Author: Msgr. Charles Pope

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Maybe It’s God!

All of us face many trials and difficulties in this world that serve to remind us that we are really in a foreign land, far from home. The world can bewilder us, and beguile us, disappoint us and demand of us. But what if our dissatisfaction with this world was not merely a selfishness, or a lack of gratitude for what we have? What if this dissatisfaction is supposed to be there? If your desire is infinite and insatiable, unlimited and unremitting, maybe its about God. Why should this world satisfy you? It is puny and passing compared to your heart’s truest longing. Maybe it’s God you are really longing for!

This video is entitled “Come to Jesus.” It was  produced for young people but if you still have any of that “young at heart” in you you’ll enjoy this beautiful invitation.

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Translation Please

devotions-benedictionSomeone asked me for a translation of a Latin song we often sing called Tantum Ergo. We usually sing it  for benediction and other Eucharistic occasions. There is an English translation of sorts that is out there which begins: “Humbly let us voice our homage for so great a sacrament…”  It’s close but because it is bound by poetic meter it strays a bit. Perhaps a more literal translation will help you in know what the Latin words mean as you sing them. I would like to offer a fairly literal translation here below:



Tantum ergo Sacramentum                 Therefore so great a Sacrament
Veneremur cernui:                                  Let us venerate with bowed heads
Et antiquum documentum                   And as the ancient dispensation
Novo cedat ritui:                                      gives way to the newer rites:
Praestet fides supplementum              Let Faith supply a help
Sensuum defectui.                                    to the defect of the senses.

Genitori, Genitoque                                 To the One Who Begets and the One who is begotten
Laus et jubilatio,                                        Be praise and jubilation,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque                 Salvation, honor, strength also
Sit et benedictio:                                       And may there be blessing:
Procedenti ab utroque                            (and) to the One proceeding from them both
Compar sit laudatio.                                 may there be equal praise.
Amen.                                                             Amen.

Just in case you’re wondering, the “One who Begets” is God the Father, the “One who is Begotten” is God the Son (Jesus), and the “One proceeding from them both” is  God the Holy Spirit.

Alright so now that you hopefully have a better idea what those words mean, enjoy this video which features Mozart’s  version of Tantum Ergo (k. 197).


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Latest Catholic News

This news segment is from CATHOLIC TV.com. Among the issues covered here is Pope Benedict’s address concluding the year of St. Paul. Also extensive coverage of the Pope’s announcement concerning findings on the Tomb of St. Paul. Further – Do you have “adult faith?” Find out what this means and if YOU have it.

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Archbishop Wuerl Begins New TV Series

In an original CatholicTV mini-series, Archbishop Donald Wuerl discusses the Rosary, using the beautiful mosaics of America’s Catholic Church, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, to illustrate his point. His personal approach illuminates the topics, making them both prayerful and a learning experience.

The first program focuses on the Incarnation Dome located in the basilica. He discusses the annunication, the nativity, Jesus’ first miracle at Cana and the transfiguration.

The second program looks at the Redemption Dome. Archbishop Wuerl discusses the death and resurrection of Christ, the temptation in the desert, the crucifixion, Jesus’ descent into hell and His resurrection and closes with the Lord’s Prayer.

The final program focuses on the mysteries of light. The Archbishop discusses the Luminous Mysteries and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and baptism of Jesus. He also discusses the epiphanies, the proclamation of the kingdom, the transfiguration and the establishment of the Eucharist.

Here is a trailer introducing the series:


Find out more about the series Here: CATHOLIC TV
The First episode becomes available this Friday.

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Ark of the Covenant to be Unveiled?

The latest issue of Gloria TV news contains two very interesting archaeological notes. First the Pope confirmed today that scientific testing on the bones of St. Paul confirm that they are of antiquity, most certainly from the first or second century. This would tend to confirm the Churches claim that they are in fact the Bones of St Paul.

The final item on this newscast is cause for some alarm if you ask me:

“The Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia, Abuna Pauolos, has announced last Friday the unveiling of the Ark of the Covenant, the container of the tablets of the law that God delivered to Moses. According to the Patriarch it has been hidden away in a church in his country for millennia. Now, the is supposed to be shown in a museum.”

What?! A Museum?! It is debatable if this really is the Ark of the Covenant but many, even millions, think  it is. For a religious leader of the Church that has reverently kept this reputed treasure and venerated its status as a holy receptacle of the Presence of God, to put this in a museum is reprehensible! For the Jewish people of old the Ark was so sacred that no one could look upon it, except the High Priest and he, only once a year. The Ark carried the presence of God in Israel. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has venerated this Ark for centuries and limited its exposure to the world much as did the ancient Jews. It is astonishing to me that the Ethiopian Patriarch would every consider such a move. It would almost be like a Catholic Bishop taking a tabernacle, fully loaded with the Blessed Sacrament and putting it on display in a museum. Unthinkable! It is so crazy that I think this must be a hoax. There are others who claim that the Patriarch was misquoted (cf  HERE and HERE) . At any rate, I hope the matter proves to be what I suspect, a hoax. So here is the latest Gloria TV News

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Historical Photos of St. Matthews

I stumbled upon the photos from 1961 of St. Matthews Cathedral. The Cathedral is largely unchanged today with the exception that the tabernacle is no longer on the main altar. That same altar is still used however for the Mass facing facing the people. One other big change is the addition of the pipe organ in the east transcept. These photos were found in the LIFE Magazine photo archive which you can find here: LIFE Archive