EF Solemn Mass in San Francisco after the Walk for Life This Saturday

For the seventh year in a row, the National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi in San Francisco, California, will hold a Solemn High Mass in the traditional rite at the conclusion of the West Coast Walk for Life, which will take place this coming Saturday. The church is located at 610 Vallejo Street in San Francisco; the Mass will begin at 5 pm. Dr William Mahrt of Stanford University will direct the schola cantorum, singing Byrd’s Mass for Three Voices, and motet Ave Verum, plus the Gregorian propers for the feast of St John Chrysostom.

“Why Pro-life Catholics Should Strive for a Higher and Deeper Life”

Yesterday, LifeSite News launched their new Catholic Edition, which promises to be a marvelous resource. LifeSite has engaged me to contribute a weekly column on Catholic life, liturgy, culture, art, beauty, philosophy — well, pretty much anything that is pertinent to the Faith in our times. I look forward to this work, as I admire the courageous coverage and commentary LifeSite offers. My column will usually appear on Tuesday.

NLM readers might be interested in my inaugural article, “Why pro-life Catholics should strive for a higher and deeper life.” Some excerpts (leaving out all the middle terms of the arguments!):

When people in the world hear the expression “pro-life,” they typically think of one and only one issue: abortion. When Christians hear “pro-life,” they might expand the definition to those who are opposed to the murder of human beings at all stages, whether in the womb, in infancy, or on the deathbed. When Catholics hear the expression, a further nuance should be present: those who take into account not only the worst abuses of human freedom but also the more subtle causes of the anti-life mentality, such as sexual hedonism, feminism, contraception, the divorce mentality, and parent absenteeism. All of this is true as far as it goes. But there is more to being pro-life than this. The roots go deeper and the branches spread further.
       [...] We cannot realize our human potential or be mature Christians unless we cultivate our intellectual life in the great disciplines, from literature to philosophy, from the empirical sciences to the queen of all sciences, sacred theology. To be far-seeingly pro-life is to be pro-intellectual life.
       [...] Without the inspiration of a true artistic vision, we grow weary on our journey, we cannot see our way forward. It is like abolishing the sun, the moon, and the stars. To be fully pro-life, then, is to be pro-cultural life. A good culture emerges from, creatively celebrates, and dynamically sustains the love of human life.
       The highest activity of the human person is to turn his mind and heart to God, His first beginning and last end, and to worship Him: “We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory,” as we sing in the ancient hymn of the Gloria. ... That is why to be pro-life in its most profound sense is to be pro-liturgical life. ... Without the Church’s liturgy, we fail to grasp the infinite dignity God has bestowed on us in Christ. We miss out on the flesh-and-blood encounter with the Source of Life, Life incarnate, Life outpoured for eternal life.

Read more here.

The New English Translation of the Roman Missal: An Important Step in Building the Culture of Life

This past week, I have heard from some who are concerned the Church is wasting time on the new English translation of the Roman Missal when there are seemingly more important problems in the Church, in particular, the fact that many Mass-going Catholics support legal abortion to some greater or lesser degree.

In response to those concerned, one can confidently say: the time spent on the new translation is, indeed, time well spent. The texts used in the liturgy have a direct impact on the moral and spiritual lives of the faithful, and insofar as this is the case, relates to the important matter of building a culture of life.

Liturgiam Authenticam, the instruction on the use of vernacular languages within the liturgical books of the Roman liturgy, expresses how the proper and faithful translations of liturgical texts will flow into the hearts of the faithful having a 'very powerful' influence in their lives:

By means of words of praise and adoration that foster reverence and gratitude in the face of God's majesty, his power, his mercy and his transcendent nature, the translations will respond to the hunger and thirst for the living God that is experienced by the people of our own time, while contributing also to the dignity and beauty of the liturgical celebration itself.

The liturgical texts' character as a very powerful instrument for instilling in the lives of the Christian faithful the elements of faith and Christian morality is to be maintained in the translations with the utmost solicitude. The translation, furthermore, must always be in accord with sound doctrine.

As well, in 2002, John Paul II spoke of the direct link between the texts used within the liturgy and the Christian life in a letter to the international committee overseeing the English translation of the Roman Missal, Vox Clara:

Since the lex orandi conforms to the lex credendi, fidelity to the rites and texts of the Liturgy is of paramount importance for the Church and the Christian life.

Now, in considering the statements above it is quite clear that the texts of the sacred liturgy are of great importance and should not be dismissed as inconsequential. That said, we should also be clear that this worthy project of re-translating the English edition of the Roman Missal is only one of a series of necessary steps that will bring us toward a more reverent and transcendent liturgy. Matters such as sacred music, sacred art and liturgical orientation are also crucial; further, we need to pursue mystagogical catechesis; all of these assist the faithful in uniting themselves to the sacred mysteries being celebrated.

