Sunday, December 27, 2020

SALVATION COMES TO US ONLY FROM THAT CHILD

 


Let us rejoice as we ponder upon this sweet message. Let us repeat to one another this delightful speech: "Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is born in Bethlehem of Juda." What heart so stony as not to be softened at these words? What soul is not melted at this voice of her Beloved? What announcement could be sweeter? What intelligence more enrapturing? What so desirable to the wretched? What so welcome to the hopeless? Without this gracious promise, whence should we have obtained redemption? Unless some new and unexpected help had arisen for us, how could we have had the faintest hope of salvation, subject as we were and are to a law of sin, living in a body of death, surrounded by the wickedness of this present life, which is only a place of affliction? 

 Saint Bernard

Friday, December 25, 2020

MAY THE CHILD GOD FILL YOU WITH HIS BLESSINGS



The Church offers to the Infant-God, during this holy season, the tribute of her profound adoration, the enthusiasm of her exceeding joy, the return of her unbounded gratitude, and the fondness of her intense love. These four offerings, adoration, joy, gratitude, and love, must be also those of every Christian to his Jesus, his Emmanuel. The prayers of the Liturgy will express all four sentiments in a way that no other Devotions could do. But, the better to appropriate to ourselves these admirable formulas of the Church, let us understand thoroughly the nature of each of these four sentiments. 

ADORATION - The first of our duties at our Savior’s Crib is Adoration. Adoration is Religion’s first act; but there is something in the Mystery of our Lord’s Birth which seems to make this duty doubly necessary. In Heaven the Angels veil their faces, and prostrate themselves before the throne of God; the Four-and-Twenty Elders are forever casting their crowns before the throne of the Lamb; what, then, shall we do — we who are sinners, and unworthy members of the Tribe of the Redeemer — now that this same great God shows Himself to us, humbled for our sakes, and stripped of all His glory? Now that the duties of the creature to his Creator are fulfilled by the Creator Himself? Now that the eternal God bows down, not only before the Sovereign Majesty of the Godhead, but even before sinful man, His creature? 

Let us endeavour to make, by our profound adorations, some return to the God who thus humbles Himself for us; let us thus give Him back some little of that whereof He has deprived Himself out of love for us, and in obedience to the will of His Father. It is incumbent on us to emulate, as far as possible, the sentiments of the Angels in Heaven, and never to approach the Divine Infant without bringing with us the incense of our soul’s adoration, the protestation of our own extreme unworthiness, and lastly, the homage of our whole being. All this is due to the infinite Majesty, Who is the more worthy of every tribute we can pay Him, because He has made Himself thus little for our sakes. Unhappy we, if the apparent weakness of the Divine Child, or the familiarity wherewith He is ready to caress us, should make us negligent in this our first duty, or forget what he is, and what we are! 

The example of his Blessed Mother will teach us to be thus humble. Mary was humble in the presence of her God, even before she became His Mother; but, once His Mother, she carried herself before Him who was her God and her Child with greater humility than ever. We too, poor sinners, sinners so long and so often, we must adore with all the power of our soul Him Who has come down so low: we must study to find out how by our self-humiliation to make Him amends for this Crib, these swathing-bands, this eclipse of His glory. And yet all our humiliations will never bring us so low as that we shall be on a level with His lowliness. No; only God could reach the humiliations of God. 

 JOY - But our Mother, the Church, does not only offer to the Infant God the tribute of her profound adoration. The mystery of Emmanuel, that is, of God with us, is to her a source of singular joy. Look at her sublime Canticles for this holy Season, and you will find the two sentiments admirably blended — her deep reverence for her God, and her glad joy at his Birth. Joy! did not the very Angels come down and urge her to it? She therefore studies to imitate the blithe Shepherds, who ran for joy to Bethlehem, and the glad Magi, who were well-nigh out of themselves with delight when, on quitting Jerusalem, the star again appeared and led them to the Cave where the Child was. Joy at Christmas is a Christian instinct, which originated those many Carols. 

Come, then, faithful Children of the Church, let us take our share in her joy! This is not the season for sighing or for weeping. For unto us a Child is born! He for whom we have been so long waiting is come; and he is come to dwell among us. Great, indeed, and long was our suspense; so much the more let us love our possessing him. The day will too soon come when this Child, now born to us, will be the Man of Sorrows, and then we will compassionate him; but at present we must rejoice and be glad at his coming and sing round his Crib with the Angels. Heaven sends us a present of its own joy: we need joy, and forty days are not too many for us to get it well into our hearts. The Scripture tells us that a secure mind is like a continual feast, and a secure mind can only be where there is peace; now it is Peace which these blessed days bring to the earth; Peace, say the Angels, to men of good will! 

GRATITUDE - Intimately and inseparably united with this exquisite mystic joy is the sentiment of gratitude. Gratitude is indeed due to him who, neither deterred by our unworthiness nor restrained by the infinite respect which becomes his sovereign Majesty, deigned to be born of his own creature, and have a stable for his birth-place. Oh! how vehemently must he not have desired to advance the work of our salvation, to remove everything which could make us afraid of approaching him, and to encourage us, by his own example, to return, by the path of humility, to the Heaven we had strayed from by pride! 

