Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Organ Variations

I'm working on some organ variations on the hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus". So far, I'm at the improvisation stage, and need to figure out where I'll put certain parts (There are seven codas, and frequent stop changes) Maybe, if it's good, I'll show it to our parish organist, and see if he likes it as a postlude on Pentecost day.

Also, the Tabella Secratarum is completely finished, now all I have to do is give t to Fr. Don;t know how those cottas are coming along, but I'm serving two masses this Sunday. (The 10:30 Latin mass, and the 12:15 first communion mass) Hopefully, the music will be good, and there will be many 'on the tongue' communions.
Oh yeah, I finally started playing guitar hero. it's harder than it looks. (More on that later.)

Useless fact of the day:

An apple, onion, and potato all have the same taste. The differences in flavor are caused by their smell. To prove this - pinch your nose and take a bite from each. They will all taste sweet.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Useless fact of the day:

The skeleton of Jeremy Bentham is present at all important meetings of the University of London

Debates with Liberals! Yay!

Just read it. People like this both confuse me, and amuse me. They are'nt consistent, nor are they really logical. Non sequiturs and red herrings abound. What does social justice have to do with liturgy?! Bringing up the blight of the poor is not a valid counterargument to those who hold liturgy to be important. Nor is bringing up the fact that "Jesus and the apostles didn't do X, so it's not important!" Our lord did'nt teach liberalism, self-contradictory heresy, nor did he use guitars, women priests or altar servers. If I bring that up, How do you think they will respond? Exactly. On with the debate:
He begins, saying:

"Who are you people - - do you have nothing else to worry about. Having worked with international virus control I can't believe you are suggesting that Catholics go back to that abhorrent practice of having someone touching my tongue and then going to the next person - - the spread of germs through saliva is RIDICULOUS. Where have you been - - As a student in South Africa in the 1974 we were already receiving communion in the hand. Get a life folks - - figure out how the church can help the poor and get away from your computers and start working in the church as ministers - - servants of the word of God.

A young student brought your site to my attention - and I am glad she did. I strongly believe in freedom of speech - Your site is a wonderful example of the abuse a blog can cause. If anything thank you for this excellent example of the total chaos a blog can cause.

Please, in the name of the young people of the Catholic church - - stop worrying about laws and rules and start living an attitude of Christ to welcome all.

As a frequent speaker on ritual symbol I will now have something to rally against - YOU! May my voice rise others to take action against you and all you promote!!!"


I responded saying:

" LA BOB-
Yes, we are asserting that the Roman church goes back to what the Roman church does, because it conveys what the Roman church teaches. People have different opinion than you do.
Big Wow.
If showing reverence to what we believe to be the most sacred body and blood of Christ is abhorrent to you, then why are you Catholic? Also, what correlation does Liturgy have to do with social justice? When God told the Israelites to used the finest golds and woods, and the best craftsmanship for vessels and vestments, and when he dictated the intricate temple ceremonies, Would you have criticized him? Would you have told him he was wrong? Would you have railed against St. Francis of Assisi, or St. Vincent de Paul when they wrote about reverence in the mass?

Second, I disagree with your implication that liturgy does not con vey the word, of God, when the church disagrees, she teaches that the mass is the source and summit of our faith, . Should it not be celebrated with the utmost reverence?

Thirdly, I am a young student (Actually, still in high school) I wonder how you can logically say "I support free speech. This is what happens when you have free speech! Stop using your rights!" Again, there are actually lots of people who disagree with you. Big Wow.

In the name of the young people of the Catholic church, please,please understand that many of us DO like reverent liturgy. Lifeteen gets old and tired the fifth time around, and we desire something better. Something that transcends our reality, something that transcends you and I. The Hole Sacrifice of the Mass is it, and I want it to be celebrated in a manner that shows that it's not about my here and now, about my culture, and about what I like.
The Christ welcome to all never said "Do whatever feels right!!!1one!" No, he gave us rules. Bets of all, he gave us his bride, the church, who now gives us rules whch I am happy to follow in obediance.
There's Rules.Deal with it like a man.

