A fellow Catholic has asked for prayers for Mark B. Please say a prayer for him; God knows exactly what he needs.
Thank you.
Read more >>
Thank you.
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, I unite myself to you under your title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May this medal be for me a sure sign of your motherly affection and a constant reminder of my devotion to you. While wearing it, may I be blessed by your loving protection and preserved in the grace of your Son. Most powerful virgin, Mother of our Savior, keep me close to you every moment of my life so that like you I may live and act according to the teaching and example of Jesus. Keep me as your faithful child that I may follow your example throughout life and enjoy heaven forever with you. Amen.
Click here to read Fr. John Hardon's testimony of a miracle brought about in front of him because of the Miraculous Medal.
From LifeNews:
A Utah doctor who was a member of a Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel says the morning after pill will not reduce the number of abortions and pregnancies that its supports claim it will do. He also indicated that the Plan B drug can work as an abortion agent in certain circumstances.
Dr. Joseph Stanford, associate professor of family and preventative medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine, said the morning after pill won't be as effective as its maker claims.
He told the Deseret News that studies he and fellow researchers have done show a lower effectiveness rate than the 89 percent Barr Laboratories claims.
"We did more a precise meta-analysis that shows it's effective only 72 percent of the time, and even that number is optimistic," he indicated.
Stanford explained that earlier studies, which gave Barr its 89 percent figure, did not take into account normal variations in the timing of ovulation.
He also told the newspaper that studies from Europe, China and the United States show that the morning after pill does not reduce abortions. In fact, new abortion figures in England and Scotland show that abortions have reached their highest point ever despite over the counter sales of Plan B.
Let us pray AND work towards the end of artificial contraception and abortion! It can be done through peaceful activism. Remember, the Pill Causes Cancer! Let us work to save lives!
Monday, October 2, 2006
Sunday, October 1, 2006
I have just posted the Rosary Intentions for October for the Catholic Community Forum (CCF). Please read them and pray for them.Also, please pray for Pope Benedict XVI's intentions for the Month of October:
General: That all those who are baptized may mature in their faith and manifest it through clear, coherent and courageous choices in life.
Missionary: That the celebration of World Missionary Day may everywhere increase the spirit of missionary animation and cooperation.
Today is Respect Life Sunday! Please join me in a pro-life Blogburst.
The purpose of this blogburst is to raise awareness of the evils of abortion and the need for legal protection of the unborn child. I ask all of you fellow bloggers to please join me in posting 2-3 paragraphs on a pro-life theme on your blog. I would ask that you do it as early as possible on Sunday. This way, it’ll give more time for word about your post to spread.
My Contribution:
Abortion is murder! It is evil! It is the greatest form of genocide and terrorism because it murders children from every race and creed. No one is protected from the murder of abortion. We must come together in peace, under the banner of Heaven's Kingship, to proclaim the worth of all children. I ask that you say a special prayer today for all of those children that have already been condemned to death this year. I ask you to say a prayer for their little souls, that they, although unbaptized, may enter God's mercy and peace in Heaven.
We can work together and peacefully end abortion. Just as the Holocaust in World War II ended, so too can the Holocaust of the unborn end through peaceful means. Already this year, numerous abortion clinics have closed including one in Florida, Wichita, Kansas, Buffalo, NY, Missouri, and one in Omaha.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2271. "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law: You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish. [Didache
2, 2: SCh 248, 148; cf. Ep. Barnabae 19, 5: PG 2, 777; Ad Diognetum 5, 6: PG 2, 1173; Tertullian, Apol. 9: PL 1, 319-320.] God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes. [GS 51 # 3.]"
2272. "Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. 'A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,' [CIC, can. 1398.] 'by the very commission of the offense,' [CIC, can. 1314.] and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. [Cf. CIC, cann. 1323-1324.] The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society."
2274. "Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being. Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, 'if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual.... It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence.' [CDF, Donum vitae I, 2.]"
2322. "From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a 'criminal' practice (GS 27 # 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life."
ABORTION STOPS A BEATING HEART!
Prayer to End Abortion
Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life, And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the Resurrection of Your Son.I am ready to do my part in ending abortion. Today I commit myself Never to be silent, Never to be passive, Never to be forgetful of the unborn.I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, And never to stop defending life Until all my brothers and sisters are protected, And our nation once again becomes A nation with liberty and justice Not just for some, but for all.Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Read more >>
The purpose of this blogburst is to raise awareness of the evils of abortion and the need for legal protection of the unborn child. I ask all of you fellow bloggers to please join me in posting 2-3 paragraphs on a pro-life theme on your blog. I would ask that you do it as early as possible on Sunday. This way, it’ll give more time for word about your post to spread.
