St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Memorial (1969 Calendar): August 1

III Class (1962 Calendar): August 2
Double (1955 Calendar): August 2

Note: Today is also the day to gain the Portinuncula Indulgence.

Today is the feastday of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop, and Doctor of the Church. He was born in 1696 to an ancient Neapolitan family; his father was an officer in the royal navy. He was a child prodigy, and at the young age of 16, St. Alphonsus received his doctorate in both canon and civil law from the University of Naples. St. Alphonsus would never go to court without first attending Mass. He practiced for nearly 10 years until he realized that one of the legal cases he was defending was not based on justice but on a political scheme. He then gave up his career as a lawyer to serve God.

Declining an arranged married, he was ordained a priest in 1726. St. Alphonsus joined a group of secular priests dedicated to missionary activities. He would give missions, organize workers, and he even had a part in founding an order of contemplative nuns. He is remembered for his gentle understanding in the Confessional and his direct, clear style of preaching.

In 1732, St. Alphonsus Liguori founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) in Scala, Italy. It was a congregation of priests and brothers. The congregation worked among country people, most in Italy, who lacked the opportunity for missions and religious instruction. While his first companions deserted him, many vocations came, and the congregation rapidly grew.

In 1749, the Redemptorists were officially approved by Pope Benedict XIV in 1749, and Alphonsus was elected as the congregation's superior general. St. Alphonsus continued to work for Christ when he was made a bishop of Sant' Agata dei God in 1762 by Pope Clement XIII. As bishop, he reformed seminaries, restored churches, and promoted missions. His charity was especially noted during the famine of 1763-64. During one event in his time as bishop, St. Alphonsus summoned a priest to him that refused to leave his worldly life. When the priest arrived, he found a large crucifix on the threshold of the bishop's study. And St. Alphonsus said to the priest, "Come along and be sure to trample it underfoot. It would not be the first time you have placed Our Lord beneath your feet."

In 1768 he resigned as bishop because he was greatly sickened by rheumatism. In 1777, the royal government sought to disband the Redemptorists because they claimed they were doing the work of the Jesuits, who were suppressed in 1773. Using his skills as a lawyer, St. Alphonsus defended his Congregation and obtained the king's approval.

By this time, St. Alphonsus was nearly blind. Trying to take advantage of him, he was tricked into approving revised a Rule for the Congregation, one that suited the king and the anti-clerical government. When Pope Pius VI saw the changes, he condemned it and removed St. Alphonsus Liguori from the order's leader. This caused the saint a great crisis in confidence that lasted for many years.

St. Alphonsus Liguori died on August 1, 1787. When he died, the Redemptorists were a divided society - something that greatly saddened him, but he regained his confidence and peace. He was beatified in 1816 and then canonized in 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI. Pope Pius IX declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871, and Pope Pius XII appointed him the heavenly patron of all confessors and moralists.

Adapted from the Bibliography: The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens

Collect:

O God, Who didst kindle in blessed Alphonsus Mary, Thy Confessor and Bishop, burning zeal for the salvation of souls, and through him didst enrich Thy Church with a new offspring: grant, we beseech Thee, that imbued with his saving doctrine and strengthened by his example, we may be able happily to come to Thee. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

Audio Sermons:

Save Thy Soul (Traditional Catholic Sermons)

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Blessed Martyrs of Nowogrodek

On this date, August 1, 1943, eleven nuns exchanged their lives for 120 citizens of Nowogrodek. These eleven nuns were then murdered by the Nazis:

• Maria Stella, Superior (Adelaide Mardosiewicz) (1888-1943)
• Mary Imelda (Jadwiga Zak) (1892-1943)
• Mary Rajmunda (Anna Kukulowicz) (1892-1943)
• Maria Daniela (Eleanor Juzwik) (1895-1943)
• Maria Kanuta (Jozefa Chrobot) (1896-1943)
• Maria Gwidona (Helena Cierpka) (1900-1943)
• Maria Sergia (Julia Rapieg) (1900-1943)
• Maria Kanizja (Eugenia Mackiewicz) (1904-1943)
• Maria Felicyta (Paulina Borowik) (1905-1943)
• Maria Heliodora (Leokadia Matustzewska) (1906-1943)
• Maria Boromea (Veronika Narmuntowicz) (1916-1943)

They were beatified on March 5, 2000, by Pope John Paul ll. They are also known as the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. More information concerning their canonization and lives can be found at the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Images of Heaven, and through Father Vincent A Lapomarda, SJ.

Photo Source: Adam Styka (1890-1959), Painting is from 1948

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August 2006 Rosary Intentions

I have posted the August Rosary Intentions for the Catholic Community Forum. Please view the list, print it out, and pray for the intentions on the list this month. Here are Pope Benedict XVI's Intentions for the month of August:

General: That orphans may not lack the care necessary for their human and Christian formation.

