O SAPIENTIA

Antiphon sung by the Dominican student brothers at Blackfriars in Oxford.

December 17

O Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High,
that reachest from one end to another,
and orderest all things mightily and sweetly,
come to teach us the way of prudence!


O Sapientia, quæ ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter
suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiæ.

____________________

Isaiah 11:2-3

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
_____________________


In the Sarum [Anglican] use, all eight antiphons are used, beginning on December 16 and ending on the 23, leading up to the First Mass of Christmas, the Eve of December 24. In the Roman use, the observance begins on December 17, but only the first seven antiphons are used, and the observance ends, as with the Sarum use, on December 23.Reposted with slight editing from last year, and the year before, and...and.... The reposts are a Wounded Bird tradition. I know it's not 2006. The O Antiphons are timeless.

Text of the antiphon from Fish Eaters.

BISHOPS WRITE LETTERS

H/T to Ann Fontaine at The Lead:

Letters from The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori and The Rev. Mark Sisk:

Statements from the Rt. Rev Mark S. Sisk and the Presiding Bishop Concerning
Occupy Wall Street, Trinity Church and Duarte Square

From Bishop Sisk

December 16, 2011

As many of you know, Trinity Wall Street is being challenged to provide a small parcel of parish-owned land, Duarte Square, to the Occupy Wall Street movement for encampment or other undefined use.

Trinity has clearly shown its support for the wider goals of the Occupy Wall Street movement, and has aided protesters directly through pastoral care and extensive use of parish facilities. They have said "yes" to requests for meeting space, bathroom facilities, private conference rooms, housing referrals, and pastoral care, and continue to look for ways to provide direct support to those who identify with the movement in Lower Manhattan. Providing private land without facilities for indeterminate usage, however, poses significant health and safety concerns, and is beyond the scope of Trinity's mission. To this, the parish has reasonably said, "no."

In and of itself, a request for use of a parish space by an outside group would not necessitate a bishop's involvement. But alarmingly, some clergy and protesters have attempted to "take" or "liberate" the space without Trinity's consent, and have clearly indicated their intent to engage in other attempts to do so in the coming days.

While many tactics of the Occupy movement have proven effective and creative, I feel it necessary now to reiterate our Church-wide commitment to non-violence. The movement should not be used to justify breaking the law, nor is it necessary to break into property for the movement to continue.

Together, let us pray for peaceful articulation, in word and deed, of the issues of justice and fairness that have brought the Occupy movement into the national conversation.

+Mark

The Rt. Rev Mark S. Sisk, Bishop of New York

------------------------

From the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate

December 16, 2011

Trinity Church, Wall Street, has provided extensive practical and pastoral support to the Occupy Wall Street movement. The Trinity congregation has decided that the property known as Duarte Park is not appropriate for use by the Occupy movement, and that property remains closed. Other facilities of Trinity continue to be open to support the Occupy movement, for which I give great thanks. It is regrettable that Occupy members feel it necessary to provoke potential legal and police action by attempting to trespass on other parish property. Seekers after justice have more often achieved success through non-violent action, rather than acts of force or arms. I would urge all concerned to stand down and seek justice in ways that do not further alienate potential allies.

+Katharine
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church

Well, now we hear from the bishops on the matter of the use of Duarte Square. Why? What is the purpose of the Presiding Bishop and the Bishop of the Diocese of New York in writing the letters? Why is the national office of the Episcopal Church involved? Why is the Diocese of New York involved? Did Trinity Church ask them to write letters on their behalf, or did the two bishops take it upon themselves to write the letters?

I can't say they make me proud. That Bishop Sisk and Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori encourage non-violence is absolutely right and proper, but what does the Presiding Bishop mean by her caution against 'acts of force or arms'? The only persons armed are the police. The bishops ask non-violence of the Occupiers, and now that they've involved themselves, perhaps they might use the moral force of their words to ask the police to use restraint. The great majority of incidents of violence that I've heard about and seen on video were from unnecessary use of force by the police.

But alarmingly, some clergy and protesters have attempted to "take" or "liberate" the space without Trinity's consent, and have clearly indicated their intent to engage in other attempts to do so in the coming days.

