That time again

As has become the custom at Rorate Cæli, I am asking everyone to observe the anniversary of Summorum Pontificum by looking in at WikkiMissa to see if the information for the traditional Masses offered in your area is complete and up to date. WikkiMissa is the French-based, multi-lingual directory of traditional Masses worldwide. It is a godsend to those who are stumbling into tradition and are looking for a Mass in their vicinity as well as for travelers who are always in search of Masses in various destinations.

A perusal of Peter Karl T. Perkins report from last Friday will show that there has been some impressive growth in certain countries recently. Obviously we cannot depend on diocesan officials to publicize times and places for traditional Masses, so it is up to each of us to make sure that this information is available and accurate. Please take a few moments to look at the entries for any Masses that you attend. Verify that the times and locations are current and remember that telephone numbers are very important to people who attend Mass in distant places.

A day with Cardinal Danneels

All information on a new roller-coaster day for Cardinal Danneels available at Catholic Church Conservation, as the former Archbishop of Mechlin-Brussels was questioned by authorities for ten hours:

• What is the situation of Danneels in criminal law?
• De Duivel in de Kerk | The Devil in the Church
• Statement from the spokesman for the Belgian Church
• Horrific serial infanticide files found in home of Cardinal Danneels. Disturbing pictures of the Dutroux file, intended only for Judicial authorities, discovered in the residence of the Archbishop of Mechlin

No communion on the hand in the Traditional Mass

From the Vatican, June 21, 2010

Dear Mr. [_____]

In reference to your letter of June 15, this Pontifical Commission would like to point out that the celebration of Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form envisages the reception of Holy Communion while kneeling, as the Sacred Host is laid directly on the tongue of the communicant. There is no provision for the distribution of Holy Communion on the hand in this Form of the Holy Mass.

With blessings,

From the Secretariat of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei"

[Source: Kreuz.net. Tip: Reader. Also via Angelqueen, via Brian Kopp.]

[Is the letter genuine? Apparently so, according to the SSPX German District - see here]

"With the blessing of the Cardinal"....

...really, words cannot describe this Pseudo-American-Confederate-folk-celebration-messe in the Archdiocese of Vienna, „mit dem Segen des Kardinals“.

Tip: Chris Gillibrand.

(UPDATE: The video has been removed, but photos of the event can still be found here. CAP.)

Now official

"Accepting the invitation of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, and of the Bishops' Conferences of England and Wales, and of Scotland, His Holiness Benedict XVI will make an apostolic trip to the United Kingdom from 16 to 19 September.

"In the course of his trip, the Holy Father will visit Her Majesty the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and preside at the celebration of the Eucharist in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. In London he will meet representatives from the worlds of politics, culture and business in Westminster Hall, participate at an ecumenical celebration in Westminster Abbey, and preside at a celebration of the Eucharist in Westminster Cathedral and at a prayer vigil in Hyde Park. Finally, he will preside at the celebration of the rite of beatification of Venerable Cardinal John Henry Newman at Cofton Park, Birmingham". [Vatican Information Service]

Amato to Religious ?

The admirable Spanish blogger Francisco José Fernández de la Cigoña mentioned last Friday that rumors on the nomination of Archbishop Angelo Amato, S.D.B., 72, current Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and former Secretary of Cardinal Ratzinger at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as new Prefect of Religious ("Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life") are rampant in Rome. He would replace Cardinal Rodé, 75.

Congratulations

Congratulations to all new Priests dedicated to the Traditional Mass who were ordained in the past few days in several places on both sides of the Atlantic!

All are welcome to post links to pictures and documents related to the June and July ordinations in the comment box.

[In the image, priestly ordination in Florence, on July 1.]

Instructions from the holey office

We had reported that the Prefect of Divine Worship, Cardinal Cañizares Llovera, would "visit the main church of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, the Parish Church of Saint-Eloi (Bordeaux), on July 10," 2010, where he would "take part in the ordination of a new priest, a new deacon, and a sub-deacon."

