Dear Tradition in Action,

Your website was recently brought to my attention, and I've been reading many of the articles available. After reading Language is the Dress of Thought, I have begun to wonder how one begins to cultivate a taste for refined speech and manners. Indeed not just cultivate a taste, but how does one even begin to learn what refined speech and manners are?

This is a subject my husband and I have been discussing and any recommendations for books, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

     Thank you for your time,

     N.S.



TIA responds:

Dear N.S.,

We can recommend the recently released Catholic Manual of Civility, translated and amply improved by Dr. Marian Horvat. It basically addresses the formation of young men, but has been praised by many adults of both sexes as a refresher course in the manners and rules they had forgotten or abandoned.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

Dear Dr. Horvat,

Thanks for this movie review. A few hours ago, I tried to watch this film out of curiosity because it was on TV. It was so very insulting, boring and inaccurate that I shut it off in disgust after 20 minutes.

E.g. the Count is presented as being devout. However, if he genuflected when he turned to close the Church doors, I missed it.

Then he invited the chocolatier to "worship with us on Sunday." Catholics don't talk that way, Protestants do. His indifference toward the main character's anti-Catholicism and unwed state seemed out of character and incredible given that he was "devout."

Did you notice that the chocolatier, for all her nastiness, made mendiants? They are little chocolate candies made in France that honor the four major religious mendicant orders. That was infuriating.

The worst part was that they showed a little boy making a drawing reminiscent of that hideous crucifix that John Paul II used to carry.

You know, there are some cars that can "talk" to you when you get in to drive them, such as reminding you to do maintenance or whatever. There is no car that insults you, and I don't think any auto manufacturer would be stupid enough to make one.

Why Hollywood persists in insulting its audience and expecting them to pay for it is beyond me. And why people are stupid enough to pay to be insulted is also beyond me.

     Regards,

     C.M.R.

Folks,

The Empress of America was a beautiful piece but, there is a mistake: "Guadalupe is not a transliteration of "Tequatlanopeuh" for "The Lady who crushed the snake." This rumor was started in the 17th century by Luis Becerra Tanco. Consult the earliest account reference "Nican Mopohua" v. 208.

Actually, "Guadalupe" is of Arabic origin meaning "riverbed". The Blessed Virgin is the "riverbed" for God's grace (water). Please consult Dr. Eduardo Chavez, Monsignor and Canon of the Basilica of Guadalupe and a distinguished Historian of the event. I would be most grateful if you would bring this to the attention of Andre Fernando Garcia, the author of your piece.

     Regards,

     C.J.H.

Dear Atila,

I read your review of Fr. Dobszay's book on Bugnini's Liturgical reform. You observe perceptively his caution or reserve, as well as his honest critical evaluation.

He was the first in Hungary to write on the front page of Hungary's Catholic Weekly [Uj Ember] in 2004 that "The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy had Failed." (Csödöt mondott! - which is a most negative or damning way of putting it in Hungarian.)

You may want to know that the Council was not put into effect until the mid-1990s in Hungary, and in things Catholic they are about 30 years behind Western Catholic standards. Hungary is traditionally the most loyal to Rome and toward authority. Also, there is a very different atmosphere there that surrounds this very visible and Church-recognized Priest Professor which limits him by a cultural loyalty.

But having read your comments I would recommend for you to see his August 9, 2007 posted reflection on Four Words in the Canon. See it on the New Liturgical Movement Web site, August 9, 2007. I think you will appreciate his insights, honesty and commitment.

With best wishes,

     In Christ,

     Fr. Stephen Isten-Fele, OFM, Hungary




The Editor responds:

Rev. Fr. Stephen,

I thank you for your clarifications about the atmosphere that reigns in Hungary regarding the Liturgical Reform made in the wake of Vatican II. Also the information about Prof. Fr. Dobszay and his strong stance defending Church’s traditions was very opportune. I am passing it on to our readers.

Finally, I thank you for pointing out to me the recent study by Fr. Dobszay. I will follow your orientation and read it at the mentioned website.

     Asking your blessing,

     A.S. Guimarães

Dear Friends,

Thanks to your website I discovered and purchased the Novena Booklets to Our Lady of Good Success. Perhaps you may be able to check how long ago since I purchased the first booklets.

Anyway, I prayed the Novena every day for my out of control youngest Son Patrick who had taken to drink and drugs. On 11th December (feast of Our Lady of the Angels) 2006, Patrick crashed his car; luckily no one else involved, he was thrown out through the driver's window onto the road. He had a dislocated shoulder, two collapsed and damaged lungs, split kidney, lacerated liver, damaged pancreas and damaged spleen, all ribs in bits; no doctor would believe he could survive such injuries. Divine Power was his only lifeline. Doctors couldn’t believe his hip wasn’t in bits because of the internal injuries. He signed himself out of the hospital on 23rd December 2006 to play Santa to his two children.

He is back working normally now, but I still pray the Novena in thanksgiving for saving him from going to Hell, and for his spiritual conversion.

When he was only 12, he carried a Statue of Our Lady of Fatima into our local church which was blessed in Fatima by Cardinal Ratzinger on 13th October 1996, and is still in our local church in Wicklow in Ireland. Patrick will be 24 years of age in October.

Since this miracle with my son, I have been promoting this Novena for the protection of our unfortunate young people whose lives are destroyed by drugs.

    Thank you and God Bless all your good work.

    K.B., Ireland.

We received from our reader J.B.L. the following prayer to Our Lady of Good Success, adapted from the famous prayer Anima Christ by St. Ignatius of Loyola. TIA


Soul of Mary, sanctify me.
Body of Mary, purify me.
Heart of Mary, inflame me.
Sorrows of Mary, comfort me.
Tears of Mary, console me.
O sweet Mary, hear me.
With thy benign eyes, look at me.
Amidst my cries, answer me.
With thy holy steps, guide me.
To thy Divine Son, pray for me.
The pardon of my sins, obtain for me.
Devotion to thy Holy Rosary, infuse in me.
Love of God and neighbor, grant me.
Never allow me to be separated from thee.
At the hour of my death, help me.
From my enemies, defend me.
With the shield of thy holy Name, protect me.
With thy holy mantle, cover me.
At the last moment of my agony, assist me.
From dying in sin, deliver me.
In the hands of Jesus, place me.

To the eternal Mansion, take me,
So that with all the Angels and Saints, I may praise thee forever and ever.
Amen!

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