Not only the church's teachings, but her also liturgy forms my conscience. Thus, I have even more to rally against when I speak of liturgy-People who deny the sacrality of the mass, who want to bring God down to earth. People who acre about giving God what he deserves, and not what we like, or want.
Lets' stop focusing on our voices, our opinions, our likes. The focus of our lives should be promotion of Christ, and liturgy is part of this. If you want to waste your life railing against what the church says about liturgy, go on."

He Responded, saying:

" Josiah:
Thank you for your thoughts. Once again you sound frustrated at what is fact. Roman Catholics do not need gold vessels or silken robes to praise God - those are man made rules and thoughts. The Spirit of the gospel was one of welcoming and learning how reach out to others in the culture of the people. Look at the wonderful writings found in the Acts of the Apostles. Nowhere do I see any comments about receiving communion in the hand or tongue - or golden vessels and silken robes - no - instead this week's readings I have read how the apostles went from city to city preaching good news of love and acceptance - we hear of a church of love not of clericalism - or fear - or unworthiness. In dialogues with Jewish scholars at some of the greatest American Universities we have heard that - yes even they (the scholars) do admit that Jesus was a man of peace and justice.

Ah, but I digress. Simply look at the Emmaus story - the recognizing of Christ in the BREAKING of the bread - -no - things did not stop and get all rule oriented and suddenly Jesus stops things and - -dudes - - ya gotta receive the bread on your tongue from my special fingers - - NO!!!!! Discuss that with the youth of America. They recognize Christ in the breaking of the bread and the act of SHARING! to go out into the world and SHARE.

I am Catholic because I am baptized and the God of my culture loves me and asks for my praise and my commitment to share Christ with all I meet. The God, The Christ, The spirit who says to all of us - - go out into the world.

So - - Josiah - thank you - thank you for your thoughts - but please - as a young person DO NOT GETY HUNG UP ON RULES - go live, enjoy your life, discover what is in the world that you can love and see how you can make a difference to change the world to do better things for all humankind - don't go looking for "groups" - Lifeteen or Opus Dei - instead find Christ in the breaking of the bread with the homeless in our streets - find Christ in the large group of gay teens who are forced to live on the streets because their parents are so hung yup on rules that they cannot see the "gift" their child is - - Go Josiah - GO - - as was simply said in the movie - "Run Forrest Run" - because in the running you will find that with love, simplicity and praise to God - you and others will find freedom.

As a frequent speaker I am asked to be a member of a Catholic congregations throughout the world and and all I know is that I recognize Christ present in the assembly when they sing OUT LOUD, when they pray OUT LOUND, when they sit in silence (not with some God forsaken Latin chant singing) - and in the receiving of communion - the body AND the blood as we were called to do in the actions of the last supper.

Beware of false leaders that speak otherwise - that blog their anger as the TRUE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH - if you want to receive communion in the had - fine - but DO NOT TELL ME or any of your friends that they are wrong! Instead help them live out the joy of being a Catholic - of celebrating life and making a difference.

Thank you for your response and I will use this as the opening of my lectures this year. You have opened my eyes and I now I need to speak to others of how our church has damaged our youth.

Peace dude"

He also said later, for no particular reason:

"Again - -this is getting ridiculous - I am NOT a hippie - I have given my life to working with the Catholic church and the development of Liturgy in the US. I would like to know where your statistics come from when speaking of the decline in priesthood. Perhaps the arcane way we welcome men (unfortunately only men and I will respect JPII's request to not discuss the inclusion of women) - that if someone was born with homosexual tendencies- he may not enter the seminary - God forbid he was a heterosexual - if a man chooses to be celibate does it matter if he is gay or straight!!!!?????!!!!