According to Le Salon Beige, the ordinations will now be celebrated by the Archbishop Emeritus of Potenza, Abp. Appignanesi, because

"His Eminence, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, who should come, has received instructions from the Secretariat of State not to come to Bordeaux".

Argentinian Sistersin the quarterfinals of the Heresy World Cup

As some Bishops of Argentina fight, very weakly and almost imperceptibly, against the approval by the national Senate of the bill altering that nation's Civil Code in order to redefine marriage as a union between two persons (including two persons of the same sex), some nuns make their opinion known by way of a declaration of an "Ecumenical" group.

The declaration was published last week in the largest "Progressive" daily in Argentina, Página/12 [tip: reader]. Do you think the sisters will be punished for the dissent? Will the Argentine Episcopal Conference treat them as they have been treating the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX) and all lay faithful who love the Traditional Mass for the past 40 years?

Declaration

by Espacio Ecuménico*

1. We lament the manipulation imposed by a certain religious hierarchy on the people of God, quoting biblical passages that do not correspond to the true meaning and source of the same. We view in these practices the intention of safeguarding a mode of being Church and of living Christianity, the desire to maintain cultural and religious power over the entire society, without recognizing or valuing its diversity.

2.The State must guard the enjoyment and fulfillment of all human rights of people, regardless of their beliefs. In this sense, it is unsustainable that some religious confessions wish to impose their doctrine and beliefs to the whole of Argentine society. The reform of the Civil Code in order to allow access to matrimony of persons of the same sex does not, in any way, put "in danger or risk" the heterosexual family, as it is said, and much less does it interfere in internal matters of the churches regarding the administration of their sacraments. On the other hand, the natural sciences accept homosexuality as something normal and not pathological. The discrimination is not related to any scientific fact. What is intended, thus, is the end of an unjust and discriminatory situation for the matrimony of persons of the same sex, based on the equality possessed by all persons before the law and the rights guaranteed by international system of human rights. Other than that, it is not too much to recall that a legal modification does not automatically assure the end of discrimination or exclusion. We have many signs of this: the letter of the law and the application of the law have often been parallel lines, with no possibility of mutually meeting... There will be much more work to be done after the decision of Congress.

3. We join the different pronouncements made by Christian groups, pastors, priests, and religious (wo)men who raise other voices within the churches, in favor of inclusion, of non-discrimination, of respect and appraisal of diversity, convinced that the God in whom we believe, our father-mother, loves all his sons and daughters.

4. In faithfulness to our options as an ecumenical group, we do not wish to avoid mentioning that the right to marriage is part of a set of rights which are also systematically denied to the homosexual community, as they are to so many poorer brothers(sisters). In this sense, our closeness to the realities of exclusion and marginalization and our commitment to the impoverished people demands us to keep denouncing the persistent inequality and discrimination that exist regarding fundamental human rights, such as healthcare, education, housing, and work. We consider it urgent and necessary to advocate with the same strength for the effective fulfillment of these rights.

5. Lastly, we call Christian communities to discern about these matters according to the Spirit of Jesus and the Signs of the Times. And to pronounce themselves and struggle in favor of the fullfillment of human rights, leaving aside darkness and fearful methods which are proper of the power structures that were and are related to systems of domination, control, and submission of persons, communities, and entire peoples. May the Spirit, "which blows wherever it pleases", press upon all Christian men and women the necessary humility to listen and learn from all the rich manifestations of human diversity, an expression of the fecundity of God. We believe that this will be the way to contribute a voice in tune with the sentiments of Jesus.

