Guadalupe Shrine hosts annual Canon Law Conference Aug 1-2

Please Join Us for the Fourth Annual Canon Law Conference!

Our guest speakers this year include:

• His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
• Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
• Bishop Ronald W. Gainer, Diocese of Lexington in Kentucky
• Monsignor Ronny Jenkins, General Secretary, USCCB
• Attorney Brendan M. Wilson, J.D., Caplin & Drysdale Chartered

Conference Information

For more information about this conference, Click Here!

To register, Click Here!

To view the conference brochure, Click Here!

Archbishop-designate Sample interviewed in the NCRegister

Archbishop-designate
Alexander Sample

Can a Mass be a form of evangelization and transform the culture?

I am solidly convinced that an authentic and faithful renewal and reform of the sacred liturgy is not only part of the New Evangelization — it is essential to its fruitfulness. The liturgy has the power to form and transform the Catholic faithful. We must live by the axiom lex orandi, lex credendi (the law of praying is the law of believing). What we celebrate in the Mass expresses the essential content of the faith, and it also reinforces our faith when celebrated well and with fidelity.

The liturgy both teaches us and expresses what we believe.If we do not get the sacred liturgy right, I fear that we will just be spinning our wheels rather than getting the New Evangelization going in the right direction. If we are transformed by the sacred liturgy, then we, as believers, can help transform the culture.

How does one speak of beauty in a relativistic culture?

We have to acknowledge that beauty is not some abstract concept, but reflects to us the beauty, perfection and goodness of God, the Creator of all.

When we experience or create something truly beautiful, we can experience something of God himself. Especially in a relativistic culture, we would expect many to live by the idea “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” But this would be to deny that there are any objective standards for what is truly beautiful. There are things that are capable of speaking to every human person if we will open ourselves to the experience of what is in itself beautiful.

When I see the sun rise over Lake Superior, no one has to tell me that it is beautiful. I feel the presence of God swelling up in my soul. The same is true when I hear a beautiful piece of sacred polyphony, such as a piece by Palestrina. God is reflected in the beauty of created things. We need beauty to help form the human person, the human soul.

More here.

(HT: Adam Bartlett/ChantCafe.com)

Archbishop-designate Sample's Pastoral Letter on Sacred Music

On January 21 of this year Bishop Alexander Sample of Marquette issued "Rejoice in the Lord Always," a pastoral letter on Sacred Music in Divine Worship, but the PDF of it was uploaded only this morning. (H/T to Adam Bartlett of the Chant Café.) You may download it directly from the Diocese of Marquette's website here.

What struck me the most about this letter is that it calls for the following:

• Pastors and musicians to possess knowledge of the musical directives as found in Church documents (listed in the appendix) and to base preparations for liturgies on them;
• An understanding that one prepares for the liturgy instead of plans it (subtle but important distinction);
• At least one Sunday Mass per parish be a Sung Mass (missa cantata) according to the capabilities of the priest and faithful;
• An awareness of the nonliturgical nature of the "Recessional Hymn", calling for an instrumental piece or silence (in Lent);
• Moving toward the singing of the Proper of the Mass (Entrance/Offertory/Communion chants), while laying down tighter guidelines for hymn substitution of these Propers (which takes place on a widespread basis);
• Weekday Masses to incorporate some liturgical singing;
• All capable priests of the diocese to learn to pray the Roman Canon in chant according to the tones in the Missal;
• All parishes to learn two chant Mass settings (VIII and XVIII);
• All parishes to conduct Triduum liturgies a cappella from the Gloria of Holy Thursday until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil.

He is set to leave the Marquette Diocese in a couple of months, so I'm unsure how well, how quickly, or if the directives in this Pastoral Letter will be implemented. (I have read some positive reports from last June's Diocesan Sacred Music Conference, and I understand that he has recently hired a music director to carry out some of the above at the cathedral there.) However, as he will be installed as archbishop of Portland, Oregon on April 2 his presence may very well begin to be felt (albeit indirectly) not only in the churches of the Diocese of Marquette but also in all churches that use materials published by Oregon Catholic Press. (He is also the incoming chairman of OCP by reason of his archbishopric.)

In any case, it's extremely refreshing to see the chief liturgist of a diocese teach and issue directives about the sacred liturgy that are in continuity with Church teaching. May their number increase.

And readers aware of the Proper of the Mass know that the beginning of the Entrance Antiphon for the Third Sunday of Advent is used for the title of this pastoral letter.

