No Alleluias

The Sundays of Epiphany (Little Christmas) are now over. Sunday past, on the old calendar, was Septuagesima Sunday, seventy days prior to Resurrection Sunday, approximo. Centuries ago, it was common to bury the Alleluia on the day before.* The choir would sing Alleluia, dulce carmen and the Depositio would occur, a banner or tablet, or plaque reading 'Alleluia' would be placed in a coffin (box) and buried (deposited) somewhere in the church.

The beauty of allegory in the church was deep and bountiful, it is a tragedy so much has been abandoned. The post-Christmas season was followed by a pre-lenten season. People can stretch Christmas to Mardi Gras, the day prior to first day of Lent (Ash Wednesday). The pre-lenten season was begun with Septuagesima. Lent parallels the forty days in the wilderness, and the forty years in the desert. Septuagesima parallels the seventy years in exile in Babylon.

And the psalm (136) of the exile is Super flumina Babylonis. A marvelous lyric that is known well in jamaican reggae and folk music as The Rivers of Babylon. And in Babylon we can not sing the songs of Sion. No Alleluia's for a while, and here in Lennongrad, we understand.
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*On the new calendar the pre-Lent is replaced by Ordinary Time, and the Alleluia burial can be done on the last Sunday before Lent. It was simply a cloth with the word, Alleluia, on it, at St. Lawrence in Cleveland. It was on the altar of sacrifice during the Mass, and removed at the end of Mass. It is very few churches that do even that much now. Considering the current situation in the diocese, it is sort of a permanent depositio.

Where will the 10,000 go?

Yesterday, in the basement of an hungarian lutheran church, there gathered disenfranchised and disgruntled catholics of the Cleveland diocese, those that are living in Lennongrad. They saw an edited video of the Mass of Eviction at Sacred Heart of Jesus, Akron of the 24th of January.

In it his lordship is content, and remorseless, about letting people go. In private conversations with clergy and others, he estimates ten thousand catholics will leave the diocese over his 'reconfigurations'. He is fine with that. Many do not wish to be aware of this, some are.

In the northeast corner of Parma, O., there is a parish of a schismatic church. Now, short distances away are three polish catholic parishes of the diocese in Cleveland, that are scheduled for suppression (Sacred Heart of Jesus, Corpus Christi and Saint Barbara). They have had the sign supra up for some time.

This gathering was a presentation of evidence and arguments to an absent, or intimidated, or disinterested press. It was held in an ethnic protestant church that clings to their hungarian nationality. Is it not possible, that ethnic catholics evicted by an uncaring bishop will turn to their fellows in another church?

Richie Lennon says he realises that he is responsible for the catholics in his care. Does he understand this pericope and Gospel parable?

But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh. ... See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go to seek that which is gone astray? And if it so be that he find it: Amen I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that, than for the ninety-nine that went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. —Matthew xviii. 6-7, 10-14.

Press too apathetic to cover a press conference

Seventy two people came to an Endangered Catholics press conference, the press, save for one reporter for the Neighborhood News, was too apathetic to investigate a story that would unravel the entirety of Bishop Lennon's sham story meant for public consumption to cover his five year programme of parish elimination and redistribution of assets. Most of Cleveland's press is loathe to cover and investigate the establishment, and now the latin-rite diocese is part of the establishment.

Lennon laughed at

To-day, a Mass of Eviction was performed at Sacred Heart of Jesus in Akron, one of the ever dwindling number of hungarian parishes, in the Lennongrad diocese. The 8.30 Mass was followed by a bagpiper, he played well, but piped no piobaireachd lament, no mournful dirge upon the passing of the parish.

Paranoia would be in evidence. The bishop stayed secluded in the sacristy beforehand. The ten o'clock Mass began, and after the Gospel there showed in full earnest the congregation's heart. A score of people stood and sang, in magyarul, their national hymn, followed by several christian hymns. They sang upwards of fifteen minutes, uninterrupted, and received a partial standing ovation. A very, emotional woman confronted the bishop, and said what she had to say. A few others mentioned audibly, sometimes loudly, the evil he was doing. And a few people left. Then his imperiousness said, "I am not without sensitivity." There followed a sustained guffaw. His cold heartedness ever apparent, he denied, and was not believed. He left the opportunity to be called on, and be mocked, and he was. 

