@Contra Mundum@ Volume XVI, Issue 4 November 2013 The Congregation of St. Athanasius A Congregation of the Pastoral Provision of Pope John Paul II for the Anglican Usage of the Roman Rite http://www.locutor.net NOTES FROM THE CHAPLAIN

O YOU KNOW what hell broken, the correct order was sent fire and brimstone and little devils “Dis?” asked Father Terrill and received, and that year’s doll at poking souls with tridents can be with more than a little asperity in his the church bazaar was a great hit. understood as teaching devices. The suffering of Hell is to finally know voice. The poor woman at the other “Do you know what hell is?” that God is the great love of your life end of the telephone connection was “Hell is having everything you do and that you have turned irreversibly hesitant. So the priest continued, not need, but not the one thing you away from Him. “Hell is having everything you do want!” If the definition given on not need, but not the one thing you a hot summer day in Dallas was a The Catholic Church does not want!” And with that he slammed bit wide of the mark, perhaps it can pronounce either way on who may down the phone. be forgiven as being delivered with be damned, or, indeed, if there are Here’s the story, which occurred plenty of exasperation. We might any souls in Hell. But the doctrinal sometime in the 1960s. Father rather say Hell is having everything tradition has always stood against Terrill’s parish in what is now you want but not the one thing you the presumption of exceptionless suburban Dallas, Texas, was need. Holy Church teaches that a salvation. That is why there are planning its annual fall bazaar. They life of mortal sin and unrepentance Requiem Masses and memorial had hit on a money raiser. The parish can make a person permanently Masses and why every Mass women bought at low cost little doll unfit for the enjoyment of Heaven. offered has a memento in the canon figures and then they dressed them Almighty God does not predestinate of consecration. The offering of in different costumes for sale each or consign anyone to Hell. In the Christ is for the dead as well as the year. The women worked all spring Lord’s Parable of the Last Judgment living, for all souls live to Him. It and summer sewing that year’s (Matthew 25:31-46) the good go to is not for us to sort out. And so it costume, the material coming a place prepared for them. But the is an obligation of Catholic charity from the yard goods section of a bad go to a place never intended for to see to it that Mass is offered for venerable Dallas department store, human beings at all. Hell is a natural our own kinsfolk on the day of their Nieman-Marcus. For some reason, consequence of a life lived apart death or funeral or on their birthday. the wrong material kept arriving from God, and the lesson of Hell is And because Christ’s Church is one, for that year’s specified doll’s not the cruelty of God but springs the faithful departed are perfected hat. Repeated phone calls did not from, and is a consequence of, human leaning on our prayers in ways that correct the mistake. That is what freedom, a life lived in deliberate pass our understanding. The Lord sets up Father Terrill’s somewhat and unrepentant sin. And part of has willed it so: that we be aided one desperate, and perhaps intemperate, the horror is that in such a state it by the other. phone call to the poor receptionist is possible to lose even the capacity Father Bradford at Nieman-Marcus. But it worked! for seeking truth and for recognizing Somehow the “mistake-chain” was justice and mercy. The depictions of Page 26 Contra Mundum

weakness. Because we cannot obtain THE WORLD salvation by ourselves, we need the intercession of the saints, and it is NEEDS THE right that we should honor them to GOSPEL gain their assistance… The third n his sermon for the Feast reason was to increase our own sense Iof Pentecost last month, His of security—in other words, to have Holiness Pope Benedict XVI the glory of the saints recalled to us offered the following reflection: on their feast day, and thus to build “We see daily events which up our own hope and confidence. If appear to suggest that people are mortals like ourselves could by their ALL SAINTS’ DAY becoming more aggressive and merits be so lifted up, it follows that more unsociable; it seems to be Friday, November 1, 2013 we can do likewise… The fourth too demanding to try to understand Holy Day of Obligation reason was to offer an example for each other, and we prefer to be our imitation. When the saints are ¶Please note Saint Lawrence closed up in our own ‘I,’ in our celebrated on their feast days, we own interests.” Any society that Church is not available for are inspired to imitate them, i.e., an Anglican Use Mass in the reaches such a state should be to follow their example by making made to carry a health and safety evening. There is a Mass in the little of earthly goods and setting Ordinary Form at 7:00 p.m. You warning. The wellbeing of its our hearts on the things of heaven. inhabitants is in peril. are encouraged to attend. The fifth