Letters

The Leonine Prayers

Kevin McManus

Contents - Dec 2008 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Another Christmas and New Year edition - Michael Gilchrist Novus Ordo: Vatican approves new Missal translation - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Pub life: Young adult Catholic ministry: ingredients for success - Br Barry Coldrey Bishops' Synod on Bible concludes: Pope working on Apostolic Exhortation - AD2000 Report The decline of British Catholicism: the future? - John Haldane Missions: Samoa's Don Bosco School gives students a 'second chance' - Br Michael Lynch SDB FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: Which Church did Jesus establish with his authority? - Frank Mobbs 'Catholic literature': what does this mean? - David Birch Letters: Strange 'bedfellows' - J. Loring Letters: Pro-Life - Chris Hilder Letters: Evolution conference - Grahame Fallon Letters: The Leonine Prayers - Kevin McManus Books: The Life of Saint Joseph, by Maria Cecilia Baij, OSB - Tim Cannon (reviewer) Books: Down in Adoration Falling, by Gareth Grainger - Br Christian Moe, FSC Poetry: Genealogy - Bruce Dawe Books: The Scope of Philosophy, by John Young - John Whitty (reviewer) Schools: Blessed Mary MacKillop Colleges: 2009 enrolments (Jindera, Wagga Wagga) Books: Books available now from AD2000 Books Reflection: Benedict XVI's Christmas homily: how God became a child for us - Pope Benedict XVI

With the escalation of the battle between the Church and the anti-life forces, she needs all the heavenly aid that can be had.

It seems time for serious consideration to be given to the restoration of the Leonine Prayers after Mass.

Surely there is some correlation between their elimination and the 'smoke of Satan' that entered at the same time.

The liturgists' argument that the 'Ite missa est' (Go the Mass is ended) dismissal justified their suppression is totally specious in view of all the trimmings we now have after that dismissal - parish notices, lectures by lay people, presentations of awards, clapping, etc.

Even the recessional hymn, which has now become compulsory - although Cardinal Pell's new book on the Mass says it is optional - destroys utterly any argument against the Prayer to Saint Michael.

Let us bring back Saint Michael and his heavenly host.

KEVIN McMANUS
Ashfield, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 21 No 11 (December 2008 - January 2009), p. 14