The example of Saint Thomas More

As I speak to you in this historic setting, I think of the countless men and women down the centuries who have played their part in the momentous events that have taken place within these walls and have shaped the lives of many generations of Britons, and others besides. In particular, I recall the figure of Saint Thomas More, the great English scholar and statesman, who is admired by believers and non-believers alike for the integrity with which he followed his conscience, even at the cost of displeasing the sovereign whose “good servant” he was, because he chose to serve God first. The dilemma which faced More in those difficult times, the perennial question of the relationship between what is owed to Caesar and what is owed to God, allows me the opportunity to reflect with you briefly on the proper place of religious belief within the political process.

This country’s Parliamentary tradition owes much to the national instinct for moderation, to the desire to achieve a genuine balance between the legitimate claims of government and the rights of those subject to it. While decisive steps have been taken at several points in your history to place limits on the exercise of power, the nation’s political institutions have been able to evolve with a remarkable degree of stability. In the process, Britain has emerged as a pluralist democracy which places great value on freedom of speech, freedom of political affiliation and respect for the rule of law, with a strong sense of the individual’s rights and duties, and of the equality of all citizens before the law. While couched in different language, Catholic social teaching has much in common with this approach, in its overriding concern to safeguard the unique dignity of every human person, created in the image and likeness of God, and in its emphasis on the duty of civil authority to foster the common good.

And yet the fundamental questions at stake in Thomas More’s trial continue to present themselves in ever-changing terms as new social conditions emerge. Each generation, as it seeks to advance the common good, must ask anew: what are the requirements that governments may reasonably impose upon citizens, and how far do they extend? By appeal to what authority can moral dilemmas be resolved? These questions take us directly to the ethical foundations of civil discourse. If the moral principles underpinning the democratic process are themselves determined by nothing more solid than social consensus, then the fragility of the process becomes all too evident - herein lies the real challenge for democracy.

The inadequacy of pragmatic, short-term solutions to complex social and ethical problems has been illustrated all too clearly by the recent global financial crisis. There is widespread agreement that the lack of a solid ethical foundation for economic activity has contributed to the grave difficulties now being experienced by millions of people throughout the world. Just as “every economic decision has a moral consequence” (Caritas in Veritate, 37), so too in the political field, the ethical dimension of policy has far-reaching consequences that no government can afford to ignore. A positive illustration of this is found in one of the British Parliament’s particularly notable achievements – the abolition of the slave trade. The campaign that led to this landmark legislation was built upon firm ethical principles, rooted in the natural law, and it has made a contribution to civilization of which this nation may be justly proud.

The central question at issue, then, is this: where is the ethical foundation for political choices to be found? The Catholic tradition maintains that the objective norms governing right action are accessible to reason, prescinding from the content of revelation. According to this understanding, the role of religion in political debate is not so much to supply these norms, as if they could not be known by non-believers – still less to propose concrete political solutions, which would lie altogether outside the competence of religion – but rather to help purify and shed light upon the application of reason to the discovery of objective moral principles. This “corrective” role of religion vis-à-vis reason is not always welcomed, though, partly because distorted forms of religion, such as sectarianism and fundamentalism, can be seen to create serious social problems themselves. And in their turn, these distortions of religion arise when insufficient attention is given to the purifying and structuring role of reason within religion. It is a two-way process. Without the corrective supplied by religion, though, reason too can fall prey to distortions, as when it is manipulated by ideology, or applied in a partial way that fails to take full account of the dignity of the human person. Such misuse of reason, after all, was what gave rise to the slave trade in the first place and to many other social evils, not least the totalitarian ideologies of the twentieth century. This is why I would suggest that the world of reason and the world of faith – the world of secular rationality and the world of religious belief – need one another and should not be afraid to enter into a profound and ongoing dialogue, for the good of our civilization.

Religion, in other words, is not a problem for legislators to solve, but a vital contributor to the national conversation. In this light, I cannot but voice my concern at the increasing marginalization of religion, particularly of Christianity, that is taking place in some quarters, even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance. There are those who would advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or at least relegated to the purely private sphere. There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged, in the questionable belief that it might somehow offend those of other religions or none. And there are those who argue – paradoxically with the intention of eliminating discrimination – that Christians in public roles should be required at times to act against their conscience. These are worrying signs of a failure to appreciate not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, but also the legitimate role of religion in the public square. I would invite all of you, therefore, within your respective spheres of influence, to seek ways of promoting and encouraging dialogue between faith and reason at every level of national life.

Benedict XVI

Address to Representatives of British Society (Westminster Hall)

September 17, 2010

Religion and liberty

The evangelization of culture is all the more important in our times, when a “dictatorship of relativism” threatens to obscure the unchanging truth about man’s nature, his destiny and his ultimate good. There are some who now seek to exclude religious belief from public discourse, to privatize it or even to paint it as a threat to equality and liberty. Yet religion is in fact a guarantee of authentic liberty and respect, leading us to look upon every person as a brother or sister. For this reason I appeal in particular to you, the lay faithful, in accordance with your baptismal calling and mission, not only to be examples of faith in public, but also to put the case for the promotion of faith’s wisdom and vision in the public forum. Society today needs clear voices which propose our right to live, not in a jungle of self-destructive and arbitrary freedoms, but in a society which works for the true welfare of its citizens and offers them guidance and protection in the face of their weakness and fragility. Do not be afraid to take up this service to your brothers and sisters, and to the future of your beloved nation.

...

Finally, I would like to say a word to you, my dear young Catholics of Scotland. I urge you to lead lives worthy of our Lord (cf. Eph 4:1) and of yourselves. There are many temptations placed before you every day - drugs, money, sex, pornography, alcohol - which the world tells you will bring you happiness, yet these things are destructive and divisive. There is only one thing which lasts: the love of Jesus Christ personally for each one of you. Search for him, know him and love him, and he will set you free from slavery to the glittering but superficial existence frequently proposed by today’s society. Put aside what is worthless and learn of your own dignity as children of God. In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to pray for vocations: I pray that many of you will know and love Jesus Christ and, through that encounter, will dedicate yourselves completely to God, especially those of you who are called to the priesthood and religious life. This is the challenge the Lord gives to you today: the Church now belongs to you!

