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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Delicadeza anyone?


The Jesuit Pope calls for solidarity with the poor and especially for the people of Tacloban.

This priest is a Jesuit.  He may have a benefactor sponsor it for him, but my God, why put it on on your social media account?

If you want to thank your benefactors, do it privately.

What's the purpose of putting it for the whole world to see?

Delicadeza, Father JBoy.  Pag-aralan ang ibig sabihin pag may time.

A lot of people have barely anything to eat, no roof over their heads, no clothes or any fabric to protect them from the cold.

PS:  The place is described as:  "Saint Tropez remains the favorite destination of high society, lovers of the sea and heritage enthusiasts. Known as a playground for the rich and Hollywood elite, St.Tropez is surrounded by white sandy beaches and enjoys a gorgeous sunny climate."

The island is an exclusive club in an island in Mauban, Quezon.

Exclusive...

Imagine the money.

Haaayy...

Delicadeza.

Hard to come by these days.

FYI.  Delicadeza in English is "sense of propriety"

Fr. JBoy Gonzalez, Happy New Year from the people of Tacloban City.





Without the Wedding Clothes

"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless." - Matthew 22:11-12


In the catechism, Holy Mother the Church teaches us:

 [1145]"'A sacramental celebration is woven from signs and symbols...'[1146] In human life, signs and symbols occupy an important place. As a being at once body and spirit, man expresses and perceives spiritual realities, through physical signs and symbols.'"

What does it tell you when a priest wear only a stole for mass? Or when he just wear a shabby chasu-alb and a stole when in fact he should be wearing in the following order: an amice that signifies the helmet of salvation, an alb that signifies sanctifying grace, a cincture that represents the virtue of self-mastery, a stole, a sign of ordained office , and a chasuble that covers everything else with charity?

A priest's complete vestments are full of profound signs and symbols and in fact are also accompanied by prayers while vesting. These clothing and prayers remind the priest that he is stepping into the realm of the sacred and not into a profane TV talk show nor a comedy bar. The realm of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is holy and sacred. 

Does the picture above invite the congregation to step into the realm of the sacred? Does it in effect give us a sense of Calvary? Speaking in Vatican II terms, does it invite us to join the wedding banquet?

Did Vatican II throw all these things away for the sake of simplicity? Does simplicity equal to symbolic drought?

Our dear priests, please wear your full vestments and wear them properly[!] and recite the prayers while vesting and take it as an opportunity to teach us, your congregation and parishioners the meaning of each clothing.

When you wear your stole over your chasu-alb, over your street clothes, you look more like a clown than a priest and the Holy Sacrifice is no joke! Be dignified as you are offering the Holy Victim, an unblemished Victim, the Holy Bread of eternal life! Be dignified as you are not only a guest but in fact acting in person of the Groom Himself in the wedding banquet!

In case you were not informed or trained in the seminary about properly vesting for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass...from the Vatican Website: Liturgical Vestments and Prayers.



The best New Year's Resolution

Be faithful to your baptismal vows!



Happy New Year from the bloggers of TPC!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

The Misa ng Bayang Pilipino is an ILLEGAL rite!

Even if the great fluffy Cardinal Archbishop of Manila has celebrated it, the rite for the Mass called Misa ng Bayang Pilipino (MBP) celebrated during the Philippine Conference on the New Evangelization did not receive a recognitio or even a provisional approval from Rome.

This is the plenitude of episcopal powers that Peter holds.  Vatican Dicasteries especially the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments (CDW) clearly has the mandate from the pope to see to it that the Mass and the sacraments are celebrated according to the liturgical books.

This Mass, invented in the office table of the late liturgical innovator Fr. Anscar Chupungco, has been lingering the the CDW's shelves for so many years, it is only academic (pun intended) to say that this invented Mass is not approved by Rome.

It was even proposed by Fr. Chupungco that it be celebrated during World Youth Day 1995 here in Manila but John  Paul II did not approve of it.  Even the liturgical master innovator Archbishop Piero Marini did not support it.  Notice how only liturgical dance was added to the concluding Mass.  And that was enough to make us all cringe.

But suddenly, they almost held the Dominicans of UST at gunpoint, forcing the friars to stand silently by the sides while the ILLEGAL MASS called Misa ng Bayang Pilipino is celebrated.

Tell me, since when was the crucifix held like this by the main celebrant during the opening rites of the Mass, huh?



Fr. Diwa reasoned that the crucifix is the most common image found in Catholic homes, that is why the crucifix is brought forth at the start of the illegal Mass.  Really?  Is this really inculturation?  When was the last time Fr. Diwa seriously visited a Catholic home.

Visit any Catholic home and chances are you'd first find either statues of the Sto. Nino of Cebu, Black Nazarene of Quiapo, a Mother of Perpetual Help icon and even a Buddha in the family shrine than a crucifix.

