In his speech delivered at the closing of the Second Vatican Council on December 8, 1965, Pope Paul VI said, “It is beauty, like truth, which brings joy to the heart of man and is that precious fruit which resists the wear and tear of time, which unites generations and makes them share things in admiration.”
Day: November 14, 2012
Clarification
Clarification to “Hospice Care Deals with Mind, Body, and Spirit” article in the Madison Catholic Herald, November 1, 2012, “Grief & Loss” section
St. Mary School in Bloomington enjoys exchange program with school in China
BLOOMINGTON — Kind, warm-hearted people, beautiful scenery, and a school like a family full of love — these were some of the lasting memories of six Chinese visitors who spent two weeks with families and myself at St. Mary School in Bloomington.
Last spring I visited China and set up an exchange program with Shijiazhuang Middle School Number 40 and Principal Yunhong Li.
Thanks for Dr. Gorman’s column on Church music
To the editor: […]
Vatican II documents give Gregorian chant first place among liturgical music
To the editor:
Thank you for publishing Nico Fassino’s article in a recent edition of the Madison Catholic Herald, and also the excellent articles on the authentic role and scope of sacred music by Sr. Joan L. Roccasalvo, C.S.J. In the other letters to the editor that I have recently read, I have seen many fallacies and inconsistencies relating to the role of music in the liturgy in regard to our role in the liturgy that I feel I must address.
The Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, makes clear in §116 that Gregorian chant is the primary form of music for the Mass, having first place among liturgical music, alongside the great repository of sacred polyphony.
A golden opportunity
Lately I have been reflecting on what the Year of Faith (October 11, 2012, to November 24, 2013) which was recently proclaimed by the pope, can mean for those Catholics who seek to grow spiritually.
It is similar to the purpose of the Season of Lent, which is a time of renewal and conversion. The Year of Faith affords every Catholic the opportunity to focus on his or her relationship with Jesus Christ and belief in what the Church teaches.
Let’s work together: We must put people ahead of politics
In Governor Mitt Romney’s concession speech given early on November 7, he implored Republicans and Democrats alike to “put the people before the politics.” In a time of “great challenges for America,” Governor Romney urged our leaders “to reach across the aisles” to help meet those challenges.
In an address at a victory rally in Chicago also in the early morning hours of November 7, President Barack Obama professed his own willingness to work with people of the opposing party. “I believe we can seize this future together — because we are not as divided as our politics suggest; we’re not as cynical as the pundits believe; we are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions; and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and forever will be, the United States of America,” said the president.
I hope Governor Romney and President Obama meant these words. I also hope that leaders of both parties in Congress heard their words and will work hard to put people above politics. The partisan gridlock has to be broken.
Regarding the constitution on the sacred liturgy
The liturgical renewal of the Second Vatican Council was grounded in centuries of Church tradition, in the Council of Trent, in the writings of the popes of the 20th Century, and in developing scholarship and practice throughout the world.
The first document promulgated by the Second Vatican Council was the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. This document is one of only four constitutions issued by the council. Constitutions are the most authoritative and important documents issued by the council.
After the elections, the hard work begins
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Struggling to figure out which candidates would do the most good and the least harm — especially to the poor and vulnerable — and then showing up to vote, was the easy part.
Now the hard work begins!