Popule Meus

V/. Popule meus, quid feci tibi? aut in quo contristavi te? Responde mihi. V/. Quia eduxi te de terra Aegypti, parasti crucem Salvatori tuo.C/. Agios o Theos! Sanctus Deus! Agios ischyros! Sanctus fortis! Agios athanatos, eleison ymas. Sanctus immortalis, miserere nobis. V/. Quia eduxi te per desertum quadraginta annis, et manna cibavi te, et introduxi te in terram satis bonam: parasti Crucem Salvatori tuo. C/. Agios o Theos! V/. Quid ultra debui facere tibi, et non feci? Ego quidem plantavi te vineam meam speciosissimam: et tu facta es mihi nimis amara: aceto namque sitim meam potasti: et lancea perforasti latus Salvatori tuo. C/. Agios o Theos! V/. Ego propter te flagellavi Aegyptum cum primogenitus suis: et tu me flagellatum tradidisti. R/. Popule meus, quid feci tibi? aut in quo contristavi te? Responde mihi. V/. Ego eduxi te de Aegypto, demerso Pharaone in Mare Rubrum: et tu me tradidisti principibus sacerdotum. R/. Popule meus. V/. Ego ante te aperui mare: et tu aperuisti lancea latus meum. R/. Popule meus. V/. Ego ante te praeivi in columna nubis: et tu me duxisti ad praetorium Pilati. R/. Popule meus. V/. Ego te pavi manna per desertum: et tu me cecidisti alapis et flagellis. R/. Popule meus. V/. Ego te potavi aqua salutis de petra: et tu me potasti felle, et aceto.   R/. Popule meus. V/. Ego propter te Chananaeorum reges percussi: et tu percussisti arundine caput meum. R/. Popule meus. V/. Ego dedi tibi sceptrum regale: et tu dedisti capiti meo spineam coronam. R/. Popule meus. V/. Ego te exaltavi magna virtute: et tu me suspendisti in patibulo Crucis. R/. Popule meus.

V/. O my people, what have I done to thee? or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me. V/. Because I led thee out of the land of Egypt, thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.C/. O holy God! O holy God! O holy strong One! O holy strong One! O holy immortal one, have mercy on us. O holy immortal one, have mercy on us. V/. Because I led thee out through the desert forty years: and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into a land exceeding good, thou hast prepared a Cross for thy Savior. C/. O holy God!… V/. What more ought I have done for thee, that I have not done? I planted thee, indeed, My most beautiful vineyard: and thou hast become exceeding bitter to Me: for in My thirst thou gavest Me vinegar to drink: and with a lance thou hast pierced the side of thy Savior. C/. O holy God!… V/. For thy sake I scourged Egypt with its first-born: and thou hast scourged Me and delivered Me up. R/. O my people, what have I done to thee? or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me. V/. I led thee out of Egypt having drowned Pharao in the Red Sea: and thou hast delivered Me to the chief priests. R/. O my people… V/. I opened the sea before thee: and thou with a spear hast opened My side. R/. O my people… V/. I went before thee in a pillar of cloud: and thou hast led Me to the judgement hall of Pilate. R/. O my people… V/. I fed thee with manna in the desert; and thou hast beaten Me with whips and scourges. R/. O my people… V/. I gave thee the water of salvation from the rock to drink: and thou hast given Me gall and vinegar. R/. O my people… V/. For thy sake I struck the kings of the Chanaanites: and thou hast struck My head with a reed. R/. O my people… V/. I gave thee a royal sceptre: and thou hast given to My head a crown of thorns. R/. O my people… V/. I exalted thee with great strength: and thou hast hanged Me on the gibbet of the Cross. R/. O my people…

Missa de Angelis

Since last year, the church has been singing the ordinaries from the booklet Jubilate Deo, which was intended as a "minimum repertoire of Gregorian chant."

During this Easter season, we're singing the ordinary chants of Holy Mass from the Missa de Angelis (Mass of the Angels).

The chant notes and translation can be found here.

