Explanation of the Holy Mass.

I promise, I promise I'm going to finish this! I'm just lazy and easily distracted by more fun things like cartoon violence and old tapes of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Click on the label to find the others.

The Holy Mother of God.

"As the bush which Moses saw unconsumed, even so preserved is thy laudable virginity. O Mother of God, intercede for us!"
- Last antiphon, vespers of the feast.

A sermon by St. Leo the Pope:

Dearly beloved brethren, whosoever will keep this day's festival with true reverence and due honour, must neither think falsely of the Lord's Incarnation, nor meanly of the Godhead. For as there is danger of not realizing the truth of Christ's humanity, so is there no less danger of failing to recognize his equality in glory with his Father. Wherefore, when we try to contemplate the mystery of Christ's birth, wherein he was born of a Virgin Mother, we must soar above the clouds of earthly imagination, and with the eye of enlightened faith pierce through the fog of earthly wisdom.

The authority on which we believe is the authority of God himself ; and the teaching which we follow is the very teaching of God himself. Therefore it is true, whether we lend an ear to the testimony of the Law, or to the sayings of the Prophets, or to the trumpet of the Gospel. This latter did John the Son of Thunder sound, when, filled with the Holy Ghost, he proclaimed : In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ; the Same was in the beginning with God ; all things were made by him, and without him was not anything made. True also is the witness of John when he saith : The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father.

The Person of the Son of God therefore remaineth unchanged and one, though he hath two natures, keeping his own, and taking ours. He cometh on earth as man to be the restorer of man, but abideth all the while in his unchangeable Godhead. That Godhead which he shareth with the Father was not a whit the less almighty, nor did the form of a servant touch the form of God to derogate from it. The Most High and Everlasting Being, bending down for man's salvation, took the Manhood into his glory. Yet he ceased not to be that which he is from everlasting. Hence we see the only-begotten Son of God in one place confessing that the Father is greater than he, and in another declaring that he and the Father are One. This is an evident proof of the distinction of his two natures, and the unity of his Person. For he is inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood, and yet equal to the Father as touching his Godhead. Albeit, though he be God and Man, he is not two, but One Christ.

"When thou wast born all ineffably of a Virgin, then were the Scriptures fulfilled; thou camest down like the dew upon the fleece of wool, to bring salvation unto all mankind ; we praise thee, O our God."
- Second antiphon, Vespers.

"O God, who by the child-bearing of a pure Virgin hast bestowed upon all mankind the rewards of everlasting life : grant, we beseech thee ; that we may know the succour of her intercession, through whom we have been found worthy to receive the Author of life, even Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord : Who liveth and reigneth with thee."
-Collect of the day.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

From Illinois.
Photo Credit.

Incredible Rainbow.

incredible rainbow.

Solemn Vespers.

I'm going to Lourdes tonigt or solemn vespers and benediction, wit te singing of te te deum. That's an indulgenced act you know. publicly singing or reciting the te deum at the last day of the calendar year.
So is publically singing or reciting the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, rendered in English as the familiar Come Holy Ghost, Creator Blest. I would hope we could sing the veni crator either in Englis or Latin tomorrow, but I'm afraid I don't think it's gonna happen.

*EDIT*
I ended up going bowling afterwards with a family that I know. I suck at bowling. A lot. A WHOLE lot. My best game was only 28. I'm such an embarrassment to humanity and sports. I'm going to go crawl up in a corner and eat butter cookies. 'ktnxbai.[/notseriousselfdeprecation]

St.Thomas of Canturbury

"He who gives up his life in this world will possess it forever in everlasting life."
Antiphon for the commemoration at lauds, Liturgia Horarum.

"O God, who gave to blessed Thomas the Martyr, to courageously give up the life of his soul for the sake of justice, grant us by his intercession, that we for Christ may lose our lives in this world, and, finding them in heaven, we may possess them forever."*

*Yes, I'm such an extreme amateur at Latin, so that's the best I could do this time. I couldn't get the first phrases to make sense, so I had to paraphrase them a bit.

It's So Wrong.....

....But it's so right.
I need some LULZ now, with the neighbor's damned dog wailing and screeching outside my window non-stop for the past SIX HOURS. He's been doing this daily and I'm losing sleep. I even missed the Saturday Salve!
Replace 'heretics' with 'pit bulls' and you'd know ow I feel right now.

I Like.

LISTEN!
A ragtime fantasia on the theme to BWV 542. How creative! I like it a lot.

BWV 596

'Cause I loves me some Bach. Listen!

CLICK THE LINK.

See, I posted some religious orders for men and women that I recommend.
They're right over there.

St.John's day.

Third day in the octave.
"This is John, to whom Christ on the cross commended his Mother, the Virgin to a virgin."
-Second antiphon, Lauds of the office of St.John

"O God, who didst open the secrets of thy Word to us through blessed John the apostle, grant we beseech thee, That what he poured into our ears in so excellent a manner, we may grasp with the learning of a competent mind."
-Collect of the day, Liturgia Horarum.

WOW....just..WOW....

I lol'd
Crazy seminarians.
Photo credit!

Vatican II

..And the reform of the Roman Liturgy. See here and here what the fathers probably really intended. Like I said, personally, I think SC was all we really needed.

Sacred Music.

This is what is it.

*Cough*

*Cough cough*

Go Here.

NOW.

St. Stephen's day.

Second day in the octave.

"Grant to us, we beseech thee, O Lord, to imitate what we worship. That we may learn to love our enemies, for we celebrate the birthday to eternal life of him who knew also to pray for is persecutors."
-Collect of the day, Liturgia Horarum.

Go Here.

Light.

From the gospel according to St.John:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. 9 That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. "

Happy Christmas!

I'm still reveling with joy from last night.
We had our first Solemn High mass in the older form for midnight mass, and I served as one of the torchbearers at the elevations. It had been raining on and off all day, and I expected low attendance.
It was practically packed.
It began with organ improvisations on the tune to "Hark, the herald angels sing" during the procession to the creche from the sacristy, and blessing of the crib. I got to feel the floor rumbling from the organ's 32'Tromba and 16'Pousaune from on the other end of the church. "Hark, the herald" was the entrance hymn.
The mass ordinary was Hans Leo Hassler's Missa Secunda , (Sample I, Sample II) except for the credo which was credo III, and all the propers were sung by the men of the choir.
The vestments were an old, old high mass set. Cloth of gold lined with red silk ,with raised gold work embroidery. Probably very expensive. Actually, they were identical to this set from St. Clems. Did we borrow or something?
We sang "Adeste Fideles" during the offertory and some motets by Praetorius, Schubert and another composer whose name I can't remember during the long communion period.(Communion took longer than usual, because there weren't any other priests to work the rails. )
"Joy To the World" was the recessional with the full organ and a choir descant at the last verse. More floor rumbling. We all received the celebrant's blessing kneeling in the narthex after the recessional.
Apparently, this could become a tradition. I should hope so!

Very soon I'll be back at the church to serve as thurifer for the sung mass of Christmas day.
Merry Christmas!

*EDIT*
I'm back. It was pretty good. A good turnout considering what we had for midnight mass, and the chasuble from last night's high mass set. Missa de Angelis, some good hymns, propers were sung. Fr. Brennan, my favorite old-school Jesuit who still wears a cassock and biretta preached/celebrated. To top mit off, I wore my good surplice. You know, the one trimmed with a bit of lace. It smells of incense now.
I'm sure you've heard hundreds of sermons on how the incarnation expresses itself in catholic Christianity, and so have I, but I got another.

