Francis' latest coup: Prefect Simona Brambilla - Guest Article by Michael Charlier

The real disaster of the appointment of Sister Simona Brambilla as “Prefect” of the Administrative Office for Institutions of Consecrated Life and Apostolic Institutes does not lie in the fact that this top position is now occupied by a woman – although the usual shallow minds are now once again talking about “breaking down patriarchal structures”, “ending discrimination against women” and, in particular, “empowerment”. And presumably this is exactly how Pope Francis wants it to appear, given his nature and objectives. But there is more – but one thing at a time.

Universal Ordo for the TLM available from the FIUV

Cross-posted from the FIUV blog.

The Federation's own Ordo, giving the Mass to be said every day of the year according to the Universal Calendar (1962), is now available as a pdf download here.

Hard copies are now available to buy in the New Year, from the LMS online shop.

The FIUV took up the publication of this Ordo when the PCED, which used to do it, ceased to exist. It is modelled on the old PCED Ordos.

Please direct corrections to 

fiuvordocomments@mailbox.org.

Support the FIUV by becoming a Friend.

PELL: the Scapegoating and Witch-Hunt of a Hero of the Faith - On the Second Anniversary of His Death

Part I of III

By Serre Verweij

for Rorate Caeli

When Cardinal Pell died in early 2023, he received a Catholic funeral attended by 30 bishops, hundreds of priests, the Australian opposition leader and a former Australian prime minister. But he was denied a state funeral by the Labour authorities, even though that’s the norm for important public figures. Apparently, it would have been too distressing for victims according to the premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews. 

Mary of the Angels, Hope Amidst the Fires

 The devastating fires in Los Angeles, the City of Our Lady Queen of Angels of the Portiuncula, have caused untold damage to thousands upon thousands of families. At least one parish, Corpus Christi, in Pacific Palisades, has been destroyed. The parish dedicated to the Latin Mass, St. Vitus, has remained outside of harm's way.

But in one of the other fires, in Altadena, an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe remained intact:

(Source: Twitter)

We pray for those deceased, and for those families, of all social classes, left without their homes, their memories, their livelihoods, their neighborhoods. We pray to Our Lady of the Angels, so that her city may one day be completely restored, and become a beacon of Christendom as intended by the missionaries who founded the pueblos of California:

Catholics Should Be Embarrassed Episcopalians Understand the Symbolism of Ritual Better: A Priest’s Thoughts on Carter’s Funeral

 

Thoughts on the service for Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral

 by Fr. Richard G. Cipolla

 

It might be said that that there is irony in calling the Episcopal cathedral in Washington, D.C, as the National Cathedral.  For the Episcopal Church is certainly not a State church, which would counter the very foundation of the United States on the principle of an absolute separation of Church and State.  In fact, the Episcopal Church, once known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, is a distinctly minority denomination in the Protestant faith world in the United States, but, at least in the relatively recent past, was seen as the church of the rich and powerful and the church of “Good Taste.”

Disloyal, Petty, Vindictive, and Ugly: Francis Forces Bp. Dominique Rey to Resign One Year After Asking Him to Stay -- Persecuted for Being Close to "Trads."

Bishop Dominique Rey, of Fréjus-Toulon, France, one of the best and most solid bishops in the world, and a beacon of liberty for the Traditional Mass, resigned his office today. He is 72.

Francis had first suspended the ordinations in his diocese. Then, he named a coadjutor for him, but encouraged him to stay until his regular retirement, at 75. In his letter of resignation today, Rey says,

“During a private audience on December 23, 2023, the Pope had encouraged me to receive this collaboration [the coadjutor bishop] in a fraternal spirit, and not to resign. At the end of a first year in which the suspension of ordinations was lifted for almost all the candidates, the nuncio informed me that the Holy Father was asking me to leave my position as diocesan bishop of Fréjus-Toulon, without my knowledge of any new elements than those that had motivated the designation of the coadjutor bishop.”

Shameless and disloyal? Yes, but par for the course for Francis.

 ***

Guillaume de Thieulloy had a great rundown of the whole disgusting story for our friends at French blog Le Salon Beige:

Bp. Rey has just resigned - at the express request of the Apostolic Nuncio. Officially, for two reasons. The first concerns the economic management of the diocese. This was already one of the main reasons put forward for the canonical visitation that led to his being sidelined. However, I would be curious to know how many French dioceses would be spared if Rome took an interest in their economic management. Before Covid, it was said that half of them were bankrupt. Since then, the abuse crisis and the collapse of revenues have taken their toll, and, at the very least, three quarters of France's bishops could suffer the same fate as their confrere from Toulon for reasons of economic management.

