"Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2271).
Politicians like Senator Hillary Clinton reject this clear and definitive teaching of Christ Jesus through His Church. In the same way that the Nazis waged a war against the Jewish People while denying the personhood of every Jewish person they sent to the gas chamber or placed before a firing squad, pro-death politicians like Senator Clinton attempt to justify the killing of innocent children in the womb by asserting that these victims of genocide cannot be considered human beings until they have reached "viability," which was defined by the United States Supreme Court as that stage of fetal development when the baby is "potentially able to live outside the mother's womb [that is, can survive], albeit with artificial help." (Roe vs. Wade, U.S. Supreme Court, 1973, p. 45).
Pope John Paul II addressed this fallacious argument in his Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life):
"Some people try to justify abortion by claiming that the result of conception, at least up to a certain number of days, cannot yet be considered a personal human life. But in fact, 'from the time the ovum is fertilized, a life is begun which is neither that of the father nor the mother; it is rather the life of a new human being with his own growth. It would never be made human if it were not human already. This has always been clear, and...modern genetic science offers clear confirmation. It has demonstrated that from the first instant there is established the program of what this living being will be: a person, this individual person with his characteristic aspects already well determined. Right from fertilization the adventure of a human life begins, and each of its capabilities requires time - a rather lengthy time - to find its place and to be in a position to act." (EV, No. 60).
In a feeble attempt to justify the killing of unborn children in the womb, dishonest politicians like Senator Clinton continue to use the concept of viability as a measure of when the unborn baby is human and therefore in possession of a right to life. However, as Pope John Paul II noted in his Encyclical Letter, modern genetic science has confirmed that "from the first instant" of fertilization, "there is established the aspects the program of what this living being will be: a person.."
In fact, it is completely illogical to use viability as a measure of when the unborn baby is human because 50 years ago viability was at 30 weeks; 25 years ago it dropped to 25 weeks; and today, it is under 20 weeks. Babies are surviving earlier because of tremendous increases in the sophistication of external life support systems as well as neonatal ICU.
As a people of life, we must hold pro-death politicians like Senator Clinton accountable for their cooperation in the genocide of abortion which has angered Our Lord Jesus and which cries out to Heaven for vengeance. We must offer reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If we do not, then a culture of death will continue to prevail in this nation and we will face the consequences of the Hell which we have silently condoned.
We must recall the words of Gabriel Marcel: "When man becomes God, then society becomes a termite colony and collapses from within."
God love you,
Paul Anthony Melanson
Monday, January 22, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Ad Tuendam Fidem, given Motu Proprio
JOHN PAUL II
Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio AD TUENDAM FIDEM, by which certain norms are inserted into the Code of Canon Law and into the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
TO PROTECT THE FAITH of the Catholic Church against errors arising from certain members of the Christian faithful, especially from among those dedicated to the various disciplines of sacred theology, we, whose principal duty is to confirm the brethren in the faith (Lk 22:32), consider it absolutely necessary to add to the existing texts of the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, new norms which expressly impose the obligation of upholding truths proposed in a definitive way by the Magisterium of the Church, and which also establish related canonical sanctions.
1.From the first centuries to the present day, the Church has professed the truths of her faith in Christ and the mystery of his redemption. These truths were subsequently gathered into the Symbols of the faith, today known and proclaimed in common by the faithful in the solemn and festive celebration of Mass as the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.
This same Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed is contained in the Profession of faith developed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,(1) which must be made by specific members of the faithful when they receive an office, that is directly or indirectly related to deeper investigation into the truths of faith and morals, or is united to a particular power in the governance of the Church.(2)
2. The Profession of faith, which appropriately begins with the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, contains three propositions or paragraphs intended to describe the truths of the Catholic faith, which the Church, in the course of time and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit “who will teach the whole truth” (Jn 16:13), has ever more deeply explored and will continue to explore.(3)
The first paragraph states: “With firm faith, I also believe everything contained in the word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church either by a solemn judgment or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed.”(4) This paragraph appropriately confirms and is provided for in the Church’s universal legislation, in canon 750 of the Code of Canon Law(5) and canon 598 of the Code of the Canons of the Eastern Churches.(6)
The third paragraph states: “Moreover I adhere with submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act.”(7) This paragraph has its corresponding legislative expression in canon 752 of the Code of Canon Law(8) and canon 599 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.(9)
3. The second paragraph, however, which states “I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals,”(10) has no corresponding canon in the Codes of the Catholic Church. This second paragraph of the Profession of faith is of utmost importance since it refers to truths that are necessarily connected to divine revelation. These truths, in the investigation of Catholic doctrine, illustrate the Divine Spirit’s particular inspiration for the Church’s deeper understanding of a truth concerning faith and morals, with which they are connected either for historical reasons or by a logical relationship.
4. Moved therefore by this need, and after careful deliberation, we have decided to overcome this lacuna in the universal law in the following way:
A) Canon 750 of the Code of Canon Law will now consist of two paragraphs; the first will present the text of the existing canon; the second will contain a new text. Thus, canon 750, in its complete form, will read:
Canon 750 – § 1. Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
§ 2. Furthermore, each and everything set forth definitively by the Magisterium of the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals must be firmly accepted and held; namely, those things required for the holy keeping and faithful exposition of the deposit of faith; therefore, anyone who rejects propositions which are to be held definitively sets himself against the teaching of the Catholic Church.
Canon 1371, n. 1 of the Code of Canon Law, consequently, will receive an appropriate reference to canon 750 § 2, so that it will now read:
Canon 1371 – The following are to be punished with a just penalty:
1° a person who, apart from the case mentioned in canon 1364 § 1, teaches a doctrine condemned by the Roman Pontiff, or by an Ecumenical Council, or obstinately rejects the teachings mentioned in canon 750 § 2 or in canon 752 and, when warned by the Apostolic See or by the Ordinary, does not retract;
2° a person who in any other way does not obey the lawful command or prohibition of the Apostolic See or the Ordinary or Superior and, after being warned, persists in disobedience.
B) Canon 598 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches will now have two paragraphs: the first will present the text of the existing canon and the second will contain a new text. Thus canon 598, in its complete form, will read as follows:
Canon 598 – § 1. Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All Christian faithful are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
§ 2. Furthermore, each and everything set forth definitively by the Magisterium of the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals must be firmly accepted and held; namely, those things required for the holy keeping and faithful exposition of the deposit of faith; therefore, anyone who rejects propositions which are to be held definitively sets himself against the teaching of the Catholic Church.
Canon 1436 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, consequently, will receive an appropriate reference to canon 598 § 2, so that it will now read:
Canon 1436 – § 1. Whoever denies a truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or who calls into doubt, or who totally repudiates the Christian faith, and does not retract after having been legitimately warned, is to be punished as a heretic or an apostate with a major excommunication; a cleric moreover can be punished with other penalties, not excluding deposition.
§ 2. In addition to these cases, whoever obstinately rejects a teaching that the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops, exercising the authentic Magisterium, have set forth to be held definitively, or who affirms what they have condemned as erroneous, and does not retract after having been legitimately warned, is to be punished with an appropriate penalty.
5. We order that everything decreed by us in this Apostolic Letter, given motu proprio, be established and ratified, and we prescribe that the insertions listed above be introduced into the universal legislation of the Catholic Church, that is, into the Code of Canon Law and into the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, all things to the contrary notwithstanding.
Given in Rome, at St Peter’s, on 18 May, in the year 1998, the twentieth of our Pontificate.
JOHN PAUL II
(1) CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity, (9 January 1989): AAS 81 (1989), 105.
(2) Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canon 833.
(3) Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canon 747 § 1; Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Canon 595 § 1.
(4) Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 25; Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum, 5;
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum veritatis (24 May 1990), 15: AAS 82 (1990), 1556.
(5) Code of Canon Law, Canon 750 – Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
(6) Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Canon 598 – Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All Christian faithful are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
(7) Cf. CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum veritatis (24 May 1990), 17: AAS 82 (1990), 1557.
(8) Code of Canon Law, Canon 752 – While the assent of faith is not required, a religious submission of intellect and will is to be given to any doctrine which either the Supreme Pontiff or the College of Bishops, exercising their authentic Magisterium, declare upon a matter of faith and morals, even though they do not intend to proclaim that doctrine by definitive act. Christ’s faithful are therefore to ensure that they avoid whatever does not accord with that doctrine.
(9) Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Canon 599 – While the assent of faith is not required, a religious submission of intellect and will is to be given to any doctrine which either the Supreme Pontiff or the College of Bishops, exercising their authentic Magisterium, declare upon a matter of faith and morals, even though they do not intend to proclaim that doctrine by definitive act. Christ’s faithful are therefore to ensure that they avoid whatever does not accord with that doctrine.
(10) Cf. CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum veritatis (24 May 1990), 16: AAS 82 (1990), 1557.
Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio AD TUENDAM FIDEM, by which certain norms are inserted into the Code of Canon Law and into the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
TO PROTECT THE FAITH of the Catholic Church against errors arising from certain members of the Christian faithful, especially from among those dedicated to the various disciplines of sacred theology, we, whose principal duty is to confirm the brethren in the faith (Lk 22:32), consider it absolutely necessary to add to the existing texts of the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, new norms which expressly impose the obligation of upholding truths proposed in a definitive way by the Magisterium of the Church, and which also establish related canonical sanctions.
1.From the first centuries to the present day, the Church has professed the truths of her faith in Christ and the mystery of his redemption. These truths were subsequently gathered into the Symbols of the faith, today known and proclaimed in common by the faithful in the solemn and festive celebration of Mass as the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.
This same Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed is contained in the Profession of faith developed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,(1) which must be made by specific members of the faithful when they receive an office, that is directly or indirectly related to deeper investigation into the truths of faith and morals, or is united to a particular power in the governance of the Church.(2)
2. The Profession of faith, which appropriately begins with the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, contains three propositions or paragraphs intended to describe the truths of the Catholic faith, which the Church, in the course of time and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit “who will teach the whole truth” (Jn 16:13), has ever more deeply explored and will continue to explore.(3)
The first paragraph states: “With firm faith, I also believe everything contained in the word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church either by a solemn judgment or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed.”(4) This paragraph appropriately confirms and is provided for in the Church’s universal legislation, in canon 750 of the Code of Canon Law(5) and canon 598 of the Code of the Canons of the Eastern Churches.(6)
The third paragraph states: “Moreover I adhere with submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act.”(7) This paragraph has its corresponding legislative expression in canon 752 of the Code of Canon Law(8) and canon 599 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.(9)
3. The second paragraph, however, which states “I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals,”(10) has no corresponding canon in the Codes of the Catholic Church. This second paragraph of the Profession of faith is of utmost importance since it refers to truths that are necessarily connected to divine revelation. These truths, in the investigation of Catholic doctrine, illustrate the Divine Spirit’s particular inspiration for the Church’s deeper understanding of a truth concerning faith and morals, with which they are connected either for historical reasons or by a logical relationship.