“All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy.…

“Since faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is fitting that they know how to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, set to the simpler melodies” 

- GIRM §41

“I desire, in accordance with the request advanced by the Synod Fathers, that Gregorian chant be suitably esteemed and employed as the chant proper to the Roman liturgy”

— Pope Benedict XVI
Sacramentum Caritatis §4

Pineapple Fried Rice

Tried cooking this recipe with my leftover pineapples from making sandwiches. Am a lover for Thai food! Yum. Especially them spicy ones.This recipe is a serving for 2:

Ingredients: 1 cup of leftover rice, left overnight 1 cup of fresh pineapples, cubed 1 cup of carrot, cubed 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 shallots, thinly sliced 4 red or green chili padi 3 stalks of lemongrass, pounded 200g chicken 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons oil 2 tbsp curry powder 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp dark soy sauce ½ tsp salt (or to taste) ½ tsp sugar (or to taste) ½ tsp turmeric powder Marinate chicken with: 1 tbsp chili sauce 1 tsp cornflour ½ tsp sesame oil ½ tsp oyster sauce ¼ tsp salt Optional: ½ cup unsalted cashew nuts ½ cup peas 100g prawns

Steps:

1. Marinate chicken.
2. Heat up wok and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add beaten egg, dish out and slice into strings, leave aside.
3. Add another 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Stir-fry onion, garlic, lemongrass, red chilies until aromatic. Add marinated chicken and shrimp and stir-fry until half-cooked. 
4. Add rice, pineapple pieces, fried egg and do a few quick stirs. Add curry powder, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, salt and sugar to blend well with rice. 
5. Stir-fry for another minute or so, dish out and serve.

To love...

'The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.'

By Eden Ahbez, Nature Boy (1948) - first performed by Nat King Cole

Happy Easter!

Simply beautiful and reverential!

Here is a clip on a Traditional Latin Mass filmed on Easter Sunday in 1941 at Our Lady of Sorrows church in Chicago. The film presents the ceremonies of the Missa Solemnis or Solemn High Mass in full detail with narration:

 

Paschal Mystery

Full, conscious and actual participation does not mean people clamouring to take part in the performance of the rites, rather, they are fully to participate in the Paschal Mystery they signify.

Fr Simon Henry

What's all this ruckus about Tridentine Mass?

Novus Ordo Mass vs. Tridentine Mass

What's a Tridentine Mass?

Beginning of this year, I was introduced to the existence of a form of Holy Mass called the Tridentine Mass. Since then I've been reading up regarding the Holy Mass that was celebrated now and in the past.

The Novus Ordo Mass is the name of the new English Mass that Catholics celebrate now. Known as the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, this Mass was promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969, sometime after Vatican II.

Before 1969, Catholics around the world used to celebrate Holy Mass exculsively in Latin. This Mass was called the Latin Mass, or Tridentine Mass. Now it is also known as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Since March, I have had the privilege of attending the Tridentine Mass here in my country. And I would love to relate to you my experience:

My first visit to a Tridentine Mass (13th March):

• Once I stepped into the chapel, I could see veils on all the women's head, including the little girls'. No sexy skirts and spaghetti straps, no shorts and slippers. Women had to wear blouses with sleeves and also skirts that were below the knee length. 

• When Mass started, I was really quite lost. That is how different both the old and new Mass are. Unlike the Novus Ordo Mass where the priest faces and speaks to the congregation almost at all times, the priests would face the Altar during most parts of the Tridentine Mass, praying softly to God for the congregation. Though, it was a blessing that my friend had the daily missal which had both English and Latin translation that we could follow.

• There was definitely a very strong sense of reverence as everyone who walked past the Blessed Sacrament genuflected, even the little children. In the Novus Ordo, we see people who just walk past the Blessed Sacrament without the acknowledging our Lord who is present (well, I was one of them before). Also, the congregation does not chit chat after communion or when the sermon is being preached as if it were just another social event.

• As for music, we had Propers to follow, we sang Gregorian chants, instead of random hymns selected as done in the Novus Ordo Mass.

As I reflected on the Tridentine Mass more and more, and compared it to the Novus Ordo Mass, I find it really sad how much has been lost since Tridentine Mass in the current Novus Ordo Mass. It was no wonder that they said that the new Mass really was a revolution!

Regarding attire, to one, all these 'rules' about attire may seem so unnecessary but, really without these so called rules, people attending the Novus Ordo Mass has misused the freedom. With all these jeans, and I'm-off-to-the-market attire, people have lost the reverence for the Lord, whose Pashal Mystery we celebrate.

With Tridentine Mass, the minute you step into the chapel, one would know immediately that it was sacred space and ground. Everything is different from the outside world. Its music, its atmosphere, its language...

