Liturgy
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Sundays
Is it Sunday? It's Sunday! Breathing in the dawning day as if speaking to no one in particular, Savoring a hearty breakfast, it's a day of celebration, let's not forget it, or rather, let's remember it. Getting ready for a big day, the big day! Listening to a grumpy taxi driver complain about the state of the world, Distracting oneself from this conversation, as from any discussion, Getting in… Continue reading
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Prayer, every morning of the world.
How wonderful these senses are! All these visual, tactile, auditory, gustatory, and olfactory impressions return and form memory, the very place where the mind resides. What poetry! Continue reading
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What is the problem with Paul VI's mass?
More than fifty years ago, the Catholic Church adopted a new Mass that broke with Church tradition in an unprecedented way. The reformers, however, had not anticipated that the traditional Mass would outlive them. They were even convinced of the opposite. And they used every means at their disposal to… Continue reading
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Letter to Pope Francis regarding the Mass
Preamble This letter to Pope Francis was initially written for La Voie Romaine 1 to bear witness to the beauty and efficacy of the traditional Roman Rite and to express the shock caused by the motu proprio, Traditionis custodes, published on July 16, 2021, by Pope Francis. Holy Father, I was extricating myself from a terrible… Continue reading
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Gregorian chant
It was June 1985, in Pont-à-Mousson, at the end of the symposium "Music in the Church Today." Maurice Fleuret—may his soul rest in peace—the magnificent director of music and dance for Minister Jack Lang, took the floor. His words were fiery. Words of supplication; one could say so, since he himself pleaded. I… Continue reading
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The Pump by Clive Staples Lewis
“First, you must rid yourself of this nauseating idea, born of a manifest complex of inferiority and a worldly mind, that pomp, in the appropriate circumstances, has anything in common with vanity or self-importance. A celebrant solemnly approaching the altar to celebrate, a princess led by her king… Continue reading
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Lauda Sion
A magnificent sequence in the Mass of Corpus Christi, written by Saint Thomas Aquinas, this dogmatic poem praises the new and true Zion, the Church. Benedict XVI said of this Mass: “These are texts that stir the waves of the heart, as the intellect, penetrating with wonder into the mystery, recognizes in the Eucharist the presence…” Continue reading
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Pentecostal Happiness
One of the joys of the Octave of Pentecost lies in the recitation of the Veni, Sancte Spiritus, following the recitation of the Victimae Paschali during Easter week; the liturgy never ceases to amaze us. Come, Holy Spirit, and send forth from heaven a ray of your light. Come, Father of the poor, come, giver of gifts, come… Continue reading
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Prayer of the craftsman
Twelfth-century monastic prayer: Teach me, Lord, to make good use of the time You give me for work… Teach me to unite haste and slowness, serenity and fervor, zeal and peace. Help me at the beginning of my work. Help me in the heart of my labor… And above all, fill in the gaps in my work Yourself… Continue reading
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From tradition…
“We are dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants; we see more than they do, and farther; not that our gaze is sharp, nor our stature great, but we are lifted up, exalted, by their gigantic size.” This quote from Bernard of Chartres (12th century) is found in Rémi Brague’s latest book, Moderately Modern (Flammarion Publishers)... Continue reading
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Gregorian chant is intended for the liturgy
Excerpt from "The Holy Mass, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow," quote from Mr. Dominique Ponnau, Director of the École du Louvre, lecture given in Le Mans, September 19, 1998. "I remember. This memory is for me an almost daily cultural and human reference point. It was in June 1985, in Pont-à-Mousson, at the end of the colloquium… Continue reading
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Christian Testimony – 2
When I started this blog, the idea of writing about the liturgy came to me very quickly. Not to claim the status of an expert, but to share my experience of what represents the heart of a Christian's life. So there were two paths that had to converge: I had to describe the Mass (and… Continue reading
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The abandonment of Benedict XVI
“Eli, Eli lama sabachthani?” When Benedict XVI signaled, in a few simple words, that he was renouncing the papacy, it sent shockwaves through the world and deeply affected Catholics. The most outlandish rumors circulated, and everyone wondered about the reasons for this decision, which, even if it… Continue reading
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Christian testimony
When I started this blog, the idea of writing about the liturgy came to me very quickly. Not to claim the status of an expert, but to share my experience about what represents the heart of a Christian's life. So there were two paths that had to converge: I had to tell the story of… Continue reading