Now you know how sloppy these liturgists are.

"But TPC!  Cardnal Tagle celebrated it!  He is a priest!"

Yeah!  Even Martin Luther was a priest and look what he did.

Priests like Fr. Diwa are bad examples to the youth.  They openly teach children that it is OK to disobey the law and to find creative ways to get around it.  In Tagalog we call it "magaling magpalusot".

Law breaking is never an in thing.

If we have priests like Fr. Genaro Diwa openly disobeying the liturgical laws of Holy Mother Church, who needs Protestants?





CDF Prefect turns down giving more powers to National Episcopal Conferences

Vatican (Catholic news / CF / kathweb.at). The prefect of the Vatican congregation, Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, has turned strongly against decentralizing the Church on the level of the national bishop conferences. "The Catholic Church is made up of local churches, but it is one," said the Prefect for the Italian daily newspaper "Corriere della sera": "There are no 'national' churches." - The Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences are "coordinators, not vice-popes" stressed the Vatican defender of the Faith. While the papacy and the office of bishop have "divine right", the Patriarchs and Bishops' Conferences to facilitate work according to "human rights". Of course, these conferences also have doctrinal authority in certain areas, for instance when preparing local catechisms, liturgical books or the management of universities and Catholic schools: "The Pope can not know everything that happens in the individual countries," said Archbishop Müller. One must "find a practical balance." Pope Francis had recently announced in his letter "Evangelii Gaudium" considering more powers for national Bishops' Conferences. '

***

Here is the source.

Some observations:

1.  The archbishop mentioned that it is the National Conferences' job to prepare local catechisms, liturgical books or the management of universities and Catholic schools.  Local catechisms and liturgical books are already being done.  Catholic schools and universities are poorly managed by the CBCP.  Example:  Ateneo!

2.  Liturgical books have been under the watchful eyes of Chupungcan liturgists but what Diwa wants to do is to make the Misa ng Bayang Pilipino aka Misa ng Sambayanang Pilipino, the original name that the late Fr. Chupungco gave to his invented Mass, legitimate by making the illegal rite practiced everywhere so as to give it legitimacy, like what happened to Communion in the Hand.

3.  Fr. Diwa is racing against time to spread the liturgical abberation that is the MSP and has been pushing dioceses to celebrate it.  Fortunately, bishops know for a fact that they are the BISHOPs of their dioceses and not mere sounding boards of the academically invented MSP.  One archbishop even told me that Fr. Diwa acts as he is the "super pope of liturgy in the Philippines"  "Napakayabang!" the archbishop said.

So with this development, we can count more years how these proposals of Pope Francis to give more power to Bishop's Conferences will take shape.

In the meantime...



These are hard times



Both for the laity and the clergy.

Those who are attached to the traditional liturgy and to the legacy of Benedict XVI that is.

Whatever fantasies you have, those who are attached to Benedict XVI and the traditional liturgy have all been targeted for extinction, well...as far as the continuing "movements" in Rome and persecutions of the FFI are concerned.

Mark my words. This is a time that anything but "peace" and "brotherly love" would apply to those attached to the Traditional liturgy. No one is safe, not even a bishop.

I have received reports that a bishop who opened his diocese to the beleaguered Franciscans Friars of the Immaculate is now being "warned" to stop meddling and protecting the friars, and these threats came from a Capuchin Friar.  No, not all of Padre Pio's brothers are like him.  Father Fidenzio Volpi, the one tasked to lead in the "cleansing" of the FFI is anything but charitable and brotherly.


It is still baffling why Rome would declare an open war to a thriving congregation.

Is Rome not after vocations or Rome now is more concerned with harassing society's that are connected to the Traditional Liturgy?  The SSPX would be giggling right now.  They experienced the harrasment just because they wanted to celebrated the TLM.

What is it in the TLM that freaks out liberals?

Some of my sources have noticed how bolden and how "mayabang" the Genie of the Lamp in Intramuros has become 9 months ago.

I think we all know why.

These are hard times.

And the only way to combat them is to...



HA HA HA HA

That will freak them out!

"The Lord be with you"

SHOUT:  "Et cum spiritu tuo!"  ala JRR Tolkien.

PS:  Tolkien witnessed the liturgical revolution of the 70s.  He was a devout Catholic.  At the New Mass, he would respond in Latin, in raised voice: "Et cum spiritu tuo!" "Sursum corda!" "Habemus ad Dominum!"

And, as a Tolkien fan, I pray "Domine non sum dignus.."  ;)


PRAY! EVEN ST. PETER WAVERED TOO...BUT HE DIED UPHOLDING THE FAITH!


Liberal Cardinal Martini reincarnated?



The entire blog post can be read here.

If you ask me, I agree with the observations of the author.

