Book Review: Saint Catherine of Siena by Alice Curtayne

This past week I picked up the book "Saint Catherine of Siena" by Alice Curtayne.  Ms. Curtayne wrote this book back in 1929. While not a writer by trade, she became so immersed in the life and works of St. Catherine of Siena that she wrote this fantastic book after years of researching and compiling notes on St. Catherine.  Interestingly, this book was her first notable book.  After the success of this one, she went on to write A Recall to Dante, The Catholic Literary Revival, St. Brigid of Ireland, and The Irish Story.

"Saint Catherine of Siena" is an easy and inspiring read.  As a Dominican Tertiary, I am well acquainted with the life of St. Dominic.  But St. Catherine, who was a Dominican tertiary herself, is the patroness of the Third Order today.  Yet, I did not truly know her life's story.

What Ms. Curtayne has done is summarize the wonderful effect of her life.  Despite all of her struggles, she had a way of bringing many souls back to Christ.  The book describes the band of followers who assisted her in her mission of writing letters and defending the Church in the midst of the Avignon Papacy.  I had previously heard of St. Catherine's role in bringing the Pope back from Avignon to Rome but I had no idea the drama and tumult that centered around the Avignon Papacy.  I also had no idea of the depth of her involvement and the amount of time, effort, suffering, and prayers it took for to help the Holy Father return to Rome.

The book also describes her life's work of promoting the interests of the Church in the calling for a Crusade (which she never saw happen), her role in bringing peace to Tuscany and Italy after a Revolution of sorts against the Church, her relationship with the Popes of the time, and finally her efforts to defend Urban VI after the Western Schism occurred and the anti-Pope Clement VII was elected.  I had no idea of the magnitude of these events and how it seemed that all hope had been lost for Christendom.  Yet, the Church prevailed and she did not sink from the attacks from without and within her ranks.  It was inspiring to read this book during this trying time with modernism reigning throughout the Eternal City.  It's also inspiring to think that despite many seemingly earthly failures, she nevertheless did so much for souls.

Ms. Curtayne really brings the personality and devotion of St. Catherine to Christ Crucified to life.  St. Catherine was a prolific writer (who dictated her correspondence but who nevertheless determined what was said), and Ms. Curtayne's book quotes these letters extensively.  The book is a wonderful tapestry of the letters of St. Catherine supplemented and explained with stories of her follower's lives and commentary on the Church at the time.

I'm happy to recommend this book to anyone looking for a book on the life and the writings of St. Catherine. 

Truly, if she could have done so much in only 33 years of life, we need to ask ourselves if we are truly doing enough each day and doing that which the Holy Ghost wishes us to do for the honor of God and the good of souls. 

St. Catherine, pray for us!

The Body of St. Catherine under the main altar at Santa Maria Minerva in Rome.  The photo was taken during my April 2016 visit to the Eternal City.

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A Year with the Church Fathers

As we prepare to welcome 2018 and begin a new year, I am going to personally try to devote more time to spiritual reading this year.  I saw this book, A Year with the Church Fathers, on Angelus Press and think it is an excellent way to incorporate disciplined and fruitful spiritual reading into the routine.  Please consider this book

In A Year with the Church Fathers, popular Patristics expert Mike Aquilina gathers the wisest, most practical teachings and exhortations from the Fathers of the Church, and presents them in a format perfect for daily meditation and inspiration. The Fathers were the immediate inheritors of the riches of the Apostolic Age, and their intimacy with the revelation of Jesus Christ is beautifully evident throughout their theological and pastoral writings: a profound patrimony that is ours to read and cherish and profit from.

Learn to humbly accept correction from St. Clement of Rome. Let Tertullian teach you how to clear your mind before prayer. Read St. Gregory the Great and deepen your love for the Eucharist. Do you suffer from pain or illness? St. John Chrysostom's counsels will refresh you. Do you have trouble curbing your appetite for food and other fleshly things? St. John Cassian will teach you the true way to moderation and self-control.

A Year with the Church Fathers is different from a study guide, and more than a collection of pious passages. It is a year-long retreat that in just a few minutes every day will lead you on a cycle of contemplation, prayer, resolution, and spiritual growth that is guaranteed to bring you closer to God and His truth. From the Church Fathers we should expect nothing less.