My Contribution:
Abortion is murder! It is evil! It is the greatest form of genocide and terrorism because it murders children from every race and creed. No one is protected from the murder of abortion. We must come together in peace, under the banner of Heaven's Kingship, to proclaim the worth of all children. I ask that you say a special prayer today for all of those children that have already been condemned to death this year. I ask you to say a prayer for their little souls, that they, although unbaptized, may enter God's mercy and peace in Heaven.
We can work together and peacefully end abortion. Just as the Holocaust in World War II ended, so too can the Holocaust of the unborn end through peaceful means. Already this year, numerous abortion clinics have closed including one in Florida, Wichita, Kansas, Buffalo, NY, Missouri, and one in Omaha.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2271. "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law: You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish. [Didache
2, 2: SCh 248, 148; cf. Ep. Barnabae 19, 5: PG 2, 777; Ad Diognetum 5, 6: PG 2, 1173; Tertullian, Apol. 9: PL 1, 319-320.] God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes. [GS 51 # 3.]"2272. "Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. 'A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,' [CIC, can. 1398.] 'by the very commission of the offense,' [CIC, can. 1314.] and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. [Cf. CIC, cann. 1323-1324.] The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society."
2274. "Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being. Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, 'if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual.... It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence.' [CDF, Donum vitae I, 2.]"
2322. "From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a 'criminal' practice (GS 27 # 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life."
ABORTION STOPS A BEATING HEART!
Prayer to End Abortion
Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life, And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the Resurrection of Your Son.I am ready to do my part in ending abortion. Today I commit myself Never to be silent, Never to be passive, Never to be forgetful of the unborn.I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, And never to stop defending life Until all my brothers and sisters are protected, And our nation once again becomes A nation with liberty and justice Not just for some, but for all.Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Today is the Memorial of St. Jerome, who taught us to love Scripture. Please read my post on him.Prayer:
"Father, you gave St. Jerome delight in his study of holy scripture. May your people find in your word the food of salvation and the fountain of life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."
Friday, September 29, 2006
Simple (1954 Calendar): July 11Commemoration (1962 Calendar): July 11
Pope St. Pius I was the tenth pope of the Holy Catholic Church from c. 140 - 154 AD. His feastday is traditionally observed on July 11th. Unfortunately, it was removed from the Novus Ordo calendar like far too many other saints after the Second Vatican Council.
St. Pius I is remembered as the pope that helped build the Church of St. Pudenziana in Rome. He is rumored to have been the brother of the author of The Shepard of Hermas, which was considered canonical (on the same level as Scripture although it was not part of the Bible).
He died in c. 154 AD and is considered a martyr, which is an unproven assertion. The papacy of Pope St. Pius I also saw the rise of one of the greatest heretics in human history - Marcion of Sinope, who said that the Old Testament God was not the same as the New Testament God. He also formed his own Bible consisting of the Gospel of St. Luke and some of St. Paul's letters, but he modified them to exclude all references to Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. The Catholic Encyclopedia says of the Marcionites: "they were perhaps the most dangerous foe Christianity has ever known."
Pope St. Pius I was the tenth pope of the Holy Catholic Church from c. 140 - 154 AD. His feastday is traditionally observed on July 11th. Unfortunately, it was removed from the Novus Ordo calendar like far too many other saints after the Second Vatican Council.
St. Pius I is remembered as the pope that helped build the Church of St. Pudenziana in Rome. He is rumored to have been the brother of the author of The Shepard of Hermas, which was considered canonical (on the same level as Scripture although it was not part of the Bible).
He died in c. 154 AD and is considered a martyr, which is an unproven assertion. The papacy of Pope St. Pius I also saw the rise of one of the greatest heretics in human history - Marcion of Sinope, who said that the Old Testament God was not the same as the New Testament God. He also formed his own Bible consisting of the Gospel of St. Luke and some of St. Paul's letters, but he modified them to exclude all references to Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. The Catholic Encyclopedia says of the Marcionites: "they were perhaps the most dangerous foe Christianity has ever known."
