On Procured Abortion: Clarification of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

The full post is in Rorate Caeli. Here are some excerpts:

Since the first century, the Church has declared the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed. It remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is, willed as an end or as a means, is gravely opposed to the moral law: “Thou shalt not kill a child by abortion, neither shalt thou slay it when born” (Didache, 2,2). “For God, the Lord of life, has conferred on men the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life in a manner which is worthy of man. Therefore from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes” (Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, 51).

Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave sin. The Church punishes this crime against human life with a canonical penalty of excommunication: “A person who procures a completed abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication” (CIC, can. 1398), “for the very fact [ipso facto] of having committed the delict” (CIC, can 1314) and under the conditions foreseen by the law (cfr. CIC, canons 1323-1324). The Church does not intend to limit the domain of mercy in this manner. This puts in evidence the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable damage caused to the murdered innocent, to his parents, and to all society.

…

n the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed this doctrine with his authority of Supreme Pastor of the Church: “By the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors, in communion with the Bishops-who on various occasions have condemned abortion and who in the aforementioned consultation, albeit dispersed throughout the world, have shown unanimous agreement concerning this doctrine-I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written Word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s Tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium” (n. 62).

Regarding procured abortion in some difficult and complex situations, the clear and precise teaching of Pope John Paul II stands: “”It is true that the decision to have an abortion is often tragic and painful for the mother, insofar as the decision to rid herself of the fruit of conception is not made for purely selfish reasons or out of convenience, but out of a desire to protect certain important values such as her own health or a decent standard of living for the other members of the family. Sometimes it is feared that the child to be born would live in such conditions that it would be better if the birth did not take place. Nevertheless, these reasons and others like them, however serious and tragic, can never justify the deliberate killing of an innocent human being” (Encyclical Evangelium Vitae, n. 58).

As for the problem of certain medical treatments with the end of preserving the health of the mother, two different cases should be distinguished: on one hand, a procedure which directly causes the death of the fetus, often called inappropriately a “therapeutic” abortion, cannot be any more licit than the direct murder of an innocent human being; on the other hand, a procedure which is not itself abortive may have, as a collateral consequence, the death of the child: “If, for instance, saving the life of the future mother, regardless of her state of pregnancy, would urgently demand a surgical procedure, or other therapeutic measure, which could have, as an accessory consequence, in no way willed by itself, but unavoidably, the death of the fetus, such act could not be called a direct attack against innocent life. In such conditions, the procedure may be considered licit, as other similar medical interventions, as long as a good of great worth, such as life, is involved, and it is not possible to postpone it until after the birth of the child, nor to resort to another efficacious remedy” (Pius XII, Address to the “Fronte alla Famiglia” and the Associazione Famiglie Numerose, November 27, 1951).

Regarding the responsibility of health-care personnel, the words of Pope John Paul II should be recalled: “Their profession calls for them to be guardians and servants of human life. In today’s cultural and social context, in which science and the practice of medicine risk losing sight of their inherent ethical dimension, health-care professionals can be strongly tempted at times to become manipulators of life, or even agents of death. In the face of this temptation their responsibility today is greatly increased. Its deepest inspiration and strongest support lie in the intrinsic and undeniable ethical dimension of the health-care profession, something already recognized by the ancient and still relevant Hippocratic Oath, which requires every doctor to commit himself to absolute respect for human life and its sacredness” (Encyclical Evangelium Vitae, n. 89).