The sacred liturgy is the source and summit from which all else flows. The newly re-translated texts will contribute to a greater sense of transcendence, drawing the faithful outside of themselves and to God. This in turn is more likely to lead one to conversion of the heart and mind; to a more profound love of God and neighbour. From that, of course, flows the keener awareness of the value and dignity of each human being, and that all life is sacred from conception to natural death.

The sacred liturgy is the foundation for the culture of life. Therefore, rather than the new, and better, English translation being a waste of time, it is precisely time well spent. Time that will help in building a culture of life among the Cathlic faithful, and, further, build up the entire life of the Church.

Related NLM articles:

The Sacred Liturgy: The Neglected Foundation to Building the Culture of Life

Pro-Life News Site Lists the Liturgy as the First Priority in Building the Culture of Life

U.S. Bishops Approve to add Votive Mass in Thanksgiving for the Gift of Human Life

Prefect of the CDW: "The future of humanity is in the liturgy"

U.S. Bishops Approve to add Votive Mass in Thanksgiving for the Gift of Human Life

This is wonderful news and, further, perhaps an encouraging sign that the U.S. Bishops are in agreement on the urgency and importance of looking to the sacred liturgy as the central means of conversion and building the culture of life in parishes. Let us pray that other nations will follow the USCCB's lead. The votive Mass could be celebrated on January 22nd, the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade which led to legalized abortion in the U.S. in 1973.

More details from Zenit:

US Bishops Approve Mass for Life

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, JUNE 19, 2009 (Zenit.org).- A text for a Mass in Thanksgiving for the Gift of Human Life received overwhelming approval from the U.S. bishops' conference, which also voted to include it in the Roman Missal.

A press release from the conference reported that the Mass received 183 votes, with only three deciding against the text and three abstaining, at a biannual conference meeting taking place in San Antonio.

The U.S. adaptation of the text to the missal was supported by 179 bishops, with one voting against and one abstaining.

The communiqué reported that these items are part of the ongoing adaptation of a new English translation of the Roman Missal. The conclusions of the meeting will be sent to the Vatican for a final approval.

The Mass in Thanksgiving for Life was originally proposed in 1990 by Cardinal John O'Connor of New York, who founded the Sisters of Life and died in 2000.

Related NLM Articles:
The Sacred Liturgy: The Neglected Foundation to Building the Culture of Life

Pro-Life News Site Lists the Liturgy as the First Priority in Building the Culture of Life

Archbishop Chaput Interview Question about the Sacred Liturgy and Moral and Life Issues

It's always edifying to hear from a bishop who sees clearly the importance of the sacred liturgy in the life of the Church and its connection to how the faithful believe and live their lives.

LifeSiteNews.com interviewed Denver's Archbishop Chaput and one of the questions he was asked had to do with the lex orandi; lex credendi; lex vivendi (the law of prayer is the law of belief is the law of living) connection:

LSN: That brings us to a third related issue, I believe, and that is, you are on the bishops committee on the liturgy. How can the way that the liturgy is formulated and presented to the people elevate the sense of the sacredness of every human life and receptiveness to the Church's moral teachings and natural law. There are a lot of small things in the liturgy that may affect how Catholics have a sense of the awesomeness and wonder of God and liturgy is related to what has been happening since the 1960s. Coincident with the decline in the observance in proper liturgy and the abuse of liturgical norms has been this rise in moral relativism and rejection of the Church's teachings by people who still frequently go to Church as many of these [pro-abortion] politicians and leaders do. Is there a relationship that you can see?

CHAPUT: Well, a couple of things. First of all, I think the liturgy as we have it gives us many opportunities to think about the moral issues and life issues. One of the things that was very interesting in the United States in October, was in the week right before our national election, our federal election, we had this passage in scripture " render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and render unto God what is God's". But I find myself having the opportunity naturally because of the series that the Church presents to us in the three year cycle, to preach on the life issues frequently, so I'm grateful for that. But I think you're right. I think that sometimes priests have felt the freedom to change the liturgy kind of corresponds to their freedom to disagree with the Church's teachings on faith and morals. It's kind of like the individual priest might determine the hierarchy of what's important in the Church and what's true and what is not, and that's not at all what the Catholic Church believes. We need to be faithful to the Church's teachings and I think a sign of being faithful to the Church's teachings is being faithful to the liturgy as it's given to us by the Church.

LSN: I guess it's giving an example of, "we're doing our things here and you do things your way", rather than the loving way the Church has provided for us.

CHAPUT: Yes, that's right.

If the sacred liturgy says "we are here to worship God and follow how He leads us through His Church" then it will follow that the faithful will say "we are here to worship God and follow how He leads us through His Church."

