I don't know -- you might want to reconsider after you take a look at the "altar":
Posted on 03/19/2004 7:46:21 AM PST by Pyro7480
The Virtues of St. Joseph
"All virtues and perfections were then reflected absolutely in St. Joseph, so that it almost seemed as if he were as perfect and possessed all virtues in as high a degree as the glorious Virgin our Mistress." Conf XIX, On the Virtues of St. Joseph, p. 368
"Certainly St. Joseph is most justly said to resemble the palm (tree), always constant, persevering, strong, and valiant. There is a great difference between these four virtues. We call a man constant when he remains firm, and prepared to suffer the assaults of the enemy, without surprise or loss of coruage during the combat. Perseverance, however, has chiefly to do with a certain weariness of mind which comes upon us when we have suffered a long time, and this weariness is as powerful an enemy as we can meet with. Now, perseverance enables a man to disregard this enemy that he gains the victory over it by continual calmness and submission to the will of God. Strength makes a man vigorously resist the attacks of his enemies. And valor is a virtue which makes us not only hold ourselves in readiness to fight or to offer resistance when the occasion presents itself, but also to attack the enemy at the moment when he least expects it." Conf XIX, On the Virtues of St. Joseph, p. 378
St. Joseph's Constancy
"Now, our glorious St. Joseph was endowed with all these virtues (constancy, perseverance, strength, valor) and practiced them marvelously well. As regards his constancy, did he not display it wonderfully when seeing Our Lady with child, and not knowing how that could be, his mind was tossed with distress, perplexity, and trouble? Yet, in spite of all, he never complained, he was never harsh or ungracious towards his holy Spouse, but remained just as gentle and respectful in his demeanor as he had ever been. But what valor and strength did he not display in the victory which he gained over the two greatest enemies of man, the devil and the world? And that by the practice of a most perfect humility, as we have said, throughout the whole course of his life. The devil, who for want of humility, and because he would not accept if for his inseparable companion, was driven out of heaven and cast down into hell, is so great an enemy to the lowly virtue, that there is no sacrifice or invention he will not use to make men fall away from it - so much the more because it is a virtue which renders them infinitely pleasing to God. We may therefore well say, "Valiant and strong in humility; he will be conqueror at once of the devil and of the world, which is full of ambition, vanity, and pride." Conf XIX, On the Virtues of St. Joseph, p. 379
I don't know -- you might want to reconsider after you take a look at the "altar":
No I don't. This is a solid, visible, tangible symbol of the faith of the parish. Someone can say whatever he likes, but he cannot explain away this visible representation of what kind of faith they profess. "Actions speak louder than words."
That dive-bombing B-52 of a dove just came up in a thread the other day, in the context of being the symbol of evangelical ex-hippy "Jesus freaks," Calvary Chapel, and of being the symbol of the gay mafia in the Cleveland diocese (although rainbow-colored in that case).
Look at it this way: What if the design of that backdrop were a huge pentagram surrounding a horned goat. Would you still say that it's not necessary to have "traditional decor"? Would you be able to attend Mass in that location, no matter how orthodox the priest?
I especially object to 1. the lack of a high altar, 2. the absence of a tabernacle, 3. the assymetrical altar, 4. the lack of proper altar cloths, 4. the absence of 6 candles, 5. the lack of an area that feels like a sanctuary, 6. the presence of the "presider's chair" in the location where the high altar and tabernacle belong (replacing God with man), and these are just the substantial items which doesn't even get into the hideous aesthetics which would take a whole article of its own, the strange crucifix, and the symbolism of the "backdrop" which whether it is brown or orange still conveys a heterdox theology.
He really needs to make some more sweeping changes.
Also, he made sure we had a crucifix up front (above the altar). There was none before that.
The one he put up looks rather strange, don't you think?
what he's been given to work with, he's done a good job.
On what sort of objective basis do you make that judgment?
If I had my druthers, the church would be more traditional-looking and the Tabernacle would be front and center, as it should be.
There are certain requirements that are non-negotiable. This church doesn't qualify as a place for a Catholic Mass.
The people of our parish, though, are wonderful.
If that's the case, then the pastor has no excuse. You might have said "The pastor has done all he can against the opposition of the liberal parishioners." But since you say that they are "wonderful," then the pastor should go in there this very week, rip out that hideous assymetrical altar, put in a tabernacle, replace the "dove and fire," have candles on the altar.
But I must admit some skepticism about how "wonderful" are the people who attend Mass in this building. They can't be very well educated in their faith or else they wouldn't tolerate something like this. They can't represent the "church militant" or they would have protested. They can't have a very deep devotion or they would have a tabernacle. They can't be very aware of Catholic liturgy or they would have at least 6 candles on the altar. They can't be very knowledgeable historically or they wouldn't tolerate such a revolutionary break with many hundreds of years of Catholic history. They can't be very Catholic or else they would realize that they are being taught protestantism -- whatever might come from the pulpit, this building is protestant, not Catholic.
Yesterday we had the thread from St. Leonard of Port Maurice in which he talked about the great majority of Catholic adults going to hell. What would make anyone think that this parish is an exception? Everything here screams that these people are following all the worst of the current trends.
BTTT!
BTTT on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this year celebrated on 3-20-06!
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January 24, 2007
St. Francis de Sales
(1567-1622)
Francis was destined by his father to be a lawyer so that the young man could eventually take his elder’s place as a senator from the province of Savoy in France. For this reason Francis was sent to Padua to study law. After receiving his doctorate, he returned home and, in due time, told his parents he wished to enter the priesthood. His father strongly opposed Francis in this, and only after much patient persuasiveness on the part of the gentle Francis did his father finally consent. Francis was ordained and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva, then a center for Calvinists. Francis set out to convert them, especially in the district of Chablais. By preaching and distributing the little pamphlets he wrote to explain true Catholic doctrine, he had remarkable success.
At 35 he became bishop of Geneva. While administering his diocese he continued to preach, hear confessions and catechize the children. His gentle character was a great asset in winning souls. He practiced his own axiom, “A spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrelful of vinegar.” Besides his two well-known books, the Introduction to the Devout Life and A Treatise on the Love of God, he wrote many pamphlets and carried on a vast correspondence. For his writings, he has been named patron of the Catholic Press. His writings, filled with his characteristic gentle spirit, are addressed to lay people. He wants to make them understand that they too are called to be saints. As he wrote in The Introduction to the Devout Life: “It is an error, or rather a heresy, to say devotion is incompatible with the life of a soldier, a tradesman, a prince, or a married woman.... It has happened that many have lost perfection in the desert who had preserved it in the world. ” In spite of his busy and comparatively short life, he had time to collaborate with another saint, Jane Frances de Chantal, in the work of establishing the Sisters of the Visitation. These women were to practice the virtues exemplified in Mary’s visit to Elizabeth: humility, piety and mutual charity. They at first engaged to a limited degree in works of mercy for the poor and the sick. Today, while some communities conduct schools, others live a strictly contemplative life. Quote:
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I was not able to locate the prayers from the link you provided. This is an old thread... do by chance remember the name of the site?
Oops, I sent the wrong message pyro, sorry. Max, the link you provided is not working. I’d love to check out the prayers.
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