GO FIGURE!?

In the Traditional calendar, St. Catherine of Siena, a Doctor of the Church, is honored on this day. She indeed to be venerated. I noticed, however, that in the 'New' calendar, it is reserved in honor of Pope St. Pius V. This is very interesting, since Vatican II and Pope Paul VI did exactly what this wonderful Pope condemned in the aftermath of the Council of Trent:

Pope St. Pius V said dogmatically and INFALLIBLY in Quo Primum, an infallible decree that was and is irrevocable, that:

"It shall be unlawful henceforth and forever throughout the Christian world to sing or read Masses according to any formula other than this Missal published by us...This present Constitution can never be revoked or modified, but shall forever remain valid and have force of Law...And if, nevertheless, anyone would ever dare attempt any action contrary to this Order of ours, handed down for all times, let him know that he has incurred the wrath of Almighty God, and the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul." Pius V, (Quo Primum, 07-14-1570)

Go figure, Huh?

By the way, Pope Pius V will be honored in the Traditional calendar on May 5.

St. Catherine of Siena

4th Sunday after Easter

Tomorrow is the 4th Sunday after Easter. Christ has been visiting His friends, the Apostles and disciples and the faithful. He is getting ready to ascend into Heaven, and take all of the faithful who had died prior to His death with Him when He goes. However, that time is not come. Jesus has been instructing His followers to TEACH them all he has proposed. This will be His new Church, fulfilling all the promises from the earlier times when He was told of. He didn't tell them to write anything, but to teach. He commanded them to baptize all in the NAME of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. These will be His friends, if we do ALL He commanded. He left us the Seven Sacraments, by which we are to do to gain eternal life.

Our Lord has left us the three things that keep us a One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church: Hierarchy, Dogma, and the Sacraments. These all contribute to make us one Body.

The Seven Sacraments supply everything needed; take one away, and you destroy the harmony. The Churches of the East, though severed now for long ages from Catholic unity, retain all seven; and when Protestantism broke the sacred number, it showed in this, as in all its other pretended reformations (or deformations), that it was estranging itself from the spirit of the Christian religion. No: the doctrine of the Sacraments is one that cannot be denied without denying the True Faith. If we would be members of God's Church, we must receive this doctrine as coming from Him Who has a right to insist on our humble submission to His every word. It is to the soul which thus believes that the Sacraments appear in all their divine beauty and power: we understand, because we believe, Credite, et intelligetis! It is the fulfillment of the text from Isaias, as rendered by the Septuagint: Unless ye believe, ye shall not understand!

We are destined, as St. Paul says, one day to see God face to face, and to know even as we are known, but we shall never be worthy to behold Him, unless even now the most ardent desire of our heart is to know Him aright. Faith teaches us to know God, and without faith no one can hope to go to heaven. May our faith remain sacred to us until we draw our last breath. May all that we learn and experience be regarded by us in the light of faith, i. e., may we refer it all to God, and employ it in learning to know Him better. Let us never waver in our faith, and never be infected with the spirit of worldliness, which cares for everything but God. Let us cherish a firm and steadfast faith in God, for thus we shall become worthy one day to behold Him and, as the Apostle says, to enjoy Him, to find unspeakable happiness in loving Him whose love alone is able fully to satisfy the heart of man. This is man's destiny, this is the highest possible bliss, but this love must at least begin on earth, for only a heart that has lived for God in this world will live in Him in the world to come.

Love of God is displayed in obedience to Him. The better we love Him, the more ready and joyful will be our obedience. If He one day asks us whether we had loved Him on earth, we shall answer with gladness proportionate to the humility and fidelity with which we have done our duty, to the number of good works that we have performed, and to the amount of self-restraint that we have practiced out of love of Him. The genuineness of our love will be proved in this way and by the solidity of the virtues that we have acquired; not by the number of fine speeches that we have made, or of pious books that we have read. We ought to love God not only in word and with our emotions, but in deed and in truth. We are destined some day to join the company of those blessed spirits, who stand before the throne and never cease their worship of God. Let us now prepare ourselves to fulfill this glorious duty by means of prayer, for prayer alone will furnish us with the grace of faith, will strengthen us to disregard the things of earth and to overcome temptations to sin, and will help us to be faithful in good works. Thoughtful prayer, proceeding from hearts earnestly desirous of salvation, brings us even now closer to God, and will some day unite us for ever with Him. Therefore let us pray without ceasing, as the Apostle bids us, but pray with a heart full of good will really to accomplish the task, for which our prayer obtains us strength.

We know whither our Lord has gone; He is in heaven, preparing a place for us. We know, too, whither He wishes us to go – also to heaven, to be happy with Him for ever. When in the common­place round of our everyday life we are tempted to forget our high calling, let us ask ourselves, "Whither ought I to go?" The answer will be, "To heaven, by faith, avoidance of sin, a life of virtue and incessant prayer." Amen.