Being indifferent

Nothing is so fatal to religion as indifference. -Edmund Burke

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke

How to make a chapel veil

I finally got to buying the necessary materials to make my own chapel veil. It's a semi-circle veil and it's pretty simple. I've decided to post a DIY step-by-step because I remembered having a hard time finding one online when I was planning on making my veil. Hope you'll find this helpful. Here goes:

Materials needed: 1/2 meter fabric (netting), 3m lace, white thread, scissors, a measuring tape, a pencil and a weight.

Step #1: Fold the cloth into half.

Step #2: Measure the length from one shoulder to the other over your head. Mine was 40 inches, so I'll be referring to that for the following steps.

 Step #3: Tie the thread to a pencil ( I used a 6B pencil). Measure its length to half of the length measured in Step #2 (40/2 = 20 inches). Cut the thread.

 Step #4: Hold on end of the thread at the corner of the fabric (where the scissors is - had to use one of my hands to snap the photo). Draw the radius using the pencil. 

Hint: Situate the weight on the radius so that the fabric stays.

 

Step #5: Cut on the lines drawn. It should like the above picture when unfolded. Put on your almost-completed-veil and make the necessary adjustments (cuttings) according to your preferences.

Step #6: Sew the lace on the edges and its ready to be used for the next Holy Mass!   

It should look like the above when used. I thought it was more meaningful to sew my own veil instead of sending it to the tailor to do it. Hope you would too!

Here's another photo of a veil with a different pattern of fabric and lace, having a longer length.

Has this been useful for you?

No to Christianity 'a la carte'

Rome, Italy (CNA/EWTN News) -- Priests must not preach “Christianity 'a la carte'” and should be willing to approach even uncomfortable aspects of the Gospel, Pope Benedict said in a meeting with priests last week. 

“This is important,” said the pope. “The Apostle does not preach Christianity 'a la carte,' according to his own tastes, he does not preach a Gospel according to his own preferred theological ideas; he does not take away from the commitment to announce the entire will of God, even when uncomfortable, nor the themes he may least like personally.”

“It is our mission to announce all the will of God, in its totality and ultimate simplicity,” said the pope. “But the fact that we must instruct and preach is important -- as St. Paul says -- and really proposes the entire will of God.”

Read more here... 

Let us continue to pray for our priests that they may be able to stand up for God's will and His Truth.

2 Timothy 4: 1-5

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry." 

The tide is turning

It gives us some hope to see how strong this student pro-life movement is in America amidst all the concern of the spiking rate of abortion.

Click here to support the work of Students for Life of America.

Dropping the pebble in the water

Amidst all the battles this week, I was encouraged when a friend approached me after mass on Thursday.

She wasn't sure if it was me under the veil until she saw me. Beginning of this week, I sent Catholic Knight's article to theconfirmation group of facilitators and she was one of them. She started asking me more about veiling and expressed that for a time she had the wanting to veil but hadn't the courage since only the older woman wear veils in our parish.

Blogger Mary Rose mentioned in her post that many women in the United States are being drawn to return to this tradition, and perhaps the Catholic women in our country would be drawn to it too.

Here is a piece of her post:
So how can a "culture of death" be turned around? How can families be restored? How can sexual purity and chastity be brought back into the Church? There are many ways this can happen but I guarantee you that women praying will be a part of it. And now, I am suspecting that women are being called, both individually and in small groups in their parishes in two's and three's, to drop the pebble in the water (which we know will have far-reaching effects) by doing something as simple and completely radical as wearing something on their head.

'The Veil' by Jackie Freppon

I found a fantastic, simple, straight to the point explanatin of veiling. Wow! Read this:
The Veil by Jackie Freppon

During the second Vatican Council, a mob of reporters waited for news after a council meeting. One of them asked Msgr. Annibale Bugnini, then secretary of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship, if women still had to wear a headcover in the churches. His response was that the Bishops were considering other issues, and that women’s veils were not on the agenda.

The next day, the international press announced throughout the world that women did not have to wear the veil anymore. A few days later, Msgr. Bugnini told the press he was misquoted and women still had to wear the veil. But the Press did not retract the error, and many women stopped wearing the veil as out of confusion and because of pressure from feminist groups.

Before the revision in 1983, Canon law had stated that women must cover their heads "...especially when they approach the holy table" (can.1262.2). But in order to reduce such a growing collection of books, the new version of Canon law was subjected to concise changes. In the process, mention of head coverings was omitted.