4. Moved therefore by this need, and after careful deliberation, we have decided to overcome this lacuna in the universal law in the following way:
A) Canon 750 of the Code of Canon Law will now consist of two paragraphs; the first will present the text of the existing canon; the second will contain a new text. Thus, canon 750, in its complete form, will read:
Canon 750 – § 1. Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
§ 2. Furthermore, each and everything set forth definitively by the Magisterium of the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals must be firmly accepted and held; namely, those things required for the holy keeping and faithful exposition of the deposit of faith; therefore, anyone who rejects propositions which are to be held definitively sets himself against the teaching of the Catholic Church.
Canon 1371, n. 1 of the Code of Canon Law, consequently, will receive an appropriate reference to canon 750 § 2, so that it will now read:
Canon 1371 – The following are to be punished with a just penalty:
1° a person who, apart from the case mentioned in canon 1364 § 1, teaches a doctrine condemned by the Roman Pontiff, or by an Ecumenical Council, or obstinately rejects the teachings mentioned in canon 750 § 2 or in canon 752 and, when warned by the Apostolic See or by the Ordinary, does not retract;
2° a person who in any other way does not obey the lawful command or prohibition of the Apostolic See or the Ordinary or Superior and, after being warned, persists in disobedience.
B) Canon 598 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches will now have two paragraphs: the first will present the text of the existing canon and the second will contain a new text. Thus canon 598, in its complete form, will read as follows:
Canon 598 – § 1. Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All Christian faithful are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
§ 2. Furthermore, each and everything set forth definitively by the Magisterium of the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals must be firmly accepted and held; namely, those things required for the holy keeping and faithful exposition of the deposit of faith; therefore, anyone who rejects propositions which are to be held definitively sets himself against the teaching of the Catholic Church.
Canon 1436 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, consequently, will receive an appropriate reference to canon 598 § 2, so that it will now read:
Canon 1436 – § 1. Whoever denies a truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or who calls into doubt, or who totally repudiates the Christian faith, and does not retract after having been legitimately warned, is to be punished as a heretic or an apostate with a major excommunication; a cleric moreover can be punished with other penalties, not excluding deposition.
§ 2. In addition to these cases, whoever obstinately rejects a teaching that the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops, exercising the authentic Magisterium, have set forth to be held definitively, or who affirms what they have condemned as erroneous, and does not retract after having been legitimately warned, is to be punished with an appropriate penalty.
5. We order that everything decreed by us in this Apostolic Letter, given motu proprio, be established and ratified, and we prescribe that the insertions listed above be introduced into the universal legislation of the Catholic Church, that is, into the Code of Canon Law and into the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, all things to the contrary notwithstanding.
Given in Rome, at St Peter’s, on 18 May, in the year 1998, the twentieth of our Pontificate.
JOHN PAUL II
(1) CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity, (9 January 1989): AAS 81 (1989), 105.
(2) Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canon 833.
(3) Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canon 747 § 1; Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Canon 595 § 1.
(4) Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 25; Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum, 5;
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum veritatis (24 May 1990), 15: AAS 82 (1990), 1556.
(5) Code of Canon Law, Canon 750 – Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
(6) Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Canon 598 – Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All Christian faithful are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
(7) Cf. CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum veritatis (24 May 1990), 17: AAS 82 (1990), 1557.
(8) Code of Canon Law, Canon 752 – While the assent of faith is not required, a religious submission of intellect and will is to be given to any doctrine which either the Supreme Pontiff or the College of Bishops, exercising their authentic Magisterium, declare upon a matter of faith and morals, even though they do not intend to proclaim that doctrine by definitive act. Christ’s faithful are therefore to ensure that they avoid whatever does not accord with that doctrine.
(9) Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Canon 599 – While the assent of faith is not required, a religious submission of intellect and will is to be given to any doctrine which either the Supreme Pontiff or the College of Bishops, exercising their authentic Magisterium, declare upon a matter of faith and morals, even though they do not intend to proclaim that doctrine by definitive act. Christ’s faithful are therefore to ensure that they avoid whatever does not accord with that doctrine.
(10) Cf. CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum veritatis (24 May 1990), 16: AAS 82 (1990), 1557.
A Correct Conscience
Vatican II, in its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) No. 25, had this to say:
"This religious submission of will and of mind must be shown in a special way to the authentic teaching authority of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra. That is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known chiefly either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking."
Therefore, if we claim to be "Vatican II Catholics," we must acknowledge our duty, our serious and imperative obligation, to form a correct conscience, according to the Holy Father's directives and not according to our own subjective desires or wishes. This is the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings." (CCC, 1783).
Our conscience can only be correct when it conforms to God's Will. And God's Will can only be known with absolute certainty through the Catholic Church of which the Pope is the authentic interpreter. In his Encyclical Letter Humani Generis, Pope Pius XII taught that: "...If the Supreme Pontiffs in their official documents purposely pass judgment on a matter up to that time under dispute, it is obvious that the matter, according to the mind and will of the same Pontiffs, cannot be any longer considered a question open to discussion among theologians....God has given to His Church a living Teaching Authority to elucidate and explain what is contained in the Deposit of Faith only obscurely and implicitly. This deposit of faith our Divine Redeemer has given for authentic interpretation not to each of the faithful, not even to theologians, but only to the Teaching Authority of the Church."
Do we accept this teaching, a teaching which was reaffirmed by the Second Vatican Council? Or do we consider ourselves to be "wiser" than Christ's Vicar? Do we really understand that obedience (and loyalty) to the Holy Father and the Magisterium of the Church are the hallmarks of true Catholics - as opposed to those who are such in name only?
Do we pretend, like the La Salette priest who said that he believes there is "wiggle room" on the subject of women's ordination, that the Pope or the Magisterium hasn't spoken clearly enough? If so, we should recall these words from Pope St. Pius X - the Pope of the Eucharist -
"When people love the pope, they do not discuss his orders; they do not question the extent of their obedience, nor in what matters they are to obey. When people love the pope, they do not pretend that he has not spoken clearly enough, as if he were obliged to whisper in each one's ear that which he has often expressed so clearly in words and encyclicals. They cannot cast doubt upon his order under the pretext so commonly adduced by those who are unwilling to obey, that it is not the pope who commands but those who surround him; they cannot limit the ground on which he may and ought to exercise his authority; in matters of authority, they cannot give preference to persons whose ideas clash with those of the pope, however learned these may be, for though they be learned, they are not saints."
Are we disobedient to the Pope? If so, we should realize that our disobedience is really against the loving Heart of Christ.
"In order that the Episcopate itself might be one and undivided, Christ placed Blessed Peter over the other apostles, and instituted in him a permanent and visible source and foundation of unity of faith and fellowship. All this teaching about the institution, the perpetuity, the force and reason for the Sacred Primacy of the Roman Pontiff and of his infallible teaching authority, this Sacred Synod again proposes to be firmly believed by all the faithful." (Lumen Gentium, Chap. 3, Sec. 18).
God love you,
Paul Anthony Melanson
"This religious submission of will and of mind must be shown in a special way to the authentic teaching authority of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra. That is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known chiefly either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking."
Therefore, if we claim to be "Vatican II Catholics," we must acknowledge our duty, our serious and imperative obligation, to form a correct conscience, according to the Holy Father's directives and not according to our own subjective desires or wishes. This is the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings." (CCC, 1783).
Our conscience can only be correct when it conforms to God's Will. And God's Will can only be known with absolute certainty through the Catholic Church of which the Pope is the authentic interpreter. In his Encyclical Letter Humani Generis, Pope Pius XII taught that: "...If the Supreme Pontiffs in their official documents purposely pass judgment on a matter up to that time under dispute, it is obvious that the matter, according to the mind and will of the same Pontiffs, cannot be any longer considered a question open to discussion among theologians....God has given to His Church a living Teaching Authority to elucidate and explain what is contained in the Deposit of Faith only obscurely and implicitly. This deposit of faith our Divine Redeemer has given for authentic interpretation not to each of the faithful, not even to theologians, but only to the Teaching Authority of the Church."
Do we accept this teaching, a teaching which was reaffirmed by the Second Vatican Council? Or do we consider ourselves to be "wiser" than Christ's Vicar? Do we really understand that obedience (and loyalty) to the Holy Father and the Magisterium of the Church are the hallmarks of true Catholics - as opposed to those who are such in name only?
Do we pretend, like the La Salette priest who said that he believes there is "wiggle room" on the subject of women's ordination, that the Pope or the Magisterium hasn't spoken clearly enough? If so, we should recall these words from Pope St. Pius X - the Pope of the Eucharist -
"When people love the pope, they do not discuss his orders; they do not question the extent of their obedience, nor in what matters they are to obey. When people love the pope, they do not pretend that he has not spoken clearly enough, as if he were obliged to whisper in each one's ear that which he has often expressed so clearly in words and encyclicals. They cannot cast doubt upon his order under the pretext so commonly adduced by those who are unwilling to obey, that it is not the pope who commands but those who surround him; they cannot limit the ground on which he may and ought to exercise his authority; in matters of authority, they cannot give preference to persons whose ideas clash with those of the pope, however learned these may be, for though they be learned, they are not saints."
Are we disobedient to the Pope? If so, we should realize that our disobedience is really against the loving Heart of Christ.
"In order that the Episcopate itself might be one and undivided, Christ placed Blessed Peter over the other apostles, and instituted in him a permanent and visible source and foundation of unity of faith and fellowship. All this teaching about the institution, the perpetuity, the force and reason for the Sacred Primacy of the Roman Pontiff and of his infallible teaching authority, this Sacred Synod again proposes to be firmly believed by all the faithful." (Lumen Gentium, Chap. 3, Sec. 18).
God love you,
Paul Anthony Melanson
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
NOVENA AD SACRUM COR
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.
R. Amen.
Domine Iesu, qui ineffabiles Cordis tui dulcedines ac divitias Ecclesiae Sponsae tuae singulari dilectione aperire dignatus es: concede nobis famulis tuis, ut gratiis caelestibus, ex hoc dulcissimo fonte manantibus, ditare et recreari mereamur.
R. Amen.
V. Cor Iesu, flagrans amore nostri.
R. Inflamma cor nostrum amore tui.
O divinum Cor Iesu, praesta, quaesumus, animabus purgantibus requiem aeternam, morituris gratiam finalem, peccatoribus veram paenitentiam, paganis fidei lucem, nobis nostrisque omnibus tuam benedictionem. Tibi ergo, Cor Iesu piissimum, omnes has animas commendimus et pro ipsis tibi offerimusomnia merita sacri Cordis tui.
