Mass on Sundays or robbing a bank) but alway, always come to the conclusion that the effort to stay in a state of grace is so well and truly worth it.

What kind of omadhaun would play Russian roulette with a revolver that has all the chambers full?

 Not me.

Regular Confession, Mass and Holy Communion - no worries mate!
 As they say in New Holland.

See also Fr Dwight Longenecker's post

BTW - a typo on Fr Z's post regarding Fr Ray Blake and his attack by the homosexual lobby - the headline reads:
"Fr Blake of Brighton taking flake (sic) from bullies for being Catholic"

'flake' huh?  is that the homosexual version of flak?

Time for Novus Ordo Catholics to step up to the mark?

Fr Z's brick by brick philosophy is all well and good except that, in Great Britain it would appear as if the bricks are still in the ground in the form of clay - sticky, claggy and unmalleable, at present at any rate.

First, make your bricks - a slow
 process in England & Wales

Abuses continue to abound in Churches but, apparently, only in those where the Ordinary Form of Mass is celebrated. We don't do liturgical shenanigans in the Extraordinary Form.
The rather wonderful thing is that a large proportion (I estimate) of OF Catholics are as opposed and dismayed by such goings on as the Traditionals.
The trouble is, they labour under a heavy yoke of what they falsely believe is 'obedience'. For 'obedience' read 'do nothing'. Obedience in my book relates to conformity with Rome not to Father Jimmy and his hippy, hippy shake dance at the Offertory.

It seems to me that our OF Catholic brethren turn a blind eye to abuses in the fond hope that they will suddenly disappear. Instead, the bizarre antics become a routine until such time as accepted as the norm.
Back in the 1980s at the height of insurrection in Northern Ireland I had to travel to Belfast on business. My Protestant agent looked after me well showing me the sights (Falls and Shankill Roads) and we had a good pub meal somewhere. He insisted that the bombings and shootings were isolated occurrences that only happened in specific, contained areas and that the troubles did not affect the ordinary man in the street. He was telling me this as we left the pub and walked to his car whereupon he dropped on all fours to check to see if someone had planted a bomb under the vehicle. The bizarre had become so everyday that he had forgotten what was normal.

So what other abuses besides prancing around the sanctuary are there that OF Catholics might make a stand against?
Here are a few for starters, I am sure others might like to add to the list:-

1. Talking before and after Mass
2. Not genuflecting
3. Guitars, flutes and whistles used against the Holy Father's 
    wishes
4. Kiss of peace where, instead of a manly handshake, people
    embrace, hug and generally behave in a silly fashion
5. Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion who give blessings to non
    Catholics presenting themselves at the altar rails
6. EMHCs who undertake the priestly duties of purification of vessels
7. Liturgy of the Word ceremonies
8. Turning the church into a coffee bar after Mass
9. Queuing for Holy Communion while chewing gum
10. Inappropriate dress
11. Ad libs from the priest during Mass
12. Extraneous bits of prayer and ritual added to the Mass
13. Use of a card table as an altar
14. Clapping at any time

I could go on.....but I shan't.
I am very grateful to some good friends with whom we had coffee yesterday. They step up to the mark, they inspired this post.

"THE DEVIL IS ABROAD"

Fr Z has posted a chilling four word message on his blog...."The Devil is abroad." 

We know, of course, that the devil is always abroad but I think that Fr Z means that he is abroad in an extraordinary way right now. Priests and Bishops are under attack, the Holy Father is under attack and the Church is being persecuted in a good old fashioned medieval style throughout the world. But it is our clergy who are so very vulnerable. If you wish to destroy a priest, it's easy. Just one allegation and phut! that's the end of a priestly vocation and the chance of a fat wad of cash for the accuser. There have been many genuine cases of priestly abuse but, I am sure, that equally, many have been false, trumped up charges. It is hard to distinguish between the lie and the truth. Sadly, it is often our best and most prominent priests who face the challenge of an unjust accusation and it must be a constant, nagging fear for them.