Recognize and Resist is Real: The First Anniversary of the Historic Backlash to Fiducia Supplicans

The Orthodox Resurgence

 by Serre Verweij

for Rorate Caeli

A year ago, Victor Manuel Fernandez came out with a press release that was meant to clarify Fiducia Supplicans (or to placate its numerous critics). Fiducia Supplicans had managed to be the most controversial Vatican document since Humanae Vitae, 55 years earlier. In fact, it was more controversial. The alleged clarification ended up ‘de facto’ annulling many key parts of Fiducia Supplicans itself. Now, a year later, the document has become largely a dead letter. What exactly happened?

A clarification, in fact a retraction

The Wicked Witch of the West comes to Washington: McElroy is Francis's and McCarrick's Final Middle Finger to America

The Washington Post had confirmed it last night, and the Vatican Bollettino published it this morning: the bishop of San Diego, McCarrick alum and Cupich-named Cardinal, Robert McElroy will be the new Archbishop of Washington. 

It seems quite appropriate that the news comes as the District of Columbia is covered by the largest winter storm in a decade. Snow and ice blow from the west, as chilly winds bring the ultimate McCarrick insider to the capital of the United States.

McElroy is almost 71, and already a Cardinal -- an unusually late appointment considering the canonical and usual retirement age of 75. When he was named Cardinal, in 2022, California Catholics couldn't believe their eyes, considering McElroy's history of obfuscation, or worse, regarding the sordid story of former Cardinal "Uncle Ted" McCarrick, whose great seat of power was... Washington itself:

The Prefectess: Simona Brambilla named Prefect of Religious

For the first time ever, a woman has been named Prefect of a Roman Dicastery: Sister Simona Brambilla, of the Missionary Sisters of the Consolata, who had been secretary of the Dicastery for Religious ("Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life") since 2023, has been elevated to the position of Prefect.

As such, she will be the ultimate power, after the pope himself, over hundreds of thousands of religious in the world, including thousands upon thousands of priests (and bishops who are members of religious orders). As for how that goes with the hierarchic constitution of the Church, we will leave it up to the thoughts of our readers.

Books New and Old to Support and Advance the Traditional Catholic Faith

The traditionalist Catholic publishing house Os Justi Press, which has the mission of making a serious intellectual and cultural contribution to the recovery of the traditional Catholic Faith (with special attention to the sacred liturgy), released 18 new titles in the year 2024.

Is the Archbishop of San Antonio in need of a health checkup?

Gustavo García Siller, born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, was named an auxiliary bishop of Chicago in 2003 (John Paul II), and later named Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas, by none other than Benedict XVI. Good grief, another sign that both pontiffs were often misled by their collaborators.

VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS - Happy New Year!

 A blesses Octave Day of Christmas and a happy Year of Our Lord 2025 to you and yours!

Veni Creator Spiritus,
Mentes tuorum visita,
Imple superna gratia,
Quae tu creasti pectora.

"Do you only get into heaven with a QR code?" - Giuseppe Nardi on the Vatican as surveillance state

Pope Francis has introduced a new condition for obtaining a jubilee indulgence for the Holy Year 2025, thereby using the jubilee year to advance the modern agenda.

5-Day Silent Ignatian Men's and Women's Retreats in Ohio, July 2025

As Rorate has advertised a number of times in the past, the traditional Benedictine monks of Tasmania, who stand in the stream of the retreat-giving monks of St Joseph de Clairval in Flavigny, will be offering two retreats this July in Ohio, one for men and one for women. Details in the poster below. I know this community well and wholeheartedly recommend the retreats. The daily Mass is the TLM. -PK 

Just How Different Are the Pre-1955, 1962, and 1969 Calendars Around Christmas and Epiphany? (2024 Edition)

More and more Catholics are waking up to the huge differences between the old and new Roman liturgical calendars—the one, a product of two millennia of organic development; the other, brainchild of a 1960s committee. A subcategory of these folks are waking up to the significant differences between the calendar of the pre-1955 Missale Romanum and the one observed with the 1962 Missale Romanum. The chart above compares all three for the period from December 25th to January 19th.

Little Jesus, Wast Thou Shy?

 

A HOLY AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS 2024 TO ALL OUR READERS!

Little Jesus

Ex ore infantium, Deus, et lactentium perficisti laudem (Ps 8, 3)

Little Jesus, wast Thou shy

Once, and just so small as I ?

19 Years of Rorate Caeli: Keep the Faith, the Best is Yet to Come

 

On a Sunday exactly like this, Rorate Sunday, the Fourth in Advent, this page was founded, in 2005— it was the first year of the Ratzinger Pontificate, and devout Catholics were filled with hopes and dreams.

