"The Five Wounds of the Liturgical Mystical Body of Christ"

"The Five Wounds of the Liturgical Mystical Body of Christ"
"The Five Wounds of the Liturgical Mystical Body of Christ" according to Bishop Athanasius Schneider: 1. Mass versus populum. 2. Communion in the hand. 3. The Novus Ordo Offertory prayers. 4. Disappearance of Latin in the Ordinary Form. 5. Liturgical services of lector and acolyte by women and ministers in lay clothing.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

in memoriam Pater Andreas Hoenisch SJM


  • I received very sad news from Austria yesterday. Father Andreas Hoenisch SJM the founder of SJM - Congregation (Servi Jesu et Mariae) passed to his eternal reward in the night between Thursday and Friday. Father Hoenisch was an ardent advocate of tradition and continuity. He was deeply ignatian in his spirituality. He was a priest of the Society of Jesus until such time as he was unable to continue on as a traditional Jesuit and founded the Servi Jesu et Mariae in 1988 with the consent of the bishop of the diocese of Augsburg, Germany. A more detailed account of the life of this holy man can be read at The New Liturgical Movement: Fr Andreas Hönisch SJM

  • I became familiar with the Servi Jesu et Mariae whilst living in Germany and making pilgrimages to the marian shrine Marienfried near Ulm, Germany. The Catholic scouting movement founded by Pater Hoenisch always had a strong gathering there. I've been prayerfully considering a vocation with the Servi Jesu et Mariae. I had spoken a few months back with Pater Hoenisch about this. I am deeply saddened that I shall no longer have the chance in this life to meet this wonderful priest. I am consoled that he can now pray for me and my vocation. I ask for all your prayers for the repose of the soul of this holy priest.

  • The Lord has blessed is in these bleak and dismal times with such priests who are few and far between and who have remained faithful to tradition and continuity and for this I shall remain eternally grateful.

Der Herr gib Ihm die ewige Ruhe und das ewige Licht erleuchte Ihm.


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Monday, January 21, 2008

St Agnes


Today is the feast of St. Agnes virgin & martyr St. Agnes Eve & St. Agnes Day . I should like to commemorate her and the great church of St. Agnes in St. Paul, Minnesota Church and School of St. Agnes which celebrates its' patronal feast today. It was at St. Agnes Church in the twin cities where I first found a truly Catholic spiritual home. It was where I first witnessed and was a part of what would come to be called, "the hermeneutic of continuity". Whatever your position is regarding the Novus Ordo Missae and its' kalendar I think we can all agree that the work put forth by the great msgr richard j schuler (RIP) for "the hermeneutic of continuity" was a very great work. St. Agnes Church was a well watered oasis of sanity in those bleak years following the council when it seemed the whole church had lost its' way. I shall always be eternally grateful to Msgr. Schuler and to St Agnes Church for being there for me and countless others at a time when authentically Catholic places of worship & liturgy were few and far between. It was at St Agnes that I first took part in Benediction of Blessed Sacrament, it was where I first heard Gregorian Chant, it was where I first learned the words of the Pater Noster and it was where I first saw a housling cloth covered altar rail where the faithful kneel to receive the Blessed Sacrament.


I would urge anyone who is fortunate enough to live in the twin cities to visit St Agnes Church and for those who might be visiting to not miss attending Holy Mass there at 10 am on Sundays. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Msgr. Schuler. St. Agnes virgin & martyr pray for us!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Septuagesima


  • The name "Septuagesima" Septuagesima Sunday and its Vigil (roughly 70 days before Easter) is one of those words that conjures up mystery and being a part of something beyond the 20th century. It seemed to me in childhood part of that mysteriousness that we as Catholics had always shared along with other things that had fallen into disuse (meatless fridays, women's head coverings, processions etc) I remember as a young boy first seeing the name (along with all the "gesimas") in old missals and prayerbooks in those dismal years following the introduction of the new kalendar. I didn't know its' meaning as a child and as it was part of the "old pre vatican II church" it didn't seem proper to ask about it though of course I longed to know about it and a whole myriad of other things. I wished more than anything to be a part of the Church of the ages and to share in those things that had organically developed over time. I read about the saints and their spiritual lives and wondering how on earth what I saw on a weekly basis in my parish church (liturgically speaking) was one and the same with what the saints of old experienced in ages past. There was a sense of disconnection with them. I couldn't put my finger on it but I just seemed to know that there was a rupture with our past.