More analysis available at WDTPRS.

Abp. Sample: We need to sing the Mass

"It is clear that the Council calls for the liturgy to be sung. In recent decades we’ve adopted the practice of singing songs at Mass. We take the Mass, and attach four hymns or songs to it. But this is not the Church’s vision. We need to sing the Mass. It is meant to be sung. The texts of the Mass are meant to be sung.

"The Church provides us with chant, which is integral to liturgy, and should inspire the music of the Mass. We need to get away from singing songs at Mass and return to singing the Mass… It will be a huge shift for the people."


Catholic World Report

Photo

HT Aristotle 

An intersting fact you may want to know

Cardinal George was Archbishop of Portland for one year before becoming the Archbishop of Chicago...


HT Diemish

Bp Sample named next archbishop of Portland, Oregon

(Vatican Radio) On Tuesday Pope Benedict XVI appointed 52-year-old bishop Alexander K. Sample, Metropolitan Archbishop of Portland Oregon, U.S.A.

He takes over the pastoral leadership of the Archdiocese of nearly 400,000 Catholics from Archbishop John G. Vlazny who has retired.

Bishop Sample was ordained a priest of the diocese on June 1, 1990, at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette. He served in several parish assignments before moving to Rome, Italy, from 1994-96 to earn a degree in Canon Law. Upon returning to the diocese he held a number of duties in the chancery office. He served as a member of the Marriage Tribunal, as chancellor, as a member of the College of Consultors, as director of the Department of Ministry Personnel Services, as director of the Bishop Baraga Association, diocesan chaplain to the Knights of Columbus, and was involved in many major efforts of the diocese. On January 25, 2006, by the mandate of Pope Benedict XVI, he was ordained bishop of Marquette.

Vatican Radio

Well, it's a big loss for our area.  Bp. Sample is also on the board at the Guadalupe Shrine, obviously that time is over. 

New to Archbishop-designate Sample?   You can follow this label, very much in the mold of Cardinal Burke. 

ht Brian Schweiss

Update:
Haha, +Sample has already updated his Twitter profile.

Alderman: A Disappointment for Bishop Baraga

I was delighted to hear the news, recently, that Bishop Frederic Irenaeus Baraga had recently been declared venerable by the Holy See, and that a possible miracle for his beatification was under investigation. Baraga, the Slovene "snowshoe priest" was an early missionary in the region of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and in addition to serving as first bishop of Sault Sainte Marie, also translated the Scriptures into Ojibway. I was just as exited to hear a new chapel for his tomb was planned for the handsome neo-Romanesque St. Peter's Cathedral in Marquette--until I saw the official renderings. I laud Bishop Sample of Marquette for proactively moving forward with a new devotional tomb space for the bishop (like any ecclesiastical project, no easy task today), but the design, while better than it might have been, still represents a lost opportunity.

In this day and age, amid a growing revival of traditional art and design, that what might become the tomb of an American saint--a rare breed indeed--would be designed in an uninteresting, anonymously neo-modern pseudo-traditional style is surprising. Perhaps I should be grateful for the traditional nods--stained glass, arches, stone walls--which the design includes. The problem is not that the design is searingly avant-garde, but that it is far too timid and inarticulate.

continue at New Liturgical Movement

Venerable Frederic Baraga Chapel campaign underway

Bishop Alexander K. Sample has kicked off a campaign to raise $350,000 to construct a special chapel at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette to house the remains of the Catholic Diocese of Marquette's first bishop, Frederic Baraga, who was declared "Venerable" by Pope Benedict XVI earlier this year. Early gifts to the campaign total nearly $134,000.

When the Church gives the title of venerable, it proclaims that person worthy of public veneration and their tomb must be accessible to the public.

Venerable Frederic Baraga's remains are currently in the St. Peter Cathedral crypt, where other past bishops of the Diocese of Marquette are entombed. The space is small and not handicapped-accessible.

continue at DailyPress

Photos of Bp. Sample's Pontifical Mass at Assumption Grotto

Courtesy of Diane M. Korzeniewski, OCDS

Continue at Te Deum Blog for the whole set

Great, great photos!

.... Someone get Bp. Morlino on the phone :)

Bp Sample celebrates Pontifical Mass at Assumption Groto in Detroit

There was a conference this weekend at Assumption Groto in Detroit, Michigan.  Bishop Sample gave the keynote, and it turns out celebrated a Pontifical Mass the following day! 

