A Deo et Rege

I’ve been tagged by Danny and St. Peter’s Helpers, so here goes…

1. One book that changed your life:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church- It acquainted me with the beauty and fullness of the Catholic Faith at a time when all I could see was the sparseness and minimalisim of my Protestant community.

2. One book that you’ve read more than once:
Most of the The Chronicles of Narnia

3. One book you’d want on a desert island:
This is close…either the Bible or the 4 volume Liturgy of the Hours

4. One book that made you laugh:
Uncle John’s Gigantic Bathroom Reader

5. One book that made you cry:
Bridge to Terabithia-at least it may have. I was young.

6. One book that you wish had been written:
Why I Am Still Catholic: Essays in Praise of Communion with Rome ed. by Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin

7. One book that you wish had never been written:
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan- just to clarify, I’m not against basic feminism. However, I wish feminism would’ve developed out of a Christian or Catholic context, rather than a radically secular one.

8. One book you’re currently reading:

I like this: "one" book you’re currently reading. I’m reading several but will choose Conscience, Consensus, and the Development of Doctrine by Ven. J.H. Cardinal Newman

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:
This is a tough one…I’ve always wanted to read Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan by the late holy father, John Paul II. I own it, but have never been able to sit down and read it.

I’m not really much for tagging, but if you want to do this, consider yourself tagged by me. However, I am curious what Argent, Publius, and Chad think. This is only a formal tag if you wish!

Friend and blogger Dave Hartline has written an excellent followup to his previous report on last year’s disruption by "street preachers" of the Assumption procession at the National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Consolation. This shrine has a special place in my heart, so it upsets me to see these individuals pull their antics during a very holy time. Hartline interviews the shrine’s pastor, Fr. John-Raphael Hadnagy, OFM Conv. Father is a wonderful and holy man with a gift of healing. He can certainly bring love and kindness out of any situation, no matter how bad. Still, let us pray that this year, the pilgrims, many of whom have known the suffering that comes from being a Christian in the Middle East, can celebrate in peace and not be bothered by bullying.

Here is the background on last year’s mêlée

Image of Our Lady of Consolation by Jonathan Bennett

The USCCB, after a six year effort, has produced a new catechism for adults. I will probably go out and buy it (as if I need new books!). This catechism is supposed to present the Catholic Faith in its American context. It sounds like a good resource, assuming the "American" part is kept to a minimum, and once I get it, I’ll pass my humble opinions on to my readers. With the Compendium out, I wonder if this catechism will find a more limited audience. Still, anything that helps people grow in the Catholic Faith is welcomed.

To preorder, with discount, check out: United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

This isn’t something a person comes across everyday, but I found my way to the website of Akalyte, who is not only a Catholic hip-hop artist, but actually sings/raps about Catholic themes. Granted, hip-hop/rap is probably one of my least favorite musical styles, but I do greatly admire what he’s doing, especially since lots of young people are into rap. Anything that may help people get more deeply into their Catholic Faith is positive. Plus, I do like the samples I’ve listened to. He’s into Latin and the authentic tradition of the Church too. And, no, he doesn’t want hip hop in the mass, for those who may wonder. He shares a bit about of his own personal story in the comments on Dr. Blosser’s blog. (hat tip to Dr. Blosser, as well).

Pope Benedict, some in recent remarks, makes some wonderful points:

"Today in a multicultural and multireligious world, many are tempted to
say, ‘It is better for peace in the world among religions and cultures
not to talk too much about the specifics of Christianity, that is, of
Christ, the church and the sacraments,’"

But, that won’t increase the chances for peace:

Precisely at this moment — a
moment of great abuse of the name of God — we need the God who
triumphed on the cross, who won not with violence but by his love. "Precisely at this moment we need the face of Christ to understand the
true face of God and, in that way, to bring reconciliation and light to
the world," he said.

