Catholic bashers don't know how to read, that's why

To the children of Felix, "the rapist", Manalo, no!  Our pope did not question whether there is a Christmas after all!

The problem with you guys, is that you don't know how to read.

Uhmmmmmmmmm............

Guess, they won't understand this too, eh.  Because they don't read!

Ha!

Opo.....Siyanga po....

SOBRE!!!


***

(Reuters) - And so it came to pass that in the eighth year of Pope Benedict's reign, some tabloid and social media decreed that he had cancelled Christmas.  [And almost all anti-Catholic bashers had a heyday passing this on!  Just like the condom issue.  Ugh!]

The day after Benedict's latest book "The Infancy Narratives - Jesus of Nazareth" - was published on November 20, Vatican officials found some headlines they were not expecting.  [Well, in some respects it was good publicity.  :)]

"Killjoy pope crushes Christmas nativity traditions," read one tabloid headline, claiming that Benedict had snubbed traditions such as animals in nativity scenes and caroling.  [And they haven't even read the entire book.  Ugh!]

"Pope sets out to debunk Christmas myths," ran another.

Holy Scrooge! Some blogs unceremoniously branded Benedict the new Grinch that stole Christmas and one rocketed him to the "top of the grumpy list for 2012."

And then there was this zinger headline from a web news site: "Pope bans Christmas".

Coming little more than a month before Christmas, it was the last thing the Vatican needed - another image problem for the pope.

Alarmed by some of the headlines, the Catholic social network XT3 felt compelled to run a blog that dissected the media's coverage of the book.

It was headlined: "The pope has not banned Christmas".

So what was all the fuss about?

In the 137-page book, the pope states a fact: that in the gospels there is "no reference" to the presence of animals in the stable - actually, it was probably a cave - where Jesus was born.  [They did not even read the entire passage!  Because as expected, they won't spend a dime to buy the book!]

Bloggers had a feast with that, with one calling it "Bombshell number one".  [Well, I think the bomb fell on the empty coconut shells of these bashers.  Ha!]

What some neglected was that just a few sentences down, the pope states that even today, "No representation of the crib is complete without the ox and the ass".  [Guess who became the ox and the ass now huh?]

He explains: The tradition of the ass and ox came from reflecting on parts of the Old and New Testaments. Christian iconography then adopted the motif early in Church history to show that even animals knew Jesus was the son of God.  [Guess the other ass who bashed the pope did not know that, eh?]

In other words, the tradition that has developed over the centuries matters more than an unverifiable fact, at least as far as the case of the ox and ass in the stable is concerned.

"I think that what people need to realize here is that the pope is trying to be as historical as he can be," said Father Robert Dodaro, professor of patristics, or the study of early Church writings, at Rome's Patristic Institute.

"He wants to see the biblical narratives as history where possible but he is also trying to explain details in the narratives that cannot be historically verified," he said.  [While some of those who do not even believe in Christianity were the first one to bash the Pope!  Goodness me.]

Some bloggers, taking their cue from television and website headlines, even wrote that the pope had spoken out against Christmas carols.

In the book, the opposite was true.

Benedict says the evangelist Luke wrote that at the moment of Jesus' birth the angels "said" the well-known phrase "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased".  [the first Christmas carol we keep on saying every Sunday Mass and great feasts of the Church.  By the way, do the bashers even sing this song, other than during Christmas season?  Nah.  They don't even know the song at all!]

But in the next line he explains that "Christianity has always understood that the speech of angels is actually song", that "the angels' song of praise has never gone silent", and that it is "only natural that simple believers (even today) join in their caroling on the Holy Night".

So, no need to cancel any school performances.

Another section of the book that irked some bloggers is where the pope restates what biblical scholars have known for decades, if not centuries - that Jesus was born several years earlier than the first century AD.  [Did the pope even question December 25?  Nah.]

Benedict writes that since King Herod died in 4 BC, Jesus was probably born "a few years earlier". He attributes the erroneous fixing of the year of Jesus' birth to a miscalculation by the monk Dionysius Exiguous some 500 years later.

"No one's faith should be shaken by this book," said Dodaro. "On the contrary, it should be fortified by this account. This is a believable account of the birth of Christ," he said.

And in St Peter's Square, workmen have started building the Vatican's larger than life nativity scene, which is expected to have animals and singing angels.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella)


***

And will the bashers even put up Nativity scenes at their offices or homes?

Nah.

I guess who became the ass in this one, eh?

