Here it comes ... "I’d be happy if the Novus Ordo were just suppressed. Why do we need it anyway?" - Random comment.

The reaction to Cardinal Sarah's statement begins.

“Why Cardinal Sarah’s liturgical ‘reconciliation’ plan won’t work“.  HERE

I didn’t agree with everything the Cardinal suggested about the future path of Benedict’s desired “mutual enrichment” of the two “forms” of the Roman Rite.  However, I have prayerfully engaged them. - HERE

It seems that the most trad-friendly Prelates of the Church actually want the Traditional Mass to disappear. [...] I can't say I'm too worried by these proposals. They revive discussions on liturgical matters, which is positive, but opposition by progressive and - let's be honest - middle-of-the-road Novus Ordo priests and faithful to the Reform of the Reform makes the implementation of Cardinal Sarah's programme by fiat from Rome unimaginable, even if he were to become Pope tomorrow. - Shaw at Rorate HERE

Actually it's all well reasoned and mild commentary.  I'm told the discussion is always good ...

What I detest is the claim the Ordinary Form is evil.

There is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. . .The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness. - Pope Benedict

I do think rad-trads will turn on Cardinal Sarah, sooner than later.  (Maybe they already have?)

I'm sick of it too.

UPDATE July 23:

And they're off!

....Cardinal Sarah's CDW permits nun to do weddings?!

....Does Cardinal Sarah Want the Tridentine Mass to Disappear?

CARDINAL SARAH TROTS OUT INSIDIOUS “MUSEUM OBJECT”
INSULT AT THE ANCIENT MASS, HOPES TO ‘INCORPORATE ELEMENTS’ ONCE
AGAIN INTO SOMETHING NEW (AND UNIVERSALLY MANDATED?)

When you feel a bit underappreciated ... just remember ...

"Our porpoise is to please God, not people"

Cardinal Sarah is in favor of the “mutual enrichment” of the two forms of the Roman Rite ...

Will ultra traditionalists go for that?

Or will they turn on Cardinal Sarah now, just as some of the more radical among them turned on Pope Benedict?  Cardinal Sarah speaks in the same vein as Benedict XVI - the EF hopefully will enrich the OF - not replace.  The Ordinary Form is celebrated throughout the Latin rite globally - it is the ordinary form of the Mass.  Cardinal Sarah's proposal for a reconciliation sees a shared calendar and lectionary between the two forms.

Moving towards Cardinal Sarah’s vision begins, though, not with practicalities but with a change of heart. That is likely why he chose the term “reconciliation”. Reconciliation requires a change of heart, a willingness to see the good in the other, and an openness to make things different in order to accommodate that good.

For the 10 years since Summorum Pontificum, those who prefer the EF have expected such an attitude from the OF. Cardinal Sarah now suggests that it is required of both clans, united in one Church, around one altar. - Read more here.

Works for me.

Stuff like that ... Archbishop Chaput and other stuff.

Catholique intégriste ... like it's a bad thing.

My original interest in La Civiltà Cattolica article by Spadaro was because it it a nerve with Catholic fundamentalists.  I was thinking mostly of the anti-Francis types who contribute to LifeSiteNews, 1P5, and all the really crazy little sites - Ann Barnhardt , a contributor to The Remnant believe it or not.  Likewise, it was no surprise people at Acton U would come undone - and that is always interesting, because when they open their mouths you know money is involved.

I'm not political, I do not have a degree in theology or philosophy, so I'll admit I jumped on the superficial message from La Civiltà Cattolica article.  Ignoring, if you can the misinformation embedded in the title of the article: “Evangelical Fundamentalism and Catholic Integralism in the USA: A Surprising Ecumenism”, especially any connection to ecumenism - since the very traditionalist are more or less against it.  Thus, when you look closely at some of the more extreme traditional Catholic sites, Spadaro's contention really makes sense.  Read the com boxes of these site, as well as the articles - which on some level is not too far off sites like Novus Ordo Watch - and you will find evidence of Catholic Integralism.  If I catch it, under-educated, crack-pot blogger that I am, it certainly has to be obvious to others who know more than I do.

