Musings by Wurtz

Ecce agnus Dei....

2012-01-14T07:28:00.005-05:00

"John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?"
They said to him, "Rabbi" - which translated means Teacher -, "where are you staying?"
He said to them, "Come, and you will see." So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day.

It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
"We have found the Messiah" - which is translated Christ -. Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" - which is translated Peter." --- John 1:35-42

Archbishop Brown.....

2012-01-06T06:04:00.002-05:00

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His mercy endures forever. - Psalm 118

Merry Christmas...

2011-12-24T20:35:00.003-05:00

The Resurrection presupposes the Incarnation. For God’s Son to take the form of a child, a truly human child, made a profound impression on the heart of the Saint of Assisi, transforming faith into love. “The kindness and love of God our Savior for mankind were revealed” – this phrase of Saint Paul now acquired an entirely new depth. In the child born in the stable at Bethlehem, we can as it were touch and caress God. And so the liturgical year acquired a second focus in a feast that is above all a feast of the heart. This has nothing to do with sentimentality. It is right here, in this new experience of the reality of Jesus’ humanity that the great mystery of faith is revealed. Francis loved the child Jesus, because for him it was in this childish estate that God’s humility shone forth. God became poor. His Son was born in the poverty of the stable. In the child Jesus, God made himself dependent, in need of human love, he put himself in the position of asking for human love – our love. Today Christmas has become a commercial celebration, whose bright lights hide the mystery of God’s humility, which in turn calls us to humility and simplicity. Let us ask the Lord to help us see through the superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind it the child in the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true light.
-- Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, Christmas Mass at Night 2011

Year of the Brother

2011-10-17T03:32:00.005-04:00

One year ago today St. Andre Bessette, CSC was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI. And now the Congregation throughout the world celebrates a Year of the Brother to celebrate the gift of the Brother vocation and to honor St. Andre, an example of brotherhood and holiness to us all.

Lord God, in your loving providence you inspired Fr. Jacques Dujarie to found the Brothers of St. Joseph and called Blessed Basil Moreau, to unite the Brothers of St. Joseph and the auxiliary priests of Holy Cross in a single religious family for the education of youth and the proclamation of the Gospel.

We humbly pray that through the intercession of St. Joseph you inspire the entire People of God with a deeper appreciation for the unique vocation of the religious brother in the various ministries formed in the heart of Christ's body, the Church, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

As his children we pray that through the intercession of Blessed Basil Moreau you lead all the members of our religious family to live our vows with greater fidelity and passion as religious brothers and priests in the family of Holy Cross.

We ask that through the intercession of Saint Andre you enable us to so live his charism of hospitality that numerous young men will be inspired to join their lives to ours as religious brothers and priests so that our charism may mirror in the heart of the Church the communion of life and love that you share with your Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

2011-10-04T08:26:00.003-04:00

O how happy and blessed are those who love the Lord and do as the Lord himself said in the gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul; and your neighbor as yourself. Therefore, let us love God and adore him with pure heart and mind. This is his particular desire when he says: True worshipers adore the Father in spirit and truth. For all who adore him must do so in the spirit of truth. Let us also direct to him our praises and prayers saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, since we must always pray and never grow slack.

- A letter from St. Francis of Assisi to all the faithful

Vocation Website....

2011-10-03T11:06:00.004-04:00

The Vocations Office of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross launched a revised website this morning.

www.vocation.nd.edu

Exaltation of the Holy Cross...

2011-09-14T07:41:00.003-04:00

"Jesus entered into the pain and death that sin inflicts. He accepted the torment but gave us joy in return. We whom He has sent to minister amid the same sin and pain must know that we too shall find the cross and the hope it promises. The face of every human being who suffers is for us the face of Jesus who mounted the cross to take the sting out of death. Ours must be the same cross and the same hope." - Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross, 114.

9/11, the Tenth Anniversary...

2011-09-11T16:28:00.006-04:00

This morning I watched a good bit of the 9/11 Memorial Service held in New York during which the name of each victim was read aloud by family members. Seeing children read the names of their fathers and mothers brought tears to my eyes. May God grant to all of the deceased eternal rest and may the Holy Spirit bring consolation to those who grieve.

Oblation Blog Posting, Missed In Translation....

2011-09-07T12:07:00.002-04:00

My latest contribution to Oblation: Liturgy & Evangelization was posted today.

Upcoming Retreat....

2011-08-31T09:24:00.006-04:00

The ND chapter of UFL will present a retreat on September 10, 2011. Registration is encouraged and is free by emailing Tracy.A.Westlake.1@nd.edu .

Faculty Retreat 2011

Two Resources for the Forthcoming English Mass....

2011-08-03T13:51:00.029-04:00

A plethora of resources and commentary on the forthcoming English translation of the Missale Romanum are available in both book form and on the web. Two such resources come from Liturgical Training Press (LTP): Mystical Body, Mystical Voice: Encountering Christ in the Words of the Mass and Lift Up Your Hearts: A Pastoral, Theological, and Historical Survey of the Third Typical Edition of The Roman Missal. Both books clearly take the posture that this English translation is well-done, theologically richer, and thus a great gift and benefit to the English-speaking Church. So, in reading these books, one is not going to find debate or dissent regarding the translation process, its level of transparency or whether we should "just say 'wait'" or not. These books look forward and in doing so are fine resources for those in the pastoral trenches who are entrusted in celebrating well the liturgy and catechizing.

The first, edited by Christopher Carstens and Douglas Martis, walks the reader through not just where familiar Mass texts have changed but also through the ritual structure which isn't changing but is still rich fare for reflection. In a sense, the commentary touches on both text and the context.

The work is rich but not dense. The footnotes are helpful but not overwhelming. And the format's clarity persists throughout. The authors explain a particular ritual part of the Mass or a particular text and then write succinctly on "What the Church Wants Us to Know". This overall structure is concluded at the very end of the book with a Question and Answer section.

The book communicates well the beautiful cohesion of text and theology which marks the richness of the Roman Rite.

The next book is a series of essays edited by Robert Tuzik. Here one will find informative pieces which explain much of the "why" and "how" of the translation but is short on "what" deep theology the new translation holds. Unlike Mystical Body, Mystical Voice, Lift Up Your Hearts, in my opinion, will most likely not be a resource to which one continuously returns long after the new translation is implemented. This isn't to say that the text is unhelpful in this preparatory period.

Chapters 7- 9 elucidate the legitimate options presented to priest celebrants and others who prepare liturgies when using Eucharistic Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions, rites of initiation, and Masses in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Familiarity of these brings the potential of a richer liturgical life.

Summer Reading...

2011-08-03T10:54:00.008-04:00

Books on summer reading lists tend to receive less attention when one researches for and writes a dissertation. But now that I am on retreat and spending some time with my family, I can allow myself to pick up a few volumes that have patiently waited in the cue.

I wrote earlier about Ron Hansen's enjoyable collection of essays, A Stay Against Confusion. This week I finished rather quickly Matt Baglio's The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist. I have not seen the Anthony Hopkins-starred movie based on this book which seems to get mixed results: thumbs down from professional reviewers and thumbs up from believers. The book certainly gets an enthusiastic approval from me. Often when an author writes on a topic dealing with Catholicism he or she fumbles mightily and I cringe at all the inexact phrasing and vocabulary. But Mr. Baglio, self-described as having been raised Catholic but not a strong practitioner of the faith, does get it. He understands the lingo and more importantly conveys the inner-workings of both the Church and the spiritual life in a fair and accurate light. The lack of cheap jabs at the Church and her life makes it easy for me to overlook the lower-case spelling of "mass" and the lack of footnotes (an increasingly more frequent curse upon the reading world).

While the main thread is the telling of the true story about a California priest sent to Rome to be trained as an exorcist, the book also touches upon the theology behind the ritual of exorcism, the history of its use and is therefore a beautiful reflection on the spiritual life, the role of prayer and sacraments for Christians. Yes, the book is filled with exorcism scenes but it also drips with solid spiritual wisdom which any reader can appreciate.

Professionally the book gave me much to ponder - assumptions of evil in our world, the particular attitude priests and bishops have toward demonic actions, etc. Personally my attention perked whenever I saw the Casa Santa Maria mentioned. It housed the main character while he studied in Rome just as it does me during these years.

First Profession of Vows....

2011-07-31T11:53:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to the seven men who yesterday professed temporary vows in the Congregation of Holy Cross. Our Vocation Office blog, Spes Unica, has a great posting on this blessed event in the life of the congregation and the Church. God bless our newly professed and their travels from the Novitiate in Cascade, CO to their new home at Moreau Seminary.

Today I begin a week-long retreat with a few good friends. Please keep us in your prayers.

A Great "Anytime" Read....

2011-07-28T12:39:00.004-04:00

Ron Hansen's writing was first introduced to me years ago by an ordination classmate who highly praised Mariette in Ecstasy. Indeed it is a great read. Early this summer mutual friends introduced me to Hansen's essay, "Eucharist" found in his 2001 collection A Stay Against Confusion.

