New Discovery

I read Scott Hahn's conversion story, "Rome Sweet Home", a number of years ago- and I'm ashamed to admit I haven't read anything by him since (except articles in various periodicals). He has produced a multitude of essential texts no Catholic should be without. I've watched each of them arrive on bookshelves and never felt the need to read any of them. I suppose I have such confidence of the quality and veracity of his teaching I've never felt the need to actually read what's there.

My erstwhile relationship with the pages of Scripture could be similarly described. I've always maintained that the Scripture I hear at Mass (the proper context) is sufficient. Plus I've sung in choir many years, and the Word of the Lord is present in the songs that come to mind through the week.

I've never felt I was missing out until I discovered www.SalvationHistory.com, the online address of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, another brainchild of Hahn. They provide marvelous resources, accessibly written and easily navigated.

Hahn's presentation of Scripture renders its every clue within a broad, comprehensive context. His typology is really topology, and every foothold worth grasping. I feel like I can clamber and shimmy and wade through acres of sacred text when he's at the wheel. I invite you to explore this gem, as I shall happily be doing from now on.

Salvete Flores Martyrum!

Hail Flowers of the Martyrs!
Today the Church honors those children massacred by Herod's decree.

from a reflection by Charles Peguy:

"The Church does not only say they are first-fruits to God and to the Lamb; the Church invokes them and names them flowers of the Martyrs, thus meaning literally that the other Martyrs are the fruits but that these, among the Martyrs, are the flowers themselves."

from a sermon by Saint Quodvultdeus:

"You are not restrained by...the cries and sobs of the children. You destroy those who are tiny in body because fear is destroying your heart. You imagine that if you accomplish your desire you can prolong your own life, though you are seeking to kill Life himself."

Pray for the unborn victims of a society driven by fear to its own grave. Pray for the infants massacred by war, plague, and famine every single day around the world. Pray for the children torn, bruised, and broken. Pray for the victims of incest, rape, molestation, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, child labor, abuse, neglect, and countless nameless horrors.

May the Holy Innocents protect them.

Rachel still is weeping~

Holy Family Sunday

How appropriate that I'm off to celebrate a christening with relatives today; we have to drive across the state, so all five of us will be sardined in the car for a few hours.

It's nice to be with family at Christmas. It's nice to know from whence you came. It's a feeling of stability many people are without. One of my friends from college is doing a year of volunteer service with the JVC, Jesuit Volunteer Corps. She works with homeless youth in Portland. One of the most unfortunate realities she confronts each day is that so many of the youth not only escaped negative homelives, they've never known anything different- or worse yet, they've never known a home life at all!

Hearing her stories reminds me how crucial it is that we value the dignity of every human life. So many many people are made to feel worthless for one reason or another. This is Evil at its worst: that any one of us could be made to feel as though we don't matter-- that we could be treated as disposable, neglectable, or unworthy of care and protection and love.

That love was felt and perceived and known by Jesus from the day He was born.

Today we celebrate that first morning when Joseph awoke and looked fondly over at his wife, asleep next to him, the Precious Gift nestled between, in folds of swaddling clothes. They would have been nestled together for warmth, the friendly beasts lying in proximity, parcels of hay carefully arranged about them. Joseph would have recalled the events of the previous day with perfect clarity and yet it all must have seemed a blur...
... trying in vain to find lodging, Mary in labor pains, the mad press of the crowds, the contractions getting closer together, and the frantic acceptance of a kindly stranger's invitation to bed down where- if nothing else- it would be warm and private, where Mary could writhe and push and groan her sweet agonies until finally the God Incarnate emerged from her Virgin loins healthy and wailing.

Joseph would have tended to her every need, earnest and gentle. And then that strange moment after Mary had finished breastfeeding, and things were quiet, and they lay in the peaceful sanctuary of each other, softly sleeping amidst the animals' labored breathing--when Joseph heard some footsteps approaching, muted voices beyond the periphery of lamplight. Joseph would have started to see a group of shabbily dressed men approaching cautiously, nervously, muttering amongst themselves whether they had found the place. As they stepped into the lamplight, Joseph could tell they were shepherds, and they looked like they were lost- or rather the expressions on their faces indicated that they had just found what they were seeking- or rather, Whom.