Traditional Matins Reading:
Pius, the first of this name, a citizen of Aquileia, and son of Rufinus, was priest of the holy Roman Church. During the reign of Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius he was chosen Sovereign Pontiff. In five ordinations which he held in the month of December, he ordained twelve bishops and eighteen priests. Several admirable decrees of his are still extant; in particular that which ordains that the Resurrection of our Lord is always to be celebrated on a Sunday. He changed the house of Pudens into a church, and because it surpassed the other titles in dignity, inasmuch as the Roman Pontiffs had made it their dwelling-place, he dedicated it under the title of Pastor. Here he often celebrated the holy mysteries, baptized many who had been converted to the faith, and enrolled them in the ranks of the faithful. While he was thus fulfilling the duties of a good shepherd, he shed his blood for his sheep and for Christ the Supreme Pastor, being crowned with martyrdom on the fifth of the Ides of July. He was buried in the Vatican.
Collect:
O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Pius I shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this martyr and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection. Through our Lord . . .
From New Line Cinema, opening December, 2006.“The Nativity Story” chronicles the arduous journey of two people, Mary and Joseph, a miraculous pregnancy, and the history-defining birth of Jesus. This dramatic and compelling story comes to life in a major motion picture starring Keisha Castle Hughes (“Whale Rider”) as Mary, Oscar Isaac (“Guerilla”) as Joseph, and Academy Award nominee Shorch Aghdashloo (“House of Sand and Fog”) as Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. “The Nativity Story” is directed by Catherine Hardwicke (“Thirteen”, “Lords of Dogtown”) from a screenplay by Mike Rich (“The Rookie”, “Finding Forrester”). It is scheduled for a December 1 release.
Double of the I Class (1954 Calendar): September 29
Happy Michaelmas!
September 29 was formerly dedicated to all angels since ancient times and as a result, Pope Boniface II chose this date to dedicate a church in the great circus at Rome in 530 AD to Saint Michael the Archangel. This is a separate feastday from the traditional May 8th feastday in honor of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel on Mount Gargano in the 6th century. Today is also the conclusion of the Franciscan custom of observing a Lent of 40 days leading up to the Feast of St. Michael. And see the full-length St. Michael the Archangel Prayer - the full-length one is one most people do not know!
Angels are pure, created spirits. The name angel means servant or messenger of God. They are celestial or heavenly beings, on a higher order than human beings. An angel has no body and does not depend on matter for his existence or activity. They are distinct from saints, which men can become. Angels have intellect and will, and are immortal. They are a vast multitude, but each is an individual person. Archangels are one of the nine choirs of angels listed in the Bible. In ascending order, the choirs or classes are 1) Angels, 2) Archangels, 3) Principalities, 4) Powers, 5) Virtues, 6) Dominations, 7) Thrones, 8) Cherubim, and 9) Seraphim. In honor of today's Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel, see my post on An Exposition of Angels: All You Need To Know.
St. Michael is regarded as the special Guardian Angel of Saint Joseph and the Guardian Angel of each one of the Popes and one of the seven great angels who stand before the throne of God. As a result, it is taught that while we refer to St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael as “Archangels” we are not referring to their rank but rather denoting that they are a higher level than ordinary angels. It is believed that all three of them are actually seraphim – the higher-ranking angels.
Why Have A Devotion to St. Michael?
The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in a 2006 book published by Tan Books answered this question well:
According to the great St. Alphonsus Liguori, veneration of the holy Angels, and particularly of St. Michael, is an outstanding sign of predestination. St. Lawrence Justinian says: "Although we must honor all the Angels, we ought to invoke in a very special manner the glorious St. Michael, as the Prince of all the heavenly spirits, because of his sublime dignity, his pre-eminent office and his invincible power, which he proved in his conflict with Satan, as well as against the combined forces of Hell." Again, the same Saint says: "Let all acknowledge St. Michael as their protector, and be devoted to him, for he cannot despise those who pray to him . . . But he guards them through life, directs them on their way and conducts them to their eternal home."
St. Michael’s Day As A Holy Day of Obligation
The first catalog of Holy Days of Obligation comes from the Decretals of Pope Gregory IX in 1234, which listed 45 Holy Days. In 1642, His Holiness Pope Urban VIII issued the papal bull "Universa Per Orbem" which altered the required Holy Days of Obligation for the Universal Church to consist of 35 such days as well as the principal patrons of one's locality. St. Michael’s September 29th Feastday is present in both lists. While there was a divergence of holy days with no locality keeping all of them, his feast remained a day of obligation in Rome. His feast ceased being a universal day of obligation in the 18th century per the Catholic Encyclopedia. It ceased being a Holy Day in Ireland in 1778.
