Recent Comments
Liam on Sacramentum Caritatis 57: Part… Liam on Las Vegas, Moving On Up Liam on Las Vegas, Moving On Up Liam on Readings for the Conferral of… Todd Flowerday on Readings for the Conferral of… Liam on Readings for the Conferral of… Teiborlang Malngiang on Paschale Solemnitatis Outline Todd Flowerday on Sacramentum Caritatis 47:… Liam on Sacramentum Caritatis 47:… Liam on Sacramentum Caritatis 46: The…
Monthly Archives: August 2013
The Armchair Liturgist: Mass on Civic Holidays
My parish ordinarily celebrates a weekday noon Mass. That time slot seems less than optimal for a civic holiday like Labor Day. It’s one of three days of the year in which we move 12:00 liturgy for a non-holy day to … Continue reading
Posted in The Armchair Liturgist
1 Comment
Approaching Mount Zion in Humility
The pastor preached on humility tonight: I appreciate his concise, pointed homilies. One parishioner remarked to me tonight that he likes getting challenged–and Fr Seda always does that for him. That said, I was drawn to the great image in … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, Scripture
Leave a comment
What Is A Secretary of State?
I see Pope Francis has a new head for State, effective mid-October. Pietro Parolin is the man. Pius XII went from the position into the Chair of Peter in 1939, but the last time before that was in the 1600’s when … Continue reading
Redemptionis Sacramentum 39
More on participation, which every serious liturgist acknowledges as multivalent. Starting off, we get the classic definition of active participation as the council bishops gave it: [39.] For promoting and elucidating active participation, the recent renewal of the liturgical books … Continue reading
Posted in Redemptionis Sacramentum
Leave a comment
Another Case for Fruitless Action
Count me as singularly unimpressed with John Kerry’s pitch for military action. Nine points do not trump eight beatitudes. The British pacifist Muriel Lester denounced the outbreak of that singularly hideous and immoral adventure known as the Great War. Her … Continue reading
Lumen Fidei 57
There’s an important caution in LF 57, namely that faith does not give all the answers to the turmoil of mortal life. 57. Nor does the light of faith make us forget the sufferings of this world. How many men … Continue reading
Redemptionis Sacramentum 38
A brief section, but not a totally convincing one: [38.] The constant teaching of the Church on the nature of the Eucharist not only as a meal, but also and pre-eminently as a Sacrifice, is therefore rightly understood to be … Continue reading
Posted in Redemptionis Sacramentum
Leave a comment
Lumen Fidei 56
We’ve largely looked at faith in a positive perspective thus far. What of faith when it is tested? Two sections explore “Consolation and strength amid suffering.” Saint Paul’s second letter to Corinth is a classic text of a saint’s faith … Continue reading
Eclipse of the Sun, Martian Style
The Mars Curiosity rover caught the moon Phobos passing in front of the sun as seen from the surface of Mars. Some background here. Compared to the Earth, the sun appears smaller in the sky as seen from Mars. The Martian … Continue reading
Reconciliation Lectionary: Romans 8:18-25
This passage is listed as one of two possibilities for the First Reading for the fifth sample penitential service in Appendix II. The framers of the rite paired it with two Kingdom similes found in Matthew 13:44-46. This is a rich … Continue reading
Redemptionis Sacramentum 37
This section is actually quite excellent. It provides a deeper reflection on the notion of a priesthood of believers: [37.] All of Christ’s faithful, freed from their sins and incorporated into the Church through Baptism, are deputed by means of a … Continue reading
Posted in Redemptionis Sacramentum
Leave a comment
Lumen Fidei 55
Yesterday we left off with the encouragement for people to keep in mind Christ’s incarnation and the Paschal Mystery. What does that give us? The ability to penetrate a bit more deeply into the universe, and move from the sin … Continue reading
At Night
This is my view at night when I go home. First, walking past the altar with the light setting on “night.” Just eight small lamps shine on the platform. One post hits the far wall. The two saint shrines: Thomas … Continue reading
Catholic Sensibility 
Divorced, Remarried, and Canon Lawyers
The Tablet reported on a Würzburg, Germany poll in which divorced and remarried Catholics, by a wide margin, think canonical practice on receiving Communion should change. I’m not a believer in making policy by polls. That said, what do you suppose … Continue reading →