Liturgy

An old-school confessional revives the Sacrament of Confession

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

DERBY, Conn. (RNS) The Rev. Janusz Kukulka can’t say for sure that his parishioners are sinning more, but they sure are lining up at the new confessional booth to tell him about it.

The new confessional at St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Church in Derby, Conn. RNS photo by Ann Marie Somma/Hartford Faith & Values

For years, Kukulka, was content with absolving sins in a private room marked by an exit sign to the right of the altar St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

But something happened during Lent this year. For the first time, Kukulka really noticed the two confessionals missing from the rear of his church. They’d been gone for four decades, ripped out during the 1970s to make room for air conditioning units during a renovation inspired by the Second Vatican Council.

They must have been a thing of beauty, Kukulka thought. He imagined their dark oak paneled doors and arched moldings to match the Gothic architecture of the church designed by renowned 19th-century architect Patrick Keely.

Their absence was striking, especially when the Archdiocese of Hartford had asked parishes to extend their confession hours during Lent, part of a public relations campaign to get Catholics to return to the sacrament of reconciliation.

So, one Sunday Kukulka announced his desire to the congregation. “I told them I wanted a visible confessional,” he said.

He got one within a week.

…

Patrick Knott, who had never confessed in the private room, said a long line formed in February when Kukulka held the first confession in the booth. He was the first to try it out.

“I got celebrity status,” he said. “It wasn’t bad.”

Kukulka said confessions have been up ever since at the church.

Nicely positive story so of course they needed a killjoy.

But Thomas Groome, professor of theology and religious education at Boston College, doubts that an old-school confessional will be enough to keep the momentum going.

At the parish I came into the Church in they have two sets of the old style confessional and they have confession before every single Mass. There is always some kind of line.

I really think it is quite important to have confession “front and center” even if really it is back and center location wise. I love seeing people in line and I wonder how many people this encourages to also subsequently go to confession?

Frankly the “reconciliation rooms” kind of freak me out at some level. Whenever I see one of them I can hardly imagine wanting to go to confession there. The ones I have seen are so blasé that they could easily be converted to a janitors closet, if that is what they weren’t before. While certainly the location does not affect the sacrament, it does affect how we perceive the sacrament. Add the fact that these rooms are often apart from the main church (in my experience).

I do wonder what would happen if confession was available before every Mass everywhere?

Article via Da Mihi Animas

2 comments
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
Other

“Angels and Saints at Ephesus” CD Giveaway

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Angels and Saints at Ephesus from the Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles is now available. This is the followup album to their wonderful Advent at Ephesus.

Thanks to Carmel Communications I have two copies of the album to give away.

Rules are simple:

  • Leave a comment on this post with a valid email between now and midnight on Sunday.

I will then randomly select two winners with the results posted next Monday. Winners will be contacted so that the CD can be mailed to them.

  1. Dear Angel Ever At My Side
  2. Ave Regina Cælorum
  3. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
  4. Christe Sanctorum
  5. Duo Seraphim
  6. Virgin Wholly Marvellous
  7. Est Secretum
  8. Lorica of St. Patrick
  9. O Deus Ego Amo Te
  10. Emicat Meridies
  11. O God of Loveliness
  12. Læta Quies
  13. A Rose Unpetalled
  14. Jesu Dulcis Memoria
  15. Te Joseph Celebrent
  16. Jesu Corona Virginum
  17. Veritas Mea
16 comments
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
News

Strange Notions

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

The energetic Brandon Vogt announces a new site:

It’s called StrangeNotions.com and it’s designed to be the central place of dialogue between Catholics and atheists. The implicit goal is to bring non-Catholics to faith, especially followers of the so-called New Atheism. As a ‘digital Areopagus’, the site includes intelligent articles, compelling video, and rich discussion throughout its comment boxes.