NOW LET THE #ULTIMATEHYPOCRITE REACT!!!




This non-Catholic knows it right about when life begins

Funny thing is soome "c"atholics don't.

And they even question the magisterial authority of Humanae Vitae...

And most of them teach at Ateneo...

And one of them is a theology professor named Ruben Mendoza

Imagine him teaching our children that using contraception

Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty did not have a degree in theology.

But he has common sense.

And he knows when life begins.

Unlike the men and women of Ateneo blessed with abundant knowledge.





 



An inculturated Mass that Fr. Diwa and the Chupungcans DO NOT WANT




Why you may ask?

Simple.

It does not give room for their liturgical innovations or their "expertise" or...well, it does not make them the center of the celebration.

I like what Fr. Zerrudo said.  A lot of our teens enjoy Korean pop songs that most do not understand, but they like it.  And I have even learned through my nieces and nephews that some of these youth would go at great lengths to study Korean just so they could understand what the songs are all about.

Then, who the heck the says nobody understands Latin?

See those who were at the Mass?

Mostly the youth.

So, out with the nostalgia charge of Chupungcan liturgists.

Why are you afraid of this Mass?

What is it in this Mass that freaks you out?

I'll get back to what I said earlier.

It does not give room for their liturgical innovations or their "expertise" or...well, it does not make them the center of the celebration.

Right Jeff Velasco?



Friday, December 27, 2013

Rabid feminists desecrate Christmas Mass..in the name of their right to free speech

WARNING!

This is very graphic.

 

This is how feminists and homosexuals and pro-contraception and pro-abortion activists think and behave.

That in the name of their individuals "rights" they can do whatever they want, to whoever they want to, whenever they want to, most especially offending those who do not share their beliefs.

And top of their list are Catholics who do not strike back.

Like Carlos Celdran and the Filipino Freethinkers aka Freefarters, I dare them do the same stunt in a mosque.  Hey!  Islam is anti-women.

Let's see them do that.



Tuesday, December 24, 2013

"Buon Natale!'



The two popes meeting before Christmas.

You can hear in the video both of the holy men greeting each other "Merry Christmas".

The Pope Emeritus lookiing much better since the resignation.

Pope Francis asked Benedict to pray for him.

Francis responded "always, always, always."



Monday, December 23, 2013

Pictures of ugly crucifixes

Continuing our post about crucifixes, here are some photos of well, ugly "crucifixes" I saw online.

I just couldn't get the idea what the colors are all about.


Makes me remember the ugly Orlina sculptures.  Just ugly


Can someone help me describe this other than...ugly?


Another reason why I hate "modern" art.  An excuse for someone who cannot draw or paint.

Just remember, sacred art is meant to instill in us a religious fervor, and recall the mysteries of our faith.

Crucifixes such as these do not even portray the wounds of the Passion.

They do not raise religious fervor.

And they are only avenues for artists who should not be creating sacred art because they are anything but sacred.

"But TPC!  Sacred art found in the catacombs are not that good."

Bro...we have long gone out of the catacombs.  Michelangelo and Rafael all taught us HOW to do sacred art.  Not Picasso.

Period.



Wednesday, December 18, 2013

A crucifix in Japan


Found in a chapel in Japan ministered by an SVD priest.  (thanks Mary!)

See there?

That tangled wire is their crucifix and they opted to put the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle to the side.

That is the kind of art we have nowadays in our "modern" churches.

Venerable Pius XII wrote in his encyclical on the Liturgy "Mediator Dei":
62. Assuredly it is a wise and most laudable thing to return in spirit and affection to the sources of the sacred liturgy. For research in this field of study, by tracing it back to its origins, contributes valuable assistance towards a more thorough and careful investigation of the significance of feast-days, and of the meaning of the texts and sacred ceremonies employed on their occasion. But it is neither wise nor laudable to reduce everything to antiquity by every possible device. Thus, to cite some instances, one would be straying from the straight path were he to wish the altar restored to its primitive tableform; were he to want black excluded as a color for the liturgical vestments; were he to forbid the use of sacred images and statues in Churches; were he to order the crucifix so designed that the divine Redeemer’s body shows no trace of His cruel sufferings; and lastly were he to disdain and reject polyphonic music or singing in parts, even where it conforms to regulations issued by the Holy See.

 What looks "sacred" in that twisted metal, huh?

Are we lacking in skilled artists?

Or is this another "artist" trying to find the reason that what he did is "art"?

Deplorable!

How could you even compare that with this, huh?


Why we have hideous crosses like that?  I can only guess...

1.  they think it is the fad of the time.
2.  God forbid...they hate seeing the sufferings of Christ.

If that last one were true, then how do we expect priests to talk about the great love of God without even mentioning the sufferings the Lamb of God had to go through just for our sake?  Remember, He is the Wounded Healer!



