Cause for Beatification of Pius XII Advances

The Cause of the Beatification of Pope Pius XII has advanced. Pius XII led the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958 and immediately beforehand he was the Secretary of State for the Vatican. Pius XII saved thousands of lives during the Holocaust and was a leader for the Catholic Church. I am extremely glad to see his Cause for Beatification advancing.

Members of the Congregation for Saints' Causes met May 8 to consider the cause of Pope Pius XII and apparently voted to recommend that Pope Benedict XVI formally declare him venerable. Passionist Father Ciro Benedettini, vice director of the Vatican press office, confirmed the congregation had met, but since the result of the vote still had to be presented to the pope he would not say May 9 what the result was. However, Jesuit Father Peter Gumpel, who has spent years officially shepherding the cause through its various stages, told Catholic News Service May 11 that the vote was "unanimous and totally positive." 

Source: Catholic News Service

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Audio Chant: Regina Coeli

Remember to pray the Regina Caeli instead of the Angelus during Easter Season (i.e. Pascaltide). The Easter Season begins on Easter Sunday and lasts until the end of the Octave of Pentecost; as a result, it is 56 total days in length.

By listening to this video and following along, it is easy to memorize the Regina Caeli in Latin.

REGINA, caeli, lætare, alleluia:

Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,

Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia.

Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia,

R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

Oremus

Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut, per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

English Translation:

O Queen of heaven rejoice! alleluia:
For He whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia,
Hath arisen as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray

O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; grant, we beseech Thee, that through His Mother, the Virgin Mary we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

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ABC: Video on Tridentine Mass

ABC Boston has a great 6.5 minute video on the Tridentine Latin Mass. I highly recommend it for viewing. There are some great scenes of the TLM from Kansas City and Holy Trinity German Church in Boston.

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Special Intention

If you could, I would like to ask my readers to please say a prayer for a special intention of mine.

Thank you.

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Mark Your Calendars: May 14-16

This year the Minor Rogation, the days leading up to Ascension Thursday, are May 14-16 inclusive. Today is the first day of the Minor Rogation, a day which should be a day of fasting.

These were traditionally days of penance, fasting, and praying litanies. If you are in good health, please remember to observe these days. For more information on Rogation days, see the links in my post entitled Rogation Day: Fasting and Penance.

I greatly encourage people to observe these days and spend time praying the Litany of Saints not only for a bountiful harvest but also for mercy and repentance.

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Pope Benedict XVI in Brazil: Day Five

Today at 9:00 AM, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in front of the Shrine of Aparecida. Nearly 150,000 people attended the open-air Mass. This was the opening Mass for the 5th general Conference of Latin American and Caribbean bishops (CELAM). Let us pray for an end to Protestantism - in particular the heresies of the Pentecostal religion.

His homily is available on the Vatican's website as is his Regina Cæli address.

Photos:


AFP/File/Antonio Scorza
AFP/File/Vincenzo Pinto
Tony Gentile/Reuters

Following the Mass and his address at the Inaugural session of the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America, Pope Benedict XVI departed Brazil and thus concluded his sixth apostolic voyage outside of Italy.

Departure:

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90th Anniversary of Fatima

Today is not only Mother's Day in the United States, but also a special day to remember devotion to Our Lady, Mary the Mother of God. Today is the 90th Anniversary of her apparition at Fatima to three shepherd children. Please pray the Rosary today in honor of Mary's request at Fatima, where she asked for all people to pray the daily Rosary. If you are unfamiliar with Fatima, read about the apparitions!

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Pope Benedict XVI in Brazil: Day Four

Today, May 12, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI continued his sixth apostolic voyage outside of Italy by visiting a center for drug rehabilitation and then praying the rosary at the famous Shrine of Aparecida. Pope Benedict XVI's first major event today was visiting Fazenda da Esperança (Farm of Hope) in Guaratinguetá, about 30 km from the town of Aparecida, which is a center for drug rehabilitation.

While at the center for drug rehabilitation, Pope Benedict XVI said, “I urge drug-dealers to reflect on the grave harm they are inflicting on countless young people and adults from every walk of life. God will call you to account for your deeds.” The Holy Father also said, “Christians are called to announce the Resurrection with force. Right here, in this ‘Fazenda da Esperança’, where people, especially young people, try to overcome drug and chemical addictions, we bear witness to the Gospel of Christ in a consumer-oriented society that is far from God. How different is the Creator’s perspective in that of His work!” More information about his visit can be read on AsiaNews.it.

Photos:

AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano

AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano

REUTERS/Sergio Moraes

REUTERS/Tony Gentile (BRAZIL)

After visiting the center, Pope Benedict XVI journeyed to the Basilica of Aparecida in Aparecida, Brazil where he prayed the Rosary with priests, religious, deacons, and seminarians. He addressed those present as well. The city of Aparecida is home to the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil, declared so by Pope Pius XI in 1929.