Missionary: That the Christian faithful may be aware of their own missionary vocation in every environment and circumstance.

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Child Custody Protection Act Passes Senate

Update (October 1, 2006): The bill has died.


Update: Contact Senator Durbin! Ask him to allow the Child Custody Protection Act to go to Conference. If you are an Illinois citizen like me, I especially ask you to contact him. But, I ask all of my readers, if they can, to contact Sen. Durbin.

Original message: On Wednesday, July 26, 2006, the United States Senate voted 65-34 to approve a measure that would help uphold state's parental notification and consent laws (1). The Child Custody Protection Act makes it a crime for anyone other than a teenage girl's parents to take her out of state for an abortion. Thankfully the Senate passed this bill and President Bush has vowed to sign it (2).

The Senate rejected all amendments that would have weakened the bill. Here is one of them:

Members of the Senate voted 51-48 against an amendment to a bill that would uphold parental involvement laws on abortion. Opposed by pro-life groups and lawmakers, the amendment would promote teaching teenagers about birth control in an attempt to lower the number of teen pregnancies. Sponsored by pro-abortion Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a New Jersey Democrat, the amendment would force taxpayers to fund sexual education programs. Pro-life lawmakers regarded it as an attempt to weaken support for the bill and said it would counter abstinence education efforts that are helping teenagers.

Source: LifeNews

However, Senator Dick Durbin (D- IL) has used a proceural motion to prevent the bill from going to a conference committee after the vote (3). A conference committee is required to work out the slight differences between the Senate's passed version and that of the House of Representatives.

Let us hope that Senator Durbin stops worrying about abortion advocates and starts to support families and tries to get something done in the Senate. You can be certain that I will not vote for Senator Durbin when he runs for re-election.

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The 95th Theses: Which points were condemned?

It remains that, while Martin Luther did try to correct some corruption in some Church officials, he is a heretic. And as such, the doctrine of Lutheran churches and other protestant denominations teaches heresy.

When Martin Luther nailed his 95th Theses to a church door, he was breaking from the Church that was founded on the apostles. Now, not all of his 95 points were condemned. However, some of those that were condemned are as follows:

* Baptism does not clean a child's sins
* Fear of death means imperfect charity and purgatory as punishment.
* Penance (contrition, confession, and satisfaction) is untrue, unbiblical.
* Contrition makes a person more of a sinner.
* It is impossible to confess sins.
* A priest cannot absolve your sins unless you believe he has.
* A layperson can, if necessary, absolve your sins.
* A person does not need to show contrition to a priest.
* Faith alone makes one worthy of the Eucharist.
* A person must take both body and blood at communion.
* The Church cannot grant indulgences.
* Excommunications are not something to be feared.
* The pope is not the vicar of Christ.
* The Church has no right to decide upon faith or morals.
* Weakening the Church's councils is desirable.
* Good works are sins.
* You cannot be certain when you are sinning.
* We can have no effect on souls in purgatory, nor know anything about it.
* The Church is greedy.

See What's Wrong with Martin Luther? for more information.

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St. Ignatius of Loyola

Memorial (1969 Calendar): July 31
Greater Double (1955 Calendar): July 31

St. Ignatius of Loyola was born a Spaniard of a noble family at Loyola in 1491; he was the youngest of twelve children. He eventually joined the military in 1517 and served as a Captain until May 20, 1521, when a cannonball fractured his left leg and nearly crippled him. Following this near-death experience, St. Ignatius of Loyola began to learn to read. And he began to read pious books, which enkindled a fire in his heart to love and serve Jesus Christ. The only books available to him during his recovery were The Golden Legend, a collection of lives of the saints, and the Life of Christ by Ludolph the Carthusian. In turn, he began to focus his life on Christ.

St. Ignatius of Loyola traveled to Montserrat, where he hung up his arms before an altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the Virgin of Montserrat and prayed the entire night. He was transformed from a man of war into a soldier for the Kingdom of God. And, St. Ignatius served Christ for many, many years and saved thousands of souls.

He then left for Manresa and gave his noble garments to a beggar. In sackcloth, he stayed in Manresa in a cave and lived off of bread and water given to him as alms. He had turned away everything of the world and humbled himself to grow in holiness. St. Ignatius fasted every day except Sundays. He also slept on the ground and himself with iron disciplines. He was a man of penance, who, during his time in Manresa, received revelations by the Lord. There, he wrote his Spiritual Exercises, even though he was a man without formal education.