Beautiful gift edition, with two- tone ultra soft cover, ribbon marker, and designed interior pages.

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Meditations for Advent by Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet

I am highly recommending this book.

Keep Christ in Christmas this year by turning to this slim volume of daily Advent meditations by Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet, one of the greatest homilists in the history of the Church. 

Carefully selected to lift your soul to God in those hectic days that stretch from Thanksgiving to Christmas, these forty daily meditations will keep you mindful of the real meaning of Christmas while affording you an admirable distillation of the doctrines and piety of our Holy Catholic Church. 

With the help of Bishop Bossuet and the sense of God's grandeur and love that permeates his every word all through the rush toward Christmas you'll stay mindful of the holy words of Isaiah foretelling the birth of our savior; you'll find yourself marveling at the Annunciation and the Visitation; you'll rejoice in anticipation of the coming birth of Jesus; and, finally, you ll look forward to kneeling with St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin in silent adoration of the incarnate Son of God 

This year, you won't (as so often happens) arrive at Midnight Mass distracted, exhausted, and frazzled, having neglected your Advent devotions and your ordinary prayers, too. Instead, you'll find yourself stepping lightly into church, ready and eager to adore the newborn King, your soul what it should be: a fit dwelling place for the Redeemer. Don't waste another Advent! Let Meditations for Advent keep you prayerful amidst the worst distractions of the holiday season. Let it draw you daily closer to Jesus, whose birth the season celebrates, and whose birth your soul yearns to celebrate, too.

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Recommended Book on the True Martin Luther

 

“Luther’s True Face”, written by Fr. Jean-Michel Gleize of the Society of St. Pius X, raises historical facts too often forgotten by Catholics and Protestants alike. What was Luther’s career before 1517? How long was the “shortest seminary formation in history”? Why and how did he form his Protestant doctrine? What was the situation in the Church at the time? All these questions and more receive clear answers in Thomist precision and Aristotelian logic.

Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais wrote a special preface for the first English edition. The book, at an accessible 160 pages, includes short appendices, including Pope’s Pius XI encyclical “Mortalium Animos” on religious unity. This approachable synthesis, based on sound sources, given in objective way, makes “Luther’s True Face” a must-read for both Catholic and Protestants.

October 31, 2017, marks the 500th year anniversary of the famous episode (and birth of the Protestant revolution), when Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Church of Wittenberg. Naturally, the revolutionaries have every reason to celebrate. But what is utterly shocking is that Catholics have joined their celebration. Even Pope Francis participated in the 500th anniversary of this revolution. This "is quite simply a scandal" (p.12).

The St. Thomas Aquinas International Institute for Catholic Apologetics was founded in Poland in 2007. Its activity focuses on organizing conferences and distributing information to strengthen the Catholic Faith in dark times of doctrinal confusion and apostasy. Within the last ten years it has succeeded in forming a devoted international team of scholars, linguists, priests and laymen, skilled in theology, philosophy, and history, for the defense of the revealed truth through sound books and conferences.

Source: SSPX Website

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Book Review: Return to Order

Last year I began to read an electronic copy of "Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society--Where We've Been, How We Got Here, and Where We Need to Go" by John Horvat II

Mr. Horvath's book was full of truly insightful wisdom detailing the root causes of society's fall from its former glory.  Many may point to the sexual revolution, the World Wars, or the industrial revolution as the cause.  All of these however are merely symptoms and consequences of a much larger disorder.  In "Return to Order," the true culprit is identified as "frentic intemperance."

Mr. Horvath points to the consequences of these actions when he describes secularism: "Secular society is the logical consequence of a predominantly materialistic society...personal belief in God is allowed and even encouraged as long as it is confined to the personal unofficial realm. A secular society in general is one which is officially purged of all references to a reality beyond that of our naturalistic and materialistic world."

He continues by quoting Plino Correa de Oliveira who calls secularism a "curious form of atheism," and then continues expounding on the topic in a rather insightful manner.

But Mr. Horvath's book does more than provide these good and clear-cut explanations, it also and powerfully addresses the errors in the modern economy.  He writes, "Our great error is that we have turned economic activity into an end in itself.  We have separated economics from the influence of those human sciences and norms that should orient all human actions.  Economics, which should be a faithful servant to help man reach his end in life, thus becomes a domineering master."

