Novena to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

I am black and beautiful,

O Daughters of Jerusalem

Like the tents of Qedar,

like the curtains of Solomon...

Your cheeks lovely in pendants,

your neck in jewels.

We will make pendants of gold for you,

and ornaments of silver...

I am a flower of Sharon,

a lily of the valleys.

 Like a lily among thorns,

so is my friend among women ...

Arise, my friend, my beautiful one,

and come!

For see, the winter is past,

the rains are over and gone ...

O Mary,

You are beautiful in every way,

there is no stain in you!

+

A garden enclosed, my Queen, my Mother,

a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed!

Who is this coming up from the desert,

leaning upon her lover?

Hail, O you who crushed the error of deceit!
Hail, O you who exposed the fraud of idols!
Hail, O Sea who drowned the symbolic Pharaoh!
Hail, O Rock who quenched those who thirst for Life!
Hail, O Pillar of Fire who guided those in darkness!
Hail, O Shelter of the World, wider than the clouds!
Hail, O Food who took the place of Manna!
Hail, O Handmaid of holy delight!
Hail, O Land of the promised good!
Hail, O you who flow with milk and honey!
Hail, O Bride and Maiden ever-pure!

Pray for us O holy Mother of God,

that we may be made worthy

of the promises of Christ.

Amen.

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*^*

*

Ed. noted:  Madonna del Carmine detta la Bruna.

The origin of the cult to St. Mary of Carmel, so-called "la Bruna", in Naples (Italy), goes back to the XIIIth century and is connected with an icon of the Virgin with the Child kept in a small church dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari. According to one tradition, the said icon was brought by the Carmelite friars who were forced to leave Mount Carmel and landed in Naples about the middle of the XIIIth century (certainly before 1268). - Source

Novena to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Most Holy Mary, Our Mother, 

in your great love for us you gave us the Holy Scapular of Mount Carmel, 

having heard the prayers of your chosen son Saint Simon Stock. 

Help us now to wear it faithfully and with devotion. 

May it be a sign to us of our total consecration to you,

of our desire to grow in holiness according to your intentions for us,

 as well as a sign of your protection and motherly care.

Amen.

5 Officers dead in Dallas

Prayers for the officers killed and those wounded.

Pray for all who serve in law enforcement.

They need our prayers and support. 

This changes everything.

A self-proclaimed black power group appears to have claimed responsibility for theassassinations of five police officers at a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas.

Five officers were gunned down by at least two shooters who picked out officers from an 'elevated position' - believed to be a multi-storey car park. 

It came in the week of public outrage over the deaths of two black men shot by police.
The Black Power Political Organisation wrote on its Facebook account that it was behind the attack and that 'more assassinations are coming.' - Source

It looks like war now.

Threats surround us all.

I turned on network TV to see if there was any coverage and it was back to regular programming.  Constant ditz, fashion, entertainment news, laugh a minute crap.  Talk about mind control.

I keep reading about the crime in Rio and the squalor, masked over by the 'Olympic' coverage and hype.  The collapse of Venezuela.  ISIS terror. Drug trafficker terror.  Human trafficking terror. Immigration-border control.    Many of us seem to take it in stride.

It's overwhelming - but it's happening.  The police are our guys on the front lines.  They need our support.

PRAYER TO ST MICHAEL FOR POLICE OFFICERS

Dear St. Michael, your name means ''who is like god?''

 and it indicates that you remained faithful 

when others rebelled against God.

Help police officers in our day 

who strive to stem the rabellion and evil 

that are rampant on all sides.

Keep them faithful to their God 

as well as to their country 

and their fellow human beings.

Amen.

Prayers

Philando Castile

There has got to be some mistake: San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy on homosexuality ...

Tired of the constant run around.

I'll bet he was misquoted.

McElroy told America that the Church should use “inclusive, embracing,” and “pastoral” language when referring to the same-sex attracted and sexual acts between people of the same sex.

Labeling homosexual acts as “intrinsically disordered,” as the Catechism does, is “very destructive language that I think we should not use pastorally,” McElroy said. - Source

I disagree.  The Catechism distinguishes homosexual acts from the person.  Homosexual sexual acts are intrinsically disordered.  The inclination itself is pretty much towards sexual acts, hence the language, objectively disordered acts - one may be inclined - tempted to sexual acts which are morally disordered.  Read the Catechism.  The Holy Father himself has referenced the entire teaching.  Catholic teaching does not condemn the person.