Almost time.

I decorated for Christmas.Only 11 minutes until first vespers of Christmas!

Then shower, get dressed, and off to the church to go over the mass a last time, get vested, prepare for mass, and off we go.

They're Here!!!

Android Kikkaider volumes two and three are here! I'm so excited I could wet myself!
Well, not really.
But anyways, I can watch some more episodes.

Also, look who's finally written another post on their blog. Deese Guys.
Sheesh, who updates this thing? I mean really, the Dominicans at GodzDogz do a better job. Posts at least weekly and it looks better.
But I guess they're doing their best, so I won't berate them for not having a super awesome-cooltastic blog like mine.

Practicing.

Practice for Midnight Mass is today at 1:00 at the church.

Just a Reminder!

If you're in the area, don't forget this! Tell your peeps! Alert your crew![/Nerdphrases]
Also, I am going to serve that mass. I'll be a torch bearer, the easiest job. Lets pray that we don't have fainting servers like on Corpus Christi. I dropped off my presents today. I'm reminded exactly how much I hate wrapping things, though I think I did an OK job.

Ties! D< (<------- angry face)

I have a small hobby of collecting neckties. I only really wear white shirts, since that's been the color of my uniform in various schools since second grade. White is kinda bland, so I wear ties. I have at the moment about 20 ties, in different colors. Actually, every color except pink and green.
Despite this, I hate tying ties.
Especially real silk ones. It just does'nt work. I've been trying to tie my second best purple tie to wear tomorrow, and this is the first time I've ever tied it in one go.
Christmas is coming up, so it's time to wash my two best ties.
The first is a navy blue and gold striped tie that looks kind of like the one I wore during grade school. Those are my favorite.
Second is a dark purple silk tie that looks like the tie Martin Lawrence wore at the beginning of the movie "Life". The third is a new one. It's sky blue, grey, and black stripes with white pinstripes. I swear it looks better in person. I'll probably wear tie 1 for Midnight mass, and tie 2 for the mass of Christmas day, and save the third for Holy Family Sunday. I'll another new tie for epiphany.

Sorry, you're too stupid to talk theology.

"Yeah, all of you. If you're young that is. You see, people under the age of 40 can't understand what salvation and all that hard stuff means. But, we all know that every time you meet a young adult or a teenager, they're talking about global warming and saving the earth. So, as they're not smart enough like us, instead of talking to them about stuff that will save their souls, let's talk about fair trade and all that. Forget Jesus, bring in Trader Joe.
Also, NO young people are interested in that old stuff, like Latin, and priest celebrating masses to the wall. Nope, none at all. There's like, a small tiny group of oldsters that are, but we're not going to be pastoral and help them, because they're just a minority, and no one helps minorities.
Ket me also add that conservatives are mean nasty people who are never happy. Libs are always so logical and nice to people. Conservatives are conservative because they are scared about the future."
Read the whole insulting article.
His Excellency says that you're all too dumb to talk theology, along with a whole nother bunch of non sequiturs and hasty generalizations.
Apparently, he thinks the best way to get youngsters into the church is to insult them, talk down on them, and then refuse to give them what they want, need, and deserve.
Will these people ever learn to get with the times?
Great plan.
READ THIS.

It's a new upright piano!

Or Not.
Wow....Just...Wow.

*Laughs Hysterically*

Automatic Confession.
I want to go! I know, it's been floating around the blogosphere for like a year, but I'm a slow one. You know that. That's just hilarious. The look on the ladies faces when the machine says "Adultery. Eleven times. Please wait for your penance or you will go straight to hell." Is priceless.
*Watches again*

Cart.

Cart.

*Cough*

*Cough Cough*

Great. Now I'm wising I could play baseball again. I have to remind myself! No more baseball! You were never good at it!

*Dies Again*

Carillon de Westminster.
I've always loved this piece. I've always wanted to hear the Dobson . There you go. But she's 12. I'm in shock, at my age, I can't manage a simple fugue.

I know what manga to get now.

Ookiku furikabutte!
Also known by a shorter name, Oofuri. I love the art and the story so far, but something about it seems to be going SA, like Psychic Power Nanaki. If you don't beleive me, Deviantart search 'Mihashi', and how many arts there are of the two main characters. Ick.
Wait- Why is this beginning to look a lot less like what three books I should buy for someone else, and more like a list of all the series that I do not own, wish I did own, and sometimes cannot find except on One Manga?

I have to stop by walgreen's to buy pencil sharpeners, because I have a big English grammar assignment I was supposed to work on, (read the paragraph, identify 50 grammar observations and questions for each observation.)band a commission to finish. Someone wanted a picture of the annunciation, and while I could have recycled one I drew two years ago, I had a genius Idea for S.Gabriel.
Admittedly, I think I drew him wrong. He looks like S.Michael. But then again, no one knows what they look like anyway.
Bye.

Wait- Whaaa??.....

I just noticed I listed the same blog twice, only with slightly different names. I don't why I did it, so I'll leave it till I figure out.

*Dies from exhaustion*

I got very little sleep last night. Last night was my dad's play, and I went. It was supposed to begin at 8PM, but the doors didn't open till 9:26. We did'nt get out of the play till around 11:30, ad did'nt get home till after 1 AM. After having stayed up late on Friday to try out the new DSL, and waking up early on Saturday to go to the Salve Mass, Then waking up at 6:00 AM today to serve the EF mass at Lourdes, I feel like I could collapse. I know I made a lot of mistakes today that I usually would not make, Most of all, forgetting to lift the chasuble at the elevations , and coming up to the altar to get the missal the wrong way. I spoke to a guy who was about 23-24 years old, and who was attending an EF mass for the first time today. Like a lot of people,he had that strange mixture of confusion, unpreparedness, comfort and peace. You know, you're confused, and you're not sure whats going on, but you know somehow that it just 'fits'. that something is right and you can;t put your finger on it. Oftentimes though, confusion clouds it out.
Anyway, I know exactly what to buy for the giving tree. It's perfect. For someone my age, what could be more fun or exciting than some fresh, new volumes of manga?
I just don't know what to buy. I only have a week to decide.
I'm leaning towards Eyesheild 21, since it's my favorite and should be accessible to anyone.
Or, I could try Psychic Power Nanaki.
Ral&Grad is too adult for my tastes, and the storyline is'nt great so far, though the art is amazing.
Toto! Is another good choice, but volumes of it are impossible to find in bookstores.
One Piece is a classic, so I'll consider it.
Slam Dunk is another I could consider.
I know I'm getting a Kingdom Hearts manga, I just don't know whether to get KHI, KH Chain of Memories, or KHII.
We shall see. [Evillaugh]

Sing This Song.

Yes, at this age I still watch and enjoy kids shows.
Maybe it has to do with the little kids around the house or something.
SING IT.