In 1970, Pope Paul VI promulgated the Roman Missal, ignoring mention of women's veils. But at the time the missal was published, it didn’t seem necessary to keep mandatory such an obvious and universal practice, even if it no longer had a "normative" value (Inter insigniores, # 4).

And mention in Canon law or the Roman Missal is not necessary to the continuation of the tradition, for it is rooted in Scripture and has been practiced ever since the early Church. Indeed, Pope John Paul II affirmed that the real sources of Canon law are the Sacred Tradition, especially as reflected in the ecumenical councils, and Sacred Scripture (O.S.V. Catholic Encyclopedia, p 169).

SCRIPTURE

Sacred Scripture presents several reasons for wearing the veil. St. Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians (11: 1-16) that we must cover our heads because it is a Sacred Tradition commanded by our Lord Himself and entrusted to Paul: "The things I am writing to you are the Lord’s commandments" (1Cor. 14:37).

DIVINE HIERARCHY

God has established a hierarchy, in both the natural and the religious spheres, in which the female is subject to the male. St. Paul writes in 1st. Corinthians: "But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God (1 Cor. 11-3).

And, in the institution of marriage, God gave the husband authority over the wife, but responsibility to her as well. Not only is he the family’s decision-maker, but he is also responsible for the material and spiritual welfare of his wife and children. Man is not in this position to enslave or belittle the wife.

As the Bride (the Church) is subject to Jesus, women must wear the veil as a sign that they are subjected to men: "Let wives be subject to their husbands as to the Lord; because a husband is head of the wife, just as Christ is head of the Church." (Eph. 5, 22-23) The man represents Jesus, therefore he should not cover his head.

However, this subjection is not derogatory to women, because in God’s kingdom everyone is subjected to a higher authority:

"For as the woman is from the man, so also is the man through the woman, but all things are from God." (1 Cor.11,12).

Furthermore, the symbolism of the veil takes that which is invisible, the order established by God, and makes it visible. In the history of the Church, priestly vestments have played a similar symbolic role.

WOMEN’S HONOR

It is an honor to wear the veil. But by publicly repudiating it, a woman dishonors her feminine dignity, her sign of female subjection, just as the military officer is dishonored when he is stripped of his decorations.

The Roman Pontifical contains the imposing ceremonial of the consecration of the veils:

"Receive the sacred veil, that thou mayst be known to have despised the world, and to be truly, humbly, and with all thy heart subject to Christ as his bride; and may he defend thee from all evil, and bring thee to life eternal" (Pontificale Romanum; de benedictione)

St. Paul says an unveiled woman is a dishonor: "But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head, for it is the same as if she were shaven" (1Cor.11,5).

BECAUSE OF THE ANGELS

"That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels" wrote St. Paul in 1 Cor 11,10. The invisible hierarchy should be respected because the Angels are present at Christian liturgical assemblies, offering with us the Holy Sacrifice with the honor due to God. St. John the Apostle wrote:

"And another Angel came and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne." ( Rev. 8:3, see also Matt. 18:10.)

They are offended by a lack of reverence at Mass, just as they abhorred King Herod’s acceptance of adoration from the people of Jerusalem:

"But immediately an angel of the Lord struck (Herod) down, because he had not given honor to God, and he was eaten by worms, and died." (Acts, 12:23).

ANCIENT TRADITION

The custom of wearing the veil was maintained in the primitive Churches of God. (1Cor.11:16). We see this in the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians. The women of Corinth beset by modern sensibilities, started coming to church without their heads covered. When St. Paul heard of their neglect, he wrote and urged them to keep the veil. According to St. Jerome’s commentary Bible, he finally settled the matter by saying head covering was a custom of the primitive communities of Judea, "the Churches of God" (1 Thess.2-14, 2Thess.1-4), which had received this Tradition from early times (2 Thess.2:15. 3:6).

GOD’S COMMAND

Even today some people erroneously believe that St. Paul based the tradition on his personal opinion. They think he did not intend it to be continued in the Universal church, but only as a local custom. This argument, however, does not conform to the Pauline spirit. After all, it was Paul who stood before Peter to change Jewish traditions in Christian Churches (Gal.2:11-21).

St. Paul reminds them: "for I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it; but I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ" (Gal.1:12), referring to the authority of his ministry, and veracity of his words. Pope Linus who succeeded St. Peter, enforced also the same tradition of women covering their heads in the church (The primitive church, TAN.) Our Lord warns us to obey his commandments: "He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt.5:19).

