Read the New Testament in One Year

The start of a new year is a great time to start on a worthwhile Bible reading project.  So starting today, please follow the Catholic Doors Guide along with me and read a few chapters each day. On the last day of this year, we will have read the entire New Testament.

Prayer Before Reading the Bible

Our Father, who art in heaven, sacred is your Word. Your kingdom come, your words be heard on earth as they are in heaven. Give us today your sacred Word. Forgive our neglect of it in the past as we forgive those who neglect us. Lead us toward an encounter with you each time we delve into the Scriptures. For your presence, your power, and your glory are ever present among us now and forever. Amen.

Need to Buy a Bible

Absolutely every Catholic should own a Bible. Translations like the King James Version and New World Translation are protestant and, therefore, should never be used because they do not even have all of the book of Sacred Scripture. The best Catholic Bible is the Douay-Rheims Bible, which was translated from the Vulgate. Although approved, I would definitely avoid the New American Bible [NAB] and Jerusalem Bible; the footnotes in the NAB can be difficult for converts to appropriately understand.

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The Collegio Armeno - Video

In this video there is an interesting detail to point out. Between the mark of 0:07 - 0.11 you can see in the right side of the screen what seems to be an Eastern Orthodox Cardinal. This deserves some explanation.

He is the President of Collegio Armeno.

Collegio Armeno in RomeGregory XIII in 1584 had decreed the erection of a college for the Armenians (Bull "Romana Ecclesia"), but the plan fell through. When the Collegio Urbano of the Propaganda was founded later, there were always some places for Armenian students to study.

Finally, in 1885, thanks to the generosity of some wealthy Armenians and of Leo XIII, the Collegio Armeno (The Pontifical Armenian College) was granted the Church of S. Nicola da Tolentino in the street of that name and the original wishes and decree of Gregory XIII relaized after so many years.

The president of Collegio Armeno is an Armenian prelate; the students numbering from 20 to 25 study and attend lectures at the Collegio Urbano of the Propaganda, and wear red sashes and large-sleeved Oriental cloaks.

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Novena to the Magi

Today is the beginning of the Novena to the Magi, in anticipation for the Epiphany of the Lord. The following prayer was found on Fish Eaters.

28 December:

O holy Magi! You were living in continual expectation of the rising of the Star of Jacob, which would announce the birth of the true Sun of justice; obtain for us an increase of faith and charity, and the grace to live in continual hope of beholding one day the light of heavenly glory and eternal joy. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

29 December:

O holy Magi! who at the first appearance of the wondrous star left your native country to go and seek the newborn King of the Jews; obtain for us the grace of corresponding with alacrity to every divine inspiration. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

30 December:
O holy Magi! who regarded neither the severity of the season, nor the inconveniences of the journey that you might find the newborn Messiah; obtain for us the grace not to allow ourselves to be discouraged by any of the difficulties which may meet us on the way of salvation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

31 December:

O holy Magi, who, when deserted by the star in the city of Jerusalem, sought humbly, and without human respect, from the rulers of the Church, the place where you might discover the object of your journey; obtain for us grace to have recourse, in faith and humility, in all our doubts and perplexities to the counsel of our superiors, who hold the place of God on earth. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

1 January:

O holy Magi, who were gladdened by the reappearance of the star which led you to Bethlehem; obtain for us from God the grace, that, remaining always faithful to Him in afflictions, we may be consoled in time by His grace, and in eternity by His glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

2 January:

O holy Magi, who, entering full of faith into the stable of Bethlehem, prostrated yourselves on the earth, to adore the newborn King of the Jews, though he was surrounded only by signs of poverty and weakness; obtain from the Lord for us a lively faith in the real presence of Jesus in the blessed Sacrament, the true spirit of poverty, and a Christ-like charity for the poor and suffering. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

3 January:

O holy Magi, who offered to Jesus Christ gold, incense, and myrrh, thereby recognizing Him to be at once King, God, and Man; obtain from the Lord for us the grace never to present ourselves before Him with empty hands; but that we may continually offer to Him the gold of charity, the incense of prayer, and the myrrh of penance and mortification. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

4 January:

O holy Magi, who, when warned by an angel not to return to Herd, traveled back to your country be another road; obtain for us from the Lord, the grace that, after having found Him in true repentance, we may avoid all danger of losing Him again. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

5 January:

O holy Magi, who were first among the Gentiles called to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and who persevered in the faith till your deaths, obtain for us of the Lord the grace of living always in conformity to our baptismal vows, ever leading to a life of faith; that like you we may attain to the beatific vision of that God Who now is the object of our faith. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end..

