Thursday, July 6, 2006
St. Maria Goretti

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which features a side altar dedicated to pro-life saints including St. Maria Goretti. Photo (c) A Catholic Life, 2021.

Optional Memorial (1969 Calendar): July 6

Today the Church remembers St. Maria Goretti, who died a martyr at the young age of 12 in 1902.

St. Maria Goretti was born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, Italy to Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. She was baptized the next morning. She was raised as a pious farm girl, one of six children, who grew in holiness. In 1896 the family moved to Ferriere di Conca and shortly afterward, St. Maria's father died of malaria. The Goretti family was forced to move onto the Serenelli farm to survive.

On July 5, 1902, St. Maria Goretti, at the age of 12, was attacked by Alessandro Serenelli, a farm hand, who wanted to rape her. He had repeatedly suggested impure things to her previously, but this time hatred filled him. St. Maria Goretti refused sexual relations first and foremost because it was a sin outside of marriage. She desperately fought to stop Alessandro, a 20-year-old, from abusing her. She kept screaming, "No! It is a sin! God does not want it!"

Alessandro Serenelli began to choke St. Maria Goretti and then stabbed her 14 times. The young girl survived in a hospital for two weeks, where she forgave her attacker and asked God to forgive him. She died holding a crucifix and a medal of Our Lady.

Years later, while in prison, Alessandro had a vision of Maria. He saw a young girl, dressed in white, gathering lilies in a garden. She then smiled, came near him, and encouraged him to accept an armful of the lilies. As Alessandro took them, each lily transformed into a still white flame; St. Maria then disappeared. This vision led to Alessandro's conversion. He later testified at her cause for beatification. At the end of his life, Alessandro wrote, "I ask pardon of the world of the outrage done to the martyr Maria Goretti and to purity. I exhort everyone to keep away from immoral shows, from dangers, from occasions that can lead to sin."

She was beatified on April 27, 1947, and canonized on June 24, 1950, by Pope Pius XII. Her mother was present at her canonization - the only time a mother has ever been present for her child's canonization. She was the youngest officially recognized saint of the Catholic Church. She is a model of purity - a model all of us should try to imitate. St. Maria refused to break the Commandments and for that, she was rewarded with eternal life. Remember Our Lord's words, that we are to adhere to every Commandment of the Church, even the least important (Mt. 5:18-19). St. Maria is a model for all of us, especially the youth, to follow.

Pope Pius XII presides over the canonization of Saint Maria Goretti at St. Peter's Basilica (photo by Jack Birns, 1950)

Official Prayer to St. Maria Goretti

Oh Saint Maria Goretti who, strengthened by God's grace, did not hesitate even at the age of twelve to shed your blood and sacrifice life itself to defend your virginal purity, look graciously on the unhappy human race which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation. Teach us all, and especially youth, with what courage and promptitude we should flee for the love of Jesus anything that could offend Him or stain our souls with sin. Obtain for us from our Lord victory in temptation, comfort in the sorrows of life, and the grace which we earnestly beg of thee (here insert intention), and may we one day enjoy with thee the imperishable glory of Heaven. Amen.
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British Abortion Rates Rise

While abortions decline in America and many other nations, abortion rates are drastically rising in England. I appeal to all pro-life, British citizens to stand up for life. Write to your elected officials, pray at abortion clinics and pro-life events, and pray for the protection of the unborn. LIFE, is a leading British pro-life charity worth supporting.

The British Department of Health reports that abortions rose by about 700 in 2005 compared with statistics from 2004. The number of abortions in England and Wales shot up to 186,416 in 2005 from 185,713 in 2004. Repeat abortions are on the rise as well and nearly one-third of British women having an abortion in 2005 have had at least one abortion before. While 31 percent of all women had an abortion before, about 43 percent of black British women had at least one abortion previously. Teenagers are also having more abortions as more than 1,000 girls under the age of 15 had an abortion, an increase of 4.7 percent over the previous year. The new figures come at a time when the British parliament is considering a debate on limiting late-term abortions and not allowing abortions as long as 24 weeks into pregnancy.

Source: LifeNews

Girls under 15 are having sex and abortions??? There is something seriously wrong. Education, abstinence education, has to begin in the family. These girls could develop serious diseases and ruin their lives. Many of them have already killed a life because of their poor actions.