Espacio Ecuménico [Ecumenical Space] is composed by the Argentine Conference of Religious Men and Women (Confar) [Catholic], the Ecumenical Movement for Human Rights (MEDH); Justice, Peace, and Integrity for Creation (Jupic); the Argentine Methodist Evangelical Church (IEMA), Diálogo 2000; Political area-Holy Cross Parish [Catholic]; Rajab Theological Community; The Blue Sisters [Catholic - Sisters of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Castres]; Sisters of the Divine Master [Catholic]; Guadalupe-Endepa Association; Sisters of the Holy Union [Catholic]; Dominican Sisters [Catholic]

NOTE: the bill is being discussed in the Senate, and there does not seem to be a majority in favor of it; the President and her government are keeping the Upper Chamber under great pressure in order that the measure be passed [La Nación, Friday edition]. Panorama Católico Internacional also links to a speech by a priest from the most "Progressive" diocese in Argentina, Córdoba, openly defending the measure (in Spanish).

Let us join our fellow Catholics in Argentina in prayer to ask the Lord and the Blessed Virgin to stop this abomination from becoming law.

Preparing for the Third Anniversary of Summorum PontificumAn ongoing worldwide reportUPDATED FOR ALL CONTINENTS

Our dear friend and reader Mr. Peter Karl T. Perkins has prepared the following report, which will be updated in the comment box. All readers who wish to add new and up-to-date information are welcome to do so.

[DIOCESAN AND SSPX COMPARISON - UPDATE AT THE END OF POST]

_____________________________

As the doctrinal talks with the S.S.P.X continue, many might wonder what effect a public recognition of Society Masses (and preferably all faculties) might have. It is unlikely that Bishop Fellay can ask for regularisation (even on provisional grounds) owing to firm statements about this in the past. He will not do so until agreements have been reached on doctrine, and the other leaders of the Society would likely not accept a regularisation before this time.

In the past, it is likely that Rome did not recognise the ability of Society Masses to fulfil the Sunday obligation mainly because this might cause the faithful to abandon the New Mass in large numbers. It might have caused great division. So Rome let time pass, during which most faithful came to accept, even if sometimes reluctantly, the New Mass. Then, starting in 1984, by a number of initiatives, Rome gradually ‘let out the rope’ to permit a return of the T.L.M. as an option. The result is that, today, there are far more regularised Latin Masses than there are Society Masses. The rate of growth of the Society has also declined markedly, although it continues to grow quite surely. It is very difficult to estimate the extent to which the growing numbers of approved Masses have taken support away from the S.S.P.X. Approved Masses have been very few in some of the poorer countries but the Society cannot easily afford to offer Masses in such places: the financial costs are great for this.

What we can estimate is the impact a recognition of Society Masses might have if done today, this year. Would this cause a grave crisis? Would there be an enormous exodus from the New Mass to the Society Masses, or even from regularised Traditional Latin Masses to Society Masses? I argue here that the effect of such a recognition would be small in the short term but very important in the longer term. Therefore, it is safe for Benedict XVI to proceed with this, since he will not be Pope when the real effects are felt! The main effect of creating a ‘free-ranging’ S.S.P.X is secondary; It would induce obstructive bishops gradually to allow their priests to offer the T.L.M. without being penalised for doing so (e.g. by transfer to poor parishes or hospice chaplaincies). No bishop wants to have his authority undermined. Therefore, no bishop wants to have a free-ranging supplier of Masses to entire *his* bailiwick and attract people out of *his* Novus Ordo Masses (which are often singalong travesties). Most bishops in Western countries are already allowing a few Traditional Latin Masses. They would quietly encourage a few more to keep the S.S.P.X at bay.

My first point is that Benedict XVI has nothing to fear from liberal bishops if he announces publicly that the Society Masses fulfil the Sunday obligation to assist at Mass. In fact, he could even recognise Society faculties and the response from liberal bishops would be muted and not very effective. The main reason is that regularised Masses are now very common and as widely distributed in most countries as are Society Masses. I invite comment as I provide some statistics for various countries over the coming days. Before turning to specific countries, I here show changes in numbers of dioceses per country having at least one every-Sunday Traditional Latin Mass. These figures are all for regularised Masses, celebrated in full unity with local bishops:

I compare figures for 2005, when this pontificate began, and 2010. In each row I name first the country, then the number of dioceses offering at least one every-Sunday T.L.M. in 2005, then the same figure for 2010. Note the changes:

France: 65, (74 in 2008 & therefore little increase since S.P.), 78.

