John and Me

My brother John died some 37 years ago. I recently discovered some pictures of him and me together - here are some of those new ones, plus some others. 

Pax et bonum

The 2020 Reading Tally

There are only a few hours left in 2020, so it's unlikely I'll finish any more books/plays by the end of the year.

The tally, then, for 2020 is 55 - the most I've read in my post-grad school life. Since I retired in June, I've read 44, suggesting that next year, my first full year of retirement, I'll easily surpass that 55.

Here's the list:

 
The Undertaking: Life Studies From The Dismal Trade by Thomas Lynch
The Virtue Driven Life by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R.
Love … An Experience Of by Peter McWilliams
Beauteous Truth: Faith, Reason, Literature and Culture by Joseph Pearce
As You Like It by William Shakespeare
Santa Claus Is for Real by Charles Edward Hall (with Bret Witter)
Holiday Tales: Christmas in the Adirondacks by F.W.W. Murray
The Spear by Louis de Wohl
Blue Water Line Blues (chapbook) by David Michael Nixon
Hunting the World (chapbook) by David Michael Nixon
Tales of a Magic Monastery by Theophane the Monk
St. Nicholas The Wonder Worker by Anne E. Neuberger
North of Boston by Robert Frost
Poetry of the Spirit edited by Gerard E. Goggins
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Black as Night: A Fairy Tale Retold by Regina Doman
God's Door-Keepers: Padre Pio, Solanus Casey, and Andre Bessette by Joel Schorn
Earth Keeper by N. Scott Momaday
A Book of Bees by Sue Hubbell
Bundled Wildflowers - Haiku Society of America 2020 Members' Anthology
Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Father Jacques Philippe
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
The History of the Honey Bee by E. Readicker-Henderson  
Dead Man's Ransom by Ellis Peters
Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Enchantment of the World: Scotland by Dorothy B. Sutherland
Heritage of Scotland by Nathaniel Harris
A Surfeit of Similes by Norton Juster
This Side of Jordan by Bill Kassel
The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Twenty Poems to Pray by Gary M. Bouchard
In the School of the Holy Spirit by Jacques Philippe
Now and In Other Days by Yehuda Amichai
Classic Haiku edited by Tom Lowenstein
A Boy's Will by Robert Frost 
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
1984 by George Orwell
Writing Straight with Crooked Lines: A Memoir by Jim Forest
Silent Night: The Story of The World War I Christmas Truce by Stanley Weintraub
Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang
Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The Winter's Tale by Shakespeare
Mr. Blue by Myles Connolly
The Screwtape Letters (with "Screwtape Proposes a Toast") by C. S. Lewis
The Innocence of Father Brown by G. K, Chesterton
Knight of the Holy Ghost by Dale Ahlquist
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse
The Mass of Brother Michel by Michael Kent
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection
My Name is Lazarus edited by Dale Ahlquist
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
Saint Jose: Boy Cristero Martyr by Father Kevin McKenzie

A mix of spiritual, mysteries, poetry, fiction, drama, biography, history, research, and classics.

This coming year I plan to read at least one Shakespeare play a month with a goal of reading all of the plays I haven't read yet - though I might not finish that task until 2022. I've already started The Tragedy of Richard II.

I want to read more mysteries. I just grabbed a copy of Dorothy Sayers's Unnatural Death off my bookcase, and will start that one soon. After that - more Wimsey? A Christie? Ellis Peters perhaps? 

Some works are slower reading, ones that must be read in small doses. There are currently two on that list that I've actually started. Poems Every Catholic Should Know, compiled by Joseph Pearce, will be part of my poetic reading. I've also started something more topical - The Forgotten Radical Peter Maurin containing more than 500 of his Easy Essays that helped to inspired and guide the Catholic Worker movement. Those essays need to be read slowly and savored.

Another topical one I want to read is Resisting Throwaway Culture: How a Consistent Life Ethic Can Unite a Fractured People by Charles Camosy. 

Given the current political/social climate, I also plan to reread The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I haven't read the full Trilogy since the 1970's! 

I also will continue working through all the books of poetry of Robert Frost - Mountain Interval is next. 

 

For spiritual reading, I plan to start with a history of the 40 Days For Life Campaign - appropriately named 40 Days For Life. There are several books I want to reread - Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, The Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos, and The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis are high on my list. I'm sure other old and new books will come along as well.

And there will be other books just for fun, classics I've always meant to read, and so on.

No matter what happens in the world, I have the pleasure of reading to keep my mind sdharp and my spirits up.

As W. Somerset Maugham observed: "To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.”

Pax et bonum

You pro-lifers only care about babies (and their mothers) before they are born ...

If you don't count the Christian hospitals, orphanages, charities, soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries, and missions, and if you ignore the fact that there are Christians in every country feeding the hungry and treating the sick, then yeah, you've got a point.   

Pax et bonum

Planned Parenthood Office Closing

For more than a decade, prolifers have been gathering every Saturday - sun, rain, snow - across from the Greece N.Y. Planned Parenthood office to pray. I have been part of those vigils for many of those years.

Planned Parenthood of Western and Central New York has announced that the Greece death center will be permanently closed as of January 1, 2021.

Someone reported that a sign posted on the door says they will be moving to Henrietta later in 2021. Let us pray that does not happen.

Now, to be completely honest, the closing may be due more to economic or logistic factors than to a change of heart on the part of the misguided souls who run Planned Parenthood. Apparently the site where this office was located is going to be demolished and developed. Still, getting out of this area is good. But even if it is due to economic reasons, God sometimes responds to prayers in ways we don't expect!

Meanwhile, we can now focus our prayer efforts on the main office in Rochester.

Pax et bonum

at the funeral

at the funeral

they will politely avoid

mention of failures

In a melancholy mood tonight.

In cleaning out a closet, came across several boxes of papers and books belonging to an estranged daughter. She has not spoken to us in more than five years. We even found out - month after the fact - that she had married.

days after Christmas

one daughter's gifts still wrapped

beneath the tree  

I don't understand all the reasons why she chose to cut us out of her life, but I look back at things I said and ways I acted, and I'm certain I share in the problem.

Since then, another daughter has joined her in cutting us out. Two out of three.

And there are failures there, as well.

Plus, I'm estranged from people who were a few years ago friends. In some cases, it was my choice. In others, we just stopped trying.

How much of it is me? My attitudes? My sarcasm and criticisms? My over-sensitivity?

Failures.

My failures.

So many.

Too many.

Pax et bonum

Peter McWilliams ... An Experience Of

I read

a book 

by Peter McWilliams

about love 

or so 

the title claimed.

But what I found

instead of poems

about love

was line after line

of superficiality

of cliches

of obviousness.

Love

... an experience of

was not

what this book 

was 

... an experience of.

Pax et bonum

The Pleasures of Reading and Rereading

One of the pleasures of being an English teacher for 25 years was the opportunity to reread - and re-reread - beloved works.

To Kill a Mockingbird.

The Magician's Nephew

Jane Eyre

The Merchant of Venice

Macbeth

"I Have a Dream"

Assorted poems by Dickinson and Frost, and essays by Chesterton

And more.

Alas, with the end of my teaching career I won't be doing that for school reasons. But I have begun to reread works that I've been wanting to reread - works that in some cases I originally read decades ago.

In the last year, for example, I reread Mr. Blue, The Power and the Glory, The Screwtape Letters, and 1984. 

There are more books on my reread pile for next year.

I'm currently rereading Chesterton's Orthodoxy with our local Chesterton Society.

Although I've read The Fellowship of the Ring a couple of times, I have not reread the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I plan to do so - especially given the current political climate!

