Conference in Napa Valley with Pontifical TLM… does it get better than that?

From CNA:

Napa Institute conference to fortify Catholics for the ‘Next America’

Irvine, Calif., Apr 7, 2011 / 01:53 am (CNA).- Mother Assumpta Long, O.P., has invited Catholics to register for the inaugural Napa Institute conference to help participants respond to atheism, secularism, materialism and lukewarmness in the United States.

“I encourage you to register soon because this event should not be missed!” said Mother Assumpta, the superior of the Michigan-based Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.

The conference, titled “Catholics in the Next America,” will take place in Napa Valley at the Meritage Resort & Spa from July 28-30. [That in itself sounds great!]

“We need to bring together serious Catholics to begin to network and discuss our faith because we continue to slip into a more secular society here in America,” explained Tim Busch, the Catholic businessman and philanthropist who helped start the Napa Institute. “As Catholics, we are challenged in our ability to influence the course of American culture.”

The Napa Institute will help Catholics meet that challenge by increasing their understanding of Catholic teaching and by helping them find their voice alongside their Catholic peers, he added.

Speakers at the event include Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento and Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., of the Magis Institute. Commentator George Weigel and Prof. Timothy Gray of the Augustine Institute will also speak at the event.

Bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of Oakland will celebrate a Solemn Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite for conference participants.

[…]

Read the rest there.

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39 Comments

  1. JaneC says:

    That sounds like an awfully good reason to make a trip home this summer. If only my folks hadn’t moved away!

  2. irishgirl says:

    Why can’t there be any conferences like this here in the Northeastern US? [Maybe you could organize one!] Why is it always the West that gets the good stuff? I can never get to go-for one thing, I’m too ‘broke’ to afford airfare and accomodations.
    Cardinal Mahony?!? No way! I thought he wouldn’t go for anything like this! Guess I was wrong about him….

  3. Hieronymus says:

    “We need to bring together serious Catholics to begin to network and discuss our faith because we continue to slip into a more secular society here in America,” explained Tim Busch…

    Okay, sounds good so far…

    Speakers at the event include Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento and Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., of the Magis Institute. Commentator George Weigel and Prof. Timothy Gray of the Augustine Institute will also speak at the event.

    Hold the phone! Is this serious? So now we slap a traditional mass on the end of an event to draw in the orthodox Catholic and then treat them to the likes of Mahoney, et al? The idea sounds nice enough, but someone has apparently missed the fact that the speakers are actually contributing to the problem they are claiming to resolve. [Sorry… but I missed something here. Did you receive an copy of the Cardinal’s spech in advance? Is there something wrong with the talk he hasn’t given yet?]

    What’s more, the traditional mass looks out of place in that company to the point of seeming bizarre. Even the most orthodox of the speakers have never ventured beyond JPII’s very novel brand of “conservatism” — a theological school never known for its friendliness to traditional liturgy, to say the least. Very strange event, indeed. [So… you are going?]

  4. MarkJ says:

    Cardinal Mahony?!? It makes no difference what kind of Mass they celebrate, if he’s there and does not publicly repent for the heresies he promoted during his episcopate and the spiritual damage he inflicted on the faithful of Los Angeles, then his presence makes a mockery of the whole event. Count me out of this one. [And thus the liberals win again. Good job.]

  5. Conference in Napa Valley with Pontifical TLM… does it get better than that?

    It could get better than that: it could be held where I am!

  6. iowapapist says:

    MarkJ: I had the same reaction and then I thought, “maybe he’ll have a conversion”. After that, I realized that for the last 20 some years I have had less than charitable thoughts for His Emminence and have never prayed for his conversion. I’m going to try that today. If He can convert folks like Saul, Augustine and Dr. Bernard Nathanson, to name but a few, he can convert one of His own princes.

  7. JamesA says:

    All right, folks, chill out. Sheesh.
    Yes, Mahony being there is rather bizarre– but most of the rest are solid, and Mother Assumpta’s order is absolutely top-notch. If she’s invited the Cardinal, she must have a good reason. How bad can he be ? At worst he can serve as an example of what the problem is.
    “iowapapist” hit it on the head. How often do we pray for the conversion of all the folks who drive us nuts ? I for one find it much easier to carp. If we would all pray instead of complain, the whole lot would probably be converted by now.

  8. JamesA says:

    Clarification :
    Mother Assumpta is not in charge, but only one of the speakers. But Archbishop Chaput is the “Ecclesiastical Advisor”.
    Also, the first three speakers, including Cardinal Mahony, will speak about immigration. Mahony will also celebrate one of the weekend’s Masses. It’s all on the website.

    Curiouser and curiouser.

  9. BaedaBenedictus says:

    Of course, Catholicism is more than being against abortion and gay marriage, but in these two front-line cultural issues, Cardinal Mahony is on the right side. Perhaps he will speak about Catholic social teaching.

