Tag: Catholic

The ABC’s of getting it right

Some nice explanation here from various experts about what’s been wrong with the RC liturgy and how it will change come next December, the first Sunday of Advent, 2011:

The original translation of the Roman Missal into English was carried out under 1969 Vatican rules that stressed simplicity, modernity and other factors that would make the language of the liturgy more comprehensible and participatory.

I believe it.

[T]here was concern “that the language has been too laid back” and failed to convey the rich liturgical heritage of the Roman rite.

Yep.

The new translation [in December] shows an effort “to heighten the language a bit” and capture “the transcendence as well as the imminence of God,” he says.

Yes, give us a taste of something special here, alert us to the mystery.

“. . .  To radically simplify the language is often to dilute the concept.”

Not to make light of the problem that led to simplifying things, but you do lose something.  I like the challenge the translators are recognizing.  Let’s hope they meet it.

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Catch me later about this

Challoner's 1749 revision of the Rheims New Te...
Douay-Rheims was revised 1749 by Challoner

Man in the U.K. Catholic Herald, William Oddie, contrasts the going version of Scripture read at mass in the U.K. (Jerusalem Bible) and it’s “ghastly, tone-deaf, flat-footed mediocrity” with the 400-year-old King James and yet older, later revised, Douay-Rheims versions.

As in last Sunday’s “This is my beloved son” passage, where Jesus asks John the Baptist to baptize him, John hesitates, and Jesus says go ahead, do it:

[T]he sentence rendered by King James [Douai-Rheims] as But John forbad [stayed] him, saying: I ought to be baptised by thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now, appears in the Jerusalem Bible as John tried to dissuade him. It is I who need baptism from you, he said, and yet you come to me! But Jesus replied, Leave it like this for the time being.

I am not making this up: Leave it like this for the time being is how this wretched travesty renders what ought to be memorable words, as though our Lord were a car salesman with a special offer, or a politician suggesting some murky compromise.

He’d like to see leeway granted by bishops over there as to what version one may use, and I’d like to see it over here, where our New American Bible put the sentence thus: Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness,” which also limps.

Save the women project, continued

Another displacement of “father” in the mass, this just before the Lord’s Prayer:

Officially:

Through him, with him, in him,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father,

for ever and ever. Amen

You guessed it.  “Almighty Father” becomes “Almighty God” if the priest so chooses, slipping in the gender-non-specific for the sake of presumed bruised female sensibilities.

Sigh.

BTW, one has the devil’s own time in finding the official version at the U.S. Catholic bishops’ site.  Try it and instruct me in how to find it if you do find it, dear reader.

As for the Lord’s Prayer, I am waiting for “Our Parent, who art in heaven,” etc.  It’s coming . . .

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Do you have to be utopian about it?

This project rocks.  Show God to homeless, somehow, some way, and they change their lives.  Sounds like a war on poverty to me.

Just one thing about it makes me cringe: they speak of ending homelessness, which is utopian talk.  Heaven on earth is a contradiction unless said figurately. 

Reducing it, yes.  Reaching out and helping people, yes.  But changing the world?  If making it better, fine, but what’s the need for this global, even metropolitan viewpoint?

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Ignatius lives

In a Dawn T. Trice story about a homeless organizer:

In the summer of 1999, Richard was living in a halfway house on the West Side and considering suicide when a priest from the Ignatian Spirituality Project visited. The project is a Jesuit ministry that offers spiritual retreats for homeless people. The priest invited the men at the halfway house to attend a retreat.

“I went, and it changed me in a way that never made me the same,” said Richard. “It opened me up and inserted me back into humanity and a world I could understand and be a part of.”

The Spirit moved that fellow.  The Jesuit was a vessel for the moving.  Probably of clay, like most people.

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Whose glory are we talking about?

In the mass as official, I find:

Priest:  Pray, my brothers and sisters, that our sacrifice
may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All:  May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands,
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good, and the good of all his Church.

It’s just before the preface, followed by holy, holy, etc., the old “Orate Fratres.”   Fine.

256px-Holy_Mass

But I hear oftener and oftener this:

Priest:  Pray, my brothers and sisters, that our sacrifice
may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All:  May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands,
for the praise and glory of God’s name,
for our good, and the good of all his Church.

Why do priests do that?  Remove the “his” for the unnecessary “God’s”?  Whose else would it be?  I suspect it’s a sort of between-us-chickens thing: “his” is masculine, and there’s too much of that in the church.  So start saying “God’s,” and people will get the message.

Look, if that’s why they do it, why don’t they preach on the topic?  Tell parishioners who pay attention what they are doing and why?

Later: Another oddity, heard just yesterday,

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

in the Luke passage becomes

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

No faceless bureaucrat is doing this, but the priest on the spot.  Somewhere they are picking this up, but they are not telling us where.

