What is this invaluable treasure? It is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Traditional Latin Mass. One of my greatest joys in being a Catholic is receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist at Mass, the Traditional Latin Mass. Holy Mass was the divinely ordained way in which God designed for us to worship Him. What matters is the fact that the Mass is Heaven on earth, the one sacrifice of Christ on Calvary re-enacted, made present again, for us, such that we are kneeling at the foot of the Cross of our Lord at Calvary. According to Britannica, the mass is at once a memorial and a sacrifice. In the Eucharistic prayer, the church commemorates Jesus Christ and his redeeming work, especially His sacrifice for the sake of all humankind through his crucifixion (passion and death on the cross). Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the only worthy sacrifice to God because Jesus the only Son of God is also God and like God is infinite and divine in nature, therefore Jesus’ sacrifice is the ultimate sacrifice acceptable to God. It is through the traditional Latin Mass that this sacrifice is re-enacted for our redemption, and not the Mass of today in Catholic Churches since the 1970s - the Novus Ordo / New Mass, which is not a sacrifice but the Last Supper. Problems with the New Mass Why is it invaluable? It is the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Pope Benedict XVI wished that the treasure of the traditional Roman liturgy, which was celebrated without change for centuries and centuries, should be preserved for all generations. With his milestone document “Summorum Pontificum,” Pope Benedict XVI, restored to priests the freedom to celebrate the “extraordinary form” of the Roman rite. Many do not realise that the Traditional Latin Mass was the exclusive form celebrated during the Second Vatican Council. As a matter of fact, most of the changes that have been introduced by the 1960’s liturgical reform took place in the years after the Second Vatican Council. The Council itself never abolished the traditional liturgy, and its famous document about the Liturgy of the Church, “Sacrosanctum Concillium,” mentions only the possibility of some adaptations but never called for the change of language nor the rite of the Holy Mass as a whole. It is, therefore, very desirable that all the faithful should know the traditional liturgy and should be able to understand its significance and its importance for the future of Holy Mother Church. More and more young people, who have never before experienced the profoundness and beauty of the traditional liturgy, are deeply touched by their first contact with it and are everywhere requesting its wider use. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is like a diamond that needs a dignified, beautiful setting to show even more its value and brilliance. For this reason, at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we strive to surround the Holy Sacrifice with the perfectly traditional Catholic teaching and the utmost beauty and solemnity of the rite. Truth, liturgy, and charity should form an ever-greater harmony to render evident the sacramental power and riches of grace present in the Holy Mass. The integration of these elements in celebration of the Traditional Liturgy becomes the highlight and the climax of what our priests and faithful are living in their commitment to our Roman Catholic faith. The Words, Gestures, and other details The moment of Consecration, where the mystery of Transubstantiation takes place, is like a peak of a majestic mountain from which the streams of Paradise flow down into our daily life. Our relationship with God is profoundly linked to the presence of our Savior in the Holy Eucharist, made possible through the Holy Mass and received with awe during Communion. In a human relationship, every word, every gesture, and every detail is important — how much more in our relationship with God! Therefore, to secure this relationship, on which our life and salvation is depending, the Church has always taken the greatest care with the words, gestures, and details of the Sacred Liturgy. God Himself, by the power of the Holy Ghost, has instituted the Holy Eucharist in such a way that, even after 2000 years, we can be sure of His Divine Presence if we do what the Church does and has always done. The Liturgy, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, has developed such words, gestures, and details that God Himself has esteemed worthy to express the right kind of worship that is due to Him. No individual has permission to change these rubrics and formulas at will. The more we are faithful to the liturgy that has grown under the influence of God’s Almighty Spirit for centuries and celebrated by the Church for much more than a thousand years, the more we will become faithful to the Church itself and worship with Her the presence of the Holy One whose glory is our redemption. The traditional priests of our chapel are very aware of the fact that the rubrics of the Mass, inspired by the Holy Ghost, are to be observed with loving care if we want to maintain the treasure of the Catholic Faith. The famous sentence stating “Lex orandi, lex credendi ” “the law of prayer [is] the law of the faith.” meaning that “the way that we pray and worship informs the way that we believe.” Which gives to the exact and careful celebration of the liturgy’s great importance. He who changes words or gestures of the Liturgy endangers the faith of those for whom he celebrates and becomes responsible for diminishing the integrity of their belief. Not only the ceremony in itself with its beautiful rubrics, the dignified Latin language, and the profound expression of theological truth is important, but other details matter when it comes to making every single person understand how important the liturgy is for our lives. The vestments, the altar cloths, the candlesticks, the cruets, the garments of the servers—all of these and many other items used during the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass have to show that we care to give the Lord only the most beautiful things that we have. Through Sacred Liturgy is the Path to God The Lord has left us the Holy Liturgy to make sure that we can remain in contact with Him. It has been the aim of the Church to bring as many people as possible to the liturgical celebration of the Sacrifice of the Lord. As a matter of fact, we could say that the only aim of the Church is to bring people in contact with the Lord through the celebration of the Sacraments, especially through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is the center of the Church, and at the same time, Her nourishment, Her protection, and Her goal because therein is the Lord. What could we do more than to strive with all our forces to make it clear to every single person that without the assistance at this holy celebration it remains very difficult, if not impossible, to stay with the Lord. What graces are derived from assisting (assisting means attending) at Mass (the traditional Latin Mass)?