What is the best society?  In "Return to Order," it is described as being organic, possessing upright spontaneity, and fostering and built on a virtuous order.  In Chapter 26, Mr. Horvath outlines the ordering principles of autonomy, authority, vital flux, and subsidiarity as vital principles which must return to our society if we are to reverse the calamities of the past decades and centuries.

I recommend the book for those looking to better understand the root cause of today's societal woes and a very easy and inspiring read on how we might restore order to our world.

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Our Savior and His Love for Us

This past week I was thankful to have been on a 5 Day Ignatian Spiritual Retreat in Ridgefield, Connecticut.  While I will write more in length in the coming days on my time there, I did want to share a book recommendation that I found extremely enlightening, insightful, and doctrinally solid.

The book is "Our Savior and His Love for Us" by the famous Dominican Philosopher of the 20th century - Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange.

Fr. Lagarange probes the meaning of 32 different topics relating to Our Lord's Divine Life and how they show His love for us. Each chapter is truly marvelous and beautifully written - spurning on each souls that already are well familiar with the life of the Lord.  I took away several insights on the Last Supper that I was not aware of despite having heard the story many different times already.

If you are looking for truly edifying spiritual reading, please consider "Our Savior and His Love for Us"

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Book Review: Saint Junipero Serra's Camino by Stephen Binz

Back in 2014 I spent a week visiting southern California - specifically Los Angeles down to San Diego. As part of my journey, I visited several missions including the Mission Basilica of San Diego de Alcala and Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Flash forward to early 2017.  I was contacted by Pete Socks in January with an opportunity to review one of Franciscan Media's newest books entitled Saint Junipero Serra's Camino by Stephen Binz.  As someone went on a pilgrimage to Rome last year, I jumped at the chance.  I found travel guide books very helpful in making the most out of pilgrimage in Rome, and I was excited to see how a guidebook would help in promoting the Catholicity of the California missions.  I was excited to have the chance to read Stephen Binz's book for myself.

And the result?  I wish I had this book back in 2014 when I first went to California.  In fact, I have not seen a book that so appropriately and usefully summarizes the missions.  This book importantly goes further than merely presenting the facts as to what is in each mission.  The book highlights the history of the missions and includes relevant prayers, litanies, and Scripture readings in each chapter, thus making this an ideal companion for those on pilgrimage in Southern California.

The book is easy to read, spiritually uplifting, and conveniently fits in your travel bag.  As a result, I'm happy to recommend this book to all.  To learn more, please check out Saint Junipero Serra's Camino by Stephen Binz on Amazon.com.

For those interested in journeying with this book to the missions founded by St. Junipero Serra, the following are just a few of the images from my travels there:

St. Junipero Serra, pray for us and for the Church!

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Nicea to Now: A History of the Councils of the Church

Please share news of this book as it is one of the best books I have ever read on explaining the Theology and Spirituality of the Councils - all from a Traditional Catholic perspective. You can order a copy here.

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Creation, Evolution, and Catholicism: A Discussion For Those Who Believe

A few months ago I was contacted by the Institute for Science and Catholicism and asked to review the work by Mr. McFadden: Creation, Evolution, and Catholicism: A Discussion For Those Who Believe.  The book itself is printed in an easy to use spiral-bound style. 

• What must a Catholic believe concerning evolution?
• Is Evolution a proven fact?
• Did Pope Pius XII actually permit belief in evolution?
• Does modern science - especially the developments in human genetics and DNA - reconcile with the conjectures of Charles Darwin?

Our children are leaving the Faith in droves and many of them are falling away because they believe that the Church is a composition of fairy tales without any basis in reality.  They are taught one thing by their priests and a vastly different opinion by so called "experts", scientists, and mass media programs.

Do you know how to answer your children's questions on evolution?  Do you know how to respond to evolution from a truly scientific and a truly theological perspective?

Probably not. 

That's why this book, Creation, Evolution, and Catholicism: A Discussion For Those Who Believe, is all the most necessary and timely. 