Benedict XVI

Homily - Glasgow

September 16, 2010

The sobering lessons of atheist extremism

The name of Holyroodhouse, Your Majesty’s official residence in Scotland, recalls the "Holy Cross" and points to the deep Christian roots that are still present in every layer of British life. The monarchs of England and Scotland have been Christians from very early times and include outstanding saints like Edward the Confessor and Margaret of Scotland. As you know, many of them consciously exercised their sovereign duty in the light of the Gospel, and in this way shaped the nation for good at the deepest level. As a result, the Christian message has been an integral part of the language, thought and culture of the peoples of these islands for more than a thousand years. Your forefathers’ respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike.

We find many examples of this force for good throughout Britain’s long history. Even in comparatively recent times, due to figures like William Wilberforce and David Livingstone, Britain intervened directly to stop the international slave trade. Inspired by faith, women like Florence Nightingale served the poor and the sick and set new standards in healthcare that were subsequently copied everywhere. John Henry Newman, whose beatification I will celebrate shortly, was one of many British Christians of his age whose goodness, eloquence and action were a credit to their countrymen and women. These, and many people like them, were inspired by a deep faith born and nurtured in these islands.

Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live. I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives. As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the twentieth century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus to a "reductive vision of the person and his destiny" (Caritas in Veritate, 29).

Benedict XVI

Address to Authorities

Edinburgh

Is the New Mass just a gig?

Do not criticize us, the Bishops of England and Wales are the ones saying that:

From a Papal Visit pamphlet created by the press office of the Bishops of England and Wales. (Source and tip: Father Blake).

The real dividing line of Christians

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, recently spoke under the auspices of Lambeth Palace's Nikæan Club, and his declarations included the following:

"All current versions of Christianity can be very conditionally divided into two major groups – traditional and liberal. The abyss that exists today divides not so much the Orthodox from the Catholics or the Catholics from the Protestants as it does the ‘traditionalists’ from the ‘liberals’. Some Christian leaders, for example, tell us that marriage between a man and a woman is no longer the only way of building a Christian family: there are other models and the Church should become appropriately ‘inclusive’ to recognize alternative behavioural standards and give them official blessing. Some try to persuade us that human life is no longer an absolute value; that it can be terminated in a mother’s womb or that one can terminate one’s life at will. Christian ‘traditionalists’ are being asked to reconsider their views under the slogan of keeping abreast with modernity." (Full text of the address.)

Tip: Settimo Cielo (In London, the Moscow Patriarchate smoothes the path for the Pope)

Danneels' "sincere sympathy"

Alexandra Colen writes for The Brussels Journal:

Once again Belgium is in shock. Yesterday Professor Adriaenssens, the man who headed the committee that was established to collect and investigate instances of sexual abuse and pedophilia in the Catholic Church in Belgium, presented his report [pdf] and conclusions. The extent and degree of abuse that turns out to have been widespread, is horrifying. The Belgian Cardinal Danneels’s response to the report is entirely in character. This man will never change. His spokesman said that Cardinal Danneels “once again expresses sincere sympathy with the victims and their families for the suffering that they experienced…” and adds some platitudes about structures and institutions. Yet for decades he was responsible for the fact that complaints by the victims and their families were ignored. He made himself scarce whenever churchgoers who encountered abuses appealed to him.

In 1998 when I wished to discuss the content of the pedophile catechism manual Roeach that my children had to use at school, he employed his classic strategy: He made sure he knew nothing by avoiding any contact with the complaining party, and if they persevered he attempted to damage their credibility. In my case he repeatedly refused to receive a delegation of the hundreds of parents who stood at his door. In the press he questioned my motives and he sent others to reprimand me privately for being “disobedient” to the Church. Many parents came to me with accounts of similar experiences. Parents were fobbed off with vague comments and shush-shushing expressions of sympathy. Yet he was the one who should have conducted investigations and taken measures.

The rampant pedophilia and child abuse in the Belgian Church is not, as some say, caused by structural inadequacies, but by individuals who refused to assume their responsibility. Each teacher or head of a school, each parish priest, bishop or archbishop who refused to take remarks or complaints by parents seriously, who neglected to take measures in their school, parish or diocese, has contributed to the culture in which pedophiles could do as they pleased and destroy the lives of hundreds, thousands of children and their families.

You report: Philadelphia High Mass celebrating 3rd anniversary of Summorum Pontificum

At 7 p.m. on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Tuesday, September 14), St. Paul’s Church, Christian Street in Philadelphia, will host a Solemn High Traditional Latin Mass followed by a procession and benediction of the Relic of the True Cross.

The guest preacher will be Fr. Andrew McCormick, pastor of Sacred Heart Polish Parish in Swedesburg. The musical ordinary will be Thomas Tallis' "Mass for four voices." This Mass will be to celebrate the third anniversary of the implementation of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, which restored the rights of all priest to say the Traditional Latin Mass. Since then, St. Paul's has a weekly High Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation.

And please remember to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter where we have now gained over 200 followers.

As usual, no one will condemn this because persecuting Christians is normal, right? However, if you even speak about burning the Quran...

Paix Liturgique surveyGentle winds for the Traditional Latin Mass in Britain

Paix Liturgique has attempted to conduct surveys in all the relevant nations visited by the Holy Father in Europe. Its new survey covers the Traditional Mass in England, Wales, and Scotland.

We urge you to help Paix Liturgique in their great endeavor (see last paragraph):

The Holy Father will be paying an apostolic visit to Scotland and England from the 16 to the 19 September. He will be coming for the beatification of Cardinal Newman, the Anglican theologian priest who converted to Catholicism. Our movement has seized the occasion of this much-awaited trip across the channel: we have commissioned a new survey on the Motu Proprio’s reception among British Catholics along the lines of the survey conducted during the Holy Father’s recent trip to Portugal.

I – A PECULIAR CONTEXT

Ever since the sixteenth-century Anglican schism, Catholicism has had a peculiar position in Great Britain. The Church was institutionally oppressed down to the nineteenth century; indeed both the authorities and the people considered Catholicism to be antinational.