I just finished reading the remaining essays and through the ideas and information I feel "more Catholic". It makes for a great summer or anytime read. Throughout the first three essays Hansen effectively and beautifully communicates the sacramentality of writing. A novelist, like any artist or craftsman, is capable of providing a glimpse of the Divine. Incapable of encountering the Divine directly, the Divine is know-able and we touch the Divine through the sacraments and sacramentals and by expressing the natural order sacramentally.

His essay on the story of Cain and Abel is piercing in honesty. In it he admits those rarely named raw emotions we all tend to feel in our childhood - jealousy, amazement of new abilities, desirous of praise etc.

His meditation on the "Anima Christi" prayer is beautiful and penetrating. It could be read by the pool and in a chapel. The familiar words are re-introduced.

The aforementioned essay "Eucharist" highlights all the smells and bells nitty gritty of Catholic liturgical life. The writing reminds me as a priest of the importance which should and is placed upon how we speak of the sacred. If we believe what we say and pray then with what great care and soberness should we attend to this august reality.

Episcopal Congratulations....

2011-07-21T17:15:00.002-04:00

Congratulations and Blessings to Jose Manuel Gracia Cordeiro who has been named by Pope Benedict XVI as bishop of the Diocese of Braganca-Miranda in Portugal. Bishop-elect Cordeiro taught a seminar two springs ago at Sant'Anselmo entitled, "'Ministero' and 'Sacramentum' in the First Millennium". It was a fine course. A fine seminar.

Into Africa...

2011-07-20T23:01:00.005-04:00

After morning Lauds at Moreau Seminary, Holy Cross Seminarian, Mark DeMott, CSC departed for the African nation of Uganda where he will serve for a year teaching at Holy Cross Lakeview Senior Secondary School in Jinga, Uganda.

DeMott has begun a blog in order to keep us all posted. Let us pray for him as he begins this year of ministry at the Headwaters of the Nile.

ND Oblation Post...

2011-07-14T10:47:00.003-04:00

The Notre Dame Center for Liturgy's blog, Oblation: Liturgy and Evangelization posted part 1 of a piece I wrote on Liturgical Sequences.

Part 2 is now online.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.....

2011-07-01T10:21:00.003-04:00

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus - the titular feast for the priest society of the Congregation of Holy Cross. When founding his community, Blessed Basil Moreau dedicated each society with the hope that through divine protection and providence the three societies might flourish and bear witness to the Holy Family. He wrote in his Circular Letter 20:

Above all, let us work with that strength, unity and clear understanding which come from mutual cooperation and the possession of all things in common. We must never lose sight of the fact that strength of numbers, joined with unity of aim and action, is the greatest of all strengths and is limited only by the bounds of the possible. Besides, it is this perfect unity which, with the aid of grace, I have tried to cement among the various members of our association by consecrating the priests to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the brothers to the Most Pure Heart of St. Joseph, and the sisters to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Thus, these three establishments, although separated by special dwelling places and special rules, will be united among themselves like the Holy Family, to which our future chapel will be dedicated.

On this feast of July 1, 2011 the Eastern Province of Priests and Brothers officially merge with the Indiana Province. And from this merger comes a new name and a new website: United States Province of Priests and Brothers.

May God's Providence and the Divine Mercy which flows from the Most Sacred Heart guide and bless us.

The Nativity of John the Baptist...

2011-06-24T11:18:00.003-04:00

So that these your servants can, with all their voice, to sing your wonderful feats, clean the blemish of our spotted lips. O Saint John!

An angel came from the heavens to announce your father the greatness of your birth, dictating your name and destination.

Zacarias doubted of these divine promises and was deprived of the use of the speech; but when you were born it recovered the voice that had lost.

Still locked in your mother's breast, you felt the King's presence housed in the vestal womb. And prophet, before being born, you revealed this mystery to your parents.

Glory be to the Father and to the engendered Son; glory similar to the Holy Spirit that is knot of both, for every century. Amen

Beatificatio Johannis Pauli II

2011-05-01T04:13:00.002-04:00

Live Streaming of today's beatification liturgy.

Pocahontas Flood 2011...

2011-04-30T04:36:00.006-04:00

Please keep in your prayers the people in my hometown of Pocahontas, AR. The largest recorded flood has hit the town and surrounding farms due to the overflow of the Black River and other nearby rivers and creeks.

This wide shot is of East Pocahontas and shows several flooded businesses. Just outside the top-right corner of the photo are residential houses.

I don't know the background story, but somehow and for some reason the local KFC was spared by sandbags. The grocery store next to it, where can be found fresh produce and healthy foods, etc., did not experience the same fate.

This final shot is of the local community college, again in East Pocahontas.

Eucharistic Procession.....

2011-04-30T03:43:00.003-04:00

For those of you in the area, a Eucharistic Procession will take place at Notre Dame beginning immediately after the 11:45 A.M. Mass.

More information can be found here and sign up for Eucharist Adoration can be made here.

An Online Journal: Oblation...

2011-04-01T05:31:00.002-04:00

April has arrived and with it a new online journal from the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy.

Oblation: Liturgy and Evangelization "explores through both regular columns and occasional writings the role of liturgy in the evangelical mission of the Church". Under the leadership of the editors, David Fagerberg and Timothy O'Malley, this journal is a promising new addition to digital communication and research.

May St. Isidore of Seville, patron saint of the internet, pray for the journal's good fruit.

2011-01-24T07:29:00.004-05:00

As thousands attend today's March for Life in the nation's capitol, let us unite ourselves with them and their witness to the sanctity of all life, from conception until natural death.

Consistory 2010...

2011-01-13T07:04:00.014-05:00

Say it ain't so, but for Rome residents the annual cursus of papal events can sometimes be treated as ho-hum and ordinary. But there are some events which grab even the attention of veteran vaticanisti.

One such event is a papal consistory to establish new cardinals. Called for in late October by His Holiness, the November 19 - 21 consistory seemingly grabbed the attention of Rome and thousands of pilgrims who traveled world-wide to see the creation of 24 new cardinals.

Three major events marked the weekend: the consistory itself on Saturday morning, when the 24 cardinal-delegates were elevated to their new rank, a Saturday evening "open house" when pilgrims may enter the Apostolic Palace to greet the new cardinals, and a Sunday Mass during which the Holy Father distributed rings of the office.

Sadly, hundreds were turned away at the security checkpoint for the Saturday morning consistory. St. Peter's Basilica may be monstrously large but it can't hold everyone. I was disappointed but I was especially sad for the pilgrims who had traveled from around the world for this one event.

A real highlight though was the evening "open house". This is a rare opportunity to see areas of the Vatican that a lowly religious like myself does not normally visit. I was able to greet and meet briefly in the Sala Regia with Cardinal Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and in the Sala Ducale with Cardinal Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

Both men recognized the Holy Cross habit, congratulated me on the recent canonization of St. Andre Bessette, and were very personable. Amato relayed that he remembers fondly his visit to Notre Dame two years ago.

Another utilized room was the Hall of Blessings where the Holy Father on occasion greets various groups. And it is from this large room where the various balconies look out upon St. Peter's Square - including the balcony where the newly elected pope is introduced. And no, I did not hear any "whisperings" while in the room.

I was honored to serve as a distributor of Holy Communion for the Sunday morning Mass. This particular papal liturgy was marked by the use of a brass quartet who stood in a balcony from the Hall of Blessings which looked into the nave of St. Peter's. While some cautiously lament the use of the brass as a form of a returning triumphalism, I found the honorable instruments to bring a welcome change to the organ-only program of post-Vatican II papal liturgies. I noted later that this same quartet played for Christmas Midnight Mass this year as well.

Why!?

2011-01-12T19:11:00.005-05:00

Pima County Deputy Sheriff Kastiger stated today that, "We don't know the why, but we know the what."

That's precisely it. At a conference I recently attended the keynoter boasted that a new telescope - exceedingly more powerful than the Hubble Telescope - is being planned and constructed. And indeed that is certainly a reason to boast.

But scientific revelation does not supplant divine revelation.

The human heart, even when aware of the "what", still hungers for the answer(s) to "why" but it will not be found within ourselves.

As the Holy Father has recently repeated, science can inform us of phenomenon and facts but it cannot inform us of meaning. A modern nation state can have a secular debate but it cannot from within itself derive purposeful meaning. In that realm the polis is infertile. The Church, as steward of and servant to Divine revelation, has an important voice from which ultimate meaning is derived.

An increasingly secular world which spends less and less time pondering the Divine will find itself further lost, grasping with empty hands, when trying to answer "why".

May God grant eternal light to the murdered and may comfort be granted to the other victims and those who mourn.

Alive and Well....

2010-12-10T05:33:00.002-05:00

Nearing the two-month mark since my last posting, I want to write and say that I am indeed "alive and well".

