Monday, July 4, 2011
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus


Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, save us.
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, save us.
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, save us.
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, save us.
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, save us.
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, save us.
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, save us.
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation, save us.
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, save us.
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, save us.
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy, save us.
Blood of Christ, victor over demons, save us.
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs, save us.
Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors, save us.
Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins, save us.
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril, save us.
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened, save us.
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow, save us.
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent, save us.
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying, save us.
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts, save us.
Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life, save us.
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory, save us.
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, save us.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. .
V. You have redeemed us, O Lord, in your Blood.
R. And made us, for our God, a kingdom.
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, you have appointed your only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by his Blood. Grant we beg of you, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
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Saturday, July 2, 2011
Sins Against the Eucharist are the Most Grevious of Sins



For anyone with any concern or interest in the Church the link below is a must hear. This is a sermon by an FSSP priest delivered on Sunday, June 26, the Feast of Corpus Christi. He points out that since the Eucharist is our greatest good to which we are indebted it stands that the greatest punishments from Heaven are reserved for those who receive Communion with the guilt of mortal sin on their conscience. (e.g. having engaged in fornication with the practice of birth control, immodesty, etc., without confession) According to St. Cyril of Alexandria people who receive Communion this way are throwing Christ to the infernal lions to be abused:
“They who make a sacrilegious Communion receive Satan and Jesus Christ into their hearts – Satan, that they may let him rule, and Jesus Christ, that they may offer Him in sacrifice as a Victim to Satan.” -- St Cyril of Alexandria
Upon consecration of the bread and chalice at Mass the substance of bread and wine ceases to exist and becomes the very substance of Jesus Christ without sharing in any other substance. The acknowledgment of this supernatural Mystery is the first and foremost requirement placed on us by the Church in order to receive Holy Communion, without which one may not receive Communion.

Should one approach the Communion rail in denial of this Dogma the verdict of Holy Scripture applies: "Therefore whosoever shall eat of this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and the Blood of the Lord... For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the Body of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 11: 27, 28) 
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Friday, July 1, 2011
Feast of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ


Double of the I Class (1955 Calendar): July 1

Today we celebrate the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This feast was instituted in 1849 by Pope Pius IX and was raised to the rank of a double of the first class by Pius XI on the occasion of the nineteenth centenary of our Savior's death.

We are reminded of the scene of Calvary and of the blow from the lance which pierced our Savior's side. The liturgy today is at pains to emphasize the meaning and tremendous significance of this fact in relation with our salvation. The Gospel and the Epistle are concerned with our Redemption, effected by the Blood and the love of our Savior.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. The Son's love was so great that He gave His very life. No greater love is there than to give one's very life for the ones that he loves.

Not only did our Lord sacrifice His very life, but He so arranged that this sacrifice would continue to the end of time. He daily offers Himself up in an un-bloody manner in the Sacrifice of the Mass.

Here upon the holy altar Our Lord makes Himself present under the appearances of bread and wine through the miracle of transubstantiation. Here too the sacrifice is complete. Christ is made present and then destroyed for our salvation.

St. Paul to the Corinthians says: "The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?"

We were not present to witness the awesome bloody sacrifice of God in atonement for our sins. We did not stand beneath the cross to receive the last drops of His precious blood upon our souls. Yet, we are still able to receive these same graces. We are able to follow our Lord spiritually to Calvary every time we assist at Mass.

It took great courage, conviction, and even more so, love to follow our Lord to Calvary. There were not many who had this love, conviction or courage. The majority of the Apostles were found wanting in this area. They had much to fear from a worldly point of view. They did not wish to receive the same fate as their Master. We have a much easier path to follow. Our Lord remains hidden, but is present nonetheless. He invites us to participate in this sacrifice, and we now have nothing to fear from the world. Perhaps the worst that we will receive today from the world is mockery, ridicule and scorn; but even this is rare in the worldly indifference of today.

Not only is our path easier to follow because we do not have to fear the physical persecution of the world, but it is also much more intimate. In the Sacrifice of the Mass we are able to unite our sacrifices with Christ's and we are able to receive Him into our own bodies and souls.

He comes to us the living Christ (Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity). He comes to us in a manner that will not frighten or shock us, hidden under the appearance of bread and wine. He makes Himself very docile to us and allows us not only to approach Him, but even to consume Him. In this manner we are able to unite ourselves with Him, and He with us.

This is the most precious time -- the time of Communion. The all powerful and all merciful God becomes the guest of our very bodies and souls. Here is the point where Heaven and earth meet, and all that is in disorder is easily righted.

