It's that time of year, friends. Everybody has to choose a candidate. Christians are asked to vote pro-life and we hope that as many as possible will exercise their right to vote this coming autumn.
Meanwhile, I have made the decision not to support the darling of the liberal media, Barack Hussein Obama. In fact, I've had it with his schmaltz. Instead, I vote pro-life.
A few years I ago I read a book entitled Flyboys by James Bradley. Here's a quote:
"At that moment, I was looking into the eyes of arguably the most accomplished and successful man alive. George Herbert Walker Bush had led a storied life as an athlete, war hero, businessman, congressman, ambssador to the United Nations, ambassador to China, head of the CIA, vice president, president, and father of the current president. He had been in love with one woman since he was seventeen and they were approaching sixty years of marriage."
Just last week the old man came out in support of Senator John McCain. I follow suit.
With a grimace some readers might be angry. But the endgame of America ain't going to happen on my vote.
To support the campaign see here: http://www.johnmccain.com/
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tortured Christians surviving in the Middle East...
As everybody has now heard, Muslims kidnapped the Catholic Archbishop of Mosul and I ask everybody to pray for his safety and speedy return to his flock. See the story here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080229/wl_nm/iraq_archbishop_dc
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080229/wl_nm/iraq_archbishop_dc
Here's a photo I took last November of Emmanuel III Delly, their Patriarch. I have a hunch that perhaps the Archbishop that was kidnapped is in this photo.
February 29: Ammazza, aho!
Happy leap year! 365 days this year. Today is the birthday of Pope Paul III (n. 1468).
Yesterday evening was spent at the only true "Restaurante Mexicano" in Rome. My Mexican friends who study at the Regina Apostolorum spend a lot of time there. They all call me "little John."
Anyways, when you visit Rome you want to eat Italian, right? Also, visit these two places which we students frequent near the Vatican:
La Cucaracha (www.lacucaracha.it)
via Mocenigo, 10a
Cantina Tirolese (www.cantinatirolese.it)
Via G. Vitelleschi, 23
Yesterday evening was spent at the only true "Restaurante Mexicano" in Rome. My Mexican friends who study at the Regina Apostolorum spend a lot of time there. They all call me "little John."
Anyways, when you visit Rome you want to eat Italian, right? Also, visit these two places which we students frequent near the Vatican:
La Cucaracha (www.lacucaracha.it)
via Mocenigo, 10a
Cantina Tirolese (www.cantinatirolese.it)
Via G. Vitelleschi, 23
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Glorious Lateran Basilica: mother and mistress...
Study, know and love this, the Cathedral Church of Rome:
Sacrosancta Lateranensis Ecclesia
Omnium Urbis Et Orbis
Ecclesiarum Mater
Et Caput
The Return: Ambrosian Rite in Lateran Basilica...
Clergy from the See of Milan, when visiting Rome, were always proud to celebrate Holy Mass in their own rite, the so-called Ambrosian rite.
In Rome their seminarians lived at the Lombard College overlooking St. Mary Major and their parish was St. Charles and Ambrose on the Via del Corso.
This past Saturday the first preconciliar Ambrosian rite Mass in about forty years was celebrated in the Lateran Archbasilica. It was a profound moment of holiness and prayer.
The Return: Ambrosian Rite in Lateran Basilica...
Here we get a look into this private chapel at the Lateran where tourists/pilgrims are not allowed to enter.
One can see here the famous fresco of Santa Anna along with her daughter, the Madonna. Lots of saints have celebrated private Masses on this altar.
The Return: Ambrosian Rite in Lateran Basilica...
With a sight such as this what can one say but: SS. LATERANENSIS ECCLESIA!
The Return: Ambrosian Rite in Lateran Basilica...
The sunlit Capella Santa Anna is where clergy celebrate private Masses in the Lateran Archbasilica, located just off the sacristy.
The Return: Ambrosian Rite in Lateran Basilica...
After the elevations, a touching moment in the rite.
The Return: Ambrosian Rite in Lateran Basilica...
After the Ambrosian rite Mass it was time for the next Mass, the Pontifical Mass. So on the occassion of his birthday everyone had a warm word for the Archbishop.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Return: Classical Rite to Pantheon...