The next morning, Joseph would have mused on their strange behavior. He hardly would have believed their story himself if it weren't for the fact that he too had been visited by an angel. And the fact that they were bowing and reverencing the Child in his wife's arms would have been unsettling if it hadn't been precisely what he wished to do at that moment.

Today we celebrate that moment when Joseph leaned over and touched his lips to the Infant Deity's face, offering him a kiss before laying back down with his arms around his wife, marveling at the wonders of Almighty God.

Twelve Days?

The 12 Days of Christmas commence today! From the 25th through the Epiphany, we celebrate the Incarnation. But the Christmas season doesn't really end until Jan.9= the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In the meantime, numerous observances occur:

Dec.25= Nativity of the Lord
Dec. 26= the Feast of the Holy Family
Dec. 28= the Feast of the Holy Innocents (those massacred by Herod, but also a day to mourn the countless victims of abortion)
Jan.1= the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Jan. 2= Epiphany of the Lord (traditionally on the 6th, but moved to the nearest Sunday at the discretion of the US Bishops)
Jan.3= Feast of the Holy Name
and Jan.9= Baptism of the Lord

You really could extend your Christmas observance until Feb.2= Feast of the Presentation. We've been known to keep our tree up until then, and I have it on good authority the Pope doesn't take his tree down until then. So it's justified, regardless of what our backwards culture might have to say about it.

I will provide explanations of all these feasts and Holy Days as they come. Bear in mind that the Holy Days of Obligation are as follows:
Dec.25= Solemnity of the Nativity
Jan.1= Solemnity of Mary
[In CatholicLand, Jan.6 is listed as the Solemnity of the Epiphany, an HDO]

You'll note that Dec.25 through Jan.6 is in fact 12 days, but with the observance of the Epiphany being moved to Jan.2 , the nearest Sunday, math gets thrown off a bit. In olden days, they only cared about those 12 days. With liturgical reform, it was deemed necessary to encapsulate the Baptism within the Christmas celebration. But I still maintain that Christmas goes until Feb.2, because it was 40 days before children were presented in the Temple, and I like the idea of having those 40 days mirror and foreshadow Lent. The historical explanation all gets very confusing, but I hope to make it more clear as the days progress. Check out Catholic Culture for thorough treatment of the subject.

At one time in liturgical history, we celebrated the Feast of the Circumcision on Jan.1st, because it was 8 days after birth that Jewish boys were taken to be marked in the Covenant with Abraham. The Solemnity of Mary eventually usurped that day, but I think the feast is an important reminder that Christ became Man in ALL ways. More on that later +++

"House of Bread"

Just a quick note that my Eucharistic fast has commenced. The Lord has answered my prayers and resides with me; I am my own little "bethlehem" today~

The midnight mass was truly a time for heartfelt rejoicing. God has so richly blessed me in my family and with this Church. Every moment rang verily tonight. Especially the moment I would advise against in the future: don't ever wear a musical Christmas necktie to a formal liturgy! I had to throw mine out the side door in the middle of the Creed! Oy!

Upon our return the luminaries were still glowing brightly and the greatest Luminary up in the heavens was casting yet another moonshadow across our front yard. Bestill my heart...

Can you imagine a similar scene in 1223? The moon overhead, a procession of glowing lights wending its way towards a cave in Greccio, where an ox and ass stood watch over a manger? Good St. Francis assembled the world's first Christmas creche and nativity scene (though that's open to debate). Now churches all over carry on the tradition, Catholic or not.

His goal was to contemplate the Incarnation not merely as an event that redeemed mankind, but the whole of Creation, including the beasts and fowl in the stable. What he created for the gathered faithful was a sensation of illuminated peace, not unlike my moonscape. They felt the Babe of Bethlehem tangibly present that night.

And so, tonight I removed the blanket in the creche to reveal the Infant Deity, the Christ Child, the Bread come down from Heaven, in the manger. May we be a Leaven in the world and a Light to the nations and all those dwelling in darkness or weighed down with suffering~

May His Reign of Peace never end! Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

Welcome Baby Jesus

We put out the luminaries tonight, as is our custom every Christmas Eve. We welcome the Infant Deity to our doorstep, lighting the way into our hearts. Little glowmarks line both sides of our street all the way up to our driveway and the front walk. With the moon overhead, the effect is enchanting. It's perhaps my favorite Christmas moment.