  • A few years back I remember how surprised I was to find that "the gesimas" had been preserved in varying degrees among the Lutherans and Anglicans (at least on their respective calendars). They are marked in their liturgies with the omission of the Gloria. I remember they also knelt at communion time at the railing to receive in their churches. How odd I thought that they should preserve such traditional practices when we had done away with them. The difference seemed that practiced such traditions not out of some allegiance to tradition or apostolic practice but simply because they preferred it that way. I did find it telling though that they seemed to be aware & humble enough to know that they should kneel at such times. It seemed prudent on their part that they kept "the gesimas" at least on their calendars if for no other reason than as a preparation time for Lent. I've always disliked the word, "ordinary time". There is no "ordinary time" in the life of a Catholic. Surely they could have come up with a better term than this! I hope and pray that this will begin a time of reflection for us all as we prepare to make a good and holy lent.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

AD DEUM


As has been published far and wide on the internet the holy Father has shown all the Catholic world his desire for a return to continuity and tradition in his celebrating the missal of Paul VI "Ad Orientem". It's been a vexation for me to read the unenlightened and rather ignorant mutterings of the secular press regarding Sunday's liturgical celebration. One would think that a bit more research could be put into an article other than to say in essence that the holy father celebrated Mass "with back to the faithful". The secular and sadly Catholic press all to often lead only to confuse the faithful and public at large with their ignorance of liturgical matters.
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I am and know many of you out there in blogosphere are eternally grateful to the holy father for this sign of hope and "the hermeneutic of continuity". We know that for far too long (for many of us since childhood) we have been told that any kind of continuity with the preconciliar church is out of touch with that nebulous "spirit of Vatican II". My reading of Sacrosanctum Concilium in junior high school was enough to inform me that the "Novus Ordo" as it was celebrated in the great majority of Churches was not what the council fathers had in mind. Not to mention that what was seen in the average parish church was in sharp contrast to what I read about (liturgically-speaking) in the "Lives of the Saints". It was as if there was a "fresh start" from "point zero" and that everything that had existed and been held to be sacred and in high esteem prior to 1969 was suspect. It was common place to hear "Oh, Vatican II did away with that!". I'm sure many of you have heard this ad nauseum.
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I am grateful that the holy father has taken the lead in this endeavor to dispel this myth. My great hope is that he shall continue to do this with ever more frequency. He needs our daily fervent prayers.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Ruminations


It occurred to me when I considered starting a petition for the restoration of the "Triregnum" that it would to many seem an exercise in futility. Especially considering the holy Father's coat of arms that specifically broke with the tradition of including the tiara and replaced it with a "mere" bishop's mitre. I think this was a disturbing development for most of us who consider ourselves as traditional Catholics. I mean for most of us it was bad enough that the coronation itself with the triregnum had been done away with by John Paul I and replaced with a "inauguration" which certainly speaks more about the spirit of the age in which we live. Many of you will ask, "why would the holy father revive the use of the triregnum when he has appeared to downplay it by breaking with tradition and leaving it out of his coat of arms?" This is a valid question and I shall seek to give a sufficient answer. I think too many out there see in the triregnum and the sedia and all of the traditional "pomp & ceremony" of the holy see as residue of the past having no bearing on the present. I mean we inaugurate presidents we don't crown them with a crown. I'm convinced that the times in which we live are so saturated with the "spirit of 1789" that in our day any reference to Kings or Kingship is seen as hopelessly old fashioned, passe and reactionary. This mentality is so widespread that it has in my opinion become prevelant in the Church in post Conciliar times. Catholics see Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We believe that the Pope is the vicar of Christ the king. I think this endeavor regarding the petition to restore the Triregnum is for many not only an exercise in futility but they see it as traditional Catholics placing too much emphasis on "external symbols". None of us would argue that his holiness Benedict XVI is any less a Pope simply because he was not crowned with and doesn't presently wear the triregnum. His authority does not rest in his wearing the tiara. However, the triregnum is symbolic of his authority just as the pallium is symbolic of that authority. We hear so little today about the social kingship of Christ, of Christ as King because it's not popular to speak of Kings and Kingship in this "democratic" age. Little if any aknowledgement is given to Christ the King even in the bosom of His Church. I would argue that in this age so imbued with the "spirit of 1789 of the French revolution" that such a symbol of the offices of priest, prophet and king would be a clear unmistakeble sign for all the world to see of the authority of the vicar of Christ and a clearly conducive to "the hermeneutic of continuity" so eloquently spoken of by the Holy Father. I think those of us who are traditional Catholics can pray for and work for a day when perhaps the Holy Father will revive this ancient tradition and perhaps consecrate Russia and all the world in union with all the bishops of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Jesus Christ the King of history. Let's pray for this sisters and brothers.

