Category Archives: Liturgy

The purpose of Social Media is to isolate you from human society

by Br. Alexis Bugnolo

It is one thing for a hermit in a remote monastery to use the internet to do research and publish books of videos. But it is quite another thing for a Catholic in a city to shut himself up in his apartment, forsaking all human interaction with those in the city, because of his constant use of social media.

The difference between the two is that one has forsaken human company for God, and the other has forsake human company for himself.

The first is an act of religion, the second is anti-social behavior.

Much has been written on the destructive nature of the internet on the grounds of pornography, but little on the grounds that its use frequently leads to dehumanization.

You cannot control humanity and enslave the masses easily without the internet. With social media it has become easier, and with cellphones very easy. So many persons have such poor habits of self reflection — because they do not pray nor do they examine their own consciences before God — that the allure of the latest app or method of electronic social communication is enough to remove them from all human society.

Over my nearly 40 years of vocation I have seen so many Catholics who are devout become inactive and neglect the works of mercy in their own neighborhoods and cities. They have bought the lie that sharing information is all that God requires of us. And the result of this slide into the virtual world is the dissolution of the Church.

The Corona Plandemic targeted the remnants of parish communities by banning the mass and sacraments. The TV or VIDEO mass in live streaming was presented as an equivalent substitute.  This is completely and in every respect contrary to the Faith.

The Virus Mass — that is the mass with rubrics changed to suit the paranoia desired by the Plandemic — will be the next horror. It violates the authority of the Church, who alone governs what goes on in the Church. It violates the authority of Christ Who by His resurrection assured us that He was the Source of all Life and Health, and Who in ascending into Heaven assured us that He has receive authority and power over everything, even infections. But Who yet gave us the sacraments in the form which requires human contact and personal testimony without hiding who we are.

The virus mass would never have been considered acceptable without the advent of the TV Mass, the Internet Mass and the addiction to social media. The masquerade mass is like Social Media, where you can hide who you are and pretend.

None of this is Catholic, human, humane or rational.

God is Truth and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth. And as Saint Paul teaches, to worship God spiritually, we must worship Him rationally.

This also means we must live among human beings in person and in the real world. It is an obligation of Christian faith, because Our God is the God of the real world, not the gods of social media, such as Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Jack Dorsey, Adam Mosseri, or Sundar Pichai. None of whom is even a Catholic.

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Grave Deficiencies in the New Rite for Episcopal Consecrations? — Part II

by Br. Alexis Bugnolo

For Part I click here.

In this second part, I will reprint the Formula for the Consecration of a Bishop from the Roman Pontifical used by Pope Leo XIII, and present my own English translation of it, so you can understand what the Roman Church used to do.

Pre-Vatican II Ritual for the Consecration of Bishops

Formula of consecration from the Pontifical of Leo XIII along with English translation

