Ralph McInerny (1929 - 2010)

We remember in prayer Ralph McInerny who died Friday morning and we give thanks to God for the late professor's dedication to the art of learning and philosophy in the Catholic tradition.

Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul...

The most important thing of all to him [St. Paul], however, was that he knew himself to be loved by Christ. Enjoying this love, he considered himself happier than anyone else; were he without it, it would be no satisfaction to be the friend of principalities and powers. He preferred to be thus loved and be the least of all, or even to be among the damned, than to be without that love and be among the great and honored. - From a homily by St. John Chrysostom

Third Typical Edition: English...

The Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal (2002) is in the final steps of being translated and approved for use in the English language. The Holy See is expected to confirm the final translation version by this Summer. Publishers expect to have newly printed missals ready to ship one year later. And so, Fall 2011 seems to be the earliest date when USA parishes will use the MR2002 in English.

The Notre Dame Center for Liturgy has created and made available catechetical videos aimed at parish worship committees, priests, catechists, etc., who wish to learn more. I have had the opportunity to work with or study under three of the four presenters. They represent a wealth of experience in the Ordinary Form of the Roman rite. Enjoy!

ND Right-to-Life March Send-off Mass...

The Mass was celebrated Tuesday evening and was celebrated and preached by Most Rev. John D'Arcy, D.D., bishop-emeritus of the Diocese of Fort Wayne - South Bend. Bishop Rhoades, the new ordinary, was scheduled to preside, but was unable to attend due to car problems.

A New Digital "Agorà"...

Today the Holy Father gave an address marking the occasion of the 44th World Communications Day. In it he encouraged Christians and specifically priests to "go forth and blog" as FOX News put it. An excerpt:

Using new communication technologies, priests can introduce people to the life of the Church and help our contemporaries to discover the face of Christ. Yet priests present in the world of digital communications should be less notable for their media savvy than for their priestly heart, their closeness to Christ. This will not only enliven their pastoral outreach, but also will give a “soul” to the fabric of communications that makes up the “Web”.

The Holy Father refers to the Web as a modern-day "agorà" or public space / market space where the Good News of Christ is to be proclaimed and Christ is to be made known and encountered. Much as Athens was for Paul and Rome was for Peter and Ireland was for Patrick, the Web is mission territory for believers. The Holy Father recognizes this. May we too!

Hollywood, Rome Style...

My daily trip to Sant'Anselmo takes me past the churches of Santa Sabina and Sant'Alessio. Yesterday, Santa Sabina's parking lot was cleared of its usual cars and motorini and replaced with a movie set full of actors and a few cars from what looks like the 1930s.

This second photo shows a group of actors warming themselves between shots. I wonder if the young lady changed out of her blue and white sneakers before the cameras rolled! For those of you wondering, I was not "discovered" so my entrance into the movie industry will have to wait a bit more.

The gentleman to the right was using his cell phone so I suspect that was tucked away in his coat during scenes. The Aventine hill is mostly residential combined with some churches and walled-up embassies. So it lacks business signs, neon lights, etc. In that sense it makes for an ideal spot for filming historical pieces.

On another note, it is exam time for Roman pontifical schools. Just as the Fall semester begins in mid-October, so too are the Fall semester exams held later from now until mid-February. Your prayers for my classmates and me would be appreciated.

A New Paige in HCC History...

Bro. John Paige, CSC was introduced this week as the new president of Holy Cross College effective January 2011. Paige is currently the Vicar General for the Congregation of Holy Cross here in Rome. His term, along with the Superior General's term ends this July.

It's been a joy to be in his neck of the woods these two years and I will miss him next year. Bro. Paige is a religious whose intelligence and sincerity is apparent the moment you meet him. Congratulations to Bro. Paige and the Holy Cross College community.

Feast of Blessed Basil Moreau, CSC

Today the Church recalls the memory of Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Lord Jesus, Source of all that is good, you inspired Blessed Basil Moreau to found the religious family of Holy Cross to continue your mission among the People of God. May he be for us a model of the apostolic life, an example of fidelity and an inspiration as we strive to follow you.

May the Church proclaim his saintliness for the good of all people. Lord Jesus, you said, "Ask and you shall receive." I dare to come to you to ask that you hear my prayer. It is through the intercession of Blessed Basil Moreau that I ask...

May I learn to imitate his holiness and service and look to him confidently in times of need. Amen.

Fr. Streit, CSC and the Haiti Program...

For years Fr. Tom Streit, CSC has spearheaded the fight against disease in Haiti. This past Tuesday Fr. Streit and his colleagues were at the Hotel Montana during the awful earthquake. A full story is posted at the NDnews website and is well worth the read.

