This Costume,

..Seems, from what I can find, to have been the typical outfit for servers before the council. Even my own parish has photos of servers wearing a similar outfit, only they had shoulder-capes rather than the bow. Personally, eben though I'm not a fan of the giant present bow for obvious reasons. I think it would be nice if the parishes in the Archdioceses that offer the older form of the mass or use older traditions, would instead of going back to the general black cassock and cotta for their servers, would instead go back to what their parish's servers wore before the council. (Those servers are from Our Mother of Sorrows)

Why does this keep happenning to me?

Herbert Brewer's 'Marche Heroique'. Lovely piece, hard to find in print, even harder to find recorded. I found it on youtube last year. After forgetting about it, I looked for the name of it, remembering that I had posted it here. I found the link. I clicked it.

D:


In consolation, I've fallen in love with the tune 'Engelberg'. It's in my parish's hymnal, as the setting to two pretty terrible sets of modern lyrics. Here it is at St.John's, detroit, sung to a proper hymn. If you can stomach it, here it is as a setting to one of the hymns in our hymnal.

THE ANSWER IS NO.

Sorry guys, I still believe that Twitter and Facebook are evil and satanic tools that eat your life. I have enough trouble with this blog, Gaia, The Ship, and KAF. I don't need to add something else to the list. D:

LOL.

Some people have gotten here, on this blog with the keyword "catholic is mma a sin".

LOL, I'M LIKE AN UBER MMA FAN LOL FOR TEH IRONY.

Speaking of which, I kind of like the thread on The Ship where those condescending people talked down about MMA and the people who support it, with all the usual redneck/low-class/violent type/non-christian insults that you'd expect. Personally, I can't see why anyone would think that there's anything morally wrong with Mixed Martial Arts. Yes, it can be violent. So's boxing. So's most other contact sports. I'd wager you're less likely to get a career or life ending injury in the most uncomfortable and painful takedown than in a football game.

*Dies*

*Inserts reason for said death*

Oh my, things are sort-of kind-of looking up. I had, like most people from around here, assigned this year and the next one or two years to be 'bad seasons', preparing for the usual 'have an okay season/bad season/great season followed by a choke at the playoffs' thing as usual, but maybe it won't be so.
Granted, I'm still skeptical.

The Thor Trailer.

It is out. People who were luck,y enough to go to ComicCon saw it, the rest of us peons were deprived.

Until Now.

ASDFGHJKLASDFGHJKLASDFGHJKL WOW! I'm glad they picked an easy arc. Unfortunately, if the CG graphics are anything like those in the trailer, they're a little subpar, and I'm not a fan. And I lovw how accurate Loki's costume is.

-My new favourite image of the sacred heart.

Nude Photographs and Live Nude Models.

(LOL, look at all the hits I'll get form people Google Searching that term)

This is actually a post about figure drawing, something that I've been trying to learn to do. Since there's absolutely no possibility of me getting any sort of art instruction in the future, I'm using my last days to do things that I probably won't be able to do. It's been a while since I posted any art, but my style changed again. I'm drawing more realistic portraits, and I have a better grasp of fabrics and textures now. Of course, this is pencil, not marker. I still suck at markers, and I probably will without any professional instruction.

But that's aside. I suck at drawing the human body. Proportions are off, and my limited understanding of the musculoskeletal system are to blame. I'm broke right now, so I have no access to actual art books, and there are no (affordable) classes that I can take right now on that nearby, so I'm back to my old standby: Self Instruction. I hate self instruction. Really, I only hate it because then I have no one to blame for the craptastic scribbles that fill my dA gallery, and even when I draw something good, people assume that 'Self-taught'= 'Mediocre'.
So anyway,
I'm teaching myself how to draw the human body better by observation, which, being the hyper-conservative reactionary prude that I am, is rather difficult. Because, the skeletal and muscular systems are easy to draw from observation of photos, there's nothing wrong there. But, I won't allow myself to use any full frontal or more than partial nudity when I try life drawing, for prudence's sake.Generally, that means surfing the stock art section of deviantART with the 'stock','model' and tag and the Mature Content filter on. Of course, that means that there are certain parts of the body, like legs, that I'll never get a good grasp on, but oh well. That's the price you pay.

Of course, it would be worse in school, where I wouldn't have had a choice, and there probably would have been full frontal nudity with live models and an injunction to draw everything or fail the class. I wouldn't have stood a chance D:

You know,

I really love writing these little rants. There's something that's just so hilarious/evil about couching traditional Catholic arguments in the words of progressive Catholic rants. <3

In the same vein,

Reading This and This, and This, and the comments thereof, I'm a but happy to see that the sentiments I've been expressing lately aren't just my own. And it would be nice if modern or liberal Catholics would read what the faithful have to put up with under them, and how plenty of us aren't satisfied with them. How they're tired of being used, abused, and ignored by a 'progressive' heirarchy, hell-bent on renewing Catholics out of the church till only their own glorious vision remains.How they've grown tired of the clique of bishops,priests and lay experts who have no problem with crowding out faithful or tradition-minded Catholics, while simultaneously claiming to be victims of a vast, non-existent conservative conspiracy.