Strange Notions gets its name from St. Paul’s speech at the Areopagus in Acts 17:16–34. There he proclaimed the Resurrection to the intellectual elite of the ancient world, who responded by saying, “you bring some strange notions to our ears; we should like to know what these things mean.” StrangeNotions.com helps those asking the same thing today. Open-minded atheists will encounter reasonable arguments for God and his Church, maybe for the first time in their lives, and like St. Paul’s listeners they’ll leave intrigued by these strange notions.

I’ve gathered several top Catholic minds to contribute to the site. Right now we have over 30 on board, including Dr. Peter Kreeft, Dr. Edward Feser, Fr. Robert Barron, Fr. Robert Spitzer, Dr. Benjamin Wiker, Dr. Christopher Kaczor, Dr. Janet Smith, Dr. Kevin Vost, Christopher West, Jimmy Akin, Jennifer Fulwiler, Marc Barnes, Leah Libresco, Stacy Trascanos, Mark Shea, Tim Staples, Carl Olson, and many more. The project has also received several great endorsements including these:

  • “Brandon Vogt is at the cutting edge of using the Internet and social media as a tool for evangelization…I believe that his latest endeavor, StrangeNotions.com, is an excellent example.” – Bishop Christopher Coyne, Archdiocese of Indianapolis
  • “Brandon Vogt brings his energy, enthusiasm, and prodigious intellectual gifts to the Catholic conversation and demonstrates how social media can be used effectively to advance the mission of the Gospel.” – Fr. Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries

This site is timely for several reasons:

On May 12 the Catholic Church around the world will celebrate World Communications Day. Pope Benedict XVI, shortly before he stepped down, composed this year’s official message which he titled, “Social Networks: Portals of Truth and Faith: New Spaces for Evangelization.” This project embodies that theme as it uses social networks as “new spaces” to evangelize.

Over the last ten years, the number of self-identified atheists in America has increased 500%. They’re one of the country’s fastest growing religious groups yet almost no Catholics engage them. Strange Notions is a frontier project in this needed effort.
In the midst of the Year of Faith and the New Evangelization, this is a creative example of using “new ardor, new methods, and new expressions” to evangelize.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
The Weekly Francis

The Weekly Francis eBook – Volume 8

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

This is the 8th volume of The Weekly Francis ebook which is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I post at Jimmy Akin’s The Weekly Francis. The post at Jimmy Akin’s site contains a link to each document on the Vatican’s site and does not require an e-reader to use.

This volume covers material released during the last week from 24 April 2013 – 5 May 2013.

The ebook contains a table of contents and the material is arranged in sections such as Angelus, Speeches, etc in date order. The full index is listed on Jimmy’s site.

There is an archive for all of The Weekly Francis eBook volumes.  This page is available via the header of this blog or from here.

Omnibus Edition: In addition to The Weekly Francis I am also maintaining an Omnibus edition that contains all of Pope Francis writings, speeches, etc. At the end of the year an annual edition will be released along with maintaining the full omnibus.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
News

Gonzaga University Approves Knights of Columbus as Official Club

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

An update to a previous story. Tim Drake reporting for the Cardinal Newman Society.

Gonzaga University President Thayne McCulloh has reversed an earlier decision, and will now allow the Knights of Columbus to receive official club status. As first reported by The Cardinal Newman Society, the University had originally denied the group such recognition because it did not admit non-Catholics.

President McCulloh issued a statement yesterday approving the St. Aloysius Gonzaga Council #12583 as a sponsored organization. Reads the statement:

This sponsorship is granted under the University’s “Standards for On-Campus Religious Activities Policy.” The Council has been granted permission to: utilize the University’s name in its title; fundraise on campus for the purpose of advancing the Council’s mission and activities; meet in and utilize campus facilities, including for the purposes of hosting events; and to recruit members and participants in membership activities such as the semi-annual Club Fair. As with other student organizations, it is obligated to follow University policies and procedures.

As an official club, this makes the Knights of Columbus eligible for money from the university and student fees.

