Church Teaches Forum

I got back a while ago from Day 1 of the annual Church Teaches Forum here in Louisville. This is an all-star event:

Friday:
5pm Mass. Celebrant Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz, Homilist Bishop Robert Finn
6pm Social Time
7pm Banquet with keynote address by Bishop Fagian Bruskewitz: "A Resume of Some Contemporary Issues in the Church, and Their Solutions"
Introduction by Abbot Edmund McCaffrey

Saturday:
7am Pray at the Abortion Clinic
8am Registration
9am Greeting by Fr. Edmund McCaffrey
Welcome by Archbishop Thomas Kelly :)
9:15am Bishop Robert Finn: "Protecting Human Life - The Authentic Lay Vocation"
10:15am Archbishop Raymond Burke: "The Mystery of Human Suffering and Euthanasia"
11:30am Mass. Celebrant Archbishop Raymond Burke, Homilist Fr. Edmund McCaffrey "Winning the Battle for Life with Mary"
1pm Lunch
2:15pm Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk: "The Science & Ethics of Stem Cells & Cloning"
3:30pm Fr. Roger Arnsparger: "The Priest: Sentinel & Prophet of the Sanctity of Human Life"
Closing: Fr. Edmund McCaffrey
Rosary: Fr. Joseph Hall

analysis

Fr. Z, at the blog "What Does the Prayer Really Say?", has been giving analysis on each diocesean statement on Summorum Pontificum as they are released. Here are his comments on Archbishop Kurtz's statement.

The skinny? "All in all, this is a very nice article."

crozier bearer

I've been given a job recently that gives the title "crozier bearer" a whole new meaning! A crozier bearer is typically he who is in charge of a bishop's crozier during Mass or another ceremony, carrying, giving, and receiving it as the bishop needs it.

The Archdiocese's archivist, Fr. Dale, recently asked me if I would polish Bishop William George McCloskey's crozier (4th bishop of Louisville from 1868-1909) so that Archbishop Kurtz could use it for his Installation Mass on Aug 15. I'm honored to do it. I'll post pics of the "restoration" when I take 'em. It really is a beautiful thing. I had to leave a note with the housekeeper though so she wouldn't be alarmed by seeing a 7-foot bishops crozier in my room!

The Archdiocese's history page mentions him:

One of Spalding's successors as bishop of Louisville was the authoritarian William George McCloskey. In his forty-year reign, McCloskey attended to institutional growth but was frequently at the center of disputes — some glaringly public — with clergy, laity, and religious.

I like the following excerpt from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

He had a splendid physique and was a man of talent and cultured taste. He had a strong will, and held tenaciously to any view or plan of action that he had once entered on. Of strong Christian faith, of exemplary priestly life, he was especially charitable to the very poor and to the unfortunate classes of society. He will never be forgotten by the unfortunate magdalens of the House of the Good Shepherd at Louisville. Every Sunday, unless stormy weather prevented, he visited, instructed and consoled them, listening to each one's tale of woe and showing to this class that charity of which Christ set the Divine example. He wrote a life of St. Mary Magdalen (Louisville, 1900). His love for the poor, whom he visited in their homes even in his old age, and to whom he gave whatever money he owned, so that he died a poor man, illuminated the city in which he wielded the crosier with force and mercy for almost half a century. He was beloved by all who knew him.

P.O.D. Shot of the Week

Before the week gets away from me, here is your P.O.D. Shot of the Week.

This time from Bishop David Zubik, bishop of Green Bay, who has just been made the new bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburg after its 14-month vacancy. The significance of this appointment for me is that Bishop Zubik is a '75 alumnus of St. Mary's, Roland Park! Here he is administering the Sacrament of Confirmation to parishioners of the '62-exclusive Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, according to the pontifical of Bl. John XXIII. The pic is from the Institute's website.

vacation pics

As I promised, here are a couple pics from the annual "rafting trip".

Day1: ATV's baby! From left to right is Fr. John, Fr. Paul, me, Joe, and Fr. Bud. Fr. David and Fr. Philip actually went rafting. If you can't already tell, we were muddy, dirty, wrecks after about 5 hours on the trails of the West Virginia mountains. It was a blast.