STOP THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF CHRISTMAS

The Knights of Columbus started this movement. it's time you take part in it even if your are not a Knight. Why? Because it is a Christian thing to do so!

We give gifts on Christmas because that is the most simple thing to imitate what God has given us on that silent night, holy night, Christ Himself, is given as the greatest gift of all!

The excessive promotion and marketing has turned this sacred day into a feast of pride, gluttony and excesses!

Stop it!

Let us start bringing back the sense of the sacred in Christmas within our own families. Come to Mass and pray before you have your Noche Buena.

Prefer the Nativity scene in your house before the Christmas tree and share the story of how Christ was born. Watch a movie about this!

Sounds good right?

Another scene during the Christ the King procession

Uhm....

I still don't get how altar girls can help foster vocations to the priesthood.

Service to the Church?

Try being a lector and catechist like St. Pedro Calungsod!

Goodness me!

And I thought the Archdiocese of Manila issued a circular re-emphasizing that only boys can become acolytes?

By the way, what happened to the website of RCAM?

Where are the links about Cardinal Sin and Cardinal Rosales and the other circulars?

The whole website looked like one big fanpage of Cardinal Tagle?

Is it just me or good ole Reggie just is blowing the biggest one in the trumpet section?

PS: If you are a regular follower of this blog or of my Facebook account, you know what I am saying here and who Reggie is.

These women are out for abortion, not Reproductive Health

Agents of Death!

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano is calling to hire more nurses in the Philippines complaining that the nurses being hired by the government is only a meager P8,000 to P10,000 only.

You have a problem with the budget Mr. Senator?

You don't deserve to be elected again!

Why not allocate the proposed P3B annual budget for RH to hire more nurses?

And as a reminder to all our folks in Pangasinan, please please please do us a favor!

Send this woman of death to the jobless list in 2013!

I hope Archbishop Socrates Villegas campaign VIGOROUSLY against this agent of death!

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

In our liturgical calendar, Ordinary Form, it is an optional memorial.  The other option is to choose Ordinary Time.

Wha?!?

You can that an option?!

Choosing the Blessed Mother over, uhm, Ordinary Time?

Duh!

Just in case you forget.  We blogged about the proper way of blessing and receiving the Medal of the Immaculate Conception aka Miraculous Medal.

Click here.

PS:  You might think I don't have this medal.  I actually DO.  Came all the way from Rue du Bac.  :)

How Miriam Santiago and Pia Cayetano define RH

That is a screen capture of the Senate Bill for Reproductive Health filed and authored by Sen. Miriam Defensor - Santiago and Sen. Pia Cayetano.

Look at how they defined Reproductive Health.

It definitely belies the claim of Pia Cayetano, the "technical glitch" plagiarist, and Mrs. Looney Tunes herself, Sen. Miriam Santiago, who thankfully got cheated in the presidential elections, that RH is to save poor women's lives.

Look at that statement!

"This implies that people are able to have a safe and satisfying sex life, that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so."

So, it is not just about saving the mythical 11 daily maternal deaths!

It is about the promotion of sexual promiscuity and deciding who gets born and who gets obliterated all for the sake of a "safe and satisfying sex life."

Imagine this!

And this is what the so-called Bible Christians are supporting namely:

Iglesia ni Cristo 

(more appropriately termed as Iglesia of the Manalo clan)

Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches 

(more appropriately called as the Council of attention hungry wannabe bishops)

National Council of Churches in the Philippines 

(more appropriately termed as National Council of Churches of PNoy)

Remember!

These "churches" who believe and profess by the Bible, endorse the RH Bill which promotes "safe and satisfying sex life".

The Pope's Homily for Christ the King 2012

***

Your Eminences,
Dear Brother Bishops and Priests,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe, the crowning of the liturgical year, is enriched by our reception into the College of Cardinals of six new members whom, following tradition, I have invited to celebrate the Eucharist with me this morning. I greet each of them most cordially and I thank Cardinal James Michael Harvey for the gracious words which he addressed to me in the name of all. I greet the other Cardinals and Bishops present, as well as the distinguished civil Authorities, Ambassadors, priests, religious and all the faithful, especially those coming from the Dioceses entrusted to the pastoral care of the new Cardinals.

