Hoory!

I get to pick a pedal stop to put in the organ! There's only room for 16's, and they were thinking either a bombarde 16' or a open diapason 16. But If I go with a 32' subbass, there's room for an 8' trumpette. And since there's no room for a 32' reed (or even a real 32' !) that's probably my best bet.

X-PLAY: I AM NOT AMUZED.

Oh yeah, you just had to 'modernise' the show right" Gone are the reoccurring characters like drunk link and optimus prime. You cut down on the skits, and you even started giving better ratings for crappy games that make me bleed internally. Bleed internally I say!
Then I went out and bought one of them, and now it sits there, taunting me O-So-Subtly, saying "Ha-Ha loser! You went out and bought burnout and now you wish you had just Got Final fantasyX! Now you wasted your money and all your friends are laughing at you!" Yes. The chats and all the changes were enough to send me into a spiraling depression. I want the old X-Play back!
[/rant/soapbak/someotherthingIcan'trememberthenameof]

Daily Schedule.

6:30 Rise,Lauds
7-7:30 Meditation
8:30Mass
9:30 breakfast, housework, artwork.
10:00 terce
10:15-12:00 Computer, artwork
12:00 sext
12:15 Lectio divina
1-3:00 computer time
3:00 None, Chaplet of Divine Mercy (usually)
3:15-5:15 Goof off, watch t.v., play games, read manga,etc.
5:15 Rosary, vespers
6:00 Cook dinner
7:30 dinner
8:30 compline (usually)
8:45-10:00 comics, manga, art work
10:00:Bed. (Usually)

This is all subject to change by the season of year, and by occassional chores.(Food shopping, snow removal,etc, etc, etc.)

Amazing new church...

Why...it looks like a church! it doesn't look like a garage,or a public storage, or the city toilets. It looks ... amazing! People sau that we can't build churches like this anymore. I'm convince that that's pure bollocks. Look at Mothe angelica's shrine, and this church. If, God forbid, after I enter, I'm assigned to a modern, ugly pseudo-church, you can bet I'll scrap it and rebuild it with something like this. And don't tell it it's too expensive. My parish church was built 150 years ago by dirt poor Irish factory workers. You can see from the parish records that some people literally contributed pennies to pay for a side altar, or a window, or some stenciling.

Look at this new … I repeat… new… baldachino.

Go over to NLM for more.

Also,compare the Baldachinno with the one at our cathedral in philadelphia. Unfortunately, you can't see the details like the mosaics underside the dome. Another nice photo

Splendid! Splendid! Splendid!

I saw today, the consecration of the first church of the Heralds of the Gospel (Our Lady of the Rosary church, sao paulo) It was amazing! the church looks like the Sainte-Chappelle, except huge! There was much,much incense. They must have gone through and entire pack, and a few coals too. There were no less than six Thuribles seen. music by Handel, and more chant and polyphony by more composers than I could count. The gold vestments were gorgeous, and every priest giving communion to the large crowd had a server with a communion plate. All of the priests. I can;t say that there is;tn anything I did'nt like about the mass. Benedictine altar arrangement,both the canon, the preface, the litany of the saints and other parts of the mass were in Latin.
At one point, I almost thought about joining them instead of the Mercedarians. But, the Reform of the Reform needs people there to keep it going and keep it spreading. The Mercedarians are doing great too, Especialy the pastor of my parish for whom I'm very greatfull.

'Tat' and the theology of the mass.

I guess it's no secret that I'm a 'tat queen' (ie, one of those who love pretty vestments, good music, and the best liturgy in general) I've actually been verbally attacked for this, called a shallow fool once. But why am I like this? Why do I want chant over glory and praise? Why would I rather buy a green gothic high mass set with gold thread and embroidered pictures of the evangelists and the crucifixion, when the polyester is cheaper? Is it because I like frilly pretty things? No.
What's with my standards of reverence? My criticism of informal styles of celbrating mass, and things done in bad taste. m I just a critical person? No.
Do you want to know what's up with it all? It all has to do with theology, and How I hold the mass.

