LET US MAKE THE CRUCIFIX A BANNER OF LIFE AND ACTION

“Islam cannot be fought in the name of the Enlightment and even less so by relativism. The only thing that can oppose it, is the natural and Divine law, denied radically by both relativism and Islam.  For this reason, we are raising the Crucifix which secularism and Islamism reject and we are making of it a banner of life and action. St. Paul said ‘We preach Christ Crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling-block and unto the Gentiles foolishness’ (I Cor. 1, v.23).  We would like to repeat: ‘We preach Christ Crucified, a stumbling-block to the Muslims and foolishness to the Secularists’.”

Roberto de Mattei

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EMBRACE OUR CROSS

To embrace my cross, embracing Yours. What a mystery of love the cross contains! Let us embrace our crosses as Christ loved His. Only for Love and in Love, can we take up our crosses…

Lord Jesus, give us a wise heart, that knows how to love the Cross in your Cross.

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THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH DOES NOT NEED TO ADAPT TO THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE

The underlying principle of these new opinions is that, in order to more easily attract those who differ from her, the Church should shape her teachings more in accord with the spirit of the age and relax some of her ancient severity and make some concessions to new opinions. Many think that these concessions should be made not only in regard to ways of living, but even in regard to doctrines which belong to the deposit of the faith. They contend that it would be opportune, in order to gain those who differ from us, to omit certain points of her teaching which are of lesser importance, and to tone down the meaning which the Church has always attached to them. (…) Such a policy would tend rather to separate Catholics from the Church than to bring in those who differ. There is nothing closer to our heart than to have those who are separated from the fold of Christ return to it, but in no other way than the way pointed out by Christ. (…) History proves clearly that the Apostolic See, to which has been entrusted the mission not only of teaching but of governing the whole Church, has continued "in one and the same doctrine, one and the same sense, and one and the same judgment." – (Const. de fide, Chapter IV). (…) In this matter the Church must be the judge, not private men who are often deceived by the appearance of right.

(Leo XIII. Letter Testem Benevolentiae al Card. James Gibbons, January, 22, 1899).

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ABOUT SHEPHERDS WHOSE FUNDAMENTAL CONCERN ARE MATERIAL THINGS

“And so too are all they seriously mistaken who, occupying themselves with the welfare of the people, and especially upholding the cause of the lower classes, seek to promote above all else the material well-being of the body and of life, but are utterly silent about their spiritual welfare and the very serious duties which their profession as Christians enjoins upon them. They are not ashamed to conceal sometimes, as though with a veil, certain fundamental maxims of the Gospel, for fear lest otherwise the people refuse to hear and follow them.”

Iucunda Sane

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PRAYER TO OUR LADY ASKING FOR THE CONVERSION OF A SINNER

O Mary, Immaculate Conception, perfect in all virtues, the One who overcomes temptation and sin, I entrust to you the well-being, salvation and purification of the soul of... (Name of the person). Deign to heal that soul of all its wounds, of all traces of sin and especially of what induces it to sin, so that through a true contrition, purpose of amendment and a good confession (name of the person) can obtain the grace of God, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. (Make the sign of the Cross and give thanks to Our Lady).

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Epiphany

For they saw a Man, and acknowledged our God.

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A GENUINE DEVOTION TO OUR LADY HELPS OVERCOME A SINFUL LIFE

St. Alphonsus tells a story that illustrates how even a small daily habit of devotion to Mary, faithfully practiced, bears wonderful and lasting fruit.

An event recorded by Fr. Paul Segneri, in the work entitled Christian Instructed, is rightly well known. A young man of immoral habits, and laden with sins, went to Confession to Fr. Nicholas Zucchi in Rome. 

The confessor received him with charity. Filled with compassion for the young man’s unfortunate state, the priest assured him that devotion to our Blessed Lady could deliver him from the accursed vice to which he was addicted. So he gave him as his penance the instruction to say a Hail Mary to the Blessed Virgin every morning and evening, when getting up and when going to bed, until his next Confession. At the same time, he was to offer her his eyes, his hands, and his whole body, begging her to preserve them as something belonging to herself. He was also to kiss the ground three times.

The young man performed the penance, but at first there was only a slight change in his habits. Fr. Zucchi, however, continued to impress on him to maintain the new devotional practice, urging him never to abandon it. At the same time, he encouraged him to trust in the assistance of Mary.

In the meantime, the penitent left Rome with other companions, and for the next few years travelled in various parts of the world. When he returned, he once again sought out his confessor. Fr. Zucchi, to his great joy and admiration, found that the young man was entirely changed, and free from his former evil habits.

“My son,” the priest asked, “how have you obtained from God so wonderful a change?” The young man replied: “Father, our Blessed Lady obtained this grace for me through that little devotion that you taught me.” 

Father Zucchi, with the permission of the penitent, mentioned the fact from the pulpit. There was a soldier present who was actually in the habit of sins of impurity; he began to say every day the three "Hail Marys," and in a short time, with the aid that the divine Mother obtained for him, he soon renounced the evil habit. Through a false zeal, he went one day to the accomplice of his sins in order to convert her; but when he was on the point of entering her house he was suddenly driven back, and found himself transported to a considerable distance. He then understood that he had been prevented from speaking to the woman by a special grace obtained for him by Mary, for which he thanked her. Had he been placed again in the occasion of sin he would probably have relapsed.

Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, The Glories of Mary.

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