In this final Sunday of the liturgical year, the Church invites us to celebrate the Lord Jesus as King of the Universe. She calls us to look to the future, or more properly into the depths, to the ultimate goal of history, which will be the definitive and eternal kingdom of Christ. He was with the Father in the beginning, when the world was created, and he will fully manifest his lordship at the end of time, when he will judge all mankind. Today’s three readings speak to us of this kingdom. In the Gospel passage which we have just heard, drawn from the Gospel of Saint John, Jesus appears in humiliating circumstances – he stands accused – before the might of Rome. He had been arrested, insulted, mocked, and now his enemies hope to obtain his condemnation to death by crucifixion. They had presented him to Pilate as one who sought political power, as the self-proclaimed King of the Jews. The Roman procurator conducts his inquiry and asks Jesus: "Are you the King of the Jews?" (Jn 18:33). In reply to this question, Jesus clarifies the nature of his kingship and his messiahship itself, which is no worldly power but a love which serves. He states that his kingdom is in no way to be confused with a political reign: "My kingship is not of this world … is not from the world" (v. 36).

Jesus clearly had no political ambitions. After the multiplication of the loaves, the people, enthralled by the miracle, wanted to take him away and make him their king, in order to overthrow the power of Rome and thus establish a new political kingdom which would be considered the long-awaited kingdom of God. But Jesus knows that God’s kingdom is of a completely different kind; it is not built on arms and violence. The multiplication of the loaves itself becomes both the sign that he is the Messiah and a watershed in his activity: henceforth the path to the Cross becomes ever clearer; there, in the supreme act of love, the promised kingdom, the kingdom of God, will shine forth. But the crowd does not understand this; they are disappointed and Jesus retires to the mountain to pray in solitude, to pray with the Father (cf. Jn 6:1-15). In the Passion narrative we see how even the disciples, though they had shared Jesus’ life and listened to his words, were still thinking of a political kingdom, brought about also by force. In Gethsemane, Peter had unsheathed his sword and began to fight, but Jesus stopped him (cf. Jn 18:10-11). He does not wish to be defended by arms, but to accomplish the Father’s will to the end, and to establish his kingdom not by armed conflict, but by the apparent weakness of life-giving love. The kingdom of God is a kingdom utterly different from earthly kingdoms.

That is why, faced with a defenseless, weak and humiliated man, as Jesus was, a man of power like Pilate is taken aback; taken aback because he hears of a kingdom and servants. So he asks an apparently odd question: "So you are a king?" What sort of king can such a man as this be? But Jesus answers in the affirmative: "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice" (18:37). Jesus speaks of kings and kingship, yet he is not referring to power but to truth. Pilate fails to understand: can there be a power not obtained by human means? A power which does not respond to the logic of domination and force? Jesus came to reveal and bring a new kingship, that of God; he came to bear witness to the truth of a God who is love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8,16), who wants to establish a kingdom of justice, love and peace (cf. Preface). Whoever is open to love hears this testimony and accepts it with faith, to enter the kingdom of God.

We find this same perspective in the first reading we heard. The prophet Daniel foretells the power of a mysterious personage set between heaven and earth: "Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed" (7:13-14). These words present a king who reigns from sea to sea, to the very ends of the earth, possessed of an absolute power which will never be destroyed. This vision of the prophet, a messianic vision, is made clear and brought to fulfillment in Christ: the power of the true Messiah, the power which will never pass away or be destroyed, is not the power of the kingdoms of the earth which rise and fall, but the power of truth and love. In this way we understand how the kingship proclaimed by Jesus in the parables and openly and explicitly revealed before the Roman procurator, is the kingship of truth, the one which gives all things their light and grandeur.

In the second reading, the author of the Book of Revelation states that we too share in Christ’s kingship. In the acclamation addressed "to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood", he declares that Christ "has made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father" (1:5-6). Here too it is clear that we are speaking of a kingdom based on a relationship with God, with truth, and not a political kingdom. By his sacrifice, Jesus has opened for us the path to a profound relationship with God: in him we have become true adopted children and thus sharers in his kingship over the world. To be disciples of Jesus, then, means not letting ourselves be allured by the worldly logic of power, but bringing into the world the light of truth and God’s love. The author of the Book of Revelation broadens his gaze to include Jesus’ second coming to judge mankind and to establish forever his divine kingdom, and he reminds us that conversion, as a response to God’s grace, is the condition for the establishment of this kingdom (cf. 1:7). It is a pressing invitation addressed to each and all: to be converted ever anew to the kingdom of God, to the lordship of God, of Truth, in our lives. We invoke the kingdom daily in the prayer of the "Our Father" with the words "Thy kingdom come"; in effect we say to Jesus: Lord, make us yours, live in us, gather together a scattered and suffering humanity, so that in you all may be subjected to the Father of mercy and love.

