The Most Beautiful Thing This Side of Heaven

Called the Mass of the Ages, the Most Beautiful Thing This Side of Heaven, the Tridentine Latin Mass, the Usus Antiquor, and most recently, the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, this Mass truly is one of the most beautiful forms of worship for the Catholic Church.

I encourage you to browse by the tag of Traditional Latin Mass in addition to visiting these posts linked below.

For more general information on the most beautiful thing this side of heaven, see my resource list: Tridentine Latin Mass Resource List

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Words of Inspiration: June 11

"Frequent visits to Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar are a great help to the souls that love Him" (St. Alphonsus Liguori).

Yesterday, in the United States, we celebrated Corpus Christi and especially honored and glorified Our Lord for coming to us in the Holy Eucharist. Each day He remains in the Eucharist but He is frequently alone and unvisited by us and many others. Just as the sun transforms human skin because of exposure, sitting in the presence of the Sun of God radically transforms our souls. If possible, please try to attend Eucharistic Adoration at least once a week if possible. Jesus speaks to all of us: "Could you not watch one hour with me?" (Matthew 26:40)

Also See:

What is Eucharistic Adoration?
Find Eucharistic Adoration Locations

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Special Intention

I am asking for prayers for the health and safety of a good friend of mine. I would appreciate any and all prayers. Thank you and God bless.

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President Morales of Bolivia Advocates Paganism

From CWNews:

Bolivia's President Evo Morales has suggested replacing the feast of Corpus Christi, which is a national holiday in that country, with a day officially dedicated to the sun god, Vatican Radio reports.

The Bolivian president, a Socialist who won national elections in December 2005, claims to be the first descendant of native Bolivians to lead the country since the days of the Spanish conquest. Morales identifies himself with his Indian ancestors, and says that he is a sun-worshipper.

Church leaders in Bolivia argue that Morales can make only a weak claim to historical precedents for a national holiday. Bishop Krzysztof Bialasik of Oruro reported: “Bolivians from the eastern part of the country told me that historically, there has never been observance of a day dedicated to the sun god.”

Apparently the President of Bolivia is a pagan who worships the "sun god" and wishes to bring Bolivia to formally participate in the false worship. How truly sad...

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Pope Benedict XVI Recognizes Franz Jaegerstaetter as a Martyr

Pope Benedict XVI has officially recognized Franz Jaegerstaetter as a martyr. After refusing to serve in Hitler's army, Jaegerstaetter was executed under the charge of treason. Jaegerstaetter was the only person in his village to have voted against the creation of "Greater Germany" shortly after Austria was annexed by the Nazis in 1938. In 1943, he was beheaded. Only ten years ago did a Berlin court posthumously exonerate Jaegerstaetter.

Franz Jaegerstaetter's recognition as a martyr advances his cause for sainthood. For beatification, being declared a martyr eliminates the need for a miracle attributed to the person after death to have occurred. However, a miracle attributed to his intercession is still required prior to canonization.

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Words of Inspiration: June 9

"I find myself so bound to the divine will that neither death nor life is important: I want to live as He wishes and I want to serve Him as He likes, and nothing more."

Saint Rose Venerini (1656-1728)

Quotation found on the blog A Catholic Mom in Hawaii.

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Cardinal Pell defends human life in Australia

For those unaware, Australia has been considering a bill that would allow therapeutic cloning. This is a response from Cardinal Pell.

By Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
8 June 2007

Is all human life equally precious?

We should not be distracted away from the elephant in the corner of the room. A huge diversionary tactic has been mounted to focus attention on hypothetical punishments for Catholic politicians by authoritarian bishops, and away from the destruction of human life.

Human life is the issue at hand. Serious anti-lifers and publicity seekers have been trying to shoot the messenger, while they work to bury the message.

Neither should anyone be tricked into believing that opponents of this bill are insensitive to human suffering or inactive in the search for cures.

Three days ago the science journal Nature reported that mouse tissue cells in U.S.A. and Japan were turned into embryonic-type stem cells without the use of eggs or embryos. Old age blindness through macular degeneration might be curable within ten years.

"We now have the right mechanism for sourcing cells without ethical quibbles" said Peter Mountford, head of the Melbourne and London based Stem Cell Sciences.

While objections to the creation and destruction of human life are not quibbles, this development shows the hot air and irrelevance of much of the low level debate on cloning and Christian teaching.

Despite the many advances in adult stem cell research, the Federal and Victorian parliaments have already passed bad legislation legitimizing the destruction of human embryos. The Anglican archbishop of Sydney and the Catholic Bishops of New South Wales continue to oppose such a bill in N.S.W., because we are serious about the importance of human life and oppose State sponsorship of the destruction of human life. This is a marker event and such unethical research is unnecessary.

