Medicinal rebuke and the Saints....
1970-01-01 00:59:59
In our sacharrin society, medicinal rebuke
is often mistaken for a "lack of charity" when in actuality such constructive criticism aids in healing. In his excellent work entitled "Liberalism is a sin," Fr. Felix Sarda Y Salvany writes:"If the propagation of good and the necessity of combating evil require the employment of terms somewhat harsh against error and its supporters, this usage is certainly not against charity. This is a corollary or consequence of the principle we have just demonstrated. We must render evil odious and detestable. We cannot attain this result without pointing out the dangers of evil, without showing how and why it is odious, detestable and contemptible. Christian oratory of all ages has ever employed the most vigorous and emphatic rhetoric in the arsenal of human speech against impiety. In the writings of the great athletes of Christianity the usage of irony, imprecation, execration and of the most crushing epithets is continual. Hence the only law is the opp
Read more: Saints
, Medicinal
Christ and His Commandments
1970-01-01 00:59:59
"My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him." (1 John 2:1-5)."Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes." (1 John 2:9-11).
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Signs of the times: police hunting for priest
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Read more: hunting
We read in 1 Corinthians 13 that: "Love is patient...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
We read in 1 Corinthians
13 that: "Love is patient
, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (v. 4-7).Now there are those within the Church who would interpret this Scripture in such a way as to discourage any and all forceful defense of the Church and her perennial teaching. For such people, anger is always wrong. It is always sinful. But in so doing, these confused souls accuse Christ of sin:"Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the mo
In his Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas est, No. 17,...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
In his Encyclical Letter
Deus Caritas est, No. 17, Pope Benedict XVI says:"A sentiment can be a marvellous first spark, but it is not the fullness of love. Earlier we spoke of the process of purification and maturation by which eros comes fully into its own, becomes love in the full meaning of the word. It is characteristic of mature love that it calls into play all man's potentialities; it engages the whole man, so to speak. Contact with the visible manifestations of God's love can awaken within us a feeling of joy born of the experience of being loved. But this encounter also engages our will and our intellect. Acknowledgment of the living God is one path towards love, and the "yes" of our will to his will unites our intellect, will and sentiments in the all- embracing act of love. But this process is always open-ended; love is never "finished" and complete; throughout life, it changes and matures, and thus remains faithful to itself. Idem velle atque idem nolle —to want
Dr. Alice Von Hildebrand on hypersensitivity
1970-01-01 00:59:59
In an excellent article entitled "Christianity and the Mystery of Suffering," Alice Von Hildebrand (a woman of sheer genius who, like her husband Dietrich, is a tremendous gift to the Church) writes: There are people who are highly sensitive. In dealing with them one must always be on the lookout for fear of offending them. They are likely to interpret negatively every word one says. A big problem can develop out of the most innocuous remark.One cannot change the temperament with which one is born, but one can either freely choose to become the slave of one's temperament or learn to guide it in such a fashion that this sensitivity-which is a gift-is used for love and not put at the service of self-centeredness. There are plenty of "feelings" (such as moods) that arise in us spontaneously that should not be taken seriously. There are "right" feelings (such as contrition, love, compassion), and these feelings should be sanctioned by our will; and there are wrong feelings (such as envy,
Events in the Philippines of prophetic significance?
