Laudetur Iesus Christus! Today is the 2^nd Sunday after Epiphany, and the liturgy commemorates the 3^rd manifestation or mystery of Epiphany, Christ manifesting His divinity at the wedding at Cana. Dr. Mike Foley provides his weekly commentary on the prayers this Sunday. http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/01/the-orations-of-second-sunday-after.html

Of particular note is a translation is today’s Collect, which as Dr. Foley notes, continues the Christmas prayer of peace, which we may want to pray considering all that is occurring in our country now:

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost moderate things in heaven as well as on earth, mercifully hear the supplications of Thy people, and grant us Thy peace in our times. Through our Lord.

Upcoming Latin Mass events

Respect Life Latin Mass – Saturday January 23:  The St. Ann parish 4^th Saturday Respect Life Latin Mass will resume this month. 8:00 AM Low Mass, followed by prayers at Planned Parenthood abortion facility (or Holy Hour of Reparation).

End of Christmas celebration – Sunday January 24:  Please join us on Sunday January 24 for the annual “End of Christmas” celebration, with the Cantate Domino Latin Girls Choir and some deserts. This will occur after the 12:30pm St. Ann Sunday Latin Mass.

Septuagesima (Pre-Lent) Season begins – Sunday January 31: With Easter occurring early this year, the three week pre-Lent season of Septuagesima will actually begin before the close of the Christmas season, on Sunday January 31. We will begin to see violet vestments and the absence of the Alleluia, as a subtle reminder to begin preparing for Lent (which begins Ash Wednesday February 17)

Candlemas – Feast of the Purification – Tuesday February 2: St. Ann will offer a special 6pm High Mass for the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This will include a procession, and also a blessing of candles. You may wish to begin to purchase candles 51% beeswax or greater. This will also mark the end of the Christmas season.

Lenten Spiritual Enrollment

The traditional Carmelite Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Fairfield, PA are again offering a special Lenten spiritual enrollment which you can begin to participate in today. The Hermits will be offering 40 Masses, 40 days of praying the Divine Office (and other daily prayers), and 40 days of fasting and penance all for the intention of your family or other enrolled loved ones.  This is an amazing spiritual gift. Here is the link to the enrollment form: http://www.ednmc.org/

Please make an offering of alms along with this enrollment.  Your generous financial sacrifice will bear all the more fruit for your intentions.

Latin Mass and Traditional News

• The Demographics of the Traditional Latin Mass: Great article by Dr. Joseph Shaw, chair of the Latin Mass Society of the U.K. on how the young now make up a substantial portion of the Traditional Latin Mass attendance: https://www.hprweb.com/2021/01/the-demographics-of-the-extraordinary-form/#respond
• Roberto de Mattei – True and False Conspiracies: Traditional Catholic historian Roberto de Mattei has an interesting article on the conspiracy theories swirling around the French Revolution period, and also occurring with this week’s political turmoil: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2021/01/de-mattei-true-and-false-conspiracies.html
• Pope Francis decrees on women as acolytes and lectors: If one were still “on the fence” about the “fruits” of Vatican II, this new decision should be helpful in guiding one to the traditional Catholic perspective and Latin Mass. Prior to Vatican II, the roles of acolytes and lectors were reserved for men in minor orders (those in the early part of seminary) – and this is still the case for seminaries exclusively devoted to the liturgical books of 1962 (Traditional Latin Mass). Unfortunately, for the Novus Ordo liturgy, layman can be installed in these positions, and now the Holy Father is permitting women to serve as these functions for the Novus Ordo. If you aren’t attending the Latin Mass – especially on Sundays, now might be a good time to abandon the Novus Ordo:
  https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2021/01/earthquake-francis-decrees-women-can.html

Modernism vs. Traditional Catholicism: The COVID-19 Vaccine

As we’ve noted in the past, the promotion of the Traditional Latin Mass is not limited to just liturgy, but also includes the traditions, customs, culture, spirituality, philosophy, and theology that accompanied the Mass of Ages, which differs vastly from the Novus Ordo Mass and Post-Vatican II mindset. Here we examine a contemporary topic of the COVID vaccine that highlights the differences:

Fr. Chad Ripperger on the Morality of Vaccines: Last week we highlighted the problem of many in the Church who blindly believe in naturalism or science, over the supernatural and perennial Catholic faith. This is now particularly evident over the COVID-19 vaccine, in which some in the Church are saying it’s “morally permissible” to receive a vaccine linked to abortion (derived or tested). Fr. Ripperger explains how this is not the case. In short, in his theological opinion, the only condition to use an aborted linked vaccine would be in a dire situation where 10-25% of the population were succumbing to a disease. That “grave situation” does not exist with COVID-19 (99% recovery rate), and as such “remote cooperation” with abortion cannot be justified. Fr. Ripperger provides a breath of fresh tradition to counter the modernist theologians and Catholic laity who continue to “accommodate the world” as they do with many other issues.  We invite you to spend time to watch this important interview with Fr. Ripperger:

https://sensusfidelium.us/resistance-podcast-143-answers-on-vaccination-concerns-w-fr-ripperger/

The Ends Cannot Justify the Means: We also re-share Bishop Schneider’s letter (with Bishop Strickland) who emphasize the traditional perspective that Catholics should have nothing to do with abortion or aborted linked vaccines: https://www.crisismagazine.com/2020/covid-vaccines-the-ends-cannot-justify-the-means

Archbishop Viganò’s Considerations on the promotion of the vaccine by the Holy See: Archbishop Viganò’s comments on the Vatican’s embrace of the COVID vaccine: https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/fetzen-fliegen/item/5233-archbishop-vigano-s-considerations-on-the-promotion-of-the-vaccine-by-the-holy-see

A Warning About “Conservative Catholics”: Seeing the diverging viewpoints view on the COVID-19 vaccine, it should be clear that there is a battle between the traditional (perennial) and modernist perspective related to abortion linked vaccines (and many other issues). However, last fall Archbishop Vigano noted that the centrist, “conservative Catholics” were also “carrying water” for the modernist Revolutionaries “because, while rejecting their excesses, it shares the same principles.” Vigano goes on to note: “[I]n the ecclesial sphere, the deep church uses the moderate “conservatives” to give an appearance of offering freedom to the faithful.”  Many of these conservatives are well meaning and good-hearted people – as such, we should consider praying and encouraging all “conservative Catholics” to abandon the revolution and embrace the traditional Catholic Faith.

Traditional Teaching on Tithing

Counsels on Tithing – by Fr. Chad Ripperger: As we noted last week, for those of us St. Ann parish, we are blessed to have the Latin Mass and some of the related customs and traditions (like Wednesday’s Epiphany water blessing). However, we are also aware that not all CLMC readers are St. Ann parishioners and that some parishes are still unnecessarily limiting their sacramental functions due to “COVID”. In short if your parish is embracing strange beliefs, actions (or medical treatments) that harm the faith – you can always give to traditional religious orders instead of your parish.  For those of you who attend such parishes, we share with you an excellent talk by theologian Fr. Chad Ripperger on the Church’s traditional teaching on tithing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZueaGsLUbk4

Prayers for Our Country: Lastly, please continue to pray for our nation and the election process as things still remain unsettled. Continue to pray the Rosary, and these recommended prayers:

o   Prayer of Deliverance (recommended by exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger): https://charlottelatinmass.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/deliverance-prayers-for-election.pdf

o   Prayer for the USA (recommended by Archbishop Viganò): https://charlottelatinmass.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/viganos-prayer-for-usa-pdf.pdf