Indeed, the long winter is over, friends. This past Sunday was a special day in the life of the Roman Church.
Solemn High Mass was sung in the Tridentine rite in the Pantheon, a.k.a. the Collegiate Basilica of Sancta Maria ad Martyres.
The vital question these days is how to preserve the spiritual inheritance of Europe and how to restore a common purpose to Western civilization. This might just be the answer.
Special thanks to the Archpriest Rector of the Basilica as well as to the celebrant, a canon from the Metropolitan Cathedral chapter of Milan.
The Return: Classical Rite at Pantheon...
The celebrated Msgr. Angelo Amodeo, from the See of Milan, sang the Mass. He was ordained priest 50 years ago by John Baptist Card. Montini, future Pope Paul VI.
The Return: Classical Rite at Pantheon...
Here we see an example of the much beloved Roman custom of the "folded chasubles" (folded up and attached with buttons).
On certain days throughout the year the deacon and subdeacon do not wear the dalmatic and tunicle, as they are signs of joy (cf. see vesting prayers).
This is done, for example, in collegiate churches, as with the Pantheon (a.k.a. Basilica Collegiata di S. Maria Ad Martyres).
The Return: Classical Rite in Pantheon...
While in the Pantheon, a convert to the Faith explained to us: "Hadrian was an architect and so he designed the Pantheon as we see it today. As emperor, he would have sacrificed to the gods in here."
The Return: Classical Rite in Pantheon...
The glorious prayers at the foot of the altar...under the largest masonry vault ever built - one of the mighy achievements of ancient Rome.
The Return: Classical Rite in Pantheon...
It had been the "temple of all the gods." Today it is known as the best preserved building of ancient Rome. In AD 608 it was converted into a Christian church and now, after some 40 years, Solemn Mass was sung from its main altar in the Classical rite.
The Return: Classical Rite in Pantheon...
The Epistle being chanted in a former pagan temple since won for Christ.
The Return: Classical Rite in Pantheon...
The chanting of the Holy Gospel. Notice the "broad stole" on the deacon.
The Return: Classical Rite in Pantheon...
Deep inside the Pantheon, behind the altar, is located a maze of rooms with a tunnel. Located there is this chapel. This is where the Blessed Sacrament is today reserved inside the belly of this once and former pagan temple. After Holy Mass we prayed together the Salve Regina here.
The Return: Classical Rite in Pantheon...
The sacristy of the Pantheon is a really interesting room. Damp, dusty and historic beyond words. But here's a nice picture of the crew (in Rome we see the universality).
Celebrant: Italian
Deacon: Austrian
Subdeacon: English
Servers: France, Canada, U.S. of A.
Monday, February 25, 2008
F.S.S.P. musical rosary in Rome...
To celebrate the feast In Cathedra S. Petri Ap. Antiochiae, the F.S.S.P. hosted another "musical rosary" at the Roman parish of San Salvatore in Lauro.
This monsignor, the principle chaplain of the Order of Malta, made a quick introduction while the rosary was recited - in Latin - by another monsignor, a canon from the See of Milan.
The music was fabulous (all from the 1600s) and the church was packed with lots of faithful. See here for more photos: http://www.fsspinurbe.blogspot.com/.
F.S.S.P. musical rosary in Rome...
Italy is a Catholic country. So here people sometimes have rather Catholic names.
Meet a dear friend of the F.S.S.P. Rome apostolate, Mons. Angelo (angel) Amodeo (I love God).
He's a famous canonico del Capitolo Metropolitano of the Cathedral of Milan, in Lombardia.
He is a man characterized by those who know him as a saint. It is a great honor to pray with him and to spend time in his presence.
F.S.S.P. musical rosary in Rome...
We're not worthy!
Behold the hallowed moiré monsignorial biretta of a canon of the famous "il Duomo" of Milan.
F.S.S.P. Musical Rosary in Rome...
Quality is the only word. The nuns used to make all these back in the good old days. Only pure materials for service at the altar were used: pure linen (starched) and pure silk (moiré)...and all made by hand.