You must read these now! D<

These are interpretations of liturgical law, okay? You know, those things which govern what you ca or cannot sin g at mass?
Well, Thanks to these people, the apparent contradiction in two documents from Vatican II could be cleared up, as well as one in the General Istruction of the Roman Missal. The first is that Sacrosanctum Concilium says that Gregorian chant has the highest place in the liturgy, that it IS the music suitable for it, and that pride of place should be given to it's use before other types of music.
But then, it says that all other music is equal. This is what it really means. What do you know, it reinforces that point. It's a false translation of that whole phrase.
The second, is that the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and Sacrosanctum Concilium say that Gregorian chant has the highest place in the liturgy, that it IS the music suitable for it, and that pride of place should be given to it's use before other types of music.
But then, when it lists a lists of what music can be sung at mass, it lists three resources for singing the proper chants of the mass, which it has just said is the proper music to use, then says for the fourth what amounts to "Or any other old song you feel like using." Again, a false translation. This is what it really means.
So the contradictions are cleared up. Liturgical law is on our side again. The last deceptocon has been destroyed. The universe is at peace.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

HAHA!

Interesting.

Lookey here.
Taken soon after the new missal was promulgated, these photos are extremely interesting.
Especially the one above.
Notice for example, the altar cards. There were altar cards for the new mass, containing the gloria, Munda cor meum, credo, offertory prayers and words of consecration, and sometimes a second card with the lavabo prayers and prayer at the ablutions.They are extremely hard to find*, but the Vatican still prints them. Some are all in Latin, some all in vernacular, some Latin/vernacular.
Notice also the carryovers from the old rite, such as, the way the priest holds the paten, the placement of the chalice veil and purificator, the sanctus candle, and if one looks very closely at te priests left arm, a maniple.

Parish.

With the lights on.*

The south transept from the north transept

The door from the narthex to the nave, with the Mercedarian shield above it, and the door flaked by statues of St.Peter Nolasco and I think, St.Mary Cervellon.

St.Raphael's window shining onto the wall.

The high altar and sanctuary

The choir gallery and organ.

The twelfth station of the cross in the south transept.

St.Joseph in the south transept.

The church from the south transept.

The altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the rail, and the pulpit from the north aisle.
The baptismal font in the north transept, with the baptism of Christ by St.John the baptist on the font cover.
St.Patrick above the baptismal font. Those interested in ecclesiatical vesture will note the conical chasuble, pontifical dalmatic, and the cloth with which he holds his crozier.
A second picture of the sanctuary.

*Photo credit.

*Cough*

No rant this time.

Anglica Chant.

Pffft.
*Stifles laughter*
If anyone wants to help, I just had a genius idea for the solemn chanting of the forecast at Prime on Ember days in September, complete with coped cantors, tunicled acolytes, and ending with a solemn procession and blessing with the relic of St.Cuthbert.

Advent resolutions.

Like my Lenten ones. This is what I'll try not to do during Advent:
1.Go to bed without daily prayer
2.Get angry at a certain family member and start tuning her out when she nitpicks and complains.
3.Be lazy
4.Sit at "The Table" at lunch
1.This is what I'll do:
2.Go to daily mass
3.say a daily rosary
4.Learn to keep my comments to myself t school.

St.Conleth's.

Go HERE.
NAOW.

Check this out.
inorite? It's so cool! You know what's cooler? My great-great- grandfather on my dad's side was from Kilcock. Or at least that's what my grandfather says.
[/byjoewho'shadfar-toomuchcaffeinetoday.]

St.John of Damascus.

"I do not worship matter; I worship the Creator of matter who became matter for my sake, who willed to take His abode in matter; who worked out my salvation through matter. Never will I cease honoring the matter which wrought my salvation! .... Through [matter] my salvation has come to me. Was not the thrice-happy and thrice-blessed wood of the cross matter? Was not the holy and exalted mountain of Calvary matter? What of hte life-bearing rock, the holy and l ife-giving tomb, the fountain of our resurreciton, was it not matter? Is not the ink in the most holy Gospel book matter? Is not the life-giving altar matter? From it we receive the bread of life! Are not gold and silver matter? From them we make crosses, patens, chalices! And over and above all these things, is not the Body and Blood of our Lord matter? Either do away with the honor and veneration these things deserve, or accept the Tradition of the Church and the veneration of images."
-On The Divine Images.

The World™

The World™
[/post.]

..............................

Martin Travers, of course.

Confirmed: They do it.

Yup. They do celebrate masses at the side altars lining the aisles at the Cathedral. I stopped by again with the intention of taking pictures (But forgot my camera D: ) and the mass schedule says that Monday-Friday, daily masses are offered at the side altars. Of course, these altars are against the wall, so this necessitates facing the liturgical east. (ie, Ad Orientem.)
I'll stop by for one on Tuesday to see how they do it.
*EDIT*
I stopped by today. It was ad orientem. Small group of people, chalice veils, priest needs to work on elevating the Host and Chalice higher. I.G.M.R. says that he shows them to the people. If they're so low, they're only at chest level, we can't see that. Other than that little nitpick, great. I'll go back tomorrow.
.........But.........there was one thing that disturbed me a little.
The lady next to me kept forcing inclusive language on the responses (ex:"May God accept the sacrifice at our(Not in the text) hands, for the praise and glory of God's name, for our good and that of all of God's church.") And when the priest said "The Lord be with you" She muttered "God" over Lord, which besides being heretical sounds kinda weird. She also did this whenever the word "Father" occurred.
What's with her? Did she fail in grade school when they told as about Pronouns, personal and not personal? Did she ignore her Schoolhouse Rock tapes? Flash cards not working?
It seems everyone but so-called liberal catholics know that English grammar points out repetition of certain proper nouns as redundant, and in some cases, even wrong. Sheesh, they invented pronouns for a reason.

Oh.Em.Gee.

*Dies repeatedly*
That's just...wow. It's so powerful, so amazing. I've never heard anything quite like it. The nearest thing to it in my neighborhood is the Cavaille-Coll at St.Francis deSales. (Which I really, really, really want to practice on so badly.)
But back on topic: That instrument is awesome. Why can't our cathedral have something like that? I vote that they get a new organ. With two 32's. And better reeds and flues. (Wow, rhyme-ja-vu.)

Chantblog.

Go here.
NAOW.
I command you! It's cool and stuff. And it's fun.Like rickrolling. Except it does'nt give me teh lulz like rickrolling.

Cathedral.

I stopped by the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul today, and I have to say, I wasthoroughly shocked at the renovations that have gone on.
A few months ago, I saw the altar of the Holy Souls, and another altar covered in scaffolding. I feared that the two were being removed. Well, The altar of the holy souls was cleaned, restored, and the inscription was gilded (I think), and the tabernacle door has been taken to be cleaned and polished.
The other altar, however, was more or less intact, but the stone crucifix was removed and a statue of St.John Neumann put in it's place, looking very much original if I might add.There are new brass gates to the railing of this altar.
On the other side, there's a new traditional-looking statue of St.Katherine Drexel, where her altar always was. It's very beautiful, and also has had it's gates cleaned and polishes.
The bronze screen and gates to the baptistery are also being cleaned and polished.
There are two new white marble statues of Ss.Peter and Paul, St.Peter in the back of the south aisle, and St.Paul at the back of the north aisle. Very striking statues, almost baroque in execution.
But what really shocked me, almost knocking me off of my feet was what I saw at the new altar of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. It was vested in altar cloths, with two good-sized candles in ornate candlesticks, and a crucifix. To the right was a credence table with a cloth, and to the left was a smaller table, on which was placed a new Roman Missal on a stand. At the left, inside the altar railing was a small ambo with a lectionary. There were pads on the kneelers in front of the altar railing, and about 24 chairs set up in front of the altar facing it.
Apparently, a mass (or masses even) has been celebrated at the altar (pictured above.)
Interesting development. Maybe I could get some photos.

