This comes to us via Pianogirl, who writes of Georgio Allegri’s Miserere mei, Deus: For many years, it was thought that Mozart composed this piece because a copy of it was found in his handwriting. It was forbidden for this music to leave the Vatican. Rumor had it — under threat of excommunication — that the choir was forbidden to let the score be taken out of the Chapel, copied, or even seen by any outsider. On April 11,1770, Wolfgang... Read more
Two must-reads for you this morning: start with Max Lindenman’s intimate and fresh encounter with a bishop he was prepared to dislike, because our media-constructed bogeymen are almost as dear to us as our consciences, sometimes: The final scene in Dumas, père’s Three Musketeers brings young D’Artagnan, the hero, face-to-face with Cardinal Richelieu, a man he judges a usurper of royal authority and (at several degrees’ remove) a murderer. Within a few short paragraphs, the cardinal’s commanding presence and generosity... Read more
I once read a comment by Lady Abbess Benedict Duss, OSB to the effect that the chant in Latin was the most effective and most complete and transcendent prayer of praise outside of the mass. I don’t doubt it. Read more
If there are craftsmen in the monastery, let them practice their crafts with all humility, provided the Abbot has given permission. But if any one of them becomes conceited over his skill in his craft, because he seems to be conferring a benefit on the monastery, let him be taken from his craft and no longer exercise it unless, after he has humbled himself, the Abbot again gives him permission. If any of the work of the craftsmen is to... Read more
Have mercy, Lord, on me in my remorse! Lord, have mercy if my prayer rises to you: do not chastise me in your severity. Less harshly, always mercifully, look down on me, on me. Never let me be condemned to hell in the eternal fire by your severity. Almighty God, never let me be condemned to the eternal fire by your severity. Read more
Comments are closed for the weekend. Let us reclaim our Lenten focus. We think that in prayer we speak to God, and we are not wrong to think so. But the heart of prayer is that God speaks to us. It is not God whose mind is changed by our prayer, but we ourselves, if we would but cease to speak, and would instead wait upon God, and listen to him. It is the prayer of silent expectation, whereby we... Read more
Every day I make a “to-do” list and every single day I proudly put lines through what I’ve managed to get done and frown over what is left, and too much gets left. I just discovered a list of people I needed to write thank you’s to, for something. I wrote the list ages ago, and it got buried. Thankfully, it’s never to late to express gratitude, but what a slob I’ve been! For weeks now I have been meaning... Read more
“I don’t feel like it’s any of my business what people think of me.” — Jim Caviezel As a faithful Catholic who is an actor, Jim Caviezel must have had to use that philosophy a lot to remain true to his faith. We all should take a lesson from his book and do likewise. I’m serious here. We really should. I just want to ask though, has anyone else tried to practice what Jim Caviezel preaches? I have. It is... Read more
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