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Monthly Archives: December 2021
Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 29: “Whose Sins You Shall Forgive” Part 3: Biblical Images
Continuing on the topic of “Whose Sins You Shall Forgive” Pope John Paul II offered a number of images from the Scriptures to reinforce his instruction to confessors as to what he wanted to see in the clergy of the church. … Continue reading
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The Armchair Liturgist: Mass Intentions Aligned With The Liturgical Year
One of my duties at my new parish is to monitor the parish bulletin. One of those sub-tasks is to check the publication of Mass intentions. I noticed that during Christian Unity Week, the pastor has listed a prayer for … Continue reading
Posted in Parish Life, The Armchair Liturgist
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Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 29: “Whose Sins You Shall Forgive” Part 2: The Confessor
Pope John Paul II introduces the ministry of confessor to his discussion “Whose sins you shall forgive.” Now this power to ” forgive sins” Jesus confers through the Holy Spirit upon ordinary men, themselves subject to the snare of sin, … Continue reading
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RENQTC Question 1: Celebrating the 1962 Rite in a Parish Church
This set of questions from people and answers from the Roman dicastery for liturgy (CDWDS) dropped earlier this month. It raised concerns in social media in some quarters, but it really breaks no new ground. It merely clarifies the intent … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, Traditionis Custodes
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Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 29: “Whose Sins You Shall Forgive” Part 1: God Forgives
“Whose Sins You Shall Forgive” In this section, about 1300 words, Pope John Paul II first provides a catechesis on the one forgiving sins. Obviously, God comes first on that list. How do we know? The witness of the prophets … Continue reading
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RENQTC: Difficult, Complex Debates
This dropped earlier this month. Let’s look at a citation from Pope Paul VI that might be of interest: At the solemn closing of the second session of the Council (4 December 1963), St Paul VI said (n. 11): “The … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, Traditionis Custodes
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Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 28: The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, Part 2: Crisis
From its preparatory stage and then in the numerous interventions during the sessions, in the group meetings and in the final propositions, the synod took into account the statement frequently made with varying nuances and emphases, namely: The sacrament of … Continue reading
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Christmas Stamps 1973: Needlepoint and Madonna
I know it’s just an artistic design on a stamp from 1973, right, but if your tree ornaments were at this scale … well, that’s a nicely huge gingerbread cookie for munching. You can have those 18-inch candy canes. The … Continue reading
Hannah and Her Son
Over the years, I’ve experienced a certain vehemence about not using the cycle A readings every year in Lent on those third, fourth, and fifth Sundays. The feeling strikes me as equally strong to stick to the cycle A options every … Continue reading
Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 28: The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, Part 1
CHAPTER TWO begins with a look at The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. This is the last full chapter of the document, the conclusion of the third part which, you’ll recall, examines The Pastoral Ministry of Penance and Reconciliation. As we progress … Continue reading
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The Feast Of Stephen
Somewhere in my deep memory, there was a preacher who spoke with approval of the dropping of the observance of Christendom’s first martyr the day after the festivity of the Nativity. Let’s not get caught up too much in celebrations, … Continue reading
Posted in Christmas, Saints
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See What Love
I know that the holiday for gratitude was last month. However, I feel a swell of gratitude for family, friends, and faith community this year. A cycle C reading for Holy Family, in part, covers the whole meaning for me: … Continue reading
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Christmas Stamps 1972: A Coronation and a Santa
Check that painting above. Venture a guess as to what it might depict? For Catholics, it’s easy: the feast celebrated on the 22nd of August. This was the inspiration for the USPS “traditional” Christmas stamp. Specifically, a pair of musicians … Continue reading
RENQTC: An Undeniable Fact
The document known as Responses and Explanatory Notes to Questions on Traditionis Custodes discusses a simple reality from 1962-63: One fact is undeniable: The Council Fathers perceived the urgent need for a reform so that the truth of the faith … Continue reading
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Reconciliatio et Paenitentia 27: The Sacraments, Part 5: Anointing and More
We conclude this section on The Sacraments with a very brief look at anointing of the sick. Finally, the anointing of the sick in the trial of illness and old age and especially at the Christian’s final hour is a sign … Continue reading
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Catholic Sensibility 