Italy: 15, (41 in 2008), 52 (more than a trebling since 2005).

Germany: 10, 23 (more than a doubling since 2005).

Spain: 3, 12 (quadrupling since 2005).

Poland: 6, 14 (more than a doubling since 2005).

Portugal: 0, 1.

Austria: 5, 7.

Switzerland: 3, 4.

Belgium: 5, 6.

Netherlands: 1, 3 (important increase but loss of Rotterdam, the one in 2005).

England: 9, 17 (almost a doubling and about to be complete [news coming from Arundel & Brighton]).

Scotland: 2, 3.

Ireland: 4, 6 (like Canada and the Philippines, Ireland is a ‘treading water’ country with ups & downs).

Wales: 0, 1.

Philippines: 5, 5 (there was a substantial increase and then a fall back to 5!)

Australia: 10, 11.

New Zealand: 2, 5 (huge increase: only one more diocese to go!)

U.S.A.: 112, 149 (substantial increase mostly from 2007 to 2009).

Canada: 11, 15 (after a rise to 17 in 2009)

Mexico: 1, 4.

Brazil: 7, 21 (trebling of numbers and not at all comparable to any other country in Latin America)

Argentina: 2, 2 (real obstruction from Bergoglio and company)

Colombia: 1, 2.

Peru: 1, 2.

South Africa: 0, 1.

Gabon: 1, 2 (credit to the I.C.R.)

Nigeria: 1, 1.

Hungary: 1, 3.

Czech Republic: 1, 4 (Olomouc just added this week).

Slovakia: 0, 1.

Ecuador: 0, 1.

Sweden: 0, 1.

_____________________________

TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS REPORTS FOR

EVERY-SUNDAY, REGULARISED & S.S.P.X,

BY CONTINENT, COUNTRY AND SEE, 2005, 2008 & 2010

[EUROPE, AMERICAS, AFRICA, ASIA, OCEANIA]

• A. EUROPE

• 1. BELGIUM (8 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 5 sees
2008 - Regularised: 13 Masses in 6 sees
S.S.P.X: 9 Masses in 5 sees
2010 - 15 Masses in 5 sees
S.S.P.X: 6 Masses in 4 sees

• 2. NETHERLANDS (7 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 1 Mass in 1 see
S.S.P.X: 4 Masses in 3 sees
2010 - Regularised: 5 Masses in 3 sees
S.S.P.X: 2 Masses in 2 sees

• 3. LUXEMBOURG (1 Archdiocese):

2010 - Regularised: 1 Mass in 1 see
S.S.P.X: no presence

• 4. FRANCE (93 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 65 in 78 sees
2008 - Regularised: 85 Masses in 75 sees
S.S.P.X: 214 Masses in 73 sees
2010 - Regularised: 201 Masses in 78 sees
S.S.P.X: 215 Masses in 75 sees

89% of the faithful live in a see having an approved every-Su. T.L.M.
This would rise to 96% if the S.S.P.X Masses were recognised by Rome

• 5. GERMANY (28 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 10 sees
2008 - Regularised: 50 Masses in 22 sees
S.S.P.X: 59 Masses in 22 sees
2010 - Regularised: 54 Masses in 23 sees
S.S.P.X: 64 Masses in 19 sees

• 6. AUSTRIA (9 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 5 sees
2008 - Regularised: 10 Masses in 7 sees
S.S.P.X: 10 Masses in 7 sees
2010 - Regularised: 13 Masses in 7 sees
S.S.P.X: 11 Masses in 7 sees

• 7. SWITZERLAND (6 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 3 sees
2008 - Regularised: 27 Masses in 3 sees
S.S.P.X: 39 Masses in 5 sees
2010 - Reguarlised: 29 Masses in 4 sees
S.S.P.X: 40 Masses in 5 sees