This is serious and very upsetting.
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at July 06, 2006 2 comment(s)
Completed the 54-Day Rosary Novena

This past May I began the Double Great Novena, it is a 54-Day long Novena of Rosaries. I prayed the Rosary each day for several intentions. Many of them were for people I only know online so I do not know if my prayers were answered. But, I do know that two prayers that I earnestly prayed for where answered

  1. My mother's ankle problem was completed corrected
  2. A blog reader of mine got the job-of-a-lifetime
It is a wonderful devotion and because of it, I was making time to pray the Rosary daily. I'm so thankful for this devotion. If you would like to read more on this devotion, please read my original post on it.
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at July 06, 2006 41 comment(s)
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Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Catholic Book Recommendations

 

Protestants, please read the letter written by His Holiness Pope Pius IX, to all Protestants and other Non-Catholics at the convocation of the Vatican Council, September 13, 1868: "With all our hearts we await the return of wandering children [i.e. Protestants] to the Catholic Church with open arms, to welcome them with infinite love in the house of the Heavenly Father and to be able to enrich them with His inexhaustible treasures. Precisely on this much-desired return to truth and communion with the Catholic Church depends...the salvation of each of them." 

If you are seeking conversion to Catholicism, I offer the following resources for you to learn more about Catholicism. In addition, view the posts in my sidebar under the title "Catholic Categories", specifically look through my Apologetic Posts.

Online Resources:
The Best Books on the Spiritual Life
    Catechism:
    Authority of the Church:
    Fasting:
    Miscellaneous:
    Mass and Liturgy and Liturgical Year:
    Breviary:
    Marian Devotion:
    Life of our Lord:
    Lives of the Saints & Spirituality
    History:
    Crisis in the Modern Church:
    '"A willow tree,' says Pope St. Gregory the Great, 'bears no fruit, but by supporting as it does the vine together with its grapes, it makes these its own by supporting what is not its own.' In like manner, he who warmly recommends a book calculated to do much good makes his own all the good that is done by the book" (Father Michael Mueller in The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)

    Bibles & Scripture Commentary:

    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 books of Sacred Scripture. The best Catholic Bible is the Douay-Rheims Bible, which was translated from the Vulgate. I would definitely avoid the New American Bible [NAB] and Jerusalem Bible; the footnotes in the NAB are horrendous and even heretical. Here are some recommended Bibles:
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    at July 05, 2006
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    Omaha abortion center closes

    Heaven rejoices as this killing center is closed and thousands of innocent lives shall be saved!!!

    On June 30, 2006, an Omaha abortion clinic, the Women's Services P.C., finally closed. The building was bought by a local day care and shelter while the University of Nebraska Medical Center bought the land just behind it. The Child Saving Institute funds a substance abuse program and foster care facility, and it does not plan to do abortions there.

    There is a chance that C.J. LaBenz, the abortion center's owner, may relocate elsewhere in Omaha, but that is unlikely. Local pro-life groups say it would be difficult to find someone willing to lease a building for abortions. If Women's Service P.C. does close for good, it will end 33 years of killing. Over 60,000 babies were murdered there - over 15% of the current population of Omaha.

    The murdering there got national attention in 1979 when LaBenz ordered a nurse to leave a late-term baby weighing 2 pounds 9 ounces that was born during an abortion. The child was placed in the “dirty utility room” where the child cried until it died 2 1/2 hours later. THIS IS MURDER! Finally, let us pray that this center is closed for good!

    In 2002, LaBenz struck sidewalk counselor Sharon McKee with his vehicle, stole her cell phone, and took $350. His charges were reduced to "desturbing the peace"! This man is following the father of lies, the devil himself. We must pray for the conversion of abortionists like him. Children die everyday at their hands in this genocide.

    Nebraska now only has two abortion centers in the state, a killing center in Bellevue and one in Lincoln, the state capital.

    Source: LifeNews
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    Words of Inspiration: July 5, 2006

    Blessed Mother Teresa:

    "God will never, never, never let us down if we have faith and put our trust in Him."

    St. Padre Pio:

    "See how much scorn and sacrilege is committed by the sons of men towards the most holy humanity of His Son in the sacrament of love? It is up to us to defend the honor of the meek Lamb who is always concerned when the case of souls is in question, but always silent where His own case is concerned" (Letters III p 64-65).