Rome: beacon of civilization...
When I was still just a boy my mother with tact explained the habit of the sisters to me in words which a child could understand: "With the habit the one thing that you see is this beautiful, beaming, shining face."
The joyous face and the joyous crucifix is what we see. This is witness and it is love. Let's never forget the good sisters. They were the ones who loved us first. Who staffed our schools and hospitals.
To our young ladies in discernment I urge: actum agere (to do what has already been done)! The Master is here and He calleth thee!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Ordinations at Lateran Archbasilica...
It's been a long winter, friends. Rome had not seen glory like this in about forty years. Then came today.
It was a lovely Mass and a historical moment. Clergy and seminarians came from every corner of the globe. Laymen, too, and families with little children.
The guys busted these candles out of the museum treasury and carried the old portable altar from dusty storage.
Many thanks to the friendly Italian canon in charge of the Lateran sacristy who made much of this possible. Many thanks, too, to Archbishop Luigi de Magistris, a son of the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary, for singing the Mass.
Before the hippies arrived on the scene there were always two portable altars in the Basilica of St. John Lateran: the altar in front of the confessio and the altar in front of the fixed throne. Today the one was returned and this is what it looked like.
And it all still shined as it did back in the day. Ever Roman, ever timeless, ever Catholic.
Ordinations at Lateran Archbasilica...
It was evident to everybody present why the big ordinations were always done here back in the day - from a simple portable altar.
It's a sober and stunning effect to be there in front of the actual episcopal throne of the Vicar of Christ on earth and to see the permanent altar in which only he, in theory, can celebrate Holy Mass on.
The affect is one of awe, reverence, piety, fear, devotion and respect.
Ordinations at the Lateran Archbasilica...
A close view of the stemma located on three sides of the portable altar.
Ordinations at Lateran Archbasilica...
He's known for being a brilliant canonist and an eminent Vatican employee. What many don't know is that he is also one of the most eloquent preachers in Rome.
During the rite of Ordination he preached from the ambo where the microphone was. He mentioned that he, too, had been ordained a deacon there in 1951 by Cardinal Micara while a student at the Lateran.
He spoke lots of the Madonna, the Church, trust and virtue. Then, with great humility, he asked the new deacons to pray for him, the Archbishop, that he, too, might have the grace to persevere in his vocation - to the very end.
Notice that he preaches without notes. His nickname is "Il Sardo" as he's from the Italian island of Sardinia.
Ordinations at Lateran Archbasilica...
You can see the little door behind the Papal throne? It leads into a lovely little room which leads to a staircase which led me into three choir galleries high above.
My pastor, the famous Church musician, Msgr. R.J. Schuler, once told me that when he was studying in Rome in the 1950s a porter of the Lateran once took him up there to show him where Jews were hidden during World War II. I saw many rooms up there where I guess they must have been hidden and where perhaps the canons or sisters live today.
February 22 in Rome...
One good day to visit St. Peter's Basilica is any Feb. 22 for the Chair of St. Peter. On that day this statue is vested as a pope with a tiara, cope, ring, pectoral cross, stole, amice and rochet.
On this day, too, they also light lots of candles at the altar of the chair in the Vatican Basilica. Also, be sure to visit during the two station days during any Lent.
A room with a view: your dream house in Rome...
...not the Art Deco filling station, but the nice palazzo on the left. Can some Catholic billionaire just purchase it and we can make it into a pilgrim centre?
Redux (a bringing back)...
The U.S. Military Academy has their own uniform. The U.S. Naval Academy has their own uniform. And the Pontifical North American College (the American seminary in Rome) has their own uniform, too. It's a rather patriotic garment: red, white and blue (red sash, white collar and blue buttons and piping).
Sadly, with the dynamics of modernism, N.A.C. seminarians are no longer allowed to wear this, their habit, around Rome. I have heard the seminarians complain for years: "If we get caught we'll get kicked out."
Vestments seen only in Rome...
From a private collection...
One can see the crest of a family here (in Italy there is often a pun on the family name with the symbolism of the familial coat-of-arms).
Friday, February 22, 2008
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