1970-01-01 00:59:59
In an article entitled "Medjugorje Prophecy on RP soon to be fulfilled?", Mr. Bingo P. Dejaresco writes, "A message from Our Lady of Medjugorge spoke of the Philippines
to become the "global spiritual center." Will this become a reality soon? The Philippines, the only Catholic nation in Asia, has a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. " (Source: http://www.TheBoholChronicle.com ).One has to wonder if recent events in the Philippines (such as the building of a statue of Our Lady which will be taller than the Statue of Liberty) have a prophetic
significance. After signing the Japanese surrender, General MacArthur (whose involvement in the Philippines fulfilled a prophecy itself) wanted to speak to America and the world about peace, but with a strong warning. He said: "Men since the beginning of time have sought peace…military alliances, balances of powers, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiven
PROPHECY OF ST. NILUS
Realizing that St. Nilus is...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
PROPHECY OF ST. NILUSRealizing that St. Nilus is scarcely known to a large part of the Church, a brief sketch of his life, taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia (1911 copyright edition), is related below:St. Nilus was one of the many disciples and fervent defenders of St. John Chrysostom. He was an officer at the Court of Constantinople, married, with two sons.While St. John Chrysostom was patriarch, before his exile (398-403), he directed Nilus in the study of Scripture and in works of piety. St. Nilus left his wife and one son and took the other, Theodulos, with him to Mt. Sinai to be a monk. The Bishop of Eleusa ordained both St. Nilus and his son to the priesthood. The mother and other son also embraced the religious life in Egypt.From his monastery at Sinai, St. Nilus was a well-known person throughout the Eastern Church; by his writings and correspondence he played an important part in the history of his time. He was known as a theologian, Biblical scholar and ascetic writer, so p
In his Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor (The S...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
In his Encyclical Letter
Veritatis Splendor
(The Splendor of Truth), Pope John Paul II reminds us that:"Only God can answer the question about the good, because he is the Good. But God has already given an answer to this question: he did so by creating man and ordering him with wisdom and love to his final end, through the law which is inscribed in his heart (cf. Rom 2:15), the "natural law". The latter "is nothing other than the light of understanding infused in us by God, whereby we understand what must be done and what must be avoided. God gave this light and this law to man at creation". He also did so in the history of Israel, particularly in the "ten words", the commandments of Sinai, whereby he brought into existence the people of the Covenant (cf. Ex 24) and called them to be his "own possession among all peoples", "a holy nation" (Ex 19:5-6), which would radiate his holiness to all peoples (cf. Wis 18:4; Ez 20:41).The gift of the Decalogue was a promise and sign of the New Cov
Evangelizing in love means speaking the truth
1970-01-01 00:59:59
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines sin thusly:"Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it i failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as 'an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.'" (CCC, 1849).How are Christians to respond to sin and sinful structures? Again, the Catechism teaches:"The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them to act as witnesses of the Gospel and of the obligations that flow from it. This witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. Witness is an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known. All Christians by the example of their lives and the witness of their word, wherever they live, have an obligation to manifest the new man which they have put on in Baptism and to reveal the power of the Holy Spirit by whom they were streng
The abortion holocaust: targeting those with Down Syndrome
1970-01-01 00:59:59
"..a tree is known by its fruit." (Matthew 12:33). What then shall we say about a society which kills the unborn? What did Jesus do to the fig tree which didn't bear good fruit? Paul.
Read more: Syndrome
, abortion
Blessed Miguel Augustin Pro, S.J., a martyr for Ch...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Blessed Miguel
Augustin Pro, S.J., a martyr for Christ the King, once said:"Debemos hablar, gritar contra las injusticias, tener confianza, pero no miedo. Proclamemos los principios de la Iglesia, el reinado del amor, sin olvidar, como sucede algunas veces, el de la justicia." - "We must speak, cry out against injustice, with confidence and not with fear. We proclaim the principles of the Church, the reign of love, never forgetting that it is sometimes also a reign of justice."Blessed Miguel Pro refused to compromise with the world and its counterfeit interpretation of love, a "love" devoid of justice and truth. And he was executed for his fidelity to the Church. Archbishop Oscar Romero had also insisted on the truth spoken in love. And he was assasinated during Holy Mass.These two men of God spoke the truth in love. Even in a climate where the earthly powers were hostile to that truth. They spoke the truth in season and out of season. We are called to do the same. Sometimes
Read more: Blessed
A heroic man
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Chuck Norris was the reason I started studying martial arts back in 1973. He continues to inspire me today. Not many celebrities would risk career or social status to oppose the culture of death. In fact, there are Catholics who succumb to fear of being disliked and who refuse to oppose abortion. Which is what makes the man all the more remarkable.Mr. Norris has also used his celebrity to fight drug use and to educate women on how to defend themselves. Rather than using his celebrity for selfish ends, he uses it to advance the common good.Sometimes good guys do wear black.Read more from Mr. Norris at World Net Daily.Paul.