Here are two recent posts I wrote for the liturgy blog PrayTellBlog.com .

The first is a short bit on Fr. Parsch and the Liturgical Year.

The second is on St. Ambrose and the martyr saints.

I fly to the states next week for a month of holiday visits, a liturgy conference, and some quality library time. Perhaps then I will post a "semester in review" featuring the canonization of St. Andre and the consistory of cardinals.

Advent blessings!

St. Andre Bessette...

2010-10-18T02:57:00.004-04:00

Lord our God, friend of the lowly, you gave your servant, Saint Andre Bessette, a great devotion to St. Joseph and a special commitment to the poor and afflicted. Through his intercession help us to follow his example of prayer and love and so come to share with him in your glory. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.

St. Andre Bessette, pray for us.

Fall Colors...

2010-10-13T13:58:00.003-04:00

As I pack today to return to the city of Rome tomorrow, I made sure to take a walk to take in the natural beauty that surrounds the Notre Dame campus.

Rosary for Life...

2010-09-22T12:13:00.003-04:00

Tonight at 6PM, Bishop Kevin Rhoades will lead the holy rosary near the Women's Pavilion. This prayer vigil begins the 40 Days For Life campaign here in South Bend. Please join us.

UPDATE:
Tonight Bishop Rhoades led a group of over 350 in the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, based on the Rosary for Life meditations prepared by the USCCB. All of the local religious communities were in attendance as well as diocesan priests and many families. Afterward, I enjoyed visiting with my former parishioners and students who were 8th graders last time I saw them, and are now seniors in high school!

But the joy of prayer and Christian fellowship was muzzled by the overall point of our presence - to pray for a culture of life and the end to abortion in our land. In the next 40 days let us pray with particular focus toward this end.

A New Blessed Raised to the Altars...

2010-09-19T18:20:00.002-04:00

"God has created me to do some definite service; has committed some work to me which has not been committed to another. I have my mission. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. God has not created me for naught. Therefore, I will trust Him; whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about."
-- Blessed John Newman

Papal Visit to England and Wales...

2010-09-15T19:57:00.004-04:00

"Cor ad Cor Loquitur - Heart Speaks unto Heart" is the theme for the papal visit to the United Kingdom which commences tomorrow, the 16th. It is clear that the color or tone of the matter during these past months, whether it be the planning process, the media and press, the responses or silence of the Catholic bishops there, and the reactions and plans made by a wide variety of interest groups, has been fraught with complications. As with any time the Holy Father travels to engage sincerely with various peoples and cultures, let us with special consideration and intent raise our prayers to God that this particular journey be blessed with prayer, understanding, and safety.

God of truth and love,
your Son, Jesus Christ, stands as the light
to all who seek you with a sincere heart.
As we strive with your grace
to be faithful in word and deed,
may we reflect the kindly light of Christ
and offer a witness of hope and peace to all.
We pray for Pope Benedict
and look forward with joy
to his forthcoming visit to our countries.
May he be a witness to the unity and hope
which is your will for all people.
We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Our Lady, Mother of the Church — pray for us.
St Andrew — pray for us.
St George — pray for us.
St David — pray for us.

Solemnity of Our Lady of Sorrows

2010-09-15T11:18:00.003-04:00

Our Lady of Sorrows, Patroness of the Congregation of Holy Cross, pray for us.
Mary most sorrowful, pray for us.
Mary whose heart was pierced, pray for us.

"On Calvary we see how much Mary loved us. She was standing even at the foot of the Cross, among the executioners and soldiers, so close to her dying Son that no ta single detail of his death escaped her. What was in her heart at this sorrowful time? While Jesus Christ offered himself to the Father for our salvation, Mary offered him herself for the same end."
- Blessed Basil Moreau

Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross

2010-09-14T14:22:00.007-04:00

We adore You O Christ and we praise you for by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows: The Eighth Day

2010-09-14T14:13:00.002-04:00

God, make speed to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be...

In thine adorable heart pierced by so many swords of sorrow, today and for ever I lay mine own poor soul: accept me as a sharer in thy sorrows and permit not that I should ever abandon the Cross, whereon thine only-begotten Son breathed forth His blessed spirit for my sake.

Hail Mary...

Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows: The Seventh Day

2010-09-13T08:14:00.000-04:00

God, make speed to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be...

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched thy most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by thy heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom.

Hail Mary...

Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows: The Sixth Day

2010-09-12T20:04:00.000-04:00

God, make speed to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be...

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of thy compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance and His Heart was pierced. Dear Mother, by thy heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding.

Hail Mary...

Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows: The Fifth Day

2010-09-11T09:09:00.002-04:00

God, make speed to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be...

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which thy generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by thy heart afflicted in such wise, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel.

Hail Mary...

Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows: The Fourth Day

2010-09-10T07:15:00.001-04:00

God, make speed to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be...

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the consternation of thy heart at meeting Jesus as He carried His Cross. Dear Mother, by thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude.

Hail Mary...

Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows: The Third Day

2010-09-09T10:00:00.004-04:00

God, make speed to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be...

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried thy troubled heart at the loss of thy dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by thy heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge.

Hail Mary...

Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows: The Second Day

2010-09-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

God, make speed to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be...

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of thy most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and they sojourn there. Dear Mother, by thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially towards the poor, and the gift of piety.
Hail Mary...

Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Sorrows: The First Day

2010-09-07T07:00:00.001-04:00

God, make speed to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be...

I grieve for thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the affliction of they tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by thy heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God.

Hail Mary....

Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Stable Points of Reference...

2010-09-05T12:02:00.001-04:00

In some parts of the world, particularly in the West, today’s culture tends to exclude God, and to consider faith a purely private issue with no relevance for the life of society. Even though the set of values underpinning society comes from the Gospel – values like the sense of the dignity of the person, of solidarity, of work and of the family –, we see a certain “eclipse of God” taking place, a kind of amnesia which, albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity, is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity.

For this reason, dear friends, I encourage you to strengthen your faith in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the future of society and of the Church! As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it is vital to have roots, a solid foundation! This is particularly true today. Many people have no stable points of reference on which to build their lives, and so they end up deeply insecure. There is a growing mentality of relativism, which holds that everything is equally valid, that truth and absolute points of reference do not exist. But this way of thinking does not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability, confusion and blind conformity to the fads of the moment. As young people, you are entitled to receive from previous generations solid points of reference to help you to make choices and on which to build your lives: like a young plant which needs solid support until it can sink deep roots and become a sturdy tree capable of bearing fruit. - Pope Benedict XVI, August 6, 2010

100 Years Ago Today...

2010-08-26T12:02:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

Worthy Quote...

2010-08-17T13:38:00.003-04:00

[Have we] really done the work of trying to imagine our way into the ideal put on the table by Ex Corde. The good news is -- the ideal is there! Let's start using the language in which the ideal is stated, and learn, little by little, to grow into it. Let's be patient, for we are talking about cultural change, but let's go forward. Let's use our ideal to try to teach the secular academy something it could not come up with on its own, saving it from its own peculiar brand of anti-intellectualism in its refusal to consider faith a dialogue partner, and let's use our ideal, too, to offer an alternative in the life of the mind and heart to fundamentalism. In other words, let's have enough confidence in our ideals to lead! We can do it. - Professor John Cavadini, Theology Dept., Univ. of Notre Dame

The full post can be found on NCR.

On Retreat....

2010-08-09T15:47:00.005-04:00

I will be on retreat for the next few days.

Thank you for your prayers and may God bless.

'Neath this, love's symbol, suffering twice,
Things mystical and bloody both
Christ, as a priest, in sacrifice
To Heaven uplifted, nothing loth.

Who would not love for love repay?
What man, redeemed, could love refuse
To this Heart, or herein, for aye,
His tabernacle fail to choose?

Jesu, to Thee be glory given,
Who from Thy Heart dost grace outpour;
To Father and to Paraclete
Be endless praise for ever more. Amen.

Happy 40th

2010-08-09T13:45:00.004-04:00

Happy 40th Anniversary of Marriage to my parents, Ron and Judy! Thank you for your love and example.

Lord God and Creator, we bless and praise your name. In the beginning you made man and woman, so that they might enter a communion of life and love. You likewise blessed the union of Ronald and Judy so that they might reflect the union of Christ with his Church: like with kindness on them. Amid the joys and struggles of their life you have preserved the union between them; renew their marriage covenant, increase your love in them, and strengthen their bond of peace, so that surrounded by their children they may always rejoice in the gift of your blessing. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. --- Book of Blessings

Back to Basics...

2010-08-09T13:29:00.002-04:00

A priest of the Archdiocese of Washington D.C., Msgr. Peter Vaghi has completed the first two of four books laying out the four pillars of the Catechism: The Profession of Faith, the Celebration of the Christian Mysteries, Life in Christ, and Christian Prayer.

