St. Vincent Ferrer Foundation of Texas To recover and restore all our Catholic Faith and Tradition My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love Thee. I ask pardon of Thee for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee. David Rodríguez, M.Th. Angel s Prayer: This prayer beautifully encapsulates what it means to be Catholic; what it means to be human! (1) I believe (faith) (2) I adore (worship) (3) I hope (final end) (4) I love (love God, abhor sin) What is the Mass? This prayer is intimately related to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Source and Summit of life, 0f all life, and casts into sharp relief the crisis in the Church today, in our lives (families), in the world. What is the Mass? Forasmuch as, in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, that same Christ is contained and immolated in an unbloody manner, who once offered Himself in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross; the holy Synod teaches, that this sacrifice is truly propitiatory and that by means thereof this is effected, that we obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid, if we draw nigh unto God [cf. Heb. 7:25], contrite and penitent, with a sincere heart and upright faith, with fear and reverence. For the Lord, appeased by the oblation thereof, and granting the grace and gift of penitence, forgives even heinous crimes and sins. For the Victim is one and the same, the same now offering by the ministry of priests, who then offered Himself on the cross, the manner alone of offering being different." [Council of Trent, Session 22, Chapter 2] 1
What is the Mass? The one same perpetual Sacrifice of Christ offered in an unbloody manner, through the ministry of His ordained priests, on behalf of His Mystical Body, to render unto the Triune God the perfect worship of adoration, thanks, impetration and reparation for man s sin, thereby pouring forth into souls His divine grace. What is the Mass? The one same perpetual Sacrifice of Christ offered in an unbloody manner, through the ministry of His ordained priests, on behalf of His Mystical Body, to render unto the Triune God the perfect worship of adoration, thanks, impetration and reparation for man s sin, thereby pouring forth into souls His divine grace. The Mass is THEOCENTRIC Consider how the FOUR ACTS of worship relate to the Angel s prayer. There must be objective principles. Objective Essential Liturgical Principles The Mass must be Theocentric 1) Always centered and focused on God Theocentric 2) Trinitarian Christocentric 3) Divine, Sacred, & Holy Pneumatological 4) Truth, Goodness, Ecclesiological and Beauty Soteriological 5) Lex Orandi, Eschatological Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi Source and Summit of Life (all existence) The Mass must be Christocentric 6) Incarnational 7) Sacramental 8) Revealed 9) Opus Christi (work of Christ) 10) Sacrificial The Mass must be Pneumatological 11) De Fide 12) First vertical, then horizontal 13) Transcends Time 14) Universal: Supernatural, Nature and History 15) Stability through permanence 16) Grows Organically 17) Unity despite Diversity 2
The Mass must be Ecclesiological 18) 19) 20) 21) 22) 23) One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Catholic Of Tradition & Scripture Served by the Magisterium Guided by the Apostolic See Hierarchical actuosa participatio The Liturgy is Soteriological Christ s Redemptive Work Applied to Man 24) Salvation and Sanctification of Man 25) Living and the Dead 26) Adoration, Thanksgiving, Supplication, Atonement 27) Humility 28) Prayer The Liturgy is Eschatological 30) Spiritual Combat Detachment from world Penance for the flesh Resist & conquer the devil 31) Church Triumphant and Church Suffering Poor Soul in Purgatory Angels, Saints, BVM 32) Heavenly Jerusalem 33) Man s Final End - At Mass we must render due worship (latria) to God. I ask pardon for those who do not adore. Source and Summit of Life The act of consecrating The act of consecrating means set apart for God. God s supreme holiness demands our means set apart for God. greatest reverence. Architecture How we act How we dress Veils Sanctuary Communion rail Gregorian Chant Latin Sacerdotal vestments, sacred vessels Only the priest s hands touch the Blessed Sacrament 3
The act of consecrating means set apart for God. God s supreme holiness demands our greatest reverence. How we act How we dress Veils Genuflections Silence Incense Ad Orientem Osculations Priest s finger touch the Host Reception of Holy Communion Consecrate means to set apart for God. God s holiness demands greatest reverence. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. (Mt 6:33) Theocentric vs. Anthropocentric Bells Consecrate means to set apart for God. God s holiness demands greatest reverence. Seek ye first the kingdom of God If we lose [weaken, dilute, mitigate] these elements of adoration, then we no longer treat God as God. We usurp God s divine Throne. We uncrown Christ our King. Consecrate means to set apart for God. God s holiness demands greatest reverence. Seek ye first the kingdom of God If we lose [weaken, dilute, mitigate] these elements of adoration, then we no longer treat God as God. By not giving God fitting worship, we shut off the principal channel of grace! One s salvation does depend At Mass we must express and hand-on the True Faith. upon one faithfully adhering to the True Faith. The greatest mysteries of our Faith are transmitted through the Mass. I ask pardon for those who do not believe. 4
