Because Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness

June 5, 2013 By 1 Comment

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” my mother would say, explaining why I needed to [choose one] (a) make my bed, (b) pick up my toys, (c) help with the dishes….

The old adage is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin, or to the Bible.  In actuality, though, the phrase apparently originated with Phineas ben Yair, a rabbi whose writings can be found in the Talmud.

This is a reminder that just as your home gets dirty and needs a dusting, so does the great St. Peter’s Basilica.  I guess it has to be done, but check out this guy, standing on the great altar!

A hat-tip to friend Monsignor Richard Soseman, who sent me this photo.  Monsignor “Mons” Soseman, a priest for the Diocese of Peoria, is currently an Official at the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome.  I think it was the ubiquitous Brandon Vogt who introduced me to Monsignor Soseman two years ago, when Brandon and I were in Rome attending the Vatican Blogfest.  Mons was kind enough to invite our group to join him as he celebrated Mass in the Extraordinary Form in one of the crypt chapels at St. Peter’s Basilica.  Quite a photographer, he frequently delights me with his beautiful photographs in the Eternal City.

Filed Under: Rome, Vatican 1 Comment

Vatican and Argentina Issue Joint Postage Stamps Honoring Pope Francis (UPDATED)

May 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

You philatelists out there might be able to tell me whether this is as unusual as it seems:  I have never in my life heard of two nations collaborating on the printing of postage stamps.

That’s what happened today, though.  A four-stamp collector’s set of stamps, each featuring a photographic image of Pope Francis, has been issued jointly by the Vatican City State and Argentina.  The set marks the beginning of the new pope’s pontificate, and includes four different stamps with the values of €0.70 (for mail to Italy); €0.85 (for Europe); €2.00 (for mailing to Africa, Asia, the Americas); and €2.50 (for Oceania).  Only 250,000 sets will be printed.

In addition to the stamp series shown here, the Vatican’s Philatelic and Numismatic Office (for stamps and coins) will also release a stamp and coin card, as well as an official collector’s edition folder, designed to hold the four stamps and a postcard featuring the first page of L’Osservatore Romano’s March 13, 2013 edition.  That special edition newspaper was published on the day of the pope’s election.

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If you’re a stamp collector, you might also be interested in the stamps released during the interregnum, that brief period after Pope Benedict’s resignation, but before a new pope was elected, when the Chair of Peter was vacant.  I wrote about that series here.  (Unfortunately, no new interregnum stamps are being sold; but eBay seemed to be doing a brisk business hawking the collectors’ stamps, last I looked.

 

UPDATE:  Fr. Greg Friedman, OFM, director of video projects for St. Anthony Messenger Press, knows a bit about stamps and sent this explanation:

“In answer to your query, yes, the US and other countries have done joint issues of stamps, especially US-Canada, and others.  My recollection is each country sells the basically same stamp, with perhaps the language or denomination changed.”

Filed Under: Pope Francis, Vatican Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment

Let My Prayer Rise Like Incense….

April 29, 2013 By 2 Comments

Let my prayer rise before you like incense, 
And my hands like an evening offering.

–Psalm 141:2

This morning in Rome, French Catholics processed into St. Peter’s for the morning Mass, smoldering incense rising like our prayers toward heaven.  Friend Monsignor Richard Soseman—a priest from the Diocese of Peoria who is an official in the Congregation for the Clergy in the Vatican—was on hand to capture this inspiring photograph.

But why do Catholics use incense, anyway?

In the ancient world, incense was frequently used in religious rites.  The Assyrians, the Babylonians and the Egyptians all used incense, purportedly to ward off demons.   The Israelites burned incense in Temple rituals, along with their thanksgiving offerings of oil, grain, fruits and wine (Numbers 7:13-17).  Moses, in the book of Exodus, erected a golden altar for the burning of incense at the entrance to the meeting tent where the Ark of the Covenant was kept (Exodus 30:1-10). And today, Catholics and some other faith traditions use incense in their worship, adding mystery and formality to the liturgy.  The aromatic smoke signifies our prayers, which rise to heaven and to the ear of God.

In the Book of Revelation, incense is used in the heavenly worship before the throne of God:

“Another angel came in holding a censer of gold. He took his place at the altar of incense and was given large amounts of incense to deposit on the altar of gold in front of the throne, together with the prayers of all God’s holy ones. From the angel’s hand, the smoke of the incense went up before God, and with it the prayers of God’s people.”

In the Catholic Church, the GIRM (the General Instruction of the Roman Missal) specifies when incense may be used during the liturgy:

  1. during the entrance procession;
  2. at the beginning of Mass, to incense the altar;
  3. at the procession and proclamation of the Gospel;
  4. at the offertory, to incense the offerings, altar, priest and people; and
  5. at the elevation of the Sacred Host and chalice of Precious Blood after the consecration.

The priest may also incense the Crucifix and the Paschal Candle. During a funeral liturgy, the priest incenses the coffin—both as a sign of honor to the deceased, and as a sign of the faithful’s prayers for the deceased rising to God.

Filed Under: Liturgy, Prayer, Vatican 2 Comments
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