I can tell you for a fact homosexual acts are gravely disordered and do not please God.

I'm getting tired of this constant run around and linguistic sleight of hand from Catholic theologians and clergy. Make that Bad Lifesite News Editing.

Update: The Bishop was misquoted - my apologies!

From Catholic in Brooklyn:

You need to look at the original article:
http://americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/digging-deep-mercy-we-all-need 

Lifesitenews should never be considered a source.  

Here is a quote from the original article: 

“My own view,” the bishop said, “is that much of the destructive attitude of many Catholics to the gay and lesbian community is motivated by a failure to comprehend the totality of the church’s teaching on homosexuality.”

That teaching includes the conviction that “moral sexual activity only takes place within the context of marriage between a man and a woman.”

But “that’s not a teaching which applies just to gay men,” Bishop McElroy said. “It is teaching across the board and there is massive failure on that.”
And 
"While The Catechism of the Catholic Church on homosexuality and other teaching on pastoral care for L.G.B.T. Catholics deplores violence or unjust discrimination against people who are gay or lesbian, it also describes homosexual acts as “intrinsically disordered.”

Bishop McElroy thinks that phrasing ought to be carefully reconsidered. “The word ‘disordered’ to most people is a psychological term,” he explains. “In Catholic moral theology it is a philosophical term that is automatically misunderstood in our society as a psychological judgment.” He thought the term evidence of “very destructive language that I think we should not use pastorally.” 

Gulp.  My bad.

That said - I think the language is just fine and completely understandable.

This is an outrage: Minnesota man shot by police after being pulled over for a busted tail light - shot and killed while reaching for his wallet.

"My God, this video below of the immediate aftermath of Philando Castile’s shooting by a suburban Minneapolis police officer leaves one speechless. His girlfriend, Lavish Reynolds, started uploading the video to Facebook live, moments after the officer shot him in a traffic stop for a busted tail light. In the video, you see a wounded, bleeding Castile in what were the last moments of his life."  - Source

 News story here.

Prayers for Mr. Castile and his family.  

My deepest sympathy.

I am so sorry for your loss.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
 Amen.
 May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace.
Amen.

h/t Spirit Daily

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

First Day of the Novena.

O Beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, holy and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, still ever remaining a pure virgin, assist us in our necessity! O Star of the Sea, help and protect us! Show us that you are our Mother! - Source

(The Rosary makes for an excellent novena prayer to accompany the short Carmelite prayers.)

Random thoughts ...

• July 7 begins the novena to OL of Mt. Carmel.

• The Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel is very much considered the Patroness of the Middle East and especially Arabia.  The Blessed Virgin appeared at Fatima in 1917 and in the October Miracle, appeared as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.  This has never been officially explained, yet since we know that the Fatima prophecies seem to be approaching fulfillment, it seems to me the cause for peace is definitely connected in some sense.

• Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is an ancient devotion, and one, it seems to me, is necessary in our times when there is great conflict and persecution in the Middle East. When the dogma of faith is challenged and compromised throughout Christendom. When paganism has once again attracted and made captive mainstream society. When idolatry has replaced true worship of God the Father in spirit and truth.

• Mt. Carmel reminds us of the Prophet Elijah of course, he who defeated the false prophets of Baal.  The Order of Carmel has always seen the prophets Elijah and Elisha as the 'proto-founders' of the order. In the passage from Kings wherein Elijah sees the "little cloud rising from the sea" from his perch atop the summit of Mt. Carmel many have written that this little cloud prefigures the Virgin who would bear the Savior - hence, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

The word of YHWH came to me saying, 

"Son of man, say to his people,

 'why do you add sin to your sins 

and anger the Lord God who created you ?' " 

Don't love the world or the things which are in the world, 

for the boasting of the world and its destruction 

belong to the devil. - Apocalypse of Elijah

Something strange is going on ...

-source-*

JP Shimek wrote a post for NCRegister ... only to have it removed.