The president’s statement also revealed that, as a result of his review, he has directed the Student Activities department to review and update the “Clubs and Organizations Recognition Policy,” with the goal of more clearly and explicitly identifying benefits of recognition and criteria for club eligibility. Those revisions are expected to be in place when the next academic year begins.

Around the same time this story had come out there was also one regarding Johns Hopskins University rejection of a pro-life group likening it to a ‘hate group’. After publicity this was overturned.

1 comment
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
Punditry

False dichotomy alert

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, who President Barack Obama tapped Tuesday to be the next transportation secretary, just declared Thursday “A Day of Reason” in his home city, and asked Charlotte’s citizens to observe the day.

May 2 is traditionally the National Day of Prayer, a government-designated religious event intended to encourage people to “turn to God in prayer and meditation.” Foxx separately issued a “National Day of Prayer” proclamation for the city of Charlotte.

Foxx said in his proclamation that May 2 should be A Day of Reason because “the application of reason, more than any other means, has proven to offer hope for human survival on Earth.” (source)

Well this type of idiocy gives me another reason to pray.

Besides as Blessed John Paul II wrote so wonderfully in Fides et Ratio

Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves

As for the new transportation secretary, President Obama sure can pick them. The Constitution might have a “No Religious Test Clause”, but Obama is smarter than that since his nominees always seem to match an “irreligious test.”

2 comments
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
Book Review

American Church: The Remarkable Rise, Meteoric Fall, and Uncertain Future of Catholicism in America

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

I am usually rather delighted whenever I find a book to review in my mailbox. When I received American Church: The Remarkable Rise, Meteoric Fall, and Uncertain Future of Catholicism in America I was certainly eager to read it. This new release by Russell Shaw is put out by Ignatius Press.

It seems book subtitles are becoming much like news headlines as a kind of summary meant to bring you in. Although news headlines often do not have much to do with the actual story. The subtitle in this case is actually quite indicative of the contents. Although the title “American Church” did not thrill me and when I discovered that the original title was “The Gibbons Legacy.” I prefer the original title.

There are a couple themes in this book regarding the history and the future of the Church in America. One is the contrast between the views of Orestes Augustus Brownson and his friend Isaac Thomas Hecker. Orestes Brownson a convert to the Church was rather pessimistic on future of the Catholic Church in America. Isaac Heckler was the founder of the Paulist Fathers and is now a Servant of God. Heckler had a very optimistic view of the Church in America and thought the two fit together perfectly. The other theme regards the 1950’s best selling book “The Cardinal” by Henry Morton Robinson which had a view much akin to Isaac Heckler’s. The book partly based on the career of Cardinal Spellman was also made into a movie directed by Otto Preminger.

These themes help in part to explore the history of the Catholic Church in America. Considering that while there were some prominent Catholics at the founding of this country such as Daniel Carroll, for the most part Catholics were a very small minority. It was only after later immigration that Catholics became a more sizable minority. An anti-Catholic bias was there from the beginning for a variety of reasons, but partly concerning the doubt that Catholics could be good Americans with their “allegiance” to Rome. The Know-Nothing Party was on the extreme side of this bias, but it was prevalent in a largely Protestant populace.

Cardinal James Gibbons (July 23, 1834 – March 24, 1921) who was the Archbishop of Baltimore was a pivotal figure for Catholics in America. He was also quite optimistic on the Church in America and that not only could Catholics be good Americans but that America was ideally suited for Catholicism. As an Americanizer his view, actions, and influence certainly shaped the Catholic Church here in some regards. His view was also not a minority opinion among Catholics and really exists to this day. That the Church fits hand in glove with America. Although really more common now is the false idea that the Catholic Church fits perfectly with one polical party or another.

With this basic setup Russell Shaw explores the history of the Church in America, where we are now, and what portends fo the future. There were so many things I found excellent about this book. I already knew Mr. Shaw was a fine writer and I was really liked the way he explored the history and raised questions. I think it was evident Mr. Shaw had the more skeptical view of a Orestes Brownson, but he also did not let that get in the way. I enjoyed the balance of looking at the various questions and putting forth how others have weighed in on both sides. He presented information without trying to move you into specific conclusions regarding it.