The Catholic Relief Act of 1829 allowed Catholicism to organise freely, particularly once the 1850 Pontifical Brief re-established the Catholic hierarchy in the country. Since that time, in which Cardinal Newman lived, British Catholicism has had a remarkable influence in the island’s intellectual and cultural circles. Such singular figures as Chesterton and Tolkien emerged from this influence; it did not, however, bring about a massive return of Anglicans to Rome.

The first important act in defence of the traditional liturgy came from England in 1971: a petition signed by dozens of personalities, among whom Agatha Christie (though not herself a Catholic). This action was rewarded by the immediate grant of an indult, commonly called the “Agatha Christie indult,” whose unabridged text we are publishing in appendix. This indult, which was formulated in the classic form of an answer of the Congregation for Divine Liturgy to the Cardinal President of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, provided for the possibility of “certain groups of the faithful on specific occasions be allowed to participate in the Mass celebrated according to the rites and texts of the former Roman Missal."

Despite this text’s importance for the history of the defence of the Church’s traditional liturgy (it established a precedent, which is very important in the Roman curia’s modus operandi, and it would be constantly cited in the context of the 1988 Motu Proprio), the dearth of eagerness in its application on the part of the British Episcopal hierarchy (already in 1971 . . .) deprived it of any fruit. Consequently the situation of English, Welsh, and Scottish Catholics attached to the traditional liturgy has ended up being closer and closer to that known on the continent: disdain and marginalization.

The 2007 Motu Proprio has not yet reversed the situation, despite some overtures on the part of certain British prelates and the activity of lay movements, among whom the Latin Mass Society holds the first rank. It has organised many formation seminars for priests to learn how to celebrate the extraordinary form.

Yet some effervescence has been observed at the approach of the pontifical visit. It has been fed in part by the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus setting up personal Ordinariates for Anglicans who enter into full communion with the Church. Indeed this text, a new fruit of Benedict XVI’s generosity, offers some hope to those Anglican faithful who no longer recognise themselves in the recent evolution of the Anglican Communion as it keeps caving in to pressure on the matter of women’s ordination and the admission of active homosexuals to “holy orders.” Until then it had seemed to be the Protestant community that was the closest to Rome. Furthermore, the Sovereign Pontiff is constantly under attack from many pressure groups that have access to the English media and do not shrink from utterly shameless provocations; there is even talk of sending the Pope to gaol! It is within this context that Paix Liturgique wished to measure what Catholics in Great Britain know about the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum and how they react to it.

II – THE RESULTS

Here are this survey’s results. It was conducted on line, 21-28 June 2010, by Harris Interactive. There were 800 British Catholic participants, from a sampling of 6153 persons over the age of 18.

Question #1: Do you attend Mass?

Weekly: 24.3%

Monthly: 7.8%

On Holy Days: 10.1%

Occasionally (e.g. for weddings): 45.6%

Never: 12.3%

Question #2: In July [2007] Pope Benedict XVI restated that the Mass could be celebrated both in its modern, "ordinary," or "Paul VI" form--i.e. in English, with the priest facing the faithful, communion received standing--and in its traditional, "extraordinary," or "John XXIII" form--i.e. in Latin and Gregorian chant, with the priest turned towards the altar, communion received kneeling. Were you aware of this?

Yes: 39.4%

No: 60.6%

Question #3 : Would you consider it normal or abnormal for both liturgical forms to be celebrated regularly in YOUR parish?

Normal: 44.9%

Abnormal : 21%

No opinion: 34.1%

Question #4: If Mass were celebrated with Latin and Gregorian chant in its extraordinary form in YOUR parish, without taking the place of the ordinary one in English, would you attend it?

The following answers are from all Catholics polled:

- 15.6% would attend every week

- 10.8% once a month

- 11.1% for Holy Days

- 46.1% occasionally

- 16.4% never

Answers from those regularly practicing (weekly and monthy) alone:

- 43% would attend every week

- 23.4% once a month

- 7.8% for Holy Days

- 17.6% occasionally

- 8.2% never

III - PAIX LITURGIQUE’S COMMENTS

1/ The first lesson to draw from this survey, and good news for the entire Church too, is that 32% of British Catholics claim to attend Mass at least once a month. This reported rate of practice is far superior to that in old Catholic countries such as France or Portugal (both at 19% according to the December 2009 IFOP survey for La Croix and the May 2010 Harris Interactive poll for PL, respectively).

2/ The second lesson is that this survey, which was conducted by a professional and independent institution, confirms all earlier polls conducted in different places and at different times on the question of the Church’s traditional liturgy (see here). Let those that have eyes see; and those that have ears, hear. . . .

In Great Britain as everywhere else, a strong proportion of Catholics would gladly attend the extraordinary form of the Roman rite if it took place right in THEIR OWN parish. The only difference is that the proportion is higher than the average obtained during the preceding surveys, where about one third of regularly practicing Catholics would gladly attend the traditional Mass if it were celebrated in their parish. In Great Britain, 43% of those who go to Mass every week would attend the traditional Mass if it were celebrated in their parish (Great Britain outstrips Italy, which until now held the record of 40% of weekly Mass goers answering that they would go to the traditional Mass every week if it were offered). The result even reaches 66.4% (i.e. 2 out of 3) if one lumps together all those who attend Mass at least once a month, which is even more than in Italy (63% according to the 2009 Doxa survey).

When one notes (see question 2) that 60% of Catholics are not aware of the Motu Proprio’s existence, one can easily imagine that the aforementioned 66.4% of Mass goers would increase if awareness of the MP were spread more broadly. . . .

3/ This study’s third lesson is the confirmation that in Great Britain too the overwhelming majority of the faithful find it absolutely normal for both forms of the Roman rite to cohabitate in peace in the parish setting.

This is not entirely surprising: British Catholics, long persecuted as “Papists,” are indeed particularly attached to the successor of Peter. In Great Britain as elsewhere, the wish of the faithful to see the Motu Proprio being applied seems in direct proportion to the opposition that the Pope’s texts elicits among most bishops. The hierarchy’s lack of awareness of the reality before it, brought out by this study, is noteworthy.

