I finished editing this post on the question of whether sinners naturally love God more than themselves and published it - it's not a complete reflection, but it does reflect my thoughts at the time I started it.

Kiko Arguello Gives His Opinion

And who is paying attention to it? The followers...

Rome Reports


A student project:


Is the Neocatechumenal Way... Roman Catholic?

Less Than One Day to Go

Cardinals hold their last general congregation meeting before Conclave

More on Liturgical Postures

The removal of pews from Roman-rite churches would require the education of the faithful on what to do during the liturgy - ideally it would probably be concurrent with other changes in the liturgy, though I suppose the typical English OF liturgy could be implement this change - would standing enable people to realize how inadequate contemporary American liturgical music is? Or would we see more ridiculousness - clapping, stomping, swaying, and such?

Having attended the Anglican use liturgy at Our Lady of Atonement (which has incorpoated some "Eastern" elements into the texts?), it might be the case that the laity could adapt to a more "traditional" way of worship more easily, once the pews were removed. Which reminds me - isn't kneeling a rather traditional posture in the Roman rite? Would the laity be able to do so for along period of time without some sort of kneeler? Kneelers are conveniently built into the back of pews - without pews, would churches be willing to purchase prie-dieus? I personally do not like the use of carpeting inside churches - without pews and carpets, would the use of prayer rugs become acceptable? Or prayer knee pads? There is kneeling in the Byzantine rite, but it seems to be for shorter periods of time than in the Roman rite. There has been a movement by some Roman-rite liturgists and bishops to replace kneeling in the liturgy (particularly during the Eucharistic Prayer) with standing, though this has been resisted by those who are more "conservative" or "traditional" (and this preference is still protected by instructions from Rome). Standing by itself seems to be an insufficient acknowledgement of what takes place during the Eucharistic Prayer - and yet I've never heard anyone say that the faithful should bow or do any other external action - this may be done by some, out of some sort of instinctive awareness that they should do something more, or as an adapting of the observances they practice while kneeling, or because they are somewhat familiar with Eastern customs.

Long day in San Francisco; I attended the special liturgy at the National Shrine of St. Francis sponsored by Our Lady of Fatima Byzantine [Russian Catholic] Church. I was talking to one of the members of the parish, who is also originally a Roman-rite Catholic. I mentioned to him that one reform that very few Roman-rite Catholics talk about is the removal of pews from a temple. This change might be too radical, but I think it might be a start to a better appreciation of liturgical prayer and the importance of prayer posture to being attentive. It may not be as important as other reforms (a return to ad orientem), but it may be a way to re-start organic development of the Roman rite, with respect to the liturgical piety of the laity. (And I don't have a problem with Roman-rite Catholics learning or even borrowing something from Catholics of other liturgical rites.)

More on the question of the pope emeritus:
Notice of Danger: A Church with Two Popes
The imminent conclave will elect the new pontiff. But it will not dismiss the uncertainties about the role of the so-called "pope emeritus." A great canonist reveals the risks of this title. And of other ambiguities that surround it

Allergies!

Pravmir: Teaching Prayer to Children (mp3)

OCA: OCA Representative greeted by Patriarch Kirill

Vatican Insider: Patriarch Raï: The Conclave from a Middle Eastern perspective

Pravmir: Prayer is Our Life by Priest Emmanuel Stamatiou

Related:
Lent – an Intimate Journey to God. Lessons from the Sermon on the Mount

Patriarch Kirill's Letter to Pope Benedict XVI

Liturgia: Lettre du Patriarche de Moscou au Pape émérite

Zenit Coverage

Zenit: From Castel Gandolfo, Pope's Final Farewell
Pope's Address to Cardinals
'Motu Proprio' Apostolic Letter Regarding the Election of the Roman Pontiff

Chiesa: The Testament of the Wise Helmsman
The central passages of the last address of pope Joseph Ratzinger, Wednesday, February 27, 2013. "I no longer bear the authority of the office, but I remain within the enclosure of Saint Peter"

More:
Toward the Conclave. The Pressure on the Cardinals
Yesterday the vetoes of the governments. Today the onslaught of the media. The turbulent run-up to the election of the new pope

Vatican Diary / The last appointments before the departure
From Gänswein to Balestrero, passing through the IOR. An analysis of the appointments decided by Benedict XVI in the final phase of his pontificate. Not all of them were obligatory. Will they be a hindrance or a help to the future pope?

