Category: Liturgical Year

I have been hunting around the internets for some truly great nativity paintings. Doing any kind of internet search involving the word madonna requires an iron stomach, but I did find a few I want to share. I discovered (again) how truly difficult such paintings are to pull off. Even the masters struggled with the subject, in my opinion. By far, most nativity paintings I wouldn’t care to hang on my wall. Some of these can be viewed at the Art Renewal Center. You can also by a high quality reproduction of anything in their vast online collection.

God bless all on this Holy Day.

Franz Von Rhoden

Raphael’s Sistine Madonna

Sassoferrato

Wm. Bougereau

Don’t forget it’s a holy day of obligation (in the United States; in other countries, your mileage may vary)!

I was glad to see Catholic News Service run

THIS STORY

about a practice that I’ve heard about before, and that I believe has shown up here on the blog about before, but which I haven’t seen the paper trail on: the local practice of eating muskrat on Fridays during Lent.

I’m always a little cautious about reports of local exceptions like this and whether they are still allowed. I want to be able to see the documentation rather than just taking someone’s word or taking the word of an old written source that may not reflect current Church law.

The article linked above doesn’t provide what I’d like in the ideal–a quotation from a legal document issued by one or more dioceses in Michigan. It doesn’t do that because–apparently–there isn’t such a document. That’s okay (legally), though, because canon law recognizes the possibility of custom attaining the force of law, and it seems to me that in this case that’s the current basis for the Michigan muskrat exception. In other words, unless someone produces a legal document that we don’t currently know about, it looks like the faithful in some areas of Michigan are allowed to eat muskrat on days of abstinence, according to legitimate local custom.

The Holy See’s web site has really improvedin recent years. They still need to get rid of that text-obscuring background, and it’s still poorly organized and hard to navigate, but at least they’re starting to get a lot of useful resources on the site.

Take, for example,

THESE EXCELLENT RESOURCES FOR LENT.

I wish I’d known about these at the beginning of Lent, ’cause I would have advertised them then, but they’re still really cool and could add a bunch to your celebration of Lent.

One thing I’d especially like to compliment is their inclusion of a whole series of mp3 files of Lenten music that you can listen to online or–via a simple right-click–download and listen to on your computer or mp3 player. Even if they are all in Italian, music can touch the heart across the langauge barrier.

THEY ALSO HAVE MP3S IN LATIN HERE.

(It’s after writing sentences like that that I find myself contemplating explaining to a medieval ecclesiastic the concept of downloading a Latin mp3 from the Vatican web site. They’d never have guessed that the Holy See would be doing this one day.)

Enjoy!

Here’s the law from the Church’s official legal documents . . .

From the Code of Canon Law:

Can.  1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.

Can.  1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can.  1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Can.  1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

Can.  1253 The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast.

From the apostolic constitution Paenitemini by Pope Paul VI:

III. 1. The law of abstinence forbids the use of meat, but not of eggs, the products of milk or condiments made of animal fat.

2. The law of fasting allows only one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking some food in the morning and evening, observing—as far as quantity and quality are concerned—approved local custom.

NOTES:

1. In the U.S. the conference of bishops has removed the requirement to abstain outside of Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and the Fridays of Lent.

2. Having completed your fourteenth year means that you’ve had your fourteenth birthday (your first year is the year before your first birthday).

3. Having attained your majority means that you’ve turned 18.

4. The beginning of your sixtieth year is your fifty-ninth birthday.

5. The law of abstinence thus binds everyone who has turned 14 and hasn’t yet died and left the jurisdiction of the earthly church.

6. The law of fast binds those from 18 to 58 years old.

7. The laws of fast and abstinence do not bind those who have a medical condition that would materially interfere with their performance. Medical conditions that would interfere with fasting are fairly easy to think of (e.g., type 1 diabetes; people whose doctors have put them on a special diet that requires a certain number of calories or that requires ignoring calories). It is harder to think of conditions that would nullify the requirement to abstain, though, since protein is available from so many sources other than meat.

8. Beverages, even calorie-laden beverages (milk, OJ, coffee with cream, protein shakes) do not violate the law of fast. "Food" means solids food, not drinks (which count as "drink"), though disproportionate consumption of caloric beverages violates the spirit of the fast.

9. Non-nutritive or non-digestible things taken to curb hunger (e.g., water, dietary fiber) do not violate the law of fast. Medicine also does not violate the fast. The fast is from food (solid nourishment; technically, solid macronutrients), not other things (water, other beverages, fiber, medicine, vitamins).

10. You often hear the law of fast summarized this way: "You can have one full meal plus two smaller meals as long as they do not add up to a second meal." THIS IS FALSE. The law (from Paenitemini, quoted above) doesn’t say anything about what the two smaller portions of food add up to. What the law says that you can have "some food" twice, and "some food" is clearly less than a "full meal," but it doesn’t say anything about how much the two instances of "some food" add up to.

Obviously, the less the "some food" amounts to, the more in keeping with the spirit of fast it is, but the law does not require or encourage people to scruple over how much "two smaller meals" add up to. That’s dumb, anyway, since people do not generally eat three, equally large meals (in terms of calories or volume), making it impractical to try adding up the two lesser quantities of food.

A more helpful way of thinking of it (and a way more in keeping with the way the law is written) is to think of one full meal and two snacks, a snack being something less than a meal.

11. All the above applies to Catholics who are members of the Latin
Church. Members of other churches sui iuris (e.g., Maronites,
Chaldeans, etc.) have their own law in these areas (which is what "sui
iuris" means in Latin).

LET THE ANNUAL LENT FIGHT BEGIN!

Universal law provides that the days of penance in the Latin rite are every Friday of the year and the whole season of Lent (canon 1250). But universal law isn’t the only kind of law. There is also particular law, or law that applies to particular territories or groups of people within the Latin rite.

Such as the diocese of the United States.

It may come as a surprise to some, but today–Monday, January 22–is a day of penance according to the particular law of the Latin rite in the United States.

According to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

In all the dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life. The Mass "For Peace and Justice" (no. 21 of the "Masses for Various Needs") should be celebrated with violet vestments as an appropriate liturgical observance for this day (GIRM 373).

The law does not require fasting or abstinence today, though a person may do these if he chooses. Strictly speaking, the law does not require that individual Catholics perform penance as a matter of obligation on this day, but it’s certainly in keeping with the spirit of the day to do it voluntarily.

For those from other nations–or those who are simply wondering why January 22 was picked–the answer is that it’s the anniversary of

THE EVIL DECISION.

Please pray for an end to abortion.

ONE BISHOP SPEAKS.
(CHT to the reader who e-mailed.)

A reader writes:

I am attending RCIA this year, and with Lent fast approaching, my sponsor and I are trying to come up with an appropriate penance.

There are a number of caveats, however, that are making this a challenge.  I am a single parent of a daughter who is a few years old (just baptized recently!); I work full-time; and I attend school part-time.  I rarely watch television (because the programming appalls/bores me) or eat out (because I simply can’t afford to).  I suffer from depression related to a medical condition for up to a week each month.  Last year, I determined to say the Rosary everyday.  While it was enlightening to do so, it may not have been the wisest choice; I didn’t realize that it was all Sorrowful Mysteries through Lent, so I was in a funk for a month after Easter.

My boyfriend jokes that my lifestyle is so Spartan that it seems there’s nothing to give up; certainly, the only things are to diligently start or stop doing something.  The only trick is figuring out what that ought to be.

First of all, I want to say that it is wonderful to hear how God is moving in your life, in spite of the difficulties you are facing right now.

Concerning Lenten penances, you should be aware that, except for the fast and abstinence that will be required after you become Catholic (unless your medical condition interferes with them), it is not mandatory that you "give up something for Lent." This is a common and praiseworthy custom, but not a requirement.

Here’s how the Code of Canon Law describes what Catholics do on penitential days, like those in Lent:

Can.  1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons.

If you want to do something special for Lent, you could add something–prayer, acts of piety, acts of charity–rather than giving something up. Indeed, your decision last year to say the Rosary would be an act of adding a prayer (though you can take it easy on yourself regarding the mysteries if you choose to do that again; the sorrowful mysteries are not mandatory in Lent, and if you find they exacerbate your depression, you can say the joyful or glorious or luminous ones instead). If you would prefer to do something else, you could also choose to say some other prayer or do a little Scripture reading or study the Catechism a little in preparation for becoming Catholic.

One thing that the canon above mentions as a form of self-denial is striving to fulfill one’s duties more faithfully, and you could simply try to apply yourself a little more in your daily situations.

Given the depression that you face, I would consider doing something to resist the depression, such as thinking about the blessings that you do have in your life (like your daughter!) and thanking God for them. Or you might decide to try to go out of your way to get your daughter to smile or laugh, thus bringing joy to her and making you feel good, too.

Also, don’t feel that you have to commit to just one thing for the whole of Lent. If you find that whatever you choose isn’t benefitting you, or benefitting you that day, then feel free to switch to something else, or simply skip it that day. These voluntary penances are meant to encourage us gently to grow in holiness, and if you find yourself being unduly burdened by them, it is a sign that you need to let up on yourself or switch to something else.

I hope this helps, and God bless you as you approach your reception into the Church!

20

Like everybody, when I give Christmas presents, I try to match the present to the person to whom I am giving it.

This ain’t always easy.

