For Lent, we can save babies and help moms

Do you know about 40 Days for Life? It's the babies-saving, moms-helping, 'round-the-clock prayer-and-fasting-outside-abortion-businesses effort (for info, click on this post's title) that's been saving thousands of babies' lives in the last few years around the USA and elsewhere.

One such effort in our Archdiocese that Ole Q has heard of is in Ventura:
http://www.40daysforlife.com/ventura/

Are you in the current (Ash Wednesday-Passion Sunday, Feb. 17-Mar. 28) 40 Days for Life effort in your area? If you are, feel free to comment here to let everyone know how it's going.

And if you're not yet taking part, that's okay -- you can start anytime!

You'll save babies' lives; help moms and dads; deepen your spiritual life; make your Lent extra-fruit-filled; and meet tremendous people who make super friends.

Think of it: You can save the lives of babies! Don't miss your chance.

Happy Birthday, Cardinal Mahony

Today, February 27, Cardinal Roger Mahony has turned 74. Let's keep him in prayer.

We've all heard the rumor that the Pope will name a coadjutor bishop some time this year, in advance of the required resignation at age 75 that Cardinal Mahony, like all bishops, must submit. The web site of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (click on this post's title) provides a prayer for a successor that will now be said at Masses in every parish:

"Lord, God, You are our eternal shepherd and guide. In your mercy, grant to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles a shepherd who will walk in your ways and whose watchful care will bring us your blessing. In your love for us, give us the joy of receiving a shepherd who will be an example of goodness to your people and who will fill our hearts and minds with the truth of the gospel.

"We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Read John Zmirak on the Tridentine Mass and the New Mass...

John Zmirak at insidecatholic.com has an informative and thought-provoking post (click on this post's title) about the Tridentine Mass and the New Mass.

You owe it to yourself to read it.

You'll also find the comments that follow the post very interesting. And here is an excerpt from a reply that John Zmirak has made to a commenter:

* "The New Mass was created in plain violation of the explicit instructions given by Vatican II for a moderate, organic liturgical reform that put the scriptures into the vernacular but left the canon in Latin.

* "The change from facing the altar to facing the people was accomplished by fraud (it is NOT recommended, but speculatively tolerated, in the conciliar documents) and resulted in the smashing of more Catholic altars than at any time since the Reformation. The current pope has written that it was a bad idea.

* "The Council called for the extension and preservation of Gregorian chant. The committee set up by Pope Paul VI to create the new liturgy did nothing to accomplish this, and allowed national bishops' conferences to basically eliminate chant. Then came the banjos and the dancing nuns...

* "The translations from Latin to vernacular languages were uniformly, except for the case of Poland, fraudulent.

* "The post-1970 innovations, such as Communion in the hand, the demolition of altar rails, standing for Communion, and universal abuse of Extraordinary Ministers were ALL accomplished by bishops or their bureaucrats lying about what the Vatican had reluctantly tolerated..."

So writes John Zmirak.

Pope calls bishops on the carpet

The Irish bishops, that is. The photo above, from the February 18, 2010, issue of The Irish Catholic, is of Pope Benedict meeting with Ireland's 24 bishops earlier this week about the scandals of clerical sex abuse and hierarchical failings.

His Holiness would have to use a larger hall if he were to ever call the U.S. bishops on the carpet and take them to the woodshed.

And yes, I know there's no carpet in the above photo!

Bishops to do public penance for their failings

The Irish bishops, that is, as the February 18 issue of The Irish Catholic reports in a story (click on this post's title) about the scandals of clerical sex abuse and hierarchical complicity.

The article in The Irish Catholic says:

"The Irish bishops will perform an act of penance during Lent, equivalent to putting on 'sackcloth and ashes' to demonstrate their humility and their empathy with victims of clerical child sexual abuse, Cardinal Brady has said.

"Speaking after the 24 Irish bishops' meeting with the Pope and flanked by four bishops, Cardinal Seán Brady told the world's media that a victim told him that he wanted the see the bishops humiliated and this is what is happening.

"He said that the bishops had discussed penitential acts, such as climbing Croagh Patrick or going to Lough Derg but that whatever they do, it will be the equivalent of 'sackcloth and ashes.'