It's no secret, that I believe in transubstantation, and that the mass is a true, real, substantial, and mystical sacrifice, as taught by the council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council. This being the teaching of the church, that the mass is an event which transcends both time and space, an expression of out belief in the communion of saints, Truly, you can learn the faith from the mass. (Which is why wee need proper translations. None of that semi-pelagianism I've noticed before.)
The mass is so awesome. It should be treaed as the awesome mystery, the gift it is.
So I hold the mass in highest esteem,but many do not. Sadly, at the close of the council, many libreal theologians gijacked the teachings of the church. They threw away magisterial teaching for their own opinions, and this affected the mass. People loss the fact that the mass is primarily vertical. We offer our sacrifice of praise to God, and the Eucharistic sacrifice. The community became the focus (Hence the ubiquitous people's altar, in the midst of the church) the clerical priesthood began to be de-emphasized, instead the common priesthood became the focus of the liturgical action. And if is from these misguided ideas that many of the current illicit liturgical practices came.
Infidelity to the magisterium and the apostolic see produced communion in the hand, female altar servers, and to some extent, the fact that there are several Eucharistic prayers in the missal.
So, I see traditional worship, worship where God is truly the focus in more way than one, as an expression of fidelity to he church. I want the priest to be clothed in the best vestmens becasue he acts in persona christi capitas, I want gold covered patens, chalices, ciboriums and those silly little communion plates out of respect for the Eucharistic species.
Now before you go out and say "Well, that's all purely subjective! We can't all change to meet your desires, or your teaching.!!11one1!" What I believe is what the church herself teaches. And what I see as good liturgical practise is what the church herself sees as good liturgical practice. I'm not the only one who says to use communion plates,gilded vessels, amices, six (seven) candles and chalice veils. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Redemptionis Sacramentum, and numerous other liturgical documents both before and after the council say so. So Please don;t tell me I'm some empty,vain, shallow tat queen. It's only the product of my (and the church's) High understanding of the nature of the mass.
I;m tired. I need bed. Goodnight!

My favorite organ music part I

The finale (Tocatta) From Widor's fifth symphony.
Almost every time you hear it, I can guarantee that it's played so fast that the pedal gets slurred and you don't hear the staccato. Why do Americans play it like a bat out of hell? I don't know.

Prelude in B minor, BWV 544.The first time I heard this was on a recording from the Flentrop at Yale. Also, I think it sounds best with a 32' reed in the pedal.


Prelude and fugue in E flat Major(St. Anne)This was on a CD that contained the first organ music I ever heard.

Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542. Why two different recordings? Because I don't like Andre's interpretation of the fantasia, but I do love the fuge, and the notes on the screen that explain how a fugue is composed.


Choral in A minor, Cesar Franck. I want this played as the recession on corpus christi.

Nun Danket Alle Gott, S.K. Elert. Perfect for an ordination.

Tocatta, Suite Gothique. Leon Boelmann. I want to learn this so badly, alas, no sheet music. and no library card ether.

Finale form the Sixth symphony, Louis Vierne.

Symphony No. six, first movement. C.M.Widor. Often played too slow by local organists

Prelude and Fugue in E minor,BWV 548 (The wedge fugue)

Fugue in C minor, BWV 537.

Adagio from the Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C major.- I'me surprised that so few organists I know of play this using some kind of flute as the solo. I use flute 4' with stopped diapason 8' for the solo, with stop diapasons and dulzian on the swell. Of course, bourdon 15' and violoncello 8' on the pedal, coupled to the swell. Not much, but I have limited stop choices (See post on the organ) This was also on the CD that I had.
That's all for today.

The Chair of St.Peter

I know...wow. And that's recent too (Last year I think. Or maybe it was 06')

I love photoshop......

Maybe some day in the future?

I found what I'm Lookin' for!

A surplice (Cotta) With lace! I've always wanted one, but never could find one. But they're super-expensive ($300.00!)
Which should I get?