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Don’t mess with Notre Dame football . . .

Here they are, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.  Which one stands accused by the St. Mary’s College 19–year-old, or would be if she had not committed suicide ten days after he and she were alone in his dormitory room on the ND campus?

No. Name Position Ht./Wt. Yr. Hometown/High School

5 Allen Jr., Armando Tailback 5-10/205 SR Opa Locka, FL/Hialeah-Miami Lakes
68 Belcher, John Long Snapper/ Defensive Line 5-11/235 SR Cheyenne, WY/Cheyenne Central
12 Blanton, Robert Cornerback 6-1/192 JR Matthews, NC/Butler
63 Botsford, Steve Outside Linebackers 6-2/220 SR Arlington Heights, IL/St. Viator
72 Bullard, Alex Offensive Tackle 6-3/295 SO Franklin, TN/Brentwood Academy
41 Burger, Bobby Tight End/Fullback 6-2/248 SR Cincinnati, OH/LaSalle
44 Calabrese, Carlo Inside Linebacker 6-1/240 SO Verona, NJ/Verona
15 Castello, Brian Quarterback 6-2/210 SR Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley
52 Cave, Braxston Center 6-3/301 JR Granger, IN/Penn
73 Clelland, Lane Offensive Tackle 6-5/290 JR Owings Mills, MD/McDonogh School
28 Collinsworth, Austin Wide Receiver 6-1/195 FR Fort Thomas, KY/Highlands
29 Coughlin, Patrick Tailback 6-0/195 SR Oak Lawn, Ill./Brother Rice
60 Cowart, Jordan Long Snapper 6-2/215 SO Plantation, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas
10 Crist, Dayne Quarterback 6-4/235 JR Canoga Park, CA/Notre Dame High School
98 Cwynar, Sean Defensive Tackle 6-4/280 JR McHenry, IL/Marian Central Catholic
75 Dever, Taylor Offensive Tackle 6-5/297 SR Nevada City, CA/Nevada Union
80 Eifert, Tyler Tight End 6-6/242 SO Ft. Wayne, IN/Bishop Dwenger
46 Filer, Steve Outside Linebacker 6-3/235 JR Chicago, IL/Mount Carmel
37 Fitzpatrick, Nick Wide Receiver 5-8/160 SO Mishawaka, IN/Marian
62 Flavin, Bill Center/Long Snapper 6-3/260 SR Darien, IL/Benet Academy
45 Fleming, Darius Outside Linebacker 6-2/247 JR Chicago, IL/St. Rita
3 Floyd, Michael Wide Receiver 6-3/227 JR Saint Paul, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall
48 Fox, Dan Outside Linebacker 6-3/230 SO Rocky River, OH/St. Ignatius
42 Franco, Dan Wide Receiver 5-10/188 SR Granger, IN/South Bend Clay
47 Frantz, Jonathan Linebacker 6-2/211 JR Avon Lake, OH/St. Ignatius
21 Gallup Jr., Barry Wide Receiver 5-11/190 SR Wellesley, MA/Belmont Hill
34 Garcia, Michael Cornerback 6-2/195 SR Colorado Springs, CO/St. Mary’s
88 Golic, Jake Tight End 6-4/235 SO West Hartford, CT/Northwest Catholic
57 Golic Jr., Mike Center 6-3/283 JR West Hartford, CT/Northwest Catholic
81 Goodman, John Wide Receiver 6-3/207 JR Fort Wayne, IN/Bishop Dwenger
4 Gray, Gary Cornerback 5-11/190 SR Columbia, SC/Richland Northeast
25 Gray, Jonas Tailback 5-10/230 JR Pontiac, MI/Detroit Country Day
37 Grieco, Mike Punter 6-1/185 JR Glen, IL/St. Ignatius
38 Gurries, Christopher Wide Receiver 5-10/186 SR Reno, NV/Bishop Manoque
93 Heggie, Bruce Defensive End 6-5/250 FR Sorrento, FL/Mount Dora
12 Hendrix, Andrew Quarterback 6-2/218 FR Cincinnati, OH/Moeller
27 Herlihy, Derry Tailback 6-0/198 SR Houston, TX/St. John’s
65 Hernandez, Mike Offensive Guard 6-2/275 JR Pasadena, CA/Loyola
33 Hughes, Robert Tailback/Fullback 5-11/245 SR Chicago, IL/Hubbard
86 Jackson, Bennett Wide Receiver 6-0/172 FR Hazlet, NJ/Raritan
90 Johnson, Ethan Defensive End 6-4/285 JR Portland, OR/Lincoln
7 Jones, TJ Wide Receiver 5-11/187 FR Gainesville, GA/Gainesville
18 Kamara, Duval Wide Receiver 6-4/225 SR Jersey City, NJ/Hoboken
50 Kavanagh, Ryan Long Snapper 6-3/200 JR West Chester, PA/Salesianum (Del.)
89 Lewis-Moore, Kapron Defensive End 6-4/283 JR Weatherford, TX/Weatherford
42 Lezynski, Nick Cornerback 5-9/180 SR Newtown, PA/Notre Dame HS
74 Lombard, Christian Offensive Tackle 6-5/290 FR Inverness, IL/Fremd
71 Mahoney, Dennis Offensive Tackle 6-7/289 JR Baltimore, MD/Boys Latin High School
69 Marek, Joe Defensive End 6-2/225 SO St. Paul, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall
70 Martin, Zack Offensive Tackle 6-4/290 SO Indianapolis, IN/Bishop Chatard
