Human Skateboarding

Wow, the new skateboard decks are getting bigger and more customized. That grind looks a bit painful though. LOL.



RS

Comparison of Prayers - 1st Sunday of Lent

"The Temptation of Christ" by Sandro Botticelli

Collect (Opening Prayer)

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Concéde nobis, omnípotens Deus, ut, per ánnua quadragesimális exercítia sacraménti, et ad intellegéndum Christi proficiámus arcánum, et efféctus eius digna conversatióne sectémur.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia saécula sæculórum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. Father, through our observance of Lent, help us to understand the meaning of your Son’s death and resurrection, and teach us to reflect it in our lives.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. Grant to us, Almighty God, that, through the annual exercises of this holy forty-day obligation, we may both advance in understanding the mystery of Christ, and by worthy conduct may strive after its effects.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Prayer Over the Gifts

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Fac nos, quaésumus, Dómine, his munéribus offeréndis conveniénter aptári, quibus ipsíus venerábilis sacraménti celebrámus exórdium.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Lord, make us worthy to bring you these gifts. May this sacrifice help to change our lives.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
Make us, we humbly beseech You, O Lord, to be suitably prepared by these gifts which are about to be offered, by which we celebrate the beginning of this venerable holy season.
Through Christ our Lord.

Preface
Preface of the temptation of the Lord
(Preface of the 1st Sunday of Lent)

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Vere dignum et iustum est, æquum et salútare, nos tibi semper et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine, sancte Pater, omnípotens ætérne Deus: per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
Qui quadragínta diébus, terrénis ábstinens aliméntis, formam huius observántiæ ieiúnio dedicávit, et, omnes evértens antíqui serpéntis insídias, ferméntum malítiæ nos dócuit superáre, ut, paschále mystérium dignis méntibus celebrántes, ad pascha demum perpétuum transeámus.
Et ídeo cum Angelórum atque Sanctórum turba hymnum laudis tibi cánimus, sine fine dicéntes:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus ...

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.
His fast of forty days makes this a holy season of self-denial. By rejecting the devil’s temptations he has taught us to rid ourselves of the hidden corruption of evil, and so to share his paschal meal in purity of heart, until we come to its fulfillment in the promised land of heaven.
Now we join the angels and saints as they sing their unending hymn of praise:
Holy, holy, holy ...

My Own Literal Translation
It is truly right and just, proper and availing unto salvation, that we always and everywhere give thanks to You, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God: through Christ our Lord.
Who, for forty days, abstaining from earthly food, established the form of this observance by a fast, and, overthrowing all the insidious acts of the ancient serpent, He taught us to rise above the corruption of evil, so that, celebrating the Paschal Mystery with worthy dispositions, we may at last pass on to the everlasting Paschal Feast.
And so with the Host of Angels and Saints we sing the hymn of praise to You, saying without end:
Holy, Holy, Holy ...

Post-Communion Prayer

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Cælésti pane refécti, quo fides álitur, spes provéhitur et cáritas roborátur, quaésumus, Dómine, ut ipsum, qui est panis vivus et verus, esuríre discámus, et in omni verbo, quod procédit de ore tuo, vívere valeámus.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. Father, you increase our faith and hope, you deepen our love in this communion. Help us to live by your words and to seek Christ, our bread of life,
who is Lord for ever and ever.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. Having been refreshed by this Heavenly Bread, by Which faith is sustained, hope is advanced, and love is strengthened, we humbly beseech You, O Lord, that we may learn to hunger for Him, Who is the Living and True Bread, and may have strength to live in every word, which comes from Your mouth.
Through Christ our Lord.

RS

Reading List

I just added a reading list to the sidebar with the hope that maybe I will make a little more effort to get through them now that everyone will see how long they will be on there.

I tend to read several books at at time. Picking up whichever one I am in the mood to read at the time. I also have an idea to start reading the Bible, more as a book than trying to go through it slowly and reflectively. I figure it might at least get me through it and then I can go back and focus certain areas. We'll see if that works.