Wow.. a lot can change in four years!

This was communion for me when I was fourteen:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SGy5vuX_gnQ&feature=related

THIS is communion for me now !
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RkTbk7VF2fg&feature=related

Speaking of mass, I have my (Third) Day of training to be an altar server tomorrow.
Then I'll be one of those Oh-So-POD servers in cassock and surplice, that you see in my parish

Does anyone know where I can find those prayers said by members of the Guild of St. Stephen?

The organ I practice on

It's crap. But then It's not Crap.
Why do I say it's crap?
It's an 1894 John Mudler organ,14 stops, (originally 16).
Why do I say it's crap? It's not been tuned,nor had any work in eight years. The only pedal stops are a 15'bourdan, and an 8'Violoncello. There used to be a 32' Subbass, but they took it out in the twenties. The two reeds (Trumpete and Hautbois) don't fully function. The pedals dont fully function, and when one connects the swell/great to the pedal, some notes don't connect. The Bourdon 16' that had been on the swell was also taken out.

But why do I love it?
It has those wonderful romantic 8' open diapasons, and the swell action is amazing. It's tracker action too, and the reeds are French. The pedalboard is in the flat, early classical style.

Sp what would I do for it?
Tune it, fix the action, put the bourdon and the subbass back in, and maybe see if there;s room for a bombarde 16' (I doubt it)

My Beef with the rubrics of the Ordinary Form

You and me know, that it's almost impossible to go to a mass and see a priest celbrate the mass according to the rubrics. Most make it up as they go along, and few follow any traditional rubrics or celbrate it in a traditional manner. Ever wonder why?
After the new mass was promulgated, the CDW answered a number of questions regarding the new rite, and numerous times they said things like:

REPLY: It must never be forgotten that the Missal of Pope Paul VI has, since 1970, supplanted the one called improperly "the Missal of St. Pius V," and completely so, in both texts and rubrics. When the rubrics of the Missal of Paul VI say nothing or say little on particulars in some places, it is not to be inferred that the former rite should be observed. Therefore, the multiple and complex gestures for incensation as prescribed in the former Missal As noted in the Reply no. 2 of the comments in Not 14 (1978) 301, when the rubrics of the Missal of Paul VI say nothing, it is not to be thereby inferred that the former rubrics must be followed (see no. 51 above). The reformed Missal does not supplement but supplants the former Missal
and:
As noted in the Reply no. 2 of the comments in Not 14 (1978) 301, when the rubrics of the Missal of Paul VI say nothing, it is not to be thereby inferred that the former rubrics must be followed (see no. 51 above). The reformed Missal does not supplement but supplants the former Missal

Which, basically stated mean "When the missal is unclear, make up whatever you want,but don't use practices from te old rite!"They don't care that priests are adding and taking away from the rubrics of the mass of Paul VI, just as long as they never, ever add anything from the old missal.
That's completely retarded. There's no real warrant for that, other than disdain for the old missal, and encouraging experimentation in the new.
And don't tell me that I'm reading too much into this.

More Photos.....

Liturgy at my parish

First Communion!

