I’d like to give a short review of the book that has been my daily companion: my Daily Roman Missal from Midwest Theological Forum. For the daily mass goer a hand missal is essential as most pew missals only contain readings for Sundays and Holy Days.
I have the burgundy leather bound edition. To say leather bound is a little misleading. The book has a hard cover with a plush faux leather cover over the inside cover. It is by no means flexible like a bible. The missal also comes in black and burgundy hardcover, black leather, and black genuine leather editions. Note that the hardcover is on white paper instead of the cream bible paper used in leather editions; the hardbound also lacks gold gilding.
Of the three major missals available in the US (the others being the St. Joseph 3 Vol. Daily Missal and the Saint Paul Daily Missal) this missal is the only one with a passable cover.
Having inspected the vinyl cover St. Joseph missal and leather St. Paul missals, I would have to give the edge to the DRM by far. I do not believe that either of the other missals have covers that can last more than even a few months and maintain their look and shape. I am completely dissapointed in these two missals whose covers are more like flexible cardboard than leather or vinyl. The St. Joesph and Paul missals are no where comparable to past editions of these missals.
I have not been able inspected the leather editions of the St. Joseph missals.
I use the book for studying the readings before mass, prayers before mass, following the order, guiding my confession, and benediction on a regular basis. I will admit that the book is a little thick when compared to my 1961 Saint Joseph Daily Missal that I use when attending mass in the extraordinary form. I’d imagine that the missal would be hard for someone with smaller hands to handle during mass to follow the order.
The Order of Mass is given in both English and Latin for those who attend the Latin Novus Ordo, or if you are a student of Latin and want to make your own judgment of the new ICEL translation.
As you can see from the photos, the book has six ribbons. Have them placed so as to jump to parts of mass and to prayers I use regularly. The gilding is holding up well, with some wear around the ribbons but that is to be expected.
The treasury of prayers in this missal are second to none. It draws its material from the Handbook of Prayers by the same publisher. The missal contains most of the content that can be found in the Student Edition of the Handbook. The missal contains the popular Guide to Being a Better Catholic and Spiritual Gameplan sections. The missal also includes For those of you now familiar with the Handbook you can check out content HERE.
I enjoy the artwork in the Daily Roman Missal more than I have from any of the other ordinary form missals currently on the market. I have shown many examples in this post and others on the blog. I will however say that the artwork is nowhere that of any of the extraordinary form missals that I have seen or owned.
Finally I have to say that if you do purchase an MTF Daily Roman Missal you should consider purchasing a cover to keep your investment in top shape for years to come. With a cover not only will you keep you missal looking newer longer, but you will undoubtedly ad years to the life of your book. If you do purchase a cover I can think of no better than the hand made cover from the Roman Catholic Sacramental Foundation. The cover is now available on the website, however they were nice enough to make me one when I inquired via email several months ago.
There isn’t much more to say about this book other than it is by far the best missal for for use in the United States. I recommend this missal for anyone who is looking for an edition of the Third Roman Missal or for a great comprehensive prayer book.
I would like to wish a very happy birthday to the Holy Father Benedict XVI. Since his election to lead the see of Peter just short of seven years ago he has been a beacon of hope to the Catholic faithful.
Some highlights and travels of Benedict XVI’s reign:
April 19, 2005: Elected to lead the see of Peter on the fourth ballot of the 2005 Papal Conclave.
April 24 2005, Formally formally inaugurated as Supreme Pontiff.
August 19-20 2005: Visits his native Germany for the 20th World Youth Day.
January 25, 2006: Published his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love).
May 15, 2007: Publishes book Jesus of Nazareth
July 7, 2007: Issued his Motu proprio Summonum Pontifium allowing for much wider use of the extraordinary form of the mass.
November 30, 2007: Published his second encyclical, Spe Salvi (Saved in Hope)
April 15-21 2008: Visits the United States cities of Washington DC and New York holding mass on the National Mass and Yankee Stadium.
May 8-15 2009, Visits the Holy Land
July 7, 2009: Published his third encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth)
September 19, 2010: Beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman
March 10, 2011: Publishes book Jesus Of Nazareth Vol. 2
May 1, 2011: Beatification of John Paul II
V. Let us pray for Benedict, our Pope.
R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. [Ps 40:3]
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Benedict, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
— Excerpted from the Roman Missal. A partial indulgence is attached to the versicle and response.
No new posts this weekend. I’m coordinating a conference this weekend, so there won’t be much time to post.
On Monday I’ll dive into a review of my Midwest Theological Forum Daily Roman Missal. Also sometime next week I’d like to explore the debate of whether or not to mark in your bible.
Have a great Divine Mercy Sunday, or if you celebrate in the Extraordinary form, Low Sunday.
God Bless!
Today I spotted this great video on the Facebook page of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. They have been posting some great videos on YouTube lately. This one highlights the life of the diocese taking us on a tour though the prayerful and charitable life of its various members, religious, and organisations. ne specific diocese it is a great example of the playful charity that goes on within the Church everyday.
