Christian Epigraphy

Many early Christian inscriptions are quite crude. This burial inscription from the Basilica of St Agnes outside the Walls (click on the photo to enlarge) is typical. What's interesting is the spelling - it seems to give an indication of how ordinary folk actually spoke. The two things that spring out at me are the last words of the 1st and 2nd lines - Nobenbres and bixit respectively. Spelled correctly they should be Novembres and vixit - amongst the some of the common folk, at least, 'v' was pronounced as 'b'. This reminds me of the manner in which present-day Spaniards speak Italian.
If any of my readers would care to add anything about the inscription, I'll happily update this post to incorporate comments. I was going to post a full translation, but I lose my way a little in the middle when I have difficulty breaking the inscription up into individual words.

Arrupe to Jesuits on Humane Vitae

Diogenes has posted a copy of the late Jesuit Superior General Fr Arrupe's letter to Jesuits on the occasion of the issuing of Humanae Vitae. It's worth a read, and it's easy to wistfully agree with Diogenes's desire that so many SJs failed to take it to heart.
However, his version of the English translation includes one of strangest translation errors I've ever read.
I think he's using the 1968 National Catholic Reporter translation which includes the following sentence:

In so fulfilling our mission as Jesuits, which is to make the thought of the Church understood and loved, we can help the laity, who themselves have much to bring to the problems touched on in the encyclical, and who rely on us for a deep understanding of their points of view.

This should read:

In so fulfilling our mission as Jesuits, which is to make the thought of the Church understood and loved, we can help the laity, who themselves have much to bring to the problems touched on in the encyclical, and who rely on us for a deeper understanding of the teaching of Paul VI. (pro intimiore penetratione magisterii Pauli VI)

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Motu Priprio: Summorum Pontificum

Fr Z has much more informed commentary than I can offer.

Motu Proprio - Official Confirmation

From the Bolletino:

COMUNICATO DELLA SALA STAMPA DELLA SANTA SEDE
Si è svolta ieri pomeriggio in Vaticano una riunione, presieduta dal Cardinale Segretario di Stato, in cui è stato illustrato ai rappresentanti di diverse conferenze episcopali il contenuto e lo spirito dell’annunciato "Motu proprio" del Santo Padre sull’uso del Messale promulgato da Giovanni XXIII nel 1962. Il Santo Padre si è recato a salutare i presenti e si è intrattenuto con loro in un’approfondita conversazione per circa un’ora. La pubblicazione del documento – che sarà accompagnato da un’ampia lettera personale del Santo Padre ai singoli Vescovi - è prevista entro alcuni giorni, quando il documento stesso sarà stato inviato a tutti i Vescovi con la indicazione della sua successiva entrata in vigore.

Basically, it's official confirmation of yesterday's meeting with various members of the Episcopal Conferences about the forthcoming Motu Proprio of the Holy Father about the use of the missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962.
The statement adds that the Motu Proprio will be issued within a few days, and will be accompanied by a personal letter of the Holy Father. The letter and the document will be sent to all bishops, along with indications about its coming into force.
The communication also indicated that the Pope met and conversed with the bishops at yesterday's meeting for about an hour.

07/07/2007? Motu Date

Fr Z has the scoop:

On Wednesday afternoon the Secretary of State, Tarcisio Card. Bertone gave the Motu Proprio to 30 bishops from around the world on Wednesday afternoon in the Apostolic Palace. The bishops were explicitly chosen and invited for this. (I am guessing that they were heads of Bishops Conferences.) Pope Benedict XVI later came to the meeting. The document is three pages long, though what the format is in not revealed. The Pope’s accompanying letter is four pages.
It is clear from the way this was done that the Holy Father wanted to make sure that bishops got this document in this way, rather than having to read about it in the paper. I assume that what will happen now is that these bishops, if they are heads of conferences, will return home and distribute the document to the bishop members of the conference.
[UPDATE: They are not only heads of conferences: H.E. Archbp. Raymond Burke of St. Louis and H.E. Sean Card. O’Malley of Boston was there, whether because of this meeting or a coincidental meeting is not clear.]
The general publication is 7 July.

The Foster Experience

Quantative Metathesis is taking Fr Reginald Foster's famous summer Latin course and gives one of the best short descriptions of the Magister I've ever read.