Photos:

AFP/Orlando Kissner

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Papal Photo of the Day

I had to share this heart-warming photo of Pope Benedict XVI in Brazil.

Source: REUTERS/Tony Gentile (BRAZIL)

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Any Bird Enthusiasts?

For some light-heartened fun, I wanted to direct my readers to the blog of a fellow Catholic called Feathered Friends. If you like birds then you will be sure to enjoy this blog. Go on over and leave a comment!

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Pope Benedict XVI in Brazil: Day Three

Today, May 11, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the Mass for the Canonization for Antonio of Saint Anne, commonly called Frei Galvão. He is the first native-born Brazilian to be canonized. Pope Benedict XVI's address at the Canonization can be read on the Zenit News Agency.

Born to a deeply religious family in 1739, Frei Galvão became a Franciscan priest. On June 11, 1762, he was ordained a priest and after meeting with Sister Helena Maria of the Holy Spirit, they formed a new foundation on February 2, 1774, Our Lady of the Conception of Divine Providence. It was a home for girls who wished to live a religious life but without taking vows. St. Galvão served as a preacher, porter, and confessor to the local laity. St. Frei Galvão also was appointed guardian of Saint Francis Friary in Sao Paulo in 1798 and founded the Saint Clare friary in Sorocaba, Sao Paulo in 1811. In 1822, St. Galvão died. Over 5,000 miracles have been attributed to his intercession.

Photos:

AFP/Martin Bernetti

REUTERS/Sergio Moraes (BRAZIL)

AP Photo/Dado Galdieri

Photo/Dado Galdieri

AFP/Antonio Scorza

REUTERS/Tony Gentile (BRAZIL) REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (BRAZIL)
AFP/Martin Bernetti

In the photo below, some relics from St. Frei Galvão are brought to the altar. On this occassion, the Universal Church celebrates the canonization of St. Frei Galvão. It is now declared that he is in Heaven. Let us pray the Te Deum in thanskgiving!

REUTERS/Tony Gentile (BRAZIL)
Following the Mass of Canonization, Pope Benedict XVI addressed 400 Brazilian bishops who gathered in the Cathedral of São Paulo to pray vespers. A copy of his address is avaliable on the Zenit News Agency. In the address, Pope Benedict XVI stated that evangelising, teaching the Faith and Christian morality, seeking out Catholics who have fallen away from the Church, promoting pastoral initiatives in favour of the poor, and defending marriage are all tasks facing the bishops.

Photos:

AFP/Vincenzo Pinto
REUTERS/Sergio Moraes
AP Photo/Andre Penner

AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano

AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano

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Pope in Brazil: Day Two

Today, May 10, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI continued his visit to the country of Brazil. Tomorrow will be the first major event, though, of his journey - the canonization of Blessed Frei Galvao.

AFP/Mauricio Lima
Pope Benedict XVI began today with a private Mass at the Sao Bento monastery. Following the Mass, Pope Benedict XVI briefly met with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva at the presidential palace. According to the Guardian Unlimited: "Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, met Pope Benedict XVI today amid growing controversy over abortion. Presidential aides told reporters that the issue was not mentioned during their 30-minute meeting in Sao Paulo's Bandeirantes palace. Instead the two men focused on poverty reduction and biofuel production." At least the President voiced his opposition to the legalization of abortion in the country the previous day.

AP Photo/Andre Penner
I hope that the Holy Father does talk about abortion and ask the people of the country to condemn it. Let us pray for this! Ending the genocide against the unborn is far more important than discussing "biofuel production".

REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (BRAZIL)
Following the 30 minute meeting with the President of Brazil, Pope Benedict XVI met representatives of various religious groups from Brazil. I hope that true ecumenism was expressed at the meeting, which involves trying to convert other Christians to the one Truth - Catholicism. Real dialogue with other Christian denominations never involves compromising the truth in order to make a new creed. Rather, real dialogue involves seeking to bring non-Catholics to the truth of Catholicism. Remember: Extra ecclesiam nulla salus (there is no salvation outside of the Church).

REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker (BRAZIL)
Later in the evening, Pope Benedict XVI concluded his second day in Brazil with an appearance at a youth rally at the old soccer Stadium of Pacaembu in Sao Paulo. Below is a copy of his lengthy address. I have bolded various parts to add emphasis. Many photos are available on the blog of AmericanPapist.

Pacaembu
Meeting with the youth
Official translation

My dear young friends!

“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor…and come, follow me” (Mt 19:21).

1. I was particularly eager to include a meeting with you during this my first journey to Latin America. I have come to inaugurate the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America which, according to my wish, will take place at Aparecida, here in Brazil, at the Shrine of Our Lady. It is she who leads us to the feet of Jesus so that we can learn his teachings about the Kingdom, and it is she who stirs us up to be his missionaries so that the people of this “Continent of Hope” may have full life in him.

