From News & Views - March 2005 Adoremus Bulletin:
"'I wonder when and where the current movement backward in liturgy will end and lead', said Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg in his speech to the national meeting of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC) held in Orlando, Florida, in October.
Bishop Lynch, who worked at the US bishops' conference from the early 1970s, and was associate and general secretary of conference from 1984 until 1995 when he became bishop of St. Petersburg, recalled the 'courage and resolve' of liturgical reformers working in the conference, who 'courageously fought for proper liturgical implementation of the controlling documents, often refusing to take no as the first response from the Roman congregations and ultimately winning the day with a variety of prefects and congregational staff'.
Continuing his reminiscence, Bishop Lynch said that the conference's liturgical staff 'were supported by an episcopacy with both backbone and resolve. Your speaker yesterday, Abbot Cuthbert [Johnson], was a staff member of the Congregation [for Divine Worship] at the time with whom we occasionally did 'holy' battle. They were good days'.
Speaking of the bishop's authority to govern the liturgy in his diocese, Bishop Lynch said, 'I would understand that it is my duty to find the middle between the law and proper liberation from the law which might allow for cultural or local adaptations which are not in strident disagreement with the law'. The bishop deplores 'pontificalism', the 'sin of symbolic and ceremonial excess', but says he does not hear of much pontificalism in his diocese. And he adds his voice to those who object to 'Vatican interference':
Wednesday, March 9, 2005
Pope Makes Surprise Window Appearance
From MSNBC - Pope makes surprise window appearance:
"Following the latest medical bulletin Monday, the Vatican said the pope will probably be discharged from the hospital by March 20, Palm Sunday, but that it was still unknown whether the pontiff can regain enough of his voice to address his faithful or take part in Holy Week ceremonies.
The latest schedule has Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the pope's vicar for Rome, presiding at Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, head of the Congregation of Bishops, at Holy Thursday Mass in St. Peter's Basilica; and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican?s doctrinal chief, at the Easter Vigil.
No one is listed for the Way of the Cross Procession, planned for Good Friday evening at the Colosseum, leaving the possibility that the pope may want to be present."
"Following the latest medical bulletin Monday, the Vatican said the pope will probably be discharged from the hospital by March 20, Palm Sunday, but that it was still unknown whether the pontiff can regain enough of his voice to address his faithful or take part in Holy Week ceremonies.
The latest schedule has Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the pope's vicar for Rome, presiding at Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, head of the Congregation of Bishops, at Holy Thursday Mass in St. Peter's Basilica; and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican?s doctrinal chief, at the Easter Vigil.
No one is listed for the Way of the Cross Procession, planned for Good Friday evening at the Colosseum, leaving the possibility that the pope may want to be present."
DaVinci Code Shows No Signs of Cracking
From Entertainment - canada.com network:
"Brown's book has been answered by a wave of anti-Da Vinci books, including The Da Vinci Hoax, De-Coding Da Vinci and Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code. Art experts and conservative clerics have been holding an unusual 'trial' in Leonardo da Vinci's hometown, in Vinci, just outside of Florence, Italy. Alessandro Vezzosi, director of a Leonardo museum, has claimed he will produce photographs and documents as evidence of the mistakes and historical inaccuracies contained in Brown's bestseller. "
"Brown's book has been answered by a wave of anti-Da Vinci books, including The Da Vinci Hoax, De-Coding Da Vinci and Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code. Art experts and conservative clerics have been holding an unusual 'trial' in Leonardo da Vinci's hometown, in Vinci, just outside of Florence, Italy. Alessandro Vezzosi, director of a Leonardo museum, has claimed he will produce photographs and documents as evidence of the mistakes and historical inaccuracies contained in Brown's bestseller. "
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Excommunicated Call to Action Leader Takes Communion
From Excommunicated Call to Action Leader Commits Sacrilege in Lincoln Parish:
"A member of the formally excommunicated organization, Call to Action (CTA), John Krejci took matters into his own hands at Mass at Sacred Heart parish on February 7. After being instructed not to present himself for communion, Krejci marched up to the altar where the Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz was concluding the Mass, and took one of the consecrated Hosts himself.
Krejci complained to the press that the bishop had gestured to him with 'an unfriendly wave of his hand, to indicate that Krejci could not receive what Catholics call the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Body of Christ.
Krejci complained to the Sioux City Journal that he was "unsure" why he "suddenly" had been denied communion. "I don't know if he acted spontaneously or what," Krejci said in an apparent attempt to depict himself as a bewildered and innocent victim of episcopal capriciousness.
Krejci, however, is well-known to Bishop Bruskewitz as a long-time campaigner against the Catholic Church. He is a former priest and as a founding member of the Lincoln branch of the extreme dissident organization Call to Action has campaigned for decades to undermine and abolish key doctrines of the Catholic religion, including many of the moral teachings. Membership of CTA draws heavily from former clergy, feminist nuns, and homosexuals. Krejci also attended Gregorian University in Rome in the 1960's with the young Bruskewitz who has been his bishop for many years. All members of Call to Action have been formally excommunicated since 1996."