Latin English
Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere, Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus, honor omnium dignitatum, quae gloriae tuae sacris famulantur ordinibus. Deus, qui Moysen famulum tuum secreti familiaris affatu, inter caetera coelestis documenta culturae, de habitu quoque indumenti sacerdotalis instituens, electum Aaron mystico amictu vestiri inter sacra jussisti, ut intelligentiae sensum de exemplis priorum caperet secutura posteritas, ne eruditio doctrinae tuae ulli deesset aetati. Cum et apud veteres reverentiam ipsa significationum species obtineret, et apud nos certiora essent experimenta rerum, quam aenigmata figurarum. Illius namque Sacerdotii anterioris habitus, nostrae mentis ornatus est, et Pontificalem gloriam non jam nobis honor commendat vestium, sed splendor animarum. Quia et illa, quae tunc carnalibus blandiebantur obtutibus, ea potius, quae in ipsis erant, intelligenda poscebant. Et idcirco huic famulo tuo, quem ad Sacerdotii ministerum elegisti, hanc, quaesumus, Domine, gratiam largiaris, ut quidquid illa velamina in fulgore auri, in nitore gemmarum, et in multimodi operis varietate signabant, hoc in ejus moribus actibusque clarescat. Comple in Sacerdote tuo ministerii tui summam, et ornamentis totius glorificationis instructum, coelestis unguenti rore sanctifica. Truly worthy and just it is, equitable and salvific, that we give Thee thanks always, and everywhere, Holy Lord, Father Omnipotent, Eternal God, the Honor of every dignity which accompanies the sacred Orders of Thy Glory. O God, Who when instituting Moses, Thy servant, by the breath of a secret familiarity, among all the other documents of heavenly worship, concerning, too, the wearing of the priestly robes, didst command the chosen Aaron to clothe himself in the midst of the sacred with a mystical amice, so that his posterity to follow might grasp a sense of understanding from the example of prior things, lest the instruction of Thy doctrine fail in any age. So that, too, the appearance itself of significations might obtain reverence among the ancients, and among us be more certain experiments of the things, which were enigmas of figures. For, indeed, the having of that anterior Priesthood is an ornament for our mind, and the honor of vestments commends the glory of the High Priesthood not only to us, but as a splendor for souls.  Because even those things, which were caressed at that time by carnal glances, required those signs to be understood more, which were in them. And on that account, to this Thy servant, whom Thou hast elected to the ministry of the Priesthood, we beseech Thee, Lord, to grant this grace, so that whatever those veils signified in the glimmer of gold, in the twinkling of gems, and in the variety of multiple works, this same might shine in his morals and acts.  Fulfill the height of Thy ministry in thy Priest, and sanctify with the dew of heavenly anointing the one instructed by the ornaments of all glorification.

The text in bold face is cited as the formula of the Sacrament, though, it can be seen, that its signification is tied up with the entire prayer of consecration.

Prior to this prayer, the Bishops consecrating imposed hands upon the one to be consecrated. And following this prayer, there is the invocation of the Holy Spirit over the one consecrated, the anointing of his head and hands with sacred chrism.

Then there followed a most powerful prayer of petition, which cannot be neglected, since it asks for nearly all the graces of which the Bishops ordained in the new Rite seem to lack.

Prayer over the newly consecrated Bishop, from the Pontifical of Leo XIII along with English translation

Latin English
Hoc, Domine, copiose in caput ejus influat, hoc in oris subjecta decurrat; hoc in totius corporis extrema descendat, ut tui Spiritus virtus et interiora ejus repleat, et exteriora circumtegat. Abundet in eo constantia fidei, puritas dilectionis, sinceritas pacis. Sint speciosi munere tuo pedes ejus ad evangelizandum pacem, ad evangelizandum bona tua. Da ei, Domine, ministerium reconciliationis in verbo, et in factis, in virtute signorum et prodigiorum. Sit sermo ejus, et praedicatio, non in persuasibilibus humanae sapientiae verbis, sed in ostensione spiritus et virtutis. Da ei, Domine, claves regni coelorum ut utatur, non glorietur potestate, quam tribuis in aedificationem, non in destructionem. Quodcumque ligaverit super terram, sit ligatum et in coelis, et quodcumque solverit super terram, sit solutum et in coelis. Quorum retinuerit peccata, retenta sint, et quorum remiserit, tu remittas. Qui maledixerit ei, sit ille maledictus, et qui benedixerit ei, benedictionibus repleatur. Sit fidelis servus, et prudens, quem constituas tu, Domine, super familiam tuam, ut det illis cibum in tempore opportuno, et exhibeat omnem hominem perfectum. Sit sollicitudine impiger, sit spiritu fervens, oderit superbiam, humilitatem ac veritatem diligat, neque eam umquam deserat, aut laudibus aut timore superatus. Non ponat lucem tenebras, nec tenebras lucem: non dicat malum bonum, nec bonum malum. Sit sapientibus et insipientibus debitor; ut fructum de profectu omnium consequatur. Tribuas ei, Domine, cathedram Episcopalem, ad regendum Ecclesiam tuam, et plebem sibi commissam. Sis ei auctoritas, sis ei potestas, sis ei firmitas. Multiplica super eum bene + dictionem et gratiam tuam: ut ad exorandam semper misericordiam tuam tuo munere idoneus et tua gratia possit esse devotus.

Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit, et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen

Lord, let this flow copiously upon his head, and run down to what is below his mouth; let this descend unto the extremes of his body, so that the virtue of Thy Spirit also fill his interiors, and cover round about his exteriors. Let there abound in him the constancy of faith, the purity of love, the sincerity of peace.  May his feet be sightly in Thy charge to preach the Gospel of peace, to preach the Gospel of Thy gifts.  Grant to him, Lord, the ministry of reconciliation in word, and in deeds, in the virtue of signs and prodigies.  Let his speech, and preaching, be not in the persuadable words of human wisdom, but in the display of spirit and virtue. Grant to him, Lord, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, that he may use, not glory in, the power, which Thou grant for edification, not destruction.  Whatsoever he bind on earth, let it be bound also in the heavens, and whatsoever he loosen upon earth, let it be loosed also in the heavens.  Whose sins he retains, let them be retained, and whose he remits, remit.  Let he who curses him, be cursed, and who blesses him, be filled with benedictions.  Let him be a faithful, and prudent, servant, whom Thou, Lord, has constituted over Thy family, to give them food in due season, and display him as an all perfect man.  Let him be not indolent in solicitude, let him be fervent in spirit, let him hate pride, let him love humility and truth, and never let it desert him, as one overcome by praises or fear. Let him not reckon light as darkness, nor darkness as light: let him not call evil good, nor good evil. Let him be a debtor to the wise and  foolish; so that the fruit of profiting in all follow after him.  Grant unto him, Lord, the Episcopal cathedra, to rule Thy Church, and the people committed to him.  Let him have authority, let him have power, let him have firmness.  Multiply over him Thy bene + diction and grace: so that he can be suitable to exhort Thy mercy always according to Thy charge and devout in Thy grace.

Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, throughout all the ages of ages. Amen.

 

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CREDITS: The Featured Image is a photograph of the Episcopal Consecration of the future Pope Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli) by Pope Benedict XV.

The High Priests have demanded that Jesus be Crucified

A Meditation for Good Friday morning

by Br. Alexis Bugnolo

Right now, Our Lord, who was illegally seized and arrested by the guards of the Temple, under direct orders of the High Priests, is standing before Pilate. He was unceremoniously trotted before the Sanhedrin and sacrilegiously struck by the High Priest, falsely accused by paid perjurers and condemned by a vote of all but a few, among them Joseph of Arimathea.

Then, the High priests, who did not have the authority to put Jesus of Nazareth to death, sought someone to do it for them. The persecution of the Church was begun by the chief religious authorities of the Jews. They wanted this Man who claimed to be God, and proved it by numerous miracles, the most outrageous of which, to the High Priests, was the resurrection of Lazarus in a village near Jerusalem: they wanted this Man dead, by any means possible.

Pilate2
When Christ stood before Pilate, no one stood with Him: will you stand at His side?

So they brought him before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Procurator of Judea.

Pilate, being an astute, man, could see that he was being played. But the High Priests were not offering him anything in return, and his wife, warned in a dream, was counseling him to release Jesus. So He sent him away, when he heard Jesus was from Nazareth, in Galilee, telling the High Priests to show him to Herod, who was tetrarch over Galilee. It was a clever move of a calculating man with still some shred of decency.

But Herod, a notorious sodomite, wanted to see signs and wonders and Jesus would not even dignify him with a spoken word, so Jesus was sent back to Pilate, and there the High Priests cannived to get Him convicted, saying falsely that Jesus was inciting dissent to Roman Rule and specifically to the collection of the Tax by the Emperor at Rome. If Pilate did not put Jesus to death, they would accuse Pilate of not being a amicus Caesaris, a friend of Ceasar. And since the current Roman Emperor, Tiberius, was putting to death anyone who he thought was not his friend, Pilate was clearly being check-mated.

So he had Jesus scourged and his soldiers crowned Jesus with thorns to mock this Jew.