Frankly, it sickens me.

They have the MAJORITY voice of the church.Try organising a youth mass a with one of your dioceses bishops and explain that you're having a praise band and maybe some dancers, with a time of worship before and a time of reflection. Now, try going to the same bishop and explain that you're organising a mass with him with a schola, chanted propers and choral ordinary, and most of it will be in Latin. The former will get you exuberant support. The second will get you shot down. The vast majority of parishes throughout the world have no experience with traditional liturgy, and yet, it seems that progressive-minded Catholics are frenzied at the mere thought of a diverse church with more opportunity for reverent and obedient liturgy. Oh no, how terrible, they'd be forced to share the church with people that they......disagree with!! Whatever shall we do?

Whether they realise it or not, it's easier to be a mainstream progressive than a fringe like those who long for rubrical liturgy.At least they have the silent, assentive support of the majority of the hierarchy,and the possibility of having large monopolies over liturgical material and positions of authority over the laity who live under them.

And I know, I oughtn't complain since I found the Best Parish in the World, where none of these difficulties are present, but I've dealt with it in the past, and it still angers me that most Catholics still have to deal with these obstinate people. [/Rant]

This week,

I haven't been feeling well. My dad's absence is really starting to hit, and it's a bit lonely with mom away most of the day watching my niece and nephews, and my brother sleeping all day or not at home when he's awake.

Because it makes me feel better, This and This.
Oh yeah, this is out of place, but I'm surprised that the organ there at King's sounds very much like the organ at Lourdes.

And now,

A musical interlude.

Okay, so not really, but I kind of like listening to the soundtrack of that video, the original video, and all related parodies thereof.

What? Is that weird for some reason? I don't think so.

Another disturbing fact.

I can effectively sing countertenor.

If this doesn't freak you out, it's because you don't know what a countertenor is. Just Youtube search "Erbarme dich, countertenor" and click the one with the Brandenburg consort, with Michael Chance singing, or the one with Jonathan Peter Kenney.(Those are the best two versions, in my opinion.)

Solem High Mass.

Linkie!

Well, it's certainly very High.

Ernest Lough.

It never occurred to me to search Youtube for recording of him, the World's Most Famous Chorister™. Well, I found them. And yes, he's actually got a fine, clear and pure voice, evidenced by This recording. Of course, they also have a recording of The Most Famous Song Ever Sung By A Chorister™, Mendelssohn's Hear My Prayer, But this is from late in his career, and you can tell because the timbre of his voice is changed. Shame that he became a baritone. He would have a made a wonderful countertenor,but I guess you can choose everything.

Oh, when did that happen?

Apparently, my last post was my 1200th post. Didn't even realise it.

A disturbing fact.

For both me and all my brothers, our big toes are the same length as the toe immediately next to it. Actually, for my second oldest brother, the second toe in the left foot is longer than the big toe.

Strangely, neither mom or dad or my sister have this trait.

[/disturbing fact]

This is what makes it medieval.

-Link to general article about medieval rosaries.

-Link to article about linear rosaries.

There you go.

And now,

A musical interlude.
(Another version, with typical French reeds.)
Some of you may recognise this piece ( Dialogue sur les Grandes Jeux, Clerambault, from the Livre de Orgue.) As the entrance music for this famous video. (For all that is holy, Please avoid lookin at the comments there.)

I guess I really was'nt cut out for art school.

Anatomy class. That would have been quite awkward for me, for various reasons. I would have failed figure drawing because of it.

And speaking of the Precious Blood,

Meditations on the Precious Blood, by who other than Fr.Faber. This will be my first time reading this, because I've never had access to a copy of this book till today.

THE BEST ON THE WEB.

For me at least, THIS is the best examination of conscience on the web. I'd like to find a hardcopy some time, but I can't seem to find one.

Ktotv.

Is a lovely site with some very nice videos. Besides the weekly broadcast of high mass from Notre-Dame de Paris, they often have videos of other liturgies.

That said, THIS, being vespers and mass from St-Gervais.

Rosaries.

I mentioned that I had made a feeble attempt at my own medival-style rosaries. Well, here they are:




(Stupid me forgot to clean the scanner screen. Will take more photos later.)

You can see how they came out, and they are'nt ideal. I wanted and looked for black tassels, but could not find any. For the black one, I wanted silver gauds and a caravaca cross. The gauds I found, but have not yet arrived. The cross, I either can't find in the right size, or if I do find it in the right size, it's not in my price range. (I'm not willing to spend more than $40 for something that will probably be broken in six months) For both, I would have like any kind of cross that could reasonably pass as a medieval cross, and it would have to be in the right size. That's actually rather difficult.

I was going to read...

....This Article, but then I realised how cool it would be if his first name were 'Bernard' or 'Bernie' rather than what it is. But a priest with a name like that wouldn't work in this archdiocese, it'd be too much of a distraction.

(Not quite) Daily Psalm.

Psalm 38, Westminster Cathedral Choir.

Paternosters.

