Monday, October 29, 2018

Eastern Catholic Bishops Should Boycott

cNA: Synod 2018’s final document shows nuances on ‘synodality’

The synod does not represent the Church Universal.

Archbishop Chaput on the Synod

Too optimistic a view?

SYNOD 2018: SOME CONCLUDING THOUGHTS by Charles J. Chaput
The synod had its problems, but the final document is an improvement over the original instrumentum laboris text.
CWR Dispatch: Observations on the Final Days of the Synod by Fr Nicholas Gregoris
Is the Final Document truly a fruit of the collegiality and synodality, so frequently touted by Pope Francis and his equipe? Or is it something that is presented to the Synod Fathers as a fait accompli?

Sandro Magister, The Final Document of the Synod. The Votes on the Most Controversial Points

David Lantigua on Early Modern Catholic Social Teaching and World Order

From a Flawed Perspective?

A Latin ecclesiology dominates the mindset of the author at least...

Eastern Christian Books: The Ecumenism of Blood

Ecumenism of Blood: Heavenly Hope for Earthly Communion

An imperfect communion with the bishop of Rome, but out of communion with the Church? Questionable.

«Православная энциклопедия» / "Елизавета Федоровна Романова"

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Apparently the Major Archbishop Was in Attendance This Time Around

Strategic Priorities Workshop - Dr. Anthony Esolen

NCReg: The Synod Final Document: A Rush to Judgment by Father Raymond J. de Souza
COMMENTARY: The process employed to draft and approve the final document renders implausible any claim that it is the fruit of mature deliberation by the synod members.

NCReg: Youth Synod Final Document: Five Areas of Concern by Edward Pentin

Saturday, October 27, 2018

CWR Dispatch: History, unchanging truth, and Vatican II by Eduardo Echeverria

The “pastorality of doctrine” approach, of which one can hear echoes in some interventions at Synod 2018, is a form of Neo-Modernism because it expresses merely an instrumentalist view of doctrine.

Thus Confirming Leaks

that the last part of the document would discuss "synodality."

Synod document calls for ‘participatory, co-responsible’ Church

55 Pages, 167 Paragraphs

Youth synod final report released, addresses gender, sexuality

St. Nektarios

Parma Clergy Photo

The Patriarch of Jerusalem is Greek...

Anthony Esolen: Lecture at "Your Imagination Redeemed" 2018

«Осанна» / Елисавета Феодоровна

Friday, October 26, 2018

Almost the End

First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #18
October 26, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The eighteenth in a series of reports on Synod-2018.

Interview with Fr. Gabriel Bunge

OrthoChristian: DOES ORTHODOXY NEED MONASTIC ORDERS? by Schema-Archimandrite Gabriel Bunge, Vasily Tsuper
Schema-Archimandrite Gabriel (Bunge) speaks about Catholic reforms, Orthodox tradition and the most important objective of monasticism

Meanwhile...



Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Someone Is Optimistic about the FInal Document

CWR: Archbishop Stankevics of Riga: “Let us move the accent from sociological issues to faith” by Deborah Castellano Lubov
After welcoming Pope Francis in Latvia some weeks ago, the Archbishop of Riga, Zbignevs Stankevics, is taking part in the Synod in Rome focused on “young people, the faith and vocational discernment”. In this recent conversation [...]
First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #15
October 23, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The fifteenth in a series of reports on Synod-2018.
Fr. Hunwicke: The Beevy Emm, alive and well at Queens

There was one outstanding lecture: a real tour de force by John Caldwell on the Psalter. He made clear that the Masoretic traditions are entitled to no assumed priority over those of Greek or Latin Christianity, particularly with regard to the numeration of the Psalms. (There sometimes appears to be a rather shamefaced attitude to the Vulgate (and Septuagint) numeration; this is completely unnecessary. 'Christianity' and 'Jamnian' Judaism are both descended from a first-century rupture; the unconscious assumption that the Masoretic texts are 'authentic' in a way that Christian texts are not fails to remember the Dead Sea scrolls, not to mention Margaret Barker. This is not a pedantic detail; it goes right to the essential point of difference between Synagogue Judaism and Sacrificial Christianity.)

Study Day with the Plainsong & Medieval Music Society

Divine Liturgy of St. James

A Byzantine Catholic Look at the Orthodox Trouble

Church Life: The Orthodox Schism Under Western Eyes by Chase Padusniak

Church Etiquette

Church Etiquette or Some Things You Should Know while in Church

СЛЕДЫ ИМПЕРИИ - ЕЛИЗАВЕТА ФЕДОРОВНА

Monday, October 22, 2018

A Latin Critique of Ultramontanism

Church Life: A Quasi-Defense of Gallicanism by Shaun Blanchard
First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #14
October 22, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The fourteenth in a series of reports on Synod-2018.

