There is a long noted connection between what is good, what is true and what is beautiful. Catholicism seeks to employ beauty in the service of what is good and true. Most Catholic Churches, especially the older ones, make great use of art, stained glass, and architecture to summon Catholics to faith. Further, our sacraments engage the senses and involve the body. We are touched in the sacraments physically and also therefore spiritually. Beyond the sacraments themselves there are the ways in which the liturgy itself engages the senses. There are candles, incense, music, and flowers. Even the many postures of prayer engage the body: sitting, standing, kneeling, sings of the cross, holy water, processions etc. Catholicism seeks to engage the whole person. We are not just a spirit or a soul, we are body-persons. Catholicism takes this very seriously. In summoning the human person to what is good, true and beautiful, Catholicism summons the whole person and employs much of God’s creation to announce the good news. This video displays the beauty of Catholic tradition and how it is a kind of feast for the whole person. The images emphasize the ancient traditions of the Church
Vocations: More on Monastic Life
Mount Angel Abbey is a community of Benedictine Monks founded in 1882 from the Abbey of Engelberg in Switzerland. They maintain a monastic tradition that has been a vital part of the Roman Catholic Church for more than 1500 years. “Responding to God’s call to holiness and preferring nothing whatever to Christ,” they dedicate themselves, under a Rule and an abbot to a life of prayer and work. They strive to support one another in community, to serve God, the Church, and the larger society. They do this as they celebrate the Holy Eucharist together, pray the Liturgy of the Hours five times daily in choir, and devote themselves to reading and silence.This video shows forth monastic life at Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine Abbey in Oregon.
A Portrait of Catholic Schools
Catholic Schools today are very special places where the faith is handed on and children are summoned to discover their talents and gifts. There is a kind of rhythm of life that marks the Catholic School year, centered around the Liturgical year and also the many routines that are essential to school days. It’s not just the books and learning, it’s the visit of the priests, it’s trips. It is the tag days (uniform free), it’s recess, it’s going to mass, stations of the cross and the rosary. It’s school plays and dressing up as saints. Ultimately it’s about the formation of the young person in the ways of faith, parish and family.
Pray for Catholic schools, they are special places that are threatened today by market forces of rising costs and declining affordability. If you’re an alumnus support your Catholic School Alma Mater, if you’re a parishioner pray and work for you local Catholic School. They are worth supporting and preserving and our help is needed as never before.
This video is entitled “Mr R’s Class” and depicts Catholic School life well.
I Like Being A Catholic
Enjoy this Video by Justin Stroh
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.
Translation Please
Someone 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).
Pro-Life Progress
A stunning new technology all the conversion of ultra-sound images to life-size models. Read More here: Parents can hold life size models of their Unborn Child
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.