CONCLUSION

In summary, the reasons that St. Paul advises women to cover their heads in the church are:

• Our Lord commanded it;
  
  
• It is a visible sign of an invisible order established by God;
  
  
• The Angels at Mass are offended if women don’t use it;
  
  
• It is a ceremonial vestment;
  
  
• It is our heritage.

Christian women around the world have other reasons to wear a hat, mantilla, rebozo, gele, scarf, shawl, or veil. Some wear it out of respect to God; others, to obey the Pope’s request, or continue family traditions.But the most important reason of all is because Our Lord said: "If you love me keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

We should always be ready with our bridal veils, waiting for him and the promised wedding (Apoc.22:17), following the example of our Blessed Mother Mary, who never appeared before the eyes of men but properly veiled.

To those who still think that the veil is an obsolete custom, remember that: "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday and today, yes, and forever" (Heb.13:8).

-- by Jackie Freppon

Copyright 2002 by Jackie Freppon

Japan on par with Chernobyl disaster

Tokyo (CNN) -- Japanese authorities Tuesday "provisionally" declared the country's nuclear accident a level-7 event on the international scale for nuclear disasters -- the highest level -- putting it on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency announced the new level Tuesday morning. It had previously been at 5.

Regulators have determined the amount of radioactive iodine released by the damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was at least 15 times the volume needed to reach the top of the International Nuclear Event Scale, the agency said. That figure is still about 10 percent of the amount released at Chernobyl, they said.

Read more here...

I've attached this very interesting and informative video on what actually happened in 1986 when the nuclear plant in Chernobyl exploded. After watching this, you'll understand how deadly 'level-7 event on the international scale for nuclear disasters' is. 

'This is too conservative for me'

 
'This is too conservative for me.'

These were JD's exact first words to me when he saw me in the church with a veil on my head. It really is tough to be put down by the closest person to you. I prayed and offered him and our relationship up during mass that Wednesday evening.

The next morning, the Holy Spirit brought to mind this bible passage:

Matthew 13:44

'The kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off in his joy, sells everything he owns and buys the field...

And I told God that even if it meant giving up everything else to follow His Word, I would, because I have found Him, my treasure.

God is amazing, truly marvelous. Yesterday when we went out with his mom, he told her that I started wearing veil in church sort of in hopes to prove me too conservative. But to my surprise, his plan backed fire, the total opposite happened! She told him that women indeed should veil and the church should really bring back the tradition of veiling and encourage women to do so.

I was overjoyed and thankful to God for answering my prayers as JD's mom stood up for my cause of veiling.

Having her support was indeed encouraging and.comforting. Thank you, Lord.

Related stories...

• But a Spirit of power  
• Chapel Veil: Where to get one?
• Chapel Veil: Thinking about it...

Canadian abortion statistics greatly underestimated

Let us continue to pray for countries where abortion is legal, the lives of the unborn babies and mothers-to-be of these little beauties that they will not make this grave mistake of killing God's gift to them.

By Catholic Insight Staff  

An Ontario study (Project for an Ontario Women’s Health Evidence-Based Report—Power) has just been released which shows the gruesome statistic that for every 100 babies born in Ontario, 37 are aborted. The ratio for teen girls is even more shocking. For every 100 babies born to Ontario teens 15 and over, 152 are aborted. (Nat. Post, March 2, 2011). And as many as 52% of women have had more than one abortion. Continuing the shock, about 20% of teens 15-19 had already had at least one abortion.

These statistics are only for those who have had abortions in a hospital. Abortion clinics were not part of the statistics gathering, although they perform more than half of the provinces abortion. Since teens do not need parental consent for clinic abortions (although they may for a hospital abortion), more teens may go to an abortion clinic.

 

According to a 2010 Angus Reid poll, 89% of Canadians do not even know that Canada has no legal restrictions on abortion. Further, an abortion can be performed at any point during the pregnancy, and taxpayers have to cover almost all the costs.

Read more here...

A soft tongue

Proverbs 25:15

With patience a ruler may be persuaded

and a soft tongue will break a bone.