Gratefully, therefore, let us receive the precious gift — this Divine Baby, our Deliverer. He is the Only- Begotten Son of the Father, that Father who hath so loved the world as to give his only Son. He, the Son, unreservedly ratifies his Father’s will, and comes to offer himself because it is his own will. How, as the Apostle expresses it, hath not the Father with him given us all things? O gift inestimable! How shall we be able to repay it by suitable gratitude, we who are so poor as not to know how to appreciate it? God alone, and the Divine Infant in his Crib, know the value of the mystery of Bethlehem, which is given to us. 

 LOVE - Shall our debt, then, never be paid? Not so: we can pay it by love, which, though finite, gives itself without measure, and may grow forever in intensity. For this reason, the Church, after she has offered her adorations and hymns and gratitude, to her Infant Savior, gives him also her tenderest Love. She says to him: “How beautiful art thou, my Beloved One, and how comely! How sweet to me is thy rising, O Divine Sun of Justice! How my heart glows in the warmth of thy beams! Nay, dearest Jesus, the means thou usest for gaining me over to thyself are irresistible — the feebleness and humility of a Child!” Thus do all her words end in love; and her adoration, praise, and thanksgiving, when she expresses them in her Canticles, are transformed into love.

Christians! Let us imitate our Mother, and give our hearts to our Emmanuel. The Shepherds offer Him their simple gifts, the Magi bring Him their rich presents, and no one must appear before the Divine Infant without something worthy His acceptance. Know, then, that nothing will please Him, but that which He came to seek — our love. It was for this that He came down from Heaven. Hard indeed is that heart which can say, “He shall not have my love!” 

These, then, are the duties we owe to our Divine Master in this his first Coming, which, as St Bernard says, is in the flesh and in weakness, and is for the salvation, not for the judgment, of the world. 

 Dom Prosper O.S.B

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

BLESSED BE YOUR PURITY


Blessed be your purity, May it be blessed for ever, For no less than God takes delight, In such exalted beauty. To you, heavenly Princess, Holy Virgin Mary, I offer on this day My whole heart, life and soul. Look upon me with compassion, do not leave me, my Mother.

Monday, December 21, 2020

THE INTENTIONS OF THE SOVEREIGN PONTIFF


In order to obtain indulgences, along with other conditions, the Church usually asks that certain prayers be said (usually an Our Father, a Hail Mary, a Glory and the Creed) for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. 

 There is a common mistake that these intentions are the ones that the reigning Pope has at the time, according to the circumstances. This is not true. In fact, when the Church establishes for us to pray "for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff", she refers to certain intentions that she already has pre-established as intrinsic for all the Roman pontiffs. 

 Below is a list of these intentions: 

 1 - The exaltation of the Catholic Church: because the Lord founded and constituted it as a sign and instrument of salvation for the world.

 2 - The extirpation of heresy: because the Lord asked His disciples and all those who believed in Him to follow the whole truth and not choose parts of it, absolutizing them and making them absurd and erroneous. These "truths" that Protestants claim to have preserved, are already found in the Catholic truth from which they took them. 

 3 - The propagation of the Faith: because the Lord ordered His apostles and their successors to teach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations. 

 4 - The conversion of sinners: because the Lord came to save all souls through His divine word and the institution of the sacraments. 

 5 - True concord between the nations: because the Lord brought down with His cross the wall of enmity that stands between them. It is recalled that the Popes considered all peoples, especially the Christianized ones, as their children. 

 6 – The further welfare of the Christian people. 

Image: The second Pope of the Catholic Church: Saint Linus.

Monday, December 14, 2020

 PRAYERS OF SAINT BRIDGET – DEVOTION FOR TWELVE YEARS


 These prayers, as given by the Lord to Saint Bridget, are to be prayed every day for 12 years. Were the person praying these to die before the 12 years are over, the Lord will accept them as having been prayed in their entirety. If a day or a few days are missed due to a valid reason, they can be made up for at a later date. 

 This devotion was pronounced good and recommended by both the "Sacro Collegio de Propaganda Fide", as well as by Pope Clement XII. And Pope Innocent X confirmed this revelation as “being from the Lord.” 

 PROMISES 

 1. The soul who prays them will suffer no Purgatory. 

2. The soul who prays them will be accepted among the Martyrs as though he had spilled his blood for his faith.

 3. The soul who prays them can choose three others whom Jesus will then keep in a state of grace sufficient to become holy. 

4. No one in the four successive generations of the soul who prays them will be lost. 

5. The soul who prays them will be made conscious of his death one month in advance. 

 (*) Write the three names (living people) on a piece of paper and save it. These names cannot be changed. 

 QUESTIONS 

 1. Can I wait until the end of my life to start praying them and thus avoid the twelve years? Answer: No

 2. Can I wait until I am affected by a terminal illness, to start praying them and thus avoid the twelve years? Answer: No 

 3.- What happens if, due to forgetfulness or for another reason, it’s after midnight and I haven’t prayed them? Answer: They can be prayed until next day, before dawn, and they are valid for the previous day. Logically, it is necessary to pray them again during the day for that corresponding day. This extension can be used as many times as necessary. 

Answer No 4.- What are the “valid reasons”? Answer: Simply forgetting to pray them for a day or two, perhaps due to some family or work event. In the event of a serious accident or illness that implies unconsciousness, that period can be recovered at the end. In this last case, a longer period may be justified. When the person is feeling better, they can ask someone to pray them out loud and mentally repeat the sentences. What is not valid is to pray them for two months, then miss one month, pray them for another six months, miss another three. 

