Master your craft, first.

 “Master your craft, first.”

Holding me back, in my estimation

Haven’t yet reached elite level:

preaching: discipline, mess, world-salad

visiting the home-bound: discipline, hustle

religious-ed: infrastructure, application, hustle

music: infrastructure, application, hustle

These are the first four to come-to-mind. I’m sure by the time I’m done writing this I’ll add a couple of more; so I’ll revise this in a minute.

If we can triangulate around the personal holiness of the sacred minister with these three points—excellence in his particular priestly office (parish priest), fidelity to his ordinary, and concern for his brother priests—what does “mastery” look like in each?

It first looks like “competence.”

Mastery is not necessarily jack-of-all-trades-manship.

Careful, here.

There is a basic competence required for my field of work. What is it?

A Manual for the parish priest:

Notice, here, we’re already moving beyond the scope of the previous project (Eucharistic Custody).

Good fraternity can help you gain knowledge and competence in areas where you lack immediate, direct experience.

Fidelity to the Bishop reminds you you’re in it for the long haul. This is a project that you’ll give your whole life for, even from exile.

Mind your own business: The Things of God (Ta Tou Theou)

Gozzoli, "Francis"

Pargraph One:

“Where are your thoughts?”

“What were you thinking?”

It’s not that I wasn’t. It’s that I was thinking of myself, of what I wanted.

I was ashamed to tell him what I was thinking—because if I had it would’ve revealed how warped my mind was. And a warped mind in the presence of a true mind is very easy to notice. I hid myself because I was ashamed.

Notice how Peter approaches Jesus, not openly or publicly the way you would if you were confident in the righteousness of your cause. If going to Jerusalem is such a bad idea, make it known. Well, perhaps he was just trying to spare Jesus the embarrassment of publicly disagreeing with his plan. No. Jesus tells us clearly.

Jesus doesn’t say, “Thanks, Peter, for sparing me the public humiliation of rebuking me in front of everyone.” Peter conceals his opposition.

Jesus lays claim to his—and our—thoughts, publicly.

“You’re thinking,” he says, “not as God does but as people do.”

“What were you thinking?”

Does God really have a claim on my thoughts? Jesus says it himself. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

We don’t get a moment’s rest ever from loving God, even with our thoughts.

Could you use a "vacation"? How about a vacation? Don't you "wish" you could.

Paragraph 2: Vacations

Paragraph 3: Wishes, "Whoever wishes to come after me..."

it's "schizophrenia" to mind god & love our neighbor"

9/8/2021

Theme:

Self-denial, bearing your own cross are pre-requisites to following Jesus.

Did any follower of Jesus ever promote exclusively himself, rejecting altogether his own cross?

The one who loses his life for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel saves it.

Peter illustrates what not to do—this part of his tale is cautionary: take Jesus aside, rebuke him. Your thoughts are not as God, but as of men. Publicly reproached. For our benefit. Your thoughts don’t even get to swerve from God’s path—your people depend on their not swerving. Jesus sees to it.

Don’t entertain devious, selfish thoughts. Ponder the law of the Lord day and night.

Whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it.

Homily prep

Gozzoli

The step of making these 200 words “internet-ready” I’ve found takes some time and can work against the objective. An integral part of 200 words is that it’s not, say 500 words, or even 300 words. This is to kick-start the brain for the day, to get it up and at ‘em. If the drill wallows and gets bogged down in downloading large files, copying and pasting, formatting and re-formatting don’t be surprised if the brain, momentarily awakened choses to check back out again. Or, if another problem altogether, my lack of punctuality, rears its ugly head.

A gradual assessment of whether substack or blogspot is marginally easier may be useful. Also, “Keep overhead low.” No need to develop right away thematic illustrations or to scour the internet for the most beautiful image. All that’ll do is stop you dead in your tracks. If you see a good one, grab it. If not, “posted without comment” might just have to suffice. Wake up your brain and get on with your day! Don’t be late!

The fantasy of scripting even parts of the homily remains a fantasy.

One thought was: Monday, pick an appealing theme from the Gospel—there’s the topic of the homily, or the exegesis on the scripture ‘part of the homily.’ I’m settling this at around five minutes. Tuesday, find one scriptural illustration of Monday’s theme and develop it for a hundred words. Wednesday, find a saint who’s life reflects Tuesday’s illustration for another hundred words. Thursday, find an accessible everyday example where my life and my parishioners lives resemble Wednesday’s saint for another hundred words. Friday, introduce Monday’s theme with any kind of introduction for another hundred words. Conclude, as always with Our Lady and Saint Joseph. The predictability is deliberate and practical.

TLM

Memo:

To: Ray, Larry

From: Drew

Date: August 17, 2021

Re: Status & Sustainability Plan of the Pastoral Care for the TLM Community in St. Mary’s County

Message:

This recaps last-night’s conversation. I’ll present it to Anthony after you’ve reviewed it and indicated any mistakes or needed corrections.

In response to the express interest of parishioners, the pastors of three local parishes in Saint Mary’s County have been making the TLM available to the faithful according to the following plan:

Current Status:

St. Cecilia’s:

• Sunday afternoons.
• Weekday evenings (Mondays and Wednesdays).

St. John’s:

• Sunday afternoons.

St. Joseph’s:

• Sunday evenings.
• Weekday mornings (Wednesdays and Saturdays).

Going Forward:

St. Cecilia’s:

• Sundays, suspending the celebration of the TLM, unless there is no campus Mass at St. Mary’s College, i.e. during school vacations.
• Weekdays, to continue celebrating the TLM when not otherwise binating, due to the parish/school/funeral mass.