Unfortunately I am painfully aware that much time is spent in parishes worrying about rules and songs to be sung instead of meeting the pastoral needs of the community with which we minister. Having ministered in the tribal communities of Swaziland and Lesotho let me tell you - - the luxury of "cleansing" the hands of the presider with water had no meaning for those who were dying - - yes dying from lack of drinking water. How does the rule fit in there. Many of your voices take up too much space on the internet and so - those of us who believe in the VOICE OF THE PEOPLE shall and will do anything we can to stop the proliferation of teachings that denigrate the beauty of our faith and the real mission of peace and justice. Get ready and pray to God for the right "Gregorian Chant" to stop that!!

Let's see how successful you really are as a majority of Catholics go RUNNING from your churches in search of a piety and spirituality that speaks to their needs and the needs of the community for which the live. Oscar Romero was killed for preaching liberation - - so we need to raise our voices in that - - LIBERATION from not only anti-catholics but right wing anarchist lie many of you spouting rules and laws who continue to destroy the work OF THE PEOPLE . The work done in parish life and LITURGY done in the past 30 years in the name of Jesus Christ and in the name of Social justice and Change. Take a closer look folks - YOUR TIME IN THE SPOTLIGHT is about to be over -- Sing what chant when when your communities of Latin Masses are half full and the Singing assembly of the Catholic Church down the street from you is full - - someone will take notice and find God in the midst of those who are full, active and conscious participators of the liturgy."


I responded, Saying:

"LA BOB
I DON'T WANT FREEDOM.
Freedom emptied our seminaries.
Freedom decreased the faith of the laity.
Freedom led to countless daily sacreliges.
Freedom led to people like me being basically run out of the parish,Because I did'nt like guitars, or liberal theology.
Freedom got me kicked out of RCIA because I knew that the teacher was teaching heresy, and I told her.
Freedom killed the church, yet you think freedom will fix it. It doesn't logically follow.

I want brave priests, who'll stand up and proclaim the magisterium of the church, who follow the rules and submit them selves to authority. That's what I want. I find Jesus in the blessed sacrament, that where I go. That's where my refuge is, and the refuge of all the faithful. True, Jesus is in the poor, But I don't put the poor in a monstrance and adore them. I don't kneel down and receive a gracious giftt from them.

Man-centered theology, and man- centered liturgy led to the collapse of the church as we see it today, and yet some people call for it to continue. You cannot repeat the same process and expect to get a different result. Liberal theology, liturgical abuses,and railing against the church will NOT bring anyone to Jesus. It won't give us vocations, and will not strengthen the church, since that's how we got here in the first place.

Second, your own speech betrays that you do not understand the mass. The church still teaches that the mass is a holy Sacrifice. She still teaches that the priest acts in the person of Christ, to bring about the miracle of the Eucharist.

WE were not called to do the actions of the last supper. The apostles, the first priests were. I don't break the bread, I don't share my story. I'm fine sitting in the pews, meditating on the mystery (silent active participation, as JPII called it)
I like this. What I don't like, and what I tire of is the "Peace,Love and Justice/freedom/feelgood/No rules" Gospel. It's outdated. It's Dying- no, it's Dead. We've moved past the 70's already. Sentire Cum Ecclesia- and right now, this is how the church is thinking. Tradition=In. Liberalism =out.
You've seen the surveys. The church will recover, but only if we teach what holy mother church teaches, and do as she has always done. Your speech betrays your liberalism. You call for the voice of the people, but when we, the voices of the young laity want what you abhor, then we must be silenced. We all know that the Latin masses are bringing in all the young people. We all know that traditional orders with Latin masses are flourishing, while liberal orders are consolidating. It's obvious what the people, what the young want. So why must we be denied it?
"