I have them. Mostly by using this amazing person's website, I've made three of my own. One is yellow-ish agate with glass gauds, a dark blue tassel and a silver cross at one end. The other is black glass beads with glass gauds, blue tassel and silver crucifix. The last is green agate with bone gauds and white tassels. All are on hemp cord, because I can't find any silk cord around here. Being a medievalist, I've had an obsession with these for a while. I've had a few others (A recently departed black and red wooden beaded one, with white tassels, and a lost red glass with clear glass gauded one, with red tassel and silver crucifix.)

And once again, once I take photos, you shall see them.

PIERRE COUCHEREAU.

No, this is'nt yet another typical organist's post where the writer gloats and raves about how amazing Pierre Couchereau was and how much we miss him and how there was never none like him nor never shall be. Actually, this is a post about how badly played I've realised his version of the finale from Vierne's 4th symphony is. Besides being played like he was on crack/speed/ some other narcotic, it's a bit messy. It's so messy that you can barely make out the harmonies.
The one thing I'll give him is that the ending is spine-tinglingly good. Ah, the Coucherau era chamades. Why, oh why did they have to put them under lower pressure? In fact, why did they do half the stuff to Notre-Dame de Paris' organ that they did? Removing mixtures? Detached electronic console? reassigning the manuals ? Why?

*Sigh*

And this,

This, is what I was talking about. This is an Epiphone EA-250, a hollow guitar. Me and my brother guess that it was made in the early production period, since it does'nt have real humbuckers.(The later ones made around late 74' did have real humbuckers) These are photos of it before it was cleaned. It's actually in pretty good condition. All the electronics work fine, though it needs new pickups and new strings, and the pick guard is a bit loose.

EEEEK.

2-12 in the 9th. D: I've missed most of the game because I've been cooking. (Late, since it's Thursday and I'm supposed to have a holy hour Thursdays*)

*Which I keep forgetting. Trying to get back to doing that.

I'm going to have to stop finding this stuff.

Went out with brother today. It's hard staying inside, too many memories. So anyway, while out, I came across a signed photo of Jim Thome's 400th career home run. Yeah, I said Signed. It might be a reproduction, I'm not sure if it's a real signature, but I'm happy to have it. Only, with the addition of that and a Roy Halladay poster, the small space that I had originally set apart to put up Phillies related memorabilia and the like is quickly turning into an entire wall in my bedroom. D:

When I find my USB cord, I'll post a photo of the monstrosity.

IRONY.

On the local news, there was recently a story about employees of the governor making much more than the governor himself makes, due to bureacratic refusal to trim payrolls. Said employees were also using federal tax monies for such important purchases as luxury cars and expensive vacations.

The irony is that the governor spoke about how it was deplorable that these people were "Spending taxpayer's money without theie consent." LOL govenor, that's one of the main duties of the government. Taking the citizen's money without their consent and spending it on useless wars, police who abuse their office, or supporting muderous regimes in other countries is'nt much different that taking citizen's money without their consent and spending it on a Lexus or a trip to the Keys. Once the state decides that it has a right to people's money and resources whether they want to give them up or not, what does it matter what they spend it on? Think about it. It is'nt as if taxation is a mutual contract between the state and it's citizens.

And now,

A musical interlude.

DOUBLE RAINBOW

ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE SKY.b

Just in case you have'nt already seen the hilarity that is this meme. And yes, this is further proof that there is something wrong with me.

And also, SONG VERSION.

Gaiaonline has an item related to this too, The Complete Double Rainbow. You go to PRISM's profile and click the rainbow in the top center, and you get a free item. It's not worth much in the marketplace right now, but maybe the price will go up. I've gotten one on two of my accounts, and now I'll try on my third mule. <3

Tolerance, Diversity and Liberality

Those are three things that (Rather surprisingly) I'm a big fan of, for semi-obvious reasons. I used to be on the ultramontanist 'Let's get the Pope to change all the liturgy and make everyone only have what we like, including those dastardly liberals!!11!' bandwagon, but I realised that that's obviously not the way to go. Why? Because that's what the people in charge did to the church during and after Vatican II, and we see how that ended: Factions, anger, splits, deceit and the formation of new sects and the resurgence of sedevacantism and other heresies.

For the moment, it seems that those of us in the Reform movement may be getting the upper hand in the nasty and unfortunate system of Church politics that we call the Vatican. Bishops, Cardinals,priests and other clergy sympathetic with the extraordinary form and with reforming the new mass are heading dicasteries and congregations, and the possibility of a real reform seems immanent. But don't let that get the better of you and do to the current old guard what they did to us 40 years ago.

The simple truth is, the only way anything in the church is going to change in a positive direction is by being tolerant of other people's opinions and likes, and sometimes allowing and supporting those who go in another liturgical direction. We can't steamroll in with chant and polyphony, throw out the nave altars and burn copies of Breaking Bread and other OCP/GIA music resources. That's only the opposite of priests who steamrolled in with guitars and drums, ripped out the high altars and burned copies of the St.Gregory Hymanal/Liber Usualis.
Good change happens gradually, and having alternatives is the best way to keep a community together. That's highly unlikely as long as the old guard is in charge, because some of them are still ripping out high altars and re-ordering churches,regardless of what a respective parish community might like, but it's at least a hope.