 Avoiding situations where one might be alone with a female parishioner or a minor, walking into deliberate traps set by the perverse, reported to the Bishop for carrying out their duties diligently. The priest's lot is not a happy one right now. They need our prayers more than ever, offer a Rosary or even a decade to the cause. Pray daily to Our Lady that she will place her foot on the neck of Satan and break him in his attempt to ruin the lives of our priests. The prayer below is actually meant for priests to say in order to secure their own protection from the devil but, I am sure, it will be equally effective if said on behalf of a priest. Say it whenever possible, expecially for our blogging Fathers!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost

Most glorious Prince of the heavenly

Armies, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend

us in “our battle against principalities and

powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness,

against the spirits of wickedness in the high

places” (Ephes., VI, l2). Come to the assistance of

men who God has created to His likeness and

whom He has redeemed at a great price from the

tyranny of the devil. Holy Church venerates thee

as her guardian and protector; to thee, the Lord has

entrusted the souls of the redeemed to be led into

heaven. Pray therefore the God of Peace to crush

Satan beneath our feet, that he may no longer retain

men captive and do injury to the Church. Offer our

prayers to the Most High that without cry come

 unto Thee.

V. May the Lord be with thee.

God of Heaven, God of Earth, God of Angels, God of Archangels, God of Patriarchs, God of Prophets, God of Apostles, God of Martyrs, God of Confessors, God of Virgins, God Who has power to give life after death and rest after work, because there is no other God than Thee and there can be no other, for Thou art the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, of whose Reign there shall be no end. We humbly prostrate ourselves before Thy Glorious Majesty and we beseech Thee to deliver us by Thy Power from all the tyranny of the infernal spirits, from their snares, their lies and their furious wickedness; deign, O' Lord, to grant us Thy powerful protection and to keep us safe and sound. We beseech Thee through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen.



From the snares of the devil,
All: Deliver us O Lord.

  Grant that Thy Church may serve Thee in secure libertyAll: We beseech Thee, hear us.
Deign to crush down the enemies of the Holy Church,  All: We beseech Thee, hear us.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on usAMEN 

We are nothing more than 'second class trash who get pushed to the back of the bus'

Fr Z posted this comment referring to how Traditional Catholics are treated today, when writing about possible changes to the Summorum Pontificum (which he dismisses as being unfounded). For those of you who are less than 40 or so years of age, being 'second class trash forced to sit at the back of the bus' was the lot of negroes (now called black people) from the Southern States of the USA who, until civil rights legislation came into force, were treated abominably by some of their caucasian (white) fellow citizens.

Well, I've been at the back of the bus for a long time now and it doesn't get any easier, it's a bumpy old ride. But, I am not complaining, well, I am really but I like to pretend a little!

I often wonder how it would be if situations were reversed and followers of the Ordinary Form of Mass were asked to trash out at the back of the bus.
Try a few of these for size......

All aimed at the Liberal branch of the Catholic faith:-

1. I'm sorry but from now on your Sunday Mass will be at 5pm.

2. Oh, and only on the third Sunday of the month, but don't worry, we will arrange for a Wednesday afternoon Mass at 3pm - that will be every other week.

3. Sorry again! Forgot to say that your Sunday Masses will not be in your parish church any longer but we have arranged for Fr X in St Blog's to say it, it's only 65 miles away.

4. Silly me.....another memory slip...Mass will be in Tagalog from now on...we have 12 Phillipino nurses in the congregation you know.

5. Finally, let me say that we will "trial" this new arrangement for six months and if it does not work out, Masses will move to St Y's just north of the Scottish border.

Does that all seem a shade unreal? Do you think that it doesn't happen? Well, you are partly right. Point 5 has not happened to us yet......but give it time!

Liberals to the front, Traddy trash to the back!

Extraordinary insights into the practice of....

.......Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Are EMHCs (or Ministers of Holy Communion as they erroneously prefer to be called), legit? Do they have a role to play in today's Church?

I have always wrestled with this issue, especially when I used to attend the then Novus Ordo Mass to witness them trotting off after Holy Communion (wrong to leave before Mass ends surely?) to take the Sacrament to the sick. What happens if the poor soul is in a state of mortal sin? They can't very well hear Confessions can they? Or can they? Not yet at any rate.

And, anyway, why if there is a priest present do EMHCs have to distribute the Eucharist? I have never received Holy Communion from anyone other than a priest and would no more think about receiving from Mr X than I would attempt to carry out the removal of my appendix with a blunt knife and a wire coat hanger! It's not for me!

Now the great Fr Zuhlsdorf has thrown a hand grenade into the room with his piece on something called Ecclesia de mysterio....heard of it? No? Well he posted it in December last year but it slipped past me. He has raised it again as a parish priest (Fr Rick Heilman, brave, brave man) in the US  has given his EMHCs the order of the boot...he's sacked them!  There will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth from the Cathlib brigade but I think it's long overdue. EMHCs should only be used at time of extraordinary need.

  Here's the piece from Fr Z .......and here's the link to Fr Rick Heilman's site.

