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I need YOUR help! – UPDATED! November 26, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in Admin, Dallas Diocese, disaster, episcopate, error, North Deanery, secularism.
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Good readers of this blog, I need your help.  I am trying to determine whether and to what extent the RENEW parish organizational program still exists in the Dallas Diocese.  I know it was very prevalent in many parishes until about 10 years ago, but it seems to have largely vanished.

If you are not aware, RENEW was a progressive, left-wing oriented model of parish organization that was modeled on the Saul Alinsky model for his numerous “social justice” organizations.  There were and are many, many problems with RENEW, and some recent evidence I reviewed over the break showed it to be complicit in the devastation of the Faith of millions of Catholics.  Does your parish have RENEW?  Are you aware of one that does?  If you are, please leave a comment and let me know which parish it is.  Sorry, but my interest is really only in the Dallas Diocese.

Oh, and if you know why RENEW has been removed and/or supplanted, that would be good to know, too.

Thanks for your assistance!  If you give me some good information, I’ll give attribution in any post(s) that develop.

UPDATE:  An important note, since RENEW got such a bad name, in 2000 or so it was changed to Why Catholic?  The problems remain.

Here is one review of [yikes, I lost the link in the original post!  Updated!  I hate IE9! and Windows 8 even more!]RENEW/Why Catholic:

[the program is….] designed by revisionists whose devious aim is to use their small group approach to refract ecclesial focus, to undermine magisterial authority, to democratize the Catholic message, to continue the AmChurch decentralization of Catholic Church in America, to continue the process of protestantizing and revising the Church and detaching her from the only moorings she has in her own traditions.

111 “Catholic” universities have pro-gay student groups November 26, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in contraception, Dallas Diocese, disaster, error, General Catholic, persecution, scandals, secularism, sexual depravity, sickness.
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TFP Student Action has done some research, and found that 111 (out of around 250) Catholic (or is that catholyc?) universities in the US have pro-gay student groups.  There are three such universities in Texas, but none in the Dioceses of Dallas or Ft. Worth, thankfully.  The Texas universities are Our Lady of the Lake, St. Mary’s, and Incarnate Word, all in San Antonio, and St. Edward’s in Austin.  You can find the entire list here.

There is also a petition you can sign here in opposition to these activities.  It’s a small thing, and may have no impact, but it certainly won’t hurt to take a few moments to sign.

Nowhere has the revolution in the Catholic Church been more successful in attacking traditional belief, and substituting that belief with a radical, worldly, frequently even atheistic belief, than in the academy.  This, of course, mirrors the near total takeover of colleges by the left at large, not only in the US but around the world, but that trend had been in place for decades before the revolution hit the Church in the late 60s.  I don’t believe we’ve ever seen an example of such a total collapse, as quickly, as we have seen in the area of Catholic education generally, and Catholic higher education specifically.  With a handful of exceptions, “Catholic” colleges and universities have no right to use that name.

He who controls education, controls the future.  Fortunately, there are increasing alternatives to exposing impressionable children and young adults to error, abuse, and heresy.  Homeschooling is of course the redoubt of choice for many in the early years, and there exists a small but growing number of faithful Catholic colleges.  A bit further down the road, and we may see a paradigm shift in higher education that permits much more user-controlled (and less expensive) internet-driven education from home.  You won’t have to sit through 40 hours of leftist indoctrination in your government class, nor 50 hours of marxist liberation “theology” to satisfy your degree requirement in that area. You will be able to pick and choose.

That is, if the Obama administration allows it.  Or, we may all face mandatory re-education camps for our heterodoxy towards the new leftist sexular pagan hegemony.

But, at least the contraception will be “free.”

Pope promulgates new rules for clerical dress November 26, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in awesomeness, Basics, Dallas Diocese, episcopate, General Catholic, Glory, priests, religious, Tradition.
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The cassock is making a comeback!  All bishops will have to wear one……..at least when they are in Rome:

The cassock obligatory for cardinals and bishops during office hours. Cassock or clerical dress for priests and monsignors. Specific habit for religious, always and in every season. And for ceremonies in the presence of the pope or during official meetings in the Roman curia: “abito piano,” or cassock with cape, for priests, embroidered cassock for monsignors, and cassock with embroidered cape (called a “pellegrina”) for bishops and cardinals.