St. Michael is one of the principal angels; his name was the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy and his followers. Four times his name is recorded in Scripture: Daniel 10:13…Daniel 12…In the Catholic Epistle of St. Jude: ‘When Michael the Archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moses’, etc. St. Jude alludes to an ancient Jewish tradition of a dispute between Michael and Satan over the body of Moses, an account of which is also found in the apocryphal book on the assumption of Moses (Origen, De Principiis III.2.2). St. Michael concealed the tomb of Moses; Satan, however, by disclosing it, tried to seduce the Jewish people to the sin of hero-worship. St. Michael also guards the body of Eve, according to the ‘Revelation of Moses’… Apocalypse 12:7, "And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon." St. John speaks of the great conflict at the end of time, which reflects also the battle in heaven at the beginning of time. According to the Fathers there is often question of St. Michael in Scripture where his name is not mentioned. They say he was the cherub who stood at the gate of paradise, ‘to keep the way of the tree of life’ (Genesis 3:24), the angel through whom God published the Decalogue to his chosen people, the angel who stood in the way against Balaam (Numbers 22:22), the angel who routed the army of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:35)…
Consequently, the Church attributes four offices to St. Michael as the Catholic Encyclopedia next summarizes:
- To fight against Satan.
- To rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death.
- To be the champion of God's people, the Jews in the Old Law, the Christians in the New Testament; therefore, he was the patron of the Church, and of the orders of knights during the Middle Ages.
- To call away from earth and bring men's souls to judgment
Collect:
O God, who wondrously directs the services of angels and men, grant that our lives on earth may be guarded by the angels who stand ever before Your face ministering to You in heaven. Through our Lord . . .
Thursday, September 28, 2006
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" (RSV)
"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ" (St. Jerome). Please join me in reading the New Testament using an online guide!
Back on September 8, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI met with Canadian bishops. I didn't post on the story then, so I wanted to post now:Your Eminence,
Dear Brother Bishops,
1. "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1Jn 4:16). With fraternal affection I cordially welcome you, the Bishops of Ontario, and I thank Bishop Smith for the kind sentiments expressed on your behalf. I warmly reciprocate them and assure you, and those entrusted to your pastoral care, of my prayers and solicitude. Your visit ad Limina Apostolorum, and to the successor of Peter, is an occasion to affirm your commitment to make Christ increasingly more visible within the Church and society, through joyful witness to the Gospel that is Jesus Christ himself.
The Evangelist John's numerous exhortations to abide in the love and truth of Christ evoke an appealing image of a sure and safe dwelling place. God first loves us (1 Jn 4:10) and we, drawn towards this gift, find a resting place where we can "constantly drink anew from the original source, which is Jesus Christ, from whose pierced heart flows the love of God" (Deus Caritas Est, 7). Saint John was also compelled to urge his communities to remain in that love. Already some had been weakened by the disputes and distractions which eventually lead to division.
2. Dear Brothers, your own Diocesan communities are challenged to resonate with the living statement of faith: "we know and believe the love God has for us" (1 Jn 4:16). These words, which eloquently reveal faith as personal adherence to God and concurrent assent to the whole truth that God reveals (cf. Dominus Iesus, 7), can be credibly proclaimed only in the wake of an encounter with Christ. Drawn by his love the believer entrusts his entire self to God and so becomes one with the Lord (cf. 1 Cor 6:17). In the Eucharist this union is strengthened and renewed by entering into the very dynamic of Christ's self-giving so as to share in the divine life: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him" (Jn 6:56; cf. Deus Caritas Est, 13).
St John's admonition, however, still holds. In increasingly secularized societies such as yours, the Lord's outpouring of love to humanity can remain unnoticed or rejected. By imagining that withdrawing from this relationship is somehow a key to his own liberation, man in fact becomes a stranger to himself, since "in reality it is only in the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of man truly becomes clear" (Gaudium et spes, n. 22). Dismissive of the love which discloses the fullness of man's truth, many men and women continue to walk away from the Lord's abode into a wilderness of individual isolation, social fragmentation and loss of cultural identity.
3. Within this perspective, one sees that the fundamental task of the evangelization of culture is the challenge to make God visible in the human face of Jesus. In helping individuals to recognize and experience the love of Christ, you will awaken in them the desire to dwell in the house of the Lord, embracing the life of the Church. This is our mission. It expresses our ecclesial nature and ensures that every initiative of evangelization concurrently strengthens Christian identity. In this regard, we must acknowledge that any reduction of the core message of Jesus, that is, the 'Kingdom of God', to indefinite talk of 'kingdom values' weakens Christian identity and debilitates the Church's contribution to the regeneration of society. When believing is replaced by 'doing' and witness by talk of 'issues', there is an urgent need to recapture the profound joy and awe of the first disciples whose hearts, in the Lord's presence, "burned within them" impelling them to "tell their story" (cf. Lk 24:32; 35).