Fr. Adolfo Nicolas, S.J., Superior General of the Jesuit Order, visits Ateneo de Manila University: Schedule of activities

The  Very Reverend Father Adolfo Nicolas, the Superior General of the Jesuit Order, will be on campus starting this weekend.  Being the source of unity in the universal body of the Society of Jesus, the Superior General’s visit to the Philippines will hopefully foster greater union among collaborators within the various Jesuit apostolate in the Philippines. The Father General, as he is commonly called, will be seen and heard in the following special gatherings:

Date	Time	Event	Venue	Attendees
12 July	3 PM	Anticipated St. Ignatius Mass	High School Courts, Ateneo de Manila University Campus	Open to the public
13 July	8 PM	Jesuit Basic Education Congress	Irwin Theatre	Only representatives endorsed by the Jesuit Schools
14 July	10 AM	Meeting with Delegations from the Jesuit’s Non-Education Units	Cardinal Sin Center, Loyola School of Theology	Only representatives endorsed Non-Academic Institutions
14 July	3:30 PM	ADMU’s Special Academic Convocation	Irwin Theatre	ADMU Administrative and Academic Community

As a backgrounder, the Father General is the head of the largest male religious order in the Catholic Church, with 18,815 members—13,305 priests, 2,295 scholastic students, 1,758 brothers and 827 novices.  He was Director of the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Quezon City from 1978 to 1984, and later served as rector of the theologate in Tokyo from 1991 to 1993, when he was appointed Provincial of the Jesuit Province of Japan.  In 2004 he returned to the Philippines after he was named Moderator of the Jesuit Conference for Eastern Asia and Oceania.  On January 19, 2008, Fr. Adolfo Nicolas was elected by General Congregation (GC 35) as the Order’s thirtieth Superior General and was promptly confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI.

In his homily to mark the closure of GC 35 in Rome, Fr, Nicolas emphasized the need to ‘have as a way of life, collaboration and mutual help’, but warned that ‘this cannot happen unless everyone remains in love’.  Indeed, a timely exhortation for all of us to reflect on.

In connection to the Fr. General’s visit, the Manila Observatory will play host to a delegation, consisting of six administrative staff and faculty members, from the Xavier University in Cagayan De Oro City. The visitors from CDO will be billeted at the third floor of the Main Building from July 11 to 14, 2009. Your show of genuine hospitality to our fellow lay collaborators will be very much appreciated.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Raul Luis D. Manaligod

Administrator

Manila Observatory

Dress code to Reproductive Health Bill: Dissent in Ateneo de Manila University

I found that the Ateneo de Manila University’s Rizal Library (and other offices) does not allow anyone to enter who are improperly dressed:

1. Soiled clothes
2. Lounging/gym/athletic/cycling shorts
3. Short shorts
4. Lounging/gym/athletic tops and sleeveless shirts (for men)
5. Low-cut/backless/strapless tops and bare midriff
6. Very short skirts/dress
7. Very low-rise jeans (low-waist)
8. Slippers – type of footwear consisting of a sole secured to the foot by straps over the instep only (Y-shaped strap)
9. Other kinds of clothing that run counter to the guidelines in the memo on the Dress Code dated 6th December 2007.

This dress code is very revealing (pun intended): it reveals that the number of students wearing improper/indecent attire has grown enough to alarm the administration. And so far, the administration can only impose its rules only within the school offices. Outside these offices the students are free to dress as they like, even though they are still within the school campus.

Modesty is the guardian of chastity. The Catechism says:

Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden. It is ordered to chastity to whose sensitivity it bears witness. It guides how one looks at others and behaves toward them in conformity with the dignity of persons and their solidarity.

Modesty protects the mystery of persons and their love. It encourages patience and moderation in loving relationships; it requires that the conditions for the de definitive giving and commitment of man and woman to one another be fulfilled. Modesty is decency. It inspires one’s choice of clothing. It keeps silence or reserve where there is evident risk of unhealthy curiosity. It is discreet.

I remembered years ago when this issue came out. Some (many?) students and teachers denounced it. If Ateneans cannot obey a simple rule as the dress code, how can they obey weightier rules such as “artificial contraception is intrinsically evil” as taught by Pope Paul VI in his Humanae Vitae? Remember Christ’s parable of the talents? If we can be trusted with little things, we can also be trusted with greater things. Thus, with this moral climate at the Ateneo de Manila University, we should not anymore wonder why many of its professors signed in support of the Reproductive Health Bill currently debated in the Congress, in defiance of the Church’s teaching authority.