St. John’s:

• Sundays, suspending the celebration of the TLM, until a parochial vicar should be assigned there, then to resume the TLM.

St. Joseph’s:

• Sundays, to continue celebrating the TLM in the evenings.
• Weekdays, to continue celebrating the TLM when not otherwise binating, due to the parish/school/funeral mass.

exempt

 Note on the morality of using

some anti-Covid-19 vaccines

 

The question of the use of vaccines, in general, is often at the center of controversy in the forum of public opinion. In recent months, this Congregation has received several requests for guidance regarding the use of vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19, which, in the course of research and production, employed cell lines drawn from tissue obtained from two abortions that occurred in the last century. At the same time, diverse and sometimes conflicting pronouncements in the mass media by bishops, Catholic associations, and experts have raised questions about the morality of the use of these vaccines.

There is already an important pronouncement of the Pontifical Academy for Life on this issue, entitled “Moral reflections on vaccines prepared from cells derived from aborted human fetuses” (5 June 2005). Further, this Congregation expressed itself on the matter with the Instruction Dignitas Personae (September 8, 2008, cf. nn. 34 and 35). In 2017, the Pontifical Academy for Life returned to the topic with a Note. These documents already offer some general directive criteria.

Since the first vaccines against Covid-19 are already available for distribution and administration in various countries, this Congregation desires to offer some indications for clarification of this matter. We do not intend to judge the safety and efficacy of these vaccines, although ethically relevant and necessary, as this evaluation is the responsibility of biomedical researchers and drug agencies. Here, our objective is only to consider the moral aspects of the use of the vaccines against Covid-19 that have been developed from cell lines derived from tissues obtained from two fetuses that were not spontaneously aborted.

1. As the Instruction Dignitas Personae states, in cases where cells from aborted fetuses are employed to create cell lines for use in scientific research, “there exist differing degrees of responsibility”[1] of cooperation in evil. For example,“in organizations where cell lines of illicit origin are being utilized, the responsibility of those who make the decision to use them is not the same as that of those who have no voice in such a decision”.[2]

2. In this sense, when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available (e.g. in countries where vaccines without ethical problems are not made available to physicians and patients, or where their distribution is more difficult due to special storage and transport conditions, or when various types of vaccines are distributed in the same country but health authorities do not allow citizens to choose the vaccine with which to be inoculated) it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.

3. The fundamental reason for considering the use of these vaccines morally licit is that the kind of cooperation in evil (passive material cooperation) in the procured abortion from which these cell lines originate is, on the part of those making use of the resulting vaccines, remote. The moral duty to avoid such passive material cooperation is not obligatory if there is a grave danger, such as the otherwise uncontainable spread of a serious pathological agent[3]--in this case, the pandemic spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. It must therefore be considered that, in such a case, all vaccinations recognized as clinically safe and effective can be used in good conscience with the certain knowledge that the use of such vaccines does not constitute formal cooperation with the abortion from which the cells used in production of the vaccines derive. It should be emphasized, however, that the morally licit use of these types of vaccines, in the particular conditions that make it so, does not in itself constitute a legitimation, even indirect, of the practice of abortion, and necessarily assumes the opposition to this practice by those who make use of these vaccines.

4. In fact, the licit use of such vaccines does not and should not in any way imply that there is a moral endorsement of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted fetuses.[4] Both pharmaceutical companies and governmental health agencies are therefore encouraged to produce, approve, distribute and offer ethically acceptable vaccines that do not create problems of conscience for either health care providers or the people to be vaccinated.

5. At the same time, practical reason makes evident that vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary. In any case, from the ethical point of view, the morality of vaccination depends not only on the duty to protect one's own health, but also on the duty to pursue the common good. In the absence of other means to stop or even prevent the epidemic, the common good may recommend vaccination, especially to protect the weakest and most exposed. Those who, however, for reasons of conscience, refuse vaccines produced with cell lines from aborted fetuses, must do their utmost to avoid, by other prophylactic means and appropriate behavior, becoming vehicles for the transmission of the infectious agent. In particular, they must avoid any risk to the health of those who cannot be vaccinated for medical or other reasons, and who are the most vulnerable.

6. Finally, there is also a moral imperative for the pharmaceutical industry, governments and international organizations to ensure that vaccines, which are effective and safe from a medical point of view, as well as ethically acceptable, are also accessible to the poorest countries in a manner that is not costly for them. The lack of access to vaccines, otherwise, would become another sign of discrimination and injustice that condemns poor countries to continue living in health, economic and social poverty.[5]

The Sovereign Pontiff Francis, at the Audience granted to the undersigned Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on 17 December 2020, examined the present Note and ordered its publication.

Rome, from the Offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on 21 December 2020, Liturgical Memorial of Saint Peter Canisius.

Write 200 words

Van Eyck, "The Rolin Madonna"

I’ve gotten away from the project for a little while.

Perhaps I had grown tired of it. Perhaps I had lost the handle on why I was doing it. Along those lines, as I restart it, at least for this morning, here’s the question—why am I restarting it?

Two reasons present themselves quickly: get that book out; keep that brain sharp.

Regarding the first, this also is the more painful reason. Painful because I’ve never written a book before. I have only submitted academic papers as a part of course work. I’ve written one or two articles for the smallest of publications—and I mean the smallest (does the diocesan vocations promotions society count?). So all the work, especially formatting, but also just seeing the project through is going to seem quite daunting. I should go easy, then, on my dad whom we’ve been hounding for years to finish his book.

