Evangelii Gaudium

Pope Francis has released an Apostolic Exhortation on the New Evangelization as a follow-up to the recent synod on that topic.  Folks are saying it is a dynamite presentation and offers a kind of "program" or agenda for his papacy.
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium_en.html

Happy St. Cecelia's Day

Happy feast day to all of the musicians who bring beauty to our celebrations through the gift of music.  As St. Augustine would say, "The one who sings, prays twice."

Advent Penance Service from the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions

The Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions is undergoing a restructuring and refocusing of its mission.  One of the goals is greater communication and additional benefits for its members.  Here is an Advent Penance Service that can be used.

http://www.fdlc.org/Liturgy_Resources/documents/FDLC_Advent_Penance_Service_2013.pdf

St. John's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council

St. John's is sponsoring a series of presentations in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council.  The first event is Wednesday, December 4.  It looks like fun and I wish I could go but other obligations make it impossible.

Here is the link.

http://www.csbsju.edu/SOT/Lifelong-Learning-and-Events/Diekmann-Center/Vatican-Council-II-and-Ecumenism.htm?utm_source=email_marketing_system&utm_medium=email&utm_content=19935701&utm_campaign=11/20/13%2520Massimo%2520Event

News from the Fall Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops - All liturgy items approved

BALTIMORE—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) approved five liturgical items presented by the Committee on Divine Worship during the annual Fall General Assembly in Baltimore, November 12. The approved items include the use of the Mexican missal to draft the U.S. Spanish-language missal with appropriate adaptations, adding adaptations to the marriage ceremony and on proposed English-language translations of the Order of Celebrating Marriage and the Order of Confirmation.

With 193 votes in favor, 11 opposed and 4 abstained, the U.S. Bishops approved the use of the Spanish-language translation of the Misal Romano from Mexico as the base text for the U.S. version of the Spanish-language Missal, which will include additional texts and adaptations.

Those approved adaptations include replacing the Mexican calendar with the liturgical calendar for the United States; translation of the U.S. Norms for Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds; adding translations of liturgical texts and prayers for U.S. saints, including Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos; adding 20 Latin American patronal feasts for use by immigrant groups from those respective countries; and adding the U.S. adaptations for the General Instructions of the Roman Missal.

The bishops also approved the Order of Celebrating Marriage by 212 votes in favor, 5 votes against and 1 abstaining. The final translation from the International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), includes some prayers and rites not previously included in the first edition, for example, an additional text that may be used after the exchange of vows, and a rite for the renewal of marital commitment on anniversaries. Upon approval, the book will be sent to Rome for recognitio and later published as the English-language ritual for marriage.

Also approved by a 218-5-2 vote, were four adaptations to the Order of Celebrating Marriage. Those include the option of an alternative forms of vows (already an option in the current Rite), the option of moving the Nuptial Blessing to follow the Prayer of the Faithful during Mass, the option to include a Litany of the Saints (including the invocation of many married saints) at the beginning of the Marriage Rite, and translating into English the Hispanic cultural adaptations of the Exchange of Coins and the Blessing and Placing of the Lazo or Veil over the couple during the nuptial blessing.

The bishops also voted 213-4 on the Order of Confirmation. This is a retranslation by ICEL of the order of Confirmation according to the norms of the document Liturgiam authenticam.

The U.S. version of the Misal Romano in Spanish would be available by late 2014 or the spring of 2015.

New Chair for the Bishops' Committee on Divine Worship

From the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions website.

Election News at the USCCB. In November 2012, Cardinal DiNardo was elected to chair the Committee on Divine Worship for a term beginning this week. Since his election as USCCB vice president prevents him from assuming leadership of the committee, the bishops elected Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson, New Jersey to chair the committee in place of Cardinal DiNardo, beginning November 14. Bishop Serratelli was chosen in a 114-112 vote over Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit. Bishop Serratelli previously chaired the committee from 2007-2010.

Congratulations Bishop Serratelli!

For all the saints

Artist John Nava created a stunning series of tapestries at the L.A. Cathedral.  They depict the "great cloud of witnesses" and we find, mingled between the saints whose names are known, depictions of the saints of ordinary life. 

http://www.olacathedral.org/cathedral/art/tapestries.html