tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post8176521838175911723..comments2024-01-14T12:12:50.584-06:00Comments on Ecclesia Domestica: Our Chapel and "Liturgical East"Brendan Koophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-56052648308882119212007-08-19T23:04:00.000-05:002007-08-19T23:04:00.000-05:00Without trying to lead us further afield by reprod...Without trying to lead us further afield by reproducing here specific canons (for I am not a canon lawyer), I can say that my understanding of canon law is that there are no regulations regarding private rooms or chapels dedicated to private prayers and devotions. Furthermore, private chapels intended for regular celebration of mass and/or reservation of the blessed sacrament are most certainly allowed, though subject to canonical regulations and episcopal oversight, as some have already mentioned. To my knowledge, a request to reserve the blessed sacrament in a private chapel must be accompanied not only by proof that mass will be offered there at least twice a month, but also a demonstrated "pastoral need" to reserve the blessed sacrament. In fact, I lived in a household this past year in seminary with just such a private chapel with the blessed sacrament reserved in a tabernacle (I literally slept a wall away from Jesus!). I am a member of a clerical association here in MN called the Companions of Christ, who are diocesan priests who live in community and observe the evangelical counsels and a rule of life. Many of my ideas for how to create a beautiful private chapel come from my experience living with the Companions this past year. (view photos of our chapel in one of our newsletters, http://www.companionsofchrist.org/files/<BR/>companions/files/Newsletter%20Winter<BR/>%2005%20PRINTER%20COPY.pdf)<BR/><BR/>In any case, there is little chance Brendan and Molly would get permission to reserve the blessed sacrament in their chapel, nor do I think they wish to seek it. Simply having a special room dedicated to prayer and the reading of scripture which is also suited for an occasional mass-- this I think is their very laudable goal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-31332011343852242482007-08-19T13:02:00.000-05:002007-08-19T13:02:00.000-05:00Royce:Good question. I actually, to be thorough, ...Royce:<BR/><BR/>Good question. I actually, to be thorough, researched this question early on in the genesis of the idea of the home. First I had e-mailed Duncan Stroik and he told me there were no specific regulations on private chapels intended for devotion or prayer, on that they be done in good taste. I know that if a chapel is to have a tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament, that's different, and that would need the permission of the Bishop.<BR/><BR/>There's actually an entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia that's very insightful, which I came upon when I was researching this issue. It's at:<BR/> http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03574b.htm<BR/><BR/>Scroll all the way to the bottom to "Ecclesiastical Law as to Chapels." In there it echoes that there are regulations for private chapels that are specifically intended for the celebration of mass (which will not be the normal use of our chapel, though mass may be said there on rare occasion), and that there are no regulations for private chapels intended for prayer and devotion (which is the normal use of our chapel). It even says that if you are intending to have a private chapel in a house, that is intended specifically for regular mass celebration exclusively for the inhabitants of the home, you have to get a Papal indult! I don't think I'll try for that.<BR/><BR/>There's also a history of private chapels in that entry, which I'm sure I'll post about sometime.Brendan Koophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-57324736346510198432007-08-18T18:56:00.000-05:002007-08-18T18:56:00.000-05:00My understanding of Canon Law is that the permissi...My understanding of Canon Law is that the permission of the Bishop is required to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in a private chapel, and that Mass must then be celebrated twice monthly. I find nothing against having a private chapel.<BR/><BR/>I'll be watching for evan's answer to this question.<BR/><BR/>I am in agreement with his ideas on placement of the altar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-32630345960076312532007-08-18T18:22:00.000-05:002007-08-18T18:22:00.000-05:00Please excuse my ignorance in this matter, but I t...Please excuse my ignorance in this matter, but I thought that private chapels were no longer allowed, per Canon Law. Or is it just that reservation of the Blessed Sacrament in private chapels is no longer allowed?Roycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06739569698760671303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-87145955779026717432007-08-18T17:40:00.000-05:002007-08-18T17:40:00.000-05:00Brian:I think you're right on. We don't want the ...Brian:<BR/><BR/>I think you're right on. We don't want the TV to be the centerpiece of anything, and having a cabinet with doors I think would be ideal because it can be hidden except for the rare times it is used. I hadn't thought of the cabinet thing before, thank you!