The Sacraments We Celebrate, published by Ave Maria Press, touches upon each of the seven sacraments followed by reflection questions and a prayer. This is certainly a "meat 'n potatoes" type of book suitable for RCIA sessions, parish study groups or for the individual wanting to understand better the sacramental mysteries she celebrates.

The Fatherly Life...

2010-08-09T13:20:00.002-04:00

Common to all twelve chapters of Scott Hahn's Many Are Called is a strong comparison between spiritual fatherhood of the priest and biological fatherhood. Rooted in well-known (though maybe not well-understood) traditional understandings of the ministerial priesthood, the book is, as are all of Hahn's books, infused with scriptural warrants.

Likewise, this book is also an easier read and the 150 page work would be accessible to high school or college students who wish to understand better the life, purpose, and ministry of priests.

Humility: It Matters...

2010-08-09T13:04:00.003-04:00

Last summer I enjoyed reading Sr. Mary Margaret Funk's Thoughts Matter. Humility Matters is the third part of a trilogy of "matter" books and it made my summer 2010 reading list. The book touches upon the four great renunciations handed down to us from the monastic tradition: renunciation of our former way of life, of the thoughts/desires of that former life, of self-made thoughts of God, and finally of our self-made thoughts of the self.

Mingled into these sections are various dialogues with saints such as St. Teresa of Jesus, St. Therese of Lisieux, and John Cassian, whose spiritual lessons are valuable for the act of renunciation.

The common thread, of course, is the virtue of humility. "When self no longer dominates and we feel a desire to sacrifice, we know it, and this renunciation is 'full of grace'; our humility becomes a way of life, like that of Mary who hastened to visit and assist her pregnant cousin Elizabeth" pg 12.

Now to just put it into practice!

Come, my sons...

2010-07-26T09:21:00.012-04:00

"Come, my sons. Listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Draw near to Him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be put to shame." These are the words directed to the junior monks who are to profess their solemn vows in the monastic life according to the Rule of St. Benedict.

Last weekend, on the Feast of St. Benedict, July 11th, I traveled to St. John's University, Collegeville to witness the profession of vows by my dear friend Fr. Nickolas Becker, OSB.

I left South Bend by car early Friday morning so as to get through Chicago before the morning rush hour. It is convenient that Stillwater, MN rests on the edges of the mighty Mississippi River East of the Twin Cities. It is only natural to stop at the Mecca of all used theological bookstores, Loome Books. I found original hardbacks by liturgical scholars Parsch, Reinhold, and Vagaggini. These treasures, coupled with a micro-brew from a local tap made for a great Friday afternoon.Saturday morning was beautiful and I made my way to Grand Ave to visit a favorite shop, Stogies on Grand. When I studied at St. John's from summer 2006 to summer 2007 I went into the Twin Cities once a month or so and just browsing the selection at this store made for fine entertainment.

There I met dear friends Dr. Geno and Paula Fernandez who had just flown in from Chicago. We first had lunch at a nearby French restaurant and then toured St. Thomas University just down the street. The chapel, like the ND basilica, was busy with wedding parties but we were able to tour inside. A priest there confirmed for us the link between St. Thomas University and the Congregation of Holy Cross. From 1928 til 1933 Fr. Matthew Schumacker, CSC served as president. He, along with other Holy Cross Fathers, served the university with the knowledge that they had obtained from their work at Notre Dame. The CSCs departed after a change in archbishops and the presidency returned to a diocesan cleric.We made our way to St. John's in time for Saturday anticipated vespers for the Solemnity of St. Benedict, the Father of Western Monasticism. This was followed by a nice dinner welcoming guests and then an ice cream social.Sunday morning began early with a Mass since concelebration is not allowed at the Abbey's Sunday conventual Mass. Morning prayer was prayed, breakfast was breakfasted and I spent the free morning sitting by the lake just a stone's throw from my former SJU room. I remember that time with great fondness - wonderful year working on my MA degree.The Mass itself was beautiful and was wonderful to be in prayer with Fr. Nickolas, other friends, and the Benedictine community. After making their vows, the newly professed lift their hands to God the Father and pray three times, "Sustain me, O Lord, as you have promised that I may live, and disappoint me not in my hope". Such a beautiful casting of one's self into utter reliance upon God.After the Mass and banquet we departed. But Sunday night was to be spent back in the Twin Cities with the family of my dear friend, Fr. Nate Wills, CSC.Congratulations to Fr. Nickolas. May God bless your priesthood and religious life.

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, Diem festum celebrantes sub honore Benedicti abbatis, de cuius solemnitate gaudent angeli, et collaudant Filium Dei.

Let us all rejoice in the Lord and celebrate a feast day in honor of Benedict the abbot, at whose solemnity the angels rejoice as they praise the Son of God.

LOL. Not really. It's too true...

2010-07-24T14:53:00.003-04:00

"It should be no surprise, then, that this situation [yoga, enneagram spirituality] has spawned its own antithesis - the emergence of a vengeful 'conservatism' unencumbered by history, promoted by grassroots groups doing all they can to obscure what remains of our sense of continuity with our religious forebears by spreading joyless, uncharitable messages all over the Internet."

-- Peter Jeffery in Translating Tradition: A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam authenticam, pg 61.

Summer Reading...

2010-07-21T13:50:00.003-04:00

Far from fun-free summer reading, but close to the hearts of concerned adults is the topic of childhood sexual abuse which The Trauma Myth discusses with the over-arching challenge to rethink how the professional medical community and, by association, all of us in pastoral settings approach and talk about this specter that lingers within every society in every age.

The author Susan Clancy makes it clear that childhood sexual abuse does indeed harm the victim and that in no way is such a crime justifiable. With such a clearly stated premise she lays out her findings from interviews with now-adult victims. The Harvard trained doctor was perplexed by the apparent disjuncture between the reigning vocabulary her peers and the medical field used to describe victims and how the victims describe themselves. "Trauma" has readily been employed to describe victims of childhood sexual abuse, but the vast majority of her interviewees did not use that word. Instead they used words such as "confused", "strange", "lost", etc.

And because of this, now-adult victims A) wondered if they had truly been abused and B) felt guilt because they might have somehow gone along with the abuse rather than feeling "trauma" at the time.

It's only later, upon the advent of sexual awakening for instance, that now-adult victims were able to look back and name their abuse as just that, abuse.

And so Clancy strongly states that the professional medical community and society in general must stop linking the word "trauma" to abuse so that the vocabulary/literature more aptly meets the reality the victims experience. Doing so, she claims, would lead to more victims seeking assistance and realizing that just because they did not at the time feel "trauma" they do need to reach out and find healing and peace.

I'm probably not doing the book justice. It should be read. I discussed this book some with a friend who practices pediatric medicine here in the Michiana area. Both of us feel a bit overwhelmed by the large statistical numbers and that as professionals (medical and pastoral) we are limited in our ability to identify abuse or protect from abuse.

Again, it's not fun-free summer reading but certainly it touches upon a crucially important topic that all of us need to be more sensitive to.

Summer Reading...

2010-07-21T13:29:00.005-04:00

Though focused on tackling the German language (at least at a reading level) and reconnecting with friends and community members, this summer is as usual filled with a varied list of books and ideas to absorb.

Most certainly a great read is The Shallows by Nicholas Carr, the content of which is of pertinent importance. The source of his The Atlantic article, The Shallows investigates the ways the internet as a communication /research tool shapes the brain in both its physical makeup and patterns of thought. Rather than attempting to place a moral value upon the internet and its existence, Carr spends his time more wisely on the reality that our ability to utilize the deeper cortices of the brain is atrophying as internet use expands to encapsulate almost every waking moment of our lives.

As an example, take the activity of reading a magazine article in print form as compared to an internet website. In general the print form is clear of clutter and the text is most easily accessible with little distraction except perhaps for an advertisement in the margin. The internet page, in contrast, involves ads, hyper-links, multi-media etc. And so physically our brains spend more energy in the frontal cortex which is used to make practical decisions. For example, the front cortex lights up when we are driving and taking into consideration the road, signs, speed, traffic patterns etc.

So, the end result is that the energy that would normally be spent in the deeper cortex where the brain does its deep thinking and is able to synthesize ideas, concepts, patterns etc., the brain shifts energy to the frontal cortex as we decide "click that link or not" or "see that ad, that pop-up" etc. This is why I am fascinated by Apple's latest version of Safari to make a web-page clutter free for more easy access to the more pertinent content.

But that is just one small point of the book. The broader issue is whether we as individuals and as a society are losing our ability for wisdom. One could read an entire encyclopedia set but not be the wiser. The vast overload of information so readily at our fingertips does not necessarily equate in grasping the wisdom of ideas.

The average adult only spends something like 27 seconds on a web-page article so I probably lost you already. But if you are still reading this particular posting, I want to be sure to highly recommend this book. It touches upon essential topics for those of us in this fast-paced modern age. The spiritual ramifications are obvious - how are we able to meditate, seek wisdom, etc, in such a context as the modern information age? It's crucial we be aware of how our brains are changing as we strive to seek after Wisdom.