 PRAY THE FOLLOWING DAILY 

 O Jesus, now I wish to pray the Lord's Prayer seven times in unity with the love with which You sanctified this prayer in Your Heart. Take it from my lips into Your Divine Heart. Improve and complete it so much that it brings as much honor and joy to the Trinity as You granted it on earth with this prayer. May these pour upon Your Holy Humanity in Glorification to Your Painful Wounds and the Precious Blood that You spilled from them. 

 FIRST PRAYER: THE CIRCUMCISION

 Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Gloria, then: Eternal Father, through Mary's unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the first wounds, the first pains, and the first Bloodshed as atonement for my and all of humanity's sins of youth, as protection against the first mortal sin, especially among my relatives. Amen 

 SECOND PRAYER: THE AGONY ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

 Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Gloria, then: Eternal Father, through Mary's unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the terrifying suffering of Jesus' Heart on the Mount of Olives and every drop of His Bloody Sweat as atonement for my and all of humanity's sins of the heart, as protection against such sins and for the spreading of Divine and brotherly Love. Amen 

 THIRD PRAYER: THE FLOGGING

 Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Gloria, then: Eternal Father, through  unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the many thousands of Wounds, the gruesome Pains, and the Precious Blood of the Flogging as atonement for my and all of humanity's sins of the Flesh, as protection against such sins and the preservation of innocence, especially among my relatives. Amen 

 FOURTH PRAYER: THE CROWNING OF THORNS 

 Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Gloria, then: Eternal Father, through Mary's unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the Wounds, the Pains, and the Precious Blood of Jesus' Holy Head from the Crowning with Thorns as atonement for my and all of humanity's sins of the Spirit, as protection against such sins and the spreading of Christ's kingdom here on earth. Amen 

FIFTH PRAYER: THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS

 Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Gloria, then: Eternal Father, through Mary's unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the Sufferings on the way of the Cross, especially His Holy Wound on His Shoulder and its Precious Blood as atonement for my and all of humanity's rebellion against the Cross, every grumbling against Your Holy Arrangements and all other sins of the tongue, as protection against such sins and for true love of the Cross. Amen  

SIXTH PRAYER: THE CRUCIFIXION 

 Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Gloria, then: Eternal Father, through Mary's unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You Your Son on the Cross, His Nailing and Raising, His Wounds on the Hands and Feet and the three streams of His Precious Blood that poured forth from these for us, His extreme tortures of the Body and Soul, His precious Death and its non bleeding Renewal in all Holy Masses on earth as atonement for all wounds against vows and regulations within the Orders, as reparation for my and all of the world's sins, for the sick and the dying, for all holy priests and laymen, for the Holy Father's intentions toward the restoration of Christian families, for the strengthening of Faith, for our country and unity among all nations in Christ and His Church, as well as for the Diaspora. Amen 

 SEVENTH PRAYER: THE PIERCING OF JESUS’ SIDE 

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Gloria, then: Eternal Father, accept as worthy, for the needs of the Holy Church and as atonement for the sins of all Mankind, the Precious Blood and Water which poured forth from the Wound of Jesus' Divine Heart. Be gracious and merciful toward us. Blood of Christ, the last precious content of His Holy Heart, wash me of all my and others' guilt of sin! Water from the Side of Christ, wash me clean of all punishments for sin and extinguish the flames of Purgatory for me and for all the Poor Souls. Amen 

Saturday, December 12, 2020

DECEMBER 12: FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE


 Most Holy Virgin, full of grace, you who have pleased the Lord, deign to incline your eyes full of sweetness towards the children of men, in the midst of whom Divine Wisdom has said that it is His delight to dwell. But look more particularly at all the children who are today, more than ever, exposed to the dangers of the world. The dragon of the Apocalypse does not want to leave in the world anything that bears or can bear the name of God and would like to stain the innocence of children’s souls in order to erase forever in them all impulses towards God. 

 You who have always shown a particular predilection for children, do not allow this torrent of iniquity that pours out on the earth to irreparably corrupt the excellent dispositions of their souls. Remember that they are your most beloved inheritance, and that in union with your divine Son, they have cost you a very high price. May your Immaculate Heart deign to take them under your patronage, confirm them in their innocence and above all, may humanity protect them and shelter them. May your Heart obtain divine graces for them, especially that of fidelity to Divine Truth, and may it prevent the fire that He ignites in their hearts to be extinguished or stained. Amen. 

 Our Lady of Guadalupe, protect the children! 
Sanctify the children!
Save the children! 
 

Sunday, December 6, 2020

BLESSED BE GOD


 This is prayed during Eucharistic Adoration 

Blessed be God. 
Blessed be His Holy Name. 
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. Blessed be the Name of Jesus. 
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. 
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood. 
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. 
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. 
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy. 
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her Glorious Assumption. 
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints. Amen.

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

DUMB PASTORS WHO WORK WITH THE FALSE PRUDENCE OF THE WORLD


“The truth generates hatred, and therefore some, in order not to incur the hatred of certain people, cover their mouths with the cloak of silence. If they preached the truth, if they said things as they really are, as the truth itself demands and as Sacred Scripture expressly commands, they would incur – If I am not deceived –by the hatred of those who are living according to the flesh, would even be driven out of their own environment; since they measure themselves by the example of other men, for this reason they fear the scandal from other men, but for sure, it is not right to renounce the truth for fear of scandal”. 