For Day 2 we ditched the pontoon idea and just chilled at the house... which turned out much better. It was a huge, beautiful 1920's mansion and "bed and breakfast" all to ourselves complete with large screened-in porch, pool, hot-tub, big-screen TV and a bedroom and bath for each of us. It was a great vacation and continues to be important to me as I start to incorporate myself into the fraternity of the Louisville presbyterate.

Archbishop Kurtz on the Motu Proprio and receiving the pallium

How did I miss this! A visitor to my blog posted a comment which in turn led me to his blog. There I found a link to The Record's online edition where there is an article by Archbishop Kurtz on the newly released Motu Proprio and his reception of the pallium. This is a great article! It is provided in full below.

Biretta tip to Paul at "God Spede Ye Plough" for the clue.

Pope Benedict’s document on the use of the traditional Latin Mass
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz
Archbishop of Louisville

The Motu Proprio of Pope Benedict on the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970 has just been released. The Latin phrase “Motu Proprio” means that it is presented at his own initiative.

For months there has been a great amount of discussion both for and against the letter that addresses the use of the traditional Latin Mass and what effect these new papal directions will have on the life of the faithful. I wish to give you my perspective.

First of all, I believe that our Holy Father has presented a well crafted and pastorally sound direction. He makes it clear that his instruction does not establish a new rite in the Church but rather acknowledges that there is an ordinary and an extraordinary way in which the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church is celebrated.

We are familiar with that distinction of ordinary and extraordinary. The most common is the description of those lay persons who assist in distributing Holy Communion as “Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.” In this case it means that these ministers never take the place of the ordinary ministers (priests and deacons) but have a rightful pastoral use. The terms are used to describe the ordinary ministers of Baptism and Confirmation (priest/deacon and bishop, respectively) and the pastoral allowance for extraordinary circumstances.

In the new instructions, the bishop continues to have the responsibility to ensure good order within the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries of the Holy Eucharist in a diocese. Because it is an extraordinary use, any public Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII (promulgated in 1962) requires the bishop’s judgment that there is sufficient pastoral need to justify the use of this missal and pastoral ability to provide for that need.

Currently, we in the Diocese of Knoxville have the practice of a Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII each Sunday.

The frequency of these celebrations depends on the pastoral need and our ability to respond to that need. The Instruction also allows for priests who are properly prepared to celebrate Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII to do so privately without special permission.
The faithful who on their own and spontaneously join in this Mass do so with the blessing of our Holy Father.

The ordinary celebration of the Holy Eucharist makes use of the Missal of Paul VI and once an approved translation of the new Roman Missal of 2000 is available, it will be know as the Missal of John Paul II.

Our Holy Father gives three reasons for approving the use of the Missal of Blessed John XXIII: a way of making a path for those who have separated themselves from the Church because of the new liturgy (a path that will require those separated to embrace the fullness of truth of the Catholic Church on their return); a means of accommodating the reasonable aspirations of the faithful who yearn for the reverence that is associated with the celebration from 1962 and a preserving of the deep and rich heritage of the Church.

He also says, and I strongly agree, that this Instruction is a call for all to participate each Sunday (and even daily) in the Holy Eucharist in a manner that is both reverent and joyful.

Receiving the Pallium in Rome

While the experience of my trip to Rome is still fresh in my mind and heart, I find it fruitful to reflect on the Mass with our Holy Father as well as the missionary theme of the recent readings from Sunday Mass.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the word “Catholic” as having two meanings: the universality of Christ present in his Church and the missionary command to all in the Church. First, there is the sense of universality, in which we are convinced in faith that Jesus Christ permeates the Church and so we proclaim in faith that, where the Church is, there is Christ.

This is especially true as I recall my visit to our Holy Father in Rome (Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia). The special charism of authority which our Holy Father exercises is one of unity in Christ. At the special Mass on the Solemnity of SS. Peter and Paul in front of the main altar was placed a special bronze depiction of St. Peter kneeling before Christ and receiving the key from Him.

