On the una cuм question, which I am guessing is what you mean by "prayers in union with theirs", we only need to pick up some classical studies on the Mass to learn what this prayer in the Canon of the Mass means. Here's a quick selection from my library:
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by Gihr, 1902, The First Prayer of the Canon before the Consecration:
After this manner do we, in the first place, offer our prayers and the Sacrifice for Holy Church, for she is, indeed, our greatest benefactress, our spiritual mother... The general fruit of the Sacrifice falls the more copiously to the share of the individual members of the mystical body of Christ in proportion as they contribute to the common welfare of the Church, hence we have now a special and an express offering and prayer for the Pope, and for the chief pastor of the diocese in which the Holy Mass is celebrated...
The Mass, A Study of the Roman Liturgy, by Fortesque, 1912:
The Intercession (from "in primis"), now scattered throughout the Canon, begins by praying for the Church, Pope, bishop and the faithful...in the Middle Ages the celebrant added a prayer for himself...
The Heart of the Mass, compiled from approved sources, Imprimatur 1936:
After praying for the Church in general, a special petition is added for the Sovereign Pontiff and the diocesan bishop. Great responsibilities rest upon our ecclesiastical superiors; the welfare of mankind depends largely upon their fidelity to duty; therefore, we implore the divine assistance in their behalf.
Oops. I'm sorry, but I quoted this in my last post instead of the St Robert quote from in the other post you had shared.
So from what you shared it would seem that "una cuм" means only that we are praying "for" the pope.
I wonder why they use the words "una cuм" then instead of "for"?
I wonder about this further because I know that if we ask for a priest to offer Mass
for a relative and donate a stipend they ask if the person is a practicing Catholic or if they left the Church or were never a member.
If they are not practicing Catholics they cannot be named in the Mass. It cannot be offered specifically
for them by name. We can only offer the Mass for a "private intention" and not name the individual at Mass since we can't pray
for heretics or apostates and offer the Mass
for them. Isn't that right?
And I don't need to have a council come to town and declare my dear relative who I would very much like to have named and offer the Mass "for" a heretic or apostate. It's really up to my personal judgement because frankly we usually can tell if somebody is a practicing Catholic or a heretic or apostate. So we can trust my conscience and good sense on that matter.
Yet, if the pope is a heretic or apostate we can pray publicly at Mass "
for" him and offer the sacrifice "
for" him?
That doesn't make sense to me.
Perhaps if he is only an antichrist we can pray for him at Mass? Is that right? Perhaps that could be if antichrist means "sinner" but I don't think so if antichrist means heretic or apostate.
Also, I may be wrong but my understanding is that the Mass is inherently offered in union with the other (valid) masses worldwide. So although I did know that we are praying "for" the pontiff and bishop, we are also praying "in union" with them. That's one of the reasons why they use the words "una cuм" isn't it? So as to show unity?
But unity with antichrists? Ugh. Well if antichrist only means sinner then maybe that works.
But it definitely shows unity because that becomes apparent in the reverse scenario. If we do not name the pope during Mass it is seen as an act of schism.
Again this is what I don't understand:
So by naming him we are only praying "
for" him.
We are not praying "
in union with" him.
But if we don't name him we are in schism
because we are declaring
we are not "una cuм" in union with him.
Does that make sense?
How can it mean only mean "for" when we name him
but mean "in union with" (una cuм)
when we don't name him?
Here are some quotes to consider with an explanation I found helpful:
Rev. Maurice De La Taille in his book Mysterium Fidei. There are two points to be noted in this reference. The first point is: "Hence were anyone to mention by name an infidel, a heretic, a shismatic, or an excommunicated person...he would certainly violate the law of the Church."
THE CATECHISM EXPLAINED, FROM THE ORIGINAL, OF Rev. FRANCIS SPIRAGO, professor of Theology. EDITED BY Rev. RICHARD F. CLARKE, S.J. New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: BENZIGER BROTHERS, Printers to the Holy Apostolic See, 1899, Nihil Obstat, Thos. L. Kinkead, Censor Librorum, Imprimatur, +MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York, New York, August 8, 1899, p. 549.
In the Roman Mass, after Lavabo, a priest prays Suscipe sancta Trinitas... etc. Then he turns to the people, and facing them says in an audible voice "Oráte, fratres: ut meum ac vestrum sacrifícium acceptábile fiat apud Deum Patrem omnipoténtem" "Pray, brethren: that my and your sacrifice may be acceptable to God the Father Almighty".Also, when at the words una cuм famulo tuo Papa nostro N. a priest adds the name of the reigning Pope, and at the words et antistite nostro N. he adds the name of the Ordinary of the place where he says Mass, the faithful are uniting in spirit with the priest. In other words, the faithful agree with a priest when he mentions the Pope and the Bishop, and they agree with a priest when he mentions a public heretic, or a schismatic.By mentioning the Pope by name, the priest manifests unity with him, as the visible head of the Catholic Church upon earth. By mentioning a heretic, instead of the Pope, the priest manifests unity with a heretic as the head of the Catholic Church. Laity in attendance manifest the same unity either with a Pope or a heretic.The Church's Teaching is very clear, that during the Holy Mass the faithful are uniting themselves in spirit to the priest both in the offering of the sacrifice and in liturgical prayers, and here are some excerpts:THE CATECHISM EXPLAINED: 5. Not the priest alone, but all the faithful who are present at Mass, may offer the holy sacrifice for a special intention.
