You suggest: Young adult traditional movement group and Rorate Mass in Nebraska

A note, below, from the founders of the group:

New year, old calendar

It's that time of year, when a novus Ordo we actually like is issued.

Much of the world is already celebrating a secularized version of Christmas. As the lights and trees go up, it is a good time to emphasize some key dates concerning the new liturgical season.

Advent begins on Sunday, 3 December, this year (technically beginning with first vespers on 2 December).

The feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 8 December, falls on a Friday this year, meaning one may eat meat that day following the centuries-old discipline where abstinence is waived on days of precept.  The winter ember days are 20 December, 22 December and 23 December.

Christmas Eve, 24 December, falls on a Sunday this year instead of the Fourth Sunday of Advent (this differs from the novus ordo), the first time that will happen since Summorum Pontificum.  The Vigil of Christmas TLM, celebrated in violet, will be new to a lot of communicants. The traditional discipline of fasting and abstinence on Christmas Eve does not apply this year due to the vigil falling on a Sunday, although many dinner menus will probably still go with the customary seven fishes.

Wonderful: Fraternity of St. Peter at the PBS Newshour

Wonderful report on the FSSP, their Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, and their new CD -- broadcast yesterday evening at the flagship news program of American public television network PBS:

Guest Op-Ed: Praying to the Saints in the Confiteor

By Veronica A. Arntz

The Great Cloud of Witnesses:

Praying to the Saints in the Confiteor

In the older form of the Confiteor, which is prayed three times in the 1962 liturgy, specific saints are invoked: the Blessed Mother, St. Michael the Archangel, St. John the Baptist, St. Peter, St. Paul, and then all the Saints. While the listing of these saints in the Confiteor was not retained in the liturgical changes after the Second Vatican Council, this ancient tradition is vital for the spiritual growth of the members of the Body of Christ, for a number of reasons. Indeed, praying for the intercession of the saints while we are on our journey toward the heavenly patria is essential for our sanctification, for these individuals have come before us and are now worshipping before the heavenly throne of God.

The Confiteor is the prayer that asks the Lord to pardon of us of our sins. We admit that we have sinned against our Lord, and we recognize that we are in need of His mercy, of which we are certainly not deserving. How fitting, then, for us to pray to the saints when asking for the Lord’s mercy. Indeed, the Psalms of David reveal a saint who prayed to the Lord for mercy, because he was aware of his deep and profound sinfulness: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your merciful love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1).

Cardinal Müller: They want me to head a group against the Pope, but I’m staying with the Pope. However, those who are complaining should be heard

Excerpts from an interview conducted by Massimo Franco of Corriere della Sera:

Chiesa e Post Concilio

November 25, 2017

“There  is a front of traditionalist groups, just as there is with the progressivists, that would like to see me as head of a movement against the Pope. But I will never do this. I have served the Church with love for 40 years as a priest, 16 years as a university professor of dogmatic theology and 10 years as a diocesan bishop. I believe in the unity of the Church and I will not allow anyone to exploit my negative experiences of recent months.  Church authorities, on the other hand, need to listen to those who have serious questions or justified complaints; not ignoring them, or worse, humiliating them. Otherwise, unwittingly, the risk of a slow separation that might lead to a schism may increase, from a disorientated and disillusioned part of the Catholic world.  The history of Martin Luther’s Protestant Schism of 500 years ago, should teach us, above all, what errors to avoid.”

Help a former Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate -- and sanctify your family

As we did last year when he was setting up his new hermitage, we once again ask our readers to help a priest formerly of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (FFI), who is now living as a hermit in the Diocese of Harrisburg. 

We here at Rorate chronicled the brutal treatment of these priests -- and the utter destruction of their order -- under the current pontificate for the last few years. So those of you who have read this blog for a while know what they've gone through. This good priest's request is a win-win for him, his new mission and you. By helping him you are helping sanctify your family and/or other families you enroll. What a great Christmas present this would make for your family or a family you care about! Deadline to enroll is December 17.

CLICK HERE TO HELP THIS HERMIT PRIEST NOW

Bishop Ronald Gainer, Fr. Maximilian Mary (black habit), witnesses and servers after Father’s 1st profession as a hermit in the Diocese of Harrisburg on Sept. 12th, 2017.