Are the bishops, in their alarm, advising 'some clergy' or all clergy that they are not to side with the Occupiers? What about the rest of us?

Solutions are available for the health and safety concerns. Why not allow the Occupiers to use the small plot of land? Or, if the Occupiers settle, look the other way and ask the police to stand down.

Or, in the spirit of radical justice, Trinity might consider returning Duarte Square to Native Americans, and then the property would no longer be Trinity's nor the Episcopal Church's problem.

The more I read the bishops' letters, the angrier I get. In the end, I think they are shameful.

UPDATE: The New York Times has a story on Trinity Church and the Occupiers.

THE ANGEL OF THE NORTH IS COLD...SO COLD....

 

I'm so glad I visited the angel in July and not now.

Thanks to Ann for the photo of the angel in the snow.

THEIR MAN NEWT

From Maureen Dowd in the New York Times:

But next to Romney, Gingrich seems authentic. Next to Herman Cain, Gingrich seems faithful. Next to Jon Huntsman, Gingrich seems conservative. Next to Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, Gingrich actually does look like an intellectual. Unlike the governor of Texas, he surely knows the voting age. To paraphrase Raymond Chandler, if brains were elastic, Perry wouldn’t have enough to make suspenders for a parakeet.

STORY OF THE DAY - BELIEF

Can you prove any of the stuff you
believe in? my son asked me & when I
said that's not how belief works, he
nodded & said that's what he thought
but he was just checking to make sure he
hadn't missed a key point.

From StoryPeople.

A MESSAGE FROM ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU TO OCCUPYWALLSTREET

From OccupyWallStreet:

Sisters and Brothers, I greet you in the Name of Our Lord and in the bonds of common friendship and struggle from my homeland of South Africa. I know of your own challenges and of this appeal to Trinity Church for the shelter of a new home and I am with you! May God bless this appeal of yours and may the good people of that noble parish heed your plea, if not for ease of access, then at least for a stay on any violence or arrests.

Yours is a voice for the world not just the neighborhood of Duarte Park. Injustice, unfairness, and the strangle hold of greed which has beset humanity in our times must be answered with a resounding, "No!" You are that answer. I write this to you not many miles away from the houses of the poor in my country. It pains me despite all the progress we have made. You see, the heartbeat of what you are asking for--that those who have too much must wake up to the cries of their brothers and sisters who have so little--beats in me and all South Africans who believe in justice.

Trinity Church is an esteemed and valued old friend of mine; from the earliest days when I was a young Deacon. Theirs was the consistent and supportive voice I heard when no one else supported me or our beloved brother Nelson Mandela. That is why it is especially painful for me to hear of the impasse you are experiencing with the parish. I appeal to them to find a way to help you. I appeal to them to embrace the higher calling of Our Lord Jesus Christ--which they live so well in all other ways--but now to do so in this instance...can we not rearrange our affairs for justice sake? Just as history watched as South Africa was reborn in promise and fairness so it is watching you now.

In closing, be assured of my thoughts and prayers, they are with you at this very hour.

God bless you,

+Desmond Tutu

Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town”

H/T to Occupied Bishop.

UPDATE: A clarification from Archbishop Tutu.

I’ve challenged my friends at Trinity on this issue just as I’ve challenged Trinity for the past 35 years in our ongoing friendship. I do this in love, not to harm.

I also now challenge those who disagree with Trinity. My statement is not to be used to justify breaking the law. In a country where all people can vote and Trinity's door to dialogue is open, it is not necessary to forcibly break into property. Nor is it to reinforce or build higher the barriers between people of faith who seek peace and justice. My deep prayer is that people can work together and I look forward to that conversation.

THE TROGGS - LOVE IS ALL AROUND

MITT ROMNEY'S GAY BREAKFAST

Poor Mitt. He can't catch a break.

Many thanks to Ann V.

UPDATED BILL OF RIGHTS

The original Bill of Rights

From Bill in Portland Maine at Daily Kos Cheers and Jeers:

Happy Birthday, I-X!