I shall critique the whole a bit later, after dinner.
But serious me cap off. Real me Cap on.
Dude, you're a total hippie. You're definitely a liberal. Telling me what young people like? Way to talk down to me genius. But what do you expect? Without trying to poison the well, That's how liberals are. Self contradictory, and when it comes down to it, they're narrow minded pricks.* He speaks about how our traditional communities are dying.
I'd like to know where they are! The liberals have effectively suppressed traditional liturgy and spirituality for the past 30 years. In the name of diversity, equality, and acceptance, we were conformed to their ideas by force, treated as third-class citizens and outcasts, and given no representation. Notice also, how much he refers to "His culture", and how he feels? Liturgy should be Christ-centered, and it doesn't mean we have to sng everything, and do everything, That emptied out pews.
He criticizes us for having rules that "Destroy the work of the people." What the Heck!? I AM the Frickin' people! I'm a high-school age lay Catholic, and a minority to boot. He says we're destroying the works of the people, but what was his ilk doing when they stole our chant, our Latin, our beauty and the mystery of the mass from us in exchange for an empty ideal? They now prevent us from having it, "In the name of the people." How's that for a self-contradiction?

Bus loads of People?! WHAT?

A large busload of people, none of whom were presumably from the parish, showed up at the Latin Novus Ordo mass today. I'll comfortably say that none of them knew the Latin responses, neither did they understand the instructions to turn off all cell phones, and to follow the mass in the blue Latin/English booklets in the pews. Most of them were Hispanic, though there were some anglos (Notably, at least five nuns, four of which wore the habit of Our Lady of Mercy), and some Black people. Most did'nt sing the hymns either, but they did sing the whole ordinary of the mass, minus the gloria. That was impressive. Most of the people who usually come did'nt get to sit in their usual seats, and we were minus three servers. After mass, some left before the recessional hymn was over (We never do that here at any mass) Those who did'nt leave proceeded to take Photographs with Fr. There were a lot of them, so I got to show my new cotta to the brother in charge of the servers, but not the altar card. Fr. was too busy dealing with the hectic crowd to talk about me getting more lacy cottas. So, the day was hectic, kind of a letdown (as the choir did'nt sing) and worse of all, when the choir was in the choir loft for the mass for the centenanry of the parish school (More busloads, now of school alumni) I saw a horrible object in the choir loft. It was black. It was on a stand. It was plugged in. Someone was practicing on this instrument, which I still beleive falls under Pius X's list of forbidden instruments.
It was Electric.
It was a Piano.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
I nearly died. What's one of those doing here?! We've literally laughed at the thought of guitar masses, and using any of H+H's music, and now I see an electric piano possibly being used!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
And our brilliant choir director did'nt throw it down to the ground, set it afire, and scream like a maniac because it defiled the sanctity of the choir loft! NOOOO!!!!
It's a piano used once now, then, a guitar, next, trap sets will be in front of the side altars, and lifeteen will take over. Thus a piano is the demise of a brilliant music program.
Or, it could just be that they are letting the alumni contribute to the music.

Friday, April 25, 2008

More Hilarious!

The Seminary of the Future! If only it were so! Though could do without all the smoking.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

New Regular Tridentine....In Pureto Rico!

Seriously! The Usus Antiquior is growing by leaps and bounds, not just in europe and america, but in Africa, China, South America, and now Puerto Rico.
I have friends that visit Puerto Rico every summer, and I'm sure this will make them happy.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Yeah, They Are'nt Interested in the Tridentine Mass

Yeah, I mean Really, they are'nt.* That's only like, 500 People in a single church on Sunday.
May God bless the work of this parish.


*sarcasm.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

If only I could Gougue eyes out.

18

I'd be higher, Only 18 kids? I'l have to get rid of this stupid soft spot. And the kids are probably on drugs/ from Northeast Philly anyway.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Now THIS is a children's choir!

watch and be utterly amazed. Why do most of out churches give children's choirs trite simplistic music, when they've been singing stuff like this for years?

Friday, April 18, 2008

I'm depressed.....