Chant: Second Sunday of Advent.

So far, I've learned some stuff to sing this coming Sunday, If I can find someone to serve in my place.

For the mass setting, mass XVII, our usual Advent/Lent mass setting, and the introit, Popule Sion.
For the alleluia, I used the triple alleluia given in the Simple Gradual, with the verse sung to the Tonus Sextus. The Offertory, Deus Tu convertens, and for communion, the antiphon Benedixisti from the Simple Gradual with the verses of psalm 84(85) chanted to the psalm tone given. If I can get it done in time, I'll try to learn the communion antiphon from the Roman Gradual, Ierusalem surge as well, since it takes a while to distribute communion, and the psalm is'nt going to be long enough. Lucky for me, these are the easy chants. Christmas is going to be harder.

Office of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.(Part of )

This is an interesting votive office I found.
The office is the same as that of the sacred heart except:

At I Vespers:

Hymn:

Cor Iesu, quis tuum
In nos amorem flammeum,
Quis dicat inde splendida
Enata nobis munera?

Ennaret haec Apostolus,
Cuiter beato contigit
Supra magistri pectore
Coinantis acquiescere

Optata, Iesus dixerat
Illucet horam,victimam
Qua sponte me, pro sontibus
Vitam daturus, immolem

Amplectar ultro vincula
Flagella,serta spinea,
Clavos, et ima pectoris
Transverberatem lanceam

Sed proripit me longius
Amoris ardor;persequar
Caelo receptus, infirmis
His immorari sedibus

Sacris in aris, integer
Homo Deusque candida
Sub panis umbra delitens
Solabor Hevae filios

Cor dule Iesu, munera
Tot un de nobis profluunt,
Fac nostra te medulitus
Amare discant pectora. Amen.

Ant I: Desiderio desideravi hoc pascha maducare nobiscum, antequam patiar.

Ant II:Caro mea vere est cibus,et sanguis meus vere est potus.

Ant.III: O quam bonis et suavis est, Domine, spiritus tuus, alleluia.

Lectio Brevis (Ephes.3)
Fratres; mii omnium sanctorum minimo data est gratia haec,
in gentibus evangelizare investigabiles divitias Christi,
et illuminare omnes quae sit dispensatio sacramenti absconditi a saeculis in Deo,
qui omnia creavit.

Resp.Brev.
V.De bono thesauro Cordis sui profert bonum, alleluia
R.Implens cibo et laetitia corda nostra, alleluia.

Magnificat Ant. Coenantibus autem eis, accepit Iesus panem, et benedixit ac fregit, deditque discipulis suis et ait: Accipite, et comedite: Hoc est corpus meum.

Oratio:
Domine Iesu Criste, qui divitias amoris
tui erga homines effundens Eucharistiae Sacramentum condidisti:
Da nobis, quaesumus; ut amatissimum Cor Tuum diligere,
et tanto Sacramento digne semper uti valeamus. Qui vivis.

Ad Laudes matutinas:
Ant.I: Quid bonum eius, et quid pulchrum eius, isi frumentum electorum, et vinum germinans virgines.

Ant.II: Venite, et comedite panem meum, et bibite vinum quod miscui vobis.

Ant.III: Laetabor super populo meo cum beneis fecero in toto corde meo et in tota anima mea.

Reading as in I vespers.

Resp.Brev.
V.Educas panem de terra
R.Et vinum laetificet cor hominis.
Benedictus Ant. Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus, usque ad consummationem saeculi, alleluia.
AdII vespers:
All as at I vespers excepting:
Magnificat ant: Ex altari tuo Domine, Christum sumimus: in quem cor et caro nostra exultant.

I like it. I might use it on Thursdays for my holy hour instead of the office of Jesus Christ, the High priest. Theres some other votive offices I came across, I'll post those as well.

Favorite clip from favorite movie.

Well, one of them Kung-Pow: The sound effect scene

Like I said, I'm not really all that mature.

So they're closing my library.

It;s really all very sad. The Haddinton library is really beautiful. Tall bright windows, a skylight, and the original gas lights (albeit electrified.) The yellow-gold tiles around the carved wooden door on the main entrance are of the spines of books, which if you look closely, have the names of various authors and books on them. The whole thing is majestic, it should be a historic landmark. But it is'nt, so despite it's location mere blocks away from four schools, whose students frequent it, Mayor Nutter wants it closed. D<
It was the first place I ever used a library card, or read Ronald Dahl or Shel Silverstein.
We're losing the only pool left in the neighborhood as well.
This will not be a happy summer for West Philly kids. D;

This is the pope.

Advent.

It's coming. Soon and very soon, it will be here.
In the parish church, gone are the flowers. The altar vested in violet. The organ will play only to support singing, so gone are the peaceful preludes before mass, and the joyous voluntaries after it.
It is the beginning of the church year. Time throughout the year ends at none today.
Here I am, ribbons in hand resetting my breviary as countless other are doing, will do, and have done before me. The green ribbon gives way to violet, and the church's song is no longer Mane Nobiscum, as much as it is Veni, Domine, et nolite tardare. Soon , we will give up our Te Deum to sing Conditor alme siderum.
So as it is, advent is'nt a celebration. It is an observation of four weeks of penitential ferias. We all know that it is penitential, the smallest child knows, because mother church gives up her gloria, she dons her violet of penance. Yet, she still rejoices. It is not a sorrowful period, but as the priest says in the prayer Libera nos at holy mass; Expectantes beatam spem et adventum Salvatoris nostri Iesu Christi. We await the blessed hope, the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. It is joy mixed with penitence, hope mixed with fear. For it is not his first coming alone that we prepare to celebrate, but his second coming.
For the ferias after the feast of Christ the king, the church gives us a hymn to sing which we usually only use in the Office of the Dead. Dies Irae. We know, or should be familiar with the text. While we should be joyful in awaiting his coming, a certain holy fear is not wrong. Truly, it will be a Day of wrath, a day of mourning. We will see fulfilled the prophets warning, heaven and earth in ashes burning. Christ will sit on is throne of judgment, every hidden deed to be arraigned, and noting unavenged remains. We may not like to think on it, but the trumpet shall sound, as St.Paul says, it rings through all earth's sepulchers , the dead shall be raised (incorruptible), and we shall be before his throne to give answer to our judge. Some call such mediation morbid, or say it is wrong to think of our judgment and salvation, or the state of our own souls.
I say, better to sing Lacrimosa Dies illa than to hear the sad sentence "Depart from me ye cursed....", because of a life lived without virtue.
So, tomorrow the missals are marked at their beginnings, and we hear the famous introit Ad te levavi.. ( well, maybe not me.)
So that's what I've been thinking about as I sit here, ribbons in hand, marking my breviary for a new liturgical year.

"Annunciate populis et dicite: Ecce Deus salvator noster veniet."
- 1st antiphon, vespers of the first Sunday of Advent.

I hate weddings.

Yes, I really do. Not as much as funerals, but I do hate them.
Why? Because when I've served either, it ends up with me running after some random people who take the sacred host, but not knowing what do with it end up:
a) putting it in the pocket
b) simply taking it back to the pew
c) putting it in the mouth halfway down the aisle.
d) Keeping it as a keepsake
e) Who knows what kid of diabolical purposes.
And generally scaring the crap out of me by making me think they're going to desecrate it.
I swear, if I see someone do it today AFTER the exhortation NOT to do that, I'm hitting someone upside the head with the communion plate. Seriously. I don't need that kind of stress.
On a lighter note, I have a whole mess of pictures I hope to upload on my (still largely unused) DeviantART account.

