The Hermeneutic of Continuity

It has been a busy few days, liturgically speaking. On Friday, in addition to my morning English Mass, I celebrated a Missa Cantata at the chapel of the Good Counsel Network . Above is a photo (courtesy of the Ecumenical Diablog ) taken from one of my previous visits there. You can see that the chapel is quite small, so it was down to the skill of Paul Smeaton, the MC, that elbow-bumping was kept to a minimum. Yesterday was the anniversary of the dedication of Our Lady of the Rosary at Blackfen. In the morning we had Missa Cantata : Then (after I had celebrated a wedding) we sang Vespers: Vespers was followed by Benediction: Then it was just a question of evening confessions and Mass to finish off the day. Today is Rosary Sunday and so in the morning our Missa Cantata was of the external solemnity. this afternoon, we had the Rosary, a devotional procession of Our Lady, and Benediction. The photos above from yesterday are by  Mulier Fortis and I expect she will post so...

Helping me to catch up on one or two things I missed while away in Lourdes, a correspondent sent me links for the address of the Holy Father at the opening of the Pastoral Congress for the Diocese of Rome. Here is the original Italian text ; and here are a couple of quotations in English translation, thanks to Rorate Caeli and NLM : As I had the occasion to clarify in the address to the Roman Curia of December 22, 2005, an interpretive current, appealing to a supposed "spirit of the Council", intended to establish a discontinuity and even a contraposition between the Church before and the Church after the Council, at times confusing the very objectively existing boundaries between the hierarchical ministry and the responsibility of the lay faithful in the Church. The notion of the "People of God, in particular, was interpreted by some according to a purely sociological vision, with an almost exclusively horizontal severance, which excluded the vertical reference to God....

The New Liturgical Movement has an excellent post on Reclaiming the Sacristy as a Place of Prayer and Preparation I am glad to say that we already follow several of the suggestions in my sacristy. There has to be some talking with the sacristans and servers in preparation for Mass but it is understood that when I begin vesting, the servers line up and there is silence while I say the vesting prayers and the prayer of intention before offering Mass. I remember the Silentium sign in the sacristy of St Mary's in West Croydon when I was a small boy but I have not yet put one up in my sacristy. I'll have to look for some nice parchment to print it on and then frame it. Here is an inscription that I photographed in a Church some years ago when I was visiting Granada. The inscription reads: Vestibus hic sacris locus est depone sacerdos exuvias hominis veteres atq(e) indue Christum This is the place for sacred vestments. Put off the old coverings of the man, priest, and put on Christ.

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Emeritus Archbishop of Milan, has long been a respected figure among liberal theologians. His comments have usually been of a kind that hint at deeper issues, rather than openly dissenting from the teaching of the magisterium. For example, his calls for greater collegiality, for further theological enquiry on questions of sexuality, and for the Church to speak in a way that people understand, can all be given a perfectly proper interpretation. Nevertheless, in ecclesiastical circles, they are coded language hinting at opposition to Pope Benedict and to various doctrines of the Church. I remember having to endure the gushing enthusiasm of some for Martini when I was a student in Rome and he was the Grand Chancellor of the Gregorian University. His reputation as a biblical scholar, specialising in the gospels, was such that it was unthinkable to challenge his authority. This has continued, as Diogenes remarks : Martini's truly extraordinary composure and...

Sandro Magister has a most interesting article about a two volume work by Carlo Fantappiè entitled "Chiesa romana e modernità giuridica (The Roman Church and juridical modernity)" which looks at the Code of Canon Law promulgated by Pope Saint Pius X. (See: Saint Pius X, a Backward Pope? No, an Unprecedented Cyclone of Reform ) He appends a review of the book by Gianpaolo Romanato. The thesis is that far from being a static, reactionary pontificate, the reign of Pope St Pius X was a cyclone of modernisation in response to the changed conditions in society that had developed during the 19th century. The code of canon law made possible a disciplinary and administrative uniformity that enabled the Church to deal with the modern nation state. The effect of this centralisation and the increased emphasis given to papal authority within the Church certainly brought about many positive developments. Regarding the Liturgy, however, as Alcuin Reid pointed out in his work "The Organ...

Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC, was speaking at Westminster Cathedral last night on "Faith in the Media." (At the website for the Cardinal's Lectures, there is a transcript of the lecture .) One of the central points of the lecture was a post-modernist approach to the content of what is broadcast: Not only do you never know who is going to see, or hear, or read what. More importantly, you can never predict what they’re going to make of it. The same words, the same programmes provoke diametrically opposing reactions in different people. They can mean, they can signify utterly different things. Hence broadcasting cannot have a direct, on-to-one influence on what people think. Perhaps not at that level and consistency but I would be surprised if this claim was meant to deny that the broadcast media have an influence on public opinion - or indeed to deny that there is any possibility of achieving at least an inter-subjective effect by the way that material is edit...