Editors' note: This post has been removed. The original text was posted without authorization and bypassed any editorial review. The blog did not reflect the Register's editorial views. - NCRegister

What was wrong with it?  It criticized traditionalists and conservatives, and on some level, the author may not be wrong - nevertheless, as others have pointed out - he's not exactly right when it comes to Catholic teaching on homosexuality either.  For instance, he believes "a redeemed and Christianized expression of homosexuality is possible and constitutes a means of sanctification and deification.  This kind of gay is good and godly."

No it's not.  Unless by deification and godliness he's talking about the Greek gods of mythology.  That's Neo-Paganism and is not Christian.

And David and Johnathan enjoyed a same-sex relationship honored by God?  Get out.  That is corrupt and revisionist gay theology.  That is so not Catholic.

Ganymede and Zeus

A different type of deification and godliness.

I'm tired of these run arounds.


*Please be advised that the Facebook screenshot is taken from the blog Cesspools of Impurity which reprinted the original Shimek article in NCRegister - Cesspools is not Shimek's blog.  Cesspools is an 'outsider' Catholic blog which uses humor to lampoon many Catholic sites which take themselves far too seriously, and in this case, publications that employ writers whose theological development may have progressed beyond editorial expectation.  I'm finding MSM and some Catholic blogs and news portals difficult to trust - hence my interest in 'outsider' sources.   I can't vouch for the Facebook screen shot - it is simply reproduced from the blog Cesspools of Impurity.  I'm just the messenger on this one.

Eponymous Flower also covers the story - and the comments suggest Shimek's doctrine has indeed developed beyond Catholic teaching.

Maria Goretti, A Martyr for Purity

"Maria Goretti resembled St. Agnes in her characteristic virtue of Fortitude. This virtue of Fortitude is at the same time the safeguard as well as the fruit of virginity. Our new beata was strong and wise and fully aware of her dignity. That is why she professed death before sin. She was not twelve years of age when she shed her blood as a martyr, nevertheless what foresight, what energy she showed when aware of danger! She was on the watch day and night to defend her chastity, making use of all the means at her disposal, persevering in prayer and entrusting the lily of her purity to the special protection of Mary, the Virgin of virgins. Let us admire the fortitude of the pure of heart. It is a mysterious strength far above the limits of human nature and even above ordinary Christian virtue." - Beatification Homily Pius XII

St. Maria Goretti died defending her virginity.  So did the following young women.  So did St. Agnes and the many virgin martyrs in ancient times.   Pierina Morosini, lay woman, (+ Fiobbo di Albino, Bergamo, 1957), aged 26. She was attacked by a man who stoned her to death for refusing to comply with his evil desires. She was unconscious and died two days later in hospital. [4. October 1987]. Antonia Mesina, lay woman (+ Orgosolo, Nuoro 1935). At the age of 16, while gathering wood, she was killed by a prowler who tried to rape her. [4. October 1987).

Today marks the anniversary of the Beheading of Thomas Moore

July 6, 1535

"When he saw the doctrines of the Church were gravely endangered, he knew how to despise resolutely the flattery of human respect, how to resist, in accordance with his duty, the supreme head of the State when there was question of things commanded by God and the Church...It was for these motives that he was imprisoned, nor could the tears of his wife and children make him swerve from the path of truth and virtue. In that terrible hour of trial, he raised his eyes to heaven, and proved himself a bright example of Christian fortitude." - Pius XI

Severe Storms In Minneapolis

Branch down in my driveway - I can't get out of the garage

until the city comes by to remove it.

Plantings devastated - petunias over,

flower petals and organic debris litter the sidewalk.

What a mess.

Last night severe storms swept through the area - trees and branches down all over.  Lights flickered.  Heavy rain.  High winds.  Lightning.

At my place a huge branch came down (see photo) and potted petunias pummeled (see photo).  I sent the photos in to local news outlets - they like to post photos of inner city - neighborhood damage.

I think I'm beginning to believe in conspiracy theories ...

Now here's something Catholic logo-ticians ought to be concerned about ...

Some believe the CERN logo has "666"

embedded within.  Others see

it as a graphic symbolizing Shiva.

Concerned about CERN?

You maybe should be.

Unusual vortex over CERN.

(Vortex!)

According to conspiracy theorists, bizarre clouds that formed on Friday, June 24 over the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) facility prove that experiments being conducted by CERN scientists in Geneva are opening up mysterious inter-dimensional portals that disrupt the fabric of space and time and expose Earth to the risk of alien invasion from a parallel universe.*

Stephen Hawking has postulated that the Large Hadron Collider 

may be capable of creating a black hole 

that could swallow our planet and destroy the entire universe…

Statue of the Hindu god Shiva (“the destroyer”) 

right outside CERN headquarters.