Feast of St. Mark--Indulgence

Sorry this post is late in the day, but it is of worth to our souls. If we say the 'Litany of the Saints' today, we may earn a plenary indulgence of 10 years. Please pray it:



THE LITANY OF
THE SAINTS


The Litany of the saints is one of the oldest Catholic prayers still in use. It was prayed in earlier forms in the procession of St. Mamertus, the Bishop of Vienna, in the fifth century, and in St. Gregory the Great’s Litania Septiformis ("sevenfold procession") of the clergy and the faithful, which followed a terrible spate of floods and disease in Rome in 590. Its stature is such that it is one of only six litanies authorized for use in public services by the Holy See.

The Litany of the Saints is often recited or sung in a shorter form than the one given below (which is itself an abridged version!) on All Saints Day (naturally enough!). It is a moving appeal for help from many of our greatest saints, as well as for divine protection.

The Litany of the Saints is also often a special part of both the Easter Vigil (the mass in which those who have received instruction in our faith are baptized) and Ordination Masses for priests, deacons, and bishops, as well.

It can be prayed alone or in a group setting. (As in a church service, the group responds to a leader with the italicized words below. Each response in the Litany of the Saints is repeated after each line until a change appears.)

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. (repeat after each line)
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Ghost,
Holy Trinity, one God,
Holy Mary, pray for us (repeat after each line)
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
St. Michael,
St. Gabriel,
St. Raphael,
All you holy angels and archangels,
All you holy orders of blessed spirits,
St. John the Baptist,
St. Joseph,
All you holy patriarchs and prophets,
St. Peter,
St. Paul,
St. Andrew,
St. James,
St. John,
St. Thomas,
St. James,
St. Philip,
St. Bartholomew,
St. Matthew,
St. Simon,
St. Thaddeus,
St. Matthias,
St. Barnabas,
St. Luke,
St. Mark,
All you holy apostles and evangelists,
All you holy disciples of our Lord,
All you holy innocents,
St. Stephen,
St. Lawrence,
St. Vincent,
SS. Fabian and Sebastian,
SS. John and Paul,
SS. Cosmas and Damian,
SS. Gervase and Protase,
All you holy Martyrs,
St. Sylvester,
St. Gregory,
St. Ambrose,
St. Augustine,
St. Jerome,
St. Martin,
St. Nicholas,
All you holy bishops and confessors,
All you holy doctors,
St. Anthony,
St. Benedict,
St. Bernard,
St. Dominic,
St. Francis,
All you holy priests and levites,
All you holy monks and hermits,
St. Mary Magdalen,
St. Agatha,
St. Lucy,
St. Agnes,
St. Cecilia,
St. Catherine,
St. Anastasia,
All you holy virgins and widows,
All you holy men and women, saints of God, intercede for us.
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil, deliver us, O Lord. (repeat after each line)
From all sin,
From Thy wrath,
From a sudden and unprovided death,
From the deciets of the devil,
From anger, and hatred, and all ill-will,
From the spirit of fornication,
From lightning and tempest,
From the scourge of earthquakes,
From plague, famine and war,
From everlasting death,
By the mystery of Thy holy incarnation,
By Thy coming,
By Thy nativity,
By Thy baptism and holy fasting,
By Thy Cross and Passion,
By Thy Death and burial,
By Thy holy Resurrection,
By Thine admirable Ascension,
By the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete.
On the day of judgment.
We sinners, we beseech Thee, hear us (repeat after each line)
That Thou wouldst spare us,
That Thou wouldst pardon us,
That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to govern and preserve Thy Holy Church,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolic Prelate, and all ecclesiastical orders in holy religion,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to humble the enemies of holy Church,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant peace and unity to all Christian peoples,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to ring back to the unity of the Church all who have strayed away, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service,
That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires,
That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors,
That Thou wouldst deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from eternal damnation,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed,
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously to hear us, Son of God,
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father, etc. (inaudibly)

V. And lead us not into temptation
R. But deliver us from evil.

The Litany of the Saints reminds us of a moving line about them from one of the Eucharistic prayers to God the Father said at Mass: “May their merits and prayers gain us Your constant help and protection.”

Third Sunday after Easter

Today is the third Sunday after Easter. However, it is also a day in which we honor St. Joseph, true spouse of Mary and foster-father of Jesus, as 'Protector of the Church'. It couldn't take place on his day in March, since it can't take during lent, especially if it should fall on a Sunday. So, the 3rd Sunday after Easter is when it is celebrated. We probably won't hear about this today because it's been taken out of the 1962 missal. This solemnity of St. Joseph was promulgated in the 15th century for the western Church, and is still in force today.

