Sunday, June 11, 2006
Novena to St. Anthony: Day Eight

Prayer:

O wonderful St. Anthony, glorious on account of the fame of your miracles, and through the condescension of Jesus in coming in the form of a little child to rest in your arms, obtain for me of His bounty the grace which I ardently desire from the depths of my heart . (State your intention)

You who were so compassionate toward miserable sinners, regard not the unworthiness of those who pray to you, but the glory of God that it may once again be magnified by the granting of the particular request (State your intention) which I now ask for with persevering earnestness. Amen

(Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father, in honor of Saint Anthony.)

Saint Anthony, pray for us!

DAY EIGHT

O holy St. Anthony, you have shown yourself so powerful in your intercession, so tender and so compassionate towards those who honor you and invoke you in suffering and distress. I beseech you most humbly and earnestly to take me under your protection in my present necessities and to obtain for me the favor I desire (State your intention). Recommend my request to the merciful Queen of Heaven, that she may plead my cause with you before the throne of her Divine Son.

One Our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father, in honor of Saint Anthony.

Saint Anthony, pray for us!
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The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity


"You see the revolving circle of the glory moving from Like to Like. The Son is glorified by the Spirit; the Father is glorified by the Son; again the Son has His glory from the Father; and the Only-begotten thus becomes the glory of the Spirit. For with what shall the Father be glorified, but with the true glory of the Son: and with what again shall the Son be glorified, but with the majesty of the Spirit? In like manner, again, Faith completes the circle, and glorifies the Son by means of the Spirit, and the Father by means of the Son" (St. Gregory of Nyssa).

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, where we recall the most fundamental mystery of the Christian faith - that God is a Triune God. There is but One Almighty God as Our Lord declared to Moses on Mount Sinai. Yet, in the New Testament we realize the true nature of Our God - He is three persons. For God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are but the same God merely in three different persons. The Holy Trinity can be observed in the Gospel through the words of our Lord: "Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:18).

History of the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity

The feast of the Blessed Trinity was first introduced in the 9th century and was only made part of the general calendar of the Church in the 14th century by Pope John XXII. The SSPX website notes:

For the first thousand years of Christianity, no special feast was selected to celebrate this mystery since, as Pope Alexander II (1073) declared, every day of the liturgical year was devoted to the honor and adoration of the Holy Trinity.

It was to counteract the Arian heresy, which denied the fullness of divinity to the Son, that a special text of the Mass in honor of the Holy Trinity was introduced in the liturgical books. It was left to the devotion of each priest, pretty much like the present votive Masses. From the 9th century onwards, bishops of the Frankish kingdoms had a special celebration of the mystery, usually on the Sunday after Pentecost, using a Mass text from Charlemagne's advisor, Abbot Alcuin from 804.

But it was not until John XXII that it was inserted in the official calendar of the Western Church in 1334. However, it is interesting to note that the beautiful Preface of the Trinity (read throughout all Sundays after Pentecost), dates from the time of St. Gregory the Great. 

As Gregory DiPippo of the New Liturgical Movement relates, "There is a minority tradition, which was kept up in the Low Countries and some parts of Germany until the later part of the 16th century, that kept the octave day of Pentecost as a true octave and put Trinity on the Monday after, but that was never done at Rome. From the time it was adopted at Rome, it was always on the Sunday after Pentecost."

Today on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, the Athanasian Creed is prayed in the 1961 Divine Office during Prime. Before the changes to the Office in 1955/1956, the rubrics in place under Divinu Afflatu promulgated by St. Pius X were in force. And per those rubrics, the Athanasian Creed was said on all Sundays after Epiphany and Sundays after Pentecost which did not fall within Octaves or on which a feast of a rank of Double or higher was celebrated or commemorated, in addition to being prayed on Trinity Sunday. Thus even Traditional priests who say the 1961 Breviary, will only pray this Creed once a year, on this Sunday.

Truths of the Holy Trinity
  1. The Trinity is one. There are three persons but only one God. Each person is God wholly and entirely.
  2. Each person is different the other two. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not different roles of the same person. Each person has a different origin.
  3. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all share one nature. They are related but not the same person while each of them is fully God.
Roles of Each Person of the Trinity
  1. The Father sent His only Son: "When the appointed time came, God sent his Son." (Gal. 4:4) also John 8:42
  2. The Son came to die our death and free us
  3. The Holy Spirit as one who proceeds from the Father and the Son
Addressing Trinitarian Heresies

Since the beginning, many lies and heresies have sprouted as Our Lord warned that many antichrists would come. Some heretics taught Jesus was not God, there were 3 gods, and the 3 persons were just three different roles of the same person. All of these lies and heresies were condemned.

While the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each God, the three persons each have a separate purpose in relation to the salvation of the World. However, all the Divine Persons of the Trinity act in perfect unity since God is one and has but one purpose.