That said, Archbishop Chaput's article is very well stated - as usual, and he clarifies many important points, uniting Christians, rather than dividing.  I love it when Chaput intervenes in the discussion - what an incredible contrast are his words compared with the reactionary invective from angry Catholics online - priests as well.  He calls out error without attacking the character of the authors (he did the same with Fr. Martin, SJ).  Unlike me, and unfortunately other commentators online, Archbishop Chaput addresses the real problems within the article itself - without any veiled criticism of the Pope Francis, or ad hominem suggestions of sexual orientation of the authors.  The Archbishop's article is well worth the read and his words need to be pondered.

Catholics are called to treat all persons with charity and justice. That includes those who hate what we believe. It demands a conversion of heart. It demands patience, courage and humility.   - Archbishop Chaput, A Word About Useful Tools

I wish the Archbishop could, or would, address the hateful rhetoric and gossip in many places online, which is leveled against the Pope and the Magisterium, as well as the liturgical rites of the Church.  The conspiracy theories and wild interpretations of secular news stories is spun in a way to discredit the Church and her ministers.  It should be more than obvious in the way Michael Voris and Church Militant has been rejected as a legitimate Catholic news source, yet continues to exercise influence upon vulnerable Catholics who are confused by disparate messages from clergy and bishops.  It is one thing to challenge Jesuit publications, but mom and pop Catholic bloggers do not help matters, rather they more or less foment fear, mistrust, and in many cases hate.  To verify that, all one needs to do is read Catholic social media and skim Catholic news aggregator headlines.  If anyone in the Vatican reads that stuff - they would have to find the Civiltà Cattolica article a bit more credible than we in the United States like to believe.

Attention L'intégrisme ...

Archbishop Gänswein has something to say to you.

ROME - Responding to interpretations of a recent reference by emeritus Pope Benedict XVI to the Church being near “capsizing,” the retired pontiff’s closest aid on Tuesday said it’s a “fantasy” to set him up against Pope Francis.

“They’re trying to use the pope emeritus in an anti-Francis tone,” said German Archbishop Georg Gänswein, speaking to the Italian daily Il Giornale.

“Stupid people,” Gänswein said. “The emeritus pope was deliberately exploited, he wasn’t alluding to anything specific with that phrase, but talking about the situation of the Church of today and that of the past as a boat that doesn’t sail in calm waters. Francis also says this.” - Crux

[I nearly fell for the fantasy story as it broke last weekend as well ... not in the same way as the anti-Francis detractors - nevertheless, their interpretation is one more reminder to avoid Catholic fake news sites.  Take a look at this however, the comments at 1P5 here are so full of conspiracy theories and innuendo, it's not funny.]

Here you go Fatimistas ... Exactly what I have been saying ... all ... along!

The nuns cringed when Fr. Gruner's name came up.

The Apartment ... and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone ...

Housekeeping and renovation news ...

Former president of the 'Bambino Gesù' foundation, Giuseppe Profiti and former treasurer, Massimo Spina, are charged with illicitly using money to renovate an apartment belonging to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the former Vatican secretary of state. They stand accused of paying over 422.000 euros of hospital funds to Gianantonio Bandera, owner of the Castelli Re construction company. - Vatican Radio

What? 

On the necessity of good friendship.

A childhood friend of mine has been diagnosed with stage IV cancer.

I think I owe a great deal to him for making virtue attractive.  He was always so good, and I had the greatest respect for him - all through life.  I think I was always careful to be a better person around him. In fact all of my friends at that time were good, and a couple even devout.  It's a wonder their parents permitted them to be friends with me, but my friend once told me his mother felt sorry for me.  Thinking of our friendship and my troubled home life, I thank God for having such close friends at such a difficult age.  Their families became a sanctuary for me at a time which was particularly troubling at home.  Thinking of all of this last night, I was reminded of something Teresa of Avila said regarding her own experiences at that age.  I think it good advice even today.