The full text of this interview on LSN: A Conversation with Denver Archbishop Chaput

Related NLM article: The Sacred Liturgy: The Neglected Foundation to Building the Culture of Life

Pro-Life News Site Lists the Liturgy as the First Priority in Building the Culture of Life

One can see, more and more, that Pope Benedict's teaching and emphasis on the sacred liturgy and its centrality is spreading and influencing both the celebration of the liturgy itself and, further, the deeper understanding of the direct influence and importance it has in the lives of each and every Catholic. There seems to be an increased realization of the intimate connection between the lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi: that the law of prayer is the law of belief is the law of living.

An example of this can be found within an insightful four part series written by Steve Jalsevac of LifeSiteNews.com -- "a life, family and culture outpost" -- entitled, "Post Election Message to Catholic Bishops". In that piece, Mr. Jalsevac lists the sacred liturgy as the first priority in strengthening the Church and in building up the culture of life. This is an idea that is also shared and supported by the NLM -- see: The Sacred Liturgy: The Neglected Foundation to Building the Culture of Life

In the series, reference is made to the "broken window" concept. This is a theory which suggests that when one broken window is left untended in a neighbourhood, this -- by virtue of the message it sends -- lends itself to more broken windows and further vandalism within that neighbourhood. The LifeSiteNews.com series draws the analogy that the sacred liturgy is presently a type of "broken window" in need of repair. Accordingly, fixing it should be of the highest priority since not doing so lends itself to other "broken windows" within the Church.

This certainly seems reasonable to suggest. Indeed, one can see the parallel between the "broken window" theory and the Church's teaching that everything in the Church flows from the liturgy; in other words, if our parish liturgies become damaged, other damage will also flow from that.

Here is an excerpt from the LifeSiteNews piece:

1. THE LITURGY

The first of the "broken windows," or signs of disorder that most often communicates a message that no one is in charge or that authority is weak and rules are made to be broken, are the abuses of the liturgy - the formal, very visible ceremonies or rites of the Church.

Why do we start with this one? Because Pope Benedict, in his wisdom, has declared it to be of the highest priority. He has seen that the sense of awe of God, the wonder of His majesty and the faith of the people have been gutted by theologians, pastors and bishops who have given very liberal, unintended interpretations to the documents of the Second Vatican Council. He commented on one occasion about the original intentions of the Council: "Anyone like myself, who was moved by this perception in the time of the Liturgical Movement on the eve of the Second Vatican Council, can only stand, deeply sorrowing, before the ruins of the very things they were concerned for."

[....]

For the broken window strategy to work, not one abuse or liberty with the universal (versus the often inadequate local diocesan or even national conference) liturgical requirements, can be tolerated. Otherwise it cannot work.

The priest, deacon and bishop are the teachers and witnesses of fidelity or infidelity to the people at every mass and other liturgical events. Any contradiction by them to what is clearly indicated in a faithful, Vatican approved missal or other text, sends a corrupting message to the people at that event. The message is that authority is what you decide it should be and that Catholics can ignore the order of love that has been prayerfully developed by the Church for the spiritual nurturing of the flock.

So what is a faithful bishop to do? Well, this is the most obvious of all the broken windows and one that can be manageable.

He can first make certain that in his cathedral and at all events directly arranged by his chancery, every single liturgical event would be conducted in a manner that would be approved by the Pope.

He can also do more than the basic requirements by changing the often man-centered emphasis of much of today's interior church arrangements. He can encourage those who wish to receive communion kneeling and on the tongue, as Benedict has made clear he prefers. He can ensure that the music at all events under his immediate control is truly uplifting and reverent, with many traditional hymns, which Pope Benedict has also emphasized (http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2006/ratzinger_sotlmu...). And finally, he can ensure that the cathedral building itself truly inspires prayer, is clearly seen and felt as a place of Catholic worship of God and at all appropriate times facilitates silent prayer for those who come to fulfill that need.

After that is well under way the bishop could begin to regularly instruct all his priests on the importance of these changes and begin to have them implemented first by those pastors who he is confident will follow his instructions. Then, parish by parish, school by school, he should cajole and inspire imitation of his faithful example throughout the diocese.

What does that have to do with Catholics voting for pro-abortion, pro-homosexual politicians? A lot. It is all about restoring a unity of understanding of what it truly means to worship God. From that eventually follows a tendency to desire to go further and to begin to live and act as Christians in the community with resulting improvement to the culture.

There is far more that could be said on this issue, but the main thing is that repairing the many broken windows in the liturgy in most dioceses is feasible and will likely lead to considerable positive effect on the more overwhelming problems. That is how the broken window strategy works.

To read the full article and the rest of the series go to this link.