While all of this is certainly confusing, we can only pray that through the Holy Spirit's inspiration, we can hope to understand the Trinity. In time we can understand the Trinity and the nature of Our One God better, but only in Heaven will we truly experience the joy of serving the One God and seeing the mystery of the Holy Trinity face to face.

After this brief recap of the truths of the Holy Trinity, let’s briefly identify six key heresies against the Trinity. Some of these same errors still come up, so study this carefully in order to refute them when you encounter them. Click here to learn more.
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FSSP June 2006 Ordinations

The ordinations were performed by His Excellency, Bishop Fabrian Bruskewitz in the Cathedral of Lincoln, Nebraska. Photos are from NLM.




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Saturday, June 10, 2006
Words of Inspiration: June 10, 2006

Today is a horribly, rainy day for me. Here's some wisdom from Blessed Mother Teresa to improve our day.

"The password of the early Christians was "joy," so let us still serve the Lord with joy. Joy is love, joy is prayer, joy is strength. God loves a person who gives joyfully, and if you give joyfully you always give more. A joyful heart is the result of a heart burning with love."
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Novena to St. Anthony: Day Seven

Prayer:

O wonderful St. Anthony, glorious on account of the fame of your miracles, and through the condescension of Jesus in coming in the form of a little child to rest in your arms, obtain for me of His bounty the grace which I ardently desire from the depths of my heart . (State your intention)

You who were so compassionate toward miserable sinners, regard not the unworthiness of those who pray to you, but the glory of God that it may once again be magnified by the granting of the particular request (State your intention) which I now ask for with persevering earnestness. Amen

(Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father, in honor of Saint Anthony.)

Saint Anthony, pray for us!

DAY SEVEN


O renowned champion of the faith of Christ, most holy St. Anthony, glorious for your many miracles, obtain for me from the bounty of my Lord and God the grace which I ardently seek in this novena (State your intention) . O holy St. Anthony, ever attentive to those who invoke you, grant me that aid of your powerful intercession.

(One Our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father, in honor of Saint Anthony).

Saint Anthony, pray for us!
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Friday, June 9, 2006
Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Louis de Montfort

TREATISE ON TRUE DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN

INTRODUCTION OF SAINT LOUIS MARIE

1. It was through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus came
into the world, and it is also through her that he must reign
in the world.

2. Because Mary remained hidden during her life she is
called by the Holy Spirit and the Church "Alma Mater", Mother
hidden and unknown. So great was her humility that she desired
nothing more upon earth than to remain unknown to herself and
to others, and to be known only to God.

3. In answer to her prayers to remain hidden, poor and
lowly, God was pleased to conceal her from nearly every other
human creature in her conception, her birth, her life, her
mysteries, her resurrection and assumption. Her own parents
did not really know her; and the angels would often ask one
another, "Who can she possibly be?", for God had hidden her
from them, or if he did reveal anything to them, it was
nothing compared with what he withheld.

4. God the Father willed that she should perform no miracle
during her life, at least no public one, although he had given
her the power to do so. God the Son willed that she should
speak very little although he had imparted his wisdom to her.

Even though Mary was his faithful spouse, God the Holy
Spirit willed that his apostles and evangelists should say
very little about her and then only as much as was necessary
to make Jesus known.

5. Mary is the supreme masterpiece of Almighty God and he
has reserved the knowledge and possession of her for himself.
She is the glorious Mother of God the Son who chose to humble
and conceal her during her lifetime in order to foster her
humility. He called her "Woman" as if she were a stranger,
although in his heart he esteemed and loved her above all men
and angels. Mary is the sealed fountain and the faithful
spouse of the Holy Spirit where only he may enter. She is the
sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity where God
dwells in greater and more divine splendour than anywhere else
in the universe, not excluding his dwelling above the cherubim
and seraphim. No creature, however pure, may enter there
without being specially privileged.

6. I declare with the saints: Mary is the earthly paradise
of Jesus Christ the new Adam, where he became man by the power
of the Holy Spirit, in order to accomplish in her wonders
beyond our understanding. She is the vast and divine world of
God where unutterable marvels and beauties are to be found.
She is the magnificence of the Almighty where he hid his only
Son, as in his own bosom, and with him everything that is most
excellent and precious. What great and hidden things the all-
powerful God has done for this wonderful creature, as she
herself had to confess in spite of her great humility, "The
Almighty has done great things for me." The world does not
know these things because it is incapable and unworthy of
knowing them.

7. The saints have said wonderful things of Mary, the holy
City of God, and, as they themselves admit, they were never
more eloquent and more pleased than when they spoke of her.
And yet they maintain that the height of her merits rising up
to the throne of the Godhead cannot be perceived; the breadth
of her love which is wider than the earth cannot be measured;
the greatness of the power which she wields over one who is
God cannot be conceived; and the depths of her profound
humility and all her virtues and graces cannot be sounded.
What incomprehensible height! What indescribable breadth! What
immeasurable greatness! What an impenetrable abyss!

