Pope Benedict XVI said in 2007: It has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form [of the Latin Mass], felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them (“Letter Accompanying Summorum Pontificum”). Why is this so?…
Growing up in the United Methodist Church I was blissfully unaware of liturgical debates and differences within Christianity. Our church was what I’d call “Middle Church”—we didn’t embrace all the liturgical riches of High Church Anglicanism, nor did we succumb to the antics of Low Church Evangelicalism. In other words, we were solidly Midwest Boring.…
Above: The Assumption of Mary by Luca Giordano (1634-1705). “Today the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven; rejoice, for she reigns with Christ forever.” The Church will close her chants on this glorious day with this sweet antiphon which resumes the object of the feast and the spirit in which it should be celebrated. No other…
Editor’s Note: Today we publish the final part of José A. Ureta’s critique of Desiderio Desideravi. For earlier parts, see Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4. The entire critique may be downloaded as a single PDF here. An Uncomfortable Question In the four aspects we have analyzed in the preceding parts—(1) the purpose…
Editor’s Note: we continue with Part 4 of José A. Ureta’s five-part critique of Desiderio Desideravi. For earlier parts, see here: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3. The Unique Role of the Priest in the Mass In Mediator Dei, Pius XII explicitly teaches: “Only to the apostles, and thenceforth to those on whom their successors…
Editor’s Note: We continue with part three of José A. Ureta’s five-part critique of Desiderio Desideravi. For Part 1, see here. For Part 2, see here. The Holy Mass as a True and Proper Sacrifice When dealing with the Eucharistic sacrifice, Mediator Dei reiterates the teaching of the Council of Trent that the Holy Mass…
Editor’s Note: We continue with part two of José A. Ureta’s five-part critique of Desiderio Desideravi, which began with yesterday’s installment. The Paschal Mystery as the Center of the Celebration In the encyclical Mediator Dei, Pius XII underlines the centrality of the Passion in the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ and in our Redemption…
Critique of Desiderio Desideravi, pt. 1 Editor’s Introduction: We begin the publication, in five successive articles, of an important study by José Antonio Ureta about the theological foundations on which the recent apostolic exhortation Desiderio Desideravi rests. The author argues that these foundations manifestly differ from those of Pius XII’s encyclical Mediator Dei to the…
Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Fr Chad Ripperger, Dr Peter Kwasniewski, Msgr Alberto Turco, Dr William Mahrt, Dr Edward Schaefer, Fr Mark Bachmann OSB, Mr Nicholas Lemme… these are the speakers of the online International Gregorian Chant Conference, Sept 25 – Oct 2, hosted by the Gregorian Chant Academy. How did I manage to organize an International…
The following is a real exchange of letters, with identifying details edited out. The correspondence took place about three years ago. LETTER 1 Dear Dr. Kwasniewski, A mutual friend forwarded to me the letters between you and your priest friend entitled “Discovering Tradition: A Priest’s Crisis of Conscience.” Just as a sort of prolegomena, I…
Above: The Visitation by Flemish painter Willem Vrelant (d. 1481). This Saturday, July 2, is the usus antiquior feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast was instituted in 1389 by, in a way, two popes—Pope Urban VI as the one who intended to institute it, in hopes of obtaining the end…
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