I feel sorry for the vehicles that race past without noticing their beauty and charm. We are headed to Midnight Mass downtown at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Let's hope we get to bed in time for Santa's arrival!

Christmas Eve

What better way to celebrate this day than offering a rendition of the classic poem?

I also thought it appropriate to share the soul-stirring Apollo 8 broadcast of Dec. 24, 1968.

Have a very Merry Christmas~

Luster of midday...

I came home to a winter wonderland scene in my front yard. The wee hours found me on the front walk absorbing a magical MoonShadow tableau. We have a centennial oak on our property; the waxing gibbous moon (nearly full) has set itself in the western sky, behind the tree, which has cast its shadow over the blanketing expanse of newly-fallen snow, across the rooftop, and right up to where I stood. The horizon transitions from a candescent plumrose at the lowest edge into a starlit blue and culminates in a deep midnight where the moon glows pure and haloed. I was transfixed by such beauty: the silhouetted tree, the crisp and complicated shadow, the purity and ethereality of the moonlight, both reflection and source, the placidity of it all~

The Lord is nigh!

O Antiphons

O Emmanuel,
the one awaited by the gentiles,
and their Savior:
come to save us,
Lord our God.

O Antiphons

O King of the Nations,
and the one they desired,
keystone,
who makes both peoples one,
come and save mankind,
whom you shaped from the mud.

O Antiphons

O Dawn,
splendor of eternal light
and sun of justice,
come, and shine on those
seated in darkness
and in the shadow of death.

Great new find!

The Catholic Educator's Resource Center has a blog in which they update the latest news on the secular assault against religious pluralism and free religious expression (among other topics of interest). It makes for fascinating reading, plus the website has much more to explore. I'm so happy I discovered this website. I was looking for a place that would provide a concise history of the Advent Antiphon custom, and I stumbled upon a goldmine. Let me know what you think~

O Antiphons

O Key of David,
and scepter of the house of Israel,
you open, and no one shuts;
you shut, and no one opens-
come, and lead the prisoner
from jail.

Star of Bethlehem

As I muse on the closing down of Advent, it occurs to me that this is a timely moment to reflect on the Journey of the Magi. We celebrate their arrival on the Epiphany, Jan.6-- but really thier journey closely parallels our own Advent. They were seeking a King greater than all others. They were moving closer and closer to the Deity Incarnate. They were wise to the celestial message being told to them in the sky. They comprehended the meaning of the movements of the stars and planets in a way very few people could at that time.

I happened upon an engrossing website the other day, the kind you could read for hours. If you're short on time, just read sections 1 &2. The layout and presentation is gorgeous and worthy of the subject matter. It must have reliable scholarship to have received the accolades it posts.

I submit for your pleasure the crowning words, as they should have the effect of beckoning you to learn more:

"For if the Star wasn't magic or a special miracle from outside of the natural order, then it was something even more startling. It was a Clockwork Star. And that is overwhelming. The movement of the heavenly bodies is regular, like a great clock. The Clockwork Star finally means that from the very instant at which God flung the universe into existence, he also knew the moment he would enter human history in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He marked it in the stars. And from before the beginning of time as we experience it, God knew the very moment when Messiah would breath his last on the cross."

What I like most about this website is its assertion that true science leads us closer to God. The more we know of Creation, the more we can appreciate the Creator. Magnificent! Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the claims of the website authors, and consider what this means. Reflect on this stunning aspect of the Nativity as you get closer to the Big Day.

O Antiphons

O Root of Jesse,
who stand as a sign for the people,
kings stand silent in your presence,
whom the nations will worship:
come to set us free,
put it off no longer.

O Antiphons

O Mighty Lord,
and leader of the house of Israël,
who appeared to Moses in the burning bush,
and on Sinai gave him the law,
come to redeem us with outstretched arm.

Now I've seen it all

In case you were doubting the necessity of the Church's mission or basking in a sense of futility, here's a link to a website that renders my wildest imaginings pale by comparison.

