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Yesterday a 3-alarm fire nearly destroyed the Shrine of Christ the King, a center for the traditional Mass on the south-side of Chicago, entrusted to the Institute of Christ the King. Ironically this was the second fire to gut this magnificent church. Built in the 1920’s by German immigrants, the church suffered its first fire in the 1970s. Afterwards it sat for many years in a dilapidated state, virtually unusable, while the neighborhood fell on hard times. In 2003 Cardinal George entrusted the church to the Institute. With vision, courage, and hard work, the Institute has been restoring the church, a project that has costed millions of dollars. The shrine has attracted a vibrant community of church-goers and has revitalized the neighborhood through community service. Fund-raising is already underway to restore the church. See the Institute’s website

Pictures (above and below) of the shrine from a 2008 entry on our website (see link)

The shrine as it looks today.

The treasured 18th century Spanish statue of the Infant King, which stood over the altar, was rescued, as was the tabernacle. Later the firefighters located the missing arm (see below)

A sister who runs a shelter next door said, “I know the spirit of the priests there and this will not stop them. I’m sure they will rebuild.”   Anyone who wishes to help can go to the Institute’s website or a special fund-raising page.

Pictures from St. Mary’s Church, Greenwich of last night’s Eucharistic Procession  on Greenwich Avenue for the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. (photos courtesy of Father Cyprian La Pastina)

Today we find this. A few excerpts:

“First Things stands for something. Many things, actually. One of them is a commitment to reality-based conservatism, both in matters of faith and of public life. I mention this, because I’ve decided to end our hosting of Maureen Mullarkey’s blog.”

“She (Maureen Mullarkey) consistently treats him as an ideological propagandist, accusing him of reducing the faith to secular political categories. This is her way of reducing him to the political terms she favors.”

“What matters most, however, is our spiritual disposition. Are we docile to our bishops and their fraternal head, the pope? Are we willing to see and learn what they want to teach us? Will we accompany them, to use one of Francis’ favored images?

The Church asks us to be docile. That’s my goal. I don’t need to agree with Francis in all instances, even most. But I need to be open to instruction. I need to try to see what he’s trying to get us to see.

In a much, much more limited way, the same is true of our political adversaries. Citizenship is a kind of friendship, a mutual commitment to share the public project of our nation. We certainly disagree, debate, and try to win arguments as well as elections. But in all this we need to have the moral and spiritual generosity to enter into our adversaries’ ways of thinking, if but for a moment. We’re in this American project together. We need to accompany each other, even as we contest for the future.”

Presumably Mr. Reno is referring to this.

Now First Things began, under the leadership of Fr. Richard Neuhaus, as an attempt to combine “Conservative” Catholicism, capitalism, the “American Experiment” ( or “project” as Mr Reno puts it above) and ecumenism. And all conducted in an atmosphere of “reasoned discourse.” An ideology that the late Thomas Molnar found abhorrent – indeed he went so far as to call it the “black fruit” of Americanism and capitalism. Regardless of our views on the merits of the initial objectives, however, I think we can agree on the total failure of the initiative to have any effect on American politics or society. As has been abundantly demonstrated in the last couple of years, the leading forces of American civil society and government have moved ever more forcefully to sever their last links with Christian morality. The endlessly repeated mantra of the Church speaking boldly “in the public square” – presumably as a leading force in American society – has yielded to a plea for mere toleration – “religious liberty” is the new watchword. As far as I can tell, the forces of establishment Protestantism and Judaism totally reject the positions of First Things. That of course isn’t anything new, nor is the gap between the principles of  the publication we are discussing and the forces of establishment American Catholicism as represented by many hierarchs, and most Catholic universities and religious orders. But the most crushing blow is the current pontificate. Pope Francis and his entourage have denounced or relativized every principle asserted by First Things over the years and have allied themselves firmly with the theological and political left.

One would have thought this experience of 25 years would have given rise to reflection. Perhaps the initial assumptions were incorrect; perhaps the certitudes of Neuhaus, Weigel and their colleagues regarding Pope John Paul II, Vatican II, American society, capitalism etc. were not a little off base. But no. At least for the moment, the answer of First Things to what should be, for them, a massive intellectual crisis is retreat to a Catholic fantasy world and the truly “pre-conciliar” regime of blind obedience: “Are we docile to our bishops and their fraternal head, the pope? Are we willing to see and learn what they want to teach us? Will we accompany them, to use one of Francis’ favored images?” This necessarily involves retaliation against all those, like Maureen Mullarkey, who “have the courage to use their reason” (Melanchton), who dare to say the emperor has no clothes.  The summons to conform to ecclesiastical authority  is matched by a call for unconditional  adherence to an alleged “public project of this nation”:  “we’re in this American project together.” And this magazine, which, in the person of its editor, thus rejects the very foundations of rational inquiry, is supposed to be an “intellectual” publication?