Ecclesia de mysterio…. Ever heard of it?

Posted on 28 December 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In 1997 the Holy See issued an important document, unusual in its form and provenance in that it was signed by eight dicasteries, or departments of the Roman Curia.

• Congregation for the Clergy
• Pontifical Council for the Laity
• Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
• Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
• Congregation for Bishops
• Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
• Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
• Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts

Don’t for a moment think that, just because the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wasn’t at the top of the list, it isn’t the most important.
Ecclesia de mysterio approved by the Sovereign Pontiff who ordered that it be issued in forma specifica, which gives it even greater weight.  It contains legal provisions in order to correct abuses.

In the light of the aforementioned principles, remedies, based on the normative discipline of the Church, and deemed opportune to correct abuses which have been brought to the attention of our Dicasteries, are hereby set forth.

It is called in English, “Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests“.
You will have to look for this document on the website of the Holy See under the Pontifical Council for the Laity.  You won’t find it easily by looking on the website under the other dicasteries or by using their so-called “search” feature.
As this document itself states:

The scope of this present document is simply to provide a clear, authoritative response to the many pressing requests which have come to our Dicasteries from Bishops, Priests and Laity seeking clarification in the light of specific cases of new forms of “pastoral activity” of the non-ordained on both parochial and diocesan levels.
Though being born in very difficult and emergency situations and even initiated by those who sought to be genuinely helpful in the pastoral moment, certain practices have often been developed which have had very serious negative consequences and have caused the correct understanding of true ecclesial communion to be damaged. These practices tend to predominate in certain areas of the world and even within these, a great deal of variation can be found.

Remember, eight dicasteries of the Curia signed onto this document.
Ecclesia de mysterio, among other things, seeks to correct the abuses of the laity and of the priesthood, both, which have crept in over time because of  theological problems resulting from, for example, the terms “minister” and “ministry”.
Here the titles of the provisions:

1. Need for an Appropriate Terminology
2. The Ministry of the Word
3. The Homily
4. The Parish Priest and the Parish
5. The Structures of Collaboration in the Particular Church
6. Liturgical Celebrations
7. Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest
8. The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
9. The Apostolate to the Sick
10. Assistance at Marriages
11. The Minister of Baptism
12. Leading the Celebration at Funerals
13. Necessary Selection and Adequate Formation

Let’s tease out one of these: 8. The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
I am not making this up.  Go look for yourselves.  My emphases.

Article 8
The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
The non-ordained faithful already collaborate with the sacred ministers in diverse pastoral situations since “This wonderful gift of the Eucharist, which is the greatest gift of all, demands that such an important mystery should be increasingly better known and its saving power more fully shared”.(95)
Such liturgical service is a response to the objective needs of the faithful especially those of the sick and to those liturgical assemblies in which there are particularly large numbers of the faithful who wish to receive Holy Communion.
§ 1. The canonical discipline concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion must be correctly applied so as to avoid generating confusion. The same discipline establishes that the ordinary minister of Holy Communion is the Bishop, the Priest and the the Deacon.(96) Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are those instituted as acolytes and the faithful so deputed in accordance with Canon 230, § 3.(97)
A non-ordained member of the faithful, in cases of true necessity, may be deputed by the diocesan bishop, using the appropriate form of blessing for these situation, to act as an extraordinary minister to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations ad actum vel ad tempus or for a more stable period. In exceptional cases or in un foreseen circumstances, the priest presiding at the liturgy may authorize such ad actum.(98)
§ 2. Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly unable to distribute Holy Communion.(99) They may also exercise this function at eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion. (100)
This function is supplementary and extraordinary (101) and must be exercised in accordance with the norm of law. It is thus useful for the diocesan bishop to issue particular norms concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion which, in complete harmony with the universal law of the Church, should regulate the exercise of this function in his diocese. Such norms should provide, amongst other things, for matters such as the instruction in eucharistic doctrine of those chosen to be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the meaning of the service they provide, the rubrics to be observed, the reverence to be shown for such an august Sacrament and instruction concerning the discipline on admission to Holy Communion.
To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches:
— extraordinary ministers receiving Holy Communion apart from the other faithful as though concelebrants;
— association with the renewal of promises made by priests at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, as well as other categories of faithful who renew religious vows or receive a mandate as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion;
— the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of “a great number of the faithful”.

Ends/................

Of course, the Bishops of England and Wales will be tripping over in their haste to implement Ecclesia de mysterio........hang on....a pig has just flown past my window!

