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Wednesday 22 August 2007

Reparation to the Jebs?

I suspect partly to make up for having noised abroad that very silly letter from a Jesuit, Fr Z has also linked to this piece on Summorum Pontificum
http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2007/schall_tridentine_aug07.asp
While there are not a few who look upon this decree as "conservative," or "back-going," I fail to see why giving me the permission to say Mass in another language is somehow a "narrowing" of my freedom. ... Though the Holy Father does not mention this issue, it seems clear that the self-separation into different language groups has in effect broken down community, not opened it up.
Fair, balanced, interesting --- Fr Schall, SJ sounds like the kind of teacher who could affect one for life... and beyond.
Go read the entire thing.

And note this from Fr Schall's A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO LIBERAL LEARNING: (and apply it to the Liturgy and our thinking on it and on Him for Whose worship the Liturgy is intended.) [emphasis mine]
The important things, Aristotle told us, are to be known "for their own sakes", not for some useful or pleasurable purpose, however useful or pleasurable they might also be. Scholars tell us that the ages have saved for us Plato's literary works and Aristotle's more pedestrian class-notes or lectures. The first sing; the second demand our careful, repeated attention. The fact that we have both sorts of heritage contains a lesson for us. We oftentimes need suddenly to be called out of ourselves by something that is simply charming or delightful. At other times, we recognize that if we are go grasp the essence of something, it will take our undivided attention over a long period of time, perhaps a lifetime. We will need to read and read again, to memorize, to recite, to explain what we know to others to see if we are clear and, if we are not, to be honest with ourselves about it.

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