Finally, we come to the matter of style. First Things claims to favor polite discourse, it eschews “tirades.” It’s admittedly hard to recognize gentlemanly discourse in the abuse directed at Maureen Mullarkey above. But what exactly has she done? To state that Francis is primarily promoting secular political aims? Most publications outside those controlled by the Roman Catholic Church have more or less said the same. To draw (obvious) parallels between the personality cult of Francis and those of Mussolini and various other communist and Fascist dictators? A left wing German professor and intellectual, Alfred Lorenzer, made much the same observations in 1981 regarding the initial appearances of a certain prior pontiff…. And it seems rather hypocritical to critique Mullarkey for her allegedly intemperate language yet fail to mention the far more egregious verbal abuse of Bergoglio, e.g.,“self-absorbed promethean neopelagianism.” Words not in blogs but in major policy statements and official Church documents. The context is everything! Those who are passionate for the truth rarely confine themselves to the pretentious mannered discourse found in conferences and forums where all the players are really in agreement with each other.  I don’t mean to exaggerate, but for those “who hunger and thirst after righteousness,” the resolution of these fundamental issues is not a game but a titanic battle – one in which what is at stake is indeed worth more than life itself.

I  strolled today down to Our Saviour’s church – excuse me, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH OF OUR SAVIOUR, SAINT STEPHEN AND OUR LADY OF THE SCAPULAR, CHAPEL OF THE SACRED HEARTS OF JESUS AND MARY – to check on the ongoing “restoration.” And to view the first spoils of the closing of St. Stephen’s parish.

(Above) The removal of the icons formerly on the pillars is now complete. The front pillars are painted in beige, the two in the rear of the sanctuary in what appears to be  dark olive drab. The image of Christ Pantocrator is still there – for the moment?

From the September 27 bulletin of Our Saviour’s parish:

“BAPTISMAL FONT

This past week, the Baptismal Font from St. Stephen’s Church, which dates from the 1800s, was placed before St. Jude’s Altar at the Church of Our Saviour. Its location here will allow entire families to participate in the Sacrament of Baptism. The font, which has recently been restored and refinished, has baptized hundreds of thousands of Catholics over many generations, will continue to be used for generations to come.”

Compare and contrast excerpts from a statement (formerly?) on the parish’s Facebook page:

“Since his appointment as pastor on August 1, 2013, Father Robert J. Robbins has worked to restore the church to its original vision…. To date, twelve large and twelve smaller icons have been removed from the four columns that flank the altar. According to archival photos, these columns did not originally have decoration of any kind.

Rev. Robert J. Robbins
Pastor
Lawrence Hoy
Renovata Studios”

(Above) Actually, the font is in front of the Sacred Heart altar. (Below) On the altar of St. Jude, statues have been collected.

(Above) Meanwhile, another font sits forlorn behind the impressive gate of the original baptistry of the church. But this font too came from a famous church closed by the Archdiocese – in this case, St. Ann’s.

These upcoming events are scheduled at the Church of the Holy Innocents in Manhattan:
1. Feast of St. Michael the Archangel – Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29, 2015, Holy Innocents will have a Solemn Mass at 6 PM for the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel.

This special Mass is being organized by The NYPD Patrolman’s Fraternity of St. Michael (that usually meets at Holy Innocents).

Light refreshments will be served after the Mass in the parish hall.

2. On Thursday, October 1 (first Thursday of the month), Holy Innocents will have a Sung Mass for Jesus Christ High and Eternal Priest. At the end of the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed and prayers for the sanctification of the clergy and for an increase in vocations will be recited.

3. Friday, October 2 will be the first Friday. As usual, Holy Innocents will have its monthly all-night vigil starting with a votive Mass of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus at 6 PM, Vespers and Compline at 9 PM, and it will end with a votive Mass of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Saturday morning at 5 AM.

The usual prayers, hymns, devotions, and hours of silent adoration will take place throughout the night.

4. On Saturday, October 3, 2015, the Sung Mass at 1 PM will be for the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux.

5. On Wednesday, October 7, 2015, as we do every year, Holy Innocents will have a Solemn Mass at 6 PM for the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This Feast commemorates the anniversary of the decisive (and magnificent) victory of the combined Christian fleet in 1571 at the Battle of Lepanto, defeating an Ottoman (Muslim) fleet off western Greece. This victory is why this Feast was formerly known as the Feast of Our Lady of Victory. It was also due to this victory that St. Pius V (of glorious memory) added the invocation “Help of Christians” to the Litany of Loreto.

6. Book Club – The new book for the Holy Innocents’ Book Club is Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux. The Book Club’s next meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 after the 6 PM Mass.

Copies of the book will be available in the parish office for $11 each.

The following churches will offer traditional Masses for the Feast of St. Michael on Tuesday, September 29.

Our Lady of Victories, Harrington Park, NJ, 7 pm.

St. Helen Church, 157-10 83rd St., Howard Beach, NY, Solemn Mass, 7 pm, First time the traditional mass is offered here!

Holy Innocents Church, Manhattan,  will have a Solemn Mass at 6 PM.  This special Mass is being organized by The NYPD Patrolman’s Fraternity [of policemen] of St. Michael.  Light refreshments will be served after the Mass in the parish hall.  All are most welcome!