The Orthodox Polyphonic Liturgical Tradition: Pater Noster by Fyodor Dubensky

Dubensky's "Pater Noster". Outstanding. 

The subversion of the Papacy of Pope Benedict XVI

According to Fr. Thomas Rosica, "they" dressed His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, in an outdated sartorial manner; imposing attire on an unwilling Pope; such  rainment not reflecting the "theologian". "They" - these anonymous conspirators - were subverting the Pope. Presumably, "they" are also behind the new style of dress by Pope Francis? Or, have "they" been removed? Perhaps it is not too much to ask Fr. Thomas Rosica to furnish us with their names? After all, if there is some dark and conspiratorial clique in Rome, he has a moral obligation before God and the Church to expose them. Names please!

Alas, we shall never be provided with such names.To the contrary, Pope Benedict's manner of dress and his liturgical sense were reflections of his drive to return the Church to Her tradition. His externals were reflective of his internal intent. Even the secular Guardian - no friend of the Catholic Church - could understand this. 

Benedict's desire to recapture the Church's traditional liturgy and doctrine goes hand in hand with what he wore as pope. On his election in 2005, he wore Ming the Merciless-style vestments left over from John Paul's administration, and after getting rid of his first master of ceremonies, Piero Marini, who had subjected him to a sort of blue dust-sheet for his first papal mass in Austria, he turned to Guido Marini (no relation) – an MC who understood the power of tradition

Somehow "they" were able to force the Pope to dress as "they" wished; but, according to Fr. Rosica, the Pope's teachings still shone through. Teachings, Rosica informs us, he supports. But does he really? It is one thing, to accuse people, without names and proof, of subverting the Pope; presumably "they" are Pelegians. But it is far, far more serious to claim obeisance and admiration for the Pope's teaching, when all the while dissenting from that Pope, and indeed the Church. 

Fr. Rosica does make a very valid point in his speech. He is most correct in his call for us to remember the teachings of Pope Benedict; what he said. I agree. And in this same spirit, I think it is also appropriate that, we too, remember important words spoken by Fr. Rosica. After all, he is a somewhat prominent priest, and works part-time under Fr. Lombardi.

Yes, we return again to the issue of Fr. Thomas Rosica's interview with the notorious heretic and ex-priest, Gregory Baum. Fr. Rosica addressed Baum: 

"you have been for me and continue to be a real model of hope" 

and also: 

"I've certainly admired very much your theology, your writings; but also your love of the Church, your love of Christ, and you help to keep alive - not only the spirit of the Second Vatican Council - but the authentic teaching of the Council". 

Now, let us consider the words of Pope Benedict from the Chrism Mass of 2012 on the issue of dissent:

Recently a group of priests from a European country issued a summons to disobedience, and at the same time gave concrete examples of the forms this disobedience might take, even to the point of disregarding definitive decisions of the Church’s Magisterium, such as the question of women’s ordination, for which Blessed Pope John Paul II stated irrevocably that the Church has received no authority from the Lord. Is disobedience a path of renewal for the Church"?

Not to be forgotten are Pope John Paul's words from Familiaris consortio:

...husbands and wives should first of all recognize clearly the teaching of Humanae vitae as indicating the norm for the exercise of their sexuality, and that they should endeavor to establish the conditions necessary for observing that norm.

With his support of Baum, does Fr. Rosica uphold the teachings of Pope Benedict, of the Church?  No. Gregory Baum is not a "model of hope"; his theology is certainly not to be admired....

But, let Pope Francis have the last word. Let us see what the Supreme Pontiff has to say about his venerable and much loved predecessor. On March 15th, Pope Francis spoke these words to the College of Cardinals: 

My thoughts turn with great affection and profound gratitude to my venerable Predecessor Benedict XVI, who enriched and invigorated the Church during the years of his Pontificate by his teaching, his goodness, his leadership, his faith, his humility and his meekness. All this remains as a spiritual patrimony for us all. The Petrine ministry, lived with total dedication, found in him a wise and humble exponent, his gaze always firmly on Christ, the risen Christ, present and alive in the Eucharist. 

We will always accompany him with fervent prayers, with constant remembrance, with undying and affectionate gratitude. We feel that Benedict XVI has kindled a flame deep within our hearts: a flame that will continue to burn because it will be fed by his prayers, which continue to sustain the Church on her spiritual and missionary path.

