Cardinal Kasper a 'member' of Pro Tridentina (Malta)

Cardinal Kasper with Pope Benedict XVI

It is with pleasure that the interim Committee announces that His Eminence, Cardinal Walter Kasper has joined Pro Tridentina (Malta) on Facebook.  He is President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, having served as its President from 2001 to 2010.

As far as the Tridentine Mass is concerned, Kasper is remembered for his role in discussing with Rabbi David Rosen, in charge of interfaith relations at the American Jewish Committee, on the concerns about a prayer for the "unfaithful" in the Mass, as well as a prayer used during the church's Holy Week liturgy which had contained references to "perfidious," or faithless, Jews.
 

Rosen was assured by Cardinal Walter Kasper, that the Roman Missal used now does not contain the reference to the "perfidious" Jew.

Important Event - not to be missed

 

On Saturday, 3 November 2012, Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite will be celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, as the culmination of the International Pilgrimage organised by the Coetus Internationalis pro Summorum Pontificum (CISP). 

This event aims to bring together all those who support Summorum Pontificum in a public gesture of support for Pope Benedict XVI during the Holy Year of Faith and also to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Summorum Pontificum. 

Thomas Murphy, FIUV's Secretary is the official spokesman for the International Pilgrimage and the CISP. He recently gave the following interview that may be found in the FIUV's website here.

Transalpine Redemptorists granted formal status

Transalpine Redemptorists (source: Bro. Martin Mary)

The Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, better known as the Transalpine Redemptorists, was erected, as a Clerical Institute of Diocesan Right, on the feast of the Assumption.

Way back in 2008, the Congregation had announced that it wished to enter into full communion with Rome. This was in response to Pope Benedict XVI’s motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. Before the Transalpine Redemptorists had been a part of the SSPX.

On 22 August, the community made a public profession of vows at their home on the island of Papa Stronsay, Scotland. The profession was celebrated by Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB of Aberdeen, who, as their diocesan bishop, granted them canonical recognition.

An interesting feature about the Congregation can be found here.

End of an era





 With the death of former Maltese Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, the era of the giant politicians (Anthony Mamo, Guido de Marco and Ċensu Tabone) that shaped postwar Maltese history has come to an end*.

Without going into the merits of Chuch - State relations between Mintoff and the Maltese Catholic Church, which still needs to be written without biases, this is the time of prayer for the repose of his soul.

It is shameful that unlike other illustrious deaths (of the personalities mentioned above) some Maltese have indulged in celebrating Mintoff's death and also some of the comments posted in local newspapers and blogs are simply revolting.

Update 23 August 2012:

A certain Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith who the Catholic Herald defines as 'a Catholic priest and a doctor of moral theology' wrote an article about his personal recollections of the late Premier.

* Included are those who died in the past 5 years.

Year of Faith in brief

The Year of Faith is due to last from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013.

In his Apostolic Letter Porta fidei Benedict XVI speaks "... of the need to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ".

The Year of Faith, will also coincide with two anniversaries: the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council and the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has approved the formula for a special "Mass for New Evangelisation".

The logo of the Year of Faith has the image of a ship which symbolises the Church. The mast of the vessel is a cross with full-blown sails which form the monogram of Christ (IHS) and in the background is a sun representing the Eucharist.

The website of the event can be found here. It is available in various languages and can be consulted by smartphone and tablet.

The Year also has an official hymn entitled Credo, Domine, adauge nobis fidem.

A multilingual pastoral guide entitled "Living the Year of Faith" is due to be published in early September and pilgrims will receive an image of the Christ from the cathedral of Cefalu in Sicily, with the Creed written on the back.

The most important events of the Year of Faith, those to be celebrated in Rome in the presence of the Holy Father include:

• 11 October 2012, fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of Vatican Council II. There will be a solemn Eucharistic celebration concelebrated by the Synod Fathers, the presidents of the world's episcopal conferences and by Council Fathers who are still alive;
• 21 October 2012 will see the canonisation of seven martyrs; 
• 25 January 2013, during the traditional ecumenical celebration at the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, participants will pray that, "through their joint profession of the Symbol, Christians ... may not forget the path of unity";
• 28 April 2013, the Pope will impart the Sacrament of Confirmation to a group of young people; 
• 5 May 2013 will be dedicated to expressions of popular piety;
• 18 May 2013, the eve of Pentecost, Catholic movements, both old and new, will gather in St. Peter's Square;
• 2 June 2013, Corpus Christi, the Blessed Sacrament will be adored at the same time all over the world;
• 16 June 2013 will be dedicated to the Gospel of Life;
• 7 July 2013, seminarians and novices from all over the world will conclude their pilgrimage by gathering in St. Peter's Square;
• 29 September 2013 will be dedicated to catechists on the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church;
• 13 October 2013 will focus on the presence of Mary in the Church.

L-Ittra ta' Papa Benedittu XVI lill-Isqfijiet

 

Wara tibdil fil-Kumitat Eżekuttiv ta' Pro Tridentina (Malta) fil-jiem li għaddew, bi pjaċir inħabbru li t-test tal-ittra li Papa Benedittu XVI kien bagħat lill-Isqfijiet fis-7 ta' Lulju 2007 issa jista' jinqara bil-Malti hawn.

F'din l-ittra l-Papa jispjega lill-Isqfijiet dwar l-għanijiet tal-motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. Huwa jħeġġeġ lill-Isqfijiet biex jilqgħu x-xewqa ta' dawk il-lajċi - ħafna minnhom żgħażagħ - li huma attirati lejn ir-Rit Ruman tal-1962 (tal-Beatu Ġwanni XXIII).

Ħajr lis-Sur Anthony Mangion li qaleb it-test għall-Malti mill-Latin.

Goodbye ...

 

The past weeks I tried, with the help of some other dedicated people, to somehow revive the group Pro Tridentina (Malta) as I was told that it was not functioning at all. Some attempts have been made - including reactivating this Blog and the Facebook group -  but regrettably I found no tangible effort to really set the ball running.

On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the founding of Pro Tridentina (Malta), the time has come to turn over a new page. I still believe in the aims of this group but armchair critics and Masses organised against the letter of Summorum Pontificum and Universae Ecclesiae will lead to nowhere.

Another problem is the fact that many people, including priests, like to have their own little niche, celebrate Tridentine Mass for the selected few, and refuse outright to co-operate or communicate with Pro Tridentina (Malta) - these things are simply not on and I outright refuse to be part of this division.

If, and I stress if, a well functioning committee is one day set up, then I might join once more. In the meantime, I continue my work in a project initiated by the Holy See that is giving me great satisfaction.

This being my last message, I would like to thank those who genuinely helped and ... Goodbye.

Godwin Xuereb