The past few years have been hard. But the Christ Child will always remain with us, the fresh Dew from Heaven, making all things new even in the heart of the coldest winter.

Birth, Resurrection: our Faith will never die, and our Church will rise from the depths of winter yet again, light amidst darkness. We hope to witness it firsthand, but we know for sure it will happen. Keep the Faith!

Help Build a New Chapel for the Institute of the Good Shepherd in São Paulo, Brazil - see also video of the project

Our page's friends in Brazil send this request for donations for their chapel project:

We would like to ask for your help in sharing information about a new Chapel Project whose construction began last December 12th: the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel.

“Sedevacantism is destroying the Catholic Church”: Guest Article by Joseph Bevan

In entering a debate there is often a tendency to start off with your conclusion, through the exercise of the will or the emotions, and then to gradually work backwards to justify your position. The danger of this procedure, of which we are all guilty from time to time, is to disregard any evidence which challenges our preconceived notions. Our conclusion may even contradict such evidence. The use of ad hominem arguments is very common also, such as: “Well, someone like him would say that, wouldn’t he?” The other obvious danger present in this line of thinking is that it can result in such an entrenched opinion that bitter strife ensues. One thing for sure is that the holder of views which have been acquired in this manner is unshakeable and impervious to alternative opinions, regarding any further argument more in terms of a personal attack.

Canonization of the Martyrs of Compiègne: "To the poorest daughter of Carmel, honor speaks louder than fear."

 Francis approved today the Equipollent Canonization of the Sixteen Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne, who can now be honored as saints.

Mother Marie: Sister Blanche...

First Commissary: I forbid you to continue...

Mother Marie: You have the power to force me to silence, but none to command me to it. I represent here the Reverend Mother Prioress and I shall take no orders from you.

Don Pietro Leone: Is Francis the Pope & If not, what then? PART II

 [Rorate editor - Just to be clear: Rorate's editoral position is that Francis is indeed the Pope -- his election was obviously valid, as Don Pietro Leone explained in Part I - and a new one will be elected by an upcoming conclave. NC]

Is Pope Francis Pope

&

If not, what then?

by Don Pietro Leone

The O Antiphons: History, Theology and Spirituality

By Matthew Hazell 

[Repost]

Note: this is a slightly revised version of an unpublished catechetical talk, given by the author in December 2015.

History of the O Antiphons

The history and origins of the O Antiphons is unclear. Though we possess a large number of early liturgical texts, comparatively few of them go back to before the seventh century. It is possible that a passing reference to the antiphons is made by Boethius (c. 480-524) in his work The Consolation of Philosophy, [1] which would indicate that the antiphons were known in northern Italy in around the sixth century. However, what we can say for certain is that the antiphons were known by Amalarius of Metz, a monk and scholar of the ninth century (c. 780-850). Amalarius attributes them to an anonymous cantor who probably lived in the 7th or 8th century. By the ninth century, they had also been known in Rome for some time, as they appear in the Roman antiphonaries of the period. Numerous other liturgical books of the Middle Ages from around the ninth century onwards also contain the antiphons.

THE UPCOMING CONCLAVE: A Close Look at the College of Cardinals (Exclusive for Rorate)

 by Serre Verweij

for Rorate Caeli

Pope Francis has just named twenty new cardinal electors. Another important step in ensuring that the next Pope will be an ‘inclusive progressive’ like Pope Francis, so many say. The reality, however, seems to be quite different. 

Of the 110 current cardinal electors named by Pope Francis, almost half (53) have been named in the last three consistories. These were held after the Pope’s colon surgery that caused him to be hospitalized for over ten days; and induced a wave of rumours that he’s terminally ill. Some Vaticanists think the Pope has been trying to secure his legacy during the last few years of his pontificate. Yet this legacy, and the cardinals representing it, are a mixed and contradictory bag. As such, Francis’ cardinals are actually quite representative of his near twelve year pontificate.

Two Years After Restricting the Traditional Latin Mass, the Archdiocese of Washington Finds Itself In Serious Financial Trouble

 

Two years ago, the Archdiocese of Washington decided to end the Traditional Latin Mass at Old St. Mary and five other parishes. Like much of the Church, the Archdiocese had been experiencing rapid decline for decades. That decline was exacerbated by the revelation of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's sex abuse in the 2018 "Summer of Shame." But through it all, the seven parishes with the TLM were among its most thriving and generous in the Archdiocese.