If I should have to give advice, I would tell parents that when their children are this age (middle school) they ought to be very careful about whom their children associate with. For here lies the root of great evil since our natural bent is toward the worst rather than toward the best. - Teresa of Avila

Please pray for my friend Larry.  Thank you.

When he was younger my friend

bore a striking resemblance

to Dirk Bogarde.

"I ask you never to slander anyone, either directly or indirectly." - S. Francis de Sales

"Above all, avoid false accusations and the distortion of truth regarding your neighbor." - Francis de Sales

When one keeps repeating an apparent innocuous, albeit factual statement about another - to suggest something untoward about that person's character - it amounts to innuendo, bordering on detraction, and dangerously close to slander.  

"Refraining from imputing imaginary faults to your neighbor, from revealing those which are secret and from exaggerating those which are obvious." - S. Francis de Sales

To do this in retaliation for an offense - real or imagined - doesn't make a wrong right.

Many of us online have been guilty of this.  It is better to avoid giving any credence to such writers - myself included.

Please pray for a young mother to be ...

Our Lady Undoer of Knots

hear our prayers.

This is important. My friend Angela sent me the following request for prayer:

"Please join us in prayer - young mom of one who just split with husband scheduled to have abortion Wednesday even though she knows there is a group of us in Town that will provide clothes, diapers, babysitting, support. Ex husband says he will not support new child. Please pray he and she change their minds. Fasting encouraged too. I don't know her name but God knows who she is. Please pray - thank you. Please spread the word and if you feel it's something that you could put on the blog then please do so! Attaching my name to it is OK
THANK YOU! "

Sr. Cecilia Maria, OCD

Pray with us and for us.

 Sr. Cecilia Maria, OCD, pray for this young mother and her ex-husband to have a change of heart - to recognize the gift of life as a sign of God's love, and to accept this child and allow him to live. Console their hearts, let them experience the joy of God's love. Help them to forgive one another and to find that love which once brought them together. Thank you for praying with us in Jesus name!

So you think the Barque of Peter is in danger of capsizing?

Really?

Remember when the disciples were freaking out as they were tossed to and fro during the storm at sea, and Jesus was asleep in the boat?

Yeah.  Jesus was right in the boat, all cuddled up, sleeping, and the disciples were out of control and imagining the worst.  Jesus was left all alone - until they woke him up - turned to him in prayer.  Get it?

Anyway, something from Catherine of Siena sounds remarkably like something the Popes today might have said once or twice ...

Take heart in Christ gentle Jesus.

But it seems supreme eternal Goodness is making us do under coercion what we haven’t done for love. It seems he is permitting his Bride to be stripped of prestige and luxury, as if to show that he wants holy Church to return to being poor, humble, and meek as she was in those holy early days, when she was concerned only with God’s honor and the salvation of souls, taken up not with material things but with the spiritual. For ever since the Church has paid more attention to the material than to the spiritual, things have gone from bad to worse.

This is why you have seen God in his just judgment permitting the Church to suffer so many persecutions and trials. But take heart…and don’t be afraid, no matter what has happened or may yet happen. God is doing it to make the Church perfect once again, so that lambs may feed in this garden instead of the wolves who are devouring the honor that belongs to God by stealing it for themselves. Take heart in Christ gentle Jesus, for I trust that his help, the fullness of divine grace, will come soon to your support and aid. If you do as I’ve told you, you will emerge from war into the greatest peace, from persecution to complete unity—not by human power but by holy virtue—and you will defeat the devils we can see (evil people) as well as those we cannot see—though they never take their eyes off us. - S. Catherine of Siena

For Our Lady of Mt. Carmel: Sr. Cecilia Maria, OCD, Carmel of Santa Fe, Argentina

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

"The sign of the Scapular points to an effective synthesis of Marian spirituality, which nourishes the devotion of believers and makes them sensitive to the Virgin Mother's loving presence in their lives." - JPII