Regarding the second, at 158-words, I can notice a bit of an effect already this morning, in terms of rousing the mental software out of it’s early morning sluggishness. Today’s Tuesday, I’ll need my brain shortly for two separate homilies over the next four hours. I can’t be forgetful or approach those tasks drowsily.There are other reasons which I’ll possibly get to another time—I’ve reached my word-count.

Developments in the parish

Duccio, "Madonna on a Throne"

July 5, 2021

I’ll observe a certain favorable development in the life of the parish: families with Children.

I’ll shoot from the hip in reacting, apprehending this development. One thing, I should take care not to neglect the immediate needs of the rest of the parish. Okay. That said, I’m acknowledging a development: families.

I got busted for “crying” or for “tears” one or the other—can’t remember which—in an anecdote relating my reaction to the recent noticeable bump in the participation of some new families at Sunday Mass.

Credit where it’s due, “I want this to be the parish of the big families” is a one-liner which I did not come up with. Rather, it’s from one of the new families themselves.

It may be worth spotting what prepared for this moment, so that we don’t foolishly forget it, much less decide to go in a different direction.

"Ad orientem" has something to do with it. To chuck this would be kind of like killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

Certainly, Eucharistic piety and support for the older form of the Mass has also helped. Don’t forget, either the concrete act of gratitude for encouraging vasectomy reversal. As well as the new little one one the way as a result. In this regard the parish is certainly growing.

Image: Duccio, "Madonna and Child on a Throne"

Priestly Culture

6/21/21

Duccio, "Flagellation"

To continue this idea of a flourishing priestly culture.

Can we point to any authority on the matter? Can we find those priestly cultures that are flourishing, somewhere, and see what they have in common? That would be one task: to gather into one space, on one sheet of paper, a list of those presbyterates.

I’ll need to guard against my tendency to present an idealized portrayal of a non-existent priestly culture. This is why, if there are real examples out there—even if they are partial examples—let’s have a look at them.

I’ll say, perhaps I’ve already said it, the local constituents of the priesthood in this region of the archdiocese seem to socialize well together. What that actually looks like is the rather consistent acceptance of individual invitations to dinner on Saturday evenings. Generally anywhere from a third to sometimes a half of all of the priests in the region will, on a near weekly basis, and on rather short notice, show up for a simple dinner. There are only a few who have never joined. There are a few who nearly always join.

I wonder if this example, Saturday evening dinners, has much potential itself of developing into anything beyond just a reliable occasion to have a simple dinner and some conversations with confreres. If it’s just that, it serves a purpose. Adjacent events resembling parts of it could be rather easily spun off. That would be another purpose it could serve, namely, to show how easy it is to have successful outreach to the other guys. What those other possibilities could be, we simply do not know. I suppose they could be just about any good thing.

Cont'd from this earlier:

6/17/2021

A Flourishing Clerical Culture:

What’s it look like? When did it ever exist? What’s to prevent it from bursting onto the scene? Would we even recognize it if we saw it?

I imagine there are certain local presbyterates, or priestly societies, or religious communities that have a healthy clerical culture amongst themselves. What do they have in common?

It’s perhaps easier to spot the earmarks of unhealthiness within a priestly culture: internal strife, mistrust, frequent defections, disobedience, obstinacy, self-aggrandizement, jealousy, indulging in excess, unchastity, worldliness, cowardliness. This is not an exhaustive list. But where these vices abound among priests, it bodes ill for them and for their people.

Is there even such a thing as a common priestly, or clerical culture? Culture implies symbiosis, mutual enrichment, growth & development, organic unity, favorable environmental conditions, admixture of various particularities. The fundamental ingredients of any culture would need also to be healthy themselves, or at least not unhealthy. “A good tree produces good fruit.”

The distinctions of professional cultures in the secular world naturally resemble the character of the common trade or skills of its constituents: military, sports, education, business, arts, legal, medical, etc. The professional cultures in these various fields reflect the goodness of the field itself, even while they are determined by the character of individuals who participate.

The same can be said for spiritual cultures

It would seem vital for a healthy priestly culture that its nucleus always be what distinguishes it from any other professional or spiritual vocation. As long as the priestly character is at the heart of priestly culture, then what grows up around it can resemble the particular qualities of the men who comprise it. If the heart of the priesthood is replaced with anything other than what is essential to the priesthood—even if they be good other things, hopes for a healthy particularly priestly culture cannot long endure. The culture may be professional, it may be spiritual, it may be personal, but it won’t be priestly.

Image: Duccio, "Flagellation"

A local parish feastday

Duccio, "Descent"

6/16/21

Today’s the feast of Saint John Francis Regis. According to the wikipedia page, though, 10 September is also listed. I’m not sure what the difference is between the two dates. We’ve got a local parish, here, named for him so we’ll be heading over there today to visit the parish Church, pray there, greet the pastor and get ourselves a plenary indulgence.

This visiting the local parishes on their feast days, I hope, can become a popular thing if we put our minds to it. Here in mid-June we’ve got four local feasts within a few weeks of each other: Sacred Heart, IHM, Regis, Gonzaga. If we’re not all the way to point of each parish having a blowout bash, full festival, bishop coming to say Mass, etc, for their feast, then in the meantime a reasonable way to observe the day might, at least, be to rendezvous for visit and then grab some lunch nearby.

Lunch, maybe better than dinner to mark the day since we already have the custom of meeting regularly for dinner and doing so yet again might not carry with it the sense of a particularly special significance. Lunch—or, imagine it, breakfast—on the other hand, would be a great way to mark the day. We’d have to make sure our schedules were clear and we’d take time away from the parish—even if just for a couple of hours, and we’d pray and celebrate.

