The Visitation Report into the Catholic Church in Ireland: Rebuking the Culture of Dissent

The Visitation Report into the Church in Ireland, ordered by Pope Benedict XVI, the full text of which may be found here, says "It must be stressed that dissent from the fundamental teachings of the Church is not the authentic path towards renewal."

The sexual abuse crisis which exploded throughout the Catholic Church in Ireland [and elsewhere] has its origin in a Culture of Dissent.  For, as Father Vincent Miceli has reminded us, "falsity is the heart of immorality."  Betrayal arises in man's heart and is soon manifested in his actions which often culminate in criminal violence.  But, as Fr. Miceli lamented, "while we are all aware of the tremendous role of violence in the unfolding history of human events...what is not realized is that the apparent arbitrariness of and haphazardness of violence can be and ought to be seriously and precisely analyzed from the philosophical and theological point of view." (Essay entitled "The Taproot of Violence).

For far too long, many priests have been offering not the fine wheat of sound doctrine but the chaff of theological dissent from the teaching of the Church's Magisterium.  Hence we have experienced not renewal but a spiritual dry rot. Vatican II, in its' Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests (Presbyterorum Ordinis) No. 4, had this to say: "The People of God are joined together primarily by the word of the living God. And rightfully they expect this from their priests. Since no one can be saved who does not first believe, priests, as co-workers with their bishops, have the primary duty of proclaiming the Gospel of God to all. In this way they fulfill the command of the Lord: "Going therefore into the whole world preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mk 16:15), and they establish and build up the People of God. Through the saving word the spark of faith is lit in the hearts of unbelievers, and fed in the hearts of the faithful. This is the way that the congregation of faithful is started and grows, just as the Apostle describes: "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17).

To all men, therefore, priests are debtors that the truth of the Gospel which they have may be given to others. And so, whether by entering into profitable dialogue they bring people to the worship of God, whether by openly preaching they proclaim the mystery of Christ, or whether in the light of Christ they treat contemporary problems, they are relying not on their own wisdom for it is the word of Christ they teach, and it is to conversion and holiness that they exhort all men."

According to the Council, the task of priests is "not to teach their own wisdom but God's Word." And this task is of no less importance for the priest than his offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Both of these are inseperably linked to each other: "The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ - Head of the Church - before the assembly of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1552).

For this reason, priests have the very serious obligation to teach the faithful under their care that it is never licit to have sexual relations outside of marriage; that a Catholic cannot (having been validly married in the Church) after divorce, marry another or otherwise pretend that sexual relations with another individual are somehow "marital"; that "formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense" and that '"the Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life" (CCC, 2272); and that "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible, is intrinsically evil.." (CCC, No. 2370, citing Humanae Vitae, No. 14).

The Church proposes these (and other teachings) as true and it does so in the name of Christ. The priest is not to question them. He is not to ignore them or neglect them out of a false sense of "compassion" or "charity." It was Pope Paul VI who said that, "To diminish in no way the saving teaching of Christ constitutes an eminent form of charity for souls." (Humanae Vitae, No. 29). Pope John Paul II reiterated these words in Familiaris Consortio, No. 33.

We are reminded in Lumen Gentium 14 of the Second Vatican Council that: "He is not saved, however, who, though part of the body of the Church, does not persevere in charity. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but, as it were, only in a "bodily" manner and not "in his heart." All the Church's children should remember that their exalted status is to be attributed not to their own merits but to the special grace of Christ. If they fail moreover to respond to that grace in thought, word and deed, not only shall they not be saved but they will be the more severely judged."

When a priest ignores or neglects his duty, his task, of serving the Word of God with fidelity, he fails to persevere in that charity described by Popes Paul VI and John Paul II as a charity which diminishes in no way the saving teaching of Christ. And he will be the more severely judged (Luke 12:48)*.

* "..Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more."

Act of Reparation to the Blessed Sacrament

Act of Reparation to the Blessed Sacrament
By St. Louis de Montfort



"Soupirons, gemissons, pleurons amerement"


Let me cry, let me weep bitter tears to God above,
For Jesus is abandoned in his Sacrament of love;
Forgotten and insulted in the dwelling of the Lord,
Derided and rejected where once he was adored.