I have also reread a couple of the Narnia books  - but there are others I have not read in a long time - The Last Battle, for example. 

It's been a while since I've read A Tale of Two Cities, or Les Miserables, or The Long Loneliness, or The Seven Storey Mountain or Brave New World or Mere Christianity or One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - just to name a few.

So in addition to my Shakespeare reading project of one a month - I've only read 15 of his 38 plays! - I plan to do some rereading of books in the coming year. That will be on top of the books I've never read before.

Ah, the joys of retirement.

Ah, the pleasures of reading.

Pax et bonum

The Church Waits With Open Doors

Mainline Protestant denominations

flourished for a while,

but all of them are dying.

Evangelical churches

are now flourishing

but they too will begin to die.

The only constants

in 2,000 years of Christianity

is the Catholic Church,

which waits with open doors

for the prodigal daughters and sons

to come home. 

Pax et bonum

Recipe for Christmas

Frank McCarthy had never seen anything like it.

The mourners filled two rooms and trickled out into the hall. His wife; her two sisters; the grandchildren, nieces and nephews and cousins once, twice, three times removed; relatives by marriage; people from church, from the Secular Franciscan Order, from the community food pantry, from the friends of the library; people he had never seen before but who were obviously part of the great circle of love and friendship created by Angela Paolotto.

All talking, laughing, crying, and remembering.

 Angela had certainly touched many lives, he thought. She will always be with us.

He walked over to his wife, Helen, and put his arm around her shoulder.

“How are you holding up?” He asked.

“Better than I thought,” she said, her eyes glistening and her voice sounding thicker than normal.

She went off to greet another distant relative Frank vaguely remembered from a gathering of Paolottos.

He continued to wander through the mourners, listening to snippets of conversation.

“Remember when she prepared the entire meal …”

“She brought over clothes after the fire …”

“The Altar Rosary Society will have a hard time …”

“When my father died, she was there with cookies …”

“She put us up for two days during the ice storm …”

“She sat with me for hours at the hospital …”

“Every year, there was always a card with a special message …”

“She had 50 people over for Easter dinner …”

Yes, his mother-in-law had touched a lot of people. He had benefitted from her kindness many times, even when he was just dating Helen.

And yes, Angela certainly could cook and bake. He recalled the many meals at the old family home. The pasta dishes. The meats and fish. Grilled eggplant. The savory soups. Calamari al Forno. The pies and cakes. Almond cookies. The home-made breads. There was always more than he could eat. And there were always leftovers to take home and enjoy for days after.

Helen had inherited her mother’s gift for cooking. But whenever she cooked a big or complicated meal, she would call her mother multiple times for advice, or suggestions, or encouragement.

Following the wake, in the safety of home and after the children were in bed, Helen’s held-back tears finally unleashed. Frank held her. There was nothing he could say or do.

“It will never be the same,” she sobbed.

The next day at the funeral, Father Orlando, an old family friend, had the packed church alternately laughing and crying as he told stories about Angela. He ended by saying she has finally gone home to truly live up to her name.

Two days later, Frank and Helen drove over to Angela’s home. Marie and Julie, Helen’s sisters, and their respective spouses, were to meet them there to begin the process of deciding what to do with all of Angela’s possessions.

It was a crisp November day. The last leaves were dropping from the trees, and there was a hint of snow in the air.

Frank and Helen arrived first. They unlocked the front door, and were greeted by the sweet smell of olive oil and tomato sauce. Angela had been cooking the day she died. She had just finished a meal to deliver to a family with a new born child – one of her many little kindnesses – when she sat down in an easy chair in the living room to rest, and her generous heart, damaged by childhood illness, had simply given out. Doctors said it likely had been sudden and painless.

Helen looked around the room.

“Most of this will go in the estate sale,” she sighed.

Frank pointed to the bell on the mantelpiece.

The bell was a family tradition. It was an old hand bell Angela had used to summon Helen and her sisters home when they were young, and her late husband Tony from his workshop in the garage. In subsequent years, it was used to beckon the grandchildren and the assorted other young relatives at family gatherings to come in from play, or to signal the assorted visitors that whatever feast they had gathered to enjoy was ready.

“I think that should go with us,” he said.

Helen just nodded.

“Anything else you want to keep?”

“No, most of it is old and old-fashioned,” she said. “Maybe some photo albums, or some of her jewelry. I’ll have to see what everyone else wants.”

The other sisters arrived shortly thereafter.

They hugged and cried and hugged some more. Then they began to wander through the house to decide what to do.

The other husbands followed the women. Frank did not want to wander, so he went in the kitchen instead and sat at the kitchen table he had sat at many times before.

The kitchen was spotless – friends and relatives had cleaned up after Angela’s death. As for the meal for the family with the new baby, it had of course been delivered. A gift from Angela even after she had gone.

He decided to make a cup of coffee. He put the kettle on and looked in the cabinet for instant coffee.

He found it, and then spotted two old shoe boxes stuffed with papers and index cards.

He carried the boxes back to the table and looked through them while the water heated.

The first box contained addresses and all sorts of Christmas/Birthday/Easter/Get Well and other cards.

The second box contained recipes.

Hundreds of them.

He pulled out one for lasagna. As he looked at the ingredients, he could taste it in his mind.

His mouth began to water. He chuckled.

He sorted through other recipes.

Lentil soup. Spaghetti sauce. Pecan pie. Ginger snaps.

His water boiled. He made his coffee, and then returned the coffee and the recipes to the cabinet.

He sipped the coffee and looked at the wall above the stove. There was a small plaque with a poem.

               Bless this kitchen, Lord,

          and those who gather here each day.
          Let it be a place where we can meet

          to love and laugh and pray.

          Amen.

He decided to ask if they could have it for their kitchen as a way to remember Angela.

He sipped his coffee.

For some reason, he remembered one particular visit many years ago.

He was a struggling first-year teacher. He wanted to quit.

He had come that day to pick up Helen, who was still a senior in college and was home for a visit. But she was not back from an errand yet.

Angela invited Frank into the kitchen. She was baking pies, and the kitchen was full of the sweet smell.

Without asking, she had poured him a cup of coffee, and put some cookies on a plate in front of him.

She sat down.

“Helen is so proud of you,” she said.

“Proud?”

“Yes, a teacher. That is a noble career. She says you are very good with the children.”

He shook his head, and suddenly out poured all his fears and struggles. Classroom management. Keeping on top of the papers and tests. Planning lessons. Taking night classes to finish his Master’s Degree. The struggles of a naturally shy person to be always “on” when in class. The constant state of tiredness.

“I just don’t know if it’s the right thing for me,” he said softly.

Angela reached across the table and touched his arm.

“I can tell how much you love the children. And you love to write. Angela showed me some of your things. They’re very good. She says you share that love with the children. That is good. A caring teacher can touch so many lives. Keep writing and teaching, if that is what you are called to do. If not, you will find a way. I can see that in you. Just keep doing the best you can. That is all anyone can do.”

She squeezed his arm and smiled.

That was 15 years ago. He was now the chairman of the English Department. And very happy in his career.

He sighed and finished his coffee. He washed the cup, and set off in search of his wife and the others.

They were all sitting on the bed in the master bedroom looking at photo albums.

The three women were all crying and laughing at the same time.

Frank decided to wait to ask about the prayer.

They spent the rest of the day looking through the house. By day’s end the daughters had all decided who was going to get what, with items being scattered far and wide among relatives and family friends. The rest would go in an estate sale.

They also decided that the family Thanksgiving gathering would be at the McCarthy home.

That meant weeks of cleaning, and shopping. Helen was in her element, organizing and planning, calling her sisters and the cousins who would also be cooking, doling out assignments.