8. Every day, from one end of the earth to the other, in the
highest heaven and in the lowest abyss, all things preach, all
things proclaim the wondrous Virgin Mary. The nine choirs of
angels, men and women of every age, rank and religion, both
good and evil, even the very devils themselves are compelled
by the force of truth, willingly or unwillingly, to call her
blessed.

According to St. Bonaventure, all the angels in heaven
unceasingly call out to her: "Holy, holy, holy Mary, Virgin
Mother of God." They greet her countless times each day with
the angelic greeting, "Hail, Mary", while prostrating
themselves before her, begging her as a favour to honour them
with one of her requests. According to St. Augustine, even St.
Michael, though prince of all the heavenly court, is the most
eager of all the angels to honour her and lead others to
honour her. At all times he awaits the privilege of going at
her word to the aid of one of her servants.

9. The whole world is filled with her glory, and this is
especially true of Christian peoples, who have chosen her as
guardian and protectress of kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, and
towns. Many cathedrals are consecrated to God in her name.
There is no church without an altar dedicated to her, no
country or region without at least one of her miraculous
images where all kinds of afflictions are cured and all sorts
of benefits received. Many are the confraternities and
associations honouring her as patron; many are the orders
under her name and protection; many are the members of
sodalities and religious of all congregations who voice her
praises and make known her compassion. There is not a child
who does not praise her by lisping a Hail Mary. There is
scarcely a sinner, however hardened, who does not possess some
spark of confidence in her. The very devils in hell, while
fearing her, show her respect.

10. And yet in truth we must still say with the saints: De
Maria numquam satis : We have still not praised, exalted,
honoured, loved and served Mary adequately. She is worthy of
even more praise, respect, love and service.

11. Moreover, we should repeat after the Holy Spirit, "All
the glory of the king's daughter is within", meaning that all
the external glory which heaven and earth vie with each other
to give her is nothing compared to what she has received
interiorly from her Creator, namely, a glory unknown to
insignificant creatures like us, who cannot penetrate into the
secrets of the king.

12. Finally, we must say in the words of the apostle Paul,
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man
understood" the beauty, the grandeur, the excellence of Mary,
who is indeed a miracle of miracles of grace, nature and
glory. "If you wish to understand the Mother," says a saint,
"then understand the Son. She is a worthy Mother of God." Hic
taceat omnis lingua : Here let every tongue be silent.

13. My heart has dictated with special joy all that I have
written to show that Mary has been unknown up till now, and
that that is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ is not known
as he should be.

If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of
Jesus Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a
necessary consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She
who first gave him to the world will establish his kingdom in
the world.

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Novena to St. Anthony: Day Six

Prayer:

O wonderful St. Anthony, glorious on account of the fame of your miracles, and through the condescension of Jesus in coming in the form of a little child to rest in your arms, obtain for me of His bounty the grace which I ardently desire from the depths of my heart . (State your intention)

You who were so compassionate toward miserable sinners, regard not the unworthiness of those who pray to you, but the glory of God that it may once again be magnified by the granting of the particular request (State your intention) which I now ask for with persevering earnestness. Amen

(Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father, in honor of Saint Anthony.)

Saint Anthony, pray for us!

DAY SIX

O glorious St. Anthony, chosen by God to preach his Word, you received from Him the gift of tongues and the power of working the most extraordinary miracles. O good St. Anthony, pray that I may fulfill the will of God in all things so that I may love Him, with you, for all eternity. O kind St. Anthony, I beseech you, obtain for me the grace that I desire, the favor I seek in this novena (State your intention).

(One Our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father, in honor of Saint Anthony).

Saint Anthony, pray for us!
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Thursday, June 8, 2006
A Prayer of Reparation For Unbelievers


Believe in the Gospel and Jesus Christ and everything shall be granted unto you! Only through repentance and the Sacraments can we ever find inner peace and strength.

Why do you doubt Jesus Christ? Do you believe that Alexander the Great existed? Do you believe King Tut existed? Why would you doubt Jesus Christ? There are many proofs of His life, death, and Resurrection.

Look at the faith of the martyrs, the apostles, and the saints. Would all of the 11 faithful disciples have died for the Faith if they were making it up? Look to the fact that the Church has survived every persecution that was thrown against it. Coincidence or the will of God? After all, the Catholic Church has been persecuted more than any other church. Study Ancient Rome and see.

Look to the place of Jesus's Ascension. The spot where Christ had stood could never be covered with the pavement; and more than that, the marble slabs placed there burst upwards into the faces of those who were laying them. The footprints in the dust there prove that the Lord had stood on that spot: the footprints are discernible and the ground still retains the depressions his feet had left. This is one small miracle of the many such miracles in our world.