Let me end with a sad quote from Shakespeare:

O mighty [Ateneo]! dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.
(c.f. Anthony to Caesar)

Fr. Daniel J. McNamara, S.J.: 70 years of reaching for the stars

Fr. Daniel McNamara, SJ, celebrated his 70th birthday with fellow faculty, administrators and close friends, over some of his favorite dishes.  The party was not just meant to celebrate the life and achievements of Fr. Dan, as he is called by his many friends, but also to re-launch the Fr. Daniel J. McNamara, SJ Endowment, a scholarship fund established to support physics students from the provinces.

The celebration began at 12 noon with a mass at the Sacred Heart Chapel of the College. Fr. Dan shared a brief summary of his life, recalling that even as a boy growing up in Long Island, New York, he would be watching the stars.  His interest in astronomy came along with an interest in the Jesuit vocation and, eventually, he would be able to accomplish both.  He was assigned to the Philippines, where he would be initially be tasked to teach in the high school and work at the Manila Observatory.  After further studies, he would teach Physics at the Loyola Schools, where he would eventually become the Chairman of the Physics department.  Currently assigned to the Ateneo de Davao University, Fr. Dan noted that God has pointed the way in his life, and that ‘God does call and we are given the grace to answer.’

Source: Boy Tristan Agustin, Fr. Dan McNamara: 70 years of reaching for the stars (2009-06-30)

Mass at the Jesuit Infirmary in the Loyola House of Studies: the Anointing of Sick Jesuits

I.  The Road to the Infirmary

Today is the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.  It’s 5:30 p.m. and I haven’t yet went to mass.  I am thinking of going to de la Strada, but it requires an effort.  I called my friend and she suggested that I go to the Jesuit Infirmary chapel at the Loyola House of Studies.  “Fr. Roque Ferriols, S.J. is the celebrant,” she said.  I haven’t been there before.  So I agreed to go.

The Loyola House of Studies is a 5 minute walk from the Manila Observatory.  I walked downhill in a winding road until I reached a dead end marked by a pine tree; cars would have to go around it to go back to the Observatory.  I asked the porter where the Jesuit Infirmary is.  She pointed me to a narrow corridor, a tunnel through the hillside.

“Go straight, turn left, and climb the stairs to your right.  The chapel is in the second floor.”

I went inside.  It was gloomy.  And spooky.  I have played Dungeons and Dragons before and this is a real dungeon.  Oh, I have been here before.  That room in the corner is where I took my oral exams in Theology 131 on Marriage under Fr. Adolfo N. Dacanay, S.J, a canon lawyer who finished his doctorate from the Gregorian University in Rome.  My exam question is on the relationship of Fundamental Option and venial sins.  I took it an hour before the sun rose.  The corridor was as dark then as it is now.  I can still see in my mind Fr. Dacanay sitting behind his wooden desk under a lamp light.  Now, the door is closed.

I turned left.  On my left is a garden.  A little farther and higher is a church with its unmistakable stained glass windows, shining like precious gems in the setting sun.  I wished to be there but it is not the chapel I seek.

I opened the double door.  One stairway goes down to the right; another goes up to the right.  I went up.

When I arrived at the second floor, I turned right and saw the Infirmary.  There is the nurses’s station on the right and straight ahead is little chapel filled with people for mass.  An Indian priest greeted me before the door.  I asked if I can come inside.  He said yes and showed me an empty chair on the second row.  I sat.

II.  The Mass at the Infirmary

The celebrant is not Fr. Roque Ferriols; it is Fr. Jun Viray, the Rector (of Loyola House?). He is still young, in his 40’s.  Serious, soft-spoken, reserved–a figure of red and white against a background of a large IHS surrounded by the Latin words: ET VOCATEM NOMEN EIVS IESVS (I am not sure if I remember this right).  This translates to “And you shall call him Jesus,” the words the Angel Gabriel said to Mary during the Annunciation (c.f. Lk 1:31).