CSC Death In Haiti

Fr. Bernard ANTOINE, headmaster of our high school Collège Notre Dame du Perpétuel Secours in Cap-Haïtien (northern HAÏTI) informs [us] that the dead body of our temporary professed, Emmanuel Jacques GUILLAUME, has been found under the debris at/of university Quisqueya where he was passing an exam. Under the vow of obedience, he was chosen by his former director of formation Fr. Bernard himself to go and receive a solid formation in Math in order to be, later on, in charge of Math classes at the high school.

Guillaume was very dedicated and very faithful to religious life in Holy Cross. He did his novitiate at the time of turmoil in 2004 when a group of rebels armed with heavy weapons invaded the novitiate property/site for a while. He had a good spirit of service to others and you should see how busy he was at the last ordination in Holy Cross which took place in Fort-Liberté (northeastern) last December 26.

May his soul repose in peace. REQUIESCAT IN PACE.

News have also been received that our provincial house (or what is left from it) and its yard are now filled with people seeking aid/help. Fr. Yvon JOSEPH, the oldest member of our province, has sent an SOS to Fr. Bernard ANTOINE saying that they are out of water and food. Fr. Bernard hurried to send a pick-up filled with water, food and other things which is on its way to Port-au-Prince. Only God knows if everything will arrive at its destination because many people who are starving try to deprive any car found in the streets loaded with food.

UPDATE:

Photos of the Basil Moreau School in Haiti forwarded to me by Fr. Haake, CSC:

The Work of Scardina

Photographer Steven Scardina demonstrates his work online. This first link is of his work on Fr. Dujarie. This second link is a sampling of his portfolio which includes scenes from the life of Blessed Moreau and his beatification.

Update on CSCs in Haiti...

From the Office of the Procurator General,
Congregation of Holy Cross, Rome

January, 15 2010

We still remain without contact with our brothers in Haïti. Hopefully communications will be reestablished soon and we will be able to give you an update from Rev. Michel Eugène C.S.C., the Provincial Superior. However, because of the continuous coverage of the terrible effects of the earthquake all of you are aware of the devastation which has taken place in Port -au-Prince, the loss of human lives, the structural damage and the lack of food and water. With continuing aftershocks the damage continues.

The Congregation of Holy Cross has been in Haïti since 1944. We began in Haïti at Collège Notre-Dame in Cap Haïtien. In Port-au-Prince we currently have Ensemble Scolaire Basile Moreau, our house of formation for philosophy and theology, the provincial house and a residence. We also have parishes in the area. As of know we know that in Port-au-Prince, the high school building at Ensemble Scolaire Basile Moreau has collapsed. Also there has been massive damage to the provincial house and some damage at the house of formation. As of the last report from Haïti there is one scholastic missing. We expect that the damage reports will continue to be worse as the aftershocks continue. We will continue to update you.

Many of the religious of Holy Cross want to know how to respond to this crisis. We would suggest the following steps:

1. All religious houses and individual religious should pray for the people of Haiti and especially for the religious of Haïti.
2. All of the Provinces, Vicariates, and Districts and all of the apostolates and works within the Provinces, Vicariates and Districts should collect and send monetary resources for the aid of Haïti.
3. The monies should be sent to Holy Cross Mission Center, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 USA attn: Rev. James King C.S.C. and to Rev. Jean-Pierre Aumont C.S.C., Provincial, 4901 rue du Piedmont, Montréal, QC Canada H3V 1E3
4. All of these monies will be sent to the Province of Haïti, when it is possible and appropriate to do so. There will be no administrative charges and all of the monies will be used for the emergency in Haïti.

We know that all of the religious in Holy Cross are concerned about Haïti. They are currently 49 finally professed members in this province together with 25 temporary professed, 5 novices and 6 postulants. The Ensemble Scolaire Basile Moreau with several hundreds students is both a grade school and High School which was begun in 1989 to serve the poor in Port-au-Prince. We will continue to keep you informed as to the situation.

On January 20, 2010 we celebrate the feast of Blessed Basile Moreau. It is appropriate at this time that we ask the intercession of our founder for the people of Haïti and that we begin collecting funds to aid the people who are suffering and to begin the rebuilding of the structures of Holy Cross in Port-au-Prince.

CSCs in Haiti...

Please remember in prayer and in material aid the people of Haiti who have suffered immeasurably. The Congregation of Holy Cross is present in Haiti in the presence of the Province of Notre-Dame du Perpetuel Secours.

Here is news as of 3:00 PM (EST):

The latest from the HCFs in Port-au-Prrince is that the provincial house in Turgeau , the high school and residence at the parish in the Bizoton slum have been damaged. How severely is not yet known. The Bizoton slum itself has suffered many casualties, so our confreres there will have their hands full for some time. Elsewhere, the presidential palace, the cathedral, the state university, the Montana Hotel, the Canado-Haitien School are in ruins. Thousands are dead and buried. - Fr. Cormier, CSC.