Caring for the sick is a core business of the Catholic Church, and so is supporting medical research. Research institutes around St. Vincent's Hospital make up one of the largest bio-medical research complexes in the Southern Hemisphere health care. In health care, the Catholic Church is a player, not a wrecker. We've been in this field for two millennia, and we back healing and research with institutions, people, and dollars.

Professor Alan Mackay Sim's Queensland team of scientists working on nasal stem cell research for spinal cord injuries and Professor Pritinder Kaur's team at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre working on using adult stem cells for burns victims are both supported by grants from Sydney archdiocese.

Such adult stem cell research has been much more productive than work on embryonic stem cells which so far has proved to be a dead end. Little has been produced except massive grants for the researchers.

After more than 25 years of experiments with embryonic stem cells in animal models, researchers have yet to develop one successful treatment in mice for any disease that could be used as a model to undertake the first steps for a clinical trial with human patients.

Meanwhile, in the US alone there are currently 1422 government-approved clinical trials related to adult stem cells either on patients or recruiting patients. There is also peer reviewed evidence of the therapeutic benefit to patients who have received an adult stem cell treatment for 72 disease and conditions.

Adult stem cells have also been successfully used in treating type -1 diabetes, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported recently. Most government efforts in Australia are backing the wrong horse.

Finally however, have the Pope and some bishops gone one step too far in even hinting at sanctions for Catholic legislators who reject important teachings? Does this imperil the separation of Church and State? Perhaps legislators should be above Church laws and immune to sanctions for lapses of moral judgement?

Certainly a Catholic Church without sinners would be like a hospital without patients. That is why the blunt instrument of excommunication has hardly ever been used in Australia, as we are a church of the imperfect, not a sect for the elite.

But all of us who wish to remain Catholics have to be measured against Catholic teaching.

To be a disciple of Christ means accepting discipline because the Catholic Church has never followed today's fashionable notion of the primacy of conscience, which is, of course secular relativism with a religious face.

In a pluralist democracy bishops are free to explain Catholic doctrines and discipline, while all individuals and legislators are free to accept or reject what is proposed. But actions have consequences, some of which follow naturally, some of which are imposed and just as members of a political party who cross the floor on critical issues don't expect to be rewarded and might be penalized, so it is in the Church.

On May 9th Pope Benedict explained one Catholic teaching quite succinctly; speaking about abortion he said, "It simply states in Canon Law that the killing of an innocent child is incompatible with going to Communion, where one receives the Body of Christ". While recognizing that legislating for abortion or destructive human cloning is another matter again, it is useful to remember that Archbishop Hickey of Perth, Cardinal O'Brien of Edinburgh and Archbishop Smith of Cardiff have all spoken recently on life issues in a similar vein.

Pro-life forces are grateful to the N.S.W. Premier and Leader of the Opposition for allowing a conscience vote on this issue. Politicians and voters will make up their own minds, but everyone should be clear at least about Catholic teaching on the sanctity of human life.

I regret the vote of the Legislative Assembly on cloning and hope that the legislative Council will be better informed.

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Minor Orders

One thing that I find extremely appealing concerning seminary formation is the minor and major orders. Unfortunately, except in indult societies and traditional orders, seminary formation no longer includes any of the minor orders and the major orders are reduced to just deacon and priest. These orders dated back all the way to Pope St. Caius in the late 200's AD.

I find the old practice of slowly growing in rank in the Church extremely spiritually edifying. I feel that as the seminarian obtains more rights and powers in the Church, he will become more prepared for ordination as a priest of Jesus Christ.

The New Liturgical Movement has a post on its blog with photos of a minor ordination: A view into the Life of the Institute of the Good Shepherd and commentary on Minor Orders.

Baltimore Catechism No. 3:

Q. 981. What are the grades by which one ascends to the priesthood?

A. The grades by which one ascends to the priesthood are:

1. Tonsure, or the clipping of the hair by the bishop, by which the candidate for priesthood dedicates himself to the service of the altar;
2. The four minor orders, Porter, Reader, Exorcist, and Acolyte, by which he is permitted to perform certain duties that laymen should not perform;
3. Sub-deaconship, by which he takes upon himself the obligation of leading a life of perpetual chastity and of saying daily the divine office;
4. Deaconship, by which he receives power to preach, baptize, and give Holy Communion.

Minor Orders Explained:

Porter (Doorkeeper): In the early Church, the porter was charged with ringing the bells for Mass and for the offices, opening the church and the sacristy, holding the book in front of the preacher and keeping troublesome persons out of the church. Spiritually, this symbolizes closing oneself to the devil and opening oneself to God by one's words and examples, our souls being temples of the Holy Ghost. In giving this order, the bishop has the candidate touch the keys, saying: “Comport yourself as if you were to render account unto God, of all that you close with these keys.”