Only 21% of the Faithful find the peaceful coexistence of both forms of the Roman rite abnormal. This figure might be lower if more of the Faithful (i.e. more than the current 39.4%) knew the provisions in Benedicts XVI’s Motu Proprio. One can legitimately think that, among these 21%, there are some who believe what has been repeated to them for so long, namely that this liturgy had been “abrogated,” if not “forbidden” . . . .

In Great Britain as elsewhere, the argument resting on the lack of interest among the Faithful for the application of the Motu Proprio is unfair. When their point of view is solicited in an opinion poll, the results are quite different to those obtained when one merely speaks in their name . . . all the while taking care not to consult them, unless it’s through parish councils, which as a matter of principle (whether because of ideology, fear, or simple post-conciliar conservatism) are not inclined to favour the reform of the reform undertaken by Benedict XVI.

4/ Regarding the Agatha Christie Indult: from 1971 on it allowed the celebration of the 1965 Missal with the modifications of 1967 (as opposed to that of the 1962 Missal allowed in Summorum Pontificum and, before that, in Ecclesia Dei). One might have thought that this watered-down and modernised form of the John XXIII missal would have been more acceptable to the bishops of Britain and that it would therefore have helped spread a more traditional liturgy in the post-conciliar context . . . But such was not the case as the British bishops perceived no substantial difference between the 1965 liturgy and that of 1962. It is of course needless to press this point with too much insistence upon those who naively reckon that the celebration of the 1965 form would be more acceptable at the diocesan level than the 1962 form. There is likewise no need to mention the naïveté, which is in this case abysmal, of the few militants who are dead set on the celebration of the Paul VI liturgy in Latin . . . .

5/ Above all this new survey underscores the (in this case British) bishops’ astounding deficiency—to put the best face on it—when it comes to communication. Indeed, a full three years after the publication of the Motu Proprio on 7 July 2007, only 40% have been informed of it. In fact one must call a spade a spade, particularly in so serious a matter as liturgical and sacramental life: in Britain as elsewhere, the issue is pastoral blindness to the expectations of the Faithful. This blindness on the part of bishops has once again been scientifically measured and put into figures. It is tempting to wonder whether the bishops might not need a new pastoral Council entirely dedicated to listening skills for the benefit of the “Silent ones of the Church,” and to meeting their expectations.

6/ One final remark: because of the small proportion of Catholics in the country (13%), it was necessary to poll more people than usual (6153 individuals) in order to work with a representative number of people who declare themselves to be “Catholic.” Consequently this survey is the costliest of all those we have commissioned to date. It cost €10,000 with tax. If you wish to participate in its financing it and thus allow us to continue our work of information, you can post your donation to Paix liturgique, 1 allée du Bois Gougenot, 78290 CROISSY-SUR-SEINE (write out the cheque to Paix liturgique), or you can transfer funds: IBAN : FR76 3000 3021 9700 0500 0158 593 - BIC : SOGEFRPP.

Good news from Rio de Janeiro (corrected)

A Brazilian friend informs us that, starting September 19, a regularly-scheduled, every-Sunday Traditional Latin Mass under diocesan auspices will be available once more in the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro. The site of the Mass will be no less than the Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and formerly the chapel of the Brazilian imperial family. Furthermore, the Mass will be offered at 9:00 A.M.

The every-Sunday Mass will be entrusted to the priests of the Apostolic Administration of St. John Vianney in Campos, and it will be inaugurated with a Pontifical Mass offered by Bishop Fernando Rifan.

You report: Truly traditional parish life

Some of you may be familiar with Fr. Carl Gismondi, FSSP, now pastor of St. Anne's in San Diego.

Recently, about 60 men of Father's parish "ran with the saints" as the high point for the parish's two-day fiesta, in honor of St. Anne. According to Father: there were two biers, one for St. Michael and one for St. Anne. They weighed 400 and 350 pounds, respectively. Eight men carried the bier itself while others on the team jogged nearby ready to take their turn.

Irving Street, which the church fronts, was closed for one half of a mile to Caesar Chavez Boulevard. The men carried the biers for a round trip of one mile.

The run, which was not a race, was intended to make a public statement of devotion to the saints. The Running of the Saints is like a traditional parade-like procession, but with a greater element of public devotion and penance. And the music being played during the video is a recording of the parish choir during Mass.

Let this serve as inspiration for those of us who still have to drive over an hour or more one way to simply find a Traditional Latin Mass let alone this kind of rich, wonderful parish life that comes with the practice of true Catholic Tradition. This, too, could be our local parish one day.

Please CLICK HERE to watch the video.

And please remember to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter where we have now gained over 200 followers.

Benedict XVI on Leo XIII and Catholic Social Doctrine

My visit, unfortunately, is very brief and is restricted to this Eucharistic celebration; but here we have everything: the Word and the Bread of Life that nourish faith, hope and charity; and we renew the bond of communion that makes of us the one Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We have heard the Word of God and it is natural to receive it in this circumstance thinking again of the figure of Pope Leo XIII and the legacy that he has left us...

***

...there is a second aspect, which derives from the primacy of God and of Christ and that one meets in the public action of every pastor of the Church, especially of every Supreme Pontiff, with the characteristics proper to each one. I would say that precisely the concept of “Christian wisdom,” which already emerged from the first reading and the Gospel, offers us the synthesis of this position of Leo XIII -- it is not by chance that it is also the “incipit” of one of his encyclicals. Every pastor is called to transmit to the People of God, not abstract truths, but a “wisdom,” that is, a message that joins faith and reason, truth and concrete reality. Pope Leo XIII, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, was able to do this in one of the most difficult historical periods of the Church, remaining faithful to tradition and, at the same time, measuring it with the great open questions. And he succeeded in his efforts precisely on the basis of the “Christian wisdom,” founded on sacred Scriptures, on the immense theological and spiritual patrimony of the Catholic Church and also on the solid and limpid philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, which he appreciated in the highest way and promoted in the whole Church.

At this point, after having considered the foundation, that is, faith and the spiritual life, and therefore the general framework of the message of Leo XIII, I can turn to his social teaching, made famous and timeless in his encyclical “Rerum novarum,” but also richly expressed in multiple interventions that constitute an organic body, the first nucleus of the Church’s social doctrine...

