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 ?
Little Jesus, Wast Thou Shy?
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
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
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
By Fr Serafino M. Lanzetta
Christ is first
New issue of Gregorius Magnus, Una Voce International's magazine
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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
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 14th, 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
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.
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