Today is Regis, the next one, Monday, is Gonzaga. Key to getting these set up is the advance notice. That’s where I definitely need some help. I’m not a planner, temperamentally. I’m way better thinking on my feet, spontaneously. Planning is plodding, that’s how it feels to me anyway. Still, I can appreciate it’s value, even if only theoretically, and I do know that a decent heads-up is practically quite considerate of the other guys.

Image: Duccio, "Descent"

On writing

6/9/21

Duccio, "Before Anna"

Remedying the mishandling of the MBS.

Slow to dive in, this morning. There may be a couple of reasons why. One is that I may have forgotten that this 5:30 AM half-hour of writing is primarily for the sake of developing my writing chops. Practicing the craft. Working it out. It’s primarily an exercise to get the brain going in the morning, but also to get the act of writing going in an increasingly proficient manner.

I foresee that I could be easily adding some bad habits. The kind that come along when you’re self-taught. But I’d rather get accustomed to producing than stifle any production for fear I may be doing it wrong. It’s hard to imagine much harm done to anyone by my honing the ability to dash out 300-500 word bursts.

Right now, I’ve begun with the 250-word burst. It was 200 before that, but I soon realized that was not quite challenging enough. Or, rather, that it wasn’t nearly long enough for me to develop a single thought to my satisfaction. So it became 250.

Very recently it’s become 250 in 30 minutes. Or better, 250 before 6 AM. Lauds are at six. Followed by a half-hour meditation. That goes right into getting set for the day, dressed, showering, etc. By 7:15 or 7:20 depending, I should be ready for Prime and whatever comes next—typically confessions and 8:00 AM Mass.

Cranking out the 250 by 6:00 AM, though, has become the scope of the exercise. At least for now.

I’ve been working on this MBS project on remedying the pastor’s mishandling of the MBS. There, you see. Just putting it so succinctly has brought about another aspect, namely, “What is the scope of the parish priest’s responsibility with respect to the MBS?” This is different from “How does the pastor safeguard the MBS?” Or, “How do pastors remedy the mishandling of the MBS?” Is it possible, to catalogue the entire scope of the pastor’s responsibility regarding the MBS? Yes, of course, it is. But that’s more than I’m bargaining for right here. Will it not suffice to indicate the pastor’s larger responsibility in general and focus specifically on a small portion of it? After all, you’ve got to start somewhere, right?

This last 100-word burst is brought to you by yesterday’s exercise to articulate, as succinctly as possible, the scope of the work. A Pastor’s guide to preventing and remedying common mishandling of the MBS. Keep working at it.

I also think this time can be useful in developing that Rectory blog, and also what I’ll put up on the parish website, too. Frequency of publishing might not be the idea. But frequency of writing is more like it. By honing the writing craft, it’ll help ultimately what content eventually does get published.

Image: Duccio, "Before Anna"

Restating the Scope of the Work

6/8/21

Martini, "Eucharist"

Today is the Anniversary of the death of Fr. Tom Wells. May he rest in peace.

I’m going to pause for a moment from considering JPII’s EE. The reason is that I need to get a firmer handle on the scope of the work that I’m doing. I’m finding that I could put many hours of research into obtaining very little that will fit into the aim of this effort. That is, unless, I readjust the aim to include a broader rage of topics related to the MBS.

But I’m thinking limiting the scope and pinpointing the aim will prevent the study from becoming a deadly bore. Let’s see what I have so far.

How pastors remedy abuses most commonly associated with the direct handling of the MBS?

Let’s unpack this question. What’s it to pastors? What are the abuses most commonly associated with the handling of the MBS? What constitutes the handling of the MBS? Who are to be the handlers of the MBS? When are they to handle the MBS? Where are they to handle the MBS? Why are they to handle the MBS? How are they to handle the MBS?

Let’s further unpack the question. What is the MBS? What are abuses? What are remedies? What is direct and immediate handling, as opposed to any other kind of handling?

A Pastor’s guide to remedying the mishandling of the MBS.

Pastors remedy mishandling.

This last three-word thesis captures it well. It still begs questions, but at least the questions it begs keep us within the scope of the work. Why pastors? How do they remedy? What is mishandling?

A pastor’s protocol for preventing and remedying the mishandling of the MBS.

Image: Martini, "Eucharist"

From RS to EE

6/5/21

Duccio, "Christ before Caiaphas"

So that’s a walk-through RS. Now that that’s done, let’s take a step back and see where we are. For instance, where were we when we decided to get into RS, to begin with?

April 15th was when I decided to take a look at RS. At that point we had already been through the other instructions on reserving and keeping safe the MBS. April 18th I began my dive into RS. I noticed it refers to JPII’s EE and thought it may be a good idea to review that one.

Let’s look at EE for a moment and see if it in fact helps us out, of if it takes us rather too far afield from our purpose.

EE is 62 paragraphs spanning six chapters plus an intro and a conclusion. The six chapters cover the Eucharist with regard to: faith; the Church; apostolicity; ecclesial communion; worthy celebration; Our Lady.

I recall paragraph 25 for some reason. Ah, yes. Pastors are to promote Exposition of the MBS. Chapter Five on the Worthy Celebration also seems like it may concern our purpose which is to clarify for the pastor his duties concerning the most direct and immediate custody of the MBS. I emphasize direct and immediate as opposed to general, ideal or even remote handling. This is to limit my topic, and also to show how brightly the Church has already delineated the boundary between what constitutes correct discipline versus abuse under the most clear and present circumstances. Certainly preaching heresy about the Eucharist presents a clear danger immediately affecting faith in the MBS. But I’m concerned even more directly about the handling of the MBS. Hence: Reservation, Veneration, Communion.