...Christians, acting as individual citizens or groups within the reality of history, constitute a beneficent and peaceful force for profound change, actualizing the development of the potentialities within reality itself. This is the form of presence and action in the world proposed by the Church’s social doctrine, which always points to the maturation of consciences as the valid and lasting condition for transformations.

Pope Benedict XVI

Papal Homily for Visit to Leo XIII's Birthplace

September 5, 2010

You report: Fresno Latin Mass Community to celebrate twentieth anniversary
High Mass at Shrine of St. Therese to Mark Milestone

After Pope Paul VI released a new form of the Catholic Mass in 1970, the traditional Latin Mass fell into virtual disuse. But during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, more and more clergy around the world began to celebrate the Latin Mass for laity who requested it. On October 3, 2010, Fresno’s Latin Mass community will celebrate its twentieth anniversary with a 3:30 p.m. Mass at the Shrine of St. Therese in Fresno. Fr. Michael Stinson, FSSP will celebrate a High Mass, with incense and Gregorian chant, for the Feast Day of St. Therese—the patroness of the Diocese of Fresno.

In 1990, Bishop José de Jesús Madera Uribe, M.Sp.S. gave his blessing for the Latin Mass to be celebrated regularly in Fresno. For many years, the Latin Mass community met at St. Anne’s Chapel on the grounds of the chancery offices of the Diocese of Fresno. The community later moved to St. Agnes Mission Church in Pinedale, where the Latin Mass became available every Sunday.

The Latin Mass is now celebrated every Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Guadalupe Chapel. Regular celebrants include priests of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP); Fr. Salvatore Ciranni, RCJ; Fr. Angel Sotelo; and Fr. Mark Kristy, OCD.

“For two decades, numerous priests from across our diocese and beyond have worked hard to make the Latin Mass available for us in Fresno,” says Keven Smith, president of the Fresno Traditional Mass Society. “The anniversary Mass is a chance to thank God for this beautiful liturgy. Everyone is welcome—especially those who have never attended a Latin Mass.”

The October 3 Mass will begin at 3:30 p.m., with printed English translations available. After Mass, there will be blessings with a first-class relic of St. Therese, followed by a reception in the parish hall. All mothers in attendance will receive a floral scented bracelet in honor of St. Therese. The Shrine of St. Therese is located at 855 E. Floradora Ave. in Fresno.

The Fresno Traditional Mass Society is a chapter of Una Voce America. Its members work to promote the traditional Latin Mass and Gregorian chant.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact us at (559) 593-5012 or email us at info@fresnolatinmass.org.

"Why am I so 'Into' the Extraordinary Form of the Mass?"

By Fr. Christopher Smith.

I was having a delightful meal recently with a bishop whom I love and respect as a father, and who has been extraordinarily kind to me. My personal policy never to even mention the extraordinary form of the Mass at the dinner table was circumvented by one of my brother priests whom I also esteem as a friend and colleague. “So what do you think of the Tridentine Mass, Bishop?” Sweat began to form on my brow as my stomach churned and the previously delectable filet mignon on my plate suddenly revolted me. “Not again,” I said to myself as I began to drown out what I knew would be an deluge of verbiage against the Missal of Pius V/John XXIII by reciting the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar from memory.

It is a scene which has happened to me many a time, and which is very familiar to young priests all over the world. All of a sudden, I was no longer just one priest among others. I was a marked man. I had committed the not very original sin of being one of “those priests,” the kind who celebrated the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. I was an enigma to the many friends I had made in the communities who enjoy exclusive use of the pre-conciliar liturgical books, who could not fathom how I could wake up every morning and say the detestable Novus Ordo, aka Nervous Disorder. And I was a mystery to my brother priests and even some of my parishioners who couldn’t square the man they knew as their friend, who seemed so jovial, fun-loving and open-minded, with a liturgy which was caricatured by many as the hobbyhorse of the Chosen Frozen, the Walking Wounded, the Integristes, and the Rigid Frigid.

Why? is the question that so many Catholics in pews and rectories all over the world have on their lips after Summorum pontificum unshackled a particular historical form of the Roman rite to work its magic (or wreak havoc, depending on your point of view) on the Church. And it is not an unimportant question.

To continue reading, click HERE.

Institute of Christ the King takes up permanent residence in Eire

Canon Lebocq celebrates Holy Mass at St. Patrick's Church in Limerick

Dear Friends of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest,

For the last four years Divine Providence has permitted the Institute of Christ the King to exercise a ministry in the Diocese of Limerick with the permission of the Most Reverend Bishop Murray, then Bishop of Limerick, whom I had the pleasure to meet several times on my visits.

Thanks to your prayers and perseverance, and also to Father Irwin, Pastor of St. Patrick Church, we have celebrated mass more and more often in Limerick.

This year as every year, I have asked all the canons of our Institute to come together at our mother house and seminary at Gricigliano, near Florence, Italy, for the first week of September. Canon Lebocq knows this house well, having received his priestly formation here and having spent another seven years here as vice-rector and choirmaster.

Our 57 young priests have thus come together this year, first of all, to pray together and also to cultivate a spirit of family and true brotherhood. It is also the occasion when I receive them individually and announce to them the place where they will exercise their ministry for the next year.

As you know, Canon Lebocq has been coming regularly from Italy for several years to tend to your souls. Thanks to your prayers, patience and perseverance, I have the pleasure to announce to you that Canon Lebocq will soon stay in Ireland permanently; you will thus be able to attend the extraordinary form of the mass every Sunday in Limerick, as encouraged by our Holy Father, Benedict XVI. Monsignor R. Michael Schmitz, my Vicar General, whom many of you know, will assist me as Provincial for Ireland. The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right in canonical form, which means that all the priests of our community are canons. This title is not first of all an honour but above all a duty. The principal duty of a canon is to make the prayer of the Church public by chanting the divine office in community. For this reason, I have asked a seminarian and an oblate to form a community life with him. They will pray together, study and work in St. Joseph House in Graigacurragh, Granagh, to advance the reign of Christ the King on your beautiful island.

