You report: Una Voce conference in Thomas Aquinas College

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The Una Voce Ventura conference “Applying the fruits of the Extraordinary Rite to family life” (September 10, 2011) started with a wonderful Solemn High Mass officiated by Fr. Paul Raftery (Dominican, chaplain at Thomas Aquinas College), together with Fr. James Fryar (Fraternity of St. Peter, Sarasota, Florida) as Deacon and Fr. Gregory Heidenblut (Agustinian, Ojai, California) as Subdeacon. Seven college students were altar servers and the heavenly Gregorian chant was provided by the Thomas Aquinas College 10-person schola cantorum under the direction of tutor Dr. John Nieto.

Mr. Leo Raab, President of Una Voce Ventura opened the sold out 80-person conference by thanking Dr. Michael McLean, President of the College for the use of this magnificent facility. The Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel is truly monumental and the campus appears immaculate as it emerges into view

as one drives through the bucolic Ojai Valley countryside in Southern California. The program consisted of three one hour lectures and a convivial luncheon.

First, Fr. Fryar talked about the importance we should place on the Traditional Mass, which should be an integral part of our daily reality. The Mass is Divine, and the use of Latin ensures that nothing is lost in transaltion. The Mass is a token of Heaven and during it we step into eternity. To better propagate the Latin Mass, Fr. Fryar has started a website – Livemass.org – that broadcasts his daily masses in Saratoga, and also created the polular iMass app.

Next, Dr. Thomas Kaiser, who is a philosophy professor at Thomas Aquinas College talked about how the Church has used sensory experience to lead us into the sacred spiritual world, which cannot be perceived by the senses. The Liturgy is not something we do, but something in which we participate. Parish liturgical committees suggesting their own rites can lead to liturgical anarchy. All our senses are involved in the Holy Mass except that of touch, which is reserved for the priest.

Finally, Fr. James Fryar explained how Sacraments and Sacramentals are neglected in today’s society. The seven Sacraments were instituted by Christ (Eucharist, Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Last Rites, Holy Orders and Marriage). The Sacramentals have been instituted by the Church and include prayers, blessings, crossing oneself with Holy water, minor orders and many other Catholic customs. In the present world there is an almost Protestant fear of the use of Catholic sacraments. One example is confession; a parish with plenty of confessions is a thriving one. The preparations we make to go to Mass, for example cleaning our clothes, are an integral part of our participation in the Sacrament of the Mass. In good news for traditional Catholics who must drive long distances in order to participate in a Traditional Mass, Fr. Fryar suggested that God takes into consideration the long travel we must make in this day and age, so it is worth our while to take the time to drive to the traditional Mass. As for the Sacramentals, they have been thrown out the window, even though Satan hates them. For example, all religious objects in your home should be blessed by a Priest, and every room in a Catholic home should have a Crucifix.

These magnificent lessons in Catholic life were recorded, and audio will be available shortly at unavoceventura.org.