Roman Sacristan

On my last trip which took me to Australia, Texas and California–all of which my friends in here in New England believe are separate countries–I met a blogger who goes by the moniker of Roman Sacristan.  I had seen his blog before, but I would like to here mention it as a resource for things liturgical.  In an effort to explain the purpose of his blog, he says:

But getting back to the initial question of the “reform of the reform” vis-a-vis the extra-ordinary form of the Mass that has been placed back on an equal standing with the ordinary form by “Summorum Pontificum,” I can say that the motu proprio has actually put more “pressure” on the ordinary form to get it’s act together. I don’t mean that the Novus Ordo is to be changed to be more like the extra-ordinary form. That’s something for the Church to do with an organized reform of the liturgy. “Vigilante liturgical reform” is not the answer to the problems in the Novus Ordo Mass. What I mean is to get the Novus Ordo back on track and to start getting it said as it is supposed to be said. We’ll worry about actually reforming the ordinary use later. First we need to just get it said by the books.

My own experience tells me that knowledge of the extraordinary form of the Mass brings with it a context for the celebration of the ordinary form.  One can better percieve the logic of the reforms of Vatican II if one is familiar with the manner of celebration of the usus antiquus.

I appreciate the Roman Sacristan’s use of the term “vigilante liturgical reform.”  I think some of the more traditionally minded assume too much when their hopes for the future are defined by precise expectations about what the future holds in store. Sometimes this can translate into some liturgical adaptations that assume that now the traditional rubrics needs to be imposed on the ordinary form, with the hopes that the ordinary form will disappear altogether.

It seems to me that some of the promotors of Summorum Pontificum even assume that the use of the terms “ordinary form” for the novus ordo and  “extraordinary form” for the usus antiquus are a ruse used by the Holy Father to promote a kind of creeping traditionalism.  This goes too far.

In any case, I highly recommend the Roman Sacristan’s blog.  BTW, he is in the process of vocational discernment, so I know he would appreciate the prayers.

The Spirit of Chivarly in Action

Hartford Courant photo by Shana Surek, 7/26/07

Peter Wolfgang, the executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut will be at our Holy Hour tomorrow night (Thursday, April 17) and after will speak about his work. We have always conceived the spirit of the Knights of Lepanto to be one of both prayer and action, and this spirit is exemplified by Peter and his colleague Larry Taffner.

Many of us know and appreciate the work FIC does, because we know how hard the anti-family and anti-life forces work to undermine traditional values, and we also know that without FIC, those forces would have been far more successful than they have been up to now.

Anyone who has spent even a modicum of time at the capital in Hartford knows how the same-sex marriage lobbyists walk around the State House as if they run the place and yet their schemes have been so often thwarted by the persistent efforts of just a couple of guys at FIC who keep up the fight everyday, while the rest of us show up now and again for the easy stuff. The efforts of those who donate, or show up at rallies and lobbying days, who volunteer to stuff envelopes and flood the legislature phone boards with calls to their legislators are not to be minimized; however, few of us realize how quickly Connecticut would be overrun by those who hate our values if it weren’t for a couple of guys that just won’t quit.

The fact is that the day to day work on the ground, in the State House and in the midst of enemies is being done by a couple of guys who bear up under the weight and keep going. This is a real knighthood, where men of honor do the right thing, no matter what the cost in the face of hopeless odds and push forward.

I really am urging the guys local to Connecticut to make the effort to come and pray with us during the holy hour and to hear Peter speak afterward. He really needs your prayer and support.

Men at Arms Unite at HolyLeague.org

Update Added

Here is the announcement as I promised.

Father Rick Heilman, founder of the Knights of Divine Mercy has been in touch with many Catholic men’s organizations, trying to band together a New Holy League in order to protect the public order by praying a nine month rosary novena preparation for the national election. MaryVictrix is privileged to be counted among the League, and you will find Radix with Doug Barry enlisted as well. Father Heilman was kind enough to post The Spirit of Lepanto post as an explanation of the spirit of this New Holy League.

I urge all the Knights of Lepanto and all men at arms who read MaryVictrix to go to HolyLeague.org, join the league and pray the rosary novena. I am posting below, Fr. Heilman’s launch announcement.

Update: Join the Holy League by clicking on the membership tab and sign up.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Now is the Time! Christ put it this way, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

On the eve of Super Tuesday, and exactly nine months from election day, the sense of urgency could not be greater.

I am asking all men who truly believe that “nothing is impossible with God,” to join me, in this critical election year, to reclaim surrendered ground from the culture of death.

This clarion call is not for those who are too absorbed in their own lives, or for those who have long since lost the belief in answered prayer. This is for those who have been waiting for just such a campaign that asks them be a part of something so important … possibly the most important thing.

Here it is, quite simply …

Drawing inspiration from the epic Battle of Lepanto in 1571, which called on all Catholic warriors and knights to band together to form an armada to combat spiritual error and fight for Truth. This faithful remnant was dubbed “The Holy League.”

In the Spirit of Lepanto, we are compelled to re-ignite the warrior spirit in all of us and take a stand against the mighty forces of spiritual error and the dictatorship of moral relativism. Do I have your attention? Good!!

The battle today is a spiritual warfare and is fought, by and large, on our knees. Please go to this brand new website, launched just today, and join ranks with the new armada of life as we gather the warriors and knights once again to form the new “Holy League” for today. We are appealing to every catholic man and every Catholic men’s apostolate and organization with this clarion call to join ranks in this new “Holy League.” Don’t be found outside looking in … stand up and be counted!

The story of Lepanto, the prayer campaign, the weapons of spiritual warfare … it’s all there on this exciting new website.

Please join, and please do all you can to spread the message of this clarion call to join the “Holy League.”

Domino Gloria!

Fr. Rick Heilman