I will have the pleasure to come visit you soon and to sing the mass again at St. Patrick Church. In the meantime, I ask you to give thanks to God for sending you our young community which, by the Catholic priesthood, will bring to you the wonders of God in a spirit of great love for the Church. I thank each one of you for supporting by your prayers and fidelity this apostolate which we have placed under the patronage of St. Joseph, foster father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Msgr Wach

Prior General of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

Tip: FilsDeMarie au Forum Catholique

A troubling anniversary ...

Margaret Sanger, one of 11 children born to devout Roman Catholics, who later became a racist evangelist of abortion-on-demand and led countless souls to Hell, died on this day in 1966.

While there is no need to recount her disgusting history of eugenics, nor her rabid racism, the effects of her terror still ring true on the corner of many ghettos, where there are nearly as many black children aborted every year as there are born in America.

Sanger, who came from a mother who faithfully conceived 18 children, would spend her life both preventing the conception of and murdering countless already conceived children.

How much now we must pray, on this day especially, that our Lady closes the doors to every Planned Parenthood slaughterhouse and then maybe -- just maybe -- America can again claim to have the moral high ground in the world we lost so long ago with the help of Margaret Sanger.

And please remember to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter where we have now gained over 200 followers.

Knock kerfuffle

From a reader:

People,

I very much regret having to bring this to your attention, but it is something I have to do.

Today at Knock, Father John Loftus celebrated the annual Extraordinary Form Mass at the Shrine. Father Wulfran Lebocq ICRSS sat in the sanctuary and assisted with communion. The Mass was served by John Heneghan and an Institute of Christ the King seminarist. At communion, John Heneghan held the paten for Father Lebocq as he distributed communion. So far, so good.

As happens frequently at extraordinary form Masses, particularly in places where they take place rarely, a number of communicants will stick out their hands. The vast majority of these have no problem receiving in the tongue when they see that this is the rule in the extraordinary form. One man at the Mass today was not prepared to do so. Father Lebocq discreetly asked him to open his mouth and received the reply "You're in Ireland now", which aside being racist is ignorant of the fact that the Irish Bishops applied the indult allowing communion in the hand much later here than most episcopal conferences in western Europe had done so. Following that, he grabbed a host from the ciborium which was thrown on the floor. Some people took him into the sacristy to restrain him from causing another scene in the church, though he protested that he was being held against his will. He was informed that the exit door of the sacristy was open and he was free to leave, but not to return to the church. He intends to protest to Archbishop Neary about the way he was treated. My understanding is that he is a laicised priest.

First of all both Father Lebocq and John Heneghan conducted themselves very well in the circumstances, but both are understandably very upset. ... [Personal e-mail information edited out by Rorate] I wish to express my utter gratitude and admiration for their behavior in this most testing of circumstances. Secondly, I wish that this sort of incident should not happen again at any venue in which an extraordinary form Mass takes place and so I am open to any suggestions or feedback. Thirdly, I will work with John to see that the Tuam Archdiocesan authorities and those at Knock Shrine to see the entire matter is understood in its proper context. There were several Masses at Knock Shrine today where this man could have received communion in the hand - some going on in the basilica and other chapels of the Shrine at the same time and 364 days of the year, no public extraordinary form Mass takes place publicly in Knock.

My dearest hope is that this incident never repeats itself, anywhere. I have not known anything of the sort to take place at an extraordinary form Mass in Ireland since 1984.

In Domino & Domina,

Peadar Laighléis

President

Latin Mass Society of Ireland.

You report: the situation of the TLM in Tallahasee

A reader of Rorate Caeli from Tallahassee has sent us the following message:

I am writing today to inform you of our group, tentatively going under the name "Tallahassee Latin Mass Society", and of our efforts to establish the Traditional Latin Mass here in the Eastern Deanery of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.

We began to organize the TLM back in 2008 with the apparent blessing of our bishop, John Ricard, who gave it over to my parish pastor for his approval. He did so, and we had a very successful TLM in which over 400 people attended (this was June 2008). Our pastor himself did not do the TLM (it was done by a priest who came in from Pensacola, three hours drive away), but he allowed it to be held at the parish. We then had a very successful TLM High Mass in September 2008 in which over 300 people showed up.

Since then, though, we have been struggling. After our initial successes, the diocese and the parish suddenly became very indifferent towards the desire to establish regularly scheduled TLM's. My pastor did allow them to be held four times a year, but then they would be scheduled on Sundays when other things would be held so that attendance was practically guaranteed to be down. As well, we haven't had a regular priest to offer the TLM despite requests to the chancery to help us out here. We have had a young priest from a nearby parish do our TLM's held in June 2009, October 2009, and January 2010. Since then he has been "unavailable". Our further requests to the chancery have been met with "we need to prioritize other things". Though of course we see the value of other things and the limited resources of our diocese, does this mean that we who have shown our numbers and commitment to the Traditional Latin Mass do not have any standing in the diocese at all?

We recently had a very generous offer from a priest in the FSSP to come to Tallahassee and do a weekend Latin Mass Conference, but my pastor shot it down as "not appropriate". We really are not asking for much, just a consistent, regularly scheduled Traditional Latin Mass in a city where many have shown they truly need it. We have plenty of priests in Tallahassee, including retired ones. Would not one learn or refresh their skills on the TLM and offer it? Apparently not.

We are getting the strong impression that the diocese wanted us to fail in the first place, but when we showed success they turned cold. I do know that there is anti-TLM sentiment in the chancery, and Bishop Ricard personally is not supportive of the TLM at all. At this point, we are in a losing battle, and I worry that what we started so well will just die off due to a lack of availability and consistency. It would be great if Rorate Caeli readers could keep us in prayer and support as we "soldier on" and pray that in time we will be like the persistent widow in the parable, who finally gets the judge to give in just to have some peace! God bless you all.


Sincerely yours in Christ our Saviour,

Stephen Mozier

An appeal from North Carolina

A faithful reader of this web log sends us the following:

We are looking for a retired, validly ordained priest that can offer the Traditional Latin Mass [Missal of 1962 or any earlier permitted Missal] who is willing to relocate to the North Carolina area of the United States.

We ask that he not be a sedevacantist, and must be in good standing and fully regularised by the Church and be able to validly and licitly hear confessions as well.