Monday, January 7, 2008

NEW ADVENT CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA ENTRY FOR TIARA




Tiara


The papal crown, a costly covering for the head, ornamented with precious stones and pearls, which is shaped like a bee-hive, has a small cross at its highest point, and is also equipped with three royal diadems. On account of the three diadems it is sometimes called triregnum. The tiara is a non-liturgical ornament, which, therefore, is only worn for non-liturgical ceremonies, ceremonial procession to church and back, ceremonial papal processions, such as took place upon stated occasions until Rome was occupied by the Piedmontese, and at solemn acts of jurisdiction, as, for example, solemn dogmatic decisions. The pope, like the bishops, wears a mitre at pontifical liturgical functions. The tiara is first mentioned in the "Vita" of Pope Constantine (708-715) contained in the "Liber Pontificalis". It is here called camelaucum; it is then mentioned in what is called the "Constitutum Constantini", the supposed donation of the Emperor Constantine, probably forged in the eighth century. Among the prerogatives assigned to the pope in this document there is especially a white ornament for the head called phrygium, which distinguished him; this naturally presupposes that, at the era the document was written, it was customary for the pope to wear such a head-covering. Three periods may be distinguished in the development of the tiara. The first period extends to the time when it was adorned with a royal circlet of diadem; in this period the papal ornament for the head was, as is clear from the "Constitutum Constantini" and from the ninth Ordo of Mabillon (ninth century), merely a helmet-like cap of white material. There may have been a trimming around the lower rim of the cap, but this had still in no way the character of a royal circlet. It is not positively known at which date the papal head-covering was adorned with such a circlet. At the time the Donation of Constantine appeared, that is in the eighth century, the papal head-covering had still no royal circlet, as is evident from the text of the document. In the ninth century also such circlet does not seem to have existed. It is true that the Ninth Ordo calls the papal cap regnum, but in the description that the Ordo gives of this cap we hear nothing at all of a crown, but merely that the regnum was a helmet-like cap made of white material. The monumental remains give no clue as to the period at which the papal head-covering became ornamented with a royal circlet. Up into the twelfth century the tiara was not only seldom represented in art, but is is also uncertain whether the ornamental strip on the lower edge is intended to represent merely a trimming or a diadem. This is especially true of the representation of the tiara on the coins of Sergius III (904-911) and Benedict VII (974-983), the only representations of the tenth century and also the earliest ones. Probably the papal head-covering received the circlet at the time when the mitre developed from the tiara, perhaps in the tenth century, in order to distinguish the mitre and tiara from each other. In any case the latter was provided with a circlet by about 1130, as is learned from a statement of Suger of St. Denis. The first proven appearance of the word tiara as the designation of the papal head-covering is in the life of Paschal II (1099-1118), in the "Liber Pontificalis".
The second period of the development of the tiara extends to the pontificate of Boniface VIII (1294-1303). There are a large number of representations of the tiara belonging to this period, and of these the Roman ones have naturally the most value. The diadem remained a simple although richly-ornamented ring up into the second half of the thirteenth century; it then became an antique or tooth-edged crown. The two lappets (caudæ) at the back of the tiara are first seen in the pictures and sculpture in the thirteenth century, but were undoubtedly customary before this. Strange to say they were black in color, as is evident both from the monumental remains and from the inventories, and this color was retained even into the fifteenth century. When the tiara is represented in sculpture and painting as a piece of braiding, this seems to arise from the fact that in the thirteenth century the tiara was made of strips braided together. Of much importance for the tiara was the third period of development that began with the pontificate of Boniface VIII. It is evident from the inventory of the papal treasures of 1295 that the tiara at that era had still only one royal circlet. A change, however, was soon to appear. During the pontificate of Boniface VIII a second crown was added to the former one. Three statues of the pope which were made during his lifetime and under his eyes, and of which two were ordered by Boniface himself, leave no doubt as to this. Two of these statues are in the crypt of St. Peter's, and the third, generally called erroneously a statue of Nicholas IV, is in the Church of the Lateran. In all three the tiara has two crowns. What led Boniface VIII to make this change, whether merely love of pomp, or whether he desired to express by the tiara with two crowns his opinions concerning the double papal authority, cannot be determined. The first notice of three crowns is contained in an inventory of the papal treasure of the year 1315 or 1316. As to the tombs of the popes, the monument of Benedict XI (d. 1304) at Perugia shows a tiara of the early kind; the grave and statue of Clement V as Uzeste in the Gironde were mutilated by the Calvinists, so that nothing can be learned from them regarding the form of the tiara. The statue upon the tomb of John XXII is adorned with a tiara having two crowns. The earliest representation of a tiara with three crowns, therefore, is offered by the effigy of Benedict XII (d. 1342), the remains of which are preserved in the museum at Avignon. The tiara with three crowns is, consequently, the rule upon the monuments from the second half of the fourteenth century, even though, as an anachronism, there are isolated instances of the tiara with one crown up into the fifteenth century. Since the fifteenth century the tiara has received no changes worthy of note. Costly tiaras were made especially in the pontificates of Paul II (d. 1464), Sixtus IV (d. 1484), and above all in the pontificate of Julius II, who had a tiara valued at 200,000 ducats, made by the jeweller Caradosso of Milan.
Various hypotheses, some very singular, have been proposed as to the origin of the papal head-covering, the discussion of which here is unnecessary. The earliest name of the papal cap, camelaucum, as well as the Donation of Constantine, clearly point to the Byzantine East; it is hardly to be doubted that the model from which the papal cap was taken is to be found in the camelaucum of the Byzantine court dress. The adoption by the popes of the camelaucum as an ornament for the head in the seventh or at the latest in the eighth century is sufficiently explained by the important position which they had attained just at this period in Italy and chiefly at Rome; though they could not assume a crown, as they were not sovereign, they could wear a camelaucum, which was worn by the dignitaries of the Byzantine Empire.
Publication informationWritten by Joseph Braun. Transcribed by Tim Drake.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIV. Published 1912. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, July 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur

TRIREGNUM "SINGING IN THE REIGN BLOG" POSTING

The Papal Triple Crown and the Jewish High Priest's Miter

THE TRIREGNUM ON TURNING TOWARDS THE LORD BLOG

Christ the King and the Crown of His Vicar


ORBIS CATHOLICVS

The "Orbis Catholicvs" blog has alot of interesting things to say about the tiara as well as some very fascinating photos of the same: http://orbiscatholicus.blogspot.com/search?q=tiara

Friday, January 4, 2008

Unam Sanctam Catholicam: The Papal Tiara

Unam Sanctam Catholicam: The Papal Tiara

ROUGH DRAFT PETITION TO THE HOLY FATHER FOR A RETURN OF THE TRIREGNUM


I've made an honest effort to make a "rough draft" of a petition that could be presented to the holy father. I humbly submit it for your critique and I welcome any and all suggestions regarding this endeavor.


Most Holy Father,
We are most grateful to you for your continued untiring dedication in restoring the sacred to the holy liturgy. Above all we thank you for your recent Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum" and the restoration of the Classical Rite to its' rightful place. We can only applaud your efforts to restore continuity in the Church. We especially laud your continued effort to restore the use of venerable papal vestments & other traditions thereby reaffirming the dignity of your office as the Vicar of Christ. Many if not most of us were born during or after the Second Vatican Council. Many of us feel robbed of our sacred patrimony as Roman Catholics and are therefore all the more grateful to your holiness for your work for the "hermeneutic of continuity" in holy mother church. Most of us were deeply saddened at the abandonment of the triregnum & papal coronation ceremony as provided for by your predecessor his holiness of blessed memory Paul VI in his 1975 Apostolic Constitution "Romano Pontifici Eligendo". This venerable ceremony and crowning with the papal triregnum so rich in symbolism calling to mind the very kingship of Jesus Christ would be but one more blessed opportunity to pay tribute to our patrimony. We the undersigned faithful humbly beg you Holy Father to restore the venerable tradition of the triregnum to the papal ceremonial. The venerable patriarchs of the Orthodox east do not refrain from their own traditions & insignia of their patriarchal office and authority therefore all the more fitting is it that you holy father the vicar of Christ, the patriarch of all the west, the bishop of Rome should wear that ancient symbol of your office and authority: the triregnum. We see the current crisis in the Church as one stemming from disrespect for authority. We particularly lament Holy Father that your authority as Supreme Pontiff is disrespected even among those shepherds who owe you their filial allegiance. We are of the mind that were you to restore the use of the triregnum to its' rightful place in papal ceremonial that it would be a clear sign and symbol of your three-fold authority as Pope. Most Holy Father, on behalf of loyal Catholics everywhere, in the name of Sts Peter and Paul, Gregory the Great, Pius V, Pius X and all the great popes and saints who have gone before you, and in the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord Who said, "Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I shall build My Church," take up the rightful sign of your office! Assume the Triregnum so that the Church can govern teach and sanctify in power and in the Holy Spirit! Amen.
Submitted respectfully in the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

V. Oremus pro Pontifice Nostro Benedictus R. Dóminus conservet eum et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum ejus

Prayers for the Holy Father (to be said after the Rosary)
V. Let us pray for our Pontiff, Pope Benedict.R. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him to be blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies (Roman Breviary).Our Father. Hail Mary.(From the old Raccolta: A plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, when this prayer has been devoutly said every day for a month (S.C. Ind., Nov. 26, 1876; S. P. Ap., Oct 12, 1931).Let us pray.Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon Thy servant, Benedict, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him, according to Thy loving-kindness, in the way of eternal salvation; that, of thy gift, he may ever desire that which is pleasing unto thee and may accomplish it with all his might. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen (Roman Ritual).(From the old Raccolta: An indulgence of three years, a plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions, for the daily devout recitation of this prayer. S. P. Ap., March 10, 1935).