RS Conclusion

6/4/21

Duccio, "Carrying the Cross"

RS 183-184 encourages all of the faithful to protect the MBS from every irreverence, distortion or abuse. It refers to this custody as a duty incumbent on each of the faithful.

The Instruction first urges everyone to do all that it in the power of each to ensure the safeguarding of the MBS. It next reminds everyone that safeguarding the MBS is a duty that each one has. It lastly describes the right that each one has of lodging a complaint to the bishop or to the Apostolic See regarding liturgical abuse. In this regard, urging truth and charity, notifying the bishop of the abuse is recommended insofar as is possible.

These conclude RS’s paragraphs on remedies. Summing up this chapter, then, abuses are classified according to three types—1) graviora delicta, 2) grave abuses, & 3) other abuses. There are four graviora delicta. There are altogether thirty-seven of RS’s own paragraphs as well as canons of the CIC indicated describing approximately Fifty circumstances of grave abuse. Recourse in the case of alleged abuse proceeds according to the norm of law. Such procedure begins at the local level may involve, if necessary the bishop and Apostolic See in the investigation, adjudication and the application of an appropriate penalty.

RS: Conclusion

RS 185-186 are the two concluding paragraphs of the Instruction. Citing JPII’s Pastor Bonus, RS identifies the purpose of the present Instruction. The MBS, by building up the Church and establishing fellowship among men, stands against the seeds of discord deeply ingrained by sin. RS hopes with the help of the BVM, therefore, by the diligent application of its instructions to reprobate and remove everything in human weakness that may hinder or oppose the saving action of the MBS. It lastly exhorts all to participate as servants of the Sacred Liturgy, each according to Christ’s command carried out by the Church.

Image: Duccio, "Carrying the Cross"

Remedies, Process

Duccio, "Pilate"

6/3/21

RS 174-175 refer to other abuses. Besides the matters mentioned above as graviora delicta or as grave abuses there remain other matters which are nevertheless contrary to the norms established by law. The Instruction indicates that these are not to be considered of little account. They are rather to be carefully avoided and corrected. It confirms that the number of violations against the MBS is not exhausted by those indicated in the present Instruction. It restates the general principle that wrongs are to be corrected according to the norm of law.

RS 176-180 details the responsibility of the diocesan bishop to correct the abuses against the MBS. He is to promote the liturgy, the observance of the Church’s law and discipline and to guard against the encroachment of abuses. He is to investigate plausible reports of abuse, referring the graviora delicta to the CDF without delay. As necessary he is to impose canonical penalties, proceeding according to the norms of the sacred canons. He can inform the Congregation for Divine Worship for serious matters.

RS 181-182 describes the process for handling cases of abuse that are referred to Rome. It indicates the assistance which the diocesan bishop can expect from the Congregation in handling the matter, including the help of the Pope in the form of particular dispensations, instructions or prescriptions to be diligently followed.

RS 183-184 encourages all of the faithful to protect the MBS from every irreverence, distortion or abuse. It refers to this custody as a duty incumbent on each of the faithful.

Image: Duccio, "Pilate"

Abuses, Grave Matter

6/2/21

Duccio, "Assumption"

1376: A person who profanes a sacred object, moveable or immovable, is to be punished with a just penalty.

1380: A person who through simony celebrates or receives a sacrament, is to be punished with an interdict or suspension.

1384: A person who, apart from the cases mentioned in cann. 1378 - 1383, unlawfully exercises the office of a priest or another sacred ministry, may be punished with a just penalty.

1385: A person who unlawfully traffics in Mass offerings is to be punished with a censure or other just penalty.

1386: A person who gives or promises something so that some one who exercises an office in the Church would unlawfully act or fail to act, is to be punished with a just penalty; likewise, the person who accepts such gifts or promises.

1398: A person who actually procures an abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.

The question arises: how does the objective gravity of the above-mentioned offenses and abuses directly affect the safeguarding of the MBS? For example, this last-mentioned Canon identifies the excommunication for someone who has actually procured an abortion. But how does this canon safeguard the MBS? One way it safeguards the MBS is that it alerts the offending, would-be communicant in no uncertain terms that he or she has been excommunicated and so must not approach to receive Holy Communion without first being absolved of the sanction.

Canon 916 is helpful here: Anyone who is conscious of grave sin may not celebrate Mass or receive the Body of the Lord without previously having been to sacramental confession, unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, which includes the resolve to go to confession as soon as possible.

To complete the moral injunction, those who with full knowledge, deliberately consent to any of abuses in these canons must not approach the MBS without first being absolved.

Image: Duccio, "Assumption"

Grave Abuses, Continued in the CIC

6/1/21

Duccio, "Appearance"

138: Leaving the MBS when exposed unattended even for the briefest space of time.

153: Laypersons assuming the role or vesture of a Priest or Deacon.

168: 1) Celebrating any of the Sacraments even while the minister himself has lost the clerical state—save in the exceptional case set forth by law; 2) Having recourse to the Sacraments celebrated by such a minister; These men giving the Homily, or undertaking any office or duty in the liturgical celebration lest confusion arise among Christ’s faithful.