The mansions of the nobles are all clean and set with care,
Yet the house of God's forgotten, its altars standing bare;
The floor is all broken, the roof lets in the rain,
The crumbling walls are marked with holes and every kind of stain.


The crucifix is broken, the pictures green with damp,
The altar cloths are rotting, no light burns in the lamp,
The missals torn and battered, the brasswork stained with rust,
The things of God are thrown about and scattered in the dust.


The ciborium is tarnished, the chalice turning black,
The monstrance, which is made of tin, is mouldy at the back;
From font right up to sacristy the picture is the same,
Such disorder in the house of God is our reproach and shame.


The pagans in their temples dare not spit upon the floor,
But in our church a crowd of dogs run in and out the door;
They bark and fight continually and fill the place with slime,
But no one cares enough of this to avenge the dreadful crime.


There is just one exception in all this sorry scene:
My Lord and Lady's special pew is always neat and clean;
And standing out in bright new paint upon the dingy wall
Their gaily-colored coat-of-arms looks down upon it all.


Above the Lord's own altar, instead of the Lord's own name,
The banners of his Lordship, a place of honor claim;
Both priest and mule are flaunting the badges of their thrall,
The former at the altar, the latter in his stall.


The houses of the nobles are so crowded and gay,
And fashionable young ladies are courted night and day;
But the Church of God's deserted, unless they condescend
To go to church for one short Mass they think will never end.


Behold the worldly cleric coming in with haughty face
How his lady friends admire him as he bows with courtly grace!
He bobs a genuflection, then seeks whom he should greet;
He strolls about and chatters as though walking in the street


Still worse, he has a snuff-box, which he opens with a jest,
And delicately takes a pinch, then passes around the rest
Puffed up with self-importance and with his graceful ways,
He squirms about and poses, making faces as he prays


Alas, it's often happened, the way to church he's trod
To pay reverence to Venus, to a goddess not to God;
Every thought and aspiration, every word and loving glance
Are but homage to a creature, a prayer to find romance


Behold upon the other side a sorry scene is played,
A shameless hussy sitting in all her fine brocade;
In her dainty little slippers and head-dress trimmed with lace,
Come simply to parade herself within the holy place


This empty-headed madam, with an impudence unknown,
Up to the very altar ostentatiously is shown,
And poses on a bench in front, so to be seen by all,
To captivate the eyes of men and hold their hearts in thrall


To think this devil's agent, while her knee to Jesus bends,
Must rob him of his glory and lead astray his friends!
The splendor of her finery the thought of Jesus harms,
Forgotten is the altar in the presence of her charms.


And if the time seems tedious, she always has her fan,
Her dog and gloves, to pass the time, and often her young man;
She'll read a bit, and roll her eyes, and fix her hat with care,
Then look around the chapel to see who's watching her


O strike them, God almighty, strike this ungrateful lot!
At least let them respect thee, if they will love thee not
Too long hast thou been patient; thy justice let them see;
Let fear replace that insolence with which they now mock thee


Thy glory has been ravished, dishonored is thy name,
Such sinners against thy majesty must bow their heads in shame
And yet restrain thy anger, at least a while I pray;
The greatness of their wickedness with greater good repay


Forgive them, dearest Jesus, for they know not what they do;
Remember thy great Passion, and have mercy on us too
And if we are unable to atone for all our guilt,
Accept our feeble homage, and treat us as thou wilt


We confess before thy altar that we are sinners still;
Thou canst punish us or spare us according to thy will
But remember thy great mercy and the tears that we have shed,
And hear our cries for pardon, for our hearts are full of dread.


Our Eucharistic Lord waits for you. He waits alone in an empty Church. Outside the world and all its noise appears attractive. But this world and everything in it is passing away. It is, as C.S. Lewis said, a "shadowland." Approach the Light. Pray before the Eucharist and be filled. For your heart will never be filled until you give it totally to Him Who has created and redeemed you.

"Our hearts are restless O Lord, until they rest in Thee." - Saint Augustine


In these last days, it is more important than ever to be consecrated to the Immaculata.  Here's why.  By clicking on the title of this post, you will be taken to a website dedicated toward promoting St. Louis de Montfort's total consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  This website is run by my good friend Ray Mooney, a true disciple of Our Lady.

