Monthly Archives: October 2009

How To Make A Retreat

Posted on 31 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

I wrote an article on retreats some time ago. My editor spiked it, but I found it still cluttering up my hard drive earlier tonight. So as I head off to a week of Lectio and silence and reflection and … Continue reading →

Posted in spirituality | 2 Comments

Meet Gambit

Posted on 31 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

It’s been five years since we had a kitten in the house. The other two cats are not pleased, but they seem to be adjusting. Gambit is not an exact match to the departed Splinter; he has a light orange … Continue reading →

Posted in My Family | 2 Comments

Unbiased Anti-Catholicism

Posted on 31 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

Archbishop Timothy Dolan and the Pew Research Center take aim at the media this week. Catholic and conservative complaints are truly a mystery to me. Unlike one blogger and his commentariat, I can’t ever recall a direct confession from any … Continue reading →

Posted in Church News, Commentary, The Blogosphere | 5 Comments

RCIA 209: Rites of Baptism

Posted on 31 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

Sections 209 through 214 give an explanation of the main elements of the baptism portion of the initiation rites. A summary first: 209. The celebration of baptism has as its center and high point the baptismal washing and the invocation … Continue reading →

Posted in post-conciliar liturgy documents, RCIA, Rites | 2 Comments

Awkward Communion

Posted on 30 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

My friend Jerry related a visit to a cathedral parish in which a curious repertoire choice unfolded at Communion time: the Gregorian antiphon, Laetabimur in salutari tuo was sung solo during the priest’s Communion, followed by “I Received the Living … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | 6 Comments

Rome Takes Note of Blogs

Posted on 30 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

Lots of talk in Rome about bloggers, at a recent international conference on pastoral guidelines for church communications. Selected quotes: Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, didn’t think a Catholic bloggers’ “code of conduct” … Continue reading →

Posted in The Blogosphere | 1 Comment

Africans on Liturgy

Posted on 30 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

Zenit has the propositions from the recent Synod of African Bishops. There are some liturgical elements in these. I direct your attention to five propositions treating Reconciliation (5-9), a brief note within proposition 33 on inculturation in liturgy, and #45, … Continue reading →

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‘Tis The Season

Posted on 30 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

Apparently, the Pseudowar on Christmas isn’t enough for Catholic reactionaries. They’re proposing a new scrooge initiative for November: boycotting the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. In its defense, the coalition does urge people to donate directly to organizations. That could … Continue reading →

Posted in Church News, Commentary | Leave a comment

Bluegrass Mass

Posted on 30 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

The Jester and Deacon and their commentariats have jumped all over Fr Edward Richard’s Bluegrass Mass. It’s not a new development at all, using this particular American genre for worship. While they didn’t write as much of it as chant, … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | 5 Comments

RCIA 208: Initiation Outside the Usual Time

Posted on 30 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

It is not an absolute requirement that adult initiation take place at the Easter Vigil. We’ve read earlier that the whole process is to be accommodated to the liturgy, even to the point of inviting the faith community to observe … Continue reading →

Posted in post-conciliar liturgy documents, RCIA, Rites | Leave a comment

Discernment Update, About A Month In

Posted on 29 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

Stuffed with busy events, some days find my interior awash with the same clutter. I have another small group discernment meeting tonight. As I reflect back on the past two weeks, I see I have done little or nothing to discern. … Continue reading →

Posted in spirituality | 3 Comments

Ecumenism, Gestures, Sex, and Peter

Posted on 29 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

Even before a single Anglican emerged dripping, shivering, and towelling dry from the Tiber, there was lots of cheering, jeering, and whatnot on the forthcoming apostolic constitution on absorbing Anglicans into the Roman West. The matter doesn’t interest me deeply. … Continue reading →

Posted in Church News, ecumenism | 2 Comments

RCIA 207: When To Initiate

Posted on 29 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

207. The usual time for the celebration of the sacraments of initiation is the Easter Vigil (see RCIA 23), at which preferably the bishop himself presides as celebrant, at least for the initiation of those who are fourteen years old … Continue reading →

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RCIA 206: The Third Step Commences

Posted on 28 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

RCIA 206 through 243 cover the celebration of the Easter Vigil. The Vigil is the normative time at which adult baptism, confirmation, and First Eucharist take place. Sections 206-217 are the instructions given in the rite–not the rubrics, but the … Continue reading →

Posted in post-conciliar liturgy documents, RCIA, Rites | Leave a comment

Vocabulary and Liturgy

Posted on 27 October 2009 by catholicsensibility

(This is Neil) With regard to Todd’s post, Trautman’s Vocab, below, I thought that some of our readers would be interested in this excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ posthumously published Letters to Malcolm, Chiefly on Prayer (1964). Lewis is discussing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgy, Neil | 8 Comments