So far, I have been reading "A Canticle for Leibowitz" and San Carlo de Sezze's "Autobiography" most consistantly.
"The Rule of the Master" is very interesting since it appears to be the biggest source for Saint Benedict when he wrote his Rule.
"Theology and Sanity" is a great Theology book, but it is pretty heavy. It is supposed to have one of the best explainations of the Holy Trinity, but when you get into deep dogmatic theology like that, you really have to work your intellect.
"The Prayer of the Presence of God" and "My Spirit Rejoices" are good, but I am having trouble getting into them. I haven't picked those up in awhile now. Still, I do want to get through them.

RS

Happy Lent

The lack of blogging has been the result of burning the candle at both ends.

I do plan to blog durning Lent, but it will take a lower priority. The Comparisons of Prayers will be kept up weekly at the very least. Still, I do want to avoid not blogging. Hopefully my refresher of the liturgical rites will inspire some good topics for blogging.

As a sacristan / master of ceremonies, I am responsible for getting things ready for the liturgies. The biggest part of my annual Lenten sacrifice is getting everything prepared for Holy Week. No small task if you want to do it well. The liturgies are very unique to the liturgical year, so study and planning are necessary. I've been to parishes where the altar servers were literally bumping into each other and the priest was constantly having to give distracting commands to anyone in the Sanctuary. This is something we hope to avoid. The Holy Week liturgies are the most beautiful of the liturgical year, and thus I don't want to give anyone an excuse to dread it.

As for Lent, I have been asked by several people about what they should do for Lenten penances. I always have to go back to what my prior said when I was a novice monk: "focus on things that will build your virtue, that way they will be a habit you can continue even when Lent ends."

The self-denial things are fine within reason, but it is often better to focus on the virtues. I tell the kids who ask me that they should focus on doing their tasks, assignments, or chores with more diligence. They should be more focused in their prayers. They should try to be more courteous to their parents, siblings, and friends.

If they still beg me for a more "penitential" thing, I tell them to eat more vegitables, especially ones they don't like. LOL.

So, have a happy Lent.

RS

Comparison of Prayers - 7th Sunday Per Annum

Collect (Opening Prayer)

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Præsta, quaésumus, omnípotens Deus, ut, semper rationabília meditántes, quæ tibi sunt plácita, et dictis exsequámur et factis.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia saécula sæculórum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. Father keep before us the wisdom and love you have revealed in your Son. Help us to be like him in word and deed,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. Grant, we beseech You, Almighty God, that, always meditating upon rational things, which are pleasing to You, we may carry them out in both words and deeds.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Prayer Over the Gifts

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Mystéria tua, Dómine, débitis servítiis exsequéntes, súpplices te rogámus, ut, quod ad honórem tuæ maiestátis offérimus, nobis profíciat ad salútem.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Lord, as we make this offering, may our worship in Spirit and truth bring us salvation.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
Carrying out Your Mysteries as Your dutiful servants, O Lord, we humbly beg You, that, what we offer to the honor of Your Majesty, may advance our salvation.
Through Christ our Lord.

Post-Communion Prayer

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Præsta, quaésumus, omnípotens Deus, ut illíus capiámus efféctum, cuius per hæc mystéria pignus accépimus.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. Almighty God, help us to live the example of love we celebrate in this eucharist, that we may come to its fulfillment in your presence.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. Grant, we beseech You, Almighty God, that we may obtain the effect of Him, Whose promise we have received through these Mysteries.
Through Christ our Lord.

RS

Two Pro-Life Videos, Part II

Here are two very powerful videos that are very well done. Shows the reality of the personal consequences of abortion.

Thanks to dadwithnoisykids for pointing this out (and Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex where he found it).

Flipsyde's "Happy Birthday." (featuring Piper)


"Happy Birthday, I love you whoever you would have been."

This also inspired me to search out another pro-life video that I had posted here before, but whose link was "hijacked." Thankfully, I did find it on youtube.