Frank had his duties, too. Mostly, they involved runs to the store, hauling tables and chairs, and staying out of the way.

Thanksgiving morning, he ventured into the kitchen. Helen was crying.

“Honey?” He asked.

“I know I’m being stupid,” she said. “About now I would have been calling mom to ask some cooking questions.”

He kissed her on the head.

“Nothing stupid about it.”

Soon the relatives arrived. The house was full of laughter and compliments on the food, and talk of previous celebrations with Angela.

It was fitting that Angela came up at such a feast, he thought.

Later that night, while on dish duty, he looked above the stove and suddenly remembered the prayer in Angela’s kitchen.

And that’s when the idea hit him. He smiled. Then he wondered if he would have time.

The next few weeks were busy with packing up of the house and getting ready for the estate sale. They had decided to wait until January, after all the holidays.

He helped when he could, but he also stayed at school extra late many nights, and even going in on weekends. Helen was used to that. He was involved with so many student groups and clubs. Only now, he had gotten the students on the school newspaper he moderated to help with a special project.

In between sessions on the computers, he made many phone calls. He also stopped by Angela’s house when he was sure no one else would be around.

Still, he was afraid that his special project would not be completed in time for Christmas.

But when he submitted the last section the week before Christmas, the last of more than 200 pages, he breathed a sigh of relief. The printer with whom he worked for the school newspaper was in on the nature of the project, and assured him it would be done in time.

The next week, he waited, anxious every time the phone rang.

Meanwhile, Helen was caught up again in her role as Angela’s heir, preparing for a feast on Christmas Day and the arrival again of many hungry relatives.

When the call finally came, he said he had to go out for some last minute shopping. Helen was so busy she barely noticed.

Christmas Eve, they went to the Family Christmas Mass, then returned home to ready for the next day.

In the morning, Frank, Helen, and the children opened their gifts. Squeals of pleasure. Wrappings piled high. Hugs all around.

After cleaning up, and leaving the children to their new delights, Frank and Helen headed into the kitchen to finish preparing the food.

The sisters’ families, and several of the cousins and their families, arrived shortly after noon.

They were talking in the living room, snacking away, laughing, when Frank came down from the attic carrying a box. He also had Angela’s hand bell.

He stood at the living room entrance and rang the bell. Everyone turned to him in surprise. 

“Before we eat, I wanted to give out some special gifts,” he said. “Please don’t open them until everyone has one.”

He distributed packages to his wife, her sisters, and all the cousins.

“Okay,” he said. “Open them.”

They all started unwrapping. Suddenly there were gasps, and “Oh my Gods.”

Each person held a book. On the cover was a picture of Angela in her apron, above the words, “Recipes for Love.”

Inside were many of her special recipes, interspersed with pictures of Angela cooking, with her three daughters, with Tony, and of family gatherings. There were also many stories of her kindnesses that he’d collected by phone.

And on the first page was the kitchen poem.

“Merry Christmas from Angela,” he said.

Helen rushed over to him and fiercely hugged him.

Around the room people were tearing up and laughing as they looked through the book.

Yes, he thought, Angela will always be with us.

Pax et bonum

Weekly Diet Update (12/23/20)

Weight Lost Last Week: 1.2 Pounds

Weight Lost Overall: 38.2 Pounds

Weight Still To Lose: 11.8 Pounds

“Sometimes I had difficulty remembering that 'all you can eat' is not a personal challenge.”
― Marika Christian

Pax et bonum

Release the Cranky!

Pax et bonum

Currently reading - Shakespeare!

In an essay I was reading, I came across mention of Touchstone from Shakespeare's As You Like It. It occurred to me that I had never read As You Like It, so I have begun to do so.

Although I have a Master's in Literature, I realize to my shame there are many Shakespeare titles I have not read. The generally accepted figure for the number of plays he wrote is 38. Of those, I have read just 14:

Richard III
The Taming of the Shrew
Romeo and Juliet
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Merchant of Venice
Henry IV Part I
Henry V
Julius Caesar
Hamlet
Othello
King Lear
Macbeth
The Winter’s Tale
The Tempest

I have taught Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth. And I acted in Othello (Brabantio) and The Tempest (Prospero). Brabantio was a small part, but the cast included the woman who would later direct The Tempest, and she cast me as Prospero - my greatest role in a play thus far. I'd love to play Polonius in Hamlet, and King Lear - maybe some day when theaters reopen.

As for reading - 14 out of 38. A poor showing for an English major. Perhaps one of my reading goals over the next two years should be to finish all the plays, one a month. 

After all, the play's the thing ... 

Pax et bonum

50 Books - With a fitting #50

Today I reached 50 books read this year - 39 since retiring.

Appropriately, the 50th book is about Santa Claus - Santa Claus Is for Real by Charles Edward Hall (with Bret Witter). 

That's the highest total number of books read since I began keeping a tally in 2013. The previous high was 35 books in 2018. 

With more than a week to go before the end of the year I may add a couple of books to the tally (I'm already more than half way through one).

I know that there are folks who read far more books each year. This is not a competition, so I salute them, and keep plugging away. 

Given my tally since retiring, I suspect next year's count will be much higher. We'll see.

Meanwhile, my diet is on target - 37 pounds so far, and 13 to go to my original goal. I should hit that by the end of February at the rate I'm going.

I may push on after that. Perhaps I should read a diet book!

Pax et bonum

The Spear - Louis de Wohl

According to the blurb on the back of the book, Louis de Wohl considered The Spear his "magnum opus." Having read an enjoyed several of his Catholic historical novels, I can see why he thought that.

It is a great book. The characters come to life. The plot is well crafted, and it moves along briskly and logically. He incorporates Biblical elements smoothly.

As I was reading, I wondered why no one has made a movie of this book. Proud arrogant Roman falls in love with the wrong woman, then loses that love. Gladiator fights. Battles. Political and religious intrigue. A believable true romance. Jesus and his followers. All the elements for a Biblical epic. Are you listening Mel?

The protagonist, Cassius Longinus, reminded me of the centurion Clavius from the movie Risen; though the stories are very different, still, I wondered if Longinus served as a model for Clavius. 

If you have never read de Wohl, I highly recommend this book as the one with which to start.

Pax et bonum

 

Following the Pope - Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman

And now, though I might say much more about the prerogatives of the Holy Father, the visible head of the Church, I have said more than enough for the purpose which has led to my speaking about him at all. I have {286} said that, like St. Peter, he is the Vicar of his Lord. He can judge, and he can acquit; he can pardon, and he can condemn; he can command and he can permit; he can forbid, and he can punish. He has a Supreme jurisdiction over the people of God. He can stop the ordinary course of sacramental mercies; he can excommunicate from the ordinary grace of redemption; and he can remove again the ban which he has inflicted. It is the rule of Christ's providence, that what His Vicar does in severity or in mercy upon earth, He Himself confirms in heaven. And in saying all this I have said enough for my purpose, because that purpose is to define our obligations to him. That is the point on which our Bishop has fixed our attention; "our obligations to the Holy See;" and what need I say more to measure our own duty to it and to him who sits in it, than to say that in his administration of Christ's kingdom, in his religious acts, we must never oppose his will, or dispute his word, or criticise his policy, or shrink from his side? There are kings of the earth who have despotic authority, which their subjects obey indeed but disown in their hearts; but we must never murmur at that absolute rule which the Sovereign Pontiff has over us, because it is given to him by Christ, and, in obeying him, we are obeying his Lord. We must never suffer ourselves to doubt, that, in his government of the Church, he is guided by an intelligence more than human. His yoke is the yoke of Christ, he has the responsibility of his own acts, not we; and to his Lord must he render account, not to us. Even in secular matters it is ever safe to be on his side, dangerous to be on the side of his enemies. {287} Our duty is,—not indeed to mix up Christ's Vicar with this or that party of men, because he in his high station is above all parties,—but to look at his formal deeds, and to follow him whither he goeth, and never to desert him, however we may be tried, but to defend him at all hazards, and against all comers, as a son would a father, and as a wife a husband, knowing that his cause is the cause of God. And so, as regards his successors, if we live to see them; it is our duty to give them in like manner our dutiful allegiance and our unfeigned service, and to follow them also whithersoever they go, having that same confidence that each in his turn and in his own day will do God's work and will, which we have felt in their predecessors, now taken away to their eternal reward.