Good news from La Crosse, Wisconsin: Pontifical Mass with Cardinal Burke — and the Start of a Sunday Latin Mass

We always like good news! From our friends in the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin:

* Cardinal Burke will be celebrating his second Pontifical High Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 10. See the image below for more information.

* The city of La Crosse is gaining a weekly Sunday Latin Mass. It will be at 11:00 AM at St. James the Less Catholic Church. The first Mass will be on December 3, the First Sunday of Advent. Masses will be Missae Cantatae.

Church history and Catholic Social Doctrine on Soundcloud

Dr. John Rao (Photo: The Remnant)

There is a great deal of good Catholic audio to be found on the internet nowadays. We want to alert our readers to things in particular.

First, our friends at the Roman Forum have put a large number of lectures on Church History by John Rao up on Soundcloud. Included are the completed lectures of the current year (2016-2017), which is about the years 1794-1846, and all the lectures of last year (2015-2016), which was about the years 1748-1794. We encourage our readers to take a break from current events, and recall the Church’s struggles in previous centuries. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were periods in the Church’s life with many parallels to our own. The temptation to water down the faith, and try to make it palatable to modernity can be found then as now. And Rao masterfully shows how all attempts do so were counter-productive and disastrous, whereas attempts to recover the fullness of the Church's Tradition bore great fruit.

Venice 31 October 2017: What goes around comes around!

Note: We missed this one on the official day -- but better late than never. What goes around comes around!

Last October 31st on the five hundredth anniversary of the Protestant Revolt, some unidentified person/people stuck a copy of Pope Leo X’s Bull Decet Romanum Ponteficem, excommunicating Martin Luther, on the main door of the Chiesa Evangelica Alemanna in Venice.

St. Catherine of Alexandria — broken on the Consilium's wheel

As one who has spent many years of my life studying and teaching philosophy, I have always felt a special devotion to St. Catherine of Alexandria -- or at least, ever since I first learned of her existence and patronage.

The Friday after Thanksgiving Day indult

 

A friendly and tasty annual reminder that there is a strong argument to be made that there is no required abstinence from meat this Friday for our American readers.

While always a topic of great discussion, it is widely known by those alive in the 1950s, that Venerable Pope Pius XII granted Americans a dispensation from their Friday abstinence, so that they could enjoy turkey the Friday after Thanksgiving.

A personal letter to the readers of Rorate Caeli on the Feast of Saint Cecilia

A Personal Letter to the Readers of Rorate Caeli on the Feast of Saint Cecilia

Fr Richard G. Cipolla

I am writing this as a personal letter to the readers of Rorate Caeli for a special reason, which I will address in the third paragraph below. Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr.  We know little about her life and even her martyrdom in the third century from contemporary sources.  But we know the strong and early devotion of Christians to this young woman, and the basilica raised in honor of Saint Cecilia by Pope Urban I in the third century in Rome.  Many of the popular stories about her come from the Acta of her life written much later, probably in the sixth century.  Scholars seem to say that the details of her life and martyrdom as depicted in this work may have little real historical detail. We’ll leave that for the experts in hagiography to work out.  No experts are needed to tell us that the antiphons at Lauds and Vespers come from the Acta, and they are beautiful indeed.

Another Collect Bites the Dust

Traditional Catholics who attend Mass or recite the Office today for the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary will pray this beautiful Collect:

For the record: Fr. Minutella threatened with "double excommunication"

There's no point in even comparing the good Don Minutella with every wretched heretical priest -- even some speaking on behalf of the Vatican -- who bring countless souls to Hell through their preaching and television appearances. Not only do these priests not not face excommunication, but are widely praised, and are empowered by Pope Francis himself. But the names are too endless to even start comparing. So we simply bring you this sad video, dubbed over in English. Welcome to the Church of Francis:

FIUV Position Paper: The EF and the New Age

Ceiling painting from the Church of St Nicholas, Gardone
Riviera, Italy

Today I am publishing, after a bit of a break, another in the series of Position Papers which have been produced by the FIUV (Una Voce International). This one addresses the challenge to the Church of the New Age movement, and the role the Traditional Mass could have in meeting that challenge.