Story here.

*It has been suggested that some of the conspiracy theorists and writers at news-portals such as The Vortex,  Canon212, and even 1P5 might have entered the blogosphere from a parallel universe, seeking to disrupt and destroy not only the Papacy, but Catholic unity.  

NB: I for one do not believe in conspiracy theories... or do I?

Hillary is innocent!

FBI recommends Hillary NOT be indicted.

Oh those Clinton's - always falsely accused and yet they soldier on!

The Clinton's do not lie.

Here's a thought for after the long holiday weekend...

Our Lady spoke to Bernadette, making the request, “Pray for Sinners”.  One of Bernadette's interrogators who tested her mental competence asked her, “What is a sinner?”  Bernadette answered, “Someone who loves evil.”  The doctor was impressed by her insight - that an ignorant peasant girl would say 'loves' evil rather than 'does' evil.  

Doctor! Doctor! You say there's a sexual rhythm embedded in rock'n'roll?

Really?

Say it ain't so.

From Dr. Peter Kwasniewski at Views From the Choir Loft:

THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM with rock music, many of its antecedents, and nearly all of its offshoots, can be summed up quite simply: its rhythm is unnatural and morally tainted. There are other intellectual and moral problems with it ...

It is hardly surprising that “rock n’ roll” and “jazz” were both euphemisms for sexual intercourse, or, more accurately in their historical context, fornication: the rhythm is suggestive of the pelvic thrust. People who dance (if it can be called that) to rock music often perform this kind of motion instinctively — think of Elvis Presley, one of the first to gyrate his hips in an explicitly sexual way, in accord with the rhythm of his music.

There is just no escaping from the sensuality and sexual innuendos intended by the pioneers and protagonists of rock music.

ROCK MUSIC WAS THE MUSIC of youthful rebellion in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s: it gave expression to the desire for erotic liberation, which more often than not took the form of “rocking and rolling” in the backseat of the Chevy. - Read more here.

I get the pelvic thrust of the essay... but.

It's insightful to some degree - but I have to think most people already know that.  Dr. Kwasniewski's essay is part one of a two part series, so I hope he sources the real origins of rock'n'roll and jazz ... because so far, he's missing the fact that the music itself is based upon African American music, blended with American folk/country.  Black music influenced all of it - rock'n'roll merged with rhythm and blues and jazz and country, but it's roots developed from African American slaves, their spirituals and work songs, etc..  It's a very complex mix and has always been been highly charged with sensuality, as well echoing the social divide over race and class.  The sexual undertones often reflected the suffering of slaves whose families were broken apart, whose women and children were used to satisfy the lusts of slave owners, and so on.

BTW, Swing music actually foreshadowed and prepared the culture for rock'n'roll, which was in turn, introduced by white singers who played black artists' music for white, lower to middle class, youth.




You gots ta know whachya talkin' 'bout ...

I'm not here to trace the origins of rock'n'roll - but it is a genre which is a clear departure from European classical music - despite the fact that over time many groups incorporated classical orchestrations into their repertoire.

The fact that rock, R&B, jazz, hip hop, and even Country is steeped in sexuality and 'is defiantly carnal' as the Dr. says,  isn't much of  a surprise.  Who didn't know that?  Evangelicals have been preaching against it for decades, pretty much blaming the devil for all of it... and of course, some Catholic converts have brought that idea along with them.  Nevertheless, the music is based upon human experience - it's a form of expression peculiar to modern times, often rooted in pain and suffering.





Song for this post here.

Let's see if they connect it to Freemasons next.

What?

Italia ... Rimini ... Italia ... Torino ... Italia ... Roma: Reminiscences ...

Il Santo del giorno, 4 Luglio: Pier Giorgio Frassati

+ + +

Fr. Michael Tegeder needs our prayerful support.

Fr. Tegeder is in hospice.

On June 24, several days after the call, the 67-year-old Minneapolis native and longtime Catholic priest and church pastor learned from his oncologist that further chemotherapy and immunotherapy infusion treatments to curb his aggressive cancer would be fruitless. Tegeder decided then to discontinue treatment and live his final days in hospice care at the home of a relative. - Ruben Rosario

There is a prayer Fr. Tegeder's parishioners - his communities - are reciting for his healing - it's very beautiful...