As I knelt before our Holy Father to receive the pallium, I prayed that Pope Benedict’s humility in serving Christ might rub off on me. So, too, the universality of the Church is seen in the mandate for each of us baptized into Christ Jesus to become His missionaries. This missionary theme has been expressed so well in the recent readings from Sunday Mass, especially the sending forth of the 72 by Jesus.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This column by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, who was recently appointed Archbishop of Louisville, was written for the July 22 edition of the East Tennessee Catholic of the Diocese of Knoxville, Tenn. The column has been made available for publication in The Record.
Archbishop Kurtz refers to the celebration of a Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII in the Diocese of Knoxville.
In the Archdiocese of Louisville, a Tridentine Mass is celebrated at 12:30 p.m. on Sundays and at 5:30 p.m. on holy days at St. Martin of Tours Church in Louisville.

friend's new book

A good friend of mine, Chris Cuddy, who was in seminary with me last year but is now taking some time off, had his new book come out last month. The book is titled, I Choose God: Stories from Young Catholics, and was co-edited with Peter Ericksen.

He compares it to Patrick Madrid's Surprised by Truth series, only Chris's book is for and from young adults. Furthermore, I would put his book, if he doesn't mind, alongside Colleen Carroll's The New Faithful and Tim Drake's Young and Catholic.

I haven't had a chance to buy and read this book yet, but I feel comfortable recommending it purely on the grounds of knowing Chris. Among many other traits he is a brilliant young man, very Thomistic, but humble, and with a great sense of humor. He is a compassionate listener and is always interested in how one is doing personally. He is cool, and prudent, and reflective with a distinct serenity. He's read more and thought more than I could imagine. I could always count on him for solid scholarly and friendly advice. Indeed he is a great friend that I only really got to barely know. I hope to keep up with him wherever he is and whatever he decides. Keep his name in mind; this year and this book aren't the last I'll or anyone will see of him. Pray for him. And pray with me a prayer of thanks to God for giving me other friends just as valuable at St. Mary's and beyond.

P.O.D. Shot of the Week

Since I was on vacation, I didn't have a chance to post a P.O.D. Shot of the Week. I'll post a couple pics from the vacation soon. But in the meantime, here you go:

This one's a little more...sedate... than the others, but I think it's a nice choice. Featured on the left is retired Archbishop William D. Borders of Baltimore, William Cardinal Keeler, center, and Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, on the right. Archbishop O'Brien will be the new Archbishop of Baltimore, and my new "local ordinary," so to speak, while in seminary. This is an excellent choice as he is the only bishop in the United States who has been the rector of two different seminaries, St. John's Dunwoodie, and the North American College in Rome. And Baltimore happens to be the only diocese with two seminaries, St. Mary's Seminary & University in Roland Park, Baltimore and Mount St. Mary's in Emmittsburg, MD.

Anyway, back to the pic. I chose this one for its immediate significance and also to highlight Cardinal Keeler's dress. He's always had a knack for "dressing the part." Here he is wearing a scarlet cassock (proper to Cardinals), with a white rochet and, on top, the scarlet mozzetta. He also has his pectoral cross on what I think is a gold and scarlet cord, again due to his rank. Finally, he has a scarlet biretta in hand which would cover his scarlet zuchetto that is not visible here because of the direction of the shot and his hair. You can clearly see Archbishop Borders' zuchetto though, in the purple color of Archbishops.

Biretta tip to the Baltimore Sun for the pic and Fr. Jim Tucker's "Dappled Things" blog for definitions.

Congratulations Cardinal Keeler and Archbishop O'Brien!

annual rafting trip

Tomorrow I'll be going on the annual summer "rafting trip" with some priest-friends of mine here in Louisville. I can't wait!

We go with Class VI River Runners exclusively now, they are definitely the best. Since we have a bigger group than usual going this summer, we're renting one of their country homes rather than one of their new cabins like we did last year. And since most of us are a little burnt out on rafting we're going on a guided ATV trip! Believe it or not, I'm from Owensboro, KY and this will be my first time riding a "4-wheeler." I hope I don't roll the thing on top of myself!! On the second day we may rent a pontoon boat and just hang out.