"Bishop Denis Brennan of Ferns said that he knew that victims ''feel disillusioned but that they also want the bishops to hang in there with them...'"

No word on when any of our U.S. bishops will be donning sackcloth and ashes.

Have you heard any rumors?

Have you heard any rumors about a possible new Archbishop of Los Angeles? Feel free to share them here.

Pray about the selection of a new archbishop for L.A.

Here in our Archdiocese of Los Angeles, we will soon be praying an official prayer, during Masses, for the selection of a successor to Cardinal Mahony.

You can read about all that, including the English text of the prayer, here:
http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/

The L.A. Times has an article (click on this post's title) about all this, too.

Have you seen Cardinal Mahony's blogspot?

Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony has a blogspot:
http://cardinalrogermahonyblogsla.blogspot.com/

New group: Rosary for the Bishop

This new group is urging all Catholics to pray the Rosary for their bishop:

http://rosaryforthebishop.org/

Speculation about Cardinal Mahony's successor

Click on this post's title for some lengthy speculation from late January about a successor to Cardinal Mahony.

Among other things, the article says this:

"In early January, three independent sources outside the archdiocese indicated to Whispers that the consultation stage of a selection process had been underway at least since mid-autumn, with one adding that the cardinal's request for a coadjutor had been granted by the Holy See in October. From there, the cardinal is credibly understood to have been given the privilege of approving the terna of his potential successors -- not the final choice -- with at least one Mahony aide anticipating an announcement sometime around the cardinal's 74th birthday, February 27th [2010]."

"Terna" is Italian for "trio" or "threesome."

Cardinal Mahony, as we know, must submit his resignation, as all bishops must, when he turns 75 -- in his case , February 27, 2011. Popes do not have to accept resignations right away.

Let's all pray for our Archdiocese of Los Angeles, now and always.

Cardinal Mahony deposition

You might have read (click on this post's title) at the beginning of this month that in January, Cardinal Roger Mahony was deposed for five hours before a grand jury in a civil case.

I had this story at the beginning of this month, but only now have I gotten around to posting it. Sorry for the delay.

Some more sound advice...

Years ago I came across this sound advice: "Live right, or it don't mean a thing."

In other words, it doesn't do you or me any good just to look good in public; we have to be genuinely good and not be hypocritical.

You and I have to work out our salvation in fear and trembling, repent of our sins, love God with our whole heart, mind and soul, love our neighbor as ourselves, obey the Ten Commandments, follow the laws of the Church, follow the promptings of grace, pray and do penance, read the Bible and Catholic spiritual classics, and seek holiness and closeness to Jesus.

"O God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"

"Jesus, Mary, I love You, save souls!"

"Our help is in the Name of the Lord, Who made Heaven and Earth."

Amen.

Some sound advice...

Years ago I came across this sound advice, said to be from a Trappist:

"Always assume that the other fellow is holier than you."

This is the second time I've run this, but it's one of those always worthwhile counsels.

Our priests are hearing about the coming new Roman Missal

Bishop Blase Cupich of Rapid City, South Dakota, is orienting our priests about the new Roman Missal at five churches, each in a different pastoral region, around the Archdiocese from February 2 to February 4. So says the web site of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Our U.S. bishops have a web page about the new Roman Missal:
http://usccb.org/romanmissal/

Some other good resources:
http://www.adoremus.org/
http://wdtprs.com/blog/

At this latter web site, Fr. Zuhlsdorf has quoted a Catholic News Service article:

"Vatican making final review of English liturgical translations
By Cindy Wooden – Catholic News Service Monday, 01 February 2010

"The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments is pulling together the final version of the English translation of the complete Roman Missal, the book of prayers used at Mass...

"Marist Father Anthony Ward, an official of the congregation for worship, said that because bishops’ conferences approved the Roman Missal in sections over a period of years, a final review and minor edits were needed to ensure consistency..."

Fr. Zuhlsdorf says the Vatican is making some changes to translations approved by the various bishops' conferences. He also says it looks as if the new Roman Missal will be introduced in U.S. parishes at the beginning of Advent 2011.

Incidentally, Happy Feast of St. Blaise/San Blas, Wednesday, February 3! Hope you can have your throat blessed at Mass.