Creator, your servant
Nicholas Black Elk
was a Lakota holy man
and a Catholic catechist
who brought the message
of your son Jesus
to many Indian people,
and he taught all of us
to recognize that we are relatives
to all living things
You have created.

Through Black Elk's intercession,
we ask You for the gift of healing
for our pastor,
Father Mike Tegeder,
who inspires us
by his wisdom, honesty,
and courage
in caring for us,
your people.
Amen. - Cabrini

Please pray for him now.  He was surrounded by controversy yet he persevered in ministry, faithful as he could be, true to his convictions - though at variance with Catholic teaching at times - serving and helping and truly accompanying those who were most in need of a priest like him.  I never appreciated that until recently.  The soul of his priesthood is a mystery known to God alone ...

“As I said in this column last Easter, we are still standing together with the Risen One.
This is most important for me. …I am a Catholic with the full understanding of that word which seeks inclusivity while appreciating diversity.
…Let us never forget that we gather around the Risen One in Spirit who reaches out to all in love.” - Fr. Mike Tegeder (March 27, 2016 Pastor's Comments)

I will pray very much for him.

h/t Ray 

"This "logo" mirrors the architecture of most modern day church buildings. It does not comfort the soul but rather makes you a little uneasy."

Really?

Ed. note:  The title for the post is taken from one of the crazy comments I came across at 1P5 regarding the Jubilee of Mercy logo.  What is wrong with these people?

San Francisco de Asis Church, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico.

1772

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, CA.

2002

Really?


I was looking for art and architecture in Catholic history to help illustrate that some so-called 'modernist' creations may really be rooted in tradition or at least not the break with it that some critics say it is.  I was thinking along these lines because of the ridiculous essay at 1P5 denouncing the Jubilee of Mercy logo, suggesting it is full of embedded imagery symbolic of occult or even Masonic origins.

I was searching for early, or even pre-medieval iconography of Northern Europe - such as might be seen on Rood Screens in Stave churches of Scandinavia, or even of illuminations and frescoes of Celtic origins to use as examples.  I also intended to research Catalan Romanesque fresco and New Mexican retablo, as well as Coptic iconography - all of which strike me as reminiscent of, or similar to Fr. Rupnik's work - including his design for the Year of Mercy logo.  I realize there is no chance I can convince critics with such evidence, since they are so well educated in art history and liturgical design, my word or opinion would be easily ignored.

Catalan Romanesque

Nevertheless, I came across something intriguing as regards the architecture of the Los Angeles Cathedral, which so many traditional Catholic purists love to hate.  Personally, I've always liked the Cathedral, and especially appreciated the stone used in the construction.  Today I came across the little church in Taos - made famous by Georgia O'Keefe, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how closely it resembled the architecture of Our Lady of the Angels.  In fact I at first mistook a photo I came across as a section I'd never seen of the Cathedral.  The adobe chapel style led me to wonder if perhaps architect Rafael Moneo was inspired by the Taos-mission style?  At any rate - I see a similarity in form, as well as precedent.

It seems to me many times American Catholics, especially Traditionalists, close themselves off to other cultures and traditions.  This seems particularly evident in Anglo attitudes toward the Latino cultures of the Americas. The most recent historical example of such bias and rejection I can think of, is when Bishop Lamy (+1888) banned and ordered the removal of indigenous religious art and retablos from chapels and churches in New Mexico after occupation of the territory by the US Army.

I also think Pope Francis, though the son of Italian immigrants, is often misunderstood because of his Latin American upbringing. As Fr. Schneider noted in an article for Crux:

Several times, Pope Francis has said things that have really shocked a number of North American Catholics. Yet if we put the comments in the context of Catholicism in other countries, often we’ll be shocked by the situation in those countries, not by the pope. - Crux

 It's well worth the read.

+ + +

An update from E:

Psalter and Hours of Bonne of Luxembourg, 

Duchess of Normandy, Attributed to Jean Le Noir  

(French, active 1331–75) 

The side-wound as mandorla

in Medieval illumination.

Cohabitation...

"We've been together for years, never married - and of course we live chastely."