St. Padre Pio - "While assisting at Holy Mass renew your faith. Have your mind elevated to the mystery that is happening before your eyes." The community of the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, where I am a member, live for the Liturgy, which is the source of everything else when it comes to the Faith. Liturgical matters are not minor details, but they are and they have always been one of the main preoccupations of Holy Mother Church. If not for the Liturgy, many people would not know about the doctrine, and if not for the Liturgy many people would never have met the Lord. It is a worthy task and a highly important aim to maintain the fullness of the liturgical tradition to safeguard the meaning of its mystical gestures and to defend the right to do today what the Church has always done. In total obedience to Holy Mother Church, the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is proud and happy to serve the Lord present in the Holy Mysteries of the Liturgy and to give all the energy of its members to this decisive liturgical apostolate. This care for the Liturgy includes care for a complete Catholic lifestyle and for the integrity of Roman Catholic Doctrine. It is never an end to itself, but it always guides us to Him who is the beginning and the end of everything: Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have often heard the phrase “active participation in the Mass” numerous times, and with the Latin Mass, you could actively participate in the Mass without doing any of those things. Instead, you participate through silent adoration and worship, joining your heart and mind to that of the priest who was offering the holy sacrifice of the Mass. This is active participation at the Latin Mass. In other words, you could participate with your whole being, without having to speak a bunch of words or make a bunch of hand gestures. Latin Mass attendees relish the silence, the incense, the somewhat dim lighting, creating an atmosphere of holy somnolence. Almost all the people at the Latin Mass wore modest, respectful clothing. Many of the women wore veils. Veils were worn in church by Catholic women since time immemorial, and it was only a recent change to canon law that removed the requirement for women to wear veils. In the minds of many N.O. Catholics, the people who went to the Latin Mass were the radical traditionalist Catholics. It is wrong to assume this before one has even researched on it. Instead, one would discover that the people going to the Latin Mass were kind, warm, welcoming, and, like many, did not grow up with the Latin Mass at all but came to it from a desire for something deeper in the faith, thinking that there must be something more, and then discovering this hidden jewel. In most traditional Latin Mass communities there is a good community spirit; I have experienced with European communities and they welcome any visitor like a family member, and likewise the parish of this Chapel. The families that gather here are not perfect, but we share the same desire in embracing traditional Catholicism, to be reverent as we should be, at Mass, to worship God like the saints of the old did, to receive guidance and graces to become saints, as we ought to, to attain heaven. By embracing traditional Catholicism and having the Latin Mass at this Chapel, it is a way of “doing something” about the crisis in the Church by having the real presence of the Holy Eucharist in this Chapel, the Sacred Heart of JESUS, He will draw more souls to Him thereby countering the effects of the crisis, the key aspect of the Latin Mass. In this Chapel, with the presence of the Holy Eucharist, it is a haven, a sanctuary, a hospital where our tired, busy, frenetic modern souls can have an hour of silence, and beauty, and worship that transcends our natural human world. “Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” Matthew 11:28 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition. The chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus recently hosted, for a week, an annual priestly meeting, of a group of traditional priests whom the community had benefited regularly the traditional Latin Mass. For 5 consecutive days 11 priests offered Masses daily at this chapel. What a great grace compared to having no Mass for almost two years during the lock-downs. Thanks be to God. Below are some quotes of Saints, the greatest lovers of God and of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We invite you to meditate upon the words of the saints prayerfully, converse with the saints as your dear friends, and strive to imitate their love for God and Holy Mass. “For this is the Mass that St. Gregory the Great inherited, developed, and solidified. This is the Mass that St. Thomas Aquinas celebrated, lovingly wrote about, and contributed to (he composed the Mass Propers and Office for the Feast of Corpus Christi). Inspired Words of the Saints and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. “Man should tremble, the world should quake, and Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.” (St. Francis of Assisi)
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1/2/2024 Why it is wrong for Pope Francis to formally permit Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples.Read Now Why are blessings important to Catholics? Blessings are called "sacramentals" because they prepare us to receive the grace of the sacraments and help us to grow to be more like Christ (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1670). Therefore, the blessings being sacramental is as such, held to produce the following specific effects: Excitation of pious emotions and affections of the heart and, by means of these, remission of venial sin and of the temporal punishment due to it. Freedom from power of evil spirits. Preservation and restoration of bodily health temporal or spiritual. In the ordination of a priest, the anointing of the priest’s hands signifies that the hands of the newly ordained priest are being prepared for the sacred duties whereby he receives the power of consecrating the bread and the wine, anointing the sick and blessing people. A constitutive blessing, invoked by a bishop, priest or deacon, signifies the permanent sanctification and dedication of a person or thing for some sacred purpose. Here the person or object takes on a sacred character and would not be returned to non-sacred or profane