I'll see if I can take some pics and post them here when I get back. I've also got some pics of some churches I visited in the Diocese of Covington on a day trip a while back.

"hello motu"

Ah, I've been waiting forever to say that! hehe

Happy 7th of July everybody! Summorum Pontificum, issued "motu proprio," has been released today.

There are a couple translations to choose from.
Here is the Apostolic letter from: Vatican Information Service and Zenit with the same translation at each, only the latter provides the customary header and footer.
The same with the Explanatory Letter to Bishops: VIS and Zenit
Finally, VIS also provides an Explanatory Note from the Holy See Press Office.

For a slightly different translation of Summorum Pontificum see the Bishops Commitee on the Liturgy's (of course?) latest newsletter. Also included in the newsletter are the Explanatory Letter, "Twenty Questions on the Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum" (with a table comparing side-by-side what this document allows compared to what Ecclesia Dei ["the indult"] allowed before it) and "Ten Questions on the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Missale Romanum" (with a table comparing side-by-side the "Exraordinary Form" of '62 and the "Ordinary Form" of today).

Now then... let's see... ah, yes... for a cassock see Renzetti-Magnarelli but wait and get your fascia ("sash cincture") and surplice here or here ;) although Renzetti's is actually good for whatever you need. Or if you happen to be globetrotting to Rome stop by Mancinelli's, the pope's new tailor, breaking a 200+ year tradition with Gammarelli... or is I like to call it, Glammarelli :) sorry... no websites for either. Oh well, I hear you gotta "know somebody" to even get served there as a priest... let alone a seminarian!

Tridentine Independence Day

Our country's Independence Day was celebrated two days ago but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate another... you know what I'm talking about... "Tridentine Independence Day" baby, tomorrow, 7-7-07.

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2007 (VIS) - Tomorrow, Saturday July 7, the Vatican Information service will transmit a special service for the publication of the Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" of His Holiness Benedict XVI, "Summorum Pontificum," concerning the use of the pre-1970 Roman liturgy. The document will be accompanied by an explanatory Letter from the Holy Father.

As coverage in the Catholic blogosphere of this important document has been on overdrive, I'm not even going to try to compete with the likes of Whispers, summorumpontificum.net, WDTPRS, Creative Minority Report, NLM, RORATE CÆLI, Universal Indult Blog, etc.

For those who can't wait any longer, Rocco's got snippets along with his own excellent commentary. There is also the doc's Latin intro here, for all you budding Latinists. Note: There seems to be some confusion/debate on if the document is actually under embargo or not and if/should those who have advance copies leak its contents...

Anyway, I highly recommend you check the above sites, especially NLM, rather than rely on the secular media for adequate (read "fair, not-anti-Catholic, knowledgeable, etc.") coverage of this thing. NLM has several helpful pieces on the right attitude with which to approach it. Also remember Fr. Z's wise advice.

But, keeping his own advice in mind, he is still able to take the following pic of his own planned celebration of the 7th of July, complete with a couple bottles of bubbly, an advance copy of the Moto Proprio (he's chosen to keep it in pectore, "close to his heart," or "secret"), the '62 Missal opened to the Te Igitur, and a view of the nearby chapel steeple where The Real Celebration awaits.

Also, be sure you check out his blog for a clever insertion of the Holy Father into the picture!

new article

Here is a new Curious-Journal article that is surprisingly accurate and non-biased on Archbishop Kurtz reception of the pallium.

When the Most Rev. Joseph Kurtz is installed as Louisville's new Roman Catholic archbishop next month, he'll be wearing his new pallium -- a special vestment reserved for archbishops -- which he received last week from Pope Benedict VXI in Rome.

"It was a wonderful, glorious ceremony,'' said Kurtz of Friday's service at St. Peter's Basilica, where he and 45 new archbishops from around the world received the pallium. "It was really very moving.''