 Saint Anthony of Padua

Sunday, November 22, 2020

SAINT JOSEPH


"What a happiness, not only to see Jesus Christ, but also to hear him: to carry him in his arms, to lead him from place to place, to embrace and caress him, to feed him, and to be privy to all the great secrets which were concealed from the princes of this world! O astonishing elevation! O unparalleled dignity, that the mother of God, Queen of heaven, should call you her lord; that God himself, made man, should call you father, and obey your commands. O glorious Triad on earth, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, how dear a family to the glorious Trinity in heaven, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Nothing is on earth so great, so good, so excellent." 

 Saint Bernard

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

THERE IS NO TRUE CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT THE CROSS


"If at any time, my brother, anyone should persuade you, be he a prelate or not, of a doctrine that is wider and more pleasant, do not believe him, and do not accept the doctrine even if he were to confirm it with miracles, but rather penance and more penance and detachment from all things. And never, if you wish to possess Christ, seek him without the cross."

 Saint John of the Cross

Thursday, November 12, 2020

SAINT DOMINIC’S ADVICE



There was a woman who was such a devout and fervent Catholic that amazed the most austere religious of the Church of God with her holy life.  

She wanted to talk to Saint Dominic. She went to Confession with him, and the saint gave her as penance only one Rosary, and he ADVISED her to pray it every day. The woman excused herself by saying that she was wearing a cilice, that she scourged herself several times a week, that she fasted almost every day, and did countless other penances. Saint Dominic urged her repeatedly to follow his advice, but she did not want to listen; she retired extremely shocked by the behavior of her new director, who wanted to persuade her to a devotion that did not please her.

One day, while being in prayer, and rapt in ecstasy, she saw her soul was brought before the Supreme Judge. Saint Michael raised the scales, put all her penances and prayers on one plate, and on the other her sins and imperfections; the plate of good works could not counteract the other; alarmed, she asked for mercy; she addressed the Blessed Virgin Mary, her defender, who put on the plate of good works the only Rosary that she had prayed as penance; and its weight was such that it counteracted that of her sins; the Blessed Virgin rebuked her at the same time for not having followed the advice of her server Saint Dominic to pray the Holy Rosary every day. When she regained consciousness, she went to throw herself at the feet of Saint Dominic, and told him what had happened, asked for his forgiveness for her disbelief and promised to pray the Rosary every day. By this means, she came to Christian perfection, and later to eternal glory. 

Friday, November 6, 2020

SHEEP OR WOLVES

 


“For so long as we are sheep, we conquer: though ten thousand wolves prowl around, we overcome and prevail. But if we become wolves, we are worsted, for the help of our Shepherd (Jesus Christ) departs from us: for He feeds not wolves, but sheep: and He forsakes thee, and retires, for neither dost thou allow His might to be shown.”

 Saint John Chrysostom

Sunday, November 1, 2020

SAME‐SEX CIVIL UNIONS AND THE CATHOLIC FAITH

 


INTRODUCTION BY CATHOLICITY

 It should be noted that the personal opinions expressed by a Pope in an interview are not infallible nor do they express the Magisterium of the Church if what is said does not coincide with it. This is the case of the recent opinions of Pope Francis regarding homosexuality. Although it is true that in the first part of the interview -in which the Pope claims the right for homosexuals to be part of the family they were born in- has been distorted, with malicious intent, by the news media that presented it as referring to homosexual relationships, it is also true that he asserted the following that totally contradicts Catholic doctrine:

 “What we have to have is a civil coexistence law; they have the right to be legally covered.” 

 This is literally the unorthodox expression in the second part to the reporter's question about whether homosexuals can bring their children to church. The Pope does not answer the question, instead he starts talking about the exclusion of homosexuals from the family in which they were born, as the first part of the answer. And there is a pause after which the Pope asks again for "a law of civil coexistence." 

 Rome Reports, the Vatican's digital news newspaper, thus interpreted Pope Francis's statements regarding homosexual couples, with the following title: "Pope Francis says same-sex couples have a right to be legally covered."

 Bishop Víctor Manuel Fernández, Archbishop of La Plata and theological advisor to Pope Francis, interpreted it this way: "Coexistence and Civil Unions are the same for the Pope.” https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/conntación-y-union-civil-son-lo-mismo-para-el-papa-explica-arzobispo-asesor-de-francisco-20110 

 The Church is made up of the hierarchy and the Catholic faithful, the Pope only represents Christ, he is the Vicar of Christ, servant of Christ. He cannot replace Christ, nor contradict Him, on the contrary, his function is to strengthen the sheep in the faith of Christ and keep it INTEGRAL and INTACT. 

 The correct stance to address this problem should be: 
 1. Never ignore the Authority of the Pope.
 2. Reaffirm our filial reverence for the Pontiff.
 3. Recognize that there is a serious crisis due to his statements and the documents he has published that derive from and exaggerate previous Modernist errors. 
4. Through prudent and respectful action, conclude that it is not possible to accept what is objectively contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
 5. It is necessary to opt for a healthy, respectful and filial resistance, and to prudently make known and warn others what goes against the two thousand-year teachings of the Catholic Church in order to remain firmly faithful to them and, therefore, faithful to Christ and to His Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church. Below we include a very important article by Bishop Athanasius Schneider that extraordinarily clarifies the Catholic doctrine and a truly Catholic position.