The book itself is a true labor of love and full of true, scientific research.  The author quotes extensively from scientific research journals, publications, and a vast amount of materials to present the overt discrepancies and inconsistencies from a scientific perspective with the theory of evolution.  After establishing this, only then does the author begin examining the documents of Pope Pius XII and relevant documents on our Holy Faith in the context of evolution.

This resource should be widely made available to all Catholic schools.   I pray this work be more fully available to all who are in a position of teaching authority in any respect - from Sunday school teachers, to pastors, to Directors of Religious Education, to science professors, and the like.  This is truly a composition of much research and it deserves to be widely made available so that more souls will be saved from falling away from the Church and into the atheistic materialism of the world.

The website Unam Sanctam Catholicam has posted a review online that is available for viewing by clicking here.

For those seeking to order a copy, please contact: SCIENCEandCATHOLICISM@gmail.com

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New Book: From Nicea to Now: The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church

When you think of the Councils of the Church, you probably imagine a group of Cardinals and Bishops quietly discussing obtuse theological doctrines which have no practical implications. Perhaps a loud cough is heard once in a while but, on the whole, it is a staid affair.


Actually, the Councils were anything but impractical or quiet. There were loud disagreements and accusations of heresy. You will read about wars, riots, murders and shipwrecks as well as anti-popes and the suppression of the Templars. The Council members cared deeply about the religious and social problems of their day, arguing for months, sometimes years, in order to find a solution.


Each chapter of the book contains a discussion of why the Council was called and what happened at the Council, as well as Biblical references and prayers. You shall meet many saints (from Saint Francis to Saint Nick) as well as a few characters not so holy. Each Council has its own exciting story but each has a unifying theme in the Church’s unending mission to guide souls to God.

Unlike other books which have tried to examine only certain Councils in detail, this one-of-a-kind work is the result of years of research. Learn the fullness of all the teachings of the Church’s Ecumenical Councils from Nicea to Constantinople to Lyons to Florence and to the present day, and everything in between.

For more information please visit CatechismClass.com to take part in the interactive online course.  Or if you are interested in the paperback, click here to preview the book.

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Our Lady, Undoer of Knots by Marge Fenelon

A few days ago I received in the mail a copy of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots by Marge Fenelon to review.  I admit that before receiving this book I was unfamiliar with both devotion to Our Lady under this title and with Ms. Fenelon.  After finishing the book, I am glad to have come across both.

The book is a very short read - I finished it in only around 3 - 4 hours.  However, the substance of the book is quite spiritually edifying.  Using the image of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, the author shows us how our Blessed Mother can help undo the knots of disorder, sin, and confusion in our lives.  Each chapter features a great prayer to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots.

The book is structured around the 2014 pilgrimage of Pope Francis to the Holy Land.  Each chapter focuses on one of the holy sites visited by Pope Francis (e.g. The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of All Nations near the Grotto of the Agony, the Basilica of the Nativity, et cetera).  Using some of Pope Francis' words as a guide and her own experiences visiting, touching, and venrating these holy sites, Ms. Fenelon has crafted a powerful meditation.  This book has helped me see even more the need for us to pray for peace in the Holy Land and to contribute to the support of the sacred sites there.

While in Jerusalem at a museum documenting the Holocaust, the author describes the reaction of the Jewish tour guide who blamed the Church.  I am glad to read in here how the author refutes the notion that the Church did nothing - citing the example of Pope Pius XII who saved thousands in the Vatican itself.

In this time of crisis in the Church, many books written nowadays are questionable on their orthodoxy - if not outright heretical.  This book was sound in its Theology and inspiring.  I am happy to recommend it.

My only reservations for the book include:

• The book does not capitalize pronouns that reference our Lord's name.  
• The book at the back under "How to Pray the Rosary" includes the "Luminous Mysteries" that are not an actual part of the Rosary and which I do not promote.
• The book mentions the prayer of Pope Francis with members of the Orthodox Church and other clergy (with a mention of Lutherans) without disclaiming that there is no salvation outside of the Church and that we should pray for their conversion.

However, despite these issues that I would have changed had I served as the editor, I found spiritual benefit in this book and am happy to recommend Our Lady, Undoer of Knots by Marge Fenelon.

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, pray for us!  Pray for the Church!  Pray for the conversion of sinners!