use. If there was nothing wrong, with blessing of a same-sex couple, why was there furor about it and why does the Vatican have to come up with a new document: Fiducia Supplicans to explain the blessings. Based on Divine Law. The rejection of homosexual behavior that is found in the Old Testament is well known. In Genesis 19, two angels in disguise visit the city of Sodom and are offered hospitality and shelter by Lot. During the night, the men of Sodom demand that Lot hand over his guests for homosexual intercourse. Lot refuses, and the angels blind the men of Sodom. Lot and his household escape, and the town is destroyed by fire “because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord” (Gen. 19:13). Natural Law People have a basic, ethical intuition that certain behaviors are wrong because they are unnatural. We perceive intuitively that the natural sex partner of a human is another human, not an animal. The same reasoning applies to the case of homosexual behavior. The natural sex partner for a man is a woman, and the natural sex partner for a woman is a man. Thus, people have the corresponding intuition concerning homosexuality that they do about bestiality—that it is wrong because it is unnatural. “Basing itself on sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2357). This declaration (Fiducia Supplicans) by the Church has been described as being part of Pope Francis's efforts at greater LGBT inclusion in the Catholic Church, and viewed by many theologians and commentators as a dramatic stepping stone to future marriage equality. After this declaration, there was widespread blessings of same-sex couples by priests. The German Church stated that the decision was an important stepping stone towards sacramental recognition of same-sex marriages within Catholicism, and Bishop Johan Bonny praised the decision as "moving towards" this goal. “Sacramental recognition” God forbid! The Liberals and Modernists do not see that these blessings are based on false charity and that it only encourages the LGBT groups to continue to dwell in their sinfulness. In Fiducia supplicans, it explains that it does not provide for changes with respect to the institution of marriage in the Catholic Church. Marriage is still understood only as the union between a man and a woman, to the exclusion of all kind of marriages that are not heterosexual and monogamous, such as same-sex marriage, as well as any kind of heterosexual or bisexual bigamy and polygamy. The aim of marriage is pro-creation to have children to build a family. Therefore a same-sex marriage should not be condoned or encouraged. The informal and spontaneous blessing is neither a sacrament nor a rite of the Catholic Church, it may be an act out of charity for fellow man but if the same-sex couple fail to respond in thought, word, and deed to that grace, not only shall they not be saved, but they shall be more severely judged. A same-sex couple, if they, have the desire to entrust themselves to the Lord and his mercy, to invoke his help, and to be guided to a greater understanding of his plan of love and of truth, then they are worthy of a blessing. Otherwise then the act of blessing in public becomes scandalous as the impression that a priest approves of a same-sex couple which will further encourage other such couples, which contradicts the Church’s pastoral intent to guide and save souls. Then the power given to a priest to bless is degraded too as the graces from the blessing would be in vain. In a case of a same-sex couple, according to the Church’s teachings, it is an unusual situation when such a couple asks for a blessing. It would be better that such blessings be made in private to avoid scandal or undue attention, after a consultation and guidance of a priest. A priest who knows the value of a blessing (whether liturgical or pastoral), which calls on God’s blessing, giving graces, upon this couple; he should check to see if they have good intention i.e. who acknowledge themselves humbly as sinners, to want to change their lives, to only continue in a platonic relationship; and if they are baptized Catholics or not, if the couple intend to repent and conform their lives according to Church teachings, to open their lives to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness; if this is so, then a priest should guide them accordingly, teaching them to pray and to pray for the couple. (As we ought to entrust our lives in the power of prayer.) In this way it is pastoral. A priest should not just simply give blessings to such a couple since at the last judgement, they will be more severely judged if they did not have the intention to conform to the grace given to them. Then it would seem that God’s blessing was taken too frivolously. “Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and through sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection” (CCC 2357– 2359). For the Catholic Church marriage only between a baptised man and a woman is a sacrament. Therefore, there is no chance to recognise same-sex marriage by the Church. Definition and the meaning of the marriage is written in the Holy Scripture. There is room for everyone in the Church, but there is no consent for same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage is inconsistent with the Holy Scripture as marriage is based on God’s natural law. The natural law cannot be changed by the human unlike church law. For this reason there is no chance for recognition of same-sex marriage by the Catholic Church. The official interpretation of Scripture, provided by the Magisterium of the Church, is binding for all Catholics who are supposed to listen to this teaching. It is difficult to reconcile the official teaching of the Church with the recognition of same-sex marriage. Secular law should take precedence over natural law as not everyone belongs to a religious community. So what is the intention of Pope Francis in allowing this? Is this to pervert the teaching of the Church? Is it the intention to destroy the sacredness of marriage which will consequently be the destruction of the family? Aren’t these additional consequences of Vatican Council II?
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AuthorAn artist, entrepreneur, a loving family man, 30 years a Catholic traditionalist upholding traditions for the love of God. Shop for Catholic giftsArchives
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