R. Amen.
V. O Sacrum Cor Iesu, Patris voluntati obsequentissimum.
R. Inclina ad te corda nostra, ut quae placita sunt ei faciamus semper.
Domine Iesu Christe, qui dixisti: Petite et accipietis; quaerite etinvenietis; pulsate et aperietur vobis; quaesumus, da nobis petentibusdivinissimi tui amoris affectum, ut te toto corde, ore et operediligamus et a tua numquam laude cessemus.
R. Amen.
(Hic morare ad Sacrum Cor petendum)
V. O sacrum Cor Iesu, salutis nostrae sitientissimum.
R. Revoca nos praevaricatores ad Cor, ut non moriamur in peccatis nostris.
Oremus. Deus, qui nobis, in Corde Filii tui, nostris vulneratopeccatis, infinitos dilectionis thesauros misericorditer largiridignaris; concede, quaesumus, ut illi devotum pietatis nostrae praestantesobsequium, dignae quoque satisfactionis exhibeamus officium. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
Lord Jesus, Who have deigned to open by Your special love the unutterable goodness and riches of Your Heart to Your Bride, the Church: grant to us, your servants, that we may merit to be enriched and refreshed by Your heavenly graces, flowing from this sweetest of fountains.
R. Amen.
V. Heart of Jesus, burning with love for us.
R. Set our hearts on fire with love of You.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who have said: Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you; mercifully attend toour supplications, and grant us the gift of Your divine charity, that we mayever love You with our whole heart and with all our words and deeds, and may never cease from praising You.
R. Amen.
(Pause here to make petitions to the Sacred Heart.)
V. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, most obedient to the will of the Father.R. Incline our hearts to You, that we may do always what is pleasing to You.
O divine Heart of Jesus, grant, we pray You, eternal rest to the soul sin purgatory, final grace to those who are about to die, true repentance to sinners, the light of faith to non-Christians, and Your blessing to us and all who are dear to us. To You, therefore, we commend all these souls, and in their behalf we offer unto You all the merits of Your Sacred Heart.
R. Amen.
V. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, thirsting for our salvation.
R. Recall us sinners to Your Heart, that we may not die in our sins.
Let us pray. O God, Who deign mercifully to bestow upon us the infinite treasures of love in the Heart of Your Son, which was wounded for our sins; grant, we beseech You, that we who pay Him the devout homage of our piety may in like manner show unto You our due of worthy satisfaction. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.
R. Amen.
Domine Iesu, qui ineffabiles Cordis tui dulcedines ac divitias Ecclesiae Sponsae tuae singulari dilectione aperire dignatus es: concede nobis famulis tuis, ut gratiis caelestibus, ex hoc dulcissimo fonte manantibus, ditare et recreari mereamur.
R. Amen.
V. Cor Iesu, flagrans amore nostri.
R. Inflamma cor nostrum amore tui.
O divinum Cor Iesu, praesta, quaesumus, animabus purgantibus requiem aeternam, morituris gratiam finalem, peccatoribus veram paenitentiam, paganis fidei lucem, nobis nostrisque omnibus tuam benedictionem. Tibi ergo, Cor Iesu piissimum, omnes has animas commendimus et pro ipsis tibi offerimusomnia merita sacri Cordis tui.
R. Amen.
V. O Sacrum Cor Iesu, Patris voluntati obsequentissimum.
R. Inclina ad te corda nostra, ut quae placita sunt ei faciamus semper.
Domine Iesu Christe, qui dixisti: Petite et accipietis; quaerite etinvenietis; pulsate et aperietur vobis; quaesumus, da nobis petentibusdivinissimi tui amoris affectum, ut te toto corde, ore et operediligamus et a tua numquam laude cessemus.
R. Amen.
(Hic morare ad Sacrum Cor petendum)
V. O sacrum Cor Iesu, salutis nostrae sitientissimum.
R. Revoca nos praevaricatores ad Cor, ut non moriamur in peccatis nostris.
Oremus. Deus, qui nobis, in Corde Filii tui, nostris vulneratopeccatis, infinitos dilectionis thesauros misericorditer largiridignaris; concede, quaesumus, ut illi devotum pietatis nostrae praestantesobsequium, dignae quoque satisfactionis exhibeamus officium. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
Lord Jesus, Who have deigned to open by Your special love the unutterable goodness and riches of Your Heart to Your Bride, the Church: grant to us, your servants, that we may merit to be enriched and refreshed by Your heavenly graces, flowing from this sweetest of fountains.
R. Amen.
V. Heart of Jesus, burning with love for us.
R. Set our hearts on fire with love of You.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who have said: Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you; mercifully attend toour supplications, and grant us the gift of Your divine charity, that we mayever love You with our whole heart and with all our words and deeds, and may never cease from praising You.
R. Amen.
(Pause here to make petitions to the Sacred Heart.)
V. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, most obedient to the will of the Father.R. Incline our hearts to You, that we may do always what is pleasing to You.
O divine Heart of Jesus, grant, we pray You, eternal rest to the soul sin purgatory, final grace to those who are about to die, true repentance to sinners, the light of faith to non-Christians, and Your blessing to us and all who are dear to us. To You, therefore, we commend all these souls, and in their behalf we offer unto You all the merits of Your Sacred Heart.
R. Amen.
V. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, thirsting for our salvation.
R. Recall us sinners to Your Heart, that we may not die in our sins.
Let us pray. O God, Who deign mercifully to bestow upon us the infinite treasures of love in the Heart of Your Son, which was wounded for our sins; grant, we beseech You, that we who pay Him the devout homage of our piety may in like manner show unto You our due of worthy satisfaction. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Prayer to Our Lady of La Salette
Remember, our Lady of La Salette,
true Mother of sorrows,
the tears which thou didst shed for me on Calvary;
be mindful also of the unceasing care which thou dost exercise to screen me from the justice of God;
and consider whether thou canst now abandon thy child, for whom thou hast done so much.
Inspired by this consoling thought,
I come to cast myself at thy feet, in spite of my infidelity and ingratitude.
Reject not my prayer, O Virgin of reconciliation,
convert me, obtain for me the grace to love Jesus Christ above all things
and to console thee too by living a holy life,
in order that one day I may be able to see thee in Heaven.
Amen.
true Mother of sorrows,
the tears which thou didst shed for me on Calvary;
be mindful also of the unceasing care which thou dost exercise to screen me from the justice of God;
and consider whether thou canst now abandon thy child, for whom thou hast done so much.
Inspired by this consoling thought,
I come to cast myself at thy feet, in spite of my infidelity and ingratitude.
Reject not my prayer, O Virgin of reconciliation,
convert me, obtain for me the grace to love Jesus Christ above all things
and to console thee too by living a holy life,
in order that one day I may be able to see thee in Heaven.
Amen.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
ST. STEPHEN CHARITABLE COMMITMENT AND EVANGELIZATION
VATICAN CITY, JAN 10, 2007 (VIS) - In this morning's general audience, held in the Paul VI Hall in the presence of 7,000 people, Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis to the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen.
"St. Stephen," said the Pope, "is the most representative figure of a group of seven companions," who concerned themselves with charitably serving the needs of members of the Christian community, whether of Jewish or of Greek origin.
"Tradition sees in this group the origins of the future ministry of deacons," upon whom the Apostles "laid their hands," a gesture that in the Old Testament "has above all the significance of transmitting an important task," said the Pope.
"That this was an important action, to be undertaken following due discernment, becomes clear from a reading of the First Letter of Paul to Timothy: 'Do not be hasty in laying on of hands, nor participate in another man's sins'."
"Apart from his charitable service," the Pope continued, "Stephen also carried out evangelizing activity among his countrymen, the so-called 'Hellenists'." To them "he reread the Old Testament in the light of the announcement, death and resurrection of Jesus." This rereading "provoked the reaction of the Jews who perceived his words as blasphemy."
Stephen "shows that the mystery of the cross lies at the center of the history of salvation," and that "the cult of the temple is finished" because the Risen Christ "is the new and true 'temple.' It was precisely this 'no' to the temple" that led to his death sentence and martyrdom. After his stoning, the group of Jewish and Hellenic Christians fled Jerusalem "and became itinerant missionaries. ... Persecution and consequent dispersion became mission."
The Holy Father explained how the story of St. Stephen reminds us that "social commitment to charity can never be disassociated from the courageous announcement of the faith." With charity, the first martyr "announced the crucified Christ, even to the point of accepting martyrdom."
"The cross remains central in the life of the Church as well as in our private lives. In the history of the Church, passion and persecution will never be lacking," said Pope Benedict, but, "in the famous phrase of Tertullian, ... 'we multiply every time we are cut down by you.' The blood of Christians is a seed."
"In our own lives too, the cross, which will never be lacking, becomes a blessing," he concluded. "And accepting the cross, knowing that is it is and becomes a blessing, we learn the joy of being Christian, even in moments of difficulty."
VATICAN CITY, JAN 10, 2007 (VIS) - In this morning's general audience, held in the Paul VI Hall in the presence of 7,000 people, Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis to the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen.
"St. Stephen," said the Pope, "is the most representative figure of a group of seven companions," who concerned themselves with charitably serving the needs of members of the Christian community, whether of Jewish or of Greek origin.
"Tradition sees in this group the origins of the future ministry of deacons," upon whom the Apostles "laid their hands," a gesture that in the Old Testament "has above all the significance of transmitting an important task," said the Pope.
"That this was an important action, to be undertaken following due discernment, becomes clear from a reading of the First Letter of Paul to Timothy: 'Do not be hasty in laying on of hands, nor participate in another man's sins'."
"Apart from his charitable service," the Pope continued, "Stephen also carried out evangelizing activity among his countrymen, the so-called 'Hellenists'." To them "he reread the Old Testament in the light of the announcement, death and resurrection of Jesus." This rereading "provoked the reaction of the Jews who perceived his words as blasphemy."
Stephen "shows that the mystery of the cross lies at the center of the history of salvation," and that "the cult of the temple is finished" because the Risen Christ "is the new and true 'temple.' It was precisely this 'no' to the temple" that led to his death sentence and martyrdom. After his stoning, the group of Jewish and Hellenic Christians fled Jerusalem "and became itinerant missionaries. ... Persecution and consequent dispersion became mission."
The Holy Father explained how the story of St. Stephen reminds us that "social commitment to charity can never be disassociated from the courageous announcement of the faith." With charity, the first martyr "announced the crucified Christ, even to the point of accepting martyrdom."
"The cross remains central in the life of the Church as well as in our private lives. In the history of the Church, passion and persecution will never be lacking," said Pope Benedict, but, "in the famous phrase of Tertullian, ... 'we multiply every time we are cut down by you.' The blood of Christians is a seed."