 SAME-SEX CIVIL UNIONS AND THE CATHOLIC FAITH 
By Bishop Athanasius Schneider 

 The Catholic Faith in the voice of the perennial Magisterium, the sense of the faith of the faithful (sensus fidelium) as well as common sense clearly reject any civil union of two persons of the same sex, a union which has the aim that these persons seek sexual pleasure from each other. Even if persons living in such unions should not engage in mutual sexual pleasure — which in reality has been shown to be quite unrealistic — such unions represent a great scandal, a public recognition of sins of fornication against nature and a continuous proximate occasion of sin. Those who advocate same-sex civil unions are therefore also culpable of creating a kind of structure of sin, in this case of the juridical structure of habitual fornication against nature, since homosexual acts belong to sins which cry to heaven, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says (see n. 1867). 

Every true Catholic, every true Catholic priest, every true Catholic bishop must with deep sorrow and a weeping heart regret and protest against the unheard fact, that Pope Francis, the Roman Pontiff, the successor of the apostle Peter, the Vicar of Christ on earth, uttered in the documentary film “Francesco” that premiered on October 21st 2020 as part of the Rome Film Festival his support for civil same-sex unions. Such support of the pope means support for a structure of sin, for a lifestyle against the sixth Commandment of the Decalogue, which was written with the fingers of God on stone tables on Sinai (see Ex. 31:18) and delivered by the hands of Angels to men (see Gal. 3:19). 

 What God has written with His hand, even a pope cannot erase nor rewrite with his hand or with his tongue. The Pope cannot behave as if he were God or an incarnation of Jesus Christ, modifying these words of the Lord: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Mt 5:27-28) and instead of this say, more or less, the following: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’, ‘if a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination’ (Lev. 20:13), ‘men who practice homosexuality will not inherit the kingdom of God’ (1 Cor. 6:9); ‘the practice of homosexuality is contrary to sound doctrine’ (1 Tim. 1:10). But I say to you that for persons who feel same-sex attraction “we have to create a civil union law. That way they are legally covered”.

 Every Shepherd of the Church and the Pope above all should always remind others of these serious words of Our Lord: “Anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:19). Every pope has to take very much to heart what the First Vatican Council proclaimed: “The Holy Spirit was not promised to the successors of Peter that by His revelation they might make known new doctrine, but that by His assistance they might inviolably keep and faithfully expound Revelation, the Deposit of Faith, delivered through the Apostles.” (Dogmatic Constitution Pastor aeternus, chap. 4).

 The advocating of a legal union so that a lifestyle against the explicit Commandment of God, against human nature and against human reason will be legally covered, is a new doctrine, which “sews cushions under every elbow and makes pillows for the heads of persons” (Ez. 13:18), a new doctrine that “perverts the grace of our God into sexual pleasure” (Jude 4), a doctrine which is evidently against Divine Revelation and the perennial teaching of the Church of all times. Such a doctrine is scheming with sin, and is therefore a most anti-pastoral measure.

To promote a juridical lifestyle of sin is against the core of the Gospel itself, since persons in same-sex unions through their sexual acts grievously offend God. Our Lady of Fatima made the maternal appeal to all humanity to stop offending God, who is already too much offended. 

 The following voice of the Magisterium, is faithfully echoing the voice of Jesus Christ, Our Divine Master, the Eternal Truth, and the voice of the Church and the popes of all times: 

 • “Civil law cannot contradict right reason without losing its binding force on conscience.” (cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Evangelium vitae, 72).

• “Laws in favor of homosexual unions are contrary to right reason because they confer legal guarantees, analogous to those granted to marriage, to unions between persons of the same sex. Given the values at stake in this question, the State could not grant legal standing to such unions without failing in its duty to promote and defend marriage as an institution essential to the common good” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Considerations regarding proposals to give legal recognition to unions between homosexual persons, n. 6) 

• “It might be asked how a law can be contrary to the common good if it does not impose any particular kind of behavior, but simply gives legal recognition to a de facto reality which does not seem to cause injustice to anyone. In this area, one needs first to reflect on the difference between homosexual behavior as a private phenomenon and the same behavior as a relationship in society, foreseen and approved by the law, to the point where it becomes one of the institutions in the legal structure. This second phenomenon is not only more serious, but also assumes a more far-reaching and profound influence, and would result in changes to the entire organization of society, contrary to the common good. Civil laws are structuring principles of man’s life in society, for good or for ill. They “play a very important and sometimes decisive role in influencing patterns of thought and behavior”. Lifestyles and the underlying presuppositions these express not only externally shape the life of society, but also tend to modify the younger generation’s perception and evaluation of forms of behavior. Legal recognition of homosexual unions would obscure certain basic moral values and cause a devaluation of the institution of marriage.” (ibid.) 

 • “Sexual relations are human when and insofar as they express and promote the mutual assistance of the sexes in marriage and are open to the transmission of new life.” (ibid., n. 7) 

 • “By putting homosexual unions on a legal plane analogous to that of marriage and the family, the State acts arbitrarily and in contradiction with its duties.” (ibid., n. 8)

 • “The denial of the social and legal status of marriage to forms of cohabitation that are not and cannot be marital is not opposed to justice; on the contrary, justice requires it. There are good reasons for holding that such unions are harmful to the proper development of human society, especially if their impact on society were to increase.” (ibid.) 