On December 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights was ratified. For the benefit of Rick Perry and people like him who can't keep lists of more than two items in their head, let's review:

I. You can say anything you want except "Fire!" in a crowded theatre or "Let's elect Michele Bachmann President" in a room full of people with functioning brains; you can peaceably assemble in public spaces to call out the government when it's acting like a dick, but only between 8am and 8pm Monday through Friday and 9am and 4pm on weekends. (Wisconsinites: don't forget to pay Gov. Walker his "assembly fee" before you gather.); the press has total freedom, except where riot police are evicting peaceful protesters from a public place with pepper spray, bulldozers, rubber bullets, sound-wave cannons, concussion grenades, dogs, lasers, tasers and/or clubs, in which case IT NEVER HAPPENED.

Special Bonus: The United States is technically neutral on religion, except during prayers in Congress and invocations at inaugurations and at the end of any presidential speech, and also in the Pledge of Allegiance and on your money and...oh, never mind.

II. Guns---Fuck Yeah! (…and bazookas, too, right? Right!)

III. You don’t have to let soldiers in your house. But if they're offering to clean the place, come on in!

IV. No searches and seizures without a warrant unless the information is gathered via a government-approved, immunized telecommunications company which is paid via your tax dollars to suck up all your communications like a vacuum cleaner and spit it out at the NSA, where an agent will sort through it all, especially your "secret" cache of porn, for which he thanks you kindly.

V. The amendment to invoke when you've been naughty.

VI. We Americans have an ironclad, unshakable and inviolable right to a trial by a jury of our peers. Or, y'know, maybe not.

VII. What? Two jury amendments in a row? I'm losing interest in your list, founders.

VIII. No cruel or unusual punishment shall be authorized by anyone except whoever happens to become America's 20th Republican Vice President.

IX. If the score is tied after nine amendments, we go into extra innings.

X. States don’t gotta do nuthin' if they don't wanna, and if you don’t agree then we're gonna secede. Also known as the "sore loser" amendment.

How about it? Does the updated version work for you?

The original Bill of Rights seem not to apply in all instances, so we may as well see how it goes with the updated version. The Occupiers are presently putting the original version of our rights to the test, and they (the rights) seem to be failing, or falling by the wayside, or something.

Paul (A.) sends cheers.

Image from Wikipedia.

ABOUT THE IASCUFO COMMUNIQUÉ

Of the 'ponderously named' InterAnglican Standing Commmittee for Faith and Order and its recent statement, Jim Naughton says at The Lead:

One feels both gratified and alarmed, then, to learn that at is meetings last week, IASCUFO (the InterAnglican Standing Committee on Unity, Faith and Order) recognized the importance of “being a fully representative group” and “re-affirm[ed] the significance of the Anglican Communion Covenant for strengthening our common life.” Gratified, because, well, it is nice to have your opponents make your points for you. Alarmed because the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion Office continue to behave as though the more centralized church they hope to create already exists.

The 'putting facts on the ground' strategy has been used time and again by those who wish to change the Anglican Communion from a fellowship of churches bound together by the Creeds, the Scriptures, common worship, and the bonds of affection to a centralized institution governed from the top down. Say it is so, and it will be so. The strategy was used with the Windsor Report to attempt to make what is only a report into binding rules, including open-ended moratoria with no end in sight, which the churches of the communion are expected to follow.

Bishop Martin Barahona, retired primate of Central America covered both the Windsor Report and the Anglican Covenant with with a few wise words:

“The Windsor Report,” he said. “It’s just a report. When did it become like The Bible. The Covenant. Why do we need another covenant? We have the Baptismal Covenant. We have the creeds. What else do we need?”

As I said at The Lead, if any group associated with the Anglican Communion Office put out a communiqué that expressed disagreement with the Archbishop of Canterbury, I'd fall down in a faint. The ABC is, after all, only the first among equals, one among many primates, but a good many of the various groups and committees do not look representative or independent from where I sit, which is not right, because the member churches of the communion fund the Anglican Communion Office and its activities.

The name of the committee puts me in mind of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) of the Roman Catholic Church, which, apropos of nothing, began life 1542 as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition.

For further reading, I refer you to Pluralist's humorous take on a conversation between two bishops on the IASCUFO communiqué.