reason was to allow a fair ¶There are Masses in St. Theresa exchange. The saints make festival The wondrous dignity of every of Avila Church, West Roxbury in heaven over us, for there is joy human being lies in the fact that as follows: st before the angels of God and holy October 31 at 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 souls over one sinner doing penance, p.m. st and so we should make a fair return November 1 at 6:30 a.m., 9:30 by celebrating their feasts on earth. a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. And Master William’s sixth reason is to assure our own honor, because when we honor saints, we are taking care of our own interests and WHY WE HONOR procuring our own honor. Their feast THE SAINTS day honors us. When we pay tribute ALL SOULS DAY to our brothers, we honor ourselves, UT WHY is it an established since love makes all things to be in Saturday, November 2, 2013 Brule that we must mark the common, and all things are ours, in Parish Solemn Requiem Mass saints’ feasts on earth? Master heaven, on earth, and in eternity. St. Lawrence Church, Chestnut William of Auxerre gives six Hill, Mass. Blessed Jacobus de Voragine reasons for this in his Summa 10:00 a.m. de officiis. The first is the honor ¶ Blessed Jacob of Voragine lived from c due the divine majesty, because 1230-c 1298 and from 1292 was Archbishop ¶ Please return intercession of Genoa. A Dominican friar, he is known papers with names of departed when we pay honor to the saints, as author of The Golden Legend, an we honor God in the saints and immensely popular collection of lives of the souls prior to the Mass. proclaim that he is admirable in saints and treatises on Christian festivals. ¶ There is no Saturday 8:00 a.m. them. Whoever pays honor to the This excerpt is from Volume II. Anglican Use Mass in St. Theresa saints pays special honor to him of Avila Church on November 2nd. who made them saints. The second Regular Saturday Masses resume reason is that we need help in our next week. Contra Mundum Page 27 man has been created, as Genesis Holy Father has often acknowledged that they think that they no longer puts it, in the image of God. We the influence on his own intellectual need a distant God and that they know from the Gospel that the development of the Italian/German are strong enough to build a way life of God is anything but self- priest and theologian Romano to Heaven by themselves ... to put centred. Within the Trinity there Guardini. From 1923 to 1939 themselves in God’s place,” said the is a continuous outpouring of self Father Guardini taught Philosophy Pope. However, “While men were between three Persons, an eternal of Religion in Berlin, until his working to build the tower, suddenly communication of knowledge and disdain for Nazi ideology led to his they realized they were working love between Father, Son and Holy resignation from teaching. After against each other. While they tried Ghost. The expansiveness of this the war he resurfaced in academia to be like God, they ran the risk of love is expressed in God’s will to and filled the chair of ‘Christian no longer even being men, because create man, a knowing and loving Worldview’ at Munich in 1948. He they lost a fundamental element of creature, and in His call to man to was friendly with the fathers of the being human persons: the capacity participate in the mystery of His Munich Oratory, and was buried to agree, to understand and to work own life. in their cemetery after his death in together.” The image of God lies chiefly in 1968. The illusion of self-sufficiency our mind and in our will, in our Guardini’s own worldview was is always dangerous. According capacity to discern the truth and richly seasoned by experience. to Guardini, in Weimar Germany to unite ourselves with the good. The first part of his career took this illusion was ultimately so It is this divine imprint that makes place amid the moral and economic unfulfilling of man’s need for every innocent human life sacred to collapse of Weimar Republic Berlin. personal existence that it inevitably God and inviolable at every stage This gave way to the totalitarianism caused revulsion towards the status from conception to death. We live of the Third Reich, which in turn quo and facilitated a swing to tyranny. this likeness to God to the full by was succeeded by efforts to build a Men had “declared themselves to living in communion with Him. democratic society (at least in West be lords of their own lives and also This is made possible by the grace Germany) imbued with Christian lords of life in general,” argued that is poured into us in Baptism, a principles. Guardini, “until they grew tired of ‘Trinitarian event’ that elevates us It was against this background of this burden. But instead of returning into the very life of the Godhead. We upheaval and contrast that Father to their authentic selves directed are also called to live in communion Guardini developed his theology towards God they abandoned with our neighbour, honouring the of personal existence. The situation themselves. That is, they renounced