Wrongly Titled Post

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf is the 'blogmaster of one of the best Catholic 'blogs on the internet, "What Does The Prayer Really Say."

He calls his latest post a rant.

I call it a much needed sermon.

A Priest Forever

Today marks the 60th. anniversary of the ordination to the priesthood of Joseph Ratzinger, now known as Pope Benedict XVI.

Keep all priests in your prayers. You never know where their calling takes them.

Double Praise

The Apostle to the Jews and the Apostle to the Gentiles.

He upon whom the Church is built and he who was one of Her busiest missionaries and eloquent preachers.

Both came to Christ from different paths, both endured their hardships, but both ran the race to the end.

Once upon a time, their respective feast days were separate. Now, they are celebrated together.

We are blessed to have such great teachers and leaders of the Faith.

Chant Comes Here

The Church Music Association of America has announced the site for Colloquium XXII, to be held June 25-July 1, 2012.

Their next "seven days of musical heaven" will be here.

Once again, a significant liturgical practicum will be in my backyard.

I have already offered to help.

365 days and counting.

I can't wait.

Missing Links

My 2010 St. Cecilia's Day post mentions a litany to the patron saint of music used by members of the Church Music Association of America. This prayer is used as a novena beginning the 22nd. of each month. The forum post has links to both a recited and chant form, the chant having been composed by a member of the CMAA.

There has been a small problem. The links to copies of each form have been unavailable for quite a while now. No one wanting copies have been able to secure any.

Until now.

Via Google Docs, here are new links to the recited (Word) and chant (PDF) form.

For now, I hope this will be useful. I would eventually like to link to the originals, but I will need help with that.

You're welcome.

(UPDATE) The forum actually allows me to attach my copies to the post. So I did. The offer to link them still stands.

Here In This Place

And so it has begun.

I wish I could be there, but my wallet said, "No way." The spirit is willing; the cash is non-existent.

I shouldn't be too disappointed. I have actually attended what I consider to be the last four of the last five "major" events sponsored by the Church Music Association of America--

1. January,2010: Winter Chant Intensive; Charleston, SC.
2. June, 2010: CMAA Colloquium XX; Pittsburgh, PA.
3. October, 2010: Fall Practicum; Houston, TX.
4. January, 2011: Winter Chant Intensive; New Orleans, LA.

It is a very educational as well as spiritually uplifting time. It is truly, as they like to promote, "Seven Days of Musical Heaven."

One of the more recent forums at the CMAA website was a roll call of attendees. While I made my regrets, I also said I would keep them in my prayers this week.

St. Gregory the Great, St. Cecilia, St, John the Baptist, and all you heavenly angelic choirs--pray for them and all church musicians. May God renew these servants in body, mind, heart, and soul. May He bless them abundantly.

Think of me kindly, those who are there and know of me.