In their General Assembly last year, your Bishops here in Brazil reflected on the theme of the evangelization of youth and they placed a document into your hands. They asked you to receive that document and add your own reflections to it in the course of the year. At their most recent Assembly, the Bishops returned to the theme, enriched now by your collaboration, in the hope that the reflections and guidelines proposed therein would serve as a stimulus and a beacon for your journey. The words offered by the Archbishop of São Paulo and the Director of Pastoral Care for Young People, both of whom I thank, confirm the spirit that moves your hearts.

While flying over the land of Brazil yesterday evening, I was already anticipating our encounter here in the Stadium of Pacaembu, anxious to extend to all of you a warm Brazilian embrace and to share with you the sentiments which I carry in the depths of my heart, and which are very appropriately indicated to us in today’s Gospel.

I have always felt a very special joy at these encounters. I remember especially the Twentieth World Youth Day at which I was able to preside two years ago in Germany. Some of you gathered here today were also present! It is an emotional memory for me on account of the abundant fruits of the Lord’s grace poured out upon those who were there.

Among the many fruits which I could point to, there is little doubt that the first was the exemplary sense of fraternity that stood as a clear witness to the Church’s perennial vitality throughout the world.

2. For this reason, my dear friends, I am certain that today the same impressions I received in Germany will be renewed here. In 1991, during his visit to Mato Grosso, the Servant of God Pope John Paul II, of venerable memory, said that “youth are the first protagonists of the third millennium … they are the ones who will be charged with the destiny of this new phase in human history” (16 October 1991). Today, I feel moved to make the same observation regarding all of you.

The Christian life you lead in numerous parishes and small ecclesial communities, in universities, colleges and schools, and most of all, in places of work both in the city and in the countryside, is undoubtedly pleasing to the Lord. But it is necessary to go even further. We can never say “enough”, because the love of God is infinite, and the Lord asks us—or better—requires us to open our hearts wider so that there will be room for even more love, goodness, and understanding for our brothers and sisters, and for the problems which concern not only the human community, but also the effective preservation and protection of the natural environment of which we are all a part. “Our forests have more life”: do not allow this flame of hope which your National Hymn places on your lips to die out. The devastation of the environment in the Amazon Basin and the threats against the human dignity of peoples living within that region call for greater commitment in the different areas of activity than society tends to recognize.

3. Today I would like to reflect on the text we have just heard from Saint Matthew (cf. 19:16-22). It speaks of a young man who ran to see Jesus. His impatience merits special attention. In this young man I see all of you young people of Brazil and Latin America. You have “run” here from various regions of this Continent for this meeting of ours. You want to listen to the words of Jesus himself — spoken through the voice of the Pope.

You have a crucial question — a question that appears in this Gospel — to put to him. It is the same question posed by the young man who ran to see Jesus: What good deed must I do, to have eternal life? I would like to take a deeper look at this question with you. It has to do with life. A life which—in all of you—is exuberant and beautiful. What are you to do with it? How can you live it to the full?

We see at once that in the very formulation of the question, the “here” and “now” are not enough; to put it another way, we cannot limit our life within the confines of space and time, however much we might try to broaden their horizons.

Life transcends them. In other words: we want to live, not die. We have a sense of something telling us that life is eternal and that we must apply ourselves to reach it. In short, it rests in our hands and is dependent, in a certain way, on our own decision.

The question in the Gospel does not regard only the future. It does not regard only a question about what will happen after death. On the contrary, it exists as a task in the present, in the “here” and “now”, which must guarantee authenticity and consequently the future. In short, the young man’s question raises the issue of life’s meaning. It can therefore be formulated in this way: what must I do so that my life has meaning? How must I live so as to reap the full fruits of life? Or again: what must I do so that my life is not wasted?

Jesus alone can give us the answer, because he alone can guarantee us eternal life. He alone, therefore, can show us the meaning of this present life and give it fullness.

4. But before giving his response, Jesus asks about a very important aspect of the young man’s enquiry: why do you ask me about what is good? In this question, we find the key to the answer. This young man perceives that Jesus is good and that he is a teacher — a teacher who does not deceive. We are here because we have the very same conviction: Jesus is good. It may be that we do not know how to explain fully the reason for this perception, but it undoubtedly draws us to him and opens us up to his teaching: he is a good teacher. To recognize the good means to love. And whoever loves—to use a felicitous expression of Saint John—knows God (cf. 1 Jn 4:7). The young man in the Gospel has perceived God in Jesús Christ.

Jesus assures us that God alone is good. To be open to goodness means to receive God. In this way, he invites us to see God in all things and in everything that happens, even where most people see only God’s absence. When we see the beauty of creation and recognize the goodness present there, it is impossible not to believe in God and to experience his saving and reassuring presence. If we came to see all the good that exists in the world—and moreover, experience the good that comes from God himself—we would never cease to approach him, praise him, and thank him. He continually fills us with joy and good things. His joy is our strength.