His five year programme of planned suppression has met virtually no impedance, as Rome sits idle, and the locals are bogged in a mire of apathy, ignorance, buffaloed acceptance, and despair. He dons a mask of stoicism to disguise overbearing impatience. He conquered a boyhood stutter, and is not appreciative of eloquence or dialogue. If I can be allowed psychological speculation and latitude, I would opine, the lord bishop would rather command by physical gesture and mannerism and not word.  

Earlier a Summit County court decision allowed a sit-in till midnight. The few vigilers were informed that the rule had been amended. After most departed, no additional admittance was permitted, and once leaving thereafter, no re-entry. The ratio of local gendarmerie to vigilers was nearly 1:1. Last Hallowe'en those two tribes had met with many of the same principals in attendance. The gendarmerie was very comfortable among the bishop's opponents, though they had been 'informed' of fictive troubles in Cleveland. The bishop's underlings, Jim Armstrong (chief liaison for 'reconfiguration') and Bob Tayek (official spokesman) were uncomfortable. The former emerged combative, the latter impatient to depart, and did so before the unspectacular dénouement.

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postscriptum: 29 June 2023. I see, somehow this post was converted into one paragraph. I have now put it again into paragraphs, i did not check notes to see how it differs from the original.

Singing on the steps of the cathedral

Some of those opposed to the episcopal tyrant of Lennongrad are finding hints of Providence from their embrace of Divine Mercy. Yesterday, at the late afternoon Liturgy, the Old Testament reading was that of the encounter of David and Goliath.

Saul said to David: “You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him, for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.” and finally, "...David overcame the Philistine..." -- NAB

The response to the day's psalm was, "Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!"

After mass the small group of communicants, who stand against the lennonist five year programme, sang and prayed on the steps of the cathedral, in front of the south door of the portico. They prayed from the chaplet of Divine Mercy, they prayed the prayer of St. Michael the Archangel. They sang, How can I keep from singing, which has the line, "No storm can shake my inmost calm, While to that rock I’m clinging."

A reminder to those who rule

To-day, the 10th of January 2010 a celebration for the installation of the Cleveland Solidarity Monument for the Fallen of the former Lenin Shipyards occurred at Immaculate Heart of Mary. The monument was to remain permanently at Saint Casimir, but days before Casimir endured its Mass of Eviction, the monument was liberated and now has arrived to a noble exile. One of the plaques on the monument reads, A reminder to those who rule.

A monthly mass will continue to celebrate Solidarity. As is à propos the monument is near the St. Joseph altar. St. Joseph is a patron of workers, and the foster father of Our Lord.
An anchor cross is crucified on each of three tall crosses, a shipyard Calvary.
While Solidarity was bringing a vibrant labor movement to Poland, in the United States Ronnie Reagan was destroying one. Lech Wałęsa would become president, and Reagan's senility would become complete.

There is no lie too big...

to tell the public, if you are a Republican!

"We had no domestic attacks under Bush; we've had one under Obama."
-- Rudy Giuliani, January 8, 2010

Now, if you tell a lie often enough it will be believed, and the Republicans count on it. They are only disturbed by the troublemakers such as accurate memory, recorded history and facts.

God Bless Joseph Biden! He has been mocked for his loquaciousness. But he has been right on, dead center on target, often enough. In October of 2007 Joe Biden, in a televised debate he said:

"And the irony is, Rudy Giuliani, probably the most underqualified man since George Bush to seek the presidency, is here talking about any of the people here. Rudy Giuliani... I mean, think about it! Rudy Giuliani. There's only three things he mentions in a sentence -- a noun, a verb, and 9/11. There's nothing else! There's nothing else! And I mean this sincerely. He's genuinely not qualified to be president."

Joe was right.

Now, for the troublesome facts. On the 11th of September 2001, four hijacked passenger aeroplanes were used as gigantic bombs. Two hit the Twin Trade Towers in New York City. One hit the Pentagon, military headquarters, the department of war, in Washington D.C. One aeroplane crashed in Pennsylvania, before it reached Washington. Some 3000 people died. No one died in the underwear incident the Republicans are carping about, it is far more similar to the "shoe bomber" incident.

Giuliani was mayor of New York City at the time (September 2001). georgebushjr and cheney occupied the offices of president and vice-president and ignored the threat of al-Qaeda in briefings.