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Review: The Flame of Love - Messages from our Lord to Elizabeth Kindelmann

A few weeks ago I received a copy of The Flame of Love.  The book is promoted by the website MyConsecration.org.  Along with the book, I received a letter from MyConsecration.org that said in part:

This Flame of Love book that you requested is provided to you in the hope that you will prayerfully decide to devote your life more fully to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The letter states that the Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and President of the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe, Cardinal Peter Erdo, gave an imprimatur to the Hungarian manuscript of the Spiritual Diary of Elizabeth Kindelman, "authoring the publication of the messages given to her by the Lord Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary."  The letter continues, "These Heavenly communications, given between the years 1961 and 1982, are consigned in her Spiritual Diary at the request of the Lord Jesus."

The letter further states: "These messages are urgent and emphasize the 'same' messages as most of the other church approved messages from Anika, Betania, and elsewhere.  The Lord states: 'The Grace from the Flame of Love of My Mother's Immaculate Heart is Noah's Ark.' We believe these messages from God are the most important of all so far since Fatima as there is a signal grace intended for each person and we are asked to pass it to others."

I have read much of the book and find it inspiring.  The Flame of Love does have an imprimatur by Archbishop Chaput.  While an imprimatur does not mean that the Church official approves the apparitions are true, it means that no items in the book are contrary to Catholic teaching.

While I can find little online regarding these apparitions and whether or not they are officially approved (or at least not condemned), this book does contain some spiritual wisdom and an example of holiness and trust in God's providence as seen through Elizabeth Kindelman.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!  Help us to pray the Rosary daily as you have asked!

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Garcia Moreno by Fr. Augustine Berthe

This message is to thank a reader named Carmen.  I don't have Carmen's email address so I am posting this here. 

For those unfamiliar, Garcia Moreno is arguably the greatest Catholic president in history (i.e. a leader of a democracy).

Dear Carmen, thank you for your kindness of sending me a copy of Garcia Moreno by Fr. Augustine Berthe which was on my Amazon wishlist. I have received the book and am really grateful for your thoughtfulness.  I hope to read this book soon, it is next on my reading list after I finish my current book on the Dominican Order.

May God bless you for your generosity.  I will remember you in my prayers whenever I pray for my benefactors.

I will post a review of this book here after I have read it.

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Baptized in Christ: A Catholic Study of the Sacrament of Baptism for Godparents and Parents

CatechismClass.com proudly publishes a best-selling online Baptism Preparation Program, intended for godparents and parents of children to be baptized. We are excited to announce that this best-selling course is now also available in paperback format as well as in eBook format, for use on your Kindle, Nook, or alternative e-reader.

In this short book we will discuss the necessity for, Scriptures relating to, the history of, and the Rite for the Sacrament of Baptism. Baptism is the first Sacrament of the Faith, and it is the Sacrament by which a person becomes a Christian. It is truly a life-giving Sacrament since it is necessary for our salvation to receive it. Baptism was given to the Church as the Sacrament of initiation into the Faith and for the forgiveness of sins, both Original Sin and all personal sins. Through Baptism we are made sons and daughters of God, and God’s very life comes to dwell within us. It is through the graces of Baptism that we are given the foundations of virtue and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and it is through the graces of Baptism that we live as Christians at all. 

To learn more and order the paperback, please click here. It’s only $10.99!

To preview the eBook, please click here. It’s only $7.95!

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The Five Beasts of St. Hildegard: Prophetic Symbols of Modern Society

I was recently contacted by the author of a new book entitled The Five Beasts of St. Hildegard: Prophetic Symbols of Modern Society. It's an interpretation of her vision of the last days. There are few books about St. Hildegard that are written from a Catholic perspective. Also the author admits, "Credible books on Catholic prophecy are few as they tend to collect and collate various prophecies, some anonymous, and over-speculate on their meaning. This book takes a single prophecy from an original manuscript and compares it to modern history. I uncover a remarkable resemblance between them."

Mr. Turner's work is insightful and compelling.  It is an easy read, taking only a few hours to get through.  The author approaches his work by presenting the facts, which do show a correlation between the visions of St. Hiledgard and the time leading up to the end of the world.  Most importantly, the author does not force these conclusions; rather, he presents objective facts and thereby after establishing facts does he then even attempt to draw a conclusion.