Vestments for restored Notre-Dame

The restoration and reopening of Notre-Dame in Paris was perhaps unthinkable to those who watched the great cathedral burn on April 15, 2019. What has been as beautiful as seeing the cleaned and restored cathedral is the fact that the general public clearly preferred making Notre-Dame look exactly as she was.

However, as we have seen before, bishops from the left just can't let beauty stand on its own without doing something to destroy it. While the secular government of France heard the will of the people and heeded their desire for a traditional restoration of Notre-Dame, the archbishop of Paris first fought to redesign the interior to create a museum instead of side altars and confessionals, then hired a furniture maker to design a hideous table-altar, lectern, tabernacle and baptismal font. He just could not let Notre-Dame look like a traditional cathedral without something from the Vatican II era inserted to ruin the day. Next up is a contest to replace stained glass windows with modernist designs.

This past weekend, though, we got to witness how the archbishop of Paris spent an undisclosed amount of money on ghastly new vestments. Not just a few -- but thousands of them. In fact, the archdiocese's website originally announced they hired the modern designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac to produce "700 liturgical garments" for the cathedral's reopening.

Announcing "The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hymnal" - 900 pages of Gregorian Chant and Classic Hymns

Os Justi Press is proud to announce the publication of The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hymnal.

Produced by Music Manuscript Service of Denver with the help of a team of expert consultants, the OLMCH provides, at long last, the ultimate Catholic hymnal for a fully traditional Catholic sacred music program, in parishes, schools, or religious houses. Designed primarily with TLM communities in mind, here are some highlights:

Some good news from Korea: new Una Voce association

Cross-posted from the FIUV website.

The Council of Una Voce International has voted to welcome the 

Liturgical History Study Association (LHSA, Korea)

as a member of the Federation.

We have been in touch with a founders of this association for some years, and are delighted that they have taken the step to establish a formal association and to apply for membership of the Federation.

The Traditional Mass celebrated in Korea

Korea takes its place among a good number of associations in south east Asia: China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, and the Philippines. These are all nations with a rich Catholic heritage, going back to the 16th century, and with their own saints and martyrs who were formed in the Traditional Mass.

The primacy of Mary as Immaculate Conception - By Fr Serafino M. Lanzetta

 (Reposted, for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Sunday, December 8, 2024.)

In omnibus Ipsa primatum tenens

The primacy of Mary as Immaculate Conception

By Fr Serafino M. Lanzetta

Christ is first

New issue of Gregorius Magnus, Una Voce International's magazine

Download the pdf here High-definition version for printing here. Read it online in ISSUU (optimised for mobile devices)

In this issue we commemorate Michael Davies, 20 years after his death; the petitions in favour of the Traditional Mass of 2024; plus news, comment, and features from Australia, Nigeria, France, and around the world.

French Bishops’ Paper: The Vatican Considering forbidding Traditional Masses inside Cathedrals for the 2025 Chartres Pilgrimage

 

The semi-official daily newspaper of the French bishops, La Croix, had news on this startling development yesterday: the greatest Traditional pilgrimage in the world (and largest Catholic pilgrimage in France) under threat.

From our friends at French blog Le Salon Beige:

The Vatican may ban the celebration of the traditional Mass at the Chartres pilgrimage. According to information gathered by La Croix:

The Disintegration of the Priesthood — Guest Essay by Vigilius

The following is the first in a series. We are grateful to Vigilius (the pen name of a German priest-theologian) for sending us the translation. The original appeared in German here.

The Disintegration of the Priesthood

Vigilius

The logic of the revolution

“It is about a new culture in the Catholic Church, which takes seriously that baptism is the most important thing ... With synodality, an element of decisive co-responsibility of all believers is added to the basic hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church as a complement, so to speak - at all levels: from the parish to the dioceses, to the national churches, continental churches and the universal church. This is something new!”[1] Thus spoke Georg Bätzing, Chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference and participant in the Roman Synod.

New Stalls and a New Pulpit for Contemplative Preachers - the Fraternity of St Vincent Ferrer Continues to Grow

The following message and appeal was shared with Rorate by our friends in Chémeré-le-Roi.

New Stalls and a New Pulpit for Contemplative Preachers

Fr Augustin-Marie Aubry, FSVF

Prior of the Fraternity of Saint Vincent Ferrer

(Chémeré-le-Roi, France)

On September 14^th, feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a traditional date for the beginning of the conventual year, we invited all our friends and benefactors for a day at our convent. It was a truly blessed day, marked by a sky as radiant as the countless smiling faces gathered there.

The Call of September 14 

After lunch (prepared by the lay brothers), I shared updates on our community, our projects and apostolates. I concluded with an appeal to embrace the religious life, ending with these words:

“Young men, young women, hear my call and spread it far and wide.