Fr. Ferriols is beside me wearing his characteristic slippers, his legs swollen from years of walking.  He does not wear his usual maong jeans.  Instead he wears a striped purontong or a half-pajamas.  Over his grey t-shirt is a blue stole embroidered with ethnic designs of crosses and zigzag lines.  His head droops.  His cheeks sag.  He is in his 80’s.

This is a sitting mass.  Everyone sits on chairs throughout the mass–no standing or kneeling.  I guess because the normal participants are old and sick Jesuits.  Some Jesuits even come in wheel chairs.

The chapel can only accommodate forty.  The first two rows are reserved as a rule for sick priests.  The next two rows are for the professors of the Loyola House of Studies who sings as the choir accompanied by a guitar.

During the consecration, I hear Fr. Ferriols mumble the words without opening his lips.  At the sign of peace, I shook hands with him.  This is a rare encounter:  I shook hands with the only priest in Ateneo who is called not Father but Padre.  Padre Ferriols spearheaded the adoption of Filipino in Philosophy in the 70’s.  I took my Philosophy in Filipino, but with a different teacher–Mr. Simon Gregorio.  And I agree with Fr. Ferriols:  the act of doing philosophy in the native tongue, enriches the language, as new concepts are formed, and the Filipino worldview is laid bare:

Meron.  May roon. May doon.  A state of having a place (in the universe).  There is.

Kalooban.  Loob.  Inside.  That which is inside of man, his innermost self..

Pagmamahal.  Mahal.  Priced high.  To love is to to put a high price to someone more than the golds of the earth.

Before the mass ended, the Fr. Jun Viray lays his hands on the sick priests and anointed them with oil in the forehead and in the hands.  There are three other priests who were sick, but they are in their rooms.  They too were anointed with oil after the mass.

There was a sign in the door saying that after each liturgy, we must pray the Hail Holy Queen for the recovery of the sick and the rich harvest of vocations to the priesthood.  I waited for Fr. Viray to lead the prayer; he did not.  I guess the prayer should be said in silence.  I prayed the Salve Regina.  When I left, I saw ten old priests inside the chapel still praying, half of them Americans and half of them Filipinos.   I do not know them, but they must have been legends, too, in their prime.  Now their eyes have grown dim and their backs are bent low.  Yet still they prayed.  Then I recall the words of Qoheleth the Seer:

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years approach of which you will say, I have no pleasure in them; before the sun is darkened. and the light, and the moon, and the stars, while the clouds return after the rain; when the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, And the grinders are idle because they are few, and they who look through the windows grow blind; when the doors to the street are shut, and the sound of the mill is low; When one waits for the chirp of a bird, but all the daughters of song are suppressed; and one fears heights, and perils in the street; When the almond tree blooms, and the locust grows sluggish and the caper berry is without effect, Because man goes to his lasting home, and mourners go about the streets; before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken, And the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the broken pulley falls into the well, and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7)

Sta. Maria de la Strada Parish Church in Katipunan, Quezon City: the Hidden Tabernacle

My friend and I usually visit the Sta. Maria de la Strada Parish Church along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. It is only a 5 minute tricycle ride from Ateneo de Manila University. We usually go to de la Strada if we can’t make it to mass at the college chapel, especially if there are solemnities and feasts. We went to mass there once and we witnessed a solemn Benediction during a First Friday before the Feast of Corpus Christi.

The Parish Church is designed like a giant nipa hut, supported by strong corner columns. Instead of walls are grills, allowing a good view of the greenery outside, while letting the fresh air to rush in and rise upwards to the four large exhaust fans at the pinnacle. The wooden panels are of dark wood, except those of the sacristy which are light cream, in order to emphasize the stylized Crucified Christ on center wall. Beneath the crucifix is the altar supported supported by columns sculpted like sheaves of wheat. In front of the altar are the chairs for the priests–a rare arrangement which puzzles my mind.