As always, the holy father makes some excellent points about the state of the world and the Christian response. Many people think that harmony requires giving up our Christian distinctiveness. Rather, it comes only through keeping it! Only Christ, and his message of reconciliation and love, and above all, the salvation that he offers to the whole world, can bring true peace.

Source/Story: Catholic News

Every man has forgotten who he is. One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God; but thou shalt not know thyself. We are all under the same mental calamity; we have forgotten our names. We have forgotten what we really are. All that we call common sense and rationality and practicality and positivism only means that for certain dead levels of our lives we forget that we have forgotten. All that we call spirit and art and ecstacy only means that for one awful instant we remember that we forgot.

                            G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Actress Mo’Nique is crying racism after being treated rudely on a United Airlines flight. She commented, "I felt like I was being treated like an animal." Although racism is alive and well for sure, I can testify that the major US airlines are usually very egalitarian: they treat everyone like crap.

In the records of the twelve tribes of Israel was Joachim, a
man rich exceedingly; and he brought his offerings double,
saying: There shall be of my superabundance to all the people, and
there shall be the offering for my forgiveness to the Lord for a
propitiation for me…And there
stood over against him Rubim, saying: It is not meet for thee first
to bring thine offerings, because thou hast not made seed in
Israel. And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and went away to the
registers of the twelve tribes of the people, saying: I shall see
the registers of the twelve tribes of Israel, as to whether I alone
have not made seed in Israel. And he searched, and found that all
the righteous had raised up seed in Israel. And he called to mind
the patriach Abraham, that in the last day God gave him a son
Isaac. And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and did not come into
the presence of his wife; but he retired to the desert, and there
pitched his tent, and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying
in himself: I will not go down either for food or for drink until
the Lord my God shall look upon me, and prayer shall be my food and
drink.

And his wife Anna mourned in two mournings, and lamented in
two lamentations, saying: I shall bewail my widowhood; I shall
bewail my childlessness…And Anna was grieved exceedingly, and put off her garments
of mourning, and cleaned her head, and put on her wedding
garments, and about the ninth hour went down to the garden to
walk. And she saw a laurel, and sat under it, and prayed to the
Lord, saying: O God of our fathers, bless me and hear my prayer,
as Thou didst bless the womb of Sarah, and didst give her a
son Isaac.

And gazing towards the heaven, she saw a sparrow’s
nest in the laurel, and made a lamentation in herself, saying:
Alas! who begot me? and what womb produced me? because I have
become a curse in the presence of the sons of Israel, and I have
been reproached, and they have driven me in derision out of the
temple of the Lord…

And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, saying:
Anna, Anna, the Lord hath heard thy prayer, and thou shalt
conceive, and shall bring forth; and thy seed shall be spoken of
in all the world. And Anna said: As the Lord my God liveth, if I
beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the
Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all the
days of its life. And, behold, two angels came, saying to her:
Behold, Joachim thy husband is coming with his flocks. For an
angel of the Lord went down to him, saying: Joachim, Joachim, the
Lord God hath heard thy prayer Go down hence; for, behold, thy
wife Anna shall conceive…

And her months were fulfilled, and in the
ninth month Anna brought forth. And she said to the midwife:
What have I brought forth? and she said: A girl. And said Anna:
My soul has been magnified this day. And she laid her down. And the
days having been fulfilled, Anna was purified, and gave the
breast to the child, and called her name Mary.

From the Protoevangelium of James (around AD 150)

SS. Joachim and Anna, pray for us

Image: The Annunciation to Joachim and Anna by Gaudenzio Ferrari (1544-45)

I was cruising Wikipedia yesterday for information on French monarchs (yes, I do need a bit of a life this summer), and came across an interesting figure, named Charles of Blois, former Duke of Burgundy (d. 1364). I found him as I progressed along French history from St. Louis IX to the One Hundred Years War. He was a great military leader and also a deeply pious and charitable man. The canonization process started shortly after his death, but was stopped for political reasons. However, he was finally beatified by Pope and Saint Pius X in 1904. God moves slowly, but always accomplishes his will. Bl. Charles is patron of prisoners, probably due to his humane and Christian treatment of those he captured. His memorial is September 29th. It’s always interesting to find heroes of the Faith who may be more obscure or without an organized, international following.

