Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Motu Proprio Ecclesiae Unitatem

Click here to read the whole thing in Latin.


1. Ecclesiae unitatem tueri, ut sollicite omnibus suppeditentur subsidia ad huic vocationi divinaeque gratiae consentaneis rationibus respondendum, peculiarem in modum Petri Apostoli Successoris est munus, qui perpetuum est et visibile principium fundamentumque unitatis tum Episcoporum tum fidelium [1]. Primum praecipuumque Ecclesiae officium omni tempore, id est homines ad Deum conveniendum perducere, iuvandum est per communem omnium christianorum fidei testificationem.

In Italian:
1. Il compito di custodire l'unità della Chiesa, con la sollecitudine di offrire a tutti gli aiuti per rispondere nei modi opportuni a questa vocazione e grazia divina, spetta in modo particolare al Successore dell'Apostolo Pietro, il quale è il perpetuo e visibile principio e fondamento dell'unità sia dei Vescovi che dei fedeli1. La priorità suprema e fondamentale della Chiesa, in ogni tempo, di condurre gli uomini verso l’incontro con Dio deve essere favorita mediante l'impegno di giungere alla comune testimonianza di fede di tutti i cristiani.


In English via Rorate Caeli:
1.The goal of guarding the UNITY OF THE CHURCH, with the solicitousness of offering to all the aid to responding in opportune manner to this vocation and divine grace, belongs in a particular way to the Successor of the Apostle Peter, who is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of the unity both of Bishops and of the faithful1. The supreme and fundamental priority of the Church, in every age, of leading men towards the encounter with God must be favored through the effort of uniting the common witness of faith of all Christians.

Monday, July 06, 2009

Monday Blues

This is an awesome way to get the work week going. Especially when one is feeling self-pity and engaging in too much introspection.

The 'Te Deum' sung by the Maîtrise de Notre-Dame-de-Paris led by Cantor Jehan Revert, in alternatim with Pierre Cochereau at the Grand Orgue of Notre-Dame.




Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur. Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur. Tibi omnes Angeli, tibi Caeli et universae Potestates: Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant: Sanctus: Sanctus: Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Necropolis

New at the Holy See's website:


Click on the picture to go to the Scavi.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Ugliest Church Art

The Carolina Cannonball is running the Ugliest Church Art Contest. She's taking submissions until July 15th. Do send her some examples. We can all groan and gape together.

If Beauty is the Splendor of Truth, what is Ugly?

10 Honest Things About Myself

Well, having been nominated twice for this award, should I give 10 things or 10 times 2?

I try not to reveal too much about myself on this 'blog unless it has something to do with my work as a church musician. You can probably guess what things I consider important through my previous posts or looking over my sidebar. If you glance through the categories, you'll see that there are a lot of things that interest me. Out of fairness to those who've been following this little 'blog for years, it's time to reveal something of myself.

Thanks to Vir Speluncae Catholicus and to the Divine Lamp (oh, no, is that fur flying? Please, fur doesn't go with my black couch.)

1. I drive a battered black five-speed stick-shift Dodge Neon. I used to drive a silver convertible sports car, but the neighborhood where I work made it increasingly unsafe for me to drive around such a conspicuous car. Considering one seminarian who was staying with us one summer got beaten up and his car stolen, a nondescript scratched up car is perfect camouflage.

2. I love Eucharistic Adoration and Processions. A friend called me an Adoration junkie once.

3. I think that surfing and being online has made me a little duller intellectually. That's why I am trying to curtail my time online. Am I successful? No comment.

4. Question or comment that will earn you logorrhea from me: But why does Father have to turn his back to us?

5. My organ shoes are bright gold. I'm thinking of getting a red pair for Red Calendar Days...

6. I don't think I have enough books.

7. I don't think I have enough bookshelves.

8. I try hard not to roll my eyes or get exasperated while playing for N.O. Masses. It's not what Father does. It's what others do in "active participation" that drive me crazy. I asked him once if he noticed and he said, "No, I'm concentrating hard on Our Eucharistic Lord."

9. I am, by nature, more of a hermit than people realize. I can go for days without needing to encounter anyone but my family. It takes me days to recover from a whole weekend of being around people. Don't call me on Mondays because the phone will ring off the hook.

10. The coolest thing that's ever happened to me is being in Rome for a Corpus Christi procession with Pope Benedict...surrounded by all kinds of Catholics from all over the world (oh, and a token Protestant here and there).