A Comment at CWR

source

Concerning 1572: I correct myself: the date is from 1575 to 1577. The fourth Superior General, Fr. Everard Mercurian, “forbade the reading of certain authors as not in keeping with the spirit of the Society: Tauler, Ruysbroeck, Mombaer, Herp, Lull, St. Gertrude, St. Mechtild, and others.” The position of mental prayer in the Society “eventually was formulated as follows: discursive meditation is the type of formal prayer that is proper to the Society of Jesus; affective prayer and contemplative prayer are foreign to the Jesuit spirit.” (“Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition” by Fr. Jordan Aumann, OP, pp. 203-206) This is a shift away from Ignatius’ training of the first Jesuits and his own spirituality. His “Spiritual Diaries” which show how he himself practiced discernment, were only published less than 100 years ago, and since then there has been an effort to recover the original inspiration of the Founder, but a tradition shut in a cupboard for 350 years is not easily resurrected. There was a similar shift away from traditional prayer at the same time in other spiritual traditions, and the effect it has had on the Church in the past 400 years is far more than I can discuss here. However, a tree whose tap-root has been cut can hardly be expected to flourish, and, far from blaming the Jesuits because they do not measure up to what we expect of them, I admire them for what they have accomplished with the emasculated spiritual formation they have been given. I pray that they may recover the true understanding of the spiritual life bequeathed to them by St. Ignatius.

Sunday, October 21, 2018

A Pastoral Revolution: Six Talismanic Words in the Ecclesial Debate on the Family

CWR: The Synod and six enchanting, problematic buzzwords by Fr Nicholas Gregoris

A new book by Italian scholar Guido Vignelli unpacks the semantic and theological significance of terms that have become popular during the pontificate of Francis and the last three Synods.

St. Spyridon

Елизавета Федоровна осталась лишь одна молитва 18 07 2018



Friday, October 19, 2018

The Life of the Holy New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth

Metropolitan Anastassy, Life of the Holy New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth

Grand Duchess Elizabeth/Елизавета Федоровна Романова

First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #13
October 19, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
CNA: Vigano letter responds to Cardinal Ouellet's charge of rebellion against pope - text of letter

I'd Hate to Agree with the Father General

But there are probably Latin traditionalists who agree with him as well. But: what is Father Arturo's agenda? And does this [fake] exercise of synodality count as a change in the exercise of the papacy, if the results are the same?

What Did Jesuit Superior Mean When He Said Pope Is Not the ‘Chief’ of the Church? by Hannah Brockhaus/CNA
Father Arturo Sosa Abascal said Francis consciously calls himself the Bishop of Rome, instead of using grander titles.

Fr. Maxym Lysack on the Jesus Prayer





Thursday, October 18, 2018

Window Dressing

Syriac Catholic Patriarch Younan Discusses Synod’s Priorities by Deborah Castellano Lubov
Patriarch Younan notes the best ways of reaching young people — including those in his beleaguered homeland.
First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #12
October 18, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The twelfth in a series of reports on Synod-2018.
Sandro Magister: In the East There Is Rupture between Kirill and Bartholomew. And the Pope Sides More with the Former


Related:
Ukraine prelate says Orthodox independence is ‘affirmation of rights’

From the Jesus Prayer to the Prayer of Jesus, by Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen)

From 2016

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #11
October 17, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The eleventh in a series of reports on Synod-2018.

"The Simplicity and Subtlety of St. Thomas's Fifth Way"

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Crisis Magazine: Cardinal Ouellet’s Response to Archbishop Viganò Lacks Credibility by JOHN M. MCCARTHY
Sandro Magister: The Wrong People Francis Can’t Get Rid Of

The School of St. Albans

I Hope This Was a Commission

And not hanging at the monastery...
First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #10
October 16, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
It is crucial that there be a clean, transparent, and agreed-upon mechanism by which the Synod fathers can register their judgments issue by issue.

Matthew 20:25

Kyrie eleison. We deserve greater chastisement.