The prescriptions in Nine particular Canons in the CIC are mentioned next. The Instruction mentions that what is laid down in the these canons also be understood as referring to grave matter. These canons are:

1364: 1) The penalty of excommunication for the particular offenses of apostasy, heresy and schism; 2) the penalties affecting a priest: prohibiting against residence; depriving of power, office, function, right, privilege, faculty, favor, title, insignia—even of a merely honorary nature; or 3) prohibiting against the exercise of the things just mentioned above in #2;

1369: A person who, at a public event or assembly, or in a published writing, or by otherwise using the means of social communication, utters blasphemy, or gravely harms public morals, or rails at or excites hatred of or contempt for religion or the Church;

1373: A person who publicly incites his or her subjects to hatred or animosity against the Apostolic See or the Ordinary because of some act of ecclesiastical authority or ministry, or who provokes the subjects to disobedience against them.

Image: Duccio, "Appearance"

RS, '04: Grave Abuses, Continued

5/30/21

Duccio, "Annunciation of Death to the Virgin"

104: 1) The communicant intincting the Host himself or receiving the intincted host in the hand; 2) using non-consecrated bread or other matter for intinction; 3) attempting the consecration of hosts made of invalid matter;

106: 1) The pouring of the Blood of Christ from one vessel to another after the consecration; 2) containing the Blood of the Lord in flagons, bowls or other vessels not fully in accord with the established norms;

109: Celebrating Mass in a temple or sacred place of any non-Christian religion;

111: Failing to permit a priest—provided he presents commendatory letters—from celebrating or concelebrating the Eucharist;

115: Arbitrarily suspending the celebration of Mass for the sake of promoting a “fast from the Eucharist;”

117: Using common vessels for containing the Body and Blood of the Lord made from ignoble material, or lacking in quality, or devoid of all artistic merit, or which are merely containers, or made from glass, earthenware, clay, or other materials that easily break, as well as metals that easily rust or deteriorate.

126: Celebrating Mass without any sacred vestments or with only a stole over the monastic cowl or religious habit or common clothes contrary to the liturgical books, even where there is only one minister participating;

131: Reserving the MBS in a place not subject in a secure way to the authority of the Bishop or where there is a danger of profanation;

132: Carrying the MBS to one’s home or to any other place contrary to the norm of Law;

133: 1) Conducting any profane business on the way to administer Holy Communion to the sick while carrying the MBS; 2) Administering Holy Communion to the sick contrary to the use of the prescribed Rite contained in the Roman Ritual;

Image: Duccio: "Annunciation of Death to the Virgin"

RS, '04: Grave Abuses

5/29/21

Duccio, "Appearance to Apostles"

92: 1) Failing to respect the choice of the participant to receive on the tongue or in the hand—unless giving in the hand risks profaning the MBS; 2) Failing to ensure Holy Communion given in the hand is consumed in the presence of the minister; 3) Giving Holy Communion in the hand when there is risk of profanation;

94: Participants administering Holy Communion to one another, even spouses at the Nuptial Mass;

96: Distributing things other than Holy Communion, such as unconsecrated hosts, in same the manner as the distribution of the Holy Communion, contrary to the prescriptions of the liturgical books;

101: Distributing Holy Communion using also the Chalice where even a small danger exists of the MBS being profaned;

102: Nevertheless ministering the Chalice even: 1) where there is such a large number of communicants that it is difficult to gauge the amount of wine for the Eucharist and there is a danger that more than a reasonable quantity of the Blood of Christ remain to be consumed at the end of the celebration; or 2) where there is difficulty arranging access to the chalice; or 3) where such a large amount of wine would be required that its certain provenance and quality could only be known with difficulty; or 4) where there is not an adequate number of sacred ministers or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion with proper formation; or 5) where a notable part of the people continues to prefer not to approach the chalice for various reasons, so that the sign of unity would in some sense be negated;

[cont'd]

Image: Duccio, "Appearance to Apostles"

Delicts

5/28/21

Duccio, "Burial"

RS 172 regards the graviora delicta. The process for handling these delicts is reserved to the Apostolic See, specifically through the CDF. Four delicts are named: 1) throwing away the MBS or taking them away for sacrilegious ends, or 2) even attempting as much; 3) concelebrating Mass with ecclesial communions who don’t have validly ordained ministers; 4) consecration for sacrilegious ends in Mass of only one matter or of both matters outside of Mass.

RS 173 on grave matters refers reflexively to the earlier parts of this Instruction as well as to certain Canons in the CIC. The common teaching and established norms of the Church are integral to judging the gravity of the matter of specific abuses. Any putting at risk the validity & dignity of the MBS is objectively to be considered a grave matter. It, then, cites specifically twenty-eight of its own paragraphs which deal with matter that is objectively to be considered grave.

The twenty-eight paragraphs in RS are:

48-52: The matter of the Bread & Wine used for Mass;

56: The naming in the Canon of the Pope and local ordinary;

76: Uniting Penance & Mass in a single liturgical celebration;

77: Inserting the celebration of Mass into the setting of a common meal, or, without grave necessity, on a dinner table or in a dining hall;

79: Introducing into the Mass elements that are contrary to the prescriptions of liturgical books & taken from the rites of other religions;

91: Denying Holy Communion or any of the Sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed and are not prohibited by law;

(cont.)

Image: Duccio, "Burial"

RS, '04: Remedies

Duccio, "Christ, before Pilate"

5/27/2021

The Eighth and final chapter of Redemptionis Sacramentum is called “Remedies.” It deals with the means at the disposal of the Church to repair the injuries done though the abuse of the MBS. It describes three types of abuses: graviora delicta; grave matters; and other abuses. It reminds the bishop of those remedies for which he is responsible. It indicates when and how recourse must be had to the Apostolic See for remedies that are reserved to it. Lastly it describes the process for submitting complaints regarding the care of the MBS.