As if that weren't vile enough, here's the links to a few more quackpots:
Cacina
Old Catholics
Ncca
Urcci
There's quite a list. I only found one news brief on the subject.
I also found this curiosity.

Finally, the blind leading the blind.
So...it has a name, eh?

Autocephalous churches. The Catholic Diaspora? My head is spinning.
This is what I get for stumbling off the normal search path. I don't even know how I got here.

Aunty Em? Toto? Il Papam?

O Antiphons

If you don't know to what I refer in the title above, I found a great little learning tool. Also check out the usual for more info. I will post the antiphon for each day (courtesy the Dominicans, who still cant it each Advent). Starting...now--

O Wisdom!

who proceeds from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching out mightily from end to end,
and sweetly arranging all things:
come to teach us the way of prudence.

Year of the Eucharist

In case any of you weren't already aware, the Vatican website just posted a link to resources for the special Year. If you keep scrolling down you will find an excerpt from St. Francis that you don't see everyday. If you're seeking more web resources, visit my previous post on the subject.

Also, I somehow overlooked all that Catholic Culture has to say on the subject. Check out the articles they provide.

Seth & the City (2)

I'm at the branch library again. My roommate warns me that perhaps I take the whole anti-Catholic conspiracy a little too seriously. But I'm looking through the Religion section for Catholic books. They do have the "Witness to Hope" biography of the Pope; but it's far outnumbered by less-welcome titles such as "Papal Sin" and the verboten work by Uta Ranke-Heinemann which earned her a place among such ne'erdowells as Hans Kung and CUA's Curran. Most of the books that cause to me react with displeasure are standard fare at most public libraries. Libraries being places that enjoy affirming the right to free speech and Chicago being trumpeted as the City of Free Speech and this particular branch being in the heart of Gay Chicago, I'm not altogether surprised at the dismal selection of Catholic works. But- taking a cue from the free speech doctrine- doesn't it make sense to allow Catholic patrons the right to a selection of REPUTABLE Catholic literature? Other than the Bible and the George Weigel text, shouldn't there be a decent selection to choose from? Instead I'm met with shelves full of every anti-Catholic book ever published.

My friends at the Seminary expressed grave concern that I was choosing to fast from the Eucharist. Depriving myself the sacramental graces conferred through the consecrated species renders me more susceptible to Evil, so they argued. If anything, I feel that being without the Eucharist has rendered my senses more acute. I am more aware of how much vitriol is present in the world against the Church than I have ever been, and I am more aware of the Eucharist as its antidote. I feel that behind the acerbity and bile, beyond the assault against truth lies an innate need to feel the Church's embrace. People want affirmation they seem unable to find in the Church. And so they spit upon her- or worse, disregard her altogether-- or even worse, fiercely undertake to render her mute.

Satan does not prefer the Church and its Gospel to go away. No, the delight comes in having her sit and watch in paralyzed silence as her dignity is violated.

Happy Santa Lucia Day!

Though little has been retained of her story in the factual record, St. Lucy has been a popular saint throughout Europe, most notably in Sicily (whence she hails) and Scandinavia (where her devotion is linked to the Winter Solstice). Lucy was a virgin martyr, most likely offed by a rejected suitor. Her devotion to her vow of virginity is reason enough to venerate her considering it directly resulted in her persecution and death. She has been listed in the litany for centuries, and cultural celebrations in honor of her feastday have developed in complexity and festivity over time, mostly playing on the meaning of her name (Lucia="light").

I hold cherished memories of this day from childhood, though I bear no Swedish ethnicity. As tradition has it in that country, the eldest daughter of the household carries a tray of sweetbreads to the other members of the home on Dec. 13 mornings. As she progresses from room to room, she sings the famous carol, "Santa Lucia".

My mother, when a senior in her high school chorus, was cast in a Christmas pageant featuring a review of all the international folk celebrations of the season. She was chosen to sing the St. Lucy carol; to this day- every St. Lucy Day- my mother sings us the song in flawless Swedish. When we were younger, we would enjoy Orange Pekoe Tea and shortbread cookies after dinner, and more than once my mother wore the wreath of candles.