Tomorrow evening, I will be at Ealing Abbey parish to speak on the subject of "Christ the Unique and Universal Saviour - as outlined in Dominus Iesus ." This is the last in a series of Lenten talks and will take place at 8pm in the Abbey Hall. All are welcome. I will examine how Dominus Iesus affirms that the salvific will of the Triune God is accomplished once and for all in the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I will explore what it means to call Christ our Saviour and Redeemer and why the Church has affirmed the uniqueness and universality of salvation in Christ. I will also consider what the Church's teaching implies for our dialogue with people of other faiths and none.

Reading through a little devotional book on the Guardian Angels, published by TAN, I came across this cracking story illustrating the importance of reverence and attention in Church. It is related of St Catherine of Siena, who was also favoured with the visible presence of her Guardian Angel, that once while praying in the church she turned her head slightly to gratify her curiosity. Her Guardian Angel gave her so severe a look for her disrespect in the presence of the Most Holy that for several days St Catherine was inconsolable and performed severe penance in atonement. UPDATE : In response to Mark's requst: the booklet was originally published in 1956 by the Benedictine convent of Perpetual Adoration, Clyde Missouri under the title "Our Heavenly Companions". It was republished by TAN books 1996 as "The Guardian Angels our Heavenly Companions" (64pp) ISBN 0-89555-537-9. I got my copy from the Padre Pio Bookshop in Victoria for about £3.

Thanks to Rorate Caeli for news of a homily given this morning by Cardinal Rode (Prefect for Religious) at the opening Mass of the 35th General Congregation of the Jesuits at the Church of the Gesù in Rome. With sadness and anxiety I also see a growing distancing from the Hierarchy. The Ignatian spirituality of apostolic service “under the Roman Pontiff” does not allow for this separation. In the Constitutions which he left you, Ignatius wanted to truly shape your mind and in the book of the Exercises (n 353) he wrote” we must always keep our mind prepared and quick to obey the true Spouse of Christ and our Holy Mother, the Hierarchical Church”. Religious obedience can be understood only as obedience in love. The fundamental nucleus of Ignatian spirituality consists in uniting the love for God with love for the hierarchical Church. This a a great antidote against the tendency to contrast the "hierarchical Church" with some other expression of christian community. The quotati...

Some time ago I was hearing confessions after Mass and there was so much noise in the Church from people talking that I could not actually hear the penitent clearly. I decided it was really time I exercised some pastoral authority in the matter. I hope that I was reasonably kindly in explaining to people over many weeks about the importance of respectful quiet in the Church. I reminded people that Our Lord is present in the Blessed Sacrament and that the Church is the House of God. Everywhere else in Blackfen, including nowadays the local library, we can talk to each other. In the Church we should be talking to God. Whilst it is good for us to meet and greet each other and make friends before and after Mass outside the Church, in the Hall or the Social Club, the Church is the one place that is set aside for prayer. I said that conversations held in the Church make it difficult for others to pray, that is was a good thing to make a preparation before and thanksgiving after Mass and that...

Alfons Maria Cardinal Stickler SDB died yesterday, aged 97. Earlier this year, he celebrated the 70th anniversary of his priestly ordination. Gillibrand at Catholic Church Conservation has a translation of his obituary in Der Standard ( Cardinal Stickler, one of the all time great cardinals has died ). The Cardinal was always a friend of the traditional liturgy. Here is a link to an address that he gave to the Latin Mass Society at its annual meeting in 1992. Summorum Pontificum was a vindication of his consistently held position that the old rite of Mass had never been abrogated. His book The Case for Clerical Celibacy , published by Ignatius, was an accessible summary of the conclusions reached by the research of Cochini, Cholij and others on the question. He made the telling point: These studies have either not yet penetrated the general consciousness or they have been hushed up if they were capable of influencing that consciousness in undesirable ways Here is the announcement of ...

Sir Stephen Wall's long and distinguished civil service career has included spells in the diplomatic service, James Callaghan's Press Office, Private Secretary to David Owen when he was Foreign Secretary, and later to three successive Foreign Secretaries (Geoffrey Howe, John Major and Douglas Hurd). From 1991 to 1993, he was Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, John Major, responsible for Foreign Policy and Defence. He was also British Ambassador to Portugal (1993-1995), Permanent Representative to the European Union (1995-2000), Head of the European Secretariat in the Cabinet Office and EU adviser to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair (2000-2004). In June 2004, Sir Stephen (a practising Catholic) left the service and worked for four days a week as Principal Adviser to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, a post he left in June 2005. (There was an interesting background article in the Daily Telegraph in September 2004.) Damien Thompson...