But we can only know in an imperfect, partial way. To understand what is good, we need help, which the Church offers us on many occasions, especially through catechesis. Jesus himself shows what is good for us by giving us the first element in his catechesis: “If you would enter life, keep the commandments” (Mt 19:17). He begins with the knowledge that the young man has surely already acquired from his family and from the synagogue: he knows the commandments. These lead to life, which means that they guarantee our authenticity. They are the great signs which lead us along the right path.

Whoever keeps the commandments is on the way that leads to God. It is not enough, however, simply to know them. Witness is even more important than knowledge; or rather, it is applied knowledge. The commandments are not imposed upon us from without; they do not diminish our freedom. On the contrary: they are strong internal incentives leading us to act in a certain way. At the heart of them we find both grace and nature, which do not allow us to stay still. We must walk. We are motivated to do something in order fulfil our potential. To find fulfilment through action is, in reality, to become real. To a large extent, from the time of our youth, we are whatever we want to be. We are, so to speak, the work of our own hands.

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Additional Photos:
REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker (BRAZIL)
REUTERS/Bruno Domingos (BRAZIL)
REUTERS/Sergio Moraes
AP Photo/Victor Caivano

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Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Brazil

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Pope Benedict XVI in Brazil: Day One

AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

On May 9, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Sao Paulo's airport for a welcoming ceremony. While there, he briefly met President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva of Brazil. Thankfully, that same day President Silva also voiced his opposition to the legalization of abortion in the country.

Below is a copy of his address at the airport's welcoming ceremony:

Mr President,
My Venerable Brothers in the College of Cardinals and in the Episcopate,
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

1. I am very pleased to begin my Pastoral Visit to Brazil and to express to Your Excellency, as Head of State and Supreme Representative of the great Brazilian Nation, my gratitude for the warm welcome offered to me. I willingly extend my thanks also to the members of the Government accompanying you, as well as to the civil and military dignitaries present, and to the authorities of the State of São Paulo. In the words of welcome which you addressed to me, Mr President, I hear an echo of the sentiments of affection and love that all the Brazilian people bear towards the Successor of the Apostle Peter.

I offer my fraternal greetings in the Lord to my dear Brother Bishops who have come to receive me in the name of the Church in Brazil. I also greet the priests, religious men and women, the seminarians and the lay people dedicated to the Church’s task of evangelization and to authentic Christian living. Finally, I extend my warm greetings to all Brazilians without distinction, men and women, families, the old and the sick, young people and children. To all of you I say from my heart: thank you very much for your generous hospitality!

2. Brazil has a very special place in the Pope’s heart, not only because it was born Christian and has today the largest number of Catholics, but above all because it is a nation endowed with a rich potential and an ecclesial presence that gives joy and hope to the whole Church. My visit, Mr President, has a scope that goes beyond national borders: I have come to preside at the opening Session of the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean at Aparecida. This country, in the providence and goodness of the Creator, will become the cradle of the ecclesial proposals that, with God’s help, will give renewed vigour and missionary impetus to this Continent.

3. In this geographical area, Catholics are in the majority. This means that they must make a particular contribution to the common good of the nation. The word solidarity will acquire its full meaning when the living forces of society, each in its own sphere, commit themselves seriously to building a future of peace and hope for all.

The Catholic Church, as I stated in the Encyclical letter Deus Caritas Est, “transformed by the Holy Spirit, is called to become a witness before the world of the love of the Father who wishes to make humanity a single family in his Son” (cf. no. 19). From here springs her deep commitment to the mission of evangelization at the service of the cause of peace and justice. Hence the decision to undertake an essentially missionary Conference reflects clearly the concern of the Bishops, as it does mine, to seek suitable ways by which in Jesus Christ “our peoples may have life”, as the theme of the Conference reminds us. With these sentiments I raise my eyes beyond the frontiers of this country, and I extend my greetings to all the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean in the words of the Apostle: “Peace to all of you who are in Christ” (1 Pet 5:14).

4. Mr President, I am grateful to Divine Providence for this grace of visiting Brazil, a Nation with a great Catholic tradition. I have had occasion to point out the principal motive of my visit, which is concerned with Latin America and has a fundamentally religious significance.

I am happy to be able to spend some days among the Brazilian people. I am well aware that the soul of this people, as of all Latin America, safeguards values that are radically Christian, which will never be eradicated. I am certain that at Aparecida, during the Bishops’ General Conference, this identity will be reinforced through the promotion of respect for life from the moment of conception until natural death as an integral requirement of human nature. It will also make the promotion of the human person the axis of solidarity, especially towards the poor and abandoned.