But there is something missing: the tabernacle. When we first went inside the church, I cannot see the tabernacle. This can be awkward when you try to dip your hands on the holy water and kneel in the direction of the tabernacle that you cannot see. The words of Pius XII came to my mind:

A day will come when the civilized world will deny its God, when the Church will doubt as Peter doubted. She will be tempted to believe that man has become God. In our churches, Christians will search in vain for the red lamp where God awaits them. Like Mary Magdalene, weeping before the empty tomb, they will ask, “Where have they taken him? (thanks to Athanasius Contra Mundum for the quote)

After the mass, I asked one of the ladies in blue–probably a member of the Catholic Women’s League–where the tabernacle is. And she pointed us to the back of the church. We went there and found the most amazing sight: a small adoration chapel that feels like we are in the Spanish era, with the large chandeliers and antique-like wooden benches. The tabernacle is there, plain as a tombstone, but of gold, with a white circle painted outside to denote the host. A lamp is burning. At the side of the chapel is a life-size statue of Mary carrying the Christ Child. This is heaven on earth. The words of Jacob in Bethel came to my mind:

How awesome is this shrine! This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven! (Gen 28:17)

We knelt down and prayed.

On the road to Cuneta Astrodome: a dialogue with a Jesuit aspirant who became a “Born-Again” Christian

Last night, I agreed to watch a Worship Concert with Tommy Walker held at the Cuneta Astrodome, featuring  Tom Hughes with special guests Jonalyn Viray and Donita Rose.   My colleague here at the Manila Observatory gave us free tickets; she was one of the organizers of the concert.  I know that this is a Protestant event, something equivalent to a Catholic Eucharistic Congress.  But I agreed to watch anyway, to see how things are done in other ecclesial communities.   Besides, I may get a chance for a dialogue of Faith.

We were suppose to meet at 5:00 p.m. at the Manila Observatory’s Lobby; the concert is at 6:00 p.m.  But Genie Lorenzo, our other friend, is still consulting with her thesis adviser.  Genie is making air pollution samplers and places them along EDSA avenue.   Genie is a Catholic who loves concerts.  We shall be late.

While waiting at the lobby, I met our other companion, a friend of Genie: JM.  He’s a shorter than I but stockier.  JM told me that he studies at the Marine Science Institute at the University of the Philippines.  He knows Loric Bernardo, my fried who also studied there.  But Loric is working on Oceanography; JM is with marine products.

Genie arrived at 6:30 p.m. together with two of her friends.  She apologized. She asked us to board her car.  It would take at least an hour to go to Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.  But considering that Filipinos normally start an hour late, we would still be on time.

Inside the car, JM and I continued our discussion.  The following dialogue is not from an audio recording, but the essence is the same:

Me: Are you Catholic?

JM:  Before.  That was three years ago.  I am now a “Born Again” Christian.

Me: That was very recent.  What made you jump ship?

JM: I was even thinking of joining the Jesuits at that time.  The Jesuits are organizing this Monday group and we meet in a place along Katipunan.  There they talk about vocation.  Our Jesuit mentor asked me, “When was the time that you feel that Jesus loves you?”  I blurted out some answers, but they do not come from the heart.  They are too mechanical.  I was restless.  I searched.  One day I found myself hearing a pastor preach.  His words touched my heart.   At last, I found what I have been seeking.

Me: So if you will hear a very good sermon by an excellent priest, will you go back to being Catholic?

JM: No.  There are also other reasons.  My prayers are being heard by God.  Even simple prayers like, “Lord, I need to be there on time.  I hope there is no traffic.” It is difficult to explain, but my relationship with Jesus now is with the heart, it is as if  He is really my friend.

Me: That is interesting.  It surprises me that your reasons for leaving the Church are subjective.  Usually, people leave the Church because of a particular dogma that they cannot accept.

JM: It is not like that.

…

JM: All Christians believe that the basis of truth is the bible.