"In our own lives too, the cross, which will never be lacking, becomes a blessing," he concluded. "And accepting the cross, knowing that is it is and becomes a blessing, we learn the joy of being Christian, even in moments of difficulty."
At his wonderful website Spirit Daily, Mr. Michael Brown has just posted yet another excellent article on the zeitgeist; the spirit of coldness which is envelloping our society like a damp blanket and which is suffocating the Spirit. Here it is:
'HOME INVASIONS' SPUR FEARS OF A FUTURE THAT WITHOUT PRAYER WILL YIELD ANARCHY
"Our society has grown cold. Have you noticed the spirit? There is a prevailing wind. There is 'attitude.' A proud spirit moves, and we feel the chill in the way we conduct ourselves. Perhaps it is because everyone has money. One calls an airline and goes through five minutes of impersonal recorded messages before waiting another ten minutes for an actual human who clearly doesn't want to deal with you.
It isn't just airlines. We are a voice-mail-e-mail-I-Pod-in-your-face nation.
That impersonality has coupled with decades of violence on television (and at the movies) to generate truly unnerving prospects.
Kids are assaulting kids. Teens kill at the drop of the hat. The other day, a boy from a town not so far from us murdered his grandmother for less than $200 in drug money while another assaulted someone with a spiked bat.
How often we look for signs of the times on the global stage and ignore the signs in our own culture and neighborhoods.
Will there be a time of chaos? Will there be a period of anarchy? Are we seeing the glimmerings?
There are those who have had visions of a societal breakdown in which natural or economic turbulence leads to a dismantling of the infrastructure -- and people fighting over a gallon of gas.
Might there come a time when there is an eruption of civil conflicts -- when various groups in various regions wage war on each other, or when a breakdown leads have-nots to invade the homes of those who have temporarily adequate resources?
Without prayer, and conversion, that answer is yes.
It may tend toward the 'paranoiac' and yet we do see disarming cases of home invasion.
Increasingly, vandals and robbers are entering residences while the owners are inside -- a level of boldness that marks a change in behavioral patterns. Consider that:
Last Sunday, in Daytona Beach, a grandmother was dragged from her own home at ten in the morning (as her son helplessly watched), forced to withdraw money from an ATM, and murdered brutally for a pittance.
In a town to the west, several young people were slain in a home over a CD player and other minor possessions two years before.
In November, three men who broke into homes in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area and were shot dead by homeowners.
In December, in Tucson, an eighty-year-old had to grab a gun and confront intruders -- again, during broad daylight, in the morning.
In Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, another man celebrating the birth of his son was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting after showing off pictures of the newborn at a friend's house.
In Denver, a pro football star was killed in another "drive-by." The cases go on: doors that are jimmied when homeowners are home, masked men at the back door, abductions, carjackings.
How do we protect our homes?
There are the obvious ways, of course (good locks, an alarm system), and then the not-so-obvious. Many are the accounts of menacing strangers kept at bay because the person they targeted was in prayer -- and seemed to be protected by an actual force, sometimes in the form of an angel.
That protection is heightened through sacramentals (medals, crucifixes throughout the home, statues of the Archangel Michael, Holy Water, Blessed Salt on the property). One expert at deliverance covers his property with a special blessing.
'In the same way the strong man marked out the four corners of his property with stone towers, I increase the perimeter of protection surrounding my home with four rocks,' says this Catholic lay minister, Robert Abel. 'I have anointed the rocks with oil and placed one in every corner of my yard. In the spiritual realm the canopy looks like a bullet-proof dome.'
Strange as it may seem, those of an evil bent are actually repelled in the presence of something that is holy.
Superstition?
There is power when we pray and power when we are surrounded by blessed objects.
Such especially comes through the Blessed Mother -- who has said that with prayer and fasting we could even stop wars, never mind local violence. 'No weapon fashioned against me will stand,' says Isaiah 54:17. 'Greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world,' adds 1 John 4:4.
Such is especially crucial to know at this time.
It is to be remembered that an atheistic professor from northern Kentucky named Howard Storm once wrote about a dramatic near-death brush during which he claimed he not only became convinced that God and eternity exist but also was shown the future by what he described as angels.
He has told his account on many national shows, including Today, and his testimony helped convert famed writer Anne Rice, who once wrote about vampires but now writes (if controversially) about Jesus.
Whatever the merits of that, it was Dr. Storm's assertion that the future he glimpsed included a breakdown in America and a civil uprising that led to anarchy. This is the end result of materialism. It is the end result of an obsession with money. It is the end result of putting life on earth before life with God in Heaven."
Well said indeed. And what does Vatican II have to say about this spirit of coldness and those who profess to be Catholic? Lumen Gentium, No. 14 teaches us that:
"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."
Paul Anthony Melanson
'HOME INVASIONS' SPUR FEARS OF A FUTURE THAT WITHOUT PRAYER WILL YIELD ANARCHY
"Our society has grown cold. Have you noticed the spirit? There is a prevailing wind. There is 'attitude.' A proud spirit moves, and we feel the chill in the way we conduct ourselves. Perhaps it is because everyone has money. One calls an airline and goes through five minutes of impersonal recorded messages before waiting another ten minutes for an actual human who clearly doesn't want to deal with you.
It isn't just airlines. We are a voice-mail-e-mail-I-Pod-in-your-face nation.
That impersonality has coupled with decades of violence on television (and at the movies) to generate truly unnerving prospects.
Kids are assaulting kids. Teens kill at the drop of the hat. The other day, a boy from a town not so far from us murdered his grandmother for less than $200 in drug money while another assaulted someone with a spiked bat.
How often we look for signs of the times on the global stage and ignore the signs in our own culture and neighborhoods.
Will there be a time of chaos? Will there be a period of anarchy? Are we seeing the glimmerings?
There are those who have had visions of a societal breakdown in which natural or economic turbulence leads to a dismantling of the infrastructure -- and people fighting over a gallon of gas.
Might there come a time when there is an eruption of civil conflicts -- when various groups in various regions wage war on each other, or when a breakdown leads have-nots to invade the homes of those who have temporarily adequate resources?
Without prayer, and conversion, that answer is yes.
It may tend toward the 'paranoiac' and yet we do see disarming cases of home invasion.
Increasingly, vandals and robbers are entering residences while the owners are inside -- a level of boldness that marks a change in behavioral patterns. Consider that:
Last Sunday, in Daytona Beach, a grandmother was dragged from her own home at ten in the morning (as her son helplessly watched), forced to withdraw money from an ATM, and murdered brutally for a pittance.
In a town to the west, several young people were slain in a home over a CD player and other minor possessions two years before.
In November, three men who broke into homes in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area and were shot dead by homeowners.
In December, in Tucson, an eighty-year-old had to grab a gun and confront intruders -- again, during broad daylight, in the morning.
In Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, another man celebrating the birth of his son was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting after showing off pictures of the newborn at a friend's house.
In Denver, a pro football star was killed in another "drive-by." The cases go on: doors that are jimmied when homeowners are home, masked men at the back door, abductions, carjackings.
How do we protect our homes?
There are the obvious ways, of course (good locks, an alarm system), and then the not-so-obvious. Many are the accounts of menacing strangers kept at bay because the person they targeted was in prayer -- and seemed to be protected by an actual force, sometimes in the form of an angel.
That protection is heightened through sacramentals (medals, crucifixes throughout the home, statues of the Archangel Michael, Holy Water, Blessed Salt on the property). One expert at deliverance covers his property with a special blessing.
'In the same way the strong man marked out the four corners of his property with stone towers, I increase the perimeter of protection surrounding my home with four rocks,' says this Catholic lay minister, Robert Abel. 'I have anointed the rocks with oil and placed one in every corner of my yard. In the spiritual realm the canopy looks like a bullet-proof dome.'
Strange as it may seem, those of an evil bent are actually repelled in the presence of something that is holy.
Superstition?
There is power when we pray and power when we are surrounded by blessed objects.
Such especially comes through the Blessed Mother -- who has said that with prayer and fasting we could even stop wars, never mind local violence. 'No weapon fashioned against me will stand,' says Isaiah 54:17. 'Greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world,' adds 1 John 4:4.
Such is especially crucial to know at this time.
It is to be remembered that an atheistic professor from northern Kentucky named Howard Storm once wrote about a dramatic near-death brush during which he claimed he not only became convinced that God and eternity exist but also was shown the future by what he described as angels.
He has told his account on many national shows, including Today, and his testimony helped convert famed writer Anne Rice, who once wrote about vampires but now writes (if controversially) about Jesus.
Whatever the merits of that, it was Dr. Storm's assertion that the future he glimpsed included a breakdown in America and a civil uprising that led to anarchy. This is the end result of materialism. It is the end result of an obsession with money. It is the end result of putting life on earth before life with God in Heaven."
Well said indeed. And what does Vatican II have to say about this spirit of coldness and those who profess to be Catholic? Lumen Gentium, No. 14 teaches us that:
"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."
Paul Anthony Melanson
Saturday, January 06, 2007
New Age infiltration
Many "Catholic" parishes and retreat centers have already succumbed to New Age occultism and ideology. The La Salette "Center for Christian Living" in Attleboro has offered (and continues to offer) "Christian yoga." This retreat center has also offered workshops conducted by a former Catholic nun who practices witchcraft and on at least one occasion an altar was erected to the four directions. On another occasion, women were taught how to make a "woman's Rosary" based upon a woman's menstrual cycle.
At Ste. Marie's Parish in Manchester, New Hampshire, a retreat center (Joseph House) continues to offer New Age "Centering Prayer."
The apostasy continues to spread as many Catholics engage in New Age Reiki, horoscopes, the use of crystals to obtain "healing," recourse to mediums etc.
Meanwhile, the National Director of the Marian Movement of Priests had this to say recently:
From the National Director…
December 8, 2006
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Advent Season
Dear Friends of the MMP,
Greetings during this penitential season of Advent, that special time during the liturgical year when the Church prepares and waits in joyful expectation for the celebration of Christ’s birth.
