All Saints

Last Saturday night I met up with some students in Muncie's oldest Catholic church (there are three) for the celebration of All Saints. The celebrant of the Mass gave me spiritual direction before Mass began. It was a traditional Latin Mass. It was a low Mass, too, which means there was no music and everything was said instead of chanted. It was at a side altar, too. It's nice to see side altars used these days.

After the Mass I met a student in one of our Bible studies who is not Catholic but just began RCIA. "How did you like it?" I asked. His eyes lit up and he smiled. "I loved it," he said.

Poem of the Day: Dies Irae

Today is All Souls Day, the commemoration of all the souls departed. All Souls Day is the occasion of one of the Middle Ages' (and Western Civilization's) most famous poems, the Dies Irae. Subsequently it's also one of the most famous Gregorian chants. In the context of the All Souls Day Mass, it is sung as a sequence and comes in the Mass right before the Gospel. Here is a video with the text and music, and below that is the translation:



Day of wrath! O day of mourning!
See fulfilled the prophets' warning,
Heaven and earth in ashes burning!

Oh, what fear man's bosom rendeth,
when from heaven the Judge descendeth,
on whose sentence all dependeth.

Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;
through earth's sepulchers it ringeth;
all before the throne it bringeth.

Death is struck, and nature quaking,
all creation is awaking,
to its Judge an answer making.

Lo! the book, exactly worded,
wherein all hath been recorded:
thence shall judgment be awarded.

When the Judge his seat attaineth,
and each hidden deed arraigneth,
nothing unavenged remaineth.

What shall I, frail man, be pleading?
Who for me be interceding,
when the just are mercy needing?

King of Majesty tremendous,
who dost free salvation send us,
Fount of pity, then befriend us!

Think, good Jesus, my salvation
cost thy wondrous Incarnation;
leave me not to reprobation!

Faint and weary, thou hast sought me,
on the cross of suffering bought me.
shall such grace be vainly brought me?

Righteous Judge! for sin's pollution
grant thy gift of absolution,
ere the day of retribution.

Guilty, now I pour my moaning,
all my shame with anguish owning;
spare, O God, thy suppliant groaning!

Thou the sinful woman savedst;
thou the dying thief forgavest;
and to me a hope vouchsafest.

Worthless are my prayers and sighing,
yet, good Lord, in grace complying,
rescue me from fires undying!

With thy favored sheep O place me;
nor among the goats abase me;
but to thy right hand upraise me.

While the wicked are confounded,
doomed to flames of woe unbounded
call me with thy saints surrounded.

Low I kneel, with heart submission,
see, like ashes, my contrition;
help me in my last condition.

Ah! that day of tears and mourning!
From the dust of earth returning
man for judgment must prepare him;
Spare, O God, in mercy spare him!

Lord, all pitying, Jesus blest,
grant them thine eternal rest. Amen.

(This is a poetic translation. A literal one can be found here)

Future Pope?

I'm slightly kidding about the future pope thing, but who knows? With God all things are possible! I've heard a lot of good things about this bishop: Athanasius Schneider ORC, auxiliary bishop of Karaganda, Kazakhstan. From the remotest regions of the world! Who would have thought?

He's the author of a book called Dominus Est.

Chicago

I arrived in Chicago today. We walked around, ate at a local bakery, did a 90 minute boat tour of the Chicago river and Lake Michigan, and had coffee at a trendy place. I went on the boat tour two years ago with my friend Tim, and knew my mother and grandmother would love it. It was far too cold for us, though. I hope none of us gets sick. We definitely did not pack appropriate clothing. The two of them walked around the city with White Sox blankets draped over their shoulders that we got at a tourist shop. We are staying at the W Hotel on Lakeshore. It's way too "trendy" for me. The lobby, which I am writing this post in, is more like a dance club. There's dim purple lighting and techno music and people are walking around all over with beverages. The room itself is a little too much. The bathroom has a window in the wall that allows people in the main room to look into the bathroom. There are wooden shudders that offer a little privacy. The door to the bathroom is also weird. It's a bamboo sliding screen door that doesn't lock. This arrangement might work for a couple on a honeymoon, but is extremely awkward for a young man staying with his mother and grandmother. Did I mention the hotel is also filled with the head-pounding powerful scent of perfume? I've had a headache the whole time. The hotel isn't all bad, though. It's in a good location and has rocking chairs out front that allows guests to look onto Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan.

Tomorrow morning I'm going to get up at 5:00 a.m. and take the transit to St. John Cantius Parish. At 6:00 they have Matins and Lauds (the office of readings and morning prayer), which is followed by a traditional Latin low Mass. I've been there before, also with Tim. It was the last place I saw in Chicago last time I came. It's a beautiful church, and the priests there are taking on the noble task of restoring beautiful music and art to the Catholic liturgy, both in the Novus Ordo and in the traditional Latin Mass. In fact, even their Ordinary Form Masses in English are celebrated ad orientem, that is, with the priest facing the same way as the congregation. This is, according to many leaders in the Church, one of the most important ways of restoring the liturgy with a proper emphasis.

Anyway, I've only been here a half of a day! Tomorrow is a full one and sure to be more action-packed. Oh, and by the way, we've already heard people talking behind our backs about our accent. So far they've said nice things. See y'all later.