Relevant to this is the review I wrote on this blog of Roger Buck Cor Iesu Sacratissimum, on his journey from the New Age to Catholic Tradition, here.

I have written some further reflections on the paper on my own blog here.

Download the pdf here.

See all the papers in the series here.

Newly published Reader in Catholic Social Teaching emphasizes traditional doctrine [UPDATED]

I am glad to announce the publication of a book that may, with truth, be said to have been under development for over 20 years. This collection has three points of origin. First, there was my exposure as a student at Thomas Aquinas College to the powerful anti-liberal encyclicals of Pope Leo XIII (not, mind you, as part of the regular curriculum, but due to an extracurricular reading group run by traditionally-minded Catholics). This awakened my mind to the perspective of the Syllabus of Errors, the gauntlet thrown down to the supposed triumph of enlightened modernity. 

Second, when I began to teach at the International Theological Institute in Gaming, Austria (now in Trumau), we needed a Catholic Social Teaching course, and in keeping with our “Great Books” approach, decided to make the course consist entirely of magisterial documents. That gave birth to the first draft of the book announced below. 

Third, when Wyoming Catholic College opened its doors in 2007, there was agreement that we should require of the students at least one semester of moral theology and social doctrine. Using materials from ITI, WCC created a course that begins with the foundations of moral theology, moves to marriage and family, and ends with political, economic, and cultural issues. The readings for this course, duly edited, arranged, and introduced, have become A Reader in Catholic Social Teaching.

Bishop Li, semper fidelis, dies at 97

Bishop Li in 2013

Bishop Luke Li Jingfeng of Fenghsiang, an 'underground' bishop consectrated secretly, died this morning (11:20pm GMT) at 97. Please pray for him.

Bp. Li was a pillar of traditionalism, as well as of true fidelity to the See, in the Chinese speaking Church. 

In his nineties he translated the 1962 missal into Chinese, to aid Chinese speaking clergy in the understanding of the prayers. This massive project will continue to be of great significance for Chinese Catholics far into the future.

On a more personal level, he and some of the priests in his diocese gave the old Mass movement much support.

The Novus Ordo Missae was not introduced into China until the 1980s, so there remains a generation of priests who were taught the the ancient Mass in seminary. See the FIUV Position Paper on the Extraordinary Form and China.

De Mattei: Friendly Criticism of Rocco Buttiglione’s Theses

Roberto de Mattei

Corrispondenza Romana

November 15, 2017

I have known Rocco Buttiglione for more than forty years. Both of us were assistants to Professor Augusto Del Noce (1910-1989) at the Faculty of Political Science at La Sapienza University in Rome, but since then our positions have diverged, mainly regarding our judgment on modernity. Buttiglione believed that the historical process inaugurated by the French Revolution was compatible  with Christianity, but I believed it incompatible.  Despite these differences, I appreciated Buttiglione’s work as Minster of National Cultural Heritage in Berlusconi’s government (2005-2006) and expressed my solidarity with him in 2004 when he didn’t attain the nomination as European Commissioner as a result of having called homosexuality “a sin”.  I refer to all this in order to show my sincerity in my “friendly criticism” of his theses, just as Buttiglione is truly sincere when he argues with Professor Seifert, his “life-long friend” in his most recent book (Friendly Responses to the Critics of Amoris Laetitia, which included an essay introduction by Cardinal Gerard Ludwig Müller, Ares, Milan 2017, p. 41).

Warning about ordaining married priests -- by a married priest

Once again we hear from the highest circles of power in the Church of the possibility of ordaining married men to the priesthood.  But this time, what is being talked about is not men in “special circumstances” but in general.  I was able and gratuitously blessed to be ordained a Catholic priest while married because of a special Pastoral Provision instituted by Saint John Paul II in 1982 that gave permission for married Episcopal priests who had left the Episcopal Church because of reasons of conscience to be considered for the Catholic priesthood.   For me these reasons for leaving Anglicanism included the ordination of women priests and women bishops and the rapidly accelerating cutting of ties to Christian orthodoxy.  The recent formation of the Anglican Ordinariate is the result of a similar situation where Anglican priests who want to be in full Communion with the Catholic Church are given this special privilege and grace.