Today, the impediments to the spread of Christ's Kingdom are experienced most dramatically in the split between the Gospel and culture, with the exclusion of God from the public sphere. Canada has a well-earned reputation for a generous and practical commitment to justice and peace, and there is an enticing sense of vibrancy and opportunity in your multicultural cities. At the same time, however, certain values detached from their moral roots and full significance found in Christ have evolved in the most disturbing of ways. In the name of 'tolerance' your country has had to endure the folly of the redefinition of spouse, and in the name of 'freedom of choice' it is confronted with the daily destruction of unborn children. When the Creator's divine plan is ignored the truth of human nature is lost.
May Canada move from the "dictatorship of relativism" that Pope Benedict warned is growing throughout the world.
False dichotomies are not unknown within the Christian community itself. They are particularly damaging when Christian civic leaders sacrifice the unity of faith and sanction the disintegration of reason and the principles of natural ethics, by yielding to ephemeral social trends and the spurious demands of opinion polls. Democracy succeeds only to the extent that it is based on truth and a correct understanding of the human person. Catholic involvement in political life cannot compromise on this principle; otherwise Christian witness to the splendour of truth in the public sphere would be silenced and an autonomy from morality proclaimed (cf. Doctrinal Note The Participation of Catholics in Political Life, 2-3; 6). In your discussions with politicians and civic leaders I encourage you to demonstrate that our Christian faith, far from being an impediment to dialogue, is a bridge, precisely because it brings together reason and culture.
4. Within the context of the evangelization of culture, I wish to mention the fine network of Catholic schools at the heart of ecclesial life in your Province. Catechesis and religious education is a taxing apostolate. I thank and encourage those many lay men and women, together with Religious, who strive to ensure that your young people become daily more appreciative of the gift of faith which they have received. More than ever this demands that witness, nourished by prayer, be the all-encompassing milieu of every Catholic school. Teachers, as witnesses, account for the hope that nourishes their own lives (cf. 1 Pt 3:15) by living the truth they propose to their pupils, always in reference to the one they have encountered and whose dependable goodness they have sampled with joy (cf. Address to Rome's Ecclesial Diocesan Convention, Living the Truth that God Loves his People, 6 June 2005). And so with Saint Augustine they say: "we who speak and you who listen acknowledge ourselves as fellow disciples of a single teacher" (St. Augustine, Sermons, 23:2).
A particularly insidious obstacle to education today, which your own reports attest, is the marked presence in society of that relativism which, recognizing nothing as definitive, leaves as the ultimate criterion only the self with its desires. Within such a relativistic horizon an eclipse of the sublime goals of life occurs with a lowering of the standards of excellence, a timidity before the category of the good, and a relentless but senseless pursuit of novelty parading as the realization of freedom. Such detrimental trends point to the particular urgency of the apostolate of 'intellectual charity' which upholds the essential unity of knowledge, guides the young towards the sublime satisfaction of exercising their freedom in relation to truth, and articulates the relationship between faith and all aspects of family and civic life. Introduced to a love of truth, I am confident that young Canadians will relish exploring the house of the Lord who "enlightens every person who comes into the world" (Jn 1:9) and satisfies every desire of humanity.
5. Dear Brothers, with affection and fraternal gratitude I offer these reflections to you and encourage you in your proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Experience his love and in this way cause the light of God to enter into the world! (cf. Deus Caritas Est, 39). Invoking upon you the intercession of Mary, Seat of Wisdom, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to you and the priests, Religious, and lay faithful of your dioceses.
© Copyright 2006 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
In keeping with part of my Catholic Resolution for the year, I am going to be following an online guide to reading the Bible. I didn't read all of the Old Testament, but I want to read all of the New Testament. So starting today, please follow the Catholic Doors Guide along with me and read a few chapters each day. On the last day of this year, we will have read the entire New Testament.
Prayer Before Reading the Bible
Our Father, who art in heaven, sacred is your Word. Your kingdom come, your words be heard on earth as they are in heaven. Give us today your sacred Word. Forgive our neglect of it in the past as we forgive those who neglect us. Lead us toward an encounter with you each time we delve into the Scriptures. For your presence, your power, and your glory are ever present among us now and forever. Amen.