Kurtz, the bishop of Knoxville, is to be installed at a service in Louisville on Aug. 15. He replaces Louisville Archbishop Thomas Kelly, who has retired.

Kurtz was the only archbishop from the United States to participate in the ceremony in Rome, held once each year on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome.

He said in a phone interview yesterday that he was pleased to be included in the ceremony even though it meant flying to Rome on short notice as he wraps up his duties in Knoxville and prepares for Louisville.

"Rome was beautiful, the weather was great,'' said Kurtz, who arrived in Rome last Wednesday and returned to Knoxville on Saturday.

Several of his friends from Knoxville attended the ceremony, as did the Rev. Bernard Breen, vicar general of the Louisville archdiocese, and Brian Reynolds, the archdiocese's chancellor and chief administrative officer.

Breen said he enjoyed the service at St. Peter's, which he described as "jam-packed'' with friends and relatives of the 46 archbishops who participated.

"It was a very inspiring ceremony,'' he said.

Breen said the pallium, a wool band worn around the shoulders, is a little-known but very meaningful symbol of unity with the church.

Kurtz said Pope Benedict personally placed the pallium around the shoulders of each of the new archbishops appointed within the past year. The Pope also gave the homily during the two-hour service.

Meanwhile, plans are under way for Kurtz's Aug. 15 installation service at The Gardens, which will include a Mass and a choir from parishes in the archdiocese.

The Very Rev. William Fichteman, pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption, which is the seat of worship for the archdiocese, said a committee is still working out details of the service.

He said church officials had considered holding the installation at the Cathedral, across Fifth Street from The Gardens, but decided they probably would need the larger facility.

Kurtz said he won't wear the pallium again until he is installed as archbishop. He said under church law, the pallium is to be worn only within the province where he is archbishop, which consists of Kentucky and Tennessee.

"I can't wait to come and be present,'' he said.

fixed

The alt text of my broken paypal image was forcing the sidebar to exceed its width limit and thus be repositioned below the body of the blog. I just told it to use the default image that paypal provides rather than the custom one I was using and presto, we're back in business.

OK, the usual Pious and Overly Devotional blog postings can resume now :)

fixed for now

I'm almost back in shape! My blog has been scrogged for a while as something was wrong with my image host and I didn't feel like digging up my FTP info to retrieve and host them elsewhere. But, for the heck of it, I looked under my "Important" folder of my Live Mail (aka Hotmail) Inbox and found one solitary email with... what is this... my registration info! So, I was quickly on my way to restoring my blog to its original glory.

I then downloaded the trial version of my favorite FTP app, CuteFTP, only to find out I didn't have admin rights to install on the bookkeeper's computer I'm using here in the Rectory...ugh... Well... "Maybe," I thought, "there's an online ftp app I could use." A quick Google Search provided, net2ftp.com. I plugged in my info and had my files in no time! Now... what to do with 'em... I remembered my friend Keith suggested Photobucket so I created a new account and uploaded my files. I then copied my Highly, Highly, Highly proprietary template code (hence my refusal to upgrade to the latest version of Blogger) into Word, did a search and replace of the image URL's, copied the code back into my template and tada! we're back!... almost... my sidebar is still bumped down below the body of the blog for some reason. And I need to re-find the Paypal image I used because net2ftp blocked it.

I'm happy for now. I hope to soon copy my template code into a new test blog (if I can still create a new one using the old version of Blogger), upgrade that one, fix the then-scrogged code to match my current blog, upgrade the current one, copy the good code into it, and be in tip-top shape complete with all the goodies the new version provides.

Did that make sense?

wise advice

Here is some wise advice from Fr. John Zuhlsdorf's blog, "What Does the Prayer Really Say?":

Fr. Z’s 5 Rules of Engagement for after the Motu Proprio is released:

1) Rejoice because our liturgical life has been enriched, not because "we win". Everyone wins when the Church’s life is enriched. This is not a "zero sum game".

2) Do not strut. Let us be gracious to those who have in the past not been gracious in regard to our "legitimate aspirations".