Christ is truly our guest, but we are the beneficiaries of His benevolence. He wishes for us to receive Him so that He may give to us. The words of St. Francis ring most truly in Holy Communion: "It is in giving that we receive."

May we truly realize the words from today's Post-communion: "We have been admitted, Lord to the Holy Table, and we have drawn water with joy from the fountains of the Savior; may His Blood be for us, we pray, a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. Who being God lives and reigns."

Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, Who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son to be Redeemer of the world, and didst vouchsafe to be appeased by His Blood: grant, we beseech Thee, that (by our solemn service), we may so venerate the Price of our redemption, and by its power be so defended from the evils of this present life on earth, that we may enjoy its fruit forevermore in heaven. Through the same our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal
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Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Heart of Mary



"The...reason why the Sacred Heart is truly the Heart of Mary is that the Eternal Father, having considered the Blessed Virgin from the very instant of her conception as the one chosen to be the Mother of God, gave her from the first moment of her life a love similar to His love for His Divine Son.  According to many theologians, Mary had more love for Jesus at that moment than all the Seraphim will ever have.  Therefore, Mary's incomparable love for Jesus drew Him into her sacred womb and into her heart to rest there eternally as the Heart of her Heart and as a Divine Sun that sheds its celestial light into her soul and inflames it with divine fire.

"...She cooperated with the Blessed Trinity to form the human Heart of Jesus, which was formed of her virginal blood.  The blood of her holy Heart passed into the Heart of Jesus and received the perfection that was needed to form the Heart of the God-man.  This divinely human and humanly divine Heart dwelt in the sacred womb of Mary as a furnace of divine love, a furnace which transformed the Heart of Mary into the Heart of Jesus and made these two Hearts but one and the same Heart in a unity of spirit, affection and will."

Source: The Sacred Heart of Jesus by St. John Eudes
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Friday, June 24, 2011
First Priestly Blessings: 2011

We need them in life's early morning,
We need them again at its close;
We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,
We seek it while tasting life's woes.

When we come to this world we are sinful,
The greatest as well as the least.
And the hands that make us pure as angels
Are the beautiful hands of a priest.



At the altar each day we behold them,
And the hands of a king on his throne
Are not equal to them in their greatness
Their dignity stands alone.

For there in the stillness of morning
Ere the sun has emerged from the east,
There God rests between the pure fingers
Of the beautiful hands of a priest.



When we are tempted and wander
To pathways of shame and sin
'Tis the hand of a priest that absolve us.
Not once but again and again.

And when we are taking life's partner
Other hands may prepare us a feast
But the hands that will bless and unite us,
Are the beautiful hands of a priest.


God bless them and keep them all holy,
For the Host which their fingers caress,
What can a poor sinner do better
Than to ask Him who chose them to bless

When the death dews on our lids are falling,
May our courage and strength be increased
By seeing raised o'er us in blessing
The beautiful hands of a priest.

Source: SSPX.ORG
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Corpus Christi & Vigil of Natvity of St. John the Baptist

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."-- John 6:53, 54

Today the Holy Church celebrates the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, a First Class Feast.  Today is also coincidentally the Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.  While we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, the Vigil of the Nativity of St. John will be commemorated in the prayers of the day.

Today's feast has 3 purposes:

1) To honor Our Lord, who is truly present in the Holy Eucharist
2) To instruct others on the faith, mystery, and devotion concerning the Holy Eucharist
3) To show our appreciation for the great gift of the Holy Eucharist

Posts Recommended for Corpus Christi:
Posts Recommended for the Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
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    Without a Priest, There is No Sacrifice


    "The human race has always felt the need of a priesthood: of men, that is, who have the official charge to be mediators between God and humanity, men who should consecrate themselves entirely to this mediation, as to the very purpose of their lives, men set aside to offer to God public prayers and sacrifices in the name of human society. For human society as such is bound to offer to God public and social worship. It is bound to acknowledge in Him its Supreme Lord and first beginning, and to strive toward Him as to its last end, to give Him thanks and offer Him propitiation. In fact, priests are to be found among all peoples whose customs are known, except those compelled by violence to act against the most sacred laws of human nature. They may, indeed, be in the service of false divinities; but wherever religion is professed, wherever altars are built, there also is a priesthood surrounded by particular marks of honor and veneration"  Source: Pope Pius XI, Ad Catholici Sacerdotii.