    God knows his reign was horrific for the Church in Stockton and LA, but perhaps he can do some good now.

  10. becket1 says:

    Sorry Father I’m not a wine drinker. The important thing is the TLM. I’d be happier with Mystic Monk coffee to wine.

  11. Hieronymus says:

    No, Father, I have not received a copy of his speech in advance, but I have seen plenty of his speeches in advance of this event. I have also seen his cathedral and his liturgies. Also, his duplicitous dealings in the clerical abuse realm have also given the Church a huge black eye. His promotion of dissent is the world’s worst kept secret. Are you honestly trying to act like his solution to the encroachment of secularism, which has been on display in LA for decades now, is one that should be given attention at a Catholic conference? Do I need to list the speakers he invites to his Religious Education Conference?

    If I saw a conference entitled, “Being a pro-life Catholic in a multicultural society”, and its headline speakers included Joe Biden and Doug Kmiec, I would not need to wait to read the speeches to know that I had no interest in being there. Same here. No thanks.

  12. wolfeken says:

    This is the first event I can think of where both the Nashville/Ann Arbor Dominicans and a traditional Latin Mass were on the same news release. Let’s hope it’s the start of something good — those Dominicans are largely the future of women religious in the U.S. It would be awesome if the traditional liturgy (be it Dominican or Roman) were to eventually become part of their order’s daily life.

  13. Jack007 says:

    In principle I wholeheartedly agree with the whole “count me out” position of some of the posters.
    However, we live in the practical realm, and must often bite the bullet.

    Fr. Z is 100% spot on here.
    If we pass on this opportunity, we hand the other side a WIN/WIN situation. I can hear them now, commenting on a poor showing by us: “So much for all that supposed support out there for the “Latin Mass”, huh?”
    I say show up in droves, and be sure to provide a strong and charitable witness for the Magisterium.

    Jack in KC

  14. jlmorrell says:

    I was very disappointed to see Cardinal Mahoney and even George Weigel on this list. In my mind the context matters a great deal when evaluating these types of suspect people attending.

    If Mr. Weigel and Cardinal Mahoney were attending a thoroughly traditional event with, say, the FSSP or ICKSP, then their influence would be diminished and there may even be the possibility that they be persuaded by the intellect and holiness of the traditional attendees.

    I’m not so sure this event will have that kind of traditional bent, other than the TLM, which leaves me wondering who will influence who.

  15. To be fair to His Eminence Cardinal Mahony on occasion he has said some solid things about the Faith, and perhaps him being out of the center of attention will give a chance for more solid things to come from him….If I’m not out of the country, I will be there.

  16. Mike says:

    Re Mahoney…as they say, every sinner has a future, every saint a past…

  17. Henry Edwards says:

    This is the first event I can think of where both the Nashville/Ann Arbor Dominicans and a traditional Latin Mass were on the same news release.

    Though to me, living within the ambit of the Nashville Domincans—of which Mother Assumpta’s Ann Arbor Dominicans are derivative—it does not seem all that surprising. Every Nashville Dominican whom I have met personally is one I first encountered at a Latin Mass (either EF or OF), and some of them are individually inclined toward the traditional form. Their convent liturgy, both Mass and Divine Office, though OF, is exemplary in reverence and solemnity.

    It strikes me that this is an impressively mainstream setting for a pontifical TLM. In addition to the afore-mentioned speakers—whom we surely would not begrudge the opportunity to kneel for Holy Communion on the tongue at such a Mass—the conference organizers include Ab. Chaput (its Ecclesiastical Advisor), a Norbertine monk from St. Michael’s Abby (its Director of Liturgy), a prominent Jesuit and former university president, and the president of Fr. Fessio’s Ignatius Press, and the conference participants include at least five bishops, only the celebrant of the closing Mass being previously associated (to my knowledge) with the TLM.

  18. David Homoney says:

    I have to say, I would be willing to hear what they have to say. I would say that the thing that would keep me from attending is the $1500 cost in addition to the flight and hotel. That is a ton of money. [Indeed, it is.]

  19. irishgirl says:

    Father Z, you asked me, ‘Maybe you could organize one?’ with regards to a ‘real’ Catholic conference in the Northeastern US.
    My answer to that is, ‘Nope-no way, no how!’ I am terrible at ‘organizing’! I have no phone right now, no Internet at home. My laptop is in the shop and I have no funds to pay so I can get it back (that is, if the shop hasn’t thrown it out yet!). I don’t have Twitter or Facebook or any of that other ‘techie’ stuff. I have problems with email!
    I’m just an ‘aging baby boomer’ who lives a very hidden life and trying to SURVIVE as a single Catholic woman! I have no college degree, either!
    So, I’m a ‘nobody’! And that’s how it’s gonna be for me!