If you wish to learn more about the special traditions of this day consult the following:
Penitents' Page
School of the Seasons
American Catholic
Catholic Culture

Our Lady of Guadalupe & St. Juan Diego

Today is a great feast for our neighbors to the south and all aboriginal non-European peoples, for today we honor Mary as Queen of the Aztec. Her appearance as a dark-skinned Aztec princess to an impoverished, dark-skinned, neophyte farmer reminds us that Christ's redemption was for all, a lesson the Spanish conquistadors (and the Spanish clergy) needed to hear at the time.

The image of Our Lady which appeared on Diego's coat now hangs in the Basilica de Nuestra Senora in Mexico City. It has occasioned the conversion of millions. Read the story- or better yet, have a Mexican priest relate it to you- and listen to its beauty. Then you will understand the importance of this day for ALL peoples.

On Fasting from Eucharist

You may remember from a previous blog entry that I determined to withhold myself from receiving Eucharist as my way of entering more fully into this Year of the Eucharist we currently celebrate. I did not wish to continue going up to receive every Sunday just because of the normative expectation that we SHOULD receive IF able. The Church only requires a ready reception of the Eucharist in the weeks of Easter, so I decided that I would go on a fast of sorts in order to reacquaint myself with the Lord IN the Blessed Sacrament. I am well aware that I am denying myself the Sacramental Graces conferred, but I seek to enrich my understanding of those graces more fully. Fault me if you will, but already my search has borne fruit. I am more aware of Christ's Real Presence in its totality: in the assembled faithful, in the ritual of the mass, in the Word, in the Priest, etc. And I have been enlightened as to what it means to acknowledge Christ's Real Presence in the gifts of bread and wine. When the priest said during the Eucharistic Prayer that the Eucharist frees us from our sins, I was able to think to myself: "By not denying myself Eucharist I am clutching those sins, rather than letting them go. I am denying myself freedom from sin!" When I heard this Wisdom, I thought- "Perhaps I am meant to end my fast" But then the Offertory song was the healing mantra, "Wait for the Lord". And I realized that I was meant to wait for the Lord, which the Spirit prompted me to interpret thus: "Wait until the Lord arrives; for indeed He is coming!"

And so with that insight- and many others I haven't the room to relate- I have determined to follow this new directive of the Holy Spirit. My eucharistic fast was appropriate for my Advent journey. It was an excellent means of readying myself for the Lord's entry more fully into my heart, mind, and body. And so I will end my fast at the Christmas Vigil. I will ready myself through the Sacrament of Penance next week, the fourth and final week of Advent, and welcome and receive my Savior on the feastday of His Incarnation. I feel this has been a graceful prcess and rejoice to witness God's action in my heart, to know so vividly His beckoning invitation to be a part of His Body and Blood- to be One with Him who loves me so!

However, I do wish to relate some explanation for those of my friends and family who found my decision so troubling. They expressed a fear that I would render myself more vulnerable to Evil without the Real Presence within me. I truly appreciate this fear- and share it to some degree. But placing myself entirely in Trust, I went forward with my plan. The Lord understood, but has clearly redirected my plan and path. We shall never cross the desert alone if we have Faith. I appreciate this Wisdom in a way I did not before. And this Advent season has been a desert experience. I rejoice to tell you that the Lord was ever with me! And hence he calls me back to Him. Why leave? Bring the garden WITH you INTO the desert!

Anyway- continue reading the posted comment below. It's an article from Zenit.org about one Capuchin's concerns over apathy towards the Real Presence. It will help you to understand why I felt this unusual fast was so vital, not just for ME, but in response to my concern for ALL.

God Bless you all; Have a JOYful Gaudete Sunday!

Advent 2004

The Vatican recently updated its website for the seasonal change.

In case you missed it, here's a stellar website on Mary, who is most celebrated this season.

