Father Tim Finigan of the famous British blog Hermeneutic of Continuity recently (28 July) celebrated his Silver (25th) Jubilee (Anniversary) of Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. AD MULTOS ANNOS.
As we continue to celebrate the YEAR FOR PRIESTS it is edifying to see a full contingency of clergy and laity expressing profound joy and gratitude in the awesome gift of the Priesthood. Father Finigan has survived slander and ridicule for his uncompromising fidelity to the Magisterium and for his profound penchant for extreme reverence in the Sacred Liturgy, whether in the Extraordinary or the Ordinary Form of Latin Rite.
Note the absence of any LPN's (like to play nuns, i.e., without habit or veil) in the sanctuary. No political correctness at this Mass. And no political statements, either. Nowadays, many diocesan liturgies mandate a representative amount of Scripture readings and prayers be in said in Spanish and that a similarly representative per centage of 'ministers' (i.e., servers, readers, gift bearers, etc.) be women and minorities. Some so-called liturgists are in reality choreographers who manuever and manipulate the Mass to become a platform for social reform or to make a political statement. The public forum is the place for politics. The Church and especially its sancturary is meant for Divine Worship. PERIOD. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the zenith of all human activity as it unites heaven and earth; the divine and the human, via the God-Man, Jesus Christ.
I have often preached to my parishioners that every church is like an Embassy of Heaven here on earth. When we enter, we are on foreign soil, no longer of this earth but of the world to come. Entering church is crossing a thresshold into the dwelling of the Divine. We enter as GUESTS into the abode of our Divine HOST. After seeing Father Finigan's beautiful anniversary Mass, can anyone not discern that the the Sacred Liturgy is the nuptials which marries heaven and earth? I have been to some liturgical abberations where the sense was one of banal and pedestrian entertainment (and not even good entertainment at that). Bad taste and irreverence run amok in many Catholic areas, hence the timeliness of Pope B16's renewal of the sacred.
3 comments:
Yes, Heaven here on earth . . . your parish is very blessed to have you as their Priest. I would love our priests to be more Faithful to the Mass, as well. I'm in O'ahu now and there are some really silly things going on here. I'm a convert and it's just uff da! One priest at the Base had kids surround him on the altar during the Consecration and dismissed them after the Our Father . .. the kids were clueless as to why they were up there and the parents are all proud their kids are up there rather than focusing on Christ. That priest also changed the words around. All I can do is pray pray pray for our priests that sell out to the PC crowd or get cowed under by laity that think they know better/more. When this abuse happens, my husband will reach across and take my hand in his and give me a soft look - it is like Christ reaching out and saying, "forgive them, they do not know what they do . . . and, look Sarah, we still must love them. Don't lose your focus on the Eucharist. Pray for them. Pray for your response to be firm, but in love." Sorry for this long comment, but I want to thank you for being a good Priest. We need more of you out here in the world to be true to the Faith: Say the black do the red. Amen. In the mean time, pray we stay faithful, too! I am doing all I can (I think) to raise our kids to be faithful. But, I still need prayers. Aloha!
Many thanks, Father.
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