St. Joseph was guardian of the Holy Family, His Mother and Himself, and Jesus has granted him to us also, as our guardian during our lives, and especially, at the hour of our death. Just as He gave His Mother to us as our mother on the Cross, He would like us to have him as our father too. The priests who do our Mass are Italian, and are the 'Servants of Charity', are devoted to St. Joseph. One prayer they follow is as follows:
St. Joseph, Foster-father of Jesus and true spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray for us, now and at the hour of our death. Amen'

He is the patron saint of dying people, for a happy and holy death. We need his intercession during this life, and especially during our last moments.

I would like to end with a hymn from a Monastic Rite:

May the heavenly host praise thee, O Joseph! May the choirs of Christendom resound with thy name, for great are thy merits, who wast united by a chaste alliance to the holy Virgin.
Seeing that thy Spouse was soon to be a Mother, a cruel doubt afflicts thy heart; but an Angel visits thee, telling thee that she had conceived of the Holy Ghost the Child she bore in her womb.
Where Jesus was born, thou hadst to take Him in thine arms, and go with the little fugitive to Egypt's distant land. When he was lost in Jerusalem, thou didst seek after him; and having found him, thy tears were mingled with joy.
Other saints receive their beatitude after death, when a holy death has crowned their life; they receive their glory when they have won the palm: but thou, by a strangely happy lot, hadst, even during life, what the blessed have in heaven--thou hadst the sweet society of thy God.
O Sovereign Trinity! have mercy on us thy suppliants, and may the intercession of Joseph aid us to reach heaven; that there we may sing to thee our eternal hymn of grateful love. Amen.

St. Joseph, Foster-father of Jesus and Protector of the Church, pray for us.

Chaplet of Our Blessed Lady's Seven Dolors

Today, in honor of our Blessed Mother, I am going to be promoting the Chaplet of Her Seven dolors. It was started 800+ years ago, and I just recently learned of it. It consists of an 'Our Father', followed by seven 'Hail Marys' for each of her dolors, or sorrows, which she experienced during her life concerning her Divine Son, Jesus.


Her seven dolors were as follows:

1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in Jerusalem.
4. She meets Jesus carrying His cross.
5. The Crucifixion.
6. She receives the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
7. The Body of Jesus is placed in the tomb.

St. Bridget of Sweden received these seven promises from our Blessed Mother for those who recite this chaplet:

1. "I will grant peace to their families."
2. "They will be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries."
3. "I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work."
4. "I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls."
5. "I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives."
6. "I will visibly help them at the moment of their death--they will see the face of their Mother."
7. "I have obtained this grace from my Divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthy life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my
Son will be their eternal consolation and joy."

Pretty cool, huh? You can't beat these promises.

Anyway, I learned to make rosaries last year, both traditional and cord ones for the military, and I will be making these chaplets also. I think this would be something good to do, and could be done anytime, especially: On Fridays; any day of Lent; on the Feast Day of her Seven Dolors; or within the octave thereof; and one hundred days on any other day of the year.

Also, Pope Benedict XIII, in 1724, granted an indulgence of two hundred days for every 'Our Father' and every 'Hail Mary' to those who, with sincere contrition, and having confessed, or firmly purposing to confess their sins, shall recite this Chaplet to the above conditions.

Pope Clement XII in 1734 confirmed these indulgences, and added:

1. A Plenary indulgence to those who shall have recited this Chaplet for a month every day-Confession, Communion and prayers for the Church, required as usual.
2. An indulgence of one hundred years to all who should recite it on any day, having confessed their sins, with sincere sorrow, or at least firmly proposing to do so.
3. One hundred and fifty(150) years to those who should recite it on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and Holy days of obligation, with Confession, Communion.
4. A Plenary indulgence once a year, on any day, to those who are accustomed to recite it four times a week, on condition of Confession, Communion, and the recital of the Chaplet on the day of Communion.
5. Two hundred year's indulgence to all who recite it devoutly after Confession; and to all who carry it about them, and frequently recite it, ten years' indulgence every time they shall hear Mass, hear a sermon, or reciting 'Our Father', and seven 'Hail Marys', shall perform any spiritual or corporal work of mercy, in honor of our Blessed Saviour, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or any Saint, their advocate.

Not bad compensation for something so easy, is it?

Catholic burial

Last Sunday we heard about the Good Shepherd. I'm going to tell a couple of things. When we die, and are given the Christian Rite of burial, we are brought into the Church feet first. This is so, if we were to stand up, we would be facing God at the altar and the tabernacle, ready to face Him and His judgment. However, when a priest, bishop, or cardinal were to die, they are brought into the church head first, so that, if they were to stand up, they would face all the souls that were entrusted into their care for safekeeping. They will also face His judgment. Think about it, they have to answer to Him for all those souls, especially those who were lost, either to falling away from the Truth, or weren't taught the Truth from the beginning. These leaders need prayers the most, seeing the state of the Church in the last 50+ years.