Immaculate Conception

Today we celebrate an event that only a person of the truest faith in Christ can uphold, because you won't find it in Scripture and you may even find Catholic scholars down the centuries disputing it. In order to believe that Christ is who He was, we must believe that Mary is who the Church says she was. There are gobs of things I could submit for your review, but you can Google as well as I. Here are a few choice websites that offer insight on the subject:

Catholic Encyclopedia
Marianists
Catholic Apologetics
Cardinal Newman
Duns Scotus

And of course the two indispensables:
American Catholic
Catholic Culture

I would also like to remind you all that today is a Holy Day of Obligation. Say a prayer for me :)

Seth & the City

Today, after walking about the streets of my new East Lakeview neighborhood, I find myself in the throes of discovering the unknown. In one sense, I am humbled and grateful at the generosity of friends- my friend who drove me here and the one who has opened his home to me while I seek employment. I am blessed by God who has brought me to this magnificent place. I am thankful to be within ambling distance of all the amenities I will need for apartment living. I live right in the middle of a multicultural culinary smorgasboard. And I am within a few short blocks of a magnificent Catholic Church. So I have reason to be elated today.

However, my enchantment with my new surroundings is offset by misgivings about its cosmopolitan and overtly secular vibe. I happen to be in the heart of Gay Chicago, and with that comes unsettling looks as I stroll the streets with my roommate. I had the distinct impression that the woman working at the bookstore was really a man. And today, when I went to the local branch library, I had an encounter with the clerk that left me more unsettled than all the rest combined. I went to the periodical section, which was surprisingly spare, and sought even ONE Catholic magazine or newspaper. Of course there weren't any, but I figured- with a Catholic Church right nextdoor- it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that the population percentages/interest warranted Catholic subscriptions at the local library. So I exercised my right to freedom of information, and inquired if I could request a subscription. The clerk told me what I expected to hear: that all such decisions are made at central offices, and most acquisition requests take a year to process. That was fine; I understand how libraries work.

But then the clerk did the unexpected; as soon as I told her which periodical I was requesting, she asked quizzically, "And what kind of periodical is that? Is it religious?" I said yes, and she said, "What is it? Jehovah witness or something?" To which I said, "Catholic" and she went "Ohhh-- well- you can try calling Acquisitions" and curtly ended the inquiry.

It wasn't so much anything she said. It was what she didn't say that got my dander up. And the tone in her voice when I said "Catholic" and the facial expression that registered for an instant before she put on her false smile and told me I could look elsewhere. It cheapened the day for me.

But I'm gladly looking forward to celebrating St. Nick's Day with my roommate. He already found something in his shoe this morning. If you want to hear his perspective on my arrival, it's quite funny, and I'm submitting it as a posted comment below.

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

To children young and old an everywhere in between, I hope this day finds you full of wonder and enchantment. Today we celebrate the feastday of that marvelous jolly soul named Santa Claus. He was Bishop of Myra in the 4th century AD, he's one of the most recognized international figures, and he is present every Christmas to honor our Infant Saviour when we give freely and generously to those in need. To learn more about this legendary servant of God, visit The St. Nicholas Center, one of the most illuminating and beautiful websites I have ever seen.

You can also check his bio at the following:
American Catholic
Patron Saint Index
Catholic Online

Good websites I forgot to mention before

New Advent http://www.newadvent.org/
Catholic Information Network http://www.cin.org/
Catholic Online http://www.catholic.org/
Catholic Answers http://www.catholic.com/
Catholic Net http://www.catholic.net/
Catholic Pages http://www.catholic-pages.com/

Here's my Top 7 again, in case you missed them previously:

http://catholicland.blogspot.com/ (my weblog)

http://www.vatican.va/ (official website of the Holy See)

http://www.zenit.org/ (news from Rome)

http://www.ewtn.com/ (motherlode of Catholic resources)

http://www.americancatholic.org/ (mainstream Catholicism)

http://www.catholicculture.org/ (excellent website)

http://www.usccb.org/ (official website of US Bishops)

Mother of God

So a friend and I were exploring the Council of Ephesus and the dogma of Theotokos (that Mary is the Mother of God, not merely Christokos, Bearer of Christ) and we got to thinking:

Would it be heretical to suggest that Mary is Mother of the Triune God, or is it sufficient to say she is Mother of God the Son (or Mother of the Second Person of the Trinity) only?

I think we should convene a Council to solemnly define the matter, but until that happens, I've been surfing the net for an answer.