But still Pilate resisted. He told the crowds assembled, there before the Praetorium, that it was the custom of Rome to release one prisoner condemned to death. Who would it be? He asked the crowds. Barrabbas! they shouted. Amazed, he responded: And what am I do with Jesus? Crucify Him! Crucify Him! they all shouted, and they sealed their demands with a most vile oath: May his blood be upon us and upon our children. These were the actual words of the Jews assembled there. Saint Matthew the Apostle, a Jew himself, records them in his Gospel. In other words, the crowds cursed themselves.

So Pilate ordered Jesus to be condemned to death, but symbolically washed his hands before the crowds, to show that this death was on them, not on him.

And thus, the Roman Soldiers fixed the Cross on Jesus shoulders. We know from the Shroud of Turin, that the Cross bar was tied to His shoulders in such a way that if he tried to run He would trip and fall.

No one spoke in Jesus’ favor. No one came to help Jesus, except one who was pressed into service.

As the Mystical Body of Christ, today, has been condemned by the wicked High Priests in the Vatican to be torn asunder from Jesus in the Sacraments, and to be arrested in their homes by the forces of the State, we all have reason to recall Christ’s Passion more vividly this year of Our Lord 2020. Let us walk with Him in our prayers and devotions and meditations this day!

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Tomás Luis de Victoria: Holy Week

 

As we continue our perusal of the repertoire of the sacred polyphony of Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of 16th Century Spain, we feature today his Complete Collection of Hymns for Holy Week.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Tomás Luis de Victoria: Missa Salve Regina

https://youtu.be/B5JH6QL7F3w

As we continue our perusal of the repertoire of the sacred polyphony of Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of 16th Century Spain, we feature today his Missa Salve Regina, a Mass written in honor of Our Lady..

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Tomás Luis de Victoria: Office of the Dead

As we continue our perusal of the repertoire of the sacred polyphony of Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of 16th Century Spain, we feature today his Officium Defunctorum, that is, the Divine Office for the repose of the soul of one who has died.

The is performance is by Chorus Tomás Luis de Victoria (Granada) directed by Pablo García Miranda, along with the Zenobia Scholars directed by- Director Rupert Damerell, and was performed on Nov. 15, 2015, at the Monastery of San Jerónimo, Granada, and organized by Juventudes Musicales de Granada.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Tomás Luis de Victoria: Tenebrae

As we continue our perusal of the repertoire of the sacred polyphony of Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of 16th Century Spain, we feature today his Responsiones for the Tenebrae, a which is celebrated on Holy Wednesday morning in the Ancient Roman Rite.

This performance is by the University of Texas Chamber Singers, James Morrow conducting, at the Mission of the Immaculate Conception, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Tomás Luis de Victoria: O Domine Iesu Christe!

 

As we continue our perusal of the repertoire of the sacred polyphony of Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of 16th Century Spain, we feature today his O Domine Iesu Christe, a Hymn for Palm Sunday and Good Friday.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Tomás Luis de Victoria: Salve Regina

As we continue our perusal of the repertoire of the sacred polyphony of Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of 16th Century Spain, we feature today his Salve Regina, the Marian Hymn known in English as, the Hail Holy Queen.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Tomás Luis de Victoria: The Reproaches

As we continue our perusal of the repertoire of the sacred polyphony of Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of 16th Century Spain, we feature today his The Reproaches, or Improperia, which are normally chanted on Good Friday as an expression of Christ lamenting His rejection by the Jewish people.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

The High Priests have arrested Jesus

A MEDITATION FOR THE ANCIENT FEAST OF
THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE GOOD FRIDAY

by Br. Alexis Bugnolo

One of the most horrible aspects of the liturgical wreckage wrought in the name of Vatican II was the cancellation of the ancient feasts which had great power to move the hearts of the faithful in remembrance of Christ’s Most Holy Passion.

Today is such a feast day. It is the Feast of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows. Placed today, on the Friday before Good Friday, it served to provide an opportunity for the faithful to share in the remembrance of what Our Lady suffered when She heard that the High Priests had ordered the arrest of Jesus and all the other sorrows which would follow from that, without neglecting the sorrows She had already endured in Her life long devotion to Her Divine Son.