Need to Buy a Bible
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 book of Sacred Scripture. The best Catholic Bible is the Douay-Rheims Bible, which was translated from the Vulgate. Although approved, I would definitely avoid the New American Bible [NAB] and Jerusalem Bible; the footnotes in the NAB can be difficult for converts to appropriately understand.
Then I heard the words: As you are united with Me in life, so will you be united at the moment of death. After these words, such great trust in God's great mercy was awakened in my soul that, even if I had had the sins of the whole world, as well as the sins of all the condemned souls weighing on my conscience, I would not have doubted God's goodness but, without hesitation, would have thrown myself into the abyss of the divine mercy, which is always open to us; and, with a heart crushed to dust, I would have cast myself at His feet, abandoning myself totally to His holy will, which is mercy itself. (1552)This month I will practice the three virtues recommended to me by the Mother of God: humility, purity, and love of God, accepting with profound submission to the will of God everything that He will send me. (1624)
I began Holy Lent in the way that Jesus wanted me to, making myself totally dependent upon His holy will and accepting with love everything that He sends me. I cannot practice any greater mortifications, because I am so very weak. This long illness has sapped my strength completely. I am uniting myself with Jesus through suffering. When I meditate on His Painful Passion, my physical sufferings are lessened. (1625)
The words of Our Lord Jesus Christ are in boldface. The words of Our Lady are in italics.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Update: After thinking over everything, I will continue blogging
Original Post: I have just received an anonymous comment saying that this person has contacted the Archdiocese of Chicago because of my posts on this blog. Here is part of the comment: "Please be advised that I have contacted the archdiocese of Chicago and advised them to review printouts from your website regarding comments you have made pertaining to Bishop Flynn and also your manner of generally conducting yourself on the site."
O, how it distresses me that someone seeks to come to my blog to bring discord. Has everyone forgotten the teachings of Christ! Mercy not judgment is the answer.
What have I said about Archbishop Flynn? I have said, that while he remains a successor to the apostles, he is has done things I greatly disagree with, and because of that, I chose not to consider the seminary in Minnesota. Readers can read my post on Archbishop Flynn. I never encouraged disobedience! I simply, greatly disagreed with some of his actions. Mother Angelica did even more than this when she criticized Cardinal Mahony and encouraged no obedience. I simply stated my own personal opinion. Remember, this is my personal blog, where I can state my opinions because of the great liberties of this wonderful country.
Anonymous continued: "I can only suggest now that you take a deep breath and decide whether to keep fighting about these issues or simply stop what you are doing."
I ask, what have I done wrong. I have seen problems in the world and addressed them. I have sought to evangelize and save souls. I do include prayers, saint information, devotions, and my own personal feelings too. What have I done wrong???? And for that, I am being condemned. So, to any that I have offended, forgive me. In light of these comments, I plan to take a break from blogging for the next few days.
1 Peter 4:13-14:
"Dearly Beloved: Rejoice in the measures that you share Christ's sufferings. When his glory is revealed, you will rejoice exultantly. Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God's Spirit in its glory has come to rest on you"
Beatitudes:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Gospel of Matthew 5:3-10
Monday, September 25, 2006
On September 19, 1846, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared on the mountain of La Salette in France to Melanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, two young shepherds who had only known each other for two days. Our Blessed Mother appeared to them on this day, the feastday of Our Lady of Sorrows, and she asked them to make her message known. Mother Mary also told each of them a private secret.The children say that Mary was in tears and her hands were folded across her chest. She spoke of how it upset her for people to swear, not go to Sunday Mass, and disobey God's laws. During this apparition, she begged us all: "be reconciled with God."
Blessed Melanie Calvat was instructed to found a new religious order, the Order of the Mother of God. Blessed Melanie was told by the Mother of God to make known her secret after the year 1858.
Blessed Melanie Calvat said that both secrets were written down and handed to Pope Pius IX in 1851. In 1888, the secret was published.
The Secret:
- Three quarters of France will lose the Faith
- A Protestant nation in the North shall repent and return to God
- The Church shall grow once more
- The peace will be destroyed by a "monster" at the end of the 19th Century or beginning of the 20th
“God is going to strike in an unprecedented manner. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth! God is going to exhaust His wrath, and no one will be able to resist so many concerted woes... Many will abandon the faith, and the number of priests and religious who will dissociate themselves from the true religion will be great... Many religious institutes will lose the faith entirely and will cause the loss of many souls. The Church will pass through a frightful crisis... The Holy Father will suffer greatly. I will be with him to the end to receive his sacrifice... For a time God will not remember France or Italy because the Gospel of Jesus Christ is no longer known... [But the] prayers, penance and tears of the just will ascend to heaven, and the entire people of God will beg for pardon and mercy and will ask My assistance and My intercession. Then Jesus Christ, by an act of His justice and His great mercy toward the just [will intervene and] then there will be peace, the reconciliation of God with men... Charity will flourish everywhere.. The Gospel will be preached everywhere, and men will make great progress in the faith, because there will be unity among the workers of Jesus Christ and men will live in the fear of God.”