Well, really only kind of. You know who this guy is, right? Yeah, it Stephen Colbert. Did you know that he was in my city this week?Yeah, he was. Did you know that I watch the report whenever it's on,that I've actually bought his products and given out wristtrong bracelets as presents?I have. He was here, and I could'nt get tickets.Not only that,but I missed his show every day that he was here. I'm supposed to be part of the Colbert nation, yet I miss out on this. But that's not the only thing that's wrong. Do you know what's sitting on my desk right now? Yes, It's a cheesesteak. A real one, not those cheez-whiz, greasy disgusting ones, but a REAL philly cheesteesteak with real cheese, ketchup, onion, hot peppers and no mayo. I want to eat the cheesesteak. Right now. But it's Friday. You know what that means? Yeah, no meat for me today.
Oh sure, I could substitute some other penance, but it's usually not really much of a penance as going without dinner. And I usually forget to do the other penance anyway. Then I just debated some idiot who would never concede her points, demanded special pleading and refuse to acknowledge her lack or proof. She ignored all proof contrary to her position, and used circular reasoning, special pleading, genetic fallacies, arguments from silence/ignorance, and flatly contradicted the principle of Causality. I had to leave off it for my sanity's sake.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

That;'s right, SILENCE THE OPPOSITION!

Or, at least that what the USCCB seems to be doing with their combox. Anyone that disgrees with the DC papal liturgy, or worst, goes far enough to criticise it gets canned. In other words, their comments get deleted. Here is my deleted comment:
"It's great to see so many Catholic faithful gathered together for holy mass, in unity with the Holy Father. But, I feel that the music could have been more tastefully chosen, without the attempts to be over inclusive to the point of being exclusive. The music seemed gushy and overdone, and definitely theatrical (Didn't Pius X say something about theatrical music?"
Is'nt that unfair? They've done this before, and I find it quite annoying. Basically, you put up a facade where everyone agrees with you, and those that don't, you eliminate them. The joys of liberalism again.

UUGGGHH.......Papal Liturgy.....

It was terrible. Again, no charity here.
Visually, it was fine. Lovely vestments (though I could do without the false good) great altar set up. But the music was abysmal. Nothing but an inclusivist bastardization of everyone's culture. And based on the gloria and the Veni Creator, I'm assured that it's a goal of modern American liturgeists-Oops, sorry, Liturgists To make bad Catholic music abound. Even if it involves ruining otherwise good pieces. e American Catholics know better music we could have used (Owen Alstott's Heritage Mass, David Iseles's Lamb of God, or the Gloria from Richard Proulx's A Community Mass. Maybe hymns like (Come, sweet Spirit, or Come Holy Ghost with organ improvisations. Maybe some good communion hymns like Jesus, My Lord, my God, My All, or O food of Exiles lowly (O esca Viatorum, If you know that that tune goes to a Latin hymn). I've already vented on how I hate the idea of using gospel music at mass (especially when it's sung by not-black people in order to be "inclusive". Anyway, I hope and pray that the Holy Father will see that this is the standard of music in most of our parishes, and ill do something to change it. There's no sense of the sacred, no sense of the divine. In this kind of celebration, WE ultimately become the center of our worship. It has to be about including us, making us feel nice. Self-congratulatory songs, and constant changing of words in the missal to make us feel nice.
Sigh, Please pray for a change in liturgy.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Back From Vespers...

It was glorious! psalms and canticle sung to great psalm tones, and the antiphons sound like they were based on different Kyries. Lots of smoke, by yours truly, and lots of priests and seminarians (Including two of the archdiocese's auxiliary bishops, and the liturgist of the archdiocese who I met.)
Procession around the church after the pater noster, benediction and procession out.
Oh yeah, dealing with the bernadettes reminds me why I will always hate "altargirls." (Not that we have them, or will ever have them) The camaraderie of having 24 fellow male servers is something too special to put in words. You have to experience it yourself. (I'm all in for having a server's fun night, complete with a movie/bowling)

I Agree!

An awesome collection of photos, with some appropriate music. And no dancers in sight!