3) Show genuine Christian joy. If you want to attract people to what gives you so much consolation and happiness, be inviting and be joyful. Avoid the sourness some of the more traditional stamp have sadly worn for so long.

4) Be engaged in the whole life of your parishes, especially in works of mercy organized by the same. If you want the whole Church to benefit from the use of the older liturgy, then you who are shaped by the older form of Mass should be of benefit to the whole Church in concrete terms.

5) If the document doesn’t say everything we might hope for, don’t bitch about it like a whiner. Speak less of our rights and what we deserve, or what it ought to have been, as if we were our own little popes, and more about our gratitude, gratitude, gratitude for what God gives us

P.O.D. Shot of the Week

Here's another P.O.D. Shot of the Week, this time from the June 30 ordinations of the Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri, The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, in Wigratzbad, Germany (the headquarters of "The Frat" and the location of their first seminary).

This group, uses the Tridentine rites exclusively, but unlike SSPX, is in communion with Rome. Biretta tip to the blog, The New Liturgical Movement, for the pic. See more here.

While you're at the NLM blog, check out this wonderful first-hand account of a Novus Ordo priest at the "FSSP boot camp" for training in the "classical Roman Rite."

more motu

As I've been trying to keep up with and chronicle here the news on the upcoming Motu Proprio on the Latin Mass (here and here, recently), below are some snippets from Whispers' excellent coverage (follow his blog for more in-depth info and, please, do donate):

First, Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone SDB, who called 15 bishops from around the world together to discuss it, gives three "key reasons" for the documents release (you won't be surprised by the very last few words):

The first and main one is to ease the full communion and reconciliation of the St. Pius X Society with the pope. Suppression of the Tridentine Mass was a major reason for Archbishop Lefebvre and his followers to break with the pope.

...

A second reason for the Motu Proprio is to enable "wider use" of the Tridentine Mass. Unlike the "ordinary form" approved by Paul VI in 1969, in the Motu Proprio, the Tridentine Mass is considered an "extraordinary" expression of the Latin Rite.

John Paul II authorized bishops to approve requests of people for the Tridentine Mass, but many bishops have refused to do so. Benedict, lobbied by traditionalists and basically sympathetic to them, devised the "extraordinary" form as a way to unblock the situation and accommodate those people.

The third reason for the Motu Proprio is to preserve "the treasures" of the Church's older culture, including Latin in the liturgy, and to integrate them into the contemporary culture.

...

All participants expressed their views at the meeting. Some saw the Motu Proprio as an expression of "pastoral charity," or a strong affirmation of "diversity in unity." By the end of the meeting, most indicated their basic acceptance of the text, but a few, like the French, still had reservations.

Of course...

Second, Rocco shares some comnments from Boston's Cardinal Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap who was in on the Motu Proprio meeting (from Cardinal O'Malley's blog here)

From Cleveland I flew to Rome at the request of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to participate in a meeting discussing the Holy Father’s Moto Proprio about the use of the older form of the Latin Mass. There were about 25 bishops there, including the president of Ecclesia Dei Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, the prefect of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments Cardinal Francis Arinze, several heads of bishops’ conferences as well as some cardinals and other residential bishops.

They shared with us the Moto Proprio and the Holy Father’s letter explaining it. We also had an opportunity to read the Latin document. We each commented on that, and then the Holy Father came in and shared some of his thoughts with us. The Holy Father is obviously most concerned about trying to bring about reconciliation in the Church. There are about 600,000 Catholics who are participating in the liturgies of the Society of St. Pius X, along with about 400 priest[s]....

The Holy Father was very clear that the ordinary form of celebrating the Mass will be the new rite, the Norvus Ordo. But by making the Latin Mass more available, the Holy Father is hoping to convince those disaffected Catholics that it is time for them to return to full union with the Catholic Church.

So the Holy Father’s motivation for this decision is pastoral. He does not want this to be seen as establishing two different Roman Rites, but rather one Roman Rite celebrated with different forms. The Moto Propio is his latest attempt at reconciliation.

