Parish Mission & Latin Mass

Dear Parishioners,

You may have seen the article and photo of our church on the front page of the Daily Pilot this week. It showed Fr. Philip celebrating the traditional Latin Mass with the relief in our sanctuary as a background. Now that we have begun celebrating the “extraordinary form” of the Mass (Pope Benedict’s term), I would like to share some reflections with you.

Photo: Christopher Wagner / Daily Pilot

First of all, let me dispel any concerns regarding the use of this form of Mass here at St. John the Baptist. While we are happy to provide this form of the Mass, we also wholeheartedly adhere to the liturgical changes initiated after the Second Vatican Council. We will always continue to have Masses in the revised rite in English and sometimes with Latin parts such as the Sanctus and Agnus Dei.

Secondly, I would invite you to assist at the traditional Latin Mass if you have not done so already. If you are under 40 you may never have seen Mass celebrated in this way. You will find that the basic structure is the same as the “ordinary form” with which we are all familiar. There is an introductory section with prayers, followed by readings and a homily. Then there follows a preparation of the bread and wine, a Eucharistic Prayer and a Communion Rite, and finally a concluding rite. The difference is that each part seems to flow into the next with the choir singing the Latin parts as a background.

Thirdly, in order to participate in the traditional Latin Mass, it is strongly urged that we use a booklet or a hand missal in English and Latin so that we can follow the parts, stand, sit, and kneel at the right times, and make the responses. We are ordering more Latin/English booklets and hope to provide enough for everyone. On another news topic, we welcome Fr. Wolfgang Seitz as our annual parish mission preacher this week. I hope you will make time to attend the mission either in the morning or evening this Monday through Friday. See elsewhere in this bulletin for the complete schedule

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

LA Times/Daily Pilot on SJB

On February 17, 2008, Daniel Tedford of the LA Times/Daily Pilot wrote a story on SJB's Traditional Latin Mass:

"Rooted in tradition, Catholicism is known for its reverence of the sacred and its historical customs. And through those cultural connections, St. John the Baptist Church has instituted the Traditional Latin Mass as a means to rekindle some of the more traditional aspects of the church..."

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UPDATE: Rules for Fast & Abstinence

Dear Friends in Christ,

They say the third time is a charm, and so here we go again on the rules for fast and abstinence:

The Church’s Code of Canon Law, Canon 1252 states as follows:

“All persons who have completed their fourteenth year are bound by the law of abstinence.”
(Abstinence refers to red meat and poultry; fish and dairy products are permitted).

“All adults are bound by the law of fast up to the beginning of their sixtieth year.”
(In the U.S. an adult is defined as one who has reached his/her 18th birthday)

“Nevertheless, pastors and parents are to see to it that minors who are not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are educated in an authentic sense of penance.”

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence. The other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence.

Fridays throughout the year are days of penance
(person may choose an appropriate penance).

Please pray for the success of our PSA 2008 campaign.

A blessed Lent to all.

Fr. Hildebrand

Lenten Almsgiving

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In his message for Lent 2008 the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI is asking us to focus on almsgiving this year. In Lent we often think of what foods/activities we will give up or what prayers we will say. Almsgiving has not been a “traditional” Catholic Lenten practice in the recent past. However, I think the Holy Father wants to remind us that giving alms to the poor has always been part of the Church’s practice, especially during Lent. One of the Church Fathers says that putting money in the pocket of a poor man earns us a spiritual recompense in heaven.

How might we express our love for the poor this Lent? One way might be to help out at the homeless shelter at the Armory in Santa Ana. Our parishioners usually go there on Mondays during the winter and early spring to help register persons looking for a hot meal and a place to sleep. There’s no need to evangelize.

Just your presence and a kind word may help bring Christ to a homeless person. Another way to give is through a favorite charity (I know there are lots of them); I often recommend Catholic Relief Services as a reliable charity because they seek to help the poorest people and those faced with catastrophic conditions (war, famine, drought). “Charity begins at home” as the saying goes. This year’s Pastoral Services Appeal (PSA) could also be an outlet for your charitable donations. A pledge to PSA is a gift to a parish that cannot meet its needs or a special ministry (like religious education for children, campus ministry, catechist training).

Before closing I would like to express my thanks to the Stewardship Team and all those who participated in our annual Ministry Fair. Even though rain and the Super Bowl provided challenges, the event was a great success. Here is a special “thank you” in Spanish for those who worked so hard to prepare a wonderful Mexican Lunch last Sunday:

Estoy muy agradecido por las familias de Roca de Salvacion, Jovenes para Cristo, RICA de Ninos 2006, y la Legion de Maria por la esplendida donacion de comida que se vendio en la Feria de Ministerios, asi como tambien a otras personas que hicieron donativos en efectivo. Que Dios los bendiga.

A blessed and fruitful Lenten Season to all of you!

Fr. Hildebrand

Traditional Latin Mass at SJB: Sundays at 12:30 PM

Download the Flyer: Traditional Latin Mass (PDF)

Lent

Dear Friends in Christ,

This week we begin the holy season of Lent. The Old English word “Lent” means Spring and appropriately describes the season which coincides with the re-awakening of nature after the cold grip of winter. Since Lent comes so early this year nearly all of it is in the winter, except for the end of Holy Week. As a matter of fact, our fellow citizens in colder climes may experience a “White Easter” this year. Yours truly remembers waking up to six inches of new snow on Easter Sunday back in New England.

In spite of what the weather outside brings, the new beginning that Lent inaugurates should be a spiritual renewal for all of us as we accompany Jesus in His temptations and fasting in the desert.

Fasting and abstinence have been a traditional part of Lent from the beginning. In the early Church Christians joined with those preparing for Baptism in a spiritual “spring cleaning” to “purge the old yeast of corruption”(cf. I Cor. 5, 7) and become a new creation. This renewal
by prayer, fasting, and giving to the poor helped the Christians to prepare for the renewal of their Baptismal promises at Easter. The forty days gave them time to reflect on their sins, do penance, and be renewed in heart and spirit.

Fasting is defined as refraining from food and drink as an expression of interior penance. It is recommended in Scripture and sometimes prescribed by a precept of the Church.

Abstinence is related to fasting, but differs in that it marks out a particular food (usually meat) as prohibited. During Lent we abstain from meat and poultry as part of our penance

St. Peter Chrysologous (4th century) said that fasting must be accompanied by prayer and works of mercy, otherwise it can be sterile and fruitless. Fasting helps us to focus on prayer. And when we use the money we save on food by giving to those in need we gain “treasure in heaven”.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand