Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Quickpost: After the fact of the New Translation Novus Ordo and update on Catechesis

Hello Everyone. Just a quick post.

1) As per my Catechesis, it's going slower than I've expected. It didn't help that my sleep got screwed up thanks to Night shifts the weekend before and I kept waking up at 330am each day, not able to get back to sleep till 6am and sleep in till late. ugh. I only reclaimed my sleep thanks to a willed effort plus some help from melatonin. You can buy that at a regular drug store under name brands. However I am deciding to start with the Gospels, reading through each. I've found a few quotes for Part 1 as well as a couple for part 2 in dealing with others of specific religions, and even one's own "brother and sister" Catholics (including clergy). When I get through Matthew, I might consider letting you guys see what I have so far ...

2) So, by now everyone's been to a Mass with the New Translation of the Roman Missal, 3rd edition. Unless of course you solely do the TLM. Well, this is how I felt about it and I've been posting on other blogs about this. Do you share the same opinion? Disagree? Agree? Feel mixed? let me know. Also, remember my blog rules? Don't remember them? go to my first posting back in August or September. I don't want virtual firebombs being launched here.

"Coming up to the new mass, I was filled with excitement and curiosity. I’ve seen countdowns for the new translation and read many interesting things from blogs on the blogosphere (Fr Z’s, Catholic Knight, Vox Cantoris, …), got a series of handouts from the internet from my archdiocese that explained the translations, an app from Cale Clarke called “The New Mass” for Iphone (which has a more biblical explanation of the changes for Why’s), and a pew card for the new responses. Fr. Z’s blog especially gave me more to look forward to wordwize as he has masterfully shown how pitiful the 1973 ICEL translation is and how it butchers many of the collects into wimpy feel good “prayers.”

So what happened when I got to my parish? The same old usual. Same old procession, same old 4 sandwich hymns from our current Parish only hymnal (not Gather thankfully!), Homily, consecration, etc. Though it was cool to hear the new eucharistic prayer and collect. Reflecting on the Mass, I didn’t feel at all elevated in soul and body. I felt like it didn’t do what it was being touted to do by everyone, the blogosphere, the diocese, etc. Even with a Catholic colleague at work we agreed the effect wasn’t pronounced as it should have been. Were it not for my lectoring and a decent homily by my priest who usually goes far out into academia land (as he was/is involved in teaching and committees in the Church so that’s his audience 85% of the time), it would have been even more saddening. Mind you my parish isn’t as bad as many of these other parishes when it comes to liturgical abuses post vatican II. The most “out there” things we’ve done is have poor quality sermons and the replacement of the Crucifix on our headstone on the altar be replaced with an Icon of Christ blessed by an archbishop of the Diocese. So maybe since there wasn’t radical changes, maybe there was nothing to notice?

There is a few small gems of hope though out of it today. I helped an older lady in her 40's once with the responses using the pew card. I saw a young elementary school boy and his mother do a simple/moderate bow before receiving the Eucharist. Also, I gained an even further appreciation for the TLM, for even a simple low Mass would have seemed better for me today. While I do acknowledge that as a whole, this is a good start to correcting the damage done to the laity of the Church over the last 40+ years, personally the New Translation was a letdown for me this Sunday and ineffective. That or maybe I should considering transferring to my Mother’s new parish for Novus Ordo things (where there are good traditionally minded Novus Ordo priests)."

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Catechesis: Suggestion Taken

Hello Everyone,

So it's been a few days since my last posting, where I was asking for people to help out in providing an idea for a catechesis post. One person, KatyLamb, came forward with a suggestion: How does one go about "conducting themselves with people in the world?" Considering our world has become increasing secular and morally relativist, with many people just living their lives out, and with increasing attacks in democratic nations on the Catholic world from others with alternative lifestyles/dispositions or just pure Catholic hate (like out Christian brothers in Middle Eastern nations), that's a very good question to ask. Hatred is clearly not the answer as "violence begets violence." But what is the answer?

Unless someone else comes up with another idea for catechesis, I'll take this idea forward. It will take good time though as there is much content to cover, even at a brief glance. I'll decide to break it down into two main parts. If this gets really big I might even break up the parts into sub-postings (which will also give you items to chew on.) Also if this drags on into December, I will add on a Catechesis post on the Feast day of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary also. So here's my general breakdown of what I want to cover to answer KatyLamb's queries:

Part I: What Scripture, Catechism, the Writings of the Holy Fathers say in general, the virtues.
Part II: Brief overviews as to specific groups: Generally with people, those of other religions, non-believers, alternative lifestyles using Church teachings and other sources from forums and groups that deal with ecumenism or specific non-Catholic groups.