In my comments at the meeting I told my brother bishops that in the United States the number of people who participate in the Latin Mass even with permission is very low. Additionally, according to the research that I did, there are only 18 priories of the Society of St. Pius X in the entire country. Therefore this document will not result in a great deal of change for the Catholics in the U.S. Indeed, interest in the Latin Mass is particularly low here in New England.

In our archdiocese, the permission to celebrate the Latin Mass has been in place for several years, and I granted permission when I was in Fall River for a Mass down on the Cape. The archdiocesan Mass is now at Immaculate Mary of Lourdes Parish in Newton. It is well attended, and if the need arises for an extension of that we would, of course, address it.

This issue of the Latin Mass is not urgent for our country, however I think they wanted us to be part of the conversation so that we would be able to understand what the situation is in countries where the numbers are very significant. For example, in Brazil there is an entire diocese of 30,000 people that has already been reconciled to the Church.

Finally, at the Cardinal's blog, there are some interesting comments visitors have posted in response to his remarks that are worth sharing. Some snippets:

1. I’m wondering: Is there not also another element to this MP, that being the reforming influence which the Traditional Mass might have on the current Missal?

2. I am so pleased you were able to be in Rome to speak with the Pope on the Motu Proprio on the Traditional Mass. I believe you underestimate the power of and the latent desire for this Mass in the United States. Most people have not even heard that it is an option. The Masses I have attended have been packed with young, devout familes. The seminaries that train priests for the Traditional rite are full. Wherever the Traditional Mass is freely offered, it is well atended. I myself feel such a spiritual lift from a single Traditional Mass, that I feel spiritually empowered throughout the entire week. The fact is, since the Novus Ordo was introduced, Mass attendance has decreased by half in this country, and by 80 to 90 % in Europe and Canada. Even in Boston, Catholic marriages are down 60% in the last 20 years! If the Traditional Mass can bring them back, why not try it in most parishes in the archdiocese and see what happens? At least it’s a talking point for inviting someone to come back to the Church. On this feast of St. Peter and Paul, with its focus on evagelization, let’s do everything we can to evangelize our own. If that means having two forms of the Mass as the norm, then so be it! If we are seeking unity with Protestants, then why not with Traditionalists? And don’t underestimate our numbers. We are truly everywhere… we just have not been invited to come out and join the celebration. Now it is our turn to invite the rest of the Church to join us in the traditonal form of worship which nourished so many saints for so many centuries. Please let the Spirit work freely in our midst and support the flowering of Tradition in our parishes!

3. May I also suggest, regarding this posting, that the Holy Father, by making the Classical Roman Mass more available, is not only reaching out to the faithful who are presently involved with the Society of St. Pius X, but also, as has already been publicly stated by both Cardinals Castrillón and Bertone, endeavoring to rediscover the treasure of the liturgical heritage of the Church, to foster a hermeneutic of continuity, and to refocus - in all of the Roman Rite - our sense of what the liturgy is all about, preparing what he has termed a “reform of the reform”.

4. As a young American, I must disagree with your characterization of the demand for the Traditional Latin Mass. This issue is at the forefront of orthodox Catholicism today, particularly among the young Catholics of the John Paul II generation. I was born long after the Council, and have felt deprived of my liturgical heritage. I am not alone.

Amen.

Archbishop Kurtz receives the pallium

Biretta tip to Whispers for the following story featuring Archbishop Kurtz's thoughts on receiving the pallium on Friday morning (thanks to the Eminent Blog for the pic):

The States, meanwhile, had but one recipient this morning -- Archbishop-elect Joseph Kurtz, who doesn't take the reins in Louisville until 15 August.

Just before flying out for Rome earlier this week, Kurtz called into the home office to offer some reflections on the days ahead. Appointed to succeed Archbishop Thomas Kelly only 17 days ago, he's had quite the month, with the last-minute trip necessitating his absence from Wednesday's launch in Denver of the first stage of the US bishops' nationwide initiative geared toward strengthening and encouraging marriage. (More on that in a bit; Kurtz is chair of the USCCB's Committee for Marriage and the Family.)