<BR/><BR/>Also (we seem to be on the same page about a lot of things) I agree with your assessment of having a TV. I totally respect any family that gets rid of their TV, and in fact have been tempted to do so myself, since we use it so little. I don't watch television EVER (and I mean that truthfully) except for one show, "Lost" on ABC (and we're in a 9-month interlude between seasons). I also watch the golf majors every few months (the Masters, U.S. Open, etc.). I don't think you need a TV, but there are some things that I would really want it for educational purposes, being homeschoolers and all. I want my kids to be able to watch the funeral of JPII for history, or a DVD on the life of St. Pio or St. Gianna Molla, or any number of things that I think can enhance their education or formation.Brendan Koophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-57304166562664625492007-08-17T21:04:00.000-05:002007-08-17T21:04:00.000-05:00I have been to some lovely Catholic homes where th...I have been to some lovely Catholic homes where they have a television but deliberately ensured that it was not the centerpiece of the living room. Isn't it interesting how in so many homes today the entire room is arranged around the television? One of the nice homes I visited even had the chairs arranged in such a way that one of them was sort of in front of the TV and would have to be moved in order to watch it (it sounds odd, but looked tasteful). You might be able to accomplish something along these lines by having a built-into-the-wall television cabinet/bookshelves with a door on it, or something.<BR/><BR/>I know several Catholic families that don't use a television at all, or only have one in the parent's bedroom. While I admire them, I don't think that it's necessary. We can use the TV in a wholesome and vigilant way to great benefit. But it needn't be the centerpiece of any room nor something that occupies much of our day.<BR/><BR/>God BlessAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-75286054601333538672007-08-17T15:51:00.000-05:002007-08-17T15:51:00.000-05:00Evan:Great comments bro. We haven't quite figured...Evan:<BR/><BR/>Great comments bro. We haven't quite figured out the altar yet, but what you mentioned is the intent.Brendan Koophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-79356368102073302492007-08-17T12:37:00.000-05:002007-08-17T12:37:00.000-05:00As the brother who may (God-willing) eventually ha...As the brother who may (God-willing) eventually have the joy of offering mass in your chapel, please let me say, with our current Holy Father, that I, too, believe that the liturgical "orientation" ad orientem is a must. As a priest, I could easily see how celebrating mass ad orientem enables one to concentrate on the task at hand, as it were (i.e. offering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to God the Father in persona Christi and as representative of God's faithful) and not be tempted to "perform" for the people. This is not a matter of clericalism; on the contrary, to my mind it de-emphasizes the cult of personality that often arises around priests these days, and re-emphasizes that the entire body of the lay faithful are participating in the sacrificial offering to God, in and through the priest who represents Christ the Head. To that end, might I suggest that the altar in your chapel be placed directly against the eastern wall, which will, in any case, free up some much-needed space for the family?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-54352921657511660182007-08-17T08:57:00.000-05:002007-08-17T08:57:00.000-05:00Brian:You picked up on another issue that we had d...Brian:<BR/><BR/>You picked up on another issue that we had discussed with my brother. I hadn't really discussed this before, other than one bullet point in the Scheme Wrap-Up post, where I mentioned that we are unsure where to put a TV. It absolutely cannot go by that entry:<BR/><BR/>A) because it says something about one's family when someone enters a home and the first thing they see is a TV<BR/><BR/>B) because it's a high traffic area, and we don't want casual use of the TV<BR/><BR/>So, we're still trying to figure that one out. That living area we actually asked my brother to rename as a sitting area/library. Hopefully that paints the picture as to how we would actually want to use that space.Brendan Koophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16265819790636987237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257516927675289859.post-46032385814315123322007-08-16T16:25:00.000-05:002007-08-16T16:25:00.000-05:00Forgive me if you mentioned this in a prior post.....Forgive me if you mentioned this in a prior post... I haven't been able to read all of them.<BR/><BR/>But do you intend to use the living room for watching movies or watching television? If so, then I think the close proximity of the chapel won't be a good thing. It's conceivable that there will be times when the kids are watching a movie and one of you wants to go pray, or vice versa. You don't want to be distracted by noise that could easily filter in from the next room over. I like the idea of the chapel being centrally located, even off the living room, insofar as it gives it particular prominence in the home, shows that it's important. But maybe, if there would be any possibility of noise, another location could be found. Just a thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com