The Gospel for 1st Sunday of Advent (Dec. 3, 2006) Luke – Chapter 21Jesus said to his disciples:“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:25-28, 34-36)
Be Ready to Receive the LordLet us heed these words and be watchful and ready so that we are not caught off guard, for the Son of Man will come like a thief in the night. Prepare yourselves well with a good Confession so that you can receive Jesus without any stain, spot or wrinkle on your soul. This can be your gift to Him…a heart contrite and humble, pure and chaste, and filled with love, peace and good will. Our Blessed Mother tells us how to prepare: “Prepare yourselves with me to live, in peace, in silence and in trembling expectation, the liturgical remembrance of his birth. In this time of preparation, let faith increase, hope be illumined, charity be strengthened and your prayer become more intense. (367b, Nov. 28, 1987)
“I urge you to walk, each and all, along the way of light which I have traced out for you, to offer your life to the perfect glory of the Most Holy Trinity, to live well the last times of this second Advent, in such a way as to be ready and with lamps burning to receive the Lord who is coming.” (429i, August 15, 1990)
“And so, listen, one and all, to my voice, and hasten after the immaculate light of my virginal beauty, to the encounter with the divine splendor of Christ.Open your hearts to hope. The second coming of Christ is near at hand. The signs that He Himself has given you, to prepare yourselves to receive Him, in these times of yours, are all on the point of being realized.Open your hearts to hope. Live in peace of heart and in prayer. Live in faith and in joy. Live in grace and in purity. Live in love and in holiness. Because Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, our Savior and our King, is about to come to you in the splendor of his glorified body.” (438jkl, December 8, 1990)
Signs Described in Holy ScriptureIn the passage from the Gospel of Luke, read during the 1st Sunday of Advent, Our Lord tells us that there will be signs to warn us that “our redemption is near at hand.” Our Lady speaks of these signs in her messages to Fr. Gobbi. In Message #485, “The End of Times”, given on December 31, 1992, Our Blessed Mother helps us to understand all of the signs, as described in Scripture, which indicate that his glorious return is now close. We can see that we are now living through these very times. Yes, the return of Jesus is indeed close at hand. Prepare in a special way this Advent season because the time of his Second Coming is upon us. (…)“I have announced to you many times that the end of the times and the coming of Jesus in glory is very near. Now, I want to help you understand the signs described in the Holy Scriptures, which indicate that his glorious return is now close.These signs are clearly indicated in the Gospels, in the letters of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and they are becoming a reality during these years.—
The first sign is the spread of errors, which lead to the loss of faith and to apostasy.These errors are being propagated by false teachers, by renowned theologians who are no longer teaching the truths of the Gospel, but pernicious heresies based on errors and on human reasonings. It is because of the teaching of these errors that the true faith is being lost and that the great apostasy is spreading everywhere.‘See that no one deceives you. For many will attempt to deceive many people. False prophets will come and will deceive very many.’ (cf. Mt 24:4-5, 11)‘The day of the Lord will not come unless the great apostasy comes first.’ (cf. 2 Thes 2:3)‘There will be false teachers among you. These will seek to introduce disastrous heresies and will even set themselves against the Master who ransomed them. Many will listen to them and will follow their licentious ways. Through their offense, the Christian faith will be reviled. In their greed, they will exploit you with fabrications.’ (cf. 2 Pt 2:1-3)—
The second sign is the outbreak of wars and fratricidal struggles, which lead to the prevalence of violence and hatred and a general slackening off of charity, while natural catastrophes, such as epidemics, famines, floods and earthquakes, become more and more frequent.‘When you hear of reports of wars, close at hand or far away, see that you are not alarmed, for these things must happen. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places. All this will be only the beginning of greater sufferings to come. Evildoing will be so widespread that the love of many will grow cold. But God will save those who persevere until the end.’ (cf. Mt 24:6-8,12-13)—
The third sign is the bloody persecution of those who remain faithful to Jesus and to his Gospel and who stand fast in the true faith. Throughout this all, the Gospel will be preached in every part of the world.Think, beloved children, of the great persecutions to which the Church is being subjected; think of the apostolic zeal of the recent popes, above all of my Pope, John Paul II, as he brings to all the nations of the earth the announcement of the Gospel.‘They will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all because of me. And then many will abandon the faith; they will betray and hate one another. Meanwhile, the message of the kingdom of God will be preached in all the world; all nations must hear it. And then the end will come.’ (cf. Mt 24:9-10,14)—
The fourth sign is the horrible sacrilege, perpetrated by him who sets himself against Christ, that is, the Antichrist. He will enter into the holy temple of God and will sit on his throne and have himself adored as God.‘This one will oppose and exalt himself against everything that men adore and call God. The lawless one will come by the power of Satan, with all the force of false miracles and pretended wonders. He will make use of every kind of wicked deception, in order to work harm.’ (cf. 2 Thes 2:4,9-10)
‘One day, you will see in the holy place he who commits the horrible sacrilege. The prophet Daniel spoke of this. Let the reader seek to understand.’ (cf. Mt 24:15)Beloved children, in order to understand in what this horrible sacrilege consists, read what has been predicted by the prophet Daniel: ‘Go, Daniel; these words are to remain secret and sealed until the end time. Many will be cleansed, made white and upright, but the wicked will persist in doing wrong. Not one of the wicked will understand these things, but the wise will comprehend.‘Now, from the moment that the daily Sacrifice is abolished and the horrible abomination is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits with patience and attains one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.’ (Dn 12:9-12)The Holy Mass is the daily Sacrifice, the pure oblation which is offered to the Lord everywhere, from the rising of the sun to its going down.
The Sacrifice of the Mass renews that which was accomplished by Jesus on Calvary. By accepting the Protestant doctrine, people will hold that the Mass is not a sacrifice but only a sacred meal, that is to say, a remembrance of that which Jesus did at his Last Supper. And thus, the celebration of Holy Mass will be suppressed. In this abolition of the daily Sacrifice consists the horrible sacrilege accomplished by the Antichrist, which will last about three and a half years, namely, one thousand two hundred and ninety days.— The fifth sign consists in extraordinary phenomena, which occur in the skies.‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; and the stars will fall from the sky; and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ (Mt 24:29)
The miracle of the sun, which took place at Fatima during my last apparition, is intended to point out to you that you are now entering into the times when these events will take place, events which will prepare for the return of Jesus in glory.‘And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. All the tribes of the earth will mourn, and men will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven, with great power and splendor.’ (Mt 24:30)
My beloved ones and children consecrated to my Immaculate Heart, I have wanted to teach you about these signs, which Jesus has pointed out to you in his Gospel, in order to prepare you for the end of the times, because these are about to take place in your days.The year which is coming to a close, and that which is beginning, form part of the great tribulation, during which the apostasy is spreading, the wars are multiplying, natural catastrophes are occurring in many places, persecutions are intensifying, the announcement of the Gospel is being brought to all nations, extraordinary phenomena are occurring in the sky, and the moment of the full manifestation of the Antichrist is drawing ever nearer.
And so I urge you to remain strong in the faith, secure in trust and ardent in charity. Allow yourselves to be led by me, and gather together, each and all, in the sure refuge of my Immaculate Heart, which I have prepared for you especially during these last times. Read, with me, the signs of your time, and live in peace of heart and in confidence.
I am always with you, to tell you that the coming about of these signs indicates to you with certainty that the end of the times, with the return of Jesus in glory, is close at hand.‘Learn a lesson from the fig tree: when its branches become tender and sprout the first leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things taking place, know that your liberation is near.’ ” (cf. Mt 24:32-33)
The Holy Night We are presently living through the concluding times of this second Advent. Yes, our liberation is near! It all began two thousand years ago with the birth of Jesus during the Holy Night when He, our true and only Liberator, came to offer humanity our Heavenly Father’s merciful love and forgiveness. This, his Redemptive Work, will finally be completed at his Second Coming which, according to Our Lady’s words to us, is closely approaching. It is imperative that we prepare ourselves well for this glorious day of his Second Coming. One of the many means we have is the contemplation of the mysteries of the Incarnation and the Birth of Jesus. Thus, allow me to quote a few excerpts from Our Lady’s messages on the First Coming of Jesus, to fill you with the spirit of that Holy Night as if you were actually there gazing at the child in the manger alongside the shepherds. O Come, Let Us Adore Him, Christ the Lord. Message #189 “How Great a Light” December 24, 1979 “This is the holy night. Beloved sons, gather about me to welcome my divine Child. There is so much darkness all about. And yet, an ever increasing light shines within the cave. And now it appears entirely from heaven, while the Mother is deeply absorbed in prayer. How great a light descends from the bosom of the Father into the virginal womb of the Mother, who opens herself to his gift, to Life. And completely enveloped in this divine light, I behold for the first time his body: his eyes, his cheeks, his lips, his face, his arms, his hands; I feel his little Heart which has scarcely begun to beat. Each beat is a gift of love which now will never again be quenched. There is so much cold about us: the severity of the cold and the frost of those who have shut all doors on us. But here, within the cave, there is a pleasant and welcome warmth. It is the shelter that this poor place offers us; it is the warmth of little things; it is the help which a little straw gives us, and a manger which offers itself as a cradle…No place is so warm, now, as this most chilly cave. And the Mother bends happily over her Baby who has been given you by the Father, over her Flower finally come to bloom, over her Heaven now forever opened, over her God who has been awaited for so long. And my tears mingle with my kisses, while I gaze enraptured on my Son and my God, who has been born of me on this holy night. There is still a great night lying over the world. There is a great cold freezing hearts and souls.But the light has now conquered the darkness, and love has forever defeated all hate. My beloved sons, on this holy night, keep watch in prayer. In my Immaculate Heart, remain in readiness. His glorious return is now near. And new light and great fire will renew this world.”Message #462 “The Bright Cave”December 24, 1991 (…)“This is the holy night. This is the night which brings to an end the expectation of the centuries. This is the night which is opened to the Light and brings to an end forever the time of the first Advent. This is the night which brings to a beginning the new day which knows no setting.In this night, heaven is espoused to earth; the song of the angels blends with the voices of the little ones, of the poor, of the pure; to the shepherds is given the announcement which gives joy to all: ‘Today is born for you a Savior.’ (cf. Lk 2:11)Bow down, together with me, to cover the Child with kisses and tears, with warmth and love, with sweet and affectionate tenderness. He is so little; He is just born; He cries because of the sharpness of the cold; He wails because of the great coldness which enfolds the whole world. Like the shepherds, you too, bring Him simple gifts. Your priestly heart, filled with love, becomes for Him his one great comfort.And do you also welcome the great announcement of joy that is given to you today: his second birth in glory is close at hand. You too are traveling along the last stage of a long journey. You too are coming to the end of the time of the second Advent. So therefore, live with me and with my spouse, Joseph, the precious hours of this new vigil.Let a deep silence surround the great noise of words and of images, which today is filling the whole world. Let the prayer of the heart bring you to a continuous loving dialogue with the Lord Jesus who has come, who comes and who will come in glory. And let the tranquil peace of the soul mark the passing of your days, so threatening and thick with sorrows for all.
Go forward safely on the tempestuous waves of these last times of the great tribulation, without becoming troubled at seeing that the doors are still closing to Jesus Christ, who is coming.