Apparently, Nick Cannon's mother was contemplating an abortion, but changed her mind. I heard that this was actually quite a popular video on B.E.T.

Nick Cannon's "Can I Live?"


"What you want: morning sickness or the sickness of mourning?"

RS

Happy Make Greeting Card Co's Richer Day

Valentines Day ... I never did like those candy hearts. Bleuch.
I'll just let this guy speak.



RS

Medieval Tech Support

EDIT - The original link wasn't working, so I found another one, and you should be able to view the video now.

Well, Windows Vista has been unleashed released, and following the Microsoft trend, there have been many complaining about problems, incompatabilities, and "blue screens of death."

It seems like every time some new technology is released there are issues, especially for users who have to learn how to operate the new technology.

Thankfully, through the ages, there has been tech support in some form or another. There's even "recorded evidence" of it in the Middle Ages! Check out the footage below:



RS

Heretic Quiz Answers

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451. Chalcedon compliant 100% Docetism 0% Donatism 0% Arianism 0% Apollanarian 0% Adoptionist 0% Gnosticism 0% Monophysitism 0% Socinianism 0% Monarchianism 0% Pelagianism 0% Nestorianism 0% Albigensianism 0% Modalism 0% Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com

As promised, here are the answers to the Heretic Quiz I found and posted recently (below the Scripture Quiz).

The key is from the author himself.
Part of the difficulty is that you had to be very technical in reading the statements. Some people have also argued that there is some imprecision in some of the statements.
Ideally, a perfect score would be 100% Calcedon compliant and 0% on any heretical statements.
You had to "strongly agree" with the Calcedon statements and "strongly disagree" with any heretical statements.
The best book I could find to help in this was "Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma" by Dr. Ludwig Ott. If you have any issues, take it up with the author.
From the author:

"Heresy quiz answers
A fair few people have now taken the Are you are heretic? quiz which seems to have thrown up a few surprises and also a few e-mails. If you've e-mailed me, I have no way of responding to you because QuizFarm doesn't tell me what your e-mail address is, so apologies. Anyhow, in no particular order, here are the various heresies and the questions you had to answer to score on them (all the definitions are copied-and-pasted from here because I've been typing all afternoon and it's just easier.)

1. Docetism

-God is Spirit, not matter, so Jesus' body was spiritual and only seemed like it was physical
-God cannot co-exist with matter, Jesus only appeared to be fully human
-Created matter is fallen and corrupt, so Jesus did not take on full human nature

Docetism was an error with several variations concerning the nature of Christ. Generally, it taught that Jesus only appeared to have a body, that he was not really incarnate, (Greek, "dokeo" = "to seem"). This error developed out of the dualistic philosophy which viewed matter as inherently evil, that God could not be associated with matter, and that God, being perfect and infinite, could not suffer. Therefore, God as the word, could not have become flesh.

2. Apollinarianism

-Jesus' human nature is lesser than his divine nature.
-Jesus' mind was divine, not merely human.
-Jesus' ordinary human soul was overcome by the the divine Logos inside him

Apollinarianism was the heresy taught by Apollinaris the Younger, bishop of Laodicea in Syria about 361. He taught that the Logos of God, which became the divine nature of Christ, took the place of the rational human soul of Jesus and that the body of Christ was a glorified form of human nature. In other words, though Jesus was a man, He did not have a human mind but that the mind of Christ was solely divine. Apollinaris taught that the two natures of Christ could not coexist within one person. His solution was to lessen the human nature of Christ. Apollinarianism was condemned by the Second General Council at Constantinople in 381.

3. Arianism

-Having been the first creation of the Father, the Son then created the Holy Spirit
-The divine Logos replaced Jesus' human nature in the incarnation
-Only God the Father is eternal, and he produced the Son out of nothing.