Defend the Faith - Worcester
1970-01-01 00:59:59
JayG (Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts - my old pieds a terre) has a wonderful Blog which tackles some of the more serious issues of our day. I recommend this Blog to those who wish to discuss - and debate - these issues. As moderator of the forum, Jay is both patient and insightful. Several of my regular readers have posted comments there. The Blog link: http://dtf-jayg.blogspot.com/Paul.
Read more: Faith
A Prayer by Michel Quoist
1970-01-01 00:59:59
"I want to love, Lord,I need to love.All my being is desire;My heart,My body,yearn in the night towards an unknown one to love.My arms thrash about, and I can seize on no object for my love.I amalone and want to be two.I speak, and no one is there to listen.I live, and no one is there to share my life.Why be so rich and have no one to enrich?Where does this love come from?Where is it going?I want to love, Lord,I need to love.Here, this evening, Lord, is all my love. . . .**********Listen, son,Stop,and make, silently, a long pilgrimage to the bottom of your heart.Walk by the side of your love so new, as one follows a brook to findits source, and, at the very end, deep within you, in the infinitemystery of your troubled soul, you will meet me.For I call myself Love, son,And from the beginning I have been nothing but Love,And Love is in you.It is I who made you to love,To love eternally;And your love will pass through another self of yours -it is she that you seek;Set your mind at rest; s
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Pope Benedict XVI blasts "false compassion."
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Astute readers will recognize that this has been one of the main themes of this Blog. I wonder if Pope Benedict
XVI will now be accused by advocates of "The New Ecclesiology" of being "legalistic"?Paul.
Read more: false
, Pope Benedict
, Pope Benedict XVI
Our Sad Time...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
A few years back, I wrote a calm, respectful and detailed letter to His Excellency, Bishop John McCormack, regarding the dissident nature of VOTF and imploring him to take appropriate action against this dissent group. In a letter of response, His Excellency accused me of displaying an "angry tone and tenor."His Excellency had mistaken the firmness of my convictions as "anger." This even though I couldn't have been more respectful or calm and objective. Or perhaps he was not so much mistaken as he was determined to rebuff me with the false accusation of having displayed an "angry tone and tenor." This charge was all the more ironic since (although I have my share of faults to be sure) co-workers and friends have always told me that patience is one of my strongest qualities. Working with the developmentally-disabled for many years, I can tell you that patience is absolutely requisite...though few positions could be more rewarding.When I politely reminded His Excellency that I was not
More troubling news from NH...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Pastor who performed "gay marriages" caught in child porn bust
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Read more: Pastor
, marriages
, child
Natural Law: The obligatory point of reference for civil law
1970-01-01 00:59:59
In his Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), Pope John Paul II emphasized a point
of critical importance for our times. He wrote, "Democracy cannot be idolized to the point of making it a substitute for morality or a panacea for immorality. Fundamentally, democracy is a 'system' and as such is a means and not an end. Its 'moral' value is not automatic, but depends on conformity to the moral law to which it, like every other form of human behavior, must e subject: in other words, its morality depends on the morality of the ends which it pursues and of the means which it employs. If today we see an almost universal consensus with regard to the value of democracy, this is to be considered a positive 'sign of the times,' as the Church's Magisterium has frequently noted. But the value of democracy stands or falls with the values which it embodies and promotes. Of course, values such as the dignity of every human person, respect for inviolable and inalienable human
Read more: Natural
, reference
New Age Infiltration: Reiki
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Read more: Infiltration
, Reiki
Lawrence v. Texas: Liberty becomes license
1970-01-01 00:59:59
When moral liberty is detached from the Natural Law and the Eternal Divine Law, it soon degenerates into license. It was Pope Leo XIII, in his Encyclical Letter Libertas Humana, who reminded us that:"Liberty, the highest of natural endowments, being the portion only of intellectual or rational natures, confers on man this dignity - that he is 'in the hand of his counsel' and has power over his actions. But the manner in which such dignity is exercised is of the greatest moment, inasmuch as on the use that is made of liberty the highest good and the greatest evil alike depend. Man, indeed, is free to obey his reason, to seek moral good, and to strive unswervingly after his last end. Yet he is free also to turn aside to all other things; and, in pursuing the empty substance of good, to disturb rightful order and to fall headlong into the destruction which he has voluntarily chosen...Therefore, the nature of human liberty, however it be considered, whether in individuals or in society,