Bl. Charles of Blois, pray for us!

Chiesa has given us a wonderful interview (by Sandro Magister) with maestro Domenico Bartolucci on the state of liturgical music today. Some of my favorite quotes:

Today the fashion in the churches is for pop-inspired songs and the
strumming of guitars, but the fault lies above all with the
pseudo-intellectuals who have engineered this degeneration of the
liturgy, and thus of music, overthrowing and despising the heritage of
the past with the idea of obtaining who knows what advantage for the
people. If the art of music does not return to its greatness, rather
than representing an accommodation or a byproduct, there is no sense in
asking about its function in the Church…Our motto must be: let us return to
Gregorian chant and to polyphony in the tradition of Palestrina, and
let us continue down this road!

and

…Gregorian chant has been distorted by the rhythmic and
aesthetic theories of the Benedictines of Solesmes. Gregorian chant was
born in violent times, and it should be manly and strong, and not like
the sweet and comforting adaptations of our own day.

and

Today the motto is “go to the people, look them in the eyes,” but it’s
all a bunch of empty talk! By doing this we end up celebrating
ourselves, and the mystery and beauty of God are hidden from us. In
reality, we are witnessing the decline of the West.

and

For one thing, we would need to recover that spirit of solidity [i.e. in Gregorian Chant). But
the Church has done the opposite, favoring simplistic, pop-inspired
melodies that are easy on the ears. It thought this would make people
happy, and this is the road it took. But that’s not art. Great art is
density.

Read the whole article

Wow. I just love these quotes, especially where he notes "great art is density." That phrase alone, put to action, could be enough to undo all the liturgical, musical, and architectural ugliness to stem from the so called "spirit of Vatican II."

As we approach the solemnity of the Assumption I thought I’d share a few Marian resources I found on the internet. Many of these are quite thorough and should keep many of us busy for awhile!

Marian Library
Marian Resources Page (University of Dayton)
Mary: Resources for Catholic Educators
Links to Marian Art on the Web
Marian Archive
Marian Apparitions of the 20th Century (UD- includes whether or not apparitions are approved)
Marian Devotion Page (UD)
Marian Prayers and Devotions

Photo by Jonathan Bennett

…if some small mistake were made in doctrine, huge blunders might be made in human happiness. A sentence phrased wrong about the nature of symbolism would have broken all the best statues in Europe. A slip in the definitions might stop all the dances; might wither all the Christmas trees or break all the Easter eggs. Doctrines had to be defined within strict limits, even if man might enjoy general human liberties.

                                                                    G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

I found this section in Chesterton’s book quite intriguing because what he discusses has been quite observable in the history of Christianity, especially since the Protestant Reformation. From the white washing of beautiful churches in Calvinist Geneva to the destruction of altars in England, iconoclasm has frequently reared its ugly head among Christians. Also, the condemnation of (and sometimes legislation against) legitimate holiday festivities due to supposed pagan influences has been a recurring theme among some groups. One of my issues with certain Protestant denominations (not all, for sure) is that they seem to always need to reinvent the wheel, theologically speaking. The Church already dealt with iconoclasm in the 8th century and spoke authoritatively with the 7th Ecumenical Council. It’s fascinating too, as Chesterton notes, how coherent and strictly defined theology can actually preserve Christian liberty.

It seems that liberals in the Church of England are unhappy with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s defense of 2,000 years of Christian tradition. So, they are now looking for closer ties with liberal, American bishops in the Episcopal Church. It’s not just the conservatives in Anglicanism who can "network" and possibly seek some kind of alternative oversight. Maybe two Anglican communions will simply happen organically, rather than through some sort of legislative fix.