The Church seeks only to stress the moral values present in each situation and to form the conscience of the citizens so that they may make informed and free decisions. She will not fail to insist on the need to take action to ensure that the family, the basic cell of society, is strengthened, and likewise young people, whose formation is a decisive factor for the future of any nation. Last but not least, she will defend and promote the values present at every level of society, especially among indigenous peoples.

With these good wishes and with renewed gratitude for the warm reception that I have received as the Successor of Peter, I invoke the maternal protection of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, remembered also as Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Patroness of all America, so that she may protect and inspire those who govern in their difficult task as promoters of the common good, and renew the bonds of Christian fellowship for the good of all the people. May God bless Latin America! God bless Brazil! Thank you!

© Copyright 2007 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

AFP/Antonio Scorza
Pope Benedict XVI met the President of Brazil at the airport, and they will also briefly meet on May 10, 2007. Additional photos are available on the blog AmericanPapist.

AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano
Following the welcoming ceremony, Pope Benedict XVI journeyed to the Monastery of São Bento, where he will be spending the night. On the balcony he briefly addressed the Faithful gathered below.

Dear Friends,

Your affectionate welcome is heart-warming for the Pope! Thank you for waiting here to greet me.

These days, for all of you and for the Church, will be full of emotion and joy.

The Church is in festal mode! In every corner of the world people are praying for the fruits of this journey, the first Pastoral Journey to Brazil and to Latin America that Providence has granted me to carry out as the Successor of Peter.

The canonization of Frei Galvão and the inauguration of the Fifth Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean will be milestones in the history of the Church. I am counting on you and on your prayers!

Thank you.

© Copyright 2007 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Upon Arrival Pope Benedict XVI prayed at a chapel in the Sao Bento Monastery in Sao Paulo. The photo is below.

AP Photo/Angela Barbour, Visita do Papa-HO

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Pope Benedict XVI Visits Brazil

AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano
Today, May 9, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI begins his trip to Brazil where he will preside at the Canonization of Blessed Frei Galvao on Friday, May 11, 2007. His appearance at the Latin American bishops' conference CELAM will also be a highlight of the trip. Let us pray for Brazil during his trip. Specifically, let us pray that the right to life will be protected there, and let us pray for the resurgence of Catholic Tradition in the highly protestanized country. Thankfully, today the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva, also voiced his opposition to the legalization of abortion in the country. Deo Gratias!

Also in the news today, Pope would deny communion, not excommunicate Catholic politicians who support abortion rights.

Below is a schedule of Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Brazil from May 9, 2007 - May 14, 2007. I hope to post about the trip each day.

May 9:

• Morning: Depart from Rome's Fiumicino airport
• Mid-Afternoon (Local time): Arrive in Sao Paulo's airport for a welcoming ceremony (Video link)
• Travel by helicopter to the city of Sao Paulo
• Travel to the Sao Bento monastery, where he will spend the night

May 10:

• Private Mass
• Meet Brazil's President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva at the presidential palace
• Meet leaders of other Christian groups at the Sao Bento monastery
• Lunch with Brazilian Bishops
• Visit a soccer stadium for an evening meeting with Brazilian youth

May 11:

• Celebrate the Canonization Mass of Blessed Frei Galvao at Campo de Marte, an old airport outside Sao Paulo (Video)
• Afternoon: Address Brazilian bishops in the cathedral of Sao Paulo
• Evening: Travel by helicopter to Aparecida, where he will stay at the Bom Jesus seminary

May 12:

• Private Mass
• Visit the Fazenda da Esperanca, a facility for recovering drug addicts
• Return to the Bom Jesus seminary for lunch with the leadership of CELAM
• Afternoon: Pray the Rosary in the basilica of Aparecida, with priests, religious, and seminarians

May 13:

• Celebrate the Mass opening the 5th general meeting of CELAM (Controversy) (Address of Cardinal Hoyos to CELAM)
• Regina Caeli after Mass
• Lunch in the seminary
• Afternoon: Participate in the first sessions of the CELAM conference
• Evening: Take a helicopter back to Sao Paulo's international airport
• Night: Departure ceremony

May 14:

• Arrive at Rome's Ciampino airport shortly after midday

Other Links of Interest:

• Behind Brazil's Catholic Resurgence
• Brazil has lowest priest-to-laity Ratio
• Pope entrusts trip to Mary's protection

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Catholic Carnival #118

This week's Catholic Carnival #118 has been posted on Postscripts From The Catholic Spitfire Grill. Part of the Carnival is a link to my article The Errors of Centering Prayer.

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Sancutary of Our Lady of Las Lajas, in Ipiales, Narino, Colombia

I had to share this beautiful picture of the Sancutary of Our Lady of Las Lajas, in Ipiales, Narino, Colombia.