- From St. Newman's sermon "The Pope and the Revolution"


"...we must never oppose his will, or dispute his word, or criticise his policy, or shrink from his side ..."

Pax et bonum

Memorare to St. Joseph

Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who implored your help and sought your intercession were left unassisted.

Full of confidence in your power I fly unto you and beg your protection.
Despise not O Guardian of the Redeemer my humble supplication, but in your bounty, hear and answer me. Amen.

Act of Consecration to St. Joseph

O dearest St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to your honor and give myself to you, that you may always be my father, my protector and my guide in the way of salvation.

Obtain for me a greater purity of heart and fervent love of the interior life.
After your example may I do all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

O Blessed St. Joseph, pray for me, that I may share in the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen.

Pax et bonum

Weekly Diet Update (12/16/20)

Weight Lost This Week: 1.6 Pounds

Weight Lost Overall: 37 Pounds

Weight Still To Lose: 13 Pounds

I'm not overweight. I'm just nine inches too short. - Shelley Winters 

Pax et bonum

St. Joseph in the Bible

St. Joseph is central to the story of Jesus in the Bible - yet he is mentioned only in three of the Gospels - Matthew, Luke, and just once, in John. But then, that seems fitting in that he often seems an afterthought. That's why I'm glad to see Pope Francis declare a year dedicated to St. Joseph.

In keeping with the way he is treated, we don't even know who Joseph's father is - we are give two names!

According to Matthew - … and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. Matthew 1: 16

So Jacob. But wait, according to Luke - Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of Heli, ...  Luke 3: 23

Heli. Hmmm. 

Not sure why; I leave that to biblical scholars to debate and to attempt to explain. 

Matthew offers us plenty of information about the events leading up to and after the birth of Jesus. 

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

    “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

     and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. Mathew 1 18-25

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” Matthew 2: 13-15

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.” Matthew 2: 19-23 

Matthew's version contains the flight into Egypt. Luke adds some details to that infancy - including the census that led to the trip to Bethlehem, Simeon's prophecy, and the losing of Jesus at the Temple when He was 12.

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2: 1-7 

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. Luke 2 15-16

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon[f] came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
    according to your word;
   for my eyes have seen your salvation,
    which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
   a light for revelation to the Gentiles
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Luke 2: 22-35 

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. Luke 2: 39-51

John has only one mention of Joseph - and it's in the context of what appears to be an attempted insult: 

Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” John 6:41–42

There are other details about St. Joseph from other sources. I'll look at them in a later post.

Pax et bonum

David Michael Nixon (Two Chapbooks)

In my post-retirement efforts to purge papers, notes, materials, books, etc. I've accumulated in decades as a teacher and reporter,  I came across two chapbooks by David Michael Nixon - Blue Water Line Blues and Hunting the World.

We are not "friends," but I have encountered him regularly and repeatedly over the years in local poetry/folk music/peace and justice circles. Indeed, one of the chapbooks has a personal message to me and his signature. I've always appreciated his dedication and friendliness.  

David still sports the long hair and beard that marks him as a child of the 60's. His poetry reflect his peace and folk music activities. I especially enjoyed coming across lines that echo lines from songs, refer to playing music, or mention musicians and genres I also appreciated, and, of course, shared peace and justice concerns.  

The blues

Buffy Sainte-Marie

Demonstrations

Robert Johnson

George McGovern

Joe LeMay

A. J. Muste

Yeah, for me the nylons still whisper in the night.

And maybe one of those old ballads has my name.

Pax et bonum

Music in Church - New Guidelines, and a Hit List!

The Bishops' hit list:

“All Are Welcome”

“The Lord of the Dance”

“Canticle of the Sun,”

“God is Here! As We His People”

“Now in This Banquet”

“Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees”

“The Play of the Godhead”

“Led by the Spirit”

“God Beyond All Names”

“Sing a New Church”

“As a Fire is Meant for Burning”

“O Crucified Messiah”

The above list contains hymns cited as having "deficiencies" in the new guidelines the U. S. Bishops have issued for evaluating hymns used in liturgies.

In other words, don't use them.

And the list is just of examples; there are other hymns we should not use.

When evaluating hymns, the bishops said we should apply two criteria:

 

1. Is the hymn in conformity with Catholic doctrine? 

2. Is the hymn expressed in image and vocabulary appropriately reflective of the usage of Scripture and the public liturgical prayer of the Church?

They then cite, and explain (with the examples) the deficiencies that render a hymn inappropriate:

Deficiencies in the Presentation of Eucharistic Doctrine

Deficiencies in the Presentation of Trinitarian Doctrine

Hymns with Deficiencies in the Doctrine of God and His Relation to Humans

Hymns with a View of the Church That Sees Her as Essentially a Human Construction

Hymns with Doctrinally Incorrect Views of the Jewish People

Hymns with Incorrect Christian Anthropology

I have no arguments with the document, and I think it as necessary given some of the things I've seen and heard in churches over the years. Hymns do reveal and help to perpetuate the poor catechesis we've suffered over the past few decades.   

It would have been nice if they could have included as deficiencies blandness, insipid lyrics, or over-use. Oh well.  

Of the hymns they cited, I'm only familiar with a few. I might have sung/heard a couple of the others, but I just don't recall. 

I am really glad to see “All Are Welcome” on the hit list. Beyond the deficiency cited for it, it's such an insipid and over-used hymn. I've had to sing and - shudder - play it too many times. Ugh.

“The Lord of the Dance” is a very dated song, but when it was one of the cool songs for "folk Masses" I admit I did enjoy it. I see their point about the incorrect view of the Jewish people, though.

With the “Canticle of the Sun,” I do feel sad. After all, it is based on St. Francis's words. And I enjoyed playing and singing it. Again, I get the Bishops' point (the issue of viewing death properly), but I wonder if we can save it by reworking the offending verse.

Now I have to look at some of the other hymns we do as Rock of Faith show any of these deficiencies. 

I am grateful that they did prepare this document - and that our Bishop chose to disseminate it.

The Memorandum Bishop Matano sent out is included below. Read the document to get fuller explanations of what to consider when evaluating hymns.  

MEMORANDUM 

To: All Priests, Deacons and Administrators 

From: The Most Reverend Salvatore R. Matano, Bishop of Rochester CC: Office of Evangelization and Catechesis Office Office of Catholic Schools 

Date: December 10, 2020, Memorial of Our Lady of Loreto 

Re: USCCB Committee on Doctrine - Resource for Evaluating Hymn Lyrics 

During the Presbyteral Council Meeting on December 3, 2020, I shared with the Council that the Fall Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops included a proposal for a Eucharistic revival in the Church in the United States. Noting its’ importance, the full body of bishops approved the inclusion of “Created Anew by the Body and Blood of Christ: Source of Our Healing and Hope,” in the Revised Strategic Priorities for the 2021-2024 USCCB Strategic Plan. As the December 3, 2020 Presbyteral Council Meeting Minutes reflect, this proposal “cited the Pew Research statistics of 2019, the restrictions upon attendance in churches during Coronavirus, and a loss of robust Eucharistic belief from which life comes and to which all life is ordered. All of this was part of a larger presentation of what plans are being made and what efforts are being made when the pandemic subsides.” 