So you ought to get what I'm saying. Right now, it's a lie to say that there is liturgical diversity in most dioceses. In my own diocese, out of at least 200 parishes, there are only two that actively promote traditional liturgy and praxis. And I know personally many priests here who would be happy to begin reforming their parishes, most of whom have or know how to celebrate the traditional liturgy, but the old guard of diocesan regulations and politics are here to keep things the way they've been since 1983. The situation is the same in most other dioceses: Two or three parishes where one can access some type of classical or traditional liturgy among hundreds that refuse to do so.That's not diversity, that's uniformity. That's wrong, since it doesn't attempt to spiritualy feed an entire group of the faithful for no other reason than that they don't like the people, or they don't care for the faith that they want to practise. In an ideal situation, I would have nearly equal access to an ad orientem mass celebrated in tasteful vestments with high quality music as I do to the usual Haugen/Haas/Schutte fest that the majority of parishes have.

That's the sort of thing I would like to see in the church. Neither the near uniform repudiation of traditional liturgical music and the old mass, nor a total repudiation of the past 40 years. Possibly learn to forget the worst of whatever remains, but have it so that most Catholics could easily find a place where they can go to Sunday mass without gritting their teeth, cursing in their minds, and being forced to omit communion because the anger and uncharitable thoughts they've had are probably mortal sins.

In other words, Tolerance of different forms, more Diversity in parish liturgy, and Liberally allowing that with which we may disagree, for the good of the faithful.

[/closetliberalposts]

Clericalism Never Goes Away.

I think it's funny how some people seem to have the mistaken idea that clericalism went away after the council. It most certainly did not go away after the council. In fact, quite a bit of what happened during and after the council was an exercise in clericalism or similar sentiments.

Despite what modern Catholics will tell you, 95% of Catholics were not likely clamouring for a new liturgy with a new calendar and new doctrines and the total destruction of their parish churches and parish lives. Certainly, 95% of Catholics weren't completely satisfied with the way things stood as of 1962, but to walk into your average suburban parish church and say that That is what they wanted is an untruth.

There is evidence upon evidence that it was priests, bishops, and lay experts who decided among themselves what would be good for the laity. They laity were rarely, if ever consulted about such things. When Collegeville was instructing that parishes tear down their altar rails "To open up the church to the people", the people were not asked if they wanted the altar rails torn down or if they even wanted the church opened up to them. When the Gregorian Institute (Now known as GIA) and bishops in agreement with them were instructing priests and choirmasters to break up their mixed choirs and boychoirs for modern music bands, the faithful were not asked if they wanted modern music. The choirs were not asked if they wanted to be broken up. That decision was made for them by the priests and bishops who ran the church.
When bishops such as the infamous Weakland were advocating mixed altar servers, parishioners were not asked if they wanted them, and servers were not asked if they would like to be mixed. Parish priests were not even consulted to see if they would like them. Bishops made the decisions for them. Even with communion in the hand*, the decision was made by the bishops apart from the laity. And in the U.S., when it was plain that there was enough support for communion in the hand, what did the bishops do? They polled retired and sick bishops till they got enough votes. (Something which I believe was actually contrary to the law.)

In any case, you get where I'm getting at.The same clericalism that devalued the laity before the council devalued them during it, while it was implementing it. The same clericalism rules the church today.

Don't beleive me?

Check your diocese' s rules for implementing Summorum Pontificum. Are they open and consultive? Do they leave the decision up to parish priests and whether the laity actual want the old rite? Or, are they restrictive? Is the decision left only to the bishop and his whims? Are they dependent on his good favour ?
9 time out of 10, bishops seem to have gone down the "This is MY diocese and I'M in charge of the liturgy here!!1!!!1!!" route. These are the same bishops who may refuse communion to those who kneel, or get rid of priests who fail to uphold the party line when it comes to modern liturgy. (Try having your priest tell your bishop that he's only going to have boy servers and he's introducing a chant schola to supply music for the main Sunday mass, and see how long it is before your bishop either reprimands him, removes him and makes him a vicar rather than pastor, or sends him off to the boonies in a retirement home or hospital "Where he can't stir things up and make trouble".)


See how lay experts and the hierarchy regularly devalue those who long for traditional worship and practice of the faith, and then get back to me.

There, now you guys know that I'm actually a closet liberal. At least when it comes to some things. :D

*As a disclaimer, I don't believe that communion in the hand is necessarily irreverent and sacrilegious.

Joe is a Bad Catholic.

Because, since he's had free weekends the past few weeks,he's been attending the 7:30 tridentine mass at Lourdes. But he's done it, not because of any special attachment to the tridentine mass, but mainly because it's been 90+ degrees for the past month or so, and If he goes to an early mass, he can beat the sun and get to and from mass while it's still around 75 degrees.

I have something awesome to show you guys.

I won't explain exactly what it is, I'll just give you One hint:

Epiphone.

And now,

A musical interlude.

Loved for fairly obvious reasons.

Moving House.