The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has Considered it Impossible to Remain in the Eucharistic Communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople

Statement by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church concerning the encroachment of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the canonical territory of the Russian Church

Metropolitan Hilarion: Decisions taken by Constantinople run contrary to canonical Tradition of the Orthodox Church

Homo Abyssus

From 2017: Stephen Brock, "Thomas Aquinas, the Bearer of Practical Truth, and the Rationality of Action"

Monday, October 15, 2018

The Papal posse with Raymond Arroyo

First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #9
October 15, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The ninth in a series of reports on Synod-2018.

Changing the Practice of the Sacraments of Initiation for Children?

In areas where infant morality is low, can a case be made that for some children, the giving of the sacraments of initiation should be delayed until they have been properly catechized and can choose to receive them? Here I am thinking of children whose parents have been poorly catechized and have a non-existent prayer life, and have very little to give to their children. Is it proper to expect the parish priest (or parish community) to shoulder the burden of preparing their children to become Christians? Should there be a more serious examination of whether parents are actually ready to educate their children before administering the sacraments of initiation to the children?

Psaltikon and Manuel Chrysaphes



From 2017: Stephen Brock - "Aquinas and the Life of the Mind"

Sunday, October 14, 2018

A One-Sided Examination of Paul VI

Focused entirely on Humanae Vitae.

NCReg: My Wife is Catholic Because of Pope Paul VI by Shaun McAfee
We couldn't be more grateful to those faithful Catholics who brought us sweetly and courageously into the Church, and now, we await the official recognition that Pope Paul VI is a saint.

And another...

Paul VI’s Canonization Presents an Opportunity by Matthew E. Bunson
Recalling the Pope’s Prophetic Papacy

And the world didn't end...

But will it be an embarrassment and a PR disaster for the Patriarchate of Rome in the future? Or will everyone have forgotten the controversy in 100 years? (Will there be a true cult of Paul VI by then?)







A Diagram

The Metaphysics of Prayer

An Oldie

From One Eucharistic Prayer to Many: How it Happened and Why by FATHER CASSIAN FOLSOM, OSB

Somewhat appropriate given that Paul VI is supposed to be canonized today.

Edit.




Saturday, October 13, 2018

Matt Fradd on the Jesus Prayer

RISU: THE ARCHBISHOP OF TELMESSOS JOB (GETCHA): AUTOCEPHALY IS A WAY OF ENSURING THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF A STATE, AS WELL AS THE UNITY BETWEEN THE LOCAL CHURCHES

Including Paul the Sad

The Seven in Heaven: Meet the new saints to be canonized this weekend


PAUL VI AND THE CANONIZATION OF VATICAN II by Jake Neu

No in-depth look at the Pauline reform of the Roman Missal and its consequences.

"By canonizing John XXIII, John Paul II, and Paul VI, Pope Francis is embracing Vatican II and the changes it wrought in religious practice, devotion, the liturgy, administration, external relationships, and general outlook."

He already embraced Vatican II, or rather, a particular interpretation of it, and this is what is being pushed in the canonizations.

Edit. Guest Note: "Paul VI: the 'Pastoral' Canonization of the Spirit of Vatican II" -- by Fr. Pio Pace

One doesn't have to agree with the Latin traditionalists on liturgy and liturgical practice before he can agree with them on the Latin "progressives" and their attempt to claim Vatican II as their own. (Although there would be disagreement as to whether the progressive interpretation is the clear meaning of all of the texts, and intended unanimously by those drafting the documents.)

Friday, October 12, 2018

First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #8
October 12, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The eighth in a series of reports on Synod-2018.

Amen.

CWR Dispatch: Ouellet, Viganó, and the true beauty of the Crucified One by Dr. Adam A. J. DeVille
If Cardinal Ouellet, widely acknowledged as a brilliant theologian, wishes to follow Mother Theresa and “do something beautiful for God,” then I think there is only one thing needful.

CWR: Prominent Catholic astronomers discuss the proposed “Hubble-Lemaître Law” by Justin McClain, O.P.
“Hubble and Lemaître brought different and complementary insights to what would come to be known as Hubble’s law — Hubble the observations, and Lemaître the model of the cosmos that obeys that law. But Lemaître got there first.”

Thursday, October 11, 2018

First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #7
October 11, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The seventh in a series of reports on Synod-2018.
CWR Dispatch: The cerberus of clerical sexual misconduct: a canonical overview by Edward N. Peters
It behooves all to understand what canon law does, and does not, say about these matters so that discussion of responses to the crisis may proceed more efficiently.

original

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia and Monsignor Renzo Pegoraro in Papal Disfavor?