To you, dear and venerable Brother Cardinals – I think in particular of those created yesterday – is entrusted this demanding responsibility: to bear witness to the kingdom of God, to the truth. This means working to bring out ever more clearly the priority of God and his will over the interests of the world and its powers. Become imitators of Jesus, who, before Pilate, in the humiliating scene described by the Gospel, manifested his glory: that of loving to the utmost, giving his own life for those whom he loves. This is the revelation of the kingdom of Jesus. And for this reason, with one heart and one soul, let us pray: Adveniat regnum tuum – Thy kingdom come. Amen.

The Consistory of November 2012

For those who missed it.

A scene during the Christ the King Eucharistic Procession

The Blessed Sacrament passed by in front of her small store.

This woman knows what she is doing......."and it cannot be taken away from her."

Blessed are the pure of heart, for theirs is the Kingdom of God!

Do the proper things at the proper time, properly!

When the time comes when you call upon the Lord, He will recognize you for what you actually did.

This woman has sought and found the Kingdom of God.

This is true riches!

The tears of Cardinal Tagle

Quick Survey

How will your parish observe Christ the King this Sunday?

Chime in your answers.

It's the cassock!

After a few straight posts about how some priests dress up for work and how they behave in public, I have here an interesting article from the Vatican Insider about the Holy See's move to, ehem, "force" priests to wear their cassocks.

Of course, this came from Andrea Tornielli.

Hey, Teletubbie!  Sit down!

You're not a priest so stop wearing that cassock and collar!

Ugh!


***

It’s the dress that makes the monk. A least in the Vatican. Last 15 October, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, signed a circular letter sent to all offices in the Roman Curia, to stress the need for priests and clerics to turn up at work wearing traditional clerical garb, that is the dog collar and black cassock. On formal occasions, for example when the Pope is present, monsignors will no longer be able to let their robe with the red buttons and purple fascia gather dust. [Before Paul VI's reforms on the clerical garb stated in his Motu propio 'Pontificalis Domus'  , everyone was very strict about what to wear.  Everyone knows what to follow.  After Vatican II, it's all up to you.  It's all about "Pastoral reasons", it's all about "Nah. The people don't need that." So you see priests not wearing the cassock and clerical collar, spending more time in malls and other places that they should not be found in the first place.  They use "Pastoral Reasons" so they can do their you know, THING.............Not you Teletubbie!]

This was to refresh clerics’ minds about the canonical laws which give out a clear signal and the importance of respecting these extends beyond the walls of the Holy See: [the order is not just for Rome!] it is very rare for priests in the Apostolic Palace not to dress like priests. The call for priests to be more law-abiding and look impeccable is meant to be a subtle example for those who come to the Vatican from outside and are just passing through Rome.  [I hope this is emulated throughout the Catholic world!]

The Code of Canon Law states that “clerics must wear decorous ecclesiastical vestments” in line with the laws that bind the various bishops’ conferences. [Episcopal Conferences, ehem.] The Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) established that “the clergy has to wear a cassock or dog collar,” meaning black or grey vestments and a white dog collar. The dog collar was originally a Protestant garment; Catholic clergymen initially adopted it to make life easier for clerics when they had to travel. [here in the Philippines, the CBCP legislated that priests wear either their religious habit, the clerical collar or a barong of only one color with a cross hanging on the priest's neck.  Well, most priests don't do either of these.]

In 1994, the Vatican Congregation for the clergy explained the reasons - sociological ones as well - behind Catholic priests’ vestments: “In a secularised and essentially materialistic society” there is a strong need for the community to be able to recognise the presbyter, who is a man of God and deliverer of his mysteries, the circular stated.  [Well, obviously some priests don't think their job is of the supernatural and that they would rather mix with the people and feel they need to belong.  They say that Jesus dressed like ordinary people back in the days and he hated the long robes of the Pharisees.  So they are following the example of Jesus.  Really?  Jesus hated the long robes?  Or Jesus hated the Pharisees for using the robes to draw attention to themselves rather than what the truth and beauty of Judaism?  Does Liberation Theology ring a bell with you folks?  These priests use this excuse so they can become incognito and do whatever they want in whatever place.  It goes beyond being simple.  Trust me.  I met a lot of them.  I am not saying all priests who wear secular clothes do these, but a LOT do!]