It seems that we finally have a real prospective buyer for this place, and we're finally going to be leaving. It's bittersweet though, because it was dad that had started the process of selling the house and moving to Upper Darby*. We're no longer looking at the house in Upper Darby anymore though.
My mother wants to move to University City, where my sister lives. It's a nice neighborhood, lots of trees and old houses (Some of them quite expensive!)
Right now, the three prospective homes have three things in common: They have four bedrooms, a finished basement, and they're very, very, very 1970's. Some of you may know of my dislike of the entire 1970's. Good music, bad... umm....everything else.
But there's nothing we can't do. The good thing about having a spare bedroom and a finished basement is that I'm guaranteed to have another room for my prayer space/art room.

*I don't understand who named these counties here. There's an Upper Darby, but there's no Darby. Not that I know of. But then, there's also a North Philly, a South Philly, A West Philly, and a Southwest Philly, but there is no East Philly. Huh?

I guess this explains everything.

When my siblings and I were little ones, my dad constantly talked about all the money he had for us for when he passed away. He told us that he was paying for the best insurance policy that he could buy, and that he was putting away money for us. We never understood why he was always talking about something like that. He was a strong and healthy man, he never even seemed to get sick, except for the occasional headache on Sundays when he was very busy.

Now, I find out that he had had cancer since I was four. 15 years of cancer, and he never told any of us. He somehow survived for that long a time with his only hospitalisations being when I was four,(His first diagnosis) and last year (When it came out of remission). And I suppose that's why he put so much money away for us. He must have known that he would leave us eventually, and he didn't want to leave my mother and all of us kids with nothing. So his death was'nt as sudden for him as it was for us. He knew it, and he prepared for us. I just wish I would have known a little earlier, but it was never part of his personality to let us worry about anything.

Mass of the dead.

According to the modern Roman Rite.

Introit:
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis. -- Te decet hymnus Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem: exaudi orationem meam, ad te omnis caro veniet. V.: Requiem aeternam . . .

Collect.
Deus, cui próprium est miseréri semper et párcere, te súpplices exorámus pro fámulo tuo N., quem (hódie) ad te migráre iussísti, ut, quia in te sperávit et crédidit, concédas eum ad veram pátriam perdúci, et gáudiis pérfrui sempitérnis. Per Dóminum.

Gradual and alleluia*:
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. V.: In memoria aeterna erit justus: ab auditione mala non timebit.
Alleluia,alleluia, Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Alleluia.

*During Lent:
Tract:
Absolve, Domine, animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omni vinculo delictorum. V.: Et gratia tua illis succurrente, mereantur evadere judicium ultionis. V.: Et lucis aeternae beatitudine perfrui.

Offertorium:
(The portion in parentheses may be omitted)
Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis inferni et de profundi lacu: libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum: sed signifer sanctus Michael repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam: * Quam olim Abrahae promisisti, et semini ejus. (V.: Hostias et preces tibi, Domine, laudis offerimus: tu suscipe pro animabus illis, quarum hodie memoriam facimus: fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam. * Quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.)

Super Oblata
Pro fámuli tui N. salúte hóstias tibi, Dómine, supplíciter offérimus tuam cleméntiam deprecántes, ut, qui Fílium tuum pium Salvatórem esse non dubitávit, misericórdem Iúdicem invéniat. Qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculórum.

Preface:
Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus: per Christum Dominum nostrum. In quo nobis spes beatae resurrectionis effulsit, ut quos contristat certa moriendi conditio, eosdem consoletur futurae immortalitatis promissio. Tuis enim fidelibus, Domine, vita mutatur, non tollitur, et dissoluta terrestris hujus incolatus domo, aeterna in coelis habitatio comparatur. Et ideo, cum Angelis et Archangelis, cum Thronis et Dominationibus, cumque omni militia coelestis exercitus, hymnum gloriae tuae canimus, sine fine dicentes:

Ant. Ad communionem
Lux aetérna lúceat eis, Dómine, cum Sanctis tuis in aetérnum, quia pius es. Réquiem aetérnam dona eis, Dómine, et lux perpétua lúceat eis, cum Sanctis tuis in aetérnum, quia pius es.

Postcommunion:
Dómine Deus, cuius Fílius in sacraménto Córporis sui viáticum nobis relíquit, concéde propítius, ut per hoc frater noster N. ad ipsam Christi pervéniat mensam aetérnam. Qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculórum.

On the third, seventh, and thirtieth day after death or burial:

Collect:
Inclína, Dómine, aurem tuam ad preces nostras, quibus misericórdiam tuam súpplices deprecámur, ut fámulus tuus N., quem in hoc saeculo tuo pópulo misericórditer aggregásti, in pacis ac lucis regióne constítuas, et Sanctórum tuórum concédas esse consórtem. Per Dóminum.

Super Oblata:
Propitiáre, quaesumus, Dómine, fámulo tuo N., pro quo hóstiam tibi laudis immolámus, te supplíciter deprecántes, ut, per haec piae placatiónis offícia, resúrgere mereátur ad vitam. Per Christum.
Or:
Pláceat tibi, Dómine, sacrifícii praeséntis oblátio, ut ánima fámuli tui N., peccatórum véniam, quam quaesívit, te miseránte invéniens, cum Sanctis tuis semper exsúltet, et glóriam tuam in aetérnum colláudet. Per Christum.