Monday, December 16, 2013

Epic Fail in the Tagalog Book of the Gospels

Edited and published by the Episcopal Commission on the Liturgy headed by our best friend, Fr. Genaro Diwa, protege of the champion of inculturation aka liturgical abuse the late Dom Anscar Chupungco.

 
 
The reading is for St. Vincent de Paul.
 
The icon below is for St. Vincent of Saragossa, deacon and martyr.
 
With all that bragging about his degree in Liturgy, he can't even make a simple distinction about which saint is which on that day.
 
Epic fail.
 
God help us with him at the CBCP Liturgy Commission.
 
If he commits simple mistakes like this, imagine what DELIBERATE mistakes he'll make.
 
Hmmm...let's say the one about the liturgial influence of Pope Benedict XVI...and the unapproved and INVENTED Misa ng Bayang Pilipino aka Misa ng Sambayanang Pilipino.
 
From liturgical abusers like Fr. Genaro Diwa....Lord deliver us!!!
 
 
 

A photo from the Diocese of Bacolod


And this is what I have been crusading!

Stop female altar servers!

Stop the EMHC from taking over the job of young men as altar servers!

KUDOS TO THE DIOCESE OF BACOLOD and thank you to our friend "K" for this.




GULP Exam: Guess what this is!

Pope Francis thumbs down Marxism and women cardinals

I am pretty sure their is a very loud groan emanating from St. Vincent School of Theology, Loyola School and Maryhell School of Theology.

***

Vatican City, Dec 15, 2013 / 09:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In an interview published Dec. 14 in the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Pope Francis has responded to several questions touching controversial topics that have arisen in his papacy.

When asked by Italian Vatican analyst Andrea Tornielli about the accusations of Marxism from “ultra-conservative Americans,” who took issue with certain passages of the Pope’s recent apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, the Pontiff was quick to denounce such ideology.

The Marxist ideology is wrong,” he responded flatly.

The Pope had severely criticized the assumptions behind “trickle-down theories” in the exhortation, saying that they expressed “a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system.”

In blasting economic practices driven by greed and leading to inequality, [hey!  just look at the guys working in Ortigas, Libis, Taguig and Makati!] he drew fire from the likes of radio host Rush Limbaugh, who contended that his comments were “pure Marxism” and “dramatically, embarrassingly, puzzlingly wrong.”

In the new interview, Pope Francis said he wasn’t offended by the comments, noting that he has known many Marxists who were still “good people.”

The Pope reaffirmed his adherence to the constant tradition of the Church, explaining that he had no intention of speaking in technical language.

“In the exhortation, there is nothing that is not found in the Social Doctrine of the Church. I didn't speak from a technical point of view, I tried to present a photograph of what happens,” he said.  [Maybe he is just being a Jesuit, you know.]

“The only specific citation was for the ‘trickle-down’ theories, according to which every economic growth, supported by the free market, is able to produce in itself a great equity and social inclusion,” he continued.

Sunday’s interview contained continued criticism of these specific ideas. “There was the promise that when the glass was full, it would have flowed over and the poor would have benefited from it. Instead, what happens is that when it is full the glass magically gets larger, and so nothing ever comes out for the poor.”  [The Church teaches that even when the glass is not full, give some to the poor.]

But “this was the only reference to a specific theory,” he repeated.

Pope Francis took the opportunity to re-emphasize his standpoint, stressing, “I repeat, I do not speak as a technician, but according to the Social Doctrine of the Church. And this does not mean being Marxist.”

When asked about another controversial topic, the possibility of women cardinals, the Pontiff was quick to point to the problematic assumption underlying the question. “Women in the Church must be valued, not ‘clericalized.’ Whoever is thinking (about) women cardinals suffers a bit from clericalism.”  [Toinks!  The Mass itself is being to clericalized and yet these very same liturgists claim that they are against clericalization so they think of ways of clericalizing the laity, aka active participation.  Can we clap for Fr. Genaro Diwa???]

As for any rumors about his own consideration of the issue, “It is a line that has come from who knows where,” he said.

Tornielli’s questions also included the recently much-discussed topic of communion for divorced and remarried Catholics. Unless their first marriage has been annulled, the Church prohibits the reception of the Eucharist by these individuals, because they are living with someone other than their legitimate spouse.

The exclusion from communion for divorced persons who live (in) a second union is not a sanction. It’s good to remember that,” replied Pope Francis.

“We must seek to facilitate people’s faith rather than control it,” he added.

Evangelii Gaudium had noted the need for both “prudence” and “boldness” in regards to the sacraments, saying “everyone can share in some way in the life of the Church; everyone can be part of the community, nor should the doors of the sacraments be closed for simply any reason.”

Pope Francis explained in the latest interview, however, “some (people) had immediately thought of the sacraments for the divorced and remarried, but I did not speak about particular cases: I wanted only to indicate a principle.”