(As in "Eats Shoots and Leaves", the punctuation of the title is important.) Three books arrived the other day from Family Publications. "Built on Love" is the joint autobiography of Valerie and Denis Riches, the Founders of Family and Youth Concern. I have known Valerie and Denis for many years. They both exemplify courtesy and good manners and it is extraordinary to think of the vitriol that these two kind people have suffered over the years. They both became Catholics in 1982 and continued their work with the support of their Catholic faith. Sr Sara Butler wrote her book "The Catholic Priesthood and Women" largely at the request of seminarians. It will certainly find its way onto the bibliography for my course in Sacramental Theology. At 112 pages, it is a brief and well-structured summary of the Church's teaching, objections to that teaching, and the fundamental reasons for the teaching. Another excellent title from Hillenbrand Books . Fr Nicholas ...

Albert Mohler, a Southern Baptist, seems to be less offended than some Catholics by the recent "subsistit" document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The full title of that document is delightfully bland: Responses to some questions regarding certain aspects of the doctrine of the Church . Pastor Mohler has a refreshingly sensible article entitled No, I'm Not Offended . First off, he says: No, I am not offended. In the first place, I am not offended because this is not an issue in which emotion should play a key role. This is a theological question, and our response should be theological, not emotional. Now there's someone we could do "ecumenism" with! He addds, No one familiar with the statements of the Roman Catholic Magisterium should be surprised by this development. Rev Mohler, could you come and speak to some Catholics I know? The Pastor is refreshingly straightforward in his assessment of the document: I appreciate the document'...

John Allen's column this week is titled Lay ecclesial ministry and the feminization of the church . He quotes statistics that bear out something I have mentioned before: For a church long perceived as bastion of male privilege, it's striking that these new lay professional roles are held disproportionately by women. As of 2005, roughly 80 percent of lay ecclesial ministers in the United States were women. I imagine the numbers would be roughly similar in England. One of the key problems in my opinion is that of the promotion of lay ministry as an answer to all our problems. To quote Christifideles Laici , In the same Synod Assembly, however, a critical judgment was voiced along with these positive elements, about a too-indiscriminate use of the word "ministry", the confusion and the equating of the common priesthood and the ministerial priesthood, the lack of observance of ecclesiastical laws and norms, the arbitrary interpretation of the concept of "supply"...

This received in the combox today from Tim Shamoon: Despite everything that we have gone through we will increase and multiply. We Chaldeans are proud of heritage and of culture. We speak an ancient language derived from the time of our Lord Jesus Christ. We will not be wiped out by a bunch of psychopaths determined to cause terror and drive us of our land. Christianity was started in what is now Iraq by St. Thomas while he was on India. We will survive with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Blood of Martyrs will save us. Please see link enclosed of a recent First Holy Communion of over 100 Chaldean Catholic kids at St. Peter’s Church in San Diego California and what you will see is just a fraction there are Chaldeans in the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK and many other countries and we will not be killed off by those who have no fear of God. Here is a picture of the recent first Holy Communion celebration at St Peter's Church: And here is a link to the Chaldean Church . To encourag...

I received notice today from Aid to the Church in Need UK of two forthcoming events that I recommend highly. LEEDS, Saturday 9 June Mass celebrated by Bishop Arthur Roche in St Anne's Cathedral. Talks afterwards. Fr Samer Nassif In Search of a Future: The Lebanese Church As a Lebanese priest, Fr Samer has had to witness an exodus from his homeland as the people fled from the tragedy of conflict. With tensions in the Middle East at boiling point, the Lebanese Church is once again facing a crisis. Fr Samer examines how the Church is bringing the hope of a brighter future to a flock that has been the innocent victim of violence, political instability and the rise of militant Islam. He asks what the future hold for the Faith in the lands of the Bible, where extremism and fear reign. Neville Kyrke-Smith The Soviet Fall-out Under Soviet communism, the faithful in nations where Christianity once flourished were forced to worship in secret, or under strict controls, to preserve their spir...

The Times today carries an article called Blair will be welcomed into Catholic fold via his ‘baptism of desire’ , a title which provides further justification for John Allen and Jimmy Akin's remarks about religious reporting in the British press (see John Allen on the British Press ). Fr Michael Seed is cited as authority for the prediction that Blair will "declare himself a Catholic" upon leaving office. Then apparently he also expressed doubts as to whether Blair would be "formally" received into the Catholic Church. Gledhill et al. provide some obfuscation at this point showing that they have heard of the RCIA but have no idea what it is: "To do so he would have to take part in a ceremony called the rite of Christian initiation for adults, followed by confirmation and taking the sacrament of Holy Communion." Errr, no. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults includes the celebration of the sacraments of initiation. Before that there is a process ...