Okay, I'm supposed to give this Honest Scrap Award to some other bloggers. Hmmm.
Holy Cookie, have you done this one yet? Quantitative Metathesis, before you go off to your hidden life! Ubi Petrus, is a moving target (*snirt*). CUAguy, who has just a few days left before he starts his summer job. Mike Liccione who constantly challenges the way I think. Philip, but he's on his way to France so he probably will just ignore me. Cathy, here's something to cheer you up...winning an award!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help


O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee, for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on thee, ever repeating thy sacred name, Mary, Mary.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Habit-forming

One of the reasons it's such a joy to be in Rome. From one our 'blog friends:

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Scarce

Dear Friends,

I've returned from more peregrinations and needless to say, I'm very tired. So that's why the 'blog's been static for the past week. My sleep patterns are all out of whack. Travel does that to you. In addition, I still have about 14 gigabytes of pilgrimage pictures left to wade through and post some select ones here. That's a lot of pictures!

Anyway, I'll be back after a few more days' rest.

Take care. Hope you are getting some summer reading done and enjoying down time.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Burgos Cathedral II

The interior is beautiful, from the Capilla Mayor Retable to the ambulatory chapels. The wonderful cimborio and delicate stonework. What an amazing place, truly magnificent.


Rose window


Capilla Mayor Retable


Central panel, detail of the retable


Cimborio over the nave crossing and high gate over the Choir


Click on the picture to see the exquisite details. Read the Latin!


Embellishments on the support pillar of the cimborio





Sacristy


Upper Cloisters

More photos coming!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Burgos Cathedral

Burgos Cathedral is a major stop along El Camino de Santiago. It is a gloriously Gothic cathedral begun in 1221 and wasn't completed until the 16th century in 1567. Imagine being a pilgrim who's walked for days and days and you finally see this cathedral rising from the distance. Burgos Cathedral is truly a city of God, not just the rising spires that reach to the skies, but the beauty outside and inside, gives you a glimpse to the splendor that must be heaven.




The Gate to the Cathedral


Our Lady atop the gate


King Charles


Is this not glorious?


Cimborio, the central tower over the nave crossing




The facade


Facade towers. If you click on the picture for a larger res, you'll see the words "Pulchra es et decora" carved above the central bay door.


Facade and central tower


Delicate stonework


Rose window


Portada de Coronera. Christ with his apostles and the four Gospel writers at their desks.

Tomorrow, we'll have interior pictures.

Renewing Devotion to the Sacred Heart

For those of you in the New York area, you might be interested in this Conference on Renewing Devotion to the Sacred Heart. Check out some of the speakers and celebrants!

  • Dr. Timothy O'Donnell, President of Christendom College
  • Fr. George Rutler, Pastor of the Church of the Savior (host of the conference)
  • Fr. John Zuhlsdorf will celebrate Mass according to the 1962 Missal
  • Fr. John Santos will celebrate Mass according to the ancient Rite of Braga
  • Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ, Editor of Homiletic and Pastoral Review
  • Solemn Pontifical Mass to be celebrated by Bishop Fernando Rifan the night before

If you're anywhere near there, go! Our home was consecrated to the Sacred Heart and we enthroned the Sacred Heart. You might want to consider doing so for your home and family.

New Secretary for CDW

We interrupt our virtual pilgrimage to bring you this piece of news from the Holy See's Daily Bulletin:

Il Santo Padre ha nominato Segretario della Congregazione per il Culto Divino e la Disciplina dei Sacramenti il Rev.do Padre Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P., finora Sotto-Segretario della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede, elevandolo in pari tempo alla sede titolare di Oregon City, con dignità di Arcivescovo.
The Holy Father has nominated the Reverend Father Joseph Augustine De Noia, O.P. as the new Secretary for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. He was previously an Under-Secratary in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He succeeds Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith who returns to as the new Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Monday, June 15, 2009

El Camino de Santiago

Here is a small portion of the Camino along what is known as the French route. A pilgrim picks up his credentials at the border between France and Spain in Roncesvalles, comes down the Pyrenees, walks the blistering plain, and then up the Cordillera Cantabrica only to face more mountains in Galicia. We only walked in the Navarre area since our time was limited. Someday, I'd like to return and walk the route from Roncesvalles to Santiago. First, I have to earn a month of vacation!


Sign that you looked for while on El Camino. What looks like a yellow starburst is a stylized shell on its side. The yellow arrows were for pilgrims on foot.


In Navarre


Flowers along the route


A church in a village along the route in Navarre




In Nájera


Open stretches


Entering Castile y León. Very nice map showing all the towns through the region.