• 8. LIECHTENSTEIN (1 Archdiocese)

2010 - Regularised: 1 Mass in 1 see (same as 2008)
S.S.P.X: No presence (same as 2008)

• 9. ITALY (214 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 15 sees
2008 - Regularised: 67 Masses in 41 sees
S.S.P.X: 11 Masses in 10 sees
2010 - Regularised: 52 sees
S.S.PX: 15 sees

49% of the faithful live in a see having an approved every-Su. T.L.M.;
26%, in one having an every-Su. S.S.P.X Mass.

• 10. SPAIN (69 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 3 sees
2008 - Regularised: 13 Masses in 9 sees
S.S.P.X: 3 Masses in 2 sees
2010 - Regularised: 16 Masses in 11 sees
S.S.P.X: 4 Masses in 2 sees
35% of the Spanish faithful live in a see that has an approved every-Su. T.L.M.

• 11. PORTUGAL (20 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: no presence
S.S.P.X: 2 Masses in 2 sees
2010 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 1 diocese
S.S.P.X: 2 Masses in 1 patriarchal archdiocese

• 12. ENGLAND & WALES (22 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 9 sees
2008 - Regularised: 23 Masses in 14 sees
S.S.P.X: 16 Masses in 12 sees
2010 - Regularised: 38 Masses in 19 sees (1 Mass in Wales)
S.S.P.X.: 18 Masses in 12 sees (none in Wales)

98% of faithful in England & Wales now live in a diocese having an every-Su. T.L.M.

• 13. SCOTLAND (8 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 2 sees
2008 - Regularised: 3 Masses in 3 sees
S.S.P.X: 2 Masses in 2 sees
2010 - Regularised: 3 Masses in 3 sees
S.S.P.X: 3 Masses in 3 sees (the same three, including Aberdeen)

• 14. IRELAND (26 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 4 sees
2008 - Regularised: 4 Masses in 4 sees
S.S.P.X: 6 Masses in 4 sees
2010 - Regularised: 6 or 7 Masses in 6 or 7 sees (status of Tuam uncertain)
S.S.P.X: 6 Masses in 5 sees

• 15. POLAND (40 sees)

2005 - Regularised: 6 sees
2008 - Regularised: 9 Masses in 9 sees
S.S.P.X: 15 Masses in 10 sees
2010 - Regularised: 16 Masses in 12 sees
S.S.P.X: 12 Masses in 10 sees

• 16. CZECH REPUBLIC (8 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 3 Masses in 3 sees
S.S.P.X: 1 Mass in 1 see
2010 - Regularised: 7 Masses in 4 sees
S.S.P.X: none listed every Sunday

• 17. SLOVAKIA (6 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 1 Mass
S.S.P.X: none.
2010 - Regularised: 1 Mass.
S.S.P.X: none.

• 18. HUNGARY (12 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 2 sees
S.S.P.X: none.
2010 - Regularised: 3 Masses in 3 sees
S.S.P.X: none.

• 19. SLOVENIA (6 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 1 Mass.
S.S.P.X: none.
2010 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 1 see
S.S.P.X: none.

• 20. LITHUANIA (8 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 1 Mass
S.S.P.X: none.
2010 - Regularised: 1 Mass
S.S.P.X: 2 Masses in 2 sees

• 21. ESTONIA (1 Apostolic Administration)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 1 A.A.
S.S.P.X: none.
2010 - Unchanged.

• 22. BYELORUSSIA [BELARUS] (4 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: none.
S.S.P.X: none.
2010 - Regularised: 1 Mass.
S.S.P.X: none.

• 23. SWEDEN (1 diocese)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 1 diocese
S.S.P.X: none.
2010 - Unchanged.

• 24. OTHER

Eastern Divine Liturgies are available every Sunday in Malta (Greek Use), Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, the Ukraine (Ukrainian & Ruthenian Uses), Russia, Finland (Hungarian Use), Latvia (perhaps Russian Use), Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia.