We have a private home chapel that is furnished for the Traditional Latin Mass and a full set of vestments for Holy Mass. To reiterate,this is a private home chapel and not a parish in any way.

Please contact moderator of Rorate Caeli at newcatholic AT gmail DOT com to contact me, that we may discuss details.

Thank you.

Archbishop Koch on the just-concluded Schulerkreis

From Zenit:

Ratzinger Students Discuss Fidelity, Openness

Prelate Stresses Importance of Spiritual Life in Ecumenism

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 2, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The annual meeting of the "Ratzinger Schulerkreis," a group of the Pope's former students, focused on the Second Vatican Council priorities of fidelity and openness.

Archbishop Kurt Koch, the new president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the principal speaker for the meeting, reported this to L'Osservatore Romano. The Pope's former students gathered Aug. 27 in Castel Gandolfo for their annual study circle, which concluded Monday.

Benedict XVI also participated in some of the discussions.

Archbishop Koch noted that the gathering had a clear conclusion: "Fidelity to tradition and openness to the future."

He explained, "Fidelity to tradition, openness to the future is the most correct interpretation of the Second Vatican Council, which continues to be the magna carta of the Church also in the third millennium."

The speaker noted, "In the first session I proposed a reflection on how to read and interpret the Second Vatican Council, indicating the priority of an hermeneutics of reform."

He added that this is an "issue which I took up again and developed in the second presentation, reflecting further, in particular, on the constitution 'Sacrosanctum Concilium' on the liturgy, precisely to show concretely how an hermeneutics of reform can be implemented."

The two presentations were "followed by a debate of more than one hour, very interesting and rich in significant contributions," the prelate reported.

According to Archbishop Koch, "one was able to understand how fundamental is the spiritual dimension of Christian life in all aspects. And this is true, from my point of view, also in the ecumenical dialogue, which is the most direct field of work before me."

The archbishop commented briefly on a private audience he had with Benedict XVI on Monday.

"We spoke of my new ecumenical challenge," he said, "because the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity is not an independent reality but it has a mandate from the Pope to see how dialogue can develop in the future."

A longer article can be found here. (H/t to Messa in Latino)

[Update (NC), excerpts, as reported by L'Osservatore Romano, according to the Italian blogs linked above]:

Last weekend, the annual meeting of the Pope with his former students took place [in Castel Gandolfo] and the relevant topic of discussion was the proper hermeneutics of Vatican II. .

...

"Loyalty to tradition, openness to the future: it is the more correct interpretation of Vatican II, which remains the Magna Charta of the Church in the Third Millennium." ... This is the sum of the so-called Ratzinger Schülerkreis according to archbishop Kurt Koch, keynote speaker of the meeting of the Pope with his former students, which was held between August 27 to 30 in Castel Gandolfo. ...

"First - he says - I proposed a debate on how to read and interpret the Second Vatican Council, indicating the priority of a hermeneutics of reform." A "question that I took up and developed in the second report, with an emphasis, in particular, on the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium on the liturgy, just to show how to implement concretely a hermeneutics of reform." The two reports, he explains, "were followed by a debate of over an hour, which was very interesting and filled with significant contributions." ...

Going into detail of his two reports, Bishop Koch explained that the first report, centered on "Vatican II between tradition and innovation", was divided into seven sections: "a history of receiving and not receiving; hermeneutic of reform in fundamental continuity; breaking the Tradition in the council?; return to the sources and updating the criteria of a hermeneutic of reform (full interpretation of texts, dogmatic and pastoral units, no split between the spirit and the letter); Catholic breadth and fullness, the legacy of the Council amidst current challenges; reform of the Church as a spiritual task. " For the second report, on the "post-conciliar reform of the liturgy between continuity and discontinuity," Archbishop Koch followed a line of eight subjects. "I started - he explains - by finding that the liturgy is the crux of hermeneutic reconciliation, then treating the phenomenology and theology of the liturgy, the liturgy in its organic development (the principle of active participation of all the faithful in the liturgy and the principle of easier readability and simplicity of the rites), lights and shadows in the Post-Conciliar liturgy, protection of the great heritage of the liturgy, the necessary reform of the reform, based on the primacy of Christology, the unity of the New Testament rite and liturgy, Christian liturgy and the religions of mankind; and the cosmic dimension of the liturgy. Finally, the revitalization of the Paschal Mystery was the last issue presented prior to the conclusions. "

Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Asia: remember that Jesus Christ is the one Savior of the world

Asia, home to two-thirds of the world’s people, the cradle of great religions and spiritual traditions, and the birthplace of diverse cultures, is currently undergoing unprecedented processes of economic growth and social transformation. Asia's Catholics are called to be a sign and promise of that unity and communion -- communion with God and among men -- which the whole human family is meant to enjoy and which Christ alone makes possible. As part of the mosaic of the continent's different peoples, cultures and religions, they have been entrusted with a great mission: that of bearing witness to Jesus Christ, the universal Savior of mankind. This is the supreme service and the greatest gift that the Church can offer to the people of Asia, and it is my hope that the present Conference will provide renewed encouragement and direction in taking up this sacred mandate.

***

I invoke upon all taking part in the Congress a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit and I willingly join in the prayer which will accompany these days of study and discernment. May the Church in Asia bear ever more fervent witness to the incomparable beauty of being a Christian, and proclaim Jesus Christ as the one Savior of the world. Commending those present to the loving intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of joy and peace in the Lord.

Pope Benedict XVI
Message to the Congress of Asian Catholic Laity
August 10, 2010 (released on September 1, 2010)

CentennialSacrorum Antistitum and the Formula

Exactly 100 years ago, Saint Pius X enacted another major practical measure in his struggle against Modernism. After defining Modernism in Pascendi, organizing Biblical and theological studies, preventing young children from being contaminated by false doctrine before receiving the Most Holy Sacrament, clearly condemning the ecumenical and heretical nature of a certain kind of "Catholic politics", among other measures, the Pope laid down measures in all areas of Catholic formation and academic studies.