Yet again.

I have to change a link on the side.
The old URL for the editio typica tertia Missale Romanum no longer works, so here is the new one. I'm struck by the beauty of some of the votive offices.

Pets.

I've had em'. Still have one. Except for two dogs, Max and Dairy, we've only ever had cats.Te first was peaches. Peaches got sick, and I never found out what happened to him.
Next, Tom. Tom was gray with white paws, a white belly and a white spot on his forehead. He ran out one day, and I thought I found him dead on the sidewalk, but when I came back wit a box to get him, he was gone. In four years, we've only ever kept one.
All attempts at a second cat have not worked.
First, there was skittles. Skittles was small, gray and white, and a bit of a wimp. Our other cat chased her daily until we found her real owner.
Next, there was Oreo, a black and white cat who's grown huge in recent months. We found him as a young kitten wandering the streets on new years eve. We raised him until he was one, at which point he decided to live outside. He lives in the neighborhood and stops by a few times a week for food, water, and attention.
Next, Mark. Mark was an orange and white spotted cat with amber eyes. He's actually Oreo's son. We found him in the winter, only a few days after his birth. We brought his mother and siblings into the house for safety. Eventually, they grew up, his sister got a home,m ad his mother went out and got pregnant again. She was attacked and killed by a wild animal, along with her newborn kittens. Mark was alone, so he became ours. Our current cat hated Mark. Mark started to become an indoor-outdoor cat a result of his peeing on every object we owned. Then, one day during eastertide of this year, he went out and never returned.

Currently, we only ave the old guard. For five years we've had our current cat. We got Ginger at the PSPCA five years ago. She's very friendly, and like to sit on family member's laps, but only lets my brother and me pet her. She loves tuna, sitting near the radiator, on top of the computer monitor, and sleeping at the foot of my bed. She only eats one brand of cat food, ad does not like people to touch her belly.
Ginger is brown/grey/tan with black stripes, white whiskers and green eyes. Ginger's breed is huge, and she resembles a puma cub in some respects. She's a bit lazy, and only plays on occasion.
That's the current pet.

GO HERE NOW.

At that Gamin Expo, I met Ashley A.Woods, theh creator of Millenia War, an awesome-smawesome comic. Not only did she give me four FREE volumes of Millenia war, but she signed them all personally AND I have her blog address.
GO Here
Her art is amazing, better than anything I could do.
Support your local Comic/Manga artist. (That includes me!)
I'm going to blogroll her.

Don't Always Eat Bacon For Calorie Gain Darnit!

I use it to remember the eight modes. Don't know who come up with it but it's genius.

I'm really beginning to get tired of my brother's guitar. It seems that he only plays it whenever it's not convenient for me (i.e., during home work, when I'm trying to sightread music, at 6PM during vespers, etc.) Oh well, offer it up I guess.

I'm wondering why I keep making my weekly visits to Border's near city hall. They never seem to have what I'm looking for Toto Vol. 3? Nope. O-Parts Hunter Vol 1, or even vol. 12? Nope or Nope.
How about Eye Shield 21 Vol. 21? Nope to that either. Tokyo Tribes is completely Impossible to find. We found volume 2 a year ago, and that's all we can find of it. It is'nt online, and no bookstores we can can find have it.
But maybe I don't need more books. I already have three years of Shonen Jump just sitting around my room, besides other books.
Aside, I went to the game expo on Saturday and Sunday. Except for the arcade which was awesome, it was lame as lame could be. Almost as lame as a movie-based game.*



*Movie-based games are not, and cannot be good. That's just how it is.

Christmas High Mass at Lourdes.

Nope, it's not a typo.
I was reading the parish bulletin, and I read the Christmas mass/confession schedule.
It says that midnight mass at my parish is going to be a Solemn High Mass. No, not like last years Pontifical High Mass in the Ordinary Form, though that was itself extremely beautiful and uplifting.
This will be a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form/Tridentine, celebrated by the three Mercedarian three priests who serve the parish.
If you are interested in coming, the church is located at the corner of 63rd and Lancaster streets, In the Overbrook* section of Philadelphia, about three blocks away from St.Charles Seminary on City Line avenue. There is a stop for the regional Rail trains a block away from the parish, and the 65 and the 46 run directly past the church. You could catch any bus that stops at 63'rd an Malvern street.
The mass starts at exactly midnight, not 11:30 or 11:pm. (Or one of those other late night hours that is'nt actually midnight. Come early for a seat. There is a fairly large parking lot at the parish school nearby, so parking shouldn't be a problem. Please do inform any family of friends you have who you think might be interested.
I don't know what music will be sung, but last year's Christmas celebrations included Victoria's O Magnum Mysterium, with Bach's In Dulci Iubilo as the postlude. For the Latin mass last year, De Angelis was the mass setting, but maybe we'll get Palestrina's gloria from the Missa Brevis like on Easter.
*EDIT* I'm such a dunce. I got a hint about this last month and did'nt recognize it.
I was talking to one of the members of our parish choir and told her that I had served the tridentine mass . She got excited and asked if I was going to serve the big midnight mass on Christmas Eve. I said I didn't know, thinking that the mass was going to be an Ordinary Form mass.

*EDIT-EDIT* Even worse, on Holy-Cross day, I overheard Fr.James speaking with some of the brothers in the sacristy, saying that he would be the deacon of the mass, but that Fr.Joseph might not be able to celebrate a high mass.
*Or Wynnfield. Depends on how you see it.

O,my fellow Black Catholics, where have you gone?

Seriously, I get tired of modern theologians and liturgists who say we ave to create our own Catholicism specially suited to black people.Besides the fact that creating more tensions and divisions by arbitrarily deciding what is black, often, what is Catholic gets down played. Unfortunately, and though they will deny this, the tendency is to take whatever black protestants are doing and do that.If they have gospel music, so will we, because that's what black Christians do.* If they have dancing, we have to do it too. Churches are sometimes re-ordered to be plain, to have pulpits more prominent than the altar, stripped of images with the blessed sacrament off to the side. Terms are changed. It is'nt mass, it's "worship with communion', or simply 'church'. Not priest, but pastor, who can never be called 'father'. No parish missions, but revivals.
Worse off is parish life. Confessions are reduced to basically none. Extra liturgical and private devotions are usually discouraged. Liturgy follows the bare minimum of ceremonial, and liturgical abuses are universal. Sermons often fail to bring up the meat and bones of Catholicisms, so most black Catholics don't understand them.
Sadly, and it shouldn't be a surprise, catechesis is often terrible, consisting more of what we share with our protestant brothers than the distinctives of Catholic doctrine. What little is taut of the faith often is'nt properly explained. Most young Catholics don't stay Catholic from my experience. Hence, the dearth of vocations from black parishes.
True, many parishes have lots of groups and full churches, but a simple fact is that many of them are getting it, so many leave it. And for those who stay, they often never are taught the fullness of Catholicism. The result is Sunday Mass Catholicism.**

Now of course, it hasn't always been like this. Older black Catholics, even some traditional ones tell me of the old days. When there were yearly solemn novenas to Our Lady of Montserrat, St.Peter claver and Our Lady, Queen of Africa. Where one could find black composers writing choral music, and using their music in (the very few) solemn masses. They knew the faith, and they believed the faith. In an unexplainable way, they had their own spirituality, it was distinctively Catholic, and distinctively black without being influenced by charismatic protestantism to the detriment of the Catholic faith.
But, those days are over and gone.
It could be many, many years before anyone could begin to restore what was taken from my people by the spirit of the age. Disdain for traditional orthodoxy and orthopraxy are far to widespread to be good for the church. Unfortunately, churches like St. Sabina's, and pastors like theirs are the norm. Vatican II is rarely if ever taught or practiced as the letter of the law says, there, but it's spirit is rampant.
So basically, this is my rant about how your modern black Catholic parish needs to be reformed.
[/rant]

WATCH THE NEWS AT 11 O'CLOCK.