Salvation does depend upon faithfully holding the True Faith. Salvation does depend upon faithfully holding the True Faith. To have Faith we must believe what God has revealed. Greatest mysteries of Faith are transmitted through the Mass. If the lex orandi (worship / Mass) is To have Faith we must believe what God has REVEALED. (Recall the Act of Faith.) changed, then there is a corresponding change in the lex credendi (faith / dogma). Salvation does depend upon faithfully holding the True Faith. Salvation does depend upon faithfully holding the True Faith. To have Faith we must believe what God has revealed. If the lex orandi changes, the lex credendi changes to match. If the lex orandi changes, the lex credendi changes to match. The liturgical revolution made the New Mass anthropocentric. The New Mass underwent a devastating Mankind can t help but fall into a terrible revolution that has made it anthropocentric. crisis when the True Faith is changed. I HOPE Hope keeps our soul fixed upon our Final End and helps us evaluate all things in light of that Ultimate Purpose. At Mass we must unceasingly look to Heaven. I ask pardon for those who do not hope. 5
I HOPE I HOPE Hope keeps our soul fixed upon our Final End. Hope keeps our soul fixed upon our Final End. Indispensable to hope is a constant meditation upon the Four Last Things. Death Judgment Hell Heaven Indispensable to hope is meditating on the Four Last Things. Notably absent are: Detachment from the world (the Cross!) Negative theology (man s sinfulness, weakness, wretchedness) Prayers for the Dead (Purgatory, Limbo, Requiem) Merits of the Saints (Our Lady, St. Michael) Of 1182 proper prayers in the Tridentine Missal, 760 were entirely omitted (64%). Half of those remaining prayers were altered to meet the new theology. This means the New Mass only contains 17% of the proper prayers lex credendi. Collect for Trinity Sunday The Mass of All Time Let us pray. O Almighty and everlasting God, who hast enabled Thy servants, in confessing the true Faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of Majesty to adore Its Unity: we beseech Thee, that by steadfastness in the same Faith, we may ever be defended against all adversity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever. Novus Ordo Let us pray. God, we praise you: Father allpowerful, Christ Lord and Savior, Spirit of Love. You reveal yourself in the depths of our being, drawing us to share in your life and your love. One God, three Persons, be near to the people formed in your image, close to the world your love brings to life. We ask you this, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, true and living, forever and ever. Miracles (St. Philomena, St. Christopher) New Ecumenism (heresy, error, conversion, one True Faith) I HOPE Hope keeps our soul fixed upon our Final End. Indispensable to hope is meditating on the Four Last Things. Six areas are notably absent from proper prayers. Consider these radical changes in light of the Vision at Tuy and the Errors of Russia. I LOVE Love of God Holiness consists in a two-fold At Mass we must [learn to] love God above all things. movement: [1] love of God and [2] hatred for sin. To love God (and grow in that love) we must [1] obey God and [2] make reparation for sin. I ask pardon for those who do not love. 6
I LOVE Love of neighbor Apostle of the Immaculate Heart Love: To desire and choose the good for the other, no matter the sacrifice to oneself Charity: The ultimate good is Heaven. I must desire Heaven for the other and act accordingly no matter the sacrifice to myself. (Victim Souls) Heroic Virtues: Silence Prayer Fidelity Sacrifice Penance The Angel s Second Prayer Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He Himself is offended. And by the infinite merit of His most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners. A prophetic sign! Multivalent meaning Sun The Mass Persevere Despite the Difficulties Sun The Mass Unhinged from stable place Acts unusual, strange colors Plummets to the earth Destruction, death expected Penance and prayer God restores right order All is miraculously dry and cleansed (1) Humility (I don t know my faith well) (2) Uncomfortable (I am not used to this) (3) Silence is challenging (mortify the senses) (4) Pride (I m not the focus) (5) Study (Mortify the mind) 7
Persevere Despite the Difficulties (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Humility (I don t know my faith well) Uncomfortable (I am not used to this) Silence is challenging (mortify the senses) Pride (I m not the focus) Study (Mortify the mind) (6) Great effort (dig in the mine) (7) Sacrifice (mortify the will) (8) Persecutions (love God!) (9) Avoid any infighting (strive for holiness!) (10) The Pearl of Great Price, Hidden Treasure 8