Read more: Lawrence
, Texas
Excellent spiritual advice from Mr. Michael Brown...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Read more: Michael
, Brown
"Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a st...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
"Jesus
came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:"Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this
In an article published in the February 11, 2007 e...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
In an article published
in the February
11, 2007 edition of the National Catholic Register and entitled "Homilist Names Names," Mr. David Freddoso quotes Legionary Father Thomas Williams, Dean of Theology at Rome's Regina Apostolorum University, as having said that, "Historically, the pulpit has often been effectively used to reprimand the common vices of the congregation, but it is an inappropriate venue for correcting the specific errors of an individual...Pastoral prudence and charity would suggest that a preacher refrain from making references to specific persons, regardless of whether the individual is present or not."Fr. Williams made these comments in response to Deacon Tom McDonnell's homily given on January 21st of this year in which he took U.S. Representative Brian Higgins to task for his recent vote in favor of federal funding for research that destroys human embryos.What of Fr. Williams assertion that the pulpit is "an inappropriate venue for correcting the specific erro
As I have already mentioned in a previous post at ...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
As I have already mentioned in a previous post at this Blog, Fr. Thomas Williams, Dean of theology at Rome's Regina Apostolorum University, has said that: "pastoral prudence and charity would suggest that a preacher refrain from making references to specific persons, regardless of whether the individual is present or not" and that, "Historically, the pulpit has often been effectively used to reprimand the common vices of the congregation, but it is an inappropriate venue for correcting the specific errors of an individual.."Now, I have already shown how Blessed Clemens August von Galen, a Cardinal who opposed the Nazi regime during the Second World War, used his pulpit to criticize Hitler and the cruelty of the Nazis. Perhaps it is time to examine Fr. Williams argument against using the pulpit to correct the specific errors of an individual in the light of the Magisterial teaching of the Church.The Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 2489, teaches that, "Charity and respect for the
Senator Barack Obama and abortion...
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Read more: Senator
, Barack
, Obama
, abortion
As a Diocese withers and decays.....
1970-01-01 00:59:59
Read more: Diocese
, withers
The Warning at Akita
1970-01-01 00:59:59
On April 22, 1984, the Most Reverend John Shojiro Ito, the Bishop of Niigata in Japan, issued a pastoral letter in which he declared the events at Akita
to be supernatural. And it was at Akita that Our Lady said to Sister Agnes Sasagawa:"As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms that will remain for you will be the rosary and Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the rosary. With the rosary, pray for the Pope, the Bishops, and the priests.The work of the devil will infiltrate even the Church in such a way that one will see Cardinals opposing Cardinals, Bishops against other Bisho
Charity or rudeness?
1970-01-01 00:59:59
In his Introduction to the Devout Life St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church, writes:"If the declared enemies of God and of the Church ought to be blamed and censured with all possible vigor, charity obliges us to cry wolf when the wolf slips into the midst of the flock and in every way and place we may meet him."Deacon Tom McDonnell understands this. Read here:http://lasalettejourney.blogspot.com/2007/02/as-i-have-already-mentioned-in-previous.htmlMeanwhile, in a posting here: http://dealwhudson.typepad.com/deal_w_hudson/2007/01/a_clarification.html, Deal Hudson suggests that Deacon Tom "went overboard." Mr. Hudson also writes, "My thought on this homily is that normally the homilist should not mention any sinner by name. I am not sure what the rubrics of the Mass would say on the subject, but he may deserve a reprimand for that."But then says that: "However, things are not normal when a sinner is not only publicly open in his contempt for essential Church teachings, those on w
Read more: Charity
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