Br. Andre Bessette, C.S.C.

2010-07-19T12:19:00.000-04:00

Blessed Andre Bessette is to be canonized this October 17th. Here, Fr. Lacroix explains the saintly life.

[download]

Pro Ecclesia...

2010-07-18T11:44:00.014-04:00

Here is a sample of the difference(s) found in the upcoming English translation of the 2002 Missale Romanum as compared to English translation of the the MR1975. This Collect is taken from "For the Church" series A.

First the Latin:
Deus, qui regnum Christi ubíque terrárum dilatári providéntia mirábili disposuísti, et omnes hómines salutáris éffici redemptiónis partícipes, praesta, quaesumus, ut Ecclésia tua universále sit salútis sacraméntum, et cunctis homínibus revelétur exspectátio géntium et Salvátor eárum. Per Dóminum.

The same prayer as currently used in the Missale Romanum 1975:
God our Father, in your care and wisdom you extend the kingdom of Christ to embrace the world to give all men redemption. May the Catholic Church be the sign of our salvation, may it reveal for us the mystery of your love, and may that love become effective in our lives. Grant this through...

The same prayer as found in the upcoming English translation of the Missale Romanum 2002:
O God, who in your wonderful providence decreed that Christ's Kingdom should be extended throughout the earth and that all should become partakers of his saving redemption; grant, we pray, that your Church may be the universal sacrament of salvation, and that Christ may be revealed to all as the hope of the nations and their Savior. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Commentary could be (and is being) made, but briefly my eye notices the difference between employing "world" and "earth" for "terrarum". In the opening line of Genesis, "terram" is found and we readily translate it as "earth" in that "In the Beginning God created heaven and earth". Mark 2:10 also employs "terra" and again translated as "The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins". On the other hand Matthew 13:35 employs "mundi" as "since the foundation of the world".

And so what I'm writing here is far from being a thorough study of Latin employment - to do so one would need to take into consideration the entirety of the Vulgata as well as patristic texts and other liturgical sources. But a brief perusal such as this shows somewhat safely that a difference exists between "world" and "earth" in the Latin.

And spiritually we recognize that a phrase such as "embrace the world" requires some explanation and caution. Ours is a world created good and redeemed, but the fulfillment of that redemption is an act that we participate in by aligning our works/sufferings/lives/prayers with the redeeming action of Christ. In short, redemption is a work in progress.

In addition, I am glad to see that the Latin "participes" is actually brought into the upcoming English translation unlike the MR1975 cousin. Here we see that to be partakers requires some initiative and/or response from the individual believer - it actually requires us to actively strive to participate in the redemptive project which is Christ's.

I notice also that whereas the MR1975 translates "universale" as an added qualifier "Catholic" to the word "Church" the MR2002 only says "Church" and places "universale" as a qualifier for "sacrament" or mystery which is "universal". It should first be said that "ecclesia" is feminine nominative and "sacramentum" is neuter nominative as is "universale". So just the inner logic of Latin would strongly suggest that "universale" is to be applied to "sacrament" and not to "Church".

It seems that here we have a symmetrical statement. For example we could say, "The boy is tall" or "Tall is the boy".

Likewise is it, "the Universal Church is the sign of salvation" or is it "the Church is the universal sign of salvation"? MR1975 seems to have adopted the former and the MR2002 has adopted the latter use. Not only does such a translation remain faithful to the inner logic of the Latin but it also more aptly conveys right ecclesiology and the overall tenor of the Collect.

There are not two world histories. God who created time itself is as its author also the one who guides time and provides its meaning. He is both Author and Sustainer of all creation. There is only one Church, broken and scattered as it might be. The act of gathering together, the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer in John 17, is the continued work of redemption when the Church will be more fully and effectively a sign of Christ in the world. Fractured or not, only one Church exists and thus there is no need to qualify the "Church" as the "Catholic Church".

One might inquire about the Creed and its line, "Et unam, sanctam, catholicam, et apostolicam Ecclesiam". Here we have the classic four-fold characteristics of the Church's nature. Again, we see here that by the word "catholicam" the Church is universal and is intrinsically related to the characteristic of "unam" or "oneness", "unity". The difference in this qualifier compared to the MR2002's usage is that in the creed "catholicam" is a descriptor of the very nature of the Church whereas MR2002 emphasizes that salvation is meant for all, universally, which is the overall focus of the prayer itself as we earlier read in the first line: "Christ's Kingdom should be extended throughout the earth".

Just some thoughts on this July Sunday.

A New Superior General...

2010-07-16T13:48:00.003-04:00

Today in Rome the delegates to the General Chapter of the Congregation of Holy Cross elected as Superior General Rev. Richard Warner, CSC who now succeeds Rev. Hugh Cleary, CSC.

A former provincial of the Indiana Province, Fr. Warner has served since 1989 as Director of Campus Ministry at the University of Notre Dame.

Let us remember Fr. Warner in our prayers as he assumes this new office.

Saintly News...

2010-06-25T10:55:00.004-04:00

The Congregation of Holy Cross is filled with excitement and gratitude in these summer days as we near the canonization of Blessed Andre Bessette, CSC, which will be in Rome on October 17th.

And we have recently received more wonderful news, this time regarding our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, CSC. Here is the announcement made today by our generalate staff in Rome:

As religious of the Congregation of Holy Cross will enter their general chapter in a few days, I have some good news to share with you regarding the Cause of canonization of our Founder, Blessed Basile-Antoine-Marie Moreau. Exactly one week ago, on June 18, Archbishop Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, has signed the decree allowing the cause of Blessed Moreau to proceed to its roman phase (see attachment). This means that all the proceedings, testimonies and the inquiry done recently in Schillong has met the standards of the Congregation for the causes of saints and the cause can now go ahead. Dr. Andrea Ambrosi, our Postulator, has thus informed me today that he is ready to officially open the roman phase of the final inquiry on Thursday, July 1st. If all that is well, the Congregation of Holy Cross may have its second saint sooner than expected. Let us all rejoice!

Blessed Andre Bessette, pray for us!
Blessed Basil Moreau, pray for us!
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

Mass With Marini...

2010-06-12T07:22:00.008-04:00

Msgr. Guido Marini is in his third year serving the Holy See as Master of Apostolic Ceremonies. Recently he was a guest at the Bernardi Rome Campus of the University of St. Thomas. I was invited for a beautiful evening of Eucharistic adoration, vespers, a Mass celebrated by Msgr. Marini, a discussion, dinner and compline. My host was Mr. Karlo Leonor, a Notre Dame student who will enter the Old College seminary this fall and who was a resident of the Bernardi Campus this semester.
The Mass was celebrated in the Ordinary Form in Latin. I attended "in choir" and it was such a beautiful and prayerful liturgy. The prayer life and daily horarium of the students is most impressive. Aside from the Mass, a highlight was to listen to Msgr. Marini answer questions pertaining to liturgy, his vocation story, the role of music in the liturgy, and details about what it is like to be in such personal contact with the Holy Father.

After compline Karlo and I spoke with monsignor about the upcoming canonization of Blessed Bro. Andre Bessette, CSC and to thank him for his important service to the Church.

Here is a recent interview of Msgr. Marini by RomeReports:

[download]

June in Rome...

2010-06-12T07:06:00.006-04:00

June has arrived and the pontifical schools are all in exam mode. This semester I have a total of six exams, all oral but one. The last remaining exam will be Monday evening, and thus will end my academic classroom work as a student. Well, that's not entirely true. I will be in the classroom this summer studying German and then in the Fall I have a weekly seminar to attend. But, the overall point is that in two days I end one big portion of my academic work and head into full-time writing of a dissertation.The photo was taken a couple of weeks ago with the students in the "Theology of the Eastern Anaphora" course taught by Fr. Ephrem Carr, OSB, a monk of St. Meinrad's Abbey, IN and who currently serves as the president of the school. You can see yours truly at the top left looking as happy as usual. The size of my classes vary one from another - this one being a bit larger than the others. Four Americans in this photo, the others are from lands near and far. The four women are huddled to the bottom-right.

PrayTellBlog...

2010-06-01T14:02:00.008-04:00

Recently, I was asked to be a contributor to the blog PrayTellBlog.com. Created this past winter, the blog is envisioned to provide an electronic extension to the liturgical studies and scholarship and life as born out of St. John's University, Collegeville, MN. From the blog itself:

Welcome to Pray Tell, a blog that gives practical wisdom about prayer, sacraments, and the community of the faithful – in short, worship. Created especially for pastors, liturgists, musicians, and scholars, Pray Tell is informal, conversational, even humorous, but also – we hope – always well-informed and intellectually grounded.

I am honored to be asked and look forward to contributing with some regularity over the course of the upcoming year and adding what I can to the discussions that arise there. I encourage you to visit and engage as well.

A Good Read In this Year for Priests.....