Fr. Thomas Rosica claims that Cardinal Bergoglio banned the Tridentine Mass in Buenos Aires

From Fr. Thomas Rosica's speech, "An inside Look into the Papal Transition" recently broadcast on Salt and Light TV[the following, beginning at 29:35]:  

The final ideological temptation, that the Pope has been speaking about; he refers to it as the Pelagian solution. The Pelagians, this group at the time of St. Augustine, believed that sanctity was the result of human effort without any assistance from God or the Spirit. This is the temptation of conservative Catholicism to a form of restorationism. "We gotta get back to what things were; the Council was wrong, this shouldn't have happened. We're gonna take you back to the real thing'"!

They seek a purely disciplinary solution to all of the Church's problems; through the restoration of outdated forms and manners, the usage of English [Latin?] language, incomprehensible to most of us who speak English. On a cultural level, it is no longer meaningful. We can see why Francis rejected the  grandiose Papal apparel. One of the things I felt very badly about (and I loved Pope Benedict), is the way that they dressed him up in these past years, and put vestments and things on him. And looking at some of the pictures; saying: this is not Pope Benedict. This is not this great theologian. And how many of us - hopefully not a lot of us here - loved Pope Benedict for the wrong reasons. And there's nothing worse than loving someone for the wrong reasons. 

I asked some of my friends who are very upset with the simplicity of Pope Francis; I said: what were you upset about; what are you upset about? "We loved Benedict! We loved the clothes, we loved the fanon". We loved all these exotic things from museum cupboards"! But I said: did you remember Pope Benedict's homily on Christmas Midnight Mass, do you remember what he said on Holy Thursday, do you remember what he said at the Stations of the Cross at the colosseum? "No! I liked the clothing". 

As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Maria Bergoglio was never a fan of the Tridentine Mass, and he only allowed it when it was mandated by Pope Benedict for the entire Church. There is nothing wrong with the Tridentine Mass; it was a very beautiful attempt of Pope Benedict to make peace in the Church. But for adherents of that Mass who wish to use it as a weapon of division, as a denial of the Council, as a mean spirited force; no liturgy in the name of Jesus Christ is meant to do that. Whether one celebrates the New Rite, the Extraordinary Form, the Rite of Paul VI, or whatever, it is ultimately about Jesus Christ and his life giving action in that celebration. 

UPDATE: Vox Cantoris has published a commentary on Fr. Rosica's speech, "Rosicanism". 

My own commentary may be read here. 

Canonist Ed Peters on the dangers of idle chatter about the Church changing Her doctrine on divorce

Rumours are being spread that Pope Francis is going to "change" doctrine on marriage and divorce. Others are spreading rumours that it will be contraception. Some of this noise is even coming from those who have masqueraded for years as "Catholics"; usually strident self-promoting laypersons (as they no doubt would wish to be termed). 

Ed Peters has a sober article on the foolishness of trying to speculate over things that have no pastoral component. Doctrine cannot change. The Pope can no more change doctrine on these issues, then declare that a square is a circle. People who muse on such things do not understand the concept of the universal Ordinary Magisterium. 

What EWTN does not want you to see

I have been concerned for some time as to the direction/s EWTN is going. That organization certainly has a lot of good programming, and is strongly pro-life. However, there is more and more, not only neo-con material appearing, but, so it seems, an internal struggle pertaining to doctrine. 

Rorate Caeli posts an interesting article that is self explanatory. The author's opinion, Patrick Archbold  - and that all it is, an opinion - was deemed unacceptable by EWTN. It was removed.

Fr. Paul Nicholson: "stay Catholics dear friends, stay victorious"

Fr. Paul Nicholson reminds us of the importance to remain united to Christ through the See of Peter during troubling times. 

Fr. Paul Nicholson on the Duty of Correcting wayward Catholics according to St. Peter Damian

There is much talk about who and how a superior should be corrected. Given that we are in a crisis of unprecedented proportion, a careful viewing and studying of Fr. Paul Nicholson's exposition of St. Peter Damian's thesis on correcting the wayward - especially the clergy - is necessary.  

The Hands of the Handmaid..... by Susan Fox

THE HANDS OF THE HANDMAID:

God rocking in the cradle

(The chief charism of the Legion of Mary is evangelization, and her members regard themselves as the mystical presence of Our Lady in the world. This was written during Peregrinatio Pro Christo, an adventure for Christ, in which legionaries traveled from all over the United States to do door-to-door evangelization for a full week in Anacortes, Wash.)

By Susan Fox

My Lady's hands are sewing

beauty in embroidered light,

quickly moving to the rhythm

that the cricket chirps tonight.

A life is slowly mended,

   a heart now turns to Christ;

another reaches as a child

for that Great Love so mild

that made us out of nothing,

good and perfect in His sight...

The full poem may be read here.