image of God that is emblazoned on that he observed in Berlin during God ... and gave themselves over to his soul. This communion with God the 1920s bore parallels to the state totalitarian rule.” In other words, an and man is the character of personal of affairs decried by the Pope in his existence. It demands that we recent Pentecost sermon. Guardini always treat a fellow human being identified a culture of hedonistic as an ‘I’ and never as an ‘it’. individualism in the Weimar In his writings and discourses, the Republic that was destructive of society and of its individual members. On Whitsun, the Holy Father used the image of the Tower of Babel in Genesis to illustrate what he ¶ Daylight Savings Time ends believes is happening today. “Babel Sunday, November 3rd. Remember is the description of a kingdom in to set your clocks back one hour on which men have so much power Saturday evening. Page 28 Contra Mundum overemphasis on personal autonomy The sanctity and inviolability of Jesus Himself,” and “Who makes had so alienated people from the each and every innocent human life, us capable of listening to each notion of living in relation to God, which is a fundamental foundation other and working together” for the and to their fellow men as persons of any civilized society, was no building of the Kingdom: “And thus rather than as objects, that it made longer taken as a given. it becomes clear why Babel is Babel them easy prey to the dictator’s Surveying the rise of what Cardinal and Pentecost is Pentecost. Where rhetoric and opened the way to the Ratzinger would later identify as the men want to make themselves God, crimes of the Third Reich. ‘dictatorship of relativism’, Father they can only oppose each other. Undeterred by his distaste for Guardini declared in 1964, with the Where they place themselves in the the Weimar Republic, Father weary voice of one who had seen Lord’s truth instead, they open up to Guardini was always convinced it all before: “Liberalism was the the action of the Spirit, who sustains that democracy provided the best father of Nazism, and will be again and unites them.” environment for the human person in one form or another.” As the tentacles of secularism to flourish. What he had in mind was The Church has never bound tighten their grip, it becomes a a Christian democracy that honours Herself to upholding any particular temptation for Catholics to avoid the sovereignty of Almighty God form of government. Most of us going into public life altogether. and respects such absolute and today probably value the liberties A promising new graduate cannot objective moral principles as the that come with living in a democratic look forward to a rocketing career sanctity of human life. According society. If the insights of Romano in politics if he remains true to to Guardini, a democracy governed Guardini and Pope Benedict XVI the Faith. A lucrative job in the by Christian principles is the most are right, however, it would be private sector probably looks more effective model of government for foolhardy to take the freedoms we attractive. The trouble with this is nurturing the common good through currently enjoy for granted. When that it contributes to the isolationism the exercise of responsible personal man behaves without regard for the and fragmentation of an already freedom. common good, as enshrined in the fragile society. We should thank Towards the end of his life, laws that have been revealed to us God for the handful of backbench however, Father Guardini witnessed by the Creator, then we are heading MPs who ensure that the pro-Life Christian democracy giving way to into deep trouble. It would seem voice is still heard in Parliament. a liberal democracy in which moral that the danger is present. It would Without their courage and patience relativism had the upper hand. A also seem that Catholics have an the debate would already be dead, form of personal autonomy was indispensible role to play in any and the cause lost definitively. If the reasserting itself that could only solution. For Guardini, genuine ‘common good’ is to have any hope be inimical to the common good. personal existence can ultimately of flourishing, then the Catholic Fashion, fluctuating opinion and only be lived within the Church. It contribution in the public forum is mood were taking the place of is through the Church that access indispensible. The world needs the God’s law as a basis for making life to the ‘social life’ of the Blessed Gospel, and we must be prepared and death decisions. Meanwhile, Trinity is made a reality. We go to to engage with the world with a the major denominations were God the Father through the Son, and boldness that is always tempered indulging themselves in the self- we encounter God the Son within the with charity and humility. Are the absorption of an identity-crisis of Church; a Church that was launched aggression and the unsociability their own, which made the Christian as a Catholic truly universal-concern identified by the Pope this last voice sound increasingly irrelevant with the outpouring of the