Posted on 06/14/2005 4:28:35 PM PDT by NYer
Well, I say King Juan Carlos based on territorial considerations, but you are right, emotionally I would be for the Jacobite claimant.
I do belong, as one of the scruffy Catholic auxiliaries, to the Society of King Charles the Martyr, the Catholic patron of which is Fr. Jean Marie Charles-Roux, IC, whom you may remember as one of the priests who said the TLM for Mel Gibson on the set of the "Passion", and later gave a couple of very interesting interviews to "Inside the Vatican". He had been stationed at St Etheldreda's in London for quite some time before going back to the mother house of the Rosminians in Rome, where he met up with Mel.
Is his cause open? I was thrilled when Blessed Karl was beatified, but I had not heard of the cause for King Charles the Martyr being open. Please enlighten me.
Didn't the Good Friday fast used to be pentitential -- not "anticipation and longing" (how does that relate to fasting -- "I was too excited to eat"? -- like a little kid on Christmas Eve?) Where did they get the notion of a "Paschal fast"? The reference to Passover would seem to indicate it has Jewish roots, but that would be a new one on me!
Fridays During Lent—In the United States, the tradition of abstaining from meat on each Friday during Lent is maintained.
The "tradition" is maintained. Does this mean it's not obligatory?
Point is .... how many catholics - be honest now! - do you know who consciously substitute something else for meat on Friday?
I'm old enough to remember when this amended view was introduced. The media coverage of it, even back then, projected the notion that "catholics may now eat meat on Friday". That's the sound bite most catholics grabbed and retained. I don't recall the priests addressing this in their homilies - possibly they did - I was too young to be a 'motivated' listener back then. Actually this change came about, driven by catholics who would go to a sports game on Friday and have to forfeit eating a hot dog. Viewed from that perspective, it makes perfectly good sense that one could 'substitute' some other form of self denial on those Fridays when they went to the ball game.
Naturally, over the decades, most catholics have neglected to read up on these Canon laws and most pastors are more interested in keeping their parishioners 'happy'. This is a now a personal decision. Once you know the law, ignoring it puts you in a state of sin.
Lol ... that used to happen to me at the RC parish. I would sit there in judgement of others, their actions, their words, their attire. The pastor was an especially strong source of distraction. He had this silly habit of leaving words out of the Creed or singing along with the choir during certain parts of the liturgy when he was supposed to be praying silently. Since there was no crucifix in the Sanctuary, my mind fixated weekly on whether or not we had one or two acolytes. One meant they would carry the processional cross; two meant the crucifix remained in the closet and the acolytes carried candles. No crucifix in the Sanctuary during Mass, was a violation of the GIRM. It got so bad that I would simply keep my eyes closed throughout Mass.
In all honesty, however, I constantly reminded myself of all those years when I was apathetic, ignorant and indifferent towards the Mass. And they were many. It became a humbling experience to recall those years, make penance for them and seek ways to help others to avoid them. Even now I reflect on these experiences to prevent myself from becoming prideful. I have sinned and am in no position to judge others.
Me, too. Luckily my Irish grandmother didn't live to see it -- she heartily and loudly disapproved of the routine dispensation given by the archbishop for the day after Thanksgiving and refused to serve meat anyway! Of course, I seem to recall my mother telling me that the custom in Ireland when my grandmother was growing up was to restrict oneself to black tea and dry bread on Fridays.
Given a lot of new food trends, though, I wonder if abstinence packs the punch it used to. People who actually -- and apparently by choice -- eat such things as Pop Tarts, canned tuna mixed with mustard (!) and seedless watermelon (the developer should be shot without trial IMO) must not have any taste buds or nerve endings in their mouths. ;-)
My 19 year old daughter is good at that game too! "But 'they' didn't tell me ..... or 'they' changed the rules ....
Let those with eyes, see; let those with ears, hear. This is a personal responsibility. The secularist world is quick to point the finger of blame ... don't cave in. You have eyes and ears; you can read and hear. This is your decision, and should not be based on the USCCB's interpretation. The option of following their written directives is, of course, your option.
Over the past few decades, we seem to have lost touch with personal sacrifice. Personally, I can't find anything more beautiful in my life than the challenge of making a personal sacrifice each day and every week, for the Person who gave up all for my salvation.
“The Son of God became man in order to restore all creation, in one supreme act of praise, to the One who made it from nothing.” ... John Paul II
That is a wonderful thing to read.
I know. I'm afraid I was being a tad, well, let's say "disingenuous" in my earlier post -- so much nicer than "sarcastic." Our bishops (God keep them!) don't seem to bring out my best side, for whatever reason. ;-)
I'm not a lector and I don't play one on T.V. ;-)
In the Ruthenian rite (Byzantine Catholic) church I've taken to of late, they take the Lector's duties very seriously. Lectors are actually ordained minor orders in the church. So they wear vestments, and have specific duties in chanting the readings.
Our lector as a person is an incredible resource of information and history about the church.
**The general rule for me is if I can't wear it to work, I can't wear it to Mass.**
Good rule!
And readers and lectors at my church have been admonished to be "dressed up" and looking like they are part of the ceremony --- because they are!
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