To assist bishops in their oversight of liturgical celebrations, today, December 10, 2020, the USCCB Committee on Doctrine released a very helpful “Resource for Evaluating Hymn Lyrics,” which is attached to this Memorandum. I ask that you review the Resource and use it to evaluate the suitability of hymns used in your parish. In addition to those who assist you in planning for parish Masses, the Resource should also be shared with those involved in Catholic Schools and Catechetical programs so that, in conformity with the Second Vatican Council, “The texts intended to be sung must always be in conformity with Catholic doctrine; indeed they should be drawn chiefly from holy scripture and from liturgical sources.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 121). I know you appreciate that renewed attention is needed in promoting Eucharistic belief and devotion among our people, which is why the sesquicentennial anniversary of our Diocese was celebrated as a Year of the Eucharist. I ask that you also review my pastoral letter, which is available on the diocesan website and a link is provided here (Note: I did not include in this post the link Bishop Matano cited).

CATHOLIC HYMNODY AT THE SERVICE OF THE CHURCH: An Aid for Evaluating Hymn Lyrics Committee on Doctrine United States Conference of Catholic Bishops September 2020 

Preface

 The beauty of Catholic hymnody is constitutively related to the truth of the mystery of faith it proposes for our wonder and praise. In the living Tradition of Catholicism, beauty and truth are convertible terms, and thus there can be no competition, much less contradiction, between the two. The truth of the faith need not be -- and indeed must not be -- compromised or subordinated to the canons of compositional style or the needs of musical or poetic form. At the same time, the beauty of the faith cannot be neglected -- indeed it must be reverenced and highlighted -- in the desire to communicate effectively the truth of what has been revealed. Catholic hymn-writers and composers necessarily inhabit a realm of creative interplay: they have the privilege and vocation of honoring and communicating the mystery of faith in word and music, and this requires genuine artistry, industry, and fidelity. While there are a number of factors that affect the suitability of hymns for use in Catholic liturgy, such as singability, beauty of language, poetry, etc., in this resource we are concerned with their doctrinal content. The Church’s Liturgy is the milieu in which the Word of God lives. The Sacred  Scriptures, in particular, provide the normative idiom for the expression of the mystery. The Scriptures themselves, inspired and authoritative, are the fruit of the Church at prayer; the liturgical or doxological matrix intrinsic to the Church’s life is the locus in which and from which the texts privileged as canonical arose. There is a necessary and direct relationship between the living Word of God and the Church’s worship. Thus, the sacred texts, and the liturgical sources which draw on the living Word, provide something of a “norm” for expression when communicating the mystery of faith in liturgical poetics, or hymnody. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way, following the texts of Sacrosanctum Concilium:

The harmony of signs (song, music, words, and actions) is all the more expressive and fruitful when expressed in the cultural richness of the People of God who celebrate. Hence "religious singing by the faithful is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises as well as in liturgical services," in conformity with the Church's norms, "the voices of the faithful may be heard." But "the texts intended to be sung must always be in conformity with Catholic doctrine. Indeed they should be drawn chiefly from the Sacred Scripture and from liturgical sources." (no. 1158) 

Christian tradition, both Eastern and Western, has from antiquity been acutely aware that hymns and other songs* are among the most significant forces in shaping – or misshaping – the religious and theological sensibility of the faithful.† It is all the more important, then, that hymnody selected for the liturgical life of the Church successfully draw out the beauty of the Christian mysteries themselves.‡ This cannot be done if language is used that is out of keeping with the sensibility created by scriptural texts and universal liturgical usage. 

Two General Guidelines 

Based on the text quoted above, we can derive two general guidelines for determining whether a hymn is doctrinally suitable for liturgical use: 

1. Is the hymn in conformity with Catholic doctrine? 

2. Is the hymn expressed in image and vocabulary appropriately reflective of the usage of Scripture and the public liturgical prayer of the Church? With regard to Guideline 1: An accurate assessment of conformity with Catholic doctrine requires a familiarity with Catholic doctrine itself, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the best resource available. Hymns do not have to be composed of doctrinal * 

(The guidelines offered in this document apply to lyrics composed for any music intended for use in the Sacred Liturgy or in public devotions, such as the Stations of the Cross. † The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the liturgy as “the privileged place for catechizing the People of God” (no. 1074). ‡ The 23 July 2019 report by the Pew Research Center, “What Americans Know about Religion,” presents a sobering account the extent of the lack of understanding of basic points of Catholic faith on the part of many American Catholics (https://www.pewforum.org/2019/07/23/what-americans-know-about-religion/). For example, the researchers found that only half of Catholics were able to answer correctly “a question about official church teachings on transubstantiation – that during Communion, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ. The other half of Catholics incorrectly say the church teaches that the bread and wine used in Communion are just symbols of the body and blood of Christ (45%) or say they are not sure (4%)” (p. 22).

formulae (though hymns have used doctrinal formulas to good poetic effect, for example, the last verse of Pange lingua). It is important to avoid language that could be easily misconstrued in a way that is contrary to Catholic doctrine. The poet always has a certain “license” for language chosen to serve an aesthetic purpose. But in assessing whether a paraphrase or restatement is an appropriate use of poetic license or an inappropriate distortion, Guideline 2 can provide assistance. 

These Guidelines can also be helpful in assessing a grouping of hymns and other songs, such as those commonly used in a given parish for the Communion Hymn (for example). Different hymns may legitimately express or reflect different aspects of one doctrine, but if all of the hymns relevant to a particular doctrine express only one dimension of the doctrine to the exclusion of others, then the catechesis offered by the hymnody would, as a whole, not be in conformity with Catholic doctrine. For example, a collection of hymns that emphasized the Eucharist as table fellowship to the exclusion of the vocabulary of sacrifice, altar, and priesthood, would not represent the fullness of Catholic teaching and therefore would catechize those singing such hymns every Sunday with a deficient sacramental theology. 

Examples of Application of the Guidelines 

In 1997, Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, speaking for the newly-formed Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism, identified a consistent trend of incompleteness and imprecision in catechetical texts being published at that time in the United States. He summarized this trend in a list of ten categories (see Appendix One below). Contemporary hymnody seems to have fared better than the catechetical texts Archbishop Buechlein’s committee examined, and in some cases (such as #2) dramatically better. But, since contemporary hymnody and contemporary catechetical texts evolved, to some extent, together, it can be useful to use this list of ten imprecisions to alert a bishop, pastor, or liturgical music minister to deficiencies they may find in hymns, or in a collection of hymns as a whole. From our own reading of approximately 1000 hymns composed and published mostly in the period 1980-2015, we would advise pastors and liturgical music ministers to be especially attentive to the following categories of potential deficiencies: 