Traveling with a delegation of just five, the incoming head of Louisville's 200,000 Catholics, shown here during his big moment earlier today, said he had never been to a Pallium Mass, let alone concelebrated one, let alone on such short notice.

Having met Benedict XVI in his time as prefect of the CDF, the archbishop waxed filial of his "great admiration" for the Pope; "I love his writings, his pastoral leadership," he said.

"I just think we're really blessed with this Holy Father."

As the incoming metropolitan over the province he's been a suffragan bishop of for the last seven years, the archbishop-elect said the in-house move had a deeper meaning to it as opposed to entering a province as a newcomer. He praised Kelly, who he singled out among the nation's 34 archbishops for having "really worked hard on bring together the bishops of our province for prayer, for support -- for unity, really."

Noting his happiness that "there are no strangers" among the bishops of Kentucky and Tennessee, Kurtz pledged to maintain the close ties. Continuing Kelly's work "is a great blessing," he said.

Saying he's spent the last few weeks boning up on the history of the pallium, the 60 year-old pilgrim prelate said he was expecting a "very moving" morning. He "didn't expect" to be making the trip this year, he said, noting that it was the nuncio to Washington, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, who "urged" him not to delay his reception of the lambswool band until 2008.

Even so, Kurtz looked on the bright side, musing that "having such a small group might make me focus on the more spiritual aspects of this great event." Two Knoxvilleans with him in the Eternal City, and the outgoing head of its burgeoning local church said he "didn't think it'd be as emotional" to leave as it's proven itself to be.

"I've really felt a great bond with the people here," he said. Even though Louisville offers a wealth of opportunities for new bonds, he mused that missing the "great warmth" and "great unity" of Tennessee and his team there "would be the hard part.

"We have a wonderful diocese here," he said, "it's such a vibrant church.

"People really desire to live the faith and to be true to it.... Being bishop here is kind of like being pastor of a larger [parish] church."

While Kurtz's delegation includes two Tennesseans and two representatives from Louisville, it should come as no surprise that -- as with every ecclesiastical party worth its salt -- the group includes a Philadelphian: Kurtz's longtime friend and seminary classmate Msgr Herbert Bevard, who celebrates a new ministry of his own this weekend as he's installed as regional vicar of the city's northern half.

For those curious about the pins he'll need to keep his new garb weighed down, they're staying within the family -- Kurtz said his set of the traditional three gemmed spikes will be, at his precessor's insistence, a gift of Archbishop Kelly.

CNS has some other comments from His Grace:

Carrying a shopping bag with a box containing his pallium, Archbishop Kurtz told Catholic News Service, "the whole Mass and ceremony kept saying to us, 'You are Christ, the only son of God.'"

It was a reminder that "we are called to serve Christ in union with the Holy Father," he said.

The archbishop said the fact that he was just named to the Archdiocese of Louisville June 12 and will not be installed as archbishop until Aug. 15 meant there was no time to organize an archdiocesan pilgrimage to travel to Rome with him.

But, he said, "that allowed for a very spiritual mindset" and means he will enter the Louisville Archdiocese wearing a symbol of "the yoke, serving the people in the name and the power of Christ," who carried the lost sheep back to the flock.

"I think it's beautiful to be able to go to my installation with the pallium," he said. "I will bring it to the people."

Finally, Whispers also provides the words spoken by His Holiness before bestowing the pallium (which are quite inspirational):

To the glory of Almighty God and the praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the apostles Peter and Paul, and of the Holy Roman Church, for the honor of the Churches, which have been placed in your care, and as a symbol of your authority as metropolitan archbishop: We confer on you the pallium taken from the tomb of Peter to wear within the limits of your ecclesiastical province.

May this pallium be a symbol of unity
and a sign of your communion with the Apostolic See,
a bond of love, and an incentive to courage.
On the day of the coming and manifestation
of our great God and chief shepherd, Jesus Christ,
may you and the flock entrusted to you
be clothed with immortality and glory.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.