Bertone’s letter asks monsignors to wear the cassock with the red buttons at “events where the Holy Father is present” and on other official occasions. In one of his audiences, the Pope also urged bishops to start paying extra close attention to etiquette.

In the past, the clergy wore civilian clothes only in certain contexts, for example in Turkey in the 40’s and recently in Mexico, with bishops used to dressing as managers. Soon, the habit took root in Europe: how can one forget the image of Joseph Ratzinger in a suit and dark tie during the Council years. But after the Second Vatican Council, the cassock ended up in a box in the loft and priests started to make less of an effort to stand out. But for some years now, there has been a significant countertrend, among young priests in particular. A “clerical” turning point which the Secretary of State has now put down in black and white in its circular.

***

In a highly secularized world, we need more people to witness to the supernatural.  That we are made up of body and soul.

The evil of secularism, the offspring of Modernism is eating up the world. And it has infected the Church.

To our dear priests, wear the cassock, or your clerical tab!

To religious, wear your habit!

To laymen, wear the crucifix, scapular or medal!

Keep Catholic on!

Oh brother................

Another "common" liturgical abuse

See the guy on the right?

Yup.

Those are hosts.

I am not sure if they are already consecrated or they just came from the Offertory procession.

But the glass bowl is a common thing in most parishes in the Philippines.

You think it is dignified vessel for the Holy Eucharist?

Some priests just don't really get it!

Parishes usually would rather spend on the liturgical "creativities" like the attire and paraphernalia of the "liturgical dancers" and yes, they even spend money for the choreographers.  Last I heard from my parish was that they spent P15,000 for the ehem, "stipend" or what was actually the choreographer's professional fee.

So what's next?

Straws for the chalice?

How some priests dress up for work

See how these priests act.

They come to a Holy event dressing like this....

And they put away the symbol of their ministry like this...

That is why liturgical abuse is no simple matter.  IT IS A BIG DEAL.

The laity like us, look to these men, as our teachers and guides.

How can you teach us "things of not of this world", when you act and dress up as if the Holy Mass you are celebrating is no different from your usual parish hall program or baranggay fiesta singing contest?

I once remembered a priest told me this:

Anyone can become a PhD holder by studying hard...

Anyone can become a prime minister, president, or king by popularity by charisma or by force...

But not everyone can use the same tactics used by those men to become a PRIEST.
Not everyone can summon God to earth and be in the appearance of bread and wine.

Not even angels can do that!

That is why I really wonder why some priests just take for granted that rare privilege that was granted to them!

This sign in the sacristy would definitely remind them of this awesome privilege and responsibility they have:

"Priest of God, celebrate this Mass as if it were your first Mass,

your last Mass, your only Mass."

Please dear priests!  In the Year of Faith, please SHOW FAITH TO US!

What you are doing is a holy thing!  SHOW IT!

***

Nothing means more to me or gives me greater joy than to celebrate Mass each day
and to serve God's people in the Church.
That has been true ever since the day of my ordination as a priest.
Nothing has ever changed this, not even becoming Pope."

~ Blessed Pope John Paul II ~

Traditional Latin Mass in Quezon City featured in a major newscast

This is the kind of news Fr. Anscar Chupungco and Fr. Geny Diwa would definitely not WANT to be seen.

They are most probably hoping that the Misa ng Sambayanang Pilipino would rather be featured.

Hoping that other Filipino priests saw this news and get enlightened that the Traditional Latin Mass was NEVER ABROGATED contrary to what the monk was saying in his seminars and classes.  And you, too, Fr. Godwin!

The video of the TLM in Holy Family Parish begins at the 1:48 mark.

Notice in the video one Mass goer was invited.  She is not Filipino.  :)

And try to find me in the video.  ;)

Hey Teletubbie and Google Liturgist!  Here is your clue!

Ha!

No this is not an Independence Day play

So much for the brick-by-brick approach nor for the "setting a good example" approach of Pope Benedict XVI.

When inculturation rears its ugly head, this is the kind of thing that'll surprise you when you go to your next Mass.

See the thurifier in the second photo?

Nope.  He did not bring that for your next fiesta where you whack the dang thing and expect coins and candies to shower on you, Filipino-style Piñata.  That is the thurible.  Why not inculturate that hand bells and settle for your mom's old pots and kettles?  Hey, that's what Filipinos use to make noise on New Year's Eve, eh?

Poor kids!  They were subjected to this without knowing how wrong it was.

Makes me remember the words of Christ...

"It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin."