 • “It would be gravely unjust to sacrifice the common good and just laws on the family in order to protect personal goods that can and must be guaranteed in ways that do not harm the body of society” (ibid., n. 9) 

 • There is always “a danger that legislation which would make homosexuality a basis for entitlements could actually encourage a person with a homosexual orientation to declare his homosexuality or even to seek a partner in order to exploit the provisions of the law” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Some considerations concerning the response to legislative proposals on the non-discrimination of homosexual persons, July 24, 1992, n. 14) 

 All Catholics whether they be lay faithful as little children, as young men and young women, as fathers and mothers of family, or as consecrated persons, as cloistered nuns, as priests and as bishops, are inviolably keeping and “fighting for the faith which was once and for ever delivered to the Saints,” (Jude 3), and who are for this reason despised and marginalized at the periphery in the life of the Church of our days, should weep and cry to God that, through the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who in Fatima said that people should stop offending God, who is already too offended, Pope Francis may convert and retract formally his approval for the civil same-sex unions, in order to confirm his brethren, as the Lord has commanded him (see Luke 22:32). 

 All these little ones in the Church (children, young men, young women, fathers and mothers of family, cloistered nuns, priests, bishops) would surely say to Pope Francis: Most Holy Father, for the sake of the salvation of your own immortal soul, for the sake of the souls of all those persons who through your approval of the same-sex unions are by their sexual acts grievously offending God and exposing their souls to the danger to be eternally lost, convert, retract your approval and proclaim with all your predecessors the following unchangeable teaching of the Church: 

 “The Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions.” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Considerations regarding proposals to give legal recognition to unions between homosexual persons, n. 11)

 “Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on the same level as marriage would mean not only the approval of deviant behavior, with the consequence of making it a model in present-day society, but would also obscure basic values which belong to the common inheritance of humanity. The Church cannot fail to defend these values, for the good of men and women and for the good of society itself.” (ibid., n. 11)

 By the incredible approval of same-sex unions through the pope, all the true children of the Church feel like orphans, no more hearing the clear and unambiguous voice of the Pope, who should inviolably keep and faithfully expound Revelation, the Deposit of Faith, delivered through the Apostles.

 The true children of the Church of our days might use these words of Psalm 137, saying: We feel as if in exile, by the rivers of Babylon, weeping when remembering Zion, when remembering the luminous and crystal-clear teaching of the popes, of our Holy Mother Church. Yet we unshakably believe in the words of Our Lord, that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church. 

 The Lord will come, even if He will come late, only in the fourth watch of the night, to calm the storm within the Church, to calm the storm within the papacy of our days, and He will say: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid. O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” (Mt. 14:27;32-33).

 Our Lord will say also to Pope Francis: “For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and suffers the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works.” (Mt. 16:26-27); and Our Lord will say in addition to Pope Francis: “I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and that once you have converted, you must strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32)

 October 22, 2020 

 + Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana * 

Monday, October 26, 2020

US AND 31 COUNTRIES SIGN A DECLARATION REJECTING THE SO CALLED "HUMAN RIGHT" TO THE CRIME OF ABORTION

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 22, 2020 / 01:00 pm MT (CNA).- The United States hosted the signing ceremony of the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Thursday. The document rejects the claim that abortion is an international human right. 

 “Today we put down a clear marker; no longer can UN agencies reinterpret and misinterpret agreed-upon language without accountability,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar during the ceremony Oct. 22.

 “Without apology we affirm that governments have the soverign right to make their own laws to protect innocent life and write their regulations on abortion” Azar said.

 “In signing the declaration today, the United States is honored to stand alongside Brazil, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, and Uganda, the cross-regional cosponsors for the declaration,” he said. A total of 32 countries have signed onto the declaration.

 Azar called the signing the “high point” of his time leading the department, and noted that countries who have not yet signed the document can still do so. 

 “The Geneva Consensus Declaration is a historic document, stating clearly where we as nations stand on women’s health, the family, honoring life, and defending national sovereignty,” said Azar, calling it “much more than a statement of beliefs.” 

“It is a critical and useful tool to defend these principles across all United Nations bodies and in every multilateral setting, using language previously agreed to by member states of those bodies,” he explained.

 The declaration was written partially in response to a “disturbing trend” in the United Nations, he said. 

 “With increasing frequency, some rich nations and UN agencies beholden to them are wrongly asserting [that] abortion is a universal human right.” 

 Azar said that these policies have the effect of forcing countries to implement “progressive” abortion laws or face the loss of funding or international standing. He accused some nations of having a “myopic focus on a radical agenda that is offensive to many cultures, and derails agreement on women’s health priorities.” 

 The coalition of signing countries “will hold multilateral organizations accountable,” he explained, by denouncing these organizations for “promoting positions that can never gain consensus.” 

 “We will unequivocally declare that there is no international right to abortion. We will proudly put women’s health first at every stage of life,” he said. 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also spoke at the signing ceremony, calling the declaration a “deep and personal commitment to protect human dignity” and “the culmination of lots of hard work.” 

Pompeo highlighted the Trump administration’s “unprecedented defense of the unborn abroad,” and said that “the United States has defended the dignity of human life everywhere and always” over the last four years.

 “It’s historic to be here,” he said. “It’s the first time that a multilateral coalition has been built around the issue of defending life.” The Geneva Consensus Declaration, said Pompeo, is a “commitment to work together at the UN and in other international settings to achieve tangible results,” something he is “confident” will happen. He added that he was “truly proud” of the work being done.

 Valerie Huber, Special Representative for Global Women's Health at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provided background of the declaration.