Archbishop Naumann beats Cardinal Cupich

Surprising liberals and the social justice wing of the American Church at today's U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops general assembly, Archbishop Joseph Naumann beat Cardinal Blase Cupich in an election for the chairmanship of the committee on pro-life activities.

FSSP Saint Francis Xavier Mission Trip now open for registration

Mission Tradition of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) is pleased to announce that registrations are now open for two different programs this summer.

The Saint Francis Xavier Mission Trip is now in its 6th year. This year there will be trips to Mexico, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. These mission trips give young people and families the chance to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and be enriched by daily Traditional Mass by FSSP chaplains. Please visit our new site website (here) and view the promotional video (here).

De Mattei: Pope Francis and his “Lutheran turning point”

Roberto de Mattei

Corrispondenza Romana

November 8, 2017

100 years later, the Lessons of the October Revolution

In the post-Christian West, this is seen over and over again: in the end of the 20th century, and first decades of the new one, the same mistake that paved the way in the mighty Russian Empire in the end of the 19th century, and first decades of the new one: a rejection of good CONSERVATISM, a "slavery to Progressive quirks."

Hill of Crosses, Šiauliai, Lithuania 

Dostoevsky's DEVILS - apparently a provincial nightmare fantasy of the last century - are crawling across the whole world in front of our very eyes, infesting countries where they could not have been dreamed of; and by means of the hijackings, kidnappings, explosions and fires of recent years they are announcing their determination to shake and destroy civilization! And they may well succeed.

The young, at an age when they have not yet any experience other than sexual, when they do not yet have years of personal suffering and personal understanding behind them, are jubilantly repeating our depraved Russian blunders of the Nineteenth Century, under the impression that they are discovering something new. They acclaim the latest wretched degradation on the part of the Chinese Red Guards as a joyous example. In shallow lack of understanding of the age-old essence of mankind, in the naive confidence of inexperienced hearts they cry: let us drive away THOSE cruel, greedy oppressors, governments, and the new ones (we!), having laid aside grenades and rifles, will be just and understanding.

IL FOGLIO: A prayer to St. Charles Borromeo - bless the artists who stand firm where priests are giving in

Camillo Langone

   Il Foglio

November 4, 2017

St. Pius V and St. Charles Borromeo defending Catholicism against Islam and the Protestant Heresy

By Giovanni Gasparro

St. Charles Borromeo, flagellator of Protestants, I entreat you on this your feast day, concerning the infatuation many priests have for Martin Luther, witnessed recently in Milanese exhibitions and Vatican stamps. Yet, where priests are surrendering, painters are resisting. In Imola, Sergio Padovani at present is exhibiting a portrait fittingly entitled "Martin Luther, the Heretic" while in Aldefia Giovanni Gasparro is busy putting the final brushstrokes to his work of the following sensational title: "St Pius V and St. Charles Borromeo defending Catholicism against Islam and the Protestant Heresy." Commissioned, naturally, not by an ecclesiastic, but a member of the laity. He who was called “a blind heresiarch” by St. John Bosco and by St. Peter Canisio  “an impious blasphemer” is depicted alongside a pig and with swinish eyes: inclined to evil, to guzzling and nuns, [in fact] his contemporaries used to call him Porcus Saxioniae.

Event: SSPX reconciliation of the stunning St. Willibrord Church in the Netherlands

On Sunday, November 12th, His Excellency Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X, will perform the reconciliation of the St. Willibrord church in Utrecht, the Netherlands. A Pontifical Mass will be celebrated afterwards. A reconciliation is the ritual restoration of the dedication of an unholy church. The public is invited and a reception will follow.

Program:

10:30 a.m. Reconciliation and Pontifical Mass

1:30 p.m. Reception

6.00 p.m. Adoration with Rosary

Address of the church: Minrebroederstraat 21, Utrecht, the Netherlands

Reception Address: Restaurant Zindering (City Theater), Lucasbolwerk 24

Utrecht, the Netherlands (max 10 minutes on foot from the church)

For the record: San Antonio archdiocesan firearms policy

The archbishop of San Antonio, Texas -- Gustavo Garcia-Siller -- issued a statement following yesterday's massacre in a Protestant church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, saying: "These Baptist brethren are our family, friends and neighbors who live among us in the archdiocese; just minutes away from our Wilson County parishes of Sacred Heart in Floresville, St. Ann in La Vernia, and St. Mary in Stockdale."

