Here's the message that Benedict XVI sends us ahead of his upcoming visit, in English and Spanish:
I signed up to concelebrate with him at St. Patrick's Cathedral next Saturday. Someone in security called me for my SSN, but I haven't seen a ticket yet.
Update: My ticket and pew assignment came in the mail this morning.
April 9, 2008
April 7, 2008
Confirmation
The other night we had Confirmations here in our parish. It had me thinking about the so-called "sacrament in search of a theology."
What is it, honestly? Is it the sealing with or giving of the Holy Spirit, as if someone had only been previously baptized into some of the Trinity, as if the Trinity of God had parts? Is it a rite of passage in the anthropological sense? What of those Churches that Confirm (or Chrismate) at infancy? Is it a graduation from religious education, as it sometimes looks like when everyone is wearing a gown in the academic style?
The discipline of the Roman Church puts Confirmation at the "age of discretion." In most places here in the States we have moved first Communion up to that milestone, and left Confirmation for an adolescent rite of passage. It has never made sense to me, but after the other night, I've thought of another approach.
I used to say that Confirmation should be given either at infancy, as is the practice of most of the Eastern Churches, or should be offered to genuine young adults, say college age, that it might really be the "adult decision" that it is so often advertised to be. After working as a parish priest, I'm not so sure. I never realized how important one's status as confirmed or not was to Catholic life; it is required for one to be a sponsor for baptism (i.e. godparent) and is preferred for the celebration of matrimony. These are times when a parish has a chance to hook a lapsed Christian back into his or her faith; if even fewer Catholics were confirmed perhaps there would be fewer of these opportunities. On the other hand, if full initiation was completed at infancy, there would be no sacramental means, in the external forum, of telling a catechized adult Catholic from an uncatechized one.
But maybe there's a different approach to the whole question. The other night, as I stood there holding the Sacred Chrism for the bishop, watching the kids get confirmed one after another, I was thinking about how difficult and dangerous it must be to grow up in this world. And I thought it was crazy when I was growing up. Maybe the critical time of middle adolescence is a time when young people need a sacrament to strengthen them in grace.
What is it, honestly? Is it the sealing with or giving of the Holy Spirit, as if someone had only been previously baptized into some of the Trinity, as if the Trinity of God had parts? Is it a rite of passage in the anthropological sense? What of those Churches that Confirm (or Chrismate) at infancy? Is it a graduation from religious education, as it sometimes looks like when everyone is wearing a gown in the academic style?
The discipline of the Roman Church puts Confirmation at the "age of discretion." In most places here in the States we have moved first Communion up to that milestone, and left Confirmation for an adolescent rite of passage. It has never made sense to me, but after the other night, I've thought of another approach.
I used to say that Confirmation should be given either at infancy, as is the practice of most of the Eastern Churches, or should be offered to genuine young adults, say college age, that it might really be the "adult decision" that it is so often advertised to be. After working as a parish priest, I'm not so sure. I never realized how important one's status as confirmed or not was to Catholic life; it is required for one to be a sponsor for baptism (i.e. godparent) and is preferred for the celebration of matrimony. These are times when a parish has a chance to hook a lapsed Christian back into his or her faith; if even fewer Catholics were confirmed perhaps there would be fewer of these opportunities. On the other hand, if full initiation was completed at infancy, there would be no sacramental means, in the external forum, of telling a catechized adult Catholic from an uncatechized one.
But maybe there's a different approach to the whole question. The other night, as I stood there holding the Sacred Chrism for the bishop, watching the kids get confirmed one after another, I was thinking about how difficult and dangerous it must be to grow up in this world. And I thought it was crazy when I was growing up. Maybe the critical time of middle adolescence is a time when young people need a sacrament to strengthen them in grace.
April 5, 2008
On The Way
On the first Easter evening, Jesus walked with his disciples, opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. My homily for this weekend is posted here.
April 4, 2008
Extraordinary Form
Ever since the appearance of Summorum Pontificum I've wondered if I ought to learn what's now called the "extraordinary form" of the Roman Rite Mass. My Latin is probably good enough, and I'm sure I could manage the singing with some practice.
I haven't bothered with it yet. It seems like the spirit of the letter would be not to worry about it until some "stable community" of the faithful requested it in some place where I was serving. I guess I kind of imagined that if this ever happened, I would have those who wanted it donate the few hundred dollars I guess I would need for a 1962 altar missal and a maniple. I bet I could find everything else I would need in a half decent novus ordo sacristy.
But maybe this is something I should learn on my own, just to keep up, so to speak, with the times.
