Does The Holy Father Read This Blog?

Back in April, when I announced that, Pope Benedict XVI Reads This Blog and provided irrefutable proof, a number of people commented. One person gave me ideas of posts to put up which would be of interest to the Holy Father. A Priest later told me that when he read the headline he thought, "Stuart's finally flipped!", but he did not go on to read the post. What they both missed was that it was April Fools Day.

I do look at my site meter from time to time, just to check that my 3 readers are still reading! Sometimes the numbers go up, as it has at the moment, due to Chesterton and Fr Finigan (thanks Father). There I can also see the different Countries people are reading my blog in. And yes someone from the Vatican has looked at my blog again! So what wonderful piece of my writing did they log on to read? Nothing of mine, but Father Schofield's Sermon from the Mass on the 2nd Annual GK Chesterton Pilgrimage! (Please don't ask me how I got the screen shot above, the Wife did it for me!)

Prayer for the Beatification of GK Chesterton

God Our Father, Thou didst fill the life of Thy servant Gilbert Keith Chesterton with a sense of wonder and joy, and gave him a faith which was the foundation of his ceaseless work, a charity towards all men, particularly his opponents, and a hope which sprang from his lifelong gratitude for the gift of human life. May his innocence and his laughter, his constancy in fighting for the Christian faith in a world losing belief, his lifelong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his love for all men, especially for the poor, bring cheerfulness to those in despair, conviction and warmth to lukewarm believers and the knowledge of God to those without faith. We beg Thee to grant the favours we ask through his intercession, the end of abortion in this Country [and especially for……] so that his holiness may be recognized by all and the Church may proclaim him Blessed. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Novena For SSPX & Rome Talks

You may or may not be aware of this.

On 14th September - the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - Bishop Fellay, FSSPX, and a bunch of others are being received by Cardinal Levada of the CDF. Anything could happen - it could be good news, it could be bad news.

I propose a novena for a propitious and peaceful outcome to this meeting, one that will benefit the whole Church. I also propose that we take on some sort of extra penance for this intention, starting tomorrow.

This will be the novena, in Latin with English below it. The Latin takes a little over 2 minutes. The English takes a little over 1 minute 30 seconds. Not a big deal.
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Latin

To Pope St Pius X

Deus, qui ad tuendam catholicam fidem, et universa in Christo instauranda sanctum Pium, Summum Pontificem, caelesti sapientia et apostolica fortitudine replevisti; concede proitius; ut, ejus instituta et exempla sectantes, praemia consequamur aeterna. Per eumdem Dominum nostrum.

In Honour of the Holy Cross

Deus, qui unigeniti Filii tui pretioso sanguine, vivificare Crucis vexillum sanctificare voluisti: concede, quaesumus; eos, qui ejusdem sanctae Crucis gaudent honore, tua quoque ubique protectione gaudere. Per eumdem Dominum.

For Peace

Deus, a quo sancta desideria, recta consilia, et justa sunt opera: da servis tuis illam, quam mundus dare non potest, pacem; ut et corda nostra mandatis tuis dedita, et hostium sublata formidine, tempora sint tua protectione tranquilla. Per Dominum nostrum.

For people in authority and those under their charge

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui facis mirabilia magna solus: praetende super famulos tuos, et super congregationes illis commissas, spiritum gratiae salutaris; et ut in veritate tibi complaceant, perpetuum eis rorem tuae benedictionis infunde. Per Dominum.

Memorare

Memorare, O piisima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saecula, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum. Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen.

Through thy cross and passion - deliver us, O Lord.
Immaculate heart of Mary - pray for us.
Pope Saint Pius X - pray for us.
Saints Benedict and Joseph - pray for us.
Saint William - pray for us.
Saints Marcel, and Anthony of Padua - pray for us.
Saints Bernard, Richard and Alphonsus - pray for us.
All ye holy Angels and Archangels, all ye holy order of blessed Spirits - pray for us.

Fidelium animae per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace.

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English:

To St Pius X

O God, who for the defence of the Catholic faith and to restore all things in Christ, filled saint Pius, the supreme Pontiff, with heavenly wisdom and apostolic strength; mercifully grant that following his teaching and example we may attain to our eternal reward. Through our same Lord.

In Honour of the Holy Cross

O God, who by the precious blood of thine only-begotten Son wast pleased to hallow the standard of the life-giving Cross: grant, we beseech thee, that those who rejoice in honouring that same holy Cross may likewise rejoice in thy protection, wheresoever they may be. Through the same Lord.

For Peace

O God, from whom all holy desires, all right counsels and all just works do proceed; give to thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be disposed to obey thy commandments, and the fear of enemies being removed, our times, by thy protection, may be peaceful. Through our Lord.

For people in authority and those under their charge

Almighty and everlasting God, who alone workest great wonders, pour down upon thy servants and upon the flocks committed to their charge the spirit of thy saving grace, and that they may truly please thee, pour down upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Through our Lord.