Holy Whitsun not signs of incipient to a modern world that was hungry Ghost on Pentecost Sunday. In his fatigue—a fatigue that, according for ‘authenticity’; and so the Whitsun sermon, the Pope reminded to Father Guardini, is the inevitable contagion of secularism galloped us that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit malaise of a society glutted with ahead without much effective of unity and truth, “The Spirit Who its own self-absorption? If so, then opposition at an institutional level. leads us to the whole truth Who is it is surely time for a change. We Contra Mundum Page 29 have a choice. It could be that this SHORT NOTES change will only come about after a collapse of civilization as we know Ñ Thank you to Steve Cavanaugh it. Perhaps it will take a new reign for bringing his grill and being in of soul-destroying totalitarianism to charge of cooking our main courses bring us to our senses. On the other at our parish picnic following Mass hand, we could always say ‘Yes’ to on Saint Michael’s Day. The weather God now, and rise to the challenge. was lovely and many people stayed This ‘Yes’ will involve self-sacrifice; for Evensong & Benediction in the but suffering in the cause of justice late afternoon. is a way of imitating that selfless Ñ Saturday Anglican Use Mass is outpouring of love that characterizes offered each Saturday at 8:00 a.m. the life of the Blessed Trinity. It is a in St Theresa of Avila Church, West means of living personal existence Roxbury. Mass is at the Marian altar to the full in this fallen world. And in the main church. (Please note SOLEMNITY OF anyway, these inconveniences all there is no Saturday Mass at 8 a.m. CHRIST THE KING nd fall into their proper perspective on November 2 . This is All Souls’ Sunday, November 24, 2013 when we remind ourselves that this Day and a Solemn Requiem Mass Procession & Solemn Mass at life is very short compared with an offered at l0 a.m. in Saint Lawrence 11:30 a.m. eternity participating in the glory of Church.) Solemn Evensong & Benediction the Blessed Trinity as promised to Ñ Confirmation Classes are at 5:00 p.m. those who give a positive answer to ongoing and meet with the chaplain the call to discipleship. To readers after coffee hour on most Sundays. who are rattled because they think PUBLIC A syllabus is available. Classes may the Provost’s Letter has become be used by those desiring reception/ THANKSGIVING indigestible with stodge (probably confirmation or for general the fruit of a post 1960s Roman AND PRAYER continuing education. The study is theological formation), it can be based upon The Catechism of the hen we review the said that the formula for a safe Catholic Church. Wcalamities which afflict so society need not be complicated. It many other nations, the present can be whittled down to two very Ñ Advent Season begins December condition of the United States affords st simple principles: 1) Almighty God 1 . We will begin Mass with Litany much matter of consolation and is Sovereign, and every one of his in Procession and the Mass music satisfaction. Our exemption hitherto human creatures bears the image will be The Fourth Communion from foreign war -an increasing of God in his own soul. 2) Honour Service. The Sunday lectionary prospect of the continuance of that that divine image in ourselves and begins using Cycle A of the readings, exemption — the great degree of respect it in our neighbour and, with which are based primarily on The internal tranquility we have enjoyed God’s grace, we shall not go far Gospel According to Saint Matthew. — the recent confirmation of that wrong. Weekday readings are from Year 2 tranquility, by the suppression of of the lectionary. The Provost an insurrection which so wantonly threatened it — the happy course ¶ This article is taken from the July 2012 Ñ Please continue to keep Linda (Vol. 89, No. 1094) issue of The Oratory Sloane, Thomas Lloyd, and Winifred of our public affairs in general -the Magazine, the parish paper of the Brompton Payne in your prayers for the health unexampled prosperity of all classes (London) Oratory. of the sick. of our citizens, are circumstances which peculiarly mark our situation with indications of the divine benificence towards us. In such a Page 30 Contra Mundum state of things it is, in an especial abusing them, by our gratitude manner, our duty as a people, with for them, and by a corresponding devout reverence and affectionate conduct as citizens and as men gratitude, to acknowledge our — to extend among us true and many and great obligations to useful knowledge — to diffuse and ALMIGHTY GOD, and to implore establish habits of sobriety, order, him to continue and confirm the morality and piety; and finally, to blessings we experience. impart all the blessings we possess, THANKSGIVING DAY Deeply penetrated with or ask for ourselves, to the whole Thursday, November 28, 2013 family of mankind. this sentiment, I GEORGE Sung Mass at 10:00 a.m. WASHINGTON, President of George Washington the United States, do recommend ¶ The President of the United States issued to all religious