Liturgy
Next Entries »Another Prayer for the Jews
Friday, March 21st, 2008Much has been written in recent weeks concerning the revised prayer for the conversion of the Jews that Pope Benedict XVI wrote for the Good Friday service. The revised prayer, of course, is for the extraordinary form of the Latin liturgy, but a similarly worded prayer has been in effect in the ordinary, so-called ”Novus Ordo” form [...]
Merry Chrism Mass!
Monday, March 17th, 2008On Holy Thursday, or more likely one day earlier this week, the bishop of each respective Catholic diocese throughout the world, in the company of his priests, will celebrate the Chrism Mass. This Mass typically takes place at the cathedral or some other central location that will accommodate a large number of concelebrants. At this Mass, the bishop blesses [...]
Choosing the Twelve, Again
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008The drama of Our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection comes alive to us through the magnificent Holy Week liturgies. One unique element, not done at any other time of the year, is the washing of feet on Holy Thursday. The foot-washing rite calls to mind the episode during the Last Supper in which Our Lord, [...]
Liturgical Upgrades
Monday, March 10th, 2008For many years I have listened to the concerns of lay people who have been dissatisfied with the way Mass has been celebrated in their parish. Of course these concerns cover the broadest range of issues, from serious liturgical abuses to matters of mere personal preference. The more serious concerns were addressed by the Vatican’s liturgy office a [...]
Memories that Come Alive
Monday, February 4th, 2008I’m a diehard sports fan, so I was really in my glory this past “Super Bowl weekend,” even though my beloved Chiefs weren’t playing for the 38th consecutive time–but who’s counting. I’ve never been to a Super Bowl, which would be awesome, but I’ve been to plenty of major sporting events in my life. If [...]
The Eucharistic Difference
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008At Mass, we encounter the mystery of Christ becoming truly present under the appearance of bread and wine. Even though the sacred species look exactly the same after the consecration as they did before the consecration, we know by faith that there’s a world of difference. Our Lord and Savior is truly present in our [...]
Dressed in Blue
Saturday, December 8th, 2007I admit it. Most days I pay precious little attention to what I wear. As long as it’s clean and presentable–and still fits–I’m satisfied. This morning, however, I sought out my best blue dress shirt. It’s a holy day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and I thought it would be fitting to wear blue [...]
The Day of the Lord
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007I recently had the occasion to reread Pope John Paul II’s magnificent apostolic letter Dies Domini, on keeping the Lord’s Day holy. It’s hard to single out “favorites” from among John Paul’s voluminous writings, but surely this meditation on the Lord’s Day will benefit Christians “with ears to hear” for many generations to come.
Praying with the Church
Friday, September 7th, 2007I still vividly recall entering a religious community in the mid-1980s. A native of Los Angeles and a fairly recent law school graduate, I knew I was stepping into a very different environment. As I settled into this life, I realized that I was doing many of the same things I had been doing before [...]
Pope Benedict XVI and the "Tridentine" Mass
Monday, July 9th, 2007Well, it’s finally official. Pope Benedict XVI has provided for a wider use of the older form of the Latin rite approved by Pope John XXIII in 1962, commonly known as the Tridentine Mass. The first thing we need to do as faithful Catholics is to hear what the Holy Father is saying to the [...]
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