    St. Teresa of the Andes:

    "I wish I could help people understand that the Eucharist is a heaven. Heaven is only a tabernacle without doors. God lives on altars with infinite love in order to unite our souls to Him"
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    St. Anthony Zaccaria

    Optional Memorial (1969 Calendar): July 5
    Double (1955 Calendar): July 5

    Today the Church remembers St. Anthony Zaccaria (1502-1539), priest, the founder of the Clerks Regular of St. Paul, later called the Barnabites. He also founded a congregation of nuns but they no longer exist. He preached the Gospel as his model St. Paul did, but the labor greatly weakened him. St. Anthony Zaccaria died as a holy priest at the young age of 36.

    Born to a noble family in Lombardy, St. Anthony was early recognized for his virtue. He was devoted to the Mother of God, and he displayed piety for God and great mercy for the poor. St. Anthony would frequently give his rich clothing to those in need. St. Anthony Zaccaria's father died when he was only two years old, his mother was 18 years old at the time.

    St. Anthony Zaccaria went to Pavia for philosophy and later Padua for medicine. After he earned a doctorate in medicine at the age of 22, he returned home to realize God was calling Him to save souls. So, St. Anthony gave his wealth to his mother and followed Our Lord's will and became a priest. St. Anthony never ceased to visit the sick or instruct children in Christian doctrine. During his first Mass, the congregation remarks that they witnessed him surrounded by angels in heavenly light. He received everyone with charity and encouraged them with holy words. He was servant to the poor, oppressed, and helpless. Essentially, St. Anthony was a friend to all the friendless; he was a true priest.

    St. Anthony Zaccaria realized that he could do better work for the Kingdom of God if he had fellow helpers. So, he spoke with Bartholomew Ferrari and James Morigia, two saintly noblemen. The three of them founded a society of Clerks Regular at Milan. The order was approved by Clement VII and confirmed by Paul III. It soon spread through many lands. St. Anthony Zaccaria was also the founder and father of the Angelic Sisters, which is no longer in existence today. The Angelic Sisters were the first uncloistered nuns.

    However, St. Anthony Zaccaria was so humble that he refused to become Superior of his own Order. He displayed remarkable patience to those that opposed him and charity to all. St. Anthony often carried the cross through the streets and public squares, together with his religious. By his prayers, many wicked men came back to Christ, the source of salvation and hope.

    What I truly admire about him is his love for Jesus Crucified. At 3:00 PM on Fridays, the hour of Christ's death, St. Anthony would have the bells of the church ring. Jesus's holy name was always on his lips and St. Anthony bore the mortification of Christ in his body. St. Anthony was graced with the gift of ecstasy, tears, knowledge of future things, and the secrets of hearts and power over the enemy of mankind. He had such a fervent love for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and greatly promoted the 40 Hours Devotion.

    At the young age of 36, St. Anthony was taken to Cremona where he died on July 5, 1539, amid his fellow religious and pious mother. His mother would soon die too, which St. Anthony had foretold would occur. At the final hour of life, he was graced by God of a vision of the apostles and he foretold the growth of his order. He is buried in Saint Paul's Convent of the Angelics at Milan, Italy.

    Pope Leo XIII canonized him on Ascension Day in 1897.

    One of His Writings:

    We are fools for Christ’s sake: our holy guide and most revered patron was speaking about himself and the rest of the apostles, and about the other people who profess the Christian and apostolic way of life. But there is no reason, dear brothers, that we should be surprised or afraid; for the disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the slave to his master. We should love and feel compassion for those who oppose us, rather than abhor and despise them, since they harm themselves and do us good, and adorn us with crowns of everlasting glory while they incite God’s anger against themselves. And even more than this, we should pray for them and not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by goodness. We should heap good works like red-hot coals of burning love upon their heads, as our Apostle urges us to do, so that when they become aware of our tolerance and gentleness they may undergo a change of heart and be prompted to turn in love to God.

    In his mercy God has chosen us, unworthy as we are, out of the world, to serve him and thus to advance in goodness and to bear the greatest possible fruit of love in patience. We should take encouragement not only from the hope of sharing in the glory of God’s children, but also from the hardships we undergo.

    Consider your calling, dearest brothers; if we wish to think carefully about it we shall see readily enough that its basis demands that we who have set out to follow, admittedly from afar, the footsteps of the holy apostles and the other soldiers of Christ, should not be unwilling to share in their sufferings as well. We should keep running steadily in the race we have started, not losing sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection. And so since we have chosen such a great Apostle as our guide and father and claim to follow him, we should try to put his teaching and example into practice in our lives. Such a leader should not be served by faint-hearted troops, nor should such a parent find his sons unworthy of him.