I found an article on Mariology by Fr. Hardon in which he says:

"Mary, then of course, bears the most distinctive relationship to the Second Person. Let’s make sure we know what the Church teaches us when she calls Mary the Mother of God the Son. There are three persons in the Trinity, but only one of them became man, and we have to keep reminding ourselves; there are three persons. Absolutely speaking, might God the Father have become man? Absolutely speaking, yes. In fact, there was a very sophisticated heresy in the early Church which taught just that with the long polysyllabic name of Patripassionists. In other words, the Father suffered on the Cross to the redeem the world. Nonsense. He didn’t. The point is, only one person became a human being, and Mary is the human Mother of that Second Person of the Trinity. The Word, as John tells us, became Flesh. So it did, but it became flesh thanks to Mary. So much so that Augustine later on would say: 'Caro Jesu, caro Mariae.' The flesh of Jesus is the flesh of Mary. Thus, the only reason we have the Blessed Sacrament and receiving the living Body and Blood of Christ is because He received that flesh and blood from His Mother."

Note that Fr.Hardon titles Mary as Mother of God the Son, and then describes Patripassionism. If it's heretical to suggest that God the Father died on the Cross, is it also heretical to suggest that Mary bore God the Father in her womb? Would that be "Patritokism?"

Then I found a dinger by Fr. Dan Thomas:

"The Church's position on devotion to Mary is based on Scripture and on the fact that God picked her to be the mother of His Son. That, incidentally, is the answer to the problem or difficulty that some people have with Catholics calling Mary the Mother of God. It certainly is not because she is the mother of the Triune God. It is because Jesus is both human and divine, and if Jesus is God, we ask; 'who was His mother'? The answer is obvious, hence the title 'Mother of God'. In concluding this reflection, it might be helpful to note that when we praise a work of art as the best in a gallery filled with paintings, and the artist is standing right there, the artist is not going to be offended or jealous."

Third time's a charm, with this response by Fr. Monty:

"Mary, chosen to be mother of the divine Son, Jesus Christ, was and always will be God's creature. Because her Son is divine, she is called the mother of God. This is part of the mystery of the incarnation. The Divine Word of God, the Second person of the Blessed Trinity, became flesh and dwelt amongst us. In this sense Mary is the 'earthly mother' of the Word made flesh, but not a Divine Mother of the Triune God as you correctly suggest. The statement about Mary as Mother of God(Theotokos) from the Council of Ephesus, 431 A.D. was really a statement about Christ, who is affirmed as the Divine Son of God, not just a human manifestation. The one who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity."

Okay, so she's a Theotokos, but not a Patritokos (and likewise not a Spiritokos). It seems unlikely that the Church could call Mary the Trinitokos either. But is there a formal declaration to this effect? I only find more quotes:

"One might say, 'If Mary is the Mother of God, does that mean she is the mother of the Trinity?' Well, to make them go in the right direction, let us relate Mary to the Persons of the Trinity. Mary is the daughter of the Father; therefore she is the daughter of God. Mary is the wife of the Spirit; therefore she is the wife of God. And of course, Mary is the mother of Jesus; therefore Mary is the mother of God."

From Dr. Howell on the Coming Home Network:

"In A.D. 431 the ancient Christian Church defined Mary as the Mother of God because the Church wanted to protect the full divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. This title, Mother of God (or better Godbearer), asserted that the child in Mary’s womb was nothing less than fully God and fully man. But the title Mother of God never has been nor should be interpreted to mean that Mary is the mother of the Trinity. Mary bears a distinct relation to each member of the Trinity, but she is not the mother of the Father, nor of the Holy Spirit."

Here's one from Catholic Insight: "This conclusion, of course, is heretical. Mary is not the mother of the Triune God, that is, of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but of the Son only." Mario Derksen declares it so; but he does not point to a document or Council that names this heresy.

Finally, something definitive, a figurative dialogue from Envoy Magazine:

"Pastor Gary is a bit shell-shocked. 'But Mike, if the Catholic Church claims Mary is the Mother of God, wouldn't that make her divine? God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If Mary were the Mother of God, she would have to be the mother of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, right?'

'Actually, Gary, remember what the Catechism said in paragraph 495. It said that Mary is only the Mother of the second Person of the Trinity, by virtue of the Incarnation. The Father and the Holy Spirit were not incarnated.' "

I still think they should convene a Council.