My Immaculate Heart is the bright cave, which brings to an end this second Advent, because it is with its triumph that Jesus will return to you in glory.” The Birth of “Merciful Love”Together with the Mother of Divine Mercy let us receive the birth of “Merciful Love” who is Mercy for ALL. For on this day is born our Savior and Redeemer. He is the Heart which beats to renew the heart of every creature…the new heart of the world. “Beloved sons, live with me, in silence and in prayer, the anxious hours of the vigil.Walk with my most chaste spouse, Joseph, and with your heavenly Mother on the long road which is bringing us from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Feel, you too, the fatigue of the journey, the weariness which takes hold of us, the assurance which leads us on, the prayer which accompanies each step, as a heavenly blessedness fills our hearts, now united in perfect communion with the Heart of the Heavenly Father which is about to open itself in the gift of his only-begotten Son.
The noise of the crowded caravan does not disturb us, nor does discouragement take hold of us before all the doors which are closed on our request to be taken in.
The compassionate hand of a shepherd points out to us a poor cave, which opens itself to the most sublime and divine prodigy. The only-begotten Son of the Father is about to be born to his human life. There is about to descend to the world that Merciful Love who becomes man in the Son born of me, his Virgin Mother. After long centuries of expectation and of prayerful supplication, your Savior and Redeemer at last comes to you.
This is the holy night. This is the dawn which arises upon the new day of your salvation. This is the light which shines forth in the deep darkness of all history.My spouse Joseph seeks to make the frigid cave more hospitable and sets about transforming a poor manger into a crib.
I am absorbed in an intense prayer and enter into ecstasy with the Heavenly Father, who surrounds me with his light and his love, and fills me with his fullness of life and blessedness, while paradise, with all its angelic cohorts, prostrates itself in an act of profound adoration. When I emerge from this ecstasy, I find in my arms the divine Child, miraculously born of me, his Virgin Mother.
I press Him to my Heart, cover Him with tender kisses, warm Him with my motherly love, wrap Him in clean linens and place Him in the manger, which is now ready.
My God is completely present in this Child of mine. The mercy of the Father is made visible in the newborn Infant who utters his first plaintive cries.
Divine Mercy has given his Fruit to you: together let us prostrate ourselves and adore the Merciful Love who has been born for us.— Together let us look into his eyes, which open to bring upon the world the light of the truth and of divine wisdom.— Together let us wipe away his tears, which run down to bring compassion upon every suffering, to wash away every stain of sin and evil, to close every wound, to bring solace to each oppressed person, to cause the awaited dew to descend upon the frigid desert of the world.— Together let us clasp his hands, which open themselves to bring the caress of the Father upon human miseries, to bring help to the poor and the little, support to the weak, assurance to the discouraged, pardon to sinners, health to the sick, and to all the gift of redemption and salvation.— Together let us warm his feet which will follow the barren and insecure roads to search out the straying, to find the lost, to give hope to the despairing, to bring liberty to prisoners and the Good News to the poor.— Together let us kiss his little Heart, which has just begun to beat with love for us. It is the very Heart of God. It is the Heart of the only-begotten Son of the Father, who becomes man to bring back to God a humanity redeemed and saved by Him. It is the Heart which beats to renew the heart of every creature. It is the new heart of the world.
It is the Merciful Love which comes down from the bosom of the Father, to bring redemption, salvation and peace to all humanity.Receive Him with love, with joy and with immense blessedness. And let there come forth from your heart the hymn of perennial gratitude for this Child, virginally given to you by me who, on this holy night, have become for all the Mother of Divine Mercy.”(Message #559, December 24, 1995)Through Mary – “Our Gate” Just as Jesus assumed a human nature to come to us through his Virgin Mother, so too he will return to us by means of her, our Mother of the Second Advent and the “Gate which opens upon the new era”: “I am the Gate which opens upon the new era, which awaits you and which is just now coming upon the world. For this reason, in your times, I am called to be the Mother of the Second Advent. Just as, by means of me, Jesus has come to you in the fragility and humility of his human nature, so too, again by means of me, Jesus will return to you in the splendor of his glory, to restore his kingdom in the world.” (461e)
As we celebrate the Holy Night of many centuries ago, let us look forward to the Holy Day of his Second Coming in glory.May you have a most blessed season of Advent.
May your Christmas be holy and the New Year bring you an abundance of God’s peace, joy and love.In the Infant Jesus and His Loving Mother,Peace and blessing +
Rev. Albert G. Roux
National Director
At Ste. Marie's Parish in Manchester, New Hampshire, a retreat center (Joseph House) continues to offer New Age "Centering Prayer."
The apostasy continues to spread as many Catholics engage in New Age Reiki, horoscopes, the use of crystals to obtain "healing," recourse to mediums etc.
Meanwhile, the National Director of the Marian Movement of Priests had this to say recently:
From the National Director…
December 8, 2006
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Advent Season
Dear Friends of the MMP,
Greetings during this penitential season of Advent, that special time during the liturgical year when the Church prepares and waits in joyful expectation for the celebration of Christ’s birth.
The Gospel for 1st Sunday of Advent (Dec. 3, 2006) Luke – Chapter 21Jesus said to his disciples:“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:25-28, 34-36)
Be Ready to Receive the LordLet us heed these words and be watchful and ready so that we are not caught off guard, for the Son of Man will come like a thief in the night. Prepare yourselves well with a good Confession so that you can receive Jesus without any stain, spot or wrinkle on your soul. This can be your gift to Him…a heart contrite and humble, pure and chaste, and filled with love, peace and good will. Our Blessed Mother tells us how to prepare: “Prepare yourselves with me to live, in peace, in silence and in trembling expectation, the liturgical remembrance of his birth. In this time of preparation, let faith increase, hope be illumined, charity be strengthened and your prayer become more intense. (367b, Nov. 28, 1987)
“I urge you to walk, each and all, along the way of light which I have traced out for you, to offer your life to the perfect glory of the Most Holy Trinity, to live well the last times of this second Advent, in such a way as to be ready and with lamps burning to receive the Lord who is coming.” (429i, August 15, 1990)
“And so, listen, one and all, to my voice, and hasten after the immaculate light of my virginal beauty, to the encounter with the divine splendor of Christ.Open your hearts to hope. The second coming of Christ is near at hand. The signs that He Himself has given you, to prepare yourselves to receive Him, in these times of yours, are all on the point of being realized.Open your hearts to hope. Live in peace of heart and in prayer. Live in faith and in joy. Live in grace and in purity. Live in love and in holiness. Because Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, our Savior and our King, is about to come to you in the splendor of his glorified body.” (438jkl, December 8, 1990)
Signs Described in Holy ScriptureIn the passage from the Gospel of Luke, read during the 1st Sunday of Advent, Our Lord tells us that there will be signs to warn us that “our redemption is near at hand.” Our Lady speaks of these signs in her messages to Fr. Gobbi. In Message #485, “The End of Times”, given on December 31, 1992, Our Blessed Mother helps us to understand all of the signs, as described in Scripture, which indicate that his glorious return is now close. We can see that we are now living through these very times. Yes, the return of Jesus is indeed close at hand. Prepare in a special way this Advent season because the time of his Second Coming is upon us. (…)“I have announced to you many times that the end of the times and the coming of Jesus in glory is very near. Now, I want to help you understand the signs described in the Holy Scriptures, which indicate that his glorious return is now close.These signs are clearly indicated in the Gospels, in the letters of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and they are becoming a reality during these years.—
The first sign is the spread of errors, which lead to the loss of faith and to apostasy.These errors are being propagated by false teachers, by renowned theologians who are no longer teaching the truths of the Gospel, but pernicious heresies based on errors and on human reasonings. It is because of the teaching of these errors that the true faith is being lost and that the great apostasy is spreading everywhere.‘See that no one deceives you. For many will attempt to deceive many people. False prophets will come and will deceive very many.’ (cf. Mt 24:4-5, 11)‘The day of the Lord will not come unless the great apostasy comes first.’ (cf. 2 Thes 2:3)‘There will be false teachers among you. These will seek to introduce disastrous heresies and will even set themselves against the Master who ransomed them. Many will listen to them and will follow their licentious ways. Through their offense, the Christian faith will be reviled. In their greed, they will exploit you with fabrications.’ (cf. 2 Pt 2:1-3)—
The second sign is the outbreak of wars and fratricidal struggles, which lead to the prevalence of violence and hatred and a general slackening off of charity, while natural catastrophes, such as epidemics, famines, floods and earthquakes, become more and more frequent.‘When you hear of reports of wars, close at hand or far away, see that you are not alarmed, for these things must happen. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places. All this will be only the beginning of greater sufferings to come. Evildoing will be so widespread that the love of many will grow cold. But God will save those who persevere until the end.’ (cf. Mt 24:6-8,12-13)—
The third sign is the bloody persecution of those who remain faithful to Jesus and to his Gospel and who stand fast in the true faith. Throughout this all, the Gospel will be preached in every part of the world.Think, beloved children, of the great persecutions to which the Church is being subjected; think of the apostolic zeal of the recent popes, above all of my Pope, John Paul II, as he brings to all the nations of the earth the announcement of the Gospel.‘They will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all because of me. And then many will abandon the faith; they will betray and hate one another. Meanwhile, the message of the kingdom of God will be preached in all the world; all nations must hear it. And then the end will come.’ (cf. Mt 24:9-10,14)—
The fourth sign is the horrible sacrilege, perpetrated by him who sets himself against Christ, that is, the Antichrist. He will enter into the holy temple of God and will sit on his throne and have himself adored as God.‘This one will oppose and exalt himself against everything that men adore and call God. The lawless one will come by the power of Satan, with all the force of false miracles and pretended wonders. He will make use of every kind of wicked deception, in order to work harm.’ (cf. 2 Thes 2:4,9-10)
‘One day, you will see in the holy place he who commits the horrible sacrilege. The prophet Daniel spoke of this. Let the reader seek to understand.’ (cf. Mt 24:15)Beloved children, in order to understand in what this horrible sacrilege consists, read what has been predicted by the prophet Daniel: ‘Go, Daniel; these words are to remain secret and sealed until the end time. Many will be cleansed, made white and upright, but the wicked will persist in doing wrong. Not one of the wicked will understand these things, but the wise will comprehend.‘Now, from the moment that the daily Sacrifice is abolished and the horrible abomination is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits with patience and attains one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.’ (Dn 12:9-12)The Holy Mass is the daily Sacrifice, the pure oblation which is offered to the Lord everywhere, from the rising of the sun to its going down.