Arius taught that only God the Father was eternal and too pure and infinite to appear on the earth. Therefore, God produced Christ the Son out of nothing as the first and greatest creation. The Son is then the one who created the universe. Because the Son relationship of the Son to the Father is not one of nature, it is, therefore, adoptive. God adopted Christ as the Son. Though Christ was a creation, because of his great position and authority, he was to be worshipped and even looked upon as God. Some Arians even held that the Holy Spirit was the first and greatest creation of the Son.

4. Adoptionism

-Jesus was raised from the dead and united with God as a reward for his obedience
-'Son of God' refers to Jesus' divine nature only. As man he is simply the 'firstborn'.
-Jesus was given supernatural powers and made the Son of God at his baptism.

Adoptionism is an error concerning Christ that first appeared in the second century. Those who held it denied the preexistence of Christ and, therefore, His deity. Adoptionists taught that Jesus was tested by God and after passing this test and upon His baptism, He was granted supernatural powers by God and adopted as the Son. As a reward for His great accomplishments and perfect character Jesus was raised from the dead and adopted into the Godhead.

5. Gnosticism

-Jesus was not really God incarnate, because God cannot indwell corrupted matter
-Salvation will ultimately involve an escape from physical reality
-God is Spirit, and so spirit is good. Matter is bad.

The word "gnosticism" comes from the Greek word "gnosis" which means "knowledge." There were many groups that were Gnostic and it isn't possible to easily describe the nuances of each variant of Gnostic doctrines. However, generally speaking, Gnosticism taught that salvation is achieved through special knowledge (gnosis). This knowledge usually dealt with the individual's relationship to the transcendent Being.

A more detailed Gnostic theology is as follows. The unknowable God was far too pure and perfect to have anything to do with the material universe which was considered evil. Therefore, God generated lesser divinities, or emenations. One of these emanations, Wisdom desired to know the unknowable God. Out of this erring desire the demiurge an evil god was formed and it was this evil god that created the universe. He along with archons kept the mortals in bondage in material matter and tried to prevent the pure spirit souls from ascending back to god after the death of the physical bodies. Since, according to the Gnostics, matter is evil, deliverance from material form was attainable only through special knowledge revealed by special Gnostic teachers. Christ was the divine redeemer who descended from the spiritual realm to reveal the knowledge necessary for this redemption. In conclusion, Gnosticism is dualistic. That is, it teaches there is a good and evil, spirit and matter, light and dark, etc. dualism in the universe.

6. Monophysite

- Jesus is God and man in one person
- Jesus' humanity was absorbed to produce one new divine nature
- Jesus did not have two natures (human and divine) he had one new composite nature

Monophysitism is an error concerning the nature of Christ that asserts Jesus had only one nature, not two as is taught in the correct doctrine of the hypostatic union: Jesus is both God and man in one person. In monophysitism, the single nature was divine, not human. It is sometimes referred to as Eutychianism, after Eutyches 378-452, but there are slight differences. Monophysitism arose out of a reaction against Nestorianism which taught Jesus was two distinct persons instead of one. Its roots can even be traced back to Apollinarianism which taught that the divine nature of Christ overtook and replaced the human one.

7. Modalism

- God is one person, but exists in three forms as Father, Son and Spirit
- The Father, Son, and Spirit all exist, but never at the same time.
- On the cross, God was manifest as the Son. He is now manifest as the Holy Spirit.

Modalism is probably the most common theological error concerning the nature of God. It is a denial of the Trinity which states that God is a single person who, throughout biblical history, has revealed Himself in three modes, or forms. Thus, God is a single person who first manifested himself in the mode of the Father in Old Testament times. At the incarnation, the mode was the Son. After Jesus' ascension, the mode is the Holy Spirit. These modes are consecutive and never simultaneous. In other words, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit never all exist at the same time, only one after another. Modalism denies the distinctiveness of the three persons in the Trinity even though it retains the divinity of Christ.

8. Nestorianism

- Only Jesus' human nature died on on the cross.
- Jesus is two persons; one human and one divine
- Miracles show Jesus divinity. Hunger shows his humanity.