From the website:

"Located 7km from Ipiales, on a bridge which spans a spectacular gorge of the Guáitara River, is this gothic church. Legend has it that an image of the Virgin Mary appeared in the mid-18th century on an enormous rock above the river. Interestingly, the church has been constructed in such a way that the rock (and image) is its high altar. Pilgrims from all over Colombia and Ecuador journey here and, unsurprisingly, reports of miracles at the site are not uncommon. Accommodation is suitably ascetic, being provided in a small but cheery convent up the road from the church."

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Traditional Latin Low Mass Introduction

As we celebrate the Lord's Resurrection on this and all Sundays of the year, I would like to share this video that I found posted on Youtube. It is a video entitled "Traditional Latin Low Mass Introduction". We can still learn from the words of the saints referenced in this video.

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Pro-abortion Sen. Hillary Clinton to Speak at Chicago Catholic Charity

I just received this news from LifeSiteNews.com. I wanted to pass it along and encourage my readers to contact the Archdiocese of Chicago and Mercy Home and politely ask them to not allow pro-abortion Clinton to speak at the fundraiser.

Sen. Hillary Clinton has been scheduled to appear as the keynote speaker at a Catholic charity event in Chicago, despite objections from pro-life groups over her vociferous support for abortion and homosexual activism.

The Mercy Home Graduates Luncheon is an annual fundraiser to support the Mercy Home Catholic children's charity. Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is a long-term residential home for young people ages 11 to 21, administered by Catholic priests. Fr. Scott Donahue is the current president of the organization.

According to the Pro-Life Action League, Fr. Donahue was apparently not aware Sen. Clinton had been asked to speak at the event until he was informed of her scheduled appearance by the League.

However, Mercy Home spokesman Mark Schmeltzer told LifeSiteNews.com that Fr. Donohue was approached by Chicago Cardinal Francis George about the upcoming Clinton fundraiser. "The Cardinal had some very understandable misgivings but he just wanted to be assured this was not a political stop," Schmeltzer told LifeSiteNews.com.

...

In 2004, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a policy document calling on Catholic institutions not to have pro-abortion politicians put on a pedestal due to the scandal it would cause. In their document, Catholics in Political Life, the Bishops' Conference states: "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honour those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honours or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

Joseph Scheidler, national director of the Pro-Life Action League has organized a demonstration against Senator Clinton's appearance in Chicago. He told LifeSiteNews.com that her appearance would set a precedent for pro-abortion speakers at other Catholic events.

Source: LifeSiteNews

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Evangelical Theological Society President Becomes Catholic

Here is news of another prominent conversion as Dr. Francis Beckwith, the president of the Evangelical Theological Society, converts to Catholicism. Alleluia! Visit his blog and congratulation him!

"Dr. Francis Beckwith, the president of the Evangelical Theological Society, has become Catholic. Dr. Beckwith was raised Catholic but became an Evangelical Protestant in youth. After a review of Catholic theology and its basis, however, he has been reconciled with the Church."

Francis J. Beckwith is Associate Professor of Church-State Studies (tenured), Baylor University, where he teaches courses in the departments of church-state studies, philosophy, and political science. A 2002-03 James Madison Fellow in the Politics Department at Princeton University, he currently serves as a member of Princeton's James Madison Society. He is a graduate of Fordham University (Ph.D., philosophy) and the Washington University School of Law, St. Louis (Master of Juridical Studies).

On November 17, 2006 Professor Beckwith became the President of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS), a position that has a one-year term. He is the 57th president of ETS, an academic society that has over 4,100 members. In July 2005 he began a three-year term as a member of the American Philosophical Association's Committee on Philosophy and Law.

Dr. James R. White, Director of ETS, in his reaction, seems dazed, confused and shocked. However, I salute Dr. Beckwith as a man who has the courage to follow his conscience, convictions, and God's Call. Welcome Home Dr. Beckwith!

Source: Ave Maria Online

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First Friday Devotion

Today is the First Friday of May. Because today is the first Friday of the Month, many Catholic parishes will have special Masses today for the First Friday Devotion.

Beginning on December 27, 1673, through 1675, Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque asking her to receive Him in Holy Communion on the first Friday of every month and to meditate on His passion from 11:00 PM to 12:00 midnight each Thursday. He also revealed to her twelve promises for all who are devoted to His Sacred Heart; he asked for a Feast of the Sacred Heart to be instituted in the liturgical calendar of the Church. Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque with twelve promises for those devoted to His Most Sacred Heart.

Promises for those devoted to the Sacred Heart:

1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."
2. "I will establish peace in their homes."
3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."
4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death."
5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings."
6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."
8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored."
10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out."
12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Pro-life Action:

MarchTogether.com has a monthly Call for Life in which pro-lifers are urged to call their elected officials and voice their support for the dignity of life. Today, being the first Friday, is this month's Call for Life.