1. Deficiencies in the Presentation of Eucharistic Doctrine a. This deficiency, by far the most common and the most serious, corresponds to #7 in Archbishop Buechlein’s list, “inadequate presentation of the sacraments.” Since the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, no. 11), deficiencies in Eucharistic doctrine affect other teachings, such as the Church (because “the Eucharist makes the Church,” CCC, no. 1396) and the priesthood (because the priest effects the sacramental presence of the sacrifice of Christ the High Priest). Catholics nurtured on a steady diet of certain hymns will learn from them that at Mass we come together to share bread and wine, which remain bread and wine, a common meal, even if under special circumstances. They will learn that the bread and wine signify in some vague way the presence of Jesus, but they will not be given a basis to understand the Catholic belief that the Eucharistic elements can be worshipped because under their appearance is a wholly unique, substantial presence of Christ. These hymns correspondingly also downplay or eliminate entirely reference to the sacrifice of Christ, his priesthood, and his status as both priest and victim, as well as to the role of the ministerial priesthood in the Church. A steady diet of these hymns would erode Catholic sensibility regarding the fullness of Eucharistic teaching, on the Mass as sacrifice, and eventually on the Church, as formed by that sacrifice. 

b. Catholic teaching on the Eucharist is summed up in the CCC, nos. 1322-1419; Appendix Two provides a summary account useful for assessing hymn lyrics with regard to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, a distinctive and unique presence. 

c. Eucharistic doctrine has developed, and depends upon, a high degree of precision of language. For example, Christ is not present “in” bread and wine, but rather the substance of bread and wine ceases to exist as such and Christ is substantially present under the appearance of bread and wine. Hymn lyrics 5 do not have to reproduce technical language, but they should be guided by the customary usage of Scripture and liturgical Tradition. This would mean: 

i. Language that implies that the elements are still bread and wine after consecration should be avoided; 

ii. Language that implies the bread and wine, still bread and wine, are merely symbols of another reality or person, should be avoided; 

iii. Poetic license should conform to customary usage of Scripture and liturgical Tradition. “Bread,” “Bread of Life,” etc., are scriptural synecdoches for the Eucharist itself, and so are permitted; however, “wine” is not used in the same way, and to call the consecrated element “wine” gives the impression that it is still wine. This, in turn, has an impact on the way the word “bread” is heard, so that legitimate uses of the word “bread” are heard differently, not as a synecdoche for the Eucharist as a whole, but as a reference to the element which remains bread. Scripture speaks of the “cup,” not of “wine” (see 1 Cor: 10.16- 17). 

d. Examples: 

i. “God is Here! As We His People”1--This hymn speaks of “symbols to remind us of our lifelong need of grace.” We hear that, “as bread and wine are taken, Christ sustains us as of old.” Bread and wine are still bread and wine. 

ii. “Now in This Banquet.”2 “Now in this banquet, Christ is our bread; Here shall all hunger be fed. Bread that is broken, wine that is poured, Love is the sign of our Lord.” “Bread that is broken” is scriptural but, when this phrase is paired with “wine that is poured,” both become indications of simple bread and wine. There is no scriptural language that calls the Eucharist, outright, “wine.” The hymn singer receives the impression that the wine is still wine, and that this is a banquet where “love” is the sign, and Christ, in some spiritual sense, is our bread. 6 Catholic usage has bread and wine as the “signs” under whose appearance Christ’s sacrificial love is substantially present. Love is not the “sign” but the reality. Again, the image is that of the Eucharist as a spiritual banquet with ordinary food, bread and wine. The words offer no hint that the Mass is the sacrifice of Christ re-presented. 

iii. “All Are Welcome.”3--“Let us build a house where love is found in water, wine and wheat; A banquet hall on holy ground where peace and justice meet …” The image of the Eucharist is of an ordinary banquet where one drinks water and wine and eats wheat bread. Further, water is not on the same level as bread and wine as matter for the Eucharist, and to list them in sequence therefore only increases the implication that we are at a banquet eating ordinary food together. There is nothing else in the hymn to mitigate this impression. Someone who sings this song frequently would have a hard time imagining that the Eucharist can be and is worshipped or is in any sense a “sacrifice.” The hymn is also objectionable throughout on ecclesiological grounds as well, since it repeats the phrase “Let us build a house …” as though our actions make the Church. This hymn shows the relationship between faulty Eucharistic theology and faulty ecclesiology. As the Catechism says (see above), “The Eucharist makes the Church,” and this idea is intimately connected with the Eucharist as re-presenting the sacrifice of the Cross which makes the Church. This song therefore exhibits deficiencies nos. 3, 5, and 7 from Archbishop Buechlein’s list. 

iv. “Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees”4 Verse 2: “Let us drink wine together on our knees …” Here, too, the reference to “wine” is used in a way that indicates only the presence of ordinary wine. 

v. Some Eucharistic hymns, both new and old, without these deficiencies: “Ave Verum Corpus,” “Taste and See,” “You Satisfy the Hungry Heart,” “Seed Scattered and Sown,” “I am the Bread of Life,” “One Bread One Body,” “Eat This Bread,” “Look Beyond,” “At That First Eucharist,” “O 7 Sacrament Most Holy,” “O Salutaris Hostia,” “Adoro Te,” “At the Lamb’s High Feast” (uses the word “wine” but in a way that makes it clear that it is not wine but Christ’s Blood), etc. 

2. Deficiencies in the Presentation of Trinitarian Doctrine 

a. These deficiencies correspond to tendency no. 1 on Archbishop Buechlein’s list, especially as he explains that these deficiencies often result from “a reluctance to use ‘Father’ for the First Person of the Trinity.” 

b. Use of the Guidelines here would involve: 

i. Avoiding language that implies God has “parts” (since the substance of God is undivided); 

ii. Avoiding doxologies or Trinitarian invocations that mix words that designate relations (i.e., that designate the Persons, who are distinct in relation and relation only) with other kinds of predication that can apply to all three persons equally. For example, “Creator” can apply to all three Persons, while “Father” and “Son” apply uniquely to the two Persons designated by these relational names. 

iii. Adherence to the language of the Baptismal Formula as the “default” mode, since departing from it frequently implies that the formula is arbitrary and optional, whereas this language is essential for the valid administration of Baptism. 

iv. Use of masculine pronouns for God and for each Person of the Trinity, in accordance with Liturgiam Authenticam, no 31. v. Substituting “Lord” for the name “Yahweh” (the sacred Tetragrammaton), in accordance with Liturgiam Authenticam, no 41. 

c. Examples of Application: 

i. “The Play of the Godhead”5 Verse 1: “With God the Creator, and Christ the true Son, Entwined with the Spirit, a web daily spun.” Because of 8 reluctance to use the word “Father,” this is an example of the use of a word (“Creator) that can apply to all three Persons mixed with words (“Son” and “Spirit”) that designate unique relations. It implies, therefore, that the First Person is God, and the others are not. This is Arianism, however unintentionally. According to Catholic doctrine, the Son and the Spirit are equally “God the Creator.” 

ii. Other instances are relatively commonplace; for example, one contemporary setting of both the Magnificat and the Benedictus ends with the doxology, “All Glory be to God, Creator blest, To Jesus Christ, God’s love made manifest, And to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter, All Glory be both now and evermore.” This doxology looks even more Arian than the first, because “God, Creator blest” stands in an ambiguous relationship at best with “Jesus Christ” and “Holy Spirit.” In fact, both could be called, “God, Creator blest,” but this doxology makes it look as if they are less than “God, Creator blest.”6 

iii. “Led by the Spirit,”7 Verse 4: “Led by the Spirit, now sing praise to God the Trinity: The Source of Life, the living Word made flesh to set us free, The Spirit blowing where it will to make us friends of God …”: “Source of Life” is applicable to all Three Persons, and in particular to the Holy Spirit, who is confessed in Catholic usage as “Lord and Giver of Life.” This doxology is therefore most ambiguous. Is the Word God? What relation does He have to “Source of Life”? This doxology, in trying to avoid both “Father” and “Son” language, in effect deconstructs the Trinity into three names whose status, except for the first, is ambiguous at best and who seem unrelated. We are very far from the baptismal formula here. 