Okay, again, that's not me. But this time, that's my parish church, and our assisting priest, Fr. Joseph, who celebrates the Sunday tridentine mass (At 7:30 AM)
I received my first communion yesterday after noon, and my second today. With both, I made sure I'd been fully shriven, said my prayers before and after mass (from the old roman missal) and given thanksgiving afterwards.
If you don't mind me drawing a bit on Kenneth Ingram's booklet "The Pilgrimage of Mass",Holy communion is like the meeting of a peasant, and a king. The peasant comes before the king, who resides ina wonderful palace that we call the church. He lies on a golden bed that we call the ciborium, in a veiled golden box, that we call the tabernacle. So he lies gloriously reposed,waiting for the peasant to come to him. For he loves him very much, and truly desires the visit of the man. And this king is so honoured, that all genuflect before him, even when they only pass him reposed.
But the meeting of this king is like no other, for there is a double receiving: You and I, we receive our lord and saviour, in the appearance of bread, yet truly and substantially, it his his body,blood,soul, and divinity. Yet as a king, he also receives us into his loving arms. If we receive in a worthy fashion, we receive countless graces. But only if we receive worthily. A sacreligious communion is a mortal sin, a slap in the face of our lord who makes himself vulnerable to sacrelige in this sacrament of his love. It's for this reason,more than any that I don't like communion in the hand. And he does make himself vulnerable.
See! the lord of all, heaven and earth are his dominion! Yet,he makes himself vulnerable in this sacrament, as he did in his Incarnation, to profanation and insult. It is for this reason that my parish always uses communion plates at all the masses. It is the reason of the corporal, the pall, the many priests who keep their fingers together after the consecration.
I always look devoutly at the host, cross my self and recite those oft cited words; "My Lord and my God" and I see the chalice,cross myself and say "Thou hast redeemed us O lord, not with perishable things, but with thine own precious blood." (Points if you can guess what scripture that's a quote from) So, reader, if you will, remember to keep reverent attention and meditate on the holy mysteries of the mass. Vatican II did call for active participation, yes, but it's not what you thinl it means. It does'nt mean saying every response, reciting every prayer, singing every hymn. Real active participation is also silent, as John Paul II and our holy father Benedict XVI have said. You know what the mass is. You know it's a mystical, but real sacrifice. Or should I say the sacrifice. The only one ever offered by Jesus on the altar of the cross. He offered it once on the altar of the cross, and perpetuates it by his own high priesthood on the cross of the altar. Jeuss is the high priest, he alone can truly offer himself to the father in sacrifice,but he uses his priests as human instruments, if you will to do so. The victim offers himself,but the church also offers him. So says the church in the Canon of the mass. A priest no longer acts as a priest who offers sacrifice once, and never uses his priestly power again. If Christ is our high priest, if he is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, it stands to reason that he should renew that sacrifice that he offered.
So Holy comunnion is the fruit of the mass, if you will. Christ is our paschal lamb. He offered himself to redeem us,he covers us with his precious blood, these the protestants agree. But they leave out that last part, they leave the typology incomplete by not eating the victim.
So, when you assist at mass, know what happens. Know that the choirs of angels really are round about you as we sing ' Sanctus,Sanctus, Sanctus.....'. Know that the whole church is there, all the saints who have gone before us. And keep reverence! Genuflect if you can. Receive kneeling if you can. I was drawn to belief in Christ's real and substantial presence by the reverence I saw at one parish, and had a crisis of faith when I saw the distraction, the lack of preparation, the ill treatment, and most of all, the lack of reverence of both the congregation and the priest. It all seemed so silly, they did;nt at all act as if they were receiving the living God. The priest changed the mass texts (at his will),substituted his own (at his will) and omitted parts (at his will). the music was terrible. There was no air of sanctity. But I'll leave off this rant about bad liturgy for another day. Just keep in mind my point: keep yourself, and the whole celebration focused on the real center of the mass. Everything, and I mean everything should be conductive to fostering meditation on the mysteries of the mass. Fine vestments, incense, music, reverance shown to the Eucharistic species. Treat the Eucharist like the gift that it is. It's not common, so don't let it be handled like it's common. The mass is by nature, something that transcends time, don't do things that root it into time like use pop music (Or anything like it. Society.Moratorium. Haugen & Haas. Google it.), ad lib the mass, come late, leave early (unless you really must) dress plainly (try to dress up a bit. I wear a nice shirt,tie and some slacks. Wear your best. I'm broke and I live in the hood', and I still dress up. What's your excuse?)
I have to look for my nephew's pants, so I'll have to leave off. Bye!