Yet, if the mass shooting had indeed been at a nearby Catholic parish, we are sad to say law-abiding citizens would be forced to merely watch the massacre, despite anyone in the pews having a state-issued license to carry a firearm. Although firearms can be carried in a church in Texas with a license, the church owner has the right to object.

Sign on door of Saint John Neumann church in San Antonio

From the 1 February 2016 memo to all pastors in the Archdiocese of San Antonio:

Update from the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles

Below is a nice update of the construction progress for the new church for the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. These great sisters have a special place in our hearts. St. Joseph is keeping up his end of the deal -- now they need your help as well! 

CLICK HERE TO HELP NOW

Communion handling: the gravest problem

Inspired by recent debates on the matter, we repost this 2011 item.

***

Translation problems? Mass celebrated towards the people? Altar girls? Postures?

No, the greatest and gravest problem of the liturgy of the Latin Church - that is, of the "Ordinary form", or Mass of Paul VI - is one that transcends all this, even it is related to all of them: it is the way the Body of Christ is treated.

All Souls' Day and First Week in November: Plenary indulgence reminder and the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society

Last month, we added two good priests to the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society, and now have 85 saying monthly and weekly traditional Latin Masses for the Souls.

Also, please, we beg you, don't forget the poor Souls on All Souls Day tomorrow (Thursday). Besides getting Masses said for them, as we do here, the best way you can help them tomorrow is this: Plenary Indulgence for each day of the First Full Week in November.

But remember:

• * Make a sacramental confession within a week of All Souls Day

• * For a plenary indulgence be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin (otherwise, the indulgence is partial, not plenary, “full”).

Priests: The Souls still need more of you saying Mass for them! Please email me to offer your services. There's nothing special involved -- all you need to do is offer a weekly or monthly TLM with the intention: "For the Souls enrolled in the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society."


How to enroll souls: please email me at athanasiuscatholic@yahoo.com and submit as follows: "Name, State, Country." If you want to enroll entire families, simply write in the email: "The Jones family, Ohio, USA". Individual names are preferred. Be greedy -- send in as many as you wish and forward this posting to friends as well.

Interview with Dr. Kwasniewski about Discovering the Old Mass, Progressive Liturgists, Common Objections, Ad Orientem, Optionitis, Antiquarianism, and More

The Croatian Catholic page Bitno.net has just published a substantial interview with our fellow contributor Dr. Peter Kwasniewski. The interview was recorded in Norcia (Nursia, Umbria, Italy) this past July, then transcribed and translated into Croatian by the journalist (which explains the conversational tone at times). His story is that of so many of us: how discovering the Traditional Mass changed his life forever, and how it all evolved from there.

The English transcript was offered to Rorate Caeli for publication. The photos are as they appear at the Croatian site.

Interview

Before we get into our questions today, Dr. Kwasniewski, tell our readers about yourself. Where did you study and where do you teach?

ICR Sister Adorers come to England

Socci: Luther and Melanchthon at the foot of the Cross

Antonio Socci:“The Vatican in a complete mess with its celebration of Luther the Heretic in the place of Our Lady.  Never-ending shame in the dark age of Bergoglio.”

November 1, 2017

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own”. (John 19,25-27).

This is one of the most fundamental moments in the Life of Jesus, the very apex of His redeeming mission. Mary is there and right next to Her is John. From that moment on Mary is the Mother of all those who are to come into the Church: Mater Ecclesiæ, as Paul VI called Her at the closure of the Second Vatican Council.

De Mattei - Increasing confusion: Cardinal Müller and Professor Buttiglione

Roberto de Mattei

Corrispondenza Romana

November 2, 2017

Professor Rocco Buttiglione has been fighting for months against the critics of Amoris Laetitia in an attempt to justify the contents of Pope Francis’ Post-Synod Exhortation. Now he has gathered his articles in a book entitled: Friendly Answers to the Critics of Amoris laetitia, published by Ares, with a preface unexpectedly written by Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller.  