Nestorianism is the error that Jesus is two distinct persons. The heresy is named after Nestorius, who was born in Syria and died in 451 AD, who advocated this doctrine. Nestorius was a monk who became the Patriarch of Constantinople and he repudiated the Marian title "Mother of God." He held that Mary was the mother of Christ only in respect to His humanity. The council of Ephesus was convened in 431 to address the issue and pronounced that Jesus was one person in two distinct and inseparable natures: divine and human.

9. Pelagianism

- We have not inherited original sin from Adam.
- God's grace is an aid to help people come to him.
- We can obey the commands that God has given us. This is why some people in the OT were righteous.

Pelagius taught that people had the ability to fulfill the commands of God by exercising the freedom of human will apart from the grace of God. He denied original sin, the doctrine that we have inherited a sinful nature from Adam. He said that Adam only hurt himself when he fell and all of his descendents were not affected by Adam's sin. Pelagius taught that a person is born with the same purity and moral abilities as Adam was when he was first made by God. He taught that people can choose God by the exercise of their free will and rational thought. God's grace, then, is merely an aid to help individuals come to Him.

10. Socianism

- Jesus was not eternally pre-existent, he was rather a deified man
- God exists in singular unity, there can be no human-divine union
- God is a single person with the Holy Spirit as the power of God

A heresy concerning the nature of God. It is derived from two brothers of the surname Sozinni who lived in the 1500's in Poland. Socinianism denies the doctrine of the Trinity claiming it denies the simplicity of God's unity. Instead, God is a single person with the Holy Spirit as the power of God. Since it emphasizes the unity of God, there could be no divine and human union in a single person as Christ. Therefore, Socinianism denies the incarnation and deity of Christ as well as Christ's pre-existence. It teaches that Jesus was only a man. However, as is separate from the unitarians, it taught that Jesus was a deified man and was to be adored as such. Nevertheless, since Jesus is not divine by nature, His sacrifice was not efficacious; that is, it did not result in the redemption of people who would trust in it. Instead it was an example of self sacrifice. The followers of Socinianism also rejected infant baptism, hell, and taught the annihilation of the wicked. The Bible was authoritative but was only properly understood through rationalism.

11. Monarchianism

- The Holy Spirit is the presence of God the Father
- God is the Father, and Jesus is only a man
- There is one God who exists as one person

Monarchianism teaches that God is the Father and that Jesus is only a man, denied the personal subsistence of the Logos and taught that the Holy Spirit was a force or presence of God the Father. Present day groups in this category are the Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians, and Unitarians. Additionally, some ancient dynamic monarchianists were also known as Adoptionists who taught that Jesus was tested by God and after passing this test and upon His baptism, He was granted supernatural powers by God and adopted as the Son. Ancient teachers of dynamic monarchianism were Theodotians, a Tanner in Byzantium around 190 A.D., and Paul of Samosata a bishop of Antioch in Syria around 260 AD.
Modal monarchianism teaches that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are just modes of the single person who is God. In other words, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not simultaneous and separate persons, but consecutive modes of one person. Praxeas, a priest from Asia Minor, taught this in Rome around 200 AD. Modern groups in this general category are the Oneness Pentecostal groups known as the United Pentecostal and United Apostolic Churches. However, the present day modalists maintain that God's name is Jesus. They also require baptism "in Jesus' name" not "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" for salvation.