The new memo, which bears the date of October 15, 2012 and was issued during the last synod of bishops, was signed by cardinal secretary of state Tarcisio Bertone, who wrote it, as it reads, “at venerable behest,” meaning at the direction of Benedict XVI.

It sounds as a reminder of the “duty of exemplarity that is incumbent above all upon those who render service to the successor of Peter.”

But not only that. The letter is intended to be an “explicit encouragement” for all of those – “including for the episcopates,” it emphasizes – who visit Rome.

There is no explicit reference in the text to the women religious who work in the Vatican, but by analogy with the male religious, the rule should apply to them as well.

The guideline is therefore very clear. Those who have the opportunity to frequent the Vatican offices will be able to see to what extent it is respected.

The English from La Chiesa is kind of rough, but what the guideline states is that all those in the clerical or religious state must be in habit when in the Vatican.  Including bishops.  It is interesting that this notice came out AFTER the recently concluded Synod of Bishops.  Was Pope Benedict disappointed with the episcopal dress?  It seems that way.

Now, this does not signal a change in requirements for the universal Church. Dangit.  Because I love the cassock.  It is so evocative of the priesthood, and service.  It is much better than a suit, or, Lord have mercy, a short sleeve shirt.  It is really, truly, Roman Catholic.

And I repeat my standing offer to any cassock-less priest, anywhere in the world – I will buy you a cassock if you will promise to wear it in your apostolate!  And a biretta.  And I’d seriously consider traditional vestments like a Roman Chasuble, too, if you’d wear those.  Too bad no one has taken me up on my offer!

 

He really is thier “lord and savior” November 26, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in Abortion, asshatery, contraception, disaster, error, foolishness, General Catholic, secularism, sickness, Society.
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I always hoped I was being a bit hyperboolic when I accused many Obama-fanatics of viewing him as their savior.  Never underestimate the power of a cult of personality:

Hey, when you’re a secular pagan, who else are you going to worship? It’s going to be the guy bringing the goodies, right, like the sun god or the rain god or…….

How about the cognitive dissonance of giving a shout out to God and his “lord and savior?”

Do you think God appreciates getting a “shout out?”

Womyns’ “ordination” advocate finally laicized November 26, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in Abortion, Basics, contraception, disaster, episcopate, error, General Catholic, priests, religious, scandals, sickness, Society, Spiritual Warfare.
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He had already been excommunicated for taking part in the simulated ordination of some women back in 2008, and had been given numerous opportunities to recant, but radical (and now former) Maryknoll priest Roy Bourgeois has been dismissed from the priesthood:

 The Vatican canonically dismissed Roy Bourgeois from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers on Oct. 4, for disobedience and preaching against Church teaching on women’s ordination.

The decision, made by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, dispenses him from both the bonds of priesthood and religious life.

On Aug. 8, 2008, Bourgeois preached a homily at the simulated ordination of a woman to the Catholic priesthood. His participation in the simulated Mass led him to be automatically excommunicated.

“With patience, the Holy See and the Maryknoll Society have encouraged his reconciliation with the Catholic Church,” said a statement from the Maryknoll Society Nov. 19.

“Instead, Mr. Bourgeois chose to campaign against the teachings of the Catholic Church in secular and non-Catholic venues. This was done without the permission of the local U.S. Catholic Bishops and while ignoring the sensitivities of the faithful across the country.”

“Disobedience and preaching against the teaching of the Catholic Church about women’s ordination led to his excommunication, dismissal and laicization.”

Bourgeois was told in July 2011 that he would be dismissed from the Maryknoll order unless he renounced his “defiant stance” against Catholic teaching on the possibility of women’s ordination.

Maryknoll superior general Fr. Edward M. Dougherty in a July 27, 2011 letter warned Bourgeois of his imminent dismissal on the grounds that he had shown “obstinate disobedience” to his superiors in violation of his oath about a “grave matter.”

The letter also cited his “diffusion of teachings” opposed to the “definitive teaching of John Paul II and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church as well as the “grave scandal” he has caused to the people of God, to the Church, and to many Maryknoll priests and brothers.

Bourgeois replied soon after that the Catholic teaching on male priesthood “defies both faith and reason” and is “rooted in sexism.”