societies and this proclamation in 1795. denominations, and to all persons whomsoever within the United States, to set apart and observe a day of PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER; and on that day to meet together and render their sincere and hearty thanks to the Great Ruler of Nations for the manifold and signal mercies which distinguish our lot as a nation; particularly for the possession of constitutions of government, which unite, by their union establish liberty with order — for the preservation of our peace foreign and domestic — for the seasonable control which has been given to a spirit of disorder, in the suppression of the late insurrection — and generally, for the prosperous course of our affairs public and private; and at the same time, humbly and fervently to beseech the kind Author of these blessings graciously to prolong them to us — to imprint on our hearts a deep and solemn sense of our obligations to him for them — to teach us rightly Thanksgiving to estimate their immense value — “Praise the Lord! to preserve us from the arrogance of O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; prosperity, and from hazarding the for his steadfast love endures for ever! advantages we enjoy by delusive Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord, pursuits -to dispose us to merit the or show forth all his praise?” continuance of his favors, by not —Psalm 106:1–2. 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British Martyrs & Confessors

Blessed John Rugg Priest, Religious, and Martyr (†1539) ather John Rugg, a parish Fpriest of Chichester, England, retired from his parochial duties to spend the last part of his life at EVERY MEMBER the Benedictine abbey of Reading, becoming a religious of this CANVASS community. He was to suffer for SAINT ANDREW’S DAY ¶ If you have not already done so, remaining faithful to the Catholic Saturday, November 30, 2013 please return your filled in pledge Church and the papacy at a time card. You may mail it, give it to when King Henry VIII was crushing ¶ Saturday Anglican Use Mass is the chaplain or the treasurer, Bruce those who opposed his claim of celebrated at the Marian Altar in Rand. Your contributions support supremacy over the Church in St. Theresa Church at 8:00 a.m. the financial obligations of the England. Father Rugg was arrested ¶ The closest Sunday to Saint congregation. Many thanks. specifically for having said, “The Andrew’s Day is the beginning of King’s Highness cannot be supreme the Church Year. Saint Andrew is head of the Church of England.” the “introducer to Christ.” Incriminating evidence discovered The Congregation in his possession included several books condemning Henry’s of Saint Athanasius supremacy claim and his divorce The Revd. of Queen Catherine of Aragon. He Richard Sterling Bradford, was likewise condemned for having protected from Henry’s henchmen a Chaplain relic of the hand of the Benedictine Saint Lawrence Church monk Saint Anastasius of Cluny 774 Boylston Ave. († c. 1085), “knowing that His Chestnut Hill, Mass. Majesty had sent visitors to the said (Parking lot behind church.) abbey to put down such idolatry.” On November 15, 1539, Father ADVENT SEASON Sundays 11:30 a.m. Rugg was put to death by drawing ¶ Advent Sunday is December Sung Mass and quartering together with his 1, 2013. Now is the time to order Fellowship and Coffee in the abbot (Blessed) Hugh Faringdon Advent Wreath supplies, calendars, and another Benedictine priest, and special readings. We have a Undercroft after Mass (Blessed) John Eynon. fine book of meditations for every day, written by Fr. Stravinskas, and Reprinted from Magnificat, November Rectory: 2012, Vol. 14, No. 9, p. 202. With available for purchase. Consider 767 West Roxbury Pkwy. permission of Magnificat® USA, P.O. signing up to read a lesson at our Boston, MA 02132-2121 Box 822, Yonkers, NY 10702. To order Annual Procession with Carols for Tel/Fax: (617) 325-5232 call 1-866-273-5215 or Web site: www. Advent, Sunday evening, December magnificat.com. All rights reserved. 1st at 5:00 p.m. http://www.locutor.net Page 32 Contra Mundum

St. Lawrence Church, 774 Boylston Street (Route 9). Park in the church parking lot behind the Church, off of Reservoir Rd. Directions by Car: From the North or South: Route 128 to Route 9. At signal for Reservoir Road, take right; Church parking lot is a short distance on left. From Boston: From Stuart/Kneeland St., turn left onto Park Plaza. Drive for 0.2 miles. Park Plaza becomes St James Avenue. Drive for 0.3 miles. Turn slight left onto ramp. Drive for 0.1 miles. Go straight on Route-9. Drive for 3.5 miles. Turn left onto Heath Street. Drive for 0.1 miles. Go straight on Reservoir Road. Drive for 0.1 miles. Parking lot is on your right. Directions by Public Transportation: From Ken- more Square station board Bus #60, which stops in front of the Church. Alternatively, the Church is a 15-minute walk from the Cleveland Circle station on the Green Line C-branch.

Contra Mundum The Congregation of St. Athanasius 10 St. Theresa Avenue West Roxbury, MA 02132