12. Albigensian

- Suicide is a good way to get rid of the evil of the body
- All material things were created by Satan
- The body is evil, and so will not be resurrected

A heresy during the middle ages that developed in the town Albi in Southern France. This error taught that there were two gods: the good god of light usually referred to as Jesus in the New Testament and the god of darkness and evil usually associated with Satan and the "God of the Old Testament." Anything material was considered evil including the body which was created by Satan. The soul, created by the good god, was imprisoned in the evil flesh and salvation was possible only through holy living and doing good works. At death, if the person has been spiritual enough, salvation comes to the believer. But, if the person has not been good enough, he is reincarnated as an animal or another human. The Albigenses denied the resurrection of the body since it was considered evil.
There were two types of Albigenses: believers and Perfects. Believers were Albigenses who had not taken the initiation rite of being a Perfect. Perfects denounced all material possession. They abstained from meat, milk, cheese, eggs, and sexual relations. To become a Perfect a believer had to go through consolamentum, an initiation rite involving the laying on of hands that was supposed to bring the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Infrequently, suicide was practiced as a way to rid oneself of the evil human body.
In 1208, Peter de Castelnau, an official representative of the Pope, was murdered by an Albigenses. Since they had been growing in number, becoming a threat, and would not convert to Christianity, Pope Innocent III ordered them to be wiped out. The persecution was fierce and the movement was stopped.

13. Donatism

- The efficacy of sacraments depend on the moral status of those administering them
- A baptism is invalid if performed by a minister who later renounces his faith
- The Eucharist is not effective if it is administered by a leader who is sinful

Donatism developed as a result of the persecution of Christians ordered by Diocletian in 303 in which all churches and sacred scriptures of the Christians were to be destroyed. In 304 another edict was issued ordering the burning of incense to the idol gods of the Roman empire. Of course, Christians refused, but it did not curtail the increased persecution. Many Christians gave up the sacred texts to the persecutors and even betrayed other Christians to the Romans. These people became known as "traditors," Christians who betrayed other Christians. (Note: traditor, not traitor)

At the consecration of bishop Caecilian of Carthage in 311, one of the three bishops, Felix, bishop of Aptunga, who consecrated Caecilian, had given copies of the Bible to the Roman persecutors. A group of about 70 bishops formed a synod and declared the consecration of the bishop to be invalid. Great debate arose concerning the validity of the sacraments (baptism, the Lord's Supper, etc.) by one who had sinned so greatly against other Christians.

The problem with Donatism is that no person is morally pure. The effectiveness of the baptism or administration of the Lord's supper does not cease to be effective if the moral character of the minister is in question or even demonstrated to be faulty. Rather, the sacraments are powerful because of what they are, visible representations of spiritual realities. God is the one who works in and through them and He is not restricted by the moral state of the administrant.

14. Chalcedon Compliant

- Jesus is at once complete in Godhead and manhood
- Jesus divine and human natures are in no way confused or annulled by their union with each other
- Jesus is of one substance with the Father in his divine nature.

"We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [co-essential] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, in confusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning [have declared] concerning Him, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us."

RS

Prayer Request

Ugh. Today has been "one of those days." Given that, even though it is Sunday, it is also when the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes would normally be, and it is World Day of the Sick, I think the "grappin" (Saint John Vianney's condescending nickname for the Devil) has been causing more mischief more than usual.
However, maybe this is a good sign. Saint John Vianney also used to say that when the grappin was causing problems, it meant something good was about to happen.

Anyway, among the frustrating things of the day, I would ask you to please keep dadwithnoisykids in your prayers. He has been having some very serious blood pressure issues and he and his family could use any extra prayers you might be able to offer.

"Fratres : Sóbrii estóte, et vigiláte : quia adversárius vester diábolus tamquam leo rúgiens circuit, quærens quem dévoret : cui resístite fortes in fide." - I Peter 5:8

"Brethren, be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, is prowling about as a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour; resist him, steadfast in the Faith.

Immaculata, ora pro nobis.

RS

Saint Scholastica

Today, February 10th, is the Feast of Saint Scholastica.

First, I wish Father Clement a happy ordination anniversary. He was ordained on the Feast of Saint Scholastica back in 2005. I was honored to be his attendant during the Ordination Mass. (Thank you, Father Andrew, for the "assignment.")

Friends and family with Father Clement (in the violet) at his first Sunday Mass after ordination.
(The Roman Sacristan is also somewhere in the picture.)