 The declaration, Huber explained, was intended to be signed at the culmination of the World Health Assembly’s global women’s health summit, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 “We decided to move forward with the declaration now, because accelerating health gains for women cannot wait,” said Huber. 

 “Supporting the intrinsic value of the family cannot wait. Protecting life born and unborn, and the sovereignty of nations to make their own laws on this issue cannot wait.” 

 Originally posted on CNA. 

Thursday, October 8, 2020

OCTOBER 7th, ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN THE NAVAL BATTLE OF LEPANTO


On October 7, 1571, the fleet of the Holy League, under the command of Don Juan de Austria, defeated the Turkish army in the naval battle of Lepanto. This triumph was achieved thanks to the fact that the Holy Father Saint Pius V together with all Christendom prayed the Holy Rosary, asking for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Due to her intercession, Christendom, whose fleets and troops were much less in number, achieved the triumph over the Turks. In gratitude to the Blessed Virgin, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted on this date.

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

EXTERNAL WORSHIP MUST BE AN EXPRESSION OF INTERNAL WORSHIP



Lately there is a much talk about the importance of inner attitude and inner worship. Above all of the modesty and way of receiving communion (the Body of Christ in the consecrated host). The importance and necessity of the EXTERNAL is left aside without understanding that this aspect complements and significantly helps the internal disposition.

There are some who believe that the external is not important or is not SO necessary, and what is worse, they make reckless JUDGMENTS against those who fight for the external, calling them Pharisees for worrying about external modesty in clothing, and/or way of receiving our Lord by receiving communion in the mouth and kneeling down. Thus, they fall into serious reckless judgments since the internal aspect and intentions of people are not known and therefore should not be judged. The interior is not visible, but the exterior is. In fact, the internal is reflected in the EXTERNAL as Christ points out in the example of the Pharisee and the Publican, where the former, proud and STANDING, boasted of his "qualities" and "perfections", while the KNEELING publican humbly manifested himself as a great sinner. As can be seen in this case, the internal attitude was shown and also corresponded with the external one. As is it known, the one who came out of the temple justified was the Publican. 

Even many saints have explained the correspondence that exists between the external and internal attitude, since one helps the other and, in turn, is a manifestation of the most important thing that is our ultimate and genuine intention. 

Hence, how important it is to highlight what the Church commands us, which not only indicates the need for internal worship, but also for a correct EXTERNAL worship, since both are necessary to please God as we will see below. 

What the Catechism of Saint Pius X tells us: 

Q. Is it not enough internally to adore God with the heart alone? 
A. No, it is not enough internally to adore God with the heart alone; WE MUST ALSO ADORE HIM EXTERNALLY WITH BOTH SOUL AND BODY, because He is the Creator and absolute Lord of both.  

Q. How do we fulfill the First Commandment? 
A. We fulfill the First Commandment by the practice of internal and EXTERNAL worship. Let’s see what the same Catechism says with regard to the Eucharist and the form of receiving Communion:

Q. OUGHT THE EUCHARIST BE ADORED? 
A. The Eucharist OUGHT TO BE ADORED BY ALL, BECAUSE IT CONTAINS REALLY, TRULY, AND SUSBTANTIALLY, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. 

Q. What do the words: To receive Holy Communion with devotion mean?
A. To receive Holy Communion with devotion means to approach Holy Communion with humility and MODESTY in person and DRESS; and to make a preparation before, and an act of thanksgiving after, Holy Communion. 
 
Q. How should we act while receiving Holy Communion? 
A. In the act of receiving Holy Communion we should be KNEELING, hold our head slightly raised, our eyes modest and fixed on the sacred Host, our MOUTH sufficiently open, and the tongue slightly out over the lips.  

(Catechism of Pope Saint Pius X) 

As we can see, it talks about the need for both the internal and the EXTERNAL, since both aspects complement each other. 

What does Pope Pius XII's encyclical Mediator Dei tell us about the importance and necessity of the internal and the EXTERNAL? 
 
II. The liturgy, internal and external worship 

A) External worship 

23. The worship rendered by the Church to God must be, in its entirety, interior as well as exterior. It is exterior because the nature of man as a composite of body and soul requires it to be so. Likewise, because divine Providence has disposed that "while we recognize God visibly, we may be drawn by Him to love of things unseen." Every impulse of the human heart, besides, expresses itself naturally through the senses; and the worship of God, being the concern not merely of individuals but of the whole community of mankind, must therefore be social as well. This obviously it cannot be unless religious activity is also organized and manifested outwardly. Exterior worship, finally, reveals and emphasizes the unity of the mystical Body, feeds new fuel to its holy zeal, fortifies its energy, intensifies its action day by day: "for although the ceremonies themselves can claim no perfection or sanctity in their won right, they are, nevertheless, the outward acts of religion, designed to ROUSE THE HEART, like signals of a sort, to veneration of the sacred realities, and to RAISE THE MIND to meditation on the supernatural. They serve to FOSTER PIETY, to KINDLE THE FLAME OF CHARITY, to INCREASE OUR FAITH and deepen our devotion. They provide instruction for simple folk, decoration for divine worship, continuity of religious practice. They make it possible to tell genuine Christians from their false or heretical counterparts."

What do the Saints say? 

Saint Francis of Assisi said: “Preach at all times. When necessary, use words.” 