• B. NORTH AMERICA

• 1. CANADA

2005 - 11 sees.
2008 - Regularised: 23 Masses in 13 sees
S.S.P.X: 18 Masses in 13 sees
2010 - Regularised: 28 Masses in 14 sees
S.S.P.X: 19 Masses in 14 sees

• 2. U.S.A.

2005 - Regularised: 112 sees
2008 - Regularised: 295 Masses in 137 sees
S.S.P.X: 108 Masses in 64 sees
2010 - Regularised: 358 Masses in 149 sees
S.S.P.X: 116 Masses in 62 dioceses

• 3. MEXICO

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 1 Mass
S.S.P.X: 9 Masses in 6 sees
2010 - Regularised: 11 Masses in 5 sees
S.S.P.X: 11 Masses in 7 sees

• 4. GUATEMALA

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: no presence
S.S.P.X: 1 Mass
2010 - Unchanged.

• 5. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

2005-
2008 - Regularised: no presence
S.S.P.X: 3 Masses in 2 sees
2010 - Regularised: no presence
S.S.P.X: 2 Masses in 2 sees

• C. SOUTH AMERICA

• 1. BRAZIL (260 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 34 Masses in 16 sees
S.S.P.X: 7 Masses in 6 sees
2010- Regularised: 39+ Masses in 22 sees
S.S.PX: 9 Masses in 6 sees

Special Note: The real number of Masses offered by the personal Apostolic Administration of St. John-Mary Vianney is mostly unpublished. The real number of approved Masses for Brazil today could be estimated to be about 50, but keep in mind that many of these are concentrated in the Campos area.

• 2. ARGENTINA (64 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: no presence (briefly before that in 2 sees)
S.S.P.X: 19 Masses in 8 sees.
2010 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 2 sees
S.S.P.X: 18 Masses in 9 sees

• 3. CHILE (26 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 7 Masses in 2 sees
S.S.P.X: 6 Masses in 2 sees
2010 - Regularised: 6 Masses in 2 sees
S.S.P.X: 6 Masses in 2 sees

• 4. COLOMBIA (74 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 4 Masses in 2 sees
S.S.P.X: 5 Masses in 2 sees
2010 - Regularised: 6 Masses in 4 sees
S.S.P.X: 4 Masses in 2 sees

• 5. PERU (44 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: 1 Mass
S.S.P.X: no presence every Sunday despite having a chapel there
2010 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 2 sees
S.S.P.X: still not every-Sunday Masses at their chapel.

• 6. ECUADOR (23 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: no presence
S.S.P.X: no presence
2010 - Regularised: 1 Mass in the Diocese of Guayaquil.
S.S.P.X: no presence

• 7. PARAGUAY (15 sees)

2005 -
2008 - Regularised: S.S.J. does not publish a schedule, D. of Ciudad del Este
S.S.P.X: no presence published every-Sunday
2010 - Unchanged.

• 8. URUGUAY (10 sees)

Reports of the regularised Sunday Masses now being offered every Sunday at Montevideo remain unconfirmed.

• 9. BOLIVIA (18 sees)

There were reports of one priest offering our Mass privately (regularised). It seems he wants to keep the details private.

• 10. OTHER

Nothing to report for Venezuela or the Guyanas. The S.S.P.X has Masses in Trinidad & Tobago at Port-of-Spain but they are every day *except* Sunday. Nothing for the Falkland Islands, of course.

• D. ASIA

• 1. PHILIPPINES

2005 - Regularised in 5 sees
2008 - Regularised: 7 Masses in 6 sees in 2007
S.S.P.X: 8 Masses in 2 sees
2010 - Regularised: 12 Masses in 7 sees
S.S.P.X: 5 Masses in 4 sees

• 2. INDIA

No presence on any basis for regularised Masses
2008 - S.S.P.X: 7 Masses in 5 sees
2010 - S.S.P.X: 12 Masses in 7 sees

Current sees: Bombay, Madras & Mylapore, Goa & Damão, Kotar, Trivandrum, Tuticorin, Palayamkottai.