She also said: “Rome will lose the faith and will become the seat of Antichrist.” To call Her children to combat for God in the days of darkness and sin, the Mother of God concludes:“I address an urgent appeal to the earth: I summon the true disciples of God who lives and reigns in heaven; I summon the true imitators of Christ made man, the one true Saviour of men; I summon My children, My true devotees, those who have given themselves to Me so that I might lead them to My divine Son, those whom I carry, so to speak, in My arms, those who have lived according to My spirit; finally, I summon the Apostles of the Latter Times, the faithful disciples of Jesus Christ who have lived in scorn of the world and of themselves, in poverty and in humility, in contempt and in silence, in prayer and in mortification, in chastity and in union with God, in suffering and unknown to the world. It is time for them to arise and come forth to enlighten the earth.
“Go, and show yourselves as My cherished children; I am with you and in you, provided that your faith be the light that enlightens you in these days of woe. May your zeal cause you to be as famished for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ. Fight, children of light, you little number who see; for behold the time of times, the end of ends.”
On November 16, 1851, the Holy See officially declared the apparitions at La Salette as authentic.
Read More:
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Hello, everyone.
I want to take this opportunity and state my beliefs. In response to the recent comments on the Trad Reviews post by anonymous, I feel obligated to. I am a Traditional Catholic - I want to serve the Church founded on Jesus Christ and preserved through the past two millenia. I am here to serve and teach. I am here to spread the Gospel on the Internet, and I anticipated a lot of people wouldn't like that. Surprisingly, during the past few years I learned not only computer knowledge but a wealth of information on Catholic practices, saints, etc. that I never knew before. I think that during my past year and a half blogging, I have learned probably more than I have taught my readers.
One thing I have learned better is myself. I have learned that I have a vocation - a vocation to serve God - a vocation, I believe, to the holy Catholic priesthood. And during this past year I also realized that I am a Traditionalist Catholic. I want the Church to remain true to its sacred teachings. Even over the summer when I stayed with a group of Benedictine monks, I was able to grow even closer to God in realizing that I can't do everything. I learned that I can't save souls or make people believe - only God can.
I want to point out the two recent comments on this blog - please read them under my post on TradReviews.
First off, I do think I sound mature on this blog. I am tired of continually being called "immature" by anonymous commentors in the recent months. Are you saying I am immature because I stand for the Holy Traditions of the Catholic Church and refuse to be swerved by modernism?
Secondly, I choose not to reveal my real name for my safety. Many of my fellow bloggers choose to do the same thing. In this day and age, safety on the Internet has to be a #1 priority. Please know that I do not choose to remain anonymous because I am afraid of the Church knowning my beliefs. After my ordination, I plan to not only reveal my name but place my picture online like many blogging priests do. Until that day comes, though, I choose to remain anonymous. I however am not afraid of my beliefs being "reviewed" by the Catholic Church because my beliefs are part of the Catholic Church.
My priest, bishop, and other important people in my diocese already are aware of my support for the Tridentine Rite and my Traditional views. Overall, I have received great support from them.
I am both a sinner and a servant of God. I am someone hoping to enter a seminary. That is who I am. If anonymous is demanding to know my name, he/she is being a hypocrite for not revealing his/her own name with his/her powerful statements.
To those that wish to bring discord online, I remind you of the most important thing in the world - love. Bringing discord does not foster love.
So, since this post has turned into an open post for debate, I address this to all of my readers: I want to know your comments. If you have a problem with something I do, then please let me know. And if you wish to offer support, then please do so.
To all of you, regardless, I pray that you will have peace!
God Bless!
Read more >>
I want to take this opportunity and state my beliefs. In response to the recent comments on the Trad Reviews post by anonymous, I feel obligated to. I am a Traditional Catholic - I want to serve the Church founded on Jesus Christ and preserved through the past two millenia. I am here to serve and teach. I am here to spread the Gospel on the Internet, and I anticipated a lot of people wouldn't like that. Surprisingly, during the past few years I learned not only computer knowledge but a wealth of information on Catholic practices, saints, etc. that I never knew before. I think that during my past year and a half blogging, I have learned probably more than I have taught my readers.