Oh come on, TPC, this is a sin?

Oh yeah.  You are trivializing the Holy Mass, the Sacrifice of Christ in Calvary into your Linggo ng Wika cultural shows.  And it ain't funny!

Blessing of Automobiles

I saw in that I always get Googled for this topic so I decided to feature it here in TPC:

Here it is:

***


BLESSING OF AN AUTOMOBILE

(Deacon / Priest wearing his cassock, puts above it a surplice and white stole.)

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who has made heaven and earth.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.

Let us pray.

Lend a willing ear, Lord God, to our prayers, 
and bless + this vehicle with Your holy right hand.

Direct Your holy angels to accompany it, that they may free 
those who ride in it from all dangers, and always guard them.  

And just as by Your deacon Philip, You gave faith
and grace to the man of Ethiopia as he sat in his chariot reading the Sacred Word, so, point out to Your servants the way of salvation.

Grant that, aided by Your grace, and with their hearts set on good works, they may, after all the joys and sorrows of this journey through life, merit to receive eternal joys, 
through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

(Then the automobile is sprinkled with holy water.)

The explanation of the image of St. Pedro Calungsod

Spot what is wrong in this photo. I will update this post to reveal my take on this.


 ***

UPDATE:  Nov. 15, 2012  5:00PM 

Some of our readers got it right. The white shirt does not symbolize martyrdom.  It should be red!  But the palm leaf is already indicative that the saint is a martyr as palm leaves symbolizes martyrdom. I saw other photos of St. Pedro where he is holding the instruments of his martyrdom.

Those are the traditional types of iconography for martyrs. Here are the samples:


St. Bartholomew and the knife and his flayed skin in the Lateran Basilica

And the same saint, with his flayed image in the Milan Cathedral or the Duomo

Now here is St. Lucy offering up her eyes

St. Philomena with her anchor and arrows

St. Peter Martyr and the axe embedded on his head

St. Lawrence of Rome, deacon and martyr, holding the collection box of the alms.  As deacon, it is his work to tend to the poor and widows, and the gridiron since he was burned alive.

Now you ask me why our own saints, Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod illustrated that way.

I don't know, but I sure am not satisfied. Because the iconography of a saint would tell who he was and what his greatest moment was in his life.  The items closely related to them will tell the story, just by looking at their images.

How I wish to see St. Pedro Calungsod portrayed with a spear and a machete. 

How I wish to see St. Lorenzo Ruiz, still with the same pose he has today in his images but with his hands and feet tied and his fingers bleeding. 

Then when a kid looks at their images and asks, "Why do they look that way?"

Ahhh!  What a great way to start to tell their stories!

So to the one who said that white is the color of martyrdom. Read your Catholic Martyrs 101. :)

Ad orientem worship

This is not a Traditional Latin Mass.

This is the Ordinary Form of the Mass, done ad orientem.

It can be done and it is LEGAL!

Why am I for this orientation of the Mass?  Is it because I go to a Traditional Latin Mass?  Probably or should I say, definitely so!

You know dear friends, I came to appreciate the supernatural character of the Mass when I saw the ad orientem orientation of the TLM.  I asked myself why this kind of thing is not done in the Mass of Paul VI?  Why can't we not face the same direction to worship just like when the priest leads us during Holy Hour?  Why not?

Someone asks me, "Is it better?"

Oh sure it does!

If supporters of the versus populum orientation think that th

That is why I beg to VEHEMENTLY disagree with the statements posted on Facebook by Fr. Abe Arganiosa who said that the Novus Ordo is:

"THE PAULINE MASS IS EVEN MORE ANTI-PROTESTANT THAN THE TLM."

How will it be more anti-Protestant than the Traditional Latin Mass which was codified by the Council of Trent as a RESPONSE to the Protestant / Lutheran attacks on the sacrificial nature of the Mass.  Remember that the Protestants pounced on the notion that the Mass is a mere meal and not a sacrifice, thus they turned the priest to face the congregation and changed the altar, sans the retable, relics, flowers and candles on it, and called it from Altar to........drum roll............Table of the Lord.  Sounds familiar?

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass right after Vatican II was popularly called.....drum roll...

Feast of His Love
Banquet of the Lord
Breaking of Bread
and my all time favorite punching bag of a quote...
MEAL OF LOVE.