Lector: Those ordained lectors have the privilege to read Lessons and Prophesies during the liturgy. The Bishop calls them to “Apply yourselves to reading the word of God in a clear and distinct manner to instruct and edify the faithful."

Exorcist: The bishop has the candidates touch the ritual, containing the rite of exorcism. He instructs them, saying “As you drive forth the devil from the bodies of your brothers, be sure to reject from your spirit and body all impurity and iniquity, so as not to be slaves of him from whom you deliver others.” However today, exorcists do not have the faculties to exorcise, that being left to priests with permission of the diocesan bishop.

Acolyte: The acolyte carries candles during ecclesiastical functions and presents wine and water at Mass. The bishop cites the Gospel according to St. Mark, saying “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father that is in heaven.”

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Friday: Still a Day of Penance

O Lord, Our God, have mercy on us sinners!

Today is Friday, the day in which we commemorate Our Lord's passion and death. It was our own sins that condemned our glorious Lord to death on Good Friday - death on a Cross. As Catholics, we are still bound to either abstain from meat or rather to do some act of penance each Friday in the entire year. It was on this day of the week that our glorious Redeemer died for us. Please, never forget this, especially at 3 o'clock, the hour that He died. At 3 o'clock attempt to pray the 3 o'clock Mercy Prayer. Please remember Our Lord's love and repent today.
Code of Canon Law:

Can. 1249 All Christ's faithful are obliged by divine law, each in his or her own way, to do penance. However, so that all may be joined together in a certain common practice of penance, days of penance are prescribed. On these days the faithful are in a special manner to devote themselves to prayer, to engage in works of piety and charity, and to deny themselves, by fulfilling their obligations more faithfully and especially by observing the fast and abstinence which the following canons prescribe.

Can. 1250 The days and times of penance for the universal Church are each Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

Can. 1253 The Episcopal Conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.

Today is also a great day to pray the Stations of the Cross. The Stations are a wonderful devotion that can be prayed in Church or at home. Nonetheless, the stations allow us to contemplate the true love of our Redeemer during His bitter Passion. Please join me in praying the Stations of the Cross. Remember, it was on this day that He gave up His life all for you.

Prayer to the Glorious Cross:

I adore You, O glorious Cross, which was adorned with the Heart and Body of my Savior Jesus Christ, stained and covered with blood. I adore You, O Holy Cross, out of love for Him, Jesus, who is my Savior and my God.

(Pope Pius IX declared that reciting this prayer five times on Friday will free five souls from Purgatory and 33 souls by reciting it on Good Friday. This prayer should be recited before a crucifix with a contrite heart and praying a few minutes for the Pope).

Prayer to Jesus Christ Crucified:

My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before you asking you most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall the words the prophet David spoke long ago concerning yourself: they have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones!

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Strong Defense of Pius XII by Cardinal Bertone

I am pleased to see this news coming from the Vatican. Truthfully, most of Rome's 8,000 Jews hid in the Vatican during World War II. Pope Pius XII saved thousands Jewish lives, and he used the assets of the Vatican to ransom Jews from the Nazis. The Chief Rabbi of Rome even converted to Catholicism after the war! According to Pinchas E. Lapide in his book, Three Popes and the Jews, Pope Pius XII saved 860,000 Jews from Nazi death camps (214). For more information, see my post The Church & the Holocaust.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone (bio - news) offered an extended defense of Pope Pius XII on Tuesday evening, June 5, at a conference announcing the publication of a new book on the life of the World War II Pontiff.

The Vatican Secretary of State charged that Pius XII has become the victim of a "black legend," which has "become so firmly established that even to scratch it is an arduous task."

Pope Pius XII has been "falsely portrayed as indulgent toward Nazism and insensitive to the fate of victims" of the Hitler regime, Cardinal Bertone said. That portrait endures, he added, in spite of "documentation and witnesses that have abundantly proven it is nonsense." In light of that evidence, he said, the continuing criticism of the wartime Pope has become "an attack on good sense and on rationality."

The "intense polemics" surrounding the Pope's attitude toward the Holocaust threaten to "reduce his entire pontificate to the question of his supposed silence," Cardinal Bertone said. He pointed out that Pius XII left an impressive record of accomplishments in other fields, including the dramatic progress in Biblical scholarship and in the status of women during the years of his pontificate, from 1939 to 1958.

The Secretary of State acknowledged that Pius XII had been "cautious" in his public statements denouncing the Nazi regime. But he argued that if the Pope had been more outspoken, the Nazi response might have entailed a stepped-up campaign of genocide. In practice, the cardinal observed, Pope Pius worked quietly to save thousands of Jews from the Holocaust.

Source: Catholic World News

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