The interview, which spanned three pages, also included the Pope’s thoughts on ecumenical matters and his concern for the poor, as well as his understanding of Christmas as “a meeting with Jesus” in which “the hope and the tenderness of the Birth of the Lord shakes us out of indifference.”

***

The entire interview of Andrea Tornielli can be read here.

After that...

Go spread the word and go ruin the day of an angry feminist nun who has an issue with his father and any father-figure or male authority like this bunch!



Did you know that this Marxist, anti-Church, pro-abortion pro-divorce group was founded by this "catholic" nun?

"Sr." Mary John Mananzan, proud Foundress of Gabriela

No women cardinal, Tita!

Go get another life.

LITURGICAL ABUSE AT ITS FINEST

I wast invited by some friends to join them at the Philippine Centre for St. Pio of Pietrelcina a fortnight ago.

Judging from its location, it is under the Diocese of Pasig. Here are some images of the Chapel I found online.




We spent almost the whole day in the area, going back for Mass in the afternoon.  It was here that I saw horrible liturgical anomalies.

1. The Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion joined the entrance procession. For a lengthy discussion on what EMHC's are supposed to do and not to do, go here.

2. They KNELT during the singing of the Our Father.  I kept an open mind about this, until I learned that the 'founder', a certain Ramon Rodriguez, was 'commanded to kneel during the Our Father in a vision'. Wow. So an unapproved private revelation can usurp the Liturgy Books.

3. The EMHC's got the ciborium directly from the tabernacle.

4. After the Mass, there was an 'anointing with holy oil'.  I am not inventing the term, you can see it on their website.  Guess who did the anointing? The EMHCs! Not only did these men usurp the role of the priest, they anoint people with what they claim as holy oil. Now which oil can that be? The church only has three; the oil of catechumens, oil of the sick, and chrism. 

I told my friends I will never set foot in that 'chapel' again unless of a grave reason.

I do not want to judge Mr. Ramon.  He is just as old, or even older, than I am.  But the moment he said, in his conversion narration, that Padre Pio, pagalingin mo lang ako, sasambahin kita, he lost me.

Pasig Diocese should look into this soon.

Friday, December 13, 2013

GUESS WHAT

Carlita posted this old image of the Manila Cathedral last Sunday.

What do you notice?


What does it have in common with this. 


Let me rephrase my question: WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE IMAGES?

ANSWER?

Watch this!


GUESSING GAME

What color is this?


Thursday, December 12, 2013

Time Person of the Year is...Pope Francis!

And I think this meme sums up my reaction



And this article said what I need to say:
It was telling that, in their blurb about the nominees, Time announced that ‘the first Jesuit Pontiff won hearts and minds with his common touch and rejection of church dogma’. Of course Pope Francis has not rejected Church dogma at all. Time were quick to correct themselves, yet their mistake revealed again the liberal bias against Catholicism: Catholics are only praised if they are seen to rebel against their Church. This attitude makes Catholics distinctly uneasy. It can only be a matter of time before the journalists who now laud Francis turn on him. They will say he has disappointed them when he does not embrace all gay rights, condoms, and women popes.
Which is why my person of the year, for what it’s worth, is not Pope Francis, but Pope Benedict XVI. Because he had the humility to realise he could no longer carry on leading the Church. Because he had the guts to resign, against all modern precedent, and make way for a more dynamic successor.  [emphasis mine]
Read the rest of the article here.

Read what some Catholic pundits have to say as well.  Don't expect any praises folks.

The highlighted sentences really went for the kill against narcissistic egotistical megalomaniac public figures who could not let go of power and fame for the greater good...whether you are a civil or religious authority, Pope Benedict set the standards.

Now that's real humility folks!

And let the #UltimateHypocrite start his pseudo-Catholic and secret SSPX rant on poor me.

Bottomline for me?

I don't give a rat's @$$ what the Western media thinks of the Church.

They have nothing but venom against Christ's Bride!

Pfft!



Filipino Frethinkers, look what was found! Ancient city discovered

underwater city Heracleion discovered

This is one of the collosal statues found in the ancient city of  Heracleion long thought to be just a figment of the imagination of Herodotus, the 5th-century BC historian who wrote about the tale of Helen of Troy, who traveled to Heracleion, then a port of 'great wealth', with her Trojan lover, Paris.

Many "THINKERS" like the great FREEFARTERS, led by Tita Red Tani, always contend that ancient writings like those in the Bible are fictitious like what Herodotus wrote.

So...........

What say you now huh???

You change your mind now?

"But the Bible is fictitious"

Yeah, right.  Like what you said about this ancient city.

Unfortunately, hate towards Christianity defies reason and civility.

I can't wait to see the day you completely trash Islam and Mohammad.

That, I'll be watching.