3. Hymns with Deficiencies in the Doctrine of God and His Relation to Humans 

a. Catholic doctrine regarding God is that “He transcends the world and history” (CCC, no. 212), and yet has revealed his name in an act of self-emptying love, 9 “handing himself over” by making his name known, though it is a name as mysterious as God is (see CCC, nos. 203, 206). Although God transcends all creatures, nevertheless language drawn from the perfections of creatures, while always falling short of the reality, “really does attain to God himself” (CCC, no. 43, see no. 42). 

b. This means that language which makes it seem that God is “beyond all names” is misleading, and language that makes God seem in any way dependent upon human beings or any creature is incorrect. 

c. Examples: 

i. “God Beyond All Names,”8 “God Beyond All Names … All around us we have known you / All creation lives to hold you/ In our living and our dying/ we are bringing you to birth.” This fails to respect God’s transcendence. God is not dependent upon human actions to bring him into being. Furthermore, God is not “beyond all names,” either in the sense of his revelation of his name, or in the sense of analogical language. In the public liturgy of the Church, God is not nameless, but is addressed as “Lord,” “Father,” etc. 

4. Hymns with a View of the Church That Sees Her as Essentially a Human Construction. 

a. Catholic teaching about the Church is summed up in CCC, no. 766, where it is explained that the Church is born primarily from Christ’s total self-gift, anticipated in the institution of the Eucharist and fulfilled on the Cross, and that as such she is the new Eve born from the side of the new Adam. “Because she is united to Christ as to her bridegroom, she becomes a mystery in her turn” (CCC, no. 772), and thus “is in history, but at the same time transcends it” (CCC, no. 770). 

b. Hymns should avoid giving the impression that it is primarily our work that builds or makes the Church or the Kingdom of God. Tendencies nos. 5 and 10, 10 and to a lesser extent no. 3, from Archbishop Buechlein’s list, are what is at stake here. 

c. Examples: 

i. “Sing a New Church”9-- Refrain: “Sing a new Church into being, one in faith and love and praise.” This implies or even states outright that the Church is essentially our creation. It also leaves open the possibility that there could be a new Church replacing the old one.

ii. “As a Fire is Meant for Burning,”10 Verse 1: “As a fire is meant for burning, With a bright and warming flame, So the Church is meant for mission, Giving glory to God’s name. Not to preach our creeds or customs, but to build a bridge of care, We join hands across the nations, finding neighbors everywhere.” This seems a seriously deficient account of the evangelizing mission of the Church, particularly, the rejection of preaching “our creeds and customs.” 

5. Hymns with Doctrinally Incorrect Views of the Jewish People 

a. See Appendix Four for a summary of Catholic doctrine on the Jews and their relationship to the death of Christ. To blame the Jews indiscriminately for Christ’s Passion is to ignore the doctrine that all sinners are responsible for Christ’s Passion. The Second Vatican Council made it clear that “what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today” (Nostra Aetate, no. 4). This deficiency reflects deficiency #8 on Archbishop Buechlein’s list, an inadequate appreciation of the doctrine of original sin. 

b. Application of the Guidelines here will rule out hymn verses that imply that the Jews as a people are collectively responsible for the death of Christ. 

c. Examples: 

i. “The Lord of the Dance”11: Verse 3: “I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame/ The Holy People said it was a shame/ They whipped and they 11 stripped and they hung me high/ And they left me there on a Cross to die.” The phrase “Holy People,” referring to the Jews, is used sarcastically. And the whole Holy People did not reject Jesus, nor crucify him. Some Jews and some Romans did it. (NB: The classical “Reproaches” should not be placed in this category, because the phrase “my people” can and does refer equally well to the pilgrim People of God, the Church.) 

ii. “O Crucified Messiah,”12 Verse 1: “Scorned, denied and beaten, mocked and defiled, forsaken by his people, given up to die,” is simply untrue and therefore unorthodox. Jesus was not forsaken and left to die by his people as a whole. Again, Archbishop Buechlein’s no. 8, on original sin, is relevant, because “all sinners are the authors of Christ’s passion” (CCC #598) means that all sinners need redemption because of original sin. 

6. Hymns with Incorrect Christian Anthropology 

a. This category intersects with some of the above categories, but in other cases stands alone. One or more of Archbishop Buechlein’s categories 4 and/or 8, and perhaps also 5, apply. 

b. Example: “Canticle of the Sun,”13--Verse 6: “Praise for our death that makes our life real, The knowledge of loss that helps us to feel.” Death is the punishment of original sin. Far from making our life real, it makes our life less “real” than it was in Adam. This verse teaches that death is natural and necessary for our life to have something at stake and thus be “real.” In fact, it is the Resurrection of Christ that makes our life “real,” restoring what we had lost in Adam, and it is the Passion of Christ, not death per se, that “helps us to feel.” Death is not a necessary part of human nature (see CCC ##400, 402, 405). 12 

Conclusion The Second Vatican Council was quite emphatic about the importance of sacred music in the Church’s liturgical worship: “The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 112). The Council also made it clear that this great value derives precisely from the union of music and words: “The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy” (no. 112). When the Council exhorts composers to “produce compositions which have the qualities proper to genuine sacred music” (no. 121), chief among these qualities must be the use of words that are appropriate for liturgical worship. 

In this document we have endeavored to identify and to reflect on the role that these words--the lyrics—have in music intended for use in the liturgy. It is our hope that this guidance will help insure that all the sacred music employed in liturgical celebrations will achieve its purpose, “which is the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful”(no. 112). 13 

Appendix One: Archbishop Buechlein’s Report on Ten Common Deficiencies in Catechetical Materials 

1. There is insufficient attention to the Trinity and the Trinitarian structure of Catholic beliefs and teachings Catechetical texts fail at times to present the Trinity as the central mystery of the Christian faith. The language used in referring to the Persons of the Trinity contributes at times to a lack of clarity. This is most evident in the reluctance to use "Father" for the first person of the Trinity and, at times, to substitute "Parent God" for God the Father. Particularly, the relationship between Jesus and the Father is often weak. There are times where the word "God" is placed in a sentence where one would expect to find "Father" or "God the Father" since the reference is precisely to the relationship between the first and second persons of the Trinity. 

2. There is an obscured presentation of the centrality of Christ in salvation history and an insufficient emphasis on the divinity of Christ Texts fall short, at times, in presenting Jesus as the culmination of the Old Testament and the fulfillment of God's plan for our salvation. The indispensable place of the Incarnation in the plan of salvation is not always sufficiently presented. Jesus the Savior is often overshadowed by Jesus the teacher, model, friend and brother. It is a question of imbalance. 

Some texts do not present the mystery of the Incarnation in its fullness. Often there appears to be an imbalance in the instruction on the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. At times, we detect a negative undertone in speaking of the divine nature of Christ, as if divinity is equated with being "distant and unreal." 

3. Another trend is an indistinct treatment of the ecclesial context of Catholic beliefs and magisterial teachings Catechetical materials do not always clearly present the Church as established by Christ to continue both his presence and his mission in the world. The teaching function of the Church and its apostolic nature, as well as the role of the hierarchy and the concept of the leadership of bishops and priests in teaching the Word of God are often undertreated. The mark of unity in the Church is at times eclipsed by an emphasis on the Church's catholicity and diversity. 

4. There is an inadequate sense of a distinctively Christian anthropology By and large the catechetical texts do not seem to integrate the fundamental notions that human persons are by nature religious, that the desire for God is written in the human heart and that the human person is inherently spiritual and not reducible to the merely material. Neither are the texts generally clear that it is precisely in Christ that we have been created in the image and likeness of God. Nor do they emphasize that Christ has 14 restored to us the divine image of God, an image disfigured by sin. Rather, too often the impression is left that the human person is the first principle and final end of his/her own existence. 