Watch channel ten if you live in Philadelphia. My oldest nephew was hit by a car last Friday and broke both legs badly. He had a major surgery, but is doing well. My sister and her husband are going to be on the news tonight appealing for help. I don't know if they caught the man who did it, but I do know that my sister needs a new apartment. Her current one is not accessible to wheel chairs, but she can't afford anything else. Watch it or you'll be savagely ripped apart and eaten by a school of hammer-head sharks! Or worse, River-Danced to death! (As per Mary Catherine Gallagher's parents.)
Yes, Joe knows way too many movie/t.v./star trek quotes.

Where have I been you ask? (Again)

Away from the house! Something happened, and we ad to stay away from te house for a week.Tat meant no computer for me. I don;t know what's going on,I have;nt seen our choir director all month,so there's been no one to chant the propers at mass.(Of course,if I had a Roman Gradual, I could do it, But I don't so there's that.) On a whim,I wrote some melismatic alleluia verses for the ordinary form. Wow. I've impressed myself. They sound great. For the actual alleluias, I used three modes that I membered from when I borrowed someone's roman gradual.
As for my four part choir and organ choral mass, the Gloria is nearly done.With nary an organ,piano,or keyboard to work with,work is slow. I should be starting the Sanctus by Wednesday. I'm a bit afraid to show it to anyone. I wanted it to be Widor/Dupre inspired, but parts of it sound a bit Richard Proulx-y.
Oh well, it beats the Massive Cremation by 20,000 longshots.
Next, a Gloria based on mass IV in the Kyriale (Cunctipotens Genitor Deus), and maybe try my hand at a polyphonic motet of some kind. Maybe a setting of Laudemus Virum.
Oh yes, your's truly is quite the young, inexperienced but eager composer.
Also, I may or may not be going to the video game expo tomorrow,after meeting with the youth group to decorate the church.I want to go badly. We'll see

Space bar is broked. No spacing properly. Joe is not happy.

*Throws up*

*Dies*


And I still can't afford a graduale romanum! D<

Ice cream!

I love it. I only eat three flavors though: Strawberry , Cookies n' cream, and Chocolate chip cookie dough. I just finished a pint of the latter that I bought o Saturday. Weird thing is, with this brand that I got, I never eat the actual cookie dough. I always pick the pieces out. Why? I unnoh.
From today's after school incident, I can see that my English teacher and I will not get along. It's just not gonna work. See, she has a listening problem (i.e., she never does it.) , and people who don't listen are one of my pet peeves. Only charity keeps me from avowing an eternal hatred of such people, along with people who open packages of food and put them back on the shelves at the supermarket, and you don't find out that it's been tasted till you get home. Oh yes, there are people like that. And also, people who take more than one free sample at Trader Joes.
So I've got this teacher, and she thinks I'm playing around with some kids who play around during class. Admittedly, earlier they did something funny, and I laughed.
Now, I was thinking random thoughts as always, and the part in that episode of Spongebob where Squidward is "doing errands" comes into my mind, and I chuckle a bit.
Only at the same time, those other kids are also laughing because they're joking around. Teacher thinks I'm playing and disrespecting her by laughing at them so she sends me out of the class. As always, she will hear no explanations about how she's mistaken. Reason as a might, try to keep my temper as I might, I realized it was'nt working, so I just forgot about it and left. This is a daily experience.

So wat does he say about servers? (I)

The most awesomest Cardinal alive says THIS.

Really, you know he totally pwns your average parish liturgist and/or liturgy comitee.*

Next week, bishop Cistone is going to be visiting my parish. Bishop Thomas is my favorite of the auxiliaries, but bishop Cistone is cool too.
Today, Br.David, the friar in charge of the servers wore a Guido Special. I haven't worn mine yet, as it needs laundering. I'm still kind of basking in the glow of the beautiful lesson that was read at mass.
Wow.
That, and the reading given at II vespers of the dedication of the basilica of Our Saviour. Vidi sanctam civitatem, Ierusalem novam descendentem de caelo a Deo. It really brings together the idea of the church building representing for us the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God, where the angels and saints pledge their honor to God, and to the Lamb who was slain.
If you could, please pray for the daughter of a friend of mine . The little girl has been sick lately.

* Also known as the "Group of parishioners who won't let a few little rules get in the way of what's 'relevant' to the people."

** A surplice edged with lace, sometimes with lace cuffs. Guido Marini, current papal M.C. always wears one. Baldeschi says that the S.C.R. ruled that surplices may not have less than five inches of fabric. Surplices made entirely of lace would then be illegal. He also says that only bishops have the right to lace cuffs,on their rochet.

Brace Yourselves:

I'm agreeing with the infamous Fr. Cantalamessa. Yup, they guy who preached the infamous good Friday sermon that denied the unity of the Catholic Church. But what he says for te dedication of the basilica of or saviour is right on point. Some gems:

"So, by what right do we Christians give such importance to church buildings if each one of us can worship God in spirit and truth in our own heart, or in his own house? Why this obligation to go to church every Sunday? The answer is that Jesus Christ does not save us separately from each other; he has come to form a people, a community of persons, in communion with him and among themselves."

"it is forgotten that God revealed himself in Christ, that Christ preached a Gospel, that he founded an “ekklesia,” that is, an assembly of those called, he instituted sacraments as signs and conveyors of his presence and salvation. Ignoring this in order to cultivate your own image of God is to advocate total religious subjectivism. We take ourselves as the only standard: God is reduced -- as the German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach said -- to a projection of our own needs and desires; it is no longer God who creates man in his image, but man who creates a god in his image. But it is not a god who saves!"

Read the rest.

Never thought about it that way, really.

Interesting.

I've written a small book on theism.

Not really, but I have effectively done this. I've been in a debate with someone. We, that is, the OP and subsequent posters were talking about a specific aspect of theism, when some one came and claimed that none of it is important because religion makes you dumb and god does'nt exist anyway.
Of course, we all, theists and nontheists alike asked him to prove his claims. He responded by saying, among other things, that there's no evidence for gods, so none of them exist. We pointed out that this was Ad Ignorantium. He then claimed that It was our responsibility to prove him wrong.
When pointed out that this was shifting the Burden of Proof, he claimed that the responsibility to prove a claim is on the person who makes the claim that is hard to beleive. When pointed out by us that credibility is non-contingent when establishing the burden of proof, he repeated that claim along with the claim that he does'nt have to prove his claim because we are the ones making a claim. How, when thus far we have'nt? He said by denying his claim, we were accepting the converse (ie, that gods do exist), and as we were making the positive claim, we had to prove it. He claims that no one ever has to prove negative claims.
When pointed out that the burden of proof rests on the person who makes the existential claim, regardless of positivity or negativity, he claimed that no one can ever prove a negative existential claim in any circumstance whatsoever, so he does'nt have to prove his claim. When we objected, he claimed that the existence of any god, specifically the Christian God is improbable.He concludes that if it is improbable for something to have happened or existed according to known evidence, then it follows that that thing or occurrence absolutely does not exist.