What does this mean?
That with the external we preach at ALL times, and words should be used only when necessary. That is, the external speaks louder than words, even the internal is reflected in the external. 

For good reason it is said: Actions speak louder than words 

Saint Jerome said: 
“Either we must speak as we dress, or dress as we speak. Why do we profess one thing and display another?
The tongue talks of chastity, but the whole body reveals impurity.”

(This applies where there is a contradiction between the internal and the external, because both must go hand in hand, or we would be hypocrites, like the Pharisees. Many ignorant believe that only the internal is enough and that it is not necessary to demonstrate with external actions what we teach). 

"Being careless EXTERNALLY IS A SIGN OF INNER NEGLECT" 
Saint Benedict 

 "The honor of the Ministers of Christ is to follow their Lord, not only on the inside, but also on the OUTSIDE".
- Saint John of Avila. 

Lastly, Catholic doctrine is very well explained in Father Hilaire's book Demonstrated Religion: 

NATURE OF RELIGION: INTERNAL, EXTERNAL AND PUBLIC WORSHIP 

66. Q. What are the essential elements of all religion? 
A. There are three essential elements that make up the background of all religion. They all have truths to believe, laws to keep, and worship to render to God. Three words express these three elements: dogma, morality and worship. 

Religion is the totality of man's duties towards God. Man owes his Creator the homage of his different faculties. He must use his intelligence to know him, his will to keep his laws, his heart and his body to honor him with a suitable worship. Such is the intimate reason for these three essential elements of all religion. 

67. Q. How does man manifest his religion?
A. Man's relationship with God must be translated by internal feelings and external acts, which take the name of worship. Worship is the homage that a creature pays to God. It consists of the fulfillment of all his religious duties. 

There are three classes of worship: the internal worship, the external one and the public or social one. These three types of worship are necessary. 

Religion is not a purely theoretical science; it is not enough to recognize the greatness of God and the ties that unite us to Him: there must be, on the part of man, a real homage of adoration, respect and love towards God: that is worship.

We must honor and respect all people who are superior to us, either for their merits, for their dignity, or their power. Worship is the honor, the respect, the praise that we owe to God. Worship, then, is nothing other than the exercise or practice of religion that certain authors define: The worship of God. 

1. Internal worship consists of the homages of adoration, of love and submission that our soul offers to God, without manifesting them externally through sensible acts. 

This internal worship constitutes the very essence of religion; therefore, it is as necessary and as obligatory as religion itself. Any external tribute that does not derive from the feelings of the soul, would be nothing more than a hypocritical demonstration, an insult more than a tribute. God is a spirit, and above all, he wants worshipers in spirit and in truth. 

The first act of internal worship is to do all things for the love of God; referring everything to God is a duty, not only for pious souls, but also for all men who want to act in accordance with the laws of reason, because reason tells us that, being God's servants, we must do everything for his glory . 

2. External worship consists of manifesting, through religious and sensitive acts, the feelings we have for God. IT IS THE WORSHIP OF THE BODY, which put its hands together, bows, prostrates, kneels, etc., to proclaim that God is its Lord and Owner. Thus, vocal prayer, the singing of psalms and hymns, pleading postures and gestures, religious ceremonies, and sacrifices are acts of external worship. These acts suppose the feelings of the soul, and are in relation to God, the signs of respect and love that a son gives to his father. 

3. Public worship is nothing more than the external worship rendered to God, not by a one person, but by a family, a society, a nation. This is social worship. 

Certain deists seek to rise above popular concerns, accepting no more worship than that of thought and feeling, and no more temple than that of nature. They have, according to them, religion at heart, and they reject as useless all external and public worship. Nothing is more false than this theory, as it will be proven in the next two questions. 

68. Q. Is external worship necessary? 
A. Yes; external worship is absolutely necessary for several reasons: 
1. The body is the work of God like the soul; it is fair, therefore, that the body takes part in the tributes that man pays to God. 

2. Man must render to God a worship in accordance with his own nature; and since it is natural for man to express, through sensible signs, the inner feelings he experiences, outer worship is the necessary expression of inner worship. 

3. External worship is a means of sustaining and developing the internal one. If it weren’t for the exteriorities of religion and its practices, inner piety would disappear and our soul would never unite with God. 

a) Through external worship, man pays the homage of the entire Creation, whose pontiff he is. By building churches and adorning sanctuaries, man associates matter with the cult of the spirit and, through him, material creation pays legitimate homage to its Creator. 

b) External worship is natural to man. This, as we have seen, is a compound of two substances, so closely united to each other, that it cannot experience intimate feelings without manifesting them externally. The words, the lines of the face, the gestures naturally express what happens in his soul. Man cannot, therefore, have true religious feelings that are directed to God, if he does not manifest them through prayers, songs and other sensible acts. A man who lives without external religion shows, for that very reason, that he lacks it in his heart. What son, filled with love and respect for his parents, does not show his filial piety?... 

c) But there is more still: external worship is an effective means of developing internal worship. The soul, united with the body, struggles with great difficulties to rise to spiritual things without the help of sensible things. She receives impressions from the outside through the senses. The beauty of the ceremonies, the emblems, the singing, etc., contribute to awakening and enlivening the feelings of religion. Let a man stop kneeling before God, omit vocal prayer, stop attending church, and very soon he will cease to have religion in his soul. Experience proves this. It has been rightly said: "Wanting to reduce religion to the purely spiritual is wanting to relegate it to an imaginary world."