Me: But who made the bible?  How do we know that the Gospel of Judas and the Gospel of Barnabas should not be in the bible?

JM: I don’t know.  These Gospels have in them that contradict what the four gospels say.

Me: The books in the bible were decided during the Council of Carthage in about the fourth century.  In this council, the bishops in the world gathered to make this decision.

JM: Can the bishops make a mistake?

Me: For Catholics, once the bishops gather for a council (ratified by the pope), what they decided as true is forever true.

…

JM: Our pastor said that the early Christians are Jews.  That is why in our church we read commentaries on the bible by Jews.

Me: The Talmud?

JM: No.  I cannot still handle that.

Me: But Jews generally do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

JM: That’s right.  But there are messianic Jews who do.

Me: Why not read instead the commentaries of Fathers of Church, the Christians who succeeded the Apostles?

JM: Like St. Auguestine?

Me: Yes, but St. Auguestine is already in the fourth or fifth century.  I am referring to the those who lived in the earlier centuries after the Apostles,  like St. Athanasius and St. Irenaeus.  In this way you will see that the Church was never destroyed from the time of the Apostles up to the present.

…

JM and I never get to talk at the concert.  It was a rock concert interspersed with preaching by pastors and testimonies of Christians like Donita Rose, the MTV host.  I stand when everyone stands and sit when everyone sits.  I clap at the end of the song, but I could not dance and wave my arms and sing.  This is a protestant worship service and I know the proper way to worship God–through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  But the Catholic Mass is fast becoming similar to that of the Protestant worship service.  I have seen many churches transformed to concert halls–even the Church of the Gesu here in Ateneo de Manila University.  But the wind is now changing, with more conservative clergy getting ordained.  As Fr. Z used to say, “brick by brick, folks!”

Rev. Leo A. Collum, S.J. on the Consecration of the Philippines to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Pres. Ramon Magsaysay in 1956

During the ceremonies of the Second Eucharistic Congress held in the Philippines on Dec 2, 1956 in the Philippines, against the protest of several non-Catholic groups, President Magsaysay read an act consecrating the Philippines to the Sacred Heart.  The non-Catholic groups contended that it violated the principle of “Separation of Church and State,” and that the president, who is a political leader, should not consecrate the whole Philippines in a Catholic ceremony using an exclusive Catholic formula.  Dr. Gumersindo Garcia, in his objection said,  “In accordance with the principle of separation of Church and State, the president of this country should not give any special preference or favor to any particular Church.”  In reply, Rev. Leo Cullum of the Ateneo de Manila said that the basic principle of Church-State relation is that the government may not establish a Church, i.e. sect or give preference to one religion over another and what is corollary of this, may not prevent or hinder the exercise of any religion.  The principle, however, does not say that the Church is deprived of a de facto preference it enjoys by the presence of its members in high positions who thus reflect prestige upon it.  In this respect, President Magsaysay did not act as President in his official capacity but as a Catholic layman who was prominent because he was President and is therefore a natural leader and spokesman for his fellow Catholics.

The consecration could be done by anybody, and that in this case, the one chosen to lead the religious rite is the President who would therefore be acting in his capacity as an individual Catholic without committing the State in which he leads.  The right of the individual Catholic to the external manifestation of his love for God, invoking such impressive things as constitutional tradition and fundamental democracy and in questioning the extent to which an individual may publicly display his love to God can hardly be disputed.  It is tradition which allows us whether in public office or not to display to the world our love for God.

Source:

Jorge Rioflorido Coquia, Church and State Law and Relations, 4th ed., p. 82

My prize in elementary storytelling contest: pictures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary

When I was a Grade 1 student in St. Rose of Lima School in Bacolod City, I was asked to represent the class in a storytelling contest vs. the representatives of Grades 2 and 3.  My story piece is “The Boy who Cried Wolf.”  When the results were out, the winner was Grade 3, followed by Grade 2, and I for Grade 1.  My prize: two one-inch pictures of the Sacred Heart Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary connected by a hinge.  The pictures are framed with ornate plastic painted with gold.