RS 169-171: These opening paragraphs of this chapter mention the falsehood that is committed whenever there is an abuse during the celebration of the sacred Liturgy. It cites Aquinas who identifies falsehood precisely in the contrariness of the manner of celebrating. The Church, by divine authority, establishes the manner for celebrating the sacred Liturgy in such a way that deserves observance. When its proper observance is directly withheld or immediately frustrated, a falsehood is perpetrated.

The biblical and liturgical formation of pastors and the faithful itself clarifies the understanding and presentation of the Liturgy and itself guards against the falsehood of abuses. The circumstance of persisting abuse demands that all legitimate means for safeguarding the rights and patrimony of the Church are undertaken in accord with the Church’s own procedures.

There are three varieties of abuses: 1) more grave; 2) grave; 3) others to be carefully avoided and corrected. Before proceeding to describe each of these, RS directs the reader to what it laid down earlier, in Chapter I, concerning the responsibility of each of the faithful to safeguard the liturgy from abuse.

Image: Duccio, "Christ, before Pilate"

Nullo, today, 83 years later.

5/26/2021

Duccio, "Appearance of Christ"

Today is the 83rd Anniversary of the SRC’s Instruction “Nullo Unquam Tempore” on the safeguarding of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Pius XI had ordered it to be published after confirming and ratifying it on the seventh of May, earlier the same month. The SRC had approved the Instruction in a plenary session on March 30th.

Nullo is a comprehensive review of the details of safeguarding the MBS. It is referred to explicitly by the current General Instruction of the Roman Missal as well as by the Congregation for Divine Worship’s 2004 Instruction “Redemptionis Sacramentum.” It regulates the way bishops and parish priests are to execute their responsibility to reserve the MBS in their dioceses and in their parishes. The Instruction aims at “the safest possible keeping of the Holy Eucharist and its entire preservation from injury of any kind.”

It proceeds principally interpreting the paragraphs of Canon 1269 of the 1917 Code. Its interpretation focuses on three main considerations: the tabernacle, its custody, and its key. It concludes by instructing bishops on how to regulate the observance of the prescriptions laid down.

Nullo is normative for reserving the MBS today. It’s relevance goes beyond a curious historical insight into late-modern preconciliar Church discipline. Rather, the Church has subsequently standardized its prescriptions in the current Missal and CIC.

Priests and bishops who take Nullo seriously will secure a central part of their responsibility to ensure that the Eucharist is kept at the heart of their flock.

"Nullo Unquam Tempore," English Translation published in the Australasian Catholic Record, 1938

Image: Duccio, “Appearance of Christ"

RS, 2004: EMHCs

5/24/2021

Duccio, "Christ Appearing to Mary"

RS 158 Describes the restriction of the conditions when the EMHC may exercise his function as limited only to these three:
sacred ministers are altogether lacking;
the sacred minister is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason;
the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged; a brief prolongation being not at all sufficient.

RS 159 EMHCs are never allowed to delegate to anyone the extraordinary function for which they have been specifically appointed.

RS 160 instructs bishops to consider the way recourse to EMHCs is had in his territory. He may issue special norms for the carrying out of this function when true necessity prompts the widespread appointment of EMHCs. His determinations are to be in accord with the law and considerate of the Church’s tradition.

RS 161-167 deal with preaching and celebrations carried out in the absence of a priest. We will pass over these as not particularly germane the purpose of this study.

RS 168 concerns priests who have left the clerical state. They are prohibited from exercising the power of order. Excepting for the case set forth in the law, it is not licit for them to celebrate the sacraments.

This section, Chapter Seven on Extraordinary Functions of the lay faithful, does not explicitly address laymen exposing or reposing the MBS for adoration. Can it be that the Eucharistic adoration of the MBS exposed has been so neglected by the sacred ministers that the great frequency with which it carried out almost exclusively by laymen is of such little concern as to merit hardly any mention?

Image: Duccio, “Christ appearing to Mary"

EMHCs

Duccio, "Descent of the Holy Spirit"

5/23/2021

RS, Chapter Seven, after its prefatory remarks turns first to the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Again, anything relating to the careful custody of the MBS concerns us here. So, those circumstances when this custody needs to be delegated to a laymen need to be well understood.

RS 154: This section opens with a reiteration of the prefatory remark that the sacred ministry of the priest in the liturgy is irreplaceable.

RS 155 Acknowledges the condition of “reasons of real necessity” which may prompt the appointment of EMHCs for an occasion or for a specified time.

RS 156 emphasizes the importance that name given to the role of the person specifically deputed in this instance expressly emphasizes the extraordinary nature of the function. Hence, “extraordinary minister of Holy Communion” and not “special minister” or “Eucharistic minister,” etc. RS cautions again against the unnecessary and improper broadening of the name of the function.

RS 157 describes circumstances when EMHCs may not be appointed. Specifically, when the number of sacred ministers is sufficient for the distribution of Holy Communion, there is to be no such appointment of EMHCs. It then repeats this directive a second time. Where it first addressed the perspective of the priest, it reiterates the same point from the perspective of the appointed extraordinary minister instructing that an appointed minister is not to exercise his function when there are present sufficient sacred ministers. It then reprobates the contrary practice of sacred ministers abstaining from administering Holy Communion in order to hand over the function to laymen.

Urgent Prayers for More Vocations, etc.