Is there something wrong with it?  Not completely.  St. Paul refers to the Mass as Breaking of Bread.  But what happened to more than a thousand year of romance of the Lord and His Bride, the Church?  Hasn't the Church Militant reflected and meditated upon this great meal of love and found the way to call this meal the Sacrifice of Calvary if did not realize that this is the same sacrifice, made present again and again in every Catholic altar around the world to fulfill the prophecy made by the prophet Malachi and beautifully included in the Third Eucharistic Prayer, "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts"

Understandably, I personally believe and Cardinal Ratzinger wrote about this too, that the sacrificial nature of the Mass, has been watered down, if not, lost when the priest was made to face the congregation.  There upon the temptation to be narcissistic cast its ugly shadow unto the priest.  So what have you now?

Fr. Archie Guiriba
Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite
Fr. Glenn Paul Gomez
Fr. Anton Pascual

and the list goes on and on and on...

And what follows?

Tons of liturgical innovations and abuses.

Liturgical dance, drama, flag waving and all sort of stuff called "Creativity" which does not actually create but destroys.

Personally, if the Mass of Paul VI would have the ad orientem orientation, then we could all teach Catholics everywhere the sacrificial nature of the Mass and priests would be reminded of their role as priests, and not as program hosts or animators.

And that the Mass is the same sacrifice on Calvary, and not just a mere re-enactment of the Last Supper.

I sure hope and pray that whatever Cardinal Ratzinger was writing before, and what Pope Benedict XVI is doing today, he implements throughout the Catholic world.

Isn't this what mutual enrichment of the Old and New Mass was all about when he wrote about this in Summorum Pontificum?

Pray, hope and don't worry.

Urgent request for prayers

I cannot post anything today.

I cannot say why.

But all I am asking right now is you pray for my URGENT INTENTION.

I need a miracle.  We need a miracle tonight.

Please pray for my intentions.

This is what they need for Mass

Confetti!

This is at Parish of the Lord of the Divine Mercy is Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, once hosting the regular celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.

As I was told, this was during the Easter Vigil Mass, where not surprisingly in the Philippines, most liturgical abuses are committed.  But I am not sure if this is the Easter Vigil since

Obviously, this is a far cry from the solemn celebration of the Ordinary Form of the Mass back in the days when this present parish priest was, well, not yet the parish priest of PLDM.

I can't see why there is a need to have party poppers send confetti all around the church for the Easter Vigil?  Look at the photo.  Looks like we need more gimmicks like this to make the Great News that Jesus has triumphed over death more.....RELEVANT.....HAPPIER.....more......JOYOUS?

If you can't find any meaning in the sacrifice of Christ....in his Triumph over death....which we all experience, and made present in EVERY SINGLE MASS......then it is obvious that you'll be looking at ways to fill that empty void within you that the MASS cannot do to your soul....that the Eucharist cannot quench!

So, you have priests who make their homilies like they are the animated speaker in network marketing / pyramiding scheme orientations....like they can give Bob Barker, Steve Martin or Billy Crystal a run for their money as hosts.  Hey, those three wear tuxedos.  My fave priest wears flashy ponchos Catholics call chasubles!

You go through four years of theology to end up being a Production Designer, or Stage Manager, or Head Choreographer or......WILLIE REVILLAME without the skimpily clad girls....  Ugh!

The Mass is NOT AN ENTERTAINMENT SHOW!!!!

PS:  The name of that thing that spreads confetti says it all...Poopers...I mean....

Obama victory: Come to think of it!

Obama may have won the office of the most powerful man in the world the second time, but it will sure not be as smooth sailing for him the second time around.

The Republicans are controlling the House.

That is why we are in the "Year of Faith"

Have faith dear brothers and sisters in Christ!

Obama may advocate some of the most evil things this generation could imagine.

But he is not as strong as Nero or Hitler.

He only has four years.

What we need to destroy are the ideologies that put him there.

So here is a piece of advice....

GULP Alert: How some priests behave during Mass

Pitiful!

The two priests on the left are garbed for Mass.  They are concelebrating.

So when a priest concelebrates, they join the main presider in the Mass, not like how a mere layman in the pew does it, but just as he would have celebrated the Mass, saying the prayers, extending their hands during the consecration, in the orans pose during the Canon of the Mass, etc.

But these two priests, just show the lack of respect they have for the Mass and for the Sacrament they received to confect the Holy Eucharist.  They just don't know what they were there for, and what those vestments they are wearing are all about.

In the Year of Faith, the last thing you need to see is a bunch of priest, in the sanctuary, concelebrating, and acting like little spoiled brats who don't care about decency and civility and much worse about the sense of the sacred.