The history of the Church in America makes for a absorbing study and covers the growth of the Church and the prominent historical markers. The failed presidential candidacy of Al Smith and later the election of John F. Kennedy. The Catholic culture of the first half of the 20th century and the tumultuous years during and after the Second Vatican Council. He pulls out detailed information and my copy of the book is heavily highlighted as time and again I found much to think about and want to come back to. A good book of this type can present you with an array of information. This one goes beyond that and has filled my mind with much to reflect upon. I also really admired the way he brought the history alive and I could almost picture the reaction of Cardinal Gibbons when Pope Leo the XIII released Testem Benevolentiae Nostrae an encyclical condemning the heresy of Americanism.

The latter part of the book deals with many of the facts of American Catholic culture as it stands now. The collapse of recognizing vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The sad state of Catholic education. The fact that Catholics are pretty much identical in almost every statistic compared to other Americans regarding divorce, abortion, contraception, and the support of other grave evils. This is not presented as doom and gloom, but as a realistic assessment of the problems we face. He also does not make the mistake of presenting some kind of Catholic golden age in America and in fact shows how from the beginning there have been flaws that in part led to the current state. When I had found Ross Douthat’s Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics a fascinating look at the history of religion in America and Russell Shaw’s book gives a more in-depth look at the Catholic side of it.

I could really go on and on about this book. By nature I am a pessimistic-optimist and this book feed both sides of my own divide. I really need to write a separate blog post regarding some of my thoughts this book has sparked.

7 comments
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
Punditry

Anarchists Target Spanish Catholics With Exploding Sex Toys and Other Stories of Tolerance

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Not from the Onion.

An anarchist group has targeted prominent Roman Catholics in Spain using bombs hidden in boxes of sex toys.

Two devices were sent by the anti-clerical Pro Sex Toys group, according to Spain’s EFE News One agency, concealed amidst vibrators.

They targeted the archbishop of Pamplona, Francisco Perez, and the headteacher of a private school belonging to the ultra-conservative Legionnaires of Christ movement in Madrid.

One bomb exploded in a postal sorting office, leaving a member of staff with slight injuries.

“Please accept our apologies,” the group said in an email sent to an anarchist website at the beginning of last month. “Next time we won’t fail.”

The archbishop told EFE that he vaguely recalled receiving a package that contained powder that police removed. “We didn’t give it much importance, but later it was said to be a bomb,” he said.

The same group is believed to be behind a number of other attempted bombings.

Recently a bomb inside a pressure cooker left outside a public prosecutor’s office was detonated by bomb squad officers.

Another bomb containing a gas canister, shrapnel and explosive powder planted in Madrid’s Almudena Cathedral also failed to explode.

The anarchists, who use other names such as the Artisans Club for New Uses for Coffee, claimed to have made a bomb out of an espresso coffee machine packed with gunpowder and shrapnel that was planted at a bank branch, though they did not reveal where.

Police in Spain believe the group probably only has five members, but authorities have expressed concern that extremist groups could take advantage of widespread disillusionment as unemployment in the country hits 26 percent. (source)

Thankfully they are rather inept bombing anarchists.

Another story from last week.

BRUSSELS, April 23, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In an astonshing display of gentleness in the face of a vile attack, the head of the Catholic Church in Belgium, Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard, remained calmly seated with eyes closed in prayer Tuesday as four topless women attacked him with shouts and curses and doused him with water.

It’s not the first time the bishop has been attacked for standing up for the Church’s teachings on homosexuality and expressing his concern for those who live the homosexual lifestyle.

The incident took place at the ULB University in Brussels where the archbishop was participating in a debate on blasphemy laws.

