Those Wacky Anglicans
Good heavens, Archdeacon Grantly! Did you know your new Archbishop of Canterbury is a druid? The London Times reported on July 19:”As the sun rises over a circle of Pembrokshire bluestones, the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Reverend Dr. Rowan Williams will don a long white cloak while druids chant a prayer to the ancient god and goddess of the land”.
Those Wacky Liberal Catholic Bishops
This, of course, is worse: Adoremus Bulletin reports that an unpublished version of the ICEL Missal/Sacramentary was auctioned off on eBay in the beginning of September. The text by the seller:
This set comes from the private collection of a bishop who, wearying of the long wait for the Roman confirmatio and growing daily more disgusted over Curial politics and the manipulation of the Vatican by certain well-funded right-wing American Catholics, had several sets printed and bound. One set is used in his private chapel (and sometimes even in the Cathedral – shhhh!). The remainder are still boxed, awaiting His Excellency’s final disposition. But, as he approaches retirement, he offers this set now – exclusively on Ebay – to those who would like to have these rare and beautiful texts for their own personal study and edification (now don’t go studying them at the altar, with the candles lit and a couple of hundred people present!). While his own episcopal motto is Nova et Vetera (from our Lord’s words in praise of the scribe learned in the kingdom of God who, like the wise householder, can bring forth the New and the Old), our bishop friend in this auction invokes the phrase stamped in the back of every liturgical book published in the NON-ROMAN usage of Milan, the Ambrosian Rite: Ubi fides, ibi libertas: Where the faith is, there is liberty!
Wait, there are well-funded right-wing American Catholics? Where can I find them? Would they commission a Mass setting from me? Do they have parties?
The auction listing (which is available for a limited time, so don’t wait to check it out!) also assures us that the new, never-to-be published 2 volume set has translations that are more faithful to the original Latin text, while at the same time being more sensitive with regards to inclusive language.
That is like McDonald’s announcing healthful new menu choices, all served with a generous side order of Crisco, or Fresh Fields/Whole Foods Market changing the recipie of their ‘Vegan Mousse’ to include the delicious taste of pork.