5. There is a trend that gives insufficient emphasis on God 's initiative in the world with a corresponding overemphasis on human action Texts do not adequately emphasize that human action is intended to follow upon God's action and initiative in the world. When the methodological starting point is predominately human experience, the texts leave the impression that our human initiative is the prerequisite for divine action. God's initiative at times appears subordinate to human experience and human action. 

6. We have detected an insufficient recognition of the transforming effects of grace The catechetical texts tend to present an inadequate understanding of grace. Rather often it is described as God's love, then not much more is said about it. That the preparation of the human person for the reception of grace is already a work of grace is not clearly presented. Grace is not generally treated as God's initiative which introduces humanity into the intimacy of Trinitarian life and makes us his adopted children and participants in his life. The texts are generally weak in treating the particular efficacy of the grace proper to the respective sacraments. 

7. We have found a pattern of inadequate presentation of the sacraments Catechetical texts often do not treat the sacraments within the Paschal Mystery, that is, the sacraments are not explicitly presented as the means by which we share in the new life of Christ through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Sacraments are often presented as important events in human life of which God becomes a part, rather than as effective signs of divine life in which humans participate. Consequently, this leads to a deficient understanding of the divine action and the graced transformation that is at the heart of each of the sacraments. Particularly, the sacraments of the Eucharist and Holy Orders evidence deficiency because the texts usually do not present the character and role of the ordained minister in the life of the ecclesial community. 

8. We have seen a pattern of deficiency in the teaching on original sin and sin in general In general, the texts do not clearly teach that original sin is the loss of original holiness and justice, transmitted by our first parents, and that it wounds human nature in all people. Too often the texts do not address how the doctrine of original sin informs other doctrines, for example, grace, baptism, sin, and redemption. 

9. We have found a meager exposition of Christian moral life At times an over-emphasis on personal identity and self-respect gives the impression that these are the primary "sources" of morality. Too often the source of morality found in God's revealed law, as taught by the Church and grounded in natural law, are not adequately treated. Where texts could present the binding force of the Church's moral 15 teaching in certain areas, often they do not. In addition, instruction on what is necessary for the formation of a correct conscience is either inadequately or even mistakenly presented. 

10. Finally, we have found an inadequate presentation of eschatology The eschatological aspect of Catholic doctrine is often underemphasized. The transcendent, trans-temporal and trans-historical nature of the Kingdom is not always present. The general judgment, the concept of hell and the eschatological dimensions of the Beatitudes as well as the moral and sacramental orders are not always adequately taught. 

Oral Report to the General Assembly of Bishops Archbishop Daniel Buechlein June 19, 1997

 http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/archbishopdaniel-buechlein-report-june-1997.cfm 

See also Schroeder, C. J. (2015). “The USCCB Curriculum Framework: Origins, Questions, And A Call For Research.” Journal of Catholic Education, 19 (1). http://dx.doi.org/10.15365/joce.1901022015 16 

Appendix Two: Summary of Catholic Teaching on the Eucharistic Presence (Selections from the Catechism of the Catholic Church) 

1. 1324 The Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian Life (LG 11). “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch” (Presbyterorum Ordinis 5). 

2. 1366 The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the Cross …; 1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice [emphasis original]. 

3. 1374 The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend." In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." "This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present." 

4. 1376 The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation." 

5. 1378 Worship of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord. "The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers to the sacrament of the Eucharist the cult of adoration, not only during Mass, but also outside of it, reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in procession." 

6. 1396: The Eucharist makes the Church. (Cf. 766). 17 

Appendix Three: Summary of Catholic Teaching on the Trinity (Selections from the Catechism of the Catholic Church) 

232 Christians are baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Before receieiving the sacrament, they respond to a three-part question when asked to confess the Father, the Son and the Spirit: "I do." "The faith of all Christians rests on the Trinity." 

234 The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the "hierarchy of the truths of faith". The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men "and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin". 

255 The divine persons are relative to one another. Because it does not divide the divine unity, the real distinction of the persons from one another resides solely in the relationships which relate them to one another: "In the relational names of the persons the Father is related to the Son, the Son to the Father, and the Holy Spirit to both. While they are called three persons in view of their relations, we believe in one nature or substance." Indeed "everything (in them) is one where there is no opposition of relationship." "Because of that unity the Father is wholly in the Son and wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Son is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Son." 18 

Appendix Four: Summary of Catholic Doctrine on the Jews and Christ’s Death (Selections from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Jews are not collectively responsible for Jesus’ death 

597 The historical complexity of Jesus' trial is apparent in the Gospel accounts. the personal sin of the participants (Judas, the Sanhedrin, Pilate) is known to God alone. Hence we cannot lay responsibility for the trial on the Jews in Jerusalem as a whole, despite the outcry of a manipulated crowd and the global reproaches contained in the apostles' calls to conversion after Pentecost. Jesus himself, in forgiving them on the cross, and Peter in following suit, both accept "the ignorance" of the Jews of Jerusalem and even of their leaders. Still less can we extend responsibility to other Jews of different times and places, based merely on the crowd's cry: "His blood be on us and on our children!", a formula for ratifying a judicial sentence. As the Church declared at the Second Vatican Council: Neither all Jews indiscriminately at that time, nor Jews today, can be charged with the crimes committed during his Passion. . . the Jews should not be spoken of as rejected or accursed as if this followed from holy Scripture.

 All sinners were the authors of Christ's Passion 

598 In her Magisterial teaching of the faith and in the witness of her saints, the Church has never forgotten that "[all]sinners were the authors and the ministers of all the sufferings that the divine Redeemer endured." Taking into account the fact that our sins affect Christ himself, The Church does not hesitate to impute to Christians the gravest responsibility for the torments inflicted upon Jesus, a responsibility with which they have all too often burdened the Jews alone: 

We must regard as guilty all those who continue to relapse into their sins. Since our sins made the Lord Christ suffer the torment of the cross, those who plunge themselves into disorders and crimes crucify the Son of God anew in their hearts (for he is in them) and hold him up to contempt. And it can be seen that our crime in this case is greater in us than in the Jews. As for them, according to the witness of the Apostle, "None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." We, however, profess to know him. And when we deny him by our deeds, we in some way seem to lay violent hands on him. 19 

1© 1979 Hope Publishing Co.; see One in Faith, no. 809 (Franklin Park, Illinois: World Library Publications, 2014). 2 © 1986, GIA Publications, Inc.: see Gather, no. 833 (Chicago: GIA Publications, Third Edition). 3 © 1994, GIA Publications, Inc. 4 See One in Faith, no. 572 (Franklin Park, Illinois: World Library Publications, 2014). 5 © 2002, 2003 GIA Publications; see Worship, no. 552 (Chicago: GIA Publications, 2011, Fourth Edition). 6 See Breaking Bread 2008 (Portland: Oregon Catholic Press, 2007), nos. 832-33. 7 © 1996. Published by Oregon Catholic Press; see Breaking Bread 2008, #119. 8 © 1990. Published by Oregon Catholic Press. 9 © 1991, Sisters of St. Benedict. Published by Oregon Catholic Press. 10 © 1992, GIA publications. 11 © 1963, Stainer & Bell; see One in Faith, no. 631 (Franklin Park, Illinois: World Library Publications, 2014) 12 © 2003. Published by OCP. 13 © 1980, GIA Publications 

Pax et bonum