What an encouragement this verse is in times of disappointment like these.
Looking back at this verse, I thought of 2 other passages in the New Testament that relates to it:

Luke 18:1-8 

 Then he told them a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart.'There was a judge in a certain town,' he said, 'who had neither fear of God nor respect for anyone. In the same town there was also a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, "I want justice from you against my enemy! For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, "Even though I have neither fear of God nor respect for any human person, I must give this widow her just rights since she keeps pestering me, or she will come and slap me in the face." And the Lord said, 'You notice what the unjust judge has to say. Now, will not God see justice done to his elect if they keep calling to him day and night even though he still delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of man comes, will he find any faith on earth?'

2 Timothy 2:24-26 

 ...and a servant of the Lord must not engage in quarrels, but must be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and patient. He must be gentle when he corrects people who oppose him, in the hope that God may give them a change of mind so that they recognise the truth and come to their senses, escaping the trap of the devil who made them his captives and subjected them to his will.

Striking changes of New Roman Missal

Taken from Catholic Insight:

The following analysis identifies a few of the more striking examples of change in the new translation-but there are many more.

The first indication that things are to be different will come early in the Mass with the congregation's response to "The Lord be with you" where they are to say: "And with your spirit"-not "And also with you." The original Latin reads: Et cum spiritu tuo, which is now correctly translated. The original ICEL translators appeared to have major difficulties with "soul" and "spirit," purging mention of these in a number of places, despite what the Latin edition clearly states. These are now restored across the entire Missal.

During the Confiteor, the Latin mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa is translated accurately as "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault" and not just "through my own fault." Worshippers are also reminded to strike their breast as they say these words-a practice that has fallen into general disuse, though it is called for in the present Missal.

In the Gloria, "peace to his people on earth" becomes "peace on earth to people of good will," which is literally what the Latin says, although the inclusive "people" is retained for hominibus, which is literally the generic "men."

"Sin" of the world now becomes "sins" of the world-the Latin peccata being plural. "Sin" suggests a collective guilt or "sinful structures" rather than our personal sinfulness.

The omission in the present translation of numerous expressions in the Latin text that emphasise a Catholic theological understanding has been rectified in the new translation. Examples of these include the phrase onlybegotten Son, of your bounty, deigned, humbly, blessed, almighty, most merciful, glorious, and graciously.

Another significant change occurs in the Nicene Creed, where Credo is translated accurately as "I believe" rather than the present "We believe." In addition, people are reminded to bow at the words "and by the Holy Spirit became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man." This practice, while called for in the present Missal, is rarely encountered.

It seems taken for granted, even by those who should know better, that most Catholics now find the generic expression "man"-meaning the human race-jarring. Yet one continues to hear in science documentaries about the origins of man.

Fortunately, there are few such "lapses" in the new translation.
The Orate Fratres (Pray my brothers and sisters, or more literally, my brethren) translates meum ac vestrum sacrificium as "my sacrifice and yours" and not "our sacrifice." The latter blurs the role of the priest celebrant and worshippers.

Perhaps the most striking example of the liberties taken by the earlier ICEL translators can be found in Eucharistic Prayer I (the original Roman Canon carried over from the Tridentine Mass). Here, the present English version is almost unrecognisable when set against the Latin edition and the new draft translation, which follows the Latin text closely and restores a much-needed sense of the sacred.

A typical example of the new prose used is: "Most merciful Father, we therefore humbly pray and implore you through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, to accept and bless these gifts, these offerings, these holy and undefiled sacrifices."

In the present Missal, this passage reads as: "We come to you Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ your Son. Through him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice." Instead of the priest "asking" God, he will say that we "humbly pray and implore"-a more appropriate approach for mere mortals in the presence of the Almighty.

The pattern continues throughout Eucharistic Prayer I-and to some extent in the other Eucharistic Prayers.
The text now used during the Consecration reads: "Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said.." The new translation follows the Latin closely: ".taking also this noble cup into his holy and venerable hands, once more giving him thanks, he blessed it and gave it to his disciples, saying.."

Following the Consecration, the present first Acclamation, "Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again," becomes in the new translation, "We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection until you come"-which is what the Latin actually says. Later, "Look with favour upon these offerings and accept them as once you accepted the gifts of your servant Abel."-which sounds as if the priest is telling God to do something-is correctly translated as: "Be pleased to look on them with a favourable and kindly face and to accept them, as you were pleased to accept the gifts of your servant Abel.."

At the beginning of Eucharistic Prayer III, the words, "From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name," becomes in the new translation: ".you never cease to gather a people to yourself, so that from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure oblation may be offered to your name"-with geographical space transformed into time.