Sandro Magister: A New Team, or Rather Two, at the Vatican, on Life and Family Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, and the chancellor of the same.

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Tuesday, October 09, 2018

First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #5
October 9, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The fifth in a series of reports on Synod-2018.

A Monastery



alt

Monday, October 08, 2018

First Things: LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018: #4
October 8, 2018 / by Xavier Rynne II
The fourth in a series of reports on Synod-2018.

Interview with Archbishop Sample



Posting this more on his reflections about prayer and reverence in liturgical praxis than his apologia for the EF in Latin or his theology of Holy Orders (as I disagree with both). Young Latin Catholics have been deprived of much, but who is going to provide them with what they need?

Maybe the Anglican Ordinariates.

Not a Promising Future

Friday, October 05, 2018

Wednesday, October 03, 2018

A Series from First Things

LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD-2018
NUMBER ONE: REPORTS AND COMMENTARY, FROM ROME AND ELSEWHERE, ON THE XV ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS
Edited by Xavier Rynne II

Blessing of the New FSVF Church

The Sacra Doctrina Project

Now running Thomistica.net

website
FB

Shameless

CNA: Pope invites bishops to be open to new opinions during synod

Will it be around for 100?

NCReg: Holiness for Everyone: Opus Dei Marks Its 90th Birthday by Sabrina Arena Ferrisi
The community St. Josemaría Escrivá founded to emphasize sanctity amid ordinary life continues to impact souls.

Related:
St. Josemaría Escrivá Had a Special Love for England by K.V. Turley
Oct. 2, 2018, is the 90th anniversary of the beginning of Opus Dei. This summer marks the 60th anniversary of St. Josemaría’s first visit to England.

Always Pushing the Line

CNA: Pope Francis calls for a youth synod 'anointed by hope'

Let's make the synod a mini Vatican Council!

Interview with Bishop Schneider

Rorate Caeli: Wide-ranging and hard-hitting interview with Bishop Schneider now available for free download

The Icon of the Last Judgment

Tuesday, October 02, 2018

About That Synod...

Crisis Magazine: An Open Letter to Archbishop Chaput Supporting His Call to Cancel the Youth Synod by JULIA MELONI

A Reminder

Is Francis showing his hand?

Pope approves new constitution for Synod of Bishops

Consecration of a New Temple

A Bit Like Gaudium et Spes?

Perhaps I am doing Gaudium et Spes a discredit.

CWR: The 2018 Synod: Key themes, deep tensions, and many questions by Thomas R. Ascik
The working document is an interminable and exhausting assembly of ideas and popular notions about the situation of youth in today’s world. Its predominant tone is not spiritual, moral, or sacramental.

A Failure in Progress?

Is there an agenda already at work?

CNA: Five bishops who could move the youth synod

Choosing Christ

Was reading some books about the history of Confirmation in the Patriarchate of Rome. Not it would follow that if children were to not be given the sacraments of initiation as infants, that the number of Catholics who fall-away later in life would decrease, as the total number of Catholics would decrease, and the only neophytes would be of adult age, or close to it.

Still, if it is necessary, as Baptists claim(?), for people to make a deliberate decision to become Christian before being initiated, then is there a case to be made, in light of the number of Catholics who fall away from the practice of the faith in their adolescence and young adulthood, that Catholics (and Apostolic Christians in general) should refrain from initiating their children until they've attained the age of reason or after? Or are we merely seeing the effects of generations of poorly-catechized Catholics who've never been properly introduced to the practice of prayer and Christian spirituality and made them their own just doing with their own children what their parents did?

Eastern Christian Books: A Century of Ukrainian Struggles for Unity: Nicholas Denysenko on His Superb New Book

Eastern Christian Books: A Century of Ukrainian Struggles for Unity: Nicholas Denysenko on His Superb New Book

Monday, October 01, 2018

The Historicity of the Old Testament

In particular, the book of Genesis.

Some have tried to nuance their interpretation of Genesis (in an attempt to reconcile it with "science," especially evolution) -- but if Christianity and Christian faith is grounded in a historical narrative, salvation history, i.e. what God has done for mankind, then how can one "mythologize" certain books without undermining Christian faith? Contrary to what some Roman Catholics think (perhaps subconsciously under the influence of some exaggerated form of scholasticism), Christianity is not a set of abstract theological propositions which do not need the background of a historical narrative; rather our knowledge of God is through His actions, especially those directed to mankind.
Breitbart: World View: University of N. Florida and Pentagon Cut Ties with China’s Confucius Institutes