Fr Z has some photos there and His Excellency's homily.

Diane at Te Deum I'm sure will have more details and photos forthcoming. 

What a fantastic looking conference! 

Baraga Days be held in Marquette, MI on Sept. 22-23

Bishop Alexander Sample shows off the new, official button for Baraga Days, which will be held in Marquette on Sept. 22-23 this year. Father Ben Paris, executive director, and Lenora McKeen, associate director of the Bishop Baraga Association presented the button to Bishop Sample. For more information, or to register for Baraga Days, contact McKeen at (906) 227-9117 or via e-mail at lmckeen@dioceseofmarquette.org. Also, visit www.bishopbaraga.org online. (Update: To get a button, register for Baraga Days. It will be your pass to the events.)

The U.P. Catholic

Bp. Sample ordains ordained deacons and subdeacons for the Institute of Christ the King

via Fr. Z

For your “Brick By Brick” file.

My old friend His Excellency Most Rev. Alexander Sample, Bishop by the Grace of God and the Apostolic See of Marquette in Michigan, recently ordained deacons and subdeacons for the Institute of Christ the King.

His Excellency has a Facebook page HERE.  The ICK has photos HERE.

Bp Frederic Baraga declared Venerable

by Matthew Alderman

Bishop Frederic Baraga now bears the title of "Venerable." The advancement in his cause for sainthood was announced May 10 at the Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI met with Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, and approved the congregation's recommendation that Bishop Baraga, first bishop of the Diocese of Marquette, exhibited a life of heroic virtue and could thus be called "venerable."

"I am thrilled beyond words at this recognition of Bishop Baraga's heroic virtue by the universal church," said Marquette Bishop Alexander K. Sample. "I cannot overstate what a significant step this is towards the anticipated beatification and canonization of Bishop Baraga. This is a day for which we have been waiting nearly 40 years. I am so pleased to be able to call my saintly predecessor 'Venerable' Frederic Baraga."

Attaining this first of three steps in the sainthood process means that devotion to Bishop Baraga and the veneration of his memory can become very public. People can now pray for the intercession of the "Snowshoe Priest," as Baraga is called. In addition, church law states that access must now be given to his tomb.

continue at The Compass

Bishop Baraga's Heroic Virtues Approved

From Bishop Sample's Facebook page

The news we have all been waiting for these days. I spent the day taking care of business in Rome that was interrupted by the snow. I was having lunch with Cardinal Raymond Burke when the phone call came to me from our Postulator for Bishop Baraga's Cause. The Cardinals and Archbishops who are members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints met today and gave a POSITIVE vote on Bishop Baraga's heroic virtue! This means this will now go to the Holy Father who will declare his heroic virtue and give him the title "Venerable"! A HUGE step in the Cause for his beatification. Now if the miracle is approved, we could have a beatification before too long. Thank you for your prayers and sacrifices. It is customary in the Church to celebrate great news with a solemn "Te Deum". Enjoy the attached YouTube recording from Westminster Cathedral as we celebrate this wonderful news. May God be praised!

HT Caritas in Veritate

Image by Matthew Alderman

Bishop Sample's Christmas present to his priests

Yep, that's it. With his Christmas card to priests, the Bishop enclosed this gift. I think it tells all the clergy very clearly where he wants to lead us and where he wants us to lead our parisioners: right behind our Holy Father, Pope Benedict.

Caritas in Veritate

Bp. Sample of Michigan on “ad orientem” worship

HT Fr. Z

A few photos from the Guadalupe Shrine Patronal Weekend

Sorry, I'm kind of a glutton when it comes to taking photos and apparently slothful in posting these.  Bishop Sample of Marquette, MI in the house with Bishop Joseph Madera of the Queen of Americas Guild.  Also the Friars of the Immaculate broadcasting the event, along with providing Adoration and Liturgy of the Hours.. I wish I had time to come up every day for that.  You may have seen this cool video they posted.  BTW, the Shrine looks very nice with the dedication candles lit on the walls.  The photos really didn't do it justice. 

Photos of Cardinal Burke at Guadalupe Shrine.

Okay snowbirds, here's a few more photos for your viewing pleasure.  The first few are from the feast of Juan Diego and children being enrolled in the St. Juan Diego which is managed through the Shrine.  The second set is from Saturday (when the snow really started to pick up) for the moved feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Many were unable to attend like the group from the Institute of St. Joseph due to weather.  The Mass also included enrollment of boys into the Knights of the Altar. 