In the first words of his Motu Proprio Sacrorum Antistitum, of September 1, 1910, Saint Pius X made his concerns clear:

It seems to Us that it has not been ignored by none of the holy Bishops that the class of men, the modernists, whose personality was described in the encyclical letter Pascendi Dominici Gregis, have not refrained from working in order to disturb the peace of the Church. They have not ceased to attract followers, either, by forming a clandestine group; by these means, they inject in the very veins of the Christian Republic the virus of their doctrine, by editing books and publishing articles in anonymity or with pseudonyms. By reading anew Our aforementioned letter, and considering it carefully, it is clearly seen that this deliberate movement is the work of the men that we described in it, enemies that are the more dangerous the closer they are; that abuse their ministry by offering poisoned nourishment and by surprising the less cautious; by handing a false doctrine in which the sum of all errors is enclosed.

The Motu Proprio included in its text the famous Formula or Oath against Modernism:

I . . . . firmly embrace and accept each and every definition that has been set forth and declared by the unerring teaching authority of the Church, especially those principal truths which are directly opposed to the errors of this day.

And first of all, I profess that God, the origin and end of all things, can be known with certainty by the natural light of reason from the created world, that is, from the visible works of creation, as a cause from its effects, and that, therefore, his existence can also be demonstrated.

Secondly, I accept and acknowledge the external proofs of revelation, that is, divine acts and especially miracles and prophecies as the surest signs of the divine origin of the Christian religion and I hold that these same proofs are well adapted to the understanding of all eras and all men, even of this time.

Thirdly, I believe with equally firm faith that the Church, the guardian and teacher of the revealed word, was personally instituted by the real and historical Christ when he lived among us, and that the Church was built upon Peter, the prince of the apostolic hierarchy, and his successors for the duration of time.

Fourthly, I sincerely hold that the doctrine of faith was handed down to us from the apostles through the orthodox Fathers in exactly the same meaning and always in the same purport. Therefore, I entirely reject the heretical misrepresentation that dogmas evolve and change from one meaning to another different from the one which the Church held previously. I also condemn every error according to which, in place of the divine deposit which has been given to the spouse of Christ to be carefully guarded by her, there is put a philosophical figment or product of a human conscience that has gradually been developed by human effort and will continue to develop indefinitely.

Fifthly, I hold with certainty and sincerely confess that faith is not a blind sentiment of religion welling up from the depths of the subconscious under the impulse of the heart and the motion of a will trained to morality; but faith is a genuine assent of the intellect to truth received by hearing from an external source. By this assent, because of the authority of the supremely truthful God, we believe to be true that which has been revealed and attested to by a personal God, our creator and Lord.

Furthermore, with due reverence, I submit and adhere with my whole heart to the condemnations, declarations, and all the prescripts contained in the encyclical Pascendi and in the decree Lamentabili, especially those concerning what is known as the history of dogmas.

I also reject the error of those who say that the faith held by the Church can contradict history, and that Catholic dogmas, in the sense in which they are now understood, are irreconcilable with a more realistic view of the origins of the Christian religion.

I also condemn and reject the opinion of those who say that a well-educated Christian assumes a dual personality-that of a believer and at the same time of a historian, as if it were permissible for a historian to hold things that contradict the faith of the believer, or to establish premises which, provided there be no direct denial of dogmas, would lead to the conclusion that dogmas are either false or doubtful.

Likewise, I reject that method of judging and interpreting Sacred Scripture which, departing from the tradition of the Church, the analogy of faith, and the norms of the Apostolic See, embraces the misrepresentations of the rationalists and with no prudence or restraint adopts textual criticism as the one and supreme norm.

Furthermore, I reject the opinion of those who hold that a professor lecturing or writing on a historico-theological subject should first put aside any preconceived opinion about the supernatural origin of Catholic tradition or about the divine promise of help to preserve all revealed truth forever; and that they should then interpret the writings of each of the Fathers solely by scientific principles, excluding all sacred authority, and with the same liberty of judgment that is common in the investigation of all ordinary historical documents.

Finally, I declare that I am completely opposed to the error of the modernists who hold that there is nothing divine in sacred tradition; or what is far worse, say that there is, but in a pantheistic sense, with the result that there would remain nothing but this plain simple fact-one to be put on a par with the ordinary facts of history-the fact, namely, that a group of men by their own labor, skill, and talent have continued through subsequent ages a school begun by Christ and his apostles.

I promise that I shall keep all these articles faithfully, entirely, and sincerely, and guard them inviolate, in no way deviating from them in teaching or in any way in word or in writing. Thus I promise, this I swear, so help me God, and these holy Gospels of God which I touch with my hand.

FSSP vocation videos

DENTON, Nebraska – 30 August 2010 – The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter is pleased to announce the completion of a 28 minute DVD entitled “To God Who Giveth Joy To My Youth.”

The title, taken from the opening words of Mass in the Extraordinary Form, embodies the essential goal of priestly formation in the Fraternity of Saint Peter. This new video explores in particular the work of priestly formation in the Fraternity's English-speaking seminary in Denton, Nebraska.

The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter presents through this DVD an introduction helpful for generous young men discerning a priestly vocation. At the same time, the film will provide everyone with a thorough portrait of daily life at the seminary.

In the Church, the members of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter have the fundamental charism of sanctifying themselves through the faithful celebration of Holy Mass and the Sacraments in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. At the same time, they offer to souls the fruits of the graces of their vocation by making the liturgy in the Extraordinary Form available to all Catholics. Throughout the seminary's intensive seven year program, each of the various elements and stages of formation has as its purpose the formation of priests whose union with God is pursued through the traditional liturgy.

Viewers are invited to see how the Fraternity seminary, drawing on the Church's rich tradition of priestly formation, forms zealous priests through the study of Thomistic philosophy and theology, Latin, Gregorian Chant and also through the elements of community life including spiritual direction, manual labor and recreation.

Discover how one seminary receives a man and prepares him for his transformation into an Alter Christus, “Another Christ” for the glory of God and needs of souls.

The video -- in three parts -- may be viewed via YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/FSSPTraining#p/a/u/2/omJ83APSdXA

For DVD copies or for more information, please contact

Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary

7880 West Denton Road

Denton, Nebraska 68339

phone (402) 797-7700