2010-06-01T13:46:00.004-04:00

The Year for Priests, proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, soon draws to a close. In a timely manner, Fr. Frederick Miller has published a series of his retreat conferences given over multiple trips to Ars, France. A professor at St. Mary's Seminary in Maryland, Fr. Miller has provided rich reflections upon St. Vianney and the spiritual lessons priests and laity alike can learn from the saintly model.

The book also contains the letter by which Pope Benedict declared the year, John Paul II's 1986 Holy Thursday letter, and Blessed John XXIII's encyclical Sacerdotii nostri primordia of 1959.

Compleanno....

2010-05-24T16:11:00.005-04:00

Thanks to all who offered birthday wishes. Friday evening was first filled with classes which ended around 7PM and then the night quickly turned 180 degrees with dinner with priest friends at Ristorante Orazio. On Sunday I traveled out to the Holy Cross Generalate with a Notre Dame undergrad, Karlo Leonor, who this Fall will formally enter the Old College program during his senior year at Notre Dame. It was good to see the other Holy Cross priests and brothers and was surprised to see Fr. Rob Moss, CSC who having wrapped up the year as rector of Fisher Hall is visiting his friend and Superior General, Fr. Hugh Cleary, CSC.

But Pentecost did not end quietly. The last evening of the Easter Season was spent at the Villa Stritch, home to American priests who work in various curial offices of the Vatican. We were all joined by Prof. John O'Callaghan who is a visiting lecturer at Santa Croce University here in Rome for the month of May and by Fr. Kevin Flannery, S.J. who teaches philosophy at the Gregorian University.

My birthday itself involved a lazy morning, some good work in the library during the afternoon and then a fun dinner near the house. Here's a photo to serve as evidence of a birthday well celebrated.And so this week marks the end of coursework for the semester followed by two weeks of exams. Now is the harried time here in Rome with exams, defenses, packing and departures - some for the summer, others permanently. Summer lingers, still out of our grasp. Soon, though. Soon.

Come, Holy Spirit!

2010-05-23T04:11:00.001-04:00

On this Solemn Feast of Pentecost, may we have great trust in the words of Christ who promised, "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you".

Some music from the Christian community of Taize, France:

[download]

Report from Rome...

2010-05-20T13:02:00.005-04:00

Rome Reports recently reported on the upcoming canonization of Blessed Bro. Andre Bessette, CSC.

2010-05-14T01:46:00.001-04:00

In truth, the times in which we live demand a new missionary vigour on the part of Christians, who are called to form a mature laity, identified with the Church and sensitive to the complex transformations taking place in our world. Authentic witnesses to Jesus Christ are needed, above all in those human situations where the silence of the faith is most widely and deeply felt: among politicians, intellectuals, communications professionals who profess and who promote a monocultural ideal, with disdain for the religious and contemplative dimension of life. In such circles are found some believers who are ashamed of their beliefs and who even give a helping hand to this type of secularism, which builds barriers before Christian inspiration. And yet, dear brothers, may all those who defend the faith in these situations, with courage, with a vigorous Catholic outlook and in fidelity to the magisterium, continue to receive your help and your insightful encouragement in order to live out, as faithful lay men and women, their Christian freedom.
---- Pope Benedict XVI, May 13, 2010

A Good Read...

2010-05-11T02:36:00.003-04:00

"VATICAN CITY, 10 MAY 2010 (VIS) - "The definitive text of the second volume of the book 'Jesus of Nazareth' by His Holiness Benedict XVI was recently consigned to the publishers entrusted with its publication", says a note released today by the Holy See Press Office.

"This second volume is dedicated to the Passion and the Resurrection, and starts where the first volume finished", says the note."

If you have not yet read volume 1, I would recommend you do so, perhaps over the summer. It is a beautifully written text. Volume 2 promises to be well received and equally edifying.

Swiss Guards 2010

2010-05-11T02:18:00.009-04:00

This past Thursday, May 6, 2010 was the 483rd anniversary marking the death of 42 Pontifical Swiss Guards who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the life of Pope Clement VII on May 6, 1527 when Rome was being sacked by the armies of Charles V. Founded 504 years ago, the Swiss Guards to this day serve to protect and police Vatican City State and to defend even to death the life of the Holy Father and the College of Cardinals during the absence of a pope.

And so, each year on May 6th the new recruits are sworn in. Recruits, among other requirements, must be Swiss nationals, Catholic and male. Thanks to the generosity of a priest friend five of us were able to attend. Unfortunately the impressive ceremony was held indoors due to threatening rainy weather but this decision wasn't entirely disappointing since the Paul VI Hall provided ample seating.The ceremony lasted for over an hour and involved the use of the Italian, French and German languages. After solemnly marching in the guard stood post on the main platform. At that point the comandante reviewed the troops and a (lengthy) reflection was given by the monsignor chaplain. Finally, the actual oath of the guard was proclaimed and then individually each new recruit marched to the flag where he touched the flag with his left hand and raised his right hand with three fingers extended, representing the Holy Trinity.
The young recruits belted out their oath with an impressive vigor and dedication. It was truly impressive, though even more so when it was said aloud in German, not French. Afterward, the band performed a few pieces to the delight of the audience which included the president of the Swiss Federation and other high level dignitaries, both national and ecclesial.

Happy Mother's Day...

2010-05-09T04:08:00.003-04:00

On this Sixth Sunday of the Easter Season, a "Happy Mother's Day", especially to my own mother, Judy. How she labored with us kids! I am grateful for her dedicated love and her model of a rich life of faith.

And to all the other wonderful moms I know, may this day be a happy day for you all as well. What a beautiful vocation you have! What tremendous influence and direction you provide for those entrusted to your care.

Third Sunday of Easter, C

2010-04-18T12:17:00.003-04:00

Rev. Michael Wurtz, CSC
April 18, 2010
Notre Dame Architecture Rome Chapel

As a Holy Cross priest it was a real joy to be back at Notre Dame this past Saturday for the ordination of Frs. Gerry Olinger and Kevin Grove. Fr. Gerry went to ND as an undergrad in Morrissey Hall and then to ND Law School. Fr. Kevin, having been educated by the Jesuits at Seattle University, joined Holy Cross thereafter.

At a party afterward I met a parishioner of St. Joseph Parish who is an architect and told me that he had studied in the ND Architecture Program many, many years ago. He assured me that the Pantheon was indeed there in Rome at the time! He recounted how he loved that Roman year but that he wishes he could have a second chance to do the year again – there is so much to see and things he didn’t get to see or do. But alas, he can’t – he has children to feed and the few projects his firm is receiving in this slow economy requires his full attention.

Life rarely gives us second chances. How often we wish we could have a second chance at that exam or project. Or a second chance with that determinative conversation with our girlfriend or boyfriend. How we wish we had a second chance with that pass, or swing of the bat. We come to understand, however, that our God is a God of second chances.

In this joyful Easter season we hear multiple post-resurrection accounts of Jesus. He appears to the disciples on the road to Emmaus who do not recognize Him. He says, “Oh how slow of heart you are!” and he explains Scripture, and his teachings, and his miracles, and works to them. And he gives them a second chance. He makes himself known in the breaking of the bread – and because of this they are overjoyed and with hearts on fire race back to Jerusalem to proclaim the good news, “We have seen the Lord!”.

Last Sunday we hear of Thomas who doubts and refuses to believe. And Jesus gives him a second chance. Here I am. Put your hand in my side, touch the nail-marks. And because Jesus gives him a second chance, Thomas is able to proclaim “My Lord and my God!” and proclaims the Good News, meeting his own martyrs death in what is now modern India.

In today’s Gospel, Peter is given a second chance. We know, of course, how he denied the Lord not once, not twice, but three times in the dead of night while warming himself at a charcoal fire. A few days later, while fishing, he sees Jesus on the beach where He warms himself by a charcoal fire. But whereas Peter sinned in the night, Jesus appears at the break of dawn, in the light. Recognizing Jesus, Peter realizes he is practically nude and covers himself. We recall how Adam and Eve, with shame in their hearts, clothed themselves and hid themselves from God. Peter surely also was filled with shame – seeing Jesus surely brought back fresh memories of that fateful night – the fire, his denial, cowardice, the cock crowing.

Three times denied, three times affirmed. “Do you love me?” “Yes.” “Do you love me?” “Yes.” “Do you love me?” “Lord, you know everything, you know I love you!!” Jesus gives Peter a second chance. And because of this he is able to preach the Good News, to baptize, to lead the early Church, and to meet a martyrs death just down the street.

Our God is a God of second chances…………and third, and tenth, and hundred and a thousand chances. Do we believe that?

The difficulty, the angst, the rub, of the Christian life is that a life of prayer, faith, religion, discipleship, Christian charity can be unattractive, unappealing, a drudgery. It happens to us all. And we can find ourselves denying like Peter and doubting like Thomas and like those two disciples walking to Emmaus, slow of heart.