• 3. CEYLON [SRI LANKA]

No every-Sunday Masses from any source but two diocesan priests of the A. of Colombo are now in training or offering our Mass privately. The S.S.P.X has occasional Masses.

• 4. SINGAPORE

2 Masses in the Archdiocese from the S.S.P.X
No regularised Masses

• 5. CHINA

1 regularised every-Su. Mass at Hong Kong.

• 6. JAPAN

1 Mass at Tokyo, status uncertain.

• 7. LEBANON

2 Regularised every-Su. Masses at Beirut.

• E. AFRICA

• 1. NIGERIA

2005 - 1 Mass regularised
2008 - Regularised: 1 Mass
S.S.P.X: no presence
2010 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 2 sees
S.S.P.X: no presence

• 2. GABON

2005 - 3 Masses in 1 see
2008 - Regularised: 4 Masses in 2 sees
S.S.P.X: 2 Masses in the Archdiocese of Libreville
2010 - Regularised: 4 Masses in 2 sees (A. Libreville; D. Mouila)
S.S.P.X: 6 Masses in the Archdiocese of Libreville

• 3. BENIN

2008: 2 Masses in the D. of Natitingou
2010: unchanged
No S.S.P.X every-Sunday presence.

• 4. SOUTH AFRICA

2008 - Regularised: no presence
S.S.P.X: 7 Masses in 3 Archdioceses
2010 - Regularised: 1 Mass in Johannesburg
S.S.P.X: 7 Masses in 2 Archdioceses (Pretoria lost, it seems)

• 5. ZIMBABWE

2008: S.S.P.X, 1 Mass, A. Harare

2010: S.S.P.X, 2 Masses, A. Harare

No regularised presence

• 6. KENYA

2008 - S.S.P.X, Mass at Nairobi, A.

2010 - S.S.P.X, 2 Masses at Nairobi

No regularised presence

• 7. OTHERS

There are Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgies every Sunday in Egypt, the Sudan (at Khartoum), Ethiopia, and Eritrea.

• F. OCEANIA

• 1. AUSTRALIA

2005 - Regularised: 10 sees
2008 - Regularised: 21 Masses in 10 sees
S.S.P.X: 12 Masses in 8 sees
2010 - Regularised: 25 Masses in 11 sees
S.S.P.X: 19 Masses in 9 sees

• 2. NEW ZEALAND

2005 - Regularised: 2 Masses in 2 dioceses
2008 - Regularised: 10 Masses in 4 sees
S.S.P.X: 6 Masses in 4 sees
2010 - Regularised: 9 Masses in 5 sees
S.S.P.X: 6 Masses in 4 sees

S.S.P.X Masses include D. Hamilton, where there are no every-Su. regularised Masses. 5 of 6 N.Z. dioceses have every-Su. regularised T.L.M.s; 91% of New Zealanders live in these.

New nomination

As expected for weeks, the Pope has named the new President of the Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity (Kurt Koch, now Archbishop, former Bishop of Basel, Switzerland), as Cardinal Kasper goes into (a well-deserved) retirement.

50 years of the Apostolic Letter Inde a primisA lesson on catechism and liturgy

From infancy this devotion was instilled in us within our own household. Fondly we still recall how our parents used to recite the Litany of the Most Precious Blood every day during July.

The Apostle's wholesome advice comes to mind: "Keep watch, then, over yourselves, and over God's Church, in which the Holy Spirit has made you bishops; you are to be the shepherds of that flock which he won for himself at the price of his own blood." Now among the cares of our pastoral office, venerable brethren, we are convinced that, second only to vigilance over sound doctrine, preference belongs to the proper surveillance and development of piety, in both its liturgical and private expressions. With that in mind, we judge it most timely to call our beloved children's attention to the unbreakable bond which must exist between the devotions to the Most Holy Name and Most Sacred Heart of Jesus -- already so widespread among Christians -- and devotion to the incarnate Word's Most Precious Blood, "shed for many, to the remission of sins."