Ant ad communionem:
Omne quod dat mihi Pater, ad me véniet, dicit Dóminus, et eum qui venit ad me, non eíciam foras.

Postcommunion:
Vitálibus refécti sacraméntis, quaesumus, Dómine, ut ánima fratris nostri N., quam testaménti tui partícipem effecísti, huius mystérii purificáta virtúte, in pace Christi sine fine laetétur. Qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculórum.
Or:
Suméntes dona caeléstia, grátias tibi, Dómine, reférimus, humíliter deprecántes, ut ánima fámuli tui N., per Fílii tui passiónem a peccatórum vínculis absolúta, felíciter váleat ad te perveníre. Per Christum.

Daily Psalm.

Psalm 91, choir of Westminster Abbey.

Funeral Sentences.

One of the bits of anglican liturgy that my father's church picked up* is the Funeral Sentences. They don't sing them, rather they have one of the ministers recite them for all to hear, but I do like them. I teared up a bit towards some of them, as some of them were verses that my father taught us to memorise as little ones.(Eg, PS.46:1, John 14:2-3)

And, just because I want to;

William Croft. (My favourite setting.)

Thomas Tompkins.

* Aside, for the funeral, the ministers wore cassock and black stole, but no surplice. I know they had begun wearing the surplice again a month or so before my father's ordination, so why none for the funeral? And the bishop and bishop-elect were unvested. Weird.

(Tentative) Schedule for tomorrow.

Friday eve. : 5:15 rosary and sung vespers of the dead

8:30 sung compline of the dead.

Saturday:

6:00 AM : sung Matins and Lauds of the dead*

8:00 Leave for my aunt's house

8:15 Breakfast at my aunt's

9:00 Leave to go to the church (Terce in the car ride)

10:00-12:30 Funeral

12:30 leave to go to the cemetary (Sext on the way there.)

Around 1:15 Arrive at the grave, final commendation, burial.

2:30 Repast back at the church (Rest of the day spent with the family)

6:30 PM rosary and sung vespers of the dead (Back at home)

9:00 PM (sung) Compline of the dead.

*Matins from the old breviary, Lauds from the new.

THIS.

Is a hymn that I arranged once for my dad. This is'nt the arrangement, but I do like it anyway:

THIS.

Maybe I'll record mine when I can get enough time to go through it a few times.

*Sigh*

Today was a hard, hard day. Final papers have been signed for the funeral. Mom was being difficult today, and I needed a break from everything around the house, so I scared everyone by walking back to my old neighborhood, about 25 blocks away.Saw my old childhood home, the park where dad took me when I was a little one, the church where my mother was baptised and taught when she was a little one, and some of my old friends' homes. Was caught and taken home to find Brother, who was worried and went to find him. Ending up making a pact with him never to go away when I'm upset, but to go to him because we still have each other. Cue emotional confessions and brotherly hug.
Home for dinner. I have'nt been up to cooking this week, so it's takeout again. Rosary and vespers of the dead late, because I had to make a surprise visit to the funeral home for some business.
Tomorrow's the day before the funeral. All the family will be spending the day and overnight at my sister's house, but brother and I will stay home.

And now, time for something completely different.

[LIIIIIIINK]
All services are the ordinary form unless specified. For 'low mass', I mean just one server, no sung ordinary or propers. For 'sung mass', I mean at least four servers, incense, sung ordinary and propers plus motets and hymns. For 'solemn high mass', I mean two concelebrants or deacons, or deacon and acolyte besides the celebrant. Five mass servers plus four torchbearers, incense, sung ordinary and propers plus motets and hymns.
Rural:

Sundays:
Sat.Eve: 6:30 low mass
8:30 Low mass

10:30 Sung mass

Weekdays:
8:30 low mass

Confessions: Saturdays 5-6:00, and
before all masses.

Suburban:
Sat.Eve: 5:30 sung mass (No incense)

8:30 low mass

10:30: Sung mass

12:15 family mass (sung mass without incense or low mass with hymns)

1:30 Tridentine sung mass (Or low mass, depends on the resources.)

5:15 Rosary and sung vespers with benediction.
Weekdays: 6:30 & 8:30 Low mass.
Confessions: Sat. ,3:30-5:00, Wednesdays 7:30-8:30, before all masses.

City parish:

Sat. eve: 5:00 Sung mass

6:30 First vespers (recited)

7:30 low mass (ordinary form)

9:30 low mass (extraordinary form)

10:30 solemn high mass (Latin ordinary, with extraordinary form on the last Sunday of the month)

1:00 family mass

5:15 Rosary with solemn vespers & benediction following. (Ordinary form, extraordinary form on the last Sunday of the month)

8:30 PM low mass (Contemporary music)

Weekdays:
6:00 lauds,6:30, 8:30 AM, low mass,6:00 PM rosary & vespers (recited)

Confessions: Saturdays 3-4:45, before masses on Sundays, daily at 7:30-8:30

I've never been keen on these late youth masses. I'm usually dead asleep by then. Honestly, I dragged myself to evening masses during the school term only because it was my only option.