It's been a rather busy week; I haven't had the opportunity to look for videos of Benedict XVI's last two days in office.

Yesterday's Aquinas Lecture

The video is available online - Aquinas Lecture 2013: Fr. Augustine Thompson, OP "Baptismal Theology and Practice in the Age of St. Thomas Aquinas"

Liturgical Piety

Someone has uploaded Fr. Bouyer's Liturgical Piety to scribd.

More on Fr. Ashley

Sacred Page - OP official

Tonight

At the DSPT (7:30 P.M.): Aquinas Lecture 2013: Fr. Augustine Thompson, OP "Baptismal Theology and Practice in the Age of St. Thomas Aquinas"

I probably won't be going given the journey that it requires, but the event will be available livestream.

thomistica.net

More on Prayer from an Orthodox Perspective

Pravmir: The Holy Fathers on Prayer

Deacon = Servant [of Works of Charity]?

Internet Archive: November 2006 issue of the Pastoral Review: Deacons and the Servant Myth by Anthony Gooley

It is frequently argued that the distinctive character of deacons is that they are servants called to the charitable and social justice ministry of the Church. The belief that service is distinctive of deacons is the servant myth. It is based on a false reading of Acts 6 and it has consequences for the way in which the Church receives the ministry of deacons. Breaking down this myth is the first step in restoring an authentic diaconate in the life of the Church. Anthony Gooley is a deacon and Ministry Development Officer in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, Australia.

A proper understanding of what the order of the diaconate is necessary to address the question of whether there can be "ordained" deaconesses or not.

If we take the Greek text, as it is reproduced in RSV, we are able to construct a better picture of what is really happening in Acts 6.1-7. The Greek speaking Christians are complaining that their widows are being neglected in the daily diakonia. In Acts the diakonia is the proclamation of the Gospel.3 They are neglected for two reasons, the Aramaic speaking Apostles predominantly concentrate their proclamation in the Temple and the widows, who cannot comprehend the language and for social reasons are mostly restricted to the home, are overlooked in this daily diakonia. The solution proposed by the Apostles and agreed to by the whole Church is to appoint seven from among the Greek speaking community to do that daily diakonia in the homes of the Greek widows or as the expression in the Greek has it, to minister tables.4 Both the Apostles and the Seven had been entrusted with the same diakonia which is to minister or proclaim the word. To underscore this interpretation we see that Stephen immediately commences to proclaim the Gospel to the point of giving witness with his life (Acts 6-7.50) and Philip commences his diakonia of the word in proclaiming the Gospel, catechising the Ethiopian and baptising (Acts 8). The laying on of hands becomes the concrete sign that the ministry entrusted to the Apostles is to be entrusted to the Seven. The one thing we do not see the Seven do is charitable works or distributing food or funds to the widows, in fact we do not see anyone in the New Testament with the title of diakonos engaged in a specifically charitable service activity. This should give us some clues as we address the servant myth.

Would we have needed the development of the mendicant orders and their emphasis on preaching if we have a living, energetic diaconate at the time?

Related:
International Theological Commission - From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles (2002)

Unlocking Divine Action: Contemporary Science and Thomas Aquinas

DSPT: Book Launch: “Unlocking Divine Action: Contemporary Science and Thomas Aquinas” by Fr. Michael Dodds, OP - Tuesday, April 23, 7.30pm

CUA Press

Related:
The Nature of Scientific Explanation by Jude P. Dougherty

Fr. Ashley's last? book: Healing for Freedom: A Christian Perspective on Personhood and Psychotherapy by Benedict M. Ashley, OP