St. Ignatius again humbled himself and realized that he needed a formal education in order to save more souls. St. Ignatius began to study grammar with children. In 1523, he journeyed to the Holy Land to convert Muslims. And, through it all, his zeal to save souls never abated. He lived for the salvation of souls. St. Ignatius accept sufferings, beatings, imprisonment, and numerous other trials in order to save souls.

In 1528 he began studying theology in Barcelona and Paris. On March 14, 1534, he received his degree in Theology. St. Ignatius was joined by nine men, who had taken their degrees in Arts and Theology. This was the foundation of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), which St. Ignatius would establish soon after in Rome. On August 15, 1534, he formed the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus. He added along to the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, a vow for missions. The Society of Jesus was approved by Pope Paul III in 1541 and again approved by following pontiffs and councils.

St. Ignatius soon sent St. Francis Xavier to Indies to proclaim the Gospel. He sent people all around the entire world to preach the Truth and in so doing declared a new war - a war against paganism, superstition, and heresy. He never used the term "Jesuit" surprisingly. The term originated as an insult by his opponents, but today it is used with pride by the Society of Jesus.

Throughout history, God has raised up saints and prophets in times of need. In those times when heretics rose up, God raised up defenders of the truth. And God rose up St. Ignatius of Loyola to preach the truth in an era that was tainted by the lies of Martin Luther and other heretics.

St. Ignatius focused on piety. He wanted to spread piety throughout the entire earth. So, St. Ignatius worked to open schools for piety, increase the beauty of the sacred buildings, and increase the frequency of sermons and of the Sacraments. In Rome, St. Ignatius founded the German College, orphanages, and refuges for women of evil life and for young girls. St. Philip Neri and others saw St. Ignatius's countenance shining with heavenly light.

Finally, after 65 years on earth, St. Ignatius of Loyola died on July 31, 1556. In less than 50 years, he along with his companion St. Francis Xavier, would be canonized. Today the Society of Jesus has over 500 universities and colleges, 30,000 members, and teaches over 200,000 students each year.

Source: The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.

Prayer:

O God, Who to spread the greater glory of Thy name, didst by means of blessed Ignatius, strengthen the Church militant with a new army: grant that with his help and through his example we may so fight on earth as to become worthy to be crowned with him in heaven. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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Indulgence for August 2nd

What is Portiuncula? The following is an excerpt from Major Life of St. Francis by St. Bonaventure.

" The Portiuncula was an old church dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God which was abandoned . Francis had great devotion to the Queen of the world and when he saw that the church was deserted, he began to live there constantly in order to repair it. He heard that the Angels often visited it, so that it was called Saint Mary of the Angels, and he decided to stay there permanently out of reverence for the angels and love for the Mother of Christ.

He loved this spot more than any other in the world. It was here he began his religious life in a very small way; it is here he came to a happy end. When he was dying, he commended this spot above all others to the friars, because it was most dear to the Blessed Virgin.

This was the place where Saint Francis founded his Order by divine inspiration and it was divine providence which led him to repair three churches before he founded the Order and began to preach the Gospel.

This meant that he progressed from material things to more spiritual achievements, from lesser to greater, in due order, and it gave a prophetic indication of what he would accomplish later.

As he was living there by the church of Our Lady, Francis prayed to her who had conceived the Word, full of grace and truth, begging her insistently and with tears to become his advocate. Then he was granted the true spirit of the Gospel by the intercession of the Mother of mercy and he brought it to fruition.

He embraced the Mother of Our Lord Jesus with indescribable love because, as he said, it was she who made the Lord of majesty our brother, and through her we found mercy. After Christ, he put all his trust in her and took her as his patroness for himself and his friars."

Today, the chapel of Portiuncula is situated inside the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels roughly 5 km from Assisi, Italy.

The Indulgence:

"The Portiuncula indulgence is the first plenary indulgence that was ever granted in the Church. There were indeed indulgences at all times, but they were only partial, and only a partial remission of the temporal punishments could be obtained by them. But, as already remarked, he who gains the Portiuncula indulgence is freed from all temporal punishments and becomes as pure as after holy baptism. This was also the reason why Pope Honorius was astonished when St. Francis petitioned for the confirmation of this indulgence, for such an indulgence, up to that time, bad been entirely unknown. It was only after he had come to the conviction that Jesus Christ himself wished it, that he granted the petition of the saint and confirmed the indulgence" (Source)

August 2nd is the feast of Portiuncula. A plenary indulgence is available to anyone who will

1. Receive sacramental confession (8 days before or after)

2. Receive the Holy Eucharist at Holy Mass on August 2nd

3. Enter a parish church and, with a contrite heart, pray the Our Father, Apostles Creed, and a pray of his/her own choosing for the intentions of the Pope.

Please tell every Catholic person you know that remission of the punishment for all sins committed from the day of baptism to the reception of the indulgence is available.

Note: An indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. More information can be found at Indulgences.