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Through thy cross and passion - deliver us, O Lord.
Immaculate heart of Mary - pray for us.
Pope Saint Pius X - pray for us.
Saints Benedict and Joseph - pray for us.
Saint William - pray for us.
Saints Marcel, and Anthony of Padua - pray for us.
Saints Bernard, Richard and Alphonsus - pray for us.
All ye holy Angels and Archangels, all ye holy order of blessed Spirits - pray for us.

May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Deerstalker tip to London Juventutem for all of this.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

INSTRUCTION

ON CERTAIN QUESTIONS REGARDING THE COLLABORATION OF THE NON-ORDAINED FAITHFUL IN THE SACRED MINISTRY OF PRIEST

Article 8

The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion The non-ordained faithful already collaborate with the sacred ministers in diverse pastoral situations since "This wonderful gift of the Eucharist, which is the greatest gift of all, demands that such an important mystery should be increasingly better known and its saving power more fully shared".(95) Such liturgical service is a response to the objective needs of the faithful especially those of the sick and to those liturgical assemblies in which there are particularly large numbers of the faithful who wish to receive Holy Communion. § 1. The canonical discipline concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion must be correctly applied so as to avoid generating confusion. The same discipline establishes that the ordinary minister of Holy Communion is the Bishop, the Priest and the the Deacon.(96) Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are those instituted as acolytes and the faithful so deputed in accordance with Canon 230, § 3.(97) A non-ordained member of the faithful, in cases of true necessity, may be deputed by the diocesan bishop, using the appropriate form of blessing for these situation, to act as an extraordinary minister to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations ad actum vel ad tempus or for a more stable period. In exceptional cases or in un foreseen circumstances, the priest presiding at the liturgy may authorize such ad actum.(98) § 2. Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly unable to distribute Holy Communion.(99) They may also exercise this function at eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion. (100) This function is supplementary and extraordinary (101) and must be exercised in accordance with the norm of law. It is thus useful for the diocesan bishop to issue particular norms concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion which, in complete harmony with the universal law of the Church, should regulate the exercise of this function in his diocese. Such norms should provide, amongst other things, for matters such as the instruction in eucharistic doctrine of those chosen to be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the meaning of the service they provide, the rubrics to be observed, the reverence to be shown for such an august Sacrament and instruction concerning the discipline on admission to Holy Communion. To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches: — extraordinary ministers receiving Holy Communion apart from the other faithful as though concelebrants; — association with the renewal of promises made by priests at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, as well as other categories of faithful who renew religious vows or receive a mandate as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion; — the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of "a great number of the faithful".

All particular laws, customs and faculties conceded by the Holy See ad experimentum or other ecclesiastical authorities which are contrary to the foregoing norms are hereby revoked. The Supreme Pontiff, in Audience of the 13th of August 1997 approved in forma specifica this present Instruction and ordered its promulgation. Vatican City 15 August 1997, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Congregation for the Clergy Darío Castrillón Hoyos Pro-Prefect Crescenzio Sepe Secretary Pontifical Council for the Laity James Francis Stafford President Stanislaw Rylko Secretary Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Joseph Card. Ratzinger Prefect Tarcisio Bertone SDB Secretary Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments Jorge Arturo Medina Estévez Pro-Prefect Geraldo Majella Agnelo Secretary Congregation for Bishops Bernardin Card. Gantin Prefect Jorge María Mejía Secretary Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Jozef Card. Tomko Prefect Giuseppe Uhac Secretary Congregation for Institutes of Consecretated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life Eduardo Card. Martínez Somalo Prefect Piergiorgio Silvano Nesti CP Secretary Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts Julián Herranz President Bruno Bertagna Secretary (Here are the notes for those that want them and the full document is here)

(95) Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, Premiss of the Instruction Immensae caritatis (29 January 1973), AAS 65 (1973), p. 264. (96) Cf. C.I.C., can. 910, § 1; cf. John Paul II, Letter Dominicae coenae (24 February 1980), n. 11; AAS 72 (1980), p. 142. (97) Cf. C.I.C., can. 910, § 2. (98) Cf. Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Immensae caritatis (29 January 1973), AAS 65 (1973), p. 264, n. 1; Missale Romanum, Appendix: Ritus ad deputandum ministrum S. Communionis ad actum distribuendae; Pontificale Romanum, De institutione lectorum et acolythorum. (99) Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of The Code of Canon Law, Response (1 June 1998), AAS 80 (1988), p. 1373. (100) Cf. Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Immensae caritatis (29 January 1973), n. 1; AAS 65 (1973), p. 264; Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Instruction Inestimabile donum (3 April 1980), n. 10: AAS 72 (1980), p. 336. (101) Can. 230, § 2 and § 3 C.I.C., affirms that the liturgical services can be assigned to non-ordained faithful only "ex temporanea deputatione" or for supply.