In fact, it is supremely important that the Church's liturgical action fully conform to the profession of Catholic belief, because "the law for prayer is the law for faith", and that only those devotional forms be sanctioned which well up from the unsullied springs of true faith. But the same logic calls for complete accord among different devotions. Those deemed more basic and more conducive to holiness must not be at odds with or cut off from one another. And the more individualistic and secondary ones must give way in popularity and practice to those devotions which more effectively actuate the fullness of salvation wrought by the "one mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ, who is a man, like them, and gave himself as a ransom for them all." Through living in an atmosphere thus charged with true faith and solid piety the faithful can be confident that they are "thinking with the Church" and holding fast in the loving fellowship of prayer to Christ Jesus, the high priest of that sublime religion which he founded and which owes to him its name, its strength, its dignity.

The Church's wonderful advances in liturgical piety match the progress of faith itself in penetrating divine truth. Within this development it is most heart-warming to observe how often in recent centuries this Holy See has openly ap proved and furthered the three devotions just mentioned. From the Middle Ages, it is true, many pious persons practiced these devotions, which then spread to various dioceses and religious orders and congregations. Nevertheless it remained for the Chair of Peter to pronounce them orthodox and approve them for the Church as a whole.

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As we now approach the feast and month devoted to honouring Christ's Blood ---- the price of our redemption, the pledge of salvation and life eternal -- may Christians meditate on it more fervently, may they savour its fruits more frequently in sacramental communion. Let their meditations on the boundless power of the Blood be bathed in the light of sound biblical teaching and the doctrine of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church. How truly precious is this Blood is voiced in the song which the Church sings with the Angelic Doctor (sentiments wisely seconded by our predecessor Clement VI) :

Blood that but one drop of has the world to win

All the world forgiveness of its world of sin.

Unlimited is the effectiveness of the God-Man's Blood -- just as unlimited as the love that impelled him to pour it out for us, first at his circumcision eight days after birth, and more profusely later on in his agony in the garden, in his scourging and crowning with thorns, in his climb to Calvary and crucifixion, and finally from out that great wide wound in his side which symbolizes the divine Blood cascading down into all the Church's sacraments. Such surpassing love suggests, nay demands, that everyone reborn in the torrents of that Blood adore it with grateful love.

The Blood of the new and eternal covenant especially deserves this worship of latria when it is elevated during the sacrifice of the Mass. But such worship achieves its normal fulfilment in sacramental communion with the same Blood, indissolubly united with Christ's eucharistic Body. In intimate association with the celebrant the faithful can then truly make his sentiments at communion their own: "I will take the chalice of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. . . The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul for everlasting life. Amen." Thus as often as they come worthily to this holy table they will receive more abundant fruits of the redemption and resurrection and eternal life won for all men by the Blood Christ shed "through the Holy Spirit." Nourished by his Body and Blood, sharing the divine strength that has sustained count less martyrs, they will stand up to the slings and arrows of each day's fortunes -- even if need be to martyrdom itself for the sake of Christian virtue and the kingdom of God.

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This is the sublime vocation that St. Paul urged Jewish converts to fix their minds on when tempted to nostalgia for what was only a weak figure and prelude of the new covenant: "The scene of your approach now is mount Sion, is the heavenly Jerusalem, city of the living God; here are gathered thousands upon thousands of angels, here is the assembly of those first-born sons whose names are written in heaven, here is God sitting in judgment on all men, here are the spirits of just men, now made perfect; here is Jesus, the spokesman of the new covenant, and the sprinkling of his blood, which has better things to say than Abel's had."

Pope Blessed John XXIII

Apostolic Letter Inde a primis [Latin]

June 30, 1960