The four women, representing the pro-abortion and homosexual group FEMEN, took to the stage where they disrobed to reveal black-painted slogans on their bare chests and backs, such as ‘my body my rules,’ and ‘anus dei is coming.’ They also held signs reading ‘stop homophobia’. The women doused the archbishop with water from bottles formed in the image of the Virgin Mary.

For most of the attack, which lasted a number of minutes before the women could be forced off s>tage, Archbishop Leonard sat drenched with water with eyes closed in prayer. After the ordeal, the archbishop kissed the image of the Virgin Mary on one of the water bottles that was used in the attack. Le Soir reports that one of the interveners said of the archbishop: “He was very calm and maintained a position of prayer. I have to believe he was praying for us.” Story and censored photos

And to round out the other stories, one from today.

A female student at Carnegie Mellon dressed up as the Pope from the waist up and naked from the waist down passed out condoms to other students at an annual art school parade.

To make it even slightly more offensive, she shaved her hair down there in the shape of a cross. Now clearly, this was meant to be offensive and in your face.

The Diocese has asked CMU to take action against this kind of hateful behavior but CMU said they’re unsure if their community standards were violated.

Excuse me?

Bishop David Zubik said he understands that “when we’re growing up we do stupid things” but he added that the behavior of this young woman crossed the line.

CMU issued a statement saying they’ll continue to review the incident. This is purely hate-filled. There’s no other explanation. Can you think of what the college would do if this type of speech were aimed at Jews, Muslims, or any other group for that matter.

If this doesn’t fall beneath their “community standards” it’s because they perhaps don’t have any. Creative Minority Report

Wow I am going to have to dig more into St. Thomas Aquinas to learn how to refute screaming water-dousing topless lesbians and a half-naked condom-dispensing women dressed as the pope. Or remember “Eight feminists flashed their breasts in the heart of Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral on Tuesday to celebrate Pope Benedict XVI’s shock resignation announcement.”

1 comment
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
Punditry

“The Original Hipster”

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

There has been some various reactions to the Diocese of Brooklyn’s ad campaign calling Jesus “The Original Hipster. I totally agree with Hector Molina from Catholic Answers post on the subject.

With all due respect, I find the ad to be tacky. What’s more, I believe it misses the mark and risks sending a mixed message.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand the intention here. The diocese wants to reach out to a younger demographic with a creative and engaging marketing campaign, one which portrays the Church as welcoming and relevant. I get that.

However, I believe that something like this must be done very carefully.

When you look at this ad, how do you interpret it? What message does it convey?

Announcing Jesus Christ as “The Original Hipster” is to me a lame attempt at making Jesus more cool and relevant by watering down his image. In other words, it reduces him into a silly caricature, something which has been en vogue for quite some time now.

What is a hipster after all?

Mirriam-Webster defines hipster as:

a person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns (as in jazz or fashion).

UrbanDictionary.com defines hipsters as:

a subculture of men and women typically in their 20’s and 30’s that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter.

Monsignor Harrington’s defines a hipster as, “someone who stands against the (mainstream) culture. Jesus stood against the culture.”

Yes, one could make the argument that Jesus was counter-cultural. He stood in sharp contrast to the elements of culture that were in opposition to the gospel he came to announce.

But do most people understand the term hipster this way? I know I don’t. And I assume that the diocese did not intend to portray our Blessed Lord as a cool, artsy, indie music lover.

I think we can do better. What do you think?

Like most attempts to be relevant I think it is doomed to failure. When Saturday Night Live parodies your ad campaign it is not because they think it is genius. Using the word hipster in this manner evokes The Princess Bride’s “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

“For God so loved the world he sent his hipster son” – Well not really. It was not indie rock on which he built his Church.

Still it is rather difficult to distill the Church down to a diocesan-based poster ad campaign. Catholics Come Home has been very successful because it doesn’t dumb down the Church or try to be relevant. But God can bring goood even out of tack diocesan ad campaigns.

1 comment
0 FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
Newer Posts
Older Posts