In the introduction to the Our Father (the only portion provided), the present words "Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have the courage to say" become the more literal: "Taught by commands that bring salvation and formed by the divine instruction, we have the courage to say."

The celebrant's words before Communion are currently: "Lord Jesus Christ, with faith in your love and mercy I eat your body and drink your blood. Let it not bring me condemnation, but health in mind and body." The new version reads: "May receiving your Body and Blood, Lord Jesus Christ, not bring me to judgment and condemnation, but through your love and mercy let it be my protection in mind and body, and a healing remedy."

The priest says in the present Missal: "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper."

The new version is far more striking, with the words "This is" replaced by the stronger (and more accurate) "Behold" (Ecce), and the word "happy" by "blessed" (beati): "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are they who have been called to the supper of the Lamb."

But a spirit of power

Sitting on the pew yesterday during sunset Mass, I was conscious of veiling during mass despite having worn it twice already. A thought crossed my mind of going over to the left side of the church where there were less people there but hesitated. In the middle of the mass I felt a slight pressure on my right lower back and decided that was the Holy Spirit calling me to go and so I did.

Excited, I shared this experience with a friend after mass. He told me that that was probably just a coincidence. If it is the Truth, why did I have to only wear it at the side of the church? The Holy Spirit wouldn't have asked me to do that because He is a spirit of courage, not of timidity.

That made me upset initially, but as I reflected upon it, I found truth in what he said. And today I thought about this verse that I always knew through head knowledge only:

2 Timothy 1:7
 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 

This incident taught me how crucial it is to know the characteristics of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we would indeed be misled...

Read more about chapel veils here.

Current English Mass To Be Discontinued

If you didn't already know about this...

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: The NEW Roman Missal is about to undergo a dramatic change. The liturgical changes are expected to come down in about a year. They will be so dramatic it will effect the whole way we celebrate mass in the English speaking world. So you might as well save your money, and don't buy any missals for the upcoming year, as they will soon be obsolete.

The current version of the English missal, used for over 30 years now, is rife with inaccuracies, omissions and innovations when compared to the official Latin text issued by Rome back in 1970. In effect, the English mass we Americans have been celebrating for the last 30 years IS NOT the same mass issued by Rome in the original Latin. What US Catholics have been celebrating, for 30 years, is an innovation -- a "defective text" according to Rome. The Vatican has withdrawn permission to celebrate it and the US Catholic bishops have no choice but to comply with the authentic liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. So get ready for some significant changes to the liturgy, the lectionary and the official Bible of the US Catholic Church.

Read more here...

Miserere mei, Deus

Miserere mei, Deus, which means 'Have mercy on me, O God', is a setting of Psalm 51. This is a psalm by David when the prophet, Nathan went to him, after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

Listening to this and reflecting on the Word really does stir one's heart for the need of God's mercy and of our repentance. One could compose this psalm with a folk or modern tune, but after listening to this, I understand why sacred music holds such a high place in the Catholic church.

More of this chant's history and latin text can be found here.

 

 By King's College Chapel Choir

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness,
In your great tenderness wipe away my faults;
Wash me clean of my guilt, purify me from my sin.
For I am well aware of my faults, I have my sin constantly in mind.
Having sinned against none other than you, having done what you regard as wrong. You are just when you pass sentence on me, blameless when you give judgment.
You know I was born guilty, a sinner from the moment of conception.
Yet, since you love sincerity of heart, teach me the secrets of wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop until I am clean; wash me until I am whiter than snow.
Instil some joy and gladness into me, let the bones you have crushed rejoice again.
Hide your face from my sins, wipe out all my guilt.
God, create a clean heart in me, put into me a new and constant spirit,
Do not banish me from your presence, do not deprive me of your holy spirit.
Be my saviour again, renew my joy, keep my spirit steady and willing;
And I shall teach transgressors the way to you, and to you the sinners will return.
Save me from death, God my saviour, and my tongue will acclaim your righteousness;
Lord, open my lips, and my mouoth will speak out your praise.
Sacrifice gives you no pleasure, were I to offer holocaust, you would not have it.
My sacrifice is this broken spirit, you will not scorn this crushed and broken heart.
Show your favour graciously to Zion, rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be proper sacrifice to please you – holocaust and whole oblation – and young bulls to be offered on your altar.

 By Tallis Scholars