    Prayer:

    Make us, O Lord God, learn in the spirit of Paul the Apostle the knowledge of Jesus Christ which surpasseth all understanding, wherein blessed Anthony Mary was marvelously versed and formed in Thy Church new religious congregations of men and women. Through the same our Lord.

    Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal
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    Tuesday, July 4, 2006
    At Mass We are Part of the Heavenly Court

    A Catholic Hart posted a link to a Spirit Daily article reminding us that at Mass we are part of the Heavenly Court. At Mass, there are a multitude of angels present giving praise and glory to God. It is the highest form of all worship. The veil between Heaven and Earth is the narrowest during the Holy Mass.

    Image Source: The Feast of Corpus Christi at Holy Trinity German Catholic Church in Boston, 2000
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    at July 04, 2006 3 comment(s)
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    Francis Cardinal Arinze: Music in the Mass

    I found this great article posted on Irish and Dangerous. The following is an interview with Francis Cardinal Arinze found in the summer 2006 issue of Sacred Music, Vol. 133 No.2:

    The Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship spoke to Inside the Vatican about sacred music, November 2005:

    ITV: In Sacrosanctum concilium (Vatican II's Decree on the Liturgy), it indicated at Mass, pride of place must be given to Gregorian chant. But the reality is that few Catholics under the age of 50 would ever have heard a Te Deum sung in their parish church. Liturgical music today is largely guitars and tambourines, etc. Is this an appropriate form of musical expression for divine worship?

    Arinze: For music in the liturgy, we should start by saying that Gregorian music is the Church's precious heritage. It should stay. It should not be banished. If therefore in a particular diocese or country, no one hears Gregorian music anymore, then somebody has made a mistake somewhere.

    But, the Church is not saying that everything should be Gregorian music. There is room for music which respects that language, that culture, that people. There is room for that too, and the present books say that is a matter for the Bishops Conference, because it generally goes beyond the boundaries of one diocese.

    The ideal thing is that the bishops would have a Liturgical Music Comission which looks at the wording and the music of the hymns. And when the commission is satisfied, judgement is brought to the bishops for approval, in the name of the rest of the conference.

    But not individuals just composing anything and singing it in church. This is not right at all. No matter how talented the individual is. That brings us to the question of the instrument to be used. The local church should be conscious that church worship is not really the same as what we sing in a bar, or what we sing in a convention for youth. Therefore it should influence the type of instrument used, the type of music used.

    I will not now pronounce and say never guitar. That would be rather severe. But much of guitar music may not be suitable at all for the Mass. Yet, it is possible to think of some guitar music that would be suitable, not as the ordinary one we get every time, the visit of a special group, etc.

    The judgement would be left to the bishops o the area. It is wiser that way. Also, because there are other instruments in many countries which are not used in Italy or in Ireland, for instance.

    But music should nourish faith, burst from our faith and should lead back to the faith. It should be a prayer. Entertainment is quite another matter. We have the parish hall for that, and the theater. People don't come to Mass in order to be entertained. They come to Mass to adore God, to thank him, to ask pardon for sins, and to ask for other things that they need. Those are the reasons for Mass. When they want entertainment, they know where to go: Parish hall, theater, presuming that their entertainment is acceptable from a moral theological point of view.
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    at July 04, 2006 2 comment(s)
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    Third priest Attacked in Turkey this Year

    In addition to the murder of Fr. Andrea Santore, two other priests have been attacked in Turkey. One of them was just attacked last Sunday, July 2, 2006, in the Black Sea port of Samsun.

    Fr. Pierre Brunissen, 74, was injured in the hip and leg and rushed to hospital, Msgr. Luigi Padovese, the apostolic vicar for Anatolia, told The Associated Press. The French priest lost a lot of blood but his condition is not life threatening.

    "I hope this has nothing to with Islamic fundamentalism," Msgr. Padovese reportedly told the AP. "The climate has changed,” he was quoted as saying. “It is the Catholic priests that are being targeted."

    Police detained the 47-year-old attacker, who has been described as mentally ill, the Anatolia news agency reported. The man was known to have complained about the priest for allegedly promoting Christian propaganda, the agency reported.   

    Source: Catholic News Agency
    Let us please say a prayer for him and for all our priests. As I posted about before, the Age of Martyrs continues.
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