Benedict on Iranaeus

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Benedict can quote from memory from the Church fathers and the scriptures. He is now using he is Wednesday addresses to teach about the early fathers:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters,

"Continuing our catechesis on the Church Fathers, we turn now to Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, a great theologian and bishop at the end of the second century. In his writings, Irenaeus clearly sets forth the contents of the apostolic faith and appeals to the Church’s living tradition in order to defend that faith from false teachings. He thus emphasizes the regula fidei: the “rule of faith” contained in the Apostles’ Creed and in the Gospel proclaimed by the Church’s Bishops. The Gospel Irenaeus preached was the Gospel preached by his teacher Polycarp, who in turn received it from the Apostle John in an unbroken line of succession going back to Christ himself. Irenaeus also writes of the unique authority of the Church of Rome as founded on the Apostles. This zealous pastor illustrates for us three important characteristics of the Apostolic Tradition: it is “public”, because it is available to all through the teaching of the Bishops; it is “one”, because its content remains the same despite the variety of languages and cultures; and it is “pneumatic”, because, through it, the Holy Spirit continues to enliven and renew the Church even today."

Motu Proprio Watch II

Die Welt, one of Germany's major dailies, reports that "The pope from the land of Luther will restore the old Latin mass."


Paul Badde's story in Die Welt was reported by Catholic World News via The New Liturgical Movement. Catholic World News says this confirms stories that have appeared in French and Italian papers and adds the additional detail that a letter to accompany the motu proprio has already been drafted.

Die Welt reports major opposition in the curia and in the European hierarchy to Benedict's liberation of the ancient mass.


A motu proprio is a special pronouncement made by the pope on his own initiative. It is widely expected that the document will universally permit the old "Latin mass." Thus any priest, anywhere in the world, who wishes to say the mass according to the Mass of John XXIII may then do so without asking permission of his local bishop.

The Mass of John XXIII follows the rubrics as they were in 1962 before the changes made after the Second Vatican Council. This ritual was little changed over the previous four centuries and closely resembles the mass of fourteen centuries ago. While the current liturgy may be said in Latin, it is almost always celebrated in the vernacular. The Mass of John XXIII may only be said in Latin.

The Mass of John XXIII is sometimes referred to as the Tridentine mass, alluding to the Council of Trent which reformed it in the sixteenth century.

A new liturgical blog

A new liturgical blog:

http://smcollinsus.blogspot.com/

Try it!

"Our dialogue with [others], inspired by Saint Justin, must remain firmly rooted in Truth, while always avoiding that which is merely fashionable."

Benedict on Justin from his Wednesday Lenten address:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing our catechesis on the Fathers of the Early Church, we consider today Saint Justin, Philosopher and Martyr. Saint Justin was born in Samaria, Palestine, around the year 100 (one hundred). During his youth he ardently sought the truth. After a meeting with an old man, who directed him to prayer and the study of the prophets, the Saint converted to Christianity. He eventually established a school in Rome where he taught the new religion; he was denounced as a Christian and decapitated in the year 165 (one sixty five). Of his written works only his two Apologies and his Dialogue with Trypho remain. These emphasize God’s project of Creation and Salvation which find fulfilment in Jesus Christ, who is the Logos or Word of God. Before the birth of Christ the Logos allowed men and women to come to know part of the truth about God and man. The full truth, however, has been given to Christians with the Incarnation of the Word of God. Our dialogue with philosophy and other religions, inspired by Saint Justin, must remain firmly rooted in Truth, while always avoiding that which is merely fashionable.

"Be seeds of holiness scattered by the handful in the furrows of history. "

When we give thought to Providence today, which we seldom do, we are baffled rather than comforted. Although specifically speaking to representatives of religious orders, Benedict gives us all a wholly and holy different perspective. Enjoy and pray his metaphors:

"The Church also needs you to give completeness to her mission. Be seeds of holiness scattered by the handful in the furrows of history. Rooted in the freely given and effective action with which the Lord's Spirit guides human events, may you bear fruits of genuine faith, writing with your life and your witness trajectories of hope, writing them with the actions suggested by 'creativity in charity' (John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte, n. 50).

I thank John P. Lockwood writing in the current issue of Our Sunday Visitor for the tittle quote.