My mother was proud of my prize.  She placed it on our altar where we pray the rosary every night.  Me and my brothers and sisters were already trying to fend of sleep, but pray we must.  My mother and father were kneeling, and so must we till the rosary ended, complete with the Litany (I just noticed the number litany prayers is the same as the number of the rosary beads).

I don’t know what happened to my little prize.  I think it was kept in a cabinet together with my journal notebooks–my mother keeps little things about me and my other brothers and sisters.  My mother died about ten years ago, but her face lit by candles as she prayed on our altar I still remember clearly.  Before she died, she entrusted me to Our Lady of Guadalupe.  And Our Lady has become my mother.

On my present workdesk are two 20 inch by 20 inch pictures connected by a hinge: the pictures of the Christ the King and Our Lady of Guadalupe.  The Sacred Heart of Jesus is visble: aflame, crowned with thorns, mounted with a cross.  The Immaculate Heart of Mary is invisible, yet her hands joined in prayer and the flower on her dress above her hands suggests her Immaculate Heart.  I gazed and gazed and smiled.  The boy who cried wolf, now cries “Lord, Lord!” and “Mama, Mama!”  Thank you for making me win third place, so that I will place first in your hearts.

Archdiocese of Manila: Pastoral letter on Sunday celebration of the Eucharist

Last June 14, 2009, on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, issued a pastoral letter on the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist entitled, “Without Sunday we cannot live.” The full letter is 36 pages long (see pdf), divided into three parts.   I shall provide excerpts of the bullet points in the document, for they address many familiar liturgical issues (and problems) in the celebration of the New Mass in the Philippines:

I.  The Liturgical Assembly: “The Church: Assembly of the People of God”

Priest celebrant:

• The presider at Mass should not appropriate the functions that the liturgical norms assign to lesser ministers, except in case of necessity.
• The homily belongs to the office of the presiding priest.
• When the presider invites the assembly to prayer with the words, “Let us pray,” he leads the assembly to some moments of silence in which they place themselves in God’s presence and make their own petitions.
• Proper vestments should at all times be worn in keeping with the liturgical norms.

Lectors:

• Lectors, especially those assigned for Sunday celebrations, are to come together during the week to study the Sunday readings
• They need to prepare and familiarize themselves with the biblical
  text before they proclaim it to the assembly.
• When there is no deacon, a reader may carry the Book of the Gospels in front of the presiding priest in the entrance procession and lay it on the center of the altar. When there is no deacon, the reader announces the
  intentions of the General intercessions from the
  ambo.

Choir:

• The choir is at all times a part of the assembly. It should not replace the assembly or dominate the assembly in songs that rightfully belong to them.
• The music director, working collaboratively with other ministers, has a particular responsibility to help select musical settings that allow the worthy celebration of the liturgy, respecting the different nature
  of the texts and actions of the liturgy, the feast, and the liturgical seasons.
• We strongly recommend that the members of the choir avail themselves of the formation programs offered by the Archdiocesan Music Ministry and the Institute of Music in the Liturgy.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion:

• We feel the need to commission other extraordinary ministers whose principal task is to bring Holy Communion to the sick and the home-bound.
• Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should regard their ministry as essentially related to all the other ministries in the liturgical celebration.
• There is a need to intensify parochial formation programs that will supplement the annual formation program given by the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission, so that the extraordinary ministers of Holy
  Communion will be continually formed both liturgically and spiritually for the exercise of their ministry.

Altar servers:

• It is a proven fact that many ordained ministers developed their vocation to the priesthood because of their membership in this ministry when they were young. We therefore wish to continue the practice of reserving this ministry to young boys.
• Programs that will suit their age need to be designed by pastors and those that are in charge of them….The young altar servers should
  be diligently guided and formed by competent and God-fearing persons.

Greeters and Collectors:

• [Greeters] should remember that they exhibit the image of a welcoming and open Church.
• Greeters may assist with the collection and with the offering of the gifts.