A few options to the Kiss of Peace!

Father Z posted on it and now Damian Thompson has carried it...what is it?
A post titled How to avoid the Kiss of Peace!

I believe that 100% of the orthodox will run a hundred miles rather than have to shake hands with their pew neighbour, I certainly would. I find it disruptive right at a stage of the Mass that is critical, the few seconds remaining in which to compose one's soul before receiving Holy Communion.
And, if only it were a handshake; now it has become an embrace, a hug and even a kiss on the cheek type of thing - not at all British! And, despite guidance from the Pope, some priests still insist on going round to every member of the congregation, shaking hands and laughing like they've just won the box of mixed fruit at the Christmas Bazaar.

Damian's comments box reveals some interesting options. There's Annie who is all for a Red Indian Native American type of "How" salute. I like this. In fact, I like it quite a lot.
I shall try it when I next attend an OF Mass (some years hence).
We are in the throes of a swine flu epidemic and just saying "How" removes that germ spreading human contact bit. It is also quite funny.
At Latin Masses we could have a two fingered salute whilst uttering "Pax" - I see nothing funny in that?

Kiss of Peace Maori style

Now what if one went to Mass in Alaska? Would we have to do an Eskimo  Inuit nose rubbing job? That's none too hygienic. Or when in New Zealand would we jump into the aisles to do a little powhiri dance?

 Or, we could adopt the peace sign of the Kikuyu tribe and slit the throats of a few chickens. The possibilities are endless.
But, wait just one minuto! I have the answer!
Only attend EF Masses then you won't have to give it. Simple.

ROME - IN THE STYLE OF THE BLOGGING COMMUNITY!

So much to portray about five days spent in Rome; the churches, the young priests in their 'uniforms' of black with white dog collar, the old Monsignori drinking their espressos in pavement cafes and, of course, the Holy Father.

I thought that, as time presses, my second Rome account should be a pictorial one...not in my style but in the style of famous bloggers. I'm afraid my camera was on the blink and, anyway, not Brownie enough for the vast churches and Basilicas - but it's the best I can offer.

So here they are; first.....


IN THE STYLE OF ORBIS CATHOLICUS SECUNDUS....




Church Militant - the Swiss Guard!

......AND, IN THE STYLE OF MULIER FORTIS......




EF Mass in the Cesi Chapel, St Maria Maggiore

....AND, A LA PORTA CAELI.......

Well, this was tailor made! The Holy Door at St Maria Maggiore

......NOW FOR THE STYLE OF THE HERMENEUTIC OF CONTINUITY......








Name the Cardinal and the order of nuns



...COULD THIS BE IN THE STYLE OF A WELL KNOWN, ALLEGEDLY CATHOLIC MAGAZINE?.....



A pink poodle says it all really!


..... LAST, BUT BY NO MEANS LEAST - IN THE STYLE OF FATHER Z...

Scuse, Padre!

                                                        

AFTERNOTE:  I knew I would get into trouble for leaving someone out.......

So, here in the style of Catholic Mum of Ten.......

Capella di Madonna del Riposo, Baldo deglli Ubaldi, Rome

Happy now Jackie?

A 5 year anniversary of celebrating Mass facing Christ

This is from Fr Z's site and is an account from a priest who has been celebrating the EF Mass for five years now. When I say facing Christ, I mean that the priest celebrates facing the Host in the tabernacle as opposed to turning his back on Almighty God.
After all......would you get in a bus where the driver faced the passengers and not the road?

A priest speaks about celebrating Mass “ad orientem” for 5 years

Posted on 19 December 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This is from Vultus Christi, the blog of Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby is Prior of the Diocesan  Benedictine Monastery of Our Lady of the Cenacle in Tulsa, Oklahoma established by H.E. Most Rev. Edward Slattery.
Fr. Kirby speaks about his impressions of celebration Holy Mass “ad orientem”.   This is useful for priests who are thinking about this but perhaps are still hesitant to just do it.
My emphases and comments.
Be sure to go to his place and leave an good comment in his combox!  Spike those stats!