For more information on the First Friday Devotion, please see The Miracle of the Rosary Mission. Please remember to pray for the unborn today and make an act of reparation to Our Lord. Remember, it was on Friday that Our Lord died and all Fridays in the year are days of penance (Canon 1250 - 1253)

Prayer of Reparation:
O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore thee profoundly. I offer thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of thee the conversion of poor sinners. Amen.

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A Prayer for the Month of May

From The Glories Of Mary, by Saint Alphonsus Liguori:

O Lady, O ravished of hearts! ("O Domina, quae rapis corda.") I will exclaim with St. Bonaventure: "Lady, who with the love and favor thou showest thy servants dost ravish their hearts, ravish also my miserable heart, which desires ardently to love thee. Thou, my Mother, hast enamoured a God with thy beauty, and drawn him from heaven into thy chaste womb; and shall I live without loving thee? "No, I will say to thee with one of thy most loving sons, John Berchmans of the Society of Jesus, I will never rest until I am certain of having obtained thy love; but a constant and tender love towards thee, my Mother, who hast loved me with so much tenderness" ("Nunquam quiescam, donec habuero tenerum amorem erga Matrem meam, Mariam"), even when I was ungrateful towards thee.

And what should I now be, O Mary, if thou hadst not obtained so many mercies for me? Since, then, thou didst love me so much when I loved thee not, how much more may I not now hope from thee, now that I love thee? I love thee, O my Mother, and I would that I had a heart to love thee in place of all those unfortunate creatures who love thee not. I would that I could speak with a thousand tongues, that all might know thy greatness, thy holiness, thy mercy, and the love with which thou lovest all who love thee. Had I riches, I would employ them all for thy honor. Had I subjects, I would make them all thy lovers. In fine, if the occasion presented itself I would lay down my life for thy glory. I love thee, then, O my Mother; but at the same time I fear that I do not love thee as I ought; for I hear that love makes lovers like the person loved. If, then, I see myself so unlike thee, it is a mark that I do not love thee. Thou art so pure, and I defiled with many sins; thou so humble, and I so proud; thou so holy, and I so wicked. This, then, is what thou hast to do, O Mary; since thou lovest me, make me like thee. Thou hast all power to change hearts; take, then, mine and change it. Show the world what thou canst, do for those who love thee. Make me a saint; make me thy worthy child. This is my hope.

Amen.

Source: Recta Ratio

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The Errors of Centering Prayer

Over the past three decades, thousands of Catholics have fallen into the commonly misunderstood New Age practice known as "Centering Prayer". Centering Prayer actually is not a prayer and it is not even Christian. Originating with Abbot Thomas Keating in St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, centering prayer has spread across the country and attacked the faith of many good-hearted Catholics who unknowingly embrace a pagan practice. Authentic prayer and meditation stem from contact with God. Prayer does not center in one's being as advocates of centering prayer claim but rather prayer is a conversation with God from the center of our souls.

As stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd Edition), "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God" (CCC 2559). To understand centering prayer, we must first understand what centering prayer is not. Centering prayer is not the raising of one's mind and heart to God principally because the practice seeks participants to look within themselves. Such practices should not be confused with meditation, contemplation, or even Lectio Divina. Similarly, centering prayer is not an examination of conscience where we look upon our faults through the lens of the Church and seek to remain in the state of sanctifying grace.

On the topic of centering prayer, an article on Our Lady's Warrior states, "Typical of New Age meditative practice, [in centering prayer] the soul becomes the "center", energy replaces grace, God actually becomes a pantheistic energy, and the unleashing of this 'energy' leads to chaos." The article continues, "...And then, mysteriously, an evolution of consciousness." Such statements are based entirely off of the words of Fr. M. Basil Pennington from March 9, 2000, when he states, "When we go to the center of our being and pass through that center into the very center of God we get in immediate touch with this divine energy..."

Both Keating and Pennington are advocates of centering prayer, which is a pagan practice that achieves hypnosis. As confirmed by a psychology professor interviewed in the article "The Danger of Centering Prayer" by Fr. John D. Dreher: "Your question is, is [centering prayer] hypnosis? Sure it is." Centering prayer is a technique where participants repeat a "mantra", a word that is repeated over and over again in order to focus one's will. In true prayer, participants will seek to develop inner peace only through the sanctification of mind, body, and soul, which is achieved by living in a state of grace. In meditation and contemplation, individuals reflect upon the lives of Jesus, Mary, the saints, or other holy things. Above all, we seek to remain in grace and grow in love of God. Centering prayer replaces God with energy.

Centering prayer is not Christian - period. Rather, centering prayer utilizes characteristics from Hinduism such as the medium of Transcendental Meditation (TM). Again quoting from Fr. John D. Dreher's article: "Fr. Pennigton approves a Christian's participation in TM, despite the fact that the introductory ceremony to TM, the Puja, involves worship of a dead Hindu guru and that the mantras given those being initiated are in fact the names of Hindu gods." Thus, praying centering prayer is praying to false gods! Fr. Dreher simply writes, "The rapid spread of centering prayer in the past decade into so many areas which are at the very heart of the Catholic faith is, I believe, part of the Devil's strategy against the Church."