The Altar.

Appropriately, I've vested my home altar in requiem clothing: Black cloth, black candlesticks (The same ones from Holy Week), and unbleached candles (Including a 7-day vigil candle). No flowers, and all the holy cards have been removed. (Except for one: I added a holy card of Our Lady of Sorrows where S.Peter Nolasco usually goes.)

The black cloth is very plain.There is a faint pineapple pattern on it, but you have to be a few inches away to see it. There are two thin white bands, but no other decorations on it. I've been using a dossal lately, but I don't use one with the black set (Or the violet set) Since things are suppossed to be somber and penitential, there's just the bare wall behind.

Prayers.

When I had pages inserted into my breviary, I had the Office of the Dead inserted, with all the prayers and collects in it for the various orders and occasions. I had made sure to add the collect 'Deus, qui nos patrem' , but I would never hae thought that I would be using it a few months later, rather than many many years later.

The office is one of things that comforts me. Many people don't like the Office of the Dead, because it can seem a bit dreary ('De manu usque ad vesperam confecisti me', and that whole canticle) But I don't think so. A priest once told me that the office is a prayer and a sermon. It's a prayer for the departed ("In misericodia tua Domine, Dona eis requiem"), and a sermon to us to keep guard and prepare for out death, which we cannot truly plan.("In dimidio dierum meorum vadam ad portas inferi")

The office is a dialogue. Sometimes we pray for the dead directly ("Revela vultum tuum defunctis,qui adhuc tua luce privantur.") But for most of it, it seems more that we are praying for ourselves rather than the departed.The psalms are in the first person (Miserere mei Domine, De profundis clamavi ad te")The office hymn (The Dies Irae) is in the first person ("Quaerens me sedisti lassus,redemisti crucem passus, tantus labor non sit cassus.") And many of the preces are in the first person too. ("Domum non manufactam, aeternam in caelis, nobis concede.") But this isn't so.

The souls of the departed faithful are called the Poor souls in purgatory. They are called poor because, haing left this mortal earth and completed life's journey, their time for virtue and merit toward the purification of the soul is ended. They have no means to purify themselves, they can do no good works, neither can they pray for themselves or offer the Sacrifice for themselves. They are helpless in that regard, and they rely on us on earth to do these things for them in their name. And so it is with the office.

When we pray the office of the dead, we pray both for the poor souls, and in the name of the poor souls.We approach the Father in prayer, presenting not our own intentions, but rather, in the name of the poor souls, we offer him their intentions. When we pray the office then, what we are doing then is saying to God what they wish to say say to him of themselves. They want pardon of their sins (First psalm lauds, second psalm, vespers)They wish to appear before God, and to see him and enjoy his presence eternally (Third psalm, matins, first psalm, vespers)
There are sections meant to teach and edify us, such as the short chapters at lauds and vespers, and to comfort us with the sentiment of seeing those whom we love soon, seeing them glorified and with a perfect and glorified human body, free of the diseases and sicknesses which they suffered in life, and succumbed to in death.

Which is why, besides the mass, the office of the dead is the best service I can do for my Father, and the best comfort I have for myself.

Funeral Arrangements.

The Funeral will be this Saturday, July 10th at 10:00, at Victory Christian Center. Bishop Jimmy Ellis will be presiding. The burial will take place at Rolling Hill Cemetery.

Today I helped plan the funeral. Since Monday afternoon, I've been in a sort of daze. Everything seems so very unreal. It wasn't until the social worker had come to get me through the process of receiving the assets and things my father had left me that the sense of his departure began to hit. And then,the director came to help us plan the funeral. That was very hard. Even though I'm the youngest, my two older brothers weren't really up to it. My sister was a big help, since she helped plan my granmother's  funeral in 08', so she knows more than I.

Tomorrow, we go to visit the grave. Tomorrow also, I go to my aunt's house to take some of his belongings. (He stayed at her home for the last few months he was getting treatments for convenience's sake).

We're all coping better now.

Of your charity,

Please pray for the soul of my father, Virgil Ross. He passed away at 2:30 this morning with as many of us as could fit in the room around him. He was only 45.
Also, please pray for my eldest brother. He's taking this the hardest of all of us, and I don't know what to do. We haven't had a death in the family since I was 12, so this is all really very strange and difficult.

Office of the Dead. (Older form, Latin/English.)

Officium Defunctorum. (Newer form, Latin)

Rosary for the Dead

Please Pray for us.

Last night about midnight, my father was rushed to the hospital.From what the doctors told us, there's nothing else they can do. Excepting a miracle, he has about a week left with us.

I don't really know how to deal with this, I wasn't expecting anything like this to happen.None of us were. He was just here Friday, and we spent the whole day together, him, my brother, and I. He was a little weak, but he seemed to be recovering. I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't make it.It's all so sudden.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

Divine Providence.

I just realised something extremely providential. 

Do you guys know what my middle name is? It's Samuel.