Confirmation

Yeah, so that's obviously not me.The confirmation was simply amazing!
The procession began, to the strains of a wonderful choral setting of "Ecce Sacerdos", then the ymn "Forty days and forty night" (I LOVE that tune!). The Kyrie was from Byrd III, the psalm was sung to one of the gregorian psalm tones. The tract was taken from the kyrie of the missa orbis factor. "If ye love me", of tallis was the offertory, the sanctus was taken from the requiem mass,as was the agnus dei. Byrd's Ave Verum was the communion motet. There were other things I liked, namely:
The little silver plate for the Cardinal's zuchetto.
*Vimpae!
*Two deacons!
* A Master of ceremonies in cassock and surplice.
His Eminence have a good (but quite long) Homily, and then came the confirmation. I smiled, I was happier than words could express, to her those words " N,Be sealed with the gift f the holy spirit".
Okay, he did'nt actually call me "N" , but It would have been hilarious if I had put that on the little embossed cards with out saint's names on them. Who did I chose? Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, the saint of the holy souls in purgatory,naturally.
So we had to wear awkward red graduation gowns.
Then came the communion, but I'll talk about my first (And second) Communion later. To top it off, someone I know from school was there! His sister got confirmed! So the word will be out that I'm a Papist. I got many congrats, was invited to be an altar server (of course I'm gonna do it!) And even got a beautiful cross with icons on it as a confirmation gift. And a kiss on the cheek from one of the adult confirmandi (I won't say her name either), since of course, my own mother declined to come.
So I'm In. Full communion that is.
I can nurse at the sacramental breasts of holy mother church, and know that I stand on the foundation of Peter.There are four marks of the church (Namely, that she is One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic) Such was the belief of our fathers, such is mine. But do you know to whom I attribute this gift to/ Do you know who I thank for helping me get into the church?
Why, our blessed lady. I did ask her to pray for my parents, that they would give me permission. And they did, so I owe her great devotion. And Truthfully, my devotion to her did grow very much.

GET THIS BOOK.

I loved it! I actually read it when I was nine or ten,but forgot the name,and most of the plot and characters. Byt I remembered the 'which', and the watchdog, and the cookies that were words. And I remembered the eccentric woman who keeps all the sounds you make locked up in a store room.
READ IT. It''s hilarious, it opened me up to a large vocabulary. And there's a word fight! And the lady who comes up with those stupid maxims,like "Silence is golden." It isn't! It's more like brass! and silence is annoying in school! You need to break the rules for fun [/tangent]
Get the book.
Love the book.

First Confession

That's actually one of the confessionals at the cathedral here,but I did make my first confession. But stupid me forgot three sins.But I don't know if they were mortal sins. Someone should make a list of mortal sins! D<
I guess I should try again?
anyway, I did my penance, and said the seven penitential psalms, and the litany of the saints (Since it is an ember day.)
Now, for confirmation and first communion.

Last Night.....

Last night, I found myself at a restaurant. Or maybe it was a bar. anyway,I was leaving,walking home, when a man approached me, a woman walking behind me, and a man walking behind her. he pulled out a gun, and shot the man. He collapsed to the ground. He approached the woman, and though she begged for mercy, he shot her, and she fell to the ground. I was left. He approached me, and I knelt and cried aloud "Blessed mother help me!" Then he shot me in the back, and I fell to the ground. But I did'nt die. I lived, and could still walk, and function,but my back was in extreme pain whenever it moved, or someone touched it. I saw, that I would live in a life of suffering,but I was at peace.

Then I woke up.

Cool tatoo......

I'm getting this.It's totally rad. It's the Holy Spirit. Nothing says indelible mark like, well, a literal indelible mark.

Big News.....

I'm entering the church this Saturday! My first confession is tomorrow,my confirmation and first communion are the 16th, H.E.Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali celebrating.
So much is going to change,but not too much. I'm already settled much into the 'Catholic rhythm", going to mass Sundays and holy-days, saying the office, the rosary, novenas, litanies,etc. Making holy hours and other traditional practices.
So I'll be the real Token Catholic guy, the only one in my family, the only one in my school, and probably the only kid you'll meet who can totally pwn you in a logical debate.But let's not go there.
So I revived my blog, we'll see how this goes.