Susan Beckworth in "Centering Prayer and Enneagram are Pagan" states the following as the characteristics of authentic meditation:

1) It is Christ-centered and Trinitarian
2) It will acknowledge the cross of Christ and suffering
3) It will encourage an awareness of sin, a turning away from it, and trust in God's mercy
4) It encourages a sacramental life, especially the Eucharist
5) It encourages a disposition of obedience to Church teaching
6) It is Marian
7) It looks beyond this world to eternity

Since centering prayer fails to meet any of the above criteria, Catholics should simply refuse to participate in centering prayer. In Some Aspects of Christian Meditation by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith led by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican warns against certain practices that are common in centering prayer without using the actual term "centering prayer".

Even if the "mantra" used in centering prayer sounds Christian, its focus is to draw the person within and see God as nothing more than energy. Rather, such repetitive prayer like the Rosary or the Jesus Prayer used in many Eastern Churches is attempting to quiet our soul and empty all that is sinful and fill ourselves with Jesus Christ. Centering prayer is not contemplation or meditation like what is achieved by the Rosary or the Jesus Prayer.

Centering prayer is simply pagan. Fr. Keating, the founder of the Centering Prayer Movement, states in his books that the goal of centering prayer is to find the "True Self". Fr. Keating further claims that the True Self is the human soul and that the True Self is also God. We know that the soul is created by God and tainted with sin. Various catechisms including the Catechism of the Catholic Church state thus. Claiming that our soul is God is blasphemy!

However, centering prayer teaches something that is Hindu and not Christian. Fr. Keating even endorsed the book Meditations on the Tarot: Journey into Christian Hermeticisim, which promotes Tarot Cards, which are mortally sinful to use. He even advocates the usage of the Enneagram, which is nothing more than a demonic device.

Another flaw in centering prayer is the promotion of universalism, the belief that all people have salvation. At Holy Spirit Monastery in Conyers, Georgia, a place where centering prayer is offered, Fr. James Behrens states, "Salvation is a given... no one is left out... all the Bibles could be destroyed tomorrow and it would not make a difference." Again, this is blasphemy. And at the very root of centering prayer is the belief in universalism.

Consequently, I appeal not only to my readers to reject centering prayer but to discuss it with other Catholics and encourage all Catholics to abandon this practice.

Sources:

Centering Prayer Catholic Meditation or Occult Meditation?
Some Aspects of Christian Meditation
The New Age Mystic: Different Path, Same God?

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May 1st

Today is May 1st, the Feast of St. Joseph the Workman (1962). See my post from last year for more information. Also, May is the Month of Mary. Let us begin praying the daily Rosary this month if that has not been a daily devotion already. Similarly, let us remember to especially participate in Marian Devotions this month.

Remember: Let us go to Jesus through Mary.

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The Catechism of the Catholic Church on Family Ties

Family ties are important but not absolute. Just as the child grows to maturity and human and spiritual autonomy, so his unique vocation which comes from God asserts itself more clearly and forcefully. Parents should respect this call and encourage their children to follow it. They must be convinced that the first vocation of the Christian is to follow Jesus: "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." (CCC 2232)

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Problems with Forums

I have been a member of the Phatmass Forum for several months. However, I have decided to remove them from my sidebar permanently after they suspended my account this afternoon. My account was suspended because I stated that I generally find the Tridentine Latin Mass to be more reverent and mystical than the typical Novus Ordo Mass. This is my personal opinion based upon the few Tridentine and Novus Ordo parishes that I have visited. I also stated that some Novus Ordo Masses are wonderful such as those from Assumption Grotto.

Because I stated thus, my account has been suspended. In no way was I advocating dissent, sedevacantism, etc. I was simply stating my opinion, and I was punished for that. Thankfully there are better forums more accepting to those that love the Tridentine Mass like the Fish Eaters and Angel Queen. I certainly do not support everything on those websites, but I do feel they are a better place to learn and talk about the Tridentine Mass without being insulted.

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Comments on Past Articles

I strongly encourage readers to comment on articles on my blog. If you do not want to leave a public comment on the blog, please use the following format. Copy and paste the below format into your email program with the responses and email me your comments.

Subject Line for Email: Comment on Past Article

Article Title:

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Blog Silence Day

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Pope Benedict XVI Ordains 21 Men

On the 44th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Benedict XVI ordained 22 men in St. Peter's Basilica, including Juan Carlos Mari, the son of the man who has been the Vatican's official photographer for decades. Juan Carlos Mari was ordained along with the other 21 men as members of the Legionaries of Christ.

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