 Bishop Alexander Sample of the Diocese of Marquette.  I tried to find him after Mass to thank him for his recent and continual support of the Traditional Mass but I missed him.  And if you didn't know, he's tall. 

 And this is my first ever photo with His Eminence even before he was out Eminencing around.  He's got one of those steel trap memories.  He remembers me after I introduce myself every time.  He knew my grandpa through the Knights of Columbus.  I found out that at one time we had three bishops in our La Crosse council at the same time.  And yes, I do look quite beardly.  Thank you for noticing.  In fact several people (I'm lookin at your Father S.M.) don't even recognize me when I say hi. 

The whole set:

 

Alright, back out to finish up shoveling.  

EF in the UP

Today, Bishop Sample celebrated a Solemn Low Mass, the first time the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite has been celebrated publicly in the Cathedral since the introduction of the Novus Ordo. He hopes to celebrate the Extraordinary Form Mass approximately once a month on Sundays. I (and hopefully other priests) will be celebrating it on the other Sundays.

Hopefully, in time, we shall be able to provide Missa Cantata, Solemn High Mass and even Pontifical High Mass.

Young servers seem very interested in the Mass and a very good number were on hand today. The priests who acted as Chaplains (servers) to the Bishop were Father Ronald Timock, Pastor of St Anthony's, Gwinn, as First Chaplain and me as Second Chaplain.

From Caritas in Veritate
HT Father Z

You may know, His Excellency is also on the board at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Some speculated he might be on his way to La Crosse in our last vacancy.  It would seem to me with his friendship with Cardinal Burke that his star is rising.  He was at one point I think the youngest bishop in the US(he just turned 50).  I was thinking Detroit but the current Archbishop Vigneron is only 62 and that would be 13 years until he is retirement age.  Chicago???  Cardinal George is retirement age in 2012....

"Snowshoe Priest" miracle moves U.P. bishop's cause for sainthood

Marquette, Mich., Jul 28, 2010 / 03:27 am (CNA).- Following a four-month investigation, the Diocese of Marquette has closed its inquiry into an alleged miracle attributed to its first bishop, Servant of God Frederic Baraga, who is known as the “snowshoe priest.” The inquiry now proceeds to the Vatican for further consideration.

The alleged miracle concerns a reputed tumor found on a patient’s liver in various diagnostic tests. The patient, the patient’s family and their parish priest prayed for healing through the intercession of Bishop Baraga. Bishop Baraga’s stole was also placed on the patient’s abdomen, after which the patient’s pain ceased.

An exploratory surgery by doctors found no tumor, according to the diocese.

Bishop Baraga was born in Slovenia in 1797. He came to the United States in 1830 as a missionary to the Odawa and Ojibwa tribes of the upper Great Lakes region, traveling through the vast territory by canoe, boat, horse, snowshoes and dog sled. His Ojibwa-English dictionary is still in use today.

Consecrated a bishop in 1853, he served as the Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie, which would later be called the Diocese of Marquette. He died in 1868. The Bishop Baraga Association was established in 1930 to promote his cause for sainthood, which was officially opened in 1952.

The tribunal investigating the bishop’s alleged miracle collected medical documentation and interviewed witnesses, including doctors and medical personnel involved in the treatment.

The diocesan inquiry closed with a July 17 ceremony at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette. Members of the canonical tribunal which examined the possible miracle signed papers attesting to their work and verifying the authenticity of the documents.

Further inquiry at the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints will examine the tribunal’s work, determine whether the event cannot be explained by science and whether it could be attributed to the intercession of Bishop Baraga. After reviewing a document detailing the bishop’s life and virtues, the congregation will then advise Pope Benedict about the cause.

The Pope will decide whether to bestow the title “Venerable” on Bishop Baraga, the Diocese of Marquette reports. If the miracle is verified and attributed to the bishop, the Pope will decide whether to beatify him. Another recognized miracle would be necessary for Bishop Baraga’s canonization.

The postulator of Bishop Baraga’s cause is Dr. Andrea Ambrosi of Rome.

CNA

Image from Matt @ HolyWhapping

Let us not forget Archbishop Burke is a newly appointed to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints.

Bishop Alexander Sample of the Diocese of Marquette I believe is a (recently appointed) board member at the Shrine of Guadalupe, and also speaks about Bp Baraga on mp3 here.