The Special Relationship

St. Martin dividing his cloak with a beggar

Though frayed in many respects, the "Special Relationship" between America and Great Britain shows signs of life on surprisingly high level.  In Afghanistan, US and UK soldiers cooperate in building St. Martin's Chapel, where a Traditional Latin Mass is said daily.  (h/t Rorate Caeli)

We'll never defeat Islam without a lot more of these.

"What did they do to this church?"

                                                          Liturgical dance - is it ever good?

A lot, and it's all bad.  Luckily, a bishop was visiting so they couldn't get really crazy. 
h/t Rorate Caeli

The words that changed the Church

                                                          See if you can guess what the definition leaves out


The complete definition of the Mass from the original, 1969 Novus Ordo Missae:

"7. The Lord's Supper, or Mass, is the sacred meeting or congregation of the people of God assembled, the priest presiding, to celebrate the memorial of the Lord. For this reason, Christ's promise applies eminently to such a local gathering of the Church: 'Where two or three come together in my name, there am I in their midst' (Mt. 18:20)."

The reverberations are still felt, and in most places are as loud as ever.   Rorate Caeli has more here.

Sacred Host, offered for the salvation of sinners, have mercy on us.

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Mary Most Holy in the Liturgy (Part 3)

                                                           "Tree of Jesse," Medieval French Bible

Rorate Caeli has another installment of Bl. Giacomo Alberione's "The Feasts of Mary."

A sample:

Mary is invoked under so many titles because she was granted power over all things. The sinner calls Mary Refugium peccatorum, because he expects from her the graces of penance and forgiveness; the sick calls her Salus infirmorum, because how knows that Mary has the power to heal him; the Priest calls her Mother of the Divine Shepherd; the poor, Mother of Providence; while for other needs there are the Virgin of Perpetual Succour, the Patronage of Mary, the Help of Christians, the Comforter, the Seat of wisdom, etc.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Mary Most Holy in Sacred Liturgy (Part 2)

                                   “Enthroned Madonna,” Duccio di Buoninsegna, Cathedral of Siena

Rorate Caeli has the second in a series of excerpts from Bl. Giacomo Alberione's "The Feasts of Mary."

A sample:

The more Mary is praised, the more God is honored, souls are purified, and the Kingdom of God is established.  

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Mary Most Holy in Sacred Liturgy

                                                       "The Visitation" from Rouen Book of Hours


Rorate Caeli has the first of a series of excerpts from Blessed James Alberione's "The Feasts of Mary."  Can't wait to read more.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

"When the sacred Virgin was born, then the world was filled with light"

                                               "The Birth of Mary" by the Master of the life of the Virgin


Today is the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.   Rorate Caeli has it well covered here.

Endless difficulties for Extraordinary Form

According to Rorate Caeli, interest in Extraordinary Form considered "a formation issue" in many seminaries.

By contrast, I recollect the Novus Ordo being adopted in the parish of my youth quickly and without a hitch.  Curious that the Extraordinary Form's official reception has been so hostile.

Portiuncula Indulgence today

Rorate Caeli has procedure and Fr Z has background.