14 Massa, Luke Quarterback 6-4/215 FR Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier
15 McCarthy, Dan Safety 6-2/205 JR Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney
54 McDonald, Anthony Inside Linebacker 6-2/238 JR Burbank, CA/Notre Dame High School
16 Montana, Nate Quarterback 6-4/215 JR Concord, CA/De La Salle
8 Moore, Kendall Inside Linebacker 6-1/239 FR Cary, NC/Southeast Raleigh
17 Motta, Zeke Safety 6-2/210 SO Vero Beach, FL/Vero Beach
17 Mulvey, Matthew Quarterback 6-2/191 JR Del Mar, CA/La Jolla
56 Neal, Kerry Outside Linebacker 6-2/245 SR Bunn, NC/Bunn
99 Newman, Brandon Nose Guard 6-0/300 JR Louisville, KY/Pleasure Ridge Park
64 Nichols, Tate Offensive Tackle 6-8/303 FR Walton, KY/Ryle
67 Nix, Louis Nose Guard 6-3/350 FR Jacksonville, FL/Raines
76 Nuss, Andrew Offensive Guard 6-5/297 SR Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge
91 Nwankwo, Emeka Defensive End 6-4/290 SR North Miami Beach, FL/Chaminade-Madonna Prep
50 Oxley, Sean Inside Linebacker 6-2/227 JR Avon Lake, OH/Avon Lake
30 Paskorz, Steve Inside Linebacker 6-1/246 SR Allison Park, PA/Hampton
35 Plaska, Andrew Cornerback 5-11/185 JR Zeeland, MI/Zeeland West
36 Posluszny, David Inside Linebacker 6-0/235 JR Aliquippa, PA/Hopewell
61 Quintana, Martin Defensive End 6-0/232 SR Berwyn, IL/St. Joseph
83 Ragone, Mike Tight End 6-4/245 SR Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic
30 Redshaw, James Cornerback 5-9/175 SR North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin
13 Rees, Tommy Quarterback 6-2/210 FR Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest
6 Riddick, Theo Wide Receiver 5-11/198 SO Manville, NJ/Immaculta
31 Roberson, Cameron Tailback 6-0/218 FR Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park
78 Robinson, Trevor Offensive Guard 6-5/295 JR Elkhorn, NE/Elkhorn
43 Romano, Joe Defensive Back 5-9/165 FR River Forest, IL/Fenwick
77 Romine, Matt Offensive Tackle 6-5/292 SR Tulsa, OK/Union
9 Rudolph, Kyle Tight End 6-6/265 JR Cincinnati, OH/Elder
97 Ruffer, David Kicker 6-1/176 SR Oakton, VA/Gonzaga
24 Salvi, Chris Safety 5-10/180 JR Lake Forest, Ill./Carmel Catholic
96 Schwenke, Kona Defensive End 6-4/245 FR Hauula, Hawaii/Kahuku
39 Sheehan, Ryan Cornerback 5-10/177 SR Purcellville, VA/Loudown Valley
55 Shembo, Prince Inside Linebacker 6-2/243 FR Charlotte, NC/Ardrey Kell
62 Skubis, Christopher Defensive End 6-2/232 SR Clarence, NY/Clarence
26 Slaughter, Jamoris Safety 6-0/195 JR Stone Mountain, GA/Tucker
58 Smith, Brian Outside Linebacker 6-3/234 SR Overland Park, KS/St. Thomas Aquinas
87 Smith, Daniel Wide Receiver 6-4/208 FR South Bend, IN/Clay
22 Smith, Harrison Safety 6-2/214 SR Knoxville, TN/Knoxville Catholic
40 Smith, Thomas Safety 6-1/215 SR Manchester, CT/East Catholic
13 Spond, Danny Outside Linebacker 6-2/225 FR Littleton, CO/Columbine
59 Stewart, Chris Offensive Guard 6-5/351 SR Spring, TX/Klein
92 Stockton, Tyler Nose Guard 6-0/290 SO Linwood, NJ/Hun School
79 Tansey, Matt Offensive Line 6-6/236 SO Berkely Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston
40 Tausch, Nick Kicker 6-0/190 SO Plano, TX/Jesuit
5 Te’o, Manti Inside Linebacker 6-2/245 SO Laie, HI/Punahou
19 Toma, Robby Wide Receiver 5-9/175 SO Laie, HI/Punahou
35 Turk, Ben Punter 5-11/196 SO Davie, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas
53 Utupo, Justin Outside Linebacker 6-3/251 FR Lakewood, CA/Lakewood
96 Walker, Brandon Kicker 6-3/210 SR Findlay, OH/Findlay
1 Walker, Deion Wide Receiver 6-3/198 JR Christchurch, VA/Christchurch
2 Walls, Darrin Cornerback 6-0/190 SR Pittsburgh, PA/Woodland Hills
66 Watt, Chris Offensive Guard 6-3/310 SO Glen Ellyn, IL/Glenbard West
82 Welch, Alex Tight End 6-4/240 FR Cincinnati, OH/Elder
51 Wenger, Dan Center 6-4/298 SR Coral Springs, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas
94 Williams, Hafis Nose Guard 6-1/285 JR Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth
95 Williams, Ian Nose Guard 6-2/305 SR Altamonte Springs, FL/Lyman
20 Wood, Cierre Tailback 6-0/210 SO Oxnard, CA/Santa Clara
23 Wood, Lo Cornerback 5-10/178 FR Apopka, FL/Apopka