Wednesday, December 11, 2013

I will not serve!

As we approach the beginning and end of the week, Sunday, let me direct you to the wonderful 36-page Pastoral Letter of the Archbishop-Emeritus of Manila, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, D.D entitled Without Sunday We Cannot Live: A Pastoral Letter on the Sunday Celebration of the Eucharist issued in 2009.

Unfortunately, there is no online copy of that Pastoral Letter. It should be here, but the link is broken.  We can find traces of it at the Arkham website, at the Monk's Hobbit and from this very blog.

In this Pastoral Letter, Cardinal Rosales decreed on page 17, #28 that:

We therefore wish to continue the practice of reserving this ministry (altar servers. sic) to young boys, in order to introduce them to the life and ministry of the Church.

Now, explain THIS.


Taken from a parish in the heart of Manila itself.

It's funny, but the female altar servers (sic) try so much to look like males with their bundled up hairs. So why get them in the first place?

Why disobey your bishop in the first, first place?

The EMHC hijacking the job of Altar Servers

My post about that stunning photo at the Typhoon Yolanda hit areas generated quite a buzz since I ranted my heart out against the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who seemingly would always take the spot from altar servers who are thankfully here in the Philippines are mostly young men. (But that is another topic for a future blog post no?)

Why am I having these issues with the EMHCs?

First of all, let us check some of the comments.

A friend said that maybe since the Eucharistic procession was in the hard hit areas, the altar servers either perished or were simply not available, or something to that effect, or that the canopy must be handled by the older and much taller EMHCs.

I beg to disagree.

EMHCs are becoming a staple in Eucharistic processions here in the Philippines.

By the meaning of their names, they are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.  Three Church documents are the sources for the "creation" of this position.


Code of Canon Law
Can. 910 §1 The ordinary minister of holy communion is a Bishop, a priest or a deacon.
§2 The extraordinary minister of holy communion is an acolyte, or another of Christ's faithful deputed in accordance with can. 230 §3.
Can. 230 §1 Lay men whose age and talents meet the requirements prescribed by decree of the Episcopal Conference, can be given the stable ministry of lector and of acolyte, through the prescribed liturgical rite. This conferral of ministry does not, however, give them a right to sustenance or remuneration from the Church.
§2 Lay people can receive a temporary assignment to the role of lector in liturgical actions. Likewise, all lay people can exercise the roles of commentator, cantor or other such, in accordance with the law.
§3 Where the needs of the Church require and ministers are not available, lay people, even though they are not lectors or acolytes, can supply certain of their functions, that is, exercise the ministry of the word, preside over liturgical prayers, confer baptism and distribute Holy Communion, in accordance with the provisions of the law.  [Emphasis mine.]

General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM)
GIRM 162. The priest may be assisted in the distribution of Communion by other priests who happen to be present. If such priests are not present and there is a very large number of communicants, the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, e.g., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose. In case of necessity, the priest may depute suitable faithful for this single occasion.
GIRM 162 (cont.) ... These ministers should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion, and they are always to receive from the hands of the priest celebrant the vessel containing either species of the Most Holy Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.

Redemptionis sacramentum (RS)
RS 88 Only when there is a necessity may extraordinary ministers assist the Priest celebrant in accordance with the norm of law.
RS 156. This function is to be understood strictly according to the name by which it is known, that is to say, that of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and not “special minister of Holy Communion” nor “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” nor “special minister of the Eucharist”, by which names the meaning of this function is unnecessarily and improperly broadened.
RS 157. If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it. The practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to laypersons.
RS 158. Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.[259] This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason.
RS 159. It is never allowed for the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to delegate anyone else to administer the Eucharist, as for example a parent or spouse or child of the sick person who is the communicant.
RS 160. Let the diocesan Bishop give renewed consideration to the practice in recent years regarding this matter, and if circumstances call for it, let him correct it or define it more precisely. Where such extraordinary ministers are appointed in a widespread manner out of true necessity, the diocesan Bishop should issue special norms by which he determines the manner in which this function is to be carried out in accordance with the law, bearing in mind the tradition of the Church.

Reading all through these documents we can summarize that:

  1. EMHCs are laymen instituted to distribute Holy Communion in times when there are not enough Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to distribute Holy Communion.  And we know who the Ordinary ministers are.
  2. Over appointment of EMHCs is an abuse.
  3. The nature of their job is in their name.


Now let me take you to these photographs I have collected of EMHCs not acting according to the virtue of their institution as EMHCs


Not sure where but it says it is from the Parokya ng Santisimo Rosaryo



2008 Corpus Christi procession at Sta. Cruz Church, Manila



Christ the King procession at Dagat-dagatan, Caloocan City



In Morong\, Bataan during Holy Thursday

What's common?

Yes, it's pretty obvious.