Videos like this are great to show people who claim that all the Church does is accumulate wealth. We, as members of the Body of Christ, are the largest charitable organization on Earth. Nothing else even comes close. Share this with your cynical friends. It draws a very different picture than that of what most non-Catholics believe we do. For those who say that Catholicism is a non-Christian or Christian but not charitable it is always great to highlight how we all strive to live everyday holiness through prayer and the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
Corporal Works of Mery (Matt 25: 31-46 & Tobit)
- To feed the hungry.
- To give drink to the thirsty.
- To shelter the homeless.
- To clothe the naked.
- To visit and ransom the captive, (prisoners).
- To visit the sick.
- To bury the dead
Spiritual Works of Mercy
- Instruct the uninformed
- Counsel the doubtful;
- Admonish sinners;
- Bear wrongs patiently;
- Forgive offenses willingly;
- Comfort the afflicted;
- Pray for the living, the sick and the dead.
For Catholics it can be hard to move away and have to leave a parish that you may have called home for the majority of your life. I’m currently going through what I consider an even harder experience. I’m thinking of leaving the parish that I have called home for all 26 years of my life. This is the parish that I grew up in, have friends in, served countless masses, went to eleven years of school in (pre-school – 8th grade). Although not baptized there I received my had my first confession in the confessional I still go to today, I had my first communion there. In a funny instance Bishop (now Archbishop) Wilton Gregory, before confirming me, asked me what was my chosen patron. I responded “Peter”. He then asked me “Which Peter”. My response was “The First Pope”. He then asked me who was the current pope; after my answer of John Paul II he then said that my test question was to name all of the popes between Peter and JPII. I would loved to have seen the smile on my sponsors face and the look of fear on my own.
Needless to say I love my home parish. I love the pastor, the people, and staff. This is the reason that I have been having a such a problem leaving. It would be easier to leave if I were moving, but this change of parish is by choice.
I’ve already made a post about the spiritual journey that I have been on for the past year and a half. A big part of that journey was based on a chance. On a Sunday I had to pick my aunt up in south St. Louis after her rehab for a knee injury was over. On a fleeting decision I decided that I would checkout the Latin mass at The Oratory of St. Francis de Sales. I had never been to a Latin mass. That day I was confused and didn’t think a lot of the rite.
Once I returned to my school in the evening I relayed the experience to my Catholic roommate. He told me that he had been attending the Latin mass for years, Starting at St. Francis de Sales and then moving to the newer Oratory of Sts. Gregory and Augustine. He invited me to his parish. I found the experience of a ‘dialog mass’ much easier to understand for a TLM newbie. I’ve been attending mass at Gregory and Augustine a couple times a month for a year now (over an hour drive). I admire the parish. The members of the laity are so reverent toward the mass and the Eucharist. There is also a great community atmosphere that lacks at my home parish.
Inside St. Francis de Sales
Changing to a parish that celibates the Extraordinary Form has been on my mind for about six months now. I believe that I am finally ready to make the jump. I don’t yet know which of the two oratories in St. Louis I will choose, I love the people of Gregory and Augustine but St. Francis de Sales is 35 minutes closer to where I reside. Either way I believe that my spiritual life will be better for the move.
I will no longer be able to worship every Sunday with my mother, I will miss my amazing pastor, most of all I will be leaving friends and memories.
Please pray for me during this difficult time.
I went to confession after attending The Way of the Cross on Good Friday. Confession is one of two sacraments, along with Anointing of the Sick, that can be celebrated on Good Friday. Not surprisingly I stood in a line for over a half hour in order to confess my sins.
As a weekly/biweekly Confession goer I have come to realize that lent is the only time of year I can expect to stand in a line to receve the sacriment. On many weeks of the year I am the only one in line. I find it sad that so many only chose to exercise their ability to receve absolution for their sins once a year. Why is this? Is it because it is uncomfortable to confront our own faults? I can assure you it is. The feeling of shame when confronting failure, at least for me, has never gone away.
Many critics of the sacrament tell me that they don’t believe that they don’t believe that one should confess to a priest. They say that our sins are between themselves and God. To me that just doesn’t seem like enough. Other than the fact that this belief is unbiblical, I tend to believe that a simple I’m sorry while standing alone is a bit too easy, too casual, and can become too thoughtless of an act.
No, it is far more humbling to have to sit and meditate on our own frailties. To sit and ponder our failures to our savior that has given us so much is a horrible feeling. To a God that is infinitely good even one sin is infinitely evil. If you are someone who only confesses once or twice a year, or even a person who has been away from the sacrament for twenty years or more; I encourage you to join me in regular confession. As bad as it feels to confront our own sins it is impossible to quantify the graces you receive and the feeling of relief you have knowing that you are forgiven.
It is always inspiring to see so many of the faithful attending a devotion outside of Sunday mass. Today I used my day off to attend an outdoor Way of the Cross at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL. The Shrine, operated by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, is the largest outdoor shrine dedicated to Our Lady in North America. As you can see from the photos I was not alone at the devotion to Our Lord’s passion.