I haven't bothered with it yet. It seems like the spirit of the letter would be not to worry about it until some "stable community" of the faithful requested it in some place where I was serving. I guess I kind of imagined that if this ever happened, I would have those who wanted it donate the few hundred dollars I guess I would need for a 1962 altar missal and a maniple. I bet I could find everything else I would need in a half decent novus ordo sacristy.
But maybe this is something I should learn on my own, just to keep up, so to speak, with the times.
April 2, 2008
These Go To Eleven
Every year I enjoy the feast of St. Francis of Paola, for he did us Franciscans one better.
Francis of Assisi founded the Ordo Fratrum Minorum, the Order of Lesser Brothers. But Francis of Paola founded the Ordo Minimorum, the Order of the Least. To paraphrase Nigel Tufnel, they're "one humbler."
I only worry that, since April 2 is also the date of the birth to eternal life of the Servant of God John Paul II, Francis may one day lose his feast day in the general Roman calendar.
Francis of Assisi founded the Ordo Fratrum Minorum, the Order of Lesser Brothers. But Francis of Paola founded the Ordo Minimorum, the Order of the Least. To paraphrase Nigel Tufnel, they're "one humbler."
I only worry that, since April 2 is also the date of the birth to eternal life of the Servant of God John Paul II, Francis may one day lose his feast day in the general Roman calendar.
April 1, 2008
April Fool
The Google April Fool's hoax is one of my favorite annual events. I know, that's pretty geeky. But they've done it again this year. I presume the new invitation to join the new project of Google civilization on Mars isn't exactly real. Check it out here.
Liturgy of the Hours
Thanks to Lake for challenging me on my rant-ish claims about the Liturgy of the Hours in yesterday's post. It is certainly silly to suggest that if priests only said their prayers it would save the Church, or that their failing to do so will destroy us, as if the life of the Church depended on our faithfulness rather than the faithfulness of Christ.
That being said, over the years, my learning of the Tradition as well as my reflection on the meaning and function of the Scriptures in the life of the Church has led me to the strong belief that, apart from the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours is the ordinary and preeminent way that the Holy Spirit--as the abiding Presence of Christ in the Church--prays with us, for us, and as us to the Father.
Therefore, it is my sincere belief that we as a Church, and we who are clergy in particular, take the Hours lightly at our spiritual peril. It is the public prayer of the Church, and the Church and the world have a right to expect that those of us who have accepted the obligation to pray the Hours either through ordination or religious choir are actually doing it.
All that being said, I do have two complicating reflections:
First, we must also recognize that in most places we have not yet heeded the call of the most recent reform of the liturgy to make the Liturgy of the Hours into true public prayer, a prayer of the whole people of God in their cathedrals and parish churches. (See, e.g. Sacrosanctum concilium 100 or the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours 2o) In some places and at certain special times of year there have been great successes in this regard, but generally speaking this has not yet been carried out.
Second, as a cleric, I must admit that there are times when I have "said" one of the Hours--especially Daytime Prayer or Night Prayer--with such distraction and stress that I have wondered if "fulfilling" my obligation to keep the Hour is overshadowed by the danger of breaking the second commandment in its execution, i.e. taking the name of God in vain. Now this is probably just a challenge to live a more orderly religious life, but it does remind me that it is always dangerous to talk about law and obligation without love, lest I "strain out the gnat and swallow the camel." (Matthew 23:24)
That being said, over the years, my learning of the Tradition as well as my reflection on the meaning and function of the Scriptures in the life of the Church has led me to the strong belief that, apart from the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours is the ordinary and preeminent way that the Holy Spirit--as the abiding Presence of Christ in the Church--prays with us, for us, and as us to the Father.
Therefore, it is my sincere belief that we as a Church, and we who are clergy in particular, take the Hours lightly at our spiritual peril. It is the public prayer of the Church, and the Church and the world have a right to expect that those of us who have accepted the obligation to pray the Hours either through ordination or religious choir are actually doing it.
All that being said, I do have two complicating reflections:
First, we must also recognize that in most places we have not yet heeded the call of the most recent reform of the liturgy to make the Liturgy of the Hours into true public prayer, a prayer of the whole people of God in their cathedrals and parish churches. (See, e.g. Sacrosanctum concilium 100 or the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours 2o) In some places and at certain special times of year there have been great successes in this regard, but generally speaking this has not yet been carried out.
Second, as a cleric, I must admit that there are times when I have "said" one of the Hours--especially Daytime Prayer or Night Prayer--with such distraction and stress that I have wondered if "fulfilling" my obligation to keep the Hour is overshadowed by the danger of breaking the second commandment in its execution, i.e. taking the name of God in vain. Now this is probably just a challenge to live a more orderly religious life, but it does remind me that it is always dangerous to talk about law and obligation without love, lest I "strain out the gnat and swallow the camel." (Matthew 23:24)
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