Now, on a lighter note, this was sent to me this week. I have seen it before, but it earns a spot here. It probably is not true, but fun to think about. It would be awesome if more of our leaders did this.

'Last Saturday afternoon, in Washington, D.C., an aide to Nancy Pelosi visited the Bishop of the Catholic cathedral in D.C. He told the Cardinal that Nancy Pelosi would be attending the next day's Mass, and asked if the Cardinal would kindly point out Pelosi to the congregation and say a few words that would include calling her a saint. The Cardinal replied, "No. I don't really like the woman, and there are issues of conflict with the Catholic Church over her views." Pelosi's aide then said, "Look, I'll write a check here and now for a donation of $100,000 to your church if you'll just tell the congregation you see Pelosi as a saint. The Cardinal thought about it and said, "Well, the church can use the money, so I'll work your request into tomorrow's sermon."

As Pelosi's aide promised, Nancy Pelosi appeared for the Sunday worship and seated herself prominently at the forward left side of the center aisle, in front of the podium. As promised, at the start of his sermon, the Cardinal pointed out that Ms. Pelosi was present.

The Cardinal went on to explain to the congregation, "While Ms. Pelosi's presence is probably an honor to some, the woman is not numbered among my personal favorite personages. Some of her most egregious views are contrary to tenets of the Church, and she tends to flip-flop on many other issues as well. Nancy Pelosi is a petty, self-absorbed hypocrite, a thumb-sucker, and a nit-wit. Nancy Pelosi is also a serial liar, a cheat, and a thief. I must say, Nancy Pelosi is the worst example of a Catholic I have ever personally witnessed. She married for money and using her wealth to lie to the American people. She also has a reputation for shirking her Representative obligations both in Washington and in California. The woman is simply not to be trusted." The Cardinal concluded, "But, when compared with President Obama, Ms. Pelosi is a saint."

Good Shepherd Sunday

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Jesus is our good Shepherd. He says: "I know my sheep and my sheep know me." However, he is invisible to us unless we have been given a special grace. But, He left us the road we need to follow to reach our goal, and that is to be with Him and His Mother and all the saints in heaven. That road is the One, Holy, CATHOLIC, and Apostolic Church. He has left Peter, the first Pope, in charge of it, along with his successors until the end of time. Jesus told Peter: "Feed my lambs, fed my lambs, and feed my sheep."

The lambs are us. The sheep are the older and wiser ones, the leaders of His Church. They are suppose to teach the Truth which comes through Jesus to Peter, all of the Popes, the Cardinals, the Bishops, and then to the rest of us. If they fail and do NOT teach us what the Apostles taught, they are wrong, PERIOD! These last 50+ years we have seen a departure from the original intent of Jesus. Our 'sheep' seem to be making a new church which strongly resembles the protestant churches; thus, not teaching what they ought. We are told: "All churches have a little of the truth, and when we put them altogether, we have the total truth." As I have said before, this is a huge 'PANTLOAD!'

Jesus did NOT found 100,000+ churches, He founded ONE Church. We need to really and sincerely study what the Apostles taught to get to our goal. However, we have the Church to tell us the Truth lest we stray from it. We need to read the 'Syllabus of errors' which was written by, I believe, Pope Pius IX, about 150 years ago. He anathamatizes a lot of what has been going on in the Church the past 50+ years. Well worth the read. Get busy!

You know, St. Paul withstood Peter to his face on an error he was promoting (about having to be circumcised to be saved); Peter saw his error and corrected it. Sometimes we need to confront our leaders when they are wrong to help them. Because, as in my bio, if we don't say something, we are guilty of promoting the same. We don't want that.

Jesus, Shepherd of our souls, have mercy on us.

Low Sunday-Quasimodo

Today is what is called 'Low Sunday.' It is apparent that this name signifies the octave of the Easter celebrations, and because it is on a lower scale than the Highness of last Sunday. We hear about 'Doubting' Thomas. Just because he didn't believe the Apostles when they said they had seen our Lord Jesus, he didn't believe them. Jesus wouldn't do a miracle for Herod, and He won't do one just to make us believe. The following Sunday, Thomas did see and then believed. Jesus told him: "Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed. blessed are they who have not seen and have believed."

My Lord and my God, help my unbelief.

Also, on this, which is called a Greater Double rite; it is such a solemn day, NO feast, however great, is supposed to be kept on it. 'Mercy Sunday'? Could it be that JP2 bypassed the Church Canons when he started this, just as he did when he started the 'Luminous' mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of our Blessed Mother Mary. I think she knew what she was doing better than the Holy Father when she asked for this devotion to begin.