Andrea Tornielli reports in Vaticaninsider a large extract of this introduction which adds to the present reigning confusion. The former Prefect of the Congregation for the Faith, unlike Prof. Buttiglione, has always manifested a certain sympathy for the four “dubia” cardinals, but retains that to “neutralize” Amoris laetitia it would be better to interpret it in continuity with the teaching of the Church, rather than criticize it openly.

To explain the apparent contradiction between Amoris laetitia and the definite dogma of the Church on the Sacraments of Matrimony, Penance and the Eucharist, the Cardinal makes Rocco Buttiglione’s thesis the basis of his own, which is summed up in these two lines: “That which is in question is an objective situation of sin, which, because of attenuating circumstances, is not imputed subjectively”.

USCCB official challenges Francis, fired immediately -- U.S. bishops prove his point

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is a house more divided than one could possibly imagine. The pro-life office on the second floor may as well be in the catacombs. Employees from throughout the USCCB proudly display their Obama for President and other pro-abortion politician bumper stickers in the parking lot. The international justice and peace branch sets the tone for the building, aligned with the far-left wing of the Church. This month's big issue is the annual collection for the Campaign for Human Development.

Although some offices within the USCCB have miraculously been staffed in recent years with right-leaning clergy and laymen (the USCCB's government relations director position is currently open to applicants...) leadership will always side with the center-left in the organization.

Father Thomas G. Weinandy, O.F.M. Cap., was the executive director of the USCCB's Committee on Doctrine from 2005 until 2013. Since then, the theologian has been a consultant to that office. Awarded the Pro Pontifice et Ecclesiae medal by Pope Benedict XVI, and appointed a member of the Vatican's International Theological Commission, Father Weinandy is arguably one of the most respected theologians in the United States.

But he dared to challenge Pope Francis, resulting in his forced resignation from the USCCB the same day his concerns were made public.

Sermon for All Souls' Day, 2017 - "The Catholic religion is the one the takes death most seriously." - by Father Cipolla

OMNIUM FIDELIUM DEFUNCTORUM

Fr. Richard Cipolla

St. Mary's

Norwalk, Connecticut

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life everlasting, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:55)

What we come here to do this evening used to be normal, something that many people did, in another time.  We come to celebrate the third Mass of All Souls Day in Solemn form, to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the faithful departed, for those we have loved and see no more, for those who have died, for those who in our faith and in their faith make sense of what we do here in this church this evening.  And yet, and yet, to offer a Requiem Mass, to come together in this church as an annual event that is on the Church calendar and therefore we presume that something happens here and that this is truly an event. But those who come here to this Mass do so as a distinct minority in this present age in the Church and in the world.  For those who come here take death seriously, take Kafka’s words: “he died like a dog” seriously as a real alternative to what we believe as Catholics.

Celebrating 500 years of the Lutheran Heresy, Italian Catholic Churchmen and Lutherans sign agreement towards fake unity

NOTE: Dear Readers, in all my years of translating religious documents for Rorate Caeli, I have never translated one so devoid of any real content, so forgive me if it’s not a “good” read -- superficiality is not easy to translate. F.R.

To be reconciled in order to proclaim the Gospel

Declaration of the Italian Episcopal Conference and the Italian Lutheran Evangelical Church for the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation [sic, Revolt]

“Rather than past conflicts, the divine gift of unity among us will guide collaboration and deepen our solidarity. Closely united in our faith in Christ, praying together, listening to one another, experiencing the love of Christ in our relationships, we, Catholics and Lutherans, are open to the power of the One Triune God. Rooted in Christ and rendering witness to Him, we renew our determination to be faithful heralds of the infinite love of God for all of mankind” (Joint Declaration on occasion of the Catholic-Lutheran  Commemoration of the Reformation, Lund, October 31, 2016).  These words have guided the path of reconciliation and sharing which has involved Catholics and Lutherans in many places throughout this year,  [so as]to experience  a mutual commemoration of the 500^th anniversary of  the commencement of the Reformation, along the lines indicated in the document: From Conflict to Communion of the Lutheran-Catholic Commission for Unity.

There have been numerous initiatives in Italy, at various levels, in which Christians have taken part in commemorating the Reformation of the XVI century, in a spirit which, even if it cannot be considered a novelty in the light of steps made over the past few decades, it has surely opened up a new season on the path to constructing a visible unity of the Church through which the scandal of divisions can be brought to an end.