Having been a Novice at Norcia, since Saint Benedict was a spiritual father to me, I really do see Saint Scholastica as a sort of aunt. It makes sense because she is highly venerated in Norcia. (Norcia is the Italian for Nursia, the city in Italy where Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica were born.)


The monks even have a relic of Saint Scholastica which is part of the bone from her forearm. It is appropriately placed in a reliquary shaped like an arm positioned where the bone would be.

Left: Relic of Saint Scholastica
Right: Relic of Saint Benedict

The basilica of Saint Benedict is built over the old Roman house where Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica were born.


Then as you go into the basilica, on the left hand side, there are stairs leading down into the crypt.


This brings you down into the crypt.


Over to the left is the chapel with the Tabernacle.


And this is the place where Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica were born. They were twins.


In the upper church, there is a beautiful painting of Saint Scholastica with Our Lady and the Christ Child above her, and Saint Scholastica is surrounded by Saint Spes and Saint Eutizio and some other Norcian Saints.


Our greatest source for information about Saint Scholastica is Saint Gregory the Great. He writes about her in Chapter 33 in Book II of his Dialogues. He finds her to be a great example of love and the power of prayer.

Of a miracle wrought by [Saint Benedict's] sister Scholastica.

(Book II deals exclusively with the life of Saint Benedict)

Sancta Scholastica ora pro nobis.

RS

Comparison of Prayers - 6th Sunday Per Annum

"The Sermon on the Mount" by Carl Heinrich Bloch

Collect (Opening Prayer)

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Deus, qui te in rectis et sincéris manére pectóribus ásseris, da nobis tua grátia tales exsístere, in quibus habitáre dignéris.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia saécula sæculórum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. God our Father, you have promised to remain for ever with those who do what is just and right. Help us to live in your presence.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. O God, You Who declare that You remain in upright and sincere hearts, grant to us by Your grace to become as those in whom You wish to dwell.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Prayer Over the Gifts

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Hæc nos oblátio, quaésumus, Dómine, mundet et rénovet, atque tuam exsequéntibus voluntátem fiat causa remuneratiónis ætérnæ.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Lord, we make this offering in obedience to your word. May it cleanse and renew us, and lead us to our eternal reward.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
May this oblation cleanse and renew us, we beseech You, O Lord, and by following Your Will may it be the cause of our eternal reward.
Through Christ our Lord.

Post-Communion Prayer

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Cæléstibus, Dómine, pasti delíciis, quaésumus, ut semper éadem, per quæ veráciter vívimus, appetámus.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. Lord, you give us food from heaven. May we always hunger for the bread of life.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. Having been fed by these Heavenly delights, O Lord, we humbly beseech You, that we may always hunger for them, through which we truly live.
Through Christ our Lord.

RS

Patriarch's Homily

I just found this over at New Liturgical Movement.

A great homily by the Patriarch of Constantinople on the importance of the liturgy as worship and the expression of the faith.



It pretty much reminds me of Fr. Z.'s post about "Save The Liturgy, Save The World."

It also reminds me how we really need to get ceremony and reverence back into the Latin Rites. Being man means having both body and soul. Worship can be helped by the physical. I mean, you have got to love those vestments and the decor of that church.

RS

Another Quiz

You are a 100% traditional Catholic!

 

Congratulations! You are more knowlegeable than most modern theologians! You have achieved mastery over the most important doctrines of the Catholic Faith! You should share your incredible understanding with others!

Do You Know Your Baltimore Catechism?
Make Your Own Quiz

Thanks to eldest daughter of dadwithnoisykids for pointing out yet another little internet quiz.

Do You Know Your Baltimore Catechism?

Thank God that Brother Philip and the Franciscans who taught me used the Baltimore Catechism. Talk about God providing. When I was growing up in the '80's I had to endure much of the goofiness that was "modern" catechesis and music. I was taught by three Franciscans who had been sent to our little Catholic grade school and one to the Catholic High School. Many years later, I came to find out that these Brothers were sort of the "black sheep" of their Order. Their particular Order had pretty much gone nutty, and apparently they were ostracized to our school. Like I said, I only found this out 10 years after I graduated from that grade school.

