Monday 13 December 2010

PrayTell: The Liberal Catholic Establishment's Contribution to the Blogosphere?

PrayTell contributor unhappy with new translation
A reader of this blog, whose comments I sometimes publish and sometimes, do not, because quite often he is lacking in anything we understand by Christian charity, has drawn my attention to a new blog called PrayTell.

I do not like the look of it one bit. For instance, see pictured left a cartoon with the Holy Father's face photoshopped onto Humpty Dumpty (quite bizarre!) as it mocks the new translation of the Mass over which liberals are squealing! It is entitled, 'Pope fails own Latin test?'

Contributors include Priests and lay people, many, I assume who are 'theologians'. It is always important to remember that there are many atheists who claim to be 'theologians' because they've got the degree. There are also those who are Catholics but who dissent from Church teaching who are 'theologians'. I am not, in any way, referring to the former theologian, now author discussed in the comments section in the post below, as I don't know anything about him aside from what I have been told. I'll look into it and perhaps do a blogpost on that issue at a later date.

Paul Inwood, who is without exception every Catholic's most beloved liturgical composer, the saviour of the music of the Mass, contributes, as Damian Thompson recently reported. Another post is entitled 'Who's up for a Dispute on the Eucharist?', as if there is anything to debate. The Eucharist is the Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. What is there to debate?

I get the general impression that it is a forum for liberal, dissenting Catholics. The ironic thing, of course, is that the website does not manage, in any way discernible, to be able to communicate the Catholic Faith, the Faith for which Martyrs died, the Faith established by Christ upon St Peter and His Apostles, because none appear to be able to agree on what the Catholic Faith is. Ultimately, that is the saddest thing of all...

13 comments:

Richard Collins said...

Oh........bleep! You beat me to it by about 26 minutes Bro!
It is as truly awful site.

IanW said...

It's not even very liberal (with a small 'l'), either. The editorial policy is partial to say the least, and lacks transparency. If your comment isn't to the editor's liking you may not see it published, or published in the form you submitted it. Any mention of this practice, though, is sure not to be published. Strange how so many liberals aren't, isn't it? It's as if they lack security in their beliefs.

Peter Howden said...

I don't understand your ire over this. Firstly, you imply these people are ambivalent about the Truth. Well, surely the Humpty Dumpty cartoon is supposed to indicate they are not ambivalent. There is indeed a Truth. One element of the Truth is that a word cannot be translated two ways unambiguously. Or a translation between Latin and English should not contain several and repeated instances of severe flaws. Do you think they should keep quiet about this and approve a translation that is inherently flawed? Does that serve the Truth?

Jonathan Marshall said...

Peter Howden - You refer to a "translation that is inherently flawed". Do you mean the current bland, banal version we have had to endure for the last 40 years?

Seminary Lecturer said...

In reply to another comment, Fr Ruff says...

Author David Berger (not PrayTell) claims that anti-gay attitudes among (closeted) gays are over-represented in traditionalist liturgical circles, particularly among clergy. Since he is an insider in a position to know, the PT editorial committee (all 5 people, not just AWR!) considers this newsworthy. The author, a respected theologian, sees connections. PrayTell thinks his view of the connections is newsworthy and worthy of discussion.

The issue isn’t human weakness or sinfulness. That’s rife all over, in all quarters and among all liturgical mindsets! It’s the human condition, and it includes me like everyone else. I believe in compassion for all people without exception, and do my best, however inadequately, to live that out. The issue here, rather, is our theological view of sexuality and of liturgy. The author claims that many people in traditionalist circles hold bad views, theologically speaking, in both cases: narrow-minded, escapist, anti-modern, and so forth. The author does not criticize homosexuals per se, nor does he ever seek to discredit traditionalist liturgy by associating it with homosexual orientation. Rather, he criticizes the anti-gay attitudes in these circles, and the numerous people (especially clergy) who hold these views while being themselves homosexually oriented but not very able, because of their traditionalist mindset, to deal with this honestly.

As you see, I’m trying very hard to keep this discussion on theological grounds. This is precisely what the PT editorial committee hopes to promote by publishing this book review.

awr
.

Jeffrey Pinyan said...

Another post is entitled 'Who's up for a Dispute on the Eucharist?', as if there is anything to debate. The Eucharist is the Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. What is there to debate?

Lawrence, if you had taken the time to read that post, you would see that it is about re-creating a work of art, not an invitation to argue about the Eucharist.

Lydia said...

Oh my goodness, I guess you didn't click through to the entry on "Who's up for a Dispute?" -- if you had, you would hardly be complaining!

The Cardinal said...

"Every Catholic's most beloved liturgical composer" Glad to see you acknowledge this near-truth: beloved by most, apart from the likes of Dame Thompson, of course.

IanW said...

Seminary Lecturer's quote from Fr. Ruff is a good example of awr's approach to those who disagree with him: disgraceful, generalised ad-hominem, qualified by claims to charity and scholarly respectability that are gainsaid by the substance of the post. I'm afraid it can with justification be described as sly and nasty.

That said, no-one's all good or bad. Fr. Ruff does appear to have some valid points about the late changes to the translations of the Propers, which appear to be for the worse. Not that many who comment at Pray Tell would have any problem in principle with inauthentic translation of meaning and tone ...

Tancred said...

Glad someone, at least, is picking this up for what it's worth.

Let's get one thing straight. David Berger has been posing as a Catholic for the better part of his ecclesiastical career. He's admitted as much.

His hysterical statements should be treated with the respect they deserve.

Copernicus said...

the website does not manage, in any way discernible, to be able to communicate the Catholic Faith ... because none appear to be able to agree on what the Catholic Faith is.

So that's the key to it - if only we stopped discussing our faith we'd win everyone round to it? I don't think so.

Incidentally, that cartoon you've posted seems to be on a blog written by an Anglican in New Zealand. It's tricky, this internet thing, but you ought to try and master the rudiments before you start casting aspersions. (Not that the cartoon's a bad one! And http://www.liturgy.co.nz is definitely worth a look.)

The Bones said...

The cartoon is a bad one because it shows a total lack of respect and reverence due to the Holy Father by virtue of his Office. I realise it was on an Anglican site, yet PrayTell is, ostensibly, trying to pass itself of as Catholic, in as much as The Tablet tries to pass itself off as Catholic. If its just an ecumenical vehicle that believes the Church is all denominations, rather than the Catholic Church then that just makes it all the more depressing.

Physiocrat said...

Composers and publishers of music for the old (1970) ICEL liturgy receive not one penny in copyright fees and profits and so are entirely disinterested in their views.

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