Now, incidentally, I have just read the latest statement of Giuliani. It may turn out to be a hoax. It would be a very well executed one. It will also go to the point that one is very willing to believe the worst about one that he disapproves of. If that is the case, I would have to retract my judgment in particular, but if it stands, then we can all see how Republicans operate, and how they regard truth, and how they try to garner advantage in influencing, even with the greatest and most absurd of lies, the public, which, they assume to be incredibly naïve, gullible and stupid. It is this sort of grand mendacity that feeds my utter contempt for Republicans.

But to think about it, it fits the pattern of a concerted campaign. Earlier the press secretaries for both bushjr and cheney, perino and matalin said similar nonsense. It seems the bushjr usurpation is going down the memory hole. Do you remember Orwell's 1984 and the rewriting of history? I see it as part of the continuing campaign of the Republican party to create a propaganda alternate history of fiction, that their followers will proclaim to drown out the truth.

Lake effect snow greets Saint Casimir's

To-day there assembled for the eighth consecutive Sunday, since Richard Lennon took possession of St. Casimir's parish property after a Mass of Eviction, Saint Casimir's parish outside their closed church. More than three dozen members, and their friends, stood together in a Notre Dame style huddle by a makeshift shrine festooned with national flags. Some of their more timid relatives stayed in their cars to avoid the snow, the wind, and the 10°F temperature.

For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.—Matthew xviii.20.

But the hardy faithful prayed, sang christmas carols, talked of future gatherings and reaffirmed their intentions to continue to meet [there and elsewhere], and to actively pursue to have rescinded the current ordinary's programme of seizure and eviction of their parish and others. For though, as the photographs of flags show, they are of different nations, they are one people of the same faith. They are fervent and loyal Catholics. This they do for their parish and yours.

A King's view of his baptismal church

Please, read the picture. The quotation of Saint Louis -- Confessor, the King of France Louis IX, is cut upon the stone of the baptistery at the eponymous church. It suggests the importance of the church one is baptised in, this is one reason we need to hold dear these buildings, because of the momentous activities that occur therein. Not only is the parish, the particular aggregate of believers, vitally important and meant to be enduring, but the very edifice dedicated as the sacred space that these people occupy.

"I think more of the place where I was baptized than of Rheims Cathedral where I was crowned. It is a greater thing to be a child of God than to be the ruler of a Kingdom. This last I shall lose at death but the other will be my passport to an everlasting glory."

Louis of Poissy

He always signed himself thusly, not Louis IX, King of France, but Louis of Poissy. This is carved on a stone in front of the baptismal fount at St. Louis, Cleveland Heights, the next church to be suppressed by Richard Lennon. Louis' sentence previous to the chiseled words is, "Poissy is the place where I was baptized." In an homily given by Cardinal O'Connor of New York City in 1998 on the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, he quotes the french king. Bishop Lennon of Cleveland's first suppression of 2010 will be St. Louis on 9 January, beginning at 4.30 p.m.; at 6.00 p.m. he will be riding in an automobile away from the property.

Now, on the bottom edge of the metal surrounding the cornerstone of Cleveland's remodeled latin-rite cathedral, there are the words:

I have consecrated this temple which you have built; I confer my name upon it forever, and my eyes and my heart shall be there always. [NAB] 1 Kings 9 : 3

Now, there is painted on the wall of the choir loft of Holy Trinity, Lorain (in english and slovak), a parallel statement, for Kings and Chronicles(Paralipomenon) tell the same history:

For I have chosen, and have sanctified this place, that my name may be there for ever, and my eyes and my heart may remain there perpetually. --Paralipomenon II vii. 16.

In this regard, the only difference between the two buildings is the one has the cathedra (chair of the bishop) and the other has not. I will refrain from making an humorous but ribald comment. The argument that the 'church' is not a building is to divert attention from the issues at hand. People love not only the church universal, but their particular parish church, and the parish is meant to be perpetual.

On the penultimate day of 2009, at the 5.10 p.m. Mass celebrated at the cathedral, there was a contingent of parishioners of Saint Casimir in-exile and members of Endangered Catholics. They wore either red and white armbands or white ribbons to show unity, and a devotion to the Divine Mercy. They plea for the reversal of the suppression of parishes.