CATHEDRA PETRI CHAIR OF ST PETER

Unfortunately dear readers I have been busy with a new place of employment and have been unable to add new material to this blog. I should however like to say that I am encouraged by the large amount of readers who have added their names to the petition to which this blog is dedicated. I would like to encourage you all to make known this petition far and wide. On the feast of the Chair of St Petrus traditionally the statue of St Peter in Saint Peter's Rome is clothed in a beautiful cope (not unlike those being worn of late in Rome Deo Gratias) and crowned with the beloved Triregnum Tiara. We all pray that our Holy Father will revive the use of this symbol of his sublime office soon.

PLEASE READ AND SIGN AND MAKE KNOWN THE FOLLOWING PETITION TO THE HOLY FATHER FOR A RETURN OF THE TRIREGNUM

THE FOLLOWING PETITION TO THE HOLY FATHER CAN BE SIGNED AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: Petition for a return of the Papal triregnum tiara Petition ...

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 Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum" and the restoration of the Classical Rite. 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 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 full of rich 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 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 the triregnum. For as Mgr Nabuco states in his "Ius Pontificalium" : "Being exempt from all human authority, [The Apostolic Lord: (The Pope)] is crowned with a Tiara and uses it vested with the Sacred Vestments as a sign of his supreme dignity in temporal as well as in spiritual matters."

Submitted respectfully in the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.

Out of necessity

Since my work schedule now requires me to work more Sundays a month than I would like I am now out of necessity to make a painful decision. There is only one diocesan sponsored usus antiquior in my city on any given Sunday. There are 2 or 3 that are either SSPX, Sedevacantist, Sedeprivationist ect at various chapels. My dilemma is one that I'm sure many out there are faced with: what to do when I am unable to assist at the diocesan sponsored usus antiquior? I would not have issue with going to a chapel of SSPX. I have at this time opted to try to find a tolerable missa ordinaria which is like finding a needle in a haystack. It is a real dilemma of conscience for me. I have issue with alot that goes on at most parish liturgies. My real dilemma is that because of circumstances being the way they are ie. 'EXTRAORDINARY ministers of the Eucharist', hand communion, and just the whole decorum that goes along with celebrations of average missa ordinaria. My biggest issue is not being able to kneel for holy communion which bothers me a great deal and so normally (like today) I went with out and made a spiritual communion which is a great sacrifice. Would that there were parishes like a former one of mine Church and School of St. Agnes or St. Joseph Catholic Church, Detroit, Michigan or St John Cantius Parish to name a few places where the missa ordinaria are celebrated with as much hermeneutic of continuity as possible. Alas I don't have this option. I beg your prayers that the liturgical landscape will begin to change soon.

FASTING

This will be the third year or so that i've sought to hold to a more traditional fast during the season of Lent. This means for me one major meal and two smaller meals that together do not equal the major meal. I try because of my blood sugar to drink pure fruit juice between my meals. As I long ago gave up flesh meats I try to limit my use of eggs and dairy to Sundays without being too scrupulous about it. This being more akin to the fast held by eastern churches. I find I do very well increasing my intake of fresh vegetables, legumes & whole grains. I also try to drink lots of fresh water. The practice of fasting has made me appreciate food and God's providence alot more. Fasting has made me more grateful for God's bounty and much more aware.

The fisheaters website has alot of wonderful information on Fasting and Abstinence. I am going to try to include some good lenten recipes for all my readers.

Shrove Tuesday

I took the opportunity to be 'shriven' this past Saturday morning. I've always liked that word 'shriven'. I have very vivid memories of the lively celebrations of Carnival in Cologne and the Rhineland where I lived for many years. The one thing that always amazed me was that in many places where Carnival is celebrated it's become nothing more than an opportunity for sin and hedonistic indulgence for people who have no intention of giving up anything for Lent let alone offending almighty God.

I've always liked this work by Bruegel, "The fight between carnival and Lent". If you get a chance to see view it up close it's quite extraordinary (Click on the picture to enlarge it). It's very full of symbolism. If you look closely in the upper right hand corner you can see penitents leaving the Church (after having been shriven). I hope most of you had the opportunity to go to confession today or are planning to do so soon.

The Lenten rigours begin tomorrow. The current law of the Church obliges us to fast and abstain from meat on only two days Ash Wednesday (tomorrow) and Good Friday as well as abastaining from all meat on all the fridays of Lent. I gave up meat long ago in order to live a more simple life so I try to fast more during Lent and to give up dairy and eggs on the fridays of lent (as is the custom in the eastern rite churches). If any of you need any recipes for making lenten fare, I would be most happy to send them to you.

The Code of Canon Law states that Fridays throughout the year and in the time of Lent are penitential days for the entire Church. Although fasting usually refers to any practice of restricting food, there is a distinction, in the Church, between fast (limiting food to one full meal a day, with two smaller meals allowed) and abstinence (abstaining from eating meat.) Abstinence from meat on Fridays as the universal form of penance on all Fridays is no longer mandatory. We may choose another way of observing the Church's requirement for acts of penance on Fridays, but we are not to neglect it, either.
Since the change in the abstinence rules, some people have become confused about the requirement to observe penitential days. As a result, the discipline of fasting (or abstaining from meat) or any form of regular penance has all but disappeared. Confession, or the Sacrament of Penance (or Reconciliation) has sharply declined, as well.
Both fast and abstinence are required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. For the record, rules of the Church in the United States about fasting and abstinence in effect since 1966 state that:
"Catholics in the United States are obliged to abstain from the eating of meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays during the season of Lent. They are also obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday. Self-imposed observance of fasting on all weekdays of Lent is strongly recommended. Abstinence from flesh meat on all Fridays of the year [excluding solemnities like Christmas which may fall on Friday] is especially recommended to individuals and to the Catholic community as a whole." (ref. Canons 1249-1253, Code of Canon Law)

Happy Candlemas

• I wish you all dear readers where ever you are a very happy and blessed Candlemas. I went to the early traditional Mass this morning at 7am. Unfortunately, we didn't have the procession and blessing of candles. I remember growing up with the 'forma ordinaria' that the liturgy for this day included a gathering outside the church or oratory with blessing of candles and priest & people processing into the Church. Unfortunately during my childhood we didn't celebrate this beautiful feastday with the blessing of candles or procession. This like so many of the ancient observances fell into disuse after the council. It's very important to have blessed candles in the home. They are used to meet the priest at the door with the Blessed Sacrament when he comes on sick calls and to have on the bedside table in the sick room. If you like me were unable to get any at Church you can get them here: http://www.theholyfamily.com/Candles.htm




• We live in dark times. We need all the light we can get! I think few of you would disagree with this. We as traditional Catholics need to be 'a light to the nations' and to all of those around us. There is such beauty and richness to our Catholic faith. Septuagesima is fast ending. Lent will be upon us soon. It's time for us to get our 'lenten rule' formulated. Last year I did my best to assist at the traditional Mass every day. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to do that this year but i'll try to do something. Let's all make a holy Lent. Let us pray that with the revival of the ancient liturgy that such beautiful traditions will be revived as well. Pray fervently for the holy father, pray for the consecration and conversion of Russia, pray for a revival and return to holy tradition.

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.

'

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!

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.

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.