    "Nothing is so deeply inscribed in human nature as religion and its essential act, sacrifice.  Now to accomplish a sacred act, "sacrum facere," there must be consecrated, designated persons capable of drawing near to God and of serving Him.  This person will be the priest, sacerdos, "giving the sacred."  We see how God in His infinite goodness and mercy has arranged everything so that worship worthy of Himself may be offered by men who had strayed far from Him" Source: The Mass of All Time by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
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    Tuesday, June 14, 2011
    Ember Days

    The Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of this week are Ember Days and, as such, are days of penance.  Wednesday and Saturday are days of partial abstinence from meat while Friday is total abstinence (as usual).  

    Although Ember Days are no longer considered required in mainstream Roman Catholicism following Vatican II, they can - and should - still be observed by the Faithful. In fact, many Traditional priests encourage the Faithful to observe the days. Ember Days are set aside to pray and/or offer thanksgiving for a good harvest and God's blessings. If you are in good health, please at least fast during these three days and pray the additional prayers. Remember the words from the Gospel: "Unless you do penance, you shall likewise perish" (Luke 13:5)

    From New Advent:

    Ember days (corruption from Lat. Quatuor Tempora, four times) are the days at the beginning of the seasons ordered by the Church as days of fast and abstinence. They were definitely arranged and prescribed for the entire Church by Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after 13 December (S. Lucia), after Ash Wednesday, after Whitsunday, and after 14 September (Exaltation of the Cross). The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy. The immediate occasion was the practice of the heathens of Rome. The Romans were originally given to agriculture, and their native gods belonged to the same class.

    At the beginning of the time for seeding and harvesting religious ceremonies were performed to implore the help of their deities: in June for a bountiful harvest, in September for a rich vintage, and in December for the seeding; hence their feriae sementivae, feriae messis, and feri vindimiales. The Church, when converting heathen nations, has always tried to sanctify any practices which could be utilized for a good purpose. At first the Church in Rome had fasts in June, September, and December; the exact days were not fixed but were announced by the priests. The "Liber Pontificalis" ascribes to Pope Callistus (217-222) a law ordering: the fast, but probably it is older. Leo the Great (440-461) considers it an Apostolic institution. When the fourth season was added cannot be ascertained, but Gelasius (492-496) speaks of all four. This pope also permitted the conferring of priesthood and deaconship on the Saturdays of ember week--these were formerly given only at Easter.

    Before Gelasius the ember days were known only in Rome, but after his time their observance spread. They were brought into England by St. Augustine; into Gaul and Germany by the Carlovingians. Spain adopted them with the Roman Liturgy in the eleventh century. They were introduced by St. Charles Borromeo into Milan. The Eastern Church does not know them. The present Roman Missal, in the formulary for the Ember days, retains in part the old practice of lessons from Scripture in addition to the ordinary two: for the Wednesdays three, for the Saturdays six, and seven for the Saturday in December. Some of these lessons contain promises of a bountiful harvest for those that serve God.

    From Catholic Culture:

    Since man is both a spiritual and physical being, the Church provides for the needs of man in his everyday life. The Church's liturgy and feasts in many areas reflect the four seasons of the year (spring, summer, fall and winter). The months of August, September, October and November are part of the harvest season, and as Christians we recall God's constant protection over his people and give thanksgiving for the year's harvest.

    The September Ember Days were particularly focused on the end of the harvest season and thanksgiving to God for the season. Ember Days were three days (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) set aside by the Church for prayer, fasting and almsgiving at the beginning of each of the four seasons of the year. The ember days fell after December 13, the feast of St. Lucy (winter), after the First Sunday of Lent (spring), after Pentecost Sunday (summer), and after September 14 , the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (fall). These weeks are known as the quattor tempora, the "four seasons."

    Since the late 5th century, the Ember Days were also the preferred dates for ordination of priests. So during these times the Church had a threefold focus: (1) sanctifying each new season by turning to God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving; (2) giving thanks to God for the various harvests of each season; and (3) praying for the newly ordained and for future vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
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    Tuesday, June 7, 2011
    Ecclesia Dei Letter: Altar Girls NEVER Permitted at Traditional Latin Mass

    While it should go without saying that altar girls are NOT permitted at the Traditional Latin Mass, the above letter is confirmation that the usage of altar girls is NEVER permissible at the Traditional Latin Mass.

    For my post on why altar girls should NEVER be used at any Mass, please see The History and Graces Received From Altar Serving.
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    Wednesday, June 1, 2011
    June: Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

    "Let us remember that the Heart of Jesus has called us not only for our own sanctification but also for that of other souls. He wants to be helped in the salvation of souls" (St. Padre Pio)

    The Month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Therefore, I recommend the following posts for the month of June.

    Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
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