Now, I make no secret of my sick happiness in pnwing noobs and other illogical people. So you can imagine that I've been having a field day with this guy. Wait- apparently he now has an accomplice.
His accomplice and I have come to an agreement! Progress has been made!
Is this the end of an seven page debate on where the burden of proof lies?
Goodness, I've been taught that there can be confusion on where the burden of proof lies in debates, but this is ridiculous.
See, I'm so completely boring, that I've actually devoted my life to find out all of this unimportant stuff because I find a sick joy in proving people wrong. *Laughs maniacally*
Read the entire ongoing debate HERE. As always, yours truly is the Effervescent Wumbo Ragamuffin.

ED/M&R Is your real friend.

LOLZ.

LULZ. My vote is on "The Nundertaker". Any one wo has "Inigo Montoya" in their name wins my vote. Courtesy the other Papist Blog.

WATCH THIS OR DIE A HORRIBLY VIOLENT DEATH.

Okay, not really. But do watch this. Aare-Paul Lattick, Fugue in C, BWV 537.

The Burninator!!!! D<

Okay, so anyone who reads this blog has probably gotten tired of hearing about my constant accidents and injuries. Well too bad! I has moar!
This one is Extremely weird.
I was sitting in my oldest brother's room last night, watching him play GTA IV, when I started getting a kind of burning sensation on my collarbone. I did;nt think about it. About three seconds later it was excruciating, so I panicked and took off my grandfather's dog tag tat I usually wear, because it felt hot.
You won't beleive, it had burned me.
There are visible dots from the links of the chain on my collarbone, but it is'nt anything serious like the foot burn I got last month. The only idea I have for what may ave caused the chain to heat up is that I was laying on the bed next to my bro's laptop, which is near a radiator.
Oh My. I made a record four visits to the emergency room this year.O___o.
The cat is oin to the vet on Saturday to see what's wrong with her belly. I hope it isn't serious.

Like-minded Individuals.

They're hard to come by. Especially in Democrat territory. It seems that every class today was a repetition of the one before it:
1) Teacher collects projects
2) Teacher mentions the election
3) Teacher and class gush on and on about the greatness of The One(tm)
4) class resumes, while yours truly silently fumes and draws not-so happy pictures in the back of his sketchbook. Public Speech has been the worse. We learn barely anything about it. It's basically the school's daily allotted Obama rally. Music theory comes in at close second.
I do have one good friend who did'nt support Obama. Like me, someone in her family owns a small business that makes just enough to get hit by Obama's tax plans. Like the business I speak of , they couldn't afford that kind of a loss and would have to cut jobs, and maybe even services. I wonder how est Philly's Sunray Drugs will fare?
Anyway, If you're done with my long-winded ranty-post, here's some people that I think see things the way I do:
Diane at Te Deum

Creative Minority Report

LRC

Also, while randomly checking profiles yesterday, (Seriously, I have no life outside of school. That was the highlight of my day.) I came across an interesting person. Musings of a Adopted Artist. Besides the whole not supporting Obama and living in Philadelphia, she goes to the same school I thought about joining.

God help us.

I can't express the profound disappointment I'm feeling now. As it is, I did'nt want to vote for either candidate, I see neither as someone I could vote for. But I can find nothing whatever likable about Obama. Not his economy, but especially not his ardently anti-life stance, It troubles me, could I ave survived his proposed laws? I won't go into detail about it because it's too much for me to say, but in the minds of most abortion advocates, someone like me could have been as good as gone. What are Obama's thoughts on infants born prematurely? If the mother decides she does'nt want the child, could it receive the same treatment as a born alive infant from a botched abortion? I hope, I pray with the little fervor that I have that none of his policies regarding the economy and abortion go through. McCain's not consistently pro-life either. I know it, I've pondered it, which is why I chose not to vote. But I can't help but wonder if someone who's a little bit pro-life, even just a bit, is better than someone who's admittedly pro-death.
It's Like our nation was on the road to hell, and we've just refueled the tank and changed the oil to make sure we get there. My own people celebrate, and I wonder if we haven't made one of the biggest mistakes for our own race in the past 37 years.
Regina Ss.mi Rosarii, Ora Pro Nobis!

Monday-St.Chares Borromeo

Patron of the diocesan seminary, and also of a parish here. From the breviary:
Charles, of the noble family of Borromeo, was born at Milan. In foretoken of his holy life, God caused a bright light to shine by night over the chamber where his mother lay in travail. As soon as his age would allow him, he received the tonsure. When he was twelve years old, he was made Abbot but reminded his father that the revenues thereof were not be used as mere family property. His father, to whom the administration of these revenues fell during his son's non-age, still gave them forthwith over to him, and whatever was left over, he gave to the poor. While he was young he studied letters at Pavia. He kept his purity thoroughly, so that he scared away the unclean women, of whom many were set upon him, to overthrow his self-control. In the twenty-third year of his age, his uncle, Pius IV, made him a Cardinal, in which dignity he was a burning and shining light of godliness and all graces before the whole of the Sacred College. About forty days afterwards the same Pope created him Archbishop of Milan. As such it was his great desire to order the Church committed to his charge in accordance with the requirements of the most holy Council of Trent, which was in great part by his labours brought to a conclusion. To raise up the degraded lives of the people, he oftentimes held Synods, but himself set an example of deep godliness. He worked earnestly to purge the parts about the Alps and borders of Switzerland of heresy, and brought many of the heretics to the Christian faith.

Charity was the brightest mark of his life. His principality of Oria he sold for forty thousand crowns, and gave the whole sum to the poor in one day. Twenty thousand crowns being left him as a legacy he gave the whole to the poor. The incomes of the benefices wherewith he had been loaded by his uncle, he spent upon the needs of the poor, except what he used for himself. When the plague grievously raged in Milan, he gave up to the sick poor the furniture of his own house, even to his own bedding, and thenceforward slept upon the boards. He constantly visited the sick, cheered them by his fatherly kindness, and wonderfully comforted them, ministering to them with his own hands the Sacraments of the Church. At the same time he drew near to plead for them with God in lowly entreaty, and ordered a public Procession wherein he walked himself carrying a Cross, with a rope halter round his neck, and his bare feet bleeding from the stones, and fain to turn away the Divine anger by offering himself as a scapegoat for the sins of his people. He was a stout defender of the freedom of the Church. But in the Church he was an earnest reformer of discipline, and once, when he was engaged in prayer, some conspirators took a shot at him with a blunderbuss, but, though the ball struck him, the power of God kept him unharmed.

He was remarkable for his abstinence. He very often fasted upon nothing but bread and water, and sometimes nothing but lupines. He tamed his body by depriving himself of sleep, by very rough haircloth, and by constant scourging. He was an earnest practiser of lowliness and meekness. However much he was taken up with business, he never gave himself relaxation from prayer and from preaching the word of God. He built many churches, convents, and schools. He wrote much matter, useful more especially for the good of Bishops. The publication of the Parish Priests' Catechism was due to his care. In October 1584, he withdrew himself, for the purpose of making a retreat, to the Sacro Monte of Varallo, an hill whereon the incidents of the Lord's sufferings are represented in life-size groups of coloured figures. He was taken ill of an ague, and lived there for some days a life of torture by voluntary suffering, but of sweetness by thoughts of Christ's woes. After his return to Milan, his sickness became hopeless, and early in the night between the 3rd and 4th days of November, in the 47th year of his own age, and in that of our Lord 1584, covered with ashes and sackcloth, and with his eyes fixed upon the image of Christ crucified, he exchanged earth for heaven. He was famous for miracles, and Pope Paul V numbered him among the Saints.