The Sacrifice of the Mass renews that which was accomplished by Jesus on Calvary. By accepting the Protestant doctrine, people will hold that the Mass is not a sacrifice but only a sacred meal, that is to say, a remembrance of that which Jesus did at his Last Supper. And thus, the celebration of Holy Mass will be suppressed. In this abolition of the daily Sacrifice consists the horrible sacrilege accomplished by the Antichrist, which will last about three and a half years, namely, one thousand two hundred and ninety days.— The fifth sign consists in extraordinary phenomena, which occur in the skies.‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; and the stars will fall from the sky; and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ (Mt 24:29)
The miracle of the sun, which took place at Fatima during my last apparition, is intended to point out to you that you are now entering into the times when these events will take place, events which will prepare for the return of Jesus in glory.‘And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. All the tribes of the earth will mourn, and men will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven, with great power and splendor.’ (Mt 24:30)
My beloved ones and children consecrated to my Immaculate Heart, I have wanted to teach you about these signs, which Jesus has pointed out to you in his Gospel, in order to prepare you for the end of the times, because these are about to take place in your days.The year which is coming to a close, and that which is beginning, form part of the great tribulation, during which the apostasy is spreading, the wars are multiplying, natural catastrophes are occurring in many places, persecutions are intensifying, the announcement of the Gospel is being brought to all nations, extraordinary phenomena are occurring in the sky, and the moment of the full manifestation of the Antichrist is drawing ever nearer.
And so I urge you to remain strong in the faith, secure in trust and ardent in charity. Allow yourselves to be led by me, and gather together, each and all, in the sure refuge of my Immaculate Heart, which I have prepared for you especially during these last times. Read, with me, the signs of your time, and live in peace of heart and in confidence.
I am always with you, to tell you that the coming about of these signs indicates to you with certainty that the end of the times, with the return of Jesus in glory, is close at hand.‘Learn a lesson from the fig tree: when its branches become tender and sprout the first leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things taking place, know that your liberation is near.’ ” (cf. Mt 24:32-33)
The Holy Night We are presently living through the concluding times of this second Advent. Yes, our liberation is near! It all began two thousand years ago with the birth of Jesus during the Holy Night when He, our true and only Liberator, came to offer humanity our Heavenly Father’s merciful love and forgiveness. This, his Redemptive Work, will finally be completed at his Second Coming which, according to Our Lady’s words to us, is closely approaching. It is imperative that we prepare ourselves well for this glorious day of his Second Coming. One of the many means we have is the contemplation of the mysteries of the Incarnation and the Birth of Jesus. Thus, allow me to quote a few excerpts from Our Lady’s messages on the First Coming of Jesus, to fill you with the spirit of that Holy Night as if you were actually there gazing at the child in the manger alongside the shepherds. O Come, Let Us Adore Him, Christ the Lord. Message #189 “How Great a Light” December 24, 1979 “This is the holy night. Beloved sons, gather about me to welcome my divine Child. There is so much darkness all about. And yet, an ever increasing light shines within the cave. And now it appears entirely from heaven, while the Mother is deeply absorbed in prayer. How great a light descends from the bosom of the Father into the virginal womb of the Mother, who opens herself to his gift, to Life. And completely enveloped in this divine light, I behold for the first time his body: his eyes, his cheeks, his lips, his face, his arms, his hands; I feel his little Heart which has scarcely begun to beat. Each beat is a gift of love which now will never again be quenched. There is so much cold about us: the severity of the cold and the frost of those who have shut all doors on us. But here, within the cave, there is a pleasant and welcome warmth. It is the shelter that this poor place offers us; it is the warmth of little things; it is the help which a little straw gives us, and a manger which offers itself as a cradle…No place is so warm, now, as this most chilly cave. And the Mother bends happily over her Baby who has been given you by the Father, over her Flower finally come to bloom, over her Heaven now forever opened, over her God who has been awaited for so long. And my tears mingle with my kisses, while I gaze enraptured on my Son and my God, who has been born of me on this holy night. There is still a great night lying over the world. There is a great cold freezing hearts and souls.But the light has now conquered the darkness, and love has forever defeated all hate. My beloved sons, on this holy night, keep watch in prayer. In my Immaculate Heart, remain in readiness. His glorious return is now near. And new light and great fire will renew this world.”Message #462 “The Bright Cave”December 24, 1991 (…)“This is the holy night. This is the night which brings to an end the expectation of the centuries. This is the night which is opened to the Light and brings to an end forever the time of the first Advent. This is the night which brings to a beginning the new day which knows no setting.In this night, heaven is espoused to earth; the song of the angels blends with the voices of the little ones, of the poor, of the pure; to the shepherds is given the announcement which gives joy to all: ‘Today is born for you a Savior.’ (cf. Lk 2:11)Bow down, together with me, to cover the Child with kisses and tears, with warmth and love, with sweet and affectionate tenderness. He is so little; He is just born; He cries because of the sharpness of the cold; He wails because of the great coldness which enfolds the whole world. Like the shepherds, you too, bring Him simple gifts. Your priestly heart, filled with love, becomes for Him his one great comfort.And do you also welcome the great announcement of joy that is given to you today: his second birth in glory is close at hand. You too are traveling along the last stage of a long journey. You too are coming to the end of the time of the second Advent. So therefore, live with me and with my spouse, Joseph, the precious hours of this new vigil.Let a deep silence surround the great noise of words and of images, which today is filling the whole world. Let the prayer of the heart bring you to a continuous loving dialogue with the Lord Jesus who has come, who comes and who will come in glory. And let the tranquil peace of the soul mark the passing of your days, so threatening and thick with sorrows for all.
Go forward safely on the tempestuous waves of these last times of the great tribulation, without becoming troubled at seeing that the doors are still closing to Jesus Christ, who is coming.
My Immaculate Heart is the bright cave, which brings to an end this second Advent, because it is with its triumph that Jesus will return to you in glory.” The Birth of “Merciful Love”Together with the Mother of Divine Mercy let us receive the birth of “Merciful Love” who is Mercy for ALL. For on this day is born our Savior and Redeemer. He is the Heart which beats to renew the heart of every creature…the new heart of the world. “Beloved sons, live with me, in silence and in prayer, the anxious hours of the vigil.Walk with my most chaste spouse, Joseph, and with your heavenly Mother on the long road which is bringing us from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Feel, you too, the fatigue of the journey, the weariness which takes hold of us, the assurance which leads us on, the prayer which accompanies each step, as a heavenly blessedness fills our hearts, now united in perfect communion with the Heart of the Heavenly Father which is about to open itself in the gift of his only-begotten Son.
The noise of the crowded caravan does not disturb us, nor does discouragement take hold of us before all the doors which are closed on our request to be taken in.
The compassionate hand of a shepherd points out to us a poor cave, which opens itself to the most sublime and divine prodigy. The only-begotten Son of the Father is about to be born to his human life. There is about to descend to the world that Merciful Love who becomes man in the Son born of me, his Virgin Mother. After long centuries of expectation and of prayerful supplication, your Savior and Redeemer at last comes to you.
This is the holy night. This is the dawn which arises upon the new day of your salvation. This is the light which shines forth in the deep darkness of all history.My spouse Joseph seeks to make the frigid cave more hospitable and sets about transforming a poor manger into a crib.
I am absorbed in an intense prayer and enter into ecstasy with the Heavenly Father, who surrounds me with his light and his love, and fills me with his fullness of life and blessedness, while paradise, with all its angelic cohorts, prostrates itself in an act of profound adoration. When I emerge from this ecstasy, I find in my arms the divine Child, miraculously born of me, his Virgin Mother.
I press Him to my Heart, cover Him with tender kisses, warm Him with my motherly love, wrap Him in clean linens and place Him in the manger, which is now ready.
My God is completely present in this Child of mine. The mercy of the Father is made visible in the newborn Infant who utters his first plaintive cries.
Divine Mercy has given his Fruit to you: together let us prostrate ourselves and adore the Merciful Love who has been born for us.— Together let us look into his eyes, which open to bring upon the world the light of the truth and of divine wisdom.— Together let us wipe away his tears, which run down to bring compassion upon every suffering, to wash away every stain of sin and evil, to close every wound, to bring solace to each oppressed person, to cause the awaited dew to descend upon the frigid desert of the world.— Together let us clasp his hands, which open themselves to bring the caress of the Father upon human miseries, to bring help to the poor and the little, support to the weak, assurance to the discouraged, pardon to sinners, health to the sick, and to all the gift of redemption and salvation.— Together let us warm his feet which will follow the barren and insecure roads to search out the straying, to find the lost, to give hope to the despairing, to bring liberty to prisoners and the Good News to the poor.— Together let us kiss his little Heart, which has just begun to beat with love for us. It is the very Heart of God. It is the Heart of the only-begotten Son of the Father, who becomes man to bring back to God a humanity redeemed and saved by Him. It is the Heart which beats to renew the heart of every creature. It is the new heart of the world.
It is the Merciful Love which comes down from the bosom of the Father, to bring redemption, salvation and peace to all humanity.Receive Him with love, with joy and with immense blessedness. And let there come forth from your heart the hymn of perennial gratitude for this Child, virginally given to you by me who, on this holy night, have become for all the Mother of Divine Mercy.”(Message #559, December 24, 1995)Through Mary – “Our Gate” Just as Jesus assumed a human nature to come to us through his Virgin Mother, so too he will return to us by means of her, our Mother of the Second Advent and the “Gate which opens upon the new era”: “I am the Gate which opens upon the new era, which awaits you and which is just now coming upon the world. For this reason, in your times, I am called to be the Mother of the Second Advent. Just as, by means of me, Jesus has come to you in the fragility and humility of his human nature, so too, again by means of me, Jesus will return to you in the splendor of his glory, to restore his kingdom in the world.” (461e)
As we celebrate the Holy Night of many centuries ago, let us look forward to the Holy Day of his Second Coming in glory.May you have a most blessed season of Advent.
May your Christmas be holy and the New Year bring you an abundance of God’s peace, joy and love.In the Infant Jesus and His Loving Mother,Peace and blessing +
Rev. Albert G. Roux
National Director
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Prophecy and the year 2007
Many prophecies are converging. Are we entering the period of the reign of Antichrist?
Paul.
Paul.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Catholics and the New Age
This article makes mention of how the Vatican has linked the Centering Prayer Movement to the New Age. And yet, many "Catholic" retreat centers such as Joseph House (which belongs to the Ste. Marie Parish community in Manchester, New Hampshire), continue to offer Centering Prayer retreats and workshops. See:
http://www.stemarieparish.org/stemarie_nm_JH.htm
Paul.
http://www.stemarieparish.org/stemarie_nm_JH.htm
Paul.
Mr. Russell Pond, a dedicated pro-life champion from Nashua, New Hampshire, has just sent me the latest edition of his e-newsletter from the Saint Michael Brigade. In this latest edition, Mr. Pond reports that "New Hampshire pro-abortion lawmakers in the legislature are filing legislation to repeal a 2003
parental notification law requiring abortion facilities to tell parents
before they can do an abortion on a pregnant teen."
parental notification law requiring abortion facilities to tell parents
before they can do an abortion on a pregnant teen."
Those interested in Mr. Pond's apostolate may contact him at: melkite4@pngusa.net
Paul.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Shades of Dr. Moreau
Yet another abomination in the works. The hour of chastisement is at hand.