And who was his friend who left them alone and later texted the woman, who had reported the incident to campus police as sexual assault, telling her, “Don’t do anything you would regret.  . . .  Messing with notre dame football is a bad idea.”

Her parents are working on the Holy Cross Fathers at ND to find out what’s going on but are being refused and have a lawyer working on the case.  The footballer has remained on the team and has not been named.

 

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Words to live by

The call for not thinking you are hot stuff:

1] At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven? [2] And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them, [3] And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. [4] Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. [5] And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.

The call for taking great care with people who look up to you:

[6] But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. [7] Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.

Devastating consequences, big stakes:

[8] And if thy hand, or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. [9] And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. [10] See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

The one who takes great care with us:

[11] For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. [12] What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go to seek that which is gone astray?

The shepherd, by Lawrence OP

Please notice the language.  Figures abound, in some cases meaning is to be supplied.  But you can’t walk away untouched.

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Jesus saves a lot more than green stamps

Feeling low?  Here’s an upper:

[17] And it came to pass on a certain day, as he sat teaching, that there were also Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, that were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was to heal them.

[18] And behold, men brought in a bed a man, who had the palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

[19] And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up upon the roof, and let him down through the tiles with his bed into the midst before Jesus.

[20] Whose faith when he saw, he said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

What was that all about?

[21] And the scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this who speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

[22] And when Jesus knew their thoughts, answering, he said to them: What is it you think in your hearts?

[23] Which is easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?

[24] But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say to thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.

[25] And immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he lay; and he went away to his own house, glorifying God.

Wouldn’t you?

[26] And all were astonished; and they glorified God. And they were filled with fear, saying: We have seen wonderful things today.

A fearful authority.  Stunning.

[Luke 15, Douay-Rheims version for today’s gospel reading.]

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Readings at mass: Old vs. new

It’s a duel here between New American Bible (NAB), what we hear read at mass these days, and the Douay-Rheims version (D-R), what we heard before the liturgical revolu — I mean reform — shook up Catholic worship.

Here is tomorrow’s 2nd reading, 2nd Sunday of Advent, Romans 15.4-9, NAB vs. D-R, verse by verse, each time NAB first, then D-R:

4 For whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.
[4] For what things soever were written, were written for our learning: that through patience and the comfort of the scriptures, we might have hope.

“Previously” is redundant.  “Instruction” not “learning”?  Why?  “Patience and the comfort” of the scriptures beats “endurance and by the encouragement of” the scriptures.  Patience is a virtue, for one thing, and encouragement “of” the scriptures?  “By”?

5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony 2 with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus.
 

[5] Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ:

“Thinking in harmony” vs. being “of one mind”?  One is abstract, the other is a good everyday image.

6 that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[6] That with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ditto “one mind . . . one mouth.”  It’s visual and memorable.

7 3 Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God.
[7] Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the honour of God.

“Welcome” vs. “receive”?  The second says more.

8 For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs,
 

[8] For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.

“The circumcision” — a sort of Old Testament sacrament, or an era.  A condition.

9 but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing praises to your name.”
[9] But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name.

Both constructions are best left unattended.  But as throughout, the rhythm is the thing.  Or so it seems to me.

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