And if you would like to read more about the power of Our Lady’s tears, I wrote an article about it in December, 2019: In Her tears, the Church can find salvation from apostasy.

But this year, I think most of us can understand personally in a much better way the greats anguish and suffering which struck at the Immaculate Heart of Mary when She heard that the High Priests had arrested Jesus.

That was the ultimate rejection of Her Son by the supreme institutionalized religious authorities of Her day. It was the perfect act of treachery by men whose religious duty was to uphold the Covenant of Moses, which forbade the arrest or accusation of a just man, and to await for the Messiah and receive Him.

By this act, Our Lady and the faithful disciples would be deprived of the preaching of Jesus and the presence of Jesus. He would longer be there to absolve them of their sins, to heal their sick, to be near their loved ones in death, He would no longer be there at their marriages, nor at their baptisms. He would no longer be there to lay his hands on the little ones, to confirm them in the Holy Spirit, nor upon men to ordain them priests.

And we today are in the same predicament as Our Lady of Sorrows.

Because by our Bishops we have been deprived of the preaching of Jesus in His priests. We have been deprived of the presence of Jesus in His Sacrament and through his priests. We have been deprived of the forgiveness of our sins by Jesus in His priests, we have been deprived of the last rights from Jesus in His priests. We have been deprived of Baptism by Jesus in His priests, we have been deprived of confirmation by Jesus in His priests. We have been deprived even of our priests, who now hunker away in hiding.

In the English language, this meditation is easier, since the word, “arrested”, means actually ‘to stop’.

Alas, though artists have excelled in depicting the sufferings of Jesus Christ in all their anatomical perfection, nevertheless, they still have not succeeded, in my opinion, in capturing the anguish which tore the Immaculate Heart of Mary asunder and disfigured Her Immaculate Visage with grief, when She heard these words:  The High Priests have arrested Jesus!

This year, we need to look at our own conditions and recall what Our Lady suffered: The High Priests have arrested Jesus. And where will we go to find Him?

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Tomás Luis de Victoria: Office for the Dead

As we continue our perusal of the repertoire of the sacred polyphony of Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of 16th Century Spain, we feature today his Officium defunctorum, or Office for the Dead.  The office of the dead was the Divine Office recited on the days of funerals or commemorations of the deceased.

This performance is by the Tallis Scholars, with Peter Phillips, conducting, along with the Collegium Vocale of Gent, conducted by Philippe Herreweghe

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Tomás Luis de Victoria: Ave Maria

Having lingered among the works of Palestrina, the most famous composer of sacred polyphony in Italy in the 16th century, we pass to Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of the same, in 16th Century Spain. Today we feature is Ave maria.

This performance is by the Royal Choir of Catalunya, with Jordi Savall conducting.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Tomás Luis de Victoria: Office for Palm Sunday

Having lingered among the works of Palestrina, the most famous composer of sacred polyphony in Italy in the 16th century, we pass to Tomás Luis de Victoria, the most famous composer of the same, in 16th Century Spain. Today we feature is Office for Palm Sunday, which is a sublime celebration of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem. De Victoria composed this ornate piece, because in the time of the Council of Trent, the Catholic faithful had the habit of attending the Divine Office during Holy Week, which was celebrated with great reverence by a clergy who had great faith and great respect for things divine.

This performance is by the famous Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos (Espagne).

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Palestrina: Ave Maria

As we continue our perusal of the sacred repertoire of  Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the greatest Italian composer of the 16th century, we hear his Ave Maria caelorum.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.

 

Palestrina: Ave Regina caelorum

As we continue our perusal of the sacred repertoire of  Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the greatest Italian composer of the 16th century, we hear his Ave Regina caelorum, the Marian Antiphon to be used in the Roman Missal from February 2 until Wednesday of Holy Week.

The performance is by Chanticleer.

FromRome.Info features at 5 P.M. daily, Rome time, a selection of sacred music for the edification of our readers, so that they can better grasp how contrary to the very nature of Catholic liturgy were the so called “reforms” of Vatican II.