Paul.
Paul.
Monday, December 18, 2006
From Mr. Michael Brown at Spirit Daily:
STRANGE TIME: DE-CHRISTIANIZATION STARTS WITH CHRISTMAS AND HINTS AT PERSECUTION
There is an aspect moving with the attack on Christmas this year that defies conventional explanation and begins to hint at something that Catholics and many Christians have long-feared.
That something is persecution, and an early sign is when a majority of people are in favor of one thing but a minority, a small one, is able to usurp control and herd the rest into following their liking.
In just the last few weeks, extraordinary signs of de-Christianization (which may certainly be the herald of persecution) have exceeded even outrages of last year.
In England, laments the Vatican newspaper, there has been "the disappearance of all religious reference on stamps specially printed for Christmas, which now feature snowmen and deer and no longer the three wise men" or the Star of Bethlehem.
In Pennsylvania, a statue of the Blessed Mother had to be declared a "lawn ornament" for a development to allow it.
In Hollywood, actor Charlie Sheen sang "Joy to the World" with obscene lyrics for a network special.
And from California came the announcement of a horror movie about Christmas to be released on December 25 -- a cynical blackening of the brightest day.
In Seattle, workers took down Christmas trees on the demands of a rabbi (before putting decorations back up after public pressure).
In Riverside, California, a high-school choir was muzzled by a cop after it started singing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" at a public skating rink!
In Delray Beach, Florida, meanwhile, no Christmas tree, Nativity scene, or menorah is allowed in a principal's office, and only "winter parties" and "winter celebrations" (which start to sound pagan) are tolerated. In a Detroit suburban school district, a quota system of thirty percent has been instituted on religious songs that can be sung.
While in many quarters Christians seemed to take back some territory lost in recent times -- with certain cities reversing themselves on displays of the Nativity -- in general the opposition has continued and government leaders have forcefully followed the whims of secularists, atheists, and non-Christians despite a poll that has found more than 95 percent of Americans are not offended by the greeting "Merry Christmas" (and even Muslims defending the holiday).
When so few can predominate over a huge majority, and when they have the tools of government, prosecution can turn into persecution. In some cases, there is a link to Muslim opposition, as when, outrageously, a school head in the United Kingdom removed the word "Virgin" from Mary's name for Christmas celebrations -- so as not to upset pupils whose religion is Islam. ("We cut the name to just Mary because Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, not Son of God," she explained to those few who were outraged.)
Before our eyes, Jesus is being purge from His own holiday -- a signal of what could expand into wider methods of de-Christianization.
Few thought of it as starting with Santa Claus, but the devil is tricky and has succeeded too well in many quarters at turning anything Christian into a slur or insult.
If Christmas can be de-Christianized, so can anything. Intense opposition to this secularization, thus far lacking (including among Church leaders), is needed urgently.
"The traditional Christian values once cherished at Christmas have evaporated, with some countries, especially England, waging a veritable 'war against Christmas,' the Vatican paper Osservatore Romano," noted a secular report on Monday.
Is this how the stage will be set? Is it not worrisome that the trend has persisted now over a period of years -- in many ways, intensifying?
Sometimes, it is subtle: such as the United States Postal Service delivering mail (at least certain types) on Christmas Day, which once was sacrosanct.
But many cases are blatant. In England -- yet again -- "a soundtrack to a BBC trail for Christmas dramas has been slammed by the Church -- because it has lyrics about Satan," reports the London Daily Mirror. "The 30-second promo, featuring TV baddies such as Dracula and Keith Allen as the Sheriff of Nottingham, uses the spoof song Christmas with the Devil by Spinal Tap.
"Its lyrics include the lines 'There's someone up the chimney hole and Satan is his name' and 'No bells in hell, no snow below, silent night, violent night.'"
And it doesn't end there. Several channels have offered programs which claim that Jesus was a troubled youth who resorted to violence and had a relationship with a woman. The Man of Sin is preparing society for his entrance (in an open way) upon the world stage.
Pray.
Paul.
STRANGE TIME: DE-CHRISTIANIZATION STARTS WITH CHRISTMAS AND HINTS AT PERSECUTION
There is an aspect moving with the attack on Christmas this year that defies conventional explanation and begins to hint at something that Catholics and many Christians have long-feared.
That something is persecution, and an early sign is when a majority of people are in favor of one thing but a minority, a small one, is able to usurp control and herd the rest into following their liking.
In just the last few weeks, extraordinary signs of de-Christianization (which may certainly be the herald of persecution) have exceeded even outrages of last year.
In England, laments the Vatican newspaper, there has been "the disappearance of all religious reference on stamps specially printed for Christmas, which now feature snowmen and deer and no longer the three wise men" or the Star of Bethlehem.
In Pennsylvania, a statue of the Blessed Mother had to be declared a "lawn ornament" for a development to allow it.
In Hollywood, actor Charlie Sheen sang "Joy to the World" with obscene lyrics for a network special.
And from California came the announcement of a horror movie about Christmas to be released on December 25 -- a cynical blackening of the brightest day.
In Seattle, workers took down Christmas trees on the demands of a rabbi (before putting decorations back up after public pressure).
In Riverside, California, a high-school choir was muzzled by a cop after it started singing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" at a public skating rink!
In Delray Beach, Florida, meanwhile, no Christmas tree, Nativity scene, or menorah is allowed in a principal's office, and only "winter parties" and "winter celebrations" (which start to sound pagan) are tolerated. In a Detroit suburban school district, a quota system of thirty percent has been instituted on religious songs that can be sung.
While in many quarters Christians seemed to take back some territory lost in recent times -- with certain cities reversing themselves on displays of the Nativity -- in general the opposition has continued and government leaders have forcefully followed the whims of secularists, atheists, and non-Christians despite a poll that has found more than 95 percent of Americans are not offended by the greeting "Merry Christmas" (and even Muslims defending the holiday).
When so few can predominate over a huge majority, and when they have the tools of government, prosecution can turn into persecution. In some cases, there is a link to Muslim opposition, as when, outrageously, a school head in the United Kingdom removed the word "Virgin" from Mary's name for Christmas celebrations -- so as not to upset pupils whose religion is Islam. ("We cut the name to just Mary because Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, not Son of God," she explained to those few who were outraged.)
Before our eyes, Jesus is being purge from His own holiday -- a signal of what could expand into wider methods of de-Christianization.
Few thought of it as starting with Santa Claus, but the devil is tricky and has succeeded too well in many quarters at turning anything Christian into a slur or insult.
If Christmas can be de-Christianized, so can anything. Intense opposition to this secularization, thus far lacking (including among Church leaders), is needed urgently.
"The traditional Christian values once cherished at Christmas have evaporated, with some countries, especially England, waging a veritable 'war against Christmas,' the Vatican paper Osservatore Romano," noted a secular report on Monday.
Is this how the stage will be set? Is it not worrisome that the trend has persisted now over a period of years -- in many ways, intensifying?
Sometimes, it is subtle: such as the United States Postal Service delivering mail (at least certain types) on Christmas Day, which once was sacrosanct.
But many cases are blatant. In England -- yet again -- "a soundtrack to a BBC trail for Christmas dramas has been slammed by the Church -- because it has lyrics about Satan," reports the London Daily Mirror. "The 30-second promo, featuring TV baddies such as Dracula and Keith Allen as the Sheriff of Nottingham, uses the spoof song Christmas with the Devil by Spinal Tap.
"Its lyrics include the lines 'There's someone up the chimney hole and Satan is his name' and 'No bells in hell, no snow below, silent night, violent night.'"
And it doesn't end there. Several channels have offered programs which claim that Jesus was a troubled youth who resorted to violence and had a relationship with a woman. The Man of Sin is preparing society for his entrance (in an open way) upon the world stage.
Pray.
Paul.
Friday, December 15, 2006
THE INCARNATION: THE SON OF GOD'S MOST PERFECT GIFT
VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2006 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, the Holy Father met with Roman university students after their traditional mass at St. Peter's Basilica in preparation for Christmas, which was celebrated by Cardinal Camillo Ruini.
Benedict XVI stated that "Christmas gifts remind us of the most perfect gift that the Son of God gave us of himself in the Incarnation. (...) Christmas is the day in which God has given himself to human persons and this gift is made perfect, so to speak, in the Eucharist."
"The Eucharistic mystery," he continued "constitutes the privileged point of convergence between the various spheres of Christian existence, including that of intellectual pursuit. (...) The Eucharist nourishes a fruitful unity between contemplation and action in us so that we are regularly sustained with faith."
Making reference to the immanent arrival of Christmas, the Pope indicated that "in the grotto of Bethlehem we adore the same Lord who wanted to make himself our spiritual nourishment in the Eucharistic sacrament, in order to transform the world from within beginning from the human heart."
The Virgin Mary was the "first to contemplate the incarnate Word, Divine Wisdom, made human. In the Christ Child (...) she recognized God's human face in such a way that the mysterious Wisdom of the Son was impressed on the Mother's mind and heart."
"This is why," he concluded, "Mary was transformed in the "Seat of Wisdom" and is particularly venerated with this title by the Roman academic community. There is a special icon dedicated to the "Sedes Sapientiae" that, starting from Rome, has already visited various countries, making a pilgrimage through the universities. It is present here today in order to be given to the delegation from Bulgaria and Albania."
VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2006 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, the Holy Father met with Roman university students after their traditional mass at St. Peter's Basilica in preparation for Christmas, which was celebrated by Cardinal Camillo Ruini.
Benedict XVI stated that "Christmas gifts remind us of the most perfect gift that the Son of God gave us of himself in the Incarnation. (...) Christmas is the day in which God has given himself to human persons and this gift is made perfect, so to speak, in the Eucharist."
"The Eucharistic mystery," he continued "constitutes the privileged point of convergence between the various spheres of Christian existence, including that of intellectual pursuit. (...) The Eucharist nourishes a fruitful unity between contemplation and action in us so that we are regularly sustained with faith."
Making reference to the immanent arrival of Christmas, the Pope indicated that "in the grotto of Bethlehem we adore the same Lord who wanted to make himself our spiritual nourishment in the Eucharistic sacrament, in order to transform the world from within beginning from the human heart."
The Virgin Mary was the "first to contemplate the incarnate Word, Divine Wisdom, made human. In the Christ Child (...) she recognized God's human face in such a way that the mysterious Wisdom of the Son was impressed on the Mother's mind and heart."
"This is why," he concluded, "Mary was transformed in the "Seat of Wisdom" and is particularly venerated with this title by the Roman academic community. There is a special icon dedicated to the "Sedes Sapientiae" that, starting from Rome, has already visited various countries, making a pilgrimage through the universities. It is present here today in order to be given to the delegation from Bulgaria and Albania."
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