Five Years of “Ad Orientem”

By Father Mark on December 16, 2010
Taking the Step
December 17, 2010 will mark the fifth anniversary of my standing before the altar ad orientem for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I began offering Holy Mass exclusively ad orientem at the Monastery of the Glorious Cross, where I served for a number of years as chaplain. I prepared the change in Advent 2005 with an appropriate pastoral and mystagogical catechesis.
Then Came Summorum Pontificum
After September 14, 2007, Summorum Pontificum made it much easier to celebrate the traditional rite of Holy Mass and, since undertaking my mission in Tulsa, I have offered the Extraordinary Form daily, having no desire and seeing no need, in the context of contemplative monastic life, of celebrating in the Ordinary Form. [With proper catechesis the same could be said for a parish.]
No Going Back
That being said, after five years of offering Holy Mass ad orientem, I can say that I never want to have to return to the versus populum position.  [Do I hear an "Amen!"?] While traveling, I am, however, sometimes obliged to celebrate versus populum, notably in Ireland, in France and Italy; it leaves me with a feeling of extreme inappropriateness. [Understandable.] I suffer from what I can only describe as a lack of sacred pudeur, or modesty in the face of the Holy Mysteries. When obliged to celebrate versus populum, I feel viscerally, as it were, that there is something very wrong — theologically, spiritually, and anthropologically — with offering the Holy Sacrifice turned toward the congregation.
Ten Advantages
What are the advantages of standing at the altar ad orientem, as I have experienced them over the past two years? I can think of ten straight off:
1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is experienced as having a theocentric direction and focus. [Not anthropocentric.]
2. The faithful are spared the tiresome clerocentrism that has so overtaken the celebration of Holy Mass in the past forty years. [Do I hear another "Amen!"?]
3. It has once again become evident that the Canon of the Mass (Prex Eucharistica) is addressed to the Father, by the priest, in the name of all.
4. The sacrificial character of the Mass is wonderfully expressed and affirmed.
5. Almost imperceptibly one discovers the rightness of praying silently at certain moments, of reciting certain parts of the Mass softly, and of cantillating others.
6. It affords the priest celebrant the boon of a holy modesty.
7. I find myself more and more identified with Christ, Eternal High Priest and Hostia perpetua, in the liturgy of the heavenly sanctuary, beyond the veil, before the Face of the Father.
8. During the Canon of the Mass I am graced with a profound recollection.
9. The people have become more reverent in their demeanour. [Amen!]
10. The entire celebration of Holy Mass has gained in reverence, attention, and devotion.

Good work, Father.  WDTPRS KUDOS.

Now here's a good idea Bishop.......

......the thing is, are you awake My Lord?

Again, having prepared a short piece on initiatives that the Bishops of England and Wales might like to consider in order to fulfil the requirments of Summorum Pontificum, I find the excellent Fr Z has trumped me with a piece about the order of the Austrian Canons Regular of Klosterneuburg who have accepted the invitation of Bishop Murphy of Rockville Centre Diocese in the USA., to assume full pastoral care for two parishes. Wunderbar! However, there is some doubt as to whether they will  be celebrating the TLM.......my guess is that this will be the case but it may not be at once.
Now come on my Lords, if it can be done in America it can be done in Britain (with the help of the FSSP and ICKSP),  just think of the advantages:-

1. You get to fulfil the needs of sections of the laity in your Diocese who have been gnawing away at your ecclesiastical socks, asking for Mass in the Extraordinary Form on a regular basis (by that I mean not at 2.30pm on a Wednesday afternoon in the farthest flung parish you can find).

2. The Holy Father will be greatly pleased that you have (at last) taken notice of what he has asked of you...err, I assume you would be pleased that he is pleased?

3. You relax  the problems of too many parishes and not enough priests. No more drafting in of itinerant priests to help you out over periods of sickness or holidays.

4. You will be able to scrap the (bizarre) plans you had regarding recruiting some nice young priests from Zambia - a big saving on fares and it also means that they will stay in Zambia to minister to Zambians who are in dire need of them!

5. You will also be able to show a marked increase in Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals and, of course, Mass attendance figures will shoot up.

6. The number of converts, in the course of 3 to 5 years, will also show a marked increase.

In short, Bishop, you will actually be fulfilling your role pretty much as Our Lord intended it to be fulfilled. And you might also like to go the whole hog and think about inviting retired priests who are stuck in convents or caravan parks in your Diocese and pay them a small stipend to say the TLM wherever they are able to do so. Maybe even in the convent chapel...it might even bring some nuns back to the Faith!
According to an elderly priest friend of mine there are quite a few retired priests who celebrate the TLM in a solitary fashion, spread around the country. I would not wish to involve them in duties beyond their retirement, they have surely earned a rest but a Sunday Mass in their chapel with a live congregation - that might be welcomed by them.

And, if you think that all of this is so much bunkum, I have only this to say, in the immortal words of Ronnie Barker........

"YOUR NUTS, MY LORD?"