The people who are present when Mass is celebrated offer it with the officiating priest. The priest offers the sacrifice in his own person, the people offer it by his hands.
Some say that by mentioning the Pope in the Canon, the priest does not offer sacrifice of the Mass una cuм (together with) the Pope, but he only prays for the Pope, and that it has completely different meaning for the laity when they participate in Holy Mass.
Let us see, whether there is a matter if una cuм is translated as "together with thy servant N. our Pope" (which is literal translation) as it is in THE ROMAN MISSAL IN ENGLISH FOR THE USE OF THE LAITY, or "for thy servant N. our Pope" as it is translated by Rev. F. X. Lasance or ADRIAN FORTESCUE.THE ROMAN MISSAL, TRANSLATED INTO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR THE USE OF THE LAITY:
"WE therefore, humbly pray and beseech thee most merciful Father, thro' Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord, that thou wouldst vouchsafe to accept and bless these gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted sacrifices, which in the first place we offer thee for thy holy Catholic Church, to which vouchsafe to grant peace; as also to preserve, unite, and govern it throughout the world: together with thy servant N. our pope N. our Bishop, as also all ortnodox believers and professors of the catholic and apostolic Faith."
THE ROMAN MISSAL, TRANSLATED INTO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR THE USE OF THE LAITY. PUBLISHED WITH THE APPBOBATION OF THE RIGHT REV. THE BISHOP OF PHILADELPHIA, FIRST REVISED EDITION. PHILADELPHIA. PUBLISHED BY EUGENE cuмMISKEY, 1037 CHESTNUT STREET. 1865, duly approved of, and recommended by me to the faithful. Frederick James, Bishop of Philadelphia, p. xxxiii.
The New Roman Missal by Rev. F. X. Lasance:
"THEREFORE, we humbly pray and beseech Thee, most merciful Father, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, Our Lord, to receive and to bless these + gifts, these + presents, these + holy unspotted sacrifices, which we offer up to Thee, in the first place, for Thy holy Catholic Church, that it may please Thee to grant her peace, to guard, unite, and guide her, throughout the world; as also for Thy servant N., our Pope, and W., our Bishop, and for all who are orthodox in belief and who profess the Catholic and apostolic faith."
The New Roman Missal, by Rev. F. X. Lasance, p. 777
THE MASS A STUDY OF THE ROMAN LITURGY:
"The Intercession (from "in primis"), now spread throughout the Canon, begins by praying for the Church, Pope, bishop and the faithful." THE MASS A STUDY OF THE ROMAN LITURGY BY ADRIAN FORTESCUE, LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, NEW YORK, BOMBAY AND CALCUTTA 1914, Nihil obstat: F. THOS. BERGH, O.S.B., Censor dcputatus. Imprimatur: Edm. Can. Surmont, Vic. gen. Westmonasterii, die 28 Martii, 1912, p. 329.
No matter how una cuм is translated "with our Pope", or "for our Pope", from it is clear that the emphasis in the prayer of the Canon is on the offering the sacrifice by the priest and the faithful for the holy Catholic Church in unity with Pope as the visible head of the Catholic Church upon earth. By mentioning the Pope by name the priest manifests his unity with the Pope, and the faithful attending the Mass manifest their unity with the Pope as well.
On the other hand, if the priest mentions a heretic or a schismatic instead of the Pope, he thus manifests unity with a heretic or a schismatic, and the laity do the same through the priest."
http://www.catholicmessage.org/blog/cmri-una-cuм-issues-matrimonial-decisions-jurisdiction/2022-11-04-415
Considering the above,
perhaps it would be okay to name an antichrist in the Mass and offer it in union him
but not with a heretic?
I find that hard to believe, but I tend to favor St John's definition of antichrist in Sacred Scripture.
Before going sede I asked priests how we could unite the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in union with antichrists and they gave me no answer.
That's why I'd like to know if there is another definition that an antichrist is just a sinner but I haven't found one.
Perhaps ABL used that definition of antichrist? Did ABL think antichrist meant "sinner"?
I just can't imagine looking Jesus in the eyes and explaining why I offered his Most Precious Body and Blood
in union with antichrists who pray to strange gods.
I don't think, "Because ABL or Chazal or Lad etc...said it was okay." will do.
I mean I have in the past, but never again.
It just seems to me to be extremely offensive to the sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus and a violation of the First Commandment.
It's a way to get me (and Jesus' most adorable Body and Blood) to be a part of the nєω ωσrℓ∂ σr∂єr One World Religion.
Ugh!
Unless somebody can convince me otherwise.
I mean, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to obey God's commandments
and time is running out.