Would you expect the secretary of a cabinet post, or an ambassador, or a general, or a prince or prime minister to behave like this on stage when they have in their presence the president or the monarch?  Would you even consider seeing this kind of attitude done during a live TV broadcast?  Would you even consider seeing this done in a civil court while the court is in session?

This is not fun.  This is not cute.  This is not entertaining.

These two priests just don't get it.

This is downright disgusting!

Bad role models!

Juvenile delinquents trapped in a mature priest's body!

SHAMEFUL!

Thank you for showing us the faith you have for the Sacrament so many saints and martyrs died for, the Sacrament which is the source and summit of Christian life!

Well, I guess uploading a photo on their Facebook account takes precedence than acting properly at Mass.

Just plain disgusting!

"Oh come on, TPC, you are overreacting!"

You think this is the first time I have seen this done?

Thank God for those two in the right.  They know where they are and how they should behave.

This is what I feel...

after learning what happened in American politics.

Scenes from Rome during and after the Canonization

Yup, that is Pedrito on the first photo.

And that is.....Fr. Jan Limchua of Cebu acting as MC.  He is the one standing on the right side of the deacon.

PNoy does not want you to see this

Because the "c"atholic educated president of our country has more important things to do than to attend the canonization of the country's second saint.

So obviously, his spin doctors did not share this photo of Vice President Binay with the Holy Father.  Bad points for the balding dude.

He'd rather play his XBox and Playstation than be in Rome.

When was the last time you beheld such a sight?

Most people don't even bow or kneel when in front of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament or during Communion.

Most EMHCs don't even bow!

This is the communion of the priest in the Traditional Latin Mass.  Servers and the people bow down while the priest who offered Christ receives Him.

Did Vatican II remove this?

No I don't think so.  But why are we not doing it anymore?

Pray tell, why?

PS:  That is one SPLENDID PHOTO.  Tip to the people in the photo.

PRINT, FRAME, DISPLAY.

Mark you calendars for the Divine Liturgy!

Only a true Catholic university can do this!

This is true ecumenism!

Not like those smiling ecumaniacs, who'd go gaga over basketball rather thank sponsoring this kind of an event in their school grounds...

Did I mention that that school ceased to be catholic when they'd rather choose ambiguity over certainty?

Oh yeah, They'd rather be famous for basketball and sweet corn than being true Catholics.

Thanks to Miguel for the tip!

GULP Alert: Using common bread for Mass

See that inset photo?

Yup.  Leavened bread.  A HUMONGOUS pan de sal, or Filipino breakfast bun, used for the Mass.

To tell you quite frankly, the liturgical school in Bukidnon and Mendiola taught me that THIS IS ALLOWED.

It is a way of inculturating our Mass

How to know this is wrong?

Read the General Instructions of the Roman Missal.  Read Redemptionis Sacramentum.

Those are the things you MUST read to know if there are somethings in your Mass that is just....not....right!

Like this Mass.

Even if the Pope celebrated this Mass, by the Church's own liturgical law and most importantly, Christ Himself USED UNLEAVENED BREAD when He instituted the very first Mass.

It is not our own law.  It is Christ's own law.  He used that and we follow.

Canon Law also put it in place:

Can. 924 §1. The most holy eucharistic sacrifice must be offered with bread and with wine in which a little water must be mixed.

§2. The bread must be only wheat and recently made so that there is no danger of spoiling.

Can. 926 According to the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, the priest is to use unleavened bread in the eucharistic celebration whenever he offers it.

Clearly what that priest was using is ILLICIT matter, or ILLEGAL material for the Mass. And not only ILLEGAL, he used a bread that is INVALID for the Mass.

So what happens? This was an INVALID MASS, and you and I are morally obligated to tell the WHOLE WORLD that this priest is sinning and that he made those who do not know, a Mass has taken place, which it did not since Christ was not made present on the Altar.

THIS HAS TO STOP!


***

PS: I hope someone could give me the name of this priest.

The photo came from the Parish of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of the Diocese of Antipolo.

Blue Cassocks?

Uhm....are they religious habits?

Nope.

They are cassocks of servers.

Fail, if you ask me.

Cassocks for altar servers are either white for the indult given to tropical countries like the Philippines or the traditional red or black.

But Blue?!?!?

Is this another one of those, "Anything but Black!" thing?

WHAT IS REALLY WRONG WITH A BLACK CASSOCK?

Seriously.