I am seeking generous hearts to spread the light of truth.

I am seeking apostles to go forth find those who are searching.

I await you with open arms!”

This call remains pressing. 

The Reign of Christ - a book on Our Lord Jesus Christ, King

Our friends from Arouca Press have just re-published a masterpiece on the Kingship of Christ:

XIII Books, our new imprint dedicated to the social doctrine of the Church, is proud to release a new edition of Father Joseph Husslein’s masterful book, The Reign of Christ, a magnificent exegesis of Pope Pius XI’s encyclical “On the Feast of Christ the King” (Quas Primas) perfectly timed to celebrate its centennial in 2025.

Cardinal-elect Pablo David wants to rehabilitate Judas — and share the Eucharist with everyone, no matter what

At the ordination of the new Bishop of Cubao, Cardinal-elect Pablo David—scheduled to receive the red hat in just a few days, on December 7—was the homilist. The homily implied that the Holy Eucharist should be given to anyone, even to grave sinners, and that Jesus gave the Eucharist to Judas as a sign of forgiveness. He posted this homily online, where it quickly attracted “likes” and shares. Here are the relevant excerpts:

A SERMON for the First Sunday in Advent - by Fr. Richard Cipolla: “He will strengthen you to the end.”

First Sunday in Advent

December 1, 2024

Fr. Richard G. Cipolla

I knew that morning that I had forgotten something important. I had the idea that I misplaced something.  I checked my phone, my ipad, no they were there, I who insisted that I would never have these devices now wedded to them as if they contained my life.  My car keys, house keys, all there.  But there was this stubborn thought, this feeling that I had misplaced something important.  If I could remember what it was I needed to remember I could look for it.  But I have done this before: I have gone to the pantry to get something to add to what I was cooking and then forgot what it was I had to get.  But it always came back.  

Following "The Liturgical Year" with Dom Prosper Guéranger: AD TE LEVAVI

Dom Guéranger and the Abbey of Solesmes will be our guides to this Advent: the Lord is near.

The words below are from his masterpiece, L'année liturgique:

***

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

This Sunday, the first of the ecclesiastical year, is called, in the chronicles and charts of the middle ages, Ad te levavi Sunday, from the first words of the Introit; or, Aspiciens a longe, from the first words of one of the responsories of Matins.

The "Mayan Rite" and Papal Progressivism - by Abp. Héctor Agüer

 Abp. Héctor Agüer

Emeritus of La Plata

Buenos Aires, November 27, 2024

        The Liturgy represents the intimate life of the Church, its essence: the worship of the Triune God, in which the First Commandment is fulfilled; the reproduction of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ; the communication of the Grace of the Holy Spirit in the celebration of the Sacraments. 

        The Liturgy is carried out according to various Eastern and Western rites. The Roman Rite includes the Ordo of the Latin Mass, which originated around the 6th century and has never been abrogated. In 1970, Pope Paul VI sanctioned a new Ordo Missae, which is exercised with alterations here and there, and which lacks solemnity and beauty. For this reason, many young people adhere to the Tradition of the “Traditional Mass,” where it is not arbitrarily forbidden. The letter of that Traditional Mass has the accuracy of ecclesiastical Latin.

Wall Street Journal: Why Christmas music starts so early

My thanks to the Wall Street Journal, which published my op-ed on Christmas music.

Some excerpts:

Radio Has the Christmas Season All Mixed Up

The lyrics of holiday pop songs tend be anticipatory rather than celebratory, which is why stations pull them on Dec. 26

By Kenneth J. Wolfe, Wall Street Journal, November 25, 2024

The Christmas season gets going earlier and earlier in the U.S., often before Thanksgiving. Artificial pine trees and colorful string lights start popping up at the beginning of November.

“SSPX Episcopal Consecrations – Ignoring the Past” – Guest article by Joseph Bevan

SSPX Episcopal Consecrations – Ignoring the Past

“We do not want to separate ourselves from Rome, we belong to the Church” - Interview with Fr Pfluger SSPX on new episcopal consecrations

The following excerpt is translated from InfoCatolica; the original in Spanish, published on November 22, 2024, may be found here.

Fr Stefan Pfluger, SSPX

The FSSPX will in the future negotiate with Rome for authorization to ordain new bishops

Fr. Stefan Pfluger, superior of the German district of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X (FSSPX), gave an interview to the Catholic weekly Die Tagespost on the relationship of his fraternity with the Apostolic See. After the death of Bishop Tissier de Mallerais, the need to ordain more bishops may arise, something for which they will negotiate with Rome.