Musings on the Interim Missal

Some people might be familiar with the missal that came out in 1964-65, often erronesouy called the interim missal, since it was used between the reform of the tridentine mass by the concilium, and the promulgation of the 1970 missal. Why do I say erroneously? Because, it's really the missal that came out of Vatican II itself. The 1970 missal came about after the council was closed. So why do I like the 65' missal? It's basically the tridentine mass, with these rubrics/omissions:

*Psalm 42 in the prayers at the foot of the altar is omitted
*The priest no longer recites those parts of the mass sung by the choir in sung masses or high masses
*The kissing of the hand and objects is omitted.
*The collect is said at the chair.
*readings may be read by a lector (An ordained lector, otherwise the priest reads them)
*The general intercessions made be said before the offertory.
*Only one sign of the cross in the canon
*the per ipsum is sung aloud
*the words for distribution are "Corpus Christus"
*The final blessing is given at the chair, and the last gospel is omitted.

In form, it retains much of the traditional mass, including all the prefaces and prayers, the offertory and the canon. Also, while most of it can be said in the vernacular, the proper chants of the mass and all of the priest's private prayers (Offertory, canon, prayers before communion, placeat, etc.) Are still said in Latin. Thus the call of the council to preserve the Latin language in mass, and Gregorian chant is supplied by the rubrics of the missal.The hermeneutic if continuity is completely obvious with this form of the mass, while in the 1970 missal, too much was dropped in my estimation. There once as a blog ith the entire order of the 65' missal, but I can't find it.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Don;t ask Kids about school.

Well, at least not the way they did at my school. In a bog skit thing,meant to look like a talk show that they did in the auditorium today, kids were asked what they like about the school? what did they say? Nothing. None of them would recommend it. Everyone hates the lunch, and there's still no answer as to why males cannot wear shorts, but girls may wear micro-miniskirts. Sexism much?
Oh yeah, the Naked Brother's Band sucks. Never listen to them.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Photos of the Altar Cards!









The top photo is a general view of the altar card. Next is of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech, The next is of Pope Benedict XVI's pontifical coat of arms. The next is'nt clear, but it's the sacrifice of Isaac. Below it is the Lamb,Victorious,yet slain. Last is another general view of the altar card. There are still adjustments to be made (permanently attaching the texts to the illuminated frames, removing sketchmarks, touching up here and there, cleaning the background,etc.) I've been working on it for a few months now, and it should be finished by the end of the week.
What do you think?
*Edit*: I strongly suggest clicking on the last photo and opening it in a new tab. It blows up the phot, and you can see the detail much, much better)

I'm Confused.

Forgotten Pennsylvania Posts a photo of a building with not one , but TWO garage doors.
Here's the catch:
One of the doors is on the second floor.
Now what would a door be doing on the second floor, when no cars can drive in or out? What's so big that you'd need a garage door to throw it out? A car? But we've already established that there is no car! There is no Spoon!

What happened? *Compares*

This is what happened.

AMAZING!

Your's truly is set to receive a handmade altar card,containing the offertory prayers of the mass. It's made to look like a gothic illuminated manuscript, and the borders resemble those of the master of the Boucicaut hours. There are illuminated initials for each prayer, and the whole card will be framed with a gold leafed, hand carved frame.
But there's a catch:
It's for the novus ordo.
Meaning, it contains the prayers:

Munda cor meum

Benedictus es, Dominus (Panis)

Per huius aquae

Benedictus es (Vinum)

In spiritu humilitatis

Lava me

Haec Commixtio

and the words of consecration, in Latin and English. I'll show it to you in pictures later, and reveal the artist, whom I think you may know. I'm also set to have the vesting prayers by the same artist, and hopefully, my parish will use these.

40Hours Devotion and Solemn Vespers!