Liturgy Coordinator:

• The person to be appointed to as liturgy coordinator should have received formation through the liturgy programs of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission intended for this position.
• The liturgy coordinator should foster and promote team work and coordination among the liturgical ministers.

II.  The Sunday Eucharistic Celebration

Liturgy of the Word:

• The announcement of Mass intentions either at the beginning or at any part of the Mass has been discouraged.  We reiterate this policy …. so as not to perpetuate the misunderstanding among our people that they
  pay for the Mass.
• The readings are to be proclaimed from the ambo.
• It is appropriate that a period of silence be observed after the readings and the Gospel proclamation.
• The high point of the Liturgy of the Word is the proclamation
  of the Gospel. The liturgy expresses this through solemn and special gestures of reverence. Particularly on Sundays, solemnities, and feasts, the use of the Book of the Gospel is highly recommended.
• It is preferable that the responsorial psalm be sung.  The singing of psalms may be done in various ways. The usual form is responsorial: the psalmist or cantor sings the verses and the whole assembly takes
  up the response. In direct form, which is also permitted, there is no intervening response and the cantor, or the whole assembly together, sings the verses consecutively.
• In the homily, firmly based on the mysteries of salvation, the mysteries of the faith and the guiding principles of Christian life are expounded from the Scriptures that have been proclaimed, and as the
  need arises, also from the other texts and rites of the liturgy.

• The minister for the intentions of the prayers of the faithful is the deacon or, in his absence, the lector.
• The place where this is announced is the ambo.

Liturgy of the Eucharist:

• “Pondo ng Pinoy” collections can be a regular element in this liturgical act (procession with the gifts), since it can concretely express the gift of self by the faithful in union with Christ’s offering of himself to the Father. We have designated the last Sunday of every month for this
  purpose.
• On the occasions of installation of parish priests, birthdays or anniversaries, and the like, it is discouraged that personal gifts for the priests be brought in procession. These personal gifts should be given to the priests during the reception party.
• We reiterate the instruction given in the past that the use of holy water to bless persons who brought the Eucharistic gifts is not in keeping with liturgical norms and therefore should not be done.
• The collection of money and other gifts are deposited in a suitable place but away from the Eucharistic table.

“He said the blessing”:

• The great importance of the assembly’s response and acclamation can be difficult to bring out in the short word Amen. This should be sung or at least spoken loudly both at Sunday and weekday celebrations. Musical settings that moderately prolong the Amen or repeat it, though not excessively, can help the assembly respond more adequately to the prayer.
• Before the breaking of the bread, the entire assembly prays …. the prayer Our Lord taught us…. We recommend that each parish should choose one musical setting to be used in all Sunday Masses so as to help the assembly participate fully and devoutly in singing it.
• The proper gesture for the Lord’s Prayer is raised hands.
• The breaking of the bread is done with dignity and deliberation by the priest celebrant, if necessary with the help of a deacon or a concelebrant.  It should never be done during the words of consecration.
• Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion who will assist at Communion should take their place in the sanctuary after the exchange of peace.

“He gave it to them”:

• The faithful are not ordinarily to be given Communion from the tabernacle. Serious effort should be made to observe this norm as a regular practice in our parishes rather than as the exception.
• Signs of unjust discrimination or social distinction  among persons at the Lord’s Table are to be avoided. When there is obvious intent of profanation, the priest and ministers should gently refuse to give
  Communion, avoiding the attention of the public.
• Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion receive communion from the priest celebrant and receive the vessel of Communion from him.
• The manner of receiving communion, whether by hand or in the mouth, is the prerogative of the communicant.
• The purification of vessels after communion should be done at the side table and not on the altar.
• Announcements should not interrupt the period of silence after communion. Novenas and other devotions and the collections should not be done during this time.
• Announcements are done after the post Communion Prayer.

The part three on “Our Sunday Eucharist and Mission” does not concern liturgical norms.