Ad Jesus per Mariam - To Jesus through Mary.

A time of darkness, purification and renewal were prophesied by the future Pope Benedict XVI....

Such was the prophecy popularly known as "A Message for the Faithful of the Universal Church" which was given in September of 1974 and recounted by the Rev. Albert J. Hebert, S.M., in his book "Prophecies: The Chastisement and Purification." The prophecy declared:

"O Jerusalem...

My Beloved Bride -

My Holy City of Love -

What are these wounds -

Wherewith I have been wounded -

In the House of those who love Me?

I will strike My Shepherds -

And My sheep shall be dispersed -

It is I -

Fear not!

Come away, My Love, My Dove, My Beautiful One -

For now it is toward winter -

And the summer has long since passed away.

I am the good Shepherd -

I know My Sheep

I know My Lambs

And Mine know Me.

I weep for you, O Jerusalem, My Daughter -

Holy and Sanctified -

In former generations -

By My Spirit of Truth -

Whom in these days you have dared to reject -

I have loved you -

Unto the Cross -

Unto Death upon the Cross -

Behold the Wood of My Cross -

Upon which your Savior hung obedient -

To the Holy Will of His Father.

To those who have loved Me -

To those who have kept My Law -

To those who, seeing their sins,

As abominations in My Sight -

Turn back to Me

In Sincerity and Love -

To those only who obey

With profound heart and mind -

My Vicar on Earth -

Shall I give the Mark of Love.

I sign them with the Sign of Love -

Upon their foreheads

They bear the image of My Living Heart -

My Mercy is always with them -

The Angel of Fire shall not harm them -

The Angel of Death shall not lift his sword

Against them -

The Angel of Famine shall not destroy

Their fields of grain -

The Angel of Destruction

Shall pass over them -

As in the days of Moses,

So shall it be -

As in the days of Noah,

So it is now -

My Sacred Heart shall be their Refuge

In the days of Terror and Retribution -

Come to Me, My People -

Adore Me -

Love Me -

Atone for your sins -

Make reparation for the blasphemies,

The Sacrileges, the conscious neglect

Of My enduring Love -

Recognize Me

In the Holy Sacrament of My Sacred Presence -

And adore -

I am the Lord your God -

I am the King of Divine Mercy -

I am Who am.

The Year of Jubilee -

Is the last year of My Grace -

Walk in My Light -

While you have My Light -

Be reconciled and repent -

Let those who have disobeyed My Vicar

come to Rome -

Let them come to the tomb of Peter -

And be reconciled -

Let them repent of their disobedience -

And I will be close to them again.

O My Father, that they may be One again,

Even as I in You and they in Me...

Peace be with you. Amen."

My father and I used to talk much about the coming purification, the coming chastisement which will lead the entire world back to reconciliation. He believed, as do I, in the prophecy of the Cure of Ars: "One day Our Lady of La Salette will lead the world." My father went to be with the Lord Jesus in the Jubilee Year (2000) on the anniversary of Our Lady of La Salette. And so I continue to get the word out - to anyone who will listen - return to the Lord Jesus and His enduring Love!

Exciting news for Fitchburg, Massachusetts...

According to Fr. John Zuhlsdorf over at WDTPRS, "There will be a high Christmas midnight mass (missa cantata) at Immaculate Conception Church, 59 Walnut St., Fitchburg, Massachusetts. A musical prelude will begin at 11:30, with the mass beginning at 12 midnight. It will be celebrated by Fr. Mark Withoos."

Let's hope that this positive development will mark the beginning of renewal for the Catholic Church in and around Fitchburg. And let's remember the words of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, our beloved Pope Benedict XVI, in his book "Salt of the Earth": "I am of the opinion, to be sure, that the old rite should be granted much more generously to all those who desire it. It's impossible to see what could be dangerous or unacceptable about that. A community is calling its very being into question when it suddenly declares that what until now was its holiest and highest possession is strictly forbidden and when it makes the longing for it seem downright indecent."

Relevant passage from Vatican II:

"Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites." (Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 36, see also No. 54).

And from Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei:

"Respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition...for the use of the Roman Missal according to the 1962 edition."