At Lourdes. Yes, I'm adverting services here again. 'Low mass' is in the church daily at 8:30 AM, Then the Sacrament is exposed all day until 7:30 sung vespers and benediction from Monday, April 14th, to Wednesday April 16th. Solemn Vespers,Procession, and Benediction in Wednesday at 7:30, with priests,clergy, and religious from around the diocese attending. I'll be there as thurifer (actually, all the servers will be there. Processions with 20 + Altar servers are so POD)
God willing, I'll be debuting my new lacy cotta (Still hasn't arrived, after much delay) I'll also be the server who has hiw own breviary, so you'll know me when you come. And you will come, right?

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

OH NOES! this is our future

Where does a PHILLY Cheeseteak come from? I don't know.
It's so obvious. The answer is IN the question! How can you you not know the answer? Worse, the other girl does'nt know what one is.
"When was the war of 1812, Jimmy?"
Jimmy."Uh...I don;t know? 1945??"
It's basically the same thing.
Oh, also.
BOOOOOOOO!!!!!
But we all know he wasn't the only person to get Booed recently. That was terrible, quite uncalled for. But for some reason, I still think it's funny.
OMG A TASTYKAKE!1!!ONE!
I admit, I'm on a sugar rush, and I'll probably regret this whole random post.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Missa Cantata on EWTN.

Lucky me got so see most of it ( up to the ablutions). It was simply wonderful! Hopefully, in the future days as the TLM grows in popularity, it will become easier to find celebrations like that in your own hometown. Anyway, I'm praying for a solemn sung mass, or maybe even go all out and have a high mass on Assumption day. I know we can do it at my parish, we have the resources, but it would take preparation (training servers, etc). And expect even more good music at my parish, because I just gave two St.Gregory hymnals and a book of motets to our choir director. I still can't part with my own personal copy, or my Kyriale. They're too precious.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

You idiot.

I'm not going to be charitable at all about this. Any priest, who stands up at the pulpit, and tells everyone that Jesus did'nt really perform a miracle and feed 5,000 men, is a liar and an idiot. I heard it again last night at St.John's in Philly, and I will not tolerate it. When he first said it, I was waiting for the part where he would say that that's just a lie, and then go on to explain why Jesus really did perform a miracle. But it never came. Where does the scripture at all indicate that the people just shared their food? Nowhere. Where does it indicate that he only spoke inspiring words to get them to share? Nowhere. What we have is:
A) Jesus
B) Lots of guys.
C)Five loaves if bread and two small fish
D) Everyone gets fed, and there's leftovers.

That's it. You'd think the Apostles saying that there was no other food to be found other than the five loaves and fish would be a direct contradiction to the idea that everyone already had food. So what we have is a perfect example of eisegesis. Forcing and interpretation into a text, when the text hasn't the slightest indication that such an interpretation is valid. Eisegetes are idiots, point blank. No charity here for you,Father Heretic. You should be ashamed, misrepresenting the Gospel, and the faith of holy church with your own opinions.I'd like to go to daily mass, but I can;t g to St. John's. I'll have to see if the Cathedral has an evening daily mass. Maybe the cathedral is somewhat better liturgically, if ordinations are any indication.

Friday, April 4, 2008

DeviantART: You are annoying me.

I take the time to get a deviant art account., but you know what happens? Maintenance. It's always site maintenance, so I can never upload any art! What, do they have the website flu or some other virus? I feel like I wasted that time drawing those characters from Avatar, just to show everyone. But I guess it's okay,considering how badly they came out (Especially Sokka's skin. It looks like he has skin cancer.)
I have more rants for today, so get your flame shields.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

My Problems with the LOTH

I've let people know I don't like it, but never said why. Here's why:

1) Translations. They're horrible. No excuse. If a 17 year old kid with minimal training in Latin can produce a poetic, and linguistically pleasing translation of matins and lauds in five hours, I see no good reason why it should take ICEL five years to produce the crapola paraphrases we get officially. The grail psalter is very hard to use publicly, as there are no pause marks in the texts. This also makes using psalm tones hard. Occasionally, the translations are'nt even orthodox (The second responsory of matins in Corpus Christi for example.It appears to be Consubstantiation at best,or Impanation at worse.) Occasionally, things are added in translation that are'nt in the Latin.
Then there are the names of the hours. While other versions (The French, Italian, German and Spanish versions,for example) Have retained the traditional name for each hour in translation, the American version has changed them. The rest of the world calls it lauds, we call it "morning prayer". The rest of the world calls it Vespers, we call it "Evening prayer". The rest of the world has terce, sext, none, and compline, all in their respective languages. We changed them. The French version even calls the office of the triduum "Tenbrae", while there is no special name in the English version.