Do you know when the feast of St.Samuel the Prophet is, according to the Roman Martyrology? It's August 20th. Do you guys remember what happens on August 20th?

Yeah, that.

I count that as my name day, since apparently the king whose name I share wasn't counted holy enough for his own feast day. (Darn, and just think: If I had been born a day earlier, I could have gotten the name Jeremiah and would have had an actual name day, instead of fudging it by using my middle name.)

It's almost time for the annual.....

.."Break One of Pennsylvania's Stupid Laws Day".
Also known by the more common vernacular name  "American Independence Day". Wherein, thousands of local residents either: a) Find a way to pretend to be an out-of-stater,  or: b) Buy fireworks from the many other nearby states where it is legal to do so. 

Because, you see, it is legal to buy fireworks in Pennsylvania. It is legal to use certain fireworks in Pennsylvania. Some city and townships allow fireworks like Roman candles, that would otherwise be prohibited.It is Illegal, however, for any Pennsylvania residents to buy fireworks in Pennsylvania, professional or not.

Huh?

I'm lost. what idiot thought that that law made any sense? "Let's sell fireworks here, but not to the people that actually live here lolololol!!!1!!!1!!eleventy-one111!"  "Oh yeah, and people who live here can use fireworks too! Let's put that in!!1!!!1!!ONE!11!!!" Why make it legal to use something in a state, and sell that same thing in said state, but make it illegal for anyone in that state to purchase it in that state? It's like if they decided to change the drinking laws so that people over 21 could purchase alcohol, but only from out-of-state stores and dealers.

It's all very confusing, but then, Pennsylvania seems to be ahead of the game in contradictory, senseless, and outdated laws that are still on the books hundreds of years after usefulness. (Illegal for women to wear makeup without a license? Fire hydrants are to be checked one hour before every fire?!)

Google Analytics is Cool Beans.

*Pretends other people still say the phrase "Cool beans*

I did'nt realise that I had that many regular readers. I also didn't  realise that people seem to like that explanation of the mass that I never finished. It's one of my most used search terms, so maybe I should finish it. Also, people seem to like the posts I put up of random hard to find offices, like the pre-Pius X offices of the Passion, or the offices from the Mercedarian Breviary.

I also got a notable amount of people searching for manga reviews, which I did'nt expect anyone to read here of all places. (Though I do one almost every time I find a new manga. Also, just for those who keep looking for it: NICO ROBIN FROM ONE PIECE. There, that's done.

It's also interesting to see where people are reading from. I somehow have three regular readers from Germany, and two from the Netherlands. I have ten from four different places in the UK, but the majority of people who read this thing regularly seem to be U.S. readers of the East Coast type. Specifically, people from Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Jersey. Though I'm scared to see that I have regular readers in Cleveland. I didn't know they even knew about this place. D:

They're Baaack.

They're here. They're here again, and there's nothing you or I can do about it. They've come and made their place like they do every year, and their behaviour is no different than times past: They clog the sidewalks, congest the streets, shorten our supply of food and dress in outlandish outfits. They come to bring anger and short tempers to our citizens, to vex and to disturb. They create destruction and confusion.
They are:

Tourists.

*Dramatic music*

Independance Day unofficially spells the end of the halcyon off season forn Philadelphia, and with it comes the annual stream of tourists from all over the country, and ever other parts of the world. Like all good Philadelphians, I have no choice but to hate them. Because, they do everything slowly. They walk slowly on the sidewalks, at half the pace we walk. They slowly eat and take up space in restaurants. They slowly browse the aisles at the local supermarket, and slowly pay for their purchases. They gawk and randomly stop walking to stare at things we don't care much about. "Wow! A market inside a train station!" Yeah, it's Reading Terminal. Nothing special about it. "Wow! A gigantic statue of William Penn!" Yeah, it's city hall, where our decrepit and corrupt officials run this decrepit and corrupt city. Nothing special, move along. "Wow! This subway station smells Exactly like a public restroom! Exactly even!" Yeah that's...well, basically every single station for all the lines in the city. Nothing special.**

And then, they ask for stupid directions.Tourist: "Excuse me,son! How do I get to Rittenhouse Square?" Philadelphian: You're on Rittenhouse Square, Man." Tourist: "Say, how do you get to 5th and Market?!" Philadlephian: "Well, you're on Market. And you're between ninth and tenth street. I assume they taught 'counting' in your elementary school? Figure it out, man."  Tourist:"Excuse me, I'm not from here. Could you tell me how to get how to get to Sesame Street to West Oak Lane?" Philadelphian: "Man, that's like a two hour drive from here and a ten minute explanation.Go ask someone else."

You get the idea.

Sometimes, my mother and I like to play 'Spot-the-Tourist' when we're out. They easy to spot because they have the same or similar characteristics.

They'll be gone bu Labour Day, but until then, we'll be forced to take ten minutes to go three feet while the tourists in front of us squawk and gawk and block the walk, so there's no way around.[/rant]

Back from Semi-Hiatus.

I took a little break, to get things together here at home. Some rather unfortunate things have happened lately, which you'll here pf, along with some good news as well.

And so,


Ummm.....


Yeah, that's basically it.