Duccio, "Apostle Philip"

5/22/2021

RS 149, 150: These emphasize that the purpose of allowing for these extraordinary functions is to assist and not to replace the role of the sacred ministers.

RS 151: Emphasizes that true necessity is required for priests to seek recourse of the assistance of extraordinary ministers. It cites the 1997 interdicasterial Instruction Ecclesiæ de Mysterio, “On Certain Questions Regarding Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priest.” It restates the supplementary and provisional purpose of this recourse, explaining that “the fuller participation of the laity” is not what is intended. It adds that as often as necessity prompts such recourse to the supplemental and provisional assistance of extraordinary ministers that urgent prayers likewise be offered for more vocations to the priesthood. Here it cites JPII’s 2003, EE.

RS 152 cautions against use of this recourse as an occasion to disfigure the ministry of priests. Such disfiguration may involve priests themselves neglecting their liturgical and pastoral responsibilities in favor of the use of the purely provisional use of the extraordinary minister. Indiscriminate alteration of pastoral service between priests, deacons and laymen is a confusion of what responsibilities are proper to each and should thus altogether be avoided. RS 153 similarly adds that assuming the role or vesture of a priest or deacon by a layman is never licit.

Before proceeding to the first subsection of this chapter on EMHCs, let’s review what has been said so far on this topic of provisional assistance. The 1997 interdicasterial citation is helpful. The double understanding that recourse is only to be prompted out of true necessity and not for the sake of a fuller participation of the laity in the liturgy needs to be drilled into the minds of everybody, the contrary certainly having already too much taken hold. Urgent prayers for vocations, too, stands to be repeatedly emphasized.

Image: Duccio, "Apostle Philip"

Extraordinary Functions of the Lay faithful

Duccio, "Apostle Simon"

5/21/2021

RS 142-145 are concerned with Eucharistic Congresses and Eucharistic Processions for the purpose of promoting the adoration and Eucharistic piety of the faithful. The bishop is to lay down regulations governing how they are carried out. RS 143 recommends that Processions through the public streets be held wherever it is possible in the judgment of the bishop. It mentions these, especially in reference to the Feast of Corpus Christi. RS 144, acknowledging that procession cannot happen in all places, still cautions against the tradition being lost. It encourages seeking new ways of having them suited to the local conditions.

RS Chapter VII: Extraordinary Functions of the Lay faithful.

This chapter has prefatory paragraphs followed by four sections: 1) extraordinary ministers of holy communion (EMHC); 2) Preaching; 3) Particular Celebrations in the absence of a priest; 4) Those who have left the clerical state.

Before we dive into the specifics of this section it’s worth asking what it has to do with the security of the MBS. We’ve seen that the custody of the MBS is principally the responsibility of the priest. Nullo did indicate that a certain delegation was possible. But the priest remained ultimately responsible. Insofar, then, as a layman must handle or keep custody of the MBS, these paragraphs apply to him.

RS 146: This chapter’s opening paragraph emphasizes that there can be no substitute for the ministerial priesthood. It refers to the functioning of Christ within a community as its head as an exercize fulfilled sacramentally by the priest. It reminds that only the priest confects the sacrament of the Eucharist.

RS 147 speaks of the circumstances where the needs of the Church and the lack of ministers may require laymen to supply certain liturgical offices. This work is carried out according to the norm of the Church’s law. RS 148 mentions the important role of catechists in spreading the faith.

Perpetual

5/20/2021

Duccio, "Matthias"

RS 139 speaks of the right of the faithful at some point during the year to take part in the adoration of the MBS exposed. The local Ordinary has the duty to provide the available ministers so that the faithful can exercise this right.

RS 140 speaks of perpetual adoration. It sites the norms from EOM that we have already reviewed. It recommends this adoration to the care of the bishop. He should designate a church building for this purpose “at least in the cities and the larger towns.” It emphasizes the importance of Mass being celebrated in the church “frequently,” “rigorously” interrupting the period of the Exposition. The host for the Exposition, fittingly, should be consecrated at the Mass immediately preceding the time of Exposition.

It occurs to me that perpetual adoration requires man-power. In order for the Church, those in it, especially the MBS to be secure during an overnight period of prolonged exposition, able-bodied men are required as a deterrent to any who would do harm. If a local church lacks that man-power, such a prolonged time should be interrupted for the sake of the safeguarding of the sacrament.

RS 141 makes mention in an interesting way to guilds or associations for the Eucharist adoration. It entrusts these groups to the care of the Bishop. It speaks specifically of “even almost continuous adoration.” Deliberately to add these explicit modifiers, I think, is to emphasize that the focus is not on the group’s ability to muster its resources non-stop. Exactly not. It makes clear at the outset that the idea of “non-stop adoration” needs to be understood within the appropriate context, viz. what we are explaining, here.


Image: Duccio, "Matthias"

In and Outta Hell

5/19/2021

Duccio, "Apostle Jacob"

I’m concurrently starting both Milton’s PL and Dante’s DC. I’m three days in to Milton and on my canto 2 of the Inferno. So just as I’m on my way into hell with Virgil and Dante, I’m on my way out of hell with Satan. Good grief. Talk about Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

I’m doing PL on tape. I’ll tell you the name of the reader, he’s excellent. I listened him do Gulag Archipelago. I’m doing Dante the old fashioned way.

This is just, perhaps a progress report, not a book report. I may offer a thing or two that strike me. With Dante, I read canto 1 out loud. Not bad. PL, I’m following the drama so far. I like the explanatory prefaces at the start of the chapters/books. Helps me know where we’re going.

Image: Duccio, "Apostle Jacob"