(Seminarians at St.Chares borromeo Seminary in Phiadephia.)

This is also good!

In my own city. Maybe, God willing, the liturgical reform is starting to spread here in philly. Maybe.

Part VIII: The Canon of the Mass.( I I I)

(Supra Quae.)

We now come to the continuation of the sacrifice. This is the moment, so sublime, so mystical, the moment where Christ presents himself to us, his faithful as a sacrificed lamb for us. The white host, lying still on the paten as our Blessed Lord's body hung pale and bloodless on the cross.
So much did he love us that he gave himself without reserve in this manner! And so great is his love, that he should leave to the church a means of making memorial of his death!
The church, like as any faithful bride, as any devoted woman, longs to bask, if just for a moment in this expression, this representation of the love of her spouse.
So then, the celebrant continues this, the sacrifice of the new and eternal covenant by making the oblation, by offering Christ to the Father. Or Rather, Christ offers himself to the Father through the priest.
The celebrant prays:

" Unde et memores, Domine, nos servi tui, sed et plebs tua sancta, ejusdem Christi Filii tui Domini nostri tam beatae Passionis, nec non et ab inferis Resurrectionis, sed et in coelos gloriosae Ascensionis: offerimus praeclarae majertati tuae de tuis donis ac datis hostiam puram, hostiam sanctam, hostiam immaculatam, Panem sanctum vitae aeternae, et calicem salutis perpetuae.

Supra quae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris; et accepta habere, sicut ita accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui justi Abel, et sacrificium patriarchae nostri Abrahae, et quod tibi obtulit summus sacerdos tuus Melchisedech, sanctum sacrificium, immaculatam hostiam."

"Wherefore, O Lord, we thy servants, and thy holy people also, remembering the blessed passion of the same Christ thy Son our Lord, as also his resurrection from the dead, and his glorious ascension into heaven: do offer unto thine excellent majesty of thine own gifts and bounty, the pure victim, the holy victim, the immaculate victim, the holy Bread of eternal life, and the Chalice of everlasting salvation.
We humbly beseech thee, almighty God: command these offerings to be brought by the hands of thy holy Angel to thine altar on high, in sight of thy divine majesty: that all we who at this partaking of the altar shall receive the most sacred Body and Blood of thy Son, He signs himself, saying: may be fulfilled with all heavenly benediction and grace. He joins his hands. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen."

See Now, Holy Church keeps Christ's command to commemorate his death and resurrection in the Unde et Memores.
See now, Hoe she proclaims her own compete dependence on God! e is the only source of life, of grace, of blessing, and of truth. It is out of his own goodness, and noting else that we are redeemed. Not of our merits, not our goodness, but of the merits of Christ Jesus our saviour, who has himself merited salvation for us through the sacrifice offered, which we now make present in a mystical fashion.
See now the priest, as he bows low, joining his hands and asking he Father to command that these offering be brought to his majesty in heaven by the ands of is holy angels, that we who receive from it the sacred body and blood of Christ may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing. True it is, this we can receive in holy communion. Jesus is the fountainhead, the source of grace, in him resides the fullness of divinity. (S. John 1:14) We come to Jesus as we are, and if we follow him, as the Christian life commands of us, if we truly follow the law of Agape, of self-sacrificial love for God and neighbor, we shall grow to be like him. ( S.Matthew 22:37-40) We will be conformed to his image , which is what he bids us do. (S.Matthew 17: 24-28)
So then, the priest after rising commemorates the departed Christians:

" Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum famularumque tuarum N. et N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei, et dormiunt in somno pacis.
Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus, locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulgeas , deprecamur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen."

"Remember also, O Lord, thy servants N. and N., who have gone before us sealed with the seal of faith, and who sleep the sleep of peace.

To them, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, we beseech thee to grant the abode of refreshing, of light, and of peace. He joins his hands, and bows his head, saying: Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

The offering of the sacrifice of the Eucharist or the dead is one of the oldest, if not the oldest known private intentions for which it was offered. We see written of the early church:

"As often as the anniversary comes round, we make offerings for the dead as birthday honours." Tertullian, The Chaplut, 3 (A.D. 211).
And:
"[A] woman is more bound when her husband is dead...Indeed, she prays for his soul, and requests refreshment for him meanwhile, and fellowship (with him) in the first resurrection; and she offers (her sacrifice) on the anniversary of his falling asleep." Tertullian, On Monogamy, 10 (A.D. 216).

We know from other documents that the early church did beleive, as you and I should today, that prayer for the dead does work:

"And after the exhibition, Tryphaena again receives her. For her daughter Falconilla had died, and said to her in a dream: Mother, thou shalt have this stranger Thecla in my place, in order that she may pray concerning me, and that I may be transferred to the place of the just." Acts of Paul and Thecla (A.D. 160).
And:
"Let us pray for our brethren that are at rest in Christ, that God, the lover of mankind, who has received his soul, may forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and may be merciful and gracious to him, and give him his lot in the land of the pious that are sent into the bosom of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, with all those that have pleased Him and done His will from the beginning of the world, whence all sorrow, grief, and lamentation are banished." Apostolic Constitutions, 8:4,41 (3rd Century).

Under the old covenant, men offered the Jewish sacrifices for the dead, that they might rise again. So we who under the new covenant, te covenant of completion and fulfilled types offer the one and only sacrifice of Christ for our departed brethren, that they may be nimbered among those who rise again to the ressurection of the just. Here, you and I should add to our private prayers prayers for all the souls being purified in purgatory.

Tuesday.

I'm going to the Cathedral Cemetary to pray for the souls of those buried there.

Mc Roll'd

The Original

Speed it Up a bit.

Insane Speed! (From six Minutes to one.)

My love of random things as led to an obsession with Youtubepoop
(Videos about noting in particular involving speeding up, slowing down cutting, adding music, and otherwise manipulating cartoons, lines, and other videos for humour, as above.)

Also, I'd like to stand by what I said in a combox at TNLM:
"It's almost frustrating how little Catholics hear of praying for the dead, or any pious practices (Doing charitable works for them, etc.) Like everything, it does'nt make sense to express our belief in Purgatory on one hand by wearing black vestments, but on the other hand, not actually preaching devotion to the holy souls, or practicing as if we believed in it.
This is a large chunk of the Catholic 'ethos' if you will, a part of Catholic culture and devotion that desperately needs to be restored.
Oremus!"

What Color did I say to wear tomorrow Again?

Oh yeah.Mention the purgatory thing too, please.
Kthnxbai.

*EDIT*
It happened at my parish! Black vestments! I was at two masses today by accident, and at both, the homilies were about how we need to pray for the dead. Praying for the dead is an act of charity, and since it is a good work, it's beneficial to our salvation, The holy sous are helpless of themselves, so we need to pray for them, and they will pray for us. We should have masses said for them, pray rosaries for them, do penances for them, because purgatory really exists and most of us will end up there.
That's what I heard on all souls day.
Deo Gracias.