“I will not recant,” he said in his Aug. 8, 2011 reply.

The unchangeable nature of the priesthood, ordained by God, can only be rooted in sexism if one has a completely materialist world view, one driven by power dynamics and bereft of faith in the Church and Her beliefs. It is almost a certainty that Bourgeois rejects, or at least gravely doubts, such essential Christian beliefs as the Resurrection, the Virgin Birth, the Blessed Mother’s unique nature and role, the Real Presence, etc., etc.  Such a worldview, which sees the Church as nothing but a vehicle for social change (always of the leftist variety), would indeed be scandalized at the failure to be “inclusive.”

The problem with this world view, is that it isn’t the slightest bit Catholic.  And it is a tragedy of unbelievable proportions that so many people of Bourgeois’ generation were catechized by the attempted revolutionary takeover of the Church to be not merely wordly, or secular, but even frequently anti-Catholic, if you define that as being opposed to the beleifs and practices of the Church.

I pray for his sincere conversion.  It is a necessary, even a good, thing, the CDF has done here.

Latin Mass tonight at St. Mark November 26, 2012

Posted by Tantumblogo in Basics, Dallas Diocese, episcopate, error, foolishness, General Catholic, horror, Latin Mass, Liturgy, North Deanery, sadness, scandals, secularism.
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There will be a Novus Ordo Latin Requiem Mass tonight at St. Mark in Plano at 7pm.  This is the last Novus Ordo Latin Mass at St. Mark until 12/31.

Oh, I have so very much to share with you dear readers!  I finally found a book that really explains what occurred in the Church after the last Council, a description of the revolution in progress written in the mid-80s, very near the nadir of truly Catholic belief and practice. Much more on that later, I pray!

But, for now, I wanted to add something I spotted at St. Mark recently.  This is not to pick on St. Mark, per se’ as this item was apparently commissioned by the Diocese and may be present at all parishes (I have no idea, I haven’t checked, as I still have, to some degree, a life). The item is an insert in the hymnals of a hymn to mark the 2012-2013 Year of Faith and concommitant celebration of the 50th anniversary of Vatican II.  Here it is:

The author of this piece is Delores Dufner, whose most famous work is “Sing a newchurch” One more traditional Church musician had this to say about Dufner’s work:

If you’ve heard (or sung) the contemporary hymn “Sing a New Church,” have you ever stopped to wonder precisely what “new” church the author meant? And why we need a new church, as we still have such a long way to go in order to fully realize the church Christ gave us?  Father Paul Scalia’s article “Ritus Narcissus,” from the Adoremus Bulletin, addresses the topic and a lot more.  He writes

[the hymn], a triumphalist paean to diversity by Delores Dufner, OSB, also fosters the Cult of Us: Let us bring the gifts that differ And, in splendid, varied ways, Sing a new Church into being, One in faith and love and praise

You’re not going to find the “Cult of Us” in music whose text is the propers of the Mass.  And if I’m not mistaken, Sister Delores is the same person who recently opined in Pastoral Music magazine that musical settings of the psalms didn’t seem “relevant” to people today.  If Scripture no longer seems relevant, the problem is with us, and the solution is not dumbing down the Mass but purifying our tastes and desires.

I fully agree, and the hymn commissioned by the Diocese is redolent of that “Cult of Us” mentioned above.  But that was rather the point, wasn’t it? That was the “new church” the revolutionaries had in mind, a church that shifted focus almost entirely from the mystical, eternal, spiritual Cult of God, and instead focused on the worldly, materialist cult of man.  That most of the revolutionaries had either completely lost the Faith at the time of their revolution after Vatican II, or were well on their way to doing so, only makes the point (if you read some of the writings of those most radical periti just prior to the Council, you will find that many were already denying such core Doctrines as the Incarnation, Resurrection, the historicity of the Gospels, etc, etc.)

Of course, it’s all of a piece.  I had hoped in this Diocese we might be a bit beyond this kind of hippy-dippy, anthropocentric, new age claptrap, but I suppose I was wrong.  But, then again, I don’t know to what degree this commissioned hymn is being used.  Hopefully, parish music directors are ignoring it.

As a final note, such is the nature of Dufner’s work that it appears quite liberally in the hymnals of liberal protestant sects like the methodists, lutherans, episcopalians, etc.