I’m still dazed from the catastrophe of this earthquake that has devastated Port-au-Prince. I just woke up from a long night outdoors, sleeping alongside my scholasticate confreres, happily spared by this tragedy. Some of us had time to visit our confreres in Turgeau right after the huge jolt. They were found to be out of danger, all of them in a terrible state of shock. Only the provincial was not there, having gone to a meeting, but we are certain that he is alright, protected by Providence.
The provincial house is partially damaged. Our sisters in Turgeau were not affected. The brothers of Basile Moreau are safe and sound, except that the high school building collapsed, burying some students watching a soccer game. At the scholasticate, we’ve been hurt only by the loss of an exterior wall separating us from the main street. We are all here, except for Guillaume who had gone to class in Quisqueya and is probably still on the street trying to come back through the ruins and the bodies. - Rosemond Marcelin, CSC - scholastic.

Dear Fellow Religious and Friends of Holy Cross,
We are all terribly shocked by the tragic devastation that has taken place in Haiti through this powerful earthquake that has killed so many people and destroyed so much of Port-au-Prince. This poor country and her long-suffering citizens have endured more catastrophes than anyone cares to enumerate.
At some point soon, after making contact with our community in Haiti, we will do what we can to organize relief services through the Congregation.
In the meantime we offer our heartfelt prayers to God on behalf of the Haitian people. Our prayer is our greatest assistance; our prayer will motivate us to help the victims of the earthquake as best we are able.
Let us pray that the people of Haiti not lose hope; may they know the comfort of our solidarity with them and the peace of God deep within to give them the strength and courage to go on. May Our Lady of Perpetual Help, patroness of Haiti, be their refugee.
May God keep all our sisters, brothers and priests in Haiti safe from danger as they minister to all who are suffering so painfully.
May Blessed Moreau and Blessed Brother Andre and Blessed Marie Leonie be with them. - Rev. Hugh Cleary, CSC - Superior General, Congregation of Holy Cross.

Installation Mass of Bishop Kevin Rhoades

Live from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne, IN

Video streaming by Ustream

Solemn Vespers for the Installation of Bishop Rhoades

Tonight at 7PM Solemn Vespers will be prayed on the eve of Bishop Rhoades's installation as bishop of Fort Wayne - South Bend. The prayer will be streamed live.


FWSB-Vespers-1-12-2010

Sacred Architecture...

I am not a trained architect, but I am interested in sacred architecture and I am able to make the statement "that doesn't look like a church". According to Denis McNamara, that statement is legitimate precisely because there does exist distinctly Christian architecture, forms, and order which find their roots in the created order established by God and spelled out in both the Hebrew and New Testament scriptures.

Unable to finish the last fourth of the book before my flight back to the Eternal City, I lent it to an actual architect and former parishioner in South Bend. I would recommend this book for any reading populace no matter what theological training has been attained in the past. McNamara gives a clear explanation for the history, trends, and principles of sacred architecture and does so in a beautiful presentation rich with images, diagrams, photos, etc.

Despite utilizing end-notes at least he does so at the end of each chapter instead of at the end of the entire book!

The Difference is Christ...

Writing to you from the international terminal of O'Hare airport means enduring the maddening hassle of security and crowds. Jesus looked upon a crowd with pity as they were "like sheep without a shepherd". Sinful realist as I am, my own gaze tends to see them "like sheep without common sense or focus". But that is just one difference between me and Christ.

In his recent book the cardinal archbishop of Chicago relates why and how Christ is the difference God makes in our world - a world that is now infused with the hope of Christ who is the light of the world.

His Imminence presents a collection of essays and talks he has presented over the past few decades ranging from Christian - Muslim dialogue to areas in liturgical studies in need of elaboration. A common theme of these essays is the influence of the late John Paul II on the cardinal's thoughts and the overall need for Christianity to articulate better its vision of the world - a vision that comes to us from Christ - and to remain firm in its outlook of hope despite the tremendous and almost overwhelming cultural and societal divisions which result in the uprooting of Christian foundational thought and philosophies.

Sadly, this book falls into the nonredeemable category of "books employing end-notes". Surely one of the clearest signs of the original fall of man - the end-note. Like any problem of evil, the question of "why" arises. Why end-notes? Why not footnotes? The advent of the modern word processing software allows for easy layout of footnotes. An esteemed editor might respond by pointing out that this book is a collection of essays and so a continuous numbering of footnotes cannot coincide with related but separate essays. And so perhaps a compromise could be agreed upon: end-notes at the end of each chapter/essay instead of at the end of the book. Even though Christ has brought redemption to the world we still experience the effects of sin - such as end-notes. Come Lord Jesus! Come quickly!

Happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. As the Christmas Season ends this evening we recognize what the USCCB has named as National Vocations Awareness Week. Let us all raise our voices in prayer that the Father may send laborers into the vineyard.

New Blog....

A new blog was launched this week with the hope of continuing in electronic format the liturgical engagement and investigation as found first in Orate Fratres and now Worship. This new creation is promising and hopefully will be worthy of some frequent reading.

PrayTell

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God