It’s often hard to figure out something (a) that the person would like and (b) that the person doesn’t already have.

Sometimes you have a promising candidate, but you’re not sure, and so you just have to take your best guess and accept the risk that they won’t like it or that they already have it.

But if you have a large number of people that you are buying presents for–family, friends, co-workers–then the process of finding individualized presents for everyone can be extraordinarily difficult.

One solution in recent years has been getting gift certificates/gift cards for people. Those get you around the problems mentioned above, since the person can pick for himself what he’d like, and they’re useful. This year I asked my own family for gift certificates from a particular online service so that they wouldn’t be burdened with figuring out something that I would like and that I didn’t already have.

But there can also be a desire to give something that is specific, and I have that desire myself. One of the ways I’ve tried to do this in recent years is by figuring out a general Christmas present that I can give people if I don’t already have something in mind for them.

I have several criteria that I look for in a general Christmas present. I want them to enjoy it, so I look for something that I myself have really enjoyed. I also don’t want them to already have it, so I generally try to pick something that has just come out.

A few years ago, when The Incredibles had just come out on DVD, that was my general Christmas gift. That was something I really liked; it was wholesome enough that almost everyone would enjoy it; and it was brand new.

This year my general Christmas present is occasioned by the election of His Most Awesomeness B16. It’s a new book that I really enjoy and appreciate.

It’s Robert Moynihan’s Let God’s Light Shine Forth: The Spiritual Vision of Pope Benedict XVI.

The first third of the book is devoted to Joseph Ratzinger’s life story, and it hits the major events of it all the way up to his election as pope. It also includes the author’s personal reminisences of Pre-16 (Robert Moynihan is the editor of the magazine Inside the Vatican, and so he knew him before his election).

The last two thirds of the book are brief passages from a variety of writings by Cardinal Ratzinger that express his views on different topics. It’s divided into three sections: His Faith, Today’s World, and The Church Pilgrim.

The first covers Pre-16’s thoughts on things such as God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Mary, Judaism, the Church, and the Sacraments.

The second covers things like Morality, Marriage and Family Life, Social Justice, Politics, Culture and the Arts, Modernity, Ecumenism and Other Religions, Bioethics, and the Challenges of the Future.

The third covers things like Loneliness, Suffering, Sin, Death, Faith, Hope, Love, Holiness, Eternal Life, and True Joy.

The final part of the book includes B16’s first words, his first message to the world, and his first homily as pope.

All in all, it is a book that I myself am really enjoying–so much so that I decided before I’d even finished it to make it my present for Catholic friends this year unless I already had something distinctive in mind for them.

You might consider it as well–or consider it for yourself.

Today is a holy day of obligation in the United States, so if you’re in the United States, be sure to go to Mass.

Also as a result of it being a holy day, I won’t be blogging, but feel to have fun with the archives and the comboxes!

God bless!

Here’s what the Compendium has to say about the Immaculate Conception:

96. What does the “Immaculate Conception” mean?

God freely chose Mary from all eternity to be the Mother of his Son. In order to carry out her mission she herself was conceived immaculate. This means that, thanks to the grace of God and in anticipation of the merits of Jesus Christ, Mary was preserved from original sin from the first instant of her conception.

And here’s what the Catechism has to say:

491 Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

492 The "splendour of an entirely unique holiness" by which Mary is "enriched from the first instant of her conception" comes wholly from Christ: she is "redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son". The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person "in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" and chose her "in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love".

493 The Fathers of the Eastern tradition call the Mother of God "the All-Holy" (Panagia), and celebrate her as "free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature". By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.

MORE INFO ON THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.

SDG here to thank everyone who commented on my earlier "Advent, Pre-16 and The Nativity Story" thread.

The discussion (still ongoing!) on The Nativity Story has been particularly interesting — but I don’t want the subject of Advent and Christmas to get lost either. (That’s what I get for cramming too much subject matter into one post… a symptom of posting as infrequently as I do.)

Some readers did comment on practices and customs in their homes (and thank you to those who did!), but I’m hoping there’s more Adventy goodness out there in JA.org reader-land.

What goes on in your home during the weeks of Advent? Do you an Advent wreath? Do you set up a creche? Decorate your house? How and when?

What, if anything, do you do to keep Advent different from Christmas? If you have kids, how do you involve them?

I know one common custom with creches is to set up the whole creche except for the Christ child at the center, and then to place the Christ child in the creche on Christmas eve.

I’ve also heard of a custom involving the Magi figures, in which they are originally placed somewhere at a significant distance from the creche, and are periodically moved closer to the creche, and finally arrive on Christmas eve. Anyone do anything like that?

Do you listen to music during Advent? During Christmas? What are your favorite CDs (or MP3s or whatever)?

Please share your thoughts in the combox!