One thing I have learned better is myself. I have learned that I have a vocation - a vocation to serve God - a vocation, I believe, to the holy Catholic priesthood. And during this past year I also realized that I am a Traditionalist Catholic. I want the Church to remain true to its sacred teachings. Even over the summer when I stayed with a group of Benedictine monks, I was able to grow even closer to God in realizing that I can't do everything. I learned that I can't save souls or make people believe - only God can.
I want to point out the two recent comments on this blog - please read them under my post on TradReviews.
First off, I do think I sound mature on this blog. I am tired of continually being called "immature" by anonymous commentors in the recent months. Are you saying I am immature because I stand for the Holy Traditions of the Catholic Church and refuse to be swerved by modernism?
Secondly, I choose not to reveal my real name for my safety. Many of my fellow bloggers choose to do the same thing. In this day and age, safety on the Internet has to be a #1 priority. Please know that I do not choose to remain anonymous because I am afraid of the Church knowning my beliefs. After my ordination, I plan to not only reveal my name but place my picture online like many blogging priests do. Until that day comes, though, I choose to remain anonymous. I however am not afraid of my beliefs being "reviewed" by the Catholic Church because my beliefs are part of the Catholic Church.
My priest, bishop, and other important people in my diocese already are aware of my support for the Tridentine Rite and my Traditional views. Overall, I have received great support from them.
I am both a sinner and a servant of God. I am someone hoping to enter a seminary. That is who I am. If anonymous is demanding to know my name, he/she is being a hypocrite for not revealing his/her own name with his/her powerful statements.
To those that wish to bring discord online, I remind you of the most important thing in the world - love. Bringing discord does not foster love.
So, since this post has turned into an open post for debate, I address this to all of my readers: I want to know your comments. If you have a problem with something I do, then please let me know. And if you wish to offer support, then please do so.
To all of you, regardless, I pray that you will have peace!
God Bless!
Sara Salkahazi was beatified on September 17, 2006, at Budapest's St. Stephen Basilica. Salkahazi was a Hungarian nun that saved the lives of dozens of Jews during World War II. She is an example of the sacrificial love that Jesus calls us to show to the whole world.On Dec. 27, 1944, Sara Salkahazi was killed by the Arrow Cross - the Hungarian allies of the Nazis, for hiding Jews in the building used by her religious community, Sisters of Social Service.
Her beatification was the first held in Hungary since 1083, when Hungary's first king, St. Stephen, was beatified along with his son, St. Imre, and St. Gellert, an Italian bishop who helped convert Hungarians to Christianity. It was the custom for hundreds of years to celebrate beatifications in Rome. Now, canonizations will be held in Rome, but Pope Benedict XVI is allowing beatifications in other parts of the world.
She was the first Hungarian beatified that was not a member of the aristocracy or royalty.
Speaking at the Beatification Mass, Rabbi Jozsef Schweitzer said of Sister Sara, "I know from personal experience ... how dangerous and heroic it was in those times to help Jews and save them from death. Originating in her faith, she kept the commandment of love until death."
If you have information relevant to the canonization of Blessed Sara, please contact:
Szociális Testvérek Társasága
Bartók Béla út 61. III./6, 1114
Budapest, HUNGARY
Father Mosè Tovini, a priest of the Brescia diocese in Italy, was also beatified on September 17, 2006! He was beatified in the Cathedral of Brescia, Italy.
Fr. Mosè Tovini was born on December 27, 1877, and lived as a priest in the diocese of Brescia, Italy. He taught mathematics, philosophy, sociology, apologetics, and dogmatic theology at the Brescia Seminary. He is best known for his ardor in teaching the Catechism. He died on January 28, 1930 in Brescia, Italy. If you have information relevant to the canonization of Blessed Mose, please contact:
Santuario delle Grazie
Via Grazie, 13
25122 Brescia, ITALY
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Today the Church celebrates and remembers St. Padre Pio (1887 - 1968), one of my personal favorite saints. Please read my post on the Memorial of St. Padre Pio for today.
Friday, September 22, 2006
"That is why Jesus made himself bread
to satisfy our hunger for God.
See the humility of God.
He also made Himself the hungry one
to satisfy our hunger for God
through our love, our service.
Let us pray that none of us will be unfaithful.
Let us pray for our poor people.
They are also hungry for God."
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