Unlike the comments I got from that blog post, here I have photo evidence to show that slowly around the country, EMHCs are taking over the role of altar servers.

I even once went to Don Bosco Makati and was surprised that EMHCs were the one serving at Mass.  No altar servers!

In the Eucharistic procession, the role of carrying the canopy usually falls to the altar servers.

Why is that?

The wisdom of the Church is here to answer that.

Service at the altar was given to young men because it has been proven time and again, that encouraging young boys to serve at the altar influences them to consider a vocation to the priesthood.  That is also the reason why there should be NO ALTAR GIRLS!

But I digress.

The bottomline is that its not their job. and they are not supposed to take it away from these young men who may be contemplating a vocation to the priesthood!

The boys need the inspiration!  Stop getting the jobs that are meant to inspire them!

EMHCs are mostly elderly men who are canonically impeded to be ordained priests let alone be admitted to the seminary.

Why can't they just do well in their jobs of distributing Holy Communion?  Isn't it not enough that you have that immense responsibility of holding with your UNCONSECRATED FINGERS the BODY AND BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, that you just had to take away the job of a young boy who might be considering a calling to become a priest??? Huh??!?!

Isn't it not enough?

Why can't EMHCs just BE EMHC's?  Why do they have to be all around our chapels, churches and cathedrals when in fact

Dear friends, this is a clear danger of over laicizing our liturgy, of over "active participation" of the laity.  True active participation is INTERNAL not EXTERNAL.  Active participation is achieved not by having the lay do what is supposed to be done by the clergy, and not having the lay dance all around the sanctuary during Mass.  True Active Participation as envisioned by the Church Fathers of Vatican II is PRAYING THE MASS, not doing the Mass!

Dear EMHCs....

You are not altar servers.

Do what you are supposed to do and leave the young boys to serve at the altar.

You are way past the required age.








Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Some scenes from my trip to Japan

Shijuku Station.  Super high tech!  :)



See the temperature when I was there?  4 degrees!!!  Brrrr!!!!




Their "LRT", super fast, super cool!  When will we have these here? 



We used some of these lockers to leave my heavy bag full of pasalubong.  Super high tech.  We used electronic key cards.  :)



 And the yummy lunch I had.  Tsukemen... ramen wherein the noodles are dipped into the sauce.  Hmmm...


I was hoping to visit Nagasaki where my dear lolo Enchong "St. Lorenzo Ruiz" witnessed the Faith.  But my trip did not cover that.

So, anywho, it was a nice trip.

Very quick.  Talked to some guys in the traditional movement...

Met some friends back in the consular days.  ;)

And got a a lot of insight into the life of the Church in Japan.

Thank you very much!

Sorry. I still cannot say the Japanese sentences you taught me.  :/


Stunning image from Typhoon Yolanda affected area

Now this one just speaks of what Pinoy Catholics really are.

I got this from a friend's Facebook timeline.


This is the entrance of the Blessed Sacrament into Santo Nino de Tacloban parish church after the Christ the King Eucharistic procession around the city.

It is FAITH that strengthens us.

It is FAITH that binds us together!

***

But on the side...

I always see this in so many instances, so let me start this rant.............NOW!

What are the EMHCs doing there?

I mean, my gosh, are they running our of altar servers to carry the canopy?

Why is it that EMHCs really would want to make epal all the time, huh?

This role is for the altar servers!

Your role as EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION is duh!...distribute Holy Communion! 

Just stay that way!  Why do you always have to get someone else's role in the liturgy, huh? 

Let the kids serve!  This is a mine of vocations!

You think what you are doing is encouraging young men to serve at the altar?

Sit down!  Your time is up!

Let the young men serve at the altar!



Sorry to ruin the moment with that rant.

I am just having too much of EMHC narcissism.


Monday, December 9, 2013

The official papal medallion mosaic portrait of Pope Francis

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWeSoqqKm_2Azyw00omKYh-F9bTJl4idAoFvaiRDCXJYyni64UFWIUTbW7YL_LokDuPYNkCOLQlVRdnwL5Bh0PxT0tkea0V0tKjUmQ_4p4OOEUTCmc0c0oAMVunFt1lNjQRwt6d_1Q55M/s1600/frank.jpg

This will be placed at the archbasilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.  Thanks to John Sonnen of OrbisCatholicusSecundus for the photo.

This portrait will be placed next to that of Benedict XVI as you can see from the photo below.


http://www.zainoo.com/media/medium/3614.JPEG

SUPPORT PEDRO!

blogged about this last month, but as the showing date approaches, I am encouraging you to not just watch it, but to watch it with your friends, neighbors, group mates, everybody you know!


This is definitely a better way of spending your hard-earned money than watching a movie about homosexuality, or a film about how justice can be evaded if you are a Senator, and the like.

When a friend saw this film, he blurted out HINDI KIKITA YAN.