  20. irishgirl says:

    I should have said, ‘I have ENOUGH problems dealing with email!’
    See? I can’t even get my thoughts together, much less try to organize a conference!

  21. TNCath says:

    I wish I could go, but $1,500 plus hotel and transportation for 4 days is a bit too steep for me.

  22. BaedaBenedictus says:

    Wow, $1,500, that’s steep! I guess they want to keep it open only for Opus Dei? ;-)

  23. irishgirl says:

    Yeah–that price is steep! Looks like only rich folks will be able to afford it…not us peasants!

  24. mwa says:

    The Meritage resort also offers complimentary accommodations for any priests who say Mass at their chapel.
    http://themeritageresort.typepad.com/the_meritage_resort_and_s/our-lady-of-the-grapes-chapel-mass-schedule.html

  25. Joshua08 says:

    Bishop Cordileone is awesome. I have been to two Solemn Masses from the Throne said by him, a Pontifical Low Mass with confirmation preceding, a priestly ordination in the old rite, and randomly, last week, by surprise (to me) he showed up at my parish when my priest was on retreat and celebrated a Missa Cantata in honor of the sacred heart. (yes I know in the 1962 Missal there technically is no such thing as a Missa Cantata for a bishop). Oh and I have been to a few Solemn Masses where he attended in choro and a Latin Novus ordo said ad orientem (the custom of the place was Latin, but versus populuum…he celebrated following the old Mass and asked that the altar be left as it were ;)

    WRT His Emminence Mahony, he can be very surprising at times. He wrote an article when he was bishop of Stockton calling priests who dissent from the pulpit liars who contradict by their actions their priesthood…

  26. Jerry says:

    the thing that would keep me from attending is the $1500 cost in addition to the flight and hotel

    And the hotel is $800 on top of that…

  27. boko fittleworth says:

    I’m guessing that this is going to be an attempt by the open borders crowd to mislead Catholics about the Church’s teaching on immigration.

  28. EXCHIEF says:

    Sorry Father but I have to 100% agree with Hieronymus on this one. Aside from the obscene cost of this event the presence of Mahoney as a speaker, regardless of the subject, stimulates the gag reflex. Yes there are some issues which he gets right, or at least close to right. On most he is not only wrong but heretically wrong. If, as reported, his talk is on the subject of immigration that is one more reason for me to never consider attending. True Church teaching on that issue and what Mahoney has historically advocated are not at all the same.

    To me any TLM liturgy is tempting….but I prefer it pure and unadulterated by being said in a conclave of liberals. Narrow minded–maybe but Mahony’s mere presence, given his track record, is enough to cast a huge cloud over the whole event.

  29. boko fittleworth says:

    The schedule is available here: http://www.napa-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Schedule-for-website-2.pdf

    Cigar smokers, a lobster fest. This is a Tom Monaghan/Legatus joint that will comfort the comfortable and give pseudo-magisterial cover to the importation of cheap labor, the profits of which are privatized and the costs of which are borne by the taxpayer.

    Mahoney ain’t there for the TLM. He’s there to spread his La Raza lies. [If you are going to call a Cardinal a liar, on my blog, which is like doing this in my living room – and is therefore pretty rude – you could at least spell his name properly.]

  30. EWTN Rocks says:

    I live close enough to Napa to attend the conference but the $1500 price tag kills it for me. However, I have to admit that I thought about it for a split second despite the cost just to attend the Solemn Mass in the Extraordinary Form to be celebrated by Bishop Cordileone.

    If I ever have an opportunity to meet Bishop Cordileone, I’ll have to offer an apology. I had the impression that he didn’t support EF masses since only two churches (out of 85) in the Oakland Archdiocese offer EF masses, at least from what I can tell from the website. If he could encourage/convince a larger number of pastors in the Oakland Ardiocese to regularly offer EF masses, I have feeling he would receive a more generous response to the Bishop’s Appeal from parishioners!

  31. Joshua08 says:

    EWTN Rocks stated, “I’ll have to offer an apology. I had the impression that he didn’t support EF masses since only two churches (out of 85) in the Oakland Archdiocese offer EF masses, at least from what I can tell from the website.”

    He hasn’t been here that long, and this is a diocese that covers Berkeley (yes that Berkeley)

    But as I stated in most post above, I have been to 4 EF Masses celebrated by His Excellency, one just last week where he filled in for my priest on retreat. To have a bishop come, not to celebrate confirmation or an anniversary, but for a monthly Mass for the Sacred Heart and sing the Mass is more than just support. He has said multiple EF Masses at my parish, including a Solemn Mass for the Throne, and a Solemn Mass from the Throne with the ordination of an FSSP priest in another parish. He is also very supportive of the Institute apostolate here. AND btw there are a few other EF Masses around, and by request of His Excellency Cordileone my parish priest is involved in training other priests to celebrate the EF…is that not a first step?