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Pray for Laura Figeroa

Please pray for this woman. Just like St. Gianna Molla, she is the example that all women should follow. As Blessed Mother Teresa has said, abortion is never necessary because it is "pure killing".

A prayer campaign has been launched for a mother in Argentina who was stricken with cancer but refused to have an abortion to spare her life. Laura Figeroa is in the terminal stage of her illness, a brain metastasis that is considered irreversible.
Figeroa could have had an abortion so she could obtain chemotherapy to address her cancer, but she refused to take the life of her unborn child to save her own.

Two weeks ago, Figeroa gave birth to her son, Pedro, who was born early at 27 weeks into the pregnancy. Pedro weighed just 2.4 pounds and was immediately placed in intensive care and struggles with kidney and heart problems.

Now the Catholic weekly “Cristo Hoy” in Argentina is launching a prayer campaign for mother and child.

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Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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US Catholic Population Statistics: 2005

US Catholic Population: 69,135,254 (rose by 1.3 million)

Number of students in Catholic high schools: 680,000 (drop by 13,000)

Number of students in Catholic elementary schools: 1.76 million (drop by 84,000)

Number of teachers in Catholic schools: 173,000 (drop by 8,000)

Number of high school students enrolled in parish religious education programs: 729,000 (drop by 26,000)

Number of Elementary students in religious education: 3.5 million (drop by 81,000)

Number of students in Catholic colleges and universities: 764,000 (drop by 9,000)

Church-recognized marriages: 212,000 (drop by 11,000)

Confirmations: 630,000 (drop by 15,000)

First Holy Communions: 833,000 (drop by 40,000)

Infant baptisms: 943,000 (drop by 34,000)

Adult baptisms and receptions into the Church: 154,000 (same as the previous year)

Priestly Ordinations: 438 (drop by 29)

Number of priests in U.S. dioceses and religious orders: 42,271 (drop by 1,151)

Number of permanent deacons: 14,995 (drop by 32 - the first time the number has dropped since Vatican II in the 1960s)

Number of new parishes opened: 46

Number of Catholic hospitals: 573 (drop by 8)

Number of patients helped at Catholic hospitals: 84.7 million (rose by 2.5 million)

Source Statistics: The-Tidings.com\

Image Source: Francis Cardinal Spellman, Pre-Vatican II

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Financial Crisis - Lack of Nuns

The Church desperately NEEDS nuns (those that live in cloistered communities) and religious sisters (those that don't live in cloistered communities). Religious sisters are excellent teachers and help the Church tremendously not only in teaching but in making altar bread and various other areas. The sacrifice of prayer of nuns certainly brings us many graces.

Article via Yahoo News article:

Though billions of dollars have been salted away, there still remains an unfunded future liability of $8.7 billion for current nuns, priests and brothers in religious orders. The financial hole is projected by a consulting firm to exceed $20 billion by 2023.

...

In some ways, religious orders face the same problem as many governments: increasing numbers of older retirees need benefits, but there are fewer workers to support them. America's younger workers pay now for the Social Security benefits of seniors, while younger religious support their older generations by caring for them.

Sisters, who make up 82 percent of retirees, are especially vulnerable.

Between 1965 and 2005, their numbers plummeted from 179,954 to 68,634, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.

With far fewer younger novices being recruited, the majority of sisters are now more than 70 years old, the retirement office's new survey said. Even though sisters usually work until age 75, caring for the retired population is a huge task.

...

Some religious orders are financially healthy, but Fries' office reckons that only 4 percent of current sisters are adequately funded for their retirement needs. Typically, the problem is worst in smaller orders.

Religious orders are totally independent from dioceses in administration and finance. But they often serve in schools and other parish or diocesan institutions, so bishops and parishioners naturally feel a responsibility to help.

The religious orders' plight first gained national attention with a 1985 Wall Street Journal article by John Fialka. Contacted by fellow Catholics who offered donations, Fialka helped organize SOAR (Support Our Aging Religious), which pioneered in fundraising and last year received $1.4 million to aid retirees.

The U.S. bishops then followed suit, sponsoring their first annual collection in 1988 under the new retirement office, co-sponsored with three organizations of women's and men's orders.

The annual December collection was scheduled to cease next year, but at their June meeting the bishops agreed to extend the program another 10 years. Also, the retirement office plans to increase training for orders on how to manage investments, buildings and other assets.

Hundreds of orders have been forced to sell off assets to cover expenses

If you are considering a vocation as a nun or as a religious sister, please pray about it. We desperately need you! Please pray for vocations. And, pray for traditional vocations - people that will actually wear a real habit and remain faithful to Rome.

In addition, please see my well known post entitled "Nuns Should Wear the Habit."

Image Source: Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus

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