This is briefly my gameplan. If there's something to expand upon then say so. Thanks, YCRCM.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Catechesis: Call out for help: What shall I write about?

Hello everyone.

First and foremost, I will now give proper thank you's to all those who have signed up here at YCRCM: Estase, KatyLamb, laura kuschel, and our newest joinee, Irenaeus G. Saintonge. Thank you for joining up on this little humble blog. Clearly this isn't a wasted effort thanks to you guys/gal(s).

Now to business. I did say I was hoping in my last post to produce something. Well I've been having a bit of a struggle. Between having a small case of doldrums and not anything striking from other blogs to comment on, I haven't got a sure lead to my next post. All I know is I want to do a Catechesis post, but I'm not sure what. So everyone, the 4 of you that is, I've decided to ask for your help: What shall YCRCM write about in a Catechesis post, or another type of post?

Don't be shy, it can be the most basic thing one should of learnt in Catholic School like: What is the Trinity? or perhaps something a little more daring like something in moral theology. Just remember I'm no graduate degree theologian, just a young Canadian Roman Catholic male with some books lying around his study. some things from his Roman Catholic private school, and a computer with Internet at his hands, so if you are looking for something like a graduate thesis, I'd recommend you seek out the master Catholic bloggers/apologists.

So, maybe you don't know what to suggest? Here are some general directions:
1) An up and coming Saint or Holy Feast day: e.g. Dec 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
2) Maybe something you came across in the Catechism, the YouCat, an encyclical, or want revealed from those sources, etc.
3) The New Translation of the Mass (I have a couple of resources, but I'm sure your parishes are covering this in some detail)
4) The Latin Mass/TC's and TP's (if you ask nicely ... though if there is something specific, say it)
5) Only if at least two of you ask for it, the 2nd part of the SSPX post. I'd rather do it on consensus, because it will take me good time to do it, and I know it will ruffle some feathers. There are certain things in the realm of "trad-dom" I do not agree with.

By the way, I just got 2 new resources for my personal home library: Jesus Christ, Revelation of the Unknown God by Fr. Robinson, an St. Phillip Oratory priest, and Sun TV Michael Coren's Why Catholics are Right.

So go ahead and spill for me some ideas. and also be patient. It takes time to do good posts with citations.

YCRCM.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Quick Post: A little something to tell your Kids when it comes to "why we go to Mass"

Hello everyone,

Wow 3 followers! This is a little uplifing for me. When I started about a few months ago, getting only one follower was, well, making me wonder if it was worth it. I knew I wasn't a big wig like Mark Shea, The Crescat, The Anchoress (who was one of the lucky 150 bloggers around the world to be invited to the Vatican blogger summit May 1 or 2 of this year,) or other well-noted Catholic Bloggers. Now seeing 3 as of today, that gives me hope. I'll thank you all properly in the next few days hopefully as I can sit down and devote time to write a proper post, with 4 days off from work and no plans (hopefully with no substiution calls to replace a sick/vacationing co-worker).

So for now, just a little quick post to give you something sweet. One of my favourite blogs is What Does the Prayer Really Say, by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf of the U.S.A (who mostly celebrates mass at Holy Innocents in Manhattan, New York in the Extraordinary Form). One of his posts deals with a reader who sent a letter about a nasty reaction from an usher to a mother's kid who was a little too loud with his cars during an EF Mass. The post is here. One of the Comments caught my eye, by AnnAsher, who gave a simple, but beautiful explanation for her young children on why we go to Mass. Here is the comment with the bold part being the most important.

"AnnAsher says:
We ended up two rows in front of an elderly couple whom I usually make sure to sit well behind. They are newer to our TLM and not of the friendly variety I’m used to there. My boys – 4 and 6, 6 year old has autism- wiggle. Not noisy usually – but wiggle. Lie down, sit up, feet in the air, lie under the pew. When the elderly couple of far enough away I dont have to deal with his facial expressions. My sons have made great progress- I can actually attend all of Mass now – well usually. Today, I could simply feel the heat from behind me. So I feel the writers pain. I suppose my advice is to try to find a safe spot to hide out with your little one and his car! We’ve had various items I’ve tried – none of them work for long. Today, when we left I told the 4 year old that Mass is important and that we must not wiggle there, or in restaurants and movie theaters. Mass is important, I said, because we come to say thank you to Jesus for opening Heaven for us. We come to say Thankyou to God for making us, because He loves us so much, He made us. So I say thank you God for making — and I named him and his sibs. He said to me ” I like church now. I love you Mom and I’m glad God made you. I love heaven too – Mary is there”.So take heart- they get It eventually!"

Smile and enjoy. If you do have, or will have kids, keep this in the memory bank and repeat this to them. Share with them the beauty of the Mass, albeit in a simple form for them at those ages. YCRCM.