Let us prove him and every bloody others that CATHOLIC FILMS are worth your time, money, and effort.

Kawawa naman si Father

I was struck with the words of Bishop Gerardo Alminanza; If the shepherd gets sick, will the flock help? Being old and sickly myself, I understand how assistance, any assistance, is very important.


Getting sick is a humbling experience.  It is a blow to one's ego. Adolescence is a great experience of independence.  How well I remember when I first started to stand on my own. Going back to being dependent on somebody else is a struggle after many years of being strong and able.

Let us pray for our priests. Let us support them if we can.

At times, if you are in the same age as I am, you will feel useless, that the band has gone and left you fluttering in the wind.  Priests, I think, feel that they are in the middle of a storm.

Let us love our old priests.

The young, egocentric ones will soon learn their lesson. I hope they realize it before they become old.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Off to the Land of the Rising Sun!!!

I'll be leaving you in the meantime in the hands of my kumpadre, Joe Yang.

I'll try to blog as much as I can.

In the meantime...

I'll be shopping at AKIHABARA!!!!

Tokyo_Akihabara_gadgets.jpg (1408×1033)

EXCOMMUNICATED!

Excommunication is a medicinal, spiritual penalty that deprives the guilty Christian of all participation in the common blessings  of ecclesiastical society.


You can no longer see the scene above in recent times, but it gives the viewers a glimpse of the gravity of the this most serious censure the Catholic Church imposes on her erring children.

What are the effects of Excommunication?
  1. Exclusion from the reception of the Sacraments, or attendance in the Sacred ceremonies of the Church.
  2. Exclusion from the Public Suffrage of the Church
  3. Exclusion from a Catholic burial
Locally, the most recent, published excommunication was that of Xavier Eubra de Borja in 2010 for attempting the Liturgical action of the Eucharist though not promoted to the Sacerdotal order, attempting to impart sacramental absolution or hears sacramental confession, and usurpation of Ecclesiastical office. Canon 1378 and following.

Yes, there is a huge difference between attempting the Liturgical action of the Eucharist and sacramental absolution and Catholic CosPlayers, although the latter is in itself is already a matter which needs looking into.

What should our attitude be towards excommunicated persons?

Xavier Eubra de Borja, last seen in Tagaytay City

We PRAY for them.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Liturgical dance teacher

He teaches at Euntes, MaryHill, St. Vincent, San Beda.

Taught the other priests and nuns who love liturgical dancing in the Philippines.

Famous name!

Stephen Colbert.

Take it away Stephen!




Stephen Colbert IS Catholic.

And he is a comedian.

I definitely sense his sarcasm in this video.

Of course, we need it.

Why?

Because that is how STUPID liturgical dancing really is!

And that's what we will be seeing most during the Simbang Gabi / Misa de Gallo and definitely for Christmas Eve Midnight Mass!!!


AAAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

GULP Alert: BIG TIME Eucharistic Abuse



This is just so wrong.  So wrong.



Time to pray this one:

Act of Reparation

O Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer, Son of the living God, behold, we kneel before Thee and offer Thee our reparation; we would make amends for all the blasphemies uttered against Thy holy name, for all the injuries done to Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, for all the irreverence shown toward Thine immaculate Virgin Mother, for all the calumnies and slanders spoken against Thy spouse, the holy Catholic and Roman Church. O Jesus, who hast said: "If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you", we pray and beseech Thee for all our brethren who are in danger of sin; shield them from every temptation to fall away from the true faith; save those who are even now standing on the brink of the abyss; to all of them give light and knowledge of the truth, courage and strength for the conflict with evil, perseverance in faith and active charity! For this do we pray, most merciful Jesus, in Thy name, unto God the Father, with whom Thou livest and reignest in the unity of the Holy Spirit world without end. Amen.

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable,
most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God
be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored
and glorified in Heaven, on earth,
and under the earth,
by all the creatures of God,
and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Amen.


GULP Alert: Altar arrangement 101

"Ok, all candles to the left side, and the cross can you stay at this side. Ok.  Wonderful."




I have no idea where in the world this altar arrangement came from?!?!

Benedictine altar arrangement gone awfully wrong.

Is the cross getting in the way of the beautiful view of the priest's handsome face, Your Fluffiness?

Arrangements such as these communicate one thing.

"The crucifix is such a distraction! Put it to the side!"

Priestly narcissism is eating us all up!

I wonder.

In your family shrine, do you put the cross to the side of your altar/shrine or at the center?

When did you see the Queen of England sit on the side chair or her throne not on the center of the throne room?

Really head scratching moment here.

I bet the guys at Campus Ministry or those nosy nuns who got their seminar from a Chupungcan liturgist definitely has some hand in this one.




What liturgical dancing is

When a priest wants creativity at Mass, 
it means he is a lousy preacher.