But we musn’t despair, but rather, throw ourselves at the feet of Christ and to reaffirm our devotion to him.

On that fateful night both Judas and Peter sinned, one by betraying, the other by denying. And yet one despaired while the other was later able to receive a second chance. Every time we celebrate the Mass we begin by crying out “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy”. Does God tire of our words? Does God tire of our coming to him for renewal and life? No. Never. Surely, then, we should not tire in asking and calling upon Him.

The Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross tell us, “There is no failure the Lord’s love cannot reverse, no humiliation he cannot exchange for blessing, no anger he cannot dissolve, no routine he cannot transfigure. All is swallowed up in victory. He has nothing but gifts to offer” (para. 118).

Our God is a God of second chances, and ten, and a hundred, and a thousand. We have only, like St. Peter, to run to Him, to reaffirm our devotion to Him. And if we do, then like the disciples, St. Thomas, and St. Peter and countless holy men and women before us, we can go forth, our hearts on fire, proclaiming the Good News of Easter.

2010-04-18T09:57:00.002-04:00

The cloud, literally, hovering over Europe and now extended to Rome.

The Ordinary teaches...

2010-04-18T04:26:00.001-04:00

I am encouraged by the steps being taken by the University of Notre Dame and its president, Father John Jenkins, CSC, in implementing the recommendations of the recently established Task Force on Life. Recommendations were publicized in January, and on April 8 the university announced the adoption of an Institutional Statement Supporting the Choice for Life and Principles for Institutional Charitable Activity, both of which were recommended by the task force. The other recommended initiatives have either been completed or are underway.

In his great encyclical, “The Gospel of Life,” Pope John Paul II wrote about the dramatic struggle between the “culture of life” and the “culture of death” in our present social context. He called for “the renewal of a culture of life within Christian communities themselves” and wrote of the specific contribution that Catholic universities should make in building a new “culture of life.” I believe that the efforts that the University of Notre Dame is making in this regard are important for the Church and for society.

Notre Dame’s Institutional Statement supporting the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death is an important foundation for the implementation of concrete actions and plans to teach and serve the Gospel of Life. In his apostolic constitution on Catholic universities, “Ex Corde Ecclesiae,” Pope John Paul II listed as one of the essential characteristics of a Catholic university “an institutional commitment to the service of the people of God and of the human family in their pilgrimage to the transcendent goal which gives meaning to life.” An explicit and strong pro-life commitment strengthens the Catholic character of the university. It is an expression also of another essential characteristic of Catholic universities: “Fidelity to the Christian message as it comes to us through the Church.” — cf. “Ex Corde Ecclesiae” 13.

Our Catholic universities are in a unique position to promote the renewal of a culture of life in our society. Being actively pro-life in teaching and research, pastoral ministry and service, Catholic universities indeed contribute to the renewal of our society and to the promotion of the common good. I am grateful to Father Jenkins and to the Notre Dame Task Force on Life for the efforts they are making to serve the Gospel of life. I pray that their work will bear much good fruit. -- Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, April 8, 2010

Dog bites man...

2010-04-18T04:16:00.002-04:00

"Consistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church on such issues as abortion, research involving human embryos, euthanasia, the death penalty, and other related life issues, the University of Notre Dame recognizes and upholds the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death."
- Institutional Statement Supporting the Choice for Life, University of Notre Dame

Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief...

2010-04-15T13:15:00.005-04:00

"As yet, we see not Christ; but we see the Church: therefore let us believe in Christ. The Apostles, on the contrary, saw Christ; but they saw not the Church except by faith. They saw one thing, and they believed another: so, likewise, let us do. Let us believe in the Christ, whom as yet we see not; and by keeping ourselves with the Church which we see, we shall come at length to see him, whom as yet we cannot see." - St. Augustine, Sermon 238, In diebus Paschalibus, X.

Eucharistic Procession...

2010-04-14T08:16:00.006-04:00

Dear friends,

Campus Ministries at the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College,
and Holy Cross College are hosting the Sixth Annual Eucharistic
Procession on Sunday, April 18, 2010. The procession will begin
immediately following the 11:45am Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred
Heart. Come for Mass or simply meet outside the front doors of the
Basilica at 12:45pm to join in the procession as it leaves the Basilica.
After the procession, join students, religious, faculty, and staff for
a simple picnic lunch catered and hosted by the Knights of Columbus
outside their building on South Quad. In the event of rain, the
procession will be held inside the Basilica.

The Procession will be preceded by 40 continuous hours of Eucharistic
Adoration in the Coleman-Morse Center chapel, sponsored by various
student groups. Adoration will begin at 6:00pm next Friday, April 16,
and will finish before the Procession on Sunday, April 18, at 10:00am.
To register for a time slot for Adoration, please visit:

http://www.mysignup.com/40hours

Please help us promote the procession by spreading the word and by joining the Facebook event at
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=109220809108393&ref=mf
and inviting others to do so as well!

In Christ and Notre Dame, Our Mother,
Fr. Tom Eckert, CSC, Brett Perkins, & The 2010 Eucharistic Procession
Committee

He is Risen, Alleluia, Alleluia...

2010-04-05T12:59:00.003-04:00

"The providence of God, who has established harmony between the visible world and the supernatural work of grace, willed that the Resurrection of our Lord should take place at that particular season of the year when even Nature herself seems to rise from the grave. The meadows give forth their verdure, the trees resume their foliage, the birds fill the air with their songs, and the sun, the type of our triumphant Jesus, pours out his floods of light on our earth made new by lovely spring." - Dom Propser Gueranger, OSB in The Liturgical Year, vol 7, pg 15.

Happy Easter to you all!

Novena, Day 9: March 19th...

2010-03-19T05:25:00.000-04:00

I encourage each religious and every local community throughout the Congregation to sponsor a novena of thanksgiving for Brother Andre's canonization leading up to March 19th, the feast of Saint Joseph. Our novena prayer can be repeated in the nine days leading up to Brother Andre's canonization on October 17th. - Rev. Hugh Cleary, Superior General, Congregation of Holy Cross

Andre Novena Day 9

Novena, Day 8: March 18th...

2010-03-18T05:23:00.000-04:00

Is Religion the Problem?

2010-03-17T03:42:00.003-04:00

If you are near campus on April 7th, Dinish D'Souza and Chris Hitchens will debate faith and religion at Notre Dame, one of the many places where an entity of the Catholic Church which in itself does not constitute the ordinary or extraordinary magisterium attempts to do its thinking. ;-)

Full announcement at the ND Newswire.

April Conference...

2010-03-17T03:28:00.005-04:00

For those of you who are able to attend, Notre Dame Right to Life will host their annual conference April 9 - 10th. The registration page for the conference, the speakers of which include Cardinal Francis George, Joan Lewis, and George Weigel, can be found here.

Novena, Day 7: March 17th...

2010-03-17T03:20:00.001-04:00

Novena, Day 6: March 16th...

2010-03-16T06:37:00.000-04:00

Novena, Day 5: March 15th...

2010-03-15T11:33:00.001-04:00

A Papal Translator....

2010-03-14T11:26:00.003-04:00

A resident here at the Casa Santa Maria works also for the Vatican Secretariat of State. He is a citizen of Croatia and recently served as a translator between the Holy Father and the Prime Minister of Croatia. Notice second 0:13 of the following video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLADnFhOcJM

Some things are merely out of my hands...

2010-03-14T09:30:00.000-04:00

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Novena, Day 4: March 14th...

2010-03-14T04:29:00.000-04:00

Novena, Day 3: March 13...

2010-03-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

Novena, Day 2: March 12...

2010-03-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

Novena, Day 1: March 11

2010-03-11T05:00:00.001-05:00

Michael A. Mathis, CSC...

2010-03-10T08:04:00.004-05:00

50 years ago today Rev. Michael A. Mathis, CSC died at the age of 74. A Holy Cross religious of the Indiana Province, Fr. Mathis ministered in a variety of capacities and is noted as the founder of the liturgical studies program at Notre Dame.

It was he who, with the financial and administrative backing of then president of the university, Fr. Cavanaugh, was able to invite European and American scholars of theology and liturgy to campus during the summer months and sometimes for year long appointments to the theology department. The names include Joseph Jungmann, Louis Bouyer, Jean Danielou, Balthasar Fischer, and Godfrey Diekmann.

Dr. Gail Walton, 1954 - 2010

2010-03-02T02:05:00.003-05:00

We mourn and pray for the repose of Dr. Gail Walton. Her funeral Mass is to be celebrated today in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Dr. Walton served as Director of Music for the basilica as well as the Director of the Liturgical Choir and Assistant to the Women's Choir.

Dr. Walton was ever-present and her absence from campus life will be obvious and dearly missed. Whether it was working with her during my years as a cantor or preparing the music for my class's Final Vows liturgy, or other particular events, she was always so gracious, tremendously knowledgeable in her expertise, and dedicated to the students.

Dr. Gail Walton was 55.

