Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Fr. Z: Calling for Eucharistic Reparation.
Fr. Zuhlsdorf calls attention to a recent church break-in wherein the only thing stolen was a ciborium containing consecrated hosts.
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From the the times-tribune.com
The theft rendered the building desecrated under Catholicism, in which practitioners believe the hosts change into the body of Jesus Christ. On Wednesday afternoon, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera led a ritual ceremony and celebrated Mass to rededicate and bless St. Rose.
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Monsignor David L. Tressler, the church’s pastor, described the Catholic community as stunned and hurt. There is a "real sense of violation," and it is all the more disheartening because the thief targeted the hosts, which are at the heart of the religion’s identity, he said. - News story.
Speaking from 'experience' of such things, Fr. Zuhlsdorf's commentary sheds some light on the possible motivation behind the theft, as well as calling us to make reparation for sins committed against the Blessed Sacrament.
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Some years ago I had to stop reserving the Blessed Sacrament at the church I had in Italy because of break ins. The area is a well-known zone of satanic activity. There are also many drug users. These two groups will overlap: people break into church and then sell the Blessed Sacrament to satanists.
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The story is about a church break in during which only a ciborium with Hosts was taken from a tabernacle. The fact that this was the only thing taken points to some satanic cult, rather than a prank or mere desire for something to sell.
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This certainly would fall into the category of graviora delicta if the person who did this was not in some way mentally impaired. Generally these thefts occur because the Hosts are desired for filthy and diabolical reasons.
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I ask the readers to make some act of reparation today, perhaps through fasting and or almsgiving, as well as prayer for the thief who – if acting in such malice – risks roasting for eternity in the deep cinders of hell. - WDTPRS
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My thoughts:
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As Father points out, this is a serious crime and I think only by meditating upon the sacred passion of Christ can we get some sense of the gravity of the offense to Almighty God - especially as regards the hidden tortures and humiliations which took place during the Lord's imprisonment, the scourging and crowning with thorns - terrible reenactment of which may take place in and through the profanation of the Blessed Sacrament. Our Lord is not only offended by such disgusting sacrilege, but also by so many unworthy and disrespectful communions, not to mention our indifference to His Real Presence in the tabernacle... ending in such great abuse of the Blessed Sacrament.
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Growing up, I was edified by true stories of heroism involving the Blessed Sacrament, during wars and revolutions priests consuming the consecrated hosts before enemy soldiers could desecrate them, firemen risking their lives rescuing the Blessed Sacrament from being consumed in fire, and so on. Martyrs such as those in Gorkum, Holland were tortured and martyred simply because of their faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
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Fr. Zuhlsdorf is very good to call for prayers of reparation.
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Art: Martyrs of Gorkum
Thanks, Terry.
ReplyDelete"O most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I profoundly adore Thee.
I offer You the Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for all the sins, sacrileges, outrages and indifference. Through the merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, grant the conversion of sinners. Amen."
I was holding a copy of St. Peter Julian Eymard's "The Eucharist and Christian Perfection I" when I opened your blog and read this story...what struck me in the story is the fact that Satanists believe in the Real Presence!
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking story.
Andrew Wouters, one of the Gorkum martyrs, is great sinner/saint--without his martyrdom he probably wouldn't have been a saint. I agree, he's a fantastic example of Eucharistic faith and heroism.
ReplyDeleteRick
Off the subject: but Terry, and all: could you pray for Patricia S., a good friend/penitent of mine; she had a pacemaker procedure today and is not doing well; Br. J. and I went to visit her in hospital this afternoon and she's in a lot of pain.
ReplyDeleteMost appreciated. Thank you!
went to chapel after work on the way home this evening for holy hour & prayed divine mercy chaplet in reparation. thanks for posting this, terry.
ReplyDeleteI have a splitting headache right now - something I rarely get - I will offer it up in reparation - no painkillers.
ReplyDeleteThere's all kind of wierd sh*t out there...about the freakiest thing was when I was in the military there was a black witch in one of the squadrons I was in who was looking for menstrual blood from virgins--I guess cuz sacrificing virgins is kinda difficult to do nowadays???
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in an old downtown neighborhood there would be cow's tongues that would appear on the headstones of the cemetery just down the block from me...someone told me that was an old Hispanic supersticion but I don't know..it was just plain wierd.
And when I did tours in Central America there were LOTS of voodoo practioners--freaky stuff--even though I wasn't Catholic at the time I had a rosary and a st Michaels medal and clung to them for dear life..
Sara