"A member of the formally excommunicated organization, Call to Action (CTA), John Krejci took matters into his own hands at Mass at Sacred Heart parish on February 7. After being instructed not to present himself for communion, Krejci marched up to the altar where the Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz was concluding the Mass, and took one of the consecrated Hosts himself.
Krejci complained to the press that the bishop had gestured to him with 'an unfriendly wave of his hand, to indicate that Krejci could not receive what Catholics call the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Body of Christ.
Krejci complained to the Sioux City Journal that he was "unsure" why he "suddenly" had been denied communion. "I don't know if he acted spontaneously or what," Krejci said in an apparent attempt to depict himself as a bewildered and innocent victim of episcopal capriciousness.
Krejci, however, is well-known to Bishop Bruskewitz as a long-time campaigner against the Catholic Church. He is a former priest and as a founding member of the Lincoln branch of the extreme dissident organization Call to Action has campaigned for decades to undermine and abolish key doctrines of the Catholic religion, including many of the moral teachings. Membership of CTA draws heavily from former clergy, feminist nuns, and homosexuals. Krejci also attended Gregorian University in Rome in the 1960's with the young Bruskewitz who has been his bishop for many years. All members of Call to Action have been formally excommunicated since 1996."
British Study Reveals
Times Online - Britain:
"Researchers found "a widespread sense of anger and frustration" at what was happening to churches in the UK and Ireland. The 42-page report is an indictment of modern preaching and worship, illustrating how excessive liberalism and lack of conviction are driving worshippers from the pews.
The report portrays a desire for sermons based on the Bible and traditional teaching, rather than on politics, social affairs or audience-pleasing stunts.
The report calls for better apologetics, or Christian teaching, and claims that many clergy are unable to mount a convincing argument in defence of Christianity and are not interested in trying. When asked to explain why Christianity might be true, the common response is: "It is just a matter of faith."
The report says: "This has resulted in a growing number of people being left with the false impression that there are no strong reasons for Christian belief. Ultimately they abandon churchgoing and are mystified that Christianity continues to grow elsewhere in the world. "
"Researchers found "a widespread sense of anger and frustration" at what was happening to churches in the UK and Ireland. The 42-page report is an indictment of modern preaching and worship, illustrating how excessive liberalism and lack of conviction are driving worshippers from the pews.
The report portrays a desire for sermons based on the Bible and traditional teaching, rather than on politics, social affairs or audience-pleasing stunts.
The report calls for better apologetics, or Christian teaching, and claims that many clergy are unable to mount a convincing argument in defence of Christianity and are not interested in trying. When asked to explain why Christianity might be true, the common response is: "It is just a matter of faith."
The report says: "This has resulted in a growing number of people being left with the false impression that there are no strong reasons for Christian belief. Ultimately they abandon churchgoing and are mystified that Christianity continues to grow elsewhere in the world. "
Monday, March 7, 2005
Pope Receiving Email from Around the World
From the Vatican Information Service:
E-mail has been pouring in from around the world for Pope John Paul since the Vatican's web site posted an address in each of its six language versions (john_paul_ii@vatican.va). Letters in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and German have been arriving daily for the Holy Father, wishing him well, a speedy recovery and a prompt return to his ministry as Pope and Bishop of Rome.
From March 1 to noon of March 3, according to statistics and sample letters released today, over 20,000 e-mail messages have arrived for the Pope: about 10,000 in English, 6,077 in Spanish, 2,012 in Portuguese, 1,134 in Italian, 850 in German and 800 in French. Many messages in the Pope's native Polish also arrive daily. While these numbers are only for a two-day period, they represent just a portion of mail arriving for the Holy Father: the additional e-mails since March 3 as well as letters and faxes that arrive at the Secretariat of State and other offices of the Roman Curia.
This is not the first time the Vatican has posted the e-mail address for the Holy Father: it was on the web page on the occasion of his 25th anniversary as Pontiff in October 2003.
E-mail has been pouring in from around the world for Pope John Paul since the Vatican's web site posted an address in each of its six language versions (john_paul_ii@vatican.va). Letters in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and German have been arriving daily for the Holy Father, wishing him well, a speedy recovery and a prompt return to his ministry as Pope and Bishop of Rome.
From March 1 to noon of March 3, according to statistics and sample letters released today, over 20,000 e-mail messages have arrived for the Pope: about 10,000 in English, 6,077 in Spanish, 2,012 in Portuguese, 1,134 in Italian, 850 in German and 800 in French. Many messages in the Pope's native Polish also arrive daily. While these numbers are only for a two-day period, they represent just a portion of mail arriving for the Holy Father: the additional e-mails since March 3 as well as letters and faxes that arrive at the Secretariat of State and other offices of the Roman Curia.
This is not the first time the Vatican has posted the e-mail address for the Holy Father: it was on the web page on the occasion of his 25th anniversary as Pontiff in October 2003.
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