The Way of the Cross at The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.
The Shrine features a year round walking or driving Way of the Cross with recorded narration. Today’s divotion was complete with an actor at every station portraying someone significant to each station in between the prayers. It was chilling as the crowd sand “Were You There” walking the space between stations on the half mile course.
For those who say that there is a lack of youth involvement or to Church critics that say the Church will be dead in a generation due to lack of participation I invite you to look at the many teens in the group. Tonight I hope to see this many faithful and more at the Cathedral of St. Peter (Belleville, IL) for Good Friday Liturgy and Veneration of the Cross. All steps in this march toward Easter as we navigate the Sacred Pascal Triduum.
Just in case you want to make a sacred pilgrimage without leaving North America this summer you can visit the website of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows HERE.
I woke up this morning to find this set as the status on a very good friend of mine’s Facebook page. I don’t know if the quote is originally her’s but it really sums up Holy Week and in particular the Pascal Triduum quite well doesn’t it. Throughout this week we have marched from Christ’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to his death on the cross on Good Friday.
Title Page from my MTF Daily Roman Missal
The Pascal Triduum is the most holy time of the year. We start on Holy Thursday when we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. This mass has just as much symbolism as any of the Liturgical Year. Not only do we celebrate the Eucharist as Christ instructed us, on the anniversary of its institution, but the priest also washes the feet of men from the parish in the same way that Jesus washed the feet of the apostles to prepare them for the priesthood. The Holy Thursday mass culminates with the Eucharist being removed from the tabernacle and the alter is stripped of its cloth.
This leads to Good Friday, which is the only day of the year in which no mass is celebrated. The tabernacle is still empty awaiting our risen Lord at the Easter Vigil. Parishes will traditional celebrate good Friday with a service and Veneration of the Cross.
It isn’t until the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday after the new Pascal Candle is dedicated and blessed that we can once again receive the Eucharist. Only this time we receive it with our newly baptized and confirmed brothers and sisters who have finished their faith formation in RCIA.
From my 1961 Saint Joseph Daily Missal
So it is indeed Friday now. As I write this I am getting ready to leave for an outdoor celebration of The Way of the Cross. It is noon. Our Lord is on the cross. In a few hours he will breath his last breath. There was no mass this morning. There is now Eucharist to adore. Soon, however it will be Sunday and we will again celebrate with our Lord.
Last week I noticed a story that many of my college and high school Facebook “friends” were posting a story from the New York Times on their timelines. The article, by Times writer Frank Bruni, was the story of one of his college classmates who was a divot Catholic turned abortionist. According to a story from the Catholic News Agency (CNA) Brun is now under fire for fabricating the story.
Not surprisingly there aren’t as many of my “friends” willing to post this article from CNA. Brun’s article alleged that his friend “attended weekly services”, and even had a poster of a chalice in his dorm room. The article goes on to show how education in history and sociology led his friend away from the Church. ‘
Bruni’s article highlights the popular atheist position that once one becomes educated they stop believing in something as archaic as the Catholic Church. This is a popular opinion also of many of my high school and college friends. Considering how up until college I had a Catholic education I find it interesting just how many of my acquaintances have begun attacking they Church since the bishops of the United States have come out against President Obama’s HHS contraception mandate.
If it is true that Bruni has fabricated this story than the question must be asked that at what length will the liberal media will go to discredit Christ’s Church. It was not enough to simply ignore the good that the Church does while over-reporting the sinful actions of the few who happen to associate themselves with the Church. If this alleged report is of falsifying an article is true than I ask what will be the next step? We are, as a Church, at war. Anti-Catholicism is rampant in the media while positive reporting is non-existent. Please click on the pic of St. Michael on the top right of this page and pray for his defense often prayer often.
Find Bruni’s original story “Rethinking His Religion” HERE.
St. Michael, Defend us and pray for us
St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Pray for us
Yesterday I posted a reminder to vote Timothy Cardinal Dolan into the Time 100. The Time 100 is Time Magizine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Cardinal Dolan is the Archbishop of New York and the current president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Cardinal Dolan has been instrumental in leading the current unity of our bishops in a push against President Obama’s HHS contraception mandate. You can vote Cardinal Dolan into the Time 100 HERE.
Today I noticed that Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards is also up for recognition on the same list. Richards currently leads the largest abortion (baby murder) providing organization in the United States. As the leader of Planned Parenthood the organization is not only fighting for abortion (baby murder) “rights”, but also fighting several states that are trying to pass laws mandating the mother receve an ultrasound before aborting (murdering) her baby.
Please vote “no way” and keep Mrs. Richards out of the Time 100. You can do this HERE.
At the time of this post the current vote counts of these individuals are as follows:
- Timothy Cardinal Dolan: 62.29% Definitely – 31.71% No Way
- Cecile Richards: 32.59% Definitely – 67.41% No Way
At this rate I think we’ll get to see far more smiles out of Cardinal Dolan.
A Lay Catholic 