All in all, its a good book, presenting the facts which indicate that our world is in the midst of the prophecies of St. Hildegard on the last ages of the world.

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40% off the Complete Summary of the Dark Night of the Soul

In honor of today's Feast of St. John of the Cross, we are offering our book summary of his classic "Dark Night of the Soul" for 40% off.  Just enter code DARKNIGHT to save on it.

Our summary of the "Dark Night of the Soul" is meant to make this text understandable for you.  Our summary is approximately 20 pages long.  It is a meaningful and complete summary.  Our summaries allow you to understand such great classics as this book without having to devote many hours to reading the full book.

Link to the summary: http://www.catechismclass.com/shop/lessons_detail.php?id=142

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Angelus Press Catholic Trivia Game: My Review

Along with the 2015 Angelus Press Calendar, I received the other week a fascinating new Catholic Trivia game in the mail.

Long time in the making and finally available from Angelus Press is the game, Catholic Trivia: Traditional Version is really quite a product.  If you are looking for a way to study and learn the Faith in a really fun game format, this product is for you.  I was quite amazed by the depth of the questions.  Even someone very familiar with Church history and the lives of the saints will undoubtedly learn something from this game.

The game has 500 cards containing 1500 questions stemming from 6 categories:

1. Baltimore Catechism
2. The traditional Mass
3. History and the Liturgical Calendar
4. Popes, Patron Saints and Other Pious People
5. Ritual, Symbol, and Doctrine
6. Et Cetera

And considering that this fun yet highly edifying and educational game is only $24.95, it's well worth the investment.  Please consider buying one today.  I'm highly recommending this one!

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Day by Day for the Holy Souls in Purgatory: 365 Reflections

I would like to recommend this book which is especially appropriate for All Souls Day:

"If we, by our prayers and sacrifices, freed a soul from purgatory, we would then have another intercessor for us in heaven." - Venerable Solanus Casey

Every day we have another opportunity to pray for the holy souls in purgatory - author, speaker, and purgatory expert Susan Tassone gives you a unique tool to do just that. Day by Day for the Holy Souls includes prayers, teachings about purgatory, real-life stories, Susan's own wisdom, meditations, quotes from the saints, and more. You can use this book however you like - as a daily devotional, as a year round novena, to follow the liturgical seasons.

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Introduction to Devout Life Excerpt by St. Frances de Sales

You wish to live a life of devotion, dearest Philothea, because you are a Christian and know that it is a virtue most pleasing to God's Majesty. Since little faults committed in the beginning of a project grow infinitely greater in its course and finally are almost irreparable, above all else you must know what the virtue of devotion is. There is only one true devotion but there are many that are false and empty. If you are unable to recognize which kind is true, you can easily be deceived and led astray by following one that is offensive and superstitious.

In his pictures Arelius painted all faces after the manner and appearance of the women he loved, and so too everyone paints devotion according to his own passions and fancies. A man given to fasting thinks humself very devout if he fasts although his heart may be filled with hatred. Much concerned with sobriety, he doesn't dare to wet his tongue with wine or even water but won't hesitate to drink deep of his neighbor's blood by detraction and calumny. Another man thinks himself devout because he daily recites a vast number of prayers, but after saying them he utters the most disagreeable, arrogant, and harmful words at home and amon the neighbors. Another gladly takes a coin out of his purse and gives it to the poor, but he cannot extract kindness from his heart and forgive his enemies. Another forgives his enemies but never pays his creditors unless compelled to do so by force of law. All these men are usually considered to be devout, but they are by no means such. Saul's servants searched for David in his house but Michol had put a statue on his bed, covered with David's clothes, and thus led them to think that it was David himself lying there sick and sleeping. In the same manner, many persons clothe themselves with certain outward actions connected with holy devotion and the world believes that they are truly devout and spiritual whereas they are in fact nothing but copies and phantoms of devotion.