I still remember Brother Philip making us memorize a set of definitions: "What is a Sacrament?"
"A Sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ ..." (don't want to give away one of the questions on the quiz now).
I never knew what that came from, it was only in college that I recognized it when I saw the Baltimore Catechism.

RS

Comparison of Prayers - 5th Sunday Per Annum

"The Miraculous Draught of Fishes" by Raphael

Collect (Opening Prayer)

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Famíliam tuam, quaésumus, Dómine, contínua pietáte custódi, ut, quæ in sola spe grátiæ cæléstis innítitur, tua semper protectóne muniátur.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia saécula sæculórum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. Father, watch over your family and keep us safe in your care, for all our hope is in you.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. Guard Your family, we beseech You, O Lord, with constant merciful love, so that, those who rely on the sole hope of Heavenly grace, may always be preserved by Your protection.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Prayer Over the Gifts

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Dómine Deus noster, qui has pótius creatúras ad fragilitátis nostræ subsídium condidísti, tríbue, quaésumus, ut étiam æternitátis nobis fiant sacramémtum.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Lord our God, may the bread and wine you give us for our nourishment on earth become the sacrament of our eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
O Lord our God, You Who established these creatures above all others to be the aid of our frailty, grant, we beseech You, that they may also become for us the Sacrament of eternity.
Through Christ our Lord.

Post-Communion Prayer

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Deus, qui nos de uno pane et de uno cálice partícipes esse voluísti, da nobis, quaésumus, ita vívere, ut, unum in Christo effécti, fructum afferámus pro mundi salúte gaudéntes.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. God our Father, you give us a share in the one bread and the one cup and make us one in Christ. Help us to bring your salvation and joy to all the world.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. O God, You Who wished us to be participants of this One Bread and this One Chalice, grant to us, we beseech You, to live in such a way, that, as we have been made one in Christ, we may joyfully bring forth fruit for the salvation of the world.
Through Christ our Lord.

RS

This explains a lot.

You know the Bible 100%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

If this test is what it takes to be considered "a true Biblical scholar" then this explains much of the poor scholarship of scriptural exegesis in the past few decades.

Now if you want a real test try this quiz:

Are You A Heretic?

It is eXtremely technical and took me a few tries to get through it without being a heretic. (Any Christian should be able to pass it since this deals with heresies way before the Protestant reformation.)

Here are the results of my first try:

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451. Chalcedon compliant 100% Nestorianism 33% Apollanarian 33% Pelagianism 33% Monophysitism 33% Arianism 0% Monarchianism 0% Adoptionist 0% Docetism 0% Donatism 0% Albigensianism 0% Modalism 0% Gnosticism 0% Socinianism 0% Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com

I eventually found the "answer key" which was made by the author himself. I'll post that in a few days. Don't want to tempt y'all to cheat on a theology quiz now. ;)

(Note: Technically, not only do you have to get 100% Calcedon Compliant, but you also have to have 0% on all the heresies listed below that otherwise you are agreeing with something heretical in the quiz, despite the conclusion saying your are not a heretic.) Really, you have to get the score below, otherwise you either disagree with doctrine which is heresy, or you agree with a heretical belief which is heresy.

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451. Chalcedon compliant 100% Docetism 0% Donatism 0% Arianism 0% Apollanarian 0% Adoptionist 0% Gnosticism 0% Monophysitism 0% Socinianism 0% Monarchianism 0% Pelagianism 0% Nestorianism 0% Albigensianism 0% Modalism 0% Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com

RS

Slow blogging

Sorry for the lack of blogging. That little thing called "Real Life"®©™ has been busy.

I did notice that we've had over 10,000 hits. Thank you so much. I hope to improve things with time. The 10,000th visitor was from the Naval Academy!

RS