    WRT to His Eminence, Cardinal Mahony to state that he is heretical, let alone to make the ridiculous and calumnious charge that EXCHIEF made that he is heretical on most issues, is not just over the top, it is an insult to the Church herself. I will not defend my former bishop on everything, but +Mahony is a bishop, owed respect. And he is not a heretic, at least not in anyway I can tell (and of course it is not up to me to make that judgment). On the subject of immigration, despite what Republican-philos claim, he is not a heretic. At worst he is guilty of presenting his own view as the Church’s view, but his political view is not heretical, even if it is not the only way to implement Church teaching, or even if, in effect, it fails at that.

    Frankly those who go off on +Mahony would do better to look to their own sanctification, or least study of theology. I used to perversely enjoy catching just about anyone in heresy. My guess is that these self appointed pontiffs can easily be caught up in that…though that would be wrong of me (especially as I have been caught myself!). Maybe instead of making calumnies we could pray for bishops and priests and show respect to the fact that they have a conformity to Christ Himself? Yes even +Mahony. “Where the bishop is, there is Christ”

    http://www.adoptapriest.org/ might be a better expenditure of effort than griping. This apostolate is ran by a nun who used to be CRMI (sedevacantist) but was brought back to the Church through prayer of a single priest who care about those in her community, and by 4 MC sisters. Prayer can do a lot more than griping

  32. David Homoney says:

    EWTN ROCKS – Thanks to the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum priest do not need the blessing of the ordinary to celebrate the TLM. God Bless Pope Benedict XVI.

  33. EWTN Rocks says:

    Joshua08,

    Thank you for sharing info on progress toward additional EF masses – terrific news! My respect for Bishop Cordileone continues to grow.

  34. AnnAsher says:

    This looks awesome! So I clicked on register because I’m due for a retreat. Then I saw the pricetag. Even before lodging in Napa… Ouch! Still, I’m encouraged to see such a conference, excited for those who can attend.

  35. jasoncpetty says:

    Why not just go to the Mass, then? The conference is over on Saturday, so just go to the Mass on Sunday and enjoy your time up in Napa.

  36. SusanfromCalifornia says:

    This is a retreat being held at a Resort and Spa to help Catholics respond to atheism,secularism, MATERIALISM, and lukewarmness, top that off with a hefty price tag! Unbelievable! but believable, once I read the line up and subject matter. I am in agreement with what Bokofittleworth said @April9th8:24pm.
    Too bad the retreat is not including addressing responses to the dangers of socialism,liberation theology,marxism,and communism, but then some of the speakers wouldn’t be speaking :) Don’t lash out at me for stating that. I just recently attended the LAREC(Los Angeles Religious Education Congress) and the majority of workshops were promoting socialism and liberation theology. I apologize now for going all “Glenn Beck” on ya! The keynote speaker last year at LAREC was Jim Wallis, Obama’s religious czar. This year’s keynote speaker was Jack Jezreel of” Just Faith” ministries( an organization with close ties to Call to action , women priestess movement, Planned Parenthood, Industrial Areas Foundaton a Saul Alinsky group funded by George Soros) It is also very toubling when our bishops and USCCB are working with La Raza ( who happens to be in solidarity with the Muslim Brotherhood), on a shared public policy issue of “immigration”. When are fellow Catholics going to wake up and stop being fooled! I begining to think many have a form of Stockholm Syndrom.
    It is all there to see, you just have to open your eyes and ears, and dig a little deeper under the surface. I will suggest a must read book, called “You Can Still Trust The Communists to Be Communist” by Dr. Schwarz this is an updated version of his old book “You Can Trust The Communists To BeCommunist”.
    We must pray very hard for and educate our Bishops, priests,Religious, and fellow laity, many are being led astray by the red dragon.

  37. Melody says:

    Thanks for the heads up. I’m definitely going to try to make it as I’ve been wanting to go on retreat. Ironically, the weekend before I’ll be at Comic Con…

  38. Melody says:

    What the heck $1,500?! I think they are severely missing the point. Don’t they want ordinary people to come? And it seems they did not even have the courtesy to secure group discounts for the attendees staying at the hotel.

    Here’s why they should be ashamed of themselves: Even the “pagans” do more. I know. I’ve helped run small fan conventions in Los Angeles and San Diego. At $45 a head, we somehow manage to afford equally nice hotels, have paid celebrity guests, and a full docket of activities. And our con chairs always get the hotel to give us a special rate, usually $109-120/night. Everything is run by volunteers, and any profit is saved towards next year.

    I’m considering emailing those in charge and protesting this disgrace.

  39. Melody says:

    Update if anyone cares: More evidence that Archbishop Chaput is a great person!

    I sent him an email explaining my concerns about all this, and he responded personally! He said that while he does not have say over financial matters, he would forward my concerns to the organizers and ask that they respond to them.

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