Genuine, living devotion, Philothea, presupposes love of God, and hence it is simply true love of God. Yet it is not always love as such. Inasmuch as divine love adorns the soul, it is called grace, which makes us pleasing to his Divine Majesty. Inasmuch as it strengthens us to do good, it is called charity. When it has reached a degree of perfection at which it not only makes us do good but also do this carefully, frequently, and promptly, it is called devotion. Ostriches never fly; hens fly in a clumsy fashion, near the ground, and only once in a while, but eagles, doves, and swallows fly aloft, swiftly and frequently. In like manner, sinners in no way fly up towards God, but make their whole course here upon the earth and for the earth. Good people who have not as yet attained to devotion fly toward God by their good works but do so infrequently, slowly, and awkwardly. Devout souls ascend to him more frequently, promptly, and with lofty flights. In short, devotion is simply that spiritual agility and vivacity by which charity works in us or by aid of which we work quickly and lovingly. Just as it is the function of charity to enable us to observe all God's commandments in general and without exception, so it is part of devotion to enable us to observe them more quickly and diligently. Hence a man who does not observe all God's commandments cannot be held to be either good or devout. To be good he must have charity, and to be devout, in addition to charity he must have great ardor and readiness in performing charitable actions.

Since devotion consists in a certain degree of eminent charity, it not only makes us prompt, active, and faithful in observance of God's commands, but in addition it arouses us to do quickly and lovingly as many good works as possible, both those commanded and those merely counselled or inspired. A man just recovered from illness walks only as far as he must and then slowly and with difficulty; so also a sinner just healed of his iniquity walks as far as God commands him, but he walks slowly and with difficulty until such time as he has attained to devotion. Then like a man in sound health he not only walks but runs and leaps forward "on the way of God's commandments." Furthermore, he moves and runs in the paths of his heavenly counsels and inspirations. To conclude, charity and devotion differ no more from one another than does flame from the fire. Charity is spiritual fire and when it bursts into flames, it is called devotion. Hence devotion adds nothing to the fire of charity except the flame that makes charity prompt, active, and diligent not only to observe God's commandments but also to fulfill his heavenly counsels and inspiration.

From the First Part of the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

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Book Review: AA 1025: The Memoirs of an Anti-Apostle

Back in the 1960s the memoirs of a secret Communist agent were discovered by a French nurse named Marie Carre while attending to an auto accident in which the agent was killed. In his briefcase was found a set of biographical notes which she kept and read, and then decided to publish because of their extraordinary content. The end result is a little book entitled, AA 1025---The Memoirs of an Anti-Apostle, which reveals the sentiments and plans of this Communist who had deliberately entered the priesthood (along with over a thousand others) with the intention of subverting and destroying the Catholic Church from within. The following excerpt is taken from his notes:

"It was during those days that I launched on the market the program that would allow Catholics to be accepted by Protestants... I prophesied with assurance the suppression of Latin, of priestly vestments, of statues and images, of candles and prie-dieu (so that they could kneel no more). And I also started a very active campaign for the suppression of the Sign of the Cross. This Sign, and also genuflections, are all ridiculous customs. I also prophesied (and we were then in 1940) the disappearance of altars, replaced by a completely bare table, and also of all the crucifixes, in order that Christ be considered as a man, not as a God. I insisted that Mass be only a community meal, to which all would be invited, even unbelievers... I searched for the means of suppressing the Pope. I consoled myself by hoping that we would surely succeed in making him look foolish."

Over the past few days I finished this book and it is alarming what has happened in the past 50 years that the Communist, atheistic agents sought:

• Emphasis on "the Lord's Supper" instead of "The Sacrifice"
• The use of the Mass in vernacular
• The abandonment of the High Altar for a bare table
• Communion in the Hand
• Less use of the phrase "Real Presence"
• Communal Penance sessions
• A New Canon that specifically included removing the reference to Christ's "Holy and Venerable hands"
• Elimination of the talk of indulgences
• A shift to the focus of the rights of man instead of the rights of God
• The abandonment the original schema for Vatican II developed by Traditionalists like Archbishop Lefebvre
• And much more

This short book is a testament that evil is real and in our midst and that the enemy can hide behind a facade of holiness, when in fact they seek to subvert the Church and create one world religion focused on man.  The best thing that we can do to resist this is to always hold true to the Traditions of our Fathers and reject all novelties.  The Communists would frequently mask their evil behind seemingly good intentions; but they knew that the consequence of their work would ultimately be detrimental to the Faith.

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