2) The Hymns.
It's not that they hymns are all bad,some of them are my favorite hymns. To use in church though. I would rather have the same hymns that we have in the Latin, translated into English. (And they do exist. Stanford abbey and J.H.Newman did all of the hymns that were in the old breviary, and it can;t be that difficult to translate new hymns.) Some of the hymns are old-fashioned (i.e., they were popular in the sixties, but few listen to them now) because of that, I don;t know they tunes to them. Other hymns I just hate,point blank. (anything by lucien deiss.)

3) The lack of illustrations.
The older breviaries, including those mass produced by printers almost always were beautifully illustrated (like This, This, or This. I like this one too.) But do we get anything like that in the LOTH? No. We do get some lovely stick figures, and some abstract symbols that could be the mongram of Christ's name, or a baby elephant. Illustrations help to keep one focused on what you're praying, or meditating about. Blank pages can help one's mind wander.

3)The distribution of the psalms
Now, I'll grant that they did continue to use psalms 109 (110) -114(115) for Sunday vespers, and as the psalms for vespers on the common. Also,the use of ps.62, and the benedicite on solemnities was kept, as was it being on Sundays (Though only every other sunday. Finally, psalms 1-3 are used on sundry week I at matins, as they were the psalms of the first nocturn in the old breviary. But other than that, the psalms are jumbled about in a way not consistent with the old breviary. It would have made more sense to simply have a three week psalter. That way, the psalms that were used for each nocturn in the old breviary for matins would still be used on their days, and the psalms that would not be used from lauds, prime, and vespers (Because prime was suppressed, and lauds and vespers have only two psalms) would go to the third week, and would be used for lauds and vespers then. How would this work?
In the old breviary, Sunday matins was: Pss. 1-3, 8 and 9, 10 and 11.
the compromise could have been: Week 1:Pss. 1-3, Week 2:Pss. 8 and 9, Week 3: Pss. 10 and 11.
That way, those psalms would continue to be the Sunday matins psalms.Lauds would be as it is in week 1of the LOTH, but the benedicite would be used every Sunday. It would also be possible to have varying psalms for daytime prayer. A penetential form of lauds would be nice also, though not neccesary.

4) The binding/type.
The binding isn't the best. I got mine last year, and that very same year, the binding of Volume II began to come loose around Lent III. The quality of the paper isn't good, and as I said before, the lack of pause marks in the psalms/antiphons makes communal recitation harder. It would also have been a good idea to make the first letter of each psalm or reading larger and bolder than the rest, as you see in the Anglican Breviary. The responsories don't actually have V. and R. markings in the English version, so you don't know how to do that antiphonally.

5) Finally, far too many options.
There are simply too many options to choose from in the office. there are 12 hymns to choose from for daytime prayer, and in the psalter, most days have an option of 2 or 3 hymns to chose from at matins/lauds/vespers.
Often, there are alternative prayers in the proper of time, and the commons usually have 3-6 prayers to choose from.On saint's days, often there will be listed two commons, and you have to pick which you'll use. Then when you get to the commons, there will be more than one reading to choose from at Matins, and in the case of the sabbath office of our lady, there are five!
Compline is a mess, with 12 hymns to choose from, the option to jsut say the sunday psalms everyday, and four or more marian antiphons to choose from.
I would rather THEY give me a precise rubric, so I don't have to waste time trying to figure out which is right.

So uhh... that's it.