Look at the Miracles of the Holy Eucharist and the apparitions of Mary. Study the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano, Italy, or the one in Sienna, Italy. These are just some of the many! Look at the Miracle of the Sun witnessed by 70,000 people in Fatima in the year 1917. This was supernatural!

Numerous saints including St. Pius X, St. John Vianney, etc. are incorruptible - their bodies have never decayed. Sixty-two canonized saints/blesseds received the stigmata, the visible wounds of Jesus Christ on their hands and feet including:
  • St. Francis of Assisi (1186-1226)
  • St. Lutgarde (1182-1246)
  • St. Margaret of Cortona (1247-97)
  • St. Gertrude (1256-1302)
  • St. Clare of Montefalco (1268-1308)
  • Bl. Angela of Foligno (d. 1309)
  • St. Catherine of Siena (1347-80)
  • St. Lidwine (1380-1433)
  • St. Frances of Rome (1384-1440)
  • St. Colette (1380-1447)
  • St. Rita of Cassia (1386-1456)
  • Bl. Osanna of Mantua (1499-1505)
  • St. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)
  • Bl. Baptista Varani (1458-1524)
  • Bl. Lucy of Narni (1476-1547)
  • Bl. Catherine of Racconigi (1486-1547)
  • St. John of God (1495-1550)
  • St. Catherine de' Ricci (1522-89)
  • St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi (1566-1607)
  • Bl. Marie de l'Incarnation (1566-1618)
  • Bl. Mary Anne of Jesus (1557-1620)
  • Bl. Carlo of Sezze (d. 1670)
  • Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-90)
  • St. Veronica Giuliani (1600-1727)
  • St. Mary Frances of the Five Wounds (1715-91)
  • St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) (1887-1968)
I appeal to all unbelievers, please believe! I care about your soul! Believe because the only thing keeping you from doing that is sin and Satan. Satan wants you to be condemned to suffer in Hell just like he is condemned. The five ploys of Satan include spreading doubt about God's existence. Believe and follow Jesus Christ and you can be saved. He is the pearl of great price in the treasure field.

But above all - faith is a gift from God. It can not be learned or bought, it is a gift from God. Please, what do you have to lose? Please open yourself to the reception of the virtue of Faith.

Prayer of Reparation for those that don't believe in Our God:

O Most Merciful Heart of Jesus, Divine Mercy-seat, for Whose sake the Eternal Father has promised that He would always hear our prayers! I unite myself to Thee in offering to Thine Eternal Father this poor and needy heart of mine, contrite and humbled in His Divine presence, and desirous of making complete reparation for the offenses that are committed against Him, especially those which Thou dost continually suffer in the Holy Eucharist, and more particularly those which I myself have unhappily so often committed. Would that I could wash them away with my tears, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, and blot out with my own heart's blood the ingratitude wherewith we have repaid Thy tender love. I unite my sorrow, slight as it is, with the mortal agony which caused Thy sweat to become as drops of blood in the Garden of Olives at the very thought of our sins. Do Thou offer it, dear Lord, to Thine Eternal Father in union with Thy Sacred Heart. Render Him infinite thanks for the manifold blessings which He constantly showers upon us, and let Thy love supply for our want of thankfulness and remembrance. Grant me the grace always to present myself in a spirit of deepest reverence before the face of Thy Divine Majesty, in order thus to repair in some measure the irreverence and outrages which I have dared to commit before Thee; grant also, that from this day forth, I may devote myself with all my might to drawing, both by word and example, many souls to know Thee and to experience the riches of Thy Heart. From this moment I offer and dedicate myself wholly to propagating the honor due to Thy most sweet Sacred Heart.

I choose It as the object of all my affection, and desires, and from this hour forevermore I set up in It my perpetual abode, thanking, adoring and loving It with all my heart, inasmuch as It is the Heart of my Jesus, Who is worthy to be loved, the Heart of my King and sovereign Lord, the Bridegroom of my soul, my Shepherd and Master, my truest Friend, my loving Father, my sure Guide, my unfailing protection and my everlasting blessedness. Amen.
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My Apologies: Blogger Errors

Blogger has been giving me severe problems these past few days. I am unable to post/edit my posts during the afternoon and most of the evening. My posts are sometimes posted two or three times. And, I keep getting error messages saying Blogger is down for maintenance. I found out that other bloggers are dealing with the same.

So, please forgive my lack of posts. I'm trying to post, but Blogger isn't allowing me for a good part of the day. Now, with it getting late, I am able to post again.
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Words of Inspiration: June 8, 2006

Blessed Mother Teresa:

"When you know how much God is in love with you the you can only live your life radiating that love."

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain
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