Into your hands, Father of mercies, we commend our sister Gail in the sure and certain hope that, together with all who have died in Christ, she will rise with him on the last day. Merciful Lord, turn toward us and listen to our prayers: open the gates of paradise to your servant and help us who remain to comfort one another with assurances of faith, until we all meet in Christ and are with you and with our sister forever. - Prayer of Commendation, Roman Ritual.

Belgium Part Five and Final...

2010-02-27T04:31:00.010-05:00

And so Sunday morning arrived and Mass was celebrated, breakfast consumed, bags packed as we made our journey back to Rome where Italian disorganization and loudness awaited us.

With bags in tow we traveled by train to the capital city of Brussels. With only about four hours before our train to the airport we visited only a few spots. The central train station was fortunately actually located in the center of town not far from the main square. We found it odd that that tourist information office is closed until April. In any event, we made due walking around on our own.

We did discover the famous Manneken-Pis. A large throng of tourists had gathered to take photos. After about 30 seconds of that we treated ourselves to Belgium waffles! Several varieties were available and we chose the plain waffle drenched in Belgium chocolate. I heartily approve.

After stopping for lunch and one last round of Belgium beers we made our way to the cathedral. Mass was in progress and so touring was not possible, but we were just glad Mass was being celebrated and people were in attendance! The organ was quite impressive and looked fairly new. I found the placement in the naive to be unique and I still wonder how it affects the acoustics.

And thus ends my posts on the Belgium trip. It was a great chance to "get away" and renew ourselves for the upcoming Spring semester. Sorry if the waffle photo tempts against your Lenten resolve! That is not my intention.

Fr. Russeau CSC on Kresta in the Afternoon...

2010-02-26T04:18:00.003-05:00

On February 24th Fr. Kevin Russeau, CSC was a guest on Kresta in the Afternoon on Ave Maria Radio to speak about the recent joyous announcement that Blessed Andre Bessette, CSC will be canonized on October 17, 2010. Fr. Russeau and Mr. Kresta speak about Blessed Andre's life, the history of the congregation and the lessons we can learn from this holy man's life.

Belgium Part Four...

2010-02-26T02:12:00.005-05:00

While my priest traveling companions went to the city of Gent, I spent the following day at the American College resting, drinking coffee, reading Congar and running a couple of errands.

But by Saturday the three of us were reunited to tackle the city of Antwerp. This post is a short one. I would say Antwerp was my least favorite city of the four I toured. It had a large impersonal taste to it. But like elsewhere, the architecture was magnificent.

Here are three photos of the main square, the towering spire of the cathedral and an interior shot of the same church. Notice the statue of Our Lady on the center facade of the town hall. The bronze statue in the middle of the square depicts a person throwing a severed hand. The legend of the city's founding is that a giant was molesting the population and so his hand was cut off and thrown and tadah, Antwerp was born. At least that is what I remember about the legend.

Belgium Part Three...

2010-02-24T04:50:00.014-05:00

And so after a full day spent in our host-city of Leuven we arose early for Mass and breakfast and then traveled by train westward for an hour and a half to the city of Brugge - fast becoming a popular tourist spot because of its typical Belgium charm and beauty. Our day, like the others, was spent touring churches and sites, sampling beers, and just enjoying being out of Italy before the Spring semester would begin.

After walking up from the Brugge train station we arrived at the Holy Savior Cathedral - another architectural masterpiece.The pulpit was also impressive in its size and detail. The marble parchment shows the design of the church.

We then walked a few blocks to the main city square. The prominent tower was raised in popular awareness by the movie In Bruges.

The citizens of Brugge are very aware of their fine city's growing popularity with tourists. Supposedly the place is shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists during the summer months. And so it is understandable that locals would like to protect and safeguard their own hang-outs. We tracked down one such place and it is a gem of a find. Walking off the main square and down a very narrow alley one arrives upon a quaint pub. Inside is a fire and about 9 tables. That afternoon there was an older couple reading the paper with glasses of beer, a group of four and then a gentleman reading and also enjoying a brew. It was something out of a hobbit scene.We sat down and ordered their house brew called Garre. It is a triple-bock beer! And it was amazing. Overhead a portion of Handel's Messiah was playing. We ordered a second round and the music switched to Vivaldi. The only other complement would have been a nice pipe or cigar, but that didn't happen.

Afterward we walked to another large square to visit the Basilica of the Holy Blood where is said to be a relic of the Precious Blood of our Lord. We visited, prayed, and venerated the relic. There were a few too many references to leaving "donations" for the "upkeep of the church". I am sure that is the case, however, Luther didn't have to go South of the Alps to fuel his reform.
Another beautiful church is that of Our Lady where is housed a statue of Madonna and Child carved by Michelangelo himself.
It was a great day and after supper we walked back to the train station for a good night's rest, thankful for the artistic, ecclesial, and brewing treasures we were fortunate to have enjoyed.

Blesseds Mary MacKillop and Andre Bessette...

2010-02-20T04:19:00.012-05:00

Here is an informative video provided by the people at Rome Reports:

Richard Proulx, 1937 - 2010

2010-02-19T09:54:00.004-05:00

The sacred music composer and long-time Director of Music for Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Richard Proulx has died.

If you recognize this Sanctus setting then you know one of his many compositions.

Let us pray for the repose of his soul and for comfort of his family and friends.

Habemus Sanctum...

2010-02-19T07:55:00.003-05:00

Mark your calendars for October 17, 2010 - the date upon which Blessed Andre Bessette, CSC will be declared a saint! Now if we could only get the Vatican to cease referring to the "Congregation of THE Holy Cross".

VATICAN CITY, 19 FEB 2010 (VIS) - At 11 a.m. today in the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father presided at an ordinary public consistory for the canonisation of the following Blesseds:

- Stanislao Soltys, called Kazimierczyk, Polish professed religious of the Order of Canons Regular Lateranense (1433-1489).

- Andre Bessette (ne Alfred), Canadian professed religious of the Congregation of the Holy Cross (1845-1937).

- Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola (nee Juana Josefa), Spanish founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus (1845-1912).

- Mary of the Cross MacKillop (nee Mary Helen), Australian foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart (1842-1909).

- Giulia Salzano, Italian foundress of the Congregation of Sisters Catechists of the Sacred Heart (1846-1929).

- Battista da Varano (nee Camilla), professed nun of the Order of Poor Clares and foundress of the monastery of St. Clare in the Italian town of Camerino (1458-1524).

At the end of the meeting, the Pope announced that the canonization ceremony will take place on 17 October.

More Scholarship Needed...

2010-02-19T06:16:00.000-05:00

From CNS:

Catholic scholars ask pope to slow process of Pope Pius XII's cause

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Nineteen Catholic scholars of theology and history are asking Pope Benedict XVI to slow the process of the sainthood cause of Pope Pius XII. Saying that much more research needs to be done on the papacy of the mid-20th century pope, the scholars said in a Feb. 16 letter to Pope Benedict that "history needs distance and perspective" before definitive conclusions can be reached on the role of Pope Pius during World War II and the Holocaust. Leading the effort are Servite Father John Pawlikowski, professor of ethics at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and Holy Cross Father Kevin Spicer, associate professor of history at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. "We're not on a bandwagon to stop his eventual canonization," Father Pawlikowski told Catholic News Service Feb. 18. "We're saying allow some time." Father Pawlikowski said the scholars, known widely for their research and expertise on the Holocaust, wanted to express their concerns in a respectful manner to the pope. First sent Feb. 16 via e-mail to the Vatican and then sent a day later via overnight mail, the letter asked Pope Benedict "to be patient with the cause of Pope Pius XII." Pope Benedict advanced the cause of Pope Pius' sainthood in a Dec. 19 decree.

Belgium Part Two...

2010-02-19T04:58:00.010-05:00

Just this past fall the Holy Father canonized to sainthood St. Damien of Molokai, a native of Belgium who was sent to the then-mission of the Hawaiian Islands to serve the Church there and who eventually found himself volunteering to be the chaplain for the leper colony located at Molokai. His is a beautiful story of selflessness, untiring hope in Christ, charity to those outcast of society and his own personal suffering and death by leprosy also.

His tomb is located in Leuven just down the street from the American Seminary and we were blessed to spend time there in prayer. These three photos first show a statue of St. Damien along with some historic articles from his life now located in the main sanctuary of the main church.

The second photo is of a painting depicting St. Damien's life beginning at the bottom where he is arriving at the Hawaiian shores, then the middle where he is caring for the people of the leper colony and his subsequent death, while the top portion shows the transfer of his body from Hawaii back to his native Belgium. I am told, but have not confirmed, that when St. Damien's body was transferred across the Pacific and the United States it was done so with full military honors.

The third photo is of his tomb located in the crypt chapel of the church. The bags hanging from the tomb seem to be seashells taken from the waters of Hawaii.

God be praised for the example of Christian holiness in the person of St. Damien. St. Damien, pray for us!