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Blessing of the Wine for the Feast of St. John

Many countries around the world have the tradition of blessing wine in the name of Saint John on this day, his feastday. Often a sweetened, spiced red wine is prepared and served hot (alcohol is evaporated after boiling for five minutes). At dinner on Saint John's Day, the father blesses a large cup of wine. Each member of the family takes a drink and passes the cup, saying "I drink to you in the love of Saint John".

Blessing of Saint John's Wine

Blessed art Thou, Lord God, who fillest the hungry and satisfiest the thirsty, And givest us wine to gladden our hearts. Grant that all who drink this wine in remembrance of Saint John may rejoice in Thee and be invited to sit at Thy heavenly banquet for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayers Offered by a Priest to Bless the Wine

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Edited August 2006 Posts

I have just finished editing the August 2006 Archives. Now all of my posts between June 2005 August 2006 inclusive have been re-read and edited if needed. I will hopefully edit more in the coming weeks. Please check out the August 2006 Archives and comment on anything that you like.

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Christmas 2010 Urbi et Orbi

“Verbum caro factum est” – “The Word became flesh” (Jn 1:14).

Dear brothers and sisters listening to me here in Rome and throughout the world, I joyfully proclaim the message of Christmas: God became man; he came to dwell among us. God is not distant: he is “Emmanuel”, God-with-us. He is no stranger: he has a face, the face of Jesus.

This message is ever new, ever surprising, for it surpasses even our most daring hope. First of all, because it is not merely a proclamation: it is an event, a happening, which credible witnesses saw, heard and touched in the person of Jesus of Nazareth! Being in his presence, observing his works and hearing his words, they recognized in Jesus the Messiah; and seeing him risen, after his crucifixion, they were certain that he was true man and true God, the only-begotten Son come from the Father, full of grace and truth (cf. Jn 1:14).

“The Word became flesh”. Before this revelation we once more wonder: how can this be? The Word and the flesh are mutually opposed realities; how can the eternal and almighty Word become a frail and mortal man? There is only one answer: Love. Those who love desire to share with the beloved, they want to be one with the beloved, and Sacred Scripture shows us the great love story of God for his people which culminated in Jesus Christ.

God in fact does not change: he is faithful to himself. He who created the world is the same one who called Abraham and revealed his name to Moses: “I am who I am … the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob … a God merciful and gracious, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (cf. Ex 3:14-15; 34:6). God does not change; he is Love, ever and always. In himself he is communion, unity in Trinity, and all his words and works are directed to communion. The Incarnation is the culmination of creation. When Jesus, the Son of God incarnate, was formed in the womb of Mary by the will of the Father and the working of the Holy Spirit, creation reached its high point. The ordering principle of the universe, the Logos, began to exist in the world, in a certain time and space.

“The Word became flesh”. The light of this truth is revealed to those who receive it in faith, for it is a mystery of love. Only those who are open to love are enveloped in the light of Christmas. So it was on that night in Bethlehem, and so it is today. The Incarnation of the Son of God is an event which occurred within history, while at the same time transcending history. In the night of the world a new light was kindled, one which lets itself be seen by the simple eyes of faith, by the meek and humble hearts of those who await the Saviour. If the truth were a mere mathematical formula, in some sense it would impose itself by its own power. But if Truth is Love, it calls for faith, for the “yes” of our hearts.

And what do our hearts, in effect, seek, if not a Truth which is also Love? Children seek it with their questions, so disarming and stimulating; young people seek it in their eagerness to discover the deepest meaning of their life; adults seek it in order to guide and sustain their commitments in the family and the workplace; the elderly seek it in order to grant completion to their earthly existence.

“The Word became flesh”. The proclamation of Christmas is also a light for all peoples, for the collective journey of humanity. “Emmanuel”, God-with-us, has come as King of justice and peace. We know that his Kingdom is not of this world, and yet it is more important than all the kingdoms of this world. It is like the leaven of humanity: were it lacking, the energy to work for true development would flag: the impulse to work together for the common good, in the disinterested service of our neighbour, in the peaceful struggle for justice. Belief in the God who desired to share in our history constantly encourages us in our own commitment to that history, for all its contradictions. It is a source of hope for everyone whose dignity is offended and violated, since the one born in Bethlehem came to set every man and woman free from the source of all enslavement.

May the light of Christmas shine forth anew in the Land where Jesus was born, and inspire Israelis and Palestinians to strive for a just and peaceful coexistence. May the comforting message of the coming of Emmanuel ease the pain and bring consolation amid their trials to the beloved Christian communities in Iraq and throughout the Middle East; may it bring them comfort and hope for the future and bring the leaders of nations to show them effective solidarity. May it also be so for those in Haiti who still suffer in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and the recent cholera epidemic. May the same hold true not only for those in Colombia and Venezuela, but also in Guatemala and Costa Rica, who recently suffered natural disasters.

May the birth of the Saviour open horizons of lasting peace and authentic progress for the peoples of Somalia, Darfur and Côte d’Ivoire; may it promote political and social stability in Madagascar; may it bring security and respect for human rights in Afghanistan and in Pakistan; may it encourage dialogue between Nicaragua and Costa Rica; and may it advance reconciliation on the Korean peninsula.

May the birth of the Saviour strengthen the spirit of faith, patience and courage of the faithful of the Church in mainland China, that they may not lose heart through the limitations imposed on their freedom of religion and conscience but, persevering in fidelity to Christ and his Church, may keep alive the flame of hope. May the love of “God-with-us” grant perseverance to all those Christian communities enduring discrimination and persecution, and inspire political and religious leaders to be committed to full respect for the religious freedom of all.

Dear brothers and sisters, “the Word became flesh”; he came to dwell among us; he is Emmanuel, the God who became close to us. Together let us contemplate this great mystery of love; let our hearts be filled with the light which shines in the stable of Bethlehem! To everyone, a Merry Christmas!

Image Source: Reuters

Listen to the Video:

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Hodie Christus Natus Est

Merry Christmas! May the Lord Jesus Christ, who was born in the manager of Bethlehem, continue to bring us closer to everlasting salvation.

Recommended Christmas Posts:

• Midnight Mass Celebrated by Fr. Daniel Couture
• Mass of Christmas Day Celebrated at St. Jude Roman Catholic Church
• Pope Pius XII Midnight Mass of 1944
• Christmas Day Music Chants
• Novena to the Magi
• Urbi et Orbi Addresses
• Holy Christmas Carols
• Christmas Proclamation
• Fr. Lawrence Novak's Christmas Mass Homily

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New Videos of the Traditional Latin Mass

Here are three videos recently uploaded to You-Tube.  Listen to the high quality of the choir in the first video as their prayers rise up to Heaven.  Note: If you are viewing this post through a feed, please view the original post to see the quality of the videos and watch them embedded into the post.



This video is of the Papal Elevation by John XXIII. Listen to the beautiful March of Silveri, traditionally played at the Papal Elevation.



This video is of a Traditional Baptism

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December 18, 2010, SSPX Ordinations in Argentina

On December 18, Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais ordained 5 new priests for the SSPX at Seminario Nuestra Señora Corredentora in LA REJA, ARGENTINA.

Assisting at the ceremonies was seminary rector, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, as well as Frs. Olmedo (seminary vice-rector) as the assistant priest, Bouchacourt (South America District Superior), and Trejo (Mexico District Superior) as the assistant deacons, J. Mestre as deacon and Calderon as subdeacon.

The new alter Christi are: Frs. Fabio Calixto (from Brazil), Carlos Ramirez, (Colombia), Juan Albisu (Argentina), Carlos Caliri (Argentina), and Hector Guiscafre (Mexico).

With these 5 new priests, the Society reaches the number of 534 of whom 84 work in the United States.


Source: SSPX.ORG

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Ten Reasons to Say Mass Ad Orientem

For readers of A Catholic Life, you will notice that I enjoy posting videos and photographs of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  I am especially fond of beautiful images of the Tridentine Latin Mass.  When I first tell people of the beauty and solemnity of this worship of our Lord, one of the first things that they ask is "Is that the Mass where the priest faces away from the people?"

I always have to remind these people that the priest is not facing away from them.  He is not facing them at times when He is speaking to our Lord, truly present in the Eucharist before him!

I see a fantastic list going around the Catholic Blogosphere.  Here is that list:

Image Source: Major Seminary in Krakow

1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is experienced as having a theocentric direction and focus.

2. The faithful are spared the tiresome clerocentrism that has so overtaken the celebration of Holy Mass in the past forty years.

3. It has once again become evident that the Canon of the Mass (Prex Eucharistica) is addressed to the Father, by the priest, in the name of all.

4. The sacrificial character of the Mass is wonderfully expressed and affirmed.

5. Almost imperceptibly one discovers the rightness of praying silently at certain moments, of reciting certain parts of the Mass softly, and of cantillating others.

6. It affords the priest celebrant the boon of a holy modesty.

7. I find myself more and more identified with Christ, Eternal High Priest and Hostia perpetua, in the liturgy of the heavenly sanctuary, beyond